Students were prominent among those who attended the break-away \”anarchist\” march on Saturday, while the official TUC organised anti-cuts protests were taking place on Saturday.

While a peaceful march along Whitehall to Hyde Park was taking place, a few hundred people quickly broke off from the march to stage their own independent protest.

Roaming through Piccadilly, Oxford Street and Trafalgar Square, the self-styled \”Anarchists\” were immediately distinguishable from all other protestors due to their red and black hoods and flags, and their drum and bass sound-system.

Scotland Yard has claimed that the violence of this ‘mob\’, who smashed windows, threw paint and attacked police officers, \”could not have been more markedly different\” to the official TUC (Trade Union Congress) event. Even campaign group UK Uncut, who were protesting against alleged tax avoidance by many big businesses, and occupied luxury grocery store Fortnum & Mason, sought to distance themselves from the ‘Anarchists\’.

Many iconic London landmarks, including the Ritz Hotel, Trafalgar Square, and Oxford Street\’s Topshop, were the target of attacks.

Despite this, out of the 201 people arrested by the 4,500 police on duty on Saturday, 149 of whom have already been charged, 145 of the arrests were reportedly made on the basis of UK Uncut\’s occupation.

At the official rally in Hyde Park, set to be the largest public protest since the rally against the Iraq War in 2003, speakers ranged from TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, to Labour party leader Ed Miliband and Tony Robinson, who played Baldrick in Blackadder. Many made personal comments about government ministers, with one speaker even calling for \”Nick Clegg to go to the naughty corner\”. Some at the march also called for a General Strike or a mid-week protest.

Protestors commented that the atmosphere in Hyde Park was totally different to the ‘frontline\’ spots, with orderly queues for the portaloos and Hare Krishnas handing out free food. The crowd was noticeably older, including a large number of women and the disabled.

Despite the large attendance, many student protestors observed that the rally felt relatively empty, and noted a \”lack of energy\” compared to the student-led protests against the raising of tuition fees and cuts to higher education earlier this year.

Charlie, a recent-graduate from Edinburgh University, asked \”Is this it?\”, whilst Laurence, a young student photo-journalist, said, \”This just couldn\’t be more different\”.

Many students were torn between staying at the peaceful rally, and joining the more \”exciting\” clashes at various other locations. Some even decided to slip away from the protest, and join friends to watch the Oxford Cambridge Boat race.

With Business Secretary Vince Cable stating that the Government was \”listening\”, but \”not going to change the basic economic strategy\”, the full impact of the anti-cuts march is as of yet unclear.

 

Kellogg College officially comes of age this month, celebrating the 21st anniversary of its founding.

Kellogg is Oxford\’s most international college, having more than 660 students from 73 countries. As well as being the largest graduate-only college, it is also the only college to take part-time graduates.

To mark the anniversary, the college held a special Foundation dinner for college members, as well as a Gaudy for old members with speaker Baroness Professor Susan Greenfield.

Professor Jonathan Michie, the President of Kellogg College, said, \”As a young college with mainly part-time graduate students, Kellogg is far from a typical Oxford college. Many people inside and outside Oxford may not even be aware of us, just as they may not be aware of the 15,000 students passing through the Department for Continuing Education every year who are admitted to Oxford in addition to its 20,000 full-time students.

\”Yet the college and its students represent an important part of Oxford. It is incredible to think that just 21 years ago, someone wanting to take a postgraduate degree while continuing with their careers or other responsibilities couldn\’t return – or come – to Oxford.

\”Kellogg has opened the scholarship of Oxford to audiences who could never otherwise have benefited. And it has allowed Oxford to fish in a bigger talent pool to get the best students, no longer limited to those able to quit their jobs and careers and return to being full-time residential students – and Oxford is the better for it.\”

Tes Noah Asfaw, studying for a Masters in Creative Writing, commented, \”Kellogg has been a huge benefit to me because of the intellectually stimulating centres it houses, the varied seminar series and the general feel that it\’s a place designed for mature students. Plus, I\’ve made loads of contacts – among the varied student body but also among the varied fellows.\”

Though only formally coming into being on March 1st 1990, Kellogg can trace its origins back to the university extension movement of the 1870s. The name Kellogg was taken on October 1st 1994 in recognition of the support given by the W K Kellogg Foundation to the University in the preceding decades. Prior to that it was known as Rewley House.

