The higher education regulator has fined the University of Sussex £585,000 for failing to uphold freedom of speech standards.
According to the Office for Students, the university's Trans equality policy negatively impacted the academic environment by instilling fears of disciplinary repercussions among staff.
The University of Sussex has hit out at the findings, saying it leaves universities unable to implement policies to prevent abusive, bullying, and harassing speech, and they would appeal the decision.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex, Professor Sasha Roseneil said: “The OfS’s findings mean that it is now virtually impossible for universities to prevent abuse, harassment, or bullying on our campuses. It means universities cannot protect groups subject to harmful propaganda or determine that stereotyped assumptions should not be relied upon in the university curriculum.
“Universities must be able to have policies and expectations of behaviour that support respectful communication and enable us to manage cultural tensions on campus. It cannot be that we are only able to expect people to obey the law and that poor behaviour can only be challenged in the courts.
“Under this ruling, we believe that universities would not be permitted to expect their staff and students to treat each other with civility and respect. The OfS is effectively decreeing libertarian free speech absolutism as the fundamental principle for UK universities. In our view, the OfS is perpetuating the culture wars.”
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