The University of Oxford’s Proctorial Team has criticised the physical decay of buildings, staff pay, and university policy on the use of artificial intelligence in their traditional end-of-term Oration shared in the Oxford University Gazette.

The Oration is given annually by Proctoral team, composed of the Junior Proctor, Senior Proctor and Assessor, as they end their year-long term. The address evaluates the issues affecting the University and the decisions made by its governing bodies. The Senior Proctor pointed to a pattern of “slow decay, masked by the wearisome efforts of those affected to find mitigations and accommodations.” He noted that “when we are finally forced to act, when the mask cannot be maintained, the remedies are costly, and the harms to the University serious, and unavoidable.”

The Oration painted a worrying picture of the University’s buildings, claiming that many have now reached a state of “planned obsolescence”. Discussing the Thom Building on Parks Road, where the Department of Engineering Science is located, the Senior Proctor said: “For many years, the decay within the building has been metaphorically masked, as damp academics did their best to keep things functioning.” Discussing the University’s “digital estate”, the Assessor critiqued Oxford’s “flagship” Digital Transformation Programme, which “has been unable to deliver new software tools as fast as new demand rises”.

They warned that without further “funding for investment”, the University’s estate could restrict Oxford’s ability to remain at the top of global University rankings.  The concern reflected a similar issue identified by the 2023 Proctorial Team, who argued: “We as an institution failed to ‘see’ what was blatantly obvious – that these buildings are simply not fit for purpose.” Oxford Estates Services did not respond to Cherwell’s request for comment.

The Proctoral team also identified concerns about faculty wages and competition. The Associate Professor position was noted as “especially challenging” in terms of pay, workload, and career structure, making the role “a predicament and not a position”. The Senior Proctor warned: “As pay continues to slide, even if we remain competitive nationally, we will cease to be so internationally.”

The team raised further doubts about the University’s attempts to tackle the growing challenge of AI, criticising Oxford’s “startling” decision to roll out access to ChatGPT Edu to all students, the first university in the UK to do so:  “We share the disquiet of many colleagues that the rapid distribution of such licences by the University sent a powerful signal to our students that AI usage was being promoted in problematic ways.” 

The Junior Proctor also criticised the University’s lack of a streamlined administrative response to AI use: “There is too much emphasis on not stifling local initiatives; too little concern to concentrate appropriate coordinated oversight in a single responsible senior committee.” The Proctors claimed to have seen little evidence that the University has got to grips with the threat AI poses to the teaching, assessment, and admissions processes. They describe faculties “scrambling to develop protocols” on AI that “suit their own disciplines”, while simultaneously lacking the money needed to do so. 

The Junior Proctor stated that his experience with the AI governance group (part of the University’s Digital Governance Unit) has “emphatically not reassured me that the University has appropriately got its metaphorical arms around the challenge”. 

In response, a University spokesperson told Cherwell: “As is the case every year, the demitting Proctors’ Oration makes important contributions to many issues which are being actively considered and addressed across the University.”

Clashes broke out between an Oxfordshire Patriots demonstration and a counter-protest from anti-racist groups in central Oxford today, with both sides gathering in Bonn Square outside Westgate.

The Oxfordshire Patriots protest drew about ten attendees, and was outnumbered by a “Migrants Welcome” counter-demonstration of over 50 people organised by Oxford Stand Up To Racism. Counter-protests arrived shortly after the group assembled, growing quickly in number and directing chants of “Oxford is anti-fascist”, “stop deportations”, and “there’s many, many more of us than you”, towards the Oxfordshire Patriots group. Multiple counter-protests referenced Oxford’s long history as an “anti-fascist city”.

The protest went ahead despite Oxford City Council not granting permission for the event. It had been promoted by organisers as a “St George’s Day Celebration”. In a statement to Cherwell, Stand Up To Racism criticised this description of the event. In a post on Facebook, Oxfordshire Patriots organisers also described the event as a “day full of music and English pride” and marketed it as a family event. 

Speaking to Cherwell at the beginning of the protest, the organiser of the Oxfordshire Patriots, Aidan Noble, said he wanted to “stand up to the Council”. He said he “didn’t want to spread hate” and denied being racist, insisting he wanted “to feel pride in my country”. Leaflets handed out by Oxfordshire Patriots describe the group as “protecting British values, history and culture” through “organised peaceful protests and marches”. Another Oxfordshire Patriots protester added that “we’re not racist – they can shout what they like”.

Tensions escalated during the protest with multiple incidents involving physical confrontation and allegations made by both sides.

In one incident, a protester associated with Oxfordshire Patriots fell to the ground after standing up as his mobility scooter was being blocked by a group of counter-protesters. Other participants from the Stand Up To Racism protest appeared to offer to help the individual to their feet. Speaking to Cherwell following the incident, Noble insisted he “wanted a peaceful protest”, but that it had been “disrupted” by the opposing group. 

In another incident, a participant who had joined the Oxfordshire Patriots crowd lunged at a woman taking part in the Stand Up To Racism demonstration – grabbing a St George’s Cross flag with the word “love” written across it. He was pushed to the ground by a member of the counter-protest, and a small fight resulted between the two men. The man who lunged at the woman was then taken aside by the police.

An activist with Stand Up To Racism also accused one of the protestors of threatening to slap her across the face after she offered them a leaflet.

Around ten police officers were at the scene of the protest, and were seen recording events on phones and body cameras. A demonstrator with Oxfordshire Patriots told Cherwell he had faced “threatening intimidation” but claimed the police “are doing nothing” and accused them of “two-tier policing”. 

Later, the police formed a line around the right-wing demonstrators. Stand Up To Racism supporters chanted, “Who protects the fascists? The Police protect the fascists”. 

Speaking to Cherwell, a supporter of Oxford Stand Up To Racism who asked to remain anonymous, said she hoped to “drown out” the demonstrations by Oxfordshire Patriots, and “have some great conversations” to help “people see the connections between Reform, Raise The Colours, Farage and Trump”. She described the rise in support for Reform UK as “very scary” and accused the Labour Government of “throwing people under a bus”. She praised Oxford’s migrant community, who she described as “neighbours and friends”. 

Ian McKendrick, an organiser for Stand Up To Racism, told Cherwell that the aim of the counter-protest was to challenge a “campaign of intimidation” by right-wing groups. Another anonymous supporter of Stand Up To Racism, who played the drum during the protest, told Cherwell: “Oxford relies on immigrants – there’s no two ways about it.” 

The protests come after Oxfordshire County Council issued a legal notice to Raise the Colours after St George’s Cross and Union Jack flags were hung across the county. In a statement, council leader Liz Leffman described the displays as “an act of intimidation and division”. 

Oxfordshire Patriots were contacted for comment. 

Additional reporting by Isaac Gavaghan, Mercedes Haas, Ned Remington, and Hattie Simpson.