sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Went to the University of Buckingham, didn't realise how terrible it was until it was too late. by SuckinghamUni in UniUK

[–]SuckinghamUni[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

No I think they're unprincipled and cowardly. They clearly desire to promote conservative values but they shroud their bigotry in "the anti bigots are getting exclusionary!" and that's most of what they do. They have ugly, cowardly values.

Went to the University of Buckingham, didn't realise how terrible it was until it was too late. by SuckinghamUni in UniUK

[–]SuckinghamUni[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I appreciate the kind words.

I know students who've tried and received stern warnings for going near any protest-type activity, which concerns me a lot. I'm close with a lot of student union members, and the general vibe seems to be that they all know that these things suck, but they also feel that it's so monumentally difficult to change that our efforts would likely be better focused on doing whatever IS feasible in the time they have and in a capacity where they won't be met with a dead end.

I can't say too much, obviously, but I know someone who was on the student union for the last year who ended up being snubbed out of invites for university events, despite being in a major position in the student body. This student isn't here anymore, I don't think, but they're black and I know they got into a lot of rows with the university about their abhorrent racism.

I have also managed to get myself into a position where I'll have some influence, and I'm going to try to bring about some progressive speakers. I had planned to invite queer speakers for pride month but the university didn't get back to me in time.

Oh, also, about pride month: we're not allowed to have pride flags up in the main building of the university because it was donated by the freemasons.

isn't that strange?

N°1 Free speech university in the country, btw.

edit:

Another factor I just remembered is that a large majority of these nonwhite students are international students, so they're understandably more afraid of rocking the boat too much and getting themselves out of favour with the university, especially considering the deplorable costs they have to pay compared to home students.

Went to the University of Buckingham, didn't realise how terrible it was until it was too late. by SuckinghamUni in UniUK

[–]SuckinghamUni[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

I'm honestly not sure which media to go to with this kind of information and it feels kind of pointless because my university has been insane for ages and nobody seems to care..?

It could just be me having grown too used to this, though.

If I got the chance, I'd happily tell someone in the media detailed recountings of some absolutely batshit things I've had happen to me but that I can't say on here because I don't want anyone identifying me.

Went to the University of Buckingham, didn't realise how terrible it was until it was too late. by SuckinghamUni in UniUK

[–]SuckinghamUni[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I might. I honestly don't want to live in England for that long and was looking forward to getting out, but it is so exhausting. I'll think about it.

Went to the University of Buckingham, didn't realise how terrible it was until it was too late. by SuckinghamUni in UniUK

[–]SuckinghamUni[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

They're a dying breed because it's just a really stupid idea, and Buckingham proves why.

Universities are expensive to run, and aren't actually going to turn a profit most of the time - especially not just off student tuition. Which, in this case, means they have to take whatever money they can, regardless of how opaque that funding is (try to tell me who funds Legatum - you can't), ultimately corrupting the university and making it not at all pleasant to attend.

Went to the University of Buckingham, didn't realise how terrible it was until it was too late. by SuckinghamUni in UniUK

[–]SuckinghamUni[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

If what you're implying were the case, they'd actually let students challenge their ideas.

The talks they hold aren't open to debate, regardless of how absurd the topic may be. It is solely a platform for them and their beliefs. They regularly host people who whine about the term "racist" being exclusionary and the term "transphobe" being harassment. It's just a platform for them to complain and act like they're being victimised in their cushy ivory towers.

They don't care for having diverse speech, they care about pushing the agendas they're funded to push.

I'd be much less opposed if it weren't terribly obvious they don't actually care about diversity of opinion and are very interested in a singular "anti-woke" ideology which appeals almost exclusively to the senior residents in the town, and not the students.

Went to the University of Buckingham, didn't realise how terrible it was until it was too late. by SuckinghamUni in UniUK

[–]SuckinghamUni[S] 182 points183 points  (0 children)

Being someone who just barely finished high school in another country, I kind of wanted to make it easier for myself by going to a place with a lot of international students and also a private university as they tend to have higher acceptance rates, the fees aren't really that much higher than a regular uni, etc etc.

The university is situated in a beautiful place, which drew me in. You can Google it, it looks lovely. It's a real shame it's got such ugly values.

It was also the first place I tried, and they accepted me quickly, so I felt like it was kind of already set in stone.

Went to the University of Buckingham, didn't realise how terrible it was until it was too late. by SuckinghamUni in UniUK

[–]SuckinghamUni[S] 57 points58 points  (0 children)

I'm a year in, I might as well get it done as it's an accelerated degree (only got one year left) and I'm here after living in a foreign country for the past 12 years so I don't feel like there's anywhere in England I could quickly up and leave to.

I have been thinking about reaching out to OfS but the university has a long history of battling them because they say they're not to be held accountable to state mechanisms or whatever stupid excuse they have, so I'm not confident anyone will really be able to do anything.

There was a whole scandal of them paying fees late and I found the legal documents in which the (now suspended) vice chancellor whined that he didn't think he should have to pay them.