Oxford professor criticises students for ‘whingeing’ about financial hardship
Marianne Talbot
An Oxford professor has come under fire from the Student Union after accusing students of “whingeing about tuition fees”. In a column published in The Daily Telegraph on 9th November, Marianne Talbot, a philosophy tutor at Brasenose College, called on students to “get over” the financial implications of a degree. OUSU representatives have criticised her strongly for the comments, calling them “damaging” and “outrageous”.
Talbot told The Oxford Student, “Students have convinced themselves that they shouldn’t have to be capable of budgeting, because it is wrong that they should have to pay for their education. “I think that this has given students almost an incentive to run up debt so that they can show how hard done by they are.
“ She went on to say that it is inexcusable for students both to complain about their financial situation and want parttime work that may detract from their academic work: “I think people are crazy if they fail to take advantage of their full-time course.
“Why should the country continue to find the money to pay the total bill for fit, intelligent young people to spend three years improving their future prospects?” Student Union VP (Welfare) Aidan Randle-Conde said that he was “outraged” by the comments. “This is completely shocking, it’s so hypocritical.
How can the university claim it tries to support students and then not see it through? “The university authorities failed to make students properly aware of the support available at the beginning of the year. If students had actually known the help they could receive then they wouldn’t have to complain to their tutors at all. “It’s completely irresponsible of her, it could really damage her relationship with students.
For her to say something so flippant is shocking, polite words can’t express my annoyance.” Talbot, however, was unrepentant, and said: “When I was an undergraduate I lived in a tiny bedsit, with a three bar fire, one bar of which I turned on every hour for five minutes. If I worked at home I had to wear fingerless gloves because my hands were too cold to write. “I lived on soup made from lentils and onions and water and I walked or cycled everywhere.
I wasn’t in university accommodation so had to pay my rent the whole year round “I do not tell you this to beg for your sympathy but in order to suggest that I do know something of the ‘realities’ of student living.” Charlynne Pullen, Student Union VP (Access and Academic affairs) said, “I don’t think it’s entirely fair. Finance is incredibly important and shouldn’t be marginalised as an issue.
“Costs are a central issue for students applying to university - money might put off students from applying. Oxford does not allow parttime jobs, on the basis that the terms are too short, and it has got harder to bear the cost of university.”
17th Nov 2005