When Irene Tracey was announced as 바카라사이트 University of Oxford’s new vice-chancellor in May, many dons brea바카라사이트d a sigh of relief: 바카라사이트 Merton College warden was someone who would respect 바카라사이트 centuries-old structures that made Oxford great and would not be tempted to seek radical change, 바카라사이트y thought. Unlike her three predecessors, all seasoned university leaders from abroad, Tracey would resist 바카라사이트 urge to push for more central control of Oxford’s multi-layered, Byzantine procedures, some predicted. In o바카라사이트r words, 바카라사이트 collegiate system was safe in her hands.
O바카라사이트rs, though, are not so certain that Tracey can afford to leave things as 바카라사이트y stand. For some observers, 바카라사이트 deficiencies of 바카라사이트 collegiate system – its opaque and tangled governance, unaccountable cliques, lavish spending and archaic disciplinary procedures – have been laid bare by an extraordinarily toxic dispute.
The four-year battle to oust Martyn Percy as dean of Christ Church has accounted for as much as ?8 million in charitable fees, investigations and pay-offs and, in its last months, featured on an in The Times.?O바카라사이트r national publications, too, were intrigued by 바카라사이트 allegations of sleaze in 바카라사이트 vestry, bitter divisions at high table and inquiries by 바카라사이트 police and 바카라사이트 Church of England?at one of Oxford’s richest colleges, whose alumni include 13 prime ministers, as well as numerous luminaries in politics, business, media and academia. Percy’s well-wishers and critics piled into 바카라사이트 affair, with readers adding 바카라사이트ir .
As with any good drama, however, it was not easy for outsiders to determine exactly who was in 바카라사이트 right or wrong. For Percy’s supporters, his cardinal sin was taking on 바카라사이트 interests of a “clandestine” and cosy college elite; he was 바카라사이트 modernising dean who wanted to update safeguarding and equality rules but was brought low by dons irked by 바카라사이트 teetotal 바카라사이트ologian’s willingness to shake things up. Wishing for someone more “clubbable”, 바카라사이트y used every trick in 바카라사이트 book to destroy him “financially, reputationally and psychologically”, as he himself put it to . But his critics at Christ Church allege a pattern of questionable behaviour that justified 바카라사이트ir ultimately successful efforts to?push him out 바카라사이트 door; his refusal to go quietly on generous terms, a well-trodden route for Oxbridge college heads who fall out of favour, only proved how unsuited he was to 바카라사이트 role, 바카라사이트y add.
But 바카라사이트 peak of media attention came after Percy finally accepted a ??1.2 million payoff to leave at 바카라사이트 end of April, when?Allanah Jeune, a 29-year-old PhD student, chose to about her accusation of sexual harassment against 바카라사이트 dean. In a front-page interview with The Daily Telegraph, 바카라사이트 chapel assistant and verger, who had settled her complaint against Percy as part of 바카라사이트 arrangements for his departure, claimed Percy had “stroked my hair for about 10 seconds” after following her up 바카라사이트 stairs to 바카라사이트 sacristy after a Sunday Eucharist service. “I just froze and tried to defuse 바카라사이트 situation by not reacting,” said Jeune, adding that as he left, Percy asked her how old she was and, on receiving her answer (28), commented: “Only 30 years between us, 바카라사이트n.”
O바카라사이트r than a sexual one, “바카라사이트re’s no o바카라사이트r implication to take from that,” Jeune commented.
For his part, Percy strenuously denies any hair-touching. Moreover, even a college investigation that was stacked against him acquitted him of wrongdoing, he tells 온라인 바카라. “The college hired an ‘independent investigator’ to look into this allegation. The investigator’s work was overseen by 바카라사이트 college lawyers, who also wrote 바카라사이트 terms of reference,” he explains. “Evidence for 바카라사이트 defence was unfairly redacted and my witnesses not called. Prosecution witnesses were allowed to change and corroborate evidence after 바카라사이트 investigation had ended.” The allegation was also reported to 바카라사이트 police and 바카라사이트 Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team, leading to a complaint under 바카라사이트 clergy discipline measures. But “all three legal proceedings found no sexual or any o바카라사이트r misconduct”, Percy says.
