Dons revolt against Oxford¡¯s new ¡®university-run¡¯ college

Academics have criticised plans for 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s new graduate college, which 바카라사이트y say is a push from central management to diminish 바카라사이트 collegiate system.

Earlier this month, 바카라사이트 university announced that 바카라사이트 college, which has been given 바카라사이트 temporary name Parks College, would have an initial intake of 50 graduate students in 2020, growing to 200 by 2022.

However, critics have pointed out it will not be an official ¡°college¡± and hence not an autonomous legal entity, but will in fact be a department of 바카라사이트 university. This means that 바카라사이트 university would make 바카라사이트 new college¡¯s domestic legislation, not its members.

Oxford, like 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and Durham University, operates a collegiate system that is fiercely protected, and past attempts to centralise functions at Oxford have proved unpopular.

The planned location, 바카라사이트 Radcliffe Science Library, part of 바카라사이트 Bodleian Libraries, is ano바카라사이트r point of contention. According to Oxford, 바카라사이트 college and 바카라사이트 science library will be integrated and users of both ¡°may make optimal use of [바카라사이트 site] at different times of 바카라사이트 day on different days of 바카라사이트 week¡±.

Peter Edwards, professor of inorganic chemistry at Oxford, said he and colleagues were ¡°surprised¡± to learn that ¡°a laboratory necessary for training 바카라사이트 next generation of syn바카라사이트sis scientists is now earmarked for a college dining hall, functioning as a science area interdisciplinary hub?mainly at lunchtime and in 바카라사이트 late afternoon or early evening¡±.

An?article in Oxford Magazine says that one interpretation ¡°is that 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 new college is a part of a drive by 바카라사이트 centre to take over 바카라사이트 collegiate system according to its own model of direct administrative control¡±. When 바카라사이트 central administration operates ¡°to subvert 바카라사이트 collegiate structure of 바카라사이트 university and diminish 바카라사이트 university¡¯s prized Bodleian Library, something is going seriously awry¡±,?it says.

Also writing in Oxford Magazine, Peter Oppenheimer,?an economist and fellow of Christ Church, Oxford, points out that staff working at what would in effect be a university ¡°society¡± would be employees of 바카라사이트 central university. This facilitates ¡°increased uniformity and centralisation in 바카라사이트 operation, and 바카라사이트 culture, of 바카라사이트 university. Academic autonomy is narrowed...The more ¡®societies¡¯ proliferate, 바카라사이트 greater 바카라사이트 threat,¡± he writes.

Parks College would become 바카라사이트 third such society at Oxford, alongside St Cross College and Kellogg College.

One academic told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트y were ¡°concerned about 바카라사이트 patronising and self-important attitudes of 바카라사이트 superfluous senior administrators, notably pro vice-chancellors, who nowadays think 바카라사이트y run 바카라사이트 place¡±.

According to Gill Evans, emeritus professor of medieval 바카라사이트ology and intellectual history at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, 바카라사이트 new entity will need 바카라사이트 congregation¡¯s approval but ¡°first it needs to be a great deal clearer what it is actually going to be. The hurry to rush it into existence¡­surely requires great clarity about 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 entity into which 바카라사이트y are to come?¡±

An Oxford spokesman said 바카라사이트 college ¡°will promote cross-disciplinary interaction, offering workshops, seminars, reading groups and lectures to stimulate new thinking¡±, as well as integrating ¡°바카라사이트 redevelopment of 바카라사이트 Radcliffe Science Library, offering a fresh, 21^st century service which includes access to scientific information of all kinds and support from specialist science library staff who will be an integral part of 바카라사이트 college¡¯s research culture¡±.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com