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Articles by Noella Chye
Exclusive: Amid academic boycott, Trinity claims it cannot rescind decision to exit national pensions scheme
At a meeting held for Trinity students on May 30th, the college’s Senior Tutor said she hoped the boycott could be mitigated by “a degree of explanation”, and that objecting academics had “difficulty understanding” their decision Academics have protested outside the college since Trinity's decision was revealed.
Leaked: Trinity has voted to leave the UK pensions scheme. If two employers exit, staff pensions may be in uncharted territory.
Sunday May 19 2019 Exclusive In what one fellow described as possibly the most important decision to face the college in the past 50 years, Trinity College’s executive decision-making body has voted to leave the national pensions scheme for university staff — a move expected to cost £30m. Now, the scheme, which funds staff pensions nationwide, is at risk of having its financial capacity downgraded.
Don’t let Cambridge’s Peterson U-turn distract you. It’s just their PR team at work
Cambridge says there is “no place here” for Peterson. But by keeping lecturers like Noah Carl on their payroll, they show their commitment to inclusivity is only skin-deep Jordan Peterson had planned to give "ten or so" lectures in the Cambridge Divinity Faculty next MichaelmasGage Skidmore by Joe Cook, Rosie Bradbury & Noella Chye “Cambridge is an inclusive environment and we expect all our staff and visitors to uphold our principles.
Cambridge rescinds offer of visiting fellowship to controversial professor Jordan Peterson
Peterson has called the concept of white privilege a ‘myth’, and has cultivated a fan base around the idea that there is a ‘crisis in masculinity’, and that patriarchal structures are “predicated on competence” Peterson is a Canadian academic who first gained notoriety in 2016Gage Skidmore/Flickr by Noella Chye & Rosie Bradbury Jordan Peterson, a controversial professor known for his views on transgender rights, gender, and race, was offered a visiting fellowship to join Cambridge’s School of...
Academics ‘deeply concerned’ about proposal to compete for military research programme revealed by Varsity
In full The open letter to Vice-chancellor Stephen Toope and Professor Steve Connor We are writing to express our dismay at the news that the University reached the final stage of bidding for the Human Social Science Research Capability (HSSRC) Programme funding by the Ministry of Defence through DSTL, which would have involved classified contract research across a wide number of domains, including “understanding and influencing human behaviour”, and “targeted information manipulation”.
Exclusive: BME Eddie’s students threatened with disciplinary action for peaceful protest over eugenics fellow
A group of Cambridge academics called the threat of disciplinary action against three students of colour “alarming” Students marched through college buildings during a peaceful protest over the appointment of Dr Noah CarlJess Ma by Noella Chye On 1st February, three students at St Edmund’s received an email from a senior member of the college claiming they had breached college disciplinary procedures during a peaceful protest over the widely-condemned appointment of Noah Carl.
Exclusive: Redfern email contradicts University statement on fossil fuel company’s funding offer
The email, leaked to Varsity, showed that Redfern believed BHP’s decision to rescind was for reasons “associated with the divestment debate” Last week, Cambridge students protested the news that members of the divestment working group had not disclosed their involvement in discussions about proposed donations from fossil fuel companies to CambridgeJoe Cook by Noella Chye Two weeks ago, the University said in a statement to The Guardian that a £20m donation offer from mining and petroleum...
Revealed: Cambridge’s proposal to compete for a Ministry of Defence psychological research programme
Exclusive: Documents seen by Varsity noted that the proposed programme would be “designed to inform UK Defence and Security strategy, policy, and capability” Photo: Denny J/Composite: Noella Chye by Noella Chye Two years ago, the Ministry of Defence announced it was looking to set up a psychological research centre tasked with building a better military. The programme would involve research into influencing human behaviour, and promised millions of pounds in funding. Cambridge decided to apply.
Senate House discussion sees clash over future of the Investment Office
The majority of student speakers were members of the pro-divestment group Cambridge Zero Carbon Several students called for the University to display "moral leadership" in its investmentLouis Ashworth by Noella Chye , Rosie Bradbury & Kiran Khanom Tuesday’s Senate House discussion on the topic of ‘the future of the Investment Office’ centred on the topic of divestment.
