The National Student - December 2008

THE NATIONAL

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and Beyond magazine

December 2008

Sheffield SU Councillor resigns after overwhelming support for his removal

BNP COUNCILLOR

RESIGNS An alleged member of the British National Party (BNP) has resigned from his position on Sheffield Students’ Union Council after a campaign by students at the university. Brian Thwaites was elected to the council in October, on a manifesto that gave no indication of his support for the nationalist organisation. Following the national publication of the BNP’s membership list student leaders in Sheffield launched a campaign to “democratically remove the councillor from his position.” Overwhelming support was received for a proposed motion to hold a “recall referendum” to allow students to vote on this issue at a Students’ Union Council meeting on Thursday November 27. Faced with a student vote calling for him to be removed Thwaites subsequently resigned from the position rather than defend his mandate at a referendum.

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Thwaites had raised concerns early into his appointment when he questioned the legitimacy of a union campaign against the BNP. Unlike other unions across the UK Sheffield does not have a No Platform policy in place preventing members of the BNP from joining, or speaking at, the union and Thwaites will remain a member of the union. Dave Hurst, Sheffield Students’ Union President, said, “The BNP are a fascist organisation that threaten our diverse, multicultural student community. This Councillor’s decision to resign, in the face of massive opposition from students, demonstrates that BNP activity on campus is rejected by students at Sheffield Union.” Women’s Officer at the union, Fiona Edwards said, “The individual’s decision to resign, rather than face a democratic vote of no-confidence, shows once again that students overwhelmingly oppose the

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by Mary Stott

BNP – an organisation which calls for an ‘all-white Britain’ and has many members with close links to violence.” The campaign to remove Thwaites received support from the NUS. Bellavia Ribeiro-Addy, NUS Black Students Officer said, “We fully support students’ unions working to ensure fascist organisations are not able to organise on campuses to threaten the safety of students. BNP members have a long record of violence and intimidation on campuses - a BNP activist was found guilty of assaulting a sabbatical officer at Salford University.” Yusuf Ghumra, Chair of the Students’ Union Black Students’ Committee, and a member of Students’ Union Council said, “I am thrilled that this union no longer has fascists in positions of influence and authority, and it is a proud moment for our union when different groups can unite to achieve a higher common goal.”

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The National Student, December 2008

UK NEWS

2 The National Student welcomes contributions. The National Student works closely with student publications across the UK. We are happy to accept news, comment, features, and reviews on any subject. Contact us at: The National Student 58 High Street Lincoln LN5 8AH or email: editor@ thenationalstudent.co.uk or phone: 0845 46 300 46 The National Student is the independent, monthy newspaper for higher education students in the UK. Published by Defender Newspapers, 58 High Street Lincoln LN5 8AH. © 2008 All content is the copyright of Defender Newspapers unless otherwise stated thenationalstudent.co.uk

Young people urged to seize the news agenda A new campaign launched earlier this month aims to encourage young people to make their voices heard in the media and redress the negative news balance towards them. The new campaign launched on November 11 by former BBC broadcaster Martyn Lewis and young campaigners from the Respect? campaign group urges young people to get their viewpoint across by using comment opportunities and new technology. It also aims to get a pledge from 1,000 young people to take media matters into their own hands. Supported by online charity YouthNet and the British Youth Council, Respect? has teamed up with young people’s website TheSite.org to offer practical advice on how to make a splash in the media. Martyn Lewis, YouthNet Chairman and founder commented, “Young people get a bad press, but many have intelligent opinions about news and what’s happening in the world.” “Too often their voices

Martyn Lewis, Sophie Manning and Rachel Dumigan at the Respect launch

aren’t heard - which is why we’re encouraging them to use new technology to comment and help balance news coverage about issues relating to or affecting young people.” The three year Respect? campaign is a result of research conducted in 2006 by YouthNet, which found 98% of young people feel the media ‘always, often or sometimes represents them as anti-social’.

Sophie Manning, Respect? Young People’s Advisory Group member and a English Literature MA student at UCL, said, “Young people want to play a positive role in the media, but we need to realise that getting our views heard means accepting a twoway relationship with older generations. We have to put the effort in to be noticed, and then people will see thoughtful and responsible young people as the norm,

not the exception.” The online pledge reads, “I pledge to make my voice heard and help young people’s views to get noticed. When I have an opinion on a news story, I will voice it in the media by commenting online, writing to editors of papers or magazines, or calling in to TV or radio programmes. It’s our news too.” Get the low-down and make your pledge at: thesite.org/respect

Do you crave chocolate? Well all you need to do is go for a walk! A recent student at the University of Exeter has found that a brisk 15minute walk can reduce chocolate cravings, reports Exepose. Due to chocolate containing various stimulants such as serotonin, which enhance mood and promote feelings of happiness, it is the most commonly craved food in the world. Emily Hayes, Publicity Officer for the Chocolate Society, told Exepose, “Eating chocolate in moderation is a great source of energy for the body and enhances our mood, helping us to deal with stressful situations.” “ H o w e v e r , frequent exercise such as a brisk walk will help to regulate these cravings and therefore balance out the negative effects of eating chocolate.”

The National Student, December 2008

UK NEWS

News in brief Vomiting rugby player stops bus The University of Gloucestershire rugby team has been suspended from fixtures after a public bus was forced to stop because a player vomited on the way home from an initiation ceremony. This new incident comes as footage emerged showing students throwing up during an induction ritual, presided over by a figure wearing a Nazi-style uniform. Passenger Tamsin Turner said, “It was disgusting. Three students got on in Cheltenham, two were clearly very drunk, and one was sober. One of the drunk students said it had been the rugby club’s initiation.”

FOSIS raise £330,000 for Charity Week The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) in the UK and Eire last month announced that their members had raised £330,000 for Charity Week 2008. Qasim Rafiq, spokesman for FOSIS, said, “We are delighted to announce that Islamic Societies across the UK and Ireland have raised a phenomenal £330,000 for Charity Week 2008, proceeds of which will go towards orphans worldwide. This studentled initiative, unique in its format, was setup in 2004 in conjunction with Islamic Relief, bringing together students from across university campuses to raise awareness and money for a charitable cause. Since then, Charity Week has proved to be a huge success, uniting students from different races, backgrounds and religions and has continually surpassed the previous year’s total.” The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has predicted that women will make up 70% of university graduates by 2015, creating a new generation of house husbands. The OECD is forecasting women will make up 71 per cent of undergraduates by 2025.

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Outrage at topless

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A student magazine came under fire last month after being the first in the UK to publish a topless page 3 girl. An unnamed blonde was pictured in Vivid magazine straddling one of Cambridge’s historic bridges in a black lacy thong and stockings. Some local students provided comment for the Daily Mail regarding the risqué image. One student from Kings College said, “I can’t believe she agreed to pose for the magazine. Everyone has been talking

about it. I’m sure she must really regret it now.” Another student, from Clare College, who did not want to be named, added, “Lots of students and professors have seen this. It’s a very risky thing to do when you are studying at one of the top universities in the country.” Others questioned on the shot described it as “a bit of fun.” The sexy student shot caused a furore in the media starting in Cambridge student paper Varsity and then the Daily

Mail. Based on the Mail’s coverage the story spread worldwide, seeing the magazine inundated with requests for comment. As the story exploded The National Student was looking through the publication’s website when the full site was replaced by a single page simply stating ‘Vivid is Love’. Vivid Magazine carries political and satirical content but has become known locally for its series of ‘page 3’ girls, which until now have not been

as explicit as the recent topless shot. One previous picture showed a brunette wearing stockings and lingerie lying upside down on the Cambridge Union chair, where the president of the debating society would normally sit. Another showed a girl in her bra and knickers adjusting her glasses as she stands provocatively on a stool in a library. Cambridge University Student’s Union Women’s Officer, Natalie Szarek

told Varsity, “This highlights the disparity between a situation in which a student gives consent over her body and the way that a society with entrenched norms of objectification takes that consent and exceeds its initial conditions.” Despite the ‘outrage’ reported in the press no action has been taken against Vivid by Cambridge University or CUSU and the magazine has recieved no complaints about the image.

In an exclusive for The National Student, Vivid editor Stephen Eisenhammer comments on the image and the media scrum that followed - page 11

50 foreign students expelled 50 foreign students were expelled from Newcastle University last month for using forged qualification certificates. The Courier reported that following an internal investigation, the University found that applicants applied using documents that had been forged to show higher grades. The decision to exclude the students had been “regrettable” said a University spokesman. Many appear to have been victims of bogus ‘agents’ in the UK and China who were hired to submit applications on their behalf. The students were found to be insufficiently qualified to study at Newcastle. A University spokesman

told The Courier “It was necessary to exclude [the students] to protect the interests of hundreds of properly qualified students as well as the reputation of the University.” The forgeries, which were of such high quality they were not picked up during the admissions process, were mainly English language qualifications or degrees awarded by other universities. The majority of the students were studying business studies. 49 were from China and 1 was Taiwanese. The use of agents to aid in university applications is common in China and most are reputable. However, Newcastle University has expressed concerns regarding

the rise in ‘bogus’ application agents using fake degree certificates and has warned other universities to be vigilant. The University spokesman said, “The vast majority of applications for study at this University are genuine. We

are however aware that there is an increasing national and international problem of fraudulent applications and this prompted us, as a University, to take action.” “We would strongly advise other universities to look very carefully at the systems

they have in place to detect fraudulent applications and to strengthen them if necessary. Where there is any doubt about an application then further documentation is requested. If the documentation cannot be produced, or is fraudulent, then an application will be rejected. If, despite the checks in place, a student gains entry to the University by using fraudulent qualifications then he or she will be excluded and a report made to the Home Office.” The Courier reported that as a gesture of goodwill to the students involved, the University has waived its right to retain tuition fees in full and instead has charged only one month’s tuition fees to all students involved.

