Saturday 12th July 2025
Blog Page 1002

Why we need to have a conversation about race

Safa Dar
-
3
Why we need to have a conversation about race

It’s no secret that Oxford has a diversity problem: only 13% of accepted applicants in the 2014 admissions cycle were BAME students and, according to statistics collected by OUSU’s Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality (CRAE), around 59% of BAME students at Oxford reported feeling unwelcome or uneasy due to their race or ethnicity.

Why then, you ask, should we even bother having a conversation that makes all of us (read: some white people) uncomfortable?

When I came to Oxford as a Fresher, enamoured by the diverse faces lining the glossy pages of college prospectuses, I misguidedly believed that the quad of my college, too, would be littered with a similar assortment. Boy, was I wrong: (a) nothing ‘litters’ Oxford quads unless it’s Trinity term, in which case, croquet away and (b) more or less everyone was white.

At first I thought there’d been some mistake: maybe all the BAME students were hiding in a closet somewhere; surely I just hadn’t discovered them yet. But as the weeks passed by I realised that this really was it – Mansfield wasn’t big enough to hide in anyway. Even at my lectures, where students from other colleges would also be present, I struggled to spot another brown person amidst the sea of white faces.

While I listened to my friends in the US and other universities in London talk about their international or BAME friends, I came to accept that most of my peers at Oxford were white, and that if I wanted to fit in here, I’d have to swallow my difference as if it didn’t exist.

The danger of under-representation at places like Oxford is that it can create a sense of comfortable homogeneity for the majority of its students. If you hardly ever come in contact with BAME students, you’re more likely to remain comfortable in your own assumptions about the world and are able to turn your head the other way when it comes to issues of race. It is only when we are confronted with the daily reality of issues surrounding race, such as micro-aggression, that we are forced to think and talk about them. In this ‘Oxford bubble’, it’s easy to think that these issues “don’t affect us”. Yet, it is perhaps all the more important to have this conversation in the places where BAME students are the least visible: to remind our peers, and ourselves, of the challenges that we face. To remind ourselves of the legitimacy of these challenges, and to remind our peers to respect them.

This is a conversation that we need to have, because it is a conversation about living as a community. A community where there exist inequalities which need to be acknowledged, rather than swept under the carpet and hidden like some dirty secret. This is a conversation, not about fear and blame, but about understanding. More importantly, this is a conversation that strives to give the small and scattered BME community in Oxford a voice which, due to lack of numbers, is yet to resound. Perhaps the first step in ensuring that these voices are heard is convincing our JCRs and MCRs to participate in Race 101 workshops run by CRAE. As a responsible community of students, the least we can do is let the conversation begin.

Oxford sixth in QS World Rankings

Katherine Pye
-
0
Oxford sixth in QS World Rankings

Oxford University has come sixth in this year’s QS World University Rankings, the same place as last year. This places it second among UK universities, behind Cambridge.

For the first time since the league table began in 2004, US universities hold all top three positions of the QS World University Rankings. Whilst the University of Cambridge remains the UK’s top ranked institution, it has dropped from third to fourth position. The 13th edition of the rankings puts Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the world’s best university for the fifth consecutive year. In second place, up from joint third in 2015 is Stanford, and down from second place to third is Harvard.

University College London and Imperial College London made the global top 10 in seventh and eighth place respectively. The University of Edinburgh joined the top 20 and the University of Manchester entered the top 30.

The QS World University Rankings is an annual league table of the top universities in the world compiled by the QS Intelligence Unit in consultation with an international advisory board of academics. The QS World University Rankings are based four key criteria; research, teaching, employability and internationalisation.

However, this is the worst performance in QS rankings from British institutions in recent years; 38 of the United Kingdom’s 48 top-400 universities dropped down in the 2016-17 rankings. Although the United Kingdom retains its position as the world’s second-best country for higher education, evidence suggests Asian universities are gaining ground.

Of the 48 UK universities in the top-400, only 6 have risen (12 per cent), compared to 78 US universities, of which 47 per cent have risen, and 74 Asian universities, of which 68 per cent have risen.

Ben Sowter, Head of Research at QS, observed that uncertainty and long-term funding issues have impacted negatively on the UK’s performance. For the second year running, China, which continues to benefit from generous state research funding, has more universities in the top 100 for citations per faculty than the UK.

Sowter argued, “uncertainty over research funding, immigration rules, and the ability to hire and retain the top young talent from around the world seems to be damaging the reputation of the UK’s higher education sector.”