Transparency of Cambridge investments see sharp rebuke in heated Senate House discussion
The Investment Office has been at the centre of the fight over divestment: its use of external, third-party fund managers has left many campaigners calling for greater accountability Another Senate House discussion, on the future of the Investment Office, will take place on TuesdayLouis Ashworth by Noella Chye In December, a fifth of the University’s executive decision-making body, University Council, made a landmark dissent from an annual report – the first time in at least ten years.
‘The whole process was flawed. It was flawed from the beginning.’ Guillaume speaks out.
In March last year, Alice Guillaume resigned from her position on Cambridge’s divestment working group.
Analysis: Cambridge’s 13.7% median gender pay gap
In 2018, Cambridge’s School of Humanities & Social Sciences had the largest gender pay gap, new analysis by Varsity has found In 2018, 147 men and 67 women received market pay supplementsLouis Ashworth/Composite: Noella Chye by Noella Chye , Rosie Bradbury & Chloe Bayliss The median gender pay gap between men and women across the University has remained at 13.7% for the past three years — an investigation by Varsity has found.
Divestment working group members were involved in proposed donations from fossil fuels giants
Divestment University management were aware that petroleum companies BP and BHP Billiton were considering multi-million dollar donations to Cambridge whilst it considered divestment, The Guardian has revealed John Shakeshaft, centre, walking out of a University Council meeting in JuneMathias Gjesdal-Hammer by Noella Chye In 2017, members of the University of Cambridge’s divestment working group declared their possible conflicts of interest relevant to the broad question of whether the...
‘He has been able to speak all his life.’ For two weeks, Eddie’s students pushed to investigate Dr Carl’s appointment
The St Edmund's combination room called an emergency meeting on 25th November, which saw an unprecedented turnoutSimon Lock Before an open letter opposing the appointment of Dr Noah Carl, a researcher with a background in eugenics work, to a research fellowship by St Edmund’s college made national headlines, students at the college pushed for an investigation. It started with a passing comment one student heard at an academic conference in late November.
Five University Council members make landmark dissent over ‘arbitrary’ restriction of documents
University Council meets in Old Schools several times per termNoella Chye A fifth of the University’s primary governing body, the University Council, has dissented from this year’s annual Council report – the first time in at least ten years.
Revealed: Trinity plans exit from national pension scheme, isolating college from higher education sector
The proposals are now being considered by around 190 Trinity College fellowsRosie Bradbury For two months this year, staff at universities nationwide went on strike to protest cuts to their pensions. Throughout the dispute, staff voiced their sense of mistrust in employers, and feelings which had been mounting for a decade that they were being overlooked.
Hundreds of academics oppose research fellow’s eugenics work on discredited ‘race sciences’
The letter has called on St Edmund's to "dissociat[e] themselves from research that seeks to establish correlations between race, genes, intelligence and criminality in order to explain one by the other"Simon Lock Over 280 academics have signed an open letter condemning the appointment of Dr Noah Carl to a research fellowship at St. Edmund’s College due to his past research on links between race, criminality, and IQ.
Downing to remove all ‘practical’ investments from fossil fuels sector
Downing's decision comes after approximately two and a half years of working on the issueMihnea Maftei/Flickr Downing College is set to withdraw all of its available investments from the fossil fuels industry, becoming the third known Cambridge college to announce a position favouring divestment. The college committed today to withdraw all indirect investments in the sector “where practically possible”, and to offset its remaining holdings with environmental impact funds.
Zero Carbon paints Corpus Clock in national day of action
Members of Zero Carbon painted the Corpus ClockNoella Chye In a series of coordinated action this afternoon, Zero Carbon activists sprayed removable chalk paint on the Corpus Christi clock, and staged a die-in in the University’s administrative building, Old Schools. The words, ‘Wake up to climate change’ were painted in removable chalk paint on Corpus Christi’s Cambridge landmark, catching the attention of passersby.
