The week in higher education – 7 November 2019

The University of Sheffield banned students from wearing sombreros and “insane asylum” Halloween costumes, The Times reported on 1 November. The move inevitably fed into various conversations about whether today’s students are being treated like “snowflakes”, but also into long-running debates about students dressing up in offensive costumes. The university put up posters that said “My culture is not your costume” and “My disability, impairment, condition or illness is not your costume”, after the National Union of Students recommended that institutions take action on insulting costumes. “This Hallowe’en we want everyone to check and double-check their costume to avoid the exploitation and degradation of others. Don’t let racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and ableism be the real horror this Hallowe’en,” the NUS said.

Sir Alex Ferguson has ensured his legacy among students and staff in Scotland, not through the football pitch but rather with a library at Glasgow Caledonian University renamed in his honour, The Sun reported on 30 October. The Glasgow-born former Manchester United manager officially opened the library in October and donated a number of personal items to go on display. These include a worn football shirt, an early coaching notepad and a manager-of-the-year trophy (although sadly, not the boot he once accidentally directed at David Beckham’s face). Pamela Gillies, GCU’s vice-chancellor, said the library had been renamed after Sir Alex “in recognition of his outstanding generosity and contribution” to the university. “It is also in recognition of the fact that Sir Alex is a local hero who has achieved phenomenal influence as the world’s most successful football manager and as a truly exceptional, inspiring leader,” she said.

Anglia Ruskin University has finally removed an honorary degree from a controversial Hong Kong lawmaker who has been accused of making comments that incite violence against protesters, it was reported on 29 October. Junius Ho, the pro-Beijing legislator, was recorded describing a group of masked men who allegedly attacked demonstrators with wooden and metal rods in Hong Kong as “heroes” and was videoed shaking their hands. It was not the first time he has made controversial comments against protesters: in 2017, he said demonstrators in Hong Kong should be “killed without mercy” because it was “no big deal to kill pigs or dogs”. After the more recent incidents in July, a petition was launched calling for Anglia Ruskin to revoke his honorary degree.

England’s higher education regulator has pledged to take action after it was criticised for a lack of diversity on a panel tasked with advising its work on harassment and hate crime, it was reported on 1 November. The issue arose when the Office for Students tweeted a picture of members of its Student Welfare and Safeguarding Expert Advisory Panel. Olumide Adisa, research fellow and interim head of the Centre of Abuse Research at the University of Suffolk, tweeted the OfS to say that it was a “Fab development! But v. concerning that there’s no black representation on your panel (from the pic). Black & minority ethnic groups living in the UK more likely to be diagnosed with mental health problems & more likely to disengage from MH services.” An OfS spokesman said: “We discussed the membership of the group at its first meeting with the aim of achieving diversity on the panel. We agreed further action was needed and are actively seeking to address this issue.”

The University of Dundee’s principal has been suspended, reportedly after a row over alleged non-payment of rent at the institution, it emerged on 1 November. Andrew Atherton, who took up the role in January and was formerly deputy vice-chancellor at Lancaster University, was suspended from office on 13 September pending an investigation yet to be completed, according to a university spokesman. The Courier reported that the row allegedly revolved around non-payment of rent tied to Professor Atherton’s stay at the institution’s University House.