The Chemistry faculty at Oxford has admitted to purchasing iPads for a number of its staff, despite tutors having allegedly told students that it is running out of funding.

The iPads, which usually cost between £400 and £700 each, were bought for staff over the summer. The department has not disclosed how many iPads they now have.

The news of the purchases has caused anger among Chemistry students, a number of whom claim to have been told that there will no longer be enough funding for undergraduate fourth year projects.
Chemistry students are currently expected to dedicate their entire fourth year to researching a “significant project”. In the past all students have been eligible for a grant to fund this research, but some tutors have reportedly told their students that this will no longer be the case.

A spokesman from the University Press Office denied that there had been cuts to funding for fourth year projects, but confirmed that the iPads had been purchased.

“Demonstrators in the Department of Chemistry are using iPads and have developed a bespoke electronic grading system for practical classes together with online resources, to enable effective laboratory teaching and practical demonstrations”, she said.

One third year Chemistry student said, “This is a scandal. My tutor said that there wasn’t going to be any money for fourth years any more, but there seems to be enough to buy iPads.

“I can’t believe that the department thinks that fancy gadgetry is a more important investment than student projects. This won’t help us: their priorities are all wrong.”

Blues awards for the Oxford University Dance Team were released this week, sparking outrage among dancers.

Members of OUDT were shocked to find that some dancers’ awards had been downgraded as a punishment for taking part in a silent protest earlier this year. Meanwhile, others were awarded half blues, despite the fact that they had actually competed against Oxford for the majority of the year.

One of the requirements for receipt of a half blue, as explained on the Oxford University Dance Club website, is to have danced for the Blues Team at the Inter Varsity Dance Association.

However, three individuals who were awarded half blues this year did not represent the Blues at the IVDA competition. Instead, they represented the Featherwaits, an independent team, who competed against the Blues.

Formed in 2004, when a split took place within OUDC, the Featherwaits is made up of Oxford students, but is affiliated to Ruskin College rather than Oxford University. They are entirely independent from the Blues team, with separate training and sponsorship arrangements.

One of the dancers to have gained a half blue, despite dancing for the Featherwaits, was Tamasin Graham, current President of OUDC and captain of OUDT.

Some dancers fear that the Featherwaits are exerting undue authority over OUDC, and that this influenced the decision to award the three dancers with half blues.

As of Trinity Term of 2009, a change in the OUDC constitution saw the merging of President of OUDC and the captain of OUDT. This meant that the captaincy of the dance team is now cast by vote, of the several hundred members of OUDC, rather than to squad of dancers who represent the university.

Members of OUDT have long campaigned against the changes. These efforts came to a head at the Southern University Championship Competition in February 2010, where some dancers wore a white ribbon on their arm as an act of protest.

One participant in the white ribbon protest said, “We resorted to the white ribbons as we felt that all our routes of complaint were blocked, so there were no official channels we could go down.

“We had considered an official boycott but felt it would be unfair on other universities. So instead we chose to wear a discreet white ribbon.”

Following a complaint that was made about the white ribbons at the SUCC, the two Vice Captains had to appear before the Senior Member of OUDC and a member of the Sports Federation. However, no further action was taken at the time.

An email was circulated on Sunday to explain that a meeting had taken place with the Senior Member and the representative of the University’s Sports Strategy Committee. During this meeting, to discuss “how to deal with those who participated in the public demonstration at the SUDC.”

The email stated that the punishment for those involved in the protest was that their “awards have been reduced by one grade. This means that Blues have been reduced to Half-Blues, Half-Blues for men have been reduced to nothing and Second Team Colours for women have been reduced to nothing.”

A source close to OUDC said, “I think this is particularly unfair given that the white ribbon was a silent protest which did not involve any other universities, so it seems more like an attempt to clamp down on free speech.

“People have been stripped or downgraded based on hearsay, while others have escaped. What is even worse is the fact that many people have been awarded half blues despite not actually qualifying under the clubs and blues criteria.

