Today's news

Hull scraps its maths department
A university yesterday announced it is to stop teaching mathematics. Hull said it was phasing out its Bachelor of Science degree and there would be no new intake of students to maths courses. Problems with undergraduate recruitment, a high dependence on income from foreign students and an expensive research commitment means the maths department is no longer viable.
The Daily Mail, Times Higher Education Supplement

Muslim students threaten to sue Birmingham University
Fourteen Muslim students at the University of Birmingham are threatening to take legal action against the institution on the grounds of racial and religious discrimination following accusations of election fraud. The students were elected, in October 2004, to represent the university at the National Union of Students' annual conference in April.
The Guardian

Root out student cheats, report urges
Universities are today being urged to take the growing menace of plagiarism by students more seriously. Cheats are a minority, but their actions anger and discourage other students and devalue the status of British qualifications, says a report going out to UK universities and higher education colleges.
The Guardian, Times Higher Education Supplement

Graduate salaries average £22,000 as vacancies grow
Graduate salaries are expected to reach record levels this year, with some university leavers earning more than £35,000 as investment bankers, lawyers or oil executives. Employers forecast 14.5 per cent more vacancies, with an increase in the overall value of starting salaries of 4.8 per cent, or £1,000, the highest year-on-year increase since 2001, according to the Association of Graduate Recruiters.
The Times, The Scotsman

Sorry, you can't afford a degree
Universities' obsession with research is threatening to make them a no-go zone for the less well-off.
The Guardian

Diamond's evolution
Researchers using computer analysis have traced the origin of the famed Hope Diamond, concluding it was cut from a larger stone that was once part of the crown jewels of France.
The Independent, The Guardian

St John's wort a 'potent therapy'
An extract of the herb St John's wort may be as potent a tool against severe depression as a commonly prescribed conventional drug, researchers suggest today.
The Independent, The Guardian

Letter
Regarding university fees.
The Guardian

Letter
In defence of university students who do not know how to write essays.
The Daily Telegraph