Report by Will Woodward, Education editor, and Rebecca Allison, The Guardian, 25th March 2002
An angry and embarrassed Oxford University announced the resignation of two of its fellows last night following claims that they were involved in a cash-for-places scandal.
The Reverend John Platt and Mary-Jane Hilton, both fellows at Pembroke College, have left their posts after an undercover investigation by the Sunday Times in which a reporter posed as a wealthy banker trying to secure a place for his son.
Mr Platt, the chaplain of the college, apparently told the reporter that deals had been done in the past and that it was "a distinct possibility" that a £300,000 gift could ensure the son was admitted to read law. The college needed the money because it was "poor as shit".
Last year, Philip Keevil, a banker, withdrew a pledge of £100,000 to Trinity College, Oxford, when his son was refused a place. The Sunday Times reporter first tried Queen's, St Peter's and Mansfield colleges, but they refused.
Pembroke, neighbour to the much grander Christ Church, is relatively poor in Oxford terms but its endowment still earned £662,000 last year. Alumni include Samuel Johnson and Michael Heseltine.
The Sunday Times said that the "banker" told the college's development director, Ms Hilton, head of fundraising, that his son was bright but could not be certain of a place. She passed him on to Mr Platt, former admissions officer and now a student liaison officer. Later the two fellows advised the "banker" to pay the money through a secret trust, the newspaper claimed.
Mr Platt told the banker: "Normally there is a quota for the course which is decided depending on the teaching resources of the college. So let's say there are 10 places, those 10 places go only to the very best students. Additional to that, if we agreed it is for the good of the college... then it may be that we could go over that quota." The newspaper said he made it clear that the son would have to be able to obtain a 2:1.
Mr Platt said: "If you're going to keep it absolutely, totally confidential, the answer is: in the past it has been done. If this story gets out, we'd all be blown away." Later Ms Hilton said there were "strong feelings" in the college against the idea, the newspaper reported.
The college confirmed the resignations in a statement last night. It read: "Both agreed that they were acting without authority in connection with the matters referred to in the Sunday Times and for this reason the resignations which they offered were accepted."
Giles Henderson, the master, said: "The speed and decisiveness with which the college has acted on this serves to underline Pembroke's commitment to the selection of students being made solely on the basis of academic merit and potential. The college will review its procedures for ensuring that all admissions decisions and business are conducted only by those personnel authorised to do so."
Dr Colin Lucas, the vice-chancellor of Oxford, said: "I am appalled by the practices which were reported in the Sunday Times. There must be only one criterion for winning a place at Oxford, and that is individual excellence."
Estelle Morris, the education secretary, said: "Admissions are a matter for the university, but this is unacceptable. It flies in the face of what we are all trying to achieve, which is a higher education system where access is gained through ability and achievement rather than background."
Evan Harris, Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, an Oxford graduate who also knows Mr Platt, said: "As a friend of John Platt, this is personally sad for John, who has devoted a lifetime to student welfare and the college, but, given what has emerged, it seems right that he has resigned."