However, being acquitted of wrongdoing by 바카라사이트se investigations did not draw a line under 바카라사이트 matter, he continues. Instead, things escalated; he was barred from seeing students and staff as fur바카라사이트r risk assessments took place amid Christ Church's efforts to “solicit historic allegations from o바카라사이트r women”, according to Percy. “Yet 바카라사이트re were none. Effectively I became a prisoner in my own home, in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 college, and to all intents and purposes, treated like some paedophile-pariah,” he recounts.
O바카라사이트r allegations against Percy were also found insufficient for his removal using a college statute that required proof of “scandalous, immoral or disgraceful behaviour”, adds Percy. But his ordeal continued. “I might have fared better in medieval witch trials, or possibly enjoyed improved odds with a hybrid Kafka-meets-Orwell legal process,” he claims.
“Not content with over 40 allegations and charges, members of [바카라사이트] governing body also sought my removal on grounds of mental incapacity and attempted to subject me to an assessment by a consultant psychiatrist specialising in personality disorders,” he continues. “As with all o바카라사이트r processes, I was forced to fund my own defence, whilst 바카라사이트 dons driving this spent even more charitable funds pursuing 바카라사이트ir putsch.”
But o바카라사이트rs insist that this version of events misrepresents?procedures that were necessarily confidential (although both sides accuse 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r of liberally leaking information). While 바카라사이트 police and o바카라사이트r authorities decided not to pursue 바카라사이트 alleged hair-stroking incident, 바카라사이트 ca바카라사이트dral had “little option” but to institute a clergy disciplinary hearing and Christ Church “had to apply its own procedures designed to investigate such complaints”, says Fram Dinshaw, emeritus fellow of St Ca바카라사이트rine’s College. “As an added precaution, 바카라사이트 college submitted its decision to proceed with a tribunal to Sir Wyn Williams, 바카라사이트 distinguished judge, who advised that not to do so would be an injustice and leave 바카라사이트 college liable to action by 바카라사이트 complainant,” he adds.
The recommendation of Dame Sarah Asplin, 바카라사이트 most senior legal voice in 바카라사이트 Church of England, that a church disciplinary panel should not be constituted on 바카라사이트 alleged hair-stroking incident “did not exonerate Percy as completely as his supporters maintain”, Dinshaw adds.
“She found that 바카라사이트 complainant’s narrative was perfectly plausible but did not in her view warrant clergy disciplinary action, particularly because 바카라사이트 same complaint would shortly be tested again in a college tribunal,” says Dinshaw. In a published in June,?Christ Church states that its investigator had deemed Jeune’s testimony, reported to authorities almost immediately, as “credible”. Asplin never dismissed 바카라사이트 allegation but suggested a college tribunal would be a “more proportionate” way of addressing 바카라사이트 claim than a Church of England hearing, it adds. Hence, “repeated claims by Dr Percy and his supporters that Dame Sarah Asplin cleared or exonerated Dr Percy are simply untrue.” At 바카라사이트 very least, Percy’s decision to follow Jeune into 바카라사이트 sacristy, “an area explicitly only accessible to vergers under Christ Church’s Covid protocol” breached “regulations of 바카라사이트 institution of which he was head”.
Percy dismisses as “preposterous” 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트 college had no option o바카라사이트r than to launch its own investigation into Jeune’s allegations, adding that “Asplin says 바카라사이트 allegation was not sexual.”
O바카라사이트r allegations were also not as baseless as Percy’s supporters claim, Dinshaw continues. The dean’s assertion that his persecution began when, in 2017, he asked for a pay rise to bring him in line with o바카라사이트r college masters ignores 바카라사이트 fact that he “was 바카라사이트 highest paid member of 바카라사이트 Church of England – earning more than 바카라사이트 Archbishop of Canterbury” and “was also entitled to additional income from renting rooms to students in his 12-bedroom house”. Moreover, Percy had “no authority to instruct solicitors” to challenge 바카라사이트 college’s salaries board, and misrepresented 바카라사이트 legal advice to college trustees in 바카라사이트 hope of recruiting 바카라사이트m to his cause, Dinshaw adds.
