* * On Tuesday at Oxford the Principal of Hertford
proposed that in future the ratio of women to men in the University should be fixed at a maximum of one to four, and that no new women's society should be founded if such foundation would upset this ratio. The proposal was carried by 229 votes to 161. The Principal of Hertford cannot be accused of being illiberally disposed, as it was he who moved recently that the University Professorships should be thrown open to women. He and those who agreed with him felt that as the University was founded for men, and by common consent ought to remain a University pre- dominantly for men, it was advisable that some ratio should' be settled by statute before any problem created by a further influx of women could become embarrassing. It is to be noted that the present proportion of women is only one to five. It is also argued that women's colleges should not be allowed to expand indefinitely, because they do not contribute to the upkeep of the University, and that a considerable increase of the academic population of Oxford would entirely change the character of the University. Already it is a com- plaint that there is not room for all the men who wish to go to Oxford.
Previous page
