Gair Rhydd 1045 - 23 Feb 2015

gair rhydd

In this week’s issue: an interview with Israeli spokesperson Yiftah Curiel, why whistleblowing is good idea, why blacking up is a bad idea, and why adulthood doesn’t start until you’re 25

“Anti-radicalisation” Act condemned

Students’ Union takes stand against

“chilling” anti-terror legislation

Katie Evans

Cardiff University Students’ Union has called for the new Counter-Terrorism Bill to be revoked and has raised serious questions over the legality of the national act, which threatens to isolate a demographic already facing prejudice amongst growing fears of radicalisation.

Te Union released a statement online on Wednesday, February 16th in which it called for the immediate termination of the Bill which critics fear will feed growing Islamaphobia across the UK and turn universities into institutions of surveillance.

Te Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 is the brainchild of Home

Secretary Teresa May and achieved royal assent on February 12th, giving the act the seal of approval to be rolled out under UK law. Under the Bill, universities will shoulder the responsibility of monitoring the activity of students suspected of radical practices, but the Union has raised questions over the incompatibility of the Bill with its commitment to students’ freedom of speech.

Whilst numerous governing powers have been devolved to the Welsh National Assembly in Cardiff Bay, the issue of security and counter-terrorism remain under the domain of Parliament in Westminster.

Te National Union of Students has already denounced the Bill on the grounds that it will contribute to an atmosphere ‘of suspicion and surveillance on campuses’, as well as creating a clash with universities’ long-held duty to freedom of speech.

However, the Union has only recently aired its opposition, declaring: ‘Te Bill proposes a number of new measures that build upon decades of previous ‘anti-extremism’ legislation that has served to legitimise mass surveillance and erode the civil liberties of people in the UK.’

It adds: ‘Placing a vague statutory responsibility on universities to ‘prevent

people being drawn into terrorism’, and giving the Government undefined powers to order that ‘extremist’ speakers be banned risks further developing a culture of suspicion and surveillance on campuses.’

University should be a space for learning rather than vigilance, according to the Union’s statement, which asserts: ‘Any expectation by the state for academic staff to be involved in monitoring their students is deeply worrying, and could have a chilling effect on relations between staff and students.

‘We fundamentally believe that our institution is a place for education, not surveillance.’

Continued on page 4

Pictured: UK Home Secretary Teresa May

THE FREE WORD

EDITOR

Michael O’Connell-Davidson

GAIR

RHYDD CO-ORDINATOR

Elaine Morgan

NEWS

Georgia Hamer

Katie Evans

Alexander Norton

Anna Lewis

ADVICE

Kirsty Fardell

COMMENT

Anne Porter

Gareth Evans

Olivier van den Bent-Kelly

COLUMNIST

Jason Roberts

POLITICS

Carwyn Williams

Lauren Boyd Rhiannon Tapp

SCIENCE

Shanna Hamilton

Meryon Roderick

SOCIETIES

Hannah Sterritt

PARK LIFE

Tim Nagle

TAF-OD

Steffan Bryn Jones

Morgan Owen

SPORT

David Hooson

Rory Benson

Joe Atkinson

PRODUCTION EDITOR

Sum Sze Tam

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Jack Boyce

DIGITAL EDITORS

Jordan Adams

Gregory McChesney

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Maria Mellor

Want to join the team?

Editorial conferences are each monday at 5PM. Proofreading takes place on Thursdays at 6PM in the media office during print weeks.

Write us a letter letters@gairrhydd.com Tweet us: @gairrhydd Online at: gairrhydd.com

At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards. Sometimes, because of deadline pressures, we may make some mistakes. If you believe we have fallen below the standards we seek to uphold, please email editor@gairrhydd.com. You can view our Ethical Policy Statement and Complaints Procedure at cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/complaints

Opinions expressed in editorials are not reflective of Cardiff Students’ Union, who act as the publisher of Gair Rhydd in legal terms, and should not be considered official communications or the organisation’s stance. Gair Rhydd is a post office registered newspaper.

Here’s how Gair Rhydd will cover the Students’ Union elections

If you’re a candidate, you need to read this.

For the first time in a long time (indeed, I’ve heard from a previous Gair Rhydd editor that it’s been about a decade), we’re covering the elections.

Cardiff Students’ Union is a cautious organisation with some cautious staff, but I’ve done everything I can to earn the trust of everyone here and win the chance to cover the most important week of the year. (Well, most important in terms of union politics, anyway.)

Why? Because, as people much smarter than me have said before now, news is the first draft of history. For a long time, the history of these elections wasn’t being recorded by anybody except the communications department here at the Union. God bless them, because they work hard, and they do a good job. But I feel like there’s more to this period that a summary video at the end of the week, and a bunch of tweets with a sunny disposition.

It’s a gruelling period, and I don’t just mean for the candidates. Students, your lectures will be interrupted. You’ll be handed a lot of sweets, people will explain a lot of policies to you, and, most pertinently of all, the crossroads is going to be covered in people those less kind would (and will) describe as “wankers”

My motivation is that many of these voices are simply never heard. Some of these voices are critical, but others are the voices of minority groups, and, most often, the voices of voting students. In the past, I think people have been satisfied with airing and seeking views elsewhere.

But how can this newspaper call itself the Free Word if we aren’t giving a platform to voices outside of the mainstream? I don’t think we can, and, to be honest, I think the fact that we’ve essentially remained silent during elections gone by has been an editorial failure.

And it’s a failure not just in terms of the content we’ve missed out on, and how periods of this university’s cultural history have effectively gone uncharted. We’ve failed our readership, and I’m motivated to change that perhaps more than anything I’ve done as the editor of this newspaper up to now.

So let’s talk about how we’re going to do it.

THE NITTY-GRITTY

We’ll be reporting with people on the ground from Monday to Friday. News editors Georgia Hamer, Katie Evans and Anna Lewis will be on the campaign trail, as will Sum Sze Tam and some other members of the team in varying capacities. Jordan Adams, Greg McChesney and Maria Mellor will be handling digital content and social media, and I’ll be in the office coordinating it all.

If you’re a candidate, and you want to make sure that you’re in view of our reporters, we’ll be keeping track of where our editorial staff are from the newsroom. We can tell you where to find our team, and we will; you can either phone the media office on 02920 781495, or tweet the newsroom on @gairrhydd. We’ll aim to respond to queries as quickly as possible. Now is a good time to note that the newsroom itself is a no-campaign zone, so if you are campaigning, please don’t visit us. You will be smiled at, but you will also be turned away.

We’ll be producing content on the fly (thanks to the magic of technology, our reporters won’t even need to return to the office to submit copy), and when we publish articles, we’ll include some indication of where our reporters are and where they’re headed next.

Tose working for the publication will be wearing Gair Rhydd t-shirts, so you’ll know in advance who you’re talking to; anybody who isn’t wearing a Gair Rhydd t-shirt isn’t working for us, and may not strive to uphold our standards.

Many people (including some journalists) aren’t aware of the rules of engagement when it comes to

speaking to the media, so I’m going to put them down here for the benefit of candidates. If you talk to a journalist, all of your speech should be considered “on record”.

Tat’s trade lingo for “publishable.” What I’m trying to say here is that you shouldn’t say anything you might regret when you’re in front of someone with a Gair Rhydd t-shirt on. It’s probably good life advice to say as little as possible that you wouldn’t want people to repeat, anyway, especially if you’re running for public office. While Sabbatical officers (and, indeed, Campaign Officers) are certainly not heads of state, they are public figures, and what they say is of public interest to those who might be voting in these elections. If you have private thoughts you’d like to share that would benefit the public, you must indicate before you speak that said thoughts are “off record.” Tat way, you’re safe in the knowledge that whatever you do communicate won’t be repeated, either in print or otherwise.

Coverage itself will take the form of daily liveblogs, starting with a short Day 0 post on Sunday; campaigning starts Monday. Tese blogs will include all sorts of content, including some forms we’ll be utilising for the first time, but I predict that they’ll contain about a thousand words of editorial along with a smattering of multimedia content. I’m quite sure the Gair Rhydd Vine account will see more use this week than it ever has in the past.

Rather than all at once, this content will come in drips and drabs throughout the day. I’ll be on the night shift as a strange nocturnal creature, but the bulk of our reporting will wrap up around 8PM each evening.

We won’t be scrutinising manifestos, because we have faith in our audience’s ability to do that for themselves. After all, you know what’s important - who are we to tell you what you might perceive to be achievable, or who you should trust?

But we will be encouraging debate amongst the electorate, and I hope you guys take to social media to actually talk over some of the policies people put forward. While it goes without saying, we won’t be foregrounding anything that’s outwardly abusive or obviously partisan.

Given that this information is accessible by anyone, we’re committing no transgression by featuring tweets that are interesting or bring underappreciated issues to the forefront. So please feel free to highlight tweets you think are interesting or tweet us any questions you might have - either about our reporting, or about the process more generally - and we’ll do what we can to create a conversation that lasts.

I’M NOT RUNNING. SHOULD I CARE?

Well, the short answer to that is yes, and I don’t really consider myself someone who toes the line that the Students’ Union sets out most of the time. But I realise that probably won’t be enough to convince you if you haven’t really considered voting before now. Indeed, if you’re not the sort of person who’s receptive to the Students’ Union’s message, you’re probably going to find this week more annoying than anything. I think, in the eyes of some, it’s just a culmination of all the YOLObranded bullshit you’ve been bombarded with all year. Whether or not that’s true, I understand that perspective; this will be the third year I’ve been around for these elections, and each year I approach this week with a deep-seated feeling of dread. Because like a lot of you, I don’t really want my lectures to be interrupted by people in animal suits. I’m not paying £9000 a year for that bullshit.

But this is one time of year that students have a

genuine chance to change the way the university and their union works, even if it’s just electing another person to make a change for them. It may sound trite, but if you don’t seize this chance and vote for a candidate you think has a genuine shot of making this place better, then you’re only perpetuating whatever problems you might have. If you don’t have any problems, then good for you, but I don’t think anybody (not even Colin Riordan) thinks this place is perfect. Tere is always work to be done, so think about what that might be and how that change might be realised. Given that all you have to do is read a few manifestos, login to cardiffstudents.com and vote for the one you like the most (or, indeed, dislike the least), I don’t think there’s really any excuse to let this opportunity slip by. But hey, if you’re still not convinced, that’s fine. I’d ask that you keep an eye on this newspaper and gairrhydd.com anyway. While elections is going to be a big deal for us, it might not be for you, and we’ll still be covering matters that concern the university during the course of the week.

SOME FINAL NOTES

Te sharp-eyed amongs you will note that Hannah Sterritt and Olivier van den Bent-Kelly are both members of the Gair Rhydd team, and both are running in the election period. For the next week, they’ve been instructed not to open communication with anyone involved in election coverage While I assume it might be quite odd for both to be on the outside looking in, neither has worked particularly closely with those on the team who will be reporting over the coming week. Reporting - that is, good reporting - is, by its very nature, impartial. In practicality, good reporting is also very difficult, as every person is inherently flawed and suffers from some kind of bias. However, I’m confident that our reporting will be as good as it can be without resorting to robots and algorithms. To be blunt: we’re interested in bringing the overall level of nonsense down, not adding to it.

Of course, I predict that at least one person is going to turn around an ascribe bias Gair Rhydd reporitng to their success (or lack thereof). But blaming the media is quite cliché, and I would not have committed to this path if I did not believe what will result will stand up to scrutiny. Like the candidates, many eyes will be on us. And, like many candidates, I’m really looking forward to it.

If you’re standing for any position and you have any questions for me or the team going into this week, then give me an email on editor@gairrhydd.com and I’ll do what I can to talk you through things. You should also receive an email describing the above from the democracy team.

Good luck to everybody standing for election. It takes a lot of courage, and it’s courage I certainly don’t have. While there will be more losers than winners on results day - it’s statistically undeniable - you’re all part of what makes Cardiff a great place to be, and that’s a victory that’s just as important.

- MOCD

In issue 1044, dated 16th February 2015, an article by John Penketh in the Advice section was given a standfirst which incorrectly stated that he failed his degree. Penketh actually only failed to pass one year of his degree, and remains a student at the university. We apologise for the mistake, and for any embarassment that may have been caused by this error.

Campus In Brief

Joe Atkinson

Researchers at Cardiff University are undertaking a million-pound scheme to develop ‘smart’ security cameras that would be able to automatically detect potential violence and inform police before people get hurt. Te scheme is being headed by computer science and violence experts at the uni along with technology specialists from the Airbus Group.

A problem with the ventilation system at the University Hospital of Wales resulted in five surgical theatres being temporarily closed and 19 operations being cancelled. Tis came in the same week that staff-worn body cameras were introduced at the hospital to help reduce the risk of violent attacks and the abuse of staff

On Friday journalist Peter Greste, fresh from his release from a 400-day prison spell in Egypt under allegations of fabricating the news and aiding terrorists that he strongly denies, gave a talk to at the university’s school of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies about his experiences and of the threats to freedom of expression.

Tributes were paid to Cardiff University graduate and historian Dr. John Davies, who died at the age of 76 last week. Davies, an expert on Welsh history, appeared regularly on history programmes on radio and television and also was commissioned by Penguin Books to write its ‘history of Wales’ as part of its series on the history of nations in the 1980s.

In scenes reminiscent of the biblical feeding of the five thousand, Magic Wrap stores in Cardiff, including the Students’ Union outlet, gave away free wraps for all of Tuesday. More than 2,000 wraps were given away to hungry members of the public, with students queuing as far as the Taf to get their fill.

NATIONAL

Wales went into the first weekend break of this year’s Six Nations tournament with a record of

one win and one loss. Having lost the opening match 21-16 to England, the Red Dragons responded with a controversial 26-23 win over Scotland in Edinburgh. Warren Gatland’s side will now travel to Paris this Saturday for a crunch-match with France, and defeat will surely extinguish any hope of the Six Nations trophy returning to Cardiff this year.

A Channel 4 drama called ‘UKIP: The first 100 days’ racked up the OFCOM complaints having depicted a Britain in which Nigel Farage’s party triumph in the upcoming general election. The programme forecasted riotous scenes and the fictional election of the party’s only Asian woman MP to the Romford seat.

The chief political commentator of the Telegraph resigned from the newspaper and accused its coverage of the HSBC Swiss banking scandal as being “a fraud on its readers”. Peter Oborne described his dismay at some of the recent business-motivated editorial decisions made at the British broadsheet. He accused the paper of neglecting their public interest duty and quashing reports because of potential threats to their advertising revenue.

Chelsea football fans caused outrage as they were filmed pushing a black man away from a train carriage and singing “We’re racist, we’re racist, and that’s the way we like it”, on the Paris Metro system in the aftermath of their 1-1 Champions League tie with Paris Saint-Germain. British police have opened an investigation into the incident which has tarnished some of the work done to help improve the image of the British game.

Following recent high-profile hacking cases, it seemed only a matter of time before one of Britain’s beloved celebrities became embroiled in the turmoil. Indeed those prophecies came true as celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s website was hacked to install malware onto user’s computers and potentially cease control of their PCs.

I NTERNATIONAL

Tension mounted in Ukraine as the terms of last weekend’s ceasefire were implemented in the wartorn country. With fighting raging in the immediate build-up to the ceasefire, there were concerns that the deal would fall through, and those fears linger despite the withdrawal of troops from key battles grounds.

Copenhagen was the scene of the another spate of shootings over Valentines weekend, with two people killed at a free-speech seminar by a gunman who allegedly swore allegiance to ISIS on his Facebook page prior to the attack, who the next day killed one more outside the city’s Great Synagogue, before being killed himself by police on the same morning.

In the latest of what has become a depressingly long line of social media propaganda efforts, ISIS themselves released a video of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians being beheaded on a Libyan beach. In retaliation the Egyptian government launched a series of airstrikes on Libya, and are now seeking UN intervention in the fight against the ISIS movement.

Te President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is under intense scrutiny following the death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who had been poised to outline accusations aimed at the President surrounding her and others’ involvement in covering up Iran’s apparent role in the bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires that killed 85.

Lance Armstrong has been ordered to pay a total of $10million to sponsors that awarded him bonuses for his now voided seven Tour de France titles. Te penalty is believed to be the largest of its kind in American judicial history and represents the latest blow to the disgraced cyclists’s public image, in the same week that he pleaded guilty to careless driving.

Pictured: Priyanga Burford in UKIP: Te First 100 Days

(Photographer: Channel 4)

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Cont: “Anti-radicalisation” Act condemned

Continued from front page

Across the UK, university academics and MPs have come forward to condemn the Act. Amongst other clauses aimed at reducing the threat of terror and radicalisation of civilians acorss the UK, the Act legally binds universities to identify students at risk of radicalisation and refer them to anti-extremist programmes.

At the beginning of this month over 500 professors put their names to an open letter, addressed to May, in which they critised the Bill for being ‘both unnecessary and illconcieved’, adding that the measures are part of a ‘Draconian [crack-

down] on the rights of students and academics.’

Within the Union, voices were raised against the Bill out of fear of its impact on the University’s religious societies and activities. A representative of the University’s Islamic Society commented:

“The university’s stance on the [Counter-Terrorism Bill] is absolutely welcomed by Cardiff University Islamic society as a move to fundamentally protect the rights of our own members and many other university students alike. We are extremely pleased that the SU has taken this stance.”

NUS Wales motions announced ahead of National Conference

NUS Wales has submitted its motions for its upcoming Annual Conference, with issues for discussion including poor student accommodation, increases in university hate crime and the potential of creating paid part-time student officer positions.

With upcoming Cardiff Students’ Union elections, a motion was proposed criticising current regulation stating that a sabbatical or paid union position cannot be held for more than two years.

The motion explained that as a result of the act, part-time positions cannot be paid without it counting towards their two-year limit, stopping part-time positions from applying for full-time roles. As a result, it was suggested that the NUS lobby the Welsh Assembly Government to amend the act to allow part-time positions to be paid without contributing to any time limits.

The conference will also discuss issues surrounding poor-quality rented student accommodation. A motion was proposed calling on the NUS to engage with political parties for support on the issue. With this combined effort, it was suggested

that a system be established allowing local authorities to tax landlords if student accommodation falls beneath acceptable standards.

A separate motion was also created suggesting that the NUS formulate their own policy on rent control and lobby for legislation to remove agency letting fees.

Following a motion passed in Aberystwyth Students’ Union declaring no confidence in their local health board, the third motion called for greater engagement of the NHS with students’ unions and other institutions.

The motion explained that a quarter of a million students will use the NHS during their studies, and as such the NUS must develop guidelines and support students’ unions working with local health boards.

Following recent political debate about future devolution in Wales, a motion was proposed by the NUS National Executive Committee calling for the NUS to run a public campaign in the run up to the general elections appealing for parties to commit to further devolution.

The motion suggested that students’ unions provide resources and educa-

A third year ENCAP student commented: “I feel like this act is nothing more than the Government’s attempt to shirk responsibility and thus blame onto other institutions that should have no involvement in the first place.”

The Union’s statement is the result of a successful motion submitted to the Student Senate by Nadine Dahan earlier this month. Dahan’s ‘Students Not Suspects’ motion urged the Union to denounce the Bill as well as support an enquiry into the legality of the proposals under the Equality Act 2010 and the Education Act No. 2 1986. The Sen-

ate voted unanimously in favour of the motion.

Fadhila Ali spoke to Gair Rhydd during that initial Senate meeting, accusing the measure of targeting “particular demographics within the University committee” and “was not compatible with the ideal of free speech.”

The Union declared it will collaborate with the NUS in opposing the Bill, proclaiming: ‘We call for the Bill to be stopped with immediate effect, and we support an enquiry into the legality of the proposals under the Equality Act 2010 and the Education Act No. 2 1986.’

tion regarding devolution to create an easily understood guide to the matter.

It was also recommended that NUSW help create a cross-party conference amongst Welsh MPs to raise awareness of its devolved vision.

The announcement made in the Government’s autumn statement to introduce post-graduate funding was also featured in the agenda, with a motion appealing for the NUSW President to lobby the Welsh Assembly for their own funding system.

In a bid to improve higher education sexual education, including information on non-heterosexual sexualities, a motion was proposed to encourage the Welsh Assembly to ‘toughen its stance’ on prescribing a curriculum in schools about sexual education.

The motion also suggested that a campaign be established by the NUS in order to bridge the gaps in knowledge of university students who have not received a comprehensive sexual education.

Voicing concerns over prospective future cuts made by the Welsh Assembly over student funding, one motion called for the NUS to lobby the Welsh Assembly to continue its current Higher Education Financial Contingency Fund Pot. It was suggested that the NUS help students’ unions to campaign about the issue on campus and encourage students’ unions to address the matter with Vice Chancellors.

Our institution is a place for education, not surveillance Students’ Union’s statement

A motion was proposed by Aberystwyth Students’ Union in order to overcome hate crime in Wales. The motion voiced concerns that hate crimes are currently being underreported, with students unwilling to report such crimes to the police. Instead, it was suggested that students’ unions become hate crime ‘reporting centres’ with the help of victim support facilities.

In the agenda, it was also pointed out that following the closure of Welsh youth assembly ‘Funky Dragon’, Wales remains the only country in Europe without a National Youth assembly.

As a result, it was suggested that the NUS work with the British Youth Council in the run up to the general election to promote greater student engagement.

Other issues discussed in the agenda include current inadequate grants for those receiving the Welsh Government Learning Grant. To resolve the issue, it was suggested that the NUS appeal to the Welsh Government for a revaluation of current funding support systems.

A Westminster budget cut for current disabled students allowance was also addressed, with suggestions for students’ unions to discuss the matter with local MPs and university Vice Chancellors.

The NUS Wales Annual Conference will take place on the 11th and 12th of March 2015 at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells, Mid Wales, where these motions will be

“

The motion voiced concerns that hate crimes are currently being underreported

Anna Lewis

The NUS Wales Annual Conference will take place on the 11- 12th of March ‘15 at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells, Mid Wales.

Pictured: Te conference will debate on whether or not to tax landlords of poor student housing

(Source: SmithCooper)

Pictured: Beth Button, President of NUS Wales

Georgia Hamer

University Hospital staff equipped with CCTV cameras

Staff given cameras to curb high numbers of violents assault and threats

Cardiff and Vale University board are to equip security staff with five mini-CCTV cameras to curb the excess of violent abuse and threats that care staff endure on a daily basis.

There are between 2,500 and 3,000

Students have been told they must pay taxi drivers to have their phones returned

violent assaults on hospital staff each year (46 percent classed as intentional), but in 2008/9 only seven criminal prosecution cases were carried out. This number showed a marked increase after January 2009 with the introduction of a violence

Aand aggression case management team, and will potentially rise futher with the implementation of these 5 state-of-the art cameras.

This move by the University Board is not without precedent. In May last year the Metropolitan Police announced that officers were to start wearing body cameras designed to ‘capture evidence at crime scenes’, though Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe also said: “using cameras shows that people are more likely to plead guilty when they know we have captured the incident.” Case

Manager Carl Ball of the University Board echoes the sentiments of the Met Commissioner, citing a case where a person ‘spat in the face’ of one of the security officers. He was arrested, taken to Cardiff Bay police station and subsequently denied everything that took place.

Ball cites the effectiveness of the wearable CCTV cameras in aiding

prosecution, stating that when a copy of the CCTV recording of the offence was sent to the Bay station to show the accused ‘he admitted his guilt, was taken to court the same morning and was sentenced to an 18-month custodial sentence.”

Despite the apparent efficacy of these state-of-the-art cameras (each costing approximately £600), critics of the move claim that it leaves many feeling like they are “under suspicion”, with several deeming it inappropriate to film innocent patients when they are arguably at their most vulnerable. South Wales Police, who have worked alongside the health board in introducing the new equipment, said the cameras will provide key evidence in successful prosecutions, and another six cameras have been ordered to be given to staff at other Cardiff and Vale UHB sites including the University Hospital Llandough.

Cardiff University launches Sustainabilty Week

Free bicycle repair available to students outside Bute Building

s part of Cardiff University’s upcoming Sustainability week free bicycle security registration and bicycle maintenance is offered to staff and students.

‘Immobilise’ bicycle security and South Wales Police Cardiff Cycle Workshop mechanics will be repairing bikes free of charge and offering advice on basic bicycle maintenance in various sessions across campus over the next two weeks in an effort to encourage students and staff to travel by bike.

Over the same period, Cycle Training Wales will also be offering commuter training for cyclists free of

charge.

Te 50 minute sessions aim to teach cyclists new skills to help them ‘ride confidently and safely’ and are customised to each trainee’s needs.

A number of other events will be being held at the University to mark Sustainability Week, an annual event which this year runs from 23rd February – 6th March.

Te event aims to showcase worldleading research and give staff, students and the wider community the opportunity to contribute to discussions on subject of sustainability.

On Tursday 5th March a debate titled ‘Te future of our food – what

needs to be on the menu?’ will be taking place in the Glamorgan building at 6.30pm.

Te event will bring together a range of academics and practitioners from the food sector to consider the opportunities and challenges facing our food system and how sustainable food can be made a reality.

Professor Terry Marsden of the University’s Sustainable Places Research Institute which is hosting the debate said: “Te world’s food production systems face a great balancing act. To meet different needs, it must simultaneously produce far more food for a population expected

to reach about 9.6 billion by 2050, provide economic opportunities for the hundreds of millions of rural poor who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, and reduce environmental impacts, including ecosystem degradation and high greenhouse gas emissions.

“Here at the Sustainable Places Research Institute we are working on sustainability issues in locations all around the world, some in relation to food. Our leading researchers will bring their knowledge and cuttingedge research to what we hope will be an informative and entertaining event.”

Police: Taxi drivers demanding payment for lost student property

Students with lost mobile phones are being forced to pay to have their phones returned, police have warned Gair Rhydd.

According to police, a number of students have been told they must pay taxi drivers to have their phones returned after calling mobiles left in cabs.

Investigations are now being conducted into the matter, with authorities urging students to take note of taxi firms used to narrow down potential suspects.

Appeals have also been made for students who have been targeted to note down registration plates, vehicle makes and any other useful information.

Police explain that whilst it is possible for a civil agreement to be made between the taxi driver and those who have lost their phone, some taxi drivers are refusing to return phones without payment. This criminal route has been labelled as theft, with police advising students

with such experiences to report the incident via the 101 number.

One third-year student explained how, after leaving her phone in a taxi after a night out, she was made to pay £20 to have it returned only moments after exiting the taxi.

Students are advised to report their lost mobile phones to www.reportmyloss.com- a police accredited site used by UK Police Forces.

After registering lost phones on the site, any phones reported to police will be linked back to the original owner. Mobile apps such as ‘Find my iPhone’ or the ‘Prey Project’ can be used to help locate lost phones and to gather evidence on who may have it.

Property database immobilise. com can also be used to register phones and will be returned if recovered by police.

Students have been warned against meeting taxi drivers on their own in orderto reclaim their phones.

The news comes after Gair Rhydd reported in November that taxi drivers allegedly informed thieves of students leaving houses alone at

night. After using unmarked taxis to leave for a night out, students returned to find their house searched and all valuables stolen.

“ ”

There are between 2,500 and 3,000 violent assualts on hospital staff each year

Greg McChesney

Pictured:

Security Officers at University Hospital with new CCTV body camera

(Source: Wales Online)

Anna Lewis

Pictured: Taxi Rank at St Mary Street

(Photograph: Jon Candy)

Katie Evans

Students still reluctant to report cases of sexual assault

In a follow-up to a recent article on Cardiff University’s sexual assault figures, NUS Wales Women’s Officer admits underreported assault is a ‘sad fact’

In light of the recent revelation that only three cases of sexual assault were reported to Cardiff University over the past three academic years, NUS Wales’ Women’s Officer claims the fact students aren’t coming forward to report cases of sexual indecency in Cardiff University is reflective of the issue within “wider society” as a whole.

When asked why students aren’t reporting cases of sexual assault or harassment to their university, Rosie Inman, Women’s Officer for NUS Wales, accused detrimental attitudes within wider society for normalising sexual harassment and abuse, and believes it should fall on universities to take “proactive steps towards tackling the issues.

“There are plenty of reasons why students don’t come forward –whether for fear of victim blaming or the fact that being groped or harassed on a night out has become

so normalised that many students have just come to expect it,” said Inman.

“They need to start giving students confidence that their reports will be taken seriously and that perpetrators of these crimes will get more than a slap on the wrist.

“Often, students don’t even think to report harassment or assault to their university,” said Inman, “but if the perpetrator is a student or employee at the university, then the university has both the power and responsibility to protect their students.”

Laura Carter, SU Women’s Campaigns Officer, agreed with Inman’s description of the normalising of indecent sexual behaviour, suggesting that students appear to expect sexual harassment as part and parcel of their university experience and subsequently do not think of reporting it.

Carter suggested that the

introduction of a self-defence class may be beneficial to students, but admitted that coming up with solutions to put an end to inappropriate sexual behaviour among students is a ‘very tricky matter to tackle.’

One measure soon-to-be rolled across the Union to tackle the indecent sexual behaviour is the ‘Can’t Touch This’ campaign, which is set to launch next month.

In a motion submitted to Student Senate earlier this month, Carter and Student Senator, Kate Delaney, expressed concern that a lack of awareness among the student body of the Union’s Zero Tolerance policy may ‘act as a barrier’ to students reporting sexual harassment.

The motion cites the University’s Equality and Diversity manager and Deputy Director of Residences as having acknowledged ‘that more could be done to raise the profile of the University’s Zero Tolerance

policy and ensure that students know about it.’

Carter and Delaney’s motion also called for the Union to train at least 50 per cent of its staff on the Zero Tolerance policy by September 2016.

An NUS survey published back in September discovered that 60 per cent of respondents were unaware of their university or students’ union’s policies put in place to target sexual intimidation and harassment.

Cardiff University’s SU Zero Tolerance policy, introduced back in 2012, denounces the following behaviour: unwanted sexual comments/invitation; groping, pinching or smacking of your body; wolf-whistling or catcalling; having your clothes lifted without consent; someone exposing themselves to you without consent.

Those who unwantedly experience any of the above are encouraged to contact the Union or University.

Council defends £9m overspend

Labour authority justifies huge budget deficit ahead of upcoming election

The Labour-controlled lo cal council has been forced to defend itself against accusations of financial incompetency with an election – in which many of its seats are set to be contested – little over a year away.

A report presented to the Council’s cabinet on Thursday, 19th February outlined projected losses of £8.79m, significantly more than the £7m originally outlined.

Corporate director Christine Salter labelled the deficit “a significant cause for concern”.

The findings come just days after the authority announced plans to cut six hundred jobs in an attempt to reduce its budget by £41m for 2015/16 in an ongoing effort to adjust to the age of austerity.

The Council conceded that it had faced “a major financial challenge” as a result of “significant funding reductions from Welsh Government and increasing pressures on existing Council resources.”

A 2014/15 savings projection had seen the Council predicted to shave £45.4m from its budget this year, but its efforts have only been partially successful and the authority continues to face a significant shortfall ahead of the 2015/16 financal year.

The continued financial pressure on local government budgets has led to concerns that student-based facilities may suffer financial hits, with many of the capital’s library services already having been threatened with full or partial closure.

This prospect appears to have

been temporarily averted following a significant public movement to prevent the proposed action.

The existing overspend is largely accounted for by larger than predicted expenditure on health and social care in conjuction with lower than expected tax revenues.

The Liberal Democrats, the second biggest party in the council, condemned Labour’s budgetary record.

“If Labour can’t manage to put forward a credible budget and stick to it without massive overspends, they should really start reconsidering if they’re up to the job of running our city,” Cllr Judith Woodman said.

However, a council spokesman played down the scale of the dwef-

icit by pointing out that it was “partially offset by a £4m contingency which was built into the budget to reflect the risk associated with the proposed savings for 2014/15.”

Reacting against criticism, a spokesperson defended council budgets explaining: “We want to make it absolutely clear that the Council is on course to bring in a balanced budget this year and this is reflected in the Report going to Cabinet on Thursday.

“The directorate overspends are partially offset by a £4m contingency which was built into the budget to reflect the risk associated with the proposed savings for 2014/15, which at £48.6m was significantly higher than the level of savings required in previous budgets.

“

Students appear to expect sexual harassment as part and parcel of their university experience

”

“ Student based facilities may suffer financial hits

Alexander Norton

Pictured: Cardiff Town Hall

Elections kicks off with the Candidates’ Question Time

Nine candidates drop out of the runnings before manifestos are released, leaving only two running for SU President

Georgia Hamer

Campaign Week kicked off on Tursday, 19th February with ‘Candidates Question Time’, an event which gives the student community the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the candidates running for each of the elected positions.

Between the Period of Notice and the release of candidate manifestos, a substantial nine candidates pulled out of the running.

Most notably Faraz Alauddin, current VP Welfare, dropped out of the race for SU President. Tis leaves just two candidates running for the position; Claire Blakeway, current VP Heath Park and Barney Willis, current VP Societies.

