Concrete 329

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>> UEA installs Cafe Rouge founder as new Chancellor

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>> “I can’t remember a night out at uni where I didn’t get groped.”

Is there a campus rape culture?

25th October 2016 Issue 329

The official student newspaper of the University of East Anglia | concrete-online.co.uk

UEA voyeur pleads guilty Incidents took place at Mary Chapman Court and UEA library

Caitlin Doherty Deputy Editor A former UEA pharmacy student has pleaded guilty to six counts of voyeurism between 2013 and January 2016, including incidents in the UEA library and UEA accommodation.

22-year-old Luke Mallaband admitted the offences at a plea hearing in which the court heard that the filming of students on campus has been “going on for a number of years”.

According to Josephine Jones, prosecuting, a woman using a library toilet on 19th January this year found a “white plastic bag on the floor which appeared to have a hole in one corner”. “Inside the box, she found an iPhone 6 which was recording.” She went to the help desk and reported the incident.

Mallaband also went to the desk promising to delete the files.

Police were informed following January’s incident and Mallaband was arrested at a Norwich property.

A number of personal items were seized, including a mobile phone and a laptop. A total of 38 iPhone videos were found following police

“The defendant was formerly in a relationship with one of the women found on the recordings, however, she was never aware she was being filmed.” examination. These included a video of a woman showering at a Norwich property in October 2015, as well as footage from UEA campus and Mary Chapman Court accommodation.

The defendant was formerly in a relationship with one of the women found on the recordings, however, she was never aware she was being

Been “going on for a number of years”

filmed.

Following the reports to the police, Mallaband, who now lives in Walsall, withdrew from his course and has since been permanently excluded from campus.

A joint statement from the university and the student’s union said that “the university puts the safety of its staff, students, and visitors first and cases such as this are extremely rare. These are the criminal actions of one individual, acting alone, and are no reflection on UEA’s secure and welcoming campus environment.

The university and the students’ union work in partnership to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all campus users and we condemn this behaviour in the strongest terms.

We acted promptly and decisively as soon as these allegations came to light and worked very closely with the police on the investigation.”

The case has been adjourned until November 24th for sentencing.

Council votes against NSS boycott Jessica Frank-Keyes Deputy Editor The Union of UEA Students has voted against a boycott of the National Student Survey (NSS). The vote on this issue took place at the first union council of 2016-2017, on October 20th and was passed by a majority of 49 percent.

The boycott was proposed as an amendment to motion 1951: Market Reforms in Higher Education. This motion was brought before council

by Finn Northrup, Non-Portfolio Officer, and supported by Theodore Antoniou-Phillips, Undergraduate Education Officer.

The motion opposes the newly introduced Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and states that allowing higher education institutions to increase tuition fees “creates further marketization within [the] sector.”

The motion also claimed

that “multiple higher education institutions have laid out plans to begin raising fees even for current students,” and that: “tuition fees as they stand… have an adverse effect on student mental health and force working class and poor students to alter their choices at university.”

The motion added that “marketisation is one of the greatest threats to our education system at all levels,” and the union have resolved “to fight against the TEF through lobbying, demos and protesting,” and “to oppose any rise in tuition fees linked to the TEF.” Council reached its guillotine time of 10.30pm and a vote on the motion had to be delayed until the following session.

However, the amendment, Say No to the Boycott/Sabotage of the NSS, proved controversial, with councilors divided over the issue, and debating fiercely. The amendment was proposed by Theodore Antoniou-Phillips and

49% Votes in favour of passing the amendment

1951Number of the

motion: Market Reforms in Higher Education

20/10

The date of the first union council of the 2016-2017 year

239

The number of times the hashtag #UEAUnionCouncil was used during the meeting

supported by Amy Rust, Campaigns and Democracy Officer.

The amendment states that “if we want to make meaningful change to the Government’s proposals, we should be focused on lobbying MPs and the HE Bill now, not planning a strategy that might have an impact when it’s too late.”

Council heard speeches in favour of the amendment from AntoniouPhillips and Rust, and in opposition from Jo Swo, Welfare, Community and Diversity Officer, and Madeleine Colledge, Postgraduate Officer.

The National Student Survey is taken annually by final year students and is intended for use by the government as a pillar of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), the body set up to measure attainment by universities.

Institutions that score highly in the NSS, alongside good graduate employment rates, will be among the first permitted to increase their tuition fees beyond the current

rates.

However, the union voted “to oppose any boycott or sabotage of the NSS.” Commenting on the result, Theodore Antoniou-Phillips said: “results from the NSS have repeatedly given ammunition to both SU officers and school level representatives to make things better for students- improving everything from organisation and management of courses to assessment and feedback and library resources.”

He continued: “an organised boycott would have harmed the SU’s aims this year of focusing on students’ academic interests.”

Commenting on the decision, Amy Rust said: “the Government has already announced that it will put up fees regardless of the NSS. The proposed boycott would have distracted us and the NUS from the important work of lobbying and campaigning against fee rises.”

25th October 2016

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Editorial Things that go bump in the night Caitlin Doherty & Jessica Frank-Keyes Deputy Editors

W

Dougie Dodds

Is it really that rare?

As the court case of Luke Mallaband shocks campus, we asked students if harrassment and assault are actually that uncommon Megan Baynes Editor-in-Chief

L

iving in Norwich is a bit like living in a bubble, particularly if you are living on campus.

Widely accepted as one of the safest areas in the country, it can be disconcerting to be reminded that UEA, like any other university, can be home to its fair share of problems.

This week, Concrete was the first publication in the UK to break the news that a former student Luke Mallaband was due to appear in court over allegations he had been secretly filming students showering, undressing and using the toilet. We were also the first to break the news that he had pleaded guilty.

With 38 videos filmed over three years in campus buildings, this throws campus safety sharply into focus as many students are wondering how he was able to get away with this for so long. Going forward we can hope that the university will be putting measures into place to ensure that similar incidents do not happen again. The university is assuring students that these actions remain that of one individual and are “no reflection on UEA’s secure and welcoming environment.”

Yet whilst it can be tempting to bury our heads in the sand and pretend that these sorts of actions aren’t common at UEA, sexual assault and harassment are just as evident here as they are at any university. This week Caitlin Doherty spoke to students across the country, including at UEA, to discover if they had experienced

sexual assault or harassment (p.14).

The results were heart-breaking and it is shocking with how commonplace these experiences are, including those against men.

One anonymous contributor told us, “A guy had been coming on to me for around a year and propositioned me for sex. I said no, and he waited until everyone had left the room and hit me in crotch. As I doubled over he then hooked me in the face.

Afterwards he told me that it served me right for being rude to him.” This happened at UEA and sadly is not

“This week, Concrete was the first publication in the UK to break the news that a former student Luke Mallaband was due to appear in court over allegations he had been secretly filming students showering, undressing and using the toilet.” the only the only incident we heard.

Call me a femiNazi all you want, I don’t think it’s acceptable that girls and women, as well as men, are having to put up with this as a fact of life. Unfortunately, we seem to have adopted a culture that warns girls not to get attacked whilst ignoring the root problem: the attackers. With students walking out on consent classes in York, we

have to question if these are enough anymore to tackle the problem (p.14). Drastic action needs to be taken enact massive societal change and its time for us to unbury our heads and step out from the bubble.

We can do better, and so can UEA. With feminism all the talk of the Concrete offices, we got the chance to speak to Karen Jones about her recent installation as UEA chancellor. (p.6) Whilst she may not embrace the label personally, her values embody everything we expect from UEA going forward.

She told us, “I think it is shameful and extraordinary that we still have to say that there should be equal numbers of women at every level, in every organisation in business, but we still have to say it.”

This year myself, Caitlin and Jessica are proud to be the first all-female senior editorial team Concrete has ever had. Whilst newspapers around the country have as few as 26 percent female staff, the remainder of the editorial team is made up of over 76 percent women. But, regardless of the gender you identify with, Concrete remains open for all. Want to find out more about getting involved?

Come join us in the red bar Tuesday night from 7pm for postpub-pub.

We can also reveal that the union policy advocating rent strikes (issue 328) has currently been dropped from the union council agenda (p.6), in part response to the negative backlash surrounding the issue. Whilst it is unclear whether this policy will resurface at a later date, I can only hope that it has been left on the ‘bad ideas pile’ alongside crimping, Ugg boots and decaf coffee. See you again in a fortnight!

hatever happened to Freshers’ Week?

The endless LCR nights, bouncy castles on campus and welcome socials now seem like a distant memory, and they’ve been replaced with long days in the library, endless deadlines and a flu that just won’t go away .

The Autumn Semester has suddenly become very real, and it’s enough to scare the pants off anybody.

This week offers the opportunity for a little pickme-up: an opportunity to dress up, carve some pumpkins and consume food and drink that are unnervingly fluorescent green.

Hopefully you will find some inspiration in Concrete’s guide to Halloween on page 14.

Whether you’re dressing up and heading for a night on Prince of Wales Road, having some friendly drinks at your flat, or just fancy a little bit of trick or treating, there’s something for any and every kind of Halloween celebration.

We’re throwing our very own Halloween Party. The Media Collective Paranormal Pre Party is at the Crypt on October 28th.

A £6 ticket gets you entry to the Crypt, Propaganda and a free drink. Check out the SU website for ticket details!

However, it seems that the things that go bump in the night will not be restricted to Hallow’s Eve. Following a spate of so-called ‘killer clown attacks’ across the UK, a UEA student was chased through Eaton Park by a ‘joker’ on her way home after a day of lectures. Reassuringly, somebody was later arrested for the incident, but the thought of our nightmares coming true is enough to send the shivers down the most unflappable of spines.

You can read the full report of the “absolutely terrifying” ordeal on page 4.

concrete-online.co.uk ConcreteUEA

concreteuea

concrete_UEA Cover: Flickr, Gerry Balding

The University of East Anglia’s Independent Student newspaper since 1992 Tuesday 25th October 2016 Issue 329 Union House University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ 01603 593466 www.concrete-online.co.uk Editor-in-Chief Megan Baynes concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Deputy Editors Jessica Frank-Keyes Caitlin Doherty concrete.deputy@uea.ac.uk Online Editor James Chesson concrete.online@uea.ac.uk News Emily Hawkins Senior Reporter: Amanda Ng concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Global Ollie Watts Senior Reporter: Milly Godfrey concrete.global@uea.ac.uk Features Lillie Coles Lydia Lockyer concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Comment Charlie Dwyer concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk Science Sophie Christian concrete.science@uea.ac.uk Travel Jennifer Redfern concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk Sport Richard Ewart Nick Murphy concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk Chief Copy-Editor Molly Burgess concrete.copy@uea.ac.uk Copy-Editor Emma Slaughter concrete.copy@uea.ac.uk Marketing Director Katie Gleeson Email TBC Social Media Coordinator Charlotte Spencer Email TBC Events Manager Sam Naylor Email TBC Editorial Enquiries concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk concrete.venue@uea.ac.uk Complaints & Corrections concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk

No part of this newspaper may be reproduced by any means without the permission of the Editor-in-Chief, Megan Baynes. Published by the Union of UEA Students on behalf of Concrete.

Concrete is a UUEAS society, but retains editorial independence as regards to any content. Opinions expressed herein are those of individual writers, not of Concrete or its editorial team.

News

25th October 2016

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UEASU officers sign open letter defending Malia Bouattia Emily Hawkins News Editor

Around 170 student leaders, including five SU officers and student leaders from UEA have signed an open letter opposing claims made in a report on ‘AntiSemitism in the UK’ by a Home Affairs Select Committee. The committee of MPs criticised NUS President Malia Bouattia for showing a lack of commitment to tackling the issue of anti-Semitism on university campuses.

This letter has been signed by Jo Swo, Welfare Community and Diversity Officer, Abi Mulcairn, Women’s Officer and UEA Labour Students’ Chair, Emmanuel Agu, Ethical Issues Officer, Lucy Auger, UEA Labour Students’ Vice Chair, and Finn Northrop, Non-Portfolio Officer.

In addition to the officers, at the time of publication, two students have also signed the letter defending Bouattia.

The letter argues that the report

by MPs is politically biased, and does not focus enough on the “far right”, whilst it disproportionately criticises the Labour Party and the NUS. Signatories say that acknowledging the increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes effectively must be done “without falling prey to partisan selectivity.”

In its conclusion, a revised

“We can only tackle bigotry and hate crime like antiSemitism and Islamophobia by working together." report with a more neutral approach is demanded, as is a retraction of “false statements” and an “apology to those who have been vilified by the inaccuracies and partisan biases” they believe to be included in MPs’ document.

Swo called the select committee report “inadequate in giving

guidance on how to deal with the far right, which has historic ties with anti-Semitic abuse and crime,” and instead targets the NUS President, Malia Bouattia, despite her repeated assurances both within Student Unions and the media, that she will address concerns.” She also said, “we can only tackle bigotry and hate crime like anti-Semitism and Islamophobia by working together."

In contrast to the letter supporting Bouattia, two UEA | SU officers have alternatively signed an open letter asking Bouattia “to issue a full and formal apology to Jewish students, and indeed to her entire membership.”

The letter, signed by Theo Antoniou-Phillips, Undergraduate Education Officer, and Amy Rust, Campaigns and Democracy Officer, describes the NUS as being in an “unprecedented situation.”

The letter concludes by stating that if Bouattia does not issue an apology and provide further information on how to tackle anti-Semitism in the student movement, its signatories

believe that “she must resign.”

Commenting on her decision to sign the letter criticising Bouattia, Amy Rust said she did so “because the language used by Malia in discussing anti-Semitism and Jewish students has been inadequate to address the concerns of those students.”

“The language used

by Malia in discussing anti-Semitism and Jewish students has been inadequate to address concerns."

Rust also stated that she was pleased to be working with signatories of the alternative letter, particularly on a new Say No to Hate Crime campaign, “so our students know the Union supports all Jewish students alongside all those directly or indirectly affected.”

Rust stressed that she does not believe the NUS President to be “a

Poorer students should be given lower Ucas offers, government recommends Louise Lazell News Reporter Universities should accept lower offers from students with disadvantaged backgrounds, a government review has recommended.

A Social Mobility Advisory Group, report set up to address issues surrounding underrepresented groups in higher education, has proposed that students “held back by poverty” should be given lower A-Level requirements.

“The report also argues that the economic and social position of a student’s family has the greatest impact on their access to higher education."

The report suggested that institutions should enforce “positive discrimination” in an attempt to boost the number of students from poorer backgrounds. It was argued universities should focus on the “contextual data” of a student’s background during the application process, such as their home address, family background, school, or whether they have been in care. The group said that contextual information would allow “an institution to assess an applicant in the context of the circumstances in which their attainment has been achieved.”

