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{{short description|Organizations based in California}} | |||
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The '''Oxford Round Table''' is a series of ] conferences organised in ] by a US-based (currently California-based) educational organisation. | |||
The company is not affiliated with the University of Oxford,<ref>{{cite web|title=Disclaimer|url=http://www.oxfordroundtable.com/index.php/view/Content-Main/page/disclaimer.html|publisher=Oxford Round Table|access-date=9 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709015214/http://www.oxfordroundtable.com/index.php/view/Content-Main/page/disclaimer.html|archive-date=9 July 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> which has stated that events such as the Oxford Round Table are "external to the university" and "not, as such, authorised or endorsed by the university."<ref name=THES>{{cite web | last = Newman | first = Melanie | title = 'Oxford' events firm under fire | publisher = ] | date = 21 December 2007 | url = http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=310154§ioncode=26 | access-date = 1 February 2008}}</ref> The company has been accused of misrepresenting its relationship with the university.<ref name=THES/><ref name=THE2/> | |||
The mission of the Oxford Round Table, according to its website, is "to provide an interdisciplinary forum for the discussion of contemporary issues that affect the public good in all its various forms and ramifications."<ref></ref> | |||
==Conferences== | ==Conferences== | ||
The first meeting of the Oxford Round Table was held at ] in 1989, sponsored by |
The first meeting of the Oxford Round Table was held at ] (Oxford) in 1989, sponsored by the Norham Centre for Leadership Studies of the University of Oxford under the direction of Vivian Williams and by ], under the direction of Kern Alexander.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.journalofeducationfinance.com/toc/tocintrovol15no4.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027050427/http://journalofeducationfinance.com/toc/tocintrovol15no4.html|url-status=dead|title=The Journal of Education Finance: Table of Contents Vols 15–33<!-- Bot generated title -->|archivedate=27 October 2010}}</ref> Subsequent Oxford Round Table conferences have been held at ], ], ], ], ], and the ]. | ||
The Oxford Round Table brings together scholars and others from a variety of backgrounds (new professors and PhD students, college presidents and deans, school administrators, religious leaders) to discuss research on specific topics usually related to public policy. In its early years, the conference was held every other year, and the organisation financed the attendance of participants by raising funds itself (more than £80,000 in 1993).<ref name=Richards>Huw Richards, "All Rhodes lead to reform," '']'', 8 October 1993, p. 8.</ref> By 2009, the ORT was charging attendees.<ref name=THES/> | |||
A 1993 article in the Times Higher Education Supplement noted that "the Oxford conferences are going very well" and had gained "international interest."<ref name=Richards/> | |||
One of the earliest conferences, in 1993, was on the links between education and the business sector. It brought together education ministers from major developing and transition countries, representatives of major multinationals (such as ], ], ], and ]), |
One of the earliest conferences, in 1993, was on the links between education and the business sector. It brought together education ministers from major developing and transition countries, representatives of major multinationals (such as ], ], ], and ]), US state officials, and the ]. A major highlight was a paper by Edward Dneprov, education minister of Russia, on education reform there.<ref>Richard Margrave, "International Partnership," ''The Times'', 1 November 1993.</ref> A 1993 article in the ''Times Higher Education Supplement'' noted that "the Oxford conferences are going very well" and had gained "international interest."<ref name=Richards/> | ||
⚫ | ==Publications== | ||
In 2008, there are 25 scheduled sessions of the conference - ten in March<ref></ref> and fifteen in July/August.<ref></ref> | |||
⚫ | The Oxford Round Table publishes an online journal, titled ''The Forum on Public Policy: A Journal of the Oxford Round Table''. The mission of the journal, according to its website, is "to disseminate knowledge with regard to salient issues in public affairs."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forumonpublicpolicy.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124114159/http://www.forumonpublicpolicy.com/|url-status=dead|title=Forum on Public Policy|archivedate=24 November 2007}}</ref> | ||
McGill/Queen's University Press published a volume of papers from a 2003 conference, ''The University: International Expectations'', on public administration issues related to higher education.<ref> by Anthony Potts, ''History of Intellectual Culture'', Volume 4, No. 1, 2004.</ref> Another edited volume on primary (precollegiate) school choices in America emerged from, among other sources, a 2003 meeting on "Choice in Education."<ref>Carreiro, Paula J. and Eileen Shields-West, ''Choosing the Right Educational Path for Your Child: What Are the Options?'' Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2008; pp. vii, ix.</ref> | |||
