Something of a backlash to that Helen Joyce Cambridge affair:
Cambridge University alumni are pulling funding from their college in an intensifying row over the master announcing she was boycotting a “hateful” gender-critical speaker.
Helen Joyce, an author and former Economist journalist, was invited to Gonville and Caius College last Tuesday by Prof Arif Ahmed, a fellow, for a debate on gender ideology.
But in an “astonishing” intervention before she spoke, its master, Prof Pippa Rogerson – the most senior post – joined Dr Andrew Spencer, the college’s senior tutor, in telling all of the students that Ms Joyce’s views were “polemics”.
The head of Cambridge’s sociology faculty also apologised to students for the “distress caused” by sending them an email invitation to the talk.
Ms Joyce believes that men and women are being redefined by trans activists, with laws and policies “reshaped to privilege self-identified gender identity over biological sex”.
Around a hundred protesters, some masked, gathered outside the talk chanting “trans rights are human rights” and banged drums. Witnesses claimed a fire door was hit and microphones had to be turned to full volume because Ms Joyce was inaudible.
Now, many alumni have written to the college, Cambridge’s fourth oldest, with major donors telling The Telegraph they are withdrawing their funds and bequests unless a retraction is issued.
The Free Speech Union (FSU) has also written to Cambridge’s vice-chancellor asking him to confirm that future speakers will not be "denounced and defamed by senior leaders”, while a new group called Alumni For Free Speech has alleged breaches of equality legislation....
One of the flurry of alumni to send protest letters since is Nick Sallnow-Smith, 72, who graduated from Gonville and Caius in 1973 and now convenes its Hong Kong chapter.
“I have been extremely upset by the way in which the master and senior tutor have behaved… it’s absolutely disgraceful,” he told The Telegraph.
“I certainly won’t donate anymore – with people like that in charge I will never donate again,” Mr Sallnow-Smith added.
“Saying sorry on Friday and expecting money on Monday is not going to work because it’s clear from their attitude of mind that they do not support the idea of an academic college that I was part of which is free speech, free enquiry, allowing people to present their viewpoint without vilification.
“We don’t have that anymore, they’re now vilified before they even attend.”
Another alumnus, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I am embarrassed, I am appalled and I am absolutely disgusted with the stance taken by Professor Rogerson, the master of the college and the senior tutor.
“I think it is an appalling way to treat a woman who has gone out of her way to express her point of view and if we do not respect free speech in our universities, then the whole purpose of a university is gone.”
The alumnus added: “Certainly I would not wish to put the college in my will, the way things are at the moment. If Professor Rogerson does not issue a retraction or come to some sort of more reasonable statement, [I will] withdraw any financial support – I do contribute regularly – I would not wish to continue that.”
Numerous others have told the college and this newspaper they are withdrawing bequests. Another has told the college she is now “discouraging” her son from applying to Cambridge.
Hit 'em where it hurts - the cash flow.
More from the Times today:
Students at the University of Cambridge will be given free-speech training in an effort to tackle so-called “cancel culture” against guest speakers.
The sessions by two academics will aim to teach undergraduates to tolerate views that they disagree with and could be rolled out to more universities if successful.
The move comes after warnings from the university watchdog that free speech could be stifled on campuses after record numbers of events were cancelled last year.
Many events have been cancelled after pressure from students or societies who claim that the views of some speakers are offensive.
Cambridge alumni threatened to pull funding from Gonville and Caius College after its master boycotted a gender-critical speaker last week. Helen Joyce, an author and former Economist journalist, was invited to the college by one of its fellows for a debate on gender ideology.
However, before she spoke, Professor Pippa Rogerson, the college’s master, joined Dr Andrew Spencer, the senior tutor, in telling students that Joyce’s views were “polemics”.The head of Cambridge’s sociology faculty also apologised to students for the “distress caused” after sending an email out inviting them to the talk.
About 100 protesters gathered outside the talk, where they banged on drums and chanted “trans rights are human rights”.
Susan Lapworth, the chief executive of the Office for Students, has said she is concerned that “lawful views are being stifled” and that views “some may find offensive or controversial must be open to free debate” on campuses and across research communities.
The new training scheme is being led by Arif Ahmed, an outspoken Cambridge philosophy professor, who will host a two-part series of free-speech training sessions at Gonville and Caius College next month.
He said it did not matter what degree students were studying but that a key part of university was learning to respect other views.
“Whatever subject you are studying, it is an essential part of university education that you understand the need for tolerance of a wide range of views, even ones that you find shocking or offensive,” he told The Sunday Telegraph. “That’s why an education in the basic principles of free speech could be useful for all students.”
He said the training sessions were for students but he would consider opening them up to fellow academics and suggested that some employed by universities refused to tolerate views they disagreed with.
He added: “As we have seen recently there are also many academics who don’t understand the importance of tolerating views that they find offensive. It may be that similar training is necessary for academics — as much as it horrifies me to say that.”
Still no word from Pippa and Andrew.