Oxford Happenings
Rhodes Scholar Named Oxford's First Dean of Law
Professor Timothy Endicott (Ontario and Corpus Christi 1983), has been appointed as Oxford’s first Dean of the Faculty of Law, effective October 1, 2007. Professor Endicott began teaching at Oxford in 1994, holding positions at Jesus, St. Anne’s, St. Catherine’s and Balliol colleges. He was named Professor of Legal Philosophy in 2006. He came to Oxford from Harvard College and completed a MPhil in Comparative Philology, to return to Oxford three years hence for a DPhil in Legal Philosophy. Oxford’s law program was ranked first in the UK by The Guardian in 2008.
Oxford Museums Get a Boost
The Ashmolean, Pitt Rivers, and Museum of Natural History at Oxford received grants totaling £348,000 from the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)/ Wolfson Foundation Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund. The grants will allow the museums to make much-needed upgrades to several displays, including the Arch of Trajan, a cast of Venus di Milo, and the totem pole at Pitt Rivers.
Magdalen, Teddy Hall Retain Headships
Teddy Hall and Magdalen triumphed in Eights yet again this year, narrowly edging out challenges by Christ Church and Pembroke to keep the headships. Not since 1895 had the Magdalen men captured four straight titles. It was the second consecutive title for the Teddy Hall women. The most spectacular rise came from the Balliol women, climbing seven spots with a rare over bump on St. Hilda’s on the final day of racing. Click here for full results.
First University-wide Reunion Held in Oxford
Mid-September brought a milestone for Oxford University as it hosted the first university-wide alumni weekend. Individual colleges have long held annual meetings for old members, but this was the first time that alumni had opportunity to experience the spanning excellence in research, teaching, arts and athletics found across Oxford’s departments, institutes, and colleges. Participants could dine at the Ashmolean Museum with Vice Chancellor John Hood (New Zealand and Worcester ‘76), debate the ethics of torture with Professor Henry Shue (North Carolina and Merton ’61), take a dip in the Rosenblatt Pool (named after Lief Rosenblatt, Massachusetts and Magdalen ’74), and dozens of other activities. Click here for more information.
Rhodes Trust Trustee receives knighthood
Professor John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine, University of Oxford, and President, Academy of Medical Sciences, received knighthood during December 2007 for services to medicine.
For biographical information, see http://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/about/team/directors.php
Merton Tops Norrington Table Again
Merton College topped the Norrington Table for the sixth straight year. The annual ranking of college performance in undergraduate final examinations dates to the 1960s when Sir Arthur Norrington, head of Trinity College, established the system. Attention to the rankings has grown within the University and amongst the media in recent years, sparking many within the University to question whether the system accurately captures college performance. Click here for full ranking.
A Free Ride in Oxford?
In an effort to reduce congestion and emissions in the city centre, Oxford University will soon make a trial ride on a “pick up and pedal” cycling program. Staff can leave their cars behind and pick up free bikes at depots in Headington and the city centre. The trial run of tour de Oxford is scheduled to start this winter. For people preferring to have someone else do the pedaling, Balliol student Ted Maxwell has imported rickshaws to taxi ball-goers and tourists from spire to spire. No free ride here though – in May 2007 the Oxford City Council denied Mr Maxwell a taxi license.
Green and Templeton Colleges to Merge
In the first such act in modern history, Green and Templeton colleges will merge to create a new college for graduate students. Both colleges are known for their excellence in specialized fields. Green is a center for innovation in the medical and life sciences. Templeton has established itself as a center for management and business studies in the university. The new Green Templeton College, as it will be known, will be home to 480 students and 80 fellows and will keep Green's current grounds at the Radcliffe Observatory location.
