University attacked in national newspapers
The University of York has been criticised recently in two letters to the national press. One letter, published in the Guardian, described York as “the graveyard of ambition.” The other, which appeared in the Daily Telegraph, called tutor contact time “pitiful” and named finance as a central problem.
James Harrison, the sender of the latter letter, wrote, “It is not uncommon for undergrads to pass through an entire term without receiving any comment on written work whatsoever.” He also expressed concerns over Heslington East, calling into question the likelihood that a 50% increase in students, as is projected, will be met by proportional lecturer increases.
