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Peter Murry-Rust on Liberating Facts from the Scientific Literature
Peter Murry-Rust spoke at mySociety‘s meet-up in Cambridge on the 4th of November 2014 about the project he leads, The Content Mine, which aspires to liberate facts from scientific literature. I have produced a video and transcript of the speech: mySociety is one of the most wonderful things to have come out of the bottom-up […]
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Make Minimum Wage a Living Wage Says Cambridge University Vice Chancellor
The head of Cambridge University, Vice Chancellor Leszek Borysiewicz has called on the Government to make the minimum wage, a living wage. Borysiewicz, speaking at a Cambridge University Students’ Union Q&A event on the 28th of April 2014 also urged elected representatives to speak out and share their views on the subject. Borysiewicz explained that […]
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Cambridge Colleges Seek FOI Exemption
Earlier this week Cambridge First asked me if I would comment on lobbying by the colleges of the University of Cambridge who are asking the government to exempt them from the Freedom of Information Act. I said: Cambridge University is defined as public body subject to the Freedom of Information Act, I think that is […]
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Why I Support the Degrading is Degrading Campaign
On the 4th of November 2011 Cambridge student newspaper Varsity reported the launch of a “Degrading is Degrading” campaign. Having read the article I responded immediately by Twitter to express my support. While I had no particular knowledge or experience of the process of “degrading”, the Cambridge terminology for being allowed to take a year […]
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Cambridge Backs Committee
There is a proposal to reduce the yew trees to the right of the Garret Hostel Lane path to 4m high this winter. Last week, in response to a Freedom of Information request to Clare College, the papers for meetings of the Cambridge Backs Committee since 2007 were released. Background to the Backs Committee The […]
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Universities Minister David Willetts on Tuition Fees and Science
David Willetts MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science, Speaking in Cambridge on the 3rd of March 2011. On the evening of the 3rd of March 2011 I went to listen to Universities and Science Minister David Willetts speaking at the University of Cambridge. As the minister sought to defend his Government’s policy of […]
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Regulation of Cambridge University College Accommodation
Murray Edwards College Cambridge – Undergraduate Licence Agreement. The thirty-six colleges of Cambridge University have all, en-masse, decided to withdraw from the Universities UK (UUK) accommodation code of practice. By walking away from this code they have forfeited their exemption from having their accommodation licensed and regulated by Cambridge City Council. According to the UUK’s […]
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The West Cambridge Sports Centre – A Key Issue for Student Voters in City Council Elections
Artist’s impression of how the west Cambridge sports centre could look. On the 25th of March 2010 Cambridge City Council’s Community Services Scrutiny Committee discussed “Open Space and Recreation Projects” which could be funded by contributions made by developers in lieu of providing sufficient facilities when building in the city. During this discussion Labour opposition […]
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Tuition Fees – General Election Spring 2010 – Cambridge
Tuition fees were thought to be a key factor during the last general election in Cambridge. The next parliament may well take key decisions on the subject so I think it is an area where it is important the candidate’s views are clear. I am publishing videos outlining my own views, as well as the […]
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Cambridge Colleges Open for Bed and Breakfast
It used to be only conference attendees and guests of college members who could stay in Cambridge’s colleges when visiting the city; the ability to book guest rooms was a significant perk of being a Cambridge academic. A new service, co-ordinated by “Conference Cambridge”, has been launched offering college rooms to the general public for […]