Single vote keeps divided Oxford college all-female

Oxford University's only all-female college voted yesterday to continue to bar men. The proposal for change failed by only one vote.

Fellows at St Hilda's needed a two-thirds majority to trigger the change to admit men. The proposal was supported by 20 of the 31 female fellows on the governing body while 11 voted to keep the status quo.

The college's students – known as Hildabeasts – say the issue has divided them. Students against change launched a "Lilac for Ladies" ribbon campaign to make their opposition clear to the authorities.

Penny Berrill, 22, president of the junior common room (JCR), announced the result to students yesterday after being informed by the college's governing body. There were cheers from members of the Lilac for Ladies campaign, who had gathered on the college lawn to protest at plans to admit men.

Ms Berrill was delighted at the result. "This is a positive result for women's education. It agreed with the 57 per cent of the junior common-room members who wanted the college to remain female," she said. "I hope the college will now look to the future and will continue to promote itself as being essential for women's academic excellence."

St Hilda's is the alma mater of the Conservative former education secretary Gillian Shephard, the scientist and broadcaster Susan Greenfield and the Liberal Democrat Susan Kramer.

Will Straw, president of Oxford University Student Union, who had backed the Lilac campaign, said: "I'm very happy. It's really important that the fellowship of St Hilda's backs the JCR and their reasons for wishing to remain single-sex."

But his view was opposed by about 25 women dressed head-to-toe in red, calling themselves the Anti-Lilac Campaign, claiming there had been a "repressive atmosphere" in the college. Jessica Lennard, 20, a law student, said: "We want to get rid of the unfair stereotype that if you go to St Hilda's you are either a lesbian, completely insane or stupid."

Ailsa Longmuir, 20, who is also studying law, said the issue had led to constant arguments between students. "This has split St Hilda's down the middle. It has torn friendships apart," she said.

Two weeks ago, a referendum of St Hilda's undergraduates found that 57 per cent were in favour of the college remaining single-sex. This was a marked decline from a referendum in 1997, when 78 per cent of students opposed the college admitting men. Students in favour of change had argued that St Hilda's would find it increasingly hard to attract students and fellows if it did not accept men. They believe the college is not attracting enough students who make it their first choice when they apply.

St Hilda's was ranked 21st of the 30 colleges in last year's Norrington Table, an unofficial table of Oxford colleges' academic performance.

Advocates for change had also argued that admitting men would alleviate the college's financial pressures. Equal opportunities legislation means that staff costs have to be met without assistance from the university, while mixed colleges receive subsidies.

* The threat of strike action in more than 300 further education colleges was lifted yesterday when lecturers' unions accepted a 3.5 per cent pay deal proposed by the Association of Colleges, representing college principals. The deal will also introduce a minimum pay rate of £5 an hour for support staff.