Universities urged to act on race and gender discrimination

Academics from across Australia have urged vice-chancellors to urgently address a lack of diversity and equality in universities in the wake of the exposure of racist and sexist emails sent by poetry professor Barry Spurr, writes Alexandra Smith for The Sydney Morning Herald.

In an open letter to vice-chancellors, almost 130 academics and professional staff have warned that much more needs to be done about educating and fostering respect for gender equality, multiculturalism and Australia's Aboriginal and indigenous heritage. Spurr has been suspended from Sydney University over the inflammatory emails, including derogatory references to Aboriginals, Asians and women. But he has claimed the emails were written in jest as part of a "whimsical" game of linguistic one-upmanship.
Full report on The Sydney Morning Herald site