Oxford Colleges lease their facilities during spring break (March and April) and during summer (July, August and September) for academic conferences and other activities. These activities are coordinated by , an arm of the University of Oxford. | |||
⚫ | ==Company history and officers== | ||
⚫ | ==Publications== | ||
⚫ | For most of its history the Oxford Round Table has been an American organisation run by members of the Alexander family and variously headquartered in Kentucky, Illinois, Florida, and California. ], Professor of Excellence at the ], Urbana-Champaign, founded the Oxford International Round Table on Education Policy in 1989.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/frp/a/alexandr|title=College of Education Faculty Research Profiles: Kern Alexander<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=23 January 2008|archive-date=19 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719000658/http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/frp/A/alexandr|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, it was not incorporated until 1994, when it was established in Florida as a for-profit corporation, with Alexander as president. It was administratively dissolved in 1996.<ref name=flsos>Corporate report filed with . Retrieved 16 March 2008</ref> Alexander also incorporated the Oxford Round Table, Inc., a Florida for-profit corporation; it was established and dissolved at the same time as the Oxford International Round Table on Education Policy.<ref name=flsos /> | ||
Papers presented at a 2002 session of the conference appeared in a book published by McGill/Queen's University Press.<ref>F. King Alexander and Kern Alexander (eds.). 2002. ''The University: International Expectations''. by Anthony Potts, ''History of Intellectual Culture'', Volume 4, No. 1, 2004.</ref> | |||
In 1995, the Oxford Round Table, Inc., a for-profit Kentucky corporation, was incorporated by Samual K. Alexander III (son of Kern Alexander<ref>] Alumni Association, {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713174942/http://kykappa.com/news60.html |date=13 July 2011 }}, last update 13 September 2001. Retrieved 5 March 2008</ref>).<ref name=kysos>Annual report for Oxford Round Table, Inc., filed on 15 January 2008 with the , Business Services section. Retrieved 16 March 2008 {{Dead link|date=October 2013}}</ref> It was administratively dissolved in 1998 and reinstated in 2006.<ref>Application for reinstatement of corporation, filed with . Retrieved 16 March 2008</ref> This corporation dissolved itself 22 September 2008.<ref>http://apps.sos.ky.gov/business/obdb/OBDBDisplayImage.aspx?id=3258043, consulted 3 October 2008.</ref> | |||
⚫ | The Oxford Round Table publishes |
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⚫ | In 1998, the Oxford Round Table, Inc., a for-profit corporation, was incorporated in Illinois by ], (son of Kern Alexander and presently the President of LSU). It was involuntarily dissolved in 2000.<ref name=ilsos>see search results for "Oxford Round Table" at . Retrieved 16 March 2008</ref> | ||
The journal is published on-line. It is not indexed by Ebsco.<ref>EBSCO Information Services, , accessed ]</ref> | |||
⚫ | In December 2001, the non-profit Oxford Round Table of Godstow Hall, Inc., was incorporated in Kentucky by several members of the Alexander family.<ref name=godstow>Annual corporate report, filed 18 January 2008 with the . Retrieved 16 March 2008</ref> In May 2007, the non-profit Oxford Round Table, Inc., NFP, was established in Illinois. It changed its name to Oxford Round Table, North America, Inc., NFP, in October 2008.<ref name=ilsos /> In July 2008, the non-profit Oxford Round Table, Ltd., was established in the United Kingdom.,<ref name=CH>see search results for "Oxford Round Table at </ref> went dormant a year later and was "struck off the books" the following year. | ||
⚫ | ==Company history and officers== | ||
⚫ | ], Professor of Excellence at the ], Urbana-Champaign, founded the Oxford International Round Table on Education Policy in 1989.<ref> |
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In |
In the 2007 annual report of the Kentucky for-profit Oxford Round Table, Inc., Kern Alexander was listed as company president.<ref>Annual corporate report, filed on 10 May 2007 with the . Retrieved 16 March 2008</ref> As of the 2008 annual report, J.C. Buckman was listed as president.<ref name=kysos /> | ||
In 2008, it filed for a non-profit charter in the United Kingdom. It was dissolved in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/ |title=WebCHeck - Problems |access-date=5 January 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081229053844/http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/ |archive-date=29 December 2008 }}/companysearch?disp=1&frfsh=1384728351&#result</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oxfordroundtable.com/index.php/view/Content-Main/page/certificate_of_incorporation.html |title=Welcome to Oxford Round Table |access-date=2013-11-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709021700/http://www.oxfordroundtable.com/index.php/view/Content-Main/page/certificate_of_incorporation.html |archive-date=9 July 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> | |||
⚫ | In December 2001, the non-profit Oxford Round Table of Godstow Hall, Inc., was incorporated in Kentucky by several members of the Alexander family.<ref>Annual corporate report, filed 18 January 2008 with the |
