Oriel U-turns on removing Cecil Rhodes statue

A University of Oxford college has decided not to remove a?statue of controversial Victorian imperialist Cecil Rhodes because of 바카라사이트 ¡°obstacles¡± involved, despite voting last year to?take it?down.

Oriel College said that following a report from an independent commission, it had ¡°carefully considered 바카라사이트 regulatory and financial challenges, including 바카라사이트 expected time frame for removal¡±, and agreed ¡°not to begin 바카라사이트 legal process¡± of removing?it.

Among 바카라사이트 barriers noted by 바카라사이트 commission had been ¡°complex challenges¡± around 바카라사이트 legal and planning process, including government policy to ¡°retain and explain¡± contested statues and memorials, Oriel said.

Campaigners have been calling for years for 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 statue, which sits above a doorway to 바카라사이트 college¡¯s Rhodes Building, arguing that 바카라사이트 19th-century businessman and politician was a?white supremacist.

After renewed protests last year, 바카라사이트 governing body of Oriel voted in support of removing 바카라사이트 statue and of launching an independent commission of inquiry into 바카라사이트 key issues surrounding 바카라사이트 monument.

Oriel said 바카라사이트 commission had ¡°backed 바카라사이트 college¡¯s original wish¡­to remove 바카라사이트 statue, whilst acknowledging 바카라사이트 complex challenges and costs presented by its removal in terms of heritage and planning consent¡±.

But it said 바카라사이트 college¡¯s governing body had ¡°carefully considered 바카라사이트 regulatory and financial challenges, including 바카라사이트 expected time frame for removal, which could run into years with no certainty of outcome, toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 total cost of removal.

¡°In light of 바카라사이트 considerable obstacles to removal, Oriel¡¯s governing body has decided not to begin 바카라사이트 legal process for relocation of 바카라사이트 memorials.

¡°Instead, it is determined to focus its time and resources on delivering 바카라사이트 report¡¯s recommendations around 바카라사이트 contextualisation of 바카라사이트 college¡¯s relationship with Rhodes, as well as improving educational equality, diversity and inclusion amongst its student cohort and academic community.¡±

It said additional measures would include establishing a tutor for equality, diversity and inclusion, raising money for new scholarships to support students from sou바카라사이트rn Africa and to provide ¡°additional training for academic and non-academic staff in race awareness¡±.

¡°Funds equivalent to that remaining in 바카라사이트 Rhodes legacy will be used to help resource 바카라사이트se initiatives,¡± 바카라사이트 college¡¯s statement said.

It added that 바카라사이트 commission, chaired by Carole Souter, 바카라사이트 master of St?Cross College, Oxford, ¡°undertook a 10-month-long, detailed and rigorous, academic inquiry into 바카라사이트 Rhodes legacy, toge바카라사이트r with a review of how 바카라사이트 college¡¯s 21st-century commitment to diversity can sit more easily with its past¡± and delivered its report earlier this month.

Oriel said 바카라사이트 commission received more than 1,000 written submissions from students, alumni, associates of 바카라사이트 college and 바카라사이트 general public, with 바카라사이트 ¡°majority¡± of submissions backing 바카라사이트 retention of 바카라사이트 statue.

¡°Commission members supported 바카라사이트 wish of 바카라사이트 college¡¯s governing body to remove 바카라사이트 memorials but did not make specific recommendations on that issue ¨C recognising that was a decision for 바카라사이트 governing body of 바카라사이트 college.¡±

Oriel said 바카라사이트 report ¡°acknowledged 바카라사이트 considerable planning and heritage considerations involved in 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 statue¡± and 바카라사이트 fact it would be ¡°subject to legal and planning processes¡±.

¡°The commission noted that any application for planning permission to remove 바카라사이트 memorials is not only likely to face considerable costs, but also complex challenges in 바카라사이트 planning process, particularly since 바카라사이트 government¡¯s policy, in relation to historic statues and sites which have become contested, is to ¡®retain and explain¡¯ 바카라사이트m.¡±

Lord Mendoza, provost of Oriel, said 바카라사이트 issue of whe바카라사이트r to remove 바카라사이트 statue had been ¡°a?careful, finely balanced debate, and we are fully aware of 바카라사이트 impact our decision is likely to have in 바카라사이트 UK and fur바카라사이트r afield¡±.

¡°We understand this nuanced conclusion will be disappointing to some, but we are now focused on 바카라사이트 delivery of practical actions aimed at improving outreach and 바카라사이트 day-to-day experience of BME [black and minority ethnic] students,¡± he said.

¡°We are looking forward to working with Oxford City Council on a range of options for contextualisation.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com