Te fact that the election for the highest ranking job is now just a twohorse race means that the role is now at its least coveted ‘in recent memory’, according to Union officials.

“

The role is now at its least coveted ‘in recent memory’ according to Union officials

”

A further eight candidates running for various positions prematurely ended their campaigns: Benjamin Cole (Education), Tim Nagle (Heath Park), Vidya Brainerd (Heath Park), Jasmine Kew (Heath Park), Ebunoluwa Bola-Shadipe (Postgraduate Students), Lisa Childs (Postgraduate Students), Jade Cox (Ethical/Environmental) and Alexander Franklin (Welfare).

During ‘Question Time’, candidates for part-time campaign officer roles were required to answer one predetermined question followed by one question from the audience – whilst candidates for full time sabbatical roles were required to answer one predetermined question and a further two from the audience.

Due to the large number of candidates each response was limited to 30 seconds – a rule strictly enforced by outgoing SU President, Elliot

Howells.

Te audience was not allowed to pose questions directed at specific candidates or policies.

Te event, held in the Julian Hodge lecture theatre, began off with the role of LGBT+ (Women’s) Officer – a muted start, as only one candidate (Ellie Utley) was in the running for the newly formed part time position.

As of 2015/16 the role of LGBT+ Officer, currently held by Sam Cook, will be split in to two separate roles: LGBT+ (Women’s) Officer and LGBT+ (Open) Officer, a move aimed at providing better representation for LGBT+ students within the Union.

Yet the role of LGBT+ (Open) also attracted a single candidate, Jack Meldrum, who did not attend the event.

LGBT+ (Women’s) candidate Utely suggested that the splitting of the role would enable her to “raise awareness of different gender identities” and better tackle the issue of prejudice within the LGBT+ community.

Next, attention turned to the candidates running for the position of Students with Disabilities Officer: Samuel Pritchard and Diana Isajeva. Both were asked where they stand on the title of the position, in line with a recent motion brought before the Student Senate – with the body having already approved a motion to change the title of the role to ‘Accessibility Officer’.

Samuel remarked: “I am a student and I have a disability. Tat is where I stand on it,” arguing that instead of discussing whether or not the title alienates students “we should be talking about how we can help and how we can empower students.”

For her part, Diana stated that she believes that the change should “bring

positive associations to its meaning.”

Steffan Bryn Jones, the current Welsh Language Officer and the only candidate to retain the role, was next to answer questions.

Te issue was raised over whether or not the extent of the University’s financial investment in the Welsh language is justified, to which Jones replied that he has a “commitment to equality no matter what the cost.”

In a similar vein, candidates running for the position of Ethical and Environmental Officer – Sam Jenkins and Daniel Tucker – were asked why the Students Union should continue campaigning on ethical and environmental issues given that students tend to rank this as very low on their list of priorities.

In response, Jenkins boldly exclaimed that “regardless of whether or not people think it’s important, it’s important,” adding that “fossil fuels will kill us if we continue to use them”.

Tucker cited the University’s £2.5 million investment in fossil fuels (revealed by Gair Rhydd in December 2014), exclaiming that the role of Ethical and Environmental Officer tackles issues that “affect all of us and the world around us”.

Soon after, the candidates running for International Students’ Officer –Sarah Al Sayed and Grace Piddington – discussed how they would make themselves approachable to such a wide range of students.

Te current International Students’ Officer has expressed difficulties with engaging with students, but both candidates stressed the importance of listening to the wants and needs of the electorate; Al Sayed noted that she would use social media to interact more with students.

Ahmed Laajam, who is also running

for the position, was not present at the evening’s event.

Te three candidates for the role of Women’s Officer were next to the podium – Amy Bullard, Leah Hibbs and Rachael Melhuish.

Bullard was the first of the candidates to speak, opening with discussing a “high profile year for the Women’s Association”. One of her key aims is to ensure the provision of non-profit sanitary products via the Students’ Union, following in the footsteps of the University of East Anglia (UEA).

Melhuish, currently chair of Cardiff University Women’s Association, emphasised the Union’s ‘Zero Tolerance Policy’ concerning sexual assault, stressing that if elected she would ensure better support services for victims of the crime.

A member of the audience then questioned the candidates over why there should be a Women’s Officer but no male equivalent.

Melhuish responded saying that “men are also subject to issues such as sexual assault, but the number of male victims is disproportionate to the number of female victims.”

Hibbs noted that “women face daily discrimination,” citing the fact that only one member of the current full time elected team in the Union is female.

Te first full time position to be discussed was VP Sports and AU President - this year only two candidates are running for the position (Sam Parsons and Steph Pugh), which in previous years has been highly contested.

Te first question referred to the hotly debated question of whether or not sports society initiations should be banned.

Parsons said that it is important that sports teams are “open and honest”

Pictured: Barney Willis speaking at the Candidates Question Time alongside Claire Blakeway (Photographer: Greg McChesney)

8 NEWS

Continued from the previous page

with the Union, stating that initiations “will still happen” and that more needs to be done to put boundaries in place –Tis will ensure that Freshers are aware that their participation in initiations will not affect their status in the sport and they can leave at any point.

Pugh also stressed the importance of making sure students are able to opt out of initiations, adding that a move towards an “era of welcome drinks” is required.

Following questions from the audience, each of the candidates running for full time positions were also allocated a five second window to state their priority for the year if they were to be voted in.

Pugh insisted that she will focus on “facility reviews”, ensuring that sports facilities are above the standard of other universities – whilst Sam claimed that he hopes to “reduce the cost of sport for students so more people can play sport whilst at uni.”

Next, questions were directed at the seven candidates running for VP Education – Olivier van den BentKelly, Will McLoughlin, Olivia (Livi) Gilbert, Felicity Holmes-Mackie, Sophie Timbers, Matthew Jenkins and Beth Innes. Te first to be posed was whether or not tuition fees should reflect the number of contact hours linked to each course.

Generally, candidates spoke out against the proposal. Timbers stated that “we all pay for a university degree” and it’s “fair we are all treated equally”, whilst Innes argued that varying course fees “might encourage schools to reduce contact hours to reduce the cost and draw in more students.”

Candidates were also asked how they would tackle inconsistencies in marking, leading Gilbert to suggest that “more detailed mark schemes are required” so that “everyone knows what the goals are.”

However, Holmes-Mackie noted the sheer number of “exams, essays and markers in the uni” meant that there can be “no one particular way of dealing with it”.

Candidates were questioned over whether or not they think it is right to charge international students higher fees than domestic students – a question which received a wide range of responses.

that international students “should be allowed the same as everyone else.”

McLoughlin expressed similar views, insisting that “international students enrich our lives, culture and education” and he would “like to see more students study abroad”.

Innes was the only candidate to bring up the fact that Welsh students pay even than other British students, a point further noted by Welsh Language Officer, Steffan Bryn Jones.

Timbers stated that she “does not believe you can charge the same amount” as “it’s only fair as we would have to pay higher fees if we went to university abroad”.

Following this debate, the candidates for the position of VP Postgraduate Students Officer took to the stage.

Previously a part time position, the role is now to be made full time following a discussion at the Cardiff Students’ Union Annual General Meeting. Tree candidates are in the running – MJ Melissen, Katie Kelly and Tomas Malo Tollefsen.

All candidates emphasised their approval of the creation of a full time role, with Melissen arguing that the “Union needs to market events for postgrads better” and that “events held now do not meet the needs of post grads”.

Tollefsen expressed similar views, boldly claiming that “post-grads are not taken seriously” by existing services.

He also criticised the Union’s marketing of events, ridiculing the institution for asking postgraduate students: “would you like to go to Solus and get pissed?”

Kelly noted that postgraduates are not integrated well within the Union, arguing that there needs to be improved communication as many people are “not even aware of the postgrad association”.

Next on the agenda was the debate between the candidates for the role of VP Societies, of which there were seven: James Clarke, Hannah Sterritt, Joe Perrins, Claire Wisener, James Ledward, Nicolas Rothera and Becci Guymer.

“absurd”, suggesting that “there should be no limit to the diversity of societies”. Sterritt was the only candidate who expressed support for the capping of societies, but stated that she felt we are “nowhere near that yet”. She added: “Cardiff is a brilliant place where very niche societies are celebrated and encouraged and I wouldn’t was to lose sight of those in favour of numbers.”

A number of the candidates also spoke about reviewing the society tier system. Rothera proposed “separate tier systems for different groups of societies”, whilst Ledward stressed that the system is “invaluable” and can be used to ensure societies offer what they say they will.

Next, candidates running for the most hotly contested position, VP Welfare, took to the front of the lecture theatre. A total of twelve candidates turned out – Jess Davies, Sam Cook, Kate Delaney, Myles Stenlake, Tom Davies, Alexander Franklin, Laura Knight, Dominic Dicks, Nadine Dahan, Eliza Walwyn-Jones, Daniyal Zafar, Himanshu Kishnani and Jake Smith.

questions over how they will support students who start their courses at different times of the year (such as March intake nurses) - all candidates stressed the importance of listening to students. In particular, Sadh said that she would “listen and adhere to the wants of students”.

It was recognised that a large number of students have no interaction with the Union – with many not even aware that elections are happening. In terms of how she would improve communication, Richards suggested the start of a regular newsletter to Heath students.

Te final candidates to face questioning on the night were those running for the top job: that of SU President. Following the withdrawal of Faraz Alauddin, the running is between Barney Willis and Claire Blakeway.

Pugh stressed the importance of making sure students are able to opt out of [...] a move towards an era of “welcome drinks is required” “

Van den Bent-Kelly noted that international students already have higher living costs as they have to pay to use services such as the NHS, stressing that “education is a right” and

Te first question posed to candidates pertained as to whether or not the number of societies should be capped so that resources are not spread as thinly. Te majority of candidates spoke very strongly against the proposal. Rothera stated that there is “no such thing as too many societies” and that any limitation would “reduce opportunities for students”.

Clarke described the ideas as

Candidates were asked whether or not they felt sexual or mental health should take priority within the role. All were in agreement that both issues are of extreme importance – but many expressed the view that sexual health currently requires more attention within the Union.

Dicks argued that the two are “interlinked issues”, whilst Smith noted that “Cardiff University generally ranks poorly for sexual health” and that current services are poor. Delaney expressed similar views, proposing that the Union should “relieve the pressure placed on sexual health society ‘SHAG’.

Due to the sheer number of candidates running for the position, the decision was made to split the candidates into two separate groups who each answered a different question. Te issues discussed were the candidates’ views on the provision of support for students with children and access to sexual health screening.

Te penultimate group to face questioning were the candidates running for the position of VP Heath Park – Hina Sadh, Katey Beggan and Chloe Richards. George Powney was also scheduled to run for the position, but was not in attendance at the event.

Richards stressed that she aims to make the “Union more accessible” for Heath students, whilst – in response to

Te candidates were tackled over the weighty issue of whether Cardiff University should remain a part of the National Union of Students (NUS). In response to this, Blakeway highlighted the role of the NUS in foregrounding university issues on a national level.

Both candidates were in agreement that they do not believe there is a need for a full time Welsh Language Officer. Willis argued that there is “an argument for all part time positions to be made full time”, whilst that “sometimes less is more”.

Blakeway added that it is “part of all officers remit to represent the Welsh language”.

Both insisted that they truly believe their manifesto points to be achievable – Willis insisted that “otherwise I wouldn’t have put it in my manifesto”, whilst Blakeway cited her achievements this year in the role of sabbatical officer as an indication “passion” for the job.

In the final query of the night, candidates were asked (in the presence of current SU President, Elliot Howells) what they felt was the biggest thing that the current President had failed to achieve and how would they address this.

Both candidates were sure to commend Elliot for doing a “fantastic job”, but drew attention to student engagement. Blakeway announced her intention to make the Students’ Union “one of the best in the world”, whilst Willis announced the need to engage with the “14,000 students we don’t currently engage with”.

Candidates were tackled over the weighty issue of whether Cardiff University should remain a part of the National Union of Students (NUS)

Pictured: VP Education candidates speaking at the Candidates Question Time

Pictured: SU President, Elliot Howells, addressing candidates of the most hotly contested position, VP Welfare

FOR & AGAINST

DOES FIFTY SHADES NORMALISE ABUSE?

Sex sells - but at what cost?

FOR: Sophie Lodge

Before you all start shouting at me about how great sex is, and how people should be allowed to explore sex and everything that comes with it, I totally agree with that. Sex is great. While I’ve never tried BDSM myself, I’ve heard that it’s a lot of fun for those who get a kick out it. As long as what you’re doing is within the law and all parties consent I say hey, enjoy yourselves. But the problem I have with Fifty Shades of Grey is not the scandalous sex scenes, but the abusive relationship that lies at its core.

Te relationship between Ana and Christian is not an aspirational one. It is manipulative and abusive. Most of this does not stem from their bedroom antics, but from the romantic relationship (or lack of) throughout the story. Ana is a virgin with no relationship experience when she first meets Mr Grey, and there are signs throughout the book showing how uncomfortable she is with their relationship. Christian’s reaction to this is to switch between ignoring her and obsessively stalking her.

The relationship between Ana and Christian is not an aspirational one. It is manipulative and abusive.

Tis may just have been E.L. James’ attempt to create a ‘will-they-won’tthey’ drama, but psychologists who have studied the relationship between Ana and Christian have found every interaction between them was emotionally or physically abusive. She is stalked, she is intimidated, she is isolated and she shows multiple signs of being a victim of abuse.

Having a happy and healthy relationship with a sexual partner is important in any liaison – but none more so than if you are engaging in something as sensitive as BDSM. You need to be able to trust your partner and know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. It is hard to know exactly

what Ana did and did not consent to when she didn’t even fully know what was happening.

However the most significant way Fifty Shades, in my opinion, normalises abuse is through the fame that it has garnered. A poorly written piece of fan-fiction has been given a grand stage on which to proclaim how women secretly want to be treated, and what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour from a partner – sexually and emotionally.

Sex is such a taboo subject in our culture that media becomes one of our only ways of learning, and what worries me is that victims of abuse are going to look at Fifty Shades of Grey and question their own judgement. People are going to start thinking it is OK to ignore safe words, to isolate their partners and control their means of communication. Psychologists have started to worry that this type of relationship is becoming supposedly desirable in our culture. When many representations of sex and adult relationships that young people get are coming from porn anyway, who can blame them. Fifty Shades has also become the only mainstream representation of a BDSM relationship. It’s become the blueprint for our own views towards BDSM and one that is completely wrong.

Fifty Shades is normalising abuse through the representation of a manipulative and unhealthy relationship that has been glamourized in the media. It’s being portrayed as sexy, desirable and exciting to be treated in a way that I don’t think anyone would ever desire to be treated. In short; have all the crazy sex you want, but don’t take inspiration from Fifty Shades of Grey.

Ishould probably begin by saying that I have a rule not to watch a movie unless I have already read the book it is based on. It wasn’t until my flatmates told me they decided that we will go and see Fifty Shades of Grey on Valentine ’s Day that I decided I will read the book.

Of course I had already heard a lot about the provocative erotic novel by E. L. James but I didn’t really know what to expect. I prepared myself for the worst and began reading. I must confess it didn’t take me long to finish. Whilst it was definitely one of the worst written books I have ever come across, it did make me turn the pages.

Te fact that people have arguments on whether or not Fifty Shades of Grey normalises abuse surprises me. I was expecting the abuse to begin with every flip of a page, but it never occurred. I read a lot of comments of why the main male character is abusive and I wonder if the women supporting those claims have even read the book.

One of the articles I read on the topic even stated that the book was assessed for characteristics of intimate partner violence, or IPV, using the Centers for Disease Control and Pevention’s (CDC) standards for emotional abuse and sexual violence. I made the effort to look those standards up and I don’t believe they correspond to the book.

Even though what he engages her in can easily be seen as humiliating he reminds her multiple times that she is free to leave and not only that, does not want to start it in the first place. Christian Grey makes the effort to not even kiss her before she knows what he would want

in the future. Furthermore she not only has the freedom to leave, she has the ability to modify their “contract” so that it fits her interests. In return he attempts to commit to an actual relationship - which as we understand from the book is a big deal).

To continue with why this relationship does not fit the CDC’s standards, let me point out that he does things for her through the book that are completely new for him and he wouldn’t consider doing for anybody else. Te relationship is a mutual exploration of new and unexplored grounds for both charaters..

And if that is not enough he does quite the opposite of some of the standards for an emotionally abusive or sexually violent relationship. He makes her feel beautiful and wanted; and provides her with individual liberties (in contrast to “prohibiting access to transportation or telephone”) and is protective by making sure she does not get hurt. And not only do the facts not correspond but complaints that by reading the novel people will start being abusive is like saying every time people read a murder report in the newspaper they will be encouraged to murder. Yes this book may provoke people to think about BDSM but here are some statistics –81% of boys will watch hardcore porn between the ages of 14-16. Surely with this book/film people who read it will understand it is fiction – focus should be on explaining to boys that what they see is just not real. Tis novel does not deserve all the attention it gets - people are looking too much into it.

I was

expecting the abuse to begin with every flip of a page, but it never occurred

“ ”

AGAINST: Dimana Markova

Greg McChesney

COMMENT

End of the chunder chart

With the number of teetotal students on the rise, Comment looks at whether or not drinking at uni is still a taboo

Are the rumours true? Have the incessant government ads about binge drinking worked?

Alongside Talk to Frank and the terrifying ads against speeding, government sponsored ads about binge drinking have been as much a part of our TV schedule as Big Brother and the suchlike ever were. But up until now, no-one knew how effective they were.

After three years I’ve all but thrown in the clubbing towel

”Remember the ‘Don’t Let a Good Night go Bad’ campaign? In December 2012 a report evaluating the impact of the campaign was released, and judging by the figures, effective wouldn’t be the word of choice. While the percentage of those who ‘Drink with the intention of getting drunk (at least once a week)’ dropped two percent, the number of those who agreed with the statement ‘I don’t have to get drunk to have a good night’ dropped from eighty percent to seventy percent; not exactly ideal. Tese statistics would imply that government ads are solely the realm of beige GP waiting rooms and squalid bus stations. And perhaps they might have been, were it not for data recently released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

In a picture that seems to contradict stereotypes of Britons as incurable binge drinkers, the ONS reports that nearly one fifth of adults have cut alcohol out of their diets entirely, while regular binge drinking has dropped three percent to fifteen percent since 2005. Te biggest surprise of the study was the revelation that young adults experienced the largest drop, with the older population remaining unchanged. What has happened in the past ten years to create this change? Are we finally getting past the erroneous concept that teetotallers are more than social recluses and ex-alcoholics? In 2005 during the initial suvery, I was thirteen and not exactly sipping on gin and juice, but over the course of the past year and a half I’ve made a move of my own; a move away from binge drinking. Before you start guessing the height of the horse I’m supposedly sitting on, I’m not claiming any sort of moral victory; it’s just that I’m exhausted by it. Five out of seven days in my fresher’s week in first year I was smashed, a trend I continued throughout second year and if anything increased during my year abroad. It was only in this

Tough love doesn’t

mean

people

punishing

on benefits

Zach Hughes

D– my final year – that I realised my habits of excess during predrinks were a coping mechanism for the inevitable ‘club’ night. After three years I’ve all but thrown in the clubbing towel; all the embarrassing shuffling on the dancefloor and pitifully awkward conversations have reached their end, but where does that leave me now? Am I now going to be that guy that sits in the corner at parties choosing songs because he has nothing else to do? Will I be

smug when I say to people ‘don’t think I’m heading out tonight, I’m not into clubbing anymore’? I don’t think so, because it seems a lot of people around me are feeling the same way. I can’t call myself teetotal, that I’ll admit. Sit me down and put a pint of Guinness on the table and I’m a happy man. However, that pint will be one of two, maybe three at most; no longer do I feel the need to force down a half litre of vodka just so I can face the night out.

Why the fat tax is

avid Cameron has recently proposed another ingenious idea in the run up to the next general elections. I think it’s a load of rubbish. Whilst on the surface it may come across as the dosage of tough love that our nation’s moneyscrounging fatties and addicts need, this proposal is another example of an agenda that looks to benefit the ruling class and undercut the disadvantaged. Continuing the Tories unashamed campaign against those with their hands held out, this proposal couldn’t have come at a more heinous time.

Let’s just break this down and try removing any sense of political stance here. Recently the public has been exposed to information showing HSBC’s money laundering of wealthy clients allowing them to

wrong

avoid tax in this country. Tax evasion is an issue that seems to be popping its ugly head up an awful lot lately. Examples of Cameron’s biased stance on such issues are clearly reflected in his condemning of Alan Carr’s tax evasion, but his decision to ignore questions and comments on Gary Barlow. Both of these celebrities were involved with sophisticated tax evasion schemes, yet as Barlow is a high profile Tory supporter it seemed that despite Cameron’s own claims of running the government with the toughest tax laws, chums that put pennies in his back pocket are rewarded autonomy. Similarly clients of HSBC are also donors to the Tory party meaning Cameron is yet to speak out on such issues.

Now whilst it may seem that I’ve got side tracked on a rant about tax

evasion here my point is that it seems wholly audacious that this proposal comes at this time and in a climate such as the one that currently exists. Cameron, once again, is targeting the disadvantaged and is displaying his malice against the vulnerable. In my opinion something has gone horrifically wrong when those who are earning most in the country are contributing the least, yet those who are targeted by our country’s government are people with health and substance abuse issues.

Tis is why I feel this proposal isn’t just tough love. It isn’t just a firm no-nonsense approach. It’s merely a guise and an attempt to get the people of this country to turn against their own, rather than those who are really creating a disparity of wealth and destroying

what little is left of egalitarian 21st century society. I firmly believe that nothing will be achieved by this proposal. People won’t stop taking drugs or abusing food just because they think there won’t be any benefits for them if they can’t stop. In these two instances what you have are people that are unwell. Rather than getting to the end of the cycle and deciding that the benefits are the reason they’ve gotten there, it surely makes more sense to look at the system which they’ve come from. We should instead look to make the changes which create a country that cares, educates and looks after its own. Questions need to be asked as to why we have a society which produces such people, rather than evaluating them as a financial loss that needs to be redeemed.

“

” Cameron, once again, is targeting the disadvantaged and is displaying his malice against the vulnerable

Pictured: Remnants of a drunken night

(Source: Timquijano, Flickr)

Pictured:

Jobcentre Plus in Cambridge, UK.

Stereotyping religious groups isn’t helping anyone

Agigantic question mark covered in red glitter is bound to grab your attention; so are free cake and hot drinks. Being sweet-toothed and a caffeine addict, I couldn’t say no when a group of friendly people stopped me on Park Place, offering a myriad of tempting sweets. I started chatting to them, and it didn’t take long to find out they were students at Te Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics holding a series of talks on various topics which, undoubtedly, sounded appealing and thought-provoking. However, my first thought upon being invited to their next speech was “No way I’m going!”

In the past, as a non-Christian, as well as a member of the LGBT+ community, I have encountered quite a few alleged Christians trying to impose

their religion on me. In the past I have found Christian groups that I have encountered to be judgemental – and they have approached me in the street simply to justify opinions that I will never agree with. Tis made no sense to me. I was under the impression that Christianity is centred around the notion of unconditional love. Terefore, I tend to have a reserved attitude toward both Christians and these kinds of events; I assumed those organising them would be close-minded and the speeches dull and conservative, ultimately attempting to force the likes of me to convert.

However, after our chat turned into an amicable philosophical debate, I decided to tag along for the last two events. Admittedly, I was curious –the topic was “Faith in the Fashion

World” (which doesn’t really sound like somebody throwing their religion in your face). I was pleasantly surprised. Ex-supermodel Tracy Trinita shared her personal story, particularly her struggle with emotional emptiness in her pursuit of happiness, her exploration of different religions, and what she found appealing in Christianity. Similarly, attendees discussed their personal experiences and spiritual views. Obviously, I was the odd one out. I expected to be met with scornful reactions; however, I found myself in a non-judgmental atmosphere. Every person that I spoke to seemed genuinely interested in my religious beliefs, and curious about the differences, without trying to get me to convert. Not once did I hear anyone say that what they believe in

Snitch.

Em Gates

IIt is about all students, all young people, all civilians keeping quiet in order not to mess with the status quo of systematic normality

is absolute.

Tis experience was very different from most, if not all of my previous ones. It has made me realise one thing: we are so used to stereotyping everything and everyone, that we may not even realise it. I had let my rather unpleasant personal experiences define the way I felt about a whole community. And I am not the only one. For instance, the way Islam is viewed by many is worrying. Over-generalising is particularly dangerous; just because some terrorists happen to be Muslims does not automatically mean all Muslims are terrorists, nor inherently bad. It is time to move beyond negative religious stereotypes that misrepresent whole communities and reconsider whether our opinions may be prejudiced without us even realising it.

Why are students so afraid of telling the truth?

t’s always going to be hard to speak out against people who are higher than us. Recently, there have been issues regarding Treatment, an external club night that frequents Cardiff Students’ Union. After incidents of drug dealing become apparent within the event, the staff of the SU (who are students themselves) have been asked to crack down on it and report anyone seen to be involved. Tis has lead to some staff having to choose between friendships and their jobs, turning bartenders and waitresses into whistleblowers.

Worse still, students who have issues regarding their course also feel like they can’t say anything to anyone in fear of being punished. Some students, in particular healthcare students who not only face repercussions from the University but also from the NHS who fund their studies, feel like it isn’t their place to speak out about incidents within their studies. Abusive patients and irregular timetables

are both said to be the major issues within the courses based on the heath campus, but aren’t reported in fear of being shut down by their supervisors or kicked out of the module. Tis is common in all courses, but even more so in healthcare with some students fearing that the NHS will revoke their tuition or refuse to continue their teaching, something highly detrimental to their career.

But this isn’t just about students studying healthcare, it is about all students, all young people, all civilians keeping quiet in order to not mess with the status quo of systematic normality, and that’s not ok! One secondyear physiotherapy student has also inputted that the professionals in the industry are the people who give out their grades, so to criticise them in turn could lead to a lower mark than the student deserves.

A change of culture needs to be encouraged majorly, because no one should be afraid of doing what’s right

for them or their peers. We put so much trust into our academic school and university, it’s not right for them to not give us what we deserve. Speaking up is a vital aspect of democracy, and to not use it not only seems wasteful and disadvantageous, but also damaging to our society, be it our university community or the greater country.

Tere are always going to be people who will call you a tell-tale, but when it comes to our studies, nothing is more important; the idea of being at university is to learn, and nothing should get in the way of that. Whistleblowing does indeed have bad connotations, especially since the imprisonment of whistle blower Chelsea Manning, but think about all the good that can be done from it as well. Your statement may be able to not only help yourself, but also the rest of your course mates who are in no doubt feeling the same way. Students have always been known as a band of people who will stand together to achieve what is

right, so don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t have a right to air your voice. You are the person in charge of your own future, so why let someone else control it?

“ ” Had let my rather unpleasant personal experiences define the way I felt about a whole community. And I am not the only one

Pictured:

Te now detained

Chelsea Manning

(Photo: Jared Rodriguez, Flickr)

Andreea Luca

JASON ROBERTS VS THE WORLD

Do. Not. Black. Up.

Race is more than a costume to wear

Jason Roberts

IBy adopting blackface, you’re indicating that race is the defining characteristic of a person, and that their actions are only meaningful within the context of their race

shouldn’t have to write this column. I really shouldn’t. I feel that in the Year of Our Lord 2015, the fact that I’ve been compelled to write a column explaining why blacking up is wrong and why you shouldn’t do it (especially when anyone who reads this column regularly knows I’d much rather write about Lidl or something of similarly little consequence) is a pretty damning indictment of where we stand as a culture when it comes to issues of race. It’s also particularly frustrating because I know that the overwhelming majority of people who read this fine publication aren’t fucking morons. You know that you shouldn’t black up, and you know why you shouldn’t. But there are people that don’t. Nigel Farage, for instance, has gone on record saying he doesn’t see the problem with it, because of course Nigel Farage doesn’t see a problem with it. More recently, student website The Tab posted an article last week entitled, ‘In defense of blacking up’, standing up for the God-given right of every student to slather themselves in as much black, brown or red paint as they see fit. The article cited the example of the York University students who in 2013 dressed up as the bobsled crew from Cool Runnings, leading the author to say, “The characters are black...so they painted themselves black. What is the problem

with this?” Wait, actually, my mistake. That was a comment left on the MailOnline’s article about the same four students. The actual line was, “they aren’t using this costume to be derogatory or ‘perpetuating stereotypes’ – they are just dressed as the main characters from Cool Runnings.” You can see how that’s confusing, right?

It shouldn’t bear reminding that blackface originated as a mockery of black people and black culture, and is but only one chapter in the sordid, shameful history of racism. It’s for this reason that the idea white people taking offence to ‘whiting up’ doesn’t really work; whiteface hasn’t been used by a significant majority to undermine the culture of white people. By adopting blackface, you reduce an entire race of people to a costume. You reduce an entire race of people to a set of characteristics that they must be seen as, before they can be seen as anything else. The fact that we still see headlines like “FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT” or “FIRST BLACK DISNEY PRINCESS” is indicative of how we still differentiate by race, because it’s what we see first. Generations before us grew up with blackface as acceptable, which reinforced the ‘us and them’ mentality entrenched within society. Blackface is no longer the norm, because society realized a while ago that it was fucking stupid.

When students black up, I doubt many do so in an effort to actively participate in the mockery of a certain people or culture. But, the thing is, when you black up, the intent behind your decision is meaningless. By adopting blackface, you’re indicating that race is the defining characteristic of a person, and that their actions are only meaningful within the context of their race. And surprisingly, people who aren’t white don’t think of themselves as ‘not white’. They think of themselves as people.

I’m perhaps lucky that, although being half Indian, I look, sound, and act, ‘white’. Perhaps if I didn’t, I’d be subject to more questions about why I study journalism instead of maths or engineering. Or why I can’t cook a curry. Or why my Indian mother, a good Christian lady, isn’t a Hindu. I count myself very fortunate that I don’t have to deal with the vast majority of racist, stereotypical bullshit that seems to be part and parcel of not being white. At the heart of all of this is the false concept of ‘real racism’, which obviously varies wildly depending on who you are and what you believe, as evidenced by the fact that this is still a debate. But we should remember that racism isn’t always overt, nor is it always intentional. It’s just that we tend to look at racism in black and white terms, as though racism is only considered

legitimate in extreme cases, like a group of white men stopping a black man getting on a train. However, the problem with that is that it’s the subtle and unintentional racism that’s much more widespread throughout society is seen as less of a problem. In fact, often the opposite is true. Ask any young black men in London that have been stopped by the police because they fit a conception. Ask any Muslim who’s been randomly searched at an airport. Ask any Native American who’s been campaigning for years against the misappropriation of their people as mascots for sports teams. Discrimination is a lot harder to stop when we don’t see it as real, and blackfacing is a form of discrimination as real as any of the ones you’ve just read. Despite what some may tell you, our society is a multicultural one where a multitude of races coexist very well. It works because minority groups now have some sort of voice in the way they’re represented. But it would be naïve to suggest that we now live in a glorious post-racial Britain where everyone judges each other by the content of their character, because we see every day that stereotypes still exist. Blackfacing, brownfacing, redfacing, whateverfacing – they’re just part of the lifesupport system that keeps those stereotypes alive. Don’t be part of the problem.

Te awkward moment the signifier meets the signified

It’s hardly surprising; more obsessive oddballs means more ivory backscratchers for all the execs on the board

Pictured:

Welcome to our Advice section, where we bring you tips for surviving Cardiff university life email us: advice@gairrhydd.com

Is this it? Te dilemmas, doubts and discoveries of a university relationship

Ciara Rafter discusses the relationship doubts students face during third year when the real world is approaching, when support in making the right decision is needed

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day last week, love is on the mind. Tough day to day, we can lose sight of the importance of significant others, the celebration of love puts our priorities into perspective. Tere is a constant, continuous debate as to whether we should be in a relationship or stay single during our time at university.

Our views on this debate are construed individually and are based on various life happenings such as our parent’s long lasting marriage first blossoming in their university years or our parent’s not-so-long lasting marriage beginning when they were students. But is it our place to say whether the basis of a love story even matters? Can love happen anywhere and still be successful?

What do you think?

Have your say: advice@ gairrhydd.com

Contrary to the stories told by couples on their golden anniversary suggesting that love hurdles all, the story that you cannot help but wonder when you are actually at university facing the troubles of relationships is whether or not university is a weak ground for everlasting love. Tis phase usually arises during the last year at university. Te second year perks of feeling content and stable are vanished as the stresses of your final year arrive.

