Confronting Eugenics: UCL unveils Introductory Programme for new students

Francis Crick Institute

Artwork by Bella Peng

Vanessa Tsao investigates UCL’s new Introductory Programme.

UCL will be rolling out an interactive, online orientation site for all new students starting from 2020 onwards. The ‘Introductory Programme’ (IP) aims to familiarise incoming freshers with UCL’s history, architecture and icons, instilling a sense of belonging in them. The website, still in its pilot phase, features four main sections: UCL Origins, Discovery at UCL, Global London, and Future UCL (which is currently a work-in-progress). The IP is filled with engaging multimedia elements such as a quiz to see if you could be admitted to Oxbridge in the early 19th century, and a comparison between an old photo of the Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre and its current appearance. Students can also watch academics discuss scientific research or current students talking about their favourite spots on campus.

Four departments have been invited to experience the pilot IP, and students that filled out a form with their feedback may choose to attend the IP feedback workshop, held on 23 October, to discuss their responses in person. The workshop was hosted by the IP’s academic lead Dr. Tim Beasley-Murray, programme manager Viki Burnage, senior teaching fellow Dr. Silvia Colaiacomo, and Steve Rowett from digital education. While only a handful of students attended the feedback workshop, there was a productive, intensive two hour long discussion on all aspects of the programme and how it could be improved.

UCL Origins

The feedback survey showed that a majority of students enjoyed the IP as a whole. Many students especially liked its interactive quizzes and interesting content of UCL Origins including the comparison of UCL’s architecture to that of Oxbridge and what the differences symbolise. However, workshop attendees and first-year student Stanislava Dimitrova raised the point that a trigger warning should be included in the ‘Jeremy Bentham DNA sequencing’ video. She described the video to show Bentham’s head, the sudden appearance of which Dimitrova found gruesome and shocking.

Discovery at UCL

The Discovery at UCL section attempts to address the mixed legacy of scientific research at UCL, briefly describing ethical violations by various scientists. Artefacts in this section also include the Kathleen Lonsdale Building, the Grant Museum, and two objects that are yet to be decided. However, the page describing ethical violations in scientific research is more sparse in text than other sections. This is especially significant as the history of eugenics is not addressed. This historical link stems from the influence of Francis Galton, the Victorian scientist who coined the term ‘eugenics’, and Karl Pearson, the influential statistician. Academic lead Tim Beasley-Murray explained that the process of producing this material must be put on hold until the Commission of Inquiry into the History of Eugenics at UCL has concluded its investigation. This should take place by the end of the year.

Beasley-Murray said, “The material we have currently produced is not right, and it’s challenging to address the difficulty of Galton and Pearson’s legacy... Pearson’s valuable contribution to statistics [at UCL] is wrapped up in his racist eugenics view, but this should still be talked about.”

Pearson Building

Artwork by Bella Peng

Global London

This was not the only controversial issue surrounding race that the IP is yet to address. Under Global London, the section ‘Black Bloomsbury’ touches on black history at UCL, celebrating the achievements as well as drawing attention to the racism faced by black students. It also discusses UCL’s initiative of ‘Liberating the Curriculum’ for BAME students and women.

The Committee raised the question “would non BAME students be interested in the ‘Black Bloomsbury’ content?” Students responded that there would still be some interest. The subsequent discussion between the Committee and students questioned if ‘Black Bloomsbury’ was diverse and inclusive enough. The reaction was mixed: some believed it should remain the way it is, while others felt that black history should be embedded throughout the site, just like women’s contributions were. However, master’s student Innocent Aforlabi-Logoh said: “If the content in ‘Black Bloomsbury’ were spread into other sections and [didn’t] have its own section, then its prominence would go down.” Other concerns about diversity included the lack of BAME academics in videos, as well as the claim that there should be more LGBTQ+ presence in the IP. Currently, there is none. The IP Committee also said that the visual and hearing accessibility of the website will be improved.

Suggested Content for Global London

Since the fourth object for the ‘Global London’ theme is currently undecided, the IP Committee invited students to brainstorm with them for a suitable idea. Some initial suggestions they had were: the statues in the Bloomsbury gardens (e.g. Gandhi statue), Czechoslovakia’s first president Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, or an exploration of how migration shaped UCL and London. Most students in the workshop voted for migration as the fourth piece of content since it fits the broader theme and is still a relevant topic today.

Future UCL

Finally, the ‘Future UCL’ theme is still a work-in progress. Dr. Beasley-Murray said that the IP Committee hoped to follow up the online orientation with an activity that would engage students once they arrived at UCL. One suggestion put forward in the discussion was a scavenger hunt that would help students become more familiar with UCL’s campus by seeing the objects in real life after having read about it online. The IP Committee hopes to host another feedback session when the website has been updated, and address the incorporation of eugenics history after the inquiry has concluded. UCL is shifting towards educating future students about the university’s rich history and culture. New and returning students alike should explore the programme when it is completed to see what they have yet to discover about UCL.

This article was originally published in Issue 724 of Pi Magazine.