73% of the UK’s top-400 universities have seen a drop in both academic reputation and employer reputation, whilst 58% have seen a fall in international faculty numbers. Although the EU referendum took place after the survey, it added to this uncertainty. Sowter also highlighted reduction in real terms funding from the government for research in higher education as a contributory factor.

QS also pointed out, however, that the 2016 position of UK universities is redeemable, “the Chancellor’s pledge to guarantee EU-funding levels for research projects signed before this year’s Autumn Statement is a good step to tackle both issues. More measures along these lines would go a long way to help the UK retain its global excellence.”

Planned Michaelmas relaunch of ‘No Offence’ magazine

Tony Diver
-
1
Planned Michaelmas relaunch of ‘No Offence’ magazine

In a post in Oxford’s most notorious online discussion group, Open Oxford, admin Jacob Williams has announced plans to relaunch his controversial magazine No Offence, which debuted in Michaelmas of 2015.

The magazine, which was initially planned to be distributed at last year’s Freshers’ Fair, was banned by OUSU for being “offensive”. 

Williams recently posted some “news for next term”, in which he revealed plans for “a new edition of No Offence and a real life discussion group”. He described last year’s magazine as containing “student-authored articles on a range of controversial subjects”, and proposed that the new edition “take on board some of the criticisms made of the previous one”, some of which ended in a police seizure of its copies. The new editors will “apply common sense judgement to ensure we cause no more offence than is necessary for the publication’s purpose”.

The post was accompanied by a Facebook poll, which attempted to gauge interest in writing for the magazine and attending a new “debate/discussion group” with “‘edgier’ or more politically incorrect motions”. At the time of writing, thirty-two members of Open Oxford had expressed an interest in writing for a new No Offence. 

According to an OUSU statement, the 2015 magazine contained “a graphic description of an abortion, the use of an ableist slur, a celebration of colonialism, and a transphobic article”, and was banned from Freshers’ Fair.

Speaking to Cherwell, Williams said, “it should be quite possible to express controversial ideas in a respectful way and that will be the goal of the new edition”.

“‘Politically incorrect’ is just Newspeak for ‘unorthodox’. Challenging orthodoxy ought to be the whole point of a university. If an idea can’t stand up to the challenge it shouldn’t be orthodox.”

The Facebook post suggested that Williams was waiting for an uptake from Open Oxford members before going ahead with the magazine. He told Cherwell that “plans are not yet finalised”.

Toxic mould forces student to leave St Antony’s accommodation

Sophie Jordan and Guy Bennett-Jones
-
0
Toxic mould forces student to leave St Antony’s accommodation

Accommodation in St Antony’s is in such poor quality that it is threatening the health of its residents, according to one student.

After three years living in a room which became gradually mouldier, a DPhil candidate at St Antony’s college was forced to evacuate the accommodation on August 8 and is seeking medical treatment following painful symptoms in the skin and respiratory system.

The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims to have endured three years living in a room with spreading mould on a wall, water leakages and faulty windows. This continued despite multiple maintenance requests and complaints to college staff with supporting photos. Although the first report was made in October 2013 and a series of emails were exchanged in an attempt to solve the problem of the broken window, the student explained that no effective action had been taken.

The DPhil student has recently written a letter of complaint to the college which alleges a number of breaches of the accommodation agreement. Their contaminated room on Woodstock road was classed as grade B on St Antony’s price categories which range from A+ to D, costing the student £130.06 per week.

Other residents have also noted large patches of mould in a bathroom, and a group of students were given a rent discount last year after finding that they had not been informed of the construction work for the new Middle East Centre next door.

“Mould can become a serious problem because of the health risks associated with mould spores,” the student told Cherwell. “This whole situation is causing me to spend a lot of time seeking medical treatments, bringing the complaints to the college, and looking into seeking help externally.  All of this is an impediment to my academic progress and performance.” Commenting on the piece of wood which served to keep the broken window open, they added, “People can hardly believe these incidents would happen in a college at Oxford University.”

St Antony’s warden Margaret MacMillan responded in a statement that she was aware of the issue, assuring that it had been taken very seriously by the college. She added that college staff are working with the student to help manage the consequences.

St Antony’s GCR president Azfar Anwar have been contacted for comment.

Georgetown University gives slave descendants admissions help

Tony Diver
-
0
Georgetown University gives slave descendants admissions help

As part of a wider “working group on slavery, memory, and reconciliation”, Georgetown University in the United States has announced that it will give preferential treatment to applicants descended from slaves sold at the institution in 1838.

