The website trashing.me, established this term to provide trashing supplies for Oxford students, has responded to criticism from the University and colleges.

The University discourages the practice of trashing and many colleges have threatened fines and other sanctions for students caught engaged in the activity.

A spokesperson for the University told Cherwell, “We urge students to celebrate responsibly and to show consideration for local residents and other students still taking exams. In addition, this year, for the first time, we are working with the Oxford Food Bank to collect any foodstuffs brought to the examinations for misuse, for distribution to people in need in the local area.”

A member of the trashing.me team said, “Friends come together to see each other when they have finished exams, and this is a unique thing about Oxford which makes it particularly special: I do not know of any other universities where people come to see their friends when they finish their exams and help them relax and forget about anything that might have happened in the exam hall.

“Trashing marks the end of your degree, and the beginning of summer and real life – and as such, is a symbolic and integral part of Oxford life. I understand that throwing food is a common complaint that is made about trashing but would point towards other festivals and events such as Tomatina where the tomatoes paint the street.

“Nevertheless, we have deliberately not provided
any foodstuffs but only party items.”

An annual survey of donations to UK universities has revealed that Oxford and Cambridge received around £357 million in donations during the 2012-2013 financial year.

The results of the Ross-CASE Survey show that, between them, the Oxbridge institutions received just over half of the income generated
from the £660 million donated to all of the universities
surveyed.

The gap between Oxbridge donations and other universities is shown to be widening. The median largest donation to the two universities
was recorded as being a massive £19.5
million.

In contrast to Oxbridge, which was described by the report as having “elite fundraising programmes” and where income from philanthropy
has shown an increase on the previous year, the wider Russell Group has experienced a decrease in donations. Universities in the “University Alliance” group, such as Oxford Brookes and Manchester Metropolitan, had an average donation income of just £772,000.

Across all universities, 59% of donations were received from organisations, the vast majority being charitable trusts and foundations, with under a third of these being from companies. The rest were from individuals, mostly alumni.

The survey suggested that the success of Oxbridge philanthropy can be largely attributed to the large amount of money invested in fundraising. It found that every pound received in donations costs 7 pence in fundraising costs.

A University spokesperson told Cherwell, “We are delighted that philanthropic support for higher education is showing an upward trend and that fundraising at Oxford is helping to lead the way. In 2012-13 almost £220m was raised in philanthropic support for the Oxford Thinking campaign, which reflects fundraising activity across the collegiate University.

“The support received throughout the course of the Oxford Thinking campaign is having real, demonstrable impact – from providing scholarships and other support for students, to expanding research programmes across a wide range of academic disciplines and helping enable the construction of new buildings which benefit staff and students alike.”

Opponents of the Spanish monarchy marched through Oxford on Monday in protest against the installation of a new Spanish king, following the abdication of Juan Carlos I in favour of his son, Felipe.

Some 35 protesters, among them Oxford students, marched from the Radcliffe Camera to Cornmarket Street calling for a referendum on the continuation of the monarchy. The protest’s organisers expressed their approval at the size of the crowd, given they had only four hours’ notice. 

Protesters chanted, “One, two, three, republic once again”, referencing the two former Spanish republics of 1873 and 1931.

Arturo Zoffman Rodriguez, who organised the protest, told Cherwell, “The king has been the visible head of a system that has taken Spain to crisis and brought misery to millions, while a few parasites line their pockets. Those same parasites orchestrated the repression
of our grandparents in 1936, were at the helm under Franco, and are still calling the shots nowadays.”

He continued, “The Spanish youth and workers are starting to re-evaluate all the institutions that have been in charge of society; the traditional parties, big business, the church, and, of course, the monarchy. We don’t want to see a new king being imposed upon us as Juan Carlos was imposed upon our parents. We want to have a say and take our fate into our own hands, and the first step to do this is to have a referendum on the monarchy.”

Juan Carlos I became king of Spain in 1975, having been named the next head of state by dictator Francisco Franco. He presided over Spain’s transition to democracy, and played a major role in preventing a military coup in 1981.

The king announced his abdication on Monday, stating in a televised address that it was time for a new generation to take on the burdens
of reform.

