Luvvies’ backlash over ‘too few’ black Oxford students

...even though figure reflects the population

LUVVIES have launched a backlash against Oxford University over the number of black students it admits – even though it reflects the general population.

Celebrities and MPs yesterday rounded on the elite establishment, accusing it of ‘institutional bias’ and demanding an official apology.

But the university defended itself, pointing out that the proportion of British black students admitted last year was roughly the same as the proportion from that community achieving top grades.

In addition, almost one in five UK students admitted to Oxford is now from an ethnic minority – mirroring the make-up of the population as a whole.

The row began yesterday when data released by the university showed eight colleges had accepted fewer than three black applicants in the past three years. Labour MP David Lammy accused Oxford of bias against black people on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, claiming it was geared towards ‘privilege’.

He said: ‘The progress is glacial. The truth is that Oxford is still a bastion of white, middle class, southern privilege. Thirty black pupils applied for computing last year. Not one of them gets in. Are we really saying there isn’t a black student in Britain who can apply for computing who is worth a place at Oxford? Surely not.’

He added that it was also unfair a student from the South was more likely to get in than one from the North.

The row then caught traction on Twitter, with ITV presenter Robert Peston writing: ‘This morning I feel embarrassed to have gone to Oxford. The statistics on its institutional bias against black candidates are appalling. Where is the apology?’

BBC Breakfast presenter Steph McGovern added: ‘I did an interview for Oxford. Other candidates with me knew questions we were going to be asked. I was totally out of my depth and felt I didn’t know the right people.’

Author Sathnam Sanghera said: ‘Scratch the polite surface of these English institutions and you’ll see the anger and resentment at having to give up centuries of privilege to the lower classes.’

The figures, released for the first time by Oxford following pressure from Mr Lammy, are broken down by region, social background, school type, gender, ethnicity and disability over five years.

They show the proportion of UK undergraduates from disadvantaged areas rising from 6.8 per cent in 2013 to 10.6 per cent in 2017. Students identifying as black and minority ethnic (BME) also rose in that time, from 13.9 per cent to 17.9 per cent. This is only slightly lower than the proportion of 17 to 24-year- olds from this background in the general population, which is 18.3 per cent.

In 2015, 19.7 per cent of ethnic minority students achieved AAA or higher at A-level – the top grades required by Oxford.

When it came to black students alone, 1.9 per cent of places went to this group, up from 1.1 per cent in 2013. Only 1.8 per cent of the black pupil population as a whole got AAA in 2015.

The population of black youngsters in the UK overall is more than 2 per cent.

It follows repeated criticisms of alleged racism – with some students claiming the small number of black students meant tutors were subconsciously prejudiced.

Universities minister Sam Gyimah, who is black and went to Oxford, said the institution needed to ‘double down’ on its work to engage with potential applicants at an earlier stage. He said: ‘It’s not enough for the universities just to work with those who are applying at the A-level stage, they need to start earlier. It’s about raising aspirations.’

Samina Khan, the director of undergraduate admissions, acknowledged white British students were twice as likely to be admitted as black British students, but said the university was working hard to change.

She said: ‘The reason for that is that you are looking a very different applicant pools.

‘We are not getting the right number of black people with the talent to apply and that is why we are pushing very hard to make sure we make them feel welcome.

‘In terms of black students 1.9 per cent of our undergraduates are from African and Caribbean heritage and when you look at the numbers who get three As from it is 1.8 per cent. So we are representative of the national picture.’

‘Bastion of white privilege’