In defence of university

Sir, - Councillor Linda Holt’s claim that St Andrews University and its students have engaged in the “social cleansing” of St Andrews has caused palpable anger amongst our students and staff.

Social cleansing is defined as “class-based killing that consists of elimination of members of society considered “undesirable,” including but not limited to the homeless, criminals, street children, the elderly, sex workers and sexual minorities.”

Councillor Holt should of course unreservedly withdraw her deeply offensive and inappropriate remark, but there is as yet no sign of the Tory councillor doing so.

Regrettably it was one of a number of serious howlers she made in her statement to north-east Fife area planning committee during the HMO debate last week.

In these columns, others have already capably addressed her erroneous claims about the anti-social behaviour of students.

Her further claim that St Andrews University has “the lowest proportion of students from poor backgrounds” is also false.

By the Scottish Government’s own measures, St Andrews admits a greater proportion of students from deprived areas than a number of other leading universities. 49% of our current first year class of Scottish students came from a deprived area, a low progression school, had a background in care or were in receipt of free school meals. Niall Scott. Director of Communications, St Andrews University.