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Government report recommends keeping graduate student visa route

By
Euan Elliott
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Image Credit: Ninara / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has recommended that the UK government retains the Graduate visa route in their highly anticipated report on the efficacy of the scheme, commissioned by Home Secretary, James Cleverly, in March of this year.

Since 2019, the Graduate visa route has allowed international undergraduate and masters students to remain and work in the UK for up to two years after graduating from a UK university, or up to three years after graduation for PhD students. These years are intended to facilitate the establishment of graduates in employment which offers Skilled Worker visa sponsorship.

The Conservative Government’s attitudes towards the Graduate visa route stem from their overall aim to reduce net migration and their speculation that the scheme acts as a backdoor for migrants with no intention of becoming skilled workers. Cleverly requested the MAC report examining the route over his concerns that study visas are “driven more by a desire for immigration rather than education.”

MAC found that the Graduate visa route was largely effective at aiding the transition of students to skilled workers, and that evidence showed very low levels of abuse. The report concluded that the “impact on public finances of Graduate visa holders on the route to be small but positive, as most appear to work, are young, and have no recourse to public funds.” MAC advised no alterations to be made to the scheme.

In April, the CEO of the Russell Group, Dr. Tim Bradshaw, urged MAC to recommend against cutting the Graduate visa route in a letter to the chair of MAC, Prof. Brian Bell. Bradshaw expressed that such a move, which would deter international students from studying in the UK, would threaten both the intellectual and creative talent of British academia and the financial stability of the UK university sector, worth £37 billion a year to the UK economy according to Consultancy London Economcics

The MAC report corroborated Bradshaw’s concerns for the sector’s financial dependence on international students, saying: “The fees that these students pay help universities to cover the losses they make in teaching British students and doing research. Without those students, many universities would need to shrink and less research would be done.” The Higher Education Statistics Agency found that in 2021-2022, international students’ fees comprised 30% of the total UK universities; income. 

“Negative government rhetoric, new visa restrictions and increased visa fees are already having an impact on the attractiveness of the UK as a study destination”, Bradshaw explained, pointing to the 44% decrease in international university enrolments in January, according to a survey by Universities UK. 

The MAC report affirmed that changes made to the Graduate visa route over the past year had made the UK a less attractive destination for studying for overseas applicants when compared to its rivals in Europe, America, and Australia. The Government’s decision in April to increase the income threshold for Skilled Worker visas from £26,200 to £38,700 resulted in accountancy firm KPMG withdrawing job offers to international graduates who would need Skilled Worker sponsorship to take up the role.

A government spokesperson has confirmed that they are “considering the review’s findings very closely and we will respond fully in due course”, regarding their final decision on the status of the Graduate visa route.

St Catherine’s College builds new temporary lecture theatre in three weeks

By
Ellie Yau
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Image Credit: Marathon / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

In just three weeks, a new temporary lecture theatre with a capacity of 250 was built in St Catherine’s College, amid continued access restrictions to key operational buildings in the College, including their permanent lecture theatre. 

The discovery of RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) has caused many of the College’s structures to be shut down for remediation work. Building company Neptunus stated the College’s need for a “rapid high-quality temporary solution… to maintain their busy schedule of lectures, seminars and events,” according to a press release.

During construction of the theatre, Neptunus faced numerous technical challenges amidst the poor weather conditions occurring during the early half of 2024. The highly saturated and uneven ground – further compromised by St Catherine College’s location alongside the River Cherwell – required scaffolders to ensure the structures were at a uniform height by erecting part of the complex on scaffolding and external walkways.

Despite this, the lecture theatre was completed in less than a month, with a capacity of up to 250 people, and it is fitted out with amenities such as tiered seating, lighting and air conditioning. The fit-out of the facility was completed in a further three weeks, which included additional spaces such as a foyer and breakout rooms for seminars.

While the theatre is intended to be temporary, it was made to emulate “the look and feel of a permanent building,” the company’s press release states, and its main entrance is around one of the College’s treasured sculptures. The theatre is scheduled to remain on the site for at least nine months.

Neptunus also revealed St Catherine’s College  contracted them following their success in previous projects with other Oxford colleges. The Northamptonshire-based company had previously built temporary multi-functional rooms for Trinity College during their renovations in 2019.

