Support for ‘snowflakes’ told to get tough by Oxford head

OXFORD University students have been offered emotional “support” after their vice-chancellor said it was not her job to shield them from controversial views.

Professor Louise Richardson provoked a backlash when she said students who were upset with their tutors for expressing views against homosexuality should “challenge” them, rather than report their tutors to university authorities.

Her comments are likely to be seen as a veiled attack on today’s generation of “snowflake” students who are seen as over-sensitive and quick to take offence.

Prof Richardson said she had had “many conversations” with students who were unhappy that their tutors had expressed views that were “against homosexuality”.

“They don’t feel comfortable being in class with someone with those views,” she told the Times Higher Education World Academic Summit earlier this week.

“And I say: ‘I’m sorry, but my job isn’t to make you feel comfortable’. Education is not about being comfortable. If you don’t like his views, you challenge them, engage with them, and figure [out] how a smart person can have views like that.

“Work out how you can persuade him to change his mind. It is difficult, but it is absolutely what we have to do.”

Oxford University’s student union yesterday urged anyone affected by the comments to discuss their concerns with welfare and equal opportunities officer or the peer support team.

The university’s gay rights campaigners said they were “angered and dismayed” by the comments, which “appear to indicate support for tutors expressing homophobic views to their students”.

Hundreds of Oxford students, academics, staff and alumni signed an open letter saying they “strongly condemn” Prof Richardson’s comments. They called on her to apologise.

An Oxford University spokesperson said that Prof Richardon’s words had been “misconstrued”.

“Oxford is unambiguously opposed to discrimination. We have a moral and legal duty to counter views that are objectionable or illegal, and a proud track record of action in this area,” the spokesperson said.

♦ Oxford has retained its position as the top university in the world, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, published yesterday.