The National Student, December 2008

UK NEWS

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Science grads earn more

Uni Challenge ‘punk’ gets complaints A University Challenge contestant has been contacted by police after wearing a military jacket on the show. James Archer, a secondyear undergraduate at Kings College, Cambridge was questioned shortly after the programme had aired following complaints that he had ‘impersonated an RAF officer’. Appearing sporting a red Mohican haircut, and

wearing a military jacket adorned with fake medals Archer was not your usual University Challenge contestant. Peter Wells, a spokesman for Cambridgeshire police, stated: “We informally advised the student concerned that it could be an offence to wear medals to which he was not entitled, and he took our advice on board.”

Archer was warned not to wear the medals again. Archer told Varsity that he “got the jacket from an army surplus shop and apparently it’s illegal”. He added that he understood how the medals may have caused offence but that his only intention was to challenge the “stuffy” image of Cambridge. His team were beaten by St John’s, losing to

Queen’s University Belfast has become embroiled in the debate over abortion in Northern Ireland after a pro-choice group claimed that the students’ union wants to end its membership of NUSUSI because of the national union’s support for bringing abortion laws in the province into line with current legislation in Britain. Alliance for Choice, an allIreland lobby group which is leading the pro-choice campaign in Northern Ireland, claimed last month that a motion had been tabled for debate at the Queen’s Students’ Union to reconsider the university’s membership of the National Union of Students-Union of Students in Ireland in an effort to distance itself from the national union’s plan to campaign for the extension of the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. Marian Duggan, a student at Queen’s and a member of Alliance for Choice said: “It is vitally important that the union is not allowed to censor its pro-choice members, thus NUS-USI membership

must be retained. NUS-USI have recourse to lobby the Northern Ireland Assembly on behalf of Northern Irish students, a key relationship to the pro-choice movement which must not be lost.” Abortion is effectively illegal in Northern Ireland under laws dating from 1861 with terminations allowed only if the life of the mother is in danger. The 1967 Abortion Act, introduced into England and Wales, does not apply to Northern Ireland because the province had its own parliament at the time which never revised the law. During the debates on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill at Westminster in October, the Labour MP Diane Abbott tabled a clause which would have extended the 1967 laws to Northern Ireland, claiming that if women were denied the choice to have an abortion they would be “second-class citizens”. But the move was strongly resisted by the Democratic Unionist Party, the largest party in the power-sharing government at Stormont,

by Jonathan Kennedy

them by 220 points. Comparisons have been drawn to Archer’s appearance and that of Vyvyan, the student punk character in cult comedy classic The Young Ones. Archer said he was unaware of any similarities “until after the first of our three episodes was broadcast” and that he now finds the comparisons “just quite funny”.

Science and technology graduates are more likely to be employed and earn higher salaries than arts graduates, new research has found. Computer science, engineering, technology or business studies students are most likely to be on salaries of over £30,000 three years after graduating. More than 50% of graduates from history and philosophical subjects would be on under £20,000 after this time. The findings from the 1994 Group of universities (including Bath, Durham and Exeter) found that the institution attended could also affect a graduate’s salary. Graduates from research led institutions, such as those represented by the 1994 Group or the Russell Group (Oxbridge, Manchester and Leeds) are likely to earn more than those from newer universities. The research revealed that 31.7% of science and technology graduates from research-intensive universities were in the £30,000-£50,000 pay band three years after graduation, compared to just 16% of

science graduates from other institutions. The trend is repeated to a lesser extent among graduates of arts and social sciences degrees. Also according to the findings more than 80% of graduates are satisfied with careers three and a half years after graduating. Two thirds of graduates can expect to earn more than £20,000 a year after that time in the job market, and more than a third can expect to receive a graduate salary of more than £25,000. Unsurprisingly perhaps, graduate salaries are boosted by a postgraduate qualification. However the report also warned that an increasing number of graduates are entering the job market, meaning graduate employment is becoming more competitive. NUS president Wes Streeting commented: “It is no surprise that graduates from research intensive institutions go on to earn more on average - however, we need to remember that these ‘returns’ are far from guaranteed, so these figures cannot be used to back up the argument for institutions to set their own fees.”

Queen’s SU in abortion row which argued that the “sensitive” issue of abortion in Northern Ireland should properly be decided by the Northern Ireland Assembly. Queen’s graduate Stephen Martin, who chairs the youth wing of the moderate Alliance Party, said: “QUBSU has been in a very uncomfortable working relationship with NUS-USI ever since I got involved with student politics in 2004. They feel that they pay a lot of money into NUSUSI and don’t get anything substantial in return. QUBSU does pay into NUSUSI but so do the unions at the University of Ulster and Further & Higher Education Colleges. It gives Northern Ireland a seat at the UK and Irish tables on these issues and it’s better to work for reform than walk away.” “The abortion issue has come up because NUS-USI is believed to want to run a campaign in favour of extending the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. QUBSU held its first Union General Meeting in nearly a

decade in October, at which one of the motions put forward was for QUBSU to remain neutral on the issue, effectively saying that NUSUSI didn’t have the support of its biggest member. That passed, but the vote to stay in NUS-USI has more than likely put that question to bed for the medium term future.” Another source close to the Students’ Union condemned the national union’s motives in planning to join the pro-choice campaign. “Unions exist by the grace of their members associating with it [and] it is a body which has little control over who is a member…No Students’ Union should attempt to speak for all members in a matter such as this, where they at best speak for some of their members. Neutrality and a conduit for debate amongst all sides is the only legitimate position for NUS-USI to take, and the leadership of QUBSU have shown real leadership in refusing to allow themselves to take an institutional position.”

Abortion in Northern Ireland: The Facts Abortion in Northern Ireland is illegal under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, which was the legislation affecting the rest of the United Kingdom before 1967. The 1929 Infant Life (Preservation) Act was extended to Northern Ireland in 1945 and allows abortion to preserve the life of the mother. The Bourne judgement of 1938 also allows abortion in circumstances of risk to mental or physical health. Since 1999 over 70 abortions have been performed in Northern Ireland. But 1,500 women travel to England each year for abortions at a minimum cost of £450. The Family Planning Association says since 1967 five women are known to have died from ‘backstreet’ abortions in Northern Ireland.

The National Student, December 2008

UK NEWS

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A heated row has erupted around a student beauty pageant with critics slamming the event as ‘misogynistic’ and ‘insulting’. Despite the criticism, over 400 students have entered the Miss University London competition which organisers have described as ‘empowering’ for those taking part. The company behind the pageant, 121 Entertainment, has been organising pageants for individual universities in the capital. The winners will go onto represent their institution at the Miss University London contest early next year. Students from LSE, SOAS, Queen Mary College, Regent’s College, UCL and King’s College are competing in the final. Despite protests outside the heats, contestants have defended their right to take part in the pageant. Keelin Gavaghan, 19, an accountancy undergraduate named as Miss London

School of Economics, said, “I fail to see what is wrong with feeling glamorous for one night. We hardly sold our souls.” “Nowadays I believe that we are post-feminism. Not so long ago women couldn’t receive Firsts at university just because they were women, but we have come a long way since.” But many students disagree claiming that the event turns intelligent women into sex objects. Ruby Buckley women’s officer at the London School of Economics students’ union, called for the competition to be ‘eradicated for good’. “LSE is an academic institution and should not have its name tarnished by an event with a single function of the objectification of women,” she said. Elly James, women’s officer at the School of Oriental and African Studies union, said it was ‘part of the systematic degradation of women’, stating that “I see this pageant as part

121 Entertainment

Beauty contest sparks protests

of a backlash against the fragile gains that feminism has won. It is paying male students to objectify female students, measuring them as cattle at a market.” A Facebook group opposing the contest called ‘Miss-Ogynist University of

London’ has attracted 267 members. A student writing on the wall of another group, named ‘For Fuck’s Sake SOAS’, said: “I reiterate again my disbelief at how the London student body has allowed an event so laughably absurd to

take place.” The founder of 121 Entertainment, Christian Emile, said, “The feminists believe we are objectifying women but if you speak to any of the

NO TO ID NUS claims foreign students to be ‘fleeced’ by ID cards NUS HAS raised concerns over the government’s plan for compulsory identity cards and fingerprint collection for foreign nationals. The union believes that singling out international students from the rest of the student population could lead to increased discrimination and alienation for students already facing the daunting challenge of leaving home and studying in a foreign country. NUS President, Wes Streeting said, “The attractiveness of UK higher education to students from other countries should not be put at risk by these onerous and costly procedures that implicitly treat them with suspicion.” “By singling out international students

from their peers with biometric identity cards, a group already at risk of stigmatisation will be indelibly marked as different,” he added. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) has often stated its intention to increase the number of international students within the UK, but NUS believe that the adoption of ID cards could deter foreign students. This, the union says, would strip universities of vital funding and affect cultural diversity on campuses. The Government also plans to roll out voluntary ID cards for young people and students in 2010 ahead of proposals to make them compulsory for all British citizens. NUS has said it will continue to lobby the Government on this issue.

