MacGregor on students
Sir: 'Ian MacGregor's' articles interested me very much, and I find that I agree with most of what he said (18 and 25 October, 1 November). May I make some observations from the other side of the university fence?
I cannot comment on his references to the academic side, for like most students I have no intention of remaining in a university for more than the next few months, but as far as student participation in non-academic matters is con- cerned, over the past year I have been con- verted to the view that there should be as much consultation and direct participation as possible. This conversion from somewhat reactionary ideas has been brought about by one thing— the total absence of violence and demonstration in this university. Although we have a very left wing reputation, and as regards control of the union we deserve it, during all the recent dis- ruption of university life we have had no trouble at all (a few people did sit down in front of Mrs Shirley Williams, but she spoke to them for twenty minutes and received a very good press). True, we have our fair share of ex- tremists, Maoist and otherwise, and we send contingents to the various jamborees in Lon- don, but this is as far as it goes. I attribute this to the readiness of the Vice-Chancellor to listen to the students, and to the setting up of staff/ student committees at departmental level. There are also negotiations in hand for representation on Senate. All this might be interpreted as weakness, but I don't think it is. There has been no trouble because there is nothing more we can reasonably ask for.
One small point. It is by no means true that the student leaders here are particularly dim, and it has always been a source of annoyance to us in the 'opposition' that they should man- age to combine enthusiastic activity in union politics with good degrees. The only explana- tion we can think of is that most of them read the Southampton equivalent of PPE and spend most of their time discussing the same sort of things, in and out of class.
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