“The best sports people should get the awards. A number of people who worked hard all year and brought success to Oxford were not recognised in the way that they should have been.”

Further controversy ensued shortly before this year’s Varsity match on 15th May. The former OUDC President stepped down, and was immediately replaced by the Vice President Tamasin Graham. Graham is also the Captain of the Featherwaits, and under the constitutional changes, she would become the captain of OUDT as well.

One dancer said, “This merging of roles means that the captain of OUDT is not necessarily someone on the dance team at all. OUDC and OUDT are phenomenally different organisations; no blues team anywhere else in Oxford would have a captain who is not even on the team.”

OUDC declined to comment at this stage. The Sports Federation confirmed that they were currently investigating the claims of unfair blues awards.

A spokesperson from the Sports Federation said, “If any member of an Oxford University Sports Club raises a concern with the Sports Federation about the operation of their Club, we are of course obliged to investigate. It is important to be aware that the awarding of Blues does not come under the Sports Federation’s general remit unless there has been a breach of a Sports Clubs’ constitutional requirements.

“Blues are awarded by the elected officer or officers, normally President or Captains, of OU Sports Clubs and the individual criteria set down for each individual awards are approved by the respective Blues Committees.

“However the Blues are not awarded by the Blues Committees, who simply oversee the sanctioning of individual Club statuses and the awarding of the Extraordinary and Discretionary Blues awards which fall out of the normal awarding process.”

One dancer commented, “We have such a strong team spirit and this has made us train even harder this past year, not for the Club but for each other. Oxford University had one of the most successful years ever last year, winning all team matches at the National Championships, and we also had a convincing Varsity victory.

Our team are international champions and we work incredibly hard; some of our dancers are top 25 in the country. Now having the Blues taken away makes people feel their efforts haven’t been appreciated. People have worked hard for this.”

A Cherwell investigation has revealed that it would be extremely easy for an Oxford student to open several bank accounts at once, opening the door to thousands of pounds of debt from overdrafts and credit cards.

It is against most banks’ regulations for students to hold more than one account, yet several Oxford branches of major banks failed to enforce this rule when approached by a Cherwell reporter.

NatWest, the Co-operative Bank, Santander and Halifax all omitted to ask the reporter whether they already held a student account at another bank.

Only Lloyds TSB and HSBC enforced the rule about multiple accounts, informing the reporter that they would have to close their current student account before opening another.

If a student were to open an account with all the banks which failed to ask if they already had one, they could find themselves with triple the level of overdraft they would receive from a single account.

A first year student making use of the full overdraft at each of the four banks that did not challenge the reporter could have access to £6,400 worth of overdraft.

This figure increases as a student moves through their studies, rising to a potential high of £9,000.

Most banks visited by the reporter asked only for identification, a UCAS letter as proof of study, and occasionally a proof of address before an account could be opened. Even when asked multiple times, they did not enquire about other accounts.

Although most student bank accounts offer interest-free overdrafts, rates usually soar as soon as the account holder leaves university. This means that someone holding multiple accounts in Oxford could find themselves facing severe debt within months of graduation.

Student bank accounts also frequently allow the account-holder to have a credit card with a limit of up to £500. Using the four potential bank accounts Cherwell identified in Oxford, this could add an additional £2,000 worth of debt.

The Co-operative Bank, which is near the Westgate Centre, offers a £1,400 overdraft for its first year student accounts. The reporter was told that their student loan would not even have to be placed in the bank account in order for them to use it and access the overdraft.

NatWest, which has branches on the High Street and Cornmarket Street, offers a starting overdraft of £1,500, which rises to £2,000 as a student moves through university. They also offer credit cards with a limit of £500.

First year students can claim an overdraft of £1,000 from an account at Santander, and up to £2,000 in following years.

Halifax, whose Oxford branch is in the Westgate Centre, offer a starting overdraft limit of £1000 in the first year. Their maximum limit rises to £3,000 over a period of five years.