Belinda Gardner, St Catherine’s College Conference Manager, said in the statement: “Throughout the project, Neptunus demonstrated professionalism, open communication, and conduct that aligned with our own standards, finishing the works to an exceptionally high standard. We are grateful that this venue was made available in such a short amount of time, particularly given the difficult weather conditions experienced during January 2024.”

The Two Gentlemen of Verona review: ‘A hilarious modern take’

By
Adam Saxon
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Image Credit: Geraint Lewis

Arriving at a packed-out Playhouse to see Shakespeare’s rarely performed The Two Gentlemen of Verona I had high expectations. The production marks director Sir Gregory Doran’s completion of all 36 plays in Shakespeare’s First Folio, and with a man as experienced as the former artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in charge, it was understandable that I was expecting big things.

In a speech to the Playhouse’s circle bar before the show, Doran spoke of the honour of working with students over the last academic year to put the production together. He praised their commitment, adding that five finalists working on the play had multiple exams in the week of the performances.. 

It was, then, a testament to this commitment that the performance was as good as it was. The production was a hilarious modern take on Shakespeare’s comedy, with several scenes updated, modified, or introduced entirely for this play. We had a drag scene, the use of Hinge (yes, the dating app), and a Formula One-themed scene to name but a few of the excellent modernisations made for this production.

One of the stars of the show, undoubtedly, was its Duke of Milan, Jake Robertson. From his introduction in the raucous drag scene which fooled the entire audience (genuinely the highlight of the entire play), to his masterfully witty confrontation with Valentine, he had the audience in stitches throughout.

Jo Rich, playing Launce, also captured the comedy perfectly. Every scene he was part of felt like the address of a madman to his imaginary (or real) audience, and this brought his character a suitable level of chaos which matched the absurdity of the play as a whole. He also had brilliant chemistry with the live dog, Rocky, who, despite spending much of his time more interested in whatever was going on offstage, captured the hearts of the audience from his first appearance. The audible ‘awww’ when he came on for the first time was well deserved. 

However, to single out individuals does not do justice to many of the cast members in this production. There are many strong performances: Lilia Kanu (Julia)’s portrayal of the heartbreak of Proteus’s betrayal, Rob Wolfreys (Proteus) in his capturing of the character as a dual figure, at times the funniest character in a scene, while at others delivering gut-wrenching soliloquies about his internal turmoil to name but a few. Also deserving praise are the servants played by Leah Aspden (Lucetta) and Jelani Munroe (Speed) whose chemistry with the lead actors was excellent.

One of the most surprising aspects of the play was the set design. Upon entry, I was underwhelmed, being greeted by nothing more than four ugly pillars of scaffolding. However, the adaptability of this set proved vital, with the production benefiting from a wide range of props which brought the set to life, while the scaffolding moved as needed to signify different settings. There was also support from a live band, which only added to the brilliance of the musical scenes. 

Admittedly, on a couple of occasions, the play  went too far in its unseriousness. A couple of the modifications fell slightly flat in their attempts to be funny, but these were rare and still merited a handful of laughs from the audience. All in all, the play was riotously funny, and that, in large part, is a testament to the delivery of the play by its cast.

The play also handles a difficult scene towards the end of the play well, in which Proteus attempts to force himself upon Silvia. As it ought to be, the scene is difficult to watch, and the actors did well to capture that. Will Shackleton (Valentine) and Wolfreys shine in the part in which Valentine confronts Proteus, and for such a humorous play, it excelled in its ability to switch to serious matters in an instant. 

The ending of the production also held an important commentary on the play. Julia and Silvia are left on stage as the lights fade, which I took as a comment on the play’s willingness to forget the crimes of Proteus at the expense of the female characters. It was a moving signifier of their lack of opportunity to choose their paths for themselves. 

All in all, The Two Gentlemen of Verona matched and furthered the expectations I held before the show. The influence of Doran was clear, but there were also aspects of the performance that were clearly student-led. This made it all the more impressive, and I hope there are more opportunities for the artistic talents of the University to work with big names and people of Doran’s level of experience in the future.

Oxford Union believes the police do serve the people

By
Charlotte Dawson
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May 11, 2016. Credit: Public domain

On Thursday night, the Oxford Union voted against the motion ‘This House Believes The Police Do Not Serve the People.’ The final count had 61 members voting for the motion and 64 members voting against.

