The University has controversially adopted policy in support of top-up fees in the same week that the Conservative party pledged to eliminate all university fees. The Student Union (OUSU), which maintains an anti-fees stance, has condemned the University’s decision but is sceptical that Tory measures will relieve the funding crisis.Omar Salem, a co-chair of OUSU’s finance and funding committee said, “The Tories’ proposals at least show that the abolition of fees is politically possible.” His comments came after hearing that dons had decided not to oppose top-up fees. Only 540 out of an electorate of 3,250 took part in a postal vote called in the hope that the University would change its pro-fees stance adopted in March. Will Straw, President of OUSU, said, “Given that all tutors were contacted, it’s a great shame that less than 20% got round to voting. It is disappointing that members of congregation aren’t listening to students or acknowledging serious implications for access or student hardship.” The university staff voted 380 to 237 in favour of an amendment changing the motion to taking an anti-top up fees policy. Professor Paul Langford, the rector of Lincoln College, who proposed the amendment, said that it was essential for Oxford to retain its flexibility on such issues, in order to “remain among the few internationally competitive universities in the UK”. Dr Mike Woodin, tutor at Balliol and City Councillor requested the postal ballot after the original vote by Congregation, which took place in March provoked protest from staff and students because of an extremely low turn-out. He responded to the result of the postal ballot by saying, “Oxford University has acquiesced to a government policy that will deter students from poorer backgrounds from entering higher education, particularly when the government’s plans for top-up fees are opposed by the overwhelming majority of people, including Cambridge University.” Will Straw joined Woodin’s concerns and applauded the stance the Conservatives were taking against tuition fees. However, he voiced concerns that their measures would have serious implications for access, “abolition of the government’s target of enrolling fifty percent of all 18-20 year olds in higher education by 2010 would be a serious setback to OUSU’s policy of widening access and participation.” John Townsend, the president of the Conservative Association, is confident of the Tory proposals, though, “I’ve been opposed to tuition fees from the start, and the new policy is a radical and refreshing issue. OUCA is delighted with the new policy initiative.”
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Vitamin supplements are ineffective, a study by Oxford scientists has shown writes Rosa Silverman. While millions of Britons have been taking these pills in the belief that they can help prevent heart attacks, strokes and cancer, the study has indicated that we have only been wasting our time and money. The study, carried out over a ten year period, is the biggest trial of its kind to date. 20,000 people, who were already at a high risk of the diseases, were given pills. Half of them received a cocktail of betacarotene, Vitamin E and Vitamin C, three of the most popular supplements. The other half was given placebos. No evidence was found of any benefits to the people taking supplements. Oxford professor Rory Collins, co-author of the study, said “there no evidence that the pills are hazardous, nor that they’re beneficial.” He suggested that the reason why people with high intakes of these vitamin supplements have fewer health problems is “probably more to do with the fact that they are far more likely to be health-conscious anyway, through taking more exercise or having a healthier diet.”
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Penny Berrill resigned as Hilda’s JCR president this week, citing ill health as the reason why she could not continue in Oxford this term. Giving her final speech to the JCR meeting on Tuesday, she congratulated the JCR on they had achieved this year, proving that St. Hilda?s JCR could be strong campaigning force able engage in active debate with their SCR and provide quality services. Upon thanking the committee and executive members she had worked with, she called upon Hilda’s to be a driving force ideas and action next year saying had been “an honour and a privilege to have served as your JCR President for the past academic year”. The year has seen battles over the College Girls TV programme and the referendum the Colleges single sex status. She hopes to return as soon as possible but her departure from Oxford also leaves a vacancy for co-chair of OUSU Finance and Funding Committee.
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Margaret Atwood, acclaimed Canadian writer and former Booker Prize winner, is to visit Oxford this week to promote her new novel, Oryx and Crake. The event is the first in a long series of events to mark the publication of her first novel since 2001. She will be discussing her work with Peter Kemp, fiction editor of the Sunday Times, as part of the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival on May 21st in the Sheldonian Theatre. This, as the final event in the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival, is likely to strengthen Oxford?s bid for capital of culture.
