The Regent Newspaper - Spring 2009

THE

REGENT

Issue 3 Spring 2009

Changes in store for Regent’s College Model students at the UN

by Rudy Allison Rodriguez, additional reporting by Rosie DeLuca & Rockhill Focho

Just 100 years after the ‘Bedford Ladies College’ controversially established the first women’s college on the Regent’s College site, there are plans for another transformation that will be just as revolutionary. The vision of the current CEO, Professor Aldwyn Cooper, and the college’s trustees, is to develop Regent’s from a College into a University, with the power to award its own degrees and validate its own courses. “We want to be a university in our own right,” Prof Cooper said. “In order to do that, the first stage is gaining our own

degree awarding powers. That means that in the future we won’t have to rely on an external organisation to validate our courses and degrees.” Although this still remains a future goal, Regent’s College is now an accredited, partner institution of the Open University. According to Prof Cooper, this accreditation means that the Open University has recognised that the College has all of the “systems, support, and quality assurance” that is required to offer higher degree programmes. To achieve this recognition, Regent’s underwent

a series of audits over the past 18 months, during which time members of the Open University evaluated all the educational, administrative, social, structural, and support aspects of Regent’s College. In addition, Regent’s College is now accredited by the British Accreditation Council and has received Grade A status awarded by the UK Borders Agency. The awarding of Grade A status is necessary to ensure that students in non European Union countries will have the opportunity to study at Regent’s and that the College can maintain the diversity of its staff. However, Cooper said that

Freak snowstorm in February is just a March memory

the new accreditation would not produce any changes for students and staff members of the college at this moment. Without taught degree awarding powers, the courses of each of the five colleges must be validated by other institutions as they always have been. The Open University validates programmes in EBS and RBS and the University of Wales validates the courses offered in SPCP. The courses offered in RACL and the Webster Graduate School come from Webster University of St. Louis, Missouri - a highly ranked American teaching university with the same global

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photos: (L) James Cole & (R) Katie Kimball

College offers help for disabilities by Rudy Allison Rodriguez

In compliance with the QAA Code of Practice for Students with Disabilities, all Regent’s College students have access to assistance provided by the Office of Student Disabilities. Since September of 2008, Philippa Goldsmith has taken

on the role of Disability Officer at Regent’s College. According to Goldsmith, the purpose of the Disability Officer includes a wide range of tasks to help facilitate the needs of both disabled students and staff members. Disabilities handled by the office include physical handicaps as well

as learning disabilities/ difficulties such as dyslexia or attention deficit disorders. Students and staff members who report any disability with the office are then given the proper accommodations. Documentaion of disability from a suitably qualified professional, is required. Examples of these

accommodations include extended time on exams and assignments, and advice concerning personal tutoring. Programmes including JAWS and Read and Write Gold are available in the Tate Library for students with visual, hearing, or any learning

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by Sabrina White

A team of students from Regent’s College represented the West African nation of Senegal at the Model United Nations Conference in New York in April. They participated in a week of debates, speeches and policy making, which is modelled on the work of the real United Nations. This is the third year that Regent’s has taken part in the Model UN, which attracts over 2,000 students from different disciplines and schools around the world. Led by Yossi Mekelberg, Webster Programme Director in International Relations and Social Sciences, and Eric Chan, BAM Senior Lecturer in Management and Organisational Behaviour, the team of 13 undergraduate and post graduate students, including one from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) spent months before the conference learning about Senegal and the way that the UN conducts business. The Model United Nations serves as a fantastic arena for students from all around the world to come together and learn something about the world that they live in. Students from all disciplines and backgrounds participate, which gives the conference a special unity, rare in most extra-curricular

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Inside Sports

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Travel

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Reviews

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College News

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Health

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Arts

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College News Miss Regent in controversial beauty pageant by Tammy Schaaffe

Oksana Remez, 20, a second year student at RBSL from Ukraine, recently competed in the finals of the Miss University pageant at the Crystal Club, Marylebone, after winning the title of Miss Regent in November 2008. The contest, now in its third year, featured 13 finalists from universities across London, including Regent’s College, the LSE, SOAS and Royal Holloway, chosen from over 600 applicants on the basis of their looks and interviews. Susheel Bal, 20, a law student at King’s College won the title this year. The idea of holding a beauty pageant for university students drew protests from campus feminist groups, with about 100 protesters outside the event, chanting, “We are sick of sexism,” and holding banners with slogans including ‘We Object: we are not Objects’. The protesters rushed the stage and set off stink bombs, briefly interrupting the pageant. Tammy Schaaffe interviewed Oksana for The Regent. What did the contest consist of? Only wearing evening gowns and answering questions.

SPCP award degrees by Rudy Allison Rodriguez

More than 200 students received their undergraduate and graduate degrees in a graduation ceremony at the School of Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology last month. During the ceremony, CEO of Regent’s College Professor Aldwyn Cooper addressed the graduates, noting not only their progress, but also the progress that Regent’s College has made in that time. “Eighteen months ago, Regent’s College consisted of five very separate schools,” Cooper said. “Now there is much more collaboration amongst the schools.” Judith Ackroyd, Dean of the

Faculty of HASS, also addressed graduates, congratulating them on their efforts thus far. “You’ve done it.” Ackroyd said. “The mountain that seemed ever so high is now at your feet.”

“The mountain that seemed ever so high is now at your feet” Graduates receiving special awards and honours included Leo Dolias, who received the Hans W. Cohn Award for Excellence. Receiving Awards in Recognition of Outstanding Achievement were Vasileios Spyridonidis for Overall Distinction in the MA in

Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Jonathon Rowell for Outstanding Achievement in the Advanced Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy. After students had received their diplomas, Professor Aldwyn Cooper conferred the title of Honorary Visiting Fellow upon Dr. Carla Willig. Dr. Willig addressed the students on the topic of The Challenge of Interpretation, and conveyed what she, as an alumnus, valued about Regent’s College. “The training you have received at Regent’s has prepared you and readied you to carry on the privilege of working in the field of Psychotherapy,” Willig told the graduates.

What made you decide to compete for Miss Regent’s? My friends. What was your preparation like? I did not really prepare much; I just decided to take part the day before the event. What were your first thoughts when you found out that you had won? When you are so happy, you cannot control your thoughts. What was the preparation like for the March 2009 event? We had three rehearsals over two weeks where the organizing people just showed us how we needed to walk and how to stand.

Student Union and friends. Obviously the protesters at the last event caused quite a stir. What do you think about their position? The contestants did not know anything about the protest outside, I just realized that there was somebody against the event when a strange women started to throw away the papers on a stage, but that lasted probably five seconds…to tell the truth I think they are just overly feminist and trying to cause trouble. Do you think you will compete in Miss Regent’s again next year? No, there are other nice girls that can represent our college.

Was it difficult to juggle school and all of the practice and training? Of course not, it was such a simple contest, where you needed just to walk and speak; it’s not a Miss World.

Now that it is over, what can you say you have taken away from the experience? I’ve improved my presentation and public speaking skills. It’s also a good opportunity to meet new people and make friends.

Were there people there to help in picking out dresses and training? For the event in 2009, I did it all by myself, but for Miss Regent’s I had big support from the

Do you have any advice for other students who may want to try competing in the future? Try to transmit all your nerves and excitement into positive energy, and just smile.

Students take away Chinese prizes Students at EBSL won prizes in the UK Eighth Chinese Bridge Competition at Westminster University in March. Claire Blanchelande and Philipp Lehner participated, with Philipp winning the prize for best performance. The Chinese Bridge competition tests Chinese language proficiency and is open to full-time students in higher education institutions. This was the fourth time EBLS students entered the competition, in which they compete against students from universities including Cambridge and SOAS, and it is the third time Regent’s students have won prizes. Nearly all other competitors are students from top British universities whose major is Chinese, making

the performance of Regent’s students even more impressive. The competition includes a three-minute prepared presentation on a topic of the student’s choice; a two-minute knowledge quiz on Chinese culture and society, and a threeminute talent performance.

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“

Regent’s is 100 percent committed to reducing its carbon footprint” How to make your college and home greener, p9

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Just over a year ago Regent’s College was shocked by the murder of RBSL student Martine Vik Magnussen” Martine case still stymied, p4

Sullivan stars in Gaza play by Leslie Viney

Regent’s College drama faculty member Anna Sullivan took part in a critically praised play reading last month of The Trainer, a political drama by David Wilson and Anne Aylor. Written to raise money for the Gaza Music School, which was bombed in the recent war in the Middle East, and to support a playwright whose own opera on terrorism landed him in financial trouble, the play also starred Tim Pigott-Smith and Corin Redgrave. The play came about when press and events officer at Stop the War Coalition David Wilson was asked to organise an art event to raise money for the bombed Gaza Music School, while at the same time taking up the political issues raised by the Israeli bombardment. At the time Wilson was working with his partner, Anne Aylor, to develop exercises for their playwriting courses, one of which was how to take a mundane and boring situation and make it exciting. What

about setting the exercises as a court case, they thought. The court case in question recalls when Keith Burstein’s opera, Manifest Destiny, was performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 2005. The Evening Standard newspaper claimed that it glorified terrorism and the composer took the newspaper to court. The High Court found in his favour, but this decision was reversed in the Court of Appeal, which ordered Burstein to pay the legal costs of the Evening Standard, some £70,000. The composer was bankrupted and the Official Receiver seized possession of all Burstein’s works, including Manifest Destiny. The opera tells the story of Leila, a young Palestinian who considers becoming a suicide bomber, but who then renounces violence to find an alternative way to fight oppression. Despite giving up her intentions to harm others, Leila is imprisoned, and dies in Guantanamo. A poem of hers is found, brought back to London and given to her lover, Daniel, a Jewish composer who

sets the words to his new opera, Manifest Destiny. The question for Wilson and Aylot was how to tell the story of the court case and keep the audience interested. The answer is a multi-media 17-scene play which is set in a posh gym in the bowels of a Gentleman’s Club. The club is the type frequented by Court of Appeal judges, who work out in the gym and are trained by a young Palestinian woman by the name of Leila. Punctuated with excerpts from the opera, news footage from Gaza and inane Breakfast TV chatter, the play not only deals with the Burstein bankruptcy, but attacks the absurdities of the UK terror laws and warns its audience of the creep towards a police state. And, it does all this with humour. Among the accolades it received, theatre director and former C4 TV arts commissioner, Michael Kustow wrote, “Gripping drama. A passionate and telling condemnation of an injustice made possible by the antiterrorism laws.”

photo: Alex Kardon

Changes in store for Regent’s College >>1

outlook as at Regent’s College. G a i n i n g taught degree awarding powers would be beneficial in other ways, such as making it easier to attract international students and staff, enabling easier collaboration with institutions around the world, and providing opportunities to gain membership of representative bodies where having degree awarding powers is a requirement. To gain these powers, Regent’s College must begin an application process, which consists of an intense twelvemonth inspection by the Quality Assurance Agency to ensure that the school not only meets 50 necessary qualifications, but also that everybody works as a team. “We’ve done an audit of

these 50 criteria and I think we’re doing very well but there are still some areas that I feel need improvement,” Cooper said. “We probably won’t put in an application for about another year. In this year we have a project plan to rectify any of the problem areas we’ve identified. We have no intention of putting in an application until we know we will meet all criteria.” Reconstruction of the library and general learning resources is one of these improvements that will be made in the coming months. According to the CEO, plans are in process to convert the Jebb building and the Tate building into a learning resources centre for schools. Stage one of the plan, which will begin as early as July to be completed by

the start of the fall semester, will include restructuring the ground floors of these two buildings to allow for more work space and converting the library from one consisting of mostly course books to more of a reference library. Plans to provide required course books as part of tuition fees are being considered to compensate for the loss of stored textbooks. Changes will also be made to make the library entrance much more inviting. Stage two of the plan will include improvements to the IT department, including the introduction of a virtual learning environment. Media support at the college will also be restructured and teaching equipment in all classrooms will be standardised. Although the current financial crisis has had no effect

on Regent’s College, which is enjoying record student numbers and a twenty percent increase in offers, budget changes have been made to facilitate the future costs involved in obtaining degree awarding powers. The cost from the QAA to conduct their inspection is £50 thousand; however, each year approximately £400 thousand is allocated for degree validators and accreditors. Once Regent’s College has obtained their own degree awarding powers, costs to these institutions would be substantially reduced. Plans to increase the enrolment at Regent’s College have also been discussed. Current business plans project an increase in the number of full time students to 3,400 from 2,300 within the next five years. To facilitate this rise, new

courses will be introduced and investments made for external communications and increased public relations material. The CEO says that he hopes the new plans for Regent’s College will, over all, improve its status, ultimately benefiting past, present and future students. Cooper said. “We want to be an institution that maintains the multicultural nature of our student base as a part of its core set of values, We encourage all of our students to work with people from other nationalities to learn from them and their perspectives of the world, and where possible for students to spend time studying elsewhere as part of their educational process. We want to be well known everywhere as having great links to top universities throughout the world.”

The

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College News

Comment Welcome to the third edition of The Regent newspaper, the biggest so far and featuring advertising for the first time. In another first, the paper has been produced almost entirely by the 12 members of the Regent’s College Newspaper Production class, assisted by contributions from a group of dedicated volunteer reporters, writers and photographers. While The Regent covers stories that take place outside the college gates, our bread and butter is what our students and staff are doing and thinking about. This may be anything from the credit crunch to dealing with an eating disorder, and we’re interested both in how both individuals and the college are addressing these issues. This term Regent’s reporters covered college beats including

Clothes swap helps children the Student Union, sports teams and environment initiatives, and they began to develop links with the participants and decision makers in their areas. When people were asked to help provide information, they were more than willing. What we need now is for everyone to put us on their radar and include us when you have an idea for a story or a piece of news, or an event that you think our reporters should cover. We’re also looking for trends and opinions, so if you want to vent about something and you think it would interest other readers, just send your thoughts along in an opinion piece, a letter to the editor, or just an e-mail. Or, if you’ve got an idea but want help putting it into words, we can do that too. We hope you enjoy reading this issue of The Regent.

The Regent’s Team: Fatema Al Aali, Nayira Al-Harthi, Francesca Barrow, Rosie DeLuca, Daisy Guzmán, Deborah Kyaw Thaung, Charles Ladbrook, Cansu Ozcan, Rudy Allison Rodriguez, Tammy Schaaffe, Lily Seabolt, Julian Standish. Contributors: Anitra Babic, Amanda Beard, Dave Bolton, Tara Boswell, Ian Brown, Adrian Buck, Gabe Galang, Heidi Jensen, Alex Kardon, Katie Kimball, Jamie McNulty, Hugo Salveterra, Moukdavanh Sisoulith, Alan Sitkin, Caris Stewart, Chelsea White, Sarah Wiecek, Amber Wilson. Taskmasters: Phil and Leslie

Regent’s offers help for disabilities

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impairments. “My job is to work as a liaison between members of Regent’s College to ensure that students receive all the help they may need,” Goldsmith said. “Students can also simply stop by my office to chat and discuss possible screenings for various learning disabilities.” The Disabilities Services Committee was created in October of 2008 to give members of Regent’s College a forum to discuss suggestions or comments on how to improve any policies and procedures pertaining to the disabled. The committee, which meets four times a year, is made up of the Disability Officer and representatives from the various departments and schools of Regent’s College. During the past meetings of the committee, which took place on 26 November 2008 and 25 February of this year, members reviewed and revised

various Regent’s College’s disability policies. The College Disability Policy was revised to include staff as well as students and members discussed implementing a confidentiality policy. Members also reviewed the Code of Practice for students with disabilities to ensure that the College is moving towards full compliance. The next meeting of the committee is set for the 24 June. Goldsmith stresses that the Disability Services Committee is always open to any suggestions and feedback. Any student who would like further information about disability matters is encouraged to access the Disability information webpage on the Regent’s College Intranet or to contact Philippa Goldsmith in Room 001 in Herringham Hall.

