All universities have their flaws, and Durham is no exception. Unless you think Durham’s ‘downfalls’ are the concrete hellscape that is the Student Union, beef with the college system, or you’re just still upset about that Oxbridge rejection; perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of our beloved alma mater’s current setbacks, is money. The UCU strikes, speculation on staff salary disparities, donors pulling funding etc… and a conversation about money could not be had without considering class inequalities and the culture at Durham. Even gowns, formals and balls reflect classic upper-class culture.

Durham is often pinned as a sort of glorified boarding school due to its collegiate system which is perhaps not the most appealing to the average Joe, but must be a pull to the Eton boys and private boarding school students when considering their university applications. Additionally, I can’t not mention the House of Lords-esque playground that is The Durham Union, swarmed year after year with controversies and accusations of elitism and exclusivity. We’ve yet to mention sports society culture or the mocking Northern and working-class students can receive. It’s not looking good for Durham…   

But, in line with the title of this article, I want to discuss Durham’s supposed “flop era”, connoting something to have declined from a previous state of success or popularity. So, if we are defining Durham’s current lack of success as due to elitist upper-class attitudes and financial setbacks, I ask: was Durham ever not in its flop era?   

Even gowns, formals, and balls reflect upper class culture

First of all, let’s discuss the elitism. Where did Durham begin? I’ll take you back to the good ol’ days of the 1830s when William Van Mildert and Charles Thorp brought the university into being. You’d never guess, but Van Mildert went to an all-boys public school and Charles Thorp was at a private grammar school before they both attended Oxford. Being the third oldest university in England after Oxford and Cambridge, it’s not surprising, but this helps paint the picture of the sort of education these men were likely envisioning when setting up the university. Thorp was the first chancellor of Durham, followed by a gaggle of Lords, Earls, Dukes and Viscounts. In fact, nearly all of Durham’s chancellors came from aristocratic, upper and upper-middle-class backgrounds. Not that I’m claiming this is unique to Durham, just that it doesn’t take much to understand the elitist culture I’m talking about, more or less, stemmed from day one. In 2005, Bill Bryson was pretty much the first chancellor to come from a modest background.

Furthermore, nearly every college is named after an upper-class individual. The exceptions being: John Snow, George Stephenson, and Mary (as in mother of Jesus). And South, because that’s a road. Trevs was named after the 9^th chancellor of Durham, G.M Trevelyan, who was born into a massive estate in Britain. His grandfather was a baronet, as well as a colonial administrator whose politics contributed to the Irish Famine.

This, plus the formal dinners, balls, initiation ceremonies, gowns, Durham’s need to call it matriculating and parade the cobbled streets, fancy term names and the catered boarding school vibes, the upper-class energy is not difficult to find. Obviously, this has been happening since its founding nearly 200 years ago. Maybe all this ‘higher society’ energy is just an inevitable product of being one of the oldest universities in Britain. After all, isn’t some tradition nice? Having a 180-year-old debating society that moves with the times and never upsets anyone, right?! Or maybe Durham needs to let go a bit, move away from its roots and work a bit harder at not identifying with elitist attitudes. Who am I to say?  

Now, money! Durham University has a history of great donors and support. Unsurprisingly, this support has changed over the years. Considering the current cost of living due to a myriad of factors; it’s obvious we can’t compare the 1800’s to now. That being said, Durham is still considerably better off now than it was at its founding, even considering inflation. So what’s with all the strikes, changes in closing hours (RIP Billy B), and general whispered concerns about the financial state of the university?

Maybe Durham needs to let go a bit, move away from its roots and work a bit harder at not identifying with elitist attitudes

Last financial year, Durham reported an operating deficit of nearly £8 million, and that they would need to cut 200 jobs to fill the gaps. So they can keep the university running smoothly, Durham relies on a multitude of sources, including grants, government funding and philanthropic donors. However, international students are by far their biggest friend. The cap on international students’ tuition fees is much higher than home students’ current £9,535 limit, meaning pushing for more international applicants is a priority.

As for the costs of running a university, last financial year Durham reported they spent approximately £7,000 on “miscellaneous expenditure,” £15,907 on “residences, catering and conferences”, and a casual £300,000 for the vice chancellor’s salary. To combat this, voluntary redundancy is being offered to all of the University’s staff, though they aren’t ruling out firmer measures. All of this, plus accommodation shortages due to over subscription and thousands spent on refurbishing the vice-chancellor’s house, isn’t leaving university members feeling appreciated.

So, have these financial setbacks existed since Durham’s founding? Kind of. Durham hasn’t really been financially “comfortable,” so to speak, for a lot of its duration. In very different ways, of course, and we can speculate on why, but an elitist culture, a castle, and miles of owned land, sadly, won’t pay the bills.  

So, is Durham in its flop era? I would argue, no. There would have to be a decline. I see no sufficient evidence for any “slay era” (except maybe when our beautiful modern castle was built in the 60’s). Okay, this is a bit harsh. We do love Durham! We all chose to come. Whether it was the beautiful buildings, the history, the prestige, or the courses; Durham definitely has its charms. The question is, will Durham’s reputation precede itself? Haunted by controversies, league tables and the relentless cost of running a university, will Durham continue to succeed as a top 100 university? Time will tell.  

Image: Dan Wattis