Everybody tells you that third

year is hard work, but that statement does not sink in until you are actually in third year and can experience it for yourself. Now that you have developed a bond with lecturers, a loving partner and the perfect set of friends, you walk into third year with your head held high, only for you to be hit by the unexpected increase in the amount of seminar prep and the lack of nights out. Yet somehow at the same time, the regret of how much alcohol you had last night causes you to call off the day completely. You have learnt that coursework is not a ‘put off until the day before the deadline’ kind of activity and reality sets in because you realise that real life starts this year.

For so long, it was so far away that you could not even see the sight of it, then it was next year, and now it is this year. A large chunk of your time is dedicated to thinking about life after university, unless you want to be homeless and jobless. And alas, the one stable factor in your life that is your relationship cannot help but fall into this category of stress too.

‘Is this the only face I want to wake up to for the rest of my life?’, ‘Did I miss out on my last possible chance of freedom?’ are common queries which sum up into the general thought of ‘this is it?’ Maybe you met each other

when you were young but you managed to successfully get through the transition of a high school relationship to a university one or you met at university. Either way, the future of your love was never a problem until the date when real life begins was set.

Now that graduation dates have been announced and university is undoubtedly coming to an end, you can no longer push your doubts that you do not want to deal with to the back of your mind. It is confrontation with yourself and your heart. Te thought ‘this is it?’ suggests fears of having life planned out for you already. For some people, knowledge of the future is reassurance that life will be content, but we are only 20-something year olds, and although we are made to believe we need to have it ‘figured out’ - whatever that means - in actual fact, we do not. A content life does not necessarily mean a fulfilled life. But for some people, that is enough. Others live off their curiosity of the world and will always want to explore more of the unknown.

Tese thoughts often cause people to think they are doing something wrong, but this is a crucial stage of being a young 20-something in a relationship. Tis is the equivalent of a mid-life crisis for young adults. We

are nurtured to believe that some things are right and some things are wrong, you are a good person or you are a bad person. But the truth is that we are human and humans are flawed.

When you are in a relationship, your significant other becomes a part of you and when you are forced to face your early life crisis, it is difficult to separate what you want as a couple versus what you need as an individual.

Doubts are normal and important because they show that you are separating want from need. But it is important to remember that life is not supposed to be planned. You are not supposed to know if you will find greater happiness with or without your partner because life is about facing unknown situations and dealing with the consequences. Tat way, life stays exciting and unpredictable. It is okay to have a radical life change and explore your freedom and fall in love multiple times, and it is also okay to stay with your university love. But either way, a good outlook to have differs from what fairy tales tell us, that we have one true love and if it doesn’t last, then it wasn’t true love – rather, love comes in all shapes and forms and a relationship that ends should not be deemed it as unsuccessful or ‘a waste of time’.

You can no longer push the doubts you don’t want to deal with to the back of your mind

Ciara Rafter

Continued from the previous page

Kirsty Fardell

Instead of comparing our relationships to perceptions that we were taught to believe, we need realise that the world is not a questionnaire with only two options. Only you can decide what the right decision for you is. Do not worry about the pressures of society, what your parents will think, and how your partner will feel. Sure, your relationship has taken up a good chunk of your adolescence, but comparing that to the amount of time you have left, it is miniscule. Maybe it will turn out to be a part of your life forever, but do not let that possibility stop you from achieving your dreams, because your relationship is not the only part of your future. Christina Yang of Grey’s Anatomy concludes this perfectly, “he is very dreamy, but he is not the sun. You are”.

Lacking employability? Struggling with

Needing leadership skills?

Te Skills Development Service can help you improve all of these areas with courses that will boost any CV

TVisit their website at http://tinyurl. com/oudkzkp

he Skills Development Service (SDS) give you the opportunity to make your CV stand out when applying to any job. Tey aim to build your confidence, improve transferable skills and increase your employability potential. Tey provide courses that will award you with certificates that will be highly regarded by employers – the complete package for a platinum CV. Te professional services firm PwC are also involved with the SDS, so you’re guaranteed to gain a great experience.

Te courses are broken down into three main areas. Te Certificate of Professional Development provides training in communication, personal effectiveness and leadership. Te end certificate is achieved by attending

five two-hour sessions on the areas, and is signed by the Vice-Chancellor and the President of the Student’s Union. Perhaps you want to improve your speaking and presenting skills, work on your stress management or develop your assertiveness as a leader – the wide range of sessions available means there is something for everyone.

Another main area are the additional sessions to help your confidence and employability. Tere are several one and two-hour sessions to improve a variety of issues you may be facing, such as a CV and cover letter help session, information on how to gain work experience and internships, surviving exam anxieties as well as advice on keeping your fi-

nances safe.

Te final main aspect is the externally-accredited courses, such as an emergency first aid course, a British Sign Language course and a STEPS to Excellence for Personal Success course, run by the Pacific Institute.

Students are able to enrol on the courses at any time. Te Certificate of Professional Development course can be completed over several terms as they repeat the sessions each term, you just have to have time to fit in all five units. Students have to book onto these courses and booking in advance is recommended, especially for the externally-accredited courses as they are less frequent.

Tey are also working to develop some courses that offer a more ‘be-

spoke’ group of skills for students with specific career goals.

Enhancing your CV with these courses could be a vital part of getting a job after you graduate as they give you additional skills and qualifications that will make you look employee-ready. Last year they engaged with 2,120 individual students, so join all the people smart enough to plan ahead.

To book onto any of the internal courses visit http://tinyurl.com/p7n9wuo and email sds@cardiff.ac.uk to gain a place on the externally-accredited courses. Visit their website at www.cardiffstudents.com/jobs-skills/ skills-development-service for extra information on the courses and the sessions that they provide.

They offer externallyaccredited courses that provide a certificate after completion

Pictured: Love locks attached to a bridge

This is not a conflict between Islam and the West. This is a conflict between the core values of our society and violent extremists

POLITICS

Anti-semitic crimes on rise

Politics assess the implications of recent attacks on the Jewish community

Recent terror attacks on Jewish communities across Europe reflect an alarming rise in antiSemitic hate crimes over the past few years. Te Charlie Hebdo gunmen’s killing of four hostages in a kosher supermarket last month, and the terror attacks on the 14th and 15th February in Copenhagen which left two people dead are the most recent and high profile among them.

In 2014 the Community Security Trust, a London-based charity dedicated to monitoring anti-Semitism in the UK reported that anti-Semitic incidents had more than doubled that year, with their highest ever annual total of 1,168 attacks against Britain’s 291,000 Jews.

Teir findings were also reflected in similar organisations across Europe, prompting the first ever meeting of the U.N. specifically dedicated to addressing the rise in anti-Semitic violence, which took place this January.

Te question is, why are these hate crimes on the increase? Danish Prime Minister Helle Torning-Schmidt said

of the Copenhagen shootings that although extremism is to blame, violent extremism is not confined to Muslims, “I want to underline that this is not a conflict between Islam and the West. Tis is not a conflict between Muslims and non-Muslims. Tis is a conflict between the core values of our society and violent extremists.”

Indeed, although the Charlie Hebdo and Copenhagen shooters were Muslim, the rise in anti-Semitic attacks has included many non-Muslim hate crimes, such as the firebombing of multiple synagogues across France and in Germany last year.

Tese incidents have been linked by some organisations to the conflict in Israel and Gaza, although the Community Security Trust reports that after taking the conflict into account, the rise of attacks in the UK outstrips what would have been expected.

Additionally, it should be noted that it is not only anti-Semitic hate crimes that are increasing across Europe.

In the week after the Charlie Hebdo shooting, 54 anti-Muslim incidents

Rape law undergoes significant changes

In the eyes of the law, when two people are to engage in sexual relations consent must be given fully and freely by each party. All is set out in the Sexual Offences Act s74-76, which outlines that “a person consents if he agrees by choice, and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice.” Regarding the crime of rape the definition is centred on force and consent, the victim of this crime can be male or female. Consent has become a hot topic in light of numerous cases involving women being drunk, the issue being whether they drunkenly consented, or were too drunk to give consent.

New guidelines have been formed which instructs officials to look at the whole context and surrounding circumstances of a rape allegation. It spells out that behaviour such as staying silent, drinking or using contraception does not signify consent. Te CPS has stated that the guidelines would help dispel “myths and stereotypes” about rape. Te document specifies that consent cannot be given where someone is incapacitated through drink or drugs or where a suspect held a position of power over the potential victim as a teacher, an employer or a doctor.

Te guidelines were launched at the first national conference on rape inves-

tweet us @GairRhyddPol mail us politics@gairrhydd.com or visit us online at gairrhydd.com/politics

were reported in France. Of these incidents, 21 included reports of shootings or grenade throwing at mosques, an echo of the anti-Semitic synagogue attacks. Tese crimes were not merely an isolated reaction to the shooting, but part of an alarming increase in Islamophobic sentiment across Europe, coinciding with the rise of right-wing populism.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has connected this rise to recent anti-Islamic protests in the country, arguing that they are driven by prejudice and a hatred of foreigners. It seems that this kind of prejudice is only becoming more widespread. Some see UKIP’s rise in popularity as symptomatic of this increase in prejudice.

tigations, held jointly by the CPS and police forces in England and Wales. Men accused of date rape will need to convince police that a woman consented to sex as part of a major change in the way sex offences are investigated.

Te Director of Public Prosecutions said it was time for the legal system to move beyond the concept of “no means no” to recognise situations where women may have been unable to give consent. Tis now means that rape victims can no longer be “blamed” by society if they are too drunk to consent to sex, or if they simply freeze and say nothing because they are terrified of their attacker.

New guidance will be issued to all police forces and prosecutors as part of a “toolkit” to move rape investigations into the 21st century. Te reasoning behind this includes the fact that the most recent figures showed that just 15,670 women reported rapes to the police, often because they thought it would be impossible to prove the offence, or because they did not have any confidence in the police’s ability to help them, with only 1,070 convictions resulting from the 2,910 cases that went to court.

Te ability to consent to sex should also be questioned where someone has mental health problems, learning dif-

ficulties or was asleep or unconscious at the time of an alleged attack, it said. Situations involving previous incidents of domestic violence or those where the complainant ‘may be financially or otherwise dependent on their alleged rapist’ should also be scrutinised, according to the CPS.

A judge retiring from Oxford Crown Court recently drew heavy criticism when she suggested that the conviction rate for rape would not increase until women stopped drinking so heavily that they could not consent

– the implication being the woman may be at fault for being drunk, rather than a male defendant raping a vulnerable, intoxicated woman.

Tis incentive is regarded as a step in the right direction for all victims. Many in mainstream society share the view of the retiring judge; that the victims were at fault for drinking. Changes to consent law demonstrate that it is not a crime to drink, but it is a crime for a rapist to target someone who is no longer capable of consenting to sex because of drinking.

It spells out that behaviour such as staying silent, drinking or using contraception does not signify consent

Tamsin Dykstra

Kimberly Williams

Pictured: Te wake of the Copenhagen attacks

Pictured: Walk Against Rape 2009 Credit: Steve Rhodes

“The party has announced powers over fracking would be devolved to Wales if Labour wins the General Election

”Miliband: Tax avoidance crackdown

Ed Miliband told his party’s Welsh conference how a future government led by him would tackle the “scourge of tax avoidance”. Mr Miliband, speaking at the conference in Swansea, said there is one rule for the rich and another for everyone else, claiming that this threatens the fabric of society. His comments follow the row over HSBC, which is accused of helping wealthy clients avoid or evade tax. Tere was plenty of blood and thunder from Labour, as with any pre-election conference and there was the big opportunity to rally to a 600 strong crowd.

Tere will be a review of HM Revenue and Customs’ approach to tax evasion and avoidance if Labour comes to power. Mr Miliband said the UK tax authority needed to “do a much better job”. He also accused the coalition of “shrugging its shoulders” on tax avoidance, which he claimed has left a £34bn hole in the UK’s finances. He said the current government had “turned a blind eye to tax avoidance because it thinks that so long as a few at the top do well the country succeeds”. Te Labour leader felt the proposed review would report back by July with recommendations for reforming the tax authority.

HMRC’s culture and practices when it came to dealing with “aggres-

sive tax avoidance” would be scrutinised, he said. Tere were pledges to bring in fresh penalties for those who avoid tax, and to close loopholes in the law. Mr Miliband said these were used by hedge funds to avoid stamp duty, and by large companies which move profits out of the UK to avoid corporation tax. Te Conservatives said HMRC’s culture and practices went wrong under Labour, to which the Labour leader responded, “In Britain today we risk having one rule for the rich and powerful and another for everybody else.”

A Conservative Party spokesman said the question being faced by Mr Miliband was “whether this inquiry would include Labour’s record during the age of irresponsibility that he was at the heart of”. Welsh Labour leader and First Minister Carwyn Jones also addressed the conference, talking about successful Welsh Government interventions like Jobs Growth Wales, increased housebuilding and the tuition fee grant. On immigration, crucially, he argued that “there is a massive gulf between the policies and spending plans of Labour and the Tories in Westminster”.

Furthermore, the party has announced powers over fracking would be devolved to Wales if Labour wins

the General Election. Tis follows the vote earlier in February by the Welsh Government to back a Plaid Cymru motion in the Senedd calling for an effective block on fracking. A number of exploratory drilling applications have been approved in the Vale of Glamorgan and surrounding area. However the Welsh Government is changing its advice to local councils on fracking, effectively putting existing plans to continue this controversial practice on hold. Labour, so far, has 26 of the 40 seats in Wales. It lost four at the last election and has set itself the target

of gaining eight this time round. Ambitious it may be, but also achievable, that’s the message from the party. Tey are aiming to win Aberconwy, Arfon, the Vale of Glamorgan, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Preseli Pembrokeshire, and crucially here, Cardiff North and Cardiff Central. One question is whether Labour will suffer as a result of the devolved issues of health and the impending election, or can be successful in persuading people that the Conservative criticism has gone too far.

Local council reorganisation

A journey back to the future?

Robert Thomas

Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews has told AMs he hopes that a new map of local authorities will be agreed upon by the summer recess. Current debate surrounding reform stems from last year’s Williams Commission’s recommendation that local councils in Wales should be reduced from the current 22 to twelve or less. It is now hoped that full formulation of these plans will be completed by 2018. Tese changes will become the third such reorganisation of local government in just over forty years and may well mirror some of the boundaries that existed up until 1996.

Vale of Glamorgan would join, creating an authority of nearly half a million residents. Local government in Wales employs up to 150,000 workers in total and a significant portion of these posts will inevitably be lost in the re-configuration process.

The Victorian map of Welsh local government lasted over 100 years

Te combination of rhetoric surrounding austerity and inefficiency of some councils in delivering services has fuelled the debate surrounding re-organisation which its advocates argue will bring about financial savings and more effective governance. Before Wales was split into its current 22 local authorities in 1996 it was made up of eight two-tier administrative counties which were sub-divided into districts. Prior to these changes in 1972, Wales was administered through its 13 ‘historic counties’ while local governance was delivered through county boroughs.

Te preference of the Welsh Government is option one proposed by Williams, which would see councils reduced to 12 in number. Perhaps most significantly Cardiff and the

While it has been stated by Leighton Andrews that “reform, not reorganisation” is his main aim, he has faced much controversy in his attempt at coercing local councils to put forward “voluntary mergers”. Tough Mr Andrews has previously rejected such mergers between Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen, and Denbighshire and Conwy, saying that he was not persuaded the councils had set out a “compelling vision” for the pairings.

Backbench AM for Swansea East Mike Hedges has said: “I think the Government has got a preferred option, that’s fine... I hope they are going to listen to other suggestions and when better options come forward, which they inevitably will, those better options will become the new preferred option.” Mr Hedges suggests West Glamorgan should be “resurrected”, adding that there is an argument for bringing in Southern Powys too.

Similarly, Ceredigion AM Elin Jones has said that: “ Te Williams Commission proposals for joining Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire have

been very unpopular. It would be a very long distance from one end of the proposed county to the other, and towns such as Pembroke Dock have little in common with Aberystwyth… Tis remains at present the Welsh Government’s preferred option, but in my view it’s completely unacceptable.” Ms. Jones has proposed an enlarged authority covering the northern half of the old county of Dyfed, also encompassing the Machynlleth area.

Te Victorian map of Welsh local government lasted over 100 years whilst modern attempts have been

ineffective in sustaining changes. Carwyn Jones has said that the current system is collapsing, arguing that: “We have to have a structure for local government that is robust in the future in the way that this structure has not been”. Setting a definitive map for local government in Wales will not be as simple as re-drawing boundaries and bolstering the strength of a “smaller but stronger” number of councils. Tere is no definitive map that must be implemented, rather many options that could be, it remains to be seen how the future map of Wales will take shape.

Daniel Heard Pictured: Welsh Labour leader and First Minister Carwyn Jones

Pictured: Left: Public Service Minister Leighton Andrews

Right: Cardiff Council Hall, likely to have to merge by 2018 with another council.

The myth of a powerful Israel Lobby is dangerous because it connects to the myth of Jews controlling the media

Yiftah Curiel

Yiftah Curiel: Defending Israel

Gair Rhydd talks to Curiel, spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in London

Yiftah Curiel has been the spokesperson for the Israeli embassy to the UK for two years now. He describes his role as being similar to that of a defence lawyer: he must defend Israel even when it does things he does not support. However Curiel says he enjoys his job and that it’s a privilege to work in London considering the influence of the UK media. He works towards getting “points of light” from the Israel-Palestine conflict into the media: “personal stories and NGOs doing great work”. “Israel is of such interest,” says Curiel that “unexpected things end up in the media” such as “a funny clip of an ostrich running down a busy street in Tel-Aviv” which ended up on the BBC.

When asked if he believes the Israel lobby makes his job easier he says he doesn’t “believe there is an Israel lobby that is really so influential” It is widely believed that the influence of the biggest US lobbying group the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is waning and no longer popular amongst American Jews. Curiel believes that the “myth” of a powerful Israel Lobby is dangerous because it connects to the myth of Jews controlling the media, which assumes some kind of Jewish agenda. In reality Jews are as diverse as any other group and they are just as capable of opposing Israeli government policy as anybody else.

He says that he has to defend his country on issues that no country should have to defend, such as ‘Should Israel be allowed to exist? Is

Israel legitimate?’ He claims every country, including the UK, has done some bad things, and people can get critical, and are allowed to get critical, but should not get into the argument over a country’s legitimacy, which Israel gets all the time. Reasonable people however do not debate Israel’s right to exist, rather Israel’s right to expand. America, like many countries, was founded in an immoral manner at the expense of the native Americans but it would be unreasonable to call into question America’s right to exist. Israel’s borders have changed constantly due to wars and settlement expansion. Curiel states that disputes over territory are “part of life in the relationships between countries,” and cites the UK’s dispute over the Falklands as an example.

Curiel does not think that organisations should recognise Palestine as our Student’s Union did last year. Curiel explains that the Israeli position is clear, that recognition should come after talks have been completed and agreed upon. “Why do we believe that? Because we think that if the Palestinians find that there are alternative ways to get recognised, alternative ways that don’t necessarily have an impact on the ground, but have a symbolic impact, then that does not encourage them to take the hard decisions that they have to take in negotiations. Now we also have to take some hard decisions in negotiations.” Israelis will consider these issues when voting in next month’s election. Curiel says “We believe that these outside recognitions are not conducive” and that both sides have to be pushed together to negotiate.

He does “think that campus involvement is great, and universities all around the world, and especially in the UK, where some of the leading universities in the world sit, should encourage dialogue about these things.” Curiel was recently in the news for criticising the academics, who protested at his Glasgow University talk. He claimed that their protest was an attack on free speech. However, it is not so clearcut: there is no Palestinian embassy spokesperson to speak on behalf of

Palestinians because there is no Palestinian state. Perhaps the protestors felt that they were addressing this imbalance; protestors must also have freedom of speech.

Curiel claims that Israel has one of the highest levels of press freedom in the world, certainly in the context of the middle east, where Israel’s “freedom of speech is unparalleled”. Curiel even believes that the Israeli press is just as robust as the UK’s. However Israel came 96th in the 2014 World Press Freedom Index behind Kosovo and Kuwait, another Middle Eastern country, whilst the UK came in 38th. Israel performed badly because of soldiers in the Israeli Defence Forces attacks on Palestinian journalists. Freedom of information is limited and security is used as an excuse.

96th

Israel’s ranking in World Press Freedom Index

Curiel stated that a secure Israel would strengthen democracy. He says that “no place is perfect”, but considering the stresses the country faces, he believes it is doing a decent job. Many people would think that it is not good enough to hope to wait for more security to bolster democracy. In the past the security threat has been used to ignore the demands of feminists and social jus-

tice campaigners as security issues are seen as more important than other issues.

Curiel says that the security situation Israel has faced in the past year is something that nobody from the UK has suffered since the Second World War; he describes hiding under a stairway in his house with his daughters two years ago because of Hamas rockets. Israel is “not Syria but it’s also not London”. The security situation makes Netenyahu’s call for European Jews to emigrate to Israel seem very odd; there are more terrorist attacks in Israel. Despite this Tel Aviv has many positives including great culture and nightlife.

There will always be those who do not want peace but they have to “suck it up”, according to Curiel, because the majority of Israelis do want peace and a two state solution. First and foremost, Curiel believes that the problem is with the terror groups.

Although the Israeli settlements deprive the Palestinians of a contiguous territory, which limits Palestinians freedom of movement and ability to form a state, Curiel does not think that settlements are the main obstacle to peace. 95% of settlements are within settlement blocks and those settlements will remain controlled by Israel under a two state solution. Palestinians will be given other land in exchange.

“

Israel pulled out thousands of settlers in 2005, who did not want to be pulled out, without any loss of life

Yiftah Curiel

”

Interview by Lauren Boyd and Carwyn WIlliams

Feature by Lauren Boyd

Pictured: Gair Rhydd Politics with Yiftah Curiel

Pictured: Jerusalem (Photographer: Florian Seiffert)

Continued from the previous page

Greg

McChesney

Rhiannon Tapp

Other settlement blocks will probably be dismantled.

Settlements cause a further problem in that some settlers are hostile to Palestinians, which can lead to attacks or the uprooting of thousands of olive trees which 100,000 Palestinians make a living from. Although Curiel says that there have been no new settlements for many years now the population of Israeli settlements has expanded at twice the rate of the population of Israel proper under Netanyahu Israel proper under Netanyahu. There is hope though: Curiel points out that Israel pulled out 8 or 9 000 settlers in 2005, who did not want to be pulled out, without any loss of life.

Curiel says that even the current PM Netanyahu from the right wing party the Likud acknowledges the two state solution. The parties of the right have largely adopted the positions that the left held under Rabin in the 1990s. Despite this John Kerry is said to be hoping that Netanyahu will not get in at the next election because the US do not consider him an ideal politician to work with to bring peace to the region. It is thought that he would prefer to work with, Tzipi Livni , the leader of the party Hatnuah which is running on a joint list with the Labour party and is known for her commitment to peace. Developments in the region make it difficult for Israelis to believe that peace will happen soon. When Israel withdrew and Hamas took over and started accepted money using Gaza as a base to fire rockets. Curiel says that brave people are needed on both sides as well as a geopolitical situation that is more stable.

Curiel says that the best time for peace was during the Oslo accords, but that it was also the best time for terrorism. That’s why Israel built the security wall. There was a positive outlook, Curiel says, “you’d think [the Palestinians] would have used the opportunity to show the world what they can do.” He says re-

building Gaza because it is difficult to strengthen the moderates without aiding extremists. He quotes the assassinated Israeli PM Rabin: “we have to fight terrorism as if there’s no peace process and fight for peace like there’s no terror.”

Many would not regard the period after the Oslo Accords as positively as Curiel. The economic situation in Gaza and the West Bank did not and does not inspire much hope. In the Palestinian territories Israeli settlers use 80-95% of the water despite only making up approximately 10% of the population. In 2014 218 communities in the West Bank were without running water. Curiel talks about the Tony Blair’s work on improvement of economic life for Palestinians. Many people worry about Tony Blair having any responsibility for peace in the Middle East but he is working on getting checkpoints down and getting water to the huge

Palestinian communities without running water

new Palestinian city of Rawabi. Curiel says there are lots of people who feel the government isn’t doing enough and criticism is legitimate. However Curiel is not a big fan of Jews for peace: “They blamed everything that happened not only on Israel but on the Jews themselves. The stuff that they said was for me outrageous: saying that ‘we Jews can only live as victims.’”

Some academics have called Israel an ethnocracy but Curiel says “the fact that we are a Jewish country does not mean we are not a democracy”. Curiel points out that Cameron has called the UK a Christian country many times recently. Curiel claims that the non-Jewish minority (20% of the population) has the highest standard of living in the Middle East.

When asked how non-Jews are supposed to feel in a Jewish state Curiel responds: “You’re meant to feel like a minority feels in the UK. Life is not perfect. There is always going to be some prejudice and racism that has to be handled and fought. But in Israel today we are probably going to have 12 Arab members of the Knesset. We have non Jews serving in the IDF.” An Arab judge also sentenced Moshe Katsav, a former Israeli president and a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, to 7 years in prison for rape in 2010.

Netanyahu has been accused of stoking tensions in Nazareth where Muslims and Christians live side by side. Some groups including Christians are exempt from serving in the IDF but Netanyahu has encouraged Christians to enlist but not Muslims, which is the source of some tension. Curiel says it is important to have grey areas, which allow the needs of different groups to be catered to. He gives the example of the ultra religious who don’t want to be near secular people so they volunteer in their own community instead.

Curiel was an artillery officer in the IDF. He says he learned what it meant to be in charge of the lives of others there. It gave him a lot of confidence: he succeeded in missions because there was no option to fail. He points out however, that some people leave the army with scars; it’s not an easy experience for everyone.

It is important not to conflate the Israeli government with the Israeli people or the Jewish community. It is legitimate to criticise the actions of the Israeli government without undermining Israeli culture or the achievements of Israeli people who may or may not support the govenment. Netanyahu has recently claimed to speak for all Jews, but this is making the same mistake often made by anti-Semites.

There has been much criticism from within Israel of Israel’s handling of last years violence, which left 490 Palestinian children dead. Hamas were accused of using children as human shields but this does not negate the fact that Israel shelled a UN run school. Israel likes to boast that it is the only functioning democracy in the Middle East:

Tzipi and Bibi: Israeli elections 2015

Early elections for the twentieth iteration of the Israeli parliament – known as the Knesset – will be held in Israel on the 17th of March following the dissolution of the previous parliament in a 22 – 0 vote in December.

Te Knesset assigns each of its 120 seats based on a parliamentary system of nationwide proportional representation, and rather than myriad local candidates, the Knesset consists instead of nationally registered political factions. In order to gain representation, a party must meet a minimum threshold of 3.25% of total votes cast.

Within the Knesset, the best represented parties (i.e. those holding the

greatest number of seats) include; the right-wing Likud Party fronted by current Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu; followed closely by the centre-left coalition of Tziporah ‘Tzipi’ Livni (of Hatnuah) and Yitzhak Herzog (of the Israeli Labor Party) collectively named the Zionist Union. Tis Union, formed in the aftermath of the dissolution of parliament and ousting of Tzipi by Prime Minister Netanyahu - are currently trading the top spot with a number fluctuating around 20 seats each.

With the acrimonious departure of Tzipi as Minister of Justice under Netanyahu there has, as ever, been a mud-slinging campaign in the lead up to the vote. Netanyahu along

with his wife Sara, have come under immense public criticism for their reckless expenditure of state-funded expenses.

A report by State Comptroller Yosef Shapira claims Netanyhau and his wife doubled their spending from 2009 to 2011 to nearly 407,000 shekels (around $106,000). Allegedly, the majority of these expenses were accrued through clothes and take-out food. Where expenses-fiddling is normally a death sentence for any politician, polls have noticed little change in Netanyahu’s popularity, a result brought about through worrying developments in the Levant. Prominent Israeli publication Haaretz has claimed that Netanyahu

Pictured: Te children who died in Iast year’s conflict 2 Israeli and 490 Palestinian (source: countthekids.org)

despite being ‘unpopular in his own constituency’ will probably become the longest serving Prime Minister in Israeli history due to his mastery of the fear generated by the threat of Islamic State. His closest competitors Herzog and Livni are very reluctant to touch upon this issue and therefore will be unable to capitalise upon the omnipresent public anxiety. Tis political tactic, dubious as it may be, is extremely effective and will in all likelihood serve as the lynchpin for the forthcoming electoral vote. Unfortunately, the potential for Netanyahu to once again lead a government in which Likud has less than a third of the seats, nor is the largest party in the Knesset, is very real.

We

have to fight terrorism as if there’s no peace process and fight for peace like there’s no terror Rabin

The potential

real “ ”

“ ”

for Netanyahu to once again lead a government is very

SPRING CIDER Ciders

March 2nd-8th

candidate manifestos Maniffestos Ymgeiswyr you decide

Elections explained

Your Students’ Union holds elections in order to allow you to choose your student representatives for the next academic year. There are seven full time Elected Officers who will work on a full time basis, taking a break from their studies or immediately after graduation, and nine part time Elected Officers who will work on a voluntary basis alongside their ongoing studies. They are your voice and act as your representatives in the Union, University and wider community, fighting for you on an institutional, local and national level.

Candidates produce manifestos that contain the ideas and principles of their campaigns. Ask yourself if they display the priorities and key creative and communication skills that you would like to see in someone who is representing you and your needs.

What positions are available?

We will be electing students for the following positions:

Full Time elecTed OFFicers: (Seven different positions available). These positions are taken up from June 15th until June the following year. These positions are full time jobs so students have to take a year out during their time in office, unless they are graduating the same year.

ParT Time OFFicers: (Nine different positions available). These positions are taken up in the beginning of July for the duration of the following academic year (2015/2016) and are carried out alongside their studies.

Nus cONFereNce delegaTes: (Two NUS Wales delegate positions available). Successful candidates commit to attend NUS Wales Conference to represent the views and interests of Cardiff students.

sTudeNT seNaTe chair: This position is taken up in the beginning of September for the duration of the academic year and is carried out alongside their studies.

Why vote?

Every single student at Cardiff University is entitled and encouraged to vote in the Students’ Union Election, it doesn’t matter if you are a home student or international student, a full time student or part time student, undergraduate or postgraduate.

Simply put: As a student at Cardiff University you will be affected by the decisions made by the Officers elected in this election. By voting, you have the opportunity to vote for the things that you want developed and improved in both the University and the Union.

Transferable voting

Transferable voting is a system which allows voters to list the candidates in order of preference. The successful candidate will need 50% of the total number of votes plus 1 in order to win. If any candidate does not receive enough support to win a seat, that candidate’s votes will be transferred to others according to voters’ next preferences.

If you don’t believe any of the candidates standing for a position have the qualities you feel are valuable, or you do not agree with their manifesto, you can vote R.O.N. R.O.N stands for 're-open nominations'. This means, should R.O.N be more popular than any of the other candidates, no one would be elected to this role and the nominations for the role would re-open, giving the opportunity to find the right person to lead your Union.

Etholiadau wedi eu Hesbonio

Mae eich Undeb Myfyrwyr yn cynnal etholiadau er mwyn caniatáu i chi ddewis eich cynrychiolwyr ar gyfer y flwyddyn academaidd nesaf. Mae yna saith Swyddog Etholedig llawn-amser a fydd yn gweithio ar sail lawn-amser, gan gymryd egwyl o’u hastudiaethau neu’n ymgymryd â’r swydd yn syth ar ôl graddio, ac wyth o Swyddogion Etholedig rhan-amser a fydd yn gweithio’n wirfoddol ynghyd â’u hastudiaethau. Nhw yw eich llais, a byddant yn gweithredu fel eich cynrychiolwyr yn yr Undeb, y Brifysgol ac yn y gymuned yn ehangach; yn brwydro ar eich rhan ar lefel sefydliadol, lleol a chenedlaethol.

Mae ymgeiswyr yn cynhyrchu maniffestos sy’n cynnwys syniadau ac egwyddorion eu hymgyrchoedd. Holwch eich hun os ydynt yn dangos y blaenoriaethau a’r sgiliau creadigol a chyfathrebu allweddol yr hoffech chi eu gweld mewn rhywun sy’n eich cynrychioli chi a’ch anghenion.

Byddwn yn ethol myfrywyr ar gyfer y swyddi canlynol:

sWyddOgiON eThOledig llaWN- amser: (mae 7 swydd wahanol ar gael). Mae’r swyddi hyn yn dechrau ar 15fed Mehefin hyd Fehefin y flwyddyn ganlynol. Swyddi llawn-amser yw’r rhain, felly rhaid i fyfyrwyr gymryd blwyddyn allan o’u hastudiaethau ar gyfer ymgymryd â hwy, oni fyddant yn graddio’r flwyddyn honno.

sWyddOgiON rhaN- amser: (mae 8 gwahanol swydd ar gael). Mae’r swyddi hyn yn cychwyn tua dechrau Gorffennaf, ac maent yn parhau am weddill y flwyddyn academaidd nesaf (2015/2016) a chant eu gwneud ochr-yn-ochr â’u hastudiaethau.

cyNrychiOlWyr i gyNhadledd ucm: (mae 9 swydd cynrychiolydd cenedlaethol a 4 cynrychiolydd UCM Cymru ar gael). Mae ymgeiswyr llwyddiannus yn ymrwymo i fynychu Cynhadledd Geneldaethol UCM neu Gynhadledd UCM Cymru i gynrychioli barn a buddiannau myfyrwyr Caerdydd.

cadeirydd seNedd y myFyrWyr: Mae’r sawl a etholir yn ymgymryd â’r swydd hon ar ddechrau Medi, am weddill y flwyddyn academaidd, a chaiff ei gwneud ochryn-ochr a’u hastudiaethau.