The Government’s controversial introduction of ID cards for non-EU nationals wanting to study in the UK has come under fire from the higher education community. Cambridge University dons have joined in strong criticism of the scheme signing a open letter to the government which has 100 signatures from antiID card campaigners to councilors and community leaders. The fear is that ID cards reduce the number of foreign students choosing to study in the UK and in turn massively affect university finances. NonEU students currently contribute £3 billion to the UK economy each year. Cambridge feel they could be particularly affected as 22% of their students come from abroad. According to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, ID cards will allow people to “easily and securely prove their identity”. This move is the first phase in the Government’s National Identity scheme. New cards will hold similar information to the current passport, but will also contain a biometric chip

contestants I’m sure they wouldn’t feel the same way.” “They would tell you that it’s empowering. I believe people are taking it too seriously – at the end of the day, it’s only a bit of fun,” he added. by Jane Rilley

Jacqui Smith holding a fingerprint record. A student campaigner for the NO2ID campaign commented that “if it is a requirement for foreign students to possess ID cards in order to apply, it is almost certain that we are going to see a fall in the number of foreign applicants and a deterioration of the multicultural environment which is so valuable to Cambridge as an institution. We are trying to make sure that this does

not happen”. On November 25 students in Cardiff joined protests against the introduction of ID cards. 60 protestors gathered on Newport Road and others gathered outside the Cardiff office of the UK Border Agency, where the cards will be issued for non-EU students. No Borders South Wales, who organised the protest, said: “We displayed banners, held placards, waved giant mock ID cards – the reaction from

passers by was completely supportive and many people used their lunch break to join the protest for a short while before returning to work or study.” Other protests were held in Croydon, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle and Solihull. “These new ID cards are not only a repressive measure against non-EU students and spouses, they are the first shot in an attack against everyone’s liberty,” added No Borders.

The National Student, December 2008

UK NEWS

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Tuition Fees Frozen The government has announced that university tuition will not be increased for at least five years. David Eastwood, chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, declared that universities across the UK should not be expecting tuition fees to rise with inflation, driven by the current economic downturn. A spokesman for the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills added that, “the government is committed to growing student numbers and to ensuring finance is no barrier to going to university”. The move to freeze tuition fees comes after it was revealed that any increases in fees would put a strain on government finances as students would be required to borrow more money from the government. According to estimates by the London School for Economics (LSE), the government’s treasury would incur a cost of £1.5 billion if students were forced to take out a minimum student loan of £5,000. Paul Dwyer, vice president for access and academic affairs at Oxford University’s Student

Union, said a freeze on the fees that students have to pay for their education would be “fantastic for all students”. However, he expressed his frustration that the move was motivated solely by the credit crunch, and not by the constraints

tuition fees place on students. “I think it is a little disappointing that the government would only consider this option in an unfavourable economic climate, and not as part of their wider thinking on university funding .”

An Oxford graduate has become Carol Vorderman’s replacement on student-favourite TV show Countdown. Rachel Riley was selected by Channel 4 from over 1,000 applicants and will join the show alongside TV sports presenter Jeff Stelling. Riley said, “this is the best graduate job in the world. There’s only one cool maths job around and I was lucky enough to get it so I’m absolutely thrilled.” Channel 4 said, “Rachel’s on-screen presence, easy going nature, coupled with fantastic maths skills meant she excelled in all rounds of the auditions.”

NUS CAMPAIGN SCOOPS AWARD HSBC interest charges campaign honoured for ‘use of new media’

NUS has scooped a Third Sector Excellence award for their campaign that forced HSBC to change its decision to charge new graduates on their overdraft. The campaign which used Facebook to unite students and generate interest from the press was triumphant at the ceremony in London on Wednesday November 18. NUS President Wes Streeting said, “This is

fantastic news for NUS and shows how much we have improved and developed in recent times.” “The campaign success itself has saved students and graduates millions of pounds, gained international press coverage and is regularly cited as the first time a social networking site has been used to effect a major change in behaviour by any business, let alone a

multinational like HSBC.” “Thanks to our ongoing dialogue with HSBC we will shortly be launching the first report of our three year research project on the student experience, which they have funded to the tune of £330,000.” NUS estimated that the graduate overdraft charges would both have cost graduates £20 million in the first year.

The National Student, December 2008

UK NEWS

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Oxford animal lab opens First animals moved into controversial animal testing facility

The controversial animal testing laboratory that became the target of an aggressive and sustained campaign from animal rights activists has opened in Oxford. Last month the first rodents were moved into the £18m Biomedical Sciences Building at Oxford University, with the transfer of other animals to the facility happening over the next few months. Work on the facility was abandoned just one year after construction had begun when contractors quit following intimidation and threats from animalrights activists. A 16 month delay followed as the university obtained an injunction against protestors to protect staff and builders. An exclusion zone was established around the construction site. Animals will be used in research into cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, HIV, muscular dystrophy, motor neurone disease,

epilepsy, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. According to Oxford University 98% of animals to be housed there are rodents, almost all of which are mice. Other species to be housed there are fish, frogs, ferrets and primates. The primates account for less than half of one per cent (0.5%) of all animals to be housed in the building. Alastair Buchan, head of medical sciences at the university, said, “Unfortunately there is a tension and there always will be a tension, between our needs and our patients’ needs, and those who seek to protect animals from any form of harm.” “The reality for those of us who look after the sick and sadly the disabled, is that we cannot get away from our need for careful, well monitored and meticulously regulated use of animals for biomedical research,” he added. Although the facility has been attacked by animal rights protestors it has been welcomed by

The building of the lab was opposed by animal rights activists

the medical community. One organization has described it as setting a ‘gold standard’ for research facilities. Michelle Thew of the British Union for the

Abolition of Vivisection said, “Like the majority of the British public, I want to live in a world where no one wants or believes it’s necessary to test on animals. It is

therefore depressing that in a collective failure of imagination our leading institutions are choosing to repeat the failed patterns of the past, rather than investing in the future.

Humanity will pay a high price until our public money goes into modern, humane, reliable, nonanimal research to deliver cures for diseases.” by Mary Stott

11HATE 11HATE A shocked student is taking legal action after he received racist ‘jokes’ from 118 118. Kameron Abbas, 21, a second year Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), was ‘having a laugh’ with his friend messaging the new 118 118 joke service when he was stunned to receive the anti-Asian racist jokes. “I feel disgusted and ashamed. It almost makes me feel ashamed of myself for the fact that they sent it,” he said. He is now seeking legal aid from a solicitors company in Preston, who wish not to be named, about taking legal action. The text message he first received from directory inquiry service said, “What’s the difference between ET and an Asian? ET got the message and went home.”

A scandalous second ‘joke’ said, “How do you save a drowning Pakistani? Take your foot off his head.” The Asian student, who lives in Accrington and whose family come from Pakistan, said the issue isn’t about his ethnic origin. “They are a big company and organisation and they shouldn’t be doing things like that. It’s nothing to do with myself being a Muslim, I could be a Sikh. I’m a British citizen, who has lived here my whole life,” he said. He added, “To say ET got the message and went home - this is my home and I’m proud of being British.” After they received the ‘jokes’ Kameron and his friend Imran Shah, 20, also a UCLan student, replied to the company asking if they send Pakistani and Asian jokes. They received an automated service

response saying that it “does not send jokes of this kind.” For a fee of 60p users of the new text message service can receive jokes directly to their mobile phones. “Apparently individual co-ordinators come up with and send the jokes via a database but it affects the whole company,” Kameron said. “It’s promoting racism.” Kameron tried resolving the issue with the company at first but said he wasn’t taken seriously. He said: “I rung up to complain and was passed onto Customer Care where I asked to speak to a senior person. All I got was ‘there’s no-one more senior than me.’ They promised to look into it but I didn’t hear anything back, I think to them it was just another complaint. That’s why I

by Lauren Oldland

decided to take action as they weren’t professional.” “It is people’s opinions and I’ve heard these kinds of jokes a million times, it’s not new to me. It’s the fact that a company that big is sending it,” he said. Kameron added, “I’ve not been offered an out of court settlement but I still wouldn’t have taken it.” William Ostram, a spokesperson for 118 and Director of Communications for The Number UK Ltd, apologised about the jokes being sent and promised to investigate the incident. He said, “This is a breach of our standards. We don’t do jokes like that. This is a disciplinary issue and we would like to apologise. He should not have received it and it should never have been sent.”

Kameron Abbas

The National Student, December 2008

UK NEWS

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Sensitive info exposed by uni staff blunder attending re-sits. Disabilities detailed include deafness or partial hearing, “wheelchair/ mobility”, learning difficulties, Autism and Aspergers syndrome. Also listed are unspecified unseen disabilities, “other” disabilities and “multiple disabilities”. The email and attachment were eventually removed from the system after several hours, by which time at least one student had sent an email to the department informing them of the nature of the document. A spokesperson for the University said, “The document was attached to the email by mistake and as soon as this error was realised, the email was removed from the system and re-sent without the attachment,” said a spokesperson for the University.”