Several republican protests have since taken place across Europe in the wake of the king’s abdication, in cities including Paris, Amsterdam,
London and Berlin. 

Juan Carlos’ successor, Felipe, is due to be crowned on 18th June.

The University has confirmed that it will be updating its policy on harassment and bullying following talks with Sarah Pine, OUSU’s Vice-President for Women and the It Happens Here campaign.

The policy, expected to be finished by the end of Michaelmas, will include a number of suggestions made by OUSU. A draft policy has been amended to include sexual violence and stalking, online harassment and clarification of the university’s role when harassment and bullying cases are criminal.

Under the new policy, a support office will be set up in the Student Welfare and Support Services building, and specially-trained harassment advisors will offer support.

Sarah Pine told Cherwell, “The university are also really committed to the communication of the positive steps. Few plans on this have been finalised, but I will be lobbying for a system much like those used in the US, where there is a portal for all of this information online.

Pine continued, “We’ll also be including this information in the consent workshops, so JCRs and MCRs that have the workshops have the information highlighted again.

“The specialist training that harassment advisors will have is another big win for the VP for Women over the past couple of years. The training comes from an expert, Liz Jones, from Oxford City Council. It enables advisors to be aware of the issues and ways that they should support students through various different possible scenarios. Additionally, OUSU has pushed that this training is available to front-line staff, so those who might be first responders (like porters, chaplains etc) are also aware of what to do.”

Professor Sally Mapstone, the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education at the University, said in a note to the It Happens Here committee, “The harassment procedure for students details the stages (informal, through to formal complaint) of the process, with a focus on ensuring support for students via the Director of Student Welfare and Support Services.

“This provides clarity for students as to where they should go for advice, both professional (via the Counselling service within SWSS) but also practical support. The procedure will also provide links to appropriate sources including harassment advisors, local welfare representatives and the OUSU Student Advice Service.”

Sarah Pine also clarified that this step will allay several of OUSU’s concerns about the University’s processes commenting, “This is a great move forward. OUSU has had concerns in the past about people speaking to harassment advisors and their responses harming students.

“This has been combined with me running sexual violence training sessions for students, so those in JCR and MCR committees know what to do. This was focused on JCR and MCR officers, but is open to anyone, and if anyone wants to come to one, they should email me at [email protected]”.

A University spokesman told Cherwell, “Harassment of any kind is unacceptable at Oxford, and when such incidents do occur, our culture is one of strong support for victims, including guidance and advice on making complaints. The University is continually considering how best to provide staff and students with relevant and sensitive advice and support. A review of the University’s harassment policy and procedures is nearing completion. The revised policy will make more explicit its inclusion of all forms of unacceptable behaviour, including sexual violence, assault and stalking. The revised procedure will give greater clarity about the sources of professional support available to victims. As is the case now, students will be encouraged to report allegations which are a criminal matter to the police.

“The University is working closely with Oxford University Student Union (OUSU), both on the development of the new policy and procedure and how best to communicate it to the wider student body once approved. We are grateful to OUSU for their work in researching student concerns about this issue.”

Hertford JCR members have expressed concern that the free room given to the college’s JCR President was not publicised well enough.

This comes amidst a debate in the Hertford MCR concerning the future of the free room given to the President of that common room. 

Currently, both Presidents receive a room rent-free as a gesture of goodwill from the college. When contacted by Cherwell, both Presidents acknowledged that the arrangement was uniquely “generous”.

Many Hertford students approached by Cherwell were unaware of the policy. Speaking anonymously, a second-year Hertfordian commented, “I think a lot of people in college aren’t necessarily aware that they get the free room and it also means the President gets quite disproportionate benefits compared to the rest of the JCR Committee, who also work really hard.

“It is definitely a concern if most people are not aware of the free room, and there should certainly be some mechanism for informing the JCR about the benefits that committee members are granted.”

They added, “I think that the JCR Committee deserve rewards for the hard work that they do and that for many of the committee roles, having a room in college is really useful for doing their job properly; for instance, the JCR President has a set allowing them to easily meet with people.” 