Pam pleidleisio?

Mae gan bob myfyriwr ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd yr hawl i bleidleisio yn Etholiadau Undeb y Myfyrwyr, a buasem yn eu hannog i wneud hynny. Nid oes ots os ydych chi’n fyfyriwr cartref neu fyfyriwr rhyngwladol, yn astudio llawn-amser neu ran-amser, yn fyfyriwr israddedig neu ôl-raddedig.

Yn y bôn: Fel myfyriwr Prifysgol Caerdydd, cewch eich effeithio gan y penderfyniadau a wneir gan y Swyddogion a etholir yn yr etholiad hwn. Drwy bleidleisio mae gennych gyfle i ddylanwadu ar y pethau ‘rydych chi eisiau eu datblygu a’u gwella, yn y Brifysgol a’r Undeb fel ei gilydd.

Pleidleisiau sy’n Trosglwyddo

Mae’r system o bleidleisiau sy’n trosglwyddo’n caniatáu i bleidleiswyr restru’r ymgeiswyr yn ôl eu hoffter ohonynt. Bydd yr ymgeisydd llwyddiannus angen 50% o’r cyfanswm o bleidleisiau ac 1 i ennill. Os oes yno ymgeisydd sydd ddim yn derbyn digon o bleidleisiau i ennill, yna caiff pleidleisiau’r ymgeisydd hwnnw eu trosglwyddo i eraill yn ôl dewis nesaf y pleidleiswyr.

Os ydych o’r farn nad oes gan unrhyw un o’r ymgeiswyr ar gyfer y swydd y nodweddion angenrheidiol, neu os ydych yn anghytuno â’u maniffesto, gallwch bleidleisio dros A.A.E. sef Ail Agor Enwebiadau. Golyga hyn pe bai A.A.E. yn fwy poblogaidd nag unrhyw ymgeisydd arall, ni chai unrhyw un ei ethol a byddai’r enwebiadau ar gyfer y swydd yn ail-agor, gan roddi cyfle i ganfod y person cywir i arwain eich Undeb.

Students’ UnionPresident

the students’ Union President leads

as a whole. they act as the key link to the University Vice Chancellor, Pro Vice Chancellor, student experience and well as the nUs and other key stakeholders. the role of the President includes acting as the chair of the Board of Directors and trustees, along with being responsible for the students’ Union.

Mae Llywydd yr Undeb Myfyrwyr yn arwain tîm y Swyddogion Etholedig a’r Undeb yn gyffredinol. Mae’n gweithredu fel cyswllt allweddol ag Is-ganghellor y Brifysgol, Dirprwy Is-ganghellor Profiad Myfyrwyr a Safonau Academaidd, y Cyngor a’r Senedd, yn ogystal ag UCM a rhanddeiliaid allweddol eraill.

Mae rôl y Llywydd hefyd yn cynnwys gweithredu fel cadeirydd Bwrdd y Cyfarwyddwyr ac Ymddiriedolwyr, ynghyd â bod yn gyfrifol am sefyllfa ariannol a pherfformiad Undeb y Myfyrwyr.

students’ union president

CLAIRE BLAKEWAY

As the Vice President for the Heath Park Campus, I have transformed this part of the union by introducing the UK’s first ever Medics Varsity, successfully lobbied for more student space and secured a £50,000 investment to renovate current facilities. I am determined to bring this experience and knowledge to the rest of the union, and make Cardiff a world leading Students’ Union.

To do this I would:

Introduce a dentist on campuses

Lobby the university to build a student theatre and secure substantial performance space

Improve transport links between all areas of the university

Lobby Lettings agencies to reduce summer rental fees

Introduce a loyalty scheme across campus retail and food outlets to save YOU money

Extend all library opening times to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Build a state of the art Students’ Union at the Heath Park

Lobby the university to take over Pontcanna sport pitches

Improve sexual health provision on campus

Introduce a parcel collection point in the SU – No more annoying ‘Sorry we missed you’ calling cards

Free Welsh language classes to all

Build more multi-faith prayer rooms

#VoteClaire

Fel Is-lywydd Campws Parc y Mynydd Bychan, rwyf wedi trawsnewid y rhan hon o’r undeb trwy gyflwyno Medics Varsity gyntaf y DU erioed, wedi lobïo’n llwyddiannus am fwy o le i fyfyrwyr ac wedi diogelu buddsoddiad o £50,000 i adnewyddu’r cyfleusterau presennol. Rwy’n benderfynol i ddod â’r profiad a gwybodaeth yma i weddill yr undeb, ac i wneud Caerdydd yn Undeb Myfyrwyr mwyaf blaenllaw’r byd.

I wneud hyn byddaf yn:

Cyflwyno deintydd ar gampysau

Lobïo’r Brifysgol i adeiladu theatr i fyfyrwyr a sicrhau lle perfformio sylweddol

Gwella cysylltiadau trafnidiaeth rhwng pob ardal o’r Brifysgol

Lobïo asiantaethau gosod tai i leihau ffioedd rhenti dros yr haf

Cyflwyno system ffyddlondeb mewn mannau manwerthu a bwyd ar draws campysau i CHI gael arbed arian

Ymestyn oriau agor yr holl lyfrgelloedd i 24 awr y dydd, 7 diwrnod yr wythnos

Adeiladu Undeb Myfyrwyr modern ym Mharc y Mynydd Bychan

Lobïo’r brifysgol i gymryd dros gaeau chwaraeon Pontcanna

Gwella darpariaeth iechyd rhywiol ar gampws

Cyflwyno pwynt casglu parseli yn yr UM – Dim rhagor o gardiau “Mae’n ddrwg gennym ni eich colli chi” diflas

Dosbarthau’r Iaith Gymraeg am ddim i bawb

Adeiladu mwy o ystafelloedd gweddïo aml-ffydd

#PleidleisiwchClaire

BARNEY WILLIS

Hi there! I’m Barney – current VP Societies running for President. I’ve had a great year as VP Societies and, if re-elected as President, I will:

1) Tackle Cardiff’s housing issues

Most students struggle with landlords/agencies at some point. I want to introduce a ‘REPORT YOUR LANDLORD’ function to our website and direct the Union to be more legally forceful, fighting agencies on behalf of students. I will also campaign for Wales to do as Scotland did and BAN AGENCY FEES!

2) Create ‘SU Trips’ department

The Union should offer cheap, well organised WEEKEND BREAKS TO EUROPE! Give it a Go has shown us demand for it and a programme of MONTHLY TRIPS ABROAD would create a whole new strand of experiences offered by the Union.

3) Listen closer to wider opinion

Union politics can rightly be criticised as distanced from what most student think and feel. If elected, I will commit Officers to at least 2 HOURS OF DIRECT ENGAGEMENT a week to go out and actually talk to the people they represent.

I’ve loved being VP Societies and hope you will trust me with another year representing your interests. See my full complete manifesto at BarneyWillis.co.uk.

Now go VOTE!

Helo! Barney ydw i – IL Cymdeithasau presennol sydd yn ceisio am y rôl o Lywydd. Rydw i wedi cael blwyddyn wych fel IL Cymdeithasau, ac os ydw i’n llwyddo i gael fy ail-ethol fel Llywydd byddaf yn:

1) Taclo problemau tai a llety Caerdydd

Mae’r mwyafrif o fyfyrwyr yn cael problemau gyda landlord/asiant ar ryw bryd. Hoffwn gyflwyno swyddogaeth ‘ADRODD EICH LANDLORD’ ar ein gwefan a chyfeirio’r Undeb i fod yn fwy penderfynol yn gyfreithiol, gan frwydro ar ran myfyrwyr. Byddaf yn ymgyrchu i gael Cymru i wneud yr un peth â’r Alban a GWAHARDD FFIOEDD ASIANTAETH!

2) Creu adran ‘Tripiau UM’

Dylai’r Undeb gynnig TRIPIAU PENWYTHNOS RHAD I EWROP! Mae Rhowch Gynnig Arni (Give it a Go) wedi dangos bod galw am hyn a bydd rhaglen o dripiau misol tramor yn creu profiadau newydd i’r undeb eu cynnig.

3) Gwrando’n fwy astud ar y farn ehangach

Gall gwleidyddiaeth yr undeb gael ei beirniadu am fod yn bell oddi wrth beth y mae’r mwyafrif o fyfyrwyr yn credu ac yn teimlo. Os ydwi’n cael fy ethol, byddaf yn ymrwymo swyddogion i o leiaf 2 AWR O YMGYSYLLTU UNIONGYRCHOL yr wythnos i fynd allan a siarad â’r bobl y maent yn eu cynrychioli.

Rydw i wedi bod wrth fy modd fel IL Cymdeithasau ac yn gobeithio y byddwch yn fy ymddiried gyda blwyddyn arall yn cynrychioli eich diddordebau. Mae fy maniffesto cyflawn ar gael ar BarneyWillis.co.uk.

Nawr, ewch i BLEIDLEISIO!

IS-LYWYDD ADDYSG

Vice President Education

the VP education represents all of you

your feedback as well as liaising with the the VP education is the chair of the College

Mae’r Is-Lywydd Addysg yn cynrychioli pob un ohonoch ar faterion academaidd i’r Brifysgol. Mae’r swyddog yn lobïo ac yn trafod â’r Brifysgol er mwyn ei hannog i weithredu ar eich adborth yn ogystal â chydgysylltu â’r Gwasanaethau Gwybodaeth yn cynnwys llyfrgelloedd. Yr Is-Lywydd Addysg yw cadeirydd fforymau’r Coleg ac mae’n gyfrifol am oruchwylio a hyrwyddo system Cynrychiolwyr Academaidd y Myfyrwyr.

vice president education

IS-LYWYDD

ADDYSG

LIVI GILBERT

EDUCATION makes FUTURES, let GLADIATOR GILBERT help YOU get the BEST RESULTS!

Why me?

I’m vice Chair of my student staff panel, on the AU executive committee, first year mentor and previously on the scrutiny committee running to be YOUR VP EDUCATION. I UNDERSTAND how the union works, how to ensure students get their voices HEARD and that the job gets DONE. Read my extended manifesto on “Gladiator Gilbert’s” facebook campaign page.

What I’ll do:

1) VALUE FOR MONEY- higher quantity of contact hours/office hours. Making tutee meetings compulsory meaning an accurate/up to date file which will help when writing references.

2) Students come without knowing the “hidden costs” of university, so I’ll create a fact sheet and work with departments to co-ordinate second handbook sales in Y PLas.

3) SUPPORT mental illness- ensure academic departments have CLEAR help available and the details and photos of student’s reps are on up learn.

4) Ensure the university implements the action plan created on joint honour degrees.

5) E-FEEDBACK on exams and continue to ensure better coursework feedback. Help with the smooth implementation of e-timetables and that lessons are learnt from the pilot year

6) Uniformed release of results

Vote #GladiatorGilbert

Mae ADDYSG yn adeiladu DYFODOL, gadewch i GILBERT Y GLADIATOR eich helpu CHI i gael y CANLYNIADAU GORAU!

Pam y Fi?

Fi yw Is-gadeirydd fy mhanel staff myfyrwyr, ar bwyllgor gwaith yr Undeb Athletaidd, yn fentor blwyddyn gyntaf ac yn flaenorol ar y pwyllgor craffu yn sefyll i fod yn IL ADDYSG I CHI. Rydw i’n DEALL sut mae’r undeb yn gweithio, sut i sicrhau y caiff lleisiau myfyrwyr eu CLYWED, a bod y swydd yn cael ei WNEUD yn iawn. Darllenwch fy maniffesto cyflawn ar dudalen ymgyrchu Facebook ‘Gladiator Gilbert’.

Beth fyddaf yn ei wneud:

1. GWERTH ARIAN – nifer fwy o oriau cyswllt / oriau swyddfa. Gwneud cyfarfodydd tiwtora’n orfodol er mwyn cael ffeil gywir a diweddari helpu wrth ysgrifennu geirda.

2. Mae myfyrwyr yn dod heb wybod y “costau cudd” o fynd i’r brifysgol, felly byddaf yn creu taflen ffeithiau ac yn gweithio gydag adrannau i gyd-gysylltu gwerthu llyfrau ail law yn Y Plas.

3. CYMORTH i salwch meddwl – sicrhau bod adrannau academaidd yn cael cymorth CLIR ar gael a bod manylion a lluniau cynrychiolwyr myfyrwyr ar gael ar ‘up learn’.

4. Sicrhau bod y brifysgol yn gweithredu’r cynllun a grewyd ar raddau cydanrhydedd.

5. E-ADBORTH ar arholiadau a pharhau i sicrhau adborth gwell ar waith cwrs. Cymorth gyda’r gweithredu llyfn o e-amserlenni a bod gwersi yn cael eu dysgu o flwyddyn y peilot.

6. Rhyddhad unffurf o ganlyniadau

Pleidleisiwch #GladiatorGilbert

FELICITY HOLMES-MACKIE

I cannot help you. I cannot improve your education. I have no power. You can change this.

As a student, you are investing in yourself: you are not just a passive consumer. Degree study should be interesting, fair, challenging, and fulfilling, and choosing to vote in these elections will directly improve the quality of your education.

I want to:

Make raising issues with your Student Reps easier

Improve your assessment feedback

Examine and improve joint honours programmes

Make APMs more useful throughout your degree

For too long, students have been seen as customers: as recipients of education, not participants. However, Cardiff students are highly capable individuals and should be working with the university, not under it. How can we meet our potential if the highest standards are not expected of us? How can our university work with us to achieve these standards if we do not have the same expectations? Show that you deserve a first-class education; believe in your abilities and in the power of your vote.

@Felicity_Educ / Felicity for Education

Ni allaf i eich helpu. Ni alla’ i wella eich addysg. Nid oes gen i unrhyw rym.

Gallwch chi newid hyn.

Fel myfyriwr, rydych yn buddsoddi ynddoch chi eich hun: nid ydych yn ddefnyddiwr goddefol yn unig. Dylai astudio gradd fod yn ddiddorol, yn deg, yn heriol ac yn foddhaus, ac mae dewis i bleidleisio yn yr etholiadau hyn yn gwella ansawdd eich addysg yn uniongyrchol.

Rydw i eisiau:

Gwneud codi materion gyda’ch Cynrychiolwyr Myfyrwyr yn haws

Gwella adborth asesu

Archwilio a gwella rhaglenni cyd-anrhydedd

Gwneud APMs yn fwy defnyddiol trwy gydol eich gradd.

Am ormod o amser, mae myfyrwyr wedi cael eu gweld fel cwsmeriaid: fel pobl sy’n cael addysg yn hytrach na rhai sy’n cyfranogi. Fodd bynnag, mae myfyrwyr Caerdydd yn unigolion galluog iawn, a dylent fod yn gweithio gyda’r brifysgol, nid o dan y brifysgol. Sut y gallwn ni gyflawni ein potensial os nad yw’r safonau uchaf yn cael eu disgwyl gennym? Sut y gall ein prifysgol weithio gyda ni i gyflawni’r safonau hyn os nad ydym yn cael yr un disgwyliadau? Dangoswch eich bod yn haeddu addysg ddosbarth cyntaf; credwch yn eich galluoedd ac yng ngrym eich pleidlais.

@Felicity_Educ / Felicity for Education

vice president education

IS-LYWYDD

ADDYSG

BETH INNES

Vote BethAnnie, Adopting your education!

As a second year Accounting and Finance student and therefore coming back to my studies afterwards I have a vested interest in ensuring the improvement of the student experience not just for me but for you as well!

I have been a Student Representative and attended the Board of Studies meetings for two years as well as the Chair of the Student Staff Panels this year. I am also President of the Harry Potter Society and a Coxswain for the Cardiff University Rowing Club.

My policies

Returned exam scripts/ feedback on exams

Continual improvement of the Student Representative system including more integration and support between student representatives so your voice is heard

Improve the quality of the personal tutor system

Make sure Heath are more included in the mentoring system and in the Education side of the Union

Ensure everyone receives the best experience from University regardless of ethnicity or gender

Ensure the 24 hour work spaces are kept in a good and clean condition throughout the year

Improve the laptop rental scheme and make it more accessible for everyone

Any questions? – InnesB@Cardiff.ac.uk

Pleidleisiwch BethAnnie, Mabwysiadu eich Addysg!

Fel myfyriwr Cyfrifeg a Chyllid ail flwyddyn ac felly yn dychwelyd at fy astudiaethau wedyn mae gen i ddiddordeb amlwg mewn sicrhau gwella’r profiad myfyrwyr, nid yn unig i mi, ond i chi hefyd!

Rydw i wedi bod yn Gynrychiolydd Myfyrwyr a mynychu cyfarfodydd Bwrdd Astudiaethau ar gyfer dwy flynedd yn ogystal â Chadeirio’r Paneli Staff Myfyrwyr eleni. Rydw i hefyd yn Llywydd y Gymdeithas Harry Potter ac yn gocs ar gyfer Clwb Rhwyfo Prifysgol Caerdydd.

Fy Mholisïau

Dychwelyd papurau arholiad / adborth ar arholiadau

Gwella parhaus o’r system Gynrychioli Myfyrwyr gan gynnwys mwy o integreiddio a chefnogaeth rhwng cynrychiolwyr myfyrwyr fel bod eich llais yn cael ei glywed.

Gwella ansawdd y system diwtora personol.

Sicrhau bod y Mynydd Bychan yn cael eu cynnwys yn fwy yn y system mentora ac yn ochr Addysg yr Undeb.

Sicrhau bod pawb yn cael y profiad gorau o’r Brifysgol heb ystyried ethnigrwydd na rhyw.

Sicrhau bod yr ardaloedd gweithio 24 awr yn cael eu cadw yn lân ac mewn cyflwr a trwy gydol y flwyddyn

Gwella’r cynllun llogi gliniadur a’i wneud yn fwy hygyrch i bawb

Unrhyw gwestiynau? InnesB@Cardiff.ac.uk

MATTHEW JENKINS

Having been a Cardiff student for five years I have experience of many of the problems faced by students. I am currently on the Societies Executive Committee as Political and Ideological Officer giving me contact time with the student population across the full gamut of the student experience. I need your vote to use this experience. I will:

Work with schools to enhance assessment feedback, including clear instruction on how to improve and excel. Feedback currently scores only 64 on NSS compared to our overall score of 89, this is our worst area on NSS and leaves us behind comparable universities. To improve this I will produce a set of school tailored feedback guidelines.

Much of the VP’s job is firefighting, solving problems as they arise. By making it clearer to students who their representative is, and what the channels are to resolve problems, I aim to make this role more effective. A plan of the representation system will be put on Cardiff Portal. I will also work with VP Societies to reward course based societies for involvement in the representation system.

These are my primary goals and solutions. For my extended manifesto check out: MatthewJenkins-VPEducation.blogspot.com

Wedi bod yn fyfyriwr Caerdydd am bum mlynedd rydw i wedi cael profiad o lawer o’r problemau a wynebir gan fyfyrwyr. Rydw i ar hyn o bryd ar y Pwyllgor Gwaith Cymdeithasau fel Swyddog Gwleidyddol ac Ideolegol sydd yn rhoi amser cyswllt i mi gyda’r boblogaeth myfyrwyr ar hyd a lled y profiad myfyrwyr. Mae angen eich pleidlais arna’ i. Byddaf yn:

Gweithio gydag ysgolion i wella adborth asesu, gan gynnwys cyfarwyddiadau clir ar sut i wella a rhagori. Mae adborth ar hyn o bryd yn sgorio 64 yn unig ar ACF o gymharu â’n sgôr cyffredinol o 89, dyma’n maes gwaethaf ar ACF ac yn ein gadael ni y tu ôl i brifysgolion cymharol. I wella hyn byddaf yn cynhyrchu set o ganllawiau adborth wedi’u teilwra i ysgolion.

Mae llawer o swydd yn IL yn ymwneud ag ymateb i broblemau a’u datrys wrth iddynt godi. Drwy ei wneud yn glir i fyfyrwyr pwy yw eu cynrychiolydd, a beth yw’r sianeli i ddatrys problemau, rydw i’n bwriadu gwneud hyn yn fwy effeithiol. Bydd cynllun o’r system gynrychioli yn cael ei roi ar Borthol Caerdydd. Byddaf hefyd yn gweithio gyda IL Cymdeithasau i wobrwyo cymdeithasau seiliedig ar gyrsiau ar gyfer cyfranogaeth yn y system gynrychioli.

Dyma fy mhrif nodau a datrysiadau.

Gweler MatthewJenkins-VPEducation.blogspot.com i weld fy maniffesto cyflawn.

vice president education IS-LYWYDD ADDYSG

WILL MCLOUGHLIN

I’m Will - My dedication to higher education and my ambitious ideas make me ideal to represent all 28,500 students at Cardiff University.

My 3 years as an academic rep, 2 years on the Education Executive and 1 year as Student Staff Panel Secretary have given me an invaluable insight into academic representation and the problems we face as students.

Additionally, during my time at Cardiff I’ve worked as:

MathSoc Social and Publicity Officer (Current)

CUTV Marketing Officer (Current)

Welcome Crew Team Leader (2014)

MathSoc RAG Rep (2013-14)

Student Volunteering Project Co-ordinator (2013-14)

Having been jointly awarded Student Rep of the Year in 2014, I know how to engage, how to listen and how to improve the quality of YOUR education.

I WILL evolve the student voice system and bring out the huge potential in COURSE SOCIETIES.

I WILL ensure EMPLOYABILITY skills are recognised and developed in all student roles within the SU.

I WILL endeavour for extracurricular IT, CODING and PROGRAMMING classes to be offered to all students.

I WILL campaign for £10 FREE PRINTER CREDIT for every student, every year.

I WILL lobby for CHEAPER and HEALTHIER foods in campus cafes, in addition to FREE DRINKING WATER.

Will ydw i – mae fy ymrwymiad i addysg uwch a’r syniadau uchelgeisiol sydd gen i yn meddwl fy mod i’n ddelfrydol i gynrychioli pob un o 28,500 o fyfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd.

Mae treulio 3 blynedd fel cynrychiolydd academaidd, 2 flynedd ar y Pwyllgor Gwaith Addysg a blwyddyn fel Ysgrifennydd Panel Staff Myfyrwyr wedi rhoi mewnwelediad gwerthfawr i mi i gynrychiolaeth academaidd a’r problemau rydym yn eu hwynebu fel myfyrwyr.

Yn ychwanegol, yn ystod fy amser yng Nghaerdydd rydw i wedi gweithio fel: Swyddog Cyhoeddusrwydd y Gymdeithas Fathemateg (Presennol)

Swyddog Marchnata CUTV (Presennol)

Arweinydd Tîm Criw Croeso (2014)

Cynrychiolydd RAG y Gymdeithas Fathemateg (2013-14) Cydgysylltydd Prosiect Gwirfoddoli Myfyrwyr (2013-14)

Enillais y wobr ar y cyd o Gynrychiolydd Myfyrwyr y Flwyddyn yn 2014, rydw i’n gwybod sut i ymgysylltu gyda, gwrando ar a gwella ansawdd EICH addysg chi.

BYDDAF YN esblygu’r system llais myfyrwyr ac yn annog y potensial anferth o GYMDEITHASAU CWRS.

BYDDAF YN sicrhau bod sgiliau CYFLOGADWYEDD yn cael eu cydnabod a’u datblygu ym mhob rôl myfyrwyr o fewn yr UM.

BYDDAF YN ceisio cael dosbarthiadau TG, COD a RHAGLENNU i gael eu cynnig i bob myfyriwr.

BYDDAF YN ymgyrchu dros £10 o GREDYD ARGRAFFU RHAD AC AM DDIM i bob myfyriwr bob blwyddyn.

BYDDAF YN lobïo ar gyfer bwydydd RHATACH a mwy IACHUS mewn caffis y campws, yn ogystal â D R YFED RHAD AC AM DDIM.

SOPHIE TIMBERS

I have been a Student Representative, Dancesport Team Captain, a CUTV member, and I’m taking the Cardiff Award. I’ve been a part of two schools: ENCAP and JOMEC.

Even as a Student Rep I was frustrated with how difficult it was to change things. As VP Education I would support students who share my frustrations with the system. I’ve not been institutionalised so will always champion the student voice.

At school level, I will: Tackle HIDDEN COURSE COSTS including printing and course books Install compulsory access to EXAM FEEDBACK

BRIDGE THE GAP between UNDERGRADUATE degrees and POSTGRADUATE opportunities

At University level, I will:

Open the ASSL as a 24-HOUR study space

REFURBISH the “GREAT” HALL

CONNECT our campuses by creating a CYCLE/PEDESTRIAN PATH alongside the railway from Cathays towards the Heath

At the union, I will: Ensure union services CATER for DISTANCE LEARNERS and students on PLACEMENT

EXPAND the HEATH HUB to provide access to ALL Students’ Union services and a 24 hour study area

REMOVE BLACKWELL’S and replace with Amazon Locker – a cheaper, more convenient option for students

It’s time to make these changes. I have a year to make them happen and I’m up for the challenge.

Rydw i wedi bod yn Gynrychiolydd Myfyrwyr, yn Gapten y Tîm Dawnschwaraeon, yn aelod o CUTV ac rydw i hefyd yn ceisio am Wobr Caerdydd. Rydw i wedi bod yn rhan o ddwy ysgol: ENCAP and JOMEC.

Hyd yn oed fel cynrychiolydd myfyrwyr, roeddwn yn rhwystredig gyda pha mor anodd oedd newid pethau. Fel IL Addysg byddaf yn cefnogi myfyrwyr sy’n rhannu fy rhwystredigaeth gyda’r system. Nid wyf wedi cael fy sefydliadu felly byddaf bob amser yn adleisio llais myfyrwyr.

Ar lefel Ysgol byddaf yn: Taclo COSTAU CUDD yn cynnwys argraffu a llyfrau cwrs

Gwneud mynediad i ADBORTH ARHOLIADAU yn orfodol

PONTIO’R GWAGLE rhwng graddau IS-RADDEDIG a chyfleoedd ÔL-RADDEDIG.

Ar lefel Prifysgol, byddaf yn:

Agor yr ASSL fel ardal astudio 24-AWR ADNEWYDDU’R NEUADD FAWR CYSYLLTU ein campysau drwy greu LLWYBR SEICLO/CERDDED wrth ochr y rheilffordd o Cathays tuag at y Mynydd Bychan.

Yn yr undeb, byddaf yn: Sicrhau bod gwasanaethau undeb yn DARPARU ar gyfer DYSGWYR O BELL a myfyrwyr ar LEOLIAD

EHANGU’R HEATH HUB i ddarparu mynediad i wasanaethau i gyd yr Undeb

Myfyrwyr ac ardal astudio 24 awr.

Cael gwared â BLACKWELL’S a rhoi Amazon Locker yn ei le – opsiwn rhatach a mwy cyfleus i fyfyrwyr.

Mae’n amser i wneud y newidiadau hyn. Mae gen i flwyddyn i wneud iddynt ddigwydd ac rydw i’n barod am yr her.

OLIVIER VAN DEN BENT-KELLY

My involvement as an academic representative, chair of my SSP and position on the Education Executive demonstrates I have the ability to represent all Cardiff students. My decisions will benefit the student body and enhance your education. Sitting on Student Senate and Scrutiny Committee, my decisionmaking has advantaged many students - something I want to pursue as VP Education. My promises are ambitious, yet realistic. Look me up on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube at 'Oliviervdbk' to read my extended manifesto.

SCHOOL

Improve personal tutor training in pastoral care

Introduce placement modules for students to develop further employment skills

Better support and supervision for students on placement UNIVERSITY

Set amount of free printer credits for every student

Introduce to libraries short term use computers, and year specific priority PCs. Extend opening hours to 24/7 and increase copies of books on your reading lists

Work with the physical learning space project to provide more study space

Ensure lecture recording begins within the next year

Upgrade lecture theatres, providing better equipment, seating, sound and sockets

UNION

Increase representation by having course based societies sitting on SSPs Improve rep publicity

VOTE 'MONOP-OLI' FOR EDUCATION!

Mae fy nghyfranogiad fel cynrychiolydd academaidd, cadeirydd fy Mhanel Staff

Myfyrwyr a safle ar y Pwyllgor Gwaith Addysg yn dangos fy ngallu i gynrychioli pob myfyriwr Caerdydd. Bydd fy mhenderfyniadau yn fanteisiol i’r corff myfyrwyr ac yn gwella eich addysg. Wrth eistedd ar y Senedd Myfyrwyr a’r Pwyllgor Craffu mae fy mhenderfyniadau wedi bod yn fuddiol i lawer o fyfyrwyr – rydw i’n mynd i barhau gyda hyn fel IL Addysg. Mae fy addewidion yn uchelgeisiol, ond yn realistig. Edrychwch ar Facebook, Twitter a YouTube ar 'Oliviervdbk' i ddarllen fy maniffesto cyflawn.

YSGOL

Gwella hyfforddiant tiwtoriaid personol mewn gofal bugeiliol

Cyflwyno modiwlau lleoliad er mwyn i fyfyrwyr ddatblygu rhagor o sgiliau

cyflogaeth

Cymorth a goruchwylio gwell ar gyfer myfyrwyr ar leoliad

PRIFYSGOL

Nifer benodol o gredydau argraffu rhad ac am ddim i bob myfyriwr

Cyflwyno cyfrifiaduron defnydd byr dymor i lyfrgelloedd, a chyfrifiaduron blaenoriaeth blwyddyn benodol.

Ehangu oriau agor i 24/7 a chynyddu copïau o lyfrau ar eich rhestri darllen

Gweithio gyda’r prosiect gwagle dysgu corfforol i ddarparu rhagor o lefydd astudio

Sicrhau bod recordio darlithoedd yn dechrau o fewn y flwyddyn nesaf

Uwchraddio ystafelloedd darlithio, gan ddarparu offer, seddi, sain a socedi gwell

UNDEB

Cynyddu cynrychiolaeth drwy gael cymdeithasau seiliedig ar gyrsiau i eistedd ar Baneli Staff Myfyrwyr

Gwella Cyhoeddusrwydd cynrychiolwyr

PLEIDLEISIWCH 'MONOP-OLI' AR GYFER ADDYSG!

ADDYSG Reason 1

ENSURE WE SPEND YOUR MONEY ON THE RIGHT SERVICES Rheswm 1

SICRHEWCH EIN BOD YN GWARIO EICH ARIAN AR Y GWASANAETHAU PRIODOL why your vote matters Pam mae eich pleidlais yn bwysig

IS-LYWYDD CAMPWS

PARC Y MYNYDD BYCHAN

Vice President Heath Park Campus

and the services at the Heath Park site. they are responsible for ensuring the growth of the Union’s offering at the Heath and also represent interests of healthcare students at all levels of the University and Union.

Mae Is-Lywydd Campws Parc y Mynydd Bychan yn gweithio i wella profiad myfyrwyr gofal iechyd a’r gwasanaethau ar safle Parc y Mynydd Bychan. Mae’n gyfrifol am sicrhau twf yr hyn a gynigir gan yr Undeb ar Gampws Parc y Mynydd Bychan a hefyd yn cynrychioli buddiannau myfyrwyr gofal iechyd ar bob lefel yn y Brifysgol a’r Undeb.

vice President heath park campus

KATEY BEGGAN

IS-LYWYDD CAMPWS PARC Y MYNYDD BYCHAN

GEORGE POWNEY

MAXIMISE YOUR university experience! DO YOU WANT improved placement support, more integration between healthcare disciplines and campuses, and additional welfare services?

I’ve been on society committees, played healthcare sports and I’m a Heath student. I can make this happen!

Turned up to placement and found they weren’t expecting you?

I understand this frustration - I’ll ensure there is IMPROVED PLACEMENT PLANNING so you get the most out of it. I’ll deliver improved support for students on placements across Wales.

Why are there never enough facilities in the Healthcare library?

I’ll increase core textbook availability and lobby for BIGGER, BETTER LEARNING SPACES with more computers.

Ever needed childcare facilities at the Heath?

There are no childcare facilities at the Heath; according to a recent NUS report, this problem is UK-wide. If elected, I’ll make STUDENT PARENTS A PRIORITY.

Why do Heath students have less social space?

I’ll push for MORE SOCIAL SPACE and larger union presence. I’ll create monthly rolling contracts at the Heath Gym to help students keep fit between placements. Elect me because I pledge to support all healthcare students at the Heath and throughout Wales.