The report argued that a student’s “potential” should be the criteria used for establishing whether their ability to perform well in exams was hindered. It suggests this change will allow universities to recognise bright students who could excel despite poorer backgrounds.

Set up at the request of Universities Minister Jo Johnson, the advisory group is chaired by Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK. Dandridge said “disadvantage is deeply entrenched in our society, and there are no quick and easy answers.”

She said, “For some areas of the country, young people are much less likely to go to university than in other areas.” She also said that in order for the changes to have a longterm impact “it will need to reflect the individual university’s location and mission as well as the individual circumstances of the student.”

The report also argues that the economic and social position of a student’s family has the greatest impact on their access to higher education. They believe that admissions tutors must combat this by inspecting the “educational, geodemographic and socio-economic background” of the student.

Universities were also recommended to help improve the skills of students through “the provision of homework clubs, summer schools and teaching support.” The report added that universities should review their student’s progress by monitoring their university experiences, from applying all the way through to getting a job after graduation.

Flickr: Northern Ireland Executive

racist”, but said that the “systemic problem of anti-Semitism within the student movement” needed to be acknowledged.

The parliamentary report found a 29 percent increase of anti-Semitic hate crime in England and some part of Wales between 2010 and 2015. This is in comparison to a nine per cent rise across all categories of hate crime.

A study by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research found a fifth of British Jewish people have experienced at least one incident of anti-Semitic harassment during the last year was also cited by MPs. This follows consistent criticism of the NUS President since her election last spring.

Swo spoke of the SU’s “good relationship” with UEA’s Multi-Faith Centre and said that the SU will be releasing a “Multi-Faith Guide” soon in a bid to “get more students of faith involved in the Student Union.”

Swo also said that next year she will be launching a “Multi-Faith Working Group”.

COMMENT

Imogen Barton argues that, despite good intentions, this measure will do little to help disadvantaged students The recommendation to lower grades for ‘disadvantaged’ students is well-intentioned, but how would you distinguish between the needy and the negligent? How would you decide who is doomed to fail without government intervention?

Such measures would do little to address the widening class gap in the UK. They don’t improve matters for the 3.9 million children who lived in poverty in 2014-15.

By the time students are old enough to attend university, these measures act as a band-aid over a gaping wound. All this would do is inflate universities’ figures, giving everyone the illusion of progress.

Bumping down a grade requirement for a prestigious university?

Cheap and quick. Improving state education and providing opportunities for those living in poverty? Expensive and timeconsuming. You can see why so many insitiutions could prefer the quick fix.

However, we should focus on equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. Quotas now act as a mark of success when we should care more about innovation.

These skewed priorities only force change when change should not be forced; true progress takes time. The measure recommended by the group only detracts from the underlying issues leading to class disparity.

25th October 2016

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News Funding for EU students UEA student chased by clown in Eaton Park guaranteed for 2017-18 Lucinda Swain News Reporter

Angharad Bailey News Reporter Students from the European Union will remain eligible to receive grants and loans for the duration of their course if they study in the UK, despite the fact that Britain may leave the EU during this time.

Universities Minister Jo Johnson said that he recognised the referendum result in June had “brought with it some uncertainties for our higher education sector.”

The continuation of such finances will continue to be offered to those currently studying at university, as well as those who wish to apply for the upcoming academic year.

Universities UK president, Dame Julia Goodfellow spoke of how “European and international

students are a valuable part of academic life” and said that the presence of students from EU countries is a benefit to the economy, if after graduation they are involved in “creating jobs and supporting local businesses.”

The Scottish government has also announced its support for EU students. They have confirmed that they will continue to offer free tuition to those wishing to study in Scotland, as well as placing large emphasis on the need for post-study work visas.

As is the case in England, financial aid in Scotland will be extended to students applying for the 2017-2018 academic year.

The Universities Minister Jo Johnson said that he recognised the referendum result in June had “brought with it some uncertainties for our higher education sector.”

He added that the decision to guarantee funding should “provide stability for both universities and students.” He said, “International students make an important contribution to our universities, and we want that to continue.”

A UEA student has reported being chased by a man dressed as a ‘killer clown’, who has now been arrested.

The female student, who wishes to remain anonymous, was chased whilst out running in Eaton Park.

“He jumped out from behind the tree and shouted at me.”

She told the Eastern Daily Press, “He jumped out from behind the tree and shouted at me.”

She suffered a panic attack, and called the ordeal “absolutely terrifying”. She said, “In some of these cases they have had weapons, so you just don’t know what could happen. I was a woman on my own in the dark.”

The police were later able to confirm that a 30 year old man had been arrested in connection to the incident, and that he had been issued a caution for committing Public Order offences.

The student involved said she felt that the caution the ‘clown’ received was too lenient and said she wished he had been charged with assault instead. “A caution

isn’t going to deter people - it’s not sending a message,” she said.

The incident in Eaton Park follows a trend of clown incidents that has taken both the US and UK by storm. It originally gained notoriety with the publication of the 1986 Stephen King novel It. It was initially speculated that this new craze was part of the hype for the new upcoming film adaptation of the movie set to be released next year.

The more sinister of these sightings have seen clowns brandishing weapons, children being beckoned into woodland, and confrontations resulting in injury.

Norfolk Constabulary have increased police patrols in the park following this incident. They have also warned young people in Norwich to not “join in” with the trend, particularly with Halloween approaching.

Superintendent Lynne Cross from Norfolk Constabulary said “Whilst this craze may seem harmless, it is actually quite frightening to those who experience it. It will not be tolerated and anyone caught with the intention of causing alarm, harassment or distress will be dealt with robustly.”

The police have also said anyone witnessing such an incident should call 101.

When did the clown attacks start?

August 29th: Residents in South Carolina report seeing a person dressed as a clown trying to lure children into the woods with money September 14th: Three children in Georgia claim two men dressed as clowns chased them to their bus stop.

September 15th: A 22 year-old woman is arrested for making threats through an account identified as “FLOMO KLOWN”.

September 21st: A 12-year-old in Pennsylvania is chased by a clown through a park.

September 30th: Two 17-yearold teens arrested for robbing fast food restaurants in Arizona in clown masks.

October 3rd: Authorities at New Haven Public Schools in Connecticut urge principals and building leaders to ban clown costumes through Halloween this year.

UEA installs Café Rouge founder as new Chancellor Jessica Frank-Keyes Deputy Editor UEA formally installed alumna and business executive Karen Jones as chancellor on October 6th. Ahead o f her speech and installation dinner at the

Sainsbury Centre, the Café Rouge founder and former Spirit Pub Group chief executive made time to chat to Concrete about her business values and the importance of entrepreneurship Karen Jones is running late. The restaurant owner and now UEA Chancellor, for want of a better word, ‘legs it’ into our meeting room, with UEA’s press officers in hot pursuit, carrying her briefcase.

I have 15 minutes with her.

UEA is consistently amongst the top 15 UK universities. We’re renowned for our literary and creative writing courses and situated in a UNESCO city of literature. Jones’ three-year ceremonial role, which she is taking over from novelist and alumna, Rose Tremaine, will allow her to shape the institution’s priorities. What does she want UEA students to be proudest of about their university?

P e r h a p s u n s u r p r i s i n g l y, enterprise, is the word that springs into the English and American Literature graduate’s mind, adding that “the feeling that the University encourages and supports them to find their passion, to find what it is that they

Karen Jones Photo: University of East Anglia

really love, and to be the best that they can be at it, and gives them both encouragement and support to do that,” is what she wants students to gain from her chancellorship, “whatever their passions might be.”

Despite the rapidly ticking clock, Jones is verbose, polite and effortlessly friendly, as she discusses the challenges faced by the higher education sector.

"I think it is shameful and extraordinary that we still have to say that there should be equal numbers of women at every level in every organisation and business.”

“I think that education is an area that must evolve and change very rapidly, because you - millennial students - require that.” Her business philosophy appears to be well-suited to the university sector, encompassing “a very strong set of values in whatever it is that you do.”

“When I talk about ‘good universities’ or good businesses’, it’s not just the obvious measures of success: money, more employees."

Tactfully, she declines to suggest specific improvements she’d like to see at UEA, claiming that this would be “very arrogant of me.”

This statement is slightly undercut, however, by the assertion that “given that all businesses and all organisations have to constantly evolve and get better, I’m sure that there are things, UEA is no exception to that rule.”

It’s when I ask whether universities should be modelling themselves as businesses that Jones really hits her stride, exclaiming: “Great question! Not business in that it’s the profit motive at all costs, I don’t think that at all.”

“Education and profit just for profit’s sake are very uncomfortable bedfellows. But I do think [universities] need to become more standalone, and be able to stand on their own feet.” She describes the entrepreneurship she’d like to see in terms of “backing student enterprises, taking shares in student companies and making sure that students, whether it’s a new form of theatre or a nutritional drink or a tech innovation, can come to university and be encouraged,” and calls this approach a “virtuous circle” of value realisation.

Corporate speak aside, Jones has a real warmth about her – and seems passionate about students succeeding – as she discusses the difference between what she sees as “skill” and “value,” stating: “people sometimes think in business that there’s a license given to them to tell lies and not do the right thing and I don’t agree with that at all.”

“There’s technical skill, which for UEA is our core educational purpose, and then there’s the value set which is how good we are at creating students who are happy, who can find what they’re best at and who can go out very well equipped to lead fulfilled and happy work lives.” And despite her roots being in the cut-throat world of business, she’s an advocate of scholarships insisting, rising tuition fees aside, “you have to make it possible for people to come to university.”

Moving on to a more personal topic; Jones founded her businesses when her three children were young.

Are there issues facing women in the workplace? “Absolutely! I don’t know if I’d call myself a feminist. I’ve never identified with that particular term; I suppose I tend to think more about doing than being called something. But I think it is shameful and extraordinary that we still have to say that there should be equal numbers of women at every level in every organisation and business – but we do have to say it.”

She’s equally engaged with issues facing graduates, saying: “you guys have a tough time… I think it’s a tough world out there and the more we can equip you guys with confidence and techniques to go out there and fight with a full hand of tools… I think that’s UEA’s job and it’s a job it does very well and very willingly.”

Brexit appears to be another bone of contention for the former restaurant executive, who described “our colleagues from the EU” as “an enormous and vital part of the hospitality industry.” Jones also described international students as providing “a whole host of tangible and intangible benefits that would be a great sadness and a great mistake to stop.”

Jones' installation came just a few weeks ahead of the inaugaration of the Aurora foundation. The community of nine European universities was launched in Amsterdam on October 21st. Vice Chancellor David Richardson and SU Campaigns Officer Amy Rust were present. Alongside Jones, it looks like UEA will continue to have a bright future.

25th October 2016

5

News

Maaple visit UEA for Asexuality Awareness Week Sophie Christian News Reporter During UEA’s Asexuality and Aromanticism Awareness Week, the organisation Movement for Asexuality Awareness, Protection, Learning and Equality (Maaple), gave a talk at UEA on the challenges faced by asexual and aroromantic people.

The UK-based Maaple are a movement for asexuality awareness and formed in 2015 following the general election. Their aim is to go beyond awareness of asexuality and to have more of an activist role in improving the lives of those who identify as asexual and aromantic.

Asexuality is defined as not experiencing sexual attraction to others, but it is more complex than this simple explanation. Other categories exist, such as demisexuality where someone does not experience sexual attraction until they are deeply or emotionally connected with someone.

According to George Norman, guest speaker for Maaple, the problem with defining asexuality is that “you end up defining something by what it isn’t.

“The average age for somebody

George Norman (R) Photo: Sophie Christian coming out as asexual and finding out about the word for the first time is 19-20”, Norman stated, suggesting that the importance of Maaple’s work cannot be understated.

In response to this statistic, Maaple is campaigning for the UK Census Office to include asexuality as an option on the census. If this

campaign proves to be successful, the UK census would become the first nationwide census to include this option – a significant step for asexuality awareness.

Norman spoke of a recent study on US campuses which revealed that “nearly five per cent of the [college] population identifies as asexual”.

This is a huge leap from the 1 per cent regularly quoted from a 1994 study, a study the speaker says predates the term ‘asexuality’ being used by the general public as a descriptor for their sexuality.

Maaple stressed that more awareness needs to be devoted towards asexuals and how they are

romantically diverse. For example, aromanticism is defined as not feeling romantic attraction towards anyone of any gender. It is important to note that being aromantic does not mean someone is asexual as well.

Norman stressed this point, saying “There’s an essential difference between sexuality and romanticism.

Sexual attraction being very different from romantic attraction.” He added that “sexuality is not some rigid, solid thing”.

Stigma and oppression against asexuality is another issue Maaple are looking to tackle. Norman referred to a study of public opinion towards asexual people, which suggests that people would be more likely to refuse to rent houses to and to employ somebody if they knew they were asexual.

Looking towards the future, Maaple believes that creating LGBTQ+ Spaces open to noncisgender, non-heterosexual, nonheteromantic people on campus is a step forward in helping us become more understanding and accepting of asexuals.

Norman also believes that friendships are important and need to be reclaimed. He said, “we should recognise that and celebrate that more than we do.”

History of Art A-Level dropped by AQA Amanda Ng Senior News Reporter Exam board AQA are no longer offering History of Art as an A-level option due to a lack of experienced examiners able to award marks for the topic.

“The Association for Art Historians called the decision a significant loss, which would affect prospective students and limit their future opportunities."

The specialised subject has been axed this month, as the exam board AQA is describing the subject as too “difficult.” As of recent government exam reforms, new syllabuses will be introduced and redesigned for all subjects.

The decision to remove the subject “has nothing to do with the importance of the History of Art”, assured an AQA spokeswoman.

As only 839 students are enrolled to take the A-level, and 721 the AS-level this year, compared with 43,000 taking A-levels in art and design, AQA announced it was struggling to recruit enough specialist examiners, and would then struggle with setting grade boundaries.

Former Education Secretary Michael Gove announced all A-level and GCSE arts subjects, including music, drama, art and dance are to be made more “rigorous and demanding.” Despite this year’s

plans to change the History of Art syllabus - which after consultation received widespread approval AQA then decided it will not be developed for teaching.

Students currently undertaking History of Art for AS-level or A-level exams will not be affected and will be the last group to sit the examinations in 2017 and 2018.

Many are accusing Michael Gove for culling perceived “soft” subjects and ending the access to a popular subject that provides a range of cultures, artefacts and ideas for young people.

Sarah Phillips, head of the subject at Godalming College in Surrey, said she even had to cap numbers due to a high demand of students wanting to take the subject.

“Former Education Secretary Michael Gove announced all A-level and GCSE arts subjects, including music, drama, art and dance to be Photo:are N Chadwick made more “rigorous and demanding."

