{"id":10373,"date":"2011-06-08T10:19:21","date_gmt":"2011-06-08T09:19:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/?p=10373"},"modified":"2011-06-08T10:19:21","modified_gmt":"2011-06-08T09:19:21","slug":"restoring-my-faith-in-oxford-academics-say-no-to-brideshead-restored","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/2011\/06\/08\/restoring-my-faith-in-oxford-academics-say-no-to-brideshead-restored\/","title":{"rendered":"Restoring my faith in Oxford: academics say no to Brideshead restored"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Guardian \u00a0notes:<\/a><\/p>\n

Oxford University has formally declared it has \"no confidence\" in the policies of the universities minister,\u00a0David Willetts, in the first sign of a concerted academic backlash against the government's\u00a0higher educationreforms.<\/p>\n

Lecturers passed a motion opposing the coalition's policies by 283 votes to five at a meeting of the congregation, Oxford's legislative body. The university is the first to take a public stand against the raising of\u00a0tuition fees and slashing of the teaching grant.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As they also note:<\/p>\n

Robert Gildea, the Oxford historian who proposed the motion, described the coalition's reforms as \"reckless, incoherent and incompetent\". He warned that proposals to introduce \"off-quota\" student places, funded privately rather than through state-backed loans, and AC Grayling's plan for a new private university heralded the arrival of a \"two-track\" admissions system.<\/p>\n

In a two and a half hour debate, he told fellow academics: \"It's a red carpet for the rich and even more competition for everyone else. We will be back to Brideshead.\"<\/p>\n

Karma Nabulsi, a lecturer in international relations who seconded the motion, urged the academics not to consider the motion as a negative statement, \"but as an affirmation of who we are and the traditions we wish to preserve\".<\/p>\n

She said: \"Oxford is committed above all to the pursuit of academic excellence in all its forms, a defence of academic disciplines without regard for market values, and the idea of education as a comprehensive, publicly-funded activity accessible to the widest number of young people.\"<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hear, hear!<\/p>\n

Who were the five who could vote against that?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the Guardian \u00a0notes: Oxford University has formally declared it has “no confidence” in the policies of the universities minister,\u00a0David Willetts, in the first sign
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