During the emergency debate the house also voted against the motion ‘This House Would Join the Encampment’. Speakers in favour of it discussed the state of the conflict in Gaza and argued the encampment is a symbol of our right to free speech which we should cherish. Those against the motion testified that the encampment has led to a rise of antisemitism in Oxford and argued that its requests, if met, would not have a significant impact on the conflict. 

In the formal debate, speaking in favour of the motion about the police was Labour MP Graham Stringer, who was previously Leader of Manchester City Council. Leroy Logan MBE also spoke on this side. He was a police superintendent in the UK and was one of the founding members of the Black Police Association. Stringer and Logan were joined by Creative Writing masters student Ashling Sugrue (Kellog College). 

Speaking in the opposition was Andy Cooke QPM DL, a British public servant, former police officer and current Inspector. PPE student Conor Boyle (Queen’s College) and Law student Raza Nazar (Trinity College) also opposed the motion. 

Ashling Sugrue was the first speaker for the proposition. She argued the police are ineffective, stating that in 2023 in the UK it solved only 11% of crimes reported to them. Moreover, while it is true that increasing the number of police officers reduces crime, Sugrue defends that it does so so insignificantly that it does not justify the cost of deploying more officers. That money should go instead towards welfare and education for example, which tackle what she believes is the root cause of criminality: poverty. 

Conor Boyle opened the case for the opposition by recalling the death of British police officer Andrew Harper, who was killed on duty during a burglary, and praised the courage of the police who run towards danger when our natural instinct is to run away from it. 

Boyle argued that the vast majority of officers have good intentions, and that in the past few years the number of people killed by police is between one and three per year in England and Wales – the issue is of a very different scale than in the United States. He insisted that the people and the police are supposed to be “intertwined”, or at least in cooperation. Of course, the police play an important role in making this true, but so do we. 

Graham Stringer spoke next in favour of the motion and criticised the system for letting some people go out on the streets who are not fit for the job. He argued that the point of policing is “policing of the people for the people”, yet the police are too distant from the people, who do not feel like they are being protected. Stringer called for politicians to be brave, as there is a need for “political accountability” to tell the police what they should be doing: they should be serving the people.

Raza Nazar then continued the case for the opposition by arguing that steps have been taken to tackle the problems the police face. He delved into three key areas of reform that the MET is currently undergoing: 1) community crime fighting, 2) cultural change (to fight racism, sexism and homophobia notably) and 3) fixing foundations (by improving training). 

Nazar talked about the 2017 Westminster attack during which five people were killed, including unarmed police officer Keith Palmer who was stabbed fatally. He argued that to say that the police do not serve the people “trivialises” the sacrifice of police officers like him. 

The third and last speaker for the proposition was Leroy Logan MBE who worked for 30 years in the MET. He argued the main issue with the police is its culture: “[police culture] can be very very mesmerising, it can be very very galvanising, but it doesn’t mean it serves the needs of the people.” He recalled shocking discussions in WhatsApp group chats, where if someone stepped up they would be seen as troublemakers. He concluded by declaring: “We want a police that’s fit for purpose, we want a police that has openness and transparency, we want a police that does not gaslight us … How it’s done is through culture change. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Andy Cooke QPM DL closed the case of the opposition. He gave three reasons why we should be proud of the British police service. First,  “the vast majority of police officers are dedicated to the public service”. Secondly, police officers bravely run towards danger in circumstances that “most people are lucky to never have to confront themselves”. They are “frequently abused, frequently spat at, frequently assaulted” for a starting salary of £28 000. Thirdly, the police make an “immeasurable difference” in keeping people safe, notably by preventing crime, for which they get little credit. He concluded that “in an imperfect world, the police are also imperfect”.

Oxford academics sign letter supporting ‘race-realist’ Cambridge Fellow

By
Nayana Juliette Syed
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Image Credit: Diliff / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Four Oxford academics have signed an open letter criticising the investigations into Nathan Cofnas, a Cambridge Fellow who describes himself as a ‘race-realist’. The investigations concern a controversial blog post made by Cofnas in early February in which he likened race equality to “a thesis based on lies”.

Investigations into Cofnas were launched in early April by Cambridge University and the Leverhulme Trust – who provided Cofnas with his current research grant. This followed Emmanuel College notifying Cofnas that they were terminating their research affiliation with him. 