Current UEA students studying the History of Art degree are shocked by this news. Candice Baune, second-year student of History of Art at UEA, has called it “appalling” and believes that History of Art is not a so-called soft subject.

She said, “there’s so much more to it like the history, the politics, the economics, the environment and it

really gives you a holistic set of skills for life that are so important.”

She also said that cutting the A Level could could “snowball into a huge cultural downfall”.

The Association for Art Historians called the decision a significant loss, which would affect prospective students and limit their future opportunities.

Carlota Dolben, a History of Art and History third-year student at UEA agrees. She said, “It is ridiculous. If the government

839 721 2018

UEA Sainsbury Centre, Photo: Concrete discards this subject, it is just closing students enrolled on doors in education.” the A-level course However, a spokeswoman for this year exams regulator Ofqual emphasised that AQA’s decision not to continue the development of the subject does students are taking not necessarily mean the end of the the AS-level course subject at A-level. this year AQA also ensures that this new development “won’t stop students going on to do a degree the date the last in it” as the subject at A-level is not cohort will sit Art a requirement when applying to History exams universities.

25th October 2016

6

News

Norfolk and Suffolk mental health trust no longer under NHS special measures Sophie Wiggins News Reporter After being the first mental health service in the country to be placed under special measures 20 months ago, the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has been taken out of this category.

Following concerns about the mental health trust from financial pressures starting in 2012, the service was deemed “unsafe” and “inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The trust’s rating has now been increased to “requires improvement” from its 2015 rating of “inadequate.”

The 2015 CQC report identified issues with insufficient staffing levels, concerns over restraint practice and accusations about the trust’s alarmingly high death rate.

The report acknowledged that the trust was not “compliant with controlled drug legislation” and that it “consistently maintained medication at wrong temperatures”, affecting the treatment of some patients and causing concern amongst friends, family and officials across the region.

However the CQC observed this year an environment that boasted “considerable progress." The chief inspector of hospitals in England, Sir Mike Richards encouraged staff to be “proud of their achievements so far.”

Hellesdon Hospital, Photo: Andy Parsons, Flickr He also said it was clear “significant improvement” had taken place across the trust, and thus recommended to NHS Improvement (NHSI) the removal of special measures.

For some though the recent improvements have proved to be too little too late, with a great number of dissatisfied campaigners disagreeing with the service’s claims that it is improving.

A spokesman for the group Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk and Suffolk suggested that huge concerns remain, and the CQC report is more worrying than reassuring.

He said, “the report still found a distinct lack of leadership, among other things such as staffing discrepancies and lack of beds, issues that are still a matter of great urgency.”

Union U-turn over rent strikes Norwich-Cambridge 'technology corridor' to be strengthened Megan Baynes Editor-in-Chief

A controversial rent strike policy has been dropped from the upcoming union council agendas.An anonymous union source confirmed that the proposal had been dropped, following the publication of ‘UEA rent strike threat’ [Concrete front page, Issue 328]. A union officer had planned to put forward the proposal, which would encourage students to forgo rent payments, similar to the strikes at University College London.

Rent strike action, which began in February, and has seen hundreds of students in London striking over sub-standard university accommodation.

The most expensive accommodation at UCL costs £280 per week.

UEA’s most expensive accommodation is currently Hickling and Barton house, priced at £148 per week. In 2015, Money Supermarket research named UEA accommodation sixth best in the country for value for money. In 2011 UEA accommodation was voted number one in the country by ‘What Uni’ Student Choice awards.

It is unknown if the policy will be proposed later on in the year.

Beth Papworth News Reporter Technology advances have led to fresh plans to build upon the Norwich to Cambridge link, in what could be one of the most exciting developments for financial growth in the UK.

“I believe we now have a once in a generation chance to make the eastern region the new California.”

Concrete, Issue 328

The plans will potentially open up new job opportunities for people wanting to commute to work every day and will bridge the 64 miles between Norwich and Cambridge.

Mid-Norfolk MP George Freeman commented that, “with the dualling of the A11 and A47 secured, I believe we now have a once in a generation chance to make the eastern region the new

California, a pioneering hub of cutting-edge technology business, driving new jobs, opportunities and skills training across the region.”

This pioneering advancement for a technology corridor to exist between Norwich and Cambridge gives people the opportunity to commute quickly and efficiently between the two cities.

It will also shorten their journey dramatically and make it more economically viable.

Norwich liasons with East Cambridgeshire Council and the Greater Cambridgeshire Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership have widened the investment, and expanded the project’s partnership.

64

The amount of miles between Cambridge and Norwich

Entrepreneurial advancements go from strength to strength as its commercial relations between the Councils are strengthening.

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8

Global

25th October 2016

Thai King Bhumibol dies The future of Queen Elizabeth becomes longest reigning living monarch

Angel Loera Global Writer After 70 years of reigning, Thailand’s King Bhumibol, the longest reigning active monarch, died on 13th October after a series of health issues that kept him away from public events for nearly a year. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, fought against several illnesses during the last few years, including hydrocephalus, and remained in hospital for much of last year.

Bhumibol’s reign commenced on the 9th of June 1946 after the unexpected death of his brother, King Ananda however, Bhumibol was not officially crowned until May 1950 after he’d finished his studies in Switzerland.

Seven decades later, Thai people will once again have to wait for a new monarch, as King B h u m i b o l ’s eldest son and heir apparent

since 1972, Maha Vajiralongkorn, has delayed his appointment due to the state of mourning the country is currently in. 64-year-old Vajiralongkorn, however, does not

enjoy the same popular support that his father did. Having spent much of his time in his residence in Munich, many people wonder whether he will manage to head the nation. In the meantime, the President of the Privy Council, Prem Tinsulanonda, 96, was appointed Regent Pro-tempore.

In the absence of Bhumibol, Bangkok lacks of a figure of authority and unification. While insults against the king or his family are punished with 15 years in jail, the deceased sovereign was highly revered by his people and the political civil leaders.

His efforts to help the poorest people in Thailand were

acknowledged with the first UN Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received in 2006. Yet, Thai political instability is not new: a Military Junta seized power in 2014 severely damaging the rule of law and economic strength. Despite the pledge of holding elections in 2017, the recently implemented constitution reduces power of elected authorities.

Thailand will remain in mourning for a year, and for the time being celebrations of any kind are banned, a decision which may have serious economic implications for the country. Tourism is likely to be affected too, as entertainment services may have limited operating hours. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office encourages potential travellers to respect the country’s mourning and keep track of local media.

Following King’s passing, Thai People expressed their condolences at the front of the Grand Palace. On 19th October Prince Vajiralongkorn chaired the Merit Making ceremony, to honour the King after seven days of his death. Further ceremonies are scheduled 50 and 100 days after, according to newspaper the Bangkok Post which displays a black and white website to mark their mourning.

4,000 civilians that have already been killed in the conflict. Further to this, 3 million of the country’s 26 million population have been displaced and are currently without a home.

The United States has slowly become more involved in the Yemen conflict, moving from a position of providing logistical support to carrying out actual bombings and drone strikes within Yemen.

So far, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimates that 145 drone strikes have been carried out by the US in Yemen since the conflict began.

These have killed more than 100 civilians, of which around ten percent are reported to have been children.

The United States and Britain

have already supplied over $500 million worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia that has been used to kill civilian targets.

A UN report showed that more than two thirds of all civilian deaths were caused by airstrikes from the Saudi-led coalition.

This led to massive pressure for a discontinuation of the attacks which eventually culminated into the new ceasefire agreement.

On the 16th October US officials reported that missiles had been fired at patrolling warships from the Yemeni coast. Admiral John Richardson said the destroyer USS Mason appeared “to have come under attack” but was not hit.

“The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office encourages potential travellers to respect the country’s mourning and keep track of local media.”

virtual reality Faith Jones Global Writer

Some say emerging media cements its place when it has achieved 3 things: being used for good, for evil, and for porn.

So, as far as virtual reality is concerned – its here to stay.

“If you offer people an immersive experience rather than just passive observation you begin to cultivate the desire for action, rather than distanced compassion” Lets focus on VR’s current relationship with both good and evil when it comes to reporting global development.

Once the headset is on your senses are hacked - overridden and convinced of an alternate reality.

One of VR’s earliest roles in development was to create a higher level of humanitarian empathy. If you offer people an immersive experience rather than just passive observation you begin to cultivate the desire

for action, rather than distanced compassion. An example? Clouds over Sidra, a VR short produced by the UN following a 12 year-old Syrian girl through her life in the Za’atari refugee camp. For the UN, immersion worked, and the viewers of the film soon coined “virtuous reality”, the idea that these films could actually make you a better person due to their personal impact. However, the line is thin, immersive often equates to intimate and this intimacy can quickly lead to voyeurism.

Take Welcome to Aleppo, the first Warzone VR created by RYOT. Placing you inside the rubble of a once thriving Syrian town, you’re left to explore. The films creator noted that certain elements of more disturbing content were removed in order to avoid the potential of feeding those with a darker psyche, a very real risk for those developing this new form of journalism.

We’re so used to a journalistic environment of gatekeeping, where information is censored that VR seems to create diametric opposition. Be this for good or evil, no-one can deny that this new age of story-telling is here to stay.

We need to talk about Yemen Tom Brown Global Writer

A 72-hour ceasefire began in Yemen on the 19th October.

This was an attempt to halt the hostilities between the Houthi rebels, a Shia military group supported by Iran that captured the capital Sanaa in 2014, and a coalition of nine Arab states led by Saudi Arabia, with intelligence and weapons provided by the United States and Britain.

The conflict in Yemen has intensified after 140 people were killed in a funeral bombing on the 8th October. The death toll adds to the

However, upon further investigations into attack claims a statement was issued that officials were currently “investigating the possibility” that an attack had taken place, raising doubts as to the validity of the claim.

The alleged attack on the US naval vessel has led many to question the influence that Iran exerts over the Shia militia and whether or not this represents heightened tensions between the two countries.

The cruise missiles that the Houthi rebels allegedly fired at the US vessel were likely obtained through Iran due to the fact that the same cruise missiles are used

by Hezbollah, another Shia proxy.

The Obama administration proposed the Iran nuclear deal as a means of thawing tensions between Iran and the United States, but recent events have shown that this move is likely to embolden Iran into pursuing its interest of obtaining regional dominance in the Middle East.

With no clear end game in sight for the impoverished Yemen, the situation grows ever worse as the proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia is exacerbated by US intervention.

The only consolation is that this recent ceasefire might bring local civilians a period of respite from the ongoing atrocities. .

Thai King, top left, Wikimedia: Xiengyod Yemen, Wikimedia: Jialiang Gao

9

25th October 2016

New UN secretary general

Tensions heighten in Syria

Portugal’s former prime minister and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Antonio Guterres, has been appointed the next United Nations Secretary General. Guterres is due to succeed Ban Ki-moon on 1st January 2017 when the current Secretary General’s second five-year term ends.

Guterres was chosen unanimously by the Security Council from a choice of 13 candidates, seven of whom were women.

Soon to be the world’s top diplomat, Guterres, aged 67, has previously held posts as Prime Minister of Portugal (1995-2002), and as head of the UNHCR (20052015). Guterres has been praised by the current UN Secretary General as a “wonderful choice” for succession, remarking that Mr Guterres is “best known where it counts most: on the frontlines of armed conflict and humanitarian suffering”.

General consensus finds that the former High Commissioner for Refugees is most qualified to tackle the problems the United Nations face today: promoting peace, protecting human rights, and dealing with refugee crises and its root causes.

During his two terms departing Secretary General Ban Ki-moon committed himself to sustainable development, and led governments in the largest collective effort to tackle climate change.

Olivia Galvin Hughes

Tensions heighten in Syria as bilateral talks between the USA and Russia are suspended after a shaky ceasefire deal ends in the bombing of a UN convoy. Hostilities seem higher than ever, as Assad has begun using chlorine gas and barrel bombs on his own citizens in the city of Aleppo. Air strikes in civilian areas have also increased.

The US has responded to accusations from various critics that it has not targeted Al-Nusra, an affiliate of ISIS, for months due to their close ties with the opposition forces. Russian media outlets are pushing the narrative that the US is not committed to tackling Islamic extremism in Syria and is more interested in removing Assad than defeating I. As negotiations dissipate in light of the failure of the overly optimistic ceasefire, the horizon of Syria looks ever darker with each passing day exposé, 86 as attacks increase in the northern percent of Syrian city of Aleppo. respondents The fall of Aleppo could said they likely result in Russia gaining an did not wish unmovable foothold in the country, for Hollande to run for a as well as Assad further cementing second term. his position as President.

The consensus up until Patience is wearing thin on all now was that Hollande would seek sides and it is highly unlikely that re-election in 2017 as the leader a solution to the Syrian conflict of the Socialist Party in spite of will be found while foreign powers record unpopularity and the failure continue to use Syria as a proxy war to bring down unemployment. to settle international disputes.

Tom Brown Ollie Watts Photo: Francois Hollande, Wikimedia, COP Paris

ROUNDUP

360

French presidency scandal French President Francois Hollande has found himself at the centre of a scandal.

Two journalists from the French newspaper Le Monde, have released a series of interviews in which Hollande made some revealing insults.

Among the jibes he is reported to have criticised the French judicial system for its “cowardice”, claimed there are “too many” immigrants, and stated his belief that there is a “problem” with Islam.

Not only has Hollande been

recorded as making these statements, he has also been documented as mocking some of his challengers for the Presidency as he labelled Republic candidate and former President Nicolas Sarkozy a “crude mini-De Gaulle” and the Green Party a “cynical pain in the butt.”

Moreover, the French President also made the shocking revelation that he had personally ordered the assassination of four enemies of the state – a disclosure which must have the French security services reeling.

In a poll taken in light of the

cutting costs on campus across uea|su outlets keep an eye out for this symbol on value|su products

Features

25th October 2016

11

UEA celebrates Black History Month Jessica Frank-Keyes & Caitlin Doherty Deputy Editors

2016. The year that Black Lives Matter protests reached the UK with demonstrations at London City and Heathrow airports and in central London.

The year that the first Muslim mayor of any major Western city was elected, Sadiq Khan.

The year that the first black American president could be replaced by a man who failed to condemn white supremacist organisation the Ku Klux Klan and has been sued for refusing to rent his properties to black Americans.

Amongst the turbulence and triumphs, UEA celebrates its third Black History Month. The annual celebration of black British history and culture has been a national institution since 1987, and first came to UEA in 2014.

UEA SU has organised a month of events, ranging from discussions of racial preferences in dating, political blackness and body positivity to film screenings, celebrations of academic excellence and a vigil for UK victims of police brutality.

We spoke to the UEA students behind the events and asked them: what does Black History Month mean to you?