Another first-year Hertford student remarked, “I wonder why we aren’t made more aware that the JCR president gets a free room. Of course, they perform an important task, but important enough to elevate them above the whole JCR and have their rent waived? I’m not too sure.”

Hertford JCR President Josh Platt told Cherwell, “If JCR members believe it should be publicised more widely, as your investigation suggests, then I would be happy to discuss it at a general meeting or on any other occasion, in order to hear the full range of views.”

A number of MCR students have likewise questioned the policy. Hertford graduate student Miodrag Stamboldziev remarked, “I believe the policy is unethical on three moral grounds; first, towards the fellow colleges’ MCR Presidents, who do not receive pecuniary incentives; second, towards other MCR members who hold a leadership position and invest significant amount of time – for example, the Boat Club captains among the others – yet do not receive monetary compensation; and third, towards every fellow MCR member, as the monies could be used to fund a graduate scholarship.”

He also pointed out that given Hertford’s comparatively small endowment, it was unjustifiable to gift the Presidents with a free room when richer colleges did not operate the same policy.

Despite this, Stamboldziev clarified, “I would like to state that I am content and grateful with the work of MCR Committee, especially the President, and my views are not to be interpreted in no way other way except as a constructive feedback to the college.”

Some students are concerned that the money the college invested in providing the free rooms to the Presidents would be better invested in bursaries or welfare supplies. 

While many colleges offer allocated rooms for JCR Presidents, or allow them to move to the top of the housing ballot, Cherwell is not aware of any other colleges which allow their common room Presidents to live rent free. 

JCR President Josh Platt acknowledged, “The College’s policy of allowing the JCR and the MCR President to go rent free is generous. While almost all common room Presidents receive perks from their College, Hertford’s policy is probably one of the kindest in the University.”

He continued, “I think it’s important for the JCR and the MCR to debate how College spends its money, and it’s totally right that we, as elected representatives, are held to account. If any member of the JCR wished me to lobby College on this issue, or to discuss it with them, I would be more than happy to do so, but nobody in the past two terms has approached me to talk about this. I must admit, however, that it has not been a priority for me during my term in office.

“I think it is important to remember that this is not money college simply gives to the JCR for us to spend as we choose. If the rent arrangement was removed, I would be keen to make sure that the money did not simply go back into College coffers, but rather became available for use by the JCR for another purpose.”

Likewise, Hertford MCR President Robert Carlsson remarked, “The fact is that the money does not come from the MCR budget but rather the college budget; I am certain that if the college was to change the policy the money would not make it into the MCR budget. In one way or another this could be viewed as less money going towards supporting MCR students.”

He continued, “I am fully supportive of the MCR debating this matter. Even though it is not for us to decide on this matter, as it lies with college, it does affect us in one way or another and it is therefore potentially relevant to discuss.”

Hertford College was unavailable for comment.

Pembroke and Christ Church JCRs organised a joint petting zoo this Thursday in a bid to provide some relief to stressed students undergoing exams.

The petting zoo, which included at least ten different types of animals, including meerkats, a giant rabbit and owls, took place in the Christ Church JCR. The event also featured less conventional petting zoo animals, including snakes, scorpions and a tarantula.

Pembroke Entz Rep Meltem Kamalvand told Cherwell that the aim of the event was to “provide some relief for stressed finalists whilst simultaneously bonding with our frenemies at Christ Church over the sweet joys of a petting zoo. It’s something a bit different and fun, and everyone loves animals.”

Pembroke finalist Nick Hilton remarked, “I think it’s a great idea, although it does appear to pair conventional petting zoo animals with their natural predators.”

Likewise, Jane Cahill, who promised a petting zoo for students during 5th week in her OUSU Presidential manifesto last Michaelmas, remarked, “I’m a big fan of petting zoos. I was totally lambasted for that policy but I stand by it to the end! I guess I wouldn’t have had a scorpion in an OUSU petting zoo though. Not very fluffy or relaxing, in fact quite stressful.”

Unfortunately the event was only open to students at Pembroke and Christ Church. The Pembroke Entz team stated on the Facebook event page stated that “cute animals don’t come for free we’re afraid and we have programmed the snakes to kill anyone from other colleges”.

