Paxo wants fees stuffed
Anti-fees campaigners found out during collecting signatures for their petition on Monday that it is not just their fellow students who support their stance on education funding. It seems Oxford's famous faces have a touch of the radical in them too.
Collecting signatures for a Grants Not Fees petition earlier this week, Philip Thompson, co-chair of OUSU's Finance and Funding Campaign spotted world-famous poet and BBC2 cultural commentator, Tom Paulin, on his way back to Hertford College, where he teaches. Once collared, English tutor Paulin, who regularly sits on the Newsnight Review panel alongside Germaine Greer, turned out to be an eager and supportive signatory. He commended the campaigners for their efforts, saying they were "doing God's work".
This encounter seemed like more celebrity endorsement than any student campaign could ordinarily hope for. But as the activists packed up for the day, Sean Sullivan, OUSU Executive member, caught sight of an Honorary Fellow of Teddy Hall, Jeremy Paxman. Rather better known for his abrasive style of interviewing on BBC2's Newsnight. Paxman also visited last year's grants not fees occupation of Oxenford House to express his support for the occupiers.
Once he overcame the surprise at being accosted, Paxman seemed to have no difficulty agreeing with the principle of free education, but was rather surprised to be penning his name directly below that of studio-buddy Paulin.
OUSU's Finance and Funding Campaign now has two very public faces of the BBC and Oxford University behind their call for tuition fees to be scrapped and top-up fees to be ruled out for good. Paxman and Paulin, by signing up to the petition, also expressed their opposition to the University's harsh treatment of non-payers.
Philip Thompson said: "As the number of signatories gets ever nearer to the 1000 mark and the widespread support for 'Grants Not Fees' becomes evident, we are aiming to put pressure on local parliamentary candidates to be clear about their views on higher education funding."
24th May 2001