None of the banks approached by Cherwell chose to comment on the problem of multiple student accounts.

However one second year student commented, “Almost everyone I know with a student loan went into their overdraft in their first year.
“It’s really scary how easy it is to get into loads of debt.”

It is in fact not possible for banks to know whether students hold accounts elsewhere, but their omission even to ask is a serious failing.

Advice to students on the website moneysavingexpert.com said, “When applying you can either be honest and tell the bank you have a student account elsewhere and risk being turned away, or you can lie to them if they ask you. It’s your choice.”

A number of the banks also offer additional incentives to lure students into opening accounts. NatWest offers free Young Person’s rail cards, while a Lloyds TSB student account comes with free membership of the Youth Hostel Association.

Santander offer mobile phone, gadget and laptop insurance, HSBC offer free travel insurance, and Halifax provide 25% off AA breakdown cover.

Only The Co-operative offer no discounts or freebies with their student current account.

With student debt set to rise considerably in coming years, the problem of multiple accounts and finance mismanagement is likely to become far worse.

A second year student from Christ Church College said, “It’s really embarrassing, but I just find it too daunting to try and keep track of my money – Oxford is an expensive city to live in.”

More than two hundred people attended the first public meeting of the OxfordEducation Campaign to discuss the recommendations of the Browne Review.

Students, academics, graduates and sixth formers attended the meeting at Wadham’s Old Refectory on Monday to express their concerns about the review’s findings.

The meeting, chaired by Alice Heath, saw calls for mass demonstrations at the visits of Liberal Democrat ministers Vince Cable and Nick Clegg, and for an NUS-style “town takeover” of the city centre.

“We shouldn’t be afraid of unorthodox methods of action,” said one speaker to universal assent.

Another speaker added, “The world thinks all Oxford students are really good at is sending emails and writing letters. It’s time we showed them we can do immediate action as well.”

A member of the OxfordEducation Campaign presented a summary of the Browne Review and the higher education budget.

The summary said that the proposed cut from £3.5bn to £700m in spending would move the UK to the bottom of the OEDC league table for universities.

Jason Keen, former JCR President of St John’s, doubted whether the cap on tuition fees would stay at £7000 a year for long.

“Even if students do pay £7000,” he said, “it won’t be enough to make up for the shortfall in funding. What we are really talking about is fees of £12,000 or £20,000 in the near future. Universities will become palaces for the elite, closed off to those who shouldn’t have to pay.”

Heath asked the meeting to use jazz hands to applaud the statements they agreed with in silence. Hands shot up all around the room when one speaker complained about the broader program of cuts, saying, “This shouldn’t just be a student campaign – this is going to be a struggle that will last for the next two generations.”

Students were critical about the US model of education, where basic fees of up to $40,000 a year are subsidised by donations from alumni. Students also condemned the 57 Liberal Democrat MPs who failed to honour their pledge to the NUS that they would not raise tuition fees.

The emphasis placed by the government on business skills was also discussed, and speakers criticised the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills for “trivialising science and research by linking them to commercial results” and for “turning university into a factory for ultra-employable people.”

One academic, who wished to remaom anonymous, said that support for student protests is high among teaching staff, but spoke of a “culture of fear” that prevents tutors from speaking out. “If you stand up against these reforms,” he said, “you stand to lose your job.”
It would take a petition from 20 academics to force a debate in the Sheldonian Theatre, and many students said they would try to persuade their tutors to sign up.

“You have a unique opportunity,” said one of the event’s organisers, “to spend an hour a week in a room with one of the finest minds in Britain. Use it.”

Other courses of action that were suggested included confronting local Conservative MP Nicola Blackwood in parliament and coordinating protests with other universities across Britain and Europe.

“I’m hugely, hugely angry,” said Elena Lynch, who is in her fourth year reading French and German at Wadham. “This is just going to devastate social mobility.”