Check out my extended manifesto: kateybeggan.wordpress.com

GWNEWCH Y GORAU o’ch profiad prifysgol! YDYCH CHI EISIAU cymorth lleoliadau gwell, mwy o integreiddio rhwng disgyblaethau gofal iechyd a champysau, a gwasanaethau lles ychwanegol?

Rydw i wedi bod ar bwyllgorau cymdeithas, chwarae are dîmau chwaraeon gofal iechyd ac yn fyfyriwr y Mynydd Bychan. Fi sy’n gallu gwneud i hyn ddigwydd!

Ydych chi wedi troi i fyny ar leoliad gyda neb yn eich disgwyl?

Rydw i’n deall eich rhwystredigaeth – byddaf yn sicrhau bod TREFNU LLEOLIADAU YN WELL fel eich bod yn gwneud y gorau ohono. Byddaf yn cyflenwi cymorth gwell i fyfyrwyr ar leoliadau ar hyd a lled Cymru.

Pam nad oes digon o gyfleusterau yn y llyfrgell Gofal Iechyd?

Byddaf yn cynyddu argaeledd llyfrau cwrs craidd ac yn lobïo ar gyfer ARDALOEDD DYSGU MWY A GWELL gyda mwy o gyfrifiaduron. Oes angen cyfleusterau gofalu am blant yn y Mynydd Bychan?

Nid oes unrhyw gyfleusterau gofalu am blant yn y Mynydd Bychan; yn ôl adroddiad UCM diweddar, mae’r broblem hwn yn DU-eang. Os ydw i’n cael fy ethol byddaf yn gwneud MYFYRWYR SY’N RHIENI yn FLAENORIAETH.

Pam fod llai o ardaloedd cymdeithasol gan fyfyrwyr y Mynydd Bychan?

Byddaf yn gwthio am FWY O ARDALOEDD CYMDEITHASOL a phresenoldeb undeb mwy. Byddaf yn creu contractau treigl misol yng Nghampfa’r Mynydd Bychan i helpu i fyfyrwyr gadw’n heini rhwng lleoliadau.

Etholwch fi gan fy mod yn addo i gefnogi pob myfyriwr gofal iechyd yn y Mynydd Bychan a thrwy Gymru gyfan.

Gweler kateybeggan.wordpress.com Am fy maniffesto cyflawn.

There are 16,307 Students on the Heath Campus, how many do you know? WE are Healthcare Students! I aim to get more Mixer events running between US all, whatever year you’re in, whatever course you study. Let’s all meet each other, make contacts and have a laugh! Lets all make some good links with others in the healthcare professions......... You never know when they might come in handy!!

Have you seen the facilities down in the main Student Union in Cathay’s? And OUR facilities in the Hub? I aim to improve these, to get more going on up in the Hub, let’s expand it…. Let’s all raise OUR standards and demand an improvement in the facilities we have available up in OUR Heath Campus! Let’s have a case where we can demand more extra-curricular courses at times that can suit ALL of US and are based up at the Heath for OUR convenience; let’s demand that WE have better union facilities up here; let’s make our campus our own!

Were all proud to be on our courses, and to be Healthcare Students and proud of our careers! So why not be be Proud of OUR Union and OUR Campus!

Mae 16,307 o fyfyrwyr ar Gampws y Mynydd Bychan, sawl un ydych chi’n adnabod? NI yw’r myfyrwyr gofal iechyd! Fy nod i yw cael mwy o ddigwyddiadau Cymysgu yn digwydd rhyngom ni I GYD, heb ystyried eich blwyddyn, na’r cwrs rydych yn ei astudio. Dewch i gwrdd i fyny, dod i adnabod ein gilydd a chael hwyl! Dewch i wneud cysylltiadau da gyda phobl eraill yn y proffesiynau gofal iechyd.... Dydych chi byth yn gwybod pan fyddent yn handi!!

Ydych chi wedi gweld y cyfleusterau lawr ym mhrif Undeb y Myfyrwyr yn Cathays? A’n cyfleusterau NI yn yr Hwb? Dewch i ehangu’r rhain... beth am godi EIN safonau a mynnu gwell gyfleusterau ar ein campws NI yn y Mynydd Bychan! Beth am gael achos ble’r ydym yn mynnu mwy o gyrsiau allgyrsiol ar adegau cyfleus i NI I GYD ac sy’n seiliedig yn y Mynydd Bychan; beth am fynnu gwell gyfleusterau undeb yma; dewch i wella ein campws!

Rydym ni i gyd yn falch i fod ar ein cyrsiau, ac i fod yn Fyfyrwyr Gofal Iechyd ac yn falch o’n gyrfaoedd! Felly beth am fod yn Falch o’n hundeb NI a’n campws NI!

vice President heath park campus

CHLOE RICHARDS

IS-LYWYDD CAMPWS PARC Y MYNYDD BYCHAN

HINA SADH

My name is Chloe and I’m going to turn YOUR experience at the Heath Park campus into something spectacular. As a current 2nd year nursing student your issues are MY issues as well. I don’t want being a Heath student to hinder your experience of university life. That is why I aim to improve the services available at the Heath Park campus by;

Getting Student Union services such as the IT Support available to Heath Park campus students in the Heath Hub regularly and creating permanent on campus services by acquiring more space for the students. Ensuring a regular newsletter that will tell YOU what’s going on at the Heath Park campus and what’s happening down on Park Place.

Integrating the three schools that are on the Heath Park campus will be a priority. By upgrading the current space available I will create a space where;

Dental, Medicine and Healthcare Science students can meet and interact with each other in a social and studious way to improve relationships and to develop professionally.

I will create basic conversational Welsh workshops so that you can further your learning and improve the therapeutic relationships that you build with your patients.

Fy enw i yw Chloe ac rydw i yn mynd i droi eich profiad CHI ar gampws Parc Mynydd Bychan i mewn i rywbeth anhygoel. Fel myfyrwyr nyrsio yn yr 2ail flwyddyn mae eich materion chi yn faterion FI hefyd. Nid wyf am fod yn myfyriwr Mynydd Bychan i rhwystro eich profiad o fywyd prifysgol. Oherwydd hyn rwyf yn anelu i wella'r gwasanaethau sydd ar gael ar gampws Parc Mynydd Bychan trwy; Cael gwasanaethau'r Undeb Myfyrwyr fel y Cymorth Technoleg Gwybodaeth ar gael i fyfyrwyr campws Parc Mynydd Bychan yn Ganolfan y Mynydd Bychan yn rheolaidd a chreu gwasanaethau parhaol trwy gael fwy o le i’r myfyrwyr. Gan sicrhau cylchlythyr rheolaidd sydd yn mynd i ddweud wrthych CHI beth sydd yn digwydd ar gampws Parc Mynydd Bychan ac lawr ar Park Place. Bydd integreiddio’r tair ysgol sydd ar gampws Parc Mynydd Bychan yn flaenoriaeth. Trwy uwchraddio'r lle sydd ar gael ar hyn o bryd byddwn yn creu le i; Myfyrwyr Deintyddol, Meddyginiaeth a Gwyddorau Gofal Iechyd cwrdd â rhyngweithio efo ei gilydd mewn modd cymdeithasol a gweithgar er mwyn gwella perthnasoedd a datblygu yn professional. Byddaf yn creu gweithdai Cymraeg sgwrsio sylfaenol er mwyn pellach eich dysgu a gwella'r perthnasoedd therapiwtig eich bod yn adeiladu rhyngoch chi ac eich cleifion.

ATTENTION HEATH PARK STUDENTS!!

Getting shaped as a healthcare professionals to work for the wellbeing of the community is an act of philanthropy. You all are studying for a noble cause. I HINA SADH, a heath based student strongly feels to show you my respect in terms of my services devoted to you all. I am running for VP HEATH PARK. If elected, I will prioritise:

ACADEMICS- Learning

More support for your assignments and coursework.

Monthly feedback from all healthcare schools Reps. Career and employability counselling at Heath.

More space at Library for silent reading.

WELLBEING- Healthy Body

Sexual Awareness drive in integration with SHAG

Mental health counselling sessions.

Nutritive and tongue titillating food options in the IV Lounge at lower cost. Informative sessions in terms of housing, finance and employability.

LEISURE- Play

Evening Socials and pub night for heath based students.

More Sports activities and organizing games for heath students. Conveyance facilities between Heath and Cathays campus.

I would take care of the equality of all students at Heath. It is my humble request to VOTE FOR HINA and enjoy your University experience at its best.

DALIWCH SYLW MYFYRWYR PARC Y MYNYDD BYCHAN!!

Mae cael eich hyfforddi fel gweithiwr proffesiynol gofal iechyd i weithio ar gyfer lles cymuned yn weithred o ddyngarwch. Rydych yn astudio am achos uchelfrydig. Yr wyf i, HINA SADH, myfyriwr gofal iechyd yn teimlo’n gryf dros dangos chi fy mharch ac yn barod i ymroi fy hun i chi gyd. Rwy’n ymgeisio am IL PARC Y MYNYDD BYCHAN. Os caf fy ethol, byddaf yn blaenoriaethu:

ACADEMAIDD – Dysgu

Mwy o gymorth gyda’ch aseiniadau a gwaith cwrs.

Adborth misol o gynrychiolwyr yr ysgolion gofal iechyd.

Cwnsela gyrfa a chyflogadwyedd yn y Mynydd Bychan.

Mwy o ardaloedd ar gyfer darllen tawel mewn llyfrgelloedd.

LLES – Corff myfyrwyr

Ymgyrch Ymwybyddiaeth Rywiol ar y cyd gyda SHAG

Sesiynau cwnsela iechyd meddwl

Opsiynau bwyd maethol a blasus a rhad yn y lolfa IV

Sesiynau addysgiadol ar lety, cyllid a chyflogadwyedd.

HAMDDEN – Chwarae

Nosweithiau cymdeithasol a noson tafarn i fyfyrwyr gofal iechyd

Mwy o weithgareddau a gemau chwaraeon i fyfyrwyr gofal iechyd.

Trafnidiaeth rhwng y Mynydd Bychan a champws Cathays.

Byddwn yn gofalu am gydraddoldeb i bob myfyriwr yn y mynydd Bychan. PLEIDLEISIWCH AM HINA a mwynhewch eich profiad prifysgol i’r eithaf.

IL MYFYRWYR OL-RADDEDIG

Vice President Postgraduate Students

the VP Postgraduate students will work

students, providing support for the reps

be the principle contact for Postgraduate students in the students’ Union, working closely with and supporting the Postgraduate students’ association.

Bydd yr IL Myfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig yn gweithio’n agos â’r tîm Llais Myfyrwyr a’ch chydswyddogion ar faterion a pholisïau sy’n effeithio ar Fyfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig Ymchwil (ORY) ac Ôl-raddedig Addysgu (ORA), cyfathrebu adborth ar lefelau ysgol a choleg o Fyfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig ym mhwyllgorau’r Brifysgol er mwyn lobïo ar gyfer newid, gweithio gyda’r tîm Llais Myfyrwyr a’r IL Addysg i hyrwyddo’r system Cynrychiolaeth Academaidd i Fyfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig, darparu cefnogaeth i’r cynrychiolwyr i’w galluogi i gyflawni eu rolau a bod yn brif gyswllt i Fyfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig yn yr Undeb Myfyrwyr, gweithio’n agos gyda, a chefnogi’r Gymdeithas Myfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig.

IL MYFYRWYR OL-RADDEDIG

KATIE KELLY

Having studied at Cardiff for four years, I have experienced university life at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. I’m thrilled at the opportunity to represent and support postgraduate students, fight for better provision of services, and enhance the academic and social postgraduate community.

Support

Lobby libraries to open 24/7 and secure renovation of the Grad Centre.

Increase financial incentives for returning Cardiff students and obtain fair pay for postgraduate tutors.

Work with the University to review/improve existing provision of scholarships before new government loans are introduced.

Campaign to ensure schools purchase full access to online journals. Ensure prompt feedback following assessments..

Awareness

Increase the provision of information about postgraduate study to undergraduates and introduce a mentor scheme where interested undergraduates can speak to current postgraduates.

Work with Postgraduate Students’ Association to increase exposure/ communication with postgraduate community.

Showcase Cardiff’s leading research in Gair Rhydd and lobby for more display areas for inspirational research.

Introduce a union events newsletter tailored to postgraduate students.

Integration

Make Wednesday afternoons free of study for postgraduates to participate in sports and societies.

Ensure SU events are at times accessible to postgraduates e.g. Sports/Societies Fayre

Encourage postgraduate participation in Student Voice events: Student Senate, AGM, Elections…

www.votekatiekelly.co.uk

Wedi astudio yng Nghaerdydd am bedwar blynedd, rwyf wedi cael profiad o brifysgol ar lefel is-raddedig ac ôl-raddedig. Rwyf wrth fy modd i gael y cyfle i gynrychioli a chefnogi myfyrwyr ôl-raddedig, brwydro am well darpariaeth o wasanaethau ac i wella’r gymuned ôl-raddedig yn academig ac yn gymdeithasol.

Cefnogaeth

Lobïo’r llyfrgelloedd i agor 24/7 a sicrhau adnewyddiad o’r Ganolfan Graddedigion. Cynyddu cymhellion ariannol i fyfyrwyr yn dychwelyd i Gaerdydd a chael gwell cyflog i diwtoriaid ôl-raddedig.

Gweithio â’r Brifysgol i adolygu/gwella’r ddarpariaeth o ysgoloriaethau sydd ar gael ar hyn o bryd cyn i fenthyciadau newydd y llywodraeth cael eu cyflwyno. Ymgyrchu i sicrhau bod ysgolion yn archebu mynediad llawn i gyfnodolion ar-lein. Sicrhau adborth cynt yn dilyn aseiniadau.

Ymwybyddiaeth

Cynyddu’r ddarpariaeth o wybodaeth ar astudiaethau ôl-raddedig i fyfyrwyr israddedig a chyflwyno cynllun cynghorwyr fel bod is-raddedigion sydd â diddordeb yn medru siarad ag ôl-raddedigion.

Gweithio â’r Gymdeithas Myfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig i gynyddu dinoethiad/cyfathrebu â’r gymuned ôl-raddedig.

Arddangos ymchwil blaenllaw’r Brifysgol yn Gair Rhydd a lobïo am fwy o ardaloedd arddangos i ymchwil ysbrydoledig.

Cyflwyno cylchlythyr o ddigwyddiadau’r Undeb i fyfyrwyr ôl-raddedig.

Integreiddio

Cael prynhawniau Mercher yn rhydd fel bod myfyrwyr ôl-raddedig yn gallu cymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon a chymdeithasau.

Sicrhau bod digwyddiadau’r UM ar adegau sy’n hygyrch i ôl-raddedigion e.e. Ffair Chwaraeon/ Cymdeithasau.

Annog cyfranogiad myfyrwyr ôl-radd mewn digwyddiadau Llais Myfyrwyr: Senedd Myfyrwyr, CCB, Etholiadau... www.votekatiekelly.co.uk

MJ MELISSEN

MJ MELISSEN

#MJforPG

MANIFESTO

I have been a Student Academic Representative in my MA program International Public Relations and Global Communications Management, and a Postgraduate Students’ Association committee member.

I have seen the issues that Postgraduate Students face, and my background in communications ensures I will make the SU and University listen to you.

If elected, I will:

Work to create a Postgraduate social community, in cooperation with the Postgraduate Students’ Association, to improve the overall student experience; Lobby to ensure that all Postgrad Research Students who teach are paid fairly for the teaching and marking they do;

Oppose university plans to start fining students who hand in their theses late; Lobby to allow all Postgrad Research Students access to desk space in their school building;

Work with the Graduate Centre to improve their identity, within university guidelines, and to find a more suitable location for both socialising and studying that is away from the noise of the nightclub;

Establish a link between the Postgraduate Students’ Association and the Mature Students’ Association, to provide opportunities for like-minded students outside the 18-21 undergraduate pocket.

I have the drive and knowledge to be THE CATALYST FOR POSITIVE CHANGE for Postgraduate Students.

MJ MELISSEN

#MJforPG

MANIFFESTO

Rwyf wedi bod yn Gynrychiolydd Academaidd i Fyfyrwyr ar fy nghwrs MA, Cysylltiadau Cyhoeddus Rhyngwladol a Rheolaeth Cyfathrebu Fyd-eang ac aelod o bwyllgor Cymdeithas Myfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig.

Rwyf wedi gweld y problemau mae Myfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig yn eu hwynebu ac mae fy nghefndir mewn cyfathrebu yn sicrhau bydd yr Undeb a’r Brifysgol yn gwrando. Os caf fy ethol, byddaf yn:

Gweithio i greu cymuned gymdeithasol Ôl-raddedig mewn cydweithrediad â’r Gymdeithas Myfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig, i wella’r profiad cyfan i fyfyriwr; Lobïo i sicrhau bob Myfyrwyr Ymchwil Ôl-raddedig sy’n dysgu yn cael eu talu cyflog teg am y dysgu a chywiro a wnânt; Gwrthwynebu cynlluniau’r brifysgol i ddirwyo myfyrwyr sy’n cyflwyno’u theses yn hwyr;

Lobïo i sicrhau desgiau ar gyfer pob Myfyriwr Ymchwil Ôl-raddedig yn eu hysgolion;

Gweithio â’r Ganolfan Graddedigion i wella’i adnabyddiaeth, o fewn canllawiau’r brifysgol, ac i ddarganfod lleoliad mwy addas ar gyfer cymdeithasu ac astudio sydd ymhell o s n y clwb nos; Sefydlu cysylltiad rhwng y Gymdeithas Myfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig a Chymdeithas y Myfyrwyr H n, i ddarparu cyfleoedd i fyfyrwyr unfryd sydd ddim yn is-raddedig rhwng 18 a 21.

Mae gen i’r egni a’r wybodaeth i fod y CATALYDD AR GYFER NEWID POSITIF i Fyfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig.

IL MYFYRWYR OL-RADDEDIG vice president postgraduate students

TOM TOLLEFSEN

I’m Tom Tollefsen, an international postgrad doing a degree in Medieval History, and chair of the Postgraduate Students’ Association (CPSA).

If elected I’m going to work towards integrating and improving Postgraduate services to give you as a Postgraduate Student (PG) the experience you deserve: I will campaign to improve the pay of PG Research Students who teach; I will campaign for more scholarships and bursaries for PGs; I will be looking at the tuition fees paid by domestic and international PGs in light of the proposed changes by the major political parties; I will work to increase PG representation and engagement at all levels in the SU, and the wider university; I will work to increase funding for PG support service, such as the CPSA to allow it to represent PGs in the best possible way across the university; I will conduct a review of the Grad Centre; asking is the space taken up by the Grad Centre best utilized by them being there? To achieve this, and more, I will work closely with the CPSA and Student Reps.

I have what it takes to hit the ground running; together we can create a new era for postgrads in Cardiff!

Tom Tollefsen dw i, myfyriwr ôl-radd rhyngwladol yn astudio gradd mewn Hanes yr oesoedd canol a chadeirydd y Gymdeithas Myfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig.

Os caf fy ethol rwy’n mynd i weithio tuag at integreiddio a gwella’r Gwasanaethau Ôl-raddedig i ddarparu’r profiad mae Myfyrwyr Ôl-raddedig (OR) yn eu haeddu: Byddaf yn ymgyrchu i wella cyflogau’r myfyrwyr ymchwil OR sy’n dysgu; byddaf yn ymgyrchu am fwy o ysgoloriaethau a bwrsariaethau i Fyfyrwyr OR; byddwn yn edrych ar ffioedd dysgu a delir gan ôl-raddedigion domestig a rhyngwladol yn sgil y newidiadau a gynigir gan y prif bleidiau gwleidyddol; Byddaf yn gweithio i gynyddu cynrychiolaeth ac ymgysylltiad OR ar bob lefel yn yr UM a’r Brifysgol; Byddaf yn gweithio i gynyddu’r cyllid ar gyfer gwasanaeth cymorth OR, megis y CPSA i ganiatáu iddo gynrychioli’r ôl-raddedigion yn y ffordd orau bosibl ar draws y brifysgol; Byddaf yn cynnal arolwg o’r Canolfan Ôl-raddedigion; yn gofyn a yw’r lle a gymerir gan y Ganolfan Ôl-raddedigion yn cael ei defnyddio yn y ffordd orau posibl? I gyflawni hyn, a hyd yn oed mwy, byddaf yn gweithio’n agos â’r CPSA a’r Cynrychiolwyr Myfyrwyr.

Mae gen i’r hyn sydd angen; Gallwn greu oes newydd i ôl-raddedigion yng Nghaerdydd!

IS-LYWYDD CYMDEITHASAU

Vice President Societies

they are also responsible for allocating budgets to our societies. the Vice President societies is the key liaison for all of our

Mae’r Is-Lywydd Cymdeithasau yn hyrwyddo cymdeithasau, ymgyrchoedd a gweithgareddau a arweinir gan fyfyrwyr yn yr Undeb, y Brifysgol a’r gymuned leol. Mae hefyd yn gyfrifol am ddyrannu cyllidebau i’n cymdeithasau. Yr Is-lywydd Cymdeithasau yw’r prif gyswllt ar gyfer ein holl Swyddogion Rhan Amser, gan eu cefnogi i gyflawni eu haddewidion maniffesto.

IS-LYWYDD CYMDEITHASAU

JAMES CLARKE

Hey folks! James here, running for VP – Societies. During my time at the uni I founded and ran Airsoft Society in my fresher year through that developed a love for the Guild of Societies and all of its wonderful groups.

The issues I’d like to address as VP are as follows:

Helping new societies survive and prosper! To do this I would like to make introductory talks in how to run a society and be a committee member to all new societies.

Assist in the smooth running of current societies! Some newer clubs or committee members new to these roles would be offered the chance for committee training, tailored to their specific role.

Reform and expand transport! To expand the fleet of vehicles would be a great thing to do but additionally I’d like to improve the booking system to run more like an online calendar making booking easier.

Well citizen, gotta fly! If you have any questions I’ll be floating around the uni all through election week so don’t hesitate to stop and have a chat!

Remember to Vote James Clarke Kent – The Man of Steel for VP Societies

Helo pawb! James yma, yn rhedeg am IL – Cymdeithasau. Yn ystod fy amser yn y brifysgol, sefydlais a rhedais y Gymdeithas Airsoft yn fy mlwyddyn gyntaf a thrwy hynny datblygais gariad at Urdd y Cymdeithasau a phob un o’i grwpiau gwych. Y materion y hoffwn ddelio gyda fel IL yw: Helpu cymdeithasau newydd i oroesi a ffynnu! I wneud hyn byddwn yn hoffi cyflwyno cyflwyniadau rhagarweiniol i bob cymdeithas newydd yn esbonio sut i redeg cymdeithas a dod yn aelod pwyllgor. Helpu tuag at rediad llyfn o gymdeithasau cyfredol! Byddai clybiau eithaf newydd neu aelodau pwyllgor newydd i’r rolau hyn yn cael y cyfle i dderbyn hyfforddiant pwyllgor, wedi’i deilwra i’w rôl benodol. Diwygio ac ehangu trafnidiaeth! Byddai cael mwy o gerbydau yn wych ond hefyd hoffwn wella’r system archebu i redeg mwy fel calendr ar-lein i wneud archebu’n haws.

Wel bobl, rhaid i mi hedfan! Os oes gennych unrhyw gwestiynau, byddaf o gwmpas y Brifysgol yn ystod wythnos etholiadau felly peidiwch ag oedi i stopio a chael sgwrs!

Cofiwch i bleidleisio James Clarke Kent – Y Dyn Dur ar gyfer IL Cymdeithasau

BECCI GUYMER

Hey! I’m Becci Guymer and I’m running for this position because societies and campaigns have shaped my life at university and I’d love to give something back. I have gained important experience by being on the committees of three societies. This includes being president of two, so I fully understand how individual societies work. I have close connections to campaign committees and the societies’ team in the union. I am aware of how the societies’ executive and the scrutiny committee work so will be able to work with them effectively. I think this gives me the experience needed to understand and do well in this position.

If elected, I will tackle:

Streamlining and simplifying the tier system e.g. through feedback and producing a guide

Making societies more accessible to ALL students, especially Heath students, mature students and post-grad students.

Encouraging joint society events and intersociety relationships

Offering more support to struggling societies

Working towards helping campaigns on the same level as societies

Helping societies provide personal development opportunities for their members

Find out more, including an extended manifesto, @GuymersYourGuy on twitter or on the ‘Guymer’s Your Guy’ facebook group.

And remember: GUYMER’S YOUR GUY!"

Hei! Fy enw i yw Becci Guymer ac rydw i'n sefyll am y swydd hon am fod cymdeithasau ac ymgyrchoedd wedi llunio fy mywyd yn y brifysgol a byddwn wrth fy modd i roi rhywbeth yn ôl.

Rydw i wedi elwa ar brofiad pwysig drwy fod ar bwyllgorau tair cymdeithas. Mae hyn yn cynnwys bod yn llywydd i ddwy ohonynt, felly rydw i'n llwyr ddeall sut y mae cymdeithasau unigol yn gweithio. Mae gen i gysylltiadau agos â phwyllgorau ymgyrchoedd a thîm y cymdeithasau yn yr undeb. Rydw i'n ymwybodol o sut mae gweithrediaeth y cymdeithasau a'r pwyllgor craffu yn gweithio felly fe fyddaf i'n gallu cyd-weithio â nhw'n effeithiol. Rwy'n credu fod hyn yn rhoi'r profiad angenrheidiol i mi i ddeall y swydd hon a'i gwneud hi'n dda.

Pe bawn i’n cael fy ethol, fe fyddwn yn mynd i'r afael â:

Unoli a symleiddio'r system haenau e.e. drwy adborth a thrwy greu canllaw Gwneud cymdeithasau yn fwy hygyrch i'r HOLL fyfyrwyr, yn enwedig myfyrwyr y Mynydd Bychan, myfyrwyr h n a myfyrwyr ôl-raddedig.

Annog cymdeithasau i gynnal digwyddiadau ar y cyd a pherthnasau rhynggymdeithasau

Cynnig mwy o gefnogaeth i gymdeithasau sy'n ei chael yn anodd Gweithio tuag at helpu ymgyrchoedd ar yr un lefel â chymdeithasau

Helpu cymdeithasau i ddarparu cyfleodd datblygiad personol ar gyfer eu haelodau

I ddarllen mwy, gan gynnwys maniffesto ehangach, ewch i @GuymersYourGuy ar Twitter neu ewch i gr p ‘Guymer’s Your Guy’ ar Facebook.

A chofiwch: GUYMER YW'R GORAU!

IS-LYWYDD CYMDEITHASAU

JAMES

LEDWARD

Societies at Cardiff are amazing, but face challenges. As President of a CourseBased Society and Student-Led Service, I know what these issues are – so a vote for me is a vote for experience.

STORAGE – There isn’t enough space for storage! I will change this if elected.

HEATH-BASED SOCIETIES – I will run a regular drop-in at the Heath Campus so their committees and members can engage more easily with the Union staff and community.

WELSH LANGUAGE – Most societies don’t provide for this. I will factor bilingualism into the Tier System, rewarding bilingual societies.

DEVOLUTION – I will develop the roles of the Societies Executive, giving them administrative tasks such as tier allocations, to relieve the Societies Coordinator, allowing them to innovate and improve the societies experience.

STUDENT-LED SERVICES – Most students don’t know what they are or what they do. This year I am organising the first Student-Led Services awareness campaign in the SU. I will develop and grow this if elected.

PROMOTION - Printing can be expensive, especially for societies with little income. I will allow societies to apply for advertising costs as well as increasing promotional support from the SU, allowing better advertising of events.

Mae Cymdeithasau yng Nghaerdydd yn anhygoel, ond maent yn wynebu heriau. Fel Llywydd Cymdeithas sy'n Seiliedig ar Gwrs a Gwasanaeth a Arweinir gan Fyfyrwyr, rwyf yn gwybod beth yw'r materion hyn - felly mae pleidlais i mi'n bleidlais dros brofiad.

STORIO - Does dim digon o le i storio pethau! Byddaf yn newid hyn os caf fy ethol.

CYMDEITHASAU SAFLE'R MYNYDD BYCHAN - Byddaf yn rhedeg sesiynau galwheibio rheolaidd ar gampws y Mynydd Bychan, felly gall pwyllgorau ac aelodau ymgysylltu'n haws

IAITH GYMRAEG - Nid yw'r rhan fwyaf o gymdeithasau'n darparu ar gyfer y Gymraeg. Byddaf yn cynnwys dwyieithrwydd yn y System Haenau, gan wobrwyo cymdeithasau dwyieithog.

DATGANOLI - Byddaf yn datblygu rôl Pwyllgor Gwaith y Cymdeithasau, gan roi tasgau gweinyddol iddynt megis pennu haenau, i leihau'r baich ar y Cydlynydd Cymdeithasau, er mwyn caniatáu iddynt i fod yn flaengar a gwella'r profiad o fod yn rhan o gymdeithasau.

GWASANAETHAU a ARWEINIR gan FYFYRWYR - Nid yw'r rhan fwyaf o fyfyrwyr yn gwybod beth ydyn nhw na beth maen nhw'n ei wneud. Eleni byddaf yn trefnu'r ymgyrch ymwybyddiaeth o Wasanaethau a Arweinir gan Fyfyrwyr gyntaf erioed yn yr UM. Byddaf yn datblygu ac yn tyfu hyn os caf fy ethol.

HYRWYDDO - Gall argraffu fod yn ddrud, yn arbennig i gymdeithasau sydd ag ond ychydig o incwm. Byddaf yn caniatáu i gymdeithasau wneud cais am gostau hysbysebu, yn ogystal â chynyddu cymorth hyrwyddo gan yr UM, er mwyn gwella hysbysebu ar gyfer digwyddiadau.

JOE PERRINS

My name is Joe “Pirate” Perrins, and I would love to be your VP Societies! Why vote for me?

Experience: Having been president, vice-president and treasurer of various societies, both large and small, I am well equipped for societies tier and budget allocations.

Sponsorship: I will gain sponsorship for the Guild of Societies and our big union events such as Go Global and Cardiff Fringe. I will offer Committee Sponsorship workshops to support individual societies seeking sponsorship from companies and local businesses. Due to my experience with sponsorship as president of the Law Society, I believe this goal is achievable.

Committee Workshops: I will also have workshops for effective trip running with Give it a go, reaching higher tier status and more.

Building on Brilliance: I will further integrate the tier system in a way that is fair, look at travel issues for each relevant society and deliberate further possible travel subsidy, and consider changes to the Freshers Fair via society forum feedback. I’ll incentivise starting a society.

If you have any questions then please get it touch and see my full manifesto at JoePerrins.co.uk! Finally, even if I’m not the candidate for you, please remember to use your vote!

Fy enw i yw Joe "Môr-leidr" Perrins, a byddwn i wrth fy modd i fod yn Is-lywydd eich Cymdeithasau! Pam pleidleisio drosta i?

Profiad: Rydw i wedi bod yn llywydd, yn is-lywydd ac yn drysorydd i amrywiaeth o gymdeithasau, rhai bach a mawr, rydw i'n gwbl gymwys i ddelio gyda haenau’r cymdeithasau a dyraniadau cyllideb.

Nawdd: Fe wna i gasglu nawdd ar gyfer Urdd y Cymdeithasau a'n digwyddiadau mawr yn yr undeb megis Go Global a G yl Ymylol Caerdydd. Fe wna i gynnig gweithdai nawdd i bwyllgorau, er mwyn cefnogi cymdeithasau unigol sy'n chwilio am nawdd wrth gwmnïau a busnesau lleol. Oherwydd fy mhrofiad â nawdd fel llywydd Cymdeithas y Gyfraith, rwy'n credu bod y targed hwn o fewn ein cyrraedd.

Gweithdai i Bwyllgorau: Bydd gen i weithdai hefyd ar gynnal gwibdeithiau effeithiol gan ddefnyddio Give it a go, rhai ar sut i gyrraedd statws haen uchaf, a mwy.

Adeiladu ar Arbenigrwydd: Fe wna i integreiddio'r system haenau mewn ffordd sy'n deg, sy’n edrych ar faterion teithio ar gyfer pob cymdeithas berthnasol ac sy’n ystyried y posibilrwydd o gymhorthdal teithio pellach, yn ogystal ag ystyried gwneud newidiadau i Ffair Wythnos y Glas drwy adborth o’r fforwm cymdeithasau. Fe wna i gymell pobl i ddechrau cymdeithasau.

Os oes gennych chi unrhyw gwestiynau, cysylltwch â fi a darllenwch fy maniffesto llawn trwy fynd i JoePerrins.co.uk! Yn olaf, hyd yn oed os nad fi yw'r ymgeisydd o'ch dewis, cofiwch bleidleisio!