The university’s restitution programme, which is taking place after sustained pressure from student protesters, also includes the renaming of residence halls from the names of university officials involved in the slave sale to names of the slaves themselves.

A sit-in protest took place in November in the president’s office, in which protesters claimed Georgetown students were “not allowing stuff to just fly anymore”, according to Slate magazine.

The latest proposed part of the university’s scheme is to offer preferential access to the university’s high competitive admissions process to descendants of the 272 slaves sold to pay university debts in the early nineteenth century.

The descendants of slaves applying to the university will be given “the same consideration [the University] gives to members of the Georgetown community”, receiving “an extra look” and having their connection to the university included in the decision to accept or reject their application.

In a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Georgetown President John DeGioia acknowledged that “Georgetown participated in the institution of slavery. There were slaves here on the hilltop until emancipation in 1862”.

“We cannot do our best work if we refuse to take ownership of such a critical part of our history”, he added.

Students protesting against the university’s history of slavery used the hashtag #GU272 and #BuildOn272 to draw attention to the slaves that have become the focal point of their campaign.

Georgetown is just one university in the United States to face criticism over failure to acknowledge historic ties to slavery. Craig Steven Wilder, a history professor at MIT, pointed out that “before the American Revolution, there were nine colleges established in the British Colonies, and all of them have direct ties to slavery and slave trade”.

Action by educational institutions over their oppressive pasts under pressure from students is not unique to the United States, as the RMF campaigns in UCT and Oxford and the removal of Jesus College’s cock statue in Cambridge show.

Woody Allen’s Café Society: a satirical love letter to film

Ellie Siora
-
0
Woody Allen’s Café Society: a satirical love letter to film

I am no Woody Allen fanatic. Of his recent works: I found Midnight in Paris trite, Blue Jasmine utterly unstimulating and Vicky Cristina Barcelona downright offensively sexist. His older works are somewhat more digestible and thought-provoking, although many are often still loaded with the same monotonous artistic tropes and questionable stereotype-lead plots. Allen’s most recent endeavour Café Society cannot be said to have escaped such criticisms. It is a film packed with the same overdone themes and derivative binaries. And it is a film unapologetically accessible as a point of reference to only a very slim and out-dated portion of society. However, for once, Allen’s suffocating conventionality has the scope to read as a satire, not only of itself but of the larger Hollywood ideal that has regurgitated such material for the last 80 years.

Harking back to the golden years of this Hollywood Ideal, Café Society is set in the 1930’s ‘glitz and glamour’ of the West Coast. Name-dropping of contemporary stars constantly flit around the dialogue and Allen’s writing is overt about the driver of this Hollywood machine. Money. The script is simultaneously self-conscious of the cliche that is the disillusionment with Hollywood glamour, yet nevertheless leaves the audience with that genuine impression. The delicious cherry-on-top of this negative presentation of the fiscally-focused film-industry is that it slowly dawns on you that, as an audience member, you have come to be in the cinema this evening to watch a relatively uninteresting and sometimes often performed narrative because of the directors name and, probably also, those he has cast. Allen’s film hammers home the pertinence of how the allure of the ‘big shots’ still has a hold over what we do with our lives – whether that be how the protagonist moves to the other side of the US to find the glamorous life, or whether is be as simple as  what film we choose to see one summer evening.

Although this is all metaesquly clever, what truly made the film even more extraordinary for me is the way this message is committed to in the cinematography and generally visual execution of the film. The angles and shots of the film are brilliantly resemblant to the visual trends of films from the ’40s. The use of two-shots as well as shots that generously play with the z-axis of the screen can be put side by side with stills taken from Citizen Kane, and would achieve stylistic coherence.  Equally, in jarring contrast to modern cinematographic tropes, centred close-up reaction shots (particularly during conversation having to do with love and romance) are beautiful visual re-creations from films such as a A Brief Encounter or Rebecca. Allen even imitates the mistakes of this period, peppering his film with blatant continuity glitches and awkward or cheesy cuts and transitions between shots. His attention to such visual detail is inspirational.

