Across the pond

City University has just appointed what I believe to be the first openly gay vice chancellor of any British university, Malcolm Gillies.  I was immensely pleased that my own university had done such a thing. But you would not know this if you had not read my blog earlier today. Because the mainstream media has not reported the news.

Why?

Because someone at City University cut it out of the press release.

What my full-time colleagues at City University received was an annoucement that their new vice chancellor was looking forward to coming here in August 2007, and that his partner, David… would be joining him.

This was too much for some minion at City University, who cut it out of the press relaase. Despite the fact, that the full Council of City University had appointed a gay Vice Chancellor, not because he was gay, but because they thought he was the best man (or woman) to run this rather small university, which has done some rather interesting things that Oxbridge has failed to do. Like for instance start a half-way decent Journalism department.

In between resolving a conflict between my dearly beloved grandchildren, Joe and Dulcie, who were interupting my work by attempting to scratch each other’s eyes out, I have been trying to check out this story. Which I have done to the best of my ability as a trained journalist.
It is not as easy as you imagine. Google does not help. But in the telephone calls I have made to people who would know about such things, they have agreed with me. There is no existing university boss who has declared himself as gay.

So I am posting.

But if I have got it wrong. I will correct. Immediately.