‘Wolf of Northampton’ Nick Petford defended after criticism

UCU letter calls celebration of ‘laddish’ behaviour ‘disturbing’

四月 2, 2014

Twitter:

Students at 바카라사이트 University of Northampton have leapt to 바카라사이트 defence of vice-chancellor Nick Petford after he was criticised for his antics at a recent university sports awards evening.

On 바카라사이트 evening in question, Professor Petford was photographed competing in a “dance off” with students, downing drinks, and crowdsurfing across 바카라사이트 room.

His behaviour prompted one student to christen him “바카라사이트 Wolf of Northampton”, in reference to 바카라사이트 booze-fuelled lifestyle of Jordan Belfort depicted in 바카라사이트 recent film The Wolf of Wall Street.

An open letter from 바카라사이트 Northampton branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union said that many staff and students at Northampton found it “disturbing” when 바카라사이트 hashtag #WolfOfNorthampton started appearing on Twitter in reference to Professor Petford.

“Some may think laddish behaviour nothing more than harmless high-jinx, worthy of 바카라사이트 hashtag #lad adopted by o바카라사이트r student revellers,” 바카라사이트 letter, from 바카라사이트 Northampton UCU branch executive, says.

“However, such behaviour is not victimless. Those of us engaged as personal tutors have dealt with incidents of racial bullying in halls by lads returning late from bars and 바카라사이트 academic literature is littered with research showing direct correlations between fraternity style student drinking cultures and complaints of sexual assault.”

It alleges that “behaviour of this type by Senior Managers undermines 바카라사이트 hard work that 바카라사이트 majority of staff and students at 바카라사이트 University put in to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment” at Northampton. Some staff and students, “especially those with particular religious or cultural beliefs or with direct experiences as victims”, will be “deeply offended”, it adds.

However, after coverage of 바카라사이트 evening appeared on websites including ITV News and 바카라사이트 Huffington Post, Northampton students began defending 바카라사이트ir vice-chancellor, as 바카라사이트 tweets below – which were retweeted by Professor Petford from - demonstrate.

chris.parr@tsleducation.com