The Office for Students’ investigation into events surrounding the resignation of Kathleen Stock at the University of Sussex has entered its third year, hinting at the difficulties the English regulator will face when trying to adjudicate over free speech issues, according to legal experts.
Nearly 26 months after the OfS opened its review into whether the university had met its obligations on academic freedom and freedom of speech during the tumultuous period, it has still not published its findings.
Professor Stock resigned from the institution in October 2021 after protests by staff and students who accused her of transphobia over her views on gender identity. The universities minister at the time, Michelle Donelan, said there had been a “toxic environment” at Sussex that had made the philosophy professor’s position “untenable”.
In November 2021, the OfS confirmed that it was investigating because of potential concerns that the university had breached its conditions of registration in relation to its duties on free speech and academic freedom, but has since declined to provide any updates beyond saying the investigation was ongoing.
