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Student Protest Against University Gag on calls for Ethical Investment

Timd | 14.02.2006 19:17 | Anti-militarism | Education | Oxford

Since 2001 Students have been campaigning for Oxford University's £2bn investments to be taken once and for all out of the Arms Trade - and for the University to commit to Socially Responsible Investment. A paper due to be discussed by the University Council was pulled from the agenda at the last minute on Friday - so students made their voices clearly heard through protest outside the Council meeting this Monday.






Since 2001 Students in Oxford have been calling on the University to invest its £2bn ethically. We don’t want our education funded by investment income from the Arms Trade – and we believe that a University, an institution set up for education and progress, should be use its funds to support companies which sell weapons and torture implements to corrupt governments, or engage in the destruction of the environment.

On Monday of 5th Week – University Council were due to receive a paper from OUSU and the SRI Campaign – calling for them to engage genuinely with Socially Responsible Investment – and to look to take Oxford money out of the Arms Trade. They have known about this paper since at least November 2005. On Friday - they decided they didn’t want to see the paper. They decided not to listen to the thousands of students who have put their names behind the calls of the SRI Campaign.

Over 80 students turned up to protest against this action by the University - handing a copy of the pulled paper to University Council members entering the building.

The president of the Oxford University Students Union (OUSU) then raised student concerns inside the meeting of Council.

More updates soon from the Socially Responsible Investment campaign at www.srioxford.org.uk

Timd
- e-mail: info@srioxford.org.uk
- Homepage: http://www.srioxford.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

They dont even know what ethics are.

15.02.2006 10:12

Well what else are we to expect? Oxford allowed arch-fiend Murdoch to 'buy' a Chair (in media studies or something I believe) and last I heard the position was given to an editor for Sky News, though admitedly the position could have changed hands since.

And how many other Unis have sold themselves in these ways? Pretty much all of them.

The Last Bondsman

In addition...

15.02.2006 15:57

88

The professorship actually belongs to an ex-ITN news journo. This info and more from Oxford University website, 2004:
"The News International benefaction given in 1993 by Rupert Murdoch, a graduate of Worcester College, has endowed the Professorship of Language and Communication (currently held by Professor Deborah Cameron), funded three lectureships and a major research grant, and has enabled the English Faculty to run courses in Language and the Media and Anglo-American film." ( http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/po/040824a.shtml)

So not media studies as a subject per se, but pretty close.

And yes, many unis are 'selling out' - either through departments being sponsored by big business or accepting handouts from obsequious sources.

I've still to discover a truly 'ethical' uni - investigations continue :)

Although I do have personal issues with 'ethical investment', it's really cool that Ox uni students care enough to *do* something about it. So, did uni council give any reasons why they pulled the paper? Update on indymedia too - it's important that *everyone* knows about dodgy practices in EVERYTHING from university to road planning to the NHS so action can be taken :)

*FYI if not in the know, university councils are pretty high up policy-making/decision taking bodies in a university; they are also known by other names depending on each higher education institution in the UK*

Jennie B

ethics

15.02.2006 21:18

Where are all you students who talk about ethics on a Thursday afternoon when protests are taking place against our university's decision to go ahead with the grotesque animal lab. Come out of the woodwork and make your voices heard. Let's end this disgrace of animal torture once and for all, and the shame of Oxford University.

the unmasked tutor (Psychology)