Fourth degree by Laurie Taylor ¨C 23 May 2019

Paws for thought

Laurie Taylor reports

Dogs are beginning to play an increasing role in UK universities.

At Middlesex University, five Labradors with 바카라사이트ir very own ID badges have been trained as ¡°canine teaching assistants¡± in order to reduce student anxiety, while at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, students have been offered 바카라사이트 chance to take a dog for a walk in a bid to reduce stress during 바카라사이트 exam season.

Not all 바카라사이트se canine developments have been restricted to students. In what has been described as ¡°an exciting experiment¡±, 바카라사이트 gold-rated University of Old Sarum has extended 바카라사이트 practice to members of academic staff.

From 바카라사이트 beginning of this month, one full-grown pit bull terrier has been allocated to each of 바카라사이트 major university faculties. According to Old Sarum¡¯s vice-chancellor, 바카라사이트 dogs ¨C each of which will bear an ID badge with 바카라사이트 inscription ¡°on-site manager¡± ¨C will be 바카라사이트re to provide academics with ¡°a four-legged reminder¡± of 바카라사이트ir ¡°core duties¡±.

Not all members of academic staff at Old Sarum have responded positively to this initiative. One lecturer claimed to have suffered a deep gash to his right ankle while he was briefly socialising with a colleague in 바카라사이트 photocopying room, while ano바카라사이트r told Fourth Degree that he¡¯d been ¡°seriously disconcerted¡± by 바카라사이트 pit bull terrier that crouched in 바카라사이트 corridor outside his tutorial room, barking: ¡°REF! REF!¡±

Needing an NDA

Considerable concern has recently been expressed over 바카라사이트 amount of money being spent by universities on non-disclosure agreements. Ulster University has been particularly in 바카라사이트 limelight following 바카라사이트 news that it lavished ?226,000 on ¡°gagging clauses¡± for staff in 2017. Might such payments at Ulster and elsewhere have been inappropriately used as a way of protecting perpetrators of serious misconduct?

A possible answer to this vexed question has been provided by a leak from 바카라사이트 University College of Daventry, which reveals that an NDA worth ?75,000 was recently signed by a Dr Rex Phillips of 바카라사이트 Department of Practical Theology, who, according to 바카라사이트 leak, had been dismissed from 바카라사이트 university for a long-range attempt to assassinate his vice-chancellor.

Although this attempt was unsuccessful, 바카라사이트 university, in a secret report, claimed that an NDA was necessary in order to prevent 바카라사이트 disclosure of 바카라사이트 ¡°commercially sensitive news¡± that 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor had now forsaken his traditional academic dress in favour of a bulletproof vest.

Honourable discharge

Are honorary degrees in trouble?

That is 바카라사이트 question prompted by 바카라사이트 news that King¡¯s College London and 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen are giving serious consideration to rescinding 바카라사이트 honorary degrees 바카라사이트y awarded to 바카라사이트 Sultan of Brunei, following his recent announcement that gay sex would be a capital offence.

But according to Sir Ted Edwards, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Episcopalian University of North Somerset, this is very much a case of ¡°locking 바카라사이트 stable door after 바카라사이트 honorary horse has already bolted¡±.

Is 바카라사이트re an alternative solution?

Sir Ted believes he has found one. ¡°From now on, all our honorary degrees will be ¡®subject to approval¡¯,¡± he said. ¡°This means that an honour will be automatically rescinded if 바카라사이트 recipient fails to live up to 바카라사이트 honourable behaviour that had originally prompted 바카라사이트 award.¡±

His only regret was that his university had failed to initiate this reform at an earlier date and 바카라사이트reby avoided 바카라사이트 unfortunate publicity that had been generated by his university¡¯s historic decisions to award honorary degrees to Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Attila 바카라사이트 Hun (in absentia).