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Academic: Why I said that pretty women students are a perk
Terry Kirby23 Sep 2009
A university vice-chancellor today defended his claim that attractive young female students are a “perk” to be enjoyed — at a safe distance — by older male academics.
Dr Terence Kealey, of the University of Buckingham, prompted outrage over the article in Times Higher Education, with critics on its website accusing him of sexism and demanding his resignation.
Although the National Union of Students said his views were “completely unacceptable,” Dr Kealey said he was simply using humour to underline a moral point about self-restraint.
Writing about “lust” in a light-hearted article on the seven deadly sins of university life, Dr Kealey said: Most male lecturers know that, most years, there will be a girl in class who flashes her admiration and who asks for advice on her essays. What to do? Enjoy her! She's a perk.”
Dr Kealey said that on American campuses, girls wanted relationships with heroic sports stars, but on English campuses, “academics can be heroes”.
As a result, some women students fantasised about male lecturers and “flaunted” their bodies — “which you should admire daily to spice up your sex, nightly, with your wife. Yup, I'm afraid so.
“As in Stringfellows, you should look but not touch.”
He added: “So, sow your oats while you are young, but enjoy the views — and only the views — when you are older."
Dr Kealey said it is now a “myth” that an affair between a student and a male academic represented an abuse of his power, because of the accountability imposed by the Quality Assurance Agency — the university standards watchdog — and other “intrusive” bodies.
"It is no longer the case that sex can be traded for better marks," he said. "I know of two girls who, in 1982, got firsts in biochemistry from a south-coast university in exchange for favours to a professor, but I know of no later scandals."
Dr Kealey, a clinical biochemist, is the author of Sex, Science And Profit and a regular writer on academic matters. Olivia Bailey, women's officer at the NUS said the comments showed a lack of respect.
“Regardless of whether this is an attempt at humour, it is completely unacceptable for someone in Terence Kealey's position to compare a lecture theatre to a lap-dancing club.'' Comments on the magazine's website included: “He does a disservice not only to the many female scholars who have struggled to get a foothold in academia, but also the many bright female students who have got their good grades through nothing more exciting than hard work.”
Posting his own response, Dr Kealey said: “This is a moral piece that says that middle-aged male academics and young female undergraduates should not sleep together. Rather, people should exercise self-restraint.”
He had deliberately used inappropriate language and humour as literary devices to make his point.
Reader views (18)
I find it upsetting that I can't go to my classes without being looked at as a sexual object. I am there to learn, not be ogled by a nasty old man. If I must go to speak with my lecturer, this makes me feel very uncomfortable that he thinks these dirty thoughts. Perhaps this is just another way that men try to discourage women from getting educations.
- Eli, Cambridge, 19/01/2010 01:42
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What horror when a man expresses a like of looking at women!
He should be forced to undergo training right away...
- Trunk, US, 24/09/2009 04:23
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'He had deliberately used inappropriate language and humour as literary devices to make his point..'
Wise observations about holes and digging come to mind.
- Mdj E10, london uk, 24/09/2009 00:45
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He's a cool person, at Uni events always engaging in conversation and very respectful... Shame he thought that his sense of humour would be appreciated in the public domain...
- Unnamed Buck Uni Alumni, MK, UK, 23/09/2009 23:08
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Perhaps if the commentors putting the man down were to look up the word 'context' in relation to when, where and how this allegedly heinous pronouncement was made it might help them step outside of their bigoted, narrow-minded perspective just long enough to understand that he was advocating restraint!
Men do look at women from a sexual perspective. It works the other way around too. Get over it - it's entirely and unequivocally natural. "Look but don't touch" is a foundation stone of responsibility in relationships (...and if that NEEDS explanation then explaining would be a wasted effort in the first place!). This outrage is PC manufactured socialogical nonsense.
- Rogan, Irving, 23/09/2009 17:33
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I cannot wait to hear what Hatty Harman's thoughts are on his statement. She will probably bring back the death penalty.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK, 23/09/2009 17:27
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Paul, well said!
- Amir, Lonodn, 23/09/2009 17:07
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I'm with the Prof ..... what's nicer to look at, attractive girls or pimply oiks who are still beered up from the bar? Or maybe we should make it illegal to buy a house for the nice view, or one sort of car because it's not as ugly as another sort?
- Paul, London, 23/09/2009 16:07
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Burn the witch! Burn the witch!
Alternatively, get a sense of perspective and admit that, like it or not, what he's saying reflects reality as opposed to some feminist ideologue's view of what reality should be.
- Derek, London, 23/09/2009 15:57
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Dirty old man.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 23/09/2009 15:13
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Nolan. He's only saying what we red-blooded males with a pulse are all thinking! Relax. You sound very uptight.
- Dr. Jonathan Melvin, Dublin, 23/09/2009 13:50
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He sounds a bit of a wind-up merchant or being tongue in cheek, either way a man in his position should grow up and watch his mouth. Perhaps he’s looking for a column in the Sunday Sport.
- Ian, London, 23/09/2009 13:47
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Ah, good to see that sexism still alive and well in our education system.
- Suzanne, London, UK, 23/09/2009 13:47
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Give the guy a break, it's a mine-field out there for teachers.
- Bloke, Lambeth, 23/09/2009 12:16
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Ugh, what a creep.
- Nolan, Londonist, 23/09/2009 11:27
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Oh no !Next thing will be Harperson moaning that ugly women don't do so well in life and we're being "divisive" for not giving bow wows the same attention.
- Alan,., Wimbledon, 23/09/2009 11:10
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Political Incorrectness Lives!!!!
Long live free thought.
- Andrew, Ely UK, 23/09/2009 10:51
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Dr Kealey should resign forthwith.
- Peace Maker, Battersea, 23/09/2009 10:24
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