Anti-Racism & Religious Tolerance Action @ RMIT
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According to RMIT’s Anti-Racism & Religious Tolerance Policy, RMIT is committed to:
* prevent unlawful discrimination, including race discrimination and racial or religious vilification at RMIT University
* provide RMIT staff and students with a healthy and safe environment for work and study that is free from behaviours, practices and processes that may constitute race discrimination and racial or religious vilification
* encourage the early reporting of any allegations of race discrimination and racial or religious vilification
* ensure as far as is practicable that persons making complaints are protected from victimisation or reprisals for reporting the discrimination to the
University
Another important RMIT document states that ‘internationalisation is integral to RMIT’s teaching and learning and research and development activity and commitment to being an innovative university … In particular, internationalisation is important in order to:
* Meet rapidly increasing demand for international education
* Foster international relationships and inter-cultural understandings’
Racism & Cultural Difference
What is Racism?
Racism is the belief that one’s own ethnicity is superior to ‘others’. It involves behaving badly towards members belonging to ethnicities not one’s own because of their ethnicity. Skin colour is often used to differentiate between ethnicities but ethnicity is much more than skin deep or genetic. Ethnicity is as much about the cultural, linguistic and social aspects of human existence as it is appearance. So racism is an attack on people because of who they are on a very personal basis.
Racist behaviour takes many forms. It can include:
* Name calling
* Writing offensive graffiti
* Physical assault
* Excluding someone from a group
* Writing abusive emails or bulletin board posts
* Marking assignments unfairly
* Privileging some people over others
* Denying service or support
All of the above are racist when they occur in the context of treating somebody badly because they belong to a particular ethnicity.
Cultural Diversity
Racism isn’t simply about different nations. White European Australians have a long history of treating the indigenous population of this land very badly, for example. Having said that, there are many indigenous nations in Australia. As you can see, the theory can be quite complex. But the practice of racism is generally quite simple: it’s about intentionally or otherwise treating people who don’t belong to your ethnicity badly because of their ethnicity. But there are many other forms of oppressive behaviour that occur on the basis of various different cultural and personal differences.
As RMIT’s Anti-Racism and Religious Tolerance Policy states:
“Cultural diversity should be recognised and respected, and should not be feared. It is an asset, not a hindrance. Culture reflects both the similarities that unite us as human beings and the differences that characterise our upbringing – variations in ethnic background, language, class, gender, socio-economic status, country of origin, regional differences, religious beliefs, sexual orientation (dis)ability and age.”
Racism Sux
The Student Union knows that racism, sexism homophobia exist at actively campaigns to make RMIT a safe and inclusive environment for all students.
If you believe that you have been treated differently or have been victimised in any way while studying at RMIT because of you race or ethnicity, you have the right to make a complaint.
The RMIT Student Union has an International Student Officer who is an elected Student Representative of the campus council. RMIT Association of International Students (RAIS) represents all international students at RMIT and functions to promote and enhance international student’s social, cultural and educational activities. In the other campuses issues to do with the rights and responsibilities of International Students are taken up in campaigns of the Welfare & Education Department or the Whole Campus Council.
What You Can Do To Get Rid of Racism at RMIT
Get involved with your student union. Write articles about your experiences or observations for the Student Union magazine Catalyst, or the Postgrad newsletter. Speak to the student representatives about holding a lunchtime forum or workshop. Join the RAIS Committee and start a Collective. Design stickers, t-shirts or badges. Speak to the Student Rights Officers about making an official complaint.
Racism and racist behaviour will not be tolerated at RMIT. You have the right to make a complaint if you believe or perceive that there is –
* Racist materials being used in your class
* Racist behaviour being displayed by either staff or fellow students
* Racist curriculum in your course or program
RMIT and Racism
The student population of RMIT includes over 50,000 students of whom many come from hundreds of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. So RMIT seeks to proactively celebrate cultural diversity and religious tolerance with such events as World Week, whilst combating racism and other forms of oppressive behaviour on campus through policy and complaints processes.
