The University of Oxford is about to elect a new Chancellor. First round voting resulted in a shortlist of 5 candidates – all titled British Establishment figures, compatible with the liberal/progressive culture of the University.
I was pleased that the University decided to bring the process of electing the Chancellor into the 21st century. Pleased, too, that the University sought to enable the widest possible participation of alumni by introducing online voting with a proportional representation system to achieve the broadest possible consent. But why were some 90% of Oxford graduates not registered to vote ?
There are other significant questions to be asked, too. Why did it take 9 months to appoint a new Chancellor; what inspired the Rule changes; and why did 2024 Final year students participate ?
Answer: the prevalent culture in the University of Oxford.
A good example of this cultural influence was the choice of speaker for the 2022 Romanes Lecture, Micheal Martin, then Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland.
In his Romanes lecture, Martin clearly expected all normal, civilised people to agree with his perspective and paradigm. Anyone who does not agree must be stupid and in need of education; otherwise they are incorrigible bigots. Or – as the current Vice Chancellor said in her October 2024 Oration – they are people who
” divide us into same-looking and same-thinking tribes, whether by selfish design or accidental algorithm “.
At Oxford, then, it is black or white, and there are absolutely no shades of intermediate grey ranging between the extremes of complete black and total white. In fact it’s so black and white, that the Vice Chancellor wants to ensure that all new students at Oxford are properly versed in this new Doctrine. In her recent Oration, she informs us:
” based on a successful pilot of EDI inductions for incoming undergraduates and graduates, we are rolling out an EDI induction for all freshers at 17 colleges this week. Based on findings from a collaborative research project, we know that 62% of the British public believe that EDI is a good thing, with only 12% saying it’s bad.”
It appears, then, that Oxford is to have an official religion, one apparently endorsed by popular opinion according to a particular piece of research selected to prove the point. Clearly the former Christian ethos of the University has been updated to become a Christ-less version of the Christian teaching, ” love your neighbour as yourself “. That simple, comprehensive formula comprising 5 simple words now gives way to a plethora of rituals and mantras designed to elaborate and reinforce the Creed of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
This Christ-less, superfluous and perverse revision of love your neighbour as yourself got Oxford into political trouble in the Spring. As a result, the University was shamed into changing the rules for electing the next Chancellor.
The effect of the Rule change, however, was to emasculate the election committee and destroy its vital, essential role: to screen out inappropriate candidates.
Result ?
38 approved candidates in the first round ballot, many totally inappropriate. One Statement of Interest said merely: “If I got selected I will work with honesty and welfare of the university and development of students and university.” That was it !
The University was embarrassed into taking such a senseless step because in the real world, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – EDI – is seen as Dogma, Intolerance and Exclusion – DIE. Outside academia, there is actually another point of view, with another paradigm. Brexit and the recent re-election of Donald Trump as President of the United States next year demonstrate this uncomfortable reality.
But for the liberal-progressive western intelligentsia Trump’s decisive win does not compute with mental sanity. Surely all decent, sensible people recognise the axiomatic wisdom of the liberal agenda – only idiots and bigots disagree !
In the real world, however, most people do not share the narrow, ideological, religious mindset prevalent in academia.
Is it not time academia woke up to the world beyond, and started allowing for other perspectives and other paradigms. Is not the impartial examination and assessment of different perspectives and paradigms a distinct characteristic of the academic – and what marks it out from every other type of activity ?
Oxford’s assumption of a doctrinaire sense of moral rectitude not only gives rise to disdain for any other way of thinking. It has also manifestly led it to neglect the vital importance of reliable and routine procedure based on what the situation requires – not what EDI demands.
The 2024 changes to the Statutes and Regulations concerning this election indicate that the University was either unprepared or unwilling [or both !] to proceed immediately the 82 year old Lord Patten announced his forthcoming retirement last February. So, the incoming Chancellor will not be elected until 9 months after, in late November 2024 – months after Lord Patten’s actual departure.
But perhaps that was deliberate.
Why ?
So that the vice Chancellor’s novel, doctrinaire and superfluous EDI/DIE project mentioned above could be installed as a fait accompli in the meantime ?
Perhaps so that 2024 finalists could vote, too ? Note the indecent haste with which final year undergraduates were enabled to enlist on the electoral roll before August 18th – before their degrees had even been conferred. A special Graduation ceremony was organised for October 1st expressly to enable them to vote in the first round ballot week commencing 28th October. That exceptional step was taken to meet the technical requirement of the explicit election Rule which excludes current students. The spirit of that Rule was entirely cast aside !
To the ideologically minded, of course, Rules are merely weapons in their armoury…
If we are so concerned to maximise the electorate, and so keen to pursue Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, then surely the entire electorate of the United Kingdom should be enfranchised to elect the Chancellor for one of the kingdom’s ancient, prestigious universities ? After all, it’s their heritage to which they contribute so much.
What will the new Chancellor “advise” ?
As a voter, I’ll write to the 5 candidates and ask !
DEUS ERGO SUMUS 
Leave a Reply