What makes the film most commendable though, and what truly gives it its substance is that Allen does not only imitate such films to reveal the decadence of Hollywood culture, he also gives this culture a humanity that common perception lacks. Although visually and narratively alluding to the dog-eat-dog world of Hollywood (both in its direct  representation of it and in its self-conscious representation of it as a representation of it).  The performance of the main characters on screen do something uncommon to films of this era and of film generally looking at the presentation of glamorous allure. We see the characters switch between the person they are as performers (at social gatherings, with business associates or even simply playing the character of the dutiful wife) and the person they are when no one is watching. Steve Carrell is both the big-shot Hollywood agent and an insecure, New York born fella. Jesse Eisenberg turns out to be the charming lover but also has an awkward gait as he walks away alone, balling his hands into fists. Kristen Stewart is dolled up as the fur-clad big-shots wife who tells charming stories about yacht parties, but underneath the big coat she is androgynous and wickedly smart. Allen’s direction shatters the allegorical nature of 40s films and, thus, crumbles the perception that the dark-side of fame is something detached from us, something that we can learn from. These modern actors giving authentic performances in this nostalgic setting proves once again that it is not a setting left in the past to be nostalgic about.

Café Society is out now in the UK.

Cambridge plans to reduce access targets rejected by Office for Fair Access

Katherine Pye
-
0
Cambridge plans to reduce access targets rejected by Office for Fair Access

Cambridge student newspaper Varsity has reported that Cambridge University’s proposed reduction in access targets has been rejected by the Office for Fair Access (OFFA), citing internal documents.

Every year, to justify charging tuition fees, each university must make an individual ‘access agreement’ with OFFA, an independent regulator. The admissions objectives usually target areas with a lower POLAR, or ‘Participation Of Local Areas’ scores. POLAR maps and scores are attributed to areas using data based on the proportion of young people who enter higher education, which varies by geographical and socioeconomic area.

Cambridge University hoped to include in their 2016 agreement a reduction in targets for intake from areas with the lowest POLAR scores after data from the Cambridge Admissions Office suggested the previous target was unachievable. The draft proposal lowered the target from 13 per cent to 12.5 per cent.

However, Professor Graham Virgo, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education, told the University Council that “one comment indicated that the Director of OFFA had rejected the University’s POLAR target.” The director of OFFA, Professor Les Ebdon refused to comment on the state of the 2016 Cambridge agreement but did state, “I was clear that I wanted to see [universities] being ambitious with their targets, and I did not expect to see the ambition of their targets plateau.”

Cambridge student Ed Penn disagreed that the target reduction would necessarily have a damaging impact on students from poorer backgrounds. He commented online on Varsity’s article that “the reason the Cambridge Admissions Office wants to cut the POLAR target is because there simply aren’t enough students from such backgrounds achieving the right grades, not because they don’t want poor kids.”

Penn highlighted the need to focus “on the wider context of secondary education in the last 5 years – of teacher cuts, non-core subject provision slashed, and an increasing workload which leaves little time for Oxbridge support for those at the poorest-performing schools, rather than the standard ‘Cambridge is elitist’ clickbait.”

Oxford University has made progress towards targets that is agreed with OFFA in 2012-13, especially in terms of students from ACORN (socio-economically disadvantaged areas) and POLAR areas, but it has yet to meet them before the 2016 deadline. Students in Oxford from ACORN regions has risen 1.8 per cent 2013-2015, but is yet to reach its 2016 target of 9 per cent.

Similarly, Oxford set a target to raise the proportion of students from neighbourhoods with low POLAR scores to 13 per cent by 2016-17.  In 2015 entry these students made up 11.5 per cent of overall accepted UK students, up nearly 2 per cent from 2013.

The target to increase the proportion of UK students coming from schools with historically limited progression to Oxford to 25 per cent by 2016-17, has also risen in 2015 entry to 20.3 per cent of overall accepted UK students, falling short of the target proportion.

However, Bethany Currie, a member of OUSU’s 2016 sabbatical team strongly disagreed that lowering access targets should be a solution to failure to meet objectives. She told Cherwell, “We’re pleased to see the university making significant moves towards its 2016-17 targets, particularly in their targeted ACORN and POLAR quintiles. But these are not overly ambitious targets and we still have some way to go to meeting them. The central University is obliged to work towards and meet OFFA targets, but the colleges are not. There is a lot of great access work done in the colleges but it would be great to have more colleges on board working towards these targets.”

“It is important to remember that the 4 OFFA targets themselves don’t actually capture all the access targets the University should be working towards, and the SU is working with the University to introduce an access target for BME students.”