The investigations came as a response to substantial protests from Cambridge students and staff. In February, the master of Emmanuel College, Doug Chalmers, said that the University retains its “commitment to freedom of thought and expression.” The support was reiterated by Cambridge’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education Professor Bhaskar Vira who stated that freedom of speech “sits at the heart of the University of Cambridge”. Following the University’s initial response a petition calling for the termination of Cofnas’s employment gained more than 1200 signatures.  

An open letter, signed by 14 academics and published May 2nd in The Times, expresses support for Cambridge’s initial response. The letter states that: “[m]embers of the college or university who disagree with Dr Cofnas’s views could issue statements repudiating those views and explaining why they believe them to be mistaken.” 

Of the 14 academics, four are from Oxford: Professor Roger Crisp of St. Anne’s College; Marie Daouda, Stipendiary Lecturer at Oriel College; Professor Jeff McMahan from Corpus Christi College and All Souls Fellow and Professor Amia Srinivasan. 

Srinivasan has since expressed her discontent with some aspects of the letter in The London Review of Books. She said it “did not contain a condemnation of Cofnas’s racism” and “did not draw a distinction between supporting Cofnas and objection to Cambridge’s investigation of him”. She also said the letter did not emphasise “the possibility that students have a right not to be taught by someone who is on the record expressing the view that, if a student is Black, they are almost certainly less intelligent.”

Cofnas is himself an Oxford alumnus, having completed a DPhil in Philosophy at Balliol College in 2021. Since 2022, he has been employed at Cambridge’s Faculty of Philosophy, researching Philosophy of Biology and Ethics. According to his website, he maintains a particular interest in “scientific and ethical controversies connected with evolution-informed social science.” 

This is not the first time Cofnas’s employment has sparked outrage. Following his appointment to the University in 2022, the Cambridge student body called for his dismissal regarding a 2019 article arguing that racial and ethnic groups show genetic differences in IQ. 

Wadham College rent to increase by up to 24%

By
Bryn Mollet
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Image Credit: generalising / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Average rent in Wadham College will increase by nearly 10% by the next academic year, with rent on main site accommodation, which is for first and third years, increasing by up to 23.9%. Students will see a year’s rent on term-long licences rise from £5,408.94 to £6,700. This comes as the College Disparities Report recently showed that Wadham College has the seventh highest accommodation costs.

Rent for second and fourth years will increase by 7.6% and 13.5% respectively for off-site accommodation, rising from £7,315.95 to £8,300 on a nine-month contract. Both accomodations come with en-suite rooms and kitchens and are located around a half-hour walk from Wadham College’s main site.

This year Wadham College has changed its method of rent calculation. Previously, it was centred around the Retail Price Index (RPI) without regard for cost of living and funding shortfalls. It is now based on the University of Oxford’s own estimates of living costs, available to find on the University website. 

There will also be more generous Accommodation Assistance Bursaries (AABs). With six brackets of household income, students will receive different levels of bursaries to help pay for their accommodation: the maximum of £1000, for the most expensive second year accommodation, will increase to £1600. This is one of the most generous and comprehensive AABs offered by Oxford colleges. 

Student Finance England loans will increase by 2.5% next academic year, while the Office for National Statistics measures inflation at 3.8%. Oxford University also estimated accommodation costs will increase by 4.20% and 7.57% for ‘lower range’ and ‘upper range’ budgets respectively. 

Wadham Student Union President, Oluwaseun Sowunmi, told Cherwell: “The next SU executive team will negotiate for lower future headline rent increases where possible, but hopefully the economic state of Britain could be better and our economic health indicators like inflation will be low and they won’t have to.” 

Sowunmi also explained that Wadham College acknowledges the financial difficulties students may face, and told Cherwell they will carry on promoting student welfare through reimbursement schemes for taxis, prescriptions, menstrual and sexual health products, and cheap coffee and snacks.

According to the recently published College Disparities Report, wealthier colleges tend to charge lower rents, have smaller rent increases, and provide better help for students from lower income households. However, Wadham College has the fifteen highest endowment fund and seventeenth highest income from investment yet it also has the seventh highest rent. 

Meanwhile, Lady Margaret Hall (LMH) has the highest rent and the fifth lowest endowment fund, and second lowest investment income. St John’s College has the cheapest accommodation, and the largest endowment and third highest investment income. 

A student from Wadham told Cherwell: “I think their rent prices in general are starting to go against all of their access initiatives…it defeats the object of being a college that claims to be all about access to education.”

