ANDREW MALCOLM, THE renegade philosopher who has spent the last 17 years fighting a vicious legal battle with Oxford, has announced his candidacy for University Chancellor. Malcolm describes it as a "genuine and serious attempt to resolve some of the University's grave problems", but it is likely to be met with disparagement by the governing body.
Many of the alleged "grave problems" stem from Malcolm's long-running court cases against Oxford University and the Oxford University Press. These include restoring Oxford's "battered reputation for integrity and academic excellence" and a reduction in "wastage, squandering and unaccountability" that he believes to be characterised by the University's decision to defend his breach-of-contract claims rather than simply pay him damages.
Malcolm claims that he has been backed by "people both within and without the University" but refused to name who these might be. He is yet to collect the required 50 nominations which would allow him to stand, but maintains that he is presently "well on the way".
The court case that has so inflamed Malcolm originated in an agreement with OUP in 1986 to publish his philosophy text Making Names. When they reneged on this agreement he sought and won a court case that also prohibited staff of the University commenting on his book. When Dr. Alan Ryan, then Warden of New College, criticised the book in a letter to the Times Higher Education Supplement, Malcolm launched, and lost, another case against the University. He was ordered to pay £12,500 costs, which he attempted to raise by setting up the short-lived 'Akme Expression' store on Broad Street, selling his books and degrees from 'Akme University'.
John Courouble, a former OU Labour Club Chair who graduated in 2000, has also put himself forward as a candidate.
In the absence of any heavyweight candidates, the loons are making the most of their presence in the Chancellorship race.n And they don't come much loonier than Andrew Malcolm. We're not sure if this is the first time in the history of this fine institution that anyone has run for Chancellor on an 'I hate the University' slate, but it has to be unusual.
But it would be unfair to write Malcolm off straightaway. After all, he has already achieved the previously unthinkable: making John Courouble appear a genuine contender. The Stu never thought that we'd be the ones to say this, but for God's sake lets hope that some serious candidates enter the race soon.
We could have a debate over the respective merits of Clinton, Heseltine, Patten and Williams, but that would be academic. As far as we're concerned, it's GANDALF all the way. Or rather, Ian McKellen, as long as he dresses up as Gandalf on all ceremonial occasions, and shouts "You shall not pass" outside Schools.