Sharmin Hoque, LGBT+ Officer (Open Place), organised Black History Month at her secondary

Wikimedia: The Whitehouse

school. She believes its “important to commemorate and celebrate black community and culture, to give recognition to all of the amazing achievements - especially at UEA.” “The truth is that it [the university] is very white dominated, so, Black History Month helps to not just educate, but show achievements that have happened and are ongoing.”

“being a bisexual Muslim, it’s so rare to find people like myself… finding a queer Muslim of any sort is gold dust, it’s really rare.”

She told us that her own experiences have inspired to campaign for better recognition and representation of black and minority ethnic students and their achievements, saying: “I’m Bangladeshi as well, and Black History Month is also [aimed] towards people with other ethnicities, not just the black community. My parents came here and made a living for themselves, and I’m a history student, so I like to research things and see how things have changed.”

Sharmin added that, as

someone who is “bisexual and Bangladeshi,” she has experienced “both racism and homophobia.”

After organising the LGBT+ POC panel which covered “topics like homophobia in cultural spaces, racism in queer spaces,” Sharmin said she was amazed to have students approaching her to say they identified with her experiences: “being a bisexual Muslim, it’s so rare to find people like myself… finding a queer Muslim of any sort is gold dust, it’s really rare.”

However, she is campaigning at UEA to raise awareness of the intersection of these issues, and provide support to other students: “so that they’re not just swept away under the carpet. I’m currently trying to start up a campaign with the other liberation officers about tackling racism, homophobia and sexism.”

Tarun Sridhar, Ethical Minorities Officer, is responsible for hosting the events of the month. He described Black History Month as important for encouraging inclusivity, and added that he wanted “all UEA students” to feel involved.

Asked if there was someone he felt best represented the values of Black History Month, Tarun said: “there’s no one person who can depict the struggles, or who can show what it’s like to overcome the struggles. There are many types of people who have done many types of things. Choosing one person to show the ethnic minority struggle is not fair.”

Tarun also discussed the issues he has faced in the UK as an ethnic minority, saying that the “passive racism” he experienced worsened during the run up to the vote on Brexit.

“One day I was on Unthank Road and there was a white person who just pushed me down - during the Brexit time. I didn’t even know why he did it. He just walked away.”

“It wasn’t even that which affected me, it was the fact that everybody else walking in the road didn’t care. The only people who stopped were two black women in a car.

“They got out of the car and tried to chase the guy, but he was gone. Every other person in the street was white. It’s not like they didn’t care, it’s like they didn’t know what to do.”

Finally, Tarun highlighted the wide range of events UEA SU are organising throughout October. He said: “we have a week concerning LGBT and POC issues, then we have Black Excellence Week, so that’s specifically regarding African and Caribbean ethnicities, but there is a lot to Black History Month, everything is there.”

“We have discussions about political blackness, about LGBT POC, about Afro-Caribbean cultures, but we also have celebratory events.”

Rhys Purtill, President of

Wikimedia: Dick DeMarsico

UEA’s Pride Society, said that Black History Month matters “in terms of the future rather than in terms of the past. A lot of people think that racism has gone, but it really hasn’t.

It’s important to think about these things and think about how we can move on from this in the future.”

Black History Month matters “in terms of the future rather than in terms of the past. A lot of people think that racism has gone, but it really hasn’t. It’s important to think about these things and think about how we can move on from this in the future.”

He added that problems can often be experienced in unexpected places. For example: “on the gay dating app, Grindr, you find that there’s a lot of racism on there. You can go on to people’s profiles and find things like ‘if you’re black, don’t message me’.”

Rhys also discussed the misconceptions surrounding the LGBT+ community, saying that:

“A lot of people seem to think that the LGBT+ community are one coherent group, when actually, a lot of the time it’s not: within the group there’s racism, there’s sexism, there’s transphobia.”

He said this is “one of the reasons that UEA Pride likes to get involved in BHM, we like to make sure that we are talking about things like racism, and we take some time to celebrate and highlight the struggles of people who are both queer and a POC.” Malaika Jaovisidha, International Students Officer, told us that: “until very recently I never thought that I was a minority. It was only when I came to live in the UK that I felt like being a minority can actually be quite detrimental to you and your future. My opportunities are limited compared to most people. Most people being – I guess you could say – white.”

She added that international students and people of colour “still face discriminatory attacks, especially when it comes to finding a job or trying to enter a workforce,” as people are trying to “tick boxes rather than want you for who you are”.

She added that this tokenistic approach extends to colorism, which she explained as “racism within the same race, for example there are light-skin Asians and darkskin Asians, one can be prejudiced against the other.”

Black History Month continues until the end of October across the UK. More information about the range on events on offer at UEA SU can be found here: https://www.uea.su/campaigns/ liberation/blackhistorymonth2016/

25th October 2016

12

Features

The changing face of BBC ‘spy’-player Is the £145 license fee worth the money?

Georgina Hewison Features Writer

In 1922, the BBC was founded on

the principles to “educate, inform, and entertain” the public. It became becoming one of the world’s most respected public broadcasting services. One of its main appeals came from its lack of influence from the commercial sector, meaning no advertisements and the freedom to produce what they feel sticks to their principles. The key to their success is the TV licence fee - mandatory for all who wish to watch live content on any format. In 2015, almost 26 million households held a TV licence (at a cost of £145.50), covering the majority of the BBC’s production costs.

Debates surrounding the accessibility to BBC content have been circling for years, however,

these altered when the era of online streaming began. In 2008, following the successes of sites like Netflix, BBC iPlayer was born. This ‘catchup’ alternative to live TV has grown greatly over the years and appeals to the younger audience’s more irregular viewing schedules and also, those who cannot afford the licence fee.

“it’s just too much money for the couple of shows that I watch on catch-up…

If there are waivers for the elderly, then I think we should be getting a discount as well”.

So, with the BBC’s recently changed policy determining that any viewing of iPlayer requires a licence, questions of the changing

As university expenses rise students forced to ask for help

face of the BBC arise. It was thought that the iPlayer “loophole” was allowing for a greater number of the public to avoid paying the fee, and also most likely was a prediction of an eventual move to strictly online content. While only 2 percent of households primarily use streaming services, it is noted that the majority of this number are young people.

Within this, students are arguably one of the biggest audiences left out of BBC content- with most living off student loans and not earning a reliable wage. £145 is a big number for any student to face, especially for the majority who would only watch a few shows, mainly online.

But, would students consider paying this fee if they were regular iPlayer viewers? 20-year-old Esther Norton stated that she wouldn’t be paying the fee, as “it’s just too much money for the couple of shows that I watch on catch-up… If there are

waivers for the elderly, then I think we should be getting a discount as well”.

It is a point that rings true for many students - BBC shows are only a small dent in what we actually watch now. With so many streaming sites, we can choose from Netflix, Channel 4, and iPlayer, to name a few, what we want to catchup on and when. With this, the TV licence seems an old fashioned way of dealing with payment. We can all agree that the quality of shows from the BBC deserves payment, but for younger viewers, maybe the fixed price for both TV and iPlayer isn’t flexible enough. With a Netflix subscription coming to almost a similar price yearly, it begs the question why some are so willing to pay for this and not a licence. For one, Netflix is aimed at a younger audience in general, it is commercially aware of what we

want to view and this ends up in a larger amount of subscriptions. But, in comparison to the BBC, Netflix asks for a monthly fee that can be cancelled at any time – an aspect which is typical with all online subscriptions, including music streaming and online gaming.

We Photo: Flickr, Blue Square Thing are used to getting exactly what we paid for, without any restricting contracts and therefore, if the BBC wishes to keep up with the move to streaming platforms, its payment should follow, too. If we are looking for solutions, maybe a subscription solely for iPlayer would be more beneficial to students. Overall, the BBC is still one of the main sources for the UK’s favourite entertainment.

But it seems that for young people, the limitations of iPlayer may well cause an eventual drift away from BBC online content. Outdated fees are forcing the more online-oriented among us to look elsewhere.

Reality TV and the ‘Pop Culture Shock’ Becca Hemmings Features Writer Picture this: it’s a Saturday night in and you’re cosying up on your sofa after a hectic week with a pack of minstrels and The X Factor on your TV. It’s a scenario that’s all too familiar for the millions of people that tune into the show every weekend. Though in recent years, those viewings haven’t come easy. With plummeting ratings and constant allegations that the show is ‘fixed’ it brings into question, how far is reality TV, ‘real’?

Reality TV has become one of the most viewed genres of television programme in the last decade, but why? This may be partially due to the pure entertainment factor, because let’s face it, watching a group of ‘celebrities’ get locked in a chamber with live snakes on ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of here!’ is pretty amusing. Alongside this, reality TV can be the perfect way to switch off from the daily stresses of life, with no real necessity to think about or digest what you’re viewing.

Whilst this positively aids many viewers’ down time, it can

actually have dangerous social consequences.

Passively consuming reality TV can lure us into a falsified reality.

Is what we are viewing really what life is like? From Geordie Shore to Made in Chelsea, this form of reality documentary has become increasingly popular, expanding to many different geological locations across the world. The bottom line is, a cast carefully selected by a panel of producers and filmed in selected scenarios can hardly be considered reality. This is not to say the entirety of reality TV is fake but at the same time, it can never be truly real.

With such a large number of the population tuning into these reality shows, it’s questionable whether this is genuinely a form of light entertainment or whether audiences are unknowingly believing that what they are seeing is real. Viewers were left outraged by The X Factor when contestant Honey G remained on the show whilst singer Saara Aalto was booted off with many viewers branding the show a ‘fix’. The show has received further fix allegations after it was revealed that group ‘Four of Diamonds’ were put together in a special workshop created by Sony as reported by The D a i l y S t a r.

What is questionable is why these viewers are still tuning in every week even after they have branded the show a fix. The answer is simple, it’s addictively entertaining. These fix allegations at least suggest that

“consuming reality TV can lure us into a falsified reality” audiences are sceptical of how real ‘reality’ TV is and it is this scepticism that is needed in order for reality TV to remain harmless entertainment.

Reality TV is carefully structured yet branded as real because of the way it is filmed. What is concerning is that many X Factor viewers were outraged at the thought of the show as being ‘fixed’ when really, most television is obviously constructed to provide entertainment. Does the fact that many of us didn’t realise this mean we are more gullible than we think? The truth of the matter is, to be able to entertain, reality TV needs to be built in a way to do so, and once t h e s e

foundations are successful the same recipe is used time and time again. This works even for audience members who realise the show isn’t really ‘real’, because ultimately it still serves its purpose; to entertain.

The stars of Geordie Shore probably do enjoy getting drunk, going on a night out and letting loose on a weekend, but it is hard to believe that they would be quite so wild and overdramatic if they weren’t being filmed… and getting paid for it. The basis of reality TV is money, especially with reality TV stars now gaining a huge ‘celebrity’ status, the truth of the matter is, these stars are getting paid a lot of money to be entertaining. This money incentive undoubtedly has an impact on how they portray themselves and what they decide to do in their lives, because nobody would watch the stars of Made in Chelsea going for their weekly shop at Tesco, however millions of people are more than happy to tune into them arguing over the freshest cheating rumour of the week.

Though what does this mean for viewers?

The exaggerated nightlife on Geordie Shore can leave many viewers with the illusion that drinking an entire bottle of Vodka and ending your night laying in

the bottom of a gutter is the social norm for young people and British drinking culture. This could create concerning consequences if viewers start recreating the behaviour they have seen on TV. Student Carrie Everest froze to death after drinking five pints containing 20 shots of vodka on a night out, as reported by the Sun, proving these frightening beliefs can have a devastating effect on society and that there are serious deep-rooted issues in the way we consume media.

When it comes down to it, it’s pretty safe to say that reality TV can never really be considered ‘real’, and it is this realisation that needs to come to light to avoid damaging effects on society. In our conscious minds most audience members recognise reality TV is not reality, though subconscious messages we receive can lead us to be gullible and naive.

Whilst this for the most part is harmless, as an audience we need to change our viewing approaches from susceptible to sceptical. Once we realise what we are viewing isn’t reality, and we shouldn’t base our lives and actions on what the media shows us, the relationship between viewer and reality TV can be harmonious.

Left-Right: Simon Cowell, (Wikimedia: Alison Martin), Charlotte Crosby, (Flickr: James Brown), Kim Kardashian, (Flickr: Eva Rinaldi), Ollie Locke, (Christopher William Adach)

25th October 2016

13

Features

The bank of Mum and Dad As university expenses rise students are forced to ask for help

Alice Spencer Features Writer For those who somehow managed to escape the news, the government scrapped maintenance grants in August this year, meaning current first year students will see the potential effects of changes to student finance. To replace the nonrepayable grants, maintenance loans have been raised to a maximum of £8200 depending on parents’ income. On paper, this seems a fair give-and-take. But with the recent announcement that tuition fees will rise above £9500 by 2018 alongside inflation, it seems the financial pressures on students are mounting and the government aren’t really doing much to help.

While some may turn to getting a job, and some more despairingly to their overdraft, a growing number of us are relying on the so-called ‘bank of Mum and Dad’, and in a recent survey 49% of us admitted to using it. But while many of us may not feel guilty about getting a bit of a financial boost from time to time, is it really fair that parents should have

to make up the extra money not met by maintenance loans?

Firstly, it might be useful to see how the amount of loan you get is actually assessed. Factors like your parents’ income, whether you live at home, on campus, or in your own house, and where you study are all taken into account. To receive the full £8200 your parents must be earning under £25000 a year, while everyone else will receive less the more your parents earn. Again, this seems fair. But in cases when parents get divorced and remarry, the income of the step-parents are also taken into account, meaning you’ll get less loan on the assumption you’ll get more financial help at home.

Many students feel the current system is unfair and doesn’t necessarily give help to everyone who needs it. Cassie Waters, a second year English Literature student, said, “I don’t think it works particularly well. Because my dad is self-employed, it works differently it comes across that you have more money than you actually do.”

The assumption that parents will help their children make up any shortfall is problematic. In many

cases parents either can’t, or won’t, give their children financial help, and there’s no formal obligation for them to do so. In Scotland, parents are legally obliged to assist their child financially until they are 25 if they are “undertaking instruction at an education establishment”. In one case, a student even fought a successful court case against their parents, albeit one where the judge also not-so-subtly suggested the student get a job.

With many struggling to find a balance between paid employment and academic study, students are often left struggling to find other ways to manage the costs of university. Tabloids like The Daily Mail have capitalised on stories of female students hiring themselves out to ‘sugar daddies’ to pay for their degrees.

More commonly, however, is a difficult compromise of quality of living for the sake of paying the rent or buying essential course books.

UEA SU this year introduced a new, cheaper ‘value’ food range to help students struggling with the cost of university life, as well as a free printing machine accessible to all

Debt is often over £50,000

LSE Library students.

Most worrying about changes to finance is whether it will affect people even coming to university.