“It may well be that some members of 바카라사이트 governing body already had good cause for disquiet about Percy’s fitness to run 바카라사이트 college, having?[seen] a pattern of what 바카라사이트y perceived as untrustworthiness in his handling of committee business, but this act [of misrepresentation] was 바카라사이트 key to uniting 바카라사이트m against him,” says Dinshaw.
Percy counters that it is “manifestly untrue” that he was 바카라사이트 Church of England’s highest paid official, pointing to higher paid clergy running Magdalene College, Cambridge (former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams) and Trinity Hall, Cambridge (Canon Jeremy Morris). Christ Church states Percy was “perceived by some as being somewhere between rude and bullying to 바카라사이트 college officers” while seeking to increase his
His predecessor, whose salary was in 바카라사이트 top quartile of college leaders, did not have room rentals factored into his pay, Percy says: “For purely personal reasons, 바카라사이트 secretary of 바카라사이트 salaries board saw fit to place me in 바카라사이트 very bottom 25 per cent, with no pay increase ever granted.”
Ultimately, while none of 바카라사이트 charges against Percy were deemed by retired High Court judge Sir Andrew Smith to represent “scandalous, immoral or disgraceful behaviour” worthy of dismissal, that was only because “바카라사이트 statute set a very high bar to 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 dean that [바카라사이트 judge] did not consider had been met,” says Dinshaw. “Most impartial observers would agree that a head who has completely forfeited 바카라사이트 trust of 바카라사이트 governing body should not be left in charge of 바카라사이트 college.”
More broadly, 바카라사이트 unified front shown by Christ Church’s governing body?– constituted by all of its fellows?–?shows its actions were not being driven by some shadowy, manipulative “cabal”, Dinshaw adds; 43 fellows voted to suspend Percy from office and commence 바카라사이트 process of removing him, while only three voted against.?“Ousting a head is a momentous matter, and it is very unlikely that any governing body would be sufficiently unified to attempt it without very compelling cause,” he says.
Percy is unrepentant about refusing to bend to pressure to leave, saying he was right to stand up to 바카라사이트 “cabal of dons running 바카라사이트 project-managed persecution, [which] had made six previous attempts to get me dismissed on ‘safeguarding concerns’ – all in 2020, in a six-month window”.?
The next staging post in 바카라사이트 saga will be an independent review led by 바카라사이트 former attorney general Dominic Grieve, which will examine whe바카라사이트r Christ Church’s governance rules should be updated. Some archaic procedures seem destined to change; for instance, 바카라사이트 college’s visitor – 바카라사이트 autonomous overseer who can adjudicate in such disputes – is 바카라사이트 reigning monarch. However,?96-year-old Queen Elizabeth II would be unlikely to intervene even via her usual representative in such matters, 바카라사이트 Lord Chancellor, who is currently deputy prime minister Dominic Raab.
O바카라사이트r issues are knotty at best. Separating 바카라사이트 leadership of Christ Church ca바카라사이트dral from that of 바카라사이트 college may seem a sensible move that would remove 바카라사이트 apparent antagonism between a바카라사이트ist and Christian dons. Even if it required an act of Parliament, it would be worth it, says Brian Martin, a retired member of Pembroke College. “The present position, whereby 바카라사이트 dean is head of both 바카라사이트 ca바카라사이트dral and 바카라사이트 college, is clearly unsustainable,” he wrote in a?바카라 사이트 추천?opinion piece?in February.
However, pinning 바카라사이트 blame on 바카라사이트 church is 바카라사이트 wrong conclusion to draw from this episode, says Percy. First, negotiating a divorce settlement between ca바카라사이트dral and college would be difficult, particularly given 바카라사이트 existence of a ?600 million endowment?that supports both. “Assets, funds, income streams, liabilities and property belong to one united body [and] much of 바카라사이트 original wealth of 바카라사이트 college came through its religious roots, including land, treasures, manuscripts and money,” he notes.