Produced by: www.quotemeprint.com 0845 1300 667

Regent’s students (from left: Francisco Salazar, Luan Roberts, Michael Fock, Stephen George, Bao Bao Foo, Tatiana Torres) held a clothes swap in March that raised nearly £100 for the NSPCC. The event was part of a charity fundraising challenge for students called Hired! supported by Amazon, where finalists will present their projects in front of a panel of celebrity experts and win prizes. Student teams from 26 universities across the UK used their business savvy against each other by putting on a fundraising event for charity or devising and marketing a brand new product. The winning teams will get two weeks’ work at Amazon.

Martine case still stymied by Deborah Kyaw Thaung

Just over a year ago Regent’s College was shocked by the murder of RBSL student Martine Vik Magnussen. While the tragic case remains open, it has expanded beyond the rape and murder of the popular Norwegian student because of its jurisdictional complexities, and has sparked a debate over international legislation. The suspect in Magnussen’s murder, former Regent’s student Farouk Abdhulhak, is currently believed to be in his native Yemen, but under International Law could actually be held tried under three different jurisdictions. The United Kingdom has a territorial jurisdictional claim over this case because the murder took place on UK territory. Norway could claim “passive personality” jurisdiction since Miss Magnussen was a citizen of that country, although the crime did not occur on

Norwegian soil. While the Norwegian Authorities view the investigation as Scotland Yard’s responsibility, they are using their Riyadh base for dialogue with the Yemeni foreign office as a diplomatic means of resolving the case. The third option would be to try the suspect under Yemen law; however neither British or Norwegian authorities support this scenario because the death penalty is still in use in Yemen. As Yemen has no preexisting extradition agreement with the UK or Norway, the use of diplomatic channels will be essential to ensure that this case is brought to justice. Norwegian authorities have been coordinating their efforts with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure a fair trial in the UK. David Miliband made a one off extradition request which was rejected by the Yemeni Foreign Minister. The case remains a high priority for Scotland Yard, the

Foreign Office and Norwegian Authorities. “The tragic case of Ms Magnussen is being worked on daily within our office and requires patience. There are a lot of complex things occurring behind the scenes, but we can assure you that much of the media reporting has been exaggerated,” a source from the Norwegian Embassy told The Regent. There is a large public outcry for the suspect to be brought to trial, with reported mercenaries expressing their will to go into Yemen and bring Mr Abdulhak back to the UK for trial. Martine’s father recently urged authorities to overlook the restrictions imposed on the case because of international legislation, and to let the role of ethics influence the move to bring the suspect to trial. Mr. Magnussen said. “Two entire families have become victims of this tragedy, but money cannot buy dignity, respect or peace of mind. Ethics can.”

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Students leave classroom for rehearsal room Students on drama courses at RACL have taken their enthusiasm for seeing shows, to actually working with professionals on elements of real productions. For the second year running, RACL students have taken part in educational workshops at the Royal Court theatre in London, which is known internationally for producing new and challenging work. These workshops give students the opportunity to see at first hand the process of choosing, processing and producing new writing says, “They are proving to be one of the highlights of their time here at Regent’s,” says Anna Sullivan, who heads up the Contemporary London Theatre course. As well as doing close textual work on three selected scripts, students are given the opportunity to investigate the role of the dramaturge in a series of simulated script meetings, and to examine the early rehearsal process of a Royal Court production. In addition, they get to explore the whole theatre. For some students, including Krista Vanore from Monmouth

College, the workshop at the Royal Court was their first experience working inside a theatre. The students enjoyed the heady experience of getting ‘up close and personal’ with some of London theatre’s most prestigious professionals. Acting student Renee Rock from Point Park University found the workshop extremely enlightening, suiting both theatre students and those from other disciplines. “The opportunity to not only see but experience and in fact take part in the process of putting on a show from the very beginnings of the writing to the performance could not have come from a better place,” she said. Alison Cheney from the University of New Hampshire, found the process of choosing and acting a play “a bonding experience between all of my classmates,” while UNH journalism student Justin Jervinis enjoyed the challenge of trying something “out of my comfort zone.” The students have already attended two productions at the theatre, providing them with first hand experience of the finished product.

photo: Geralyn Hashway

From left: Rachel Huxley-Cohen, Sally Saba, Emma Mushnik and Gretchen Vollmer

Art takes centre stage at Knapp Gallery

rwegian by Francesca Barrow case of worked The Knapp Gallery at Regent’s ice and College has been taken under the re are a wing of Aileen and Mark Mitchell, ccurring owners of the online art gallery we can aptly named artgallery.co.uk. of the Since Autumn 2008, the two art s been entrepreneurs have provided rom the Regent’s College with a collection old The of pieces by the artists they e public represent on their website. t to be The Cotswold based couple eported have the goal of making art g their accessible to everybody; no en and matter what their budget, or their k to the taste. With over one thousand artists offering their work for recently sale on the website, at varying verlook prices, there is something for d on the everybody. national “This morning, a gentleman he role bought an original piece for move to twenty pounds. The piece was ial. Mr. by an artist who is fairly new but entire amazing in the sense he can do a ctims of painting in literally an hour - he cannot was taught by a Chinese artist,” peace of says Mark Mitchell. Similarly the website also exhibits work

costing up to a thousand pounds. The point, according to Mitchell, is the majority of the paintings are originals. While artgallery.co.uk is a great tool for buying pieces conveniently, Aileen and Mark also understand that some people may feel that it is risky purchasing something as individual as art on the web which is why there is a fourteen day guarantee period in which you can send back a piece if you are not happy with it. With their philosophy to promote aspiring and better known artists through a commission basis, the website has been a great success, according to the couple. Artists who are featured on the website do not pay for being represented; they simply receive a fee when their work is sold. One of the reasons the approach works so well is that the Mitchells also try to keep a close rapport with their customers. “We try to develop

a more personal relationship with customers and a regular customer base.” One of the ways in which this can be done, is to request feedback after the fourteen day period and ask customers to answer five questions about their experience, which helps to keep the website running smoothly. Neither Mark nor Aileen has been in the centre of the art world, so to speak, for very long. Mark worked successfully with Lloyds TSB and was the director of a successful mortgage company, before deciding to retire last year and take a training course in Art Business at Sotheby’s. Aileen was in the midst of her banking career and also involved in renovating properties. They have always had a love for artwork and while looking for a new business that they could run together are pleased to now be in a field, which is more of a passion than a business. “Everyday is a joy,”

Aileen says of their company. While living in picturesque Cirencester in Gloucestershire, the couple also have a base in London as they “want to bring art to everybody.” Their new relationship with the Knapp Gallery at Regent’s College works very well, according to

“We have 8000 original pieces of art already on the website” Mark, as the college is often used for outside events so they get a changing audience. On top of this, Mark is keen that students will also get involved, both in visiting the exhibition and perhaps even considering submitting their own artwork which they can do via the website. “There is a wide brief; we have 8000 original pieces of art already

on the website.” Ross McDonald, Conference Centre manager, is also grateful that the exhibitions in the Knapp Gallery are now under the auspices of artgallery.co.uk, which will provide a different collection of work by different artists for each exhibition. Currently on show is Paula Lundi, one of Aileen’s favourite artists, who combines black and silver in her intriguing pieces. “She has an obsession with the moon,” says Mark who thinks that sometimes abstract work can be difficult to appreciate, but that Lundi has managed to produce modern works which are absolutely “aesthetically pleasing.” Another artist being exhibited is Victoria Hawkins, who has become a collectable artist with around fifty of her paintings already sold through artgallery.co.uk. The current Knapp Gallery exhibition runs until 2 May. The summer exhibition begins on the 25 June.

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College News

SPCP evening of music funds student bursary by Jamie McNulty

An evening of music and poetry to raise funds for the Hans W. Cohn Bursary Fund, which provides financial aid to students studying existential psychotherapy at Regent’s College, took place in March at Regent’s College. The programme featured two things that Hans loved and also took part in: poetry and music. Hans wrote his PhD on the poet Else Lasker-Schuler and went on to publish three volumes of his own poetry. Not content to listen to his extensive collection of classical and operatic recordings, he became a student of the piano. In 2008 his music teacher was invited to play at the college. Hans would have been 93 on 4 March, and his memory was honoured that night by raising enough money to fund the bursary to the end of this academic year, along with another small award. The bursary came about in 2004, the year that Hans died.

The need for such an award was identified when a student on the Advanced Diploma in Existential Psychotherapy wasn’t able to complete her studies due to a lack of funds. Two anonymous donors were found to supply them. In connection with this, Jenny Steward, a former student of Hans Cohn, who had inherited Hans’ book collection, donated the books to the cause. It was this sequence of events and the sale of Hans’ library, which raised £10 thousand, that formed the basis of this fund. Since then, eight students have been awarded the bursary. I was one of the recipients in 2008. I never met Hans, but I have read and reread his books, Existential Thought and Therapeutic Practice, as well as Heidegger and the Roots of Existential Therapy. I have also received the legacy of his teaching through his students who are now lecturers and supervisors. Through the course of the evening it became more and more clear to me the debt of

Marion Willman & Melvin Claridge

gratitude I owe to so many people for establishing and maintaining the bursary fund through their works and contributions. Without it I would not have been able to complete the Advanced Diploma in Existential Psychotherapy at

photo: Mike Harding

Regent’s College and progress from student to the practice of existential psychotherapy. The fundraising evening featured a reading of Hans’ poems by actor Allan Mitchell, from Hans’ book, With All Five Senses, translated from

the German by Hans’ brother Frederick G. Cohn, and published by Menard Press. This is available in the Regent’s College bookshop. The opera selections were performed by baritone Melvin Claridge and soprano Marion Willman, with Antony Gray on piano. Melvin gave up a singing career in 2000 to pursue a career in psychotherapy, training at Regent’s College. He is also a past recipient of the Hans W. Cohn Bursary. I was not in the same intake as Melvin, but recall seeing him in the hallways and the canteen at Regent’s College and once at the Tate Britain, where he was walking around reading a copy of Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenology of Perception. So it was a special event to hear him and see him transformed as his singing self. About 90 people attended the event in Herringham Hall and afterwards retired to the Knapp Gallery for food, wine, talk and laughter, which there was in abundance.

The Movie Man by Tammy Schaaffe & Hugo Salvaterra Film critic Barry Norman spoke to an audience at Regent’s College in February as part of the Speakers in the Park series. More a movie fanatic than just a critic, Norman showed a few clips from some of his all-time favourite movies, and gave the audience background and opinions on their production. After a quick break for refreshments in the Knapp Gallery, Norman answered questions from the audience. Of course, the first question asked was: “What is your favourite movie of all-time?” Norman chuckled and replied, “I do not have a favourite movie. If I did it would have to be one that I could watch no matter what mood I was in. Since that has proved impossible so far, I still go to the movies to find it.” However Norman was happy to point out some of his favourites, including Citizen Kane, the first three Star Wars flicks, Gregory’s Girl, His Girl Friday and Bringing up Baby. The Oscar winners had just been announced and Norman

had no hesitation in selecting Slumdog Millionaire as his favourite. And although he was surprised that Che did not come up with a nomination somewhere, Norman felt that Heath Ledger deserved his posthumous award citing, “He [Ledger] gave the character darkness and depth and also brought multiple facets to the character.” According to Norman, Casablanca (1942), is one of the best romantic adventure movies of all time for the simple reason, “It has all the human ingredients that make it a benchmark: drama, betrayal, profound character chemistry, love and redemption.” Norman revealed some of the remarkable behind the scenes stories from the making of Gone with the Wind (1939). Re-written 16 times by as many different writers, over a period of three years, it won eight Oscars, including the first ever given to a black actor. Norman interviewed many of these legends several times.

photo: Philip Grey

Barry Norman

He praised Errol Flynn’s performance as Robin Hood in the Michael Curtis/William Keighley version of Robin Hood made in 1938. He emphasised how perfect Flynn was for the role, showing the humility and laissez-faire charm of the main character, while not taking himself too seriously. The film Dirty Harry (1971)

got praise for Clint Eastwood’s role as the tough, incorruptible cop, with a moral compass, who knows no wrong, but is almost fascistic in his hard view of the world and compulsive pursuit of justice and good. Norman said he saw parallels to Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight played by Christian Bale, and Rorschach of Watchmen.

“I guess incorruptible, tough guys, who never contradict themselves will always appeal to a mass audience when done well, because we as human beings, are only fallible and contradiction is in our nature.” Norman is also a fan of Clint Eastwood as a director. “I think he is excellent,

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Model students at the UN >>1

activities. (see Sabrina’s MUN diary below) Once assigned a country, each school was given committees to attend, and each committee was given three agenda items. These are issues which are most likely to be regularly discussed in the actual United Nations. Delegates from each school then act as diplomats from their assigned country in each committee, and discover all possible avenues to creating a solution on each topic, in line with their country’s foreign policy. The aim is to use skills of compromise and negotiation with the other countries to find a solution, and then write it in the form of a resolution. Students do not prepare resolutions prior to the conference, as the spirit of the United Nations relies on an atmosphere of team work and compromise to draft them. As

most students are generally not familiar with their assigned country or the way the UN works, they prepare a position paper prior to the conference that highlights the foreign policy aims of that country, to be used in the conference committee. This short paper requires a great deal of research, as there are piles of documents to sift through, embassy pages to translate, and a lot of reading in between the lines. Students need to understand all relevant treaties, conventions, resolutions and other documents relevant to the topics before deciding exactly what the aim of their given country should be. Additionally, and perhaps most taxingly, the delegates must be trained regarding the rules and procedures of the conference. There are a set of very formal rules, which are quite difficult to learn, but which facilitate the flow of the debate.

Delegates are expected to give speeches in front of as many as 400 people, and to be aware of all ideas and working papers (the resolution before it has been approved by the Dias, or Chairs of each committee) being produced in their committee. Therefore, in meetings leading up to the event, the students spend a great deal of time researching, preparing speeches, and advancing their negotiation and public speaking skills. After an invigorating and exhausting week, the team and I returned enthusiastic about the experience. Although the preparation is taxing and the days are very long (usually 1418 hours), for the future leaders of the world, I cannot imagine a more perfect arena for embracing diversity, tackling tough issues, improving personal and interpersonal skills and creating lasting friendships.

Delegates L to R: Michael Fock, Cameron Goldade, Steven Vibar, Jose Francisco Salazar, Jeremy Assous, Asad Qasim, Nicolas Seeyave, Bao Bao Foo, Sylvene Pruss, Professor Yossi Mekelberg (RCL NMUN Advisor), Krista Fink, Lydia Guett, Sabrina White (Head Delegate), Camille Reynaud, Baighya El-Filali, Valeria Cascinova, Tarek Heleka and Tarek El Nasr. Not photographed: Ashima Kumar, Laila Al-Aufi, Fleur Mununga and Eric CK Chan (RCL NMUN Advisor)

Sabrina White’s MUN diary While in New York, Head Delegate Sabrina White kept a diary. The following excerpts give an insight into the behind-the-scenes activities of the Regent’s College delegation. 4 April 2009 – DAY ONE The majority of the delegates reported that they were very excited, nervous and quite unsure of what was to come. Despite months of preparation, there are certain skills that are impossible to prepare for. Nicolas Seeyave (BAM RBS) noted that in the African Development Bank Committee all delegates were better prepared and knowledgeable on all issues than they expected. Michael Fock (RBS post grad) in the World Trade Organization Committee said that he and his partner, Jose Francisco Salazar were very excited to see such a diverse mix of students from all around the world. Other students noted that they were surprised at the number of students present - 2,500 spread over 21 committees. However, after the first two hour session, all delegates felt like they had a better understanding of their role and were able to settle in to their committees and begin the process of negotiation.