For many, the widely reported difficulties of student finance, as well as the prospect of a minimum debt of around £27,000, is just too much of a gamble. In the Sodexo survey, when asked if the scrapping of maintenance grants would have affected their choice of university,

18% said they wouldn’t have come at all. Universities might increasingly become an exclusive space for those whose parents can afford to pay their way, and this rich-poor divide is concerning. It is, however, an outcome we might have predicted. Those government number-crunchers dishing out our maintenance loans never had to experience fees this high, so what would they know?

“We will make breakfast...Brexit a success” Sophie Bunce Features Writer

Those famous last words spoken by Welsh Conservative leader Andrew Davies appear to be ringing true...

As the price of food soars, we are now facing Brexit breakfasts.

Fluctuations in the value of the pound after the UK’s departure from the EU have led to a range of price increases. Although supermarket giant Tesco have managed to keep Marmite on our shelves at the same price, for many of us, this was the

“The threat of pricey Marmite seemed to resonate with the public - but why?

Forget trade deals, international relations and foreign direct investment - Brexit is now threatening to compromise our breakfasts.” first real life taste of Brexit we have had.

The threat of pricey Marmite seemed to resonate with the public - but why? Forget trade deals, international relations and foreign direct investment - Brexit is now threatening to compromise our breakfasts. Like Marmite, it is

leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of many.

After campaigns involving buses and billboards, the decision to leave the EU in June was pivotal for the UK. But, Article 50 still has not been properly declared. With such a close vote, the referendum has divided the UK, and many are crying out at the result. But, statistics suggest that it really wasn’t the student population who voted to leave the EU, and for many of us, this Marmite madness was the first real taste of Brexit we have had, with large companies taking advantage of the UK’s falling market. Often falsely dubbed as the politically uninterested, students were in fact one of the most active groups in the remain campaign, especially here at UEA. Whether on social media or discussing issues with their peers the issue of Brexit was in constant conversation.

Research from the L o n d o n School of Economics indicates that from the 18-24 age bracket v o t i n g attendance was double the initial figures that were reported.

It is therefore hard to stomach the effects of Brexit when it was not what the majority of us wanted.

Through our stomachs and wallets, we are feeling the pinch of Brexit.

With high shopping costs, fuelled by leaving the EU, students may have to turn to own brand and not have their beloved Marmite. Imports and exports being affected mean that Marmite might not be as secure in our cupboards as we once thought.

Student loans are restrictive enough without the added stress of expensive spreads. The thought of living differently, with a temporary reduction in stock on the shelves and the gradual but persistent rising prices, has shown us what a postbrexit life could be like. Why should we suffer basic breakfasts because of Brexit?

Marmite is known to have divided t h e country, o n l y beaten by the division o v e r the UK’s position in the EU.

Do we love or loathe the taste of Brexit?

UEA, Suffolk Terrace: Flickr, Blue

• Some EU leaders have argued that Britain cannot expect access to the single market and customs union without accepting free movement of labour.

• Theresa May has confirmed there will be no second referendum despite pleas from the Remain campaign.

• The UK faces a current account defecit. This means that our imports are costing us more than what we receive for exports. This defecit is at its highest level since World War II. • Exporters are set to make profits, while the rising prices of imported goods mean our pounds won’t stretch as far.

• The pound has fallen by 17%.

• However, some economists argue that Brexit will have benefits in the long term, such as traders wanting to make better deals to keep their foot in the door of the UK market.

Flickr:David Martyn Hunt

25th October 2016

14

Features

5 best Halloween parties in Norwich

Emily Paterson tells us her grandmother’s pumpkin fritter recipe

Ticket top tip: Buy early!

drink at the Waterfront.

Media Collective Halloween Party - Friday 28th, The Crypt Come join Concrete, Livewire, and UEA:TV for their halloween extravaganza!

Entertainment provided by Livewire. Prizes include a Dominos pizza voucher.

Tickets £6 (available online) includes entry to both the Crypt and Waterfront, as well as a free

Propaganda, Friday 28th The students’ favourite alternative night is hosting a Halloween bash so get to the Waterfront to enjoy the best of rock, alternative and punk for your halloween party.

Tickets £4.

bobbing to Halloween cocktails, until 3am.

Tickets £6 for Monday, £8.50 for Monday and Tuesday.

Serves 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Eating time: 2 minutes!

Mercy Fright Fest, Monday 31st If you enjoy going out in the city, Mercy will be hosting a Fright Fest on Halloween Night (October 31st). There will be Halloween decorations, sweets and prizes.

Ingredients: 700g pumpkin flesh –deseeded 1 small onion peeled and chopped 1-2 garlic cloves 1 ½ tsp of your choice of spice: -Vanilla -Chilli sauce -Ginger -Honey -Lemon 175g wholemeal plain flour 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp baking powder 1 egg, separated vegetable oil 175ml water

Lillie Coles tells us where to find the best nights out in Norwich

Guide

to

Meltdown, Saturday 29th The Meltdown Halloween ball will

be taking place at the Waterfront on Saturday, 29th October. With prizes for the best costumes and spooktacular drink deals, head on down from 9pm-3am.

Tickets available on the door.

The LCR - Halloween Fright Night, Monday 31st UEA is hosting a Halloween Fright Night on the 31st October in the LCR, with everything from apple

5 Halloween costumes on a budget

Rebecca Thompson talks us through the best costume ideas for students I don’t know about you, but I am always the last person to decide what I’m wearing for Halloween.

Are you still stuck for ideas?

If so, read on to find some last minute, cheap and easy costume inspiration!

Pokémon Go took the world by storm this summer, so why not dress up as your favourite creature? All you need to do is make a mask by printing out a picture of the Pokémon’s face, and wear a t-shirt of a co-ordinating colour!

Alternatively, you or one of your friends could dress up as a

Pokémon trainer! All you need is casual clothes such as denim shorts and a blue t-shirt, but don’t forget the all-important baseball cap and fingerless gloves!

For a minimal costume, dress up as the Snapchat Dog filter – print off the ears and stick them on a headband, using face paint or eyeshadow to recreate the dog’s nose on your own face. You don’t have to be an artist to do this, but you could always ask a friend to help.

To transform into a unicorn, all you need to wear is bright or pastel colours, and make a horn

from rolled paper. To make it more magical, you could even wrap it in ribbon if you have any!

Another minimal costume is a Sim- just print or draw a green plumbob, attach to a hair band, and voila! You don’t even need to find particular clothes for this costume – casual attire is just fine.

Lastly, you could co-ordinate with a friend and dress as iconic duo Mario and Luigi! The main part of this costume is a red or green cap with a white ‘M’ or ‘L’, and a matching coloured top – white gloves and moustaches optional!

Halloween

Halloween without the hangover

Don’t fancy drinking? Caitlin Doherty looks at what else there is to do in Norwich

Norwich Spooky City Norwich City Centre, October 31st Free If you fancy a bit of trick or treating, then Norwich’s family event might be the perfect thing for you. Find your scariest costume and gather in Chapelfield Gardens for 6pm, before a procession down Theatre Street, Gentleman’s Walk and onto Gaol Hill at 6.30pm. The night’s events conclude with a range of entertainments on Millennium Plain.

PrimEVIL Dinosaur Adventure, until October 31st Tickets: £15.95 - £21.95 (dependant on date) If you’re feeling brave, then gather some friends and take yourselves to one of the UK’s scariest Halloween experiences. PrimEVIL, at Dinosaur Adventure.

With five separate scare experiences: the CarnEvil of Terrors, the Forest of Fear, the Dark, the Zone 64 East and Mayhem Manor Hotel, there is s u r e l y something to terrify everyone.

Photo: Geograph.org.uk, Ian S Publicdomainpictures: Petr Kratochvil

The park is approximately 11 miles from the university, but with the taxi fare at around £18, it would be reasonable to divide between 4 friends.

Pick your own pumpkin Hill Farm, Norwich, until October 30th Price: £1 - £4 You can’t let October come to an end without having carved your own Jack O’ Lantern. You can give your flat or student house the perfect haunting makeover with some pumpkins hand-picked at Hill Farm, just outside of the city.

Pumpkins start at £1, but even the largest lanterns will not break the bank with a maximum price of £4.

Bewitched Norwich Castle Museum, until October 29th Tickets: various, most free with museum admission.

Norwich Castle are embracing all things spooky with a variety of events between now and Halloween. There are Dungeon Tours and every day and the opportunity to view the museum’s collections on witchcraft in East Anglia.

Equipment: Mixing bowl Mixing spoon Forks Deep fat fryer or deep saucepan Thermometer Cut the pumpkin into thick chunks, around 10cm long and 1cm wide. Cook pumpkin in Photo:the Flickr, Andy Le a steamer or pan until soft. Wait until cool.

Meanwhile place the flour, salt,and baking powder into a mixing bowl and mix together.

Make a hole in the centre so you can add the egg yolk into the mix. Add in 175ml of water so that the batter gets smooth. If you need to add more water, do so accordingly.

You can now add the other ingredients: onions, garlic and your choice of spice. Mix the egg white into the batter.

Once this is all mixed well, you can heat up your pan. For best results use a deep-fat fryer but pan frying will work well too.

You may need to use a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil Use a deep saucepan and fill 1/3 of the pan with oil. Heat to 180c.

Using two forks, dip the pumpkins into the batter mix and fry for about 1 minute, turning the pumpkin frequently. Take the pumpkin out when it’s a crisp, golden brown.

Drain the pumpkin fritters by placing on a tray.

Best served hot but dependent on the spice, you may prefer them cold.

Photo: Public Domain Pictures: Petr Kratochvil

ADVERT

lgbt+

news meet sharmin hoque: words provided by your students’ union officers

your lgbt+ officer (open place) sharmin hoque lgbt+, (open place) officer >>

I’m Sharmin, I am a bisexual Muslim and I’m the LGBT+ Officer (Open Place) at UEA. I’m a second year International Relations and Modern History Student. My pronouns are she/her.

In my role as a part-time officer, I focus on numerous things, such as the wellbeing of our LGBT+ students, making sure events are being made LGBT+ inclusive and that our students are having a great time at university.

In my time as LGBT+ Officer I will be working hard to encourage dialogue between LGBT+ and

religious societies to ensure that all student that are LGBT+ and part of a faith are safe within our campus. I want make sure that people of faith are always on the agenda, and when the SU talks about equality and diversity, that we include religious diversity in this. I’m collaborating with UEA Pride to plan a ‘LGBT+ and Faith week’ during LGBT+ History Month – so keep an eye out for this in February!

We’ve had some amazing events so far and many that are just around the corner! We’ve had our second Colours night, which is a

LGBT+ Inclusive clubbing night, with ‘Sink the Pink’, a London EastEnd drag performance, performing in the LCR. It was a brilliant night, and we had an amazing turnout.

I have also been involved with numerous LGBT+ events during Black History Month, there was a discussion panel about LGBT+ People of Colour, tackling topics such as racism within queer spaces, religion and faith, and homophobia within cultural spaces. Asexual and Aromantic awareness week took place last week.

I’m currently working on Bisexual and Pansexual awareness week,

which is taking place from the 31–4 of November, with a whiteboard campaign in the Hive, a bake sale for Albert Kennedy Trust, film screening, Bi/Pan Lounge, and a discussion panel hosted by the Literature Society. So make sure you get involved – it’s great to see as many people at these events as possible.

We have so much coming up such as Transgender Awareness week, AIDS Awareness week and LGBT+ History month. As an officer I will try my best to be as inclusive and accessible as possible.

news your course, your voice

academic

words provided by your students’ union officers

get involved with module feedback theo antoniou-phillips undergraduate education officer >>

Module feedback At the end of every module, all students are given the chance to give their feedback about their experience. However, in recent not enough students are taking this opportunity. In my time as Undergraduate Education Officer, I want to work with the University to increase the amount of students who are taking charge of their own education, and working with academics to improve seminars and lectures.

UEA should introduce mid-module feedback We (me and Maddie, PG Education Officer) are encouraging the

University to consider introducing mid-module evaluation. We’ve suggested that in Week 5, academics should send round a form or survey which checks-in with their students’ experience.

Obviously, huge changes couldn’t be implemented quickly, but it would give students a chance to formally (and anonymously) express their ideas about how the rest of term could improve. For example, a student could suggest that seminars would work better if they were restructured, or that they feel certain material on the course should be revisited before the end of the semester.

Close the feedback loop At the moment, students give their feedback to the University, and then leave. They never hear about how academics consider their feedback, and what they change as a result of it.

I know, from my role as a Course Rep, how seriously academics take your feedback. I’m calling on UEA staff to communicate this to students. This could be as simple as a “You said, we did” email, or providing a list of changes to new modules.

I’m calling on academics to maintain a dialogue with their students, encouraging them to speak to them face-to-face, but also providing avenues for students to give feedback anonymously.

Good academics are constantly learning, and they should be actively improving their teaching techniques every year.

As students, we should not only be engaged with what we are taught, but how we are taught.

You can get in contact with me on T.Antoniou-Phillips@uea.ac.uk

I’m also calling on you as students.

It’s your responsibility to help shape your education – if you have an idea, you should speak out.

Comment

25th October 2016

16

Is there a rape culture at UK universities?

Deputy Editor, Caitlin Doherty, asked students across the country if they’d ever experienced sexual harrassment. These were the responses: “I’m going to have to stop talking to you now or I’m going to end up hurting you.”

Norwich

“I was separated from my friends on a night out, I had kissed a guy earlier in the night and he agreed to help me look for them. I had said no to anything other than a kiss, he seemed all lovely and charming but wouldn’t take no for an answer and whilst we were searching for my friends he tried to put me into a taxi.

He picked me up and physically tried to put me into a taxi.

He thought because I had kissed him that I was automatically obliged to go home with him.”

Chester

“I was walking home from a night out at the Waterfront. I had been planning on walking home alone, but a friend who lived nearby accompanied me. During our walk, two separate guys shouted sexually aggressive things at us, we rolled our eyes and carried on home. The next morning, I found that two of my friends walking home from the same club had been attacked by two guys and had to go to hospital. Now my housemates and I make arrangements to call each other if we’re walking home alone after dark.”

Norwich

“A guy propositioned me for sex, and when I said no he waited until I was on my own and then he beat me up. He said it served me right.”

“When dancing with my friends a guy came up to me and forcefully put a couple of fingers between my legs and pushed up.

The bouncers wouldn’t throw him out.”

