The shadowy world of the Proctors and their ‘insular’ courts of justice
for failing to consider the welfare of its rusticated students, especially those who left for health reasons
Wearing a cap and gown, you are led into a small room deep inside the University’s central administration complex. You are told to don your cap and enter another room. Then the interrogation begins. Oxford University’s disciplinary process has come under fire from students who have criticised it for being excessively confrontational and opaque.
Patrick Foster, who was sentenced with rustication last year, said, “The disciplinary panel doesn’t give the impression of being impartial or independent in any way. There is little pretence that the panel are independent arbiters, rather than representing the institution.” Another student who was taken to the Proctors said, “They sit there exchanging notes. As they interview you, the scale of what you have done has become blurred.
?? The Student Disciplinary Panel, made up entirely of internal dons, has the power to rusticate students for whatever length of time it sees fit, expel them permenently or issue them with a fine of unlimited size. Foster said, “There are lots of bizarre little things that detract from any judicial facade - you frequently leave the court leaving the proctors in there with the judges. Who knows what they talk about.
?? Roger Waite, punished by the Proctors last year, said, “It’s all so insular. The proctors act as the prosecution in one court and the judge and jury in another.” This year, Oxford has introduced reforms to introduce greater accountability to the process. But concern has been raised by the existence of a hidden statute which grants Proctors the power to arbitrarily suspend students for six weeks without recourse to a disciplinary panel or legal representation.
Clause 42 of the University’s regulations allows the Proctors to “ban a student from the use of or access to university land, buildings, facilities or services for up to 42 days” just for causing “inconvenience to others”. The restrictions on the powers of individual colleges in dealing with disciplinary matters are looser.
st term, described his disciplinary hearing at Lincoln college as “a kangaroo court”.
18th Oct 2006