Exeter university

[Arofan]

Anyone with dc there? What’s the real deal with Exeter uni? I’ve heard lots of negatives about it in terms of ethnic diversity and how it can be very lonely. But it ticks all the boxes for the course DD wants to study including environment etc. Our dentist who is black also shared that his DD was there and loves it. We don’t want to miss out on a good university so pls let me hear about your dcs experiences.

Echo Completely agree. Thanks so much for the link which looks very interesting, will have a look at it, and thanks for the warning i.e 88pages

Hang on a mo. I found this. Page 29 . Need better specs.

"UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
In May 2018, Professor Janice Kay, Provost and Senior Deputy
Vice-Chancellor at the University of Exeter, launched the Provost Commission
to recommend and implement new approaches, events, initiatives and policies
to ensure all of its campuses are welcoming, open and diverse places for students, staff and visitors.
The Provost Commission comprises academic and professional services staff, students and members of both students’ unions, the Exeter Students’ Guild and the Falmouth and Exeter Union (FXU) based in Penryn, as well as the Athletics Union. The commission is exploring new ways to promote equality, diversity and inclusivity through five themes of activity (student awareness,
training and support, staff awareness, inclusive teaching and learning, an inclusive culture; and environment and data mapping). "

Just a lot of nice words, but interesting and impressed if they've actually done something to make a difference.

Yes I saw that. Sounds like a hell of a lot that has probably ended up in 100 page document, and filed away..somewhere..

That's what worries me too. Could be behind the radiator somewhere. Great that you are looking out for your DD though! It really makes a difference having a good parent behind you. Not that they always tell you that you're appreciated.!

The progression stats will come from the DLHE/Graduate Outcomes survey which all graduating students are asked to complete a certain number of months after finishing their degree - I'd be wary though as the response rate can be pretty variable and as a pp has said BAME is a big category. For the same reason I'd look carefully at those satisfaction stats, as it's quite possible that a 2 percentage point increase in satisfaction is only a handful of students.

You could look on the Office for Students website, they have some analysis on the grade awarding gap that will tell you about whether there's a big gap in degree outcomes for Exeter students based on ethnicity. But at the end of the day a lot of it will come down to the atmosphere and environment, which is really hard to gauge remotely. I agree with pp that the student societies are a great place to start. If it's relevant you could also take a look at the module choices or even reading lists for DD's preferred course and see whether lecturers are making a conscious effort to engage with ideas of a decolonised/inclusive curriculum - may be hard to tell on some programmes!

As someone said earlier, there are better universities than Exeter out there, but I would encourage my DC to choose a university based on the course. Over at The Student Room there are a few Black and Asian students who are worried about going to university outside of London because their parent's views. Racism doesn't end in London, far from it.

I agree that the term BAME is too vague, but equally, your DD could become great friends with an overseas Chinese student. One of my DC has become best friends with a DC from Hong Kong and another from Japan. It has enriched all of their lives.

Exeter Uni has had negative press about ethnic diversity which I would hope that they are aware of and dealing with. Devon is a predominately white area and that won't change unless BAME people move to the area. Visit and judge for yourself.

Exeter is on our radar precisely because it ranks highly for DD’s course, it hasn’t been picked randomly. Our concern is not whether she will make friends from China (she has friends from China, Hongkong, Russia etc) but rather the reception she will receive as a black student is the environment hostile? Ifyswim. There have been incidents at this particular university (and York) and we’re trying to gauge whether the climate has changed. Ultimately, if nothing has changed (I’m not getting the feeling it has so far), we will give it a miss but it will be a great shame as the two universities very closely match what she is looking for on all fronts except diversity. The more diverse universities unfortunately do not rank as high as these two for her subject.

@Pellewsmate Highly unlikely she would go Penryn and yes, of course she will be visiting all of them, it’s just nice to ask on MN in the meantime to see if anyone knows something.

@Arofan
I know York well, one of my DC studied there, never had any problems
( that I know of) but there were only two black students in the year on the course. That was ten years ago now, so purely anecdotal. He's still in touch with a lot of friends from there, and they meet up a couple of times a year (Covid put a stop to the latest). I

Exeter as a Uni. I don't know at all, although I'm developing a vicarious interest in it now. Your DD might find the course spot on but there is the wider social life to think through. That black face festival has always given me the heeby jeebies and the publicity that goes on around it even though it's staunchly defended as "not racist".

I don't know if you have seen this? Even I was a bit taken aback.

thetab.com/uk/exeter/2020/06/29/if-youre-not-white-you-shouldnt-be-in-exeter-the-racism-faced-by-non-white-students-in-exeter-47898

@EchoCardioGran What’s more worrying is also how recent it is. Doesn’t sound like their great spill above is working .

I have no advice on universities, but I find it so incredibly shocking in this day and age that questions like these are still being asked. Everywhere should be culturally diverse and people should feel absolutely comfortable wherever they go, and I'm sorry that your daughter might not go where she initially wanted to because of her race, as it should not be that way.

Arofan , you are absolutely right to do your own due diligence, but sadly even the most diverse place can be hostile. The testimonies from students at University Arts London, in particular at Central Saint Martins are appalling. It appears to be institutional, and there is a lot of faux surprise at the racism that is coming to light.

I live nearby, I see lots of middle eastern students, I heard their arabic (or maybe it is Islamic) dept was very good.

Soma I know, and if we were to closely comb through every single university there will be none left for DD to go to. All we can do is be cautious and where a university seems to have a red flag much bigger than others to take exceptional care in considering it. Unfortunately those two have always been known for overt racism. We had no idea when it came to deciding on universities, those two would so closely match what she needs.🤷🏾‍♀️
I do seem to be warming to York though, they contacted DD for a zoom meeting. Which was a nice touch.

Is the Darkie Day/black face festival being mentioned the one that takes place in Padstow, nearly a 2 hour drive from Exeter, or is there one closer to Exeter?

@Arofan

Soma makes a fair point that it is elsewhere too, when one starts looking. I've turned some awful stuff up just by doing an engine search on a few universities and adding "racism" into the search. Including my own, (Northern, Russell). Depressing as hell.

Exeter Law Department has an awful reputation. Police got involved on this one.
www.legalcheek.com/2018/03/exeter-law-students-embroiled-in-racism-scandal-suspended-over-vile-whatsapp-messages/

@EchoCardioGran I’m not disagreeing with Soma.

Ok, sorry, I think I've possibly gone off on a tangent there.

Just saw your post to Soma prior to mine. It wasn't showing up when I posted. Sorry, wasn't taking you to task, just had not seen that post.

I don't have a child at Exeter but have heard lots of bad things about it re race. There was even a famous white actress who has an adopted black son who went there and had a terrible time (wish I could remember her name). I don't know where you live, but as Exeter is in the middle of nowhere it would worry me having my child so far away if they weren't having a great time. There are so many great unis in the UK... I would never put Exeter down.

It was Emma Thompson. Just did a quick Google.

www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/emma-thompson-highlighted-racism-exeter-1361736

@AKissAndASmile Was it Emma Thompson? I think it might be.

Gosh I'm so slow today!

Haha, Echo