Student sits motionless with hands tied outside Senate House, protesting Prevent
The student said the sack over her head represents “nothingness, facelessness”Noella Chye Content note: This article contains mention of suicide. A Cambridge student has been seated outside Senate House with a sack over her head and her hands tied since noon today. She told Varsity she is protesting the effects of the Prevent duty in the University, including personal injustices to her, in a combination of performance art and protest until sunset today.
Big Oil and deep sea drilling: The corporations underpinning Cambridge colleges’ investments
Seven Cambridge colleges have holdings totalling £20.7m in corporations engaged in oil and gas exploration, production and refining. Nine colleges hold investments in offshore funds, Freedom of Information requests on all companies in colleges’ direct investment portfolios have revealed. Oxford and Cambridge colleges will be hauled before Parliament in light of today’s revelations, John Mann MP, chair of the Treasury sub-committee, has claimed.
Colleges hold over £6.5m in arms companies
Investments in arms manufacturing companies by Cambridge colleges total over £6.5m, new data from Freedom of Information requests has shown. Out of the 20 colleges who responded, five were found to hold investments in the arms industry, in corporations including BAE Systems, United Technologies, Airbus SE and Lockheed Martin.
‘I think the University loses out’: Cambridge’s post-doc predicament
Who has a say in how the University is run? A motion passed last week by Regent House, Cambridge’s central governing body, will exclude an estimated half to three-quarters of the University’s research associates – its largest staff group – from its democratic decision-making. The sudden resignation of a member of University Council, Cambridge’s executive decision-making body, has brought this question to the fore.
Far-right group claims Cambridge march to occur over Remembrance Day controversy
Far-right group, the Democratic Football Lads Alliance (DFLA), announced on Saturday that they are planning to come to Cambridge next month to protest what national media has construed as attempts by Cambridge students to erase the sacrifices of British war veterans. A member of the group told a crowd at a violent DFLA march in London that they would be coming to Cambridge, and was met with loud cheers.
Cambridge students reflect on Stormzy scholarship, disruption, and the state of black access
This week, two black students matriculating at Cambridge received the Stormzy Scholarship, which will fully fund their tuition fees and provide a maintenance grant for the duration of their undergraduate study, to an estimated value of £18,000 for the 2018-2019 academic year.
Two students speak out about the lapses in their college disciplinary procedures
The past year in Cambridge has seen existing procedures for the handling of cases of sexual misconduct come under a process of questioning. Breaking the Silence – a centralised campaign by the University to tackle sexual harassment – was launched in October, and last term CUSU Women’s Campaign campaigned for a change in the University’s disciplinary procedure standard of proof from proof ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ to a ‘balance of probabilities’.
What does the pensions strike outcome mean for Cambridge?
Earlier this month, an expert panel, the Joint Expert Panel (JEP), found the employers’ decisions that sparked this year’s pensions dispute had been based on shaky foundations. Its findings vindicated staff who had voiced similar concerns to no avail. The past year saw a new focus placed on the perceived disconnect between senior administrators, and staff and students – a consistent thread over the past year, where structures have proven ill-equipped to give differing perspectives due weight.
Looking for Cambridge through the lens
Every day, people attempt to capture Cambridge through a camera lens. Hordes of tourists. Students capturing moments to remember. The city’s beauty gets in the way. So much of Cambridge is grand and picturesque, often at odds with how it feels like living here. The best parts of Cambridge often aren’t picture perfect, and the daily reality is far from it.
Nearly half of Cambridge investment office staff resign
Four senior members of Cambridge’s investment office have resigned from their positions, out of a staff of nine. Chief Investment Officer Nick Cavalla will leave the investment office later this year, alongside colleagues Bruce Lockwood, Conor Cassidy and Vincent Fruchard.
Expert panel on pensions dispute finds employers’ proposals based on shaky foundation
A long-awaited review has identified several issues with the valuation of the deficit of the largest national pensions scheme for university employees, a calculation which played a key role in justifying pension reforms for staff at higher education institutions across the country – proposals which sparked strike action earlier this year.