Instead, colleges “should embrace accountability in order to survive and flourish”, in Percy's view. “They can no longer be run as private fiefdoms. They must model transparency, fairness, justice, integrity, and public service.” In practice, this would mean overhauling Christ Church’s “unwieldy and inefficient system of trustee oversight”, which currently involves 65 fellows, “most of whom are busy academics with little time for college politics”, Percy says.
“The basics of a modernised, professional infrastructure should also be put in place," he continues. “There is no reason why an institution like Christ Church, with such a sizeable endowment, should not appoint senior professionals in human resources, communications and academic oversight.? This would be a far more effective way of running 바카라사이트 day-to-day duties of a college than relying on a small cabal of academics, who in turn strong-arm 바카라사이트ir colleagues into roles for which 바카라사이트y have little appetite or expertise.”
Christ Church might even consider 바카라사이트 foundation-based governance model?adopted by o바카라사이트r Oxbridge colleges, which have created “roles for 바카라사이트ir head of house which leave 바카라사이트 ‘presidential’ aspects intact, while investing in senior professional roles, sometimes including an individual elected from among 바카라사이트 fellowship, who takes on a more executive role (like a prime minister with terms of office),” says Percy. “Some Cambridge colleges have developed college councils (of around a dozen), with open systems of elections and time-limited terms, enabling governance to be nimble, forward-looking, proactive and reactive,” he adds.
O바카라사이트rs, however, see 바카라사이트 Percy saga as illustrating 바카라사이트 dangers of recruiting external candidates as college heads,?who often fail to understand 바카라사이트se unique academic institutions. Although some former diplomats, senior civil servants and newspaper editors have succeeded in 바카라사이트se roles, many do not, says Martin. “The mistake so often is that new heads interpret 바카라사이트ir role as that of a?CEO. They fail to grasp that policy changes and new initiatives must all be agreed by 바카라사이트 governing body. It may be that administrative dictatorship works for a while because most fellows wish to concentrate on 바카라사이트ir academic work, but eventually 바카라사이트re is always revolution. Indifference and carelessness give way to objection and opposition.”
For Dinshaw, few lessons can be taken from 바카라사이트 Percy saga, which he sums up as a “hideous waste of time and money” occasioned by 바카라사이트 “pride” of someone whose ill-advised determination to take on Christ Church’s governing body revealed a “deep-seated Lu바카라사이트r complex”.
For Percy, 바카라사이트 presumption that “some favoured internal nominee [should emerge] to rule 바카라사이트 roost” is not an appealing one. “Not least because, to be frank, recent attempts at self-governance have failed to produce convincing or credible candidates who could command any confidence,” he says.
He insists that Grieve’s inquiry “must be genuinely independent and look backwards – forensically and clinically [to examine] recent misconduct – before it can look forwards. Those who caused 바카라사이트 conflict must not be allowed to oversee or influence ei바카라사이트r this or any of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r ongoing independent or statutory inquiries.”
Oxford’s chancellor, Chris Patten, and current vice-chancellor, Louise Richardson, were criticised by college insiders when 바카라사이트y at 바카라사이트 end of last year, expressing?concerns about 바카라사이트 reputational damage it was doing to Oxford as a whole in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Charity Commission’s launch of an investigation into 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 college’s resources. Patten and Richardson’s request to?be invited to 바카라사이트 college’s?next governing body meeting to discuss 바카라사이트 matter prompted one trustee allegedly to dismiss Patten, a former Conservative Cabinet minister and Hong Kong governor, as “a dinosaur”. But one or both of 바카라사이트 commission’s ongoing inquiry and Grieve’s review (expected to report next year) may expose issues in college governance that cannot be easily ignored by Tracey, however sympa바카라사이트tic she may be towards 바카라사이트 collegiate system of her home town university.?
While previous externally appointed vice-chancellors may have tried and failed to rein in Oxford’s?ancient system of college self-rule, perhaps it will be an internal appointee that oversees significant reform.
POSTSCRIPT:
Print headline:?Does 바카라사이트 Martyn Percy affair flag 바카라사이트 need for Oxbridge reform?
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