As Councillors of the Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association, we want to say that we strongly sympathise with those impacted by the events in Ukraine, including several University of Sydney postgraduate students, and are appalled by the staggering loss of life in the country (citizens of Ukraine, the Russian Federation, India, Greece, and potentially others). We urgently call for a peaceful and sustainable resolution to the conflict.
We call on the University of Sydney to:
- Extend candidature for impacted students;
- Extend studentship/grant support for impacted students;
- Divest itself of any Russian assets;
- Sustain an eclectic spread of peace and conflict resolution studies coursework (graduate and undergraduate levels);
- Make relevant services at CAPS more available so it can be better positioned to support impacted students;
- Publicly denounce racism and discrimination against Russians on our campus; and
- Scrap the 70% or other course attendance requirement for impacted students (to allow mental health breaks, time to help impacted family members, etc.).
We stand for the human rights and human dignity of all people, international law, the rule of law, freedom, and the resolution of conflicts humanely and non-violently. We stand for affirming, inclusive, equitable, and sustainable peace and futures. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need any support.
Signed,
SUPRA Council
Composed by Joseph Black and edited by Council
Stay in touch with us