Philosopher Boned
Andrew Malcolm, Oxford's philosopher-nemesis, is continuing his stubborn quest to become the next Chancellor of Oxford, despite his nomination being rejected last week,
Malcolm's nomination form lacked the 50 signatures of 'conferred' Oxford graduates - graduates who have attended a graduation ceremony - that were necessary for a valid application; the University claim that ten of his 54 nominations had apparently not been 'conferred' by the closing date for applications.
Malcolm told the OxStu that he sees the University's reasoning as "precisely the sort of fustian nonsense I would want to abolish" if he attained the title.
The University registry had earlier stated that they were unable to reveal whether or not Malcolm's supporters had been conferred until after the deadline for nominations had passed.
Despite this conflict, Malcolm stresses that his candidature is not put forward in "a spirit of mischief or irony" but rather as "a genuine and serious attempt to resolve some of the university's present grave problems."
The University's insistence on 'conferred' voters has not deterred Malcolm; a special ceremony is now being held on 11 March to allow non-conferred degrees to be retrospectively conferred, especially to allow graduates to participate in this election. At least six of Malcolm's 'non-conferred' nominators are to attend the ceremony in an effort to validate his candidacy.
However, University Registrar David Holmes has rejected Malcolm's request for an appeal. Malcolm told the OxStu he thought it was "puzzling and saddening to find this once-great university going to such extraordinary lengths to stifle free academic debate."
Malcolm has thrown a lot of criticism at Oxford over the past few years, following a long legal battle that began when Oxford University Press refused to publish his book 'Making Names'. Following this refusal, he sought and won a court case that prohibited staff of the University commenting on his book. When Dr Alan Ryan, then Warden of New College, criticized the book in a letter to the Times Higher Education Supplement, Malcolm launched, and lost, another case against the University. He was ordered to pay £12,500 costs, which he attempted to raise by setting up the short-lived 'Akme Expressions' store on Broad Street, selling his books and degrees from 'Akme University'.
27th Feb 2003