University of St Andrews rector discharged after probe found students 'fear for their safety' over Gaza quotes

The rector of St Andrews University has been removed from a key role on its governing body after Jewish students said they “feared for their safety” in the wake of her comments on the conflict in Gaza.

Stella Maris has been told she is to be discharged as president of the university court and as a charity trustee, although she will remain as rector.

The university said she had repeatedly refused to accept the conclusion of an independent investigation, which found her actions breached her responsibilities and legal obligations as a court member and charity trustee.

Ms Maris will retain the title and office of rector of the university until her term expires in October 2026, but will no longer sit on court, the university’s governing body. 

In response to the decision, she said she was “disappointed” and that it “sets a dangerous precedent for freedom of speech in higher education”.

In November last year, Ms Maris issued a message to all 10,000 St Andrews students offering her personal opinions on the conflict in Gaza and Israel. She described how a vigil at the university was held earlier this month "following weeks of genocidal attacks by the Israeli government against Gaza".

She added: "We must continue to recognize and condemn acts that are internationally regarded as humanitarian and war crimes. It is also crucial to acknowledge and denounce the actions by Hamas that qualify as war crimes, notably the taking of hostages and deliberately targeting civilians, which I have and continue to do."

She then published a series of posts on social media, some of which the subsequent independent investigation found to be “discourteous and disrespectful” in the way in which they dismissed fears raised by students who had contacted her seeking reassurance. 

Ray Perman, chair of the university’s court, on Thursday offered an unreserved apology to students, staff and others who feared for their safety or were upset or angered. 

The court commissioned an independent investigation from Lady Ross, then Morag Ross KC, to examine whether the rector’s actions and activities were compatible with the responsibilities and standards placed on her as a member of court, and the legal requirements of a charity trustee. 

It found the rector was entitled to free speech, but had exercised “poor judgment” in the manner in which she wrote to all students to give her personal opinions on the conflict, specifically in ignoring the possibility that her words from a position of leadership could encourage anti-Semitic behaviour by others.

Reactions to the statement from the student body were said to have been divided, with some students, especially some Jewish students, very distressed and angry, and “feared for their safety”, while other students felt “validated and heard”.

The rector’s subsequent actions on social media were found to have fallen below the standards required of a court member, “inflamed tensions” in the St Andrews community, and represented a breach of her responsibilities to act with courtesy and respect. The court received Lady Ross’s report in April and accepted its findings in full. 

Although Lady Ross’s report found that Ms Maris’ breaches of responsibility did not merit dismissal in themselves, the court has decided that her repeated refusal to confirm that she accepts the findings of the independent investigation mean she is now in serious and persistent breach of her responsibilities.  

Mr Perman said: “After extensive attempts at dialogue over three months, we have unfortunately now reached the point where university court has concluded that she is in serious and persistent breach of her responsibilities and can no longer sit as president.

“Under charity law and the Scottish Code of Good HE Governance, regrettably, court has no choice but to discharge Stella Maris from two of the administrative roles that are traditionally associated with being rector of a university.

“Court wishes to stress that this decision has no bearing on Ms Maris’s freedom of speech, to which she is entitled and for which, like everyone else, she is personally accountable.

“We recognise that parts of the rector’s statement were an important source of comfort to students affected by the conflict in Gaza.

“We also wish to stress most explicitly that the rector has never been asked to diminish or change her support of the Palestinian cause, only to acknowledge that in her handling of this matter, she caused distress and fear to some students, whom it was her duty to support and represent.

“As the chair of university court, I wish to offer an apology to all students, and others, who were upset or feared for their safety as a consequence of the rector’s handling of this matter, and those who were subsequently upset by the rise in tensions and disagreements which ensued.”

Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, principal of the University of St Andrews, said: “We can disagree passionately on the most difficult issues, but it should always be with courtesy and respect for those whose views may differ from our own.

“In large part, our community in St Andrews has responded to this terrible conflict and the abhorrent loss of innocent civilian life with strong, reasoned argument and commitment, but always consideration for the effects of their actions on others, and our students in particular, deserve significant recognition for that.

“I believe that we can all learn from what has happened over the past few months, and that the values of listening, tolerance and respect will become even more important to our university community.”

The university said it had provided ongoing personal support to Ms Maris throughout the period of the investigation, recognising that this is a stressful and difficult situation for her, and that support will continue in the immediate future.

Ms Maris said: “I am disappointed by the university’s decision to remove me from university court, which shows a lack of respect for the role of the rector in speaking independently for students as their elected representative and sets a dangerous precedent for freedom of speech in higher education.

“It is clear that I have been removed from university court because I called for an end to Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians, and I will not apologize for doing so. As a young, neurodiverse Black woman with limited financial resources, I have faced the full force of the university, including a KC investigation, all because I made a statement supported by the overwhelming majority of students, calling for an end to a genocide.

“Since my statement, the International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements violates international law and should end as soon as possible. The ICJ has further found a plausible case of genocide against Israel. The idea that Palestinian human rights and the war crimes of Israel in Gaza cannot be discussed in higher education is deeply concerning.

“The university gave me no opportunity to present my case or to have someone represent me in the discussions that led to this decision. For reasons that only the Court will be able to explain, the University has chosen to go further than the report written by Morag Ross, which I believe is biased but which explicitly falls short of calling for the removal of my trustee status.

“I have repeatedly made clear that I accept that I am bound by a code of conduct and the requirements placed on me as a charity trustee. I do not accept that these allow the university to interfere unilaterally and unduly in my right to express my views or manifest my protected beliefs, and I fully intend to appeal the decision.

“I will continue to advocate for students in my role as rector to ensure that their voices are represented and that their right to freedom of speech is protected.”