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Once upon a time, a Researcher discovered a rot in the roots of Knowledge. So he did what any honest creature would: he spoke. First in whispers, then in reasoned letters, he petitioned the Owls in their towers — the Senior Professors, the Heads of School, the Pro Vice-Chancellors, the Read more…
The standard practice of any Russell Group University when confronted with serious allegations against someone senior is the four stage process. Stage 1 is the Deliberate Stalling of investigations — especially when the accused is a Head of Department or a strategically important position. Delays occur through slow appointment of investigators, Read more…
Once upon a time, in a Department nestled within a Seat of Learning, there was a Researcher. One unusually bright winter day, the Researcher proposed a project for an internship scheme in the upcoming summer. Among the applicants was a clever Student with a High Widening Participation Score — a measure reflecting the Read more…
The results of the Single Transferable Vote election for the election of the Chancellor of Cambridge University are shown above. Congratulations to Lord Smith of Finsbury who won the election. We wish him well in his new post. The announcement of the result by the University of Cambridge is here. Read more…
The Chancellorship candidates are a mediocre bunch, according to The Critic. In the Times Literary Supplement, Mary Beard was uninspired. In Reaction, Adam Boulton was unimpressed (except by his friend, Lord Browne of Madingley). The consensus is that this is a dismal group of people to choose between! I agree Read more…
It is often said that the role of the Chancellorship is purely ceremonial. In recent years, this has certainly been the case. The pattern was set by the long tenure of the Duke of Edinburgh as Chancellor from December 1976 to June 2011. However, the Statutes and Ordinances support a Read more…
I am writing to ask for your support in the election of the next Chancellor of our University of Cambridge. Our University needs a Chancellor who will defend its founding purpose: to serve the public good through education, learning and research of the highest quality, not by bending to the Read more…
The Times interviewed Wyn Evans, who spoke of the difficulties faced by young scholars in the article. Sometimes young scholars can find access to research grants hindered. There are a number of ongoing Employment Tribunals in which young scholars are arguing that the blocking or rewriting of research grants by Read more…
The 21 Group contacted the other Chancellorship candidates asking them to respond to Prof Wyn Evans‘ suggestion of the creation of an independent Ombudsman to investigate serious malpractices, bullying or academic misconduct at Cambridge University. The Ombudsman would also be responsible for investigating Whistleblowing allegations (instead of the Registrary and Read more…
The pressure group Alumni For Freedom of Speech (AFFS) circulated a set of questions to the candidates for the Cambridge Chancellorship. Broadly we are supportive of the aims of AFFS. Based on their replies and any other relevant publicly available information, AFFS scored candidates according to the following, admittedly fairly Read more…