Brasenose JCR has passed a motion to designate the bust of Paul Gladwell as an official mascot for its University Challenge team.
Ben Ralph, the team’s captain, proposed the motion, which claimed that “there is nothing more in the world that more embodies the spirit of our JCR more than the most revered Bust-of-Paul-Gladwell (hereinafter ‘The Bust’).”
It went on to request that the team should “transport The Bust to Manchester,” where the first round was held on Friday, “where it shall proudly be placed in front of our team as our mascot.”
University Challenge encourages teams to bring college insignia, though typically this involves scarfs or jumpers.
The bust was made two years ago in honour of former JCR President Paul Gladwell. It cost £500, prompting Gladwell to later apologise for the bust as a “poor use of JCR money and not the best of ideas.”
Brasenose has not reached the televised rounds of the popular BBC show since 2003. Their first round will be televised early next month. Other team members include Josh Phillips, Turner Edwards, James Burt and Oliver Bubb-Humfryes.
One Brasenose PPEist said, “The bust represents everything that is strong and noble about our small but successful college. I have no doubt that the ‘fifth man’ effect will inspire the University Challenge team to great success.”