The first session is always difficult, no matter how much experience a student has. The New York Conference has a reputation for its standard of preparation. 5 April 2009 – DAY TWO We all went to the United Nations for the opening ceremonies, where we sat in the General Assembly Hall to hear speakers, including the Under-SecretaryGeneral for communications and public information Mr. Kiyotaka Akasaka. This was a great way for the students to understand the image of the United Nations and its affiliated bodies. By 11 pm when committee sessions finished for the day, everyone was much more excited and motivated about the entire experience. The adrenaline was rushing and suddenly everyone was able to apply the research they had prepared over the past few months. 6 April 2009 – DAY THREE At the beginning of the conference, only the most

competitive schools, out to create a great name for their universities, really try to make an impression. By day two there are personality conflicts and the competition becomes fierce, and by day three, alliances crumble. In nearly every committee, there was a moment negotiations with our regional partners in the African Union fell apart. After coaching the students on how to rebuild alliances and restore the spirit of the conference, delegates were able to repair the breakdown and create a body that worked together above and beyond most other regional blocks. 7 April 2009 – DAY FOUR On our first very full-on day, we began at 8:30am and finished at 10:30pm. Despite this, spirits were high and everyone really had a grasp on their task. Seeing as 18 of the 20 delegates were attending their first MUN conference, it was a revelation to understand why it takes so long to implement policies and how important continual dialogue

The Regent’s Delegation with Dr Ibrahim Gambari UN UnderSecretary-General and special advisor to the Secretary General is. It is about examining the short and long term goals of the international community, that creates the understanding and patience needed, and finally the students realized exactly why they were here. 8 April 2009 – DAY FIVE The final day of negotiations was the culmination of the conference. All delegations finished writing their resolutions regarding the new policy that would solve the world problems, as proposed by the United Nations. When voting procedures finished, all students from Regent’s College had been

actively involved in writing at least one resolution, which passed by a two-thirds majority vote in their committees. At the end of the session, the students were exhausted but incredibly pleased. When asked if they would participate again, the consensus was “Absolutely”. I told all of them at the beginning of the conference that there were so many things that I could not prepare them for, but that would enrich them as individuals through the experience. In my opinion this is the best fasttrack history, public speaking, negotiation and international relations course that exists.

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8 REGENT

College News

Barry talks to The Regent by Philip Grey

Robert DeNiro once squared up to him in a hotel corridor following an ill-tempered interview and Michelle Pfeiffer rubbed knees with him for an hour-and-a-half during their conversation. Barry Norman, Britain’s best known television film critic, recounted some his experiences and reflections from his 30 year career at the latest in the series of Speakers in the Park at Regent’s College In 2001 Norman retired as the presenter of Film Night on Sky, where he had moved, following a virtually unbroken 25 year run as the BBC’s film pundit. Barry continues to write for the Radio Times and in May, Barry Norman’s Bumper Book of Cricket is due to be published. Before the talk he granted an exclusive interview to The Regent. Your father directed The Cruel Sea and was a mainstay at Ealing Studios. What was it like growing up in a film family? I remember as a child going with my dad early in the morning to the studio, and I’d watch with great interest until lunch-time when we’d go and eat with the likes of Michael Balcon, Charlie Crichton and Sandy Mackendrick. Afterwards my old man would go back, and seem to do much the same as he had done in the morning all over again. I’d soon be looking at my watch, wondering how long it would be before we could go home. I just didn’t have the patience, and I think that was a major factor in my decision not to become a filmmaker. My father could certainly have swung a job for me at Ealing, but felt that at that time in the early 50’s the industry was in a downturn and prospects were not good. Looking back I’m glad that I didn’t decide to follow in my dad’s footsteps as I would have had too much baggage, there were bound to have been those that said “He’s not as good as his father…must be a great disappointment to his father.” So what did you do instead? I opted to go into journalism, starting on a local paper The Kensington News, before moving to South Africa and working on a succession of newspapers there, and in what then was Rhodesia. I did a bit of everything: reporting,

sub-editing, but because of my background I was often asked to stand in if the film critic was away, and that was how I got into reviewing. When I came back to this country I got a job as a gossip writer at the Daily Sketch, which was The Sun of its day, though not as scurrilous. It’s not something I’m proud of, but I have to say that since leaving there, there wasn’t a dirty trick anyone could play on me anywhere, that I hadn’t seen done better in my two and half years at The Sketch. After that I became Show Business editor at The Daily Mail until it merged with The Sketch, when I was made redundant, which was the nicest thing they ever did to me. Is that when you moved into television? I first appeared occasionally in Film ’72, before going full time in 1973, and did that continuously until 1998, with the exception of a short break in 1981 to do Omnibus. You’ve been critical of the dumbing down of film criticism. What do you think has been the cause of this? It’s the fault of the film industry itself. It’s the celebrity cult that has screwed everything up. Because of it, every magazine, newspaper, television and radio programme just wants to interview the “A” list movie stars. In the old days, if I wanted to do a piece on a film that I was interested in and wanted to speak to one of its stars, we could arrange with their people to meet and chat for as long as was necessary. With the increase in media coverage, suddenly everyone wanted to interview these guys, and the publicity departments took over. Now they run the whole industry. So that these days you have press junkets, where if you’re really, really lucky you get fifteen minutes, which is rubbish, because you can’t do anything in fifteen minutes. Consequently there is little criticism, everyone asks the same questions, and no one dares to say, hang on, this is a piece of rubbish! I’ve been in a room with people creaming their jeans at the thought that they are going to be talking to Harrison Ford. You’re supposed to be a journalist, you can’t go in there as a fan! The media also

have themselves to blame because of their obsession with having people that look good, or are celebrities themselves, presenting review programmes. They often know little more than the person in the street, and are simply spouting something a researcher has told them to say. You recently called Jonathan Ross “a silly arse” for his part in the Andrew Sachs outrage. What is your opinion of him as a film reviewer? He was a bloody fool. We’re not bosom pals, but we do meet up from time to time and get along very well. His sister is married to my nephew. His programme is entirely different to mine, but it’s obviously working for him and the audience he’s aiming for. So, good luck to him. Do you think the audience and critical response to Slumdog Millionaire is justified? There was no competition. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is a drag. The next best film in my opinion was The Reader, and Milk was pretty good too. I’m glad Sean Penn got the Oscar instead of Mickey Rourke, because it was a really subtle performance. It was the easiest year to predict the awards probably since Schindler’s List. Do you think Slumdog’s success, and the fact that it is a “small” film might signal a shift in approaches to film making? I would hope so, but I’m not holding my breath. We’ve seen it before with Chariots Of Fire, The Full Monty and Ghandi, where a British film comes along and does very well and everyone says the British film industry is back; and then the next year there’s nothing. It’s reassuring to see awards going to films like Slumdog, and last year’s No Country For Old Men, where the viewer has to take their brain with them, as opposed to something like Titanic. What do you see the major developments in the film industry being over the next decade? In the short term the credit crunch is bound to have an impact. It will be awful in this country if Film Four is dismantled. Together with Working Title it is the nearest thing to a studio we have, and it would be a major blow if it were to go under.

Natural capitalism by Alan Sitkin

The growth drivers upon which the world economy relies have varied throughout history. The current crisis is proof that the previous catalyst, based on households assuming enormous debt to finance overconsumption and speculation, is anything but sustainable. Now that the bubble has burst, we need to find another locomotive to exit the recession. Clearly a number of past sources of growth, like financial speculation, have nothing to offer us today. Yet instead of viewing the need for change as a daunting prospect, more and more observers are starting to welcome the crisis as an opportunity to undertake much needed reforms. In other words, if the old ways are invalid, then

we are fortunate to have an excuse to get rid of them. The main lessons that we have learnt are that finance should be driven by real value creation, not the other way around. The question then becomes what really creates value in our present circumstances. And there is a growing consensus on the answer - natural capitalism. This term, which means an environmental economy based on the husbandry of natural resources, has captured the attention of political leaders worldwide (starting with Barack Obama, Gordon Brown, Wen Jiabao and Angela Merkel) as well as leading multinationals. There is real value in finding ways to create more energy from the same quantity of sources, and

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Do we need a new smoking area?

photos: Chelsea White

Despite countless red signs clearly stating ‘no smoking in this area’ and green signs with ‘smoking area this way’, Regent’s students remain colour blind to their messages. Non-smokers are right to resent the fug generated from the overwhelming number of smokers in the quad. But all but the most vindictive among them will sympathise with their resistance to going to the smoking area. Located in the back of beyond, the smoking area is to smokers what a detention room is for slackers. If Regent’s wants smokers to leave the steps free and the doorways fragrant, they will need to provide more than a bus shelter to tempt them away.

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a man of great talent, and a very nice guy,” Norman said. “He is one of those down to Earth guys who does not like talking about himself. The latest movie to catch his eye was, In Bruges (2008), which is already establishing itself as a modern day cult classic. The quirky film features a comic Ralph Fiennes in a role that you would never imagine for him, and a very solid Colin Farrell. “I don’t know if it is pioneering, as the Cohn brothers specialise in this type of pointless bizarre comedy film making, but it has a magic of its own. It’s kind of a Cohn brothers film done by an Englishman set in Belgium.

There is not a scene without intense swearing, the plot is trivial, but in its emptiness lies its strength. It’s all about the characters, and those, like the music are brilliant,” he says. Censorship seems to be a big issue around the world lately, and Norman did not seem to be a fan. “Should only be for the young,” he said of restrictions. “Anyone over 18 should be able to see any movie they want.” Norman’s enthusiasm for film is infectious. His brilliance lies in the detail of his analysis, his ability to discuss characters, directing, songs, and colours. The stories he weaves so effortlessly are evidence of his passion for film.

Spring 2009 9

Union presents brick wall by Regent Reporter

The other week I found myself being drawn into the world of student politics once again. Unions and I do simply not get on, and I found myself preparing to battle. After having a run in with the god of all Student Unions at my previous university SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), I have since been on a crusade against the inexcusable morons that run them. SOAS is a political powerhouse; The Times newspaper described it as a university ‘chomping at the revolutionary bit’. After highlighting the racial and cultural divides, I found myself head to head with the union leaders and ultimately being thrown out under the pretext of a ‘white officer’ being inappropriate in a group that needed to represent a wide spectrum of world society. Considering my previous experience, I thought that nothing could be as bad as SOAS until I attended a meeting at the Regent’s College Student Union. At my first visit for an induction meeting I found myself and fellow election hopefuls waiting for over an hour for a senior union member who failed to show up. Insulting as this was, I then had to endure

a lecture given from behind a desk by a rather condescending person. She explained the vast and complicated structure of how everything worked, with such an authoratative tone that I took her to be a paid member of staff, not a student like myself. I realised I was about to be trodden on all over and treated like a slave in order to get something on my C.V. and a powerless position in the Union. After the meeting, still furious and parched, someone approached me and began to reveal information about what really goes on in the Union. The dictator that just preached at us; the same person that told me people with “personal agendas are not welcome”, apparently was not even elected to the post. However, anyone else wanting to join and succeed would need to kowtow to all the superiors. Now, furious and having my precious Friday afternoon ruined, the battle lines were drawn. At the next meeting, the senior union member burst into the room and proceeded again to preach the same message of business, power and secrecy. Halfway through the meeting we were joined by even more senior members of the Union who shrunk away in the wake

of the orders being issued like nobody’s business. I’d had enough. According to my sources, the Union has a problem encouraging people to join, and to be honest I am not surprised; the entire organisation is overly complex, a sham and simply unapproachable. The only elections put on were for positions with no power at all, just titles, and considering they were voted for by senior members of the Union and a select few, they are basically fixed anyway. Even SOAS managed proper elections, even if they were radical. Apparently priding itself on being a serious and open organisation, the Union has a reputation for being unfriendly, and without fail too busy to reply to emails and blanking genuine requests for information. One source told me that when he recently needed to have some information on events that the Union was organising. several e-mails he sent were ignored and then blocked. On trying to discover what actually goes on in the Union I too was met with a brick wall. No one seems to know what goes on apart from the occasional booze up organised in a flashy West End club and the odd job here and there.

The Reid Hall Internet Cafe?

photo:Katie Kimball by Fatema Al Aali

The need for students to leave their rooms and sit in the hallways in order to get access to “annoying, terrible and shaky” wireless should be a thing of the past after this summer, according to the head of Regent’s College IT. David Elliot says the dorms will be refurbished and more wireless points installed throughout the rooms and the building. “Reid Hall is a very difficult building to put wireless in,” says Elliott. “The only way you’ll ever achieve a 100 percent wireless coverage there would be to put wireless access points in every room and that’s a big job as it would require putting in plug in points into all the rooms, which means cabling the whole building.” The refurbishment is part of a larger plan to increase the number of wireless plug-in points around the campus. Slightly further down the line, there are also plans to open a new media suite with sophisticated technology available for all Regent’s students to use.

How to make your college and home greener by Rosie DeLuca

According to Greenpeace, “The world is warming up and 150,000 people are dying every year because of climate change with the result that one-third of all land-based species could face extinction within 50 years.” Regent’s College is doing its bit to alleviate the problem, from recycling to saving energy. In a recent interview, Scott Costello, the College’s Facilities Manager said that “Regent’s is 100 percent committed to reducing its carbon footprint.” Regent’s College composts 95 percent of its waste, including food, paper and glass. All of its food waste is composted and used as mulch and fertilizer throughout the grounds. The composter is located in the grounds behind Reid Hall. It also has a large paper compactor, food compactor and cardboard bailing machine

which compacts cardboard. All light fixtures around the college use energy efficient light bulbs. Darwin, Acland, the ITC centre, and all newly refurbished offices and rooms have automatic light sensors. At present, only the Darwin building and main reception have thermostatic radiator valves, but the College is in the process of having them installed in the Acland building, and by 2011 all buildings including the dormitories will have automatic light sensors and thermostatic radiator valves fitted. Here are some useful tips to follow that will help make your College and home greener.

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People commonly recycle in the kitchen but forget other rooms. Recycle the waste from all the bins in your house. Wasted food is a waste of money, and when sent to

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landfill is a major contributor to climate change because it breaks down to produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Separate your food waste from other recyclable waste. Don’t put leftover food in the General Waste recycling containers. Doing this contaminates the recyclable material, resulting in all of it having to go straight to landfill. The key to good compost is to get a good mix of wet and sappy materials with dry and fibrous ones. This will ensure your waste has all the moisture and air it needs to compost successfully. Vegetable peelings, teabags, egg boxes and shredded paper can all be recycled. Many businesses now offer secure online statements as an alternative to sending a paper bill each month. You can also register for free with the Mail Preference Service to have your name, as well as

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those of previous residents, removed from direct mail lists, eliminating junk mail. Whether at home or college, always remember to turn off the lights in a room before leaving. Avoid standing in front of automatic doors; it lets heat out, making the room cold, which means the heating has to be turned up. Do not use the air conditioning units to heat the rooms; if left on they can go up to 30 degrees Celsius. Energy saving light bulbs can last up to ten times longer than standard bulbs, and use 20 percent of the electricity. Try to buy more concentrated versions of products such as washing detergent or washingup liquid. Reuse your plastic bags as often as you can. Better still buy a canvas or reusable shopping bag. Donate unwanted items such as clothes, books, CDs and furniture to charity shops.

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Remember to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. A running tap uses over six litres of water per minute. Hand-washing your dishes typically uses more water than a modern dishwasher, especially if you rinse your hand-washed dishes under a running tap. But make sure you fully load the dishwasher to get those water savings. A bath can use more than 100 litres of water, while a shower typically uses a third of that amount. But be aware that many power-showers will use more water than a bath if you shower for more than five minutes. By using a shower timer you can increase your awareness of the amount of time you spend in the shower. If you prefer having a bath, the best way to cut down your water use is by reusing your bathwater to water your houseplants or garden.

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The

10 REGENT

Careers

“

An international profile will certainly be an advantage” Prospects crunched for fresh graduates, p11

Getting a head start from the experts by Rosie DeLuca

The Careers & Business Relations department (CBR) is responsible for providing a comprehensive service to all Regent’s College students and alumni to help them become employable. Their mission is to help students develop the necessary skills needed to find, apply for and finally get a job; whether it is an internship, a part-time job, a graduate trainee scheme or fulltime employment. The department, located in Jebb 205 under the direction of Matthias Feist is responsible for centrally handling all career services and employability functions for the college. “Through one-to-one careers guidance, interview preparation, company research, CV and covering letter advice, and personality assessments, we provide students with the skills they need to find the perfect job,” says Feist. “We offer students the chance to learn the application skills they need for the high pressure and performanceoriented world of international

business,” he says. “This is as important for undergraduates as it is for postgraduates.” In December, the Careers Department re-launched itself as the Careers and Business Relations department. Where in the past it was only available for the business schools on campus, its role has been expanded to serve the whole college now. According to Matthias Feist, the aims of this department are threefold: to provide guidance on making initial decisions on career choices and helping students prepare their CV’s; to provide accurate information and resources, such as available internships; and to help prepare students for employability, which involves skills development, and matching students with internships and jobs. The department will provide a modular career strategy programme, workshops, and career coaching, designed to enable students to build careers rather than just finding jobs. To do this, the Careers Service has increased its team size so that it can offer more help and materials and information.

