The week in higher education – 21 November 2019

Tinkering with tradition is risky business at the University of Oxford, it seems, after one college’s attempt to end grace before meals and standing for dons sparked a backlash from students. Earlier this year, students at Worcester College were told that they were no longer required to stand when senior academics entered or left the dining hall during formal dinners, while a traditional Latin grace would be replaced by a “range of set texts of thanksgiving from any world culture, religious or not”, The Daily Telegraph reported. However, the efforts to make formal hall more inclusive have not proved popular, with a referendum held by the college’s junior common room voting by an “overwhelming majority” to preserve the traditions. Students were “passionate about keeping the theatre that reminds them of this place’s history and that it’s a special place to be”, explained Damon Falck, the JCR vice-president. The episode illustrated how “some of the governing body are more woke than the student community”, claimed one unnamed academic.

The University of Huddersfield was under pressure to remove the Duke of York from his role as its chancellor after he defended his friendship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a BBC interview widely described as a “car crash”. The university’s students’ union “is to discuss pressing [Prince Andrew] to resign as chancellor”, The Times reported on 18 November, after an interview for Newsnight in which he also denied any sexual contact with a woman who says she was forced to have sex with him at the age of 17. But Huddersfield issued a statement in which it said that the Duke of York’s “enthusiasm for innovation and entrepreneurship is a natural fit with the work of the university”. It added: “In relation to the allegations, the Palace has previously issued an emphatic denial and this was reiterated in the BBC interview with the Duke of York and we have nothing further to add.”

Elsewhere at Oxford, the Oxford Union, breeding ground for the British political elite, has been “accused of manhandling a blind black student and expelling him from a debate”, The Sunday Times reported. Ebenezer Azamati, a postgraduate student from Ghana studying international relations, was said to have been refused access to a debate – about whether it was right to feel confident in the UK government – but eventually gained admission, only to be rapidly ejected by security guards. Brendan McGrath, the union president, subsequently called a disciplinary committee meeting alleging that Mr Azamati had behaved violently, the newspaper said – only for the union to later withdraw that accusation and apologise for distress caused. The University of Oxford responded by saying that the union “is an independent society” and the university “has no control over its events”. Given the way that the incident crystallises many of the concerns about Oxford in relation to social elitism and attitudes to race, that response is unlikely to suffice.

Breaking Bad comparisons were everywhere after two associate professors of chemistry at Henderson State University in Arkansas were arrested over allegations that they had manufactured methamphetamine on campus. Terry Bateman and Bradley Rowland had “been on administrative leave since last month, after the campus science centre closed due to a chemical odour”, Inside Higher Ed reported, citing a report by ABC 7. It added that Dr Rowland told Henderson State’s student newspaper, the Online Oracle, of his affection for Breaking Bad in 2014: “It was spot on and accurate when it came to the science, and, it has gotten a younger, newer generation interested in chemistry. I feel like it was a wonderful recruiting tool.”

Male students from the Royal Veterinary College have withdrawn a naked calendar after animal rights activists objected to the way the vets protected their modesty with sheep, The Times reported. According to the Veterinary Vegan Network, the models’ decision to hold the sheep by their forelegs in the “tipped” position – usually used to inspect animals – amounted to an unnecessary procedure and was disrespectful. After the students involved faced harassment and threats, the calendar was withdrawn, with the college’s principal Stuart Reid issuing an apology. “We will work together to ensure these events do not happen again,” said Professor Reid, whose contrition was, in turn, condemned as woolly thinking as fellow vets pointed out that “tipping” was safe and pain-free for animals.