News blog

Oxford dons vote ‘no confidence’ in universities minister

Keble_College_Chapel_-_Oct_2006.jpg

Oxford University academics have delivered a vote of no confidence in the government’s higher education policy – and the minister behind it, David Willetts. (BBC News, politick.co.uk, the First Post)

Some 283 members of the university’s governing body voted in favour of a motion condemning Willets and the government’s higher education policy. Just five members opposed the motion.

The academics are angry at public funding cuts made to universities budgets, in particular for teaching. They say these funding gaps have forced many universities to charge students £9,000 per year – the highest fee allowed – in order to keep institutions financially afloat. (See Nature’s coverage of UK university budget cuts here and here).

Oxford University history professor, Robert Gildea, told BBC News the changes to university funding are “reckless, incoherent and incompetent” and are making higher education a preserve of the rich.

There were also warnings that the larger debts that students will incur from the fee hike will make it difficult for young people to continue into postgraduate research.

Among those backing the motion was Peter Oppenheimer, Willetts’ former tutor, reports politick.co.uk website. Oppenheimer is reported to have said he has “no confidence” in Willets as a politician.

The university’s council will now write to Willetts to pass on the official condemnation.

Academics at Cambridge University are set to debate a similar motion of no confidence and there are calls for similar debates and petitions in other universities.

Picture source: Wikipedia

Comments

Comments are closed.