The Winner Is •..
Issue 131 · Wednesday, November 14, 2001
YOUR AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER
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EX-UEA Students demand sweeging reforms to _graduation grocess in Concrete survev.. KATIE HIND AND LIZ HUTCHINSON
RESULTS of the Concrete survey have overwhelmingly shown that students do not want to graduate at the University. Just 6% of third-year undergraduates who took part are happy to have their graduation ceremony in the former sports centre - now known as the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change. And a massive 82% have said no to a ball in the LCR - where last year non-dinner tickets for the event cost £29. The survey was part of
Concrete's campaign for a better graduation, which was launched earlier this term due to student dissatisfaction with last year's events. And Union Communications Officer, Emma Reynolds has promised to give students what they want.
Alternative "If this is a genuine reflection of student opinion then that is what we have to act on. As far as graduation is concerned, if we can find a suitable alternative suggestion for a venue then we will happily lobby the University about it," said
Emma. "In reference to the grad ball, if we can find a different venue, which is going to be very difficult and the same people who said that they didn't want it in the LCR are also willing to pay a bit more for their ticket, the price will have to rise, but this is fine. "Remember we don't make a profit on the grad ball, all ticket money gained is spent. We try to give students wh;it they want as far as we possibly can but they must remember the limitations too," she added. But Tony Flack, the Senior Assistant Registrar, who coordi-
STUDENT KILLED IN AFGHAN CONFLICT ALEX WOODWARD
nates congregation, defended the decision to hold the ceremony in the old sports hall. "This question is raised periodically, the Cathedral is not big enough since it only has 425 chairs whereas the capacity of the Sports Hall is 834." "As far as I'm concerned, that is it full stop. However, if you can find a venue within striking distance of the University, then we would be interested to know about it. We would never turn down good ideas," said Mr Flack.
Entertainment Student opinion backs a change to graduation events. Third-year EAS student Elly Ward is not looking forward to graduating at UEA. "I don't even want to imagine · being in the LCR in a ball dress, drinking out of plastic glasses and probably slipping over on that stupid slippery floor. If they are going to have the ball in the LCR, then they should at least have decent entertainment." Melania Jones, who is also a third year in EAS feels that, if left as it is, the graduation ball will be very disappointing. "After everything that we have worked for, it seems a shame that we just pay five pounds to go to the LCR." She also wondered whether University organisers had conducted research into other venues. "The graduation ceremony would be much nicer if it were held in somewhere like the cathedral, especially for photos." Full results on page 4
spoken of a former DEV student who was brutally murdered on his doorstep close to the Afghanistan border. Prof Mike Stocking has talked about Paul Beckman, 48, who was the Professor's first research student when he was studying for his Masters in the early eighties. " I read about his death when I was away in Montreal and I was obviously upset. I think that when you have a research student you have a close profes ional relationship." And the DEV Professor claims that Paul, who lived in Tajikistan, was a quiet man. "He was quite a loner, but was an interesting guy. He was working on an extremely difficult project which took him about four years. "He went to Sudan where he worked and he found it extremely difficult to come back. But Sudan became a very dangerous place and so he went to Pakistan to teach English and carry on with his studies," said Profes or Stocking. The murder is a suspected revenge attack because nothing was stolen; it is believed to be in response to the US-led military action
on Afghanistan. He voiced concern for his safeiy just days before he died when he sent an email to his Minister at Dereham Road Baptist Road in Norwich - but was determined to remain there. Rev Neil Walker, who was a close friend of the former UEA student for more than ten years paid tribute to his pal. "Paul was a brilliant, compassionate man who was very self-effacing about his abilities. "He was also one of the most apolitical men I've ever met, he was not associated with any group, but all his closest friends are from here, and those who heard the news are very stunned." Paul continued to be a member of the Church and it last visited just six months ago. Paul 's friend, Peter Bames, 62, said Paul was always concerned of being a Christian in a Muslim country. "He always realised he was in a dangerous and difficult situation but he saw Tajikistan almost as his home, he had learnt the language and was committed to the people." A spokeswomen for the , Foreign Office confirmed the news and is now awaiting post-mortem results to confirm the exact cause of death.
Above: Graduation venue 2002 - The Tynda/1 Centre
SPORT EXCLUSIVE: WELSH RUGBY STAR IESTYN HARRIS INTERVIEWED
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