A residential college student at University of Sydney allegedly had a chunk of his ear bitten off during a physical altercation at St Andrew’s College.
The St Paul’s College student was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital by security officers after the alleged attack on Sunday, October 29, following a social event held in the St Andrew’s student bar.
NSW Police confirmed officers from the Inner West Police Area Command were notified and had “commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident”.
News.com.au has contacted St Andrew’s for comment.
A spokesperson for the College did not deny that part of the student’s ear had been bitten off when approached for comment by University of Sydney newspaper, Honi Soit, which first reported the incident on Thursday.
“There was recently an incident at St Andrew’s where a St Paul’s College student was injured. Our heartfelt sympathy and concern go out to the injured student, and we hope for a swift and complete recovery,” they said in a statement to the student-run publication.
“At this stage, it is not known if the alleged assailant is from St Andrew’s or from outside the College. On the night, the victim was provided with first aid and assisted to the hospital. Incidences of this kind are unprecedented at St Andrew’s.
“[St] Andrew’s does not condone violence and the safety of students is always paramount. St Andrew’s is reviewing its contract with the private security company involved in managing events at the College.
“St Andrew’s has not been informed of any legal action by the victim against the College.
“St Andrew’s has not lost its liquor licence as a result of this incident. St Andrew’s is co-operating with the police and the university.”
The student is being provided with “extensive pastoral and academic support”, Head of St Paul’s College, Reverend Dr Ed Sloane, told news.com.au.
The University of Sydney, meanwhile, said it is “very concerned by the alleged incident”, and had contacted the affected students.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy to any form of violence, including intimidating, abusive or aggressive behaviour,” a spokesperson told news.com.au.
“We understand the NSW Police are investigating and the colleges involved are assisting them with their inquiries.
“The residential colleges affiliated with the University are independent institutions with autonomous governing bodies, and operate independently of the University.
“However, the welfare of all our students is our first priority and we have been in touch with some of the students involved to offer support if required.”
The alleged altercation reflects a broader pattern of violence at the residential colleges, which has prompted a concerted campaign to “Abolish the Colleges” and replace them with $110-a-week accommodation to deal with a “really dire” student housing crisis.
A report earlier this year by Honi Soit revealed St Andrew’s students had engaged in “deeply offensive name calling, gestures and acts of intimidation, misogyny and homophobia” against female students at Sancta Sophia College.
A 2020 investigation by the publication also found incidents of racism, sexism and hazing at St Andrew’s had continued since the release of the Broderick Review into Cultural Renewal at Residential Colleges in late 2017, and End Rape on Campus Australia’s Red Zone Report in early 2018.
The latter found that one in 12 female St Andrew’s students had experienced attempted or completed rape or sexual assault since commencing – the joint highest rate of all the colleges.
University of Sydney Student Representative Council (SRC) president Lia Perkins told The Australian in August the current structure of colleges was “unsafe” as a result of sexual violence and “elitist and should be abolished”.
“We would like student-owned and publicly run housing for students on campus, in the sites the colleges are on, but not run by the same institutions they are now owned and run by,” she said.
While the Greens backed the students’ calls, saying “so much sexual violence on campus stems from [the colleges]”, St Andrew’s College principal Rob Leach at the time said it was “not true” that colleges were elite or unsafe. He also rebuffed suggestions that colleges were dangerous places for women.
“We’re absolutely committed to prevention and creating a culture where everyone is safe, but it’s not true we’re dangerous and it’s not true we do nothing,” Mr Leach told the national broadsheet.
“But any numbers of sexual assaults is 100 per cent too many.”
More than 100 staff and students from the University of Sydney reported sexual misconduct last year, according to an inaugural annual report released in August.