@TheOxStu
Trinity Term, Week 3 | Friday 10 May 2024
OXFORD STUDENT The
The University of Oxford’s Student Newspaper, est. 1991
Insomnia. Learn all about Oxford by night
The students on the frontlines of US campus protests
Adam Ali-Hassan looks at the problems with Classics Read more on page 9
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SU appoints director for transformation plan Valida Pau
E The encampment at the Pitt Rivers Museum. Credit: Cameron Samuel Keys
milie Tapping, the former CEO at Oxford Brookes Union, will serve as Change Director as the Oxford University Students’ Union as it undergoes a transformation over the next 12 months. Tapping has previously worked in senior capacities with student unions across different universities. She was the CEO at Oxford Brookes Union. Before Brookes, she worked in the University of the Arts London SU and London School of Economics SU. Professor Martin Williams,
Oxford’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), Dr Jane Hoverd, Academic Registrar Dr Saira Shaikh, SU President Danial Hussain, Oluweseun Sowunmi, and External Trustees Ben Ward and Fay Shorter will serve on the Transformation Committee.
The past year, the SU has been hit by numerous scandals, including President Danial Hussain’s porn scandal, the chair of Student Council resigning in protest because of what he called the SU’s “disregard for democratic principles” and the SU blocking a motion of no... Continued on page 3
Oxford pro-Palestinian encampments call Why the local for Israel divestment elections matter Features
OxStu News Team
U
niversity of Oxford students have set up encampments outside the Pitt Rivers Museum in solidarity with Palestine.
occupation”, overhauling its investment policy, and stopping banking with Barclays. It also demands the University to “boycott Israeli genocide apartheid and occupation” and “support Palestinian-led rebuilding of education in Gaza.”
Demonstrators, under the name of Oxford Action for Palestine (OA4P), occupied the lawns of the Pitt Rivers Muse- The atrocities in um. They began their occupation at around 4am on 6 May. Gaza in recent The group released a state- months cannot ment on Instagram calling on members of the University to be viewed in join the encampment, and for isolation Oxford to “sever its institutional relationships that facilitate — An encampment spokesperson the genocide and occupation A number of faculty members of the Palestinian people.” issued a statement of support The group urges the Uni- of the encampment, including versity to divest from Israel, historian Avi Shlaim, philosincluding disclosing all fi- opher Amia Srinivasan, and nances, divesting from “Is- Middle Eastern studies profesraeli–genocide apartheid and sor Walter Armbrust.
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One signatory, Dr Katherine Lebow (Associate Professor of Modern History), commented to The Oxford Student: “This is such a complex issue that it’s hard to provide a quick soundbite. In some ways I see the horrifying war on Gaza as the final battle of World War II – one in which, tragically, Palestinians are paying the price for Europe’s long history of genocidal antisemitism. But this issue is also very personal for me, since Israel’s actions profoundly conflict with my own sense of Jewish identity and ethics.” This encampment follows a nationwide movement in the US of pro-Palestine protests and sit-ins in colleges that have seen thousands of college students arrested for holding out in encampments. Such protests have inspired similar movements in... Continued on page 4
Amelia Gibbins eading to the polls last Thursday, I bumped into colleagues who, when I asked if they would be voting, dismissed the idea completely. Confused about their indifference, I questioned their apathy, to which they responded that they will vote in the important elections, but certainly not now. Their disregard for local elections made me realise that young people are com-
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Illustration by Rhea Brar
pletely disillusioned with politics. With this being the first opportunity that many have had to vote (myself included), it seems sensible to explain why these elections were, in fact, important, and what their impact may potentially be. Last week, voters across England and Wales cast ballots for mayors, councillors, and police and crime commissioners. Though these elections are highly localised and tend to...
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