Students at Kellogg study a wide range of courses, the choice of which expanded last year and will do so again in October. The college has further enhanced its wider development, extending student accommodation in North Oxford.

The college hosts a number of research centres. The Oxford Centre for Mutual and Employee-Owned Business is currently advising the government on mutualising the Post Office.

Kellogg has comes of age at a time when part-time graduate education may be on the rise due to changes in government policy on tuition fees.

 

42 students from Canterbury University, Christchurch, New Zealand, will be studying at Oxford this Trinity term, under a generous scholarship programme offered by the University in the aftermath of the February 22nd earthquake.

32 undergraduate honours students and 10 PhD students, studying the arts, humanities, social sciences and law, will receive $2000 NZD (about £950) each to cover travel, taxes and insurance. The colleges at which they stay will also waive tuition fees and provide residential accommodation for the term.

Professor Ian Town, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury commented that the offer of assistance was made, \”immediately after news of the 22 February earthquake reached the UK,\” and that the scholarships, \”represent a tremendous opportunity for our brightest senior students to study at a world leading university for part of 2011.\”

The Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, Professor Andrew Hamilton said, \”I am immensely proud of the response from the collegiate University to the earthquake in New Zealand which had such a devastating effect on our friends and colleagues in Christchurch. We are looking forward to welcoming University of Canterbury students here next term.\”

Dr Frances Lannon, Chairman of the Conference of Colleges, added, \”We hope they will enjoy their time in Oxford and benefit from all that the colleges have to offer.\”

The relationship between the two universities date back to 1873, when settlers established the cathedral in Christchurch.

Other students from Canterbury University are on similar exchange programs in the wake of the earthquake, largely to other institutions in New Zealand, but also to the University of Adelaide in Australia, where 500 places were offered.

After the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the region, the university suspended courses indefinitely until the damage could be assessed. As of the 14th March, some lectures have been resumed, many being held in tents and marquees whilst work is carried out on university buildings. All courses are expected to resume at the start of next week, with catch-up classes over the Easter break to make up for lost time. 

One of the most eagerly anticipated sporting contests of the year will take place in London this Saturday. The reputation of the country\’s two finest universities will be at stake as huge crowds flock to watch Oxford and Cambridge race for a place in the history books.

While the Boat Race happens over on the Thames, the real sporting drama will be in the annual Oxford and Cambridge Goat race at Spitalfields City Farm in East London.

The event, now in its third year, involves two goats named Oxford and Cambridge racing along a route through the farm. Anthony Goh, one of the founders of the race, told Cherwell that he was shocked at how popular the event has turned out to be.

\”It was just a conversation in a pub that went too far, and we ended up doing it. First year we had no idea what to expect and 300 people came along. Last year 1000 people turned up which was a bit too much considering we reached the farm\’s maximum capacity. So this year it is better organised – there will be better entertainment, market stalls and online ticketing.\”

Other events will also run alongside the main race this year. A Stoat Race, Nice Butt Contest and a How Low Can You Goat limbo competition have all been added to the schedule.

This Saturday will see a rematch of last year\’s race, with the same brother and sister pair of goats racing each other. Goh said that despite the family connection there is still a rivalry between the animals, which may even come close to that of the two institutions they represent.

\”The goats are sizing each other up already – there is a bit of tension in the paddock but hopefully there will be no punch up,\” he said

Male goat Cambridge took the honours in last year\’s event, matching his namesake\’s victory on the river. Goh was however unaware of any correlation between the results of the two races. He commented, \”to be honest I am so wrapped up in the goat race I don\’t actually notice who wins boat race.\”

One second year Oxford student claimed that he might be tempted to watch the race if it consisted of two sets of eight goats tied together, but this would contravene the farm\’s strict animal cruelty guidelines. Goh said, \”The farm is very big on ethical treatment, and we work very closely with them.\”

He added that the farm even scuppered the organiser\’s attempts to provide a prize for the winning goat, \”We had wanted to supply a bouquet of flowers for the winner to eat, except that the farm is suffering from an overweight problem so we\’re not allowed.\”

The glory of victory will therefore have to be enough for the winner of this unique sporting event.

