- The University of Edinburgh has been warned to 鈥渢hink carefully鈥 about its relationship with a 鈥渟hadowy鈥 social club, the Edinburgh News reported on 4 September. Edinburgh is already under fire after it emerged that the Speculative Society 鈥 an exclusive men-only debating and discussion group dating back to the 18th century 鈥 paid the university no rates for its premises at its Old College buildings. But the university鈥檚 decision to leave the Spec鈥檚 rooms untouched during a 拢35 million revamp of the building has left some critics puzzled. Marco Biagi, a Scottish National Party MSP, said that the decision 鈥渟how[s] the influence and exceptionalism鈥 of the invitation-only society.
- Renowned polymath Steven Pinker has hit out at the Ivy League鈥檚 鈥渁nti-intellectualism鈥, claiming that students at top US universities routinely neglect their studies to concentrate on extracurricular activities. In an article for New Republic on 4 September, the Johnstone Family professor of psychology at Harvard University says that most undergraduates waste the academic opportunities available to them because they are 鈥渃razy-busy鈥 with sporting, social and other recreation activities. 鈥淢any students have told me that the camaraderie, teamwork, and sense of accomplishment made these activities their most important experiences at Harvard,鈥 he adds, but wonders why they could not have had the same experiences elsewhere, freeing places for those wanting to take better advantage of the 鈥渓ibraries, labs, and lectures鈥. Institutions collude in this by picking 鈥渨ell-rounded鈥 students rather than the smartest, he adds. 鈥淲hy should an ability to play the bassoon or chuck a lacrosse ball be given any weight in the selection process?鈥 he asks.
- Scientists claim to have conducted the world鈥檚 first successful telepathy experiment by sending a 鈥渕ental message鈥 from one person to another 4,000 miles away, The Daily Mail reported on 6 September. In the study, experts from Harvard University connected a person in Mumbai to a wireless headset linked to the internet and fitted another person in Paris with a similar device, the paper said. When the first person thought of the word 鈥ciao鈥, the recipient in France perceived it at the same time in the form of flashing lights. The experiment represented the 鈥渢echnological realisation of the dream of telepathy鈥, and more tests might establish if 鈥渂rain-to-brain communication鈥 is indeed possible, the research team said. The team will probably not need telepathic powers, however, to divine what many of their unconvinced scientist peers are likely to think of their work.
- It鈥檚 not all gloom and doom regarding university pensions this year, despite the axe set to fall on academics鈥 much-valued final salary deals, the Financial Times reported on 7 September. According to the FT, the top earner at the Universities Superannuation Scheme, believed to be chief investment officer Roger Gray, enjoyed a sharp increase in his pay in 2014, which rose to 拢900,000. The payment, part of which is deferred, is linked to 鈥渟ustained performance鈥 after the USS beat its benchmark by 1.4 per cent over the past financial year and by 0.5 per cent over the past five years, the USS said. With potentially drastic cuts to pensions set to be unveiled shortly by employers, the University and College Union鈥檚 head of bargaining, Michael MacNeil, questioned the largesse shown to the USS head. 鈥淭his does beg the question why those at the very top see it fit and appropriate to draw such enormous pay rises,鈥 he said.
- A university lecturer has been crowned Miss Pole Dance UK, the Daily Mirror reported on 7 September. Amy Cowles, a teaching fellow in forensic science at Keele University, was named the country鈥檚 best semi-pro dancer thanks to a five-minute routine based on Madonna鈥檚 Material Girl, the paper reported 鈥 alongside several pictures that were deemed necessary to illustrate her incredible flexibility. The 30-year-old academic, who also runs 拢20-an-hour pole dancing classes, said that people had mostly been supportive when they heard about her extracurricular activity. 鈥淭here were a few people who said 鈥榦h, I didn鈥檛 know you did that鈥, but mainly it was 鈥榞ood for you, doing something you like鈥,鈥 she said.
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