Teddy Hall JCR is divided over its president after students refused to award him a traditional tankard for “good work” during the year.

Charlie Southern, who is a member of the exclusive Teddy Hall drinking society the Syndicate, has been accused of falling short in his presidential duties by a number of students, while others have defended his conduct.

A motion to award Southern Teddy Hall’s customary tankard for successful JCR presidents failed earlier this week for the first time in the college’s history.

Whilst only four students opposed the motion, 17 abstained, meaning that the motion could not be passed.

One student, who wished to remain anonymous, was concerned that Southern failed to attend the St Edmund Feast, JCR photo and OUSU presidential hustings.

They also pointed out that Southern failed to commit to Fresher’s Week, allegedly admitting at JCR hustings that “in fresher’s week his sole contribution was to do six pieces of photocopying.”

Unhappiness with Southern was voiced at the meeting by Ian Lyons, JCR Environment rep and OUSU election candidate, and supported by three other members. His speech made clear, however, that his opposition was largely due to personal annoyance at the JCR’s apathy towards OUSU.

Both he and Daniel Lowe opposed Southern at the meeting, yet as OUSU candidates neither could comment on the matter.

Students were shocked at the failure of the motion, as such an event has never before occurred in the history of Teddy Hall’s JCR.

Other Hall students have praised Southern, saying that the attacks on him were undeserved.

Peter Gray, a second year at Teddy Hall, defended Southern, saying, “Charlie has in my experience been a great president, fighting hard for the JCR.

He has done much work behind the scenes, securing rent reductions for students inconvenienced by workers in college as well as being a leader by example in many of the sports teams.

“He has contributed massively to the college over the past year and the personal attacks on him in his final JCR meeting as president were cruel and unjust.

“It was inappropriate to wait till he was the exiting president to voice their concerns; if there were any issues during the year they should have been brought up earlier, not used as a petty stab in the back as he is leaving.”

When asked to comment on the issue Southern underlined that everyone in the JCR was “entitled to their own opinion” and said that the JCR committee was “great”.

Susannah Otter, Teddy Hall second year, has since presented a tankard to Southern courtesy of private funds she personally collected.

She declined to comment on the failed JCR motion, but did say, “for the record, I think Charlie has been a great president.”

Dr Justin Barrett, from Oxford University’s Centre for Anthropology and Mind, has claimed that humans are naturally disposed to believe in God from birth, in a lecture at Cambridge’s Faraday Institute.

He claims that his research has shown that small children have an innate belief that the natural world has been designed with purpose and intention.

The research project from which Barrett drew his findings came under severe criticism last year, due to the allegedly pro-religious leanings of the foundation which backed the study, which a Nobel prize winner claimed was attempting to “drag us back into the Dark Ages.”

The John Templeton Foundation, which has an endowment of over $1 billion, was founded in 1987 by lifelong Presbyterian and investor Sir John Templeton, a former Rhodes Scholar at Balliol College, who has said that “scientific revelations may be a goldmine for revitalizing religion in the 21st Century.”

Dr Barrett’s study received £1.9 million from the Foundation, which earlier this year denied that it only gave money to projects with a religious bias.

Speaking about his findings, Barrett said, “if we threw a handful of children on an island and they raised themselves I think they would be religious.”

He said that previous research supports his argument, continuing, “children younger than 10 favoured creationist accounts of the origins of animals over evolutionary accounts even when their parents and teachers endorsed evolution. Authorities’ testimony didn’t carry enough weight to over-ride a natural tendency.”

Critics, including Professor Lewis Wolpert, have commented that the research proves little beyond the logical nature of human minds and our need, both as children and adults, to search out knowledge and answers.

He told Radio 4’s Today program, “there’s nothing in our brains that makes us believe in one particular religion and a particular God.”

He added, “what our beliefs really want to do is they want to explain things that matter to us and that’s one of the evolutionary functions of religion.”

In February the study came under severe criticism from scientists who objected to the Templeton Foundation’s funding of the study.

Nobel Prize laureate Sir Harold Kroto commented that the John Templeton Foundation’s “only mission is to undermine the ethical position of the scientific community.

“They could not care a fuck what the outcome is they will still go on funding this sort of inane crap in an attempt to drag us back into the Dark ages. Galileo is turning in his grave.”

He added that the funding was only provided to gain “the reputation of Oxford University…to give their pathetic initiatives some apparent semblance of scientific credibility.”

Dr Barrett, in his lecture to the Cambridge University’s Faraday Institute this week has emphasized that the purpose of the study is to “encourage empirical research testing out claims about the natural, cognitive foundations of religion.”

The president of Oxford’s Christian Union, Dave Meryon, reacted to the research, “although this study cannot prove the existence of God or vice versa, it is fascinating because it corresponds to the Christian belief of a God who ‘has also set eternity in the hearts of men.'”

A third-year student at Cambridge University has caused outrage by posing topless in the student magazine Vivid.

The undergraduate, who was dressed in only a black, lacy thong with hold-up stockings, posed on one of the city’s historic bridges.

Students said they were shocked by the picture. One said, “I can’t believe she agreed to pose for the magazine … I’m sure she must regret it now.”