“Obviously if universities do fall short on targets, simply lowering the target is not in any way a viable solution. The way to fix a problem is not to pretend that it isn’t there. I understand fears that more ‘Oxbridge miss access targets’ headlines might put off prospective students from these backgrounds, but we have to be honest about the issues in our admissions systems before we can hope to fix them. Our targets should be aspirational and challenging. The biases in our admissions system are serious, and our response should be serious too. We are among the leading educational institutions in the world, we should be leading on issues like this as well.”

Oxford to have most state school students for decades

Daniel Sutton
-
0
Oxford to have most state school students for decades

Oxford’s intake of freshers this October will have the biggest proportion of state-school students of any Oxford year group since comparable records began in 1990, and most likely in the last forty years.

The university has offered 59.2% of its places to pupils from state schools, up from 55.6% of places taken last year. The Independent Schools Councils estimates that about 93% of all pupils are educated in state schools.

Oxford has said that directly comparable admissions figures go back to 1990, and that the 2016 level of state school entries will be higher than any year since then. The figures will also exceed any figure from the 1980s, while House of Commons figures from before then consistently show the proportion of state school students below 50%.

This announcement comes in a year when both David Cameron and Theresa May have called for leading universities to promote greater social mobility.

Dr Samina Khan, head of undergraduate admissions at Oxford, commented that they took responsibilities of diversity “incredibly seriously”. Last year, Oxford colleges worked with 3,400 schools on around 3,000 “outreach” projects, and Dr Khan said the upturn in state school entries showed its efforts to increase applications from under-represented groups were “bearing fruit”.

Emma Woodcock, a second-year student at St Catherine’s, commented, “When I saw the news this morning, I have to say it raised a smile – it’s reassuring to see that progress is being made; that the image of Oxford as being exclusively for privately educated people is slowly being eroded and the issues surrounding admission are being tackled. This shouldn’t be the end point, but a sign that things are moving in the right direction and the message that people from all backgrounds are welcome at Oxford is spreading!”

Louis McEvoy, a second-year student at Christ Church, added, “This is rather wonderful news – a demonstration of the quality of the university’s outreach and access work, helping open up the opportunities Oxford provides to everyone. Considering the entrenched inequality in our society, there’s still a long way to go and other players in education & in government have to step up, but today there’s no doubt that Oxford is commendably striving for better in this manner, and getting results.”

 

OUWBC announce Ali Williams as new Chief Coach

Adam Hilsenrath
-
0
OUWBC announce Ali Williams as new Chief Coach

The Oxford University Women’s Boat Club (OUWBC) have announced the departure of Chief Coach Christine Wilson and the subsequent appointment of Ali Williams, following a “competitive application process”.

Wilson joined the Oxford coaching staff in the summer of 2012, following defeat for the dark blues for the first time in five years, going on to lead Oxford to four consecutive victories. The last of these triumphs was by a margin of 24 lengths on the Thames.

Remarkably, Wilson coached Oxford’s women through the historic process of joining the men’s course for the first time in 2015, with this year’s event the first to host all four races (men’s and women’s blues and reserves) on the same course on the same day.

The outgoing coach has had a formidable career, extending long before her arrival in Oxford four years ago. Wilson’s extensive coaching experience includes her posts as assistant coach to the U.S. Women’s Olympic Team and head coach of the women’s rowing team at Yale and Cornell universities, which saw her impressively becoming the first woman to coach men at a major American university rowing programme.

Wilson leaves behind in her place Ali Williams, who had assisted Wilson in the ultimately triumphant 2016 Cancer Research UK Boat Races campaign. The Australian Williams’ own career is similarly impressive, having been Head Coach for Edmonton Rowing Club, the University of Alberta, and the Canadian Junior National Development Team. Prior to her coaching experience, Williams enjoyed a successful coxing career with the University of Sydney and a variety of teams in New South Wales. Perhaps her greatest achievement is competing in the Youth Olympics where she won a medal as the cox for the Australian women’s eight team.

“I am very excited and hugely honoured to be given the opportunity to lead this fantastic club for the 2017 Boat Race season” said Williams on her appointment, “I hope to build upon the great success that we’ve seen recently that has allowed a number of our athletes to go on and represent their country at under-23 World Championship level and the Olympic Games this summer alone.

“I’ve learned so much about the intricacies of this special race and, whilst I have a lot to learn, I’m looking forward to putting this into practice for the coming season.”

Williams’ credentials will be put to the test over the following season, culminating in the 72nd Women’s Boat Race in the afternoon of Sunday 2nd April 2017, alongside the 163rd Men’s Boat Race.