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Speculation has been sparked recently about the existence of KGB-run Oxford spy ring in the 1930’s, writes Christopher Harris. Christopher Andrews, a professor at Cambridge, is writing an official history of the MI5, and is addressing the question of whether Oxford spies had as much success as their Cambridge counterparts, and if so, how they have avoided similar publicity. It is known from KGB files that at least 6 Oxford undergraduates were signed up in some capacity. Anthony Glees, of Brunel University, reasons “The lack of named and exposed Oxford spies on the scale of the Cambridge ring does not mean there were none; it would be quite absurd to think this was just a Cambridge phenomenon.” However, ex-Soviet mole and Somerville graduate Jenifer Hart sceptical, commenting that “as far as I’m aware there wasn’t anything like Cambridge [happening at Oxford]. Soviets were trying recruit [students], but were not successful.”
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Oxford Students have begun to participate in Cambridge University’s new game, “bumpsdaq” – an online fantasy stock exchange based on the crews rowing in their May Bumps, writes Christopher Harris. There are currently two players who admit to studying at Oxford University: Stuart Jones, a member of University College’s first VIII, and an anonymous Merton student who goes by the name of Wonbyafoot. Wonbyafoot is currently doing well in 12th place, having more than doubled his or her original £10 000. But Jones is doing even better in 4th, with £45 433.84. The game currently has around 340 players, all of whom buy and sell shares in crews, and receive dividends on races leading up to the May Bumps depending on how well those crews did.
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The Oxford Union may face awkward questions on Sunday after advertising its speaker as ‘The Crown Prince of Burma’ although neither the country nor the title actually exist. The society’s use of the speaker’s self-given moniker ‘Crown Prince’ is controversial since in his native country of Myanmar, Mr Shwebomin is only a pretender to the royal throne. Currently residing in this country, Shwebomin is said to hold significant sway in Myanmar, but in this country he is more notorious as a London socialite. The Union’s dabbling in the uncertain politics of the small Asian country of Myanmar has caused concern among members, who fear the credibility of the Union might be put at risk. The country in question, located on the Indian subcontinent, has not technically been called Burma since 1989, when its official English name was changed to Myanmar precisely because the ancient name Burma had garnered negative imperial connotations after almost 60 years of British rule in the province. Shwebomin claims to possess documentation purporting to ‘prove’ his status as rightful successor to the Myanmar throne. Although he is almost certainly descended from the line of Emperors which ruled the first Burmese empire, the link does seem somewhat tenuous. His maternal grandmother was the great-great-granddaughter of eighteenth century Emperor Hsinbyushin of the Konebaung dynasty, which would make him an eighth-generation descendant of royalty. Ambrose Faulks, President of the Oxford Union, will say nothing to support or refute the speaker’s claims: “If this issue concerns you,” Faulks told Cherwell, “the best thing to do is to come along on Sunday and make up your own mind”. Last night’s debate was also the subject of contention, since the President objected to an emergency motion that “if God hadn’t meant us to masturbate, he would have given us shorter arms.” Faulks’ principal reason for concern was that this light-hearted motion might afford this “serious institution a reputation for frivolity.” However President-Elect, Marcus Walker did not share Faulks reluctance, quipping, “I’m sure especially Ambrose would not object to mass-debating in the Union.”ARCHIVE: 3rd Week TT 2003

In what has been breathlessly described as ‘the most exciting Christian Union meeting in the world ever’, the Cambridge CU has introduced the ‘Sex, Fun and Fast Cars Committee’ to replace the ‘Development and Planning Elections Process Review Committee’, which dissolved on Wednesday after its only member failed to turn up, citing “a most disappointing lack of interest.” The name change was proposed by Drew Livingstone, who has already renamed his college JCR ‘the sex club’ in an attempt to attract more people to its legendary six-hour policy meetings.
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Due to a particularly slow news week, the Essex Rabbit set out to tackle the burning issue: ‘Is Essex an ugly University?’ 77% of those surveyed said that it was ugly, but not quite as ugly as Milton Keynes. The investigative team also concluded that “we’re really all just an incredibly fussy bunch who thought we were headed for Baywatch on concrete only to end up feeling cheated.” 12% of those surveyed said Essex was nothing like Baywatch. Meanwhile, an intrepid reporter was sent undercover to find out ‘is Essex just completely devoid of all good looking men?’
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A criminal investigation is underway at the Glenbrook campus after five students were injured in an annual initiation ritual; one with a broken wrist, one with an allergic reaction to pet food, and the others with minor bruises. The girls were ‘smothered in pet food and fish guts’ by senior students. One mother has already hired an attorney to advise on the college’s legal liability relating to the inferior brand of pet food involved; the 18-year old History student is allergic to all brands of pet food containing ‘reconstituted meat’.
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