CBR Services & Events Career Coaches: Coaches will guide you as you explore your career strategy and think through what you want to do. They will also provide plenty of practical tips, techniques and best-practice ideas to help you design a career strategy. CV Builder: Regent’s College Students now have access to 3DCV®. A tool which enables students to bring together everything they have done to build and maintain a complete picture of their career. There are several features to help students achieve this: Traditional and Business Specific Areas of Personal Data, Achievements and Experience Areas, Endorsed and Validated Achievement Areas, Personality, Communication, and Soft Skills Areas. Also available: Vacancy Alert: This internet application enables students to view current vacancies in numerous companies. Global Direct Tool: A resource for searching career pages of the Top Global Companies in the World. The 2009 Historical Job bulletins are currently available on the college’s intranet. Graduate Profile Portfolio: By early summer recent graduate profiles will be available to inform companies of their qualifications and contact details. Work Shops: These take place every Wednesday (Book in advance) Workshop 1: STAR Stories and CV Writing Basics Workshop 2: Job Hunting & Research Workshop 3: Application Forms and Cover Letters Workshop 4: Interview Preparation

Prospects by Charles Ladbrooke

As the financial crisis worsens, more businesses are facing the crunch. With companies from Lehman Brothers to the village shop being obliterated, thousands of staff are facing unemployment. The future looks uncertain and bleak for Regent’s students graduating this year and the next. Any dreams of becoming city high flyers are looking grimmer by the day as more companies tighten their belts. Popular city firms, which once upon a time would scoop many fresh-faced, eager graduates are doing no such thing. One senior investment banker at a major London investment bank yet to fall serious victim to the crunch said, “Redundancies over the next few months are going to be numerous; mainly back room staff.” In addition, she said that graduate opportunities will be reduced considerably as the resources once at hand will no longer be available. “Competition will be fierce and appointments few; some departments are going to simply

How Sweet Life is for Regent’s graduate SIFE: A by Rosie DeLuca

Walking into Cybercandy is like entering a real life Candy Land game. It’s hard to resist a window display full of Pop Tarts and Hello Kitty and colourful Easter candy. Not surprisingly, Cybercandy, with two shops in Covent Garden and Brighton, is stuffed with tourists attracted by its wide range of sweets from the USA, UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and Europe. From Pop Rocks to Yan Yan Panda stick Choco Cream, Chika Puka, Moomin Gum, and Lakritsi Stang, to Gobstopper Lollipops, there is something for anyone missing a taste of home or interested in expanding their candy horizons One Cybercandy salesperson and PR representative is

Webster Graduate Student Charysse Harper. Harper, who got her MA in management and leadership from Webster in 2009, took a part–time sales job at Cybercandy in 2008 while still at Regent’s and then went full time after she finished in March. She handles the stock and inventory, mans the tills, and does customer service. On the PR side, she co-writes the press releases with the store manager, determining which markets to target. Besides the two shops, one in London’s most prestigious shopping area Covent Garden and the other in North Lane, Brighton, Cybercandy has two large distribution warehouses in North London. “We haven’t made a dot com million yet (and what you haven’t got you can’t lose! ) but we still love our

photo: Moukdavanh Sisoulith

business as much now as the cold February morning in 2000 when we made our first nonfamily sale,” said Harper. “We employ a team of 16 people throughout the business who are all very dedicated and work very hard to bring you the best online or offline shopping experience possible.” Cybercandy is moving their Brighton shop into a larger more central location. Also within the year’s end a new shop will be opening up in Birmingham. When asking Harper how Webster prepared her for working with Cybercandy, she replied, “The diversity of Webster University has prepared me to deal with the international aspect of the shop. The best part of Webster and Cybercandy is its internationalness.”

If you are interested in changing the world and really making an impact on people’s lives SIFE may be for you. What exactly is SIFE? Students In Free Enterprise is represented in over 1,500 universities in 45 countries and is a network of students who work in teams to create economic opportunities for other people. As a member of SIFE you will be helping people to help themselves by giving them the chance to develop stronger business, leadership and personal skills. It is not a charity but has more of a consultancy function. What does SIFE do? SIFE works in many areas of business to create economic opportunities for

Spring 2009 11

Education

“

Si vos agnosco quis ast hic, tunc vos es perscitus quod mos edepto a officium”

crunched for fresh graduates Don’t make me kringe, cring, crinj Credit Crunch brings student back

scrap graduate employment, opting to find experienced staff now on the market since being made redundant by other companies.” So what lays in store for students now? Here at Regent’s, the careers department is offering sound advice. Newly appointed careers advisor Matthias Feist is urging soon-tobe graduates to be “self aware and flexible”; the market will be tougher than ever so students need to know the market before they approach it. According to Feist, “an international profile will certainly be an advantage… anything that makes you stand out.” Knowledge based jobs or enrolling in a graduate program are also recommended, until the commotion has passed. In order to help students prepare for a difficult market, Regent’s College is expanding its careers department and increasing resources in order to give the best assistance they can to students from all of the schools. According to Feist, the department is going to improve its current system by expanding their staff and

to Regent’s for further education

Colorado native Elizabeth Robin Morse graduated from Regent’s College in December 2008 with a major in Political Science. On returning to the United States in order to find employment, her search for work proved fruitless. “Upon completion of high school, I was under the impression with the attainment of a bachelor’s degree, jobs would be fairly obtainable. However, with the alterations in the economy and a more globalized competitive job market, I quickly came to the conclusion that a master’s degree was essential to obtaining my ideal job.” Previously Morse took three years off to work as a journalist and freelance writer in Aspen, covering the community beat, music, restaurants, travel, and politics, “My work skills should have prepared me for the real world, but with the financial situation being what it is and a bad job market, I figured I would just return straight away to grad school.” Robin returned to Regent’s and enrolled in the Webster Graduate MA Program in marketing. “I was eager to start grad school as soon as possible; I was familiar with Webster and they had rolling admission and students can start every eight weeks, which appealed to me. Although only a few weeks into her MA at Webster, Robin is confident about her decision to return for further study. by Rosie DeLuca

the facilities that will soon be available to students. EBS students close to graduating say that staying on in graduate studies is probably

the best option at the moment as the market is so volatile. Student Elizabeth Robin Morse of RACL is one of them. (For her full story read above).

chance to change lives local communities. Market economics, personal success skills, business ethics and environmental sustainability are some areas in which SIFE works. Currently you can work on the Baking Business project where SIFE is teaching business terms to primary school children by baking cookies with them. Another project is teaching adults how to write CVs, develop their interview skills and group work skills. After you come up with your concepts to improve any of those areas, the results are presented first at regional, then national and last but not least in international competitions. To succeed at competitions you have to prove that your team helped others to succeed. Well, what you will get out of it?

You can benefit from the awareness of SIFE in hundreds of leading companies. Companies know that SIFE members have good leadership skills and are also motivated and gained very useful economic knowledge. HSBC for example is the largest sponsor and also Goldman Sachs supports SIFE, only to name two of the companies who know about the quality of this organisation.

network through various projects, leadership weekends and competitions.

What else? These days you have to show other references beyond only grades from your university courses. Direct practical knowledge and networking becomes more and more important to develop your career. SIFE gives you the opportunity to get this knowledge and a gives you access to a broad international

SIFE meets every Wednesday at 4pm in Tuke 005. You can come along to this meeting any time you like or you can email your questions to the Regents College SIFE President Stefanos Parussis or Vice President Stephanie Bernal, or to [email protected] or visit the website at http:// www.regents.ac.uk/student_ life/sife.aspx .

SIFE at Regent’s College is serching for you, a new and motivated team member, to support ongoing projects like the school project and the empowerment project. If that sounds good to you… here is what to do !

by Lily Seabolt

The lack of both grammatical knowledge and the ability to spell among college students - nay, nearly everyone - is frightening. Sure, I can understand a few misspellings here and there. Sometimes there’s a word with which you are just not familiar. I get it. But after year upon year of schooling and higher education, is it silly of me to assume that people can grasp some of the most commonly used words? If you were born in a nonEnglish speaking country or have serious learning disabilities, you’re exempt. But for those of you with no excuse, there is always Microsoft Word’s handy tool called Spelling and Grammar, which fixes nearly all of your spelling and syntactical mistakes. (I won’t mention that this tool is also a pain for those who already know how to go about using the English language - constantly correcting mistakes that aren’t really mistakes.) Unfortunately, we live in a world plagued by websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace. These sites encourage the use of shorthand, tacky emoticons (smileys), and absolutely atrocious fonts. Let me briefly say that if you’re still using Comic Sans MS as your font of choice, grow up. That font looks like it was designed by some 13-year-old

girl, desperate to save the cursed bubble-handwriting. It’s just bad. That font makes me cringe more than any misspelling or grammar mistake; that’s a lot of cringing! The Internet has given us an excuse to forget the laws of the land. We can add as many exclamation points as we want! If your friend casually drops a few letters from a word, it’s okay. Abbreviations are totally cool, dude! Just like in Alcoholics Anonymous, step one to correcting this problem is to admit that you have a problem. Read through your papers; gawk at how horrendous some of your mistakes actually are. Reread everything you write. Make an effort to spell out each and every word on sites like Facebook or Twitter. Embrace the language; love the language. One of my favourite books, Common Errors in English Usage by Paul Brians, contains an extensive list of errors that bother the hell out of any grammar fanatic. This site, (http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/ errors/errors.html#errors), is the Internet version of the book. Check there if you are ever in doubt of your language usage. A world without spelling and grammar would definitely be ridiculous.

A short list of the most abused words by people who hate the English language: Definitely; misspelled “definately.” Ridiculous; misspelled “rediculous.” Separate; misspelled “seperate.” Your/You’re; your is possessive. You’re is the contraction meaning “you are.” (Also, my most hated error.) Affect/effect; the first is a verb, the second is a noun. “Could have”; it’s not “could of.”

The

12 REGENT

Travel

Sell us your city

I have confidence in Salzburg Copenhagen by Sarah Wiecek

Whenever someone says “there are two kinds of people in the world,” you can be sure that whatever they put forward will end up with more holes poked into it than a kitchen colander. However talking about Austria might just be the one exception to the two type rule. TYPE 1: The people who can think of nothing worse than a four-hour long car ride with an enforced Sound of Music singalong. TYPE 2: The people who can think of nothing better than an entire weekend of singing The Sound of Music, and immediately turn into highpitched, overzealous bags of pistachio nuts upon seeing the gazebo where Rolf and Liesl danced. Whether you are a person of the first or second variety, there is something in Salzburg for you. For people of the second type, you’ll be glad to know that many places from the film are practically unchanged from 1965. This means that, even without going on a tour, you will still be able to discover the movie settings: the Mirabell

Gardens, the fountain, the graveyard, the concert hall and the Abbey. With each new sighting of something familiar, you might find yourself singing ‘Edelweiss’ or ‘So Long, Farewell’, but there are two very good reasons why you might want to avoid singing ‘The Lonely Goatherd’: 1. No one apart from the good lady herself can pull that one off, and 2. Salzburgers themselves are not too keen on the film, and tourists yodelling their way through the town squares is probably the worst way to rub it in. If you are travelling to

Salzburg for Sound of Musicrelated reasons, there are no two ways about it: you must go on a guided Sound of Music tour. There are a fair few companies that do these, but high on the list is Bob’s Tours. It is not cheap (€40 for a fourhour tour), but the groups are very small, and the tour-guides know their stuff. Not only will you be chauffeured through almost every Sound of Music landmark, but you will also be given the extensive backstory of the real-life Von Trapp family; be allowed to dance in

front of the gazebo, and treated to little details like Christopher Plummer serenading the ‘nuns’ every night in their hotel. Even if you are not a Sound of Music fan, the tour is worth considering. Part of the tour involves driving high up into the mountains to reach the Stiftskirche Mondsee (the church Maria and Georg get married in), and along the way you will see classic alpine scenery, with stunning views of the Untersberg mountain. The church itself is located in the pastel-coloured town of St Gilgen, where Mozart’s mother lived and now houses an international school, cafés serving apple strudel with whipped cream, and little bookstores with far too many cuckoo clocks. The gazebo from the film is located at Hellbrunn Palace, which is a perfect stop-off for those with zero interest in bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens. The Palace was built for Prince Archbishop Markus Sittikus in 1612, and unlike most aristocrats, this guy had a cheeky sense of humour. Because of his high rank, when

seated at a table, others were not permitted to stand unless he stood first. To do so would be highly offensive. Knowing this, Markus arranged to have secret little water fountains installed underneath the chairs of his guests in his back garden. At various intervals throughout the meal, these little fountains would go off and his guests would jolt upright and have to fight with themselves to keep seated for fear of offending their host. Shortly afterwards, Markus had a series of ‘wasserspiele’ (trick fountains) installed throughout the palace gardens, and in the warmer months you can still walk around and get sprayed by multiple water jets from between the bushes and trees. Apart from these non-Sound of Music attractions, some other places worth a mention in Salzburg are the Hohensalzburg castle, which overlooks the city and is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe (it is especially beautiful at sunset), and Mozart’s birthplace, which is a canary yellow building in the centre of the Altstadt area of Salzburg. You must also drop into any one of Salzburg’s famous beer halls for a schnitzel the size of your plate, indulge in a sachertorte for dessert, and pick up some silver-wrapped ‘Mozart balls’ from the few stores that sell them (the gold ones, which are more readily available, are not the originals). Of course anyone who admits to a fondness for The Sound of Music automatically falls a few rungs on the ‘ladder-ofenviable-coolness-and-flawlesstaste’. Nonetheless, there is still something interesting about visiting a place whose landscape many people have known inside out and backwards since they were five. Even if you are a person of the first type and don’t know the words for the musical note ‘Fa’, you will still enjoy this little Austrian city.

Flight information: Both Ryanair and Easyjet provide ‘cheap’ flights from London to Salzburg, so keep an eye on their websites for a good deal.

We all know the sites on the tourist routes, but we want your suggestions for things to do in your home city that are off the beaten path. This edition, we are looking at Copenhagen with former RBS student turned Regent’s College staff member, Heidi Jensen.

TO DO

TO EAT & DRINK

1. In Copenhagen, go to Tivoli Gardens – an amusement park right in the middle of the city. It is home to Rutsjebanen, one of the world’s oldest wooden roller-coasters, and unlike most theme parks, Tivoli has a ‘classy’ feel to it. In Winter it is decked out in thousands of fairy lights and there is a traditional Danish fair in a snowy landscape, while in summer there are free outdoor concerts every Friday night as part of Fredagsrock (Friday Rock). 2. Take a harbour cruise from Nyhavn, which is well worth a visit even without the cruise, as it is full of brightly coloured buildings with restaurants and cafés that have outdoor seating. But if you take a cruise, you can tick off a fair few sights on your list in one hit (including the ‘Little Mermaid’ statue). You will also come back through the pretty canals of Christianshavn, known as ‘Little Amsterdam’. 3. In summer, go for a swim in the pool at Islands Brygge. It is an open-air swimming pool or ‘bath’ located on Copenhagen’s harbour-front. The water quality is closely monitored to make sure you’re not swimming with any nasties.

1. One of the things Denmark is best known for is its smørrebrød (‘open’ sandwiches served on rye bread). For the best smørrebrød in Copenhagen, head to the small but very popular Schönemann. You will find it on the square Hauserplads, which is off of Købnagergade from Strøget (the main shopping street). 2. Along Strøget there are a fair few hot-dog vendors. Do not be fooled into thinking that they are like those in London, Heidi says, because they are all very tasty (with good hygiene practices thrown in by the vendors as an added bonus). Ask for a hot-dog with ‘the works’ mustard, ketchup, raw onions, fried onions, remoulade (a tartar/aioli sauce) and pickles. 3. You should definitely have a cocktail from the prizewinning but little-known Ys cocktail bar. It has 60-100 cocktails to choose from, including ‘Royal’ cocktails named after the crown prince and his family. It is a tiny little place located near Nørreport train station. What better way to launch the next stage of your trip around Copenhagen?