Matt McGonagle, Pembroke JCR Vice President, said, “We pride ourselves on being natural at Pembroke, and we certainly have a wild side! A petting zoo has animals – who are both natural and wild – so suits us perfectly.”

Rebecca Howe, Pembroke JCR president, told Cherwell, “I think it will help calm nerves during the exam period. I took a stressed finalist to the petting zoo a couple of hours before his exam. He seems calmer now. This is a good thing.”

She added, “When the Entz Reps and I mused over proposing this last Michaelmas, I never in my WILDest dreams thought this would actually come to life. Now it has, it is like Friday of 8th, Oxmas, and LOVE all rolled up into one.

“If ChCh are up for doing it again, then we are. Even if they aren’t, I’m sure I speak for Pembrokians across the kingdom when I say yes – we would like this to happen again. Perhaps annually.”

The University been criticised by its Equality and Diversity Officer after failing to mention the death of Merton alumni Stuart Hall, the Jamaican-born cultural theorist and sociologist, in one of its media bulletins.

In an interview, Shakina Chinedu, the Equality and Diversity Officer, told a reporter from the campaign group Voice4Change that the University refused her request to report Hall’s death in the
media bulletin because “[Hall’s] academic
career wasn’t spent long enough at Oxford
University”.

When approached by Cherwell, Chinedu declined to comment on the issue.

Stuart Hall, who died in Feburary, was one of the founding figures of British Cultural Studies. He won a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Merton, and went on to study for an MA and a DPhil at the University.

Speaking on behalf of Oxford University Africa Society, Brian Kwoba told Cherwell, “The University’s failure to mention Stuart Hall is symptomatic of a larger problem; the white blindspot generated by Oxford’s Eurocentrism. There are a number of Black scholars who are not mentioned, featured in painted portraits on the walls of their respective colleges, or given recognition for coming to Oxford.”

He added, “Besides Stuart Hall, for example, there is also Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem who was the was the general secretary of the Pan-African Movement, director of Justice Africa, Deputy Director of United Nations Millennium Campaign for Africa, as well as a writer for newspapers and journals across Africa.”

Exeter College Equalities Officer-elect Charanpreet Khaira pointed out the implications that the ommission might have for access efforts. Khaira told Cherwell, “It’s a bit of a shame that the University wouldn’t take any opportunity it has to present itself as more racially diverse. Oxford has enough of a stereotypical reputation as it is, and we should be trying to change that to encourage diversity, rather than putting people off from applying.”

However, a University spokesperson pointed out that Stuart Hall’s legacy has been recognised in other ways. In the week of his death, TORCH (The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities) held a seminar which paid tribute to his life and academic career, and the influence that he has had on political and cultural thought.

The spokesperson also highlighted obituaries that were published on the websites of the Rhodes Trust, Merton College and Oxford Today, the University’s alumni magazine.

Brian Kwoba, who is also a member of the OUSU Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality (CRAE) remarked, “I’m not sure that these omissions put off any non-white applicants from applying, because most people – including people of colour – apply to Oxford for the prestige of the ‘brand’ it has created.”

“Rather, not mentioning or acknowledging the contributions of Black Oxonian alumni like Stuart Hall is certainly a missed opportunity to make a special appeal to BME prospective applicants, and an inspiring story for current BME students.”

As of 2013, black and minority ethnic (BME) students were less likely to be given an offer from the University than white students, as BME students had a success rate of 17.1% compared to 25.4% for white students. The number of BME students applying to the University has increased, however, from 1,965 in 2012, to 2,101 in 2013.

Kwoba has suggested that in order to improve access efforts, the University should attempt to “diversify the academic staff and tutors so that more BME professors can teach about History, English and Philosophy as recorded and understood by scholars from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Muslim world.”

He also suggested that the humanities broaden their reading lists so that they move beyond Western canon.

A University spokesperson told Cherwell, “Given the vast amount of attention Oxford receives worldwide, the media bulletin cannot hope to be comprehensive and, in order to make it manageable, some types of coverage such as obituaries of alumni are not included, however notable the individual. Tony Benn and Derek Cooper are among recent examples
of alumni whose obituaries were not carried in the round-up.”