The University has issued a warning to students and staff that use of Spotify, the music sharing software, may be to blame for a sharp rise in the number of computers being attacked.

The University\’s computer services have said that cases of malware, which is \”malicious software designed to disrupt or damage computer systems,\” has increased dramatically this week.

In an email sent out to all staff, a member of the ICT support team said, \”I am writing to warn staff to avoid using Spotify software and to take care which web sites and links you follow.

\”This afternoon we are seeing a growing problem with compromised computers, which now no longer work, after people have followed fake security messages.\”

\”…if any pop-ups are displayed indicating that you have a hardware problem then please DO NOT click on these.\”

In the past week, a number of students have suffered when their hard-drives have been completely wiped, or just stopped working.

It had been unclear up until now why so many computers were being attacked, but \”early evidence suggests that this Malware is coming in via the use of ‘Spotify\’ which is a digital music service.\”

In an email to members of Lincoln College, students were warned that they should avoid using the software. \”This is a warning that the University has seen a series of PCs machines with Spotify getting infected with malware infections which are coming through the ads in the free version,\” the email says.

\”Please, please, make sure your anti-virus is up to date and do a full scan asap.\”

Oxford Academics took part in a strike spanning Universities across the UK on Thursday following failing negotiations over pay and pension schemes.

Following a protest exclusive to England on Tuesday, staff in universities and colleges throughout the UK came together yesterday in an act of solidarity.

The protest was organised by the University and College Union who are campaigning for \”the improvement of the pay and conditions of further and higher education staff through the UK, and for the provision of high quality education opportunities\”.

As stated on their website they will do \”everything [they] can to protect jobs and courses.\”

The strike action was voted for by UCU members in 63 out of the 67 universities, including Oxford, Cambridge and many others, ranging from the Royal College of Art to the Open University. Strike action was only undertaken at 47 sites.

The UCU believes the protest on Thursday to be the first strike action in further education colleges since 2008 and the first across universities since 2006.

The strike took place because the UCU believes strongly against the proposed plans to raise the retirement age, end the final salary pension scheme for new joiners and raise the contribution level from 6.35% to 7.5% of earnings.

UCU General Secretary, Sally Hunt has stated, \”University and college staff really value their pension rights and have made their views of the detrimental changes crystal clear.

\”Staff are sick to the back teeth of being told that their pay and pensions need to be cut to pay for an economic crisis created by others\”. However, despite this, Hunt also stated that, \”Strike action is always a last resort\”.

With the protest taking place nationwide, much attention was focused upon Manchester Metropolitan University, which saw security staff removing staff members from picket lines across the University. The UCU\’s regional official Martyn Moss was reportedly \”astounded\” by the \”drastic and very petty nature\” of the action undertaken by MMU.

It is unlikely that many Oxford students would have been inconvenienced or even aware of any protest taking place due to the fact that the large majority have returned home for the Easter vacation. However, despite probable disturbances for students at other Universities that have not yet started their vacations, the NUS has made it clear that they are standing with the UCU.

NUS President, Aaron Porter, has stated, \”NUS has worked closely with UCU throughout our campaigns to oppose government cuts and stands in solidarity with their strike action.

\”Huge cuts to university budgets ideologically imposed by this government pose a massive threat to jobs and education\”.

The protest has not however received widespread support, with the chair of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, Keith Burnett, stating that \”Employers are extremely disappointed by UCU\’s decision to take industrial action.

\”There is much uncertainty in HE [higher education] at present and this course of action will have the potential to cause further difficulties for students and institutions\”.

The strike comes just days before the union-organised march in London on Saturday, in which over 100,000 people are expected to attend and protest against public sector cuts.