“The University apologises for this error and has taken steps to ensure that this will not happen again.” While the document is no longer on the system, the fear is that many students will have saved the file whilst it was in their inbox. ID numbers and dates of birth on the list could be used to hack into Student Services accounts if students haven’t changed the default setting. University of Manchester Students’ Union Life Sciences Faculty Officer Carly McKenzie was appalled by the error. “This is a massive invasion of privacy,” she said. “Students give their details with the will that they’ll be used appropriately and with a duty of care. Methods of storing and circulating data should be reviewed.”

The winners were: Best Student Radio Station: URN (University of Nottingham) Best Female Presenter: Kate Cooper-Owen (LSRfm.com, Leeds Universities) Best Male Presenter: Mark Crossley (Fly FM, Nottingham Trent University) Newcomer of the Year: Dan Roberts (Smoke Radio, University of Westminster) Best Specialist Music Programming: Retox (LCR 1350, University of Loughborough) Best Journalistic Programming: URN News (URN, University of Nottingham) Best Entertainment Programming: The Afternoon Show with Gareth & Tom (URN, University of Nottingham) Best Interview: Greg Dyke by Rob Watts (URY, University of York) The Kevin Greening Creativity Award: The Technical Difficulties (URY, University of York)

Images: Ollie Millington/Student Radio Association

University of Manchester staff have mistakenly sent out a document containing personal information of students, including details of mental health issues and criminal records, reports Student Direct. Shocked third-year Life Sciences students found an attachment entitled “2008 UG Final Year email addresses” in an email sent on November 18. The attachment spreadsheet exposed far more information than simply email addresses. Courses, University ID numbers, usernames, birthdates, ethnicities, nationality and stage of financial registration are just a few of the details of all 469 Life Sciences students made accessible by the blunder states Student Direct. One student was identified as having a criminal record and curious peers could check their classmates feepaying situation, whether they’d taken a year or more out during their studies or whether they’d returned to their course without

The Student Radio Awards 2008 took place at IndigO2 venue in London on Thursday November 6. The event was chaired by Radio 1’s Huw Stephens and hosted by fellow presenters Scott Mills and Fearne Cotton. Awards were presented by the likes of Alex Zane, Steve Lamacq and 1 Xtra’s Mr Jam with entertainment coming in the form of a DJ set from Stephens and a performance by hotly-tipped indie act Esser.

The National Student, December 2008

UK NEWS

9

Student Radio Awards 2008

Full list of winners and more pictures of the event can be found on the official website:

studentradio.org.uk/awards

The National Student, December 2008

UK NEWS

10

Welfare fears over Union ball penguins Animal welfare charities have expressed disgust at the taunting of live penguins at the Oxford Union’s Fire and Ice Ball last month. Inebriated revellers at the Union’s Ball were seen by a number of guests to be hassling the birds, which

had been brought in to provide entertainment and a photo opportunity. However, Sharon Howe, representative of VERO, Voice for Ethical Research at Oxford, has criticised the actions of the drunk students, saying, “That

sounds like a joke...I am very shocked. We are sickened by it as individuals, and as a group we would just like to say that the incident should be referred to the RSPCA.” The RSPCA responded saying, “It certainly doesn’t sound ideal. Why do you need

by Marta Szczerba penguins at a ball? It seems completely unnecessary.” The ball, which took place on Saturday November 15, had a number of other attractions including live music, fire eaters and

shisha. A second-year from St Anne’s said, “They kept live penguins in small cages. A lot of students were quite near the animals and they looked pretty terrified. Occasionally, they were hassled by drunk people.” The Oxford Union has denied any maltreatment of the animals, saying, “At no time were the penguins allowed to be hassled and this was made clear to all those who wished to have their photograph taken with the penguins. The secretary regularly checked on the handlers and the penguins to see if they needed a break at any point and was informed each time by the handlers that the penguins were fine. “The penguins were only present during the initial stages of the ball, leaving after a few hours. They were not kept in a cage but rather in their own pen which complied with ACTA guidelines and included a water pool for them to swim in as required.”

‘Why would anyone have to ‘clear’ a visit to Edinburgh, and at this point the thoughts provided by the The Cult Information Centre seem scarily close to reality.’ - Scientology and Me - page 12-13

A cco m m o d ation provider Unite has launched a new look website to make finding and booking a place to live with them even earlier. Unite has blocks specifically designed for student living at city centre locations all over the UK. Students can now take a virtual tour of blocks and arrange a viewing or booking online. Also if you want to sort out a place for a group of you and your friends, you can now make group bookings of up to eight people on the site. Just list the group’s preferences such as location, price and the number of people sharing and UNITE’s online search facility will email the whole group with details on available flats for sharing. UNITE Sales and Marketing Director Nathan Goddard said, “Students can do so much online; order their shopping, keep in touch with friends and even download podcasts of missed lectures. Now they can also find the best quality managed student accommodation with a few clicks of a mouse. Finding a place to live couldn’t be easier.” unite-students.com

The National Student, December 2008

FEATURE

Notes on a Scandal 11

Last month Vivid magazine editor Stephen Eisenhammer became the first student editor to publish a topless page three. Writing exclusively for The National Student he discusses the media scandal that followed.

R

ecently the small student magazine that I co-edit became the centre of an international media scandal. VIVID is a termly comment and satire magazine which has a 5,000 copy distribution across Cambridge University. But following our most recent issue we were splashed across newspapers the world over. From the Daily Mail to the Hindustan Times, from USA Today to the Daily Telegraph, the scandal spread. What was the story? “Uproar at Cambridge U n i v e r s i t y as student magazine puts topless

blonde on page three” gasped the Daily Mail, “Undie Graduate” punned the Daily Star. The story was first picked up by the Cambridge student newspaper, Varsity. From there it spread to the Daily Mail and then into all the other newspapers that covered the story. Although the story was featured in innumerable newspapers and web pages, almost all the accounts were based entirely on the information given in the Daily Mail. As media i n t e r e s t snowballed, the intrusions began.

Just two days after VIVID had been printed the girl on our page 3 had reporters outside her home. Journalists were bombarding her mum with calls and some even phoned her old school teachers. A member of the Cambridge Union was offered £100 just to give away her name. Members of the press prowled the Cambridge streets holding copies of VIVID open on page 3, asking in the desperate voice of a mother looking for her lost child, “does anyone know this girl”.

Is thi

s offe

nsive

?

This was a ridiculous amount of interest for what was not really a ‘story’ at all. Considering the proportion of magazines and newspapers on your local newsagent’s shelves that contain topless girls, it hardly seemed to be worthy of comment. However, the mass news coverage made the photograph into an issue. Subsequently, internet forums appeared arguing to and fro as to whether the photo was worthy of scandal. The matter was even discussed in a comment piece in The Times. Here the author loudly denounced the backwardness of Cambridge University, highlighting its “Taleban tendency” and its “prudishness”. The issue, of course, was not the toplessness, but the fact that it had occurred at one of our “Ancient Universities”. However,

the

only

information on which all this opinion was based was the biased reporting of the tabloids, which all stemmed from the one article in the Daily Mail. These newspapers do not really report so much as choose and cultivate stories in which they see potential. The Mail saw the potential of a story about a scandal concerning a photograph of a topless girl at Cambridge University and manipulated it accordingly. Anyone can stand outside and thrust a picture of a topless girl

into people’s faces until they get a few statements of disapproval to place in an article.

on the ‘scandal’ broke more laws via copyright breach than VIVID did at any point in the whole affair.

In reality, VIVID did not receive a single complaint. No action was taken by the University or our College. In fact, both made clear statements that no action would be taken and that as an independent publication we were entitled to print what we wished, as long as it was not illegal. The ironic truth is that every picture printed with the articles

The press, as is their tendency, presented a skewed account of the event because it would be more popular. Journalism, which should have the role of educating us and dissolving our prejudices, instead, more often than not, reinforces them. The headline should have read “Cambridge student poses topless – No scandal”.

YOUR PAPER NEEDS YOU! The National Student is your paper and needs your help! We are always looking for contributors to write news, views, features and reviews. To get involved email

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The National Student, December 2008

FEATURE

12

SCIENTOLOGY

Fuelled by talk of ‘a dangerous cult’ and following a bizarre personal experience in Edinburgh, our reporter delved into the world of Scientology...