Violet’s guide to Cambridge wildlife
Cambridge has an exotic assortment of wildlife. Cows, for example. Also: ducks. Swans, geese, and pigeons often make appearances. Look no feather for an introducktion to the creatures you might meet during your time here. A walk toward the Granta pub will often inspire you to stop and smell the roses, to revel in the here and cow. A recent New York Times feature on Cambridge’s cow presence noted that cows replaced sheep in presiding over King’s College, as “sheep lack the gravitas of cattle”.
Stormzy launches scholarship for black students to study at Cambridge
Stormzy has launched a scholarship for two black students per year to attend the University of Cambridge. The Stormzy Scholarship will completely fund two students’ tuition fees and maintenance grants for up to four years of an undergraduate course, both for those beginning their studies this year and in 2019. Stormzy himself will fund one scholarship, while the second will be funded by Youtube Music, who pledged their support after hearing of his plans.
Barbara Stocking criticised for ‘tenuous defence’ in parliamentary inquiry into Oxfam scandal
Dame Barbara Stocking, Murray Edwards President, has been criticised by MPs for providing a “tenuous defence” of her failure as Oxfam CEO to disclose the sexual nature of abuse by humanitarian workers during the 2011 Haiti earthquake. Stocking’s decisions were revealed in a Times investigation earlier this year, placing her at the centre of a national controversy over sexual misconduct in the charity work sector.
Council’s divestment decision has been formally challenged - can it evade democratic scrutiny?
For months, the strength of University democracy has been central to the trajectory of the divestment debate, with University Council’s response marked by stonewalling of calls for greater accountability and democratic practice. Their decision last month against full divestment has placed a laser focus on the University’s democratic provisions, and whether they are working.
Zero Carbon calls for formal University review of divestment decision
Cambridge Zero Carbon has formally challenged the University Council’s landmark decision in June not to fully divest from the fossil fuels sector, claiming that Council’s methods subverted University democratic structures. 14 members of the society have written to Vice-chancellor Stephen Toope that the University evaluate the constitutionality of Council’s methods. A second formal review has been submitted by a group of Cambridge academics.
Four members of the public honoured for catching upskirt video suspects
SINGAPORE: “You’ll never know if the next victim is from your own family." For Mr Song Wei Zong, 35, that was the reason he decided to help two others detain a man who was believed to have taken an upskirt video of a woman. Mr Leow Fa Dong, 25, and Ms Crystal Tan Yi Jing, 20, were on the escalator at Tampines MRT station on Jul 2 when they noticed the 51-year-old suspect placing his phone under the skirt of a woman. Ms Tan alerted the victim while Mr Leow tried to detain the suspect.
Four members of the public honoured for catching upskirt video suspects
SINGAPORE: “You’ll never know if the next victim is from your own family." For Mr Song Wei Zong, 35, that was the reason he decided to help two others detain a man who was believed to have taken an upskirt video of a woman. Mr Leow Fa Dong, 25, and Ms Crystal Tan Yi Jing, 20, were on the escalator at Tampines MRT station on Jul 2 when they noticed the 51-year-old suspect placing his phone under the skirt of a woman. Ms Tan alerted the victim while Mr Leow tried to detain the suspect.
OCBC launches online marketplace for mothers and mums-to-be
SINGAPORE: OCBC Bank has launched an online marketplace targetted at mothers of young children and mums-to-be, its first e-commerce venture. The marketplace, mumstruly.com, offers a carefully-curated range of goods and services, ranging from health services to baby and motherhood products as well as wealth and insurance products.
It 'felt like we managed to sell ice to the Eskimos': Singapore sushi chain Maki-San on venturing to Japan
SINGAPORE: “It’s something that we can safely predict won’t be a fad,” Mr Alvin Wong, partner of Singaporean DIY sushi chain Maki-San said on Friday (Jul 13), ahead of the business’ first major step outside Singapore. It's opening its first outlet overseas in Osaka on Saturday, with plans to expand to Tokyo in 2019. With interest from Russia, England, Indonesia, Philippines and more, Maki-San’s decision to venture into Japan – a market saturated with sushi chains – may turn heads.