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⚫ | ==Criticism and litigation== | ||
In the 2007 annual report of the Kentucky for-profit Oxford Round Table, Inc., the company officers were: President, Kern Alexander; Vice President, Elizabeth Alexander; Secretary, Shenette Campbell.<ref>Annual corporate report, filed on 10 May 2007 with the , accessed ]</ref> As of the 1/2008 annual report, J.C. Buckman is listed as the President, Karen Price as Vice President, and Wesley Alexander as secretary.<ref name=kysos /> | |||
A 2009 report cited critics who claimed that the Oxford Round Table "does not make its lack of academic connection clear." The article noted that pictures of Oxford University are used liberally on the ORT webpage, and quoted a number of ORT attendees who believed they had been invited by Oxford University. One professor expressed "surprise" when she learned that the ORT was not affiliated with Oxford University and concluded that "my conference funds would be best targeted towards a more appropriate venue."<ref name=THE2/> | |||
⚫ | In 2007, '']'' reported that Oxford Round Table had been criticised on the forums of the '']'' website by people who said it was trading on the name of ], and failed to properly inform people invited that it had no formal academic links to the university. Other criticisms were that its selection criteria were poor and that it was a "vanity conference."<ref name=THES/> | ||
⚫ | ==Criticism and litigation== |
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The University told the newspaper that such external events were "not, as such, authorised or endorsed by the university." The principal of ] said that although the college provided the company with an office, "we don't run the ORT in any sense," and that as far as he was aware, all ORT participants were satisfied. The company defended its selection criteria, and reported that its disclaimer, which is on its website, uses "the exact wording that was provided to us by the legal office of the University of Oxford several years ago." A spokeswoman dismissed the critics as "a few nameless bloggers." | The University told the newspaper that such external events were "not, as such, authorised or endorsed by the university." The principal of ] said that although the college provided the company with an office, "we don't run the ORT in any sense," and that as far as he was aware, all ORT participants were satisfied. The company defended its selection criteria, and reported that its disclaimer, which is on its website, uses "the exact wording that was provided to us by the legal office of the University of Oxford several years ago." A spokeswoman dismissed the critics as "a few nameless bloggers." | ||
The ORT sued Sloan Mahone, a lecturer in the history of medicine at Oxford, after she emailed invitees and posted on the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' website.<ref>http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php?topic=30869.msg417974 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2022}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=November 2013}} The ORT complained that Mahone had described the ORT as a "scam", a "complete fraud", and "a tourist venture, not a prestigious academic event".<ref name="THE2">Melanie Newman, , ''Times Higher Education'', 12 March 2009</ref><ref name=THES/><ref>Oxford Round Table Complaint, http://www.dmlp.org/threats/oxford-round-table-inc-v-mahone</ref> An attempt by the Oxford Round Table, Inc., to sue Mahone for libel in the ] courts failed on jurisdiction grounds,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.internetlibrary.com/cases/lib_case570.cfm|title=Oxford Round Table Inc. v. Sloan Mahone - Internet Library of Law and Court Decisions|website=www.internetlibrary.com}}</ref> and the company threatened to take legal action in the UK.<ref name=THES/> The company dropped the action after the researcher hired her own lawyer.<ref name="THE2"/> | |||
One Oxford University research fellow had sent an email to a US academic criticising the company's practices. An attempt to sue the individual, who is based in England, for libel in the Kentucky courts had failed on jurisdiction grounds, and the company was now taking legal action in the ].<ref>, Melanie Newman, ], 21 December 2007, accessed 6 February, 2008</ref> | |||
The conference has also attracted controversy in at least three states over the cost of school boards’ paying for administrators to attend; in Louisiana, this led to "a successful legislative push to tighten travel rules for school board members statewide."<ref>Mary Swerczek and Matthew Brown, “Trip is a lesson, but not in frugality,” ''Times-Picayune'' (New Orleans), August 30, 2003, Metro p. 1; “A new outrage in the Abbotts,” ''Asbury Park Press'' (New Jersey), February 1, 2007; Nancy Averett, “School board chief won't seek district's help in paying for trip,” ''Morning Call'' (Allentown, PA), July 30, 2003, p. B9.</ref> | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist|30em}} | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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Latest revision as of 04:48, 7 December 2024
Organizations based in CaliforniaThe Oxford Round Table is a series of interdisciplinary conferences organised in Oxford, UK by a US-based (currently California-based) educational organisation.