‘

Hubbard isn’t a god or anything…. we just have this out of respect.’ I am standing behind a red rope, on the top floor of a Scientologist Church in central London. In front of me is an immaculate office, which I cannot step into. It looks like any functioning work place, decorated with flowers, memo pads and a reading lamp. Yet something feels not quite right, and then I see it. On the grand wooden desk there is a polished name plaque. It says, ‘L. Ron Hubbard’ on it and behind the desk is an expensive leather chair for him to sit in. Except there’s no chance that he will ever be using this as he’s been dead for 22 years. ‘Every Scientologist Church will have a room like this,’ says my new Scientologist friend. I start to feel like I am in a dream, it’s all getting a bit bizarre. How did I get here, I think to myself. “How have I become initiated into the Church of Scientology?” Rewind. The late sci-fi writer L. Ron Hubbard founded Scientology in 1952. Its fundamental premise is that man is an immortal spiritual being - a Thetan. The body is a shell and dies but the Thetan lives forever. Scientology increases a person’s spiritual awareness and certainty of their own immortality. It believes the mind is an accumulated record of three dimensional smelling, sounding, mental, image pictures. Scientology’s aim is to clear the mind of the painful mental image pictures we have collected. When the mind is clear we will be free. To achieve complete spiritual freedom you must complete ‘The Bridge of Total Freedom’ comprising of twenty-seven Auditing classes. You receive a certificate after each class. It is most likely you will invest several hundred thousand pounds before achieving the final classification of Hubbard Class 12 Auditor. Scientology is a highly controversial religion banned in Greece and Italy. Germany declares it a threat to democracy. In countries such as Belgium and Norway it is under investigation for allegations

of child abuse, kidnapping and running secret internal prison camps. My intrigue into Scientology began after seeing the Panorama special ‘Scientology and Me’. In this documentary the BBC presenter John Sweeney looses his rag on camera after he is followed and verbally harassed for several days by Tommy Davis, an American Scientologist spokesman who in his black sunglasses and sleek suit looks like he’s just stepped off the set of Men in Black. Sweeney suggests that Scientology is a dangerous cult, which brainwashes its members and takes all of their money. Attending Scientologist conventions he highlights some of its bizarre beliefs, one of them being that psychology is an ‘industry of death’. My immediate reaction was disbelief at the apparent power Scientology has,

they existed but my attitude was, if their beliefs aren’t harming the rest of society then I don’t have a problem with it. Yes, I heard the antiScientology talk from groups such as Anonymous but I wanted to see for myself what the organisation was all about. Little did I know that a few weeks later I would unknowingly have my first encounter with the Church of Scientology and acquire my own understanding about what the organisation is really about. During August I went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The Fringe is a buzzing place and it put me in an open-minded mood - perhaps it was all the whisky! So on a rainy afternoon when a chirpy twenty something guy asked if I’d like to come inside an inconspicuous building, similar to other Fringe Venues, to take a ‘Free

man sat at the desk asked questions in a rapid, quickfire fashion. “What were you thinking of, right then?” “I don’t know,” I said, as pinning down thoughts is a difficult thing to do. “What were you thinking of just then.” “I don’t know,” I said. He explained the dial was swinging rapidly and so I was thinking a negative thought. “What are you holding back?” he asked. “Something to do with a guy? Fallen out with a friend? Have you lost somebody you cared about?” After a lot of nervous giggling I gave way. Even though initially I wasn’t thinking about any of these things, his pressured questioning forced them into my mind. “I guess I’m thinking about my grandma, she died a year ago.”

‘She told me my graph revealed I had a lack of responsibility for myself, poor communication skills, that I suffered from severe depression and at times felt suicidal. This is untrue but if I had been a person with low self-esteem this analysis would have made me feel very worried about my mental state.’ clearly enabled by the huge amount of cash investment it receives from expensive auditing programmes, selfimprovement courses and books. The harassment Sweeney and the exmembers he interviewed experienced when filming, was unnerving. How did Scientologists dig up so much information about a person’s life and why use it as a weapon to stop ex -members speaking out? However I could understand why Tommy Davis was so defensive and unenthusiastic about Sweeney’s documentary. If a reporter told me that what I believed in was a sham and was trying to give a negative portrayal of my organisation, then I would also get touchy. At that point I had never met a Scientologist. I knew

Personality Test’, I simply saw it as a fun thing to do to avoid the rain and without much thought stepped inside. Entering a sparingly decorated room, we sat at a table and the test began. On the table were two tin cans wired up to a boxed machine, which had a swinging needle on it. This is what Scientologists call an ‘E-Meter’, to my mind a primitive lie detector, explained in a Scientology handbook as “a religious artefact… used by ministers…to help parishioners locate the source of spiritual travail”. The goal of the so-called ‘auditing sessions’ is to achieve no movement of the needle. You are then ‘Clear’ and can continue along ‘The Bridge to Total Freedom.’ As I picked up the cans, the

“Go on,” he said. And so I started talking about my grief and the pain of loosing her. He stayed mostly silent whilst I spoke about this. The questions continued, and we went over many events in my life, as far back as my early childhood. It was cathartic to purge my thoughts to a stranger, who assured me that nothing I could say would unsettle him since he had heard it all before. It was a form of therapy. I noticed that as I became more honest about my past, the dial on the E-Meter started to settle. When I became emotionally tired the man insisted there was still more to explore. “I can probably guess what it is you are holding back,” he said. “Well, tell me,” I said, as I

did not know. “I can’t do that…but I want you to read this. I don’t want you to say anything, just give it a read.” He produced a card and handed it me. The atmosphere was intense as he watched me read it. The words ‘L’, ‘Ron’ and ‘Hubbard’, jumped out at me. The realisation dawned that the, ‘Free Personality Test,’ was simply a disguised recruitment method of Scientology. I felt I had been mislead, like Gretel going inside for some sweeties and discovering that there were none. “What did you think about that?” asked the man I then understood was a Scientologist. “Yes, it’s very interesting” was all I could say. I wanted to leave. He then produced a book, titled Dianetics. It would be a “good thing” if I bought it, he said. Jeez, I thought. Now you’re trying to sell me something! “No thank you,” I said. “It would really help you.” “No, thank you,” I said again. He persisted and I continued to offer excuses. After several minutes he relented. “I think you could really benefit from coming to watch some videos,” he continued. “Yeah, maybe,” I replied. I then got up, thanked him for the personality test and walked away. In all the man seemed a genuine guy, eager to help and I felt a warm feeling to have a stranger reach out to me, but there was an underlying pressure and intensity towards the end of the session that unnerved me. John Duignan, a former scientologist told The Sun newspaper in November 2008 that he joined Scientology in 1985 after a pretty girl offered him the ‘Free Personality Test’. Like myself, it was his first experience of Scientology. Now 45 he said, “The test is a clever recruitment device because it appeals to people who are searching for something.” He said the ‘friendly people’ he met offered a solution to his self-confidence issues and depression, in Scientology. On reflection

he believes what he really needed was “proper psychological counselling.” John’s new expose of Scientology The Complex has been pulled from Amazon and British bookshelves for “legal reasons”. Duignan is reported to be “not at all surprised given the Church’s record on Freedom of expression”. The experience in Edinburgh made me wonder more about the alleged darker side of Scientology. I contacted The Cult Information Centre, or CIC, an educational charity that provides advice and information for victims of cults, their families and friends, researchers and the media. Representative Ian Haworth, an American excult member with first hand experience on the realities of cult life has handled over 20,000 enquiries and delivered over 1,200 talks on cults. He told me his work in the UK includes helping people who are concerned for the welfare of a family member who have joined the church. He has also helped people ‘recover’ after leaving Scientology. Recover from what, I asked? He directed me to the article, Information Disease written by Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman, published in the North American version of Science Digest in January 1982. This article shows the results of an extensive survey Conway and Siegelman

The National Student, December 2008

FEATURE

AND ME.... conducted into cults. The participants, all ex-cult members included Moonies, Divine Light Mission and Scientologists. The results were enlightening. ExScientologists said that it took, “on the average, more than two years (26 months) before they felt rehabilitated - more than twice the time of those from other major cults.” It is said that those leaving the church suffered from sexual dysfunction, violent outbursts, hallucinations and delusions and suicidal or self-destructive tendencies. 58% of ex-scientologists reported incidences of physical punishment whilst in the group. If these results speak the truth Scientology can be seen as nothing less than evil. My preconceptions and the information I had acquired seemed at loggerheads with the genuine nature of the Scientologists I had met in Edinburgh. Haworth commented that people in cults in general, “are decent human beings who have become victims of a process”. “They have undergone a change in personality,” he said and are “less able to critically evaluate… they look happy because they’re programmed to do so, I looked happy when I was in a cult.” He said he is ‘concerned’ about Scientology quoting Judge Latey, a British judge who in the 1980’s dealt with a case involving Scientologists. Latey said that Scientology, “is corrupt sinister and dangerous” On telling him I was

going to visit the Church of Scientology in London he replied “we would never recommend that.” The first thing that hits you when you walk into the Scientology church in London is the sheer grandeur of the place, with its marble flooring and high ceilings. Unlike in Edinburgh the Scientologists wore uniforms, something which it is said is a method cults use to remove individuality, discourage free-thought and promote conformity. Telling a receptionist that I was ‘interested in joining Scientology’ I was taken to the ‘testing centre’ an area where you take several tests designed to assess your seriousness and suitability in joining Scientology. I was given a list of 200 questions which I had to answer, such as “Are you readily interested in other peoples conversations?”, “Is your voice monotonous rather than varied in pitch?”, “Do you often sing or whistle just for the fun of it?”, and “Does life seem rather vague or unreal to you?” Whilst taking the test I got talking to a pretty American woman around my age. I asked her, how Scientology has helped her. “In everything,” she emphasised, “I was born into Scientology because my parents were Scientologists…” She quickly skimmed over details about her parent’s messy divorce, which struck me as a hefty subject to skim over. “It’s helped me in relationships, in my studies, with friends,” she added.

