Goldsmiths College in London has apologised to Jewish students and staff after an independent inquiry found it had allowed a “culture” of antisemitism to build up on its campus over a number of years.
The inquiry concluded that Jewish students were subjected to antisemitism during their studies at Goldsmiths and that the college’s management failed to help Jewish students and potential applicants “feel welcome, included and safe from antisemitism”.
The inquiry was commissioned by the university’s council in 2023, to look at the experiences of Jewish students and staff since 2018.
Mohinderpal Sethi KC, who led the inquiry, wrote: “It appears to me that a culture has built up over the years at Goldsmiths that, at the very least, has resulted in Jewish students legitimately feeling significant discomfort on campus.
“It is apparent that from the evidence reported to me that Jewish students have likely been subjected to antisemitism.
“This is plainly not unique to Goldsmiths, but this inquiry relates to Goldsmiths and I consider that it has not done enough as an institution to ensure its Jewish students and staff feel safe and welcome.”
Goldsmiths, part of the University of London, said it accepted the inquiry’s findings and would adopt its recommendations, including better mechanisms to report and track antisemitism, improving support services and reforming the college’s antiracism training to recognise antisemitism. It will also set up an advisory panel drawn from the Jewish community, students and staff.
Prof Frances Corner, vice-chancellor of Goldsmiths said: “The inquiry sets out a disturbing picture and I am sorry that our community and culture fell short of the behaviours we expect.
“The report rightly states that we owe it to former, current and future Jewish students and staff to learn from our mistakes.
“We share responsibility, as a community, to show Goldsmiths can be a place where Jewish students and staff feel valued, supported, and proud to be part of our university.”
Corner added: “Today, we commit to lasting cultural change with respect to Jewish students and staff, and for all religions and beliefs, drawing on our intellectual heritage and our longstanding belief in social justice.”
Sethi’s inquiry heard disturbing reports of far-right graffiti found in locations only accessible to Goldsmiths students or staff, while the college’s Jewish society effectively disbanded last year due to safety concerns and protests.
One Jewish student was forced to move out of their college residence because of hostility from other students, including the desecration of a mezuzah, a religious symbol at the entrance to a Jewish home.
The report said: “The evidence set out above from students about the antisemitism they experienced at the college was also bolstered by the evidence of an academic, who informed me of the antisemitic tropes and conspiracies they had read in their students’ essays.
“For example, that ‘Jews dominate media and culture and run New York and that’s why they could get musicals on to Broadway’ or that there are ‘Jews all over the BBC’.”
The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) responded: “The inquiry at Goldsmiths reflects what we hear consistently from Jewish students: a concerning, but unsurprising, deep-rooted culture of antisemitism.
“UJS welcomes the recommendations made, but Jewish students have grown too accustomed to empty pledges. Jewish students and staff across the country deserve to see universities taking far more concrete action.”
Goldsmiths said it has appointed Prof Adam Dinham to lead a two-year antisemitism action plan. It said: “This will build a culture of belonging for all Jewish students and staff, and for all religions and beliefs at the university, nurturing evidence-based dialogue, positive activism, and engagement.”