IS-LYWYDD CYMDEITHASAU

NICK ROTHERA

Hi, I’m Nick and I’m running for VP Societies! I am Third Year Psychology Student, President of the Psychology Society and have spent three years as an Academic Representative. I believe I understand the challenges facing societies, but I also want to hear YOUR views and represent YOUR voice on the future direction of societies.

Here are a few of my plans to aid and develop societies.

SPONSORSHIP

Societies such as MedSoc and Law receive a lot of funding, which in turn creates many more opportunities for its members. I believe that there is a role for the Student Union in assisting smaller societies in exploring the option of being sponsored by outside organisations.

TRAVEL

Even with Union funding societies are spending large amounts on travel. I intend to explore deals with bus companies to get reduced costs for our University.

COURSE BASED SOCIETIES

I want to create incentives for students outside of a course to join a Course Based Society. Many people have doubts about their choice of course, and Course Based Societies are a great way for people to gain an insight into different options.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you have, And, PickNick!

Helo, fy enw i yw Nick, ac rydw i'n sefyll i fod yn Is-lywydd y Cymdeithasau! Rwy'n fyfyriwr Seicoleg yn fy nhrydedd flwyddyn, yn Llywydd y Gymdeithas Seicoleg ac wedi treulio tair blynedd fel Cynrychiolydd Academaidd. Rwy'n credu fy mod yn deall yr heriau sy'n wynebu ein cymdeithasau, ond rydw i hefyd am glywed eich safbwyntiau CHI ac am gynrychioli eich llais CHI ar gyfeiriad cymdeithasau yn y dyfodol.

Dyma rhai o'm cynlluniau i helpu a datblygu cymdeithasau. NAWDD

Mae cymdeithasau er enghraifft y Gymdeithas Gerdd a Chymdeithas y Gyfraith yn derbyn cryn dipyn o gyllid, sydd yn ei dro yn creu mwy o gyfleoedd ar gyfer eu haelodau. Rwy'n teimlo bod yna rôl ar gyfer Undeb y Myfyrwyr i helpu cymdeithasau llai o faint i archwilio'r opsiwn o gael nawdd gan sefydliadau allanol.

TEITHIO

Hyd yn oed â chyllid wrth yr Undeb, mae rhai cymdeithasau yn gwario swm sylweddol o arian ar deithio. Rwy'n bwriadu ymchwilio i gytundebau posibl â chwmnïau bysys i leihau'r gost ar gyfer ein Prifysgol.

CYMDEITHASAU SY'N SEILIEDIG AR GYRSIAU

Rydw i am greu cymhelliant ar gyfer myfyrwyr tu allan i gwrs i ymuno â Chymdeithas sy'n Seiliedig ar Gwrs. Mae gan lawer o bobl amheuon yngl n â dewis eu cwrs, ac mae Cymdeithasau sy'n seiliedig ar Gyrsiau yn ffordd wych i bobl gael mewnwelediad i'r opsiynau gwahanol. Mae croeso i chi gysylltu â mi gydag unrhyw gwestiynau sydd gennych, A, Dewiswch Nick!

HANNAH STERRITT

My University experience has been transformed because of societies and I want to give back by embracing the role of VP Societies next year.

My participation in societies is extensive. I am currently the Societies Editor for Gair Rhydd, working hard to improve society coverage producing three dedicated Societies pages every week. I am also on the Scrutiny Committee and two Society committees: Jazz and St. Johns. My roles on the committees have shaped my free time here in Cardiff, organising two tours abroad and numerous socials, including the award winning Jazz Jam Nights.

If elected, I aim to improve Cardiff students’ experience through:

ALTERNATIVE CAREERS FAIRS; providing opportunities related to the skills learnt whilst in societies and reforming the Millennium Volunteers scheme to improve its value to employers;

COLLABORATIONS which build on the Fringe Festival and Go Global with other society categories to create bigger events, more profit and more promotion to involve all students;

Instigating cost effective Union organized TOURS and securing a vehicle hire contract for when our fleet is oversubscribed;

Balancing Union storage and SPACE by: re-sorting the lock up, reforming the room booking system and lobbying the University for dedicated Society space.

Mae fy mhrofiad yn y Brifysgol wedi cael ei drawsnewid oherwydd cymdeithasau, ac rydw i am roi rhywbeth yn ôl drwy ymgymryd â rôl Is-lywydd Cymdeithasau, y flwyddyn nesaf.

Mae fy nghyfranogiad mewn cymdeithasau yn sylweddol. Ar hyn o bryd, rydw i'n olygydd y Cymdeithasau ar gyfer Gair Rhydd, gan weithio'n ddiwyd i roi mwy o sylw i’r cymdeithasau, gan gynhyrchu tair tudalen ar y Cymdeithasau bob wythnos. Rydw i hefyd yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Craffu ac yn aelod o bwyllgorau dwy gymdeithas: Jazz ac Ambiwlans Sant Ioan. Mae fy rolau ar y pwyllgorau wedi llunio fy amser rhydd yma yng Nghaerdydd, ac rydw i wedi trefnu dwy wibdaith tramor, a nifer o ddigwyddiadau cymdeithasol gan gynnwys y Nosweithiau Jam Jazz arobryn.

Os ydw i’n cael fy ethol, rwy'n anelu at wella profiad myfyrwyr Caerdydd drwy: FFEIRIAU GYRFAOEDD AMGEN; darparu cyfleoedd sy'n ymwneud â'r sgiliau a ddysgir mewn cymdeithasau ac ail ffurfio'r cynllun Gwirfoddolwyr y Mileniwm i wella ei werth i gyflogwyr;

CYDWEITHREDIADAU a fydd yn adeiladu ar yr yl Ymylol a Go Global gyda chategorïau cymdeithasau eraill i greu digwyddiadau mwy o faint, mwy o elw a mwy o waith hyrwyddo i gynnwys yr holl fyfyrwyr;

Annog TEITHIAU cost effeithlon a drefnir gan yr Undeb a threfnu cytundeb i logi cerbyd pan fod ein lleoedd yn orlawn;

Gwneud y gorau o storfa'r Undeb a'r GOFOD gan: ail-drefnu'r storfa, diwygio'r system bwcio ystafelloedd a phwyso ar y Brifysgol i gael gofod sydd wedi’i glustnodi ar gyfer Cymdeithasau.

CLAIRE WISENER IS-LYWYDD CYMDEITHASAU

Hi! My name is Claire. I’m a third year music student, COURSE BASED committee member, SCHOOL AMBASSADOR, PERFORMANCE committee member, SOCIETIES EXECUTIVE committee member, SCRUTINY COMMITTEE member, and STUDENT SENATOR.

I want to use my experience to WORK FOR YOU and your societies. I understand the demands and challenges that societies face, and thrive on the responsibility to IMPROVE your experience.

HOW?

DIRECTION for COURSE BASED societies - implementing staff liaison officers, and SUPPORTING STUDENTS with course content related activity

Continued, INFORMED input into plans for the NEW PERFORMANCE FACILITIES within the Centre for Student Life RAISED AWARENESS of Student Led Services UNIVERSITY HALLS (Roath) student-led activity – it’s just as far away as Heath, but lacks similar awareness and support. I'll lobby the university to make better use of buildings, and any society activities which take place there will be rewarded in the tier system FREE PRINTING allowances to advertise your events and a LOYALTY SYSTEM through the CUSU app, for societies spending money on union socials

Other ideas include: society matching, better sponsorship opportunities, collaboration with other universities, and a Post Graduate societies fayre. Vote WISELY - vote WISENER for VP Societies. Read more: clairewisenercardiffuni.wordpress.com Twitter: @clairewisener Facebook: claire.wisener

Helo! Claire ydw i. Rydw i'n fyfyrwraig cerdd yn ei thrydedd flwyddyn, aelod o’r pwyllgor SEILIEDIG AR GYRSIAU, LLYSGENNAD YSGOLION, aelod o'r pwyllgor PERFFORMIAD, aelod o’r PWYLLGOR CRAFFU, ac yn SENEDDWR I FYFYRWYR. Rydw i am ddefnyddio fy mhrofiad i WEITHIO I CHI ac i'ch cymdeithasau. Rwy'n deall y gofynion a'r heriau mae pob cymdeithas yn eu hwynebu, ac rydw i'n ffynnu ar y cyfrifoldeb i WELLA eich profiad.

SUT?

ARWEINIAD ar gyfer cymdeithasau sy'n SEILIEDIG ar GYRSIAU - gan ymgorffori swyddogion cyswllt staff a CHEFNOGI MYFYRWYR drwy weithgareddau sy’n ymwneud â chynnwys cyrsiau Mewnbwn parhaus ar sail GWYBODAETH i gynlluniau am GYFLEUSTERAU PERFFORMIO NEWYDD o fewn y Ganolfan ar gyfer Bywyd Myfyrwyr MWY O YMWYBYDDIAETH am Wasanaethau dan Arweiniad Myfyrwyr Gweithgareddau dan arweiniad myfyrwyr mewn NEUADDAU'R BRIFYSGOL (Y Rhath) - mae'r un mor bell â'r Mynydd Bychan, ond mae diffyg ymwybyddiaeth ohono a diffyg cefnogaeth. Fe wna i barhau i geisio gwneud gwell defnydd o adeiladau'r brifysgol, a bydd unrhyw gymdeithasau sy’n cynnal gweithgareddau yno yn cael eu gwobrwyo yn y system haenau Lwfansau argraffu yn RHAD AC AM DDIM er mwyn hysbysebu eich digwyddiadau a SYSTEM TEYRNGARWCH drwy ap UMPC, ar gyfer cymdeithasau sy'n gwario arian ar ddigwyddiadau cymdeithasol yr undeb

Mae fy syniadau eraill yn cynnwys: paru cymdeithasau, gwell cyfleoedd nawdd, cydweithio â phrifysgolion eraill, a ffair cymdeithasau Ôl-raddedigion.

Pleidleisiwch yn GALL - pleidleisiwch WISENER ar gyfer Is-lywydd Cymdeithasau. Darllenwch fwy: clairewisenercardiffuni.wordpress.com

Trydar: @clairewisener

Facebook: claire.wisener

IS-LYWYDD CHWARAEON A L LYWYDD YR UNDEB ATHLETAU

Vice President Sports and AU President

the Vice President sports and aU President participation sports to both the University and the Union. they are also the key students to play sport at Cardiff University.

Mae’r Is-lywydd Chwaraeon a Llywydd yr Undeb Athletau yn hyrwyddo chwaraeon o fewn y Brifysgol a’r gymuned leol. Ei rôl yw cynrychioli myfyrwyr sy’n cymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon cystadleuol a chyfranogol i’r Brifysgol a’r Undeb. Yr unigolyn hwn hefyd yw’r Swyddog cyswllt allweddol ag Adran Chwaraeon y Brifysgol, ac mae’n gweithio gyda’r clybiau chwaraeon a arweinir gan fyfyrwyr i’w helpu i ddatblygu.

Diben yr Is-Lywydd Chwaraeon yw hybu iechyd a ffitrwydd ac ysbrydoli rhagor o fyfyrwyr i gymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd.

IS-LYWYDD CHWARAEON A L LYWYDD YR UNDEB ATHLETAU vice

SAM PARSONS

Having been Chairman of the Rugby Club here at Cardiff University, boasting two hundred members this past year, I would love to continue my work and push on to the next level. I am a firm believer in the only way to succeed is to love what you do; if successful I will ensure that enjoyment forms a solid foundation of the Athletic Union’s values. I feel that I’m a very approachable guy, but also a confident speaker, meaning I will upkeep the priority of student input being at the heart of sport here at Cardiff, making sure your voice is heard on matters big and small. If elected, I will;

1. Ensure there are appropriate entry points in all sports for all skill levels. By providing an ability level for all, I hope to increase student participation levels.

2. Look to provide reward schemes for clubs that increase annual membership. For clubs that increase participation levels from the previous years figures, a reward for the club will be gained.

3. Endeavour to reduce the personal financial costs to students participating in sport. Be it through reducing gym memberships or AU fees, I hope to minimise this financial burden.

Gan fy mod wedi bod yn Gadeirydd y Clwb Rygbi yma ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, gyda dau gant o aelodau eleni, buaswn wrth fy modd yn parhau â'r gwaith yma gan wthio ymlaen i'r lefel nesaf. Rwyf yn credu'n gryf mai'r unig ffordd i lwyddo yw drwy garu'r hyn rydych yn ei wneud; os byddaf yn llwyddiannus, byddaf yn sicrhau bod mwynhad yn ffurfio sail gadarn i werthoedd yr Undeb Athletau. Teimlaf fy mod i'n fachgen hawddgar, ond hefyd yn siaradwr hyderus, sy'n golygu y byddaf yn cynnal y flaenoriaeth o gadw mewnbwn myfyrwyr wrth galon chwaraeon yma yng Nghaerdydd, gan sicrhau fod eich llais i'w glywed ar faterion mawr a bach. Os caf fy ethol, byddaf yn:

1. Sicrhau fod yno bwyntiau mynediad priodol ar gyfer pob chwaraeon ac ar gyfer pob lefel o sgiliau. Drwy ddarparu lefel gallu ar gyfer pawb, rwyf yn gobeithio cynyddu cyfranogiad myfyrwyr.

2. Ceisio darparu cynlluniau gwobrwyo ar gyfer clybiau sy'n cynyddu eu haelodaeth flynyddol. Bydd y clybiau hynny sy'n cynyddu'r lefel o gyfranogiad o gymharu â ffigyrau'r flwyddyn flaenorol yn cael eu gwobrwyo.

3. Ceisio lleihau'r gost bersonol i fyfyrwyr sy'n cymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon. Boed hyn drwy leihau cost aelodaeth o'r gampfa neu ffioedd yr UA, rwyf yn gobeithio lleddfu'r baich ariannol.

STEPH PUGH

As AU President, I will aim towards all students being able to look forward to participating in sport during their time at university. Using my wealth of experience including attending a BUCS Leadership Academy, being Chairwoman of the Hockey Club, a player, a coach and an official participating in University Sport, I am extremely motivated to developing our Athletic Union.

FACILITIES: work with clubs and Cardiff Sport to ensure our standards are up to those of our BUCS rivals, alongside lobbying for monthly gym memberships.

WIDEN & INCREASE PARTICIPATION: supporting initiatives such as Give it a Go and Out in Sport as well as integrating AU benefits into IMG.

HIGH PERFORMANCE: enable access to equipment for video analysis whilst informatively promoting sports to prospective students at open days.

ONLINE PLATFORM: create a one-stop-shop for facility and transport bookings, Team Sheet submission and finances.

COMMITTEES: comprehensively outline key processes and a revised tier system. Fairly allocate funds, including offering a boost to new clubs.

HEATH: increase size and awareness of Medic Varsity, Heath Fresher’s Fair and the Healthcare Games.

KIT: develop relationships with suppliers to speed up turnaround.

I’m counting on you to help me make these plans a reality!

#StephGruForAU

Fel Llywydd yr AU, fy nod yw ei gwneud yn bosib i fyfyrwyr oll allu edrych ymlaen at gyfranogi mewn chwaraeon yn ystod eu hamser yn y brifysgol. Byddaf yn defnyddio fy nghyfoeth o brofiad, gan gynnwys mynychu Academi Arweinyddiaeth BUCS, bod yn Gadeirydd y Clwb Hoci, yn chwaraewr, yn hyfforddwr ac yn swyddog yn cymryd rhan mewn Chwaraeon yn y Brifysgol, rwyf yn frwdfrydig dros ben yngl n â datblygu ein Hundeb Athletau.

CYFLEUSTERAU: gweithio gyda chlybiau a Chwaraeon Caerdydd i sicrhau bod ein safonau cystal â'n gwrthwynebwyr yn BUCS, ynghyd â lobïo i gael aelodaeth fisol o'r gampfa.

EHANGU A CHYNYDDU CYFRANOGIAD: cynorthwyo mentrau megis Rhowch Gynnig Arni ac Allan Mewn Chwaraeon, yn ogystal â chyfuno manteision yr UA a chwaraeon rhyng-adrannol.

PERFFORMIAD UCHEL: galluogi mynediad i gyfarpar ar gyfer dadansoddiad fideo, ynghyd â hyrwyddo chwaraeon i ddarpar fyfyrwyr ar ddiwrnodau agored.

LLWYFAN AR-LEIN: creu hyb canolog aml-bwrpas ar gyfer archebu teithio a chyfleusterau, cyflwyno taflenni-tîm a chyllid.

PWYLLGORAU: amlinelliad cynhwysfawr o'r prosesau allweddol ac adolygu'r system haenau. Pennu cyllid yn deg, gan gynnwys hwb ariannol i glybiau newydd.

IECHYD: cynyddu maint ac ymwybyddiaeth o Farsiti Meddygaeth, Ffair y Glas ar gampws y Mynydd Bychan a Gemau Gofal Iechyd.

CIT: datblygu perthynas â chyflenwyr i gyflymu'r broses gynhyrchu.

Rwyf yn dibynnu arnoch i fy helpu i wireddu'r cynlluniau hyn!

#StephGruForAU

Vice President Welfare

the VP Welfare represents your welfare needs to the University and strengthens links with key welfare service providers in on any welfare issues facing our student population.

Mae’r Is-Lywydd Lles yn cynrychioli eich anghenion lles i’r Brifysgol ac yn atgyfnerthu cysylltiadau â’n darparwyr gwasanaethau lles allweddol yn y gymuned leol. Bydd yr Is-Lywydd Lles yn gweithio i wella gwasanaethau cymorth yn yr Undeb a’r Brifysgol a bydd yn ymgyrchu dros unrhyw faterion lles sy’n wynebu ein myfyrwyr.

IS-LYWYDD L LES

SAM COOK

As a campaign officer, I have helped improve the welfare of my students and have seen what needs work. My biggest focus would be on mental health… pushing to protect the Student Hardship Fund and similar. increasing duplication of services at the Heath. breaking down barriers to Student Support Services. increasing conversations on mental health. reducing stigma.

tailoring services to specific groups, e.g. Welsh speakers and postgraduates.

The new student GP surgery means that many services are relocating to the Heath. I'll create a free bus service between Heath and Cathays, ensuring all students can access the services not duplicated across both campuses.

Dealing with my first landlord was a nightmare. I didn’t get the support I needed, from my letting agent or the Union. I will create more resources to help students through conflicts. By working with letting agents and private landlords, I'll ensure they are putting our students’ welfare first.

It shouldn’t cost students ridiculous money to access the extenuating circumstances they need. Yet, some GPs charge £90+ for a single letter! I want the University to record costs, lobby surgeries to reduce costs and create a fund to support students most in need.

So Vote Sam Cook!

Fel swyddog ymgyrchu, rydw i wedi helpu i wella lles fy myfyrwyr ac wedi gweld yr hyn sydd ei angen ei wella. Fy nghanolbwynt pennaf fydd iechyd meddwl... ymwthio i warchod y Gronfa Caledi Myfyrwyr a'i debyg. cynyddu dyblygu gwasanaethau yn y Mynydd Bychan. torri rhwystrau i Wasanaethau Cymorth i Fyfyrwyr. cynyddu sgyrsiau ar iechyd meddwl. lleihau stigma.

teilwra'r gwasanaethau ar gyfer grwpiau penodol, e.e. Siaradwyr Cymraeg ac ôl-raddedigion.

Mae meddygfa newydd i fyfyrwyr yn golygu bod llawer o wasanaethau yn cael eu hadleoli i'r Mynydd Bychan. Fe fyddaf yn creu gwasanaeth bws am ddim rhwng y Mynydd Bychan a Cathays, gan sicrhau y bydd yr holl fyfyrwyr yn gallu cael mynediad at y gwasanaethau ac nad ydynt yn cael eu dyblygu ledled y ddau gampws.

Roedd ymdrin â fy landlord cyntaf yn hunllef. Ni chefais i'r gefnogaeth yr oedd ei hangen arnaf wrth yr asiantaeth gosod tai nac wrth yr Undeb. Fe fyddaf yn creu mwy o adnoddau i helpu myfyrwyr yn ystod gwrthdaro. Wrth weithio gydag asiantaethau gosod tai a landlordiaid preifat, fe fyddaf yn sicrhau eu bod yn rhoi lles ein myfyrwyr gyntaf.

Ni ddylai fod yn gost eithriadol i fyfyrwyr gael mynediad at y cyfleusterau sydd eu hangen arnynt mewn achosion o amgylchiadau esgusodol. Eto i gyd, mae rhai meddygon teulu yn codi ffi o £90+ fesul llythyr! Rydw i am i'r Brifysgol gofnodi costau, pwyso ar feddygfeydd i leihau costau a chreu cyllid i gefnogi'r myfyrwyr sydd ei angen fwyaf.

Felly pleidleisiwch dros Sam Cook!

NADINE DAHAN

I am running for VP Welfare because I believe that your Students’ union should be here for you at all times, whatever you need. As VP Welfare, I would work to ensure that YOUR voices are the loudest.

My campaign is split into six areas;

1. Financial welfare – lobbying for increased financial support (grants/bursaries) and a saving scheme

2. Mental Health and Healthy lifestyle promotion – continue working closely with student support and introducing monthly student led support session with refreshments. Having free recipe cards available, a bike scheme and fruit stall

3. Housing - Introducing a Landlord-Standard to SU-Letting agency, and implementing university housing checks

4. General Support – Facilities for student parents/carers (longer crèche openinghours and family-friendly residences). A dark room for power naps. Buddy system for first years and international students

5. Minority groups’ welfare – religious calendar to help prevent exam/assessment clashes with important religious commitments. Adequate prayer facilities and halal/kosher/vegetarian food outlets. Working with the VPEducation to bridge the attainment gap between BME and White students. Working with women’s officer to raise awareness of harassment and available support, disabilities officer to increase accessibility of facilities/services

6. YOUR VOICE – regular welfare drop in sessions to hear your thoughts/concerns https://www.facebook.com/nadine.dahan.3 twitter-@nadinedahan

Rydw i'n ymgeisio ar gyfer Is–lywydd Lles oherwydd rwy'n teimlo y dylai Undeb y Myfyrwyr fod yna ar eich cyfer drwy'r amser, beth bynnag sydd ei angen arnoch. Fel Is-lywydd Lles, fe fyddwn i'n gweithio i sicrhau mai eich lleisiau CHI yw'r rhai mwyaf uchel.

Mae fy ymgyrch wedi'i rannu i chwe maes;

1. Lles ariannol - lobïo ar gyfer cynyddu cefnogaeth ariannol (grantiau/bwrsarïau) a chynllun cynilo

2. Hyrwyddo iechyd meddwl da a bywyd iach - parhau i weithio'n agos â chymorth myfyrwyr a chyflwyno sesiwn gymorth i fyfyrwyr dan arweiniad myfyrwyr gyda lluniaeth. Cynnig cardiau ryseitiau yn rhad ac am ddim, cynllun beiciau a stondin ffrwythau

3. Tai - Cyflwyno Safon Landlordiaid i asiantaeth gosod tai Undeb y Myfyrwyr, ac ymgorffori gwiriadau gan y brifysgol ar dai

4. Cefnogaeth Gyffredinol - Cyfleusterau ar gyfer myfyrwyr sy’n rhieni/gofalwyr (oriau agor hirach yn y crèche a lletyau sy'n addas i deuluoedd). Ystafell dywyll ar gyfer pendwmpian. System cyfeillio ar gyfer myfyrwyr sydd yn eu blwyddyn gyntaf ac ar gyfer myfyrwyr rhyngwladol

5. Lles grwpiau lleiafrifol - calendr crefyddol i helpu i atal gorgyffwrdd rhwng asesiadau/arholiadau ag ymrwymiadau crefyddol pwysig. Cyfleusterau gweddïo digonol a siopau bwyd halal/kosher/llysfwytawyr. Gweithio gyda’r Is-lywydd Addysg i bontio'r bwlch cyrhaeddiad rhwng Pobl Dduon a Lleiafrifoedd Ethnig â myfyrwyr gwyn. Gweithio gyda’r swyddog menywod i godi ymwybyddiaeth am aflonyddwch a'r gefnogaeth sydd ar gael, swyddog anableddau i gynyddu hygyrchedd y cyfleusterau/gwasanaethau

6. EICH LLAIS - canolfannau galw i mewn rheolaidd i glywed am eich meddyliau/ pryderon

https://www.facebook.com/nadine.dahan.3 twitter-@nadinedahan

IS-LYWYDD L LES vice president welfare

JESS DAVIES

Hey there! I’m Jess, why me? Well:

I’m a Student-Peer Trainer in the Skills Development Service, mentoring fellow students about personal development and self-motivation

I’m a volunteer within a student-led welfare-based listening service in Cardiff, supporting those in need

I’m a JOMEC student; I’ve also had to juggle deadlines, social life, academic expectations and budgeting. It’s do-able!

Everyone needs a strong support system during university though, so I’m here for YOU. How?

#MentalHealthMondays – to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health, I plan on making it part of SU discussion every Monday, through welfare based workshops, creative activities, events and student media features

Mind Your Head week 3 times a year, to remind everyone about the support and services available to them

International Student Mentoring – a peer-mentoring system working with current student-led welfare services and the SVC to provide international students, especially 1st years, with a friendly face and point of contact to help with student life in Cardiff

Healthy Eating Budget App – a free app providing healthier meal ideas, recipes and advice about how to eat healthy on a budget

I welcome all other ideas too, talk to me! Twitter: @VoteJessBear

Helo! Jess ydw i, pam fi? Wel:

Rwyf yn Hyfforddwr Myfyrwyr o Blith Cyfoedion yn y Gwasanaeth Datblygu Sgiliau, yn mentora cyd-fyfyrwyr yngl n â datblygiad personol a hunangymhelliant.

Rwyf yn wirfoddolwr mewn gwasanaeth gwrando ar-sail-lles dan arweiniad myfyrwyr yng Nghaerdydd, yn cynnig cymorth i'r rheiny sydd ei angen. Rwyf yn fyfyriwr Newyddiaduraeth, Cyfryngau a Diwylliant (JOMEC); bu hefyd rhaid i mi gwrdd â gofynion dyddiadau cyflwyno gwaith, bywyd cymdeithasol, disgwyliadau academaidd a rheoli cyllid. Mae hyn o fewn ein cyrraedd! Mae pawb angen system gymorth gref yn ystod eu cyfnod yn y brifysgol, felly rwyf yma i CHI. Sut?

#LlunIechydMeddwl - i fynd i'r afael â'r stigma sy'n perthyn i iechyd meddwl, rwyf am wneud hyn yn rhan o drafodaethau'r UM bob dydd Llun, drwy weithdai lles, gweithgareddau creadigol, digwyddiadau ac eitemau ar gyfryngau myfyrwyr.

Wythnos Gwylia dy Ben, 3 gwaith y flwyddyn, i atgoffa pawb yngl n â'r gefnogaeth a'r gwasanaethau sydd ar gael iddyn nhw. Mentora Myfyrwyr Rhyngwladol - system fentora cyfoedion sy'n gweithio gyda gwasanaethau lles cyfredol dan arweiniad myfyrwyr a Gwirfoddoli Myfyrwyr Caerdydd, i ddarparu myfyrwyr rhyngwladol, yn arbennig y rheiny sydd yn eu blwyddyn gyntaf, ag wyneb cyfeillgar a phwynt cyswllt i helpu gyda bywyd myfyriwr yng Nghaerdydd.

Ap bwyta’n iachus am ddim – Ap am ddim yn darparu syniadau a ryseitiau am brydau mwy iachus a chyngor ar sut i fwyta’n iachus yn rhad.

Rwyf yn croesawu syniadau eraill hefyd, siaradwch â fi! Trydar: @VoteJessBear

THOM DAVIES

My name’s Thom (arguably Tom spelled wrong) and I am a final year chemistry student. I'm the current President and former equality and diversity officer of ChemSoc and a student buddy.

I’m here because I want to LISTEN to you, COMMUNICATE with you, and ACHIEVE for you! I believe there is so much more that the union should be doing, like donating unsold food from its food outlets to the homeless and lowering sexual assault cases on nights out by raising awareness. Let’s put the UNITY into Students’ UNION!

HEALTH

Pharmacy ON CAMPUS

Raising awareness of SEXUAL HEALTH and promoting safe sex

MONEY

CHEAPER LUNCHES in the union

Getting the Financial Contingency Fund back to being supported by the Welsh Assembly

FREE transport between the HEATH campus and CATHAYS campus

HAPPINESS

Hiring MORE STAFF in the Student Support Centre so students can get appointments FASTER

Training societies to give guidance to new international students on living expenses

Student EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY OFFICERS in every school

Your STUDENT VOICE is extremely important to me and I believe I can make your time here at Cardiff University the best ever!

FIND OUT MORE: thomcat4welfare.tumblr.com

Fy enw i yw Thom (Tom wedi'i sillafu'n anghywir, gellid dadlau) ac rydw i'n fyfyriwr cemeg yn fy mlwyddyn olaf. Fi yw'r Llywydd presennol ac rwy'n gyn-swyddog cydraddoldeb ac amrywiaeth ChemSoc ac yn gyfaill i fyfyrwyr.

Rydw i yma am fy mod am WRANDO arnoch chi, i GYFATHREBU â chi, ac i LWYDDO ar eich rhan! Rwy'n credu bod llawer mwy y dylai'r undeb fod yn ei wneud, fel cyfrannu bwyd heb ei werthu yn ei siopau i bobl ddigartref a lleihau achosion o ymosodiadau rhywiol ar nosweithiau allan drwy godi ymwybyddiaeth. Gadewch i ni roi'r UNDOD yn ôl i mewn i UNDEB y Myfyrwyr!

IECHYD

Fferyllfa AR Y CAMPWS

Codi ymwybyddiaeth o IECHYD RHYWIOL a hyrwyddo rhyw diogel

ARIAN

CINIO RHATACH yn yr undeb

Cael cefnogaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y Gronfa Ariannol Wrth Gefn unwaith eto

Trafnidiaeth AM DDIM rhwng campws y MYNYDD BYCHAN a champws

CATHAYS

HAPUSRWYDD

Cyflogi MWY o STAFF yn y Ganolfan Cymorth i Fyfyrwyr fel y gall myfyrwyr gael apwyntiadau'n GYFLYMACH

Hyfforddi cymdeithasau i roi canllawiau i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol newydd ar gostau byw

Gosod SWYDDOGION CYDRADDOLDEB AC AMRYWIAETH ym mhob ysgol

Mae eich LLAIS MYFYRIWR yn hynod bwysig i fi ac rydw i'n credu y gallaf sicrhau y bydd eich amser ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd yn fythgofiadwy!

DYSGWCH MWY FAN HYN: thomcat4welfare.tumblr.com

IS-LYWYDD L LES vice president welfare

KATE DELANEY

I’m a third year politics student, STUDENT SENATOR, NUS CONFERENCE DELEGATE 2014 & 2015 and on the WOMEN’s ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE.

I’m caring, experienced, and confident and I really want to help you to embrace your time at university, in the good times and the bad!

Policies:

HOUSING CHARTER: laying out informal agreements between tenants, landlords and, letting agents, so that students can know what to expect when renting.

LIBRARY ‘COMFORTS’ SCHEME: lobby for hot water dispensers and napping spaces.

RETURN AND IMPROVEMENT OF CARDIFF UNIVERSITY SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC: SHAG are amazing, but they shouldn’t have to do it alone.

MENTAL HEALTH: encourage conversation and provide students with tools to spot signs of struggle in others as well as themselves.

DEPARTMENTAL WELFARE COMMITTEES: made up of Academic Reps and CourseBased Societies to deal with department-specific issues and work with Campaign Officers to address liberation-group-specific issues too.

WELFARE FAYRES, including Student-Led-Services, Student Support, NHS representatives and more, all across campus. Other ideas include;

Exam Shuttle Buses, Food Festival and improved Cycling Facilities. VOTE KATE AND CELEBRATE

Look out for the balloons and feel free to ask any questions! Read more: www.katedelaney94.wordpress.com Twitter: @kate_delaney_ Facebook: kdelaney18

Rwyf yn fyfyriwr gwleidyddiaeth yn fy nhrydedd flwyddyn, yn SENEDDWR MYFYRWYR, CYNRYCHIOLYDD i GYNHADLEDD UCM 2014 a 2015, ac rwyf ar BWYLLGOR CYMDEITHAS y MENYWOD.

Mae gen i'r profiad a'r hyder, ac rwyf yn ofalgar am fy nghyd-fyfyrwyr; rwyf eisiau i chi fwynhau eich amser yn y brifysgol, boed law neu hindda!

Polisïau:

SIARTR TAI: esbonio cytundebau anffurfiol rhwng tenantiaid, landlordiaid ac asiantaethau gosod, fel y gall myfyrwyr wybod beth i'w ddisgwyl wrth rentu. CYNLLUN ‘CYSURON’ Y LLYFRGELL: lobïo am beiriannau d r poeth a llefydd i orffwys.