Keep off the Grass: Let’s have a ball

Ioana Burtea
-
0
Keep off the Grass: Let’s have a ball

This is a preview article from 2016’s Keep off the Grass. The print magazine will be distributed for free to all freshers during Freshers’ Week this year.

One of the most exciting things about studying at Oxford is having the opportunity to attend the balls. The long gowns, the marquee tents in the centuries old university quads and the copious quantities of champagne create an air of romantic nostalgia. To help you navigate the world of dodgems, swing boats and silent discos, here is a guide to all things ball-related.

College Balls

When people talk about “Oxford Balls” they’re usually talking about College Balls. Most colleges hold one every year (although some smaller colleges team up for balls, such as the Somerville-Jesus Ball) and prices range from £60 to £200. The range in prices is accounted for by the different types of balls there are: the cheaper ones are black tie while the more expensive ones are white tie. The pricier end of the spectrum also includes Commemoration Balls. Held once every three years at a few of the older colleges, they’re the Oxford equivalent of Cambridge May balls. The larger budgets usually mean a bigger headline act (the Fratellis and the Wombats have both played Commemoration Balls), more food and a higher quality bar. DJs, live bands, circus acts, fireworks and even archery (or failed attempts at archery) provide entertainment into the early hours of the morning.

Although balls always have plenty of food stalls, you can opt for a gourmet three-course dinner before the ball by purchasing a dining ticket (around £50 more than a regular ball ticket). In my opinion, the extra cost is worth it: the food is always amazing and it makes the night one you’ll never forget. All balls have an open bar (and if you’re lucky, a vodka luge) so don’t worry about having to pay for any extra cocktails!

Balls take place all year round, starting this year with the white tie Merton Winter Ball in November until other Commemoration Balls in week 9 of Trinity. Tickets for balls sell out quickly. Make sure you and your friends buy them early so you can enjoy a night full of fireworks, photo booths and hopefully, not too many regrets.

Union Balls

The Oxford Union may be one of the foremost speech and debate societies in the world, but they still know how to throw a heck of a party. The Union throws a black tie ball in Hilary term for around £50. The cheaper price means an earlier closing time but an amazing night nevertheless. The (in)famous debate chamber is transformed into a stunning ballroom floor and oysters and macarons make frequent appearances. The Oxford Guild Society continues the trend of hosting both amazing speakers and great balls so look out for their annual masquerade ball.

Subject Society Balls (and a few others!)

A few subject societies host amazing balls at relatively affordable prices. MedSoc (the medicine students’ society) hosts an annual ball and there are rumours of a new Science Ball coming this year. The Law Society hosts some of the best balls in Oxford, with one ball every term. Tickets are less than £100 and include a three course dinner, transportation for the night and all of the trimmings of a ball. Venues have included the Gherkin and Blenheim Palace. You don’t need to be reading that subject to get tickets, but you do have to be a member and ballot for a spot in groups of up to 6 people. RAG also hosts a Charity Ball in Michaelmas while the LGBT Society hosts an annual Glitterball. Last year also featured Oxford’s first ever Diwali ball.

Organising a Ball

This year, I had the chance to work as Head of Design for my college Ball and I loved it. Organising balls is hard work, but the free tickets make up for it. Don’t worry about being a fresher – it’s a great chance to build up experience and although you have to sit through a lot of conversations about portaloos, it’s quite fun!

Working at a Ball

You can also work at balls in a variety of roles: everyone from bartenders to ushers or rubbish-collectors are needed. Jobs are usually advertised on the ball’s website or Facebook page so keep an eye out. You usually work one shift and can spend the rest of the night enjoying the ball. It’s a cheap way to have a fun night out and a great way to get into a sold-out ball.

Breaking in

I’ve heard enough urban myths about people trying to break into balls to make me write a section on it (one of the more creative attempts allegedly involving stealing a punt). Don’t do it. Don’t ever try to break in. As someone who worked to make the tickets and the wristbands for a ball, I can tell you that counterfeit tickets are not going to work and scrambling over walls in black tie is harder than it sounds. So unless your idea of a fun night is being chased by a security team, do everyone a favour and just buy the ticket instead.

1...1,0011,0021,003...2,515Page 1,002 of 2,515

Support Student Journalism

Cherwell is Oxford’s oldest independent newspaper, established in 1920. We are entirely student-run. By supporting us, you will contribute to keeping our paper in print and online. Every donation makes a difference.

Donate

Explore

Follow us

More

Oxford Student Publications Limited © 2025 - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy

Website by James Ashley