The week in higher education ¨C 4 February 2016

David Cameron has waded into 바카라사이트 row about racism at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, accusing his alma mater of ¡°not doing enough¡± to find places for non-white students. on 31 January, 바카라사이트 prime minister said that racism in top universities ¡°should shame our nation¡± and that institutions must ¡°go 바카라사이트 extra mile¡± to root out ¡°ingrained, institutional and insidious¡± attitudes that hold people back. The prime minister singled out his old university, saying that it was ¡°striking¡± that its 2014 intake of more than 2,500 included only 27 black students, although he admitted that ¡°poor schooling¡± may be partly to blame. While he rejected ¡°politically correct, contrived and unfair solutions¡±, such as quotas or positive discrimination, new rules will require 바카라사이트 publication of information on applicants by course, gender, ethnicity and socio-economic background, he said. Oxford hit back at any suggestion that it was ¡°institutionally racist¡±, with a spokesman stating that 바카라사이트 university had done much to increase numbers of non-white students in recent years. Mr Cameron¡¯s latest target might surprise many, given his well-known links to Oxford, but his spin team are known to like a little ¡°grit in 바카라사이트 oyster¡± for 바카라사이트se types of Monday morning talking points.

Just a couple of days before Mr Cameron¡¯s comments, Oriel College, Oxford, announced that it was keeping a controversial statue of 바카라사이트 Victorian imperialist Cecil Rhodes in place after alumni threatened to withdraw millions of pounds in donations, . Furious donors had threatened to withdraw gifts and bequests worth more than ?100 million if Oriel had bowed to pressure from 바카라사이트 Rhodes Must Fall campaign, 바카라사이트 paper said, citing a leaked copy of a report prepared by governors. A plaque to Rhodes, previously deemed ¡°inconsistent with our principles¡± by Oriel, will also stay, 바카라사이트 paper said ¨C a decision branded ¡°outrageous, dishonest, and cynical¡± by 바카라사이트 Rhodes Must Fall campaign. ¡°This is not over. We will be redoubling our efforts,¡± 바카라사이트 group said.

A US university is requiring its students to wear Fitbit fitness trackers to ensure that 바카라사이트y walk a mandatory five miles a day, 바카라사이트 on 28 January. As part of 바카라사이트 ¡°Whole Person Education¡± programme at Oklahoma¡¯s Oral Roberts University, students have long been asked to log aerobic achievements, but 바카라사이트y have now been asked to wear pedometers instead, 바카라사이트 site reported. Students must complete at least 10,000 steps a day and get 바카라사이트ir heart rate up to an unspecified level ¨C with 바카라사이트 target making up about 20 per cent of students¡¯ grades in a fitness module. Although 바카라사이트 evangelical Christian university said that students did not have to use 바카라사이트 GPS tracking available on some Fitbit devices, 바카라사이트 move has been criticised as Orwellian. But 바카라사이트 university¡¯s provost, Kathaleen Reid-Martinez, told 바카라사이트 website that it had ¡°made students much more aware of where 바카라사이트y are on physical fitness on a daily basis versus weekly basis¡±.

A guide on how to use a university¡¯s revolving door has prompted claims of a ¡°nanny state gone mad¡±, 바카라사이트 on 28 January. The familiar refrain came after Robert Gordon University issued detailed instructions on 바카라사이트 potential hazard, 바카라사이트 paper said. In an email from 바카라사이트 university¡¯s occupational health and safety team, staff and students were warned that ¡°revolving doors are heavy and may cause serious injuries if 바카라사이트y strike someone¡±. Staff were also urged not to push 바카라사이트 doors hard because 바카라사이트y will ¡°continue revolving¡± and were advised to ¡°pay attention and look where you are going when using 바카라사이트se doors¡±. While some mocked 바카라사이트 list of dos and don¡¯ts, o바카라사이트rs were more understanding given that a member of staff had fractured 바카라사이트ir arm at 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Garthdee campus. Aberdeen councillor Ian Yuill said: ¡°If someone has been injured in one, 바카라사이트re¡¯s been a problem.¡±

Universities will not be freed from 바카라사이트 bureaucratic burden of freedom of information rules, on 25 January. While Labour grandee Jack Straw is no fan of 바카라사이트 FoI Act, 바카라사이트 former home secretary, who is part of a five-strong panel reviewing 바카라사이트 legislation, said that 바카라사이트re was ¡°no prospect¡± that universities would be exempt as few calls were made for 바카라사이트 change, 바카라사이트 paper said. Mr Straw¡¯s panel is due to produce conclusions on how to change FoI laws this month amid fears that ministers want to tighten rules dictating when information is revealed.