Keep an eye on www.skyscanner.net for cheap flights to Copenhagen from London. At present, Scandinavian airlines SAS have return flights to Copenhagen in May for around £80 (before taxes).

Spring 2009 13

photos: Sarah Wiecek

Things to do at 0º latitude

TO SEE

by Rosie DeLuca

Apart from the obvious (some would say overrated) ‘Little Mermaid’ statue to commemorate Hans Christian Anderson, Heidi suggests: 1. Taking a stroll down the main pedestrianised shopping area, Strøget. The street is home to designer department stores Georg Jensen and Illums Bolighus, and also opens out at various places into larger town squares with pastel-coloured cafés peppered around the edges. In winter, buy a glass of gløgg (mulled wine) from Nazaza café – one of the few places that make it from scratch with fresh raisins, spices and almonds. 2. Visiting Amalienborg Palace, home to the Danish royal family. Just as in London, when the royals are ‘in’, the flag is flying. Since it is less cut-off to the public than Buckingham Palace, you should be careful where you walk, or you might find yourself issued with stern Danish warnings from the smart royal guards. 3. Venturing out to Freetown Christiania. This is not for everyone, Heidi says, but if you find yourself sick of the pristine, pastelcoloured orderliness of inner Copenhagen, you might like to check out this colourful community of eccentrics, artists and free-thinkers. In 1971, the residents of Christiania declared the area an independent commune, and for many years cannabis was legal, and artistic ‘experimentation’ common. It is more closely monitored by police these days, but you will still see colourful Jamaicanstyle buildings, crazy sculptures, and many remnants of its more ‘debauched’ days. While Christiania is a ‘safe’ place to visit, tourist photography is strictly forbidden.

Historic Greenwich is a place of contrasts – awe-inspiring architecture, tranquil open spaces, breathtaking views, cosy pubs and a bustling street market – all just a twenty minute train journey from the centre of London. Originally named by the Saxons, Grenewic or Grenevic (literally the green village, or the village on the green), it grew to become a town by the 15th century, and the site of the Royal palace of Placentia. This was the birthplace of many of the Tudor Kings and Queens, including Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. The palace fell into disrepair during the English

If you would like to feature your home city in the next edition of The Regent, please get in touch with Sarah Wiecek at wieceks@ regents.ac.uk. Many thanks to Heidi Jensen for providing her tips on Copenhagen!

Civil War, and was rebuilt as the Royal Naval Hospital for Sailors by Sir Christopher Wren and his assistant Nicholas Hawksmoor. It became The Royal Naval College in 1873. The town was a popular resort in the 17th century, with many grand houses being built, including Vanbrugh Castle, still standing on Maze Hill next to the park. In 1880, Greenwich Mean Time adopted as legal time in Britain. Things to See The Royal Observatory was founded by Charles II, in 1675, as a scientific institution for navigational research. Nowadays it is best known as the keeper of Greenwich Mean Time, as it sits precisely at 0º longitude, the

world’s prime meridian. Just as the Equator divides the northern and southern hemispheres, so this imaginary line marks the line between eastern and western hemispheres. By standing astride the brass strip set into the courtyard of the Observatory, it is possible to have a foot in each of these hemispheres. Clocks developed by John Harrison in the 18th century to calculate longitude at sea, are among the Observatory’s most treasured possessions. Greenwich’s distinguished maritime heritage was marked, when the world’s fastest tea clipper, the Cutty Sark, was drydocked on the banks of the River Thames in 1934. This was later joined by Gipsy Moth IV, the

photos: Gabe Galang

tiny yacht in which Sir Francis Chichester became the first solo round-the-world yachtsman. The Cutty Sark is closed to the public for renovation till late next year. The National Maritime Museum dramatically recreates Britain’s seafaring heritage, with galleries filled with maritime treasures and artefacts. The stories of naval battles, intrepid explorations and famous mariners, including Admiral Lord Nelson, are all vividly brought to life. The museum houses some of the finest examples of model schooners and yachts, as well the largest collection of maritime oil paintings in

18>>

Thailand: where studying is paradise by Lily Seabolt

Imagine walking on a beach. Slowly. Leisurely. Feeling the sand and hearing the waves. Imagine taking a taxi to the next town and paying just a little over $3. Imagine the sweetest, freshest pineapple and the liveliest locals selling it in a night market. Imagine living in one the most awe-inspiring, tropical beach resort towns . With study abroad, it’s possible. Webster University Thailand, situated in sunny Cha-Am/ Hua Hin Thailand, is home to a just over one hundred students looking to further their education. Around three hours south of Bangkok on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, Webster University is the sole American-accredited university in Southeast Asia. With courses from International Relations to Media Communications, Webster Thailand offers classes

in most fields of study. Studying in Thailand really is like studying in paradise. Students on the study abroad program have the option of living in the 25-story, highrise (and quite luxurious) V.I.P. Condochain. The rooms resemble a typical hotel room,

far, the best learning experience I’ve ever had. The people are so friendly, the food is incredible, and I have been dying to go back.” “I formed bonds that I never thought were possible,” says Katye Ellison, another alumna of the study abroad program.

complete with a balcony overlooking the Gulf. Previous WUT study abroad student, Jessie Chappell says that “Webster Thailand was, by

“I’ve never made so many friends from all over the world. I have friends from Thailand, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, China, Germany, France, Holland…”

photo: Lily Seabolt

Things to Do in the Area: Elephant rides in Elephant Village,Hiking up to the Pala-U Waterfalls, Daytrips to Monkey Mountain, Jetski/water ski on the Gulf of Thailand, Enjoy cocktails on the white sands of Hua Hin Beach Getting by in Thai: Sa-wa-dee-kha – “Hello”, Sa-bai-dee-mai? – “How are you?”, Sa-bai-dee – “I am well”, Pen nak-suk-sa – “I am a student”, Haung rian – “Bathroom., Saung bia – “Two beers”.

The campus is just a short taxi ride from the resort town of Hua Hin, which is renowned for its stunning beaches, great food, and nightlife. Hundreds of bars and clubs cover the coast of Hua Hin Beach where locals and European tourists go to relax or go for a drink. From Thailand, it is cheap and easy to travel to neighboring countries. Some visit Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, others hike through the mountains of Laos, and swim in the crystal clear waters of Malaysia. Traveling within the country itself is simple, with buses running all over the country - from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand all the way down to Phuket in the south. If bus trips aren’t the most appealing mode of transportation, discount airlines such as AirAsia in Thailand offer reasonably priced flights to most countries in Southeast Asia. For more information on study abroad in Thailand, visit: www.webster.ac.th or contact the Regent’s Study Abroad Office in the Darwin Building.

The

14 REGENT

Health

“

Britain already has the highest abortion rates in Western Europe, and if this rate continues, it will surpass the current global leader the U.S.A.” Abortions to be allowed in GP surgeries, p.16

Haunting memories that still exist

“

Living with an eating disorder

by: Daisy Guzmán

“Eat plenty,” my mother said as I left Boston to study abroad for a semester in London. My family was hesitant to let me go alone. With a history of eating disorders since the age of seven my parents were afraid that I would continue with my bad habits in London. I had been diagnosed with Bulimia-Nervosa with Anorexic tendencies, and my Bulimia took full effect when I was 17 years old. I barely went out. Because I felt so bad, I felt I should be punished by injuring myself, until my tears were actually from physical pain. I always felt guilty when I ate and thought, “Why am I even eating when I’m so fat.” At 17 I started to starve myself. I would eat very little, sometimes 50 calories, but never more than 500 calories a day. I’d wake up early to run on my treadmill before my classes; by running I was sure to burn all the calories I ate. As the day went on I’d mainly survive on water and have either an apple or a snack size bag of baby carrots for lunch. When I got home I had to eat dinner, so I would eat pre-packaged food, which only had about 250-350 calories. Afterwards I’d feel so guilty I’d rush into the bathroom and throw up the food I had eaten, hoping no one would hear. Half an hour later I had yoga class. This gave me another chance to burn calories since my guilt over eating haunted me. Once I got home from this I would start my homework. As I am on a full scholarship, I had to maintain a high GPA and had to be on the Dean’s list every semester. I would lock myself in

my computer room by 7:30pm. Hunger would suddenly strike while I tried to do my homework, so I drank tea constantly to fill myself up with liquid. Eating again would be completely unacceptable. I would seek help from the Internet. I would go to eating disorder sites and talk to other users or post blogs about how I was feeling. People on those sites help each other to ‘Stay Strong’ and ‘Think Thin’. Pictures of actresses and models gave me ‘Thinspiration,’ because that is what I was striving to look like. Sometimes I couldn’t always be as strong as I wanted to be and couldn’t concentrate on my coursework. Hunger consumed my mind like a ravenous beast clinging to my stomach. I snuck to the kitchen and would eat a 140-calorie granola bar or have a 100-calorie muffin. I’d eat it so rapidly that I didn’t even taste it. I would cry when I caved in. I was weak and had lost strength. I had let myself down. I cried until the temptation to cut myself was too strong. I opened a drawer where I kept files and an edge cutter that I had taken from my mother - she used it in her job as an assembler in a cable factory. Slowly I dug the blade deep into my flesh on both thighs, because there had to be an equal balance to the numerous cuts. I would stop when lines of blood fell on the sides of my legs. It felt so good to cut. It was like a drug; hard to quit because I felt it released so much stress. As I wiped the blood off, I would go to the bathroom and clean my wounds with rubbing alcohol; I knew by using it, that it would hurt much more. One day I realised that I needed to see someone about

Understanding eating disorders

speak < The following terms have been created or appropriated by people with eating disorders to describe their behaviours. They are found on pro-anorexia websites, used as inspiration for those wth the conditions.

this. I needed real help but would I actually listen to anyone? I told my general practitioner what I was doing to myself; she sent me to a nutritionist within the clinic. She told me how to eat properly but I didn’t listen to her. No food gave me as much satisfaction as the will to be as thin as possible. I don’t know why I sought help when I wouldn’t listen. All I did was pay medical bills to lie to my nutritionist. She saw no improvement in me and decided that I needed more help. She sent me to a therapist who specialized in eating disorders so that they could work together. I didn’t know if my therapist could help me as I felt my mind had been consumed. I had become obsessed with being perfect: the perfect student, a perfect woman, the perfect worker, and above all the perfect daughter. At our first session in her office she told me, “The first session is always the hardest. It’s OK to cry - most people do, because so much is revealed at the first meeting.” That day I wept because I told it all to her, though I held a few things back like my self-injury. Since then my therapist and I have been working on the causes that may have triggered the disease to develop. During this time my sister would ask me, “Are you ok? What’s wrong with you?” I couldn’t hide my problems from her and from my best friend, the two people who knew me best of all. I said I was depressed. But I kept quiet about my eating disorder because I was so ashamed about it and I thought I would disappoint her. During this time I wrote blogs

and through them met other people with eating disorders online. I would compare notes with a friend from my university on our dieting. We binged and purged and used everything from vomiting, to restricting, to fasting, to overexercising and abusing laxatives. I was out of control. I purged at least five times a day even if I only had a small meal. The time I asked my father to take me to a

friend’s house for a ‘binge fest’, I felt like a horrible daughter. My friend and I would go into the bathroom after eating too much and throw up. We would brag about who gagged the least. We each came out of our individual stalls, washed our mouths and went back to her room, where we took laxatives to take effect the next day. By now I was telling my therapist everything, but I

Thispiration

Ana

Purifying

A word combining the words thin and inspiration put together to get inspiration by thin actresses, models, or people in general.

Thinspo Shortened version of “thinspiration”

photo by: Alex Kardon

A short version of saying Anorexia - sometimes frowned upon.

Cleanse Using laxatives or salt water mixture to empty out the stomach and to clean out the body.

To clean out the body by getting rid of any food in the stomach, usually done by fasting.

Mia A short version of saying Bulimia, however, sometimes it tends to be frowned upon.

Purg

Spring 2009 15

“

No one is saying smoking is good for you. But frankly, what is? Smoking is cool, p.16

“

By the age of 24, 40 percent of women have caught at least one type of HPV. Are you at risk of cervical cancer, p17

hadn’t expected that she would then send me to a psychiatrist. My medical team was growing bigger and having meetings about what to do with me. I was proscribed Prozac and Klonopin but they didn’t work. Around a year ago I decided I should try to stop this cycle. I spoke to my best friend, who I believe saved my life. We worked together and one day we went to the bathroom and talked. We stood in front of the mirror and she said, “Daisy, I can see your bones, you’re not well, you have to stop.” “What do you mean? I don’t see anything; we look alike, similar in size,” I said. Her voice grew louder as she said, “Daisy look in the mirror, don’t you see? You can’t do this anymore.”

I told her I’d try. But while I binged and purged less, I continued my obsessive exercising to the point where there were days when I couldn’t sleep due to anxiety. I wanted to run on the treadmill at 3 a.m. My Klonopin was increased by my psychiatrist and I was told to take it at night to help me sleep. I was still misusing laxatives and self-harming - moving on to my wrists, because I couldn’t see the point of living. The time had come when my therapist and I knew that my family needed to get involved. Secretly, however, they knew the truth and were waiting for me to tell them. The therapist started by explaining to my siblings and parents: “Daisy is suffering from a severe disease

called Bulimia Nervosa.” My mother and sister cried. My brother was speechless and my father, for whom I’ve always been his “baby girl”, tried to keep strong. He asked what they could do, and the therapist recommended an in-patient partial day service at a hospital. She warned my parents that in a month I would be considered Anorexic and could be forcibly hospitalised. I agreed to the partial day service and the recovery service it offered. At the end of the session, my brother looked up at me with tears in his eyes and said, “You tricked us, you tricked us all!” After starting the partial day service there was much better communication within the family. My sister prepared my breakfast and lunch so that I had my safety foods to take to school and work. I started by eating small meals; my stomach had shrunk so much I could barely eat. I will not say I’m cured, but I try to stay well. I remember that I promised my father I would eat when they were afraid to send me away to London. Here I have no one but my boyfriend, but he is very committed to help. Even his family noticed my problem without me having to say a word and they too help me. There are still days when I cry myself to sleep and lock myself in my room just because I’m too ashamed to see anyone. The voices come and go. They tease me and say “Don’t eat that, you’ll get fat,” or “Don’t be disgusting, look at yourself, you don’t deserve to eat, you don’t look good enough,” but now sometimes there is a little voice behind it saying, “It’s ok, you’ll be ok, eat.”

Purging

Binge Fest

Bingeing

photo by: Alex Kardon

Getting rid of the calories or food eaten by vomiting, abusing laxatives or enemas, over-exercising, and a home mixture of salt water which works like a laxative.

ED Eating Disorder

To have a group or just one person eat a large quantity and variety of food in one sitting. Occasionally followed by purging.

B/P (ing) The cycle of repeatedly bingeing and purging.

To eat a large quantity of food until it makes the person sick. However, some people eat a “normal” size meal but still consider it a binge, because it is more than what they consume normally.