Scientology claims to contain solutions to “the problems of drugs, education, morals (and) relationships”. If a child cannot read well then Scientology can help the child, “dispense with a liability that would otherwise affect him for his entire life”. Marriages can be “saved and strengthened’ and their “most effective drug rehabilitation programme” enables the addict “to uncover the reasons why he began in the first place”. Whatever the problem, Hubbard has the answers. It took me half an hour to complete the test. A woman typed my answers into a computer which created a spiky looking graph. She told me my graph revealed I had a lack of responsibility for myself, poor communication skills, that I suffered from severe depression and at times felt suicidal. This is untrue but if I had been a person with low self-esteem this computer-generated analysis of my mind would have made me feel very worried about my mental state and perpetuate my inner turmoil. She prompted me to comment on the graph but I felt weary to disclose information about myself. Instead I began to argue the graphs results to which the response was, “These are your answers though… I’m only telling you what your answers revealed.” In between the questioning we were getting along; I told her about my trip to Edinburgh and she told me she was going there in a few days to visit the Church. An older Scientologist overhearing the conversation interjected with the probing question, “Have you CLEARED that?” “Yeah, yeah I’ve cleared it,” the woman replied in defence. Why would anyone have to ‘clear’ a visit to Edinburgh, and at this point the thoughts provided by the The Cult Information Centre seemed scarily close to reality. As the discussions of my graph continued the plural ‘we’ started to enter into the conversation, I felt like I was becoming a part of a single entity. “So what we’re going to do is get you started on some of these communication courses… it’s about 30 pounds for the course…did I say 30 pounds, I meant

13

L. Ron Hubbard

eighteen… and you can come here to do them, if that’s best for you?. So shall we sign you up?” Hold up, a minute, I thought. I have not agreed to participate in a course, she has just presumed. “I have to think abut this. I can’t afford the course at the moment,” I said “I don’t want you leaving here with nothing… I want to get you started on the courses… you can do some Dianetics for free, I know a guy whose really good at it…you can buy a paperback for £8.” “Eight pounds did you say?” “Yeah, eight pounds.” “Ok, I’ll buy it.” I relented, I bought the book. Strangely as soon as I agreed the pressurising conversation ended. As we went to the cash desk with my self-help book I asked her how Scientology had helped her. “I came into Scientology to help others,” This statement was true. She clearly was eager to help me, but also just as eager to close a sale. She told me I needed to fill out a receipt on the top floor for my book. In the lift she chatted about her university friends

and how she liked what I was wearing. Perhaps this was a ‘love bombing’, a cult technique, however I think if we had met in a university environment, away from the church, we could’ve gotten on well. The ‘receipt’ involved writing down all my personal details, something I’ve never had to do in Waterstones! It was on this floor that she showed me Hubbard’s office. And it was at that point I realised I had been in the Church for three hours and really had to leave. As I headed for the exit I saw a little boy in his school uniform running up the marble steps on his way to a private lesson in an empty classroom. He should be at home, chilling out, I thought. Outside scientologists, smoking cigarettes were there to say goodbye. Funny that, I thought. If Scientology makes you think clearly and calmly why do you need that kind of crutch? I don’t. So, what have I found out about Scientology? . I have seen how auditors pressurise you to buy books and courses and it is for this reason I believe it is simply a money making business and not a religion. I believe

Scientology is harmful to those that try to leave it. John Duignan writes about a ‘Rehabilitation Project Force’ in Scientology, which stops members from leaving the cult. They subjected his friend Alice to daily interrogation for six months. “One afternoon Alice swallowed a tin of paint thinner and jumped from a 15ft room…Alice is now crippled,” he said. I believe that Scientologists are generally good people but have become victims of a pyramid scheme they are unaware of. I don’t recommend going for a ‘Free Personality Test’ since the intense pressure of the experience and the preying on insecurities may draw even the strongest willed person towards the ‘religion’. Interestingly a few days after visiting the church the email account I set up purely for correspondence with Scientology was deleted. This may be a coincidence or it may be that my questioning whilst at the Church aroused suspicion and forced them to take action against me but I guess I’ll never know.

The National Student, December 2008

FEATURE

14

Love your Neighbourhood S

Every year the ‘Town versus Gown’ problems arise. Sarah Wayman, Research and Policy Officer (Student Welfare) at NUS gives some practical tips on how you can get on better with your neighbours...

tudents are a valuable part of any community and are equal members of the cities they live in and the neighbourhoods they occupy. Your year will be challenging and exciting, but make sure that you behave responsibly in the community and be a good neighbour. Ensure that you fully understand your rights as a member of the community and a tenant. Remember that you are moving into the local community, where you’ll be living side by side with a whole range of different people. Everyone lives a different lifestyle, be understanding and treat others in a way that allows us all to live and work alongside one another without clashes.

this a forum, a fete, a cultural event, or even a fireworks display. These are all excellent ways to get to know the members of your community, and really start to feel at home. 6. Do lock your windows and doors. No-one wants to get burgled, or indeed live next door to somewhere that keeps getting broken into. It’s upsetting, it’ll make your insurance go through the roof and can make everyone feel unsafe. A quarter of all burglaries happen through unlocked windows and doors - which could have been avoided. 7. Do let your neighbours know if your house is going to be empty for a considerable period – whether this be you going on holiday, on a placement or on a study break.

Our top ten tips for being a good neighbour:

8. Having the occasional party is everyone’s prerogative. If you decide to hold one, hold it at the weekend or at a time agreed with your neighbours. Tell your neighbours about the party, keep the noise to a reasonable level, and agree a time to end it by. Ensure that your friends leave quietly and you clear up any mess. 9. Find out when the bin day is. It’s the local authority’s responsibility to provide a waste collection service, but as residents we all need to make sure that we help it run effectively. This is by far the issue that we hear up and down the country that irks residents. No-one wants a street with rows of over flowing bins. If there’s a problem with your waste collection, let your students’ union and local authority know!

10. Do plan ahead for when you move out of your accommodation. This may seem like a long way in the future, but it can be one of the most stressful periods of your year. Make sure you plan ahead and leave the accommodation in a good condition for the next tenants. Look out for special refuse collection or recycling services that are running during this period. Check with your local authority or students’ union for more information. For more information, why not check out the following sites: NUS Housing Advice nus.org.uk/en/Student-Life/Housing-Advice/ Volunteering England – volunteering.org.uk About my vote - haboutmyvote.co.uk/ Up my street - upmystreet.com/

1. Do introduce yourself to your neighbours when you move in and establish a good relationship. Most people find it difficult to approach neighbours they do not know well. Getting to know one another will help to ensure that you have a good relationship and you can both get in contact with each other if any problems arise. 2. Do get involved with volunteering in your local community. It will impact positively on your life, as well as the lives of those for who you volunteer. It offers you a chance to become involved in a project or with an organisation you really care about as well as an opportunity to meet new and like-minded people. It also gives you the chance to try out something different to your ‘everyday’ job, which may lead on to new career options. 3. Don’t let the house get shabby! If your landlord is responsible for the maintenance of the house, there’s still no excuse! Let your landlord know if there is something that needs tending to, and keep copies of all your correspondence. You should always try to rent off an accredited landlord. 4. Do register to vote. This is your chance to have a say on the issues that affect your local neighbourhood. 5. Do get involved in community events – be

thenationalstudent.co.uk Find more comment and features in our new look site at:

The National Student, December 2008

FEATURE

15

A Traveller’s Tale R

un for the hills people, poo has been found in a local restaurant’s chocolate ice cream. And guess who discovered it? Yup, the customer who ate it. Imagine how that must have tasted as they tongued it around their mouth and thought this isn’t quite right. They would have spat it out, smelt it, then called over the waiter who would no doubt have been asked why there was a freshly whipped deposit from the chef’s bottom in their ice cream bowl. The restaurant’s obviously been shut, people have been fired and tests have revealed that yes, it was human. A bum deal for the couple, but it could work out rather well if they win the $1m compensation they’re demanding for their distress of it all. And Christ they deserve it. Social humiliation, tetanus jabs, mouthwash and dental floss, it all costs. And apparently the poor lady can’t even change her son’s nappy without now bringing up her lunch. Truly unpleasant. As are the recent comments from Rupert Murdoch. Despite being an Australian himself, the media tycoon has just accused the country and its people of being a bunch of lazy bludgers. That’s gone down almost as well as the ice cream, but it’s true. Look at Brett Stark from last month’s instalment. I contacted the floppyhaired ex-Neighbours star about a photo for the article. He agreed, set a time and

then didn’t show up. The next day he called with some flaky excuse about battery charges and his internet being down. But right now I’m too busy patching things up with the Wrecking Ball to care about an absent ex-Neighbour. You may remember we had a bit of a row - my fault of course - that led to me staying in a youth hostel while the steam stopped shooting from her ear-holes. Well good news, we’ve kissed and made up. But bad news too, for we’ve finally realised we’re two peas from very different pods. She wants to move back to Canada, buy a house and kit it out with groovy new sofas and a couple of kids to bounce all over it. Me, on the other hand, I just want to hop on a motorbike and ride across the world with her hanging off the back. So we have a dilemma; do we pull the pin and call it a day, or do we operate like adults for once and a find a way to sort it all out, a compromise if you will. Today, with us back together and living under the same roof, I’d say it’s a tough one and scratch my chin. But if you asked me last week, as I sat sulking in the youth hostel, I’d have decisively replied, ‘sod this… if the relationship’s not working then I’m going to buy that motorbike and start planning for that trip.’ And that, rather rashly, is exactly what I did… I found her on eBay, paid 700 quid and got the train three hours north to collect

her. She’s four-years old, slow, totally un-cool and called a ‘postie bike’ because every Postman Pat in Australia delivers his mail on one.

around Australia, around the world at a very slow push... Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Europe and home. In fact, there’s a

