Open Letter to Provost of University of Suffolk

On March 24th, the University Campus Suffolk held an art auction to raise funds. One of the artists featured was Maggi Hambling, CBE whose work has featured at the Tate Modern.

She was a very prestigious guest to get and her painting was sold for £650. Unfortunately, she couldn't hold back her racist bile.

Below is our letter to the university's provost and chief executive, Richard Lister  which questions the university's response even more than Hambling's bigotry.

Dear Richard Lister

Imagine being a black student sitting in your institution when a high profile guest -Maggi Hambling CBE- begins talking about a film she doesn’t much like-12 Years a Slave- only to veer off to a most despicable racist rant: “In the end I didn’t care about the fucking slaves”,  she stated, adding “I think slaves would be very handy, I wouldn’t mind a few”.

To add insult to injury, many in the room laughed along with Hambling as she poured scorn on the film and those enslaved. Unless that is, you were that Black person in the room at the University of Suffolk.

I truly wonder whether you could imagine being that Black student.

What shocks me most is not that Hambling CBE is a bigot and racist,- anyone having watched 12 Years a Slave, to then say what she did in the manner that she did, particularly to young audience must have a deeply horrible side to her. However, what is most disturbing, was the response from your University once a complaint was made.

It must have taken a great deal of courage for the young Black man to make an official complaint, only to be told by a member of the  University they would not be making a statement that rebuked Maggie Hambling because it would infringe on her 'Freedom of speech'. At that sad  juncture your University failed this young man and the institution that should hold higher values.

This young man was in effect told that this publicly funded academic institution permits freedom to racially insult, and freedom to racially abuse under its 'Freedom of speech' policy.

Could you and your board therefore, inform me and others why would a potential Black USC student want to study in an institution which doesn't condemn this type of behaviour? Would a similar rant regarding Jews in the Holocaust be equally acceptable?

Surely the right thing for the University to do right now would be to apologise to the young man and then send the £650 generated from auctioning Hambling's painting with the  polite message stating that: 'Even more than your gifted artistry we value decency and respect to every single one of our students Black and white. With your coarse and bigoted language you failed on both accounts.'

I hope Mr Lister that you and your University will show sufficient leadership and do the right thing.

I and others await your response.

Yours sincerely

Simon Woolley
Operation Black Vote

Postscript.  Friday 25th April.

On receiving this letter the Provost Richard Lister immediately contacted the OBV offices to explain where they were in the process of dealing with the situation which arose from Maggi Hambling's racist outburst.

Two days ago the Provost met with the student and the student union leader.  He informed that he told the two students he wouldn't comment until he had all the information, but would deal with this matter with some urgency. Without commenting on the specifics he told me the University has a high standard of behaviour, decency, and mutual respect to which students, staff and guest must all adhere to.

That was a strong statement in of itself. Let's see though how that translates to Maggi Hamblings unfortunate comments.

My own view was that the Provost was listening and will seek to reassure all students that he and the university take these matters seriously.

Watch this space.

Simon Woolley

The young man in question has made both a silent protest video and set up a petition to complain against the University position in regards to Maggi Hambling

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/no-to-650

 http://gardenoffreedom.org/2014/04/15/is-there-a-price-on-acceptance-of-racism/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wBxapLMvYs