LETTER : Tutorial system at Oxbridge colleges
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Professor Gabriel A. Dover
Sir: Trivial accusations of ignorance on each side of the Oxbridge-non Oxbridge divide lose sight of the central issue that Oxbridge colleges exclusively receive substantial sums for supposedly special "tutoring". As tutor for biology for 15 years at King's College, Cambridge, I saw a system change from weekly, one-to-one discussions based on thought-provoking topics to tutorial groups of not less than three, held for no more than six weeks a term with topics limited to the contents of the lecture courses. These restrictions were official policy of the College Tutorial Office, not only because of supposed financial limitations but because of the narrow, competitive desire to look good in the colleges' league table of examination success.
By contrast, the last three years at Leicester University has seen a shift from tutorial remedial work to adventurous discussion groups, student debates and journal clubs organised by academics, and enjoyed by supposedly "inferior" first-year students, who receive not one penny for such dedication.
The lie of the Oxbridge "special treatment" is particularly underlined at the graduate level. I supervised many PhD students, on whose behalf colleges received considerable extra annual fees, whereas the departmental laboratories, which are responsible for the greatest proportion of the intellectual and social development of science graduates and their future career prospects, receive nothing beyond a derisory bench fee.
The graduate and undergraduate fees received by Oxbridge colleges, arrogantly justified by them as "special treatment" not meted out elsewhere, are an academic embarrassment for many within the system, and bordering on a public scam for those outside the system .
Yours faithfully,
GABRIEL A. DOVER
Department of Genetics
University of Leicester
Leicester
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments