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Monday 20 February 2012 • Issue 590 • www.exepose.com • Twitter: @Exepose • www.facebook.com/Exepose
Photo: Hannah Walker
Elections break records
Free
Lizzie Mackley Senior Reporter
£206/week for room with view Prices for a single en-suite room at Holland Hall have increased to £206.64 for the first time, with the view over the Exe valley alone being valued at £9.80 per week
Hannah Sweet News Editor
FOR the first time ever, from the year 2012/13, students will have to pay over £200 for a room with a view in Holland Hall. From next year it will cost £206.64 for a single en-suite room with views over the Exe valley in the oversubscribed hall, which receives approximately two applications for each room. With tuition fees rising to £9,000, a student’s yearly expenses could reach over £15,000 in total. A standard room in Lafrowda, the cheapest accommodation available on campus, now costs £97.86. Three years
ago the cheapest standard Lafrowda room cost £67 per week. The cost of Exeter Halls has also increased year on year. In 2009/10 the average rent was £110.34 per week; the mean price of a room this academic year is £136.58. A room with a view in Holland Hall cost £171.50 in 2009/10. Jilly Court, Director of Operations, Campus Services, said: “We have worked hard to keep rents at the lowest price possible for 2012/13 and we are committed to offering a diverse range of accommodation to suit all budgets.” Emma Payne, VP Welfare and Community, commented: “We are currently in active discussions to ensure that students’ needs are met, and to en-
sure they receive the highest level of service and support whilst in halls.”
“It’s outrageously overpriced. It baffles me why anyone would choose to live there now”
Alex Wynick, third year English student Accommodation in Holland Hall includes catering, a cleaning service, utilities, insurance, internet, TV and security. Since 2011 bed linen and laundry costs are no longer included. However, there are now fewer restric-
tions on food and drinks. Alex Wynick, a third year English student who lived in Holland Hall during her first year, said: “Now, with all of these hidden charges and with fewer services available, it’s outrageously overpriced. It baffles me why anyone would choose to live there now - go to Birks.” However, another third year student who spent her first year in Holland Hall commented: “I think, if you had one of the amazing balcony rooms with views over Exeter, then they could potentially justify £200. They are really nice and you’d probably be paying that much for a view anywhere else.”
EXETER STUDENTS broke records with over 37 per cent of the student body voting in the Guild Sabbatical Elections during the week 3-10 February. Exeter’s previous national record of a 36 per cent turn-out in 2011 was broken by over 6,500 voters casting 27,000 ballots. Incumbent Guild President Nick Davis told Exeposé that the result “proved why Exeter Guild is known, nationally, as the most democratically led Students’ Union.” The new team, announced on 10 February, includes Nick Davies as Guild President, Joe Batten as AU President, Imogen Sanders as Vice President (VP) Academic Affairs, Jon Bagnall as VP Participation and Campuses and Grace Hopper as VP Welfare and Community. Davies said: “I am still on cloud nine at the moment - It still hasn’t fully sunk in and I am not sure it will until I actually start! “I can’t wait to start putting my policies into effect” Hopper told Exeposé. “I’m really looking forward to working with such a fantastic team to make 20122013 a year to remember!” Only 22 candidates ran for the 6 positions this year, compared to 39 in 2011, making the record-breaking turnout even more exceptional. Emma Payne, current VP Welfare and Community commented that the fewer candidates and record turn-out “means that fewer people voted because they had a close connection with people running, and actually wanted to vote.” 39 per cent of voters were first years, compared with 37 per cent last year, although second year voters dropped from 30 per cent to 26 per cent. Continued on page 5