The company is not affiliated with the University of Oxford, which has stated that events such as the Oxford Round Table are "external to the university" and "not, as such, authorised or endorsed by the university." The company has been accused of misrepresenting its relationship with the university.
Conferences
The first meeting of the Oxford Round Table was held at St. Peter's College (Oxford) in 1989, sponsored by the Norham Centre for Leadership Studies of the University of Oxford under the direction of Vivian Williams and by Virginia Tech, under the direction of Kern Alexander. Subsequent Oxford Round Table conferences have been held at Harris Manchester College, Trinity College, Exeter College, Oriel College, Lincoln College, and the Oxford Union.
The Oxford Round Table brings together scholars and others from a variety of backgrounds (new professors and PhD students, college presidents and deans, school administrators, religious leaders) to discuss research on specific topics usually related to public policy. In its early years, the conference was held every other year, and the organisation financed the attendance of participants by raising funds itself (more than £80,000 in 1993). By 2009, the ORT was charging attendees.
One of the earliest conferences, in 1993, was on the links between education and the business sector. It brought together education ministers from major developing and transition countries, representatives of major multinationals (such as Apple, Boeing, BP, and Honeywell), US state officials, and the World Bank. A major highlight was a paper by Edward Dneprov, education minister of Russia, on education reform there. A 1993 article in the Times Higher Education Supplement noted that "the Oxford conferences are going very well" and had gained "international interest."
Publications
The Oxford Round Table publishes an online journal, titled The Forum on Public Policy: A Journal of the Oxford Round Table. The mission of the journal, according to its website, is "to disseminate knowledge with regard to salient issues in public affairs."
McGill/Queen's University Press published a volume of papers from a 2003 conference, The University: International Expectations, on public administration issues related to higher education. Another edited volume on primary (precollegiate) school choices in America emerged from, among other sources, a 2003 meeting on "Choice in Education."
Company history and officers
For most of its history the Oxford Round Table has been an American organisation run by members of the Alexander family and variously headquartered in Kentucky, Illinois, Florida, and California. Kern Alexander, Professor of Excellence at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, founded the Oxford International Round Table on Education Policy in 1989. However, it was not incorporated until 1994, when it was established in Florida as a for-profit corporation, with Alexander as president. It was administratively dissolved in 1996. Alexander also incorporated the Oxford Round Table, Inc., a Florida for-profit corporation; it was established and dissolved at the same time as the Oxford International Round Table on Education Policy.
In 1995, the Oxford Round Table, Inc., a for-profit Kentucky corporation, was incorporated by Samual K. Alexander III (son of Kern Alexander). It was administratively dissolved in 1998 and reinstated in 2006. This corporation dissolved itself 22 September 2008.
In 1998, the Oxford Round Table, Inc., a for-profit corporation, was incorporated in Illinois by F. King Alexander, (son of Kern Alexander and presently the President of LSU). It was involuntarily dissolved in 2000.
In December 2001, the non-profit Oxford Round Table of Godstow Hall, Inc., was incorporated in Kentucky by several members of the Alexander family. In May 2007, the non-profit Oxford Round Table, Inc., NFP, was established in Illinois. It changed its name to Oxford Round Table, North America, Inc., NFP, in October 2008. In July 2008, the non-profit Oxford Round Table, Ltd., was established in the United Kingdom., went dormant a year later and was "struck off the books" the following year.
In the 2007 annual report of the Kentucky for-profit Oxford Round Table, Inc., Kern Alexander was listed as company president. As of the 2008 annual report, J.C. Buckman was listed as president.
In 2008, it filed for a non-profit charter in the United Kingdom. It was dissolved in 2011.
