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The science of Jack the Ripper pg.16 No.933 Friday 7th March 2025 varsity.co.uk The Independent Student Newspaper since 1947
Sophie Denny Editor-in-Chief The University’s General Board has decided not to pause admissions to its Veterinary Medicine course after students, staff, and trade unions staged a rally outside Senate House to ‘Save the Vet School’ on Tuesday (04/03). The General Board decided to continue admitting vet students for the 2027/28 academic year, despite the course’s accreditation being at risk after it failed to meet 50 out of 77 of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) standards. The decision was reached in a General Board meeting on Wednesday afternoon (05/03). Professor Paul Freeman, Principal Clinical Neurologist at the Department of Veterinary Medicine, told Varsity that “On the face of it that is very good news.” However, he explained that he “would like to see more detail of what the General Board has actually said. What staff at QVSH [The Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital] really need to hear is that the University is willing to support the continued teaching of veterinary students through a high quality research based referral hospital, and that this is a realistic possibility here at Cambridge.” “Without that assurance the uncertainty remains for many staff at the hospital following the interim report to the General Board in November. I am however at least confident we will regain full accreditation from the RCVS in September following this decision given the work being undertaken at the QVSH,” he continued. The RCVS graded the course with “conditional accreditation” in November 2024, with the course running the risk of losing its accreditation entirely unless the Department improves by the RCVS’s next visit in September 2025. As a result, students in the middle of their degrees face the possibility of being transferred to other universities or alternative private clinical providers to see out their clinical studies. Sarah Murphy and Emily Moon, copresidents of the Cambridge University Veterinary Society (CUVS), told Varsity: “We are really pleased about yesterday’s decision not to pause admissions for the veterinary course and hope the Univer-
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Vet School saved?
Uni decides to go ahead with next admissions round sity’s future decisions continue in the same spirit of supporting the Vet School. The only way to go forth is as a united front, not least with the Royal College accreditation visit incoming in September.” They expressed their appreciation for “the ongoing support and dedication of the Vet School staff,” alongside the campaign organisers “whose efforts have been invaluable and are clearly reflected
in the outcome”. They also noted that they “appreciate the support from the BVA [British Veterinary Association] and feel reassured by their recent statement”. A spokesperson for the University said: “We can confirm that admissions to Veterinary Medicine for 2026 entry will proceed as planned. The University Continued on page 3 ▶
Selwyn formal How big is the hit with plant- Cambridge based protest bubble? Students disrupted a formal hall
Varsity investigates how
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Investigation page 9 ▶
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Being a girlboss is overrated pg.12 ● Edward Hopper’s Cambridge pg.20 ● Mad as a hatter pg.24