Senior figures are reported to be deliberating over what action to take to prevent further embarrassment in future issues of the magazine.

A cyclist in Oxford has been seriously injured having been hit by a tangerine thrown from a passing car. The incident took place just past Cherwell Bridge on Monday.

The fruit was travelling at high speed and left the cyclist with serious bruising to his left eye alongside swelling and bleeding from the iris. PC Chris Reilly said, “This may have been unintentional, but I am concerned it was not. The rider was wearing a reflective jacket and lights and would have been easy to see.” 

Anyone with information is urged to contact PC Reilly on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.

Exchange rate fluctuations may result in a decline in international applicants to the UK,  reducing significantly international funding, a report conducted by Times Higher Education shows.

The depreciation of Indian rupee against sterling as well as a sharp decline in the value of Australian’s dollar resulted in the relatively increasing cost of study in the UK. The report claims that this may result in a decline of applications from India –  one of the UK’s biggest markets.

This will create difficulties for many universities, who rely on international students as sources of funding.

Brasenose College has reversed their decision to put finalists at the bottom of the room ballot for next year.

This turnaround follows an outcry from Brasenose students over the possibility that they would have to find new accommodation at such short notice. 

Students were informed just last week that those entering fourth and fifth year would be moved to the bottom of the ballot but Brasenose have now decided that the current freshers will remain at the bottom of the room ballot for this year only.

But this week, Brasenose students received an email from the Domestic Bursar this week saying that, as “fourth year students did not have reasonable notice of this policy”, the room ballot would not change this year. 

One student said, “I don’t think it is a particularly good idea in the first place, but the fact they’ve changed it to next year is good.

“It would have been really unfair for next year’s fourth years to find accommodation at such short notice.” 

From next year students who wish to have guaranteed accommodation for their fourth year are being encouraged by Brasenose to opt to live out in their third year. 

However, students are still not completely happy about the decision. Despite the fact that Brasenose only guarantees three years on-site accommodation, one student claimed, “One of the reasons I applied to Brasenose was because I thought I could live in the whole time, and definitely in my final year.” 

The student community has also been angered by the fact that this decision went ahead without their involvement or any warning. 

Another student said, “I think issues like this should involve the JCR.” 

First years will find themselves at the bottom of the ballot this year, but next year fourth years will find themselves faced with the possibility of living out or in the worst rooms in college. 

“It’s ridiculous,” one student fumed, “why should second years have priority over finalists?”

One second year said, “I have a feeling there might not be enough rooms for future 2nd years now, as they’ve been dumped at the very bottom.. which is probably more unfair as now they won’t be guaranteed accomodation, which they were promised.”

“There’s going to be a lot of complaints in the next few days because of this.”

While students have raised concerns, the Domestic Bursar told the JCR in her email, “in recent years everyone who has wanted a room in College or the Frewin Annex has eventually got one”

But the college has admitted that this process could take weeks or even months.  

Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh visited Magdalen College, Oxford this Thursday. The royal visit marked the end of Magdalen’s 550th anniversary celebrations.

Small groups of locals and students gathered either side of Magdalen Bridge to catch a glimpse of the Royal couple’s arrival at 12.55pm.

Escorted by police and security vehicles, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived at the entrance gate where they were driven into St. John’s Quad.

There was a heavy police presence during the visit, with officers stationed along the length of Magdalen Bridge to prevent crowds getting too close.

The Queen was greeted by Professor David Clary, President of Magdalen College, and his wife Heather. After meeting students in the President’s Lodgings, the royal party went on to have lunch with Fellows, students and staff in the College Hall.

Lunch with the Queen

Members of the college who dined with the Queen were chosen by means of a ballot, with 120 successful out of 900 entries. Around three quarters of Magdalen students entered the ballot.

Despite the Oxford Republican group’s intention to protest on the day, the visit went ahead without any disruption. A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police remarked, “everything’s gone fine”.

There was, however, a small group of animal rights protesters stationed opposite the entrance to the college. The protersters, who were marking their opposition to the biomedical research facility on South Parks Road, had brought a banner and posters in order to capitalise on the publicity surrounding the monarch’s visit.

One of the protesters was optimistic about how their message had been received, stating “we’ve had a good response”.

High security

Security at the college was visibly high, with all Magdalen students needing proof of identity before being allowed to enter the grounds. Porters, security service personnel and the police were posted at all entrances.

Students of the college expressed delight at the Queen’s appearance. First-year History student Colin Sherwood said “It’s exciting that she’s here and I’m impressed that Magdalen’s birthday merits a royal visit”.

The Queen last came to Oxford in 2006, though this week marked the first visit that the Queen had made to Magdalen College itself since 1948. She was then Princess Elizabeth, collecting an Honorary Degree from the University.

Before visiting Magdalen, the royal couple arrived in Banbury where the Queen opened the Leonard Cheshire Disability Care Home while the Duke of Edinburgh was given a tour of Prodrive.

After leaving Magdalen, the Queen and the Duke went on to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital where they were officially opened the west wing and the children’s hospital.