Oxford students DON’T back plan to raise tuition fees
HE, In The News, Media Watch, Tuition Fees Monday, November 15th, 2010
The story of Oxford University’s supposed support for tuition fees is again indicative of the terrible state of UK education journalism.
First things first, this wasn’t an Oxford Uni vote as the headline makes out. This was a Christ Church College vote. One of 38 colleges at Oxford University.
Secondly, out of a student body of 675 (450 undergrads), only 35 students bothered to participate in the vote. The vote took place at a junior common room meeting. The other 415 were doing something else. Of the 35 who voted, 21 students were in favour, 14 were against. Hardly worthy of a national newspaper article.
This is then not a newspaper story. This is a story for the Oxford Student Union rag. The Independent is really scraping the barrel if it is now reporting on what goes on in college common rooms.