RMIT has expectations and policies about how staff and students conduct themselves. Racism and other forms of oppressive behaviour are not tolerated. If you feel you have been treated unfairly or unreasonably on the basis of your ethnicity, you can make a complaint. You should address your complaint to the Academic Registrar’s Group (ARG) if your complaint is about racist behaviour. There will be an Associate Registrar responsible for handling complaints so you shall call the ARG (details below) to find out their name and then address your complaint to them. At any point you can access the Student Union to assist you with your complaint.
Making a complaint is a difficult and often stressful and highly emotional process. It is a good idea to do your best to receive support while you are pursuing your complaint. That support can come in the form of friends, family, or RMIT Counselling, to name a few. The Student Union has Student Rights Officers who can help you with your complaint and provide you practical support throughout the process.
RMIT and Cultural Diversity
RMIT and the Student Union also celebrate our diverse community. There are many events throughout the year that we engage in to promote the culturally diverse university and city we live in. Just a few of these are the National Reconciliation Week celebrations, World Week and the Tamil New Year festivities. If you want to get involved in the promotion of cultural and ethnic diversity at RMIT, you can talk to the RMIT Association of International Students President. If you are an indigenous Australian student, then you can access the Ngarara Willim Indigenous Centre. Both their contact details are listed below.
RMIT also has clubs and societies based around nationalities. You may want to check these out because there’s probably one for you, or you and your friends can start your own! Look below under “RMIT Students” for contact details.
The Student Union believes that there should be no discrimination between local and international students when applying for special consideration or appealing assessment results at RMIT.
Special Consideration applications should take into account that the RMIT population has an extremely diverse population and that students, international or local, should be allowed to state specific cultural reasons on Special Consideration applications: for example observing a cultural ceremony/occasion or attending a community festival.
If your application for Special Consideration is denied because of these sorts of reasons, please contact the Student Union and see a Student Rights Officer.
Anti-Racism & Religious Tolerance Policy & Procedure
These can be accessed at www.rmit.edu.au/governance/policies
Click on “A-Z of RMIT Policies”, then “A”
Useful Contacts
Ngarara Willim Indigenous Centre
Phone: 9925 4885
www.rmit.edu.au/ngarara
RMIT Building 89 on Cardigan St. Carlton
RMIT Association of International Students (RAIS)
Phone: 9925 3725
Email: raispresident@rmit.edu.au
Building 8, Level 3 (City Campus)
RMIT Student Union Clubs and Societies
Phone: 9925 3706
Email: studentunion.clubsoc@rmit.edu.au
International Students Information & Support (ISIS)
Phones:
City: 9925 2963
Bundoora: 9925 7280
Building 108: 9925 1449
Brunswick: 9925 9483
Email: isis.advisor@rmit.edu.au
RMIT Counselling
Phone: 9925 4365
Email: counselling@rmit.edu.au
RMIT Building 43 on Cardigan St. Carlton
RMIT Student Union
Elected Student Representatives can help you. They are the Welfare Officer and the RAIS President.
Welfare Officer’s email: studentunion.welfare@rmit.edu.au
RAIS President’s email: raispresident@rmit.edu.au
RMIT University Academic Registrar’s Group
Phone: 9925 8609
Email: academic.registrar@rmit.edu.au
RMIT Building 88, Level 8 on Elizabeth St. Melbourne
Relevant Policy and Advice
* RMIT Anti-Racism and Religious Tolerance Policy
* RMIT Student Complaints Policy and Procedures
These can be accessed at www.rmit.edu.au/governance/policies
RMIT Complaints Forms
www.rmit.edu.au/governance/complaints
Disclaimer: The information on this website is a general guide only. RMIT is a very complex
environment, and there are often a number of different rules which apply.
For Additional Assistance drop into a Student Union Front Office to speak with a Student Liaison Officer:
City Higher Ed: Building 8, Level 3, ph. 9925 5004
Tivoli (Business): Building 108, Level 3, ph. 9925 5647
Carlton Campus: Building 57, Level 4, ph. 9925 4769
Brunswick: Building 514, Level 2, ph. 9925 9478
Bundoora students can book an appointment with a Student Rights Officer at Building 202, Level 2, ph. 9925 7226
Or send detailed information regarding your case to student.rights@rmit.edu.au
Any enquiries, call 9925 5004
If required, an appointment will be made for you with a Student Rights Officer
Has this information been helpful? Join the Student Union and join the fight to improve your rights!
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