ADFYWIO A GWELLA CLINIG IECHYD RHYW PRIFYSGOL CAERDYDD: Mae SHAG yn wych, ond dylen nhw ddim gwneud hynny ar eu pen eu hun.

IECHYD RHYW: annog trafodaeth a darparu myfyrwyr â'r adnoddau i ganfod arwyddion o anawsterau mewn eraill yn ogystal â'u hunain.

PWYLLGORAU LLES ADRANNOL: sy'n cynnwys Cynrychiolwyr Academaidd a Chymdeithasau sy'n Seiliedig ar Gwrs i ddelio â materion sy'n benodol i'r adran a gweithio gyda Swyddogion Ymgyrch i fynd i'r afael â materion sy'n benodol i grwpiau rhyddhad hefyd.

FFEIRIAU LLES, gan gynnwys Gwasanaethau a Arweinir gan Fyfyrwyr, Cymorth i Fyfyrwyr, Cynrychiolwyr y GIG a mwy, ledled y campws.

Mae'r syniadau eraill yn cynnwys; Bysiau Gwennol ar gyfer Arholiadau, G yl Fwyd a Chyfleusterau Seiclo wedi'u gwella.

PLEIDLEISIWCH DROS KATE A DATHLWCH

Cadwch lygad am y bal ns ac mae croeso i chi ofyn unrhyw gwestiwn!

Darllenwch fwy: www.katedelaney94.wordpress.com

Trydar: @kate_delaney_ Facebook: kdelaney18

DOM DICKS

Hi, my name is DOM DICKS. I am proud to be different. I bring passion, energy and creativity to everything I do, so you can know I will work tirelessly for you to improve the life of every student. Here are some of the ideas I already have:

HEALTH. No student should ever feel unsupported, so let’s bring the support to the students! Put a sexual health practitioner on Park Place. Expand awareness of mental health services. Our duty is to make sure every student who needs help can take it.

HOUSING. An organised movement against the high cost of rent. We must firmly tackle Cardiff’s big letting agencies and demand they provide all students in Cardiff with respectable quality homes at fairer rates.

COMMUNITY. This May we will have a new government in Westminster, which gives us a new opportunity to lobby for change on the issues we care aboutincluding homelessness, graduate unemployment and tuition fees.

I am a second year undergraduate, academic rep and a student mentor in SOCSI. I currently work with Citizens Cymru, an organization uniting and bringing justice to people in Wales. I believe in empathy and freedom.

Read more:

facebook.com/groups/DOMDICKSFORWELFARE medium.com/DOM-DICKS-FOR-WELFARE

Helo, fy enw i yw DOM DICKS. Rwyf yn falch o fod yn wahanol. Rwyf yn cynnig angerdd, egni a chreadigrwydd i bopeth rwyf yn ei wneud, felly gallwch fod yn hyderus y byddaf yn gweithio'n ddiflino ar eich rhan i wella bywyd pob myfyriwr. Dyma rai o'r syniadau sydd gen i eisoes:

IECHYD. Ni ddylai unrhyw fyfyriwr deimlo nad oes cefnogaeth ar gael, felly beth am gynnig cefnogaeth i'r myfyrwyr! Gosod ymarferwr iechyd rhywiol ar Blas y Parc. Ymestyn ymwybyddiaeth o wasanaethau iechyd meddwl. Mae'n ddyletswydd arnom i sicrhau bod pob myfyriwr sydd angen help yn gallu ei gael.

TAI. Ymgyrch wedi ei threfnu yn erbyn costau rhent uchel. Rhaid i ni fynd i'r afael ag asiantaethau gosod eiddo mawrion Caerdydd, a mynnu eu bod yn darparu holl fyfyrwyr Caerdydd â chartrefi teilwng am bris rhesymol.

CYMUNED. Fis Mai eleni, bydd gennym lywodraeth newydd yn San Steffan, sy'n rhoi cyfle newydd i ni lobïo dros newid ar y materion sydd o bwys i ni - gan gynnwys digartrefedd, diweithdra ymhlith graddedigion a ffioedd dysgu.

Rwyf yn fyfyriwr israddedig yn fy ail flwyddyn, yn gynrychiolydd academaidd ac yn fentor myfyrwyr yn yr Ysgol Wyddorau Cymdeithasol (SOCSI). Rwyf ar hyn o bryd yn gweithio â Dinasyddion Cymru, mudiad sy'n uno a dod â chyfiawnder i bobl Cymru. Rwyf yn credu mewn cydymdeimlad a rhyddid.

Darllenwch fwy: facebook.com/groups/DOMDICKSFORWELFARE medium.com/DOM-DICKS-FOR-WELFARE

IS-LYWYDD L LES vice president welfare

DANIYAL KHAN

I have been a student at Cardiff for three years and during my time here I have started a new society which not only hosted an international conference in its first year, but went on to become the Best Newcomer society 14’ too. Given my Accounting background, I acted finance secretary for the conference and was responsible for arranging funding. During that same year, I also played a lead role for one of Cardiff’s biggest Asian productions, Elements, which was a great success.

This year I plan to work on aspects closer to home, some of which include: Working with the local council and Citizens Cardiff to ensure student housing are up to standard De-centralising the Union by creating a Residents’ Association within each residence, run by students to support newcomers and plan social events. Creating discounted meal plans for students from less affluent families Ensuring that plans to create a GP service within the Uni Campus go through Being heavily involved with the Union and its elected officers means I have great knowledge on where things could be improved. So why vote for me? “If anyone can, Dan CAN!

Rwyf wedi bod yn fyfyriwr yng Nghaerdydd am dair blynedd ac yn ystod fy amser yma rwyf wedi creu cymdeithas newydd sydd wedi cynnal cynhadledd ryngwladol yn ei flwyddyn gyntaf, ac aeth ymlaen i ennill gwobr Cymdeithas Newydd Gorau 2014 hefyd. Oherwydd fy nghefndir cyfrifeg, gweithredais fel ysgrifennydd cyllid ar gyfer y gynhadledd roeddwn yn gyfrifol am drefnu’r nawdd. Yn ystod yr un flwyddyn, chwaraeais rôl arweiniol ar gyfer un o gynyrchiadau Asiaidd fwyaf Caerdydd, Elements, a oedd yn llwyddiannus iawn. Eleni, rwy’n bwriadu gweithio ar agweddau yn agosach at adref, mae rhai ohonynt yn cynnwys:

Gweithio â’r cyngor lleol a dinasyddion Caerdydd i sicrhau bod tai myfyrwyr yn cyrraedd y safon a ddisgwylir.

Dad-ganoli’r Undeb trwy greu Cymdeithasau Preswylwyr ym mhob neuadd breswyl, yn cael ei rhedeg gan fyfyrwyr i gefnogi myfyrwyr newydd a threfnu digwyddiadau cymdeithasol.

Creu cynlluniau ar gyfer prydau disgownt i fyfyrwyr o deuluoedd llai cefnog. Sicrhau bod cynlluniau i greu gwasanaeth meddyg teulu ar gampws yn parhau Mae bod yn gysylltiedig iawn â’r Undeb a’r swyddogion etholedig yn golygu bod gen i lawer o wybodaeth ar beth sydd angen ei wella. Felly pam pleidleisio i mi? “Os gall unrhyw un gwella pethau, GALL Dan!”

HIMANSHU KISHNANI

Hello. I am "Hi - Man - Shu". I am running to be your "WELFARE" officer.

I wish to help you get past the Hi-nderances that you face, so that you could make the most of your University experience.

I wish to Man-age and be responsible for your welfare.

I would Shoo-away your problems and look after your Mental, Sexual and General wellbeing and Safety.

My priorities as your Welfare Officer would be :

Lobby the University to get BETTER SERVICES at University RESIDENCES and develop a STUDENT MENTOR System.

Conduct DRUG & AlCOHOL AWARENESS drive, for your wellbeing.

Lobby the university to increase aid for INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS in the form of bursaries and studentships.

Awareness to decrease FOOD WASTAGE and sustain Ecological stability, provide for more recycling options.

Liaise with CAMPAIGN Officers and make sure that all students get the Best University experience, free from discrimination and harassment.

Liaise with Heath Park Officer to get better transport services between cathays and heath campus.

I would also look for options to improve STUDENT EMPLOYABILITY.

Please vote for "HIMANSHU" and let me work for your "WELFARE".

Helo, "Hi - Man - Shu" ydw i. Rwyf yn ymgeisio i fod yn swyddog "LLES".

Rwyf am eich helpu i ddod dros yr heriau rydych yn eu hwynebu, er mwyn i chi wneud y gorau o'ch profiad yn y brifysgol.

Rwyf yn awyddus i fod yn gyfrifol am eich lles.

Hoffwn ddelio â'ch problemau a gofalu am eich lles Meddyliol, Rhywiol a Chyffredinol a'ch Diogelwch.

Fy mlaenoriaethau fel eich Swyddog Lles fyddai:

Lobïo'r Brifysgol i gael GWELL GWASANAETHAU yn LLETY'r Brifysgol a datblygu system FENTORA MYFYRWYR.

Cynnal ymgyrch YMWYBYDDIAETH GYFFURIAU ac ALCOHOL, er eich lles chi.

Lobïo'r Brifysgol i gynyddu cymorth i FYFYRWYR RHYNGWLADOL ar ffurf bwrsariaethau a.y.b.

Ymwybyddiaeth o'r angen i leihau GWASTRAFF BWYD er mwyn gwella cynaliadwyedd ecolegol, gan ddarparu mwy o opsiynau ar gyfer ailgylchu.

Cydlynu â Swyddogion YMGYRCHOEDD a sicrhau fod myfyrwyr oll yn cael y profiad gorau posib tra byddant yn y Brifysgol, yn rhydd o gamwahaniaethu ac aflonyddu.

Cydlynu â Swyddog Parc y Mynydd Bychan a sicrhau gwell gwasanaethau teithio rhwng Cathays a champws y Mynydd Bychan. Buaswn hefyd yn chwilio am opsiynau o ran sut i wella CYFLOGADWYEDD MYFYRWYR.

Pleidleisiwch dros "HIMANSHU" a rhowch gyfle i mi weithio dros eich "LLES".

IS-LYWYDD L LES

LAURA KNIGHT

Hello! I am a law and politics student running for the positon of VP of Welfare. I believe that I am the most suited for the position because of my knowledge and personal skills. I currently mentor first year students and this has driven me to want to apply this help not just to individuals, but to the student body at large. This year I was also elected as a scrutiny officer and through this understand exactly what it takes to be an elected officer. I am also a student with a disability which brings a more personal understanding of the need for student welfare. My campaign consists of four key areas in student welfare: Happiness, Health, Fairness and Awareness

Because of this I want to launch a series of initiatives to help students: ‘No shame, no stigma’ mental health campaign and Stress Relief Week

Creating welfare representatives

Increasing awareness of financial issues and healthy eating on a budget

Focusing on part time officers and helping create events about equality for all diversities

Increasing student led debates on welfare issues

Introducing a housing traffic light system #voteKnight

Helo! Rydw i'n fyfyriwr y gyfraith a gwleidyddiaeth sy'n sefyll am rôl yr IL Lles. Rydw i'n credu mai fi yw'r mwyaf cymwys am y rôl oherwydd fy ngwybodaeth a fy sgiliau personol. Ar hyn o bryd rydw i'n mentora myfyrwyr blwyddyn gyntaf ac mae hynny wedi fy sbarduno i mi gynnig y cymorth hwn nid yn unig i unigolion, ond i gorff y myfyrwyr yn gyffredinol. Hefyd eleni cefais fy ethol yn swyddog craffu a thrwy hynny rwy'n deall yn union yr hyn sydd ei angen i fod yn swyddog etholedig. Rydw i hefyd yn fyfyriwr gydag anabledd sy'n dod â dealltwriaeth fwy personol o'r angen am les myfyrwyr.

Mae fy ymgyrch yn cynnwys pedwar maes allweddol mewn lles myfyrwyr: Hapusrwydd, Iechyd, Tegwch, Ymwybyddiaeth O'r herwydd rydw i am lansio cyfres o fentrau i helpu myfyrwyr: Ymgyrch iechyd meddwl 'Dim cywilydd, dim stigma' ac Wythnos Cymorth Straen Creu cynrychiolwyr lles

Cynyddu ymwybyddiaeth o faterion ariannol a bwyta'n iach ar gyllideb Canolbwyntio ar swyddogion rhan amser a helpu creu digwyddiadau yngl n â chydraddoldeb am bob amrywioldeb Cynyddu dadleuon a arweinir gan fyfyrwyr ar faterion lles Cyflwyno system oleuadau traffig ar dai #pleidleisiwchdrosKnight

JAKE SMITH

Hi, my name is Jake Smith and I’m running for VP Welfare. I’ll use my experience as a Student Senator, NUS Delegate, and Course Rep to push for welfare services that cater not just for the majority of students but for all students.

IMPROVE YOUR STUDENT HOUSING

CHALLENGE LETTING AGENTS to sign up to a Good Housing Charter that guarantees decent homes and service.

Publicly congratulate agents that meet the charters standards and CALL OUT THOSE THAT DON’T to inform students’ decisions and encourage letting agents to improve.

A UNION THAT WELCOMES EVERYONE

More NON ALCOHOLIC FRESHERS EVENTS showcasing our societies and the best of Cardiff culture providing variety and a welcome for all students. Ensure the welfare needs of students in private halls and university houses are NOT FORGOTTEN BY THEIR UNION.

EMPOWER STUDENTS

VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE for the 2016 Welsh elections. Place STUDENT HOUSING AND WELLBEING at the centre of the 2016 Cardiff Council elections.

PROMOTE STUDENT HEALTH

CONVENIENT SIGN UP for the incoming Park Place GP during enrolment. Tackle mental health issues by RAISING AWARENESS all year round and provide healthier vending machines.

Vote Jake Smith for VP Welfare.

Helo, fy enw i yw Jake Smith, ac rwyf yn ymgeisio i fod yn IL Lles. Byddaf yn defnyddio fy mhrofiad fel Seneddwr Myfyrwyr, Cynrychiolydd i UCM a Chynrychiolydd Cwrs i ymgyrchu dros gael gwasanaethau lles sy'n darparu, nid dim ond ar gyfer y mwyafrif o fyfyrwyr, ond ein holl fyfyrwyr.

GWELLA EICH TAI MYFYRWYR

HERIO ASIANTAU GOSOD EIDDO i arwyddo Siartr Tai Da sy'n sicrhau cartrefi a gwasanaeth o safon dderbyniol.

Llongyfarch yn gyhoeddus yr asiantau sy'n cwrdd â safonau'r siartr a THYNNU SYLW AT Y RHEINY SYDD DDIM er mwyn helpu myfyrwyr i ddod i benderfyniad ac annog asiantau gosod eiddo i wella.

UNDEB SY'N CROESAWU PAWB Mwy o DDIGWYDDIADAU DI-ALCOHOL ar gyfer y GLAS, sy'n arddangos ein cymdeithasau a'r gorau o ddiwylliant Caerdydd, gan ddarparu amrywiaeth a chroeso i fyfyrwyr oll. Sicrhau na chaiff anghenion lles myfyrwyr mewn neuaddau preifat eu HANGHOFIO GAN EU HUNDEB.

RHOI GRYM I FYFYRWYR YMGYRCH COFRESTRU PLEIDLEISWYR ar gyfer etholiadau Cymru 2016. Gosod TAI A LLES MYFYRWYR wrth galon etholiadau Cyngor Caerdydd 2016.

HYRWYDDO IECHYD MYFYRWYR HWYLUSO COFRESTRU â'r meddyg teulu newydd sy'n dod i Blas y Parc. Mynd i'r afael â materion iechyd meddwl drwy GODI YMWYBYDDIAETH gydol y flwyddyn a darparu peiriannau gwerthu sy'n cynnig dewis iachach o nwyddau.

Pleidleisiwch Jake Smith fel IL Lles.

IS-LYWYDD L LES vice president welfare

MYLES STENLAKE

SMYLES For Welfare

I’m a final year Medical Physics student, I’ve had my fair share of dealings with different aspects of the welfare services available at Cardiff . Being hit by a car and taking a year out, enduring the appeal process and finding out I was dyslexic. With great support from friends and family I’ve had the best few years of my life. My aim is to make sure everyone’s experience is the same. This is how I plan to bring SMYLES to all students:

Sexual health clinic and GP on campus

More multi-faith prayer rooms with suitable washing facilities

Your house! Work with citizen Cyrmu and the Welsh Government for better legislation on rental properties. Also more support for international and Erasmus students in finding housing.

Less wastage, recycle waste food and generally increase Cardiff’s green credentials

Extenuating circumstance and appeals reform. Clearer, better communication and quicker.

Safe guarding and increasing the student Hardship Fund

This with furthering standards and communication across the university structure from Park Place to the Heath. I want to LEAD the Welfare movement here at Cardiff and represent you on both a university and local level and really maximise your experience!

SMYLES Am Les

Rydw i'n fyfyriwr Ffiseg Feddygol yn fy mlwyddyn olaf, rydw i wedi cael tipyn o brofiadd o ddelio ag agweddau o'r gwasanaethau lles sydd ar gael yng Nghaerdydd. Ar ôl cael fy nharo gan gar a chymryd blwyddyn allan, goddef y broses apelio a darganfod fy mod i'n ddyslecsig. Gyda chymorth gwych oddi wrth ffrindiau a theulu, rhain oedd blynyddoedd gorau fy mywyd. Fy amcan i yw sicrhau bod profiad pawb yn debyg. Dyma sut rydw i'n bwriadu dod â gwên i bob myfyriwr:

Clinig iechyd rhyw a meddyg ar y campws

Rhagor o ystafelloedd gweddïo aml-ffydd gyda chyfleusterau ymolchi addas Eich t ! Gweithio gyda Dinasyddion Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru am well deddfwriaeth ar eiddo a rentir. Hefyd rhagor o gymorth i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol ac Erasmus wrth ganfod t Llai o wastraff, ailgylchu gwastraff bwyd a chynyddu hygyrchedd gwyrdd Caerdydd yn gyffredinol

Newid amgylchiadau arbennig ac apeliadau. Cyfathrebu cliriach, gwell a chyflymach.

Cadw a chynyddu'r Gronfa Galedi i fyfyrwyr Ynghyd â gwella ansawdd a chyfathrebu ledled strwythur y brifysgol o Blas y Parc i'r Mynydd Bychan. Rydw i am ARWAIN y mudiad Lles yma yng Nghaerdydd a'ch cynrychioli chi ar lefel y brifysgol ac ar lefel leol a gwneud y gorau o'ch profiad!

WISER WITH ELIZA

Welfare is such an important aspect of the Students Union. I’d like to work closely with student groups to increase awareness, look at how the needs of specific groups can be better met and provide support to the amazing things students are already doing.

My plans for next year:

Work with Cardiff Healthy People to promote student fitness and healthy eating.

Ensure all students know about and have access to student advice services. Engage with the Time to Talk campaign.

More Union activity around National Awareness Days.

Better integration of welfare activity with events in the Community. Improve support for those arriving at University and during exams.

Work to get a STI testing station to the Students Union.

Increase publicity around sexual health issues and SHAG.

EXPERIENCE: This year I am president of RAG (Raise and Give), Drop in Coordinator/Welfare Officer/Treasurer for STAR (Student Action for Refugees) and member of several other societies and services. I spent last year working for Public Health Wales so have a good knowledge of the resources that are available to students. I’ve also been involved in the Equal Access campaign this year to promote access to University for asylum seekers.

WISER gydag ELIZA

Mae lles yn agwedd mor bwysig o Undeb y Myfyrwyr. Rwyf am weithio'n glòs â grwpiau myfyrwyr i gynyddu ymwybyddiaeth, edrych ar sut y gellir cwrdd yn well ag anghenion grwpiau penodol a darparu cefnogaeth i'r pethau anhygoel mae myfyrwyr yn eu gwneud eisoes.

Dyma fy nghynlluniau ar gyfer y flwyddyn sydd i ddod:

Gweithio gyda Pobl Iach Caerdydd i hyrwyddo ffitrwydd myfyrwyr a bwyta'n iach. Sicrhau bod myfyrwyr i gyd yn gwybod am, a bod ganddynt fynediad i, wasanaethau cynghori myfyrwyr.

Ymgysylltu â'r ymgyrch Amser i Siarad.

Mwy o weithgareddau Undeb o amgylch Diwrnodau Ymwybyddiaeth Cenedlaethol.

Gwell integreiddio o weithgareddau lles â digwyddiadau yn y Gymuned.

Gwella cefnogaeth ar gyfer y rheiny sy'n cyrraedd y Brifysgol ac yn ystod arholiadau.

Gweithio i gael gorsaf brofi ar gyfer heintiau a drosglwyddir drwy ryw yn Undeb y Myfyrwyr.

Cynyddu cyhoeddusrwydd yngl n â materion iechyd rhywiol a SHAG.

PROFIAD: Eleni, rwyf yn Llywydd RAG (Codi a Rhoi Arian), Cydlynydd Galw-heibio / Swyddog Lles / Trysorydd Myfyrwyr yn Gweithredu dros Ffoaduriaid (STAR) ac yn aelod o sawl cymdeithas a gwasanaeth arall. Treuliais llynedd yn gweithio i Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, felly mae gen i wybodaeth dda yngl n â'r adnoddau sydd ar gael i fyfyrwyr. Rwyf hefyd wedi bod yn rhan o ymgyrch Mynediad Cyfartal eleni, i hyrwyddo mynediad i'r Brifysgol i geiswyr lloches.

ELIZA WALWYN-JONES

SWYDDOG MYFYRWYR DUON A L LEIAFRIFOEDD ETHNIG

Black and Ethnic Minorities Officer

R AVIINA VIJAYANANDAM

Hello! I’m Raviina Vijayanandam, a second year medical student. As your black and ethnic minority officer, I promise to fight for your problems like they are my own. I believe that every student is an individual. We all face challenges but I will ensure that your voice is heard. I promise to listen to you with a non-judgmental ear and I guarantee complete confidentiality. I have the passion to drive forward your voice as it is something that I truly believe in.

I have experience in working with our union and other societies having started up Tamil society last year. My role as events co-ordinator this year requires dedication and organisation. One of the events we organised raised awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka during which we collaborated with amnesty international.

I believe the way to unite people is to embrace the differences and educate people about different cultures. There is both positive and negative stories in the news that have impacted people’s views and it is my aim to reinforce the positive features of the differing cultures amongst the student population. Thank you for taking the time to read my manifesto.

works to represent the interests of black relevant issues.

Mae’r Swyddog Myfyrwyr Duon a Lleiafrifoedd Ethnig yn gweithio i gynrychioli buddiannau myfyrwyr duon a myfyrwyr o gefndiroedd lleiafrifoedd ethnig ac ymgyrchu dros unrhyw faterion perthnasol.

Helo! Raviina Vijayanandam ydw i, myfyriwr meddygol yn fy ail flwyddyn. Fel eich Swyddog Myfyrwyr Duon a Lleiafrifoedd Ethnig, rydw i’n addo i frwydro i ddatrys eich problemau fel rhai fy hun. Rydw i’n credu bod pob myfyriwr yn unigolyn. Rydym ni i gyd yn wynebu heriau, ond byddaf yn sicrhau y caiff eich llais ei glywed. Rydw i’n addo gwrando arnoch gyda chlust anfarnol ac yn sicrhau cyfrinachedd llwyr. Mae gen i’r angerdd i yrru eich llais ymlaen gan fy mod i’n credu’n gryf ynddo.

Mae gen i brofiad o weithio gyda’n hundeb a chymdeithasau eraill ar ôl dechrau cymdeithas Tamil y llynedd. Mae fy rôl fel cyd-gysylltydd digwyddiadau eleni yn gofyn am ymrwymiad a sgiliau trefnu. Roedd un o’r digwyddiadau a drefnwyd gennym yn codi ymwybyddiaeth o’r argyfwng dyngarol yn Sri Lanca, ac roeddem ni’n cydweithio gydag Amnest Rhyngwladol ar gyfer y digwyddiad hwn.

Rydw i’n credu mai’r ffordd i uno pobl yw croesawu’r gwahaniaethau ac addysgu pobl am ddiwylliannau gwahanol. Mae straeon cadarnhaol a negyddol yn y newyddion sydd wedi cael effaith ar safbwyntiau pobl, a fy nod i yw cryfhau nodweddion cadarnhaol diwylliannau gwahanol ymysg y boblogaeth myfyrwyr. Diolch am dreulio’r amser i ddarllen fy maniffesto.

SWYDDOG MOESEGOL AC AMGYLCHEDDOL

Ethical and Environmental Officer

works to represent students’ ethical and any relevant issues.

Mae’r Swyddog Moesegol ac Amgylcheddol yn gweithio i gynrychioli buddiannau moesegol ac amgylcheddol myfyrwyr ac yn ymgyrchu dros unrhyw faterion perthnasol.

Reason 4 ELECTED OFFICERS HELP DECIDE ON THE EVENTS YOUR UNION RUNS Rheswm 4

MAE’R SWYDDOGION ETHOLEDIG YN HELPU I BENDERFYNU AR Y DIGWYDDIADAU Y MAE’CH UNDEB YN EU CYNNAL

SAM JENKINS

SWYDDOG MOESEGOL AC AMGYLCHEDDOL

Our world is riven by inequality. 80 people hold as much wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion. This cannot be right. As a Socialist I'm committed to equality for all and to fight against all forms of discrimination.

If elected I'll fight for the rights of every student in this university. I pledge to combat the excesses of Capitalism. I'll push for the SU to pay a decent, living wage of £10 per hour, and I'll urge the abandonment of zero hour contracts. We should not support unethical companies, so I'll demand the ejection from the SU of any company which fails to pay tax.

As a socialist I care passionately about the environment. Climate change is humanity's greatest concern, as through Capitalism's greed we are destroying the planet that sustains us. I would lobby both the University and the SU to increase investment in renewable energy, and embrace energy efficiency. I would also organise and promote an 'Environmental Awareness week' to highlight water wastage, the importance of recycling and saving gas and electricity.

I will organise presentations from environmentalist groups, and a 'sponsor a tree event', encouraging students to sponsor the planting of trees to counter Carbon emissions.

Mae ein byd yn cael ei yrru gan anghydraddoldeb. Mae 80 o bobl yn berchen ar yr un faint o gyfoeth â’r 3.5biliwn o bobl fwyaf tlawd. Fel Sosialydd, rydw i’n ymrwymedig i gydraddoldeb i bawb ac i frwydro yn erbyn pob ffurf o wahaniaethu.

Os ydw i’n cael fy ethol byddaf yn brwydro dros hawliau pob myfyriwr yn y brifysgol hon. Rydw i’n addo i drechu eithafion Cyfalafiaeth. Byddaf yn gwthio’r Undeb Myfyrwyr i dalu cyflog byw teg o £10 yr awr, a byddaf yn ceisio cael gwared â chontractau sero awr. Ni ddylem gefnogi cwmnïau anfoesegol, felly byddaf yn mynnu bod unrhyw un yn yr Undeb Myfyrwyr nad ydynt yn talu trethi yn cael eu troi allan.

Fel Sosialydd rydw i’n teimlo’n gryf iawn am yr amgylchedd. Pryder mwyaf dynoliaeth yw newid hinsawdd, ac oherwydd barusrwydd Cyfalafiaeth rydym yn dinistrio’r blaned sydd yn ein cynnal. Byddaf yn lobïo’r Brifysgol ac Undeb y Myfyrwyr i gynyddu buddsoddiad mewn ynni adnewyddadwy, ac i annog effeithlonrwydd ynni. Byddaf hefyd yn trefnu a hyrwyddo ‘Wythnos Ymwybyddiaeth Amgylcheddol’ i amlygu gwastraffu d r, pwysigrwydd ailgylchu ac arbed nwy a thrydan.

Byddaf yn trefnu cyflwyniadau gan grwpiau amgylcheddol, a digwyddiad ‘noddi coeden’ er mwyn annog i fyfyrwyr noddi i goed gael eu plannu er mwyn rhwystro allyriadau Carbon.

As a highly progressive candidate with substantial committee and student rep experience, I feel confident that I can deliver the following, should I be elected:

Work with the Union to improve our energy efficiency and paper wastage problems. The Union may be an old building, but far more can be done to encourage the union and the university to redouble its efforts when it comes to energy efficiency, creating long-term savings for staff and students.

I will undertake a comprehensive ‘ethical audit’ of the university’s investments. Cooperate with the university to create an ‘ethical portfolio’ for science-based placement schemes and graduate programmes. Our university should be investing in not only our futures, but the future of the planet. New and exciting international programmes will be sought out, and programmes already run at Cardiff will be put all in one place, so that students can receive a leg-up into the world of ethical employment.

Work with other societies’ presidents, including my successor in Amnesty, the campaign officers, and the associations to create an ‘ethical coalition’ within the university. This group would share resources and material to encourage greater awareness and participation with regards to environmental, humanitarian, LGBT+ and Womens’ issues.

Fel ymgeisydd blaengar iawn gyda phrofiad sylweddol o fod ar bwyllgorau a chynrychioli myfyrwyr, rydw i’n hyderus fy mod yn gallu cyflenwi’r canlynol, pe byddwn yn cael fy ethol:

Gweithio gyda’r Undeb i wella ein heffeithlonrwydd ynni a phroblemau gwastraffu papur. Efallai bod yr Undeb yn hen adeilad, ond gallwn wneud mwy o lawer i annog yr undeb a’r brifysgol i ddyblu eu hymdrechion o ran effeithlonrwydd ynni, gan greu arbedion hir-dymor ar gyfer staff a myfyrwyr. Byddaf yn cynnal ‘archwiliad moeseg’ cynhwysfawr o fuddsoddiadau’r brifysgol. Cydweithio gyda’r brifysgol i greu ‘portffolio moesegol’ ar gyfer cynlluniau lleoli a rhaglenni graddedigion gwyddonol. Dylai’n prifysgol fuddsoddi nid yn unig yn ein dyfodol, ond hefyd yn nyfodol y blaned. Byddaf yn chwilio am raglenni rhyngwladol newydd a chyffrous, a bydd rhaglenni a gynhelir eisoes yng Nghaerdydd i gyd yn cael eu rhoi yn yr un lle, fel bod myfyrwyr yn cael manteisio ar y byd o gyflogaeth foesegol.

Gweithio gyda llywyddion cymdeithasau eraill, gan gynnwys fy olynydd yn Amnest, y swyddogion ymgyrchu, a’r cymdeithasau i greu ‘clymblaid foesegol’ o fewn y brifysgol. Bydd y gr p hwn yn rhannu adnoddau a deunyddiau er mwyn annog ymwybyddiaeth a chyfranogaeth fwy o ran materion amgylcheddol, dyngarol, LHDT a Menywod.

DANIEL TUCKER

international students’ officer

SWYDDOG MYFYRWYR RHYNGWLADOL

Students'InternationalOfficer

to represent international students’ interests at Union and University level and to

Mae’r Swyddog Myfyrwyr Rhyngwladol yn gweithio i gynrychioli buddiannau Myfyrwyr Rhyngwladol yn yr Undeb a’r Brifysgol ac ymgyrchu dros unrhyw faterion perthnasol.

SARA AL SAYED

Hello! I am Sara, an International student in SOCSI, and also the Secretary of the Arab Society. I am running for International Students Officer because I want international students to know that they MATTER! I want to…

Have more cultural events, not only to give international students the chance to celebrate/embrace their culture but also for everyone to learn about and appreciate Cardiff’s diversity! Students should be able to feel welcomed and comfortable in Cardiff no matter where they come from. I want to ENCOURAGE international students to speak up and bring forward their concerns about issues they care about, and help them get involved! International students’ voices should be heard, we are just as important as everyone else!

I want to ensure that there is help for international students in knowing their rights and what they can do in Cardiff- yes, the Cardiff University website has a list of recommendations of where to find out this information, but doesn’t directly provide all the answers! Students should be provided more awareness of their rights and what they can do as international students in Cardiff.

Every culture, language and person are an important part of what makes Cardiff special!

Helo! Sara ydw i, myfyriwr Rhyngwladol yn SOCSI, a hefyd yn Ysgrifennydd y Gymdeithas Arabaidd. Rydw i’n sefyll ar gyfer Swyddog Myfyrwyr Rhyngwladol oherwydd rydw i eisiau i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol sylweddoli eu bod yn BWYSIG! Rydw i eisiau...

Cael rhagor o ddigwyddiadau diwylliannol, nid yn unig i roi cyfle i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol ddathlu eu diwylliant, ond hefyd fel bod pawb yn dysgu am ac yn gwerthfawrogi amrywiaeth Caerdydd! Dylai myfyrwyr deimlo croeso ac yn gyfforddus yng Nghaerdydd, heb ystyried o ble maent yn dod. Rydw i eisiau ANNOG myfyrwyr rhyngwladol i siarad am a bod yn agored am eu pryderon am y materion sydd yn bwysig iddynt, a’u helpu i gyfranogi! Dylai lleisiau myfyrwyr rhyngwladol gael eu clywed, rydym yr un mor bwysig â phawb arall!