Rally breaks out at the second OA4P encampment at the Radcliffe Camera

By
Cherwell News
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Image Credit: Dylan Parrish

Following the expansion of the Oxford Action for Palestine (OA4P) encampment to the Radcliffe Camera lawn this morning, over 500 people turned out to a rally in Radcliffe Square. 

A spokesperson from OA4P at the new encampment stated: “It has been two weeks since we put up our first encampment and in those two weeks we have gotten support from every corner of the University.” Since the encampment began, roughly 550 faculty and staff have signed support letter. Around 2000 students have also signed a support statement. 

OA4P stated on their Instagram account: “The University refuses to confront its role in genocide…it’s time for the University to listen.” 

Speaking to the crowd, a protester at the encampment said they intended to disrupt the University’s proceedings and emphasised the disturbance the encampment would cause for students working in the Radcliffe Camera. 

A spokesperson for the encampment told Cherwell: “We are certain the admin do not want this level of action on the Rad Cam Lawn and we insist they reply to our negotiations. As soon as they do, we will take this all down.” 

The encampment led over 500 protesters in chants of “Palestine will be freed” and “stop the genocide”, and “the occupation has got to go.” Musicians were also present at the protest.

In response to news of the encampment, an Oxford University spokesperson told Cherwell: “We are aware of the ongoing demonstration by members of our University community. We respect our students and staff members right to freedom of expression in the form of peaceful protests. We ask everyone who is taking part to do so with respect, courtesy and empathy. Oxford University’s primary focus is the health and safety of the University community, and to ensure any impact on work, research and learning, including student exams, is minimised. As we have stressed in our student and staff communications there is no place for intolerance at the University of Oxford.”

 

OA4P encampment expands to Radcliffe Camera lawn

By
Cherwell News
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Oxford Action for Palestine set up a second encampment of ten tents on the lawn of Oxford University’s iconic Radcliffe Camera library in the early morning of 19 May. Calling it “Liberated Zone #2.” The campers “will not leave until the negotiation process begins,” according to a statement.

OA4P’s statement furthers: “We reaffirmed our commitment to begin negotiations, and once again, the University made no efforts to come to the table and meet with us. We are escalating accordingly.

“There can be no business as usual while enabling a genocide. The University must not be allowed to forget this, and, to that end, we will continue to disrupt its functioning until our demands are met.”

The negotiations team have sent its preconditions to the Vice-Chancellor this morning via email.

A camper told Cherwell: “We know we make ourselves vulnerable by doing this, but that’s what’s so important: We’re just some students in some tents, here to protest against genocide. If people want to attack us because of that, then we’re not going to respond with violence.

“We said we’re willing to take [the encampment] down when [the University] is willing to talk. If we’re in danger, whose hands is that in at the end of the day?”

Another camper emphasised the group’s commitment to de-escalation.

The first encampment was set up on 6 May in front of the Natural History museum. Rad Cam’s encampment follows the previous day’s escalation when dozens of protesters staged a “die-in” at graduation: They lay on the ground, with red handprints on white shirts, and blocked all exits from Sheldonian theatre where a graduation ceremony was taking place. 

Cherwell has contacted the University for comments.

Oxford graduates step over protesters during pro-Palestine ‘die-in’

By
Cherwell News
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Image Credits: Adam Saxon

Around 30 protesters staged a ‘die-in’ outside the Sheldonian Theatre and Bodleian Library Saturday morning during graduations. The demonstration comes after the University released an official statement which one activist described as “long and so incredibly empty.”

The protesters lay on the ground blocking all exits from the Sheldonian, where graduation ceremonies were ongoing.

A worker who appeared to be a University library employee prodded a protester with his foot in an attempt to move him out of the way, saying they were blocking the main accessible access point. 

Protesters also told Cherwell that security personnel and what appeared to be university employees tried to close doors on the protesters and ‘kicked’ people.

They also alleged that members of the public stepped on protesters’ hands.

The protest is organised by Oxford Action for Palestine, who explained: ‘There are no more Universities in Gaza, no more graduations, no more milestones. Higher education has been systematically destroyed in a campaign that has targeted every aspect of Palestine life in Gaza.’ 

A member of the police told Cherwell that they were aware of the ‘die-in’ in advance and confirmed that the protest was entirely peaceful. 