Bury St. Edmunds

“I was with a bunch of friends in the LCR when some girls we knew cut through the middle of us, we realised that they were doing this to get away from a guy that had been following them. We turned our backs hoping that he would get the hint and go away. Eventually I put myself between him and them and told him to go away, he leant right into me and I had to push him in the chest and tell him to “fuck off”. It made me so uncomfortable that this guy wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

UEA

“I went to an all girls school, but we also had a boys school and a mixed school in town. I would have to walk past a bus stop full of boys from the schools and every time I would get some kind of harassment: catcalls, wolf whistles, having my breasts and bum grabbed. This happened from when I was 12 until I was in sixth form. It was regular when I was in my uniform.”

Lincolnshire

“I was walking in Riverside with a friend and there were a few guys behind us.

They said to us “I’m really hard looking at you both right now”.

When we ignored them they said “oh, we get it, you’re lesbians.”

Norwich

“You don’t really mean no, as soon as you break up with your boyfriend, you’re going to be mine.”

UEA

“I went to a house party at my friend’s where I felt comfortable and as a result had too much to drink. I was put to bed in one of the bedrooms.

I woke up a few hours later, half undressed and surrounded by 5 boys with camera flashes going off. One of them told me to get out of the room if I wasn’t going to ‘shag’ any of them and another one told me we’d ‘done stuff’, despite me being passed out.”

Liverpool

“I can’t remember a night out at uni where I didn’t get groped.” #UnsafeatUni

UEA

Consent classes: too little too late Rob Klim Comment Writer We need to have a national consent conversation.

Some consider themselves, to be too “intelligent” to need to understand the concept of consent.

Others are driven by growing development of “lad culture”, and the pressures this places upon men to act in relation to women.

Are consent classes effective and necessary or are they just a waste of time?

Students at York University recently felt “patronised” in their

consent classes. Although, not as extreme as the case in Cambridge, where nobody turned up to the consent lectures, over a quarter of students walked out of the class in protest. Ben Froughi, a 3rd Year student waited outside, handing out leaflets encouraging a boycott of the event. “Consent talks are patronising. If students really need lessons in how to say yes or no then they should not be at university,” he claimed. Consent talks only propagate tensions around the backwards message that all women are potential victims and all men potential rapists.”

Conversely, York Women’s

officer Mia Chaudhuri-Julyan, said such boycotts only inhibit student safety, reflecting the NUS view that universities across the UK are failing to tackle sexism and homophobic “lad culture”.

“There is a deeply ingrained societal conditioning that permits a culture that fundamentally misunderstands the issue of consent, and that is why consent classes are too little, too late.”

Societal convention surely cannot be reversed by an hour-

long lecture on consent. No case illustrates this better than the student against consent classes George Lawler. George was upset by his invitation to a consent class and expressed on social media that as a Russell Group student he has the “intelligence” needed to not have to attend the classes.

But rapists can be nice, educated folk. They do not have to be overtly a monstrously masculine, and misogynistic “lad”. They are the kind who just do not understand that when a girl has had too much to drink, that she cannot consent.

George critically fails to understand the insidious truth that four in five

rapes are committed by someone the victim knows. Rapists are normal individuals.

However, George Lawler is correct: consent classes are a pointless exercise. Those who attend, already understand consent.

Those who don’t turn up, who see it as patronising or irrelevant are the issue.

There is a deeply ingrained societal conditioning that permits a culture that fundamentally misunderstands the issue of consent, and that is why consent classes are too little, too late.

A systemic issue requires a systemic change.

If you have experienced sexual harrassment and need advice, contact advice|su, based in Union House. Come to the Advice and Housing office in the Gateway to see an Adviser, make an appointment or pick up information. Nightline’s contact details are: Phone - 01603 503504, Text - 07794924366

25th October 2016

17

On whose behalf does May actually speak?

The end of Arts and Humanities?

Abii Steer Comment Writer

Flickr: allyhook Matthew Biggs Comment Writer The US election is past the point of tedium. That goes without saying.

The tyrant trails by seven points after three of the most catastrophic presidential debates in US history and the sensationalism is somewhat overshadowing political commentary on issues closer to home. But, the question of what is “home” is becoming more abstract.

The country whose future Theresa May championed at the annual Tory party conference seemed foreign to me. “The internal politics of a small and distant island.”

After Brexit, that’s all Britain will be. The fall in the pound to a six year low against the euro reflects this. The remainers have every right to feel alienated and ignored.

As the orgasm of nationalist sentiment overcomes Britain in the wake of the referendum result, to great applause, the prime minister

declared ‘if you are a citizen of the world, you a citizen of nowhere.’

The soundbite generated a lot of media attention. It is divisive, confrontational, taking the same form as ‘If you’re not with us, you’re against us’ and, in short, it is xenophobic. It isn’t hard to read between the lines and spot the double entendre.

What is a citizen of the world?

Is it a person who doesn’t identify with Britain or is it a person who has come from abroad? ‘Citizen of the world’ is in the second sense a euphemism for ‘foreigners’.

And what is a citizen of nowhere, someone who doesn’t have a sense of self, someone who doesn’t belong and whose government doesn’t care about them?

As some commentaries have already pointed out, every Tory is now either a Brexiteer or a recently turned Brexiteer. The party’s break manoeuvre beggars belief. Already we begin to see the effects of the Conservatives’ total indifference to

the lives of immigrants.

The government voted 293 to 250 against a motion to protect the rights of EU nationals to live and work in Britain, essentially rendering 1.2 million people bargaining chips in the Brexit negotiations. So much for ‘a country that works for everyone’.

The question of national identity is difficult for me and many people in Britain. It’s the idea of belonging that I have trouble with, that is to say the underlying discursive assumption is that I am property; an asset or a liability to an economy.

I’d rather not think of myself as such but if I instead identify as a ‘citizen of the world’ my interest in UK politics, dismissal of US politics, and ignorance of European politics betrays me.

My course is not ‘Literature’, it is ‘English Literature’. As a result, a distinction needs to be clear for each of us that our national identity is separate from our nationality.

We are surrounded by reminders

of our nation all the time - it barely warrants comment. It encompasses sport, news, economics, politics, literature, music and law. My use of the collective pronoun ‘we’ reiterates this.

So given Theresa May’s speech, we would do well to remember that while we are attached and care for our country, we cannot put these feelings above a mutual respect.

Let’s take the face of the new five pound note, Winston Churchill, as an example of recent iconography.

Calling the man a white supremacist, as Benjamin Whittingham did, is a hugely controversial statement, not due to its historical accuracy or inaccuracy, but due to its implications about our identity and how we recognise our history.

We should remember that we are all individuals with different relationships to the world around us and our feelings of oneness with our country are not exclusively ours.

The case for maintaining an apocalyptic arsenal Antanas Laurusas Comment Writer The topic of weapons of mass destruction always sparks debate between the proponents and the oponents. After witnessing the power the WMDs showed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki it is no surprise that the world was basically walking on blades during the Cold War era. However, the question remains: is it smart to maintain WMDs and modernise them, when we know what havoc they are capable of causing? The answer that I am offering may not be popular amongst the political left, however, I believe that once they are done reading my case they will understand the need for WMD’s.

“The current stance of Putin’s Russia is rather unsettling considering its recent ‘involvements’ around the world.”

The money spent on a nuclear deterrent can surely be better spent on education, culture, the NHS or welfare for the British people. However, it is crucial to

look more globally. The current stance of Putin’s Russia is rather unsettling considering its recent ‘involvements’ around the world.

Georgia attacked during the 2008 Beijing Olympic games and losing control of its North Western region may be an old story.

However, Russia annexing Crimea and stirring war in both Eastern Ukraine and Syria is a serious matter not to be overlooked.

In addition Russian officials have on more than one occasion threatened to target Denmark and NATO members in the Eastern Europe with their WMD’s if need be.

Joining Russia is the former Soviet Union ally - North Korea, which is well known for its hatred towards the West. The former is actively conducting military experiments and according to many intelligence agencies may soon produce an actual WMD that will surely have a sole purpose of eradicating “the corrupted West.”

Therefore, it is essential that Britain is to begin the modernisation of the Trident systems as soon as possible. The up to date WMD’s, their carriers and launch systems will become a tool not only to approach the negotiation table if need be, but also a deterrent that6 will send a clear message that the UK is not to be threatened by the

CPOA(Phot) Tam McDonald awakening bear in the East or the ‘Prince’ of North Korea.

The rising tensions between the West and the Putin rulled Russia do not seem to be loosening up anytime soon, with Russia consistently upgrading its military by increasing the funding, spreading threatening propaganda.

Unless Mr. Putin’s regime collapses and the dynasty of ‘Kim’s’ crumbles, the world needs to be prepared and willing to show that

they are not afraid to punch the bully back.

Don’t get me wrong, I am against the use of apocalyptic weapons just like most other rational human beings. However, in this deeply troubling and uncertain time in our world I believe that the WMD’s allow us to have education, culture, NHS, welfare; and most importantly, an intact global community that does not go to the lengths of self destruction.

It was announced earlier this week that AQA would be making dramatic cuts to its selection of A-level courses, with the majority of those axed from the selection of two-year courses being Arts and Humanities based subjects.

Amongst the courses axed were Creative Writing – a course that is becoming increasingly popular for university study and is of obvious importance at UEA – Archaeology, Anthropology, and Engineering and Electronics.

The eradication of History of Art was piqued particular media interest.

It was suggested that this will encourage elitism within the art and museum industry, as the knowledge is removed from mainstream education and becomes reserved for those with a specialist interest: it would be fair to assume, those of the upper and middle classes.

Needless to say, the announcement was met with outrage from almost everyone involved in Arts and Humanities, all of whom understand the importance of exposing young people to the arts and the difficulties that many students face in accessing a variety of mediums.

Many have expressed a concern that this will negatively affect the number of students actively seeking careers in the arts, which will then affect the amount and quality of creative work being produced.

Some have suggested that the cuts are purely practical, rather than ideological. In some cases, the exam board have been offering two very similar courses, such as ICT and Computing, and have elected to end one, or even both, and replace it with an alternative in this case Computer Science. In others, the problem has been a lack of interest, and so options such as Archaeology have been cut due to a lack of funding, with AQA having a problem in securing expert teaching and examining staff for other less popular choices which may be deemed too ‘specialised’ to study at a level lower than university.

But, Michael Gove’s suggestion earlier this year that funding for arts based courses should be cut to encourage a focus on subjects which are considered “more challenging, more ambitious and more rigorous”, definitely implies that we are likely to see similar cuts in the future, particularly to arts-based courses.

All hope is not lost, however.

On a more positive note, the examination board AQA have stated that they would not be opposed to offering many of these choices again in the future, should funding allow it. We really need to just cross our fingers and hope some politicians begin to understand the importance of Arts and Humanities.

18

25th October 2016

Science

HIV breakthrough?

Jodie Bailey Science Writer

In an NHS funded trial, a 44-yearold British man may now be the first person in the world to be cured of HIV. The trial, run collectively by doctors and scientists at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, King’s College London and UCL, involves fifty patients and the man in question is the first to have completed it.

Although researchers say it is still too early to be certain, tests show no trace of the virus in the patient’s blood despite his having previously been HIV positive. This new development, if proven to be successful, could provide hope for future treatments for the 35 million people estimated by the World Health Organisation to be living with HIV around the world.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the immune system, leaving those affected vulnerable to infections and disease. The virus is found in an infected person’s body fluids, but cannot be transmitted through sweat or urine. Instead, people are infected through unprotected sex and using contaminated injecting equipment,

but it can also be transmitted from an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding.

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency

“This is one of the first serious attempts at a full cure for HIV. This is a huge challenge and it’s still early days, but the progress has been remarkable.” syndrome) is the final stage of the virus when the body can no longer fight life-threatening conditions.

Mark Samuels, from the National Institute for Health Research told The Sunday Times: “This is one of the first serious attempts at a full cure for HIV. This is a huge challenge and it’s still early days, but the progress has been remarkable.” The anonymous man, who says he wanted to participate to help fellow sufferers of the virus, received a unique therapy that may revolutionise how we currently treat the life-threatening disease.

In this new treatment patients are subject to a two-stage “kick and kill” treatment, which tracks down all

HIV cells, including difficult to reach dormant ones, and then destroys them all.

Currently, the available treatments for the disease are antiretroviral therapies. Whilst these existing treatments allow people who are HIV positive, estimated to include 103,700 UK citizens at the end of 2014, to live relatively long and healthy lives, they cannot provide patients with a full cure.

Although the drugs cannot kill or cure the virus, they can prevent its growth and development, preventing it from becoming AIDS, as well as reducing the likelihood of transmitting HIV to others.

Other available treatments include post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which can only be effective for those who take the treatment within 72 hours of being exposed to the virus.

Despite the promising results in this individual case, Sarah Fidler, a consultant physician at Imperial College London, said that medical tests will still continue for five years and that they are still a long way from any actual therapy.

Until a time when any such cure is able to be provided to patients, this new breakthrough could offer hope to people affected by the virus.

Credit: HIV-infected H9 T-cell

uea|SU & Black History montH PRESENTS

the get down at the lcr thursday 27th october 10pm uea.su/tickets

Your hosts in the LCR, The Hive& Blur Bar are Tim ‘Zombie’ Zee, DJ PAD & Ryan

MONDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2016 Doors 22:00 - 03:00 Tickets £6 adv stbf from www.uea.su Halloween & Damn Good Rocky Horror Time Warp Shindig bundle £8.50 adv stbf As a member led charity we often run fund raising events to support our charity purpose and objectives. This is a special event as a fundraising activity for the UEA Students’ Union.

19

25th October 2016

Catch of the day Fish use regional accents to attract mates

Dan Sallis Science Writer When it comes to being attracted to others, we will all agree that a sexy accent can seal the deal. As it happens, this is also the case for cod, whose differing accents are causing scientists to worry for the fish’s mating prospects.

Increasing sea temperatures due to climate change are driving Cornish cod to migrate northwards.

“It is feared that the growing noise pollution from boats is further impacting cod communication.”

frequency of their vocalisations when communicating.

According to experts, the fish may have regional accents.

Where separate populations have spawned in certain locations around Britain, over thousands of years, distinct accents or dialects could have evolved, experts believe.

“Recordings of American cod are very different to those from their European cousins, so there is a precedent,” said Professor Simpson.

If a male cod fails to ‘woo’ a female who uses a different accent, its chances of breeding will be limited.

Scientists fear that when cod come into contact with populations of differing dialects, they may have trouble sharing territory and raising the alarm of threats. It is feared that the growing noise pollution from boats is further impacting cod communication. “We may find that the ‘gossip’ essential to their society is being drowned out,” said Professor Simpson. However, he suggested that noise pollution could be more easily addressed than the climatic change causing the fish to shift their range northwards. Ships could avoid cod spawning grounds

There is growing concern in the scientific community that they will have trouble understanding the accent or dialect of their more northern, Scouse equivalents. This could potentially impact their ability to integrate and breed.

