Latest news with #Unconscious
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cambridge University ‘discriminates' against white job seekers
The University of Cambridge has been accused of discriminating against white job seekers. Guidance issued at the world-leading university advises departments to 'try to ensure' that at least one candidate from 'underrepresented groups' is invited for every interview. The 'diverse recruitment framework' further encourages recruiters to readvertise positions if the longlist of candidates 'is not diverse', is all white or male. The guidance, currently in use at the university, also says interview panels should be 'diverse both in gender and race' and composed of individuals who have taken training courses in equality, diversity, inclusion (EDI) and unconscious bias. Edward Skidelsky, the lecturer in philosophy at the University of Exeter and director of the Committee for Academic Freedom, said the policies were 'tantamount to discrimination against white applicants'. 'This is one of the worst cases we have come across of EDI interference in what should be a purely academic process,' he said. 'Favouritism towards women and non-whites demeans them, and encourages the very prejudices it is intended to overcome.' Documents seen by The Telegraph show the guidance, first issued in 2019, is copied word for word in 'hiring instructions' sent to academics involved in recruitment processes at the university. The framework advises academics that recruitment panels should not be made up entirely of 'white males' or 'people with a particular career track record'. It reads: 'Conduct the shortlisting with more than one person on the panel, ideally forming the panel that is diverse both in gender and race if possible. 'Research shows that when the final applicant pool has only one minority candidate, they are unlikely to be offered the position: try to ensure that more than one candidate from under-represented groups is invited to [the] interview stage. 'If the longlist is not diverse, you do not have to appoint someone immediately, consider readvertising the position to encourage a more diverse shortlist.' Elsewhere, it says all members of recruitment panels 'must have completed the online University modules on E&D [equality and diversity] and Understanding Unconscious Bias'. Those involved in hiring decisions are also told to 'reflect' on the university's EDI commitments, 'their own biases' and the potential for 'implicit bias' before interviews and after selecting a favoured candidate. A source familiar with the workings of Cambridge's EDI committee said members were told 'don't worry about it' when they raised questions about the policies' legality. The source said: 'I joined the committee, wanting to see what was actually going on and maybe prevent things from going off the rails. 'When I got there, I discovered it was already off the rails.' The source added: 'If you criticise it, you're just seen as a bad person.' They went on to claim they had witnessed colleagues from non-underrepresented backgrounds – such as white people and men – being actively discouraged from applying to positions because of their race or sex. A spokesman for Cambridge denied that applicants were told this, saying it was 'not a view held by the university, relevant committees or senior management and is directly prohibited in law and our own policies'. Prof David Abulafia, the professor emeritus of Mediterranean history at the University of Cambridge, said the guidance was 'arrant nonsense'. He said: 'The sheer fanaticism of the bureaucracy at Cambridge and the craven submission of academics to their arrant nonsense spells the end of a once great university.' Prof John Marenbon, the philosopher and fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, added: 'Academic appointments should be made solely on the basis of academic merit. Academics who do otherwise betray their calling.' The university's EDI 'plan for action' includes a target to increase ethnic minority applications to 'academic and research posts to 8 per cent or higher' and 'for professional services roles to 30 per cent'. A spokesman for the University of Cambridge said: 'Every candidate is recruited based on merit. We have no quotas for staff recruitment and strongly refute claims of discriminating against white and male job applicants 'Our 'diverse recruitment framework' is a guidance document aimed at ensuring that all suitably qualified candidates are encouraged to apply for roles at Cambridge – not to dictate the outcome of recruitment. 'Use of this guidance, including training recommendations, is not mandated in our recruitment policy.' Recruitment at Cambridge is devolved to its departments and governed by a university-wide recruitment policy. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
CBC
27-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Reigning champion Ilia Malinin of U.S. leaps to early lead at figure skating worlds in Boston