I know I’m not the fittest man alive, not when I have cellulite on my stomach and a fresh pair of man-cans, but come on, is my body really that hopeless it can’t even be used for medical testing? Actually, don’t answer that. Okay, she’s hardly something Steve McQueen would ride. But I’m still confident she’d take me

couple - girlfriend and boyfriend - currently riding from Sydney to South Africa on the very same bike. Without medics and mechanics, they’re showing McGregor and Boorman just how it should be done. So you see, anything’s possible on a ‘postie’. And that’s what I’d try and prove if we do go our separate ways, just set off and head for the horizon, chase some backpackers up the east coast and smoke some peace pipe with the aborigines along the way. Sounds adventurous, a little exciting too. But if I’m honest, both with you and myself, I’m hoping me and the Wrecking Ball can work things out, because deep down I’m beginning to think Robbie Williams was right, and that quite possibly, she’s the one… And if that’s the case I

might have to skip the bike ride and take option two. I had mentioned that I used to write about cars for a living in England. A motoring journalist, like Jeremy Clarkson, only not an ounce as good. Well, one of the car magazines in Australia has agreed to rescue me from Spiros the Greek’s cafe where I’m still making sandwiches, and employ me as some sort of tea-making wheel-cleaning dogs body. I’d be bottom of the pile, but a job, stability, a career, and for once proud parents... Sounds kinda cool. So there we go, crunch time; together or apart; her staying in Australia or home to Canada; me working for the car magazine or jumping aboard Dorris, my trusty red stead, and riding off in to the sunset… decisions, so many decisions. And if there’s one thing I hate more than poo in my ice cream, it’s decision making. I’m just hopeless at them, and so is she. But whatever we do decide, I’m going to need some extra cash. And for that, dear Lord, I’m going back to the medical lab… The trial is for a new antibiotic drug not yet tested on humans. I have to swallow it, stay in hospital for two days, and then, if I‘m still alive, take the 500 quid they say they’ll pay me. Easy money, but first I have to qualify, and that

means I’m sat writing this update with a million wires strapped to my chest and a giant black box in my pocket measuring my heart rate for the next 24 hours. If I’m fine and my body healthy they’ll welcome me aboard and give me the drug and then the cash. But wait a minute. It’s the medical lab on the telephone. “What’s that doctor… bad news… something wrong with my liver… fluctuating levels of what sorry… not life threatening… well that’s a relief… but I can’t take part in the testing… Oh, that’s okay… thanks, bye”. Fuck me… I know I’m not the fittest man alive, not when I have cellulite on my stomach and a fresh pair of man-cans, but come on, is my body really that hopeless it can’t even be used for medical testing? Actually, don’t answer that. So there you go. Depending on what me and the Wrecking Ball decide to do, my tale will continue to be told from either a journalist’s desk in Sydney, or from the driver’s seat of Dorris, my trusty stead, as we trek through the arseend of nowhere. Exciting times, that’s for sure, but in the meantime I’m heading up the coast with Pube Head and an Irish mate to the place where they film Home and Away… by Nathan Millward

The National Student, December 2008

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THE HITMAN SPEAKS W

Following Ricky Hatton’s recent return to form, James Davies caught up with The Hitman...

hen Ricky Hatton was beaten on points by Floyd Mayweather Jnr in Las Vegas last December many critics said it was time to throw in the towel and retire. Hatton said no. When he scraped a win on points over Juan Lazcano in May of this year many said he was past his best. Hatton, unsurprisingly, disagreed. Then, having hired Floyd Mayweather Snr as his trainer, ‘The Hitman’ returned to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and wowed spectators and pundits alike with a thrilling eleventh round victory over Paul Malignaggi. This win proved the doubters wrong and has led many to state that Hatton is back to his best. As I peer over the hoards of people who have assembled, to get a glimpse of Ricky Hatton, launching his autobiography, I wondered what the man at the centre of all the fuss thought of the attention.

After all this isn’t something your average lad from the Hattersley council estate, in Hyde, is likely to experience. The signing is only supposed to last an hour, but Hatton is adamant he will sign for every fan that has come to see him. People all over the UK have queued for a squiggle that apparently reads ‘Ricky Hatton ‘Hitman’. Two long hours pass, and the crowds of people who had come to see their hero are finally ushered out of the busy book store on London’s Oxford Street. But instead of going home, many opt to stay, singing a catalogue of songs, including ‘Blue Moon’ and ‘Hatton Wonderland’ that have become synonymous with the pint-sized boxer. This is something ‘The Hitman’ clearly enjoys. With his baseball cap pulled down, covering much of his face, he begins to jump around, firing jabs into the air, giving the crowd the show they came for. As I make my way over

to the man who is as well known for his harddrinking lifestyle out of the ring, as his boxing in it, he puts out his cut and bruised drinking hand saying, “Your hands are soft. Can’t be a boxer.” Despite his publicist wanting the interview to be conducted in one of the many back rooms, Rick, as he wanted to be called, decides he would rather wander around the shops CD section as we chat. As soon as the shop floor is cleared we make our way past the security, towards the music section. “Can you see any Oasis?” he asks. After what he has seen, and heard, during the course of the afternoon, the people’s champion looks up and smiles reflecting on the loyalty of his fans. “I feel no different to the man in the crowd, but it’s nice to reward them. I don’t think there’s ever been a British boxer with a fan base like mine.” There is no question, he is a talented fighter, but it is his character as much as his skill that has made

him one of the best loved British boxers; followed by Hollywood stars and adored by the likes of David Beckham and the Gallagher brothers. “A lot of fighters shut themselves away. I’m not like that,” he says. “As long as they’re not getting in the way of my training, anybody, who wants, can come to the gym, especially those from my local area. I like to think I’ve done the area proud, and people shouldn’t be excluded, especially kids.” Despite his fame, wealth, and superstar status he still likes to drink a pint, or two, of Guinness and play darts at the New Inn, the pub his parents once owned, surrounded by fans, who he now refers to as “my friends”. This part of his lifestyle is often criticised. In between fights, Ricky has seen his weight balloon to an astonishing 180lb, 40 over what it should be and he has often only made the required weight just weeks before the fight.

This has resulted in his fans jokingly renaming him ‘Ricky Fatton’, which the affable boxer likes to play along with, opting to wear a fat suit into the ring. “I’ll still go down the pub with the lads, and eat my fry ups. That will never, ever change. That’s me, and that’s what makes me who I am. I like to let my hair down. I know I do it a bit more and a bit heavier than most, but if I only had to lose 3lb before a fight I’d probably go out drinking the week before anyway.” Still wandering through the music section, his attention is drawn to a CD called Footie Anthems, which immediately brings us on to his love of Manchester City, the club for which his father and grandfather both played, and the team he supported as boy. He too might have been a footballer, as he was on City’s books as a teenager, but he was always a better boxer. “A lot of people like watching football, but I’m a die-hard. When City get beat on a Saturday, that’s

my weekend ruined,” he says. “When we play United, I’m just as much up for that as for my fights.” ‘The Hitman’ continues, “I go to as many away games as possible. It’s nice at away games because I stand in the queue, buy a ticket and then sit with the rest of the City fans. People find it strange, you know. I will be in the queue for a pie and Bovril at halftime and fellows will ask, ‘What are you doing here, Ricky?’ But if they knew me personally, they would know I don’t see myself as any different to them.” This says it all. Success, fame and wealth have not turned his head, nor have they diluted the straightforwardness that has always been his way. It is this sort of attitude which has undoubtedly assisted Hatton in his comeback after the Mayweather defeat and has now, after beating Malignaggi, helped him to restore his reputation as one of the greatest British boxers of all time.

The National Student, December 2008

SPORT

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Langford and Co. ready to battle their way to 2012

Tommy Langford

Build up begins to BUCS Championships The interactive guide to the BUCS Championships 2009 is now live on thebucschampionships.co.uk. As well as the usual suspects, four new sports will feature in this season’s showdown of the best of university sport in the UK. The Futsal, Korfball, Ultimate Frisbee and Snooker Championships all have pride of place in the event.

These additions take the total number of sports available to student athletes to 24. With the additional sports now available, the event is expected to top previous competitor numbers with over 5,400 student athletes competing during the four days which promise to provide an enthralling showcase of sporting talent from across the country.