Keep Ecstasy ‘class A’ drug, students say by: Tammy Schaaffe

A survey of Regent’s students on the government’s recent decision to have ecstasy remain a Class A drug revealed that 75 percent were not aware of the decision. Of those same students, 80 percent backed the government’s decision to maintain the classification and the stiffer penalties it brings for those caught in possession of the drug or dealing it. Last year the Home Office’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), the body that advises the government on illegal drugs, met to discuss downgrading ecstasy from a Class A drug to a Class B drug. The ACMD is made up of medical and pharmaceutical experts, police and lawyers who have had experience with the social problems caused by drugs. Currently classified as a Class A drug and grouped with heroin, cocaine, crack and LSD, ecstasy is the most popular club drug in the UK. According to Home Office surveys, 4.8 percent of 10-25 year olds and nine percent of 18-25 year olds have tried it. Despite the high percentage of students who agreed with the government’s decision, the Regent’s survey revealed that 49 percent have done, or know someone who has done ecstasy, with 33 percent of their usage recorded as social. Professor David Nutt, chairman of the ACMD recently came under scrutiny when he said, “Drug harm can be equal to harms in other parts of life. There is not much difference between horse-riding and ecstasy.” Home secretary Jacqui Smith publicly criticized Nutt’s statement, accusing him of showing “insensitivity to the families of the victims.” After concluding their report, the 31-member council voted on the issue of re-classification. The majority

voted to downgrade the drug and then recommended that the government make ecstasy a Class B drug because they believe that it is less dangerous than other Class A drugs and causes fewer deaths. According to a BBC report on the council’s findings, ecstasy use has no great effect on short-term memory loss and there is very little evidence linking the use of the drug to criminal behaviour. Of the Regent’s students surveyed, only 11 percent felt the same way and one stated that, “The illegality of drugs actually causes more problems than it helps.” However, the Home Office has rejected the ACMD’s recommendation and a spokesman for the Home Office said that the government believed ecstasy should remain a Class A drug, on the grounds that “it can and does kill unpredictably. There is no such thing as a ‘safe dose’.” Regent’s students also expressed similar concerns, with the majority of students discussing the very addictive and dangerous nature of the drug and their concerns over its harmful effects. According to the Office for National Statistics, 50 people die a year due to the use of ecstasy and it is estimated that 250,000 people in England and Wales take the drug every month. Ecstasy deaths are caused by organ failure from overheating or from the user drinking too much water after taking the drug. Possessors of Class A drugs can face up to seven years in prison and an unlimited fine. Dealers can face a life-sentence or a fine. Downgrading to a Class B would have seen those caught in possession of ecstasy facing a maximum of five years in prison while those caught dealing face imprisonment for up to 14 years.

The

16 REGENT

Health

Smoking is cool So leave the kids alone!

by Francesca Barrow

Once upon a time when the world was a far simpler place, and people didn’t know so god damn much about everything, lighting up a cigarette was about as unquestioned as breathing. That’s because the majority of people smoked. Why? Because it was fashionable. One only has to look back through history to see that smoking was a key component of a glamorous and luxury lifestyle; Audrey Hepburn exuded a graceful air by casually waving around a cigarette in a long holder and James Dean looked all kind of smouldering while puffing hard on a wellearned fag (after a long day of fighting people and riding around on his Harley). If asked

then, these stars would have probably viewed a smoking ban as completely politically and socially incorrect. Yet now, we are being bombarded with disgusting pictures of black lungs and yellow teeth and society is actually questioning whether it truly is vital to have a pack of Marlboro Lights in your Hermes, or Reds in the back pocket of your D&Gs, in order to be ‘cool’. It is not very difficult to understand why people are shying away from smoking. No, it is not because cigarettes apparently KILL YOU, it is because people now KNOW they kill you. Nicotine and Carbon Monoxide are just as harmful and addictive as they ever were. The fact is, in the olden days (like, the 1950s or whatever) our

population was not so explicitly informed that: It increases the risk of Alzheimer’s; it is associated with lung cancer, heart disease and stroke; it also can increase the risk of dementia by as much as 44 percent; the cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 harmful chemicals. The thing is that it is all very well to be conscious of one’s health. And one might argue that it is a good thing that science has advanced so much that we are now aware of the true dangers of smoking (or at the very least have better developed healthcare so that if we do contract a smoking related disease. We are more likely to survive it). But on the other hand, what is even more debatable in modern life is that this is a free world. Doesn’t that mean that after being provided with the facts, we should be allowed to choose whether we smoke or not? This choice is increasingly difficult when we are no longer allowed to smoke in restaurants or clubs. I have nothing against people who do not smoke (aside from the fact that I secretly think not to at least be a social smoker is kind of dull), and I know it must be irritating to smell tobacco if you are not a smoker. In that case, why not just go and sit in the non-smoking area of a restaurant? Not only have smokers become a minority who are shoved aside; on top of

this, they now have to feel guilty every time they buy cigarettes because the packets have been defaced with ‘Smoking Kills’. If that wasn’t enough, there is a picture too! The fact is that if a smoker really wants to quit, they are going to do it regardless of a stupid photograph of a baby in a hospital bed (which is really going a little too far in the effort to make smokers feel guilty), or the words: ‘Smoking causes cancer’ in bold capital letters to reinstate that fact. What about the kids you may ask? Don’t worry! As of 2011, cigarettes will no longer be on display in corner shops, and from 2013, not in supermarkets either. So teenagers will not be as tempted to buy them. On top of that, now with the legal age to purchase cigarettes having been raised to 18, it is nearly impossible for the underage to get hold of them unless someone else buys them and passes ‘the loot’ on. While I think it is positive that cigarettes are no longer so accessible to children (don’t get me wrong, while I do think smoking is cool, I also believe it’s no bad thing if the world becomes healthier), after a certain age, a person should be in the position to be able to take their life into their own hands. No one is saying smoking is good for you. But frankly, what is? Today’s society restricts us in so many ways. We can no longer eat anything because if we do, we will die. For example,

we cannot eat poultry because then we may contract bird flu. We cannot eat raw fish, because the high levels of mercury in the sea may cause cancer. We cannot eat cows because they are mad, or whatever. And don’t even think about resorting to vegetarianism; do you even know how many pesticides are used to make tomatoes look red in England? Even the rice used in sushi is apparently contaminated. Aside from this, we shouldn’t eat anyway because it goes against the accepted theory of being a size 0. Have you noticed how in the 21st century, everything apparently causes cancer? Trust me, if you don’t smoke, it doesn’t make much of a difference because you’ll then spend more time talking on your mobile and just end up getting a brain tumour instead! So, at the end of the day, with so many problems in the world; there seems only one thing left to do. Sit outside, wrapped up in lovely warm clothes (preferably under a heater) look disdainfully at the ‘freaky LA type, vitaminwatered, Starbucks obsessed non-smokers’ next to you, sip a glass of champagne and take a nice long drag on your super slim (gender dependent obviously). Inside, your lungs may not look so pretty, but while the world can still see you, you will look cool, and isn’t it all about appearances in the end?

Confidential counselling for students College provides therapy - and it’s free by Daisy Guzmán

The Regent’s College Inner Circle Therapy Centre has been offering a confidential counselling service for over ten years. Students receive eight free sessions of counselling, which can be continued if necessary. Dianne Young, director of Regent’s Inner Circle Therapy Centre says the centre is there to help Regent’s students with any kind of issues, including stress, sexual identity, low self esteem, homesickness, exam nerves and depression. “Counsellors are aware that students embarking on further or higher education face major

adjustments,” says Young. “The primary task is to enable individuals to become more effective in their lives within and outside the institution.” A former Regent’s College student, Elisabeth R, took full advantage of her sessions while at the college and says that she gained immense help from them. She had sessions at the centre from October 2007 until she graduated. Elisabeth had undergone a break-up with her partner and “was in a very bad place with panic attacks and depression,” she said. “The centre was very diverse and supportive of different cultures, religions, and sexualities. As a lesbian I am often

afraid that health professionals will not understand or be

“The centre was very diverse and supportive of different cultures, religions and sexualities” supportive when I talk about my life…I just wanted to say that I never once felt uncomfortable or unsupported [at the Therapy Centre]. My being a lesbian was

a non-issue and I was given as much respect and support as anyone else,” she said. Her first point of contact was her professor, who noticed a change in her attitude. “My professor had me talk to the Dean, and the Dean took me to see Dianne at the centre. From that point on I saw her weekly then bi-weekly until I graduated,” she said.. “Having just transferred to Webster and as a fairly new resident of London, I wasn’t aware of what type of help was available to me at the school or through the NHS.” For students who may not seek help because they don’t know about the centre or feel

that it may not help them, Elisabeth suggests that “even if you are scared or hesitant, giving 45 minutes just once to try it won’t hurt anything, but you may find that it’s exactly what you need.” For Elizabeth, having a person to speak to and give advice while she was confused helped her to come through a difficult time and emerge stronger. Access to the counselling service is via Student Services, personal tutors, departmental staff or directly by selfreferral. To make an appointment, contact 020 7487 7555 or email [email protected].

Spring 2009 17

Are you at risk of cervical cancer? Every woman should have a smear by Deborah Kyaw Thaung

It is the second most common cancer in women aged 15-45, one in ten female cancers diagnosed worldwide are cancers of the cervix and approximately 250 thousand women lose their lives to it each year. Recent international studies indicate low public level of knowledge about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and its connection to cervical cancer. HPV is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection in the world, with women having a 75 percent chance of contracting it at some point in their lives. Eighty eight percent of women rely on their health care provider for important information about reproductive/gynaecological issues, yet only 19 percent said their doctor has talked to them about cervical cancer and its link with HPV. There are 100 types of HPV, of which 15 are deemed “high risk”. Women in the 20-24 year age group have been found to be at an especially high risk, with high rates of infection found among college students. What must be noted is that, oncogenic HPV infection is a necessary cause of cervical cancer. However there are also other factors which increase the risk of young women developing cervical cancer, such as: long term use of an oral contraceptive, smoking, other

STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections), and weak immune systems. High risk HPV DNA is detected in 99.7 percent of invasive cervical cancer, and strains 16 and 18 are associated with approximately 70 percent of cervical cancer, while the other 13 strains account for the other 30 percent.

“The statistics do not lie and the risk is far too costly to take. A simple cervical smear test is all you need to play safe and prevent cervical cancer.” A recent report by the Health Protection Agency revealed that, by the age of 24, 40 percent of women have caught at least one type of HPV. Precancerous changes (CINs) in the cervix rarely display any symptoms, making “cervical screening”, also known as “pap smears”, something that must be on every woman’s priority list. It is recommended that a woman has a smear test either by the age of 20, or three years

after her first sexual contact. This test should be repeated annually. Some may find this an uncomfortable experience, however figures back up the fact that 100 thousand womens’ lives have been spared from this potentially fatal disease since 1998. A study by a team from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London, found that the number of new cases of CIN3 (the highest grade of precancerous changes) is increasing in younger women. Women aged 20-24 accounted for 19.3 percent of all cases of CIN3 in 2004. “The high-profile case of Jade Goody shows this disease is a potential threat. Certain lifestyle choices which are increasingly common among younger women and teenage girls, such as smoking and having unprotected sex at an earlier age can increase the risk of developing cervical abnormalities. Bringing screening for English women into line with the rest of the UK can only be beneficial,” said Liz Davies, Marie Stopes director for UK and Europe. Other than cervical screening, there are three other methods a woman can take to decrease the risk of developing this silently aggressive disease. They are the HPV vaccine, the HPV DNA test and effective use of condoms. While the HPV vaccine protects women against the strains that are most responsible for cervical

photo: Kelsey Parker

HPV is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection in the world. cancers, it does not immunize women against all cervical cancers and does not clear up any pre-existing infections, reinforcing the need for cervical screening. The vaccine is given in a series of three doses over six months, and research has indicated that the immunisation remains effective for about five years. Various countries have different recommendations for those who should have it; however it is believed to be more effective if administered before the onset of sexual activity. The HPV DNA can detect the presence of the HPV virus even before there are visible changes in the cells of the cervix, which

means that women at risk of cervical cancer can be identified much earlier and have more regular checks; however it is not routinely offered to women under the age of 30. Though women can see their doctors if results indicate abnormal changes, these may be due to a high-risk type of HPV. The statistics do not lie and the risk is far too costly to take. A simple cervical smear test is all you need to play safe and prevent cervical cancer. Resources and Links: Marie Stopes International (offers private screening) 0845 300 8090 Marylebone Health Centre

Abortions to be allowed in GP surgeries Pills to be dispensed in community settings by Tammy Schaaffe

A government policy that restricted abortions to NHS hospitals or approved private clinics has recently been changed after the Government conducted trials on Early Medical Abortions (EMA) and concluded that it is safe for women to receive them in community settings. The amended policy enables the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) to provide EMAs at GP surgeries. These are still licensed, regulated and inspected in the same way as other sites which perform and provide counselling for abortion. According to a BPAS

representative, the GPs at the practice do not actually provide the abortions themselves; instead the procedure is carried

up until the 24th week of pregnancy, the EMA is obtained within the first nine weeks of pregnancy and involves a

“Early medical abortions are cheaper for the NHS and will help women to fit in having an abortion with ‘childcare, work and other commitments close to home.’” out by BPAS staff. Currently the BPAS provides the EMA at one GP surgery in Wolverhampton and will begin to provide the procedure at a Newcastle GP surgery shortly. While UK law states that abortions can be carried out

regimen of the medications Mifepristone and Misoprostol. The first dose of the treatment, Mifepristone, is taken as a pill which the patient swallows and which kills the growing foetus. The second dose, Misoprostol, consists of tablets which

are placed in the woman’s vagina and work to induce a miscarriage and rid the foetus from the body. The procedure requires two visits to the site, usually one to three days apart, during which time the two treatments are provided. The patient is free to rest at home in between the treatments. However, according to UK law, before the procedure can be carried out, the patient has to obtain an abortion referral form signed by two doctors, verifying that it is in the woman’s best interest to have the procedure. Ann Furedi, Chief Executive of the BPAS said that early medical abortions are cheaper

for the NHS and will help women to fit in having an abortion with “childcare, work and other commitments close to home,” if they are offered at GP surgeries. Despite the approval of the new law, many GPs do not welcome the idea, with four out of five reportedly not wishing to participate in carrying out the terminations. The policy change is generating much public criticism, as Britain already has the highest abortion rates in Western Europe and it is believed that if the rate continues to increase, it will surpass the current global leader, the United States, within a decade.

THE

REGENT

Issue 3 Spring 2009

Changes in store for Regent’s College Model students at the UN

by Rudy Allison Rodriguez, additional reporting by Rosie DeLuca & Rockhill Focho

Just 100 years after the ‘Bedford Ladies College’ controversially established the first women’s college on the Regent’s College site, there are plans for another transformation that will be just as revolutionary. The vision of the current CEO, Professor Aldwyn Cooper, and the college’s trustees, is to develop Regent’s from a College into a University, with the power to award its own degrees and validate its own courses. “We want to be a university in our own right,” Prof Cooper said. “In order to do that, the first stage is gaining our own

degree awarding powers. That means that in the future we won’t have to rely on an external organisation to validate our courses and degrees.” Although this still remains a future goal, Regent’s College is now an accredited, partner institution of the Open University. According to Prof Cooper, this accreditation means that the Open University has recognised that the College has all of the “systems, support, and quality assurance” that is required to offer higher degree programmes. To achieve this recognition, Regent’s underwent

a series of audits over the past 18 months, during which time members of the Open University evaluated all the educational, administrative, social, structural, and support aspects of Regent’s College. In addition, Regent’s College is now accredited by the British Accreditation Council and has received Grade A status awarded by the UK Borders Agency. The awarding of Grade A status is necessary to ensure that students in non European Union countries will have the opportunity to study at Regent’s and that the College can maintain the diversity of its staff. However, Cooper said that

Freak snowstorm in February is just a March memory

the new accreditation would not produce any changes for students and staff members of the college at this moment. Without taught degree awarding powers, the courses of each of the five colleges must be validated by other institutions as they always have been. The Open University validates programmes in EBS and RBS and the University of Wales validates the courses offered in SPCP. The courses offered in RACL and the Webster Graduate School come from Webster University of St. Louis, Missouri - a highly ranked American teaching university with the same global

3>>

photos: (L) James Cole & (R) Katie Kimball

College offers help for disabilities by Rudy Allison Rodriguez

In compliance with the QAA Code of Practice for Students with Disabilities, all Regent’s College students have access to assistance provided by the Office of Student Disabilities. Since September of 2008, Philippa Goldsmith has taken

on the role of Disability Officer at Regent’s College. According to Goldsmith, the purpose of the Disability Officer includes a wide range of tasks to help facilitate the needs of both disabled students and staff members. Disabilities handled by the office include physical handicaps as well

as learning disabilities/ difficulties such as dyslexia or attention deficit disorders. Students and staff members who report any disability with the office are then given the proper accommodations. Documentaion of disability from a suitably qualified professional, is required. Examples of these

accommodations include extended time on exams and assignments, and advice concerning personal tutoring. Programmes including JAWS and Read and Write Gold are available in the Tate Library for students with visual, hearing, or any learning