Criticism and litigation
A 2009 report cited critics who claimed that the Oxford Round Table "does not make its lack of academic connection clear." The article noted that pictures of Oxford University are used liberally on the ORT webpage, and quoted a number of ORT attendees who believed they had been invited by Oxford University. One professor expressed "surprise" when she learned that the ORT was not affiliated with Oxford University and concluded that "my conference funds would be best targeted towards a more appropriate venue."
In 2007, Times Higher Education reported that Oxford Round Table had been criticised on the forums of the Chronicle of Higher Education website by people who said it was trading on the name of Oxford University, and failed to properly inform people invited that it had no formal academic links to the university. Other criticisms were that its selection criteria were poor and that it was a "vanity conference."
The University told the newspaper that such external events were "not, as such, authorised or endorsed by the university." The principal of Harris Manchester College said that although the college provided the company with an office, "we don't run the ORT in any sense," and that as far as he was aware, all ORT participants were satisfied. The company defended its selection criteria, and reported that its disclaimer, which is on its website, uses "the exact wording that was provided to us by the legal office of the University of Oxford several years ago." A spokeswoman dismissed the critics as "a few nameless bloggers."
The ORT sued Sloan Mahone, a lecturer in the history of medicine at Oxford, after she emailed invitees and posted on the Chronicle of Higher Education website. The ORT complained that Mahone had described the ORT as a "scam", a "complete fraud", and "a tourist venture, not a prestigious academic event". An attempt by the Oxford Round Table, Inc., to sue Mahone for libel in the Kentucky courts failed on jurisdiction grounds, and the company threatened to take legal action in the UK. The company dropped the action after the researcher hired her own lawyer.
References
- "Disclaimer". Oxford Round Table. Archived from the original on 9 July 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
- ^ Newman, Melanie (21 December 2007). "'Oxford' events firm under fire". Times Higher Education Supplement. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
- ^ Melanie Newman, "Round Table invitees confused by Oxford 'link'", Times Higher Education, 12 March 2009
- "The Journal of Education Finance: Table of Contents Vols 15–33". Archived from the original on 27 October 2010.
- ^ Huw Richards, "All Rhodes lead to reform," Times Higher Education Supplement, 8 October 1993, p. 8.
- Richard Margrave, "International Partnership," The Times, 1 November 1993.
- "Forum on Public Policy". Archived from the original on 24 November 2007.
- Reviewed by Anthony Potts, History of Intellectual Culture, Volume 4, No. 1, 2004.
- Carreiro, Paula J. and Eileen Shields-West, Choosing the Right Educational Path for Your Child: What Are the Options? Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2008; pp. vii, ix.
- "College of Education Faculty Research Profiles: Kern Alexander". Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
- ^ Corporate report filed with Florida Secretary of State, Division of Corporations. Retrieved 16 March 2008
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon Alumni Association, Kentucky Kappa Alumni Association Alumni News 1960–1964 Archived 13 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, last update 13 September 2001. Retrieved 5 March 2008
- ^ Annual report for Oxford Round Table, Inc., filed on 15 January 2008 with the Kentucky Secretary of State, Business Services section. Retrieved 16 March 2008
- Application for reinstatement of corporation, filed with Kentucky Secretary of State. Retrieved 16 March 2008
- http://apps.sos.ky.gov/business/obdb/OBDBDisplayImage.aspx?id=3258043, consulted 3 October 2008.
- ^ see search results for "Oxford Round Table" at Illinois Secretary of State. Retrieved 16 March 2008
- Annual corporate report, filed 18 January 2008 with the Kentucky Secretary of State. Retrieved 16 March 2008
- see search results for "Oxford Round Table at Companies House
- Annual corporate report, filed on 10 May 2007 with the Kentucky Secretary of State. Retrieved 16 March 2008
- "WebCHeck - Problems". Archived from the original on 29 December 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2016./companysearch?disp=1&frfsh=1384728351&#result
- "Welcome to Oxford Round Table". Archived from the original on 9 July 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
- http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php?topic=30869.msg417974
- Oxford Round Table Complaint, http://www.dmlp.org/threats/oxford-round-table-inc-v-mahone
- "Oxford Round Table Inc. v. Sloan Mahone - Internet Library of Law and Court Decisions". www.internetlibrary.com.
External links
- Oxford Round Table website
- Discussion of the Oxford Round Table at the Chronicle of Higher Education
- Forum on Public Policy
- Oxford Round Table, Inc. v. Mahone