Male cod use their swim bladders to make thumping and growling sounds in order to attract females. Lead researcher, Professor Steve Simpson from the University of Exeter, said that cod have the ability to change the pattern and

at important times, and new research vessels are being designed to be quieter.

Professor Simpson has been studying fish dialects and soundscapes for 15 years. “Listening to fish is a really good way of surveying what is there, and what their behaviour is,” he states. “If we value our fish stocks - or our Friday night fish supper - we need to understand this.”

So to all the northerners finding themselves lost in UEA’s sea of southern squabble — ­ the Cornish cod feel your pain.

Dougie Dodds

Samsung ceases production of Galaxy Note 7 which contain a highly flammable fluid, which would be ignited by any electricity reaching it.

Samsung’s initial approach to Samsung has ceased production of dealing with the situation was to its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after use a voluntary recall programme, multiple incidents of the model where consumers were asked to catching fire or voluntarily hand in exploding. the 2.5 million with Following this the promise that it concern, the South would be replaced.

Korean electronics This attracted criticism company said that from the US Consumer it had stopped Watchdog, prompting production as a step Samsung to issue an towards “putting official recall a few consumer safety as days later. the top priority.”

Samsung claimed The Galaxy that the voluntary Note 7 was released recall resulted in 70% on 19 August, but of the original phones Samsung ceased being returned. The selling the product US Federal Aviation on the 2nd of Administration September due warned passengers to reports of the not to turn on or phones exploding. charge the phones The fault was with while on flights. the battery, which The issue was occasionally ignited not solved upon while charging. The the phones being Note 7 uses Lithium replaced, however, Photo: Technoblog Ion battery packs, as just five days after James Chesson Science Writer

sales resumed in South Korea, a replacement model began to smoulder on a US flight. Up to five supposedly safe replacement phones have since ignited, prompting Samsung to abandon the product altogether. The replacements had new batteries, but a very similar

70

percent: the number of phones that have been voluntarily returned

10

percent: the amount that Samsung’s stock has fallen by

2.5

million: the number of Note 7 models that Samsung have recalled from customers

problem arose with those.

With Apple’s iPhone 7 launching to underwhelming reviews as a result of its “incremental upgrades” and the controversial decision to remove the headphone jack, Samsung would have hoped that their flagship smartphone would make a big impact. However, following the forced cessation of production, Samsung’s stock fell by almost 10 percent. The company will now have to rely on its smaller, cheaper model the Galaxy S7 to fly off the shelves in the hope of recovering from the brief existence of the Note 7.

The chances of a Note 7 exploding are relatively low, with the number of cases in region of hundreds, compared with 2.5m units being sold. However, for Samsung any number of exploding phones is hard to ignore. As compensation, the company has offered customers who bought a Note 7 the opportunity to receive another product in exchange, but the long term issue for Samsung will be retaining the trust of consumers, many of whom may now associate Samsung products with the infamous exploding phones.

No reviews for ecotourism says TripAdvisor Rob Klim Science Writer Trip Advisor’s decision to stop selling tickets for attractions that allow contact with wild animals, is certainly a step forward, but is it enough?

This decision is important as this firm reveals how it contributes thousands of UK tourists per year to attractions that can potentially cause harm to animals. Stephanie Shaw from PETA comments: “We applaud TripAdvisor taking this stance, helping to raise awareness.

Elephant training, for example, is brutal and cruel.”

Similarly, Argentinian zoos have been shown to drug big cats so the public can stroke them. Trip Advisor aims to cut out such attractions in such places, which are at the bottom of the market.

Conservationists are grateful for Trip Advisor’s decision. The Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, a Space charity that Wikipedia, European Agency carries out whale shark research significantly focuses upon working with a community based conversation initiative.

Richard Rees, director of The Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme states that what occurs during whale shark trips, “In some places, it’s a freefor-all. We see touching, flash photography, obstructions – all sorts of bad practice”.

However, the impact of Trip Advisor’s decision upon those working in the tourism industry in developing countries is significant. The company has grown into the largest travel website boasting 385 million reviews of 690,000 attractions. A lot of local workers livelihoods are secured by such work.

Trip Advisor has understood the implications of their actions, stating that hundreds of businesses will be affected.

The company is compromising in allowing the site to continue to show the list of interactions with animals, although it will no longer sell tickets to such experiences.

The question underlying Trip Advisor’s decision is whether this is a significant step in the direction of ethical tourism and conservation? Alternatively, is it a crowd-pleasing stunt, of little impact on the treatment of animals?

Disconcertingly, at least one elephant attraction is still on sale, as well as the heavily criticized SeaWorld banned by the STA, the student travel firm.

Trip Advisor says that it will fully implement its policy by next year.

Travel

20

25th October 2016

Interrailing with anxiety

Photo: Wikipedia, Moyan Brenn

Anonymous Travel Writer I was in Prague. The sun was shining, the hostel was cool and colourful. Even better, affordable, the buildings were beautiful, the people were friendly, and my head was in the toilet. This wasn’t the first time I’d been in this situation; the nausea of nervousness was something I’d felt before, in school, in the mornings, in train stations, in the shower. I wasn’t a stranger to anxiety sickness, the physical weirdness that it brings. But this time it was infinitely worse; I was on holiday, for fuck’s sake!

Surely I should be having a great time?

What am I doing here, my body trying to force the fear out of my gullet and into the hostel WC? The anonymous, greyish cereal in the hostel’s kitchen may have been disgusting, but it wasn’t that. I was in the thralls of anxiety.

This isn’t what a holiday should be like. What was my body’s problem?

An hour later.

Perched outside the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, weeping slightly into a punnet of Czech

grapes, my friend reassuring me, but also keen to get on with some sightseeing. I felt a miserable bastard: this is it, my body and brain were telling me. You’ve ruined your holiday. How are you supposed to enjoy yourself now, if this is how you’re going to spend every morning?

Anxiety is multifaceted. I can’t speak for all anxiety sufferers; I certainly don’t have it a t its worst, and I

certainly don’t have it in all Photo: Wikipedia, Peripitus

its various glories. I can say that anxiety is, in many ways, seeing things that aren’t there – having a broken filter with which you view the world. For me, a large element of my broken filter is to see the world as a frightening place, and to see a ginormous, terrifying permanence in things. ‘If I feel anxious now, I always will.’

Going on a big and scary traveling trip, taking in brand new streets, sights, and smells, jumping o n and off of trains at godknows-o’clock in the

morning.

Your clothes, money, phone, life held tightly in your rucksack, rationalised these fears for me. They say immersion is a

brilliant help for anxiety; and for me, it was. In a lot of ways the world is a scary place. We had some insane episodes on our trip – everything from running away from a fake Isis attack in Prague (yes, that did happen), to my friend getting robbed of 30 euros (oh, the pain!) in that age old shell game in Berlin – but really, I realised that it didn’t matter. Sure, the world can be frightening. You hear so many stories of awful things happening to naïve travellers as they try to explore, and we were vulnerable.

Two young, small female travellers, disorganised, bad with directions, and in my case inexperienced. My fears weren’t totally unfounded!

But for every mildly alarming, anxiety-inducing thing that did or could have happened to us,

something brilliant happened too. That’s the thing about travelling – you meet so many people, see so many different things, it’s only natural that you’ll encounter multiple facets of experience. The exciting

outweighed the alarming; the fears and insecurities were made manageable by the fact that, ‘hey, she got robbed of thirty euros, but the view’s pretty damn good, right?!’ It was life on micro-scale.

Bad things happen, but so do good.

Why worry, if you’re here with a glass of wine in this fascinating, scary place, having a brilliant, terrifying time?

My anxious sense of permanence was questioned: I went from trying not to cry outside the Van Gogh Museum, of all damn places, cigarette in my shaky hand as I tried desperately to breathe in smoke so I could breathe out trembling, to half an hour later feeling fantastically happy as I sat in the moonlight looking at the Rijksmeseum, lit up and fabulous.

Crying in museum toilets didn’t mean that I’d ruined my holiday.

Who’d have thought it? So surely, the anxiety that I’ll inevitably feel again won’t mean anything at all. It’ll go away, and it’ll

come back again, but those blips in between will still be wonderful, hilarious, surreal, exciting; as turbulent as my feelings had been. As I looked out of the train window, unknown trees and houses blurring past, a brand new place to explore unfurling before me, it was a brilliant realisation to have.

21

25th October 2016

My summer at a US camp "The time of my life" in Roanoke "Camp is a foreign concept": Beth Reeves on the summer of a lifetime

Holly Byrne Travel Writer ‘It is the experience of a lifetime’, ‘you won’t regret it’, ‘it was the best time of my life’… all the words you hear before departing on anytime spent studying abroad. It all sounds so corny and empty in between the nerves and stress of preparing for time away. But I am here to assure you, that those words are far from empty ‘coys’ to get you to join the study abroad programme. My time at Roanoke College, Virginia was honestly the best time of my life.

I was definitely concerned about Roanoke as an institution, for nothing more than its size. I felt like I might miss out on the true American ‘college’ experience by choosing such a small institution.

However, never have I made a better decision. I lived in the international house on campus and I met so many amazing

"Just say yes to Photo: Wikipedia, Jarek Tuszynski Beth Reeves Travel Writer After the majority of a year saving Photo: Connor Gani my pennies and working full time in my local corner shop, I was just about ready to pack my rucksack with whatever I could carry and cross the Atlantic Ocean. Travelling was always something I had been set on doing and that was exactly why I took a gap year.

"There’s nothing better than waking up in the morning knowing that you get to do a job that changes lives."

Three months in America seemed daunting to me but I was overridden with anticipation. It was the furthest from home I’ve ever been on my own and an internal conflict of ‘what if something goes wrong?’ and ‘when will I ever get this opportunity again?’ spiralled around my mind the whole way to the airport. Nervous but incredibly excited, I began what turned out to be the most incredible summer of my life. Tired and five hours behind, I landed in Washington DC airport, amid crowds of loud American accents we were gathered by some familiar faces and taken to our new home for the next 10 weeks: Camp.

Training week flew by and I

met some amazing people, some of whom had ventured much further than me to be there and we all became incredibly close. Before we knew it we had a camp full of kids and work had begun! Camp is a place like no other; the days are long and children can be tough but the good always outweighs the bad and you have far too much fun to complain. To get the most out of the experience you really have to get stuck in. Camp is the place for forgetting about looking or sounding silly. I cooked over a campfire, taught girls to build one, sang endless songs, ate s’mores and made unforgettable memories. Each week brought new girls and new challenges, but being a part of such an incredible team made every week a learning curve and an absolute blast.

Summer rolled by in a haze of glitter, dressing up, and laughter.

Before we knew it we were saying goodbye to the last lot of kids, singing our last songs and writing trail mail to the family we had grown to be a part of over the summer. Words can’t express the impact camp has had on me; I’ve been given so many opportunities, made friends, and the chance to travel around the US. Summer camp is a foreign concept to a lot of people in England because it’s not so much of a tradition here as it is in America.

However it is an experience that I would wholly recommend. Camp is the most rewarding, fulfilling and fun way to spend 10 weeks, as well a

way to open up the chance to travel to so many incredible places after as well! I spent around three weeks after camp visiting land marks and cities I never dreamed of having the ability to see. Not only this, but it looks great on your CV as you develop skills such as organisation, leadership, and time management while working. However, the most important and best part about camp is the impact you can have on a child’s summer. Just being able to see or hear about the difference you may have made, even in a day of that child’s week is the most rewarding feeling ever.

"To get the most out of the experience you really have to get stuck in."

So if that wasn’t convincing enough to make you want to work at a summer camp next year, maybe a few facts will. You can take part and be trained in many different activities from rope courses to kayaking, you will meet lots of new people who are also there for the same reasons you are – this makes the perfect basis for lifelong friendships. You get to spend your summer in one of the most varied and beautiful countries, and lastly, as it is a job, you get paid.

There’s nothing better than waking up in the morning knowing that you get to do a job that changes lives.

everything. Say yes to a walk to CVS, say yes to an acappella concert, say yes to a college basketball game, and do not miss any opportunities. " people from so many different backgrounds. I will appreciate that forever.

In addition to that, I experienced all of what I expected of an American college and more! From basketball games, to cheerleaders, to Greek life and not forgetting Spring Break, which I was very lucky to have spent in Florida (talk about living the American dream). I feel like I gained more by being in a small community than I ever would have in a larger school. Although, do not get me wrong, the quantity of work was far from kind, and trying to find the perfect balance between your work life and your social life is no small feat. But, it is totally worth it.

Virginia, as a state, was far from the worst place I could have ended up in. Walking out of your dorm every day and being surrounded by mountains and breath-taking scenery is a beauty that is difficult to describe. I was lucky enough to be able to experience some

Wikipedia, Joe Ravi of its beauty close up by doing some hikes, including Mcafee’s Knob and Devil’s Bathtub. These hikes saw me hopping rocks over deep streams and standing on the edge of extremely high cliffs. Importantly, I managed to complete these hikes without being eaten by a bear, although I did not avoid falling into a knee deep puddle of mud or getting so sunburnt that I couldn’t walk for a week. Memories.

My top tip? Just say yes to everything. Say yes to a walk to CVS, say yes to an A-cappella concert, say yes to a college basketball game, and do not miss any opportunities. Once I had finished my exams I wasted no time heading off to explore some other parts of America with some friends. My favourite places?

Definitely a throw up between Boston, San Francisco and Yosemite National Park. These memories I will keep forever, as I will the friends that I made there.

Having just arrived back home from a trip to Denmark to visit some of these friends I can assure you that the bonds you make studying abroad are special.

There is endless talk about how valuable a semester away is for your future prospects, but you don’t really understand that until you look back and evaluate your experience. For me, it improved my confidence, made me more independent, more adventurous and contributed many transferable skills that I can use while finishing my degree.

This was because I was able to learn in a different way, doing a number of projects in the US, saw me researching and writing in alternative forms. However, the most important thing that I learnt, is to appreciate other cultures and that in turn, has made me want to explore more of the world as soon as I can.

‘It is the experience of a lifetime.’

Sport

25th October 2016

22

Tyson Fury relinquishes titles after cocaine admission Former heavyweight admits using drug to deal with depression James Chesson Sports Writer The controversial career of Tyson Fury took another turn as he relinquished his WBA and WBO heavyweight titles after he admitted to taking cocaine to deal with depression.

Fury’s boxing licence was subsequently suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) until they carry out “further investigation into anti-doping and medical issues.” He reportedly failed a random drugs test ahead of his rescheduled rematch with Wladimir Klitschko. Fury told Rolling Stone in an interview that he had “done lots” of the drug.

Upon vacating his titles, Fury said: “I now enter another big challenge in my life which I know, like against Klitschko, I will conquer.

I won the titles in the ring and I believe that they should be lost in the ring, but I’m unable to defend at this time and I have taken the hard and emotional decision to now officially vacate my treasured world titles.”

