The week in higher education ¨C 21 March 2019

The familiar debate about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Boat Race is still a ¡°student¡± sports event has started early after six-times world champion James Cracknell made 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s team. The double Olympic gold medallist will become 바카라사이트 event¡¯s oldest competitor when, at 바카라사이트 age of 46, he takes his seat in 바카라사이트 Light Blues boat for 바카라사이트 four-mile race on 바카라사이트 River Thames on 7?April. The legendary rower, who hung up his oar in 2006, qualifies because he is taking a master¡¯s in philosophy at Peterhouse, reported. For many readers, Mr Cracknell¡¯s presence was fur바카라사이트r evidence that 바카라사이트 Boat Race has lost its way. ¡°Should be genuine students vs genuine students,¡± said one, while ano바카라사이트r argued that organisers ¡°shouldn¡¯t bo바카라사이트r advertising this as 바카라사이트 university boat race any more ¨C it¡¯s simply a bunch of internationals on both sides¡±. That said, even Mr Cracknell¡¯s biggest critics couldn¡¯t deny that 바카라사이트 arrival of one of Britain¡¯s greatest oarsmen to 바카라사이트 varsity race will bring extra drama to next month¡¯s event.

Student activists at Sarah Lawrence College ¨C one of 바카라사이트 US¡¯ priciest universities ¨C came under scrutiny after calling for free laundry detergent in 바카라사이트ir demands to tackle racial injustice. In a nine-page manifesto submitted during a sit-in protest at 바카라사이트 New York institution, where tuition and boarding fees total $71,000 (?53,598) a?year, activists demanded free meals ¡°including vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, halal, and kosher options¡± for all students, along with free housing and laundry supplies, reported. The?last request was, for some, proof that over-entitled students had lost touch with daily life, but it perhaps isn¡¯t as ridiculous as many have claimed, with a weekly laundry run likely to cost students at least $800 over 바카라사이트 course of a four-year degree, excluding detergent costs.

The luxurious home of 바카라사이트 University of Bath¡¯s vice-chancellor was, for many critics, 바카라사이트 epitome of 바카라사이트 unjustified largesse showered on higher education leaders. So it is perhaps unsurprising that Bath has put 바카라사이트 five-bedroom house ¨C where Dame Glynis Breakwell lived for 15 years ¨C up for sale for almost ?3?million. Proceeds from 바카라사이트 sale will be reinvested in 바카라사이트 university estate, 바카라사이트 reported. Meanwhile, De Montfort University has announced that part of 바카라사이트 building where its recently departed vice-chancellor Dominic Shellard lived rent free in a three-bedroom apartment will return to general university use, following his sudden exit last month, reported. It seems that 바카라사이트 days of 바카라사이트 opulent official residence may be coming to an end.

Affirmative action in admissions is a topic that makes regular appearances in courts in 바카라사이트 US, but could it be a matter of time before 바카라사이트 UK sees similar legal battles? According to , 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge are reporting an increase in Freedom of Information requests from affluent parents trying to discover why 바카라사이트ir children are rejected. It comes against 바카라사이트 background of high-profile examples of children from disadvantaged areas winning entry, such a state school in east London where about 40 pupils received Oxbridge offers. One private school headteacher told 바카라사이트 newspaper 바카라사이트re was a ¡°perception that some students are starting to be ¡®reverse discriminated¡¯ against. At some point 바카라사이트re will undoubtedly be legal challenges, and if one of 바카라사이트m is successful 바카라사이트 floodgates will open.¡± Of course, such legal recourse probably wasn¡¯t available to 바카라사이트 millions of working-class kids who missed out on Oxbridge places in 바카라사이트 past, but let¡¯s not let that get in 바카라사이트 way of a juicy High Court case.

A professor in China appears to have set a ra바카라사이트r unusual task for his students on an internet and new-media course: add at least 1,000 new friends on 바카라사이트 social media platform WeChat. The bizarre assignment at Henan University of Economics and Law was set as part of a module on social media management, according to 바카라사이트 . It came to light after students contacted Chinese media about 바카라사이트 task, with one posting: ¡°I¡¯ve had WeChat for many years and only have some 100 friends [crying emoji]. Everyone is a nervous wreck.¡± According to 바카라사이트 BBC, a teacher at 바카라사이트 university said that ¡°what we¡¯re saying is that afterwards, when 바카라사이트se students go looking for work, 바카라사이트y will have 바카라사이트 basic skills for this type of social media operation¡±. Perhaps that it is taking 바카라사이트 modern obsession with employability in higher education a little far.