A protester told Cherwell that the protest was a result of the University’s lack of engagement in their demands. Oxford Action for Palestine’s official statement on the protest said: ‘The University must not be allowed to forget this, and we will escalate to disrupt its functioning until they join us at the negotiating table and until our demands are met.’

A graduate told Cherwell: “This is a day I’ve worked really hard for… [but] I support [the protesters].” 
The University communications office told Cherwell that the university security team did not have any incident of security prodding protesters.

Oxford College JCRs pass motions in support of pro-Palestine encampment

By
Grace Kyoko Wong
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Image Credit: Adam Saxon

Several Oxford University junior common rooms (JCRs) have passed motions expressing solidarity with the recently established pro-Palestine encampment.

St Anne’s College JCR is the latest to release a public statement in support of the pro-Palestine encampment, joining a string of colleges JCRs expressing solidarity with the protesters.

Within the past week, Balliol College, Corpus Christi College, Jesus College, St Hilda’s College, Somerville College, University College and Wadham College (through their Student Union) have all passed JCR motions, frequently accompanied by a public statement, which show support for the encampment and reiterate Oxford Action for Palestine’s (OA4P) six demands to their respective college.

The motion passed by St Anne’s JCR expresses support for the encampment, calls for “an immediate and permanent ceasefire,” condemns “the current genocide within Palestine being carried out by the Israeli government” and calls on both St Anne’s College and the University to fulfill the six OA4P demands.

OA4P has demanded that the University disclose its assets, in order to divest funding into Israel and arms companies, as well as boycott all institutional connections with Israeli universities. It has also urged the University to cease its association with Barclays and publicly commit to supporting the rebuilding of the higher education sector in Gaza.

In a statement given to Cherwell, Alfie Davis, the 3rd year St Anne’s College student who submitted the motion, emphasised the importance of showing student support for University divestment, especially given that the Principal of St Anne’s, Helen King, is the only Head of House on the Finance Committee.

Davis said they were “proud we’ve collaborated with students across the college community to write both this statement and motion. (…) Colleges and college heads have a lot of power to make change within the University, and it’s vital we keep in mind that colleges have significant investments of their own. This motion is a vital first step for the JCR to ensure St Anne’s helps fulfil the six demands of the encampment.”

Balliol College’s JCR released a statement via Instagram, sharing the motion it passed on 12th May. The motion expresses support for “the Liberated Zone in solidarity with Gaza” and states “hope that all of the demands set out by the encampment (…) are met by Oxford University as soon as possible.” The statement encourages all other JCRs to “support the encampment and place pressure upon the University to act.”

The JCRs at Corpus Christi College, Jesus College, Somerville College, University College and Wadham College have all passed similar motions, echoing OA4P’s language and demands. Jesus College’ JCR also committed to issuing a public statement on social media.

Over 120 Lady Margaret Hall (LMH) students and alumni have signed an open letter, dated 11th  May, expressing “firm support for those of the encampment outside the Pitt Rivers Museum” and an intention to “continue to push for the total divestment of UK educational institutions from organisations enabling genocide in Gaza”. 

In addition to the letter, LMH JCR passed a motion on the 12th May to form a subcommittee which will discuss student demands for the College and for the University. The LMH JCR Secretary, Emma Davies, told Cherwell that the sub-committee is intended to be “an open and inclusive platform” for all JCR members and “a safe space to discuss issues regarding Palestine, decide what action to take, and do so with a unified stance.”

The recent shows of support for the encampment follow previous efforts by many JCRs to donate money to charities operating within the conflict.

The JCRs of Pembroke College and St John’s College, which haven’t passed a motion in support of the encampment as of the 16th of May, have both sought alternative ways of addressing the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, highlighting the widespread concern of students regarding the ongoing conflict.

A spokesperson for Pembroke’s JCR told Cherwell that the JCR “passed a motion back in Michaelmas calling for a bilateral ceasefire,” and is now “looking into avenues for financial disclosure and divestment on a college level.”

St John’s College’s JCR recently elected Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) as their main charity of the year, meaning their donation will go towards preserving “the health and dignity of Palestinians living under occupation and as refugees.”

Update: Hertford College JCR has released a public statement in solidarity with the Palestine encampment, which reiterates the demands of OA4P. (17/05/2024)

Update: Brasenose College JCR has passed a motion in solidarity with the encampment. (28/05/2024)

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