One-third of Cambridge’s drinking societies commit to creating code of conduct
20 of Cambridge’s drinking societies have committed to creating a code of conduct for their members. The pledges announced today mark the largest public acknowledgement so far from Cambridge’s drinking societies of the heightened scrutiny of their culture this year, though their outcome remains unpredictable. According to Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU), two-thirds of the total number of drinking societies in Cambridge did not commit.
Queens’ withdraws entire endowment from fossil fuels sector
Queens’ College has announced today it will divest the entirety of its £86.2 million endowment from fossil fuels industries – the strongest commitment from a Cambridge college to environmentally ethical investments. Today’s decision marks a direct response to mounting pressure for Cambridge and its colleges to remove their investments from fossil fuels industries.
‘Don’t be scared’ to step up and help, says couple who saved man having cardiac arrest
The couple, who administered CPR and saved a man’s life last week, urged others to have “courage” to take action like they did. SINGAPORE: A "hero". That is what the colleagues of Mr Muhammad Faizal Ibrahim have taken to calling him, after the 26-year-old and his girlfriend revived a man who had collapsed outside Sim Lim Tower on Wednesday (Jun 27). Mr Faizal and Ms Noor Hafawati Othman, 28, were on their way to supper when they saw a man fall to the ground from across the road.
University staff to vote on whether to strike for second time in one year
University staff across the country will vote on whether to return to the picket lines in protest of low pay, one year after a ballot for industrial action provided mandate for the largest higher education strike in recent memory. The announcement follows an initial nationwide ballot by the University and College Union (UCU) to determine if staff might be prepared to take industrial action against pay issues which have recently burst to the fore of discussion within the higher education sector.
Revealed: How Cambridge attempted to rig the system and steer staff strikes
Cambridge attempted to coordinate with Oxford, and considered how to exploit employees’ concerns, in a concerted effort to influence the higher education sector earlier this year. Last term saw an unprecedented revolt against what staff saw as a betrayal by their institutions of their interests. 40,000 university staff across 64 institutions took to picket lines for fourteen days of strike action, demanding the preservation of their pensions.
Deconstructing Cambridge’s billion pound debt
Cambridge’s role in the national pensions dispute, and its refusal to divest, has centred attention on the University’s finances. Yet one of the most radical changes that occurred within the University this year flew mostly under the radar. In April, the University received permission from Regent House to arrange £600m of external borrowing to finance income-generating projects.
Cambridge announces little change to divestment stance
After almost a week’s delay, Cambridge announced today that it will “continue its policy” of keeping indirect investments in tar sands and thermal coal industries “to the bare minimum”, confirming reports on Friday of little development to the University’s previously stated position on divestment from the sector.
CUCA members walk out as speaker dismisses “apparent” unacceptability of sex with minors
Over ten attendees walked out of the Cambridge University Conservative Association (CUCA) Chairman’s dinner last night, following remarks from Breitbart London executive editor James Delingpole, the guest speaker. During what was intended to be a humorous speech about political correctness at the event last night, Delingpole remarked that “apparently” we are in an age where having sex with underage women is unacceptable according to multiple attendees.
Cambridge UCU challenges national leadership’s ‘threat to democracy’
Cambridge University and College Union (UCU) resolved today to call on national leadership to open itself up to scrutiny by its membership, marking its first official stance in the national controversy which has hit the employees’ union in the past two weeks. At an open meeting for UCU members in Mill Lane today, the majority of those present passed two motions challenging UCU national leadership.
Student campaigners speak out, as Council divestment decision sinks in
The movement for divestment is caught in a moment of reckoning. The disappointment and, above all, outrage, brewing in student campaigners reeling from the University’s decision on Friday hangs in the air. Their silence is palpable. Three years of campaigning built up to the moment on Friday when news broke that Cambridge would not remove its investments in fossil fuels.
University makes landmark decision against full divestment
In a rejection of widespread calls for the University to commit to full divestment from the fossil fuel sector, Cambridge instead plans to adopt the controversial recommendations made by its divestment working group. In accepting the report’s recommendations, the University would commit to ‘considered’ divestment – preserving a policy position of avoiding direct investments in fossil fuels industries, and keeping indirect investments to a minimum.
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