On December 19, the England amateur boxing team, containing University of Birmingham student Tommy Langford, will begin their journey to London 2012. The team of twelve boxers face Germany in their first match since the team competed in Beijing in the Summer Olympics. The international will mark Langford’s first match at this level after his call up from the England junior team, where he won all seven of his bouts. Langford, a second year Sport and Exercise student, is the only member of the team to combine full-time education with boxing and breaks the mould in the sense that top-class athletes rarely have the option to continue into further education or, if they have that opportunity, rarely take up the chance to study alongside training. ‘Being at university, I have so much time to do my studies without hampering my training’ said Langford, from Bideford in Devon. ‘I can always fit in a strength session, speed session or a jog around my lectures and, in that respect, university enables me to progress as

much in my boxing as it does in my studies.’ The fight takes on even greater importance for nineteen year old Langford as it is being held at the NIA in Birmingham, just a few miles from Hall Green, where Langford trains every day with his trainer Tom Chaney. Frankie Gavin, the first ever Brit to win to the World Amateur Championship after his victory in Chicago last year, used to train at Hall Green and was due to fight in this fixture before turning pro recently. He is a close friend of Langford and is expected to be ringside amongst the 5000 capacity crowd to support his compatriot come the fight. Ben Plevery, promoter for the event, said that Langford’s ability to juggle university life and a serious career in boxing deserved the support of his fellow students. ‘Tommy is just like every other student on campus’ claimed Plevey. ‘He is going about student life with all the same worries of exams and studies except that he must make time out of his day to

Gibbons goes close to medals as Bath lead the way for Great Britain University of Bath student Gemma Gibbons was left disappointed after just missing out on the medals at the Under-23 European Judo Championships in Croatia, finishing fifth. Gibbons, a second year Sports Performance student at the university, lost her under-70kg bronze medal match, which went the full five minutes, to Hungary’s Anett Meszaros. Gibbons had earlier beaten Laure Aerts of Belgium, Marija Cosic from Croatia and Stephanie Egger of Switzerland in the preliminary rounds to book a place in the semifinals against Linda Bolder of the Netherlands. The Dutch player was the victor and went on to take gold overall, leaving Gibbons to face

the bronze medal match against Meszaros. Gibbons was one of five TeamBath judo players in Great Britain’s 12strong squad competing at the championships in Zagreb. Four of them were University of Bath students. Kate Walker, who is studying for a Pharmacy degree at the University, also went close to the medals, finishing seventh overall in the under-63kg class. For the men, Business Administration student Tom Reed impressed with a win in his opening contest in the under-81kg class, beating Gabriel Grossklaus of Switzerland, but he then lost to Valeriu Duminica of Moldova. The championships marked a

landmark for Patrick Roux, a former teaching fellow in performance judo at the University of Bath. It was Roux’s first tournament since taking up his post as Great Britain’s new head coach. Juergen Klinger, head judo coach at the University of Bath, said: “I am happy that one third of the British team were University of Bath students, and also that they manage to balance their heavy judo training with degrees in Pharmacy, Chemistry, Business Administration and Sports Performance.” Klinger was keen to look to the future adding: “They are role models for young people aspiring to win medals in London 2012.”

More sport at: thenationalstudent.co.uk

Gemma Gibbons

prepare himself physically and mentally to represent his country on the highest stage’. Langford has insisted that he is finding it hard to concentrate with such a big fight ahead but that his preparations have gone well in the build-up to the fight so far. Langford will also be pleased with the recent outcome of the UK Sport’s 2012 funding programme which was made public at the start of December. After surpassing the medal target in Beijing, boxing has been given over a 60% increase in its budget for the Olympic Games in four years time. The results mean that there will be £8.02 million to spend in the development of a team which can seriously challenge for gold. Langford and his compatriots should get their fair share of financial support to ensure they have even bigger fights to come. For now though, Tommy Langford and the English team are more than ready to gun down the Germans. by Ben Whitelaw

The National Student, December 2008

SPORT

Phil Searle, DigitalScape/TeamBath

19

Bath left bruised by narrow cup exit As football sides across the country discovered who they faced in the third round of the FA Cup. For TeamBath FC it was a case of what might have been after they were knocked out of the first round by Forest Green Rovers. Bath went down 1-0 at Twerton Park with Forest Green progressing and taking the scalp of Rochdale in the second round. It could all have been so different for TeamBath. Kaid Mohammed netted the only goal of the game

15 minutes from time for Forest Green, converting Andy Mangan’s cross from the bye line. Mangan nipped in to steal the ball after TeamBath skipper Gary Warren slipped while in possession. Despite this goal TeamBath were unlucky to lose after dominating the game. The home side created chances throughout and were left to rue not making the visitors pay. Josh Llewellyn thought he had put TeamBath a goal up after 10 minutes when

he headed Marc Canham’s free kick from wide on the left past the Forest Green keeper, only to see his effort cancelled out by an offside decision. Terry Burton produced an outstanding save to tip Warren’s header over the bar from Mike Perrott’s corner on 39 minutes. Warren forced Burton into two more fine saves early in the second half. Three minutes after the break the Forest Green keeper was at full stretch to tip Warren’s header over the bar from

American Football goes off with a bang in Birmingham November 12 saw the start of the University American Football season. The sport has an ever increasing popularity in the UK, so much so that the Channel Five cameras went to the University of Birmingham to watch their side, the Birmingham

Lions, take on the Bath Killer Bees. There was a big turn out from university students for an event which not only showcased the game itself but also had performances from cheerleading teams and a fireworks display. The match itself was a

very one sided affair with the Lions overwhelming the Killer Bees in what were, at times, atrocious weather conditions. The home side eventually ran out 29-0 winners to provide the perfect start to their season and send Bath back to the drawing board.

Canham’s fine ball from the left. Moments later Burton pushed another Warren header wide from Canham’s deep free kick. Forest Green were always a threat themselves and Mangan went close just after the break, drilling an effort just wide on 54 minutes. Then they produced two good chances in two minutes. Jonathan Smith’s powerful header from Conal Platt’s corner cannoned off the bar on 68 minutes and Kaid Mohammed hit

an effort just wide of the upright two minutes later before he did score the only goal of the game. Josh Llewellyn almost put TeamBath back into the match with five minutes left, but Burton produced another good save to hold Llewellyn’s effort. Afterwards TeamBath manager Ged Roddy said: “We dominated the game for large parts and we probably should have won it. We huffed and puffed, but we just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net. The

longer the game went on, you could just feel that they might nick something. “I thought the lads were outstanding today. I’m really proud of every one of them,” he added. “For a university side to step up like this today was something special.” Forest Green have been rewarded for their continued success in the competition with a third round tie at home to Derby County while TeamBath can only wait to make their mark in next year’s competition. by Tom Clarke

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Exclusive interview

RICKY HATTON

Brunel win five ahead of clash with Bath

- page 17

SPORT REPORTERS WANTED email:

[email protected] Brunel Hurricanes defeated Team Northumbria to seal their fifth win in a row in the Co-operative Netball Superleague. Having lost their first game to the Mavericks, The Hurricanes have now collected a maximum of ten points from their last five games meaning they lie level with top side TeamBath and second place Loughborough Lightning. Following this win Brunel travel to face Bath on the December 8 before welcoming Loughborough to the Guildford Spectrum on the December 21 in what will surely be the toughest matches of the season so far. Brunel beat a tough Northumbria side 4529 to keep their third place in the league. As many had anticipated it was a tough Tyneside encounter. Hurricanes had not made the best of starts to previous matches but showed a marked improvement this time around as they came out hard and determined from the first whistle and snuck ahead 11-8 by the end of the first quarter. Another close quarter followed but as has been the case on many occasions this season the match was sealed thanks to a stunning second half display from Hurricanes. Defenders Polini Langi and England Co-Captain Sonia Mkoloma made a series of outstanding tips and interceptions to ensure plenty of turnover ball and such was the pressure put on Northumbria they were forced into making errors. An injury to their centre Kathy Spears had certainly disrupted their flow but Brunel kept their focus and took every opportunity that came their way. Lindsay Press epitomised the Hurricanes ruthlessness by netting many of the chances which came her way. An 86% shooting percentage for her second half efforts showed just how impressive Press had been. Northumbria did threaten a final quarter comeback but any hopes they had were crushed by the consistency of the Brunel side. Mkoloma continued her relentless work in defence whilst Press kept notching up the goals thanks to some slick feeding by Asha Tett. Captain Becky Nash set the example to her team with her consistently high standards and absolute commitment to every ball. Hurricanes Head Coach Natalie Swift was understandably pleased with her side’s performance; “The team showed great commitment for all four quarters, we went there to get a result and that’s exactly what we did.” The performance displayed the Hurricanes intent for success and serves as a warning to both Bath and Loughborough that they face a tough battle for the points over the coming weeks.

Badminton scholars lead the way for Carnegie

Leeds Metropolitan Carnegie’s badminton quad enjoyed double uccess at the Wimbledon National Elite Open 2008 held in early November. Carnegie scholar Lim Kenn was victorious in the men’s singles whilst fellow cholar Anita Raj Kaur won he ladies singles event. Along with these individual uccesses Carnegie players lso made it to the finals in oth the men’s and women’s double events. The Wimbledon National Elite Open is the second f three national elite ournaments which make up badminton’s elite ircuit. This elite circuit

provides a showcase for some exceptional talent and is the highest level of competition circuit in England excluding the national championships. This time round, Malaysian Kenn was successful in the men’s singles event having seen off the challenge of fellow Carnegie player, Harry Wright, in a closely contested final which saw Kenn eventually triumph 21-16 in the final end. Raj Kaur, also a scholar from Malaysia, won the ladies singles event beating a former Indonesian national team player in the final. Having lost the 1st end

21-15, Raj Kaur was able to handle the pressure in the 2nd to win 21-15. This win set up what looked like a tense showdown but the Carnegie scholar cruised to victory in the 3rd end easily winning 21-7. With the impressive achievements in the double’s events and the rest of the squad showing strong performances in beating a number of well established national squad players, this Elite Open proved very successful for the Leeds team. James Vincent, Head Badminton coach at Leeds Met Carnegie said, “All in all, it was a fantastic weekend and I am very

proud of all the players that competed. We have a really exciting squad and have made considerable progress in the last twelve months. Carnegie has definitely

made a mark and emerged as a serious contender in badminton.” At the time of writing, the Leeds Met Carnegie badminton squad were

preparing for the BUCS individual championships where they will hope to follow up their success at Wimbledon with some more impressive displays.