4>>

by Sabrina White

A team of students from Regent’s College represented the West African nation of Senegal at the Model United Nations Conference in New York in April. They participated in a week of debates, speeches and policy making, which is modelled on the work of the real United Nations. This is the third year that Regent’s has taken part in the Model UN, which attracts over 2,000 students from different disciplines and schools around the world. Led by Yossi Mekelberg, Webster Programme Director in International Relations and Social Sciences, and Eric Chan, BAM Senior Lecturer in Management and Organisational Behaviour, the team of 13 undergraduate and post graduate students, including one from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) spent months before the conference learning about Senegal and the way that the UN conducts business. The Model United Nations serves as a fantastic arena for students from all around the world to come together and learn something about the world that they live in. Students from all disciplines and backgrounds participate, which gives the conference a special unity, rare in most extra-curricular

7>>

Inside Sports

24>>

Travel

12>>

Reviews

20>>

College News

2>>

Health

10>>

Arts

6>>

THE

REGENT

Issue 3 Spring 2009

Changes in store for Regent’s College Model students at the UN

by Rudy Allison Rodriguez, additional reporting by Rosie DeLuca & Rockhill Focho

Just 100 years after the ‘Bedford Ladies College’ controversially established the first women’s college on the Regent’s College site, there are plans for another transformation that will be just as revolutionary. The vision of the current CEO, Professor Aldwyn Cooper, and the college’s trustees, is to develop Regent’s from a College into a University, with the power to award its own degrees and validate its own courses. “We want to be a university in our own right,” Prof Cooper said. “In order to do that, the first stage is gaining our own

degree awarding powers. That means that in the future we won’t have to rely on an external organisation to validate our courses and degrees.” Although this still remains a future goal, Regent’s College is now an accredited, partner institution of the Open University. According to Prof Cooper, this accreditation means that the Open University has recognised that the College has all of the “systems, support, and quality assurance” that is required to offer higher degree programmes. To achieve this recognition, Regent’s underwent

a series of audits over the past 18 months, during which time members of the Open University evaluated all the educational, administrative, social, structural, and support aspects of Regent’s College. In addition, Regent’s College is now accredited by the British Accreditation Council and has received Grade A status awarded by the UK Borders Agency. The awarding of Grade A status is necessary to ensure that students in non European Union countries will have the opportunity to study at Regent’s and that the College can maintain the diversity of its staff. However, Cooper said that

Freak snowstorm in February is just a March memory

the new accreditation would not produce any changes for students and staff members of the college at this moment. Without taught degree awarding powers, the courses of each of the five colleges must be validated by other institutions as they always have been. The Open University validates programmes in EBS and RBS and the University of Wales validates the courses offered in SPCP. The courses offered in RACL and the Webster Graduate School come from Webster University of St. Louis, Missouri - a highly ranked American teaching university with the same global

3>>

photos: (L) James Cole & (R) Katie Kimball

College offers help for disabilities by Rudy Allison Rodriguez

In compliance with the QAA Code of Practice for Students with Disabilities, all Regent’s College students have access to assistance provided by the Office of Student Disabilities. Since September of 2008, Philippa Goldsmith has taken

on the role of Disability Officer at Regent’s College. According to Goldsmith, the purpose of the Disability Officer includes a wide range of tasks to help facilitate the needs of both disabled students and staff members. Disabilities handled by the office include physical handicaps as well

as learning disabilities/ difficulties such as dyslexia or attention deficit disorders. Students and staff members who report any disability with the office are then given the proper accommodations. Documentaion of disability from a suitably qualified professional, is required. Examples of these

accommodations include extended time on exams and assignments, and advice concerning personal tutoring. Programmes including JAWS and Read and Write Gold are available in the Tate Library for students with visual, hearing, or any learning

4>>

by Sabrina White

A team of students from Regent’s College represented the West African nation of Senegal at the Model United Nations Conference in New York in April. They participated in a week of debates, speeches and policy making, which is modelled on the work of the real United Nations. This is the third year that Regent’s has taken part in the Model UN, which attracts over 2,000 students from different disciplines and schools around the world. Led by Yossi Mekelberg, Webster Programme Director in International Relations and Social Sciences, and Eric Chan, BAM Senior Lecturer in Management and Organisational Behaviour, the team of 13 undergraduate and post graduate students, including one from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) spent months before the conference learning about Senegal and the way that the UN conducts business. The Model United Nations serves as a fantastic arena for students from all around the world to come together and learn something about the world that they live in. Students from all disciplines and backgrounds participate, which gives the conference a special unity, rare in most extra-curricular

7>>

Inside Sports

24>>

Travel

12>>

Reviews

20>>

College News

2>>

Health

10>>

Arts

6>>

The

20 REGENT

Review

Three Days Of Rain by Tara Boswell

It is mid-nineties Manhattan, one year since the death of successful architect Ned Janeway. His troubled, estranged son Walker (James McAvoy) has resurfaced to meet with his sister Nan (Lyndsey Marshal) and childhood friend Pip (Nigel Harman) to settle his father’s estate. Desperate to connect with a father who was constantly absent, Walker has camped out in the abandoned apartment that once belonged to Ned and his business partner Theo (Pip’s father). The discovery of a mysterious diary sends the siblings on a path of impulsive speculation about the life, career, and relationships of their father. The second act of London’s West End production of Richard Greenberg’s Three Days of Rain artfully brings the story full circle. The audience learns of circumstances the characters of the first act never will, when we are introduced to Ned, his future wife Lina, and Theo thirty five years prior. McAvoy, Marshal and Harman pick up these roles, respectively. The Apollo Theatre has the perfect combination of intimacy and separation, and it greatly enhanced the impact of this show in particular. Despite the

calibre of the performances, it would have been impossible for three actors to connect with every member of an audience in a cavernous space. This “less is more” attitude was adopted in the set design. At first it was easy to be sceptical of how a fixed set constructed

photo: Lily Seabolt Star of the show James McAvoy

as a grey, gloomy, run down Manhattan dump would carry over to the second act. It was a pleasant surprise when in the second act, the audience was taken to the same apartment, thirty five years before, when it wasn’t so dumpy. A few small changes made during the intermission, a seamless adjustment to the lighting, and this dreary scene became a

liveable space. Not only that, it was convincingly 1960s without going overboard. Equally impressive was the clever stage direction that made an actor standing downstage believably on street level, often conversing with another actor calling out a window stage left. The performances of all three actors could not have been more impressive. Where Marshal fell flat as the plain, robotic Nan, I blame the script. Marshal’s connection with Nan never wavered, and she was an absolute gem as Lina in the second act. Harman’s sometimes shaky American accent as Pip made the audience doubt Marshal’s ability to pull off a southern tone, but she did so masterfully. While all three actors shared the stage with beautiful chemistry, McAvoy stole the show. He stunned his audience at first with his rambling, selfish, neurotic but somehow lovable portrayal of Walker, the twentysomething vagrant son of success on the verge of insanity. Just when everyone thought he could do nothing else but be Walker Janeway, he effortlessly transformed into Ned, complete with convincing stutter. Despite some grievances with Greenberg’s script, Three Days of Rain is definitely worth leaving home for.

God is on the radio by Lily Seabolt

“You’re either for music or you’re against it, and being for it means embracing anyone who’s any good.” Writing about music is difficult. Writing a book about music without tripping over words and coming off as an ass is nearly impossible. But 31 Songs (Published in the U.S. as Songbook) is one of those rare collections of essays that force the reader to step back and say, “Wow. This guy really knows what he’s talking about.” Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, How to be Good) knows exactly how to speak to his readers: through music. “When words fail, music speaks,” Hornby writes, but when the music is muted, Hornby knows the right words to say. In 31 Songs, Hornby attempts to explain the importance of music as a cultural backbone through a list of his favourite pop songs. 31 Songs spans several decades of music and crosses many musical boundaries. From Spanish R&B to the Boss himself (Bruce Springsteen), Hornby explains the importance of music in anyone’s life. Music is much more than pretentious noise that only two people in the world have had the privilege of hearing. It’s not

about the intricate construction of the songs or the messages conveyed through the lyrics. And it’s not a recounting of old memories attached to songs either. Hornby writes: “One can only presume people who say their very favourite record of all time reminds them of their honeymoon in Corsica, or of their family Chihuahua, don’t actually like music very much.” It’s a look into why we’re so drawn to music, what it can mean to hundreds of thousands of people - or even, what it doesn’t mean. Sometimes a thoughtless, melody-driven pop song is all the world needs to cheer up. Hornby cleverly writes what we’ve all had on the tip of our tongues but never knew how to say. Who hasn’t had a “spiritual experience” when listening to music? Who doesn’t know one song that “sounds like it could be played over the closing credits of the best film - and by extension - your own funeral?” 31 Songs is for anyone who enjoys music, humour, and the occasional blending of the two. Nick Hornby is one of the most eloquent and hilarious modern writers of the 21st century, and this collection of brilliant essays is essential for anyone who has listened to music and thought, “God is real and God is in my stereo.”

Beautiful Antony & the Johnsons by Lily Seabolt

Teenage Cancer Trust is a charity programme designed specifically to benefit teenagers and young adults battling cancer. Over the years, TCT has built numerous cancer wards so that its occupants can feel comfortable around people their own age. In 2000, the TCT started a concert series not only to raise awareness but also funds. Every year, the prestigious and beautiful Royal Albert Hall in Kensington is home to this impressive concert series. This year, the

series boasted artists including Stereophonics, Kasabian, and on March 24, the Mercury Prizewinning group, Antony and the Johnsons. Upon arrival at Royal Albert Hall, it was obvious something magical was about to happen. Following two out of place opening acts, VV Brown and Florence and the Machine, the lights dimmed, and an announcer came on stage. “You’re all very privileged to be here tonight. You’re about to hear one of the most beautiful voices in a long time, one that will make the hair on the back

of your neck stand up. Ladies and gentlemen, Antony and the Johnsons!” The crowd applauded wildly. First, the band; then Antony. The audience roared with excitement. Antony sat down at his piano and began to play. The mini orchestra began to swell as he kicked off with a rare B-Side, “Where is My Power?” The audience silent, in awe of his voice. It’s one thing to hear Antony Hegarty’s voice on a recording, but quite another to hear it live. He segued gracefully into his next song, “Her Eyes Are Underneath The Ground,” the

opening track from his latest record. Everyone remained still, barely flinching throughout the entire concert. Playing only eleven songs, two of which were from his critically-acclaimed, Mercury Prize-winning “I Am A Bird Now” the concert ended frustratingly early at 10.30 pm. Cheers of overwhelming emotion erupted around the room as Antony played the opening of “For Today I Am A Boy”, it was obvious that this audience had expected more from his most prized album. Exiting the Hall, one could

hear cries of desperation: “Play another song! I wish he’d play another song! Just one! Or five!” Everyone felt the same. The Teenage Cancer Trust concert series is held every year from late February until the end of March. Next year will mark the tenth anniversary of its creation; so expect the line-up to be even more impressive. For more information on Antony and the Johnsons, visit: www. antonyandthejohnsons.com. For more information on Teenage Cancer Trust, visit: www.teenagecancertrust.org.

Spring 2009 21

Brain Teasers

Quiz Master

Regent’s ‘University Challenge’

2 points… 6. Colloquially speaking, to which part of the human body does the expression “Put up your dukes” refer? 7. In which European language does the word “autobahn” originate?

I was born on 16th February 1983 in Littleborough, England. (6 pts) In 1999 I won the Face of Rossendale modeling contest. (5 pts) In 2006 I was photographed, soaking wet, for the cover of the French Vogue beauty supplement. (4 pts)

3 points… 11. In which Bond film was Sir Hugo Drax a villain? 12. In chemistry terms, if CO² denotes carbon dioxide, what does CO represent? 13. Which late U.S. writer said: “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society”? 14. Who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989? 15. Who or what is the Singapore Flyer?

President Nicolas Sarkozy’s wife Carla Bruni 3 Points...11. Moonraker 12. Carbon Monoxide 13. Mark Twain 14. The Dalai Lama 15. A giant observation wheel

1. If evergreen trees keep their leaves, which tree category sheds leaves each year? 2. Which country is home to the car manufacturer Mitsubishi? 3. What is the name of the fox in the Uncle Remus series of tales? 4. Which stars play the leading female roles in the movie Bride Wars? 5. In the Oscar-winning movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit, what was the name of the Roger’s wife?

8. In which year did Prince Andrew marry Sarah Ferguson? 9. Which mysterious character on the top rating British TV show Top Gear was recently unmasked as Ben Collins? 10. The wife of which country’s president made a rare appearance last year alongside rock bands Metallica and Kings of Leon on British TV?

In October 2006, I opened Jean Paul Gaultier’s 30th-anniversary show in Paris. (3 pts) In May 2007 I was hailed as the fashion industry’s next great supermodel, with a style defined as Jackie “O” crossed with Debbie Harry meets Stevie Nicks”. (2 pts) I was christened Laura Hollins, But I am best known as Agyness? (1 pt)

Answers: 1 Point...1. Deciduous 2. Japan 3. Brer Fox 4. Anna Hathaway and Kate Hudson 5. Jessica 2 Points...6. Fists 7. German 8. 1986 9. The Sig 10. French

1 point

Who am I?

Professor Ian Brown has come up with some fiendishly difficult posers for you to puzzle out. The first person to e-mail [email protected] with the correct answers to all the questions will win a prize. STRANGE ARITHMETIC IN THE MARKET I bought three items from a market trader. The first two items cost a whole number of pounds. The trader had no till and I watched him use his calculator to work out the total of the three items. He appeared to be trying to rip me off; between each item he pressed the multiply instead of the add key and charged me £10.50. ‘Come off it,’ I said, ‘I saw what you did’. ‘OK, Guv’nor’, said he, ‘I’ll do it again’. This time, he pressed the add key and did the sum correctly, but surprisingly the result was still £10.50. What were the prices of the three items? A CURIOUS NUMBER Find a 10 digit number such that: the 1st digit equals the number of zeros in the 10 digit number; the 2nd digit equals the number of ones in the 10 digit number; the 3rd digit equals the number of twos in the 10 digit number; and so on ... until the 9th digit equals the number of eights in the 10 digit number and the 10th digit equals the number of nines in the 10 digit number. (You don’t need any special techniques for this. Just give it a try.)

Who am I? Agyness Deyn Your score: 0-9 Hit the Books 10-19 Getting there 20-29 You’re no dummy 30-36 Quiz-a-riffic

Looking for a good Italian? Just ‘Ask’ for it by Tammy Schaaffe

On a budget these days? Still need somewhere to eat on a Saturday night when the Refectory is closed but don’t want to go too far? Then check out Ask. The Italian-themed chain has 18 restaurants in London, and the closest to Regent’s is just right around the corner from the college at 197 Baker Street. The food is good and the prices are very reasonable. I ordered a three-course meal from their price-fixed classics menu which includes a starter,

a main course and a dessert for £11.95, and there was enough for leftovers. The appetiser of garlic bread topped with mozzarella cheese was as big as the main course pizza. My main course of spaghetti Bolognese was ample. For dessert I had the tiramisu which was one of the best I have ever eaten. As a college student who needs to budget, the meal was great value. The price-fixed classics menu also includes starters such as minestrone soup or baked ciabatta bread, main courses including spaghetti carbonara and desserts such

as ice cream. I am told that not all of the restaurants offer

photo: Anitra Babic

the price-fixed menu so visit their website at http://www.

askcentral.co.uk/mainpage. html to find out if the restaurant you choose does. Not a pasta fan? The restaurant offers chef’s salad, chicken Caesar or more complex salads such as filetto di salmone or pollo pancetta. There are a wide selection of pizzas and calzones, and if you can’t find what you want on the menu then Ask encourages you to be creative and order something that suits you. The dessert menu offers two types of cheesecakes; chocolate cake, tiramisu, ice cream, sorbeti and a special

dessert wine, Recioto di Soave, to accompany. The service in the restaurant was prompt and friendly and the food and drinks arrived quickly. The atmosphere is very comfortable and relaxed and yet is suitable for causal dress or more formal attire. The restaurant is usually rather busy but generally speaking, reservations aren’t necessary. However, if you are celebrating a special occasion or have your heart set on eating there, a reservation is a good idea to ensure that you will not have a long wait.