Social Sharing Reigning world champion Ilia Malinin delivered a season-best short program on Thursday night, giving the young American star a slim lead over Japan's Yuma Kagiyama in what has quickly become a two-man race to this year's title. The 20-year-old Malinin delivered a pair of quads and a brilliant triple axel to score 110.41 points, just over three points off the world record set by Nathan Chen at the 2022 Winter Olympics. It was enough to keep Malinin in first when Kagiyama followed him with a resplendent program that resulted in a score of 107.09 — about a point off his career-best. Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan was a distant third with 94.77 points heading into Saturday night's free skate, which will wrap up the final world championships before the Milano-Cortina Olympics next year. The high-flying Malinin, who has not been beaten since 2023, has become the clear-cut favourite to succeed Chen at the Winter Games. And he certainly doesn't seem to mind the pressure, performing with a sort of swagger that belies his age. As Malinin wrapped his short program, set to "Running" by American rapper NF, the TD Garden crowd stood in ovation. American 'quad god' Ilia Malinin jumps out to big world championship lead in Boston 2 hours ago Duration 6:34 Malinin set a new personal best score of 110.41 points to win the men's short program, at the world figure skating championships in Boston. Canada's Sadovsky just misses season-best score Roman Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., posted an 80.25, just shy of a season-best, to rank 15th after his solid skate to "Unconscious" by Charlie Winston. "Overall, a really positive experience, really good energy here in the crowd — lots of Canadian flags," said Sadovsky, who placed 19th at worlds in Montreal last year. The 25-year-old qualified for Saturday's free skate and secured one men's event entry for Canada at the 2026 Winter Games. He'll need to climb into the top 10 to earn his country a second provisional spot. WATCH | Sadovsky sits 15th after men's short program: Canada's Roman Sadovsky sits in 15th place at the world figure skating championships 3 hours ago Duration 6:02 The world championships continued Thursday night, when the first medals were to be awarded following the pairs free skate. Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan had a nearly two-point lead over Sara Conti and Niccolo Macci of Italy after their short program as they try to win back the world title they held two years ago. Defending champs Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps of Canada have work to do. They earned negative grades of execution for their twist, throw triple loop and spin in their short program, leaving them in seventh with 67.32 points. One of the subplots to the world championships is how many spots each country can secure for the Olympics. The formula is relatively complicated, but for countries such as the U.S. with three competitors at worlds, the top two placements must total 13 or less for that nation to receive the maximum of three spots at the Winter Games. Malinin is certain to give the Americans one good score. The other will depend on the performances in Saturday night's free skate for Andrew Torgashev and Jason Brown, the 30-year-old, two-time Olympian who continues to defy his age. Ilia Malinin overcomes nerves to win men's world championship short program 2 hours ago Duration 1:11 American Ilia Malinin spoke with CBC Sports' Devin Heroux, after setting a new personal best score of 110.41 points to win the men's short program, at the world figure skating championships in Boston. Torgashev spent a while atop the leaderboard Thursday night after a short program that scored 87.27 points and left him in eighth place. Brown wound up 12th with 84.72, a total that would have been better had the perennial fan favourite not overshot his triple axel or double a planned triple toe loop in his combination with a triple lutz. Nevertheless, Brown was all smiles after a solid skate amid a trying season. He's been dealing with boot issues that forced him to withdraw from the U.S. championships in January, and only recently did he finally get his equipment sorted out. "You know what? It felt great," Brown said. "I'm proud of the fight that I gave this season. You know, every single time I got knocked down, my coaches and sports psych and my family would like, rally behind me, like, `No, we're going to keep pushing. We're going to figure it out.' And so out of that, oh my gosh, it's so special." That Figure Skating Show | Previewing the 2025 world championships in Boston: That Figure Skating Show previews Boston 2025 2 days ago Duration 29:52 The 2025 World Figure Skating Championships are in Boston where Amber Glenn and Ilia Malinin get to compete on home soil. Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier look to win elusive world gold and Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps defend their title. Olympic quota spots are on the line for Canadian single skaters and we hear from Devin Heroux, our man on the ground at Worlds.