Rydw i eisiau sicrhau bod cymorth ar gael i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol a’u bod yn gwybod eu hawliau a beth y gallent wneud yng Nghaerdydd – er bod gan wefan y Brifysgol restr o awgrymiadau o le mae’r wybodaeth hon ar gael, nid yw’n rhoi’r atebion i gyd yn uniongyrchol! Dylai myfyrwyr gael eu gwneud yn fwy ymwybodol o’u hawliau a beth y gallent wneud fel myfyrwyr yng Nghaerdydd.

Mae pob diwylliant, iaith a pherson yn rhan bwysig o beth sydd yn gwneud Caerdydd yn arbennig!

SWYDDOG MYFYRWYR RHYNGWLADOL

AHMED LAAJAM

Hola! Salam! Nihao! I am Ahmed Laajam, a first year student in Economics & Finance and I am running for International Students Officer.

Originally from Sweden and been living in Saudi Arabia, I am well aware of the challenges of adjusting to a new surrounding and culture.

My mission is to make the adjustment to Cardiff as seamless as possible. Giving us international students a greater say. Creating an even more enjoyable and pleasant stay at Cardiff University.

EXPERIENCE

I have previously established and been a board member of a student union in Sweden.

Currently, I am active in the Investment & Trading society and the Cardiff Business Club.

OBJECTIVES:

Greater availability of SCHOLARSHIPS and AWARDS for us international students.

“INTERNATIONAL CARDIFF DAY” cultural festival represented by all the different countries in Cardiff University.

JOB PROGRAM aiding us internationals students on how you can GAIN WORK

EXPERIENCE and on your rights when working.

Start-up PACKAGE GUIDE given to all international students. What to see and do in Cardiff and Wales. Information about university services, shops and banks.

Creation of a unified INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ BODY. With representatives from all international societies, expressing their views and opinions.

Hola! Salam! Nihao! Ahmed Laajam ydw i, myfyriwr Economeg a Chyllid yn fy mlwyddyn gyntaf, ac rydw i’n sefyll ar gyfer Swyddog Myfyrwyr Rhyngwladol.

Rydw i’n dod yn wreiddiol o Sweden ac wedi byw yn Saudi Arabia, ac felly rydw i’n fwy nag ymwybodol o’r heriau o addasu i amgylchiadau a diwylliant newydd. Fy nod yw sicrhau bod addasu i Gaerdydd mor syml â phosib. Helpu i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol i gael dweud ein dweud. Creu profiad pleserus a dymunol ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd.

PROFIAD

Yn flaenorol roeddwn yn sefydlu ac yn aelod o’r bwrdd o undeb y myfyrwyr yn Sweden.

Ar hyn o bryd rydw i’n aelod o’r Gymdeithas Buddsoddi a Masnachu a Chlwb Busnes Caerdydd.

AMCANION:

Argaeledd mwy o YSGOLORIAETHAU a GWOBRAU i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol.

“DIWRNOD RHYNGWLADOL CAERDYDD” – g yl ddiwylliannol a gynrychiolir gan y gwledydd gwahanol ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd.

RHAGLEN SWYDDI i helpu i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol gael PROFIAD GWAITH a gwybod eich hawliau pan ydych yn gweithio.

PECYN CANLLAW dechrau i bob myfyriwr rhyngwladol. Beth i weld a gwneud yng Nghaerdydd a Chymru. Gwybodaeth am wasanaethau’r brifysgol, siopau a banciau.

Creu CORFF MYFYRWYR RHYNGWLADOL unedig. Gyda chynrychiolwyr o bob cymdeithas ryngwladol i gyfleu eu barn a’u safbwynt.

GRACE PIDDINGTON

According to the University website, our International population is close to 6,000 of our 28,000 students. Representing the diverse community here at Cardiff would be an honour. If elected, I intend on building on the already stable support system for us. It is not a matter of whether or not we as International Students find ourselves comfortable here, only of how long it takes us to acclimate, a process I intend on doing all in my power to speed up If elected, my intentions are simple: I want to listen to you. The resources that Cardiff offers us as students at this University are vast, but not endless. I would like to extend the international officer position to also serve students from Continental Europe. Also, after the Students Union sent me all the way home for winter as a part of the Christmas Wish promotion this past December, I would like to explore options to help international students get home as often as possible, and as inexpensively as possible. I intend on working for the international student community, whatever the need may be and hope to be available to all of my fellow students.

Yn ôl gwefan y Brifysgol, mae ein poblogaeth Ryngwladol yn agos at 6,000 o’n 28,000 o fyfyrwyr. Byddai cynrychioli’r gymuned amrywiol yma yng Nghaerdydd yn anrhydedd. Os caf fy ethol, rwy’n bwriadu adeiladu ar y system cymorth sydd eisoes yn sefydlog i ni. Nid yw’n fater o os ydyn ni fel myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn teimlo’n gyfforddus yma neu na, dim ond o ba mor hir mae’n ei gymryd i ni gynefino, proses rwy’n awyddus iawn i gyflymu.

Os caf fy ethol, mae fy mwriadau’n syml: Rwy eisiau gwrando arnoch chi. Mae’r adnoddau y mae Caerdydd yn cynnig i ni fel myfyrwyr y Brifysgol yn enfawr, ond nid yn ddiddiwedd. Hoffwn i ymestyn rôl swyddog rhyngwladol hefyd i wasanaethu myfyrwyr o gyfandir Ewrop. Hefyd, gan fod yr Undeb wedi fy arwain yr holl ffordd adref ar gyfer y gaeaf fel rhan o’r hyrwyddiad “Dymuniad y Nadolig” mis Rhagfyr diwethaf, hoffwn i ymchwilio opsiynau i helpu myfyrwyr rhyngwladol i fynd adref mor aml â phosib, ac mor rhad sy’n bosib. Rwy’n bwriadu gweithio i’r gymuned myfyrwyr rhyngwladol, beth bynnag bo’r angen ac yn gobeithio bod ar gael i bob un o fy nghyd-fyfyrwyr.

LGBT+ Officer

relevant issues.

Rôl y Swyddog LHDT+ yw cynrychioli buddiannau myfyrwyr Lesbiaidd, Hoyw, Ddeurywiol, Traws* a Phlws ac i ymgyrchu ar faterion perthnasol.

SWYDDOG LHDT+

JACK MELDRUM

LBGT+ is a big deal. We're a huge group of people from all walks of life. The world still doesn't know what to do with us - and it's sometimes too keen on keeping us out of the way. I don't see any reason we should do so. We shouldn't be confined to special days, weeks, or months, and we shouldn't censor our voices for the comfort of those more privileged. If elected LGBT+ Officer my ethos will be simple - 'NO COMPROMISES'. We can always do more for LGBT+ Students, their wellbeing, and their safety. We can educate, listen, reach out and enact change. I cannot stress enough how important the LGBT+ Association has been to me in my first year and I have every intention of making it more potent in the year to come. We will do as much as we can to ensure the visibility of LGBT+ students and their issues and the safety of those same students. It's no less than we can do or you deserve.

Mae LHDT+ yn fater mawr. Rydym yn gr p anferth o bobl o fywydau amrywiol. Mae’r byd yn dal i fod yn ansicr o beth i wneud gyda ni – ac weithiau yn rhy frwd i’n cadw allan o’r ffordd. Nid wyf yn gweld unrhyw reswm pam ddylem ni wneud hyn. Ni ddylem ni gael ein cyfyngu i ddiwrnodau, wythnosau neu fisoedd arbennig, ac ni ddylem ni sensro ein lleisiau i gysuro pobl sydd yn fwy breintiedig. Os ydw i’n cael fy ethol yn Swyddog LHDT+ bydd fy ethos yn syml – ‘DIM CYFADDAWD’. Gallwn bob amser wneud mwy i fyfyrwyr LHDT+, eu lles a’u diogelwch. Gallwn addysgu, gwrando, estyn allan a gweithredu newid. Ni alla’ i bwysleisio digon pa mor bwysig mae’r Gymdeithas LHDT+ wedi bod i mi yn fy mlwyddyn gyntaf, ac mae gen i bob bwriad o’i gwneud yn fwy nerthol yn y flwyddyn sy’n dod. Byddaf yn gwneud cymaint â phosib i sicrhau amlygrwydd myfyrwyr LHDT+ a materion a diogelwch y myfyrwyr hynny. Nid ydych yn haeddu unrhyw beth yn llai a dyma beth y gallwn wneud.

LGBT+ Woen

SWYDDOG LHDT+ MENYWOD

ELLIE UTLEY

LGBT+ issues are still incredibly important, just because we’re getting there with equal rights under law, doesn’t mean changes don’t still need to happen, and for some parts of the LGBT+ community, namely people who identify as Trans* or plus, we still have a long way to go.

So even if you don’t identify as LGBT+, it is still incredibly important that you vote, doing so gives support to the movement, and provides greater representation for a community whose needs aren’t necessarily at the forefront of people’s minds.

So if you’re still reading, my main promises to you are:

To increase awareness of gender identities and the use of different pronouns, firstly by providing information and resources that can be accessed from the SU website, so that those who want to find out more can.

To continue to campaign for gender neutral toilets around campus, and also for the provision of gender neutral changing rooms at the university sports centres.

To ensure that full support is available for any student wishing to access abortion services.

I also promise to be as friendly and approachable as I can, and welcome suggestions for anything else you feel needs to change.

relevant issues.

Rôl y Swyddog LHDT+ Menywod yw cynrychioli buddiannau myfyrwyr Lesbiaidd, Hoyw, Ddeurywiol, Traws* a Phlws ac i ymgyrchu ar faterion perthnasol.

Mae materion LHDT+ yn dal i fod yn bwysig iawn. Er bod pethau wedi gwella yn gyfreithiol o ran hawliau cyfartal, nid yw hyn yn golygu nad oes angen i ragor o newidiadau ddigwydd, ac i rai rhannau o’r gymuned LHDT+, yn enwedig pobl Draws* neu +, mae ffordd bell iawn i fynd eto.

Felly, hyd yn oed os nad ydych yn LHDT+, mae’n dal i fod yn bwysig iawn i chi bleidleisio gan ei fod yn rhoi cefnogaeth i’r symudiad, ac yn darparu cynrychiolaeth fwy i gymuned gydag anghenion nad ydynt o reidrwydd ar flaen meddwl pobl.

Felly, os ydych yn dal i fod yn darllen, fy mhrif addewidion i chi yw:

I gynyddu ymwybyddiaeth o hunaniaethau rhyw a’r defnydd o enwau gwahanol, yn gyntaf drwy ddarparu gwybodaeth ac adnoddau ar wefan Undeb y Myfyrwyr, fel y gall pobl sydd eisiau gwybod mwy gael mynediad i’r wybodaeth.

I barhau i ymgyrchu dros dai bach niwtral o ran y rhywiau ar y campws, a hefyd ar gyfer ystafelloedd newid niwtral o ran y rhywiau yng nghanolfannau chwaraeon prifysgolion.

I sicrhau bod cymorth cyflawn ar gael ar gyfer unrhyw fyfyriwr sydd eisiau mynediad i wasanaethau erthyliad.

Rydw i hefyd yn addo bod mor gyfeillgar ac y gallaf, ac i groesawu awgrymiadau am unrhyw beth arall yr hoffech chi weld yn newid.

SWYDDOG MYFYRWYR AG ANABLEDDAU

Students with Disabilities Officer

to represent the interests of students with disabilities at Union and University level and

Mae’r Swyddog Myfyrwyr ag Anableddau yn gweithio i gynrychioli buddiannau myfyrwyr ag anableddau yn yr Undeb a’r Brifysgol ac ymgyrchu dros unrhyw faterion perthnasol.

students with disabilities officer

DIANA ISAJEVA

SWYDDOG MYFYRWYR AG ANABLEDDAU

I am Diana Isajeva, a 2nd year LLB Law student. With all my passion, vision and dedication I wish to improve the student experience for disabled students in Cardiff University for the better. I aspire to be your ""Students with Disabilities"" Officer. As a disabled student battling an invisible illness, I am well aware of the daily struggles that we face and will do my best in order to address the issues that need to be raised. Equality and accessibility might be hot topics. Let us tackle them together. From my personal experience, I know that it can be very challenging for a disabled student to participate in university life and fully enjoy the student experience; therefore, my mission would be to address all of your obstacles individually. Furthermore, I am planning to raise awareness of the difficulties that disabled students face while in higher education, by holding a number of events across university. I had a unique opportunity to volunteer for the Red Cross and Action for Children in 2013, where I campaigned in order to support the most vulnerable and neglected children and young people across the UK, which gave me the necessary skills to fulfil my duties.

Diana Isajeva ydw i, myfyriwr ail flwyddyn LLB y Gyfraith. Gyda’r angerdd, gweledigaeth ac ymrwymiad i gyd sydd gen i, rydw i eisiau gwella’r profiad i fyfyrwyr anabl ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Fy uchelgais yw bod yn Swyddog “Myfyrwyr ag Anableddau” i chi. Fel myfyriwr anabl sydd yn dioddef salwch anweladwy, rydw i’n fwy nag ymwybodol o’r heriau dyddiol rydym yn eu hwynebu, a byddaf yn gwneud fy ngorau glas i fynd i’r afael â’r materion sydd angen delio gyda nhw. Efallai bod cydraddoldeb a hygyrchedd yn bynciau poblogaidd. Dylem ni eu taclo gyda’n gilydd. O brofiad personol, rydw i’n gwybod ei fod yn heriol iawn i fyfyriwr anabl gyfranogi mewn bywyd prifysgol a mwynhau’r profiad o fod yn fyfyriwr yn gyfan gwbl; felly fy nod yw datrys eich rhwystrau i gyd yn unigol. Hefyd, rydw i’n bwriadu cynyddu ymwybyddiaeth o’r anawsterau y mae myfyrwyr anabl yn eu hwynebu ym myd addysg uwch, drwy gynnal nifer o ddigwyddiadau ar hyd a lled y brifysgol. Ges i gyfle unigryw i wirfoddoli ar gyfer y Groes Goch ac Action for Children yn 2013, ble’r oeddwn yn ymgyrchu er mwyn cefnogi’r plant a phobl ifanc mwyaf agored i niwed yn y DU, ac roedd hyn yn rhoi’r sgiliau angenrheidiol i mi gyflawni fy nyletswyddau.

SAM PRITCHARD

Students with Disabilities are often overlooked within the university setting. If elected I would:

1. Improve the Voice of Disabled Students.

I propose setting up a Cross University Disability Forum to better meet the needs of disabled students. This Forum will look at improving the university and post university experience for thousands of students. I will also offer advice and support to Students considering running for any position within Cardiff University from student reps to SU President.

2. Improve Awareness.

Not only do I plan to hold events and regular drop in sessions I would also like to create a website that would include:

Step by step guides of the diagnosis process.

Information on hidden disabilities and signs you should look for before considering getting diagnosed.

Accountability of Disability Officer.

FAQ's and statistics on disabilities.

3. Fight for Free Disability Tests.

Before you sit the disability test you have to pay £250 upfront, and this is wrong. In Britain 21% of children in families with at least one disabled member are in poverty. I believe many people are putting off having a disability test because of the cost, these forces disabled students to suffer in silence.

Mae Myfyrwyr ag Anableddau yn aml yn cael eu hanwybyddu o fewn cyd-destun y brifysgol. Pe byddwn yn cael fy ethol byddai’n:

1. Gwella Llais Myfyrwyr Anabl.

Rydw i’n cynnig sefydlu Fforwm Anabledd Traws Brifysgol i ateb anghenion myfyrwyr anabl yn well. Bydd y Fforwm yn edrych ar wella’r profiad prifysgol ac ôl-brifysgol i filoedd o fyfyrwyr. Byddaf hefyd yn cynnig cyngor a chymorth i Fyfyrwyr sydd yn ystyried sefyll ar gyfer unrhyw safle o fewn Prifysgol Caerdydd o gynrychiolwyr myfyrwyr i Lywydd Undeb y Myfyrwyr.

2. Gwella Ymwybyddiaeth.

Nid yn unig ydw i’n cynllunio i gynnal digwyddiadau a sesiynau galw heibio, ond byddaf hefyd yn hoffi creu gwefan i gynnwys:

Canllaw cam wrth gam o’r broses diagnosis

Gwybodaeth ar anableddau cudd a’r arwyddion y dylech edrych amdanynt cyn ystyried cael eich diagnosis.

Atebolrwydd y Swyddog Anableddau.

Cwestiynau Cyffredin ac ystadegau ar anableddau.

3. Brwydro dros Brofion Anabledd rhad ac am ddim.

Cyn i chi wneud y prawf anabledd rhaid i chi dalu £250 ac mae hyn yn anghywir. Ym Mhrydain mae 21% o blant sydd mewn teuluoedd gydag o leiaf un aelod anabl yn byw mewn tlodi. Rydw i’n credu bod llawer o bobl yn osgoi cael prawf anabledd oherwydd y gost, sydd yn gorfodi myfyrwyr anabl i ddioddef mewn tawelwch.

SWYDDOG IAITH GYMRAEG

Welsh Language Officer

speaking students at the University within the structures of the Union and where appropriate, the University.

Mae’r Swyddog Iaith Gymraeg yn gyfrifol am gynrychioli buddiannau myfyrwyr sy’n siarad Cymraeg yn y Brifysgol o fewn strwythurau’r Undeb a, lle y bo’n briodol, strwythurau’r Brifysgol.

STEFFAN JONES

Bu gwasanaethu drosoch chi a’r Gymraeg dros y misoedd diwethaf yn her ac yn fraint aruthrol, fel ei gilydd.

Rhoddais lais i’ch cwynion wrth herio’r Brifysgol ar beiriannau hunanwasanaeth y Llyfgrell.

Sicrheais fod yr Undeb yn derbyn Siarter Iaith Gymraeg UCMC, a hynny’n unfrydol. Dyma sylfaen hynod gref wedi’i gosod am flynyddoedd i ddod. Am y tro cyntaf erioed yn y CCB, cafwyd cyfraniadau yn y Gymraeg.

Gofynnaf yn garedig am eich cefnogaeth i’m galluogi i barhau i ddatblygu’r Gymraeg am flwyddyn arall.

Addewidion:

Byddaf yn cynnig arweiniad yn y gwaith o drefnu’r Eisteddfod Ryng-golegol yn 2016 pan ddaw ein cyfle ni i’w threfnu. I gynnal Eisteddfod lwyddiannus, byddaf yn cyd-weithio â Phwyllgor y Gym Gym, gan fanteisio ar fy mhrofiadau ymgyrchu hyd yma, i sicrhau cefnogaeth deilwng yr Undeb a’r Brifysgol. Byddaf yn parhau i’ch cynrchioli, hyd gorau fy ngallu, o fewn y drefn annigonol sydd ohoni, tra bo’n gwneud yr achos dros gynrychiolaeth llawer cyflawnach. Mae’r Gymraeg yn perthyn i bawb; mae angen swyddog llawn-amser arni. Drwy wrando ar eich rhwystredigaethau, am Fewnrwyd newydd Prifysgol Caerdydd er enghraifft, heriaf anhawsterau sy’n atal siaradwyr Cymraeg rhag byw eu bywydau trwy gyfrwng yr iaith o hyd.

It has been a challenge and a great honour to serve you and the Welsh language over the past months.

I gave a voice to your complaints by challenging the University on the library’s self-service machines.

I ensured the Union accepted the NUS Welsh Language Charter, which passed unanimously. This is a strong foundation that has been set for years to come. For the first time ever at the AGM, there were contributions in Welsh.

I kindly ask for your support to allow me to continue to develop the Welsh language for another year.

Pledges:

I will lead the organization of the Intercollegiate Eisteddfod in 2016 when we have the opportunity to host it. To hold a successful Eisteddfod, I will work together with the Gym Gym Committee, drawing on my campaign experiences to date, to ensure worthy support from the Union and the University.

I will continue to represent you, to the best of my ability, within the current inadequate system, while making the case for a much fuller representation. The Welsh language belongs to everyone; it needs a full time officer to represent it.

By listening to your frustrations, e.g. on Cardiff University’s new Intranet, I will challenge difficulties that still prevent Welsh speakers from living their lives through the medium of their language.

Woen’s

Officer

on any relevant issues.

Mae Swyddog y Merched yn gweithio i gynrychioli buddiannau myfyrwyr sy’n ferched ac ymgyrchu dros unrhyw faterion perthnasol.

SWYDDOG Y MERCHED

AMY BULLARD

Hi, I’m Amy and I’m currently a first year Business Management student. I have always had a strong passion for equality and feminism and now I would like to put this passion into practice. Did you know that there is a tax on sanitary products as the government deems them to be ‘non-essential’? Well, if elected, I would enable sanitary products to be sold tax-free to all students from the Union. This will help us save money and hopefully trigger more campaigning towards the issue nationally.

Additionally, we have seen a rise of issues surrounding consent through social media and the news. I believe there is insufficient education on this subject and I would want to provide accessible information detailing the issues for all students. For example, I would implement a leaflet into all fresher packs, offering a reminder of the main issues surrounding consent. Lastly, to further educate all students on the topic of feminism and women’s rights I would like to introduce a monthly magazine, which would include topical issues, written by students.

Remember, no matter your gender, age, religion, nationality, sexuality, feminism means equality for everyone and this is what I would like to achieve.

Thank you!

Hei! Amy dw i ac rwy’n fyfyriwr Rheoli Busnes blwyddyn gyntaf ar hyn o bryd. Rwyf wastad wedi cael angerdd cryf ar gyfer cydraddoldeb a ffeministiaeth a nawr hoffwn actio ar yr angerdd hwn. Oeddech chi’n gwybod bod treth ar gynhyrchion glanweithiol gan fod y llywodraeth yn barnu eu bod yn ‘anhanfodol’? Wel, os caf fy ethol, byddwn yn galluogi gwerthu cynhyrchion glanweithiol heb dreth i bob myfyriwr yn yr Undeb. Byddai hyn yn ein helpu i arbed arian a gyda lwc yn sbarduno mwy o ymgyrchu ar y mater yn genedlaethol.

Yn ogystal, rydym wedi gweld cynnydd o faterion yn ymwneud â chaniatâd ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol a’r newyddion. Yn fy marn i, nid oes digon o addysg ar y pwnc yma a byddwn yn awyddus i ddarparu gwybodaeth hygyrch yn esbonio’r materion i bob myfyriwr. Er enghraifft, byddwn yn cynnwys taflen yn becynnau wythnos y glas a fydd yn atgoffa’r myfyrwyr o’r prif faterion sy’n ymwneud â chaniatâd. Yn olaf, i addysgu holl fyfyrwyr y Brifysgol ar y pwnc o ffeministiaeth a hawliau menywod ymhellach, hoffwn gyflwyno cylchgrawn misol a fydd yn cynnwys materion cyfoes, a ysgrifennwyd gan fyfyrwyr.

Cofiwch, beth bynnag eich rhyw, oedran, crefydd, cenedligrwydd, rhywioldeb, mae ffeministiaeth yn golygu cydraddoldeb i bawb a dyma beth hoffwn ei gyflawni.

Diolch!

SWYDDOG Y MERCHED

LEAH HIBBS

Women have been some of the hardest hit since the recession. 70% of those made redundant have been women and another 1.48 million will be unemployed by 2018 under Cameron’s economic plans. This is the reality we face after graduating. 2015 sees the General Election in May and it’s time for women to stand up and fight against the inequalities we face.

If I’m elected as Women’s Officer I guarantee women’s voices will be heard. Women comprise 56% of students at Cardiff University, yet are still underrepresented as SU elected officers, and on society committees. As Women’s Officer I pledge to be committed to getting women into leading roles. Women deserve representation so I will be campaigning to make Women’s Officer a Full-Time position.

There are many things female students at Cardiff University may need during their stay in this lovely city. Easy-to-access contraception and advice, including the pill, the injection and the patch, is of paramount importance and should be readily available through the SU.

My other policies include:

Monthly Women’s forums to discuss and tackle issues women are facing A gender quota for Society Committees where applicable Campaigning to make Women’s Officer a Full-time position

Mae menywod yn rhai o’r bobl sydd wedi cael eu heffeithio’n fwyaf ers y dirwasgiad. Mae 70% o’r bobl a chafodd eu diswyddo yn fenywod a bydd 1.48 miliwn arall yn ddi-waith erbyn 2018 o dan gynlluniau economaidd Cameron. Dyma’r realiti sy’n ein hwynebu ar ôl graddio. Mae Etholiad Cyffredinol 2015 ym mai yn gyfle i fenywod i sefyll i fyny a brwydro yn erbyn yr anghydraddoldeb sy’n ein hwynebu.

Os caf fy ethol fel Swyddog y Menywod, rwy’n addo y bydd lleisiau menywod yn cael eu clywed. Mae menywod yn creu 56% o fyfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd, ac eto fyth maent yn cael eu tangynrychioli ymhlith y swyddogion etholedig ac ar bwyllgorau cymdeithasau. Fel Swyddog y Menywod, rwy’n addo i fod yn ymrwymedig i gael merched mewn rolau arweiniol. Mae menywod yn haeddu cynrychiolaeth felly byddaf yn ymgyrchu i wneud Swyddog y Menywod yn rôl lawnamser.

Mae yna lawer o bethau y bydd angen myfyrwyr benywaidd Prifysgol Caerdydd yn ystod eu hamser yn y ddinas hyfryd yma. Mae atal cenhedlu a chyngor hawdd eu ffeindio, gan gynnwys y bilsen, y pigiad a’r clytiau, yn hollbwysig a dylent fod ar gael yn hawdd trwy’r UM.

Mae fy mholisïau eraill yn cynnwys: Fforymau menywod misol i drafod a thaclo materion sy’n wynebu menywod Cwota rhyw ar gyfer Pwyllgorau Cymdeithasau lle bo’n berthnasol Ymgyrchu i wneud Swyddog y Menywod yn rôl lawn amser

R ACHAEL MELHUISH

Hi! I’m Rachael, 2nd year English Literature student, passionate feminist and Chair of the Women’s Association (CWA). It’s been a huge privilege to watch the CWA grow this year in terms of our committee, membership, and events. Now I want to use my experience, drive and perseverance to push student feminism at Cardiff further than ever before.

What would I focus on?

HEATH CHILDCARE – Lobby the Union for better and cheaper childcare facilities at the Heath Park campus

TACKLING SEXUAL HARASSMENT – Increase support services and signposting for students; set up links with the National ‘Good Night Out’ campaign to ensure staff are trained on how to prevent harassment

SEX WORKERS - Reduce stigma around sex work, and champion for the welfare and rights of students sex workers using the results of the Student Sex Work Project I’d also run a BODY POSITIVITY campaign, and hold WORKSHOPS on feminism and intersectionality so that students are better equipped to understand and tackle feminist issues.

Any questions?

Extended manifesto: rachaelmelhuish.wordpress.com

Twitter: @RachMelhuish

Facebook: Rachael.Melhuish

My experience: Chair of the CWA NUS Wales Women’s Committee LGBT+ Association Committee – Ally Liaison Officer NUS & NUSW Women’s Conference Delegate Societies Executive Committee

Hei! Rachael dw i, myfyriwr ail flwyddyn yn astudio Llenyddiaeth Saesneg, ffeminydd angerddol a Chadeirydd Cymdeithas y Merched (CMC). Mae wedi bod yn fraint enfawr wylio’r CMC yn tyfu eleni a ran ein pwyllgor, aelodaeth a digwyddiadau. Nawr rwyf eisiau defnyddio fy mhrofiad, egni a dyfalbarhad i wthio ffeministiaeth myfyriwr yng Nghaerdydd ymhellach nag erioed.

Ar beth fyddwn i yn canolbwyntio?

GOFAL PLANT Y MYNYDD BYCHAN – Lobïo’r Undeb am gyfleusterau gofal plant gwell a rhatach ar gampws Parc y Mynydd Bychan

TACLO AFLONYDDU RHYWIOL – Cynyddu gwasanaethau cymorth ac arwyddbyst i fyfyrwyr; sefydlu cysylltiadau gyda’r ymgyrch cenedlaethol ‘Good Night Out’ i sicrhau bod staff yn cael eu hyfforddi ar sut i atal aflonyddu

GWEITHWYR RHYW – Lleihau’r stigma tuag at weithwyr rhyw a phleidio achos lles a hawliau’r myfyrwyr sy’n weithwyr rhyw gan ddefnyddio canlyniadau’r Prosiect Gwaith Rhyw Fyfyrwyr

Byddwn hefyd yn rhedeg ymgyrch CORFF POSITIF a chynnal GWEITHDAI ar ffeministiaeth a rhyng-adrangarwch fel bod myfyrwyr yn fwy cymwys i ddeall a thaclo materion ffeministaidd.

Unrhyw gwestiynau?

Maniffesto Estynedig: rachaelmelhuish.wordpress.com

Trydar: @RachMelhuish

Facebook: Rachael.Melhuish

Fy mhrofiad i: Cadeirydd y CMC

Pwyllgor Menywod UCM Cymru

Pwyllgor Cymdeithas LHDT+ - Swyddog Cyswllt Cynghreiriad

Cynrychiolydd Cynhadledd Menywod UCM ac UCMC

Pwyllgor Gweithredol y Cymdeithasau

Student Senate Chair

the student senate Chair facilitates debate and discussion at student senate which is

Mae Cadeirydd Senedd y Myfyrwyr yn hwyluso dadleuon a thrafodaethau yn Senedd y Myfyrwyr, sef corff llunio polisïau’r Undeb.

student senate chair

CADEIRYDD SENEDD Y MYFYRWYR

BRYN GRIFFITHS

Across my five years at Cardiff University I have been both a Heath and Cathays Student, and I am currently your Vice President Sports and Athletic Union President. I have considerable experience of chairing large, but focused, committee meetings and would love to bring this to Student Senate.

Yn ystod fy bum mlynedd ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd rwyf wedi bod yn fyfyriwr y Mynydd Bychan a Cathays, ac ar hyn o bryd fi yw’r Is-lywydd Chwaraeon a Llywydd yr Undeb Athletaidd. Mae gen i brofiad helaeth o gadeirio cyfarfodydd pwyllgor mawr, ond yn ganolbwyntiedig, a byddwn wrth fy modd yn dod â’r profiad hyn i’r Senedd Myfyrwyr.

JENNIFER OWEN

With prior experience of facilitating discussions and reviewing policies through the civil service, I will provide support for student senate members at meetings, uphold the student’s union constitution while reflecting the values and ideals of the student body. I will ensure constructive debate and effectively chair the annual general meeting.

Gyda phrofiad blaenorol o hwyluso trafodaethau ac adolygu polisïau trwy'r gwasanaeth sifil, byddaf yn darparu cymorth i aelodau senedd y myfyrwyr yng nghyfarfodydd, cynnal cyfansoddiad Undeb y Myfyrwyr wrth adlewyrchu gwerthoedd a delfrydau’r corff myfyrwyr. Byddaf yn sicrhau trafodaethau deongliadol ac yn cadeirio’r cyfarfod cyffredinol blynyddol yn effeithiol.

CYNRYCHIOLWYR UCM CYMRU

WalesNUSDelegate

nUs Wales delegates represent the views of Cardiff University students at nUs Wales

of the nUs Wales, of which Cardiff University

Leah Hibbs

Ahmed Laajam

Jennifer Owen

Sam Pritchard

Darllenwch ein maniffestos ar-lein

Mae cynrychiolwyr UCM Cymru yn cynrychioli barn Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd yng Nghynhadledd UCM Cymru, sef corff llunio polisïau blynyddol UCM Cymru, y mae Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd yn aelod ohono ar hyn o bryd.

Cardiff University Students' Union will be hosting it's first ever Women's Week to celebrate and recognise the achievements, diversities and issues facing women students and women all over.

Events

Cardiff Women In Science

Film Screening & Discussion

04/2/15, 6pm-8pm, Room 4C, SU

Cardiff Women In Science, a network of STEM academics and postgraduates based at Cardiff University, is hosting its first event for undergraduates. Come along to this film night (film TBC) if you're interested in science and women's contribution to science and technology!

50:50 Parliament Talk on Gender Inequality in Parliament

05/2/15, 6pm-7.30pm, Beverton Lecture Theatre, Main Building

The General Election will be happening in May 2015! The co-founder of the 50:50 Parliament movement, Frances Scott, will be talking about why it's so important and relevant for EVERYONE to aim for gender equality and an equal representation of women in Parliament.

Liberation Panel Talk

06/3/15, 6pm- 8pm, Room 4D, SU

Different panel speakers will be talking on how issues such as domestic violence affect BME women, LGBT+ women and women with disabilities. An interesting talk for any one wanting to find out more about issues that minorities face.

Feminist Themed Social

08/3/15, 7pm - Venue TBC

To end a jam-packed Women's Week, the Cardiff Women's Association