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22 REGENT

Opinion

“

Universities are not engines for promoting social justice” Society school, p 23

How well do you know your ‘friends’? A ‘wasted’ semester?

I think that I speak for a good majority of people when I say that Facebook is ridiculously addictive. Not only is it addictive, but it seems it is also a strangely dangerous place. I’m not so sure how this phenomenon came about, but by God, it’s easy to kill an hour or six on the site. Sure, it’s good to have a way to connect with your friends, but how much Facebook is too much Facebook? In a world of endless “about me” sections and favourite

every once in a while, there’s that one dark horse without the Facebook profile. Who is it? What rock does he or she live under that doesn’t get internet access? My favourite aspect of Facebook is the tendency of students to dedicate “groups” to professors at Webster. There are tons of them, and they’re all hilariously tacky. At my school alone, there are groups like “Steinberg’s Corner” and the “Roy Overmann Appreciation Club” - both about beloved lecturers. These gems make

music lists, it feels impossible to actually get to know someone. Reading about “friends” who are compressed into a single webpage is both terrifying and nerve-racking. The fact that this information is easily accessible to any random, creepy person blows my mind. I’m guilty of it, and I know countless others who have succumbed to the temptation that is “Facebook stalking”. Whether it’s a good friend, a classmate they barely know, a potential relationship or even a professor - it’s incredibly easy for any internet fiend to get to know people vicariously through the social networking site. My friends and I would go through our class rosters before the class even began, searching desperately on Facebook to find out “what they’re like.” Unfortunately, Facebook is a horrible way to gauge the coolness of others. Sometimes, it’s even disappointing. But

Facebook seem bearable (but still creepy). Sure, it’s satisfying to fill out those alluring sections of my profile. I’ll tell everyone about myself. I’ll even tell them that I shamelessly listen to Justin Timberlake (while dropping hip names like Guided by Voices and Nick Drake…to make up for the lameness of JT). But in actuality, does this really let people know who I am? Do these useless facts really give an insight into my life? Nope. The site merely lets “randoms” catch a glimpse of what my life is like. Or worse, it allows people like my mother to stalk me from afar. Yes, that’s right, my mother is on my friends list! She’s also on my roommate’s friends list. It’s a scary thought. Anyway, my point is: Be careful on the interweb. There are a lot of disturbing people out there, just waiting to be on the next episode of “To Catch a Predator.”

by Lily Seabolt

by Tammy Schaaffe

It’s 3a.m. on a Wednesday night. The very loud voice of my neighbour’s boyfriend (who seems to have moved in from his own room downstairs), yelling as he Skypes his parents, wakes me as it resonates through the paper thin walls of Reid Hall. Down the hallway, the screams and giggles of drunken students making their way home from a night out echo loudly. I am exhausted, and have a 9a.m class. I fall back to sleep and am awakened at 6a.m. by girls returning from the nightclub Fabric. As if getting woken up again isn’t bad enough, the next day these girls proceed to brag to everyone within hearing distance about what time they returned to campus - after they miss their classes because they are too tired to go. The next night it’s the same. And the night after that. The only really quiet nights come during Spring Break while no one is here. Now don’t get me wrong, I like to go out and have a good time too, but not during the week at the expense of my classes and schoolwork. It is great for some of the students who have a semester in which they can do almost whatever they like because their classes count as pass/fail and do not factor into their overall grades. Unfortunately for me, the grades

I receive here do factor into my G.P.A. and I absolutely refuse to allow it to slip for a few drunken nights of fun during the school week. I am perfectly fine going out on the weekends to O’Neill’s to have some drinks and dance the night away. I enjoy going out to a play and stopping in somewhere for drinks and appetizers afterwards. I love being able to have a glass of wine or two with my dinner. But more so, I love that I am in London to STUDY abroad for the semester. My goal here is to do well and to experience some of the culture at the same time. And yes, there IS more to the culture here than late night partying. There is more than Big Ben and Westminster. There is Canterbury and Brighton. There are shows and museums. There are magnificent cathedrals and historic old buildings. There are things that people who drink all night and sleep all day are definitely missing. Not to mention that living and studying in London is expensive. While some students have an unlimited supply of money from mom and dad, much of my trip has been funded by me. And to be honest, I am okay with saving money by not paying the cover charge at these clubs or buying drinks that can cost upwards of £12 a piece. Now for all of you who choose to go out and spend your

money on drinks, stay out all night, stumble in loudly at all hours of the morning, waking other students, and missing your classes the next day, more power to you! I’m not asking you to alter this behaviour in the slightest. However, I do think you should open your eyes and realise how inconsiderate you are to the students who have decided to come here to STUDY abroad. The students who are supporting themselves, and cannot afford (academically or financially) to go out and get wasted and miss classes on a regular basis. I do not feel that this is an unreasonable request to make. We don’t interrupt your choice to go and drink and be rambunctious, so please, stop interrupting our choice to get some sleep. Because of my views, many people have told me that I am not having the “true college or study abroad experience.” What is “true?” My experience throughout college, and certainly throughout my time at Regent’s, has been what I WANT it to be. My experience here has been defined by the diverse culture which surrounds me, the many fabulous shows I have seen, the trips I have taken, the friends I have made, and most importantly the person that I have grown into and become because of this trip. You can have your “true college experience”; I’d choose mine any day.

Vegetarians get a rough deal by Daisy Guzmán

Vegetarians seem to have so much more choice nowadays. So when I walked into the Regent’s College Refectory for the first time and saw the vegetarian section, I thought perhaps the cafeteria food would not be as bad as people expect it to be. The first day of classes I missed lunch but I made it to dinner. The vegetarian option was curry, which was more sauce

than vegetables, although it did contain aubergine, courgette, onions and perhaps red pepper. Sadly they were over-cooked. However the basmati rice was fine. The food hadn’t made a great first impression but I was hopeful for the future. Dinner next day was a polenta mush with mashed, over-cooked vegetables. I ate with my boyfriend, who looked at my plate disdainfully, as he tucked into pork chops potatoes

and side vegetables. I could see that I might come to depend on helpings of side vegetables, but could I survive on them for five months? As I wandered around looking at the other food, I noticed the effort the cafeteria crew put in to make the food look gourmet. I noted how most of the dishes have parsley sprinkled delicately over the food to

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Spring 2009 23

Letters Machine fault is not our fault

Vegetarians get a rough deal

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make it look appealing; well that was my impression. Dinner approached, and surprise, surprise, it was vegetable curry, again! That’s when I decided, enough is enough, I’m not eating this. For weeks I survived on sides and yogurt and bread. Occasionally the routine was broken by risotto. My point was that I was tired of curry, and I felt vegetarians like me, who are not picky eaters but are limited by what we can eat, should be provided with a

wider choice. Curry cannot sustain us for months on end. We want variety, so that meals don’t become repetitive. There is a salad bar but it always seems to have the same ingredients: a mixture of different types of lettuce, egg, corn, shredded carrot, cucumber, and tomato. Although everything seems fancy and pretty, the food usually doesn’t taste as good as it looks. And when I am forced to eat a similar dish every day I can’t be satisfied and I don’t know who would be.

‘Society school’: a real British education? by Francesca Barrow

As I approached the gates on my first visit to Regent’s College, I was surrounded by the natural beauty of the blossoming trees in the park and overwhelmed by excitement that I was embarking on a new phase of life. Inside the college it was just as beautiful albeit in a different way; one only had to look out into the courtyard to see the latest collection of just about every designer store in the world. As an English girl subjected to private British education all my life, I was accustomed to an environment where your status as being ‘upper class’ was more important than what grades you achieved. The attraction of private schooling in this country has always been largely due to what your surname is. But I felt that an international environment such as Regent’s would offer me the diversity that I craved, after my insular English education, despite Regent’s status as another independent school. Yet, having been a student here for two years now, I realise that my education is largely concentrated on the same societal aspects as it always was and I wonder, should there come a time where we need knowledge that stretches further than what dress to wear to Tramp on a Saturday? Is education all about achieving social prowess rather than academic or intellectual status? In England the young ‘social elite’ do not want to know ‘how you are’ when they first meet you. No, the question on everybody’s lips is in fact ‘What school did you go to?’ Many of

my friends who were not brought up here, but who now attend Regent’s, do not fully understand why going to an independent high school is so important here. The divide between public and state schools in the United Kingdom is perhaps greater than that of other countries (in Germany and France for example, there is not such an emphasis on the idea of private school). The truth is, there is a belief in this country that the only acceptable secondary schools to send your children to, if you are from a ‘good family’, are independent. This is not based on the fact that the teachers are paid more and so will provide your little darlings with a better learning experience - as one could rightly expect. It is the social and learning experience these public school kids gain outside the classroom that determines the rest of their lives, and those of the parents. The real attraction is the chance to see and be seen by all the right people. Mothers who line up outside one such school in Sloane Square, with freshly blow-dried hair may be talking about the latest diet and best yoga classes as they wait to pick up their girls. But they are also taking a good look at their competition for the next rung they face on the status ladder of money, job and mates. Even the top Universities in this country seem hold these same values to some extent. While the government is trying to encourage a higher acceptance rate of children from non-fee paying schools into Oxford and Cambridge, one Oxbridge Professor was quoted as saying, “Universities are not engines for promoting social justice.”

I would just like to answer one of the questions in ‘Time for a Whinge’. The ATM is part of Campus Services but we do not look after the machine. When the machine breaks down it self reports to the Moneybox (the owners) and tells them the fault. There are two types of Fault minor and major. For the minor they will try to reboot the ATM and if this fails the fault then becomes a major. In order for them to carry out a repair they have to send out an engineer who has to meet a security guy from Brinks Matt who opens the machine and stands watching while the engineer repairs the machine. So as you can imagine it takes some co-ordination to have the repair fixed. This can take

up to five working days to get them both here at the same time. The Machine Has run out of Money When the machine is getting low on cash it reports this to base and they then have to arrange for the cash and security to deliver the new cash cassette; this again can take up to five days. But just recently we have been running out as quickly as four days and the guys that fill it says it is very rare to change over a cassette that is completely empty. This is why it seems to be always out. I hope that this goes someway to explaining why the ATM does not have cash. It is always working but does not always have cash Scott Costello - Facilities Manager

REGENT’S COLLEGE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP This semester the group meets on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. - 2.30 p.m. in Darwin Room 110. Any student or member of staff interested in prayer, Bible Study and Christian Fellowship will be most welcome. If anyone is interested but cannot make those times, please contact Ian Brown on [email protected]

We hear about violent crime on the news everyday. If you were to be targeted by a mugger or rapist, would you know how to handle this? We offer straightforward realistic approach to personal safety. Our workshops cover the following:

• Awareness and avoidance for primary self defense • How to protect your home and vehicle from criminals • Conflict management skills for dealing with aggression • Safety on public transport when coming home at night • How to improvise and use everyday weapons in self defense

Next workshop - 25th April - Personal safety in the home Contact Curran Padake at [email protected]. Check out http://www.selfprotectiontactics.co.uk for more details.

The

24 REGENT

Sport

The Snow Queen Vodka Cup (left) and seven-a-side trophy

Regent’s polo team left to right: Ploy Bhisaeng, Chrisitian Badenhop, Uneku Saliu-Atawadi, George Shelton, Constantijn Huynen, Rhys Cole

Regent’s cups runneth over Polo players charge

Regent’s victorious seven-a-side team from left to right: Hamid Mashali, Amadou Diakhate, Martin Lesieur, Steven Cusick in front, Sindre Holen, Ange Myaouenuh, Mark Anthony Vassallo Cesareo, Maximilian Georgallides by Julian Standish

After making it into the finals of the inter-university competitions against other British based universities, Regent’s football team then took on the American Intercontinental University in the Snow Queen Vodka Cup. This competition, newly created by the Student Union Under-

President Karim Salama, was held in Regent’s Park on the first week of April. Kitted out in new uniforms sponsored by Movida Nightclub, the team took to the field with the intention of continuing the success that they have had all semester. Regent’s did not get off to the start that they were hoping for, with AIU scoring

the first goal from a free kick to take the lead; this however did not stop Regent’s from fighting their way back, with Ange Myaouenuh scoring just before half time and evening up the scores. In the second half it all went the home team’s way, starting with two more goals, one from a penalty easily put away by David Ronsion. The team then went from strength to strength and finally pressured AIU into making a mistake and conceding an own goal. The final score was an amazing 4–1, with Regent’s taking home the Cup. As well the Snow Queen Vodka Cup, Regent’s London took part in the the International seven- aside Football Tournament held in Geneva in April. Thecollege played seven games, won six and drew one, conceding only two goals throughout the whole tournament. The Regent’s team went on to win the tournament and defeated Webster Geneva 3 – 1 in the final, with goals from Hamid Mashali and team captain Steven Cusick.

Regent’s gets physical by Julian Standish

When I started at Regent’s three years ago it was very hard to find any recreational sports to participate in at the college. Since Spring 2007 a lot of money and effort has been invested in the Regent Active programme. This has seen the creation of the new gym, a state-of-the-art fitness centre equipped with cardio-vascular machines, weight stations and a free weight area. Also in the Darwin basement is a new dance studio, changing rooms and shower facilities. In addition, new equipment for a number of new sporting activities has been provided. This has created an

environment where students can exercise socially and compete successfully in a number of interuniversity competitions. Recent achievements have included winning the Snow Queen Vodka cup in football, a semi-final placing in the La Martina National polo competition, and some rugby successes. The new Sports Co-ordinator, Renee Fontaine, has been a driving force behind much of this success, and he is not finished yet. The last semester has seen Renee organise try-outs for mixed hockey, mixed volleyball, tennis and boxing, with the hope of building competitive teams to represent the college. “I hope

to have a very large turnout for all the sports that are available. Currently we have football and basketball teams competing in SESSA leagues against other universities, but those sports that do not have sufficient numbers to produce teams may not make it into the regular roster of competitive activities that Regent’s will offer next semester,” says Renee Regent’s Active also runs fitness classes in Yoga, Pilates, Boxing, Street Dance, Salsa, and Abs-Blitz. Whether you just want to get fit, or help the college win a sporting event, go see Renee and get sporty!

by Julian Standish

With green hills rising in the background, the thunder of hooves and plumes of dust billowing behind the steeds, this could be a scene from Persia circa 500BC, where the game of polo originated. Instead, it’s the La Martina National Polo Competition, held in Bristol on the 14th February 2009. For the first time Regent’s College is participating in a Polo competition, with its team of six riders. George Shelton (Team Captain) and Constantijn Huynen from RBS, and Rhys Cole, Christian Badenhop, Ploy Bhinsaeng and Uneku SaliuAtawodi from EBS. In a field of more established universities Regent’s succeeded in getting through to the semifinal where they were narrowly beaten on penalties. Prior to this game they had seen off a number of talented teams. When interviewed by The Regent, Captain George Shelton was full of admiration for his team, saying “he wanted to commend the six students that represented the College for their skill and teamwork over the weekend. I was blown away by the number of talented individuals we have.” This was a monumental achievement for a team competing for the first time. It puts Regent’s firmly on the map

of collegiate polo, and marks it as a future contender that other teams need to look out for. For those not familiar with Polo, it is played outdoors and a typical polo field is the size of ten football pitches. This gives the four players on each side (and their equine partners) a lot of space to play the eight seven-minute periods or “chukkas” that comprise the game. Professional players have a fresh pony for each chukka, that’s a lot of horses! The La Martina competition is an indoor version of the game played in an arena measuring 100 yards by 50 yards and reduced to three players per team, making it a very exciting spectacle. This variant of the sport is also changing the perception that it is inevitably expensive when played at serious level. Many polo athletes like those at Regent’s College genuinely desire to broaden public participation in the sport, both as an end in itself and to increase the standard of play. The popularity of polo has grown steadily since the 1980’s, and its future looks likely to be greatly strengthened by its return as a competitive sport at colleges and universities. The current Polo team squad has already set a high standard, putting Regent’s College on the map, and laid the foundations for future Regent’s Polo Teams.