Speaking about his mental health issues he previously said: “I can’t deal with it and the only thing that helps me is when I get drunk out of my mind. They say I’ve got a version of bipolar. I’m a manic

depressive. I just hope someone kills me before I kill myself.”

The 28-year-old has not fought since claiming the WBA and WBO in November 2015, when he beat longstanding champion Klitschko.

That defeat was the 40-year-old Ukrainian’s first loss since 2004.

Fury pulled out of two rematches this year, citing injury as his reason for being unable to compete. Fury also briefly held the IBF title but was stripped of that after he failed to fight the body’s mandatory challenger, Vyacheslav Glazkov.

“I can’t deal with it and the only thing that helps me is when I get drunk out of my mind.

They say I’ve got a version of bipolar. I’m a manic depressive.

I just hope someone kills me before I kill myself.”

British boxer and IBF champion Anthony Joshua and Klitschko have reportedly agreed to fight, although that has not yet been sanctioned. Such a contest could be

a fight for the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles.

Joshua won gold for Team GB in 2012, then progressed from amateur to professional boxing in June 2013.

His professional career has so far been highly successful. He has won all 17 of his matches and boasts a 100% knockout ratio. His most recent fight was in June, when he knocked out American challenger Dominic Breazeale. He knocked out another American, Charles Martin (who previously beat Glazkov) in April to claim the IBF heavyweight titles.

Klitschko has not fought since losing his titles to Fury in November last year, which was a massive upset at the time, being his first defeat in over 11 years. He has only lost four times in his career and will be keen to regain the titles he lost to Fury.

Fury’s cocaine use is the latest in a series of controversial incidents that have marred his career. Having been named as one of the twelve nominees for the 2015 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, Fury faced petitions to have him removed from the list due to homophobic and sexist comments that he had made in the past. More than 140,000 people signed a change.org petition calling on the BBC to remove him from the potential winners list.

One of the quotes that particularly annoyed people was

Licence subsequently suspended by BBBoC that Fury once said: “A woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on her back – that’s my personal belief.”

He was also criticised for homophobic comments, in which he claimed: “There are only three things that need to be accomplished before the devil comes home. One of them is homosexuality being legal in countries, one of them is abortion and the other one’s paedophile.

Who would have thought in the 50s and 60s that those first two would be legalised? When I say paedophiles can be made legal, that sounds like crazy talk doesn’t it?

I would like to put on record that I am not homophobic,” he said. “I have homosexual friends and I do not judge them because of their sexuality. My comments that you may have read are from the holy scriptures and this is what I live from.”

Fury ultimately finished in fourth place in the Sports Personality of the Year contest, a long way behind in the voting from eventual winner, Andy Murray.

But back in the 50s and early 60s, for them first two to be made legal would have been looked on as a crazy man again.”

He defended himself at the time, saying: “I am aware of the recent newspaper articles and Illustration: Dougie Dodds

25th October 2016

23

Manchester City on top as 16/17 title race hots up Callum Pinner Sports Writer Manchester City lead the Premier League table after 9 games on goal difference, though they are tied on points with Arsenal and Liverpool.

Manchester City have been favourites for the title ever since their convincing victory in the Manchester derby. Pep Guardiola is fast stealing the crown as ‘the special one’ of English football and has Manchester City playing magnificent football.

Guardiola has completely transformed players like Raheem Sterling, although it remains to be seen how Guardiola adapts to English football’s famously hectic Christmas schedule. Their recent drop in results represents a tough period, but not yet a full blown crisis.

With Leicester City’s miraculous Premier League title victory still fresh in the memory, the current season has already delivered much excitement and drama with the race for the title looking as open as ever.

Everton and Southampton have both started well and will have their eyes on the top four, but the likelihood of a shock repeat of last year’s events appears unlikely with the usual suspects already involved in the race for top spot. Liverpool and Manchester United, two heavyweights, met in English football’s biggest game last week. The match at Anfield was an opportunity for both sides

to put down a marker and state their intentions for a potential title challenge. In the end the match was of poor quality, but an excellent example of why both teams may fall short of claiming silverware in May. Liverpool have turned heads already this season by playing the attractive free-flowing football that has become synonymous with Jürgen Klopp’s management. The Reds have picked up impressive victories away at Chelsea and Arsenal and until the United game, their home form had featured nine goals in two games against Leicester and Hull respectively.

While nobody doubts that Klopp’s side will score for fun this season, questions remain over the defensive side of their game. Their loss to Burnley remains the obvious blip in their season so far. Liverpool’s start to the season has seen supporters bound with optimism, and it is possible to draw parallels between their style of play and that of Leicester City’s last time around. They both play two strikers and have frightening amounts of pace. Unfortunately for Liverpool, however, the big teams appear tougher and harder to beat than last season.

Manchester United have looked to yet another new dawn this summer with the appointment of Jose Mourinho. Much has gone wrong at United since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013, with misguided signings, poor tactics and weak managerial choices all contributing to an unhappy fanbase.

This summer, however, Mourinho has overseen a dream transfer window.

The signings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and the return of Paul Pogba after four years away from Old Trafford prompted some pundits and fans to deem them favourites for this year’s trophy. So far though, United have failed to impress, with some tepid performances. They may have the resources, management and the squad to succeed, but at this early stage, they have not done enough to justify the ‘favourites’ tag they earned at the start of the campaign.

In the south, Arsenal have been grinding out results in games where they have been pushed right to the wire. The Gunners have moved away slightly from the slick pass and move football associated with Arsene Wenger to a team capable of claiming narrow victories over the so-called ‘lesser teams’, an uncommon trait in recent years.

In Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, they have two of the league’s finest players, both of whom have started the season in good form. Arsenal’s fan base has been one the most restless in the Premier League in recent years, with supporters desperate for a first league title since 2004. Thanks to Manchester City’s recent drop in form, the field is open for them to make a serious challenge alongside the other contenders. Across North London, Tottenham have perhaps been unfairly discounted in discussions

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero Photo: Wikimedia, Dmitry Golubovic surrounding the title. This is mostly down to their lack of experience vying for silverware. For large periods of last season - late collapse aside - they looked a potential title winning team. Tottenham appear to be the team with the fewest weaknesses. Mauricio Pochettino has an array of options in every position and the managerial nous to use them effectively. Their home win against Manchester City was particularly impressive and if they can turn draws against the likes

of West Brom into victories, there could quite feasibly be a new name on the Premier League trophy.

Spurs certainly seem more likely candidates than Chelsea. Antonio Conte’s side are being carried along by the goals of Diego Costa, with the lack the cohesion and creativity up front being a major problem.

The disaster of last season will not be repeated at Stamford Bridge this time around, but the Blues are seemingly still feeling the effects after a slow start to the campaign.

Rosberg increases lead over Hamilton in Japan Andrew Mackenzie Sports Writer Nico Rosberg claimed victory at the Japanese Grand Prix after an uneventful race at Suzuka was essentially decided at the start due to Lewis Hamilton’s poor getaway.

The Brit dropped from 2nd to 10th at the first corner, all but ending his hopes of a crucial victory.

Hamilton subsequently fought back to 3rd and almost took second from Jos Verstappen on the penultimate lap after the Dutchman appeared to move twice in the braking zone, but Mercedes chose not to appeal. The result extends Rosberg’s advantage to thirty-three points in the Drivers’ Championship, meaning he can afford to finish every race in 2nd position and still claim the title, even if Hamilton achieves victory in all of the remaining races.

Hamilton was embroiled in off track controversy too, as he was reprimanded by the FIA for using the social media app Snapchat during an official press conference, which led him to boycott a subsequent meeting. Social media is an outlet that F1 currently does not utilise effectively, and while not acceptable during a press

Nico Rosberg, who extended his lead in the Formula 1standings with a win in Japan Photo: wikipedia.en.org, Morio conference, the FIA should be encouraging its use, not curtailing it, something new owners Liberty Media will hopefully aim to improve upon. Last Sunday saw F1 head to the American Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. It represented the first race on home soil for the new owners, Liberty Media, and the success of the race could determine the future of Formula One, with the company reportedly interested in hosting two races in the USA in the future.

The F1 driver market took a surprising turn in the intervening two-week period as Force India racer Nico Hulkenberg announced that he would be joining the

313

points for Rosberg as of his Japanese GP Victory

Renault F1 Team, who returned to the sport this season after a fiveyear absence. The multi-year deal sees the German take the lead role at the team for a fee rumoured to be in the region £17m. At first glance the move appears surprising with Force India currently fourth and Renault ninth in the Constructors’ Championship. However, Renault are a ‘works’ team and as such

have a higher budget, larger staff and better facilities than the independently financed Force India. This could enable Renault to make larger leaps in performances when new regulations are enforced in 2017.

Hulkenberg has always been regarded as a talented driver, and was linked to Ferrari when Felipe Massa announced he would be leaving for Williams at the end of 2013. He has driven for three teams, starting at Williams in 2010, for whom he took his maiden pole position at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

He moved as a test driver to Force India in 2011 before graduating to a race seat for 2012. Then came a

move to Sauber in 2013 where he achieved a career best 4th place finish in South Korea, although the team’s financial trouble saw him return to Force India from 2014 until the present. However, during his second spell at Force India he has been overshadowed by team-mate Sergio Perez, who has taken four podium finishes in the last three years compared to Hulkenberg’s tally of none.

Off the track, Perez has been the more in-demand driver with the Mexican rumoured to be in line for a switch to Renault at the culmination of the current season.

Instead, it is Hulkenberg’s move which has opened up the rumour mill, with speculation mounting over who will join him at the French constructor. Esteban Ocon is on many people’s lips alongside Pascal Wehrlein, both of whom have impressed in their debut seasons.

Williams driver Valtteri Bottas has also been linked to the position, while current Renault teammates Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen will also be hoping to retain their seat for 2017. With uncertainty around the paddock at a glut of other teams, the driver market is certainly something to watch closely.

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Sport

25th October 2016

Manchester City lead the Premier League

Canaries four points off first 1-0 defeat at home to Preston sees Norwich City drop to 4th

Photo: Dan Falvey

UEA tennis teams excel in first week Nick Murphy Sports Editor The university sport season is underway across the country, with UEA teams participating in the British Universities College & Sport League (BUCS).

Starting with badminton, the women’s 1st XI were soundly beaten in their opening game of the season, suffering a 6-2 defeat to Loughborough 2nds. The men opened up their campaign last Wednesday in slightly better fashion, overcoming the University of Leicester 6-3 at Sportspark.

“A totally dominant performance from the women’s team produced a stunning 12-0 home success “ In football, the men’s 1st XI got their season off to a flyer with a convincing 7-1 home win against Bedford’s 2nd team. Goals from Axcell, Hassan, Russell, Betts, Draper and a brace by Dalton ensured a comfortable victory and top spot in the fledging Midlands

3A league table. The women’s team couldn’t quite emulate their male counterparts, but secured a vital point in a 2-2 away draw against Bedford 1st. That was followed up by a 3-2 home defeat to Cambridge at Colney to leave the Women in 3rd place in the table with one point from their opening two fixtures.

The Women’s Hockey 1st XI, however, started the campaign with a win, overcoming Oxford Brookes 3rds 4-2 to top the table after week one. The men secured an important point at home against the same opposition, while the Men’s 2nd XI overcame Anglia Ruskin with a convincing 4-1 win on home turf.

Both the men and women’s tennis teams are also celebrating success after both groups claimed convincing opening game victories.

The Men’s 1st XI saw off the University of Nottingham 5th team with a destructive 10-2 victory, yet the women managed to achieve an even more impressive and comprehensive result.

A totally dominant performance from the women’s team produced a stunning 12-0 home success against the Oxford Brookes 2nd XI to leave UEA top of the Midlands 2B League.

Norwich winger Robbie Brady Photo: wikipedia.com, Michael Kranewitter Stephen Cole Sports Writer Norwich City’s quest took a hit as they fell to a surprise home defeat at the hands of Preston.

Alex Baptiste’s 75th minute header allowed the Canaries to be overtaken by Brighton and Huddersfield, with league leaders Newcastle extending their lead at the top to three points after a comfortable 3-0 win over Norwich’s local rivals Ipswich.

Alex Neill’s side now sit in 4th, four points away from the top.

They previously had been buoyed by a dominant 3-1 victory over bottom club Rotherham. Wes Hoolahan grabbed the opening goal early in the first half to give the hosts the advantage at half time. In the second half Norwich continued to dictate the game, and were rewarded when prolific striker Cameron Jerome then tucked away Hoolahan’s cross to double the Canaries’ lead. A goal from Dexter Blackstock gave the Yorkshire visitors a grain of hope, but it was in vain as Steven Naismith’s tap-in made it six wins from seven for City.

Such form can only give increased expectation to the supporters, who will be hoping that the Canaries can gain promotion from the Championship for the second time in just three seasons.

Although Norwich didn’t play

in mid-October, a large percentage of their players did feature on international duty. Robbie Brady, who scored the winner in the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2016 group game against Italy, suffered a nasty neck collision in their qualifier against Georgia and received lengthy medical treatment. He will be a big miss for the Canaries in the coming weeks. Goalkeeper Michael

“Such form can only give increased expectation to the supporters, who will be hoping that the Canaries can gain promotion from the Championship for the second time in just three seasons” McGovern performed heroics for Northern Ireland, but could not prevent Michael O’Neill’s side from suffering a 2-0 loss away at World Champions, Germany. It was even worse for Russell Martin and Steven Naismith of Scotland, who, after an underwhelming draw at home to Lithuania, were easily beaten in a 3-0 defeat at Slovakia, further increasing the pressure on Scotland manager Gordon Strachan.

Norwich have started the season well but are yet to face a number of the sides also challenging for promotion in the toughest Championship season for many years. The morale at pre-season

favourites Newcastle, spearheaded

by Champions League winning manager Rafael Benitez, is starting to improve, and that will only lead to stronger performances on the pitch.

Whilst there are also surprises to be had with teams such as Huddersfield and Bristol City showing good early season form, it will be difficult for their young managers and young players to remain consistent through until May. Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday will also expect to be in the mix after positive campaigns last time around, but it remains to be seen whether they have the quality or the luck to achieve another top six finish.

With the first quarter of the season now finished, Norwich sit 2nd in the table with manager Alex Neil having been named Championship Manager of the Month for September, his second such accolade. With November just around the corner, City recently played Preston North End at Carrow Road, while away trips come in the form of Brighton in the league and Leeds United in the fourth round of the EFL Cup. It offers an excellent chance for City to beat a rival in the league and reach the quarter-finals of the Cup for the second time in five years. A cup run would be ideal for Norwich to test themselves against the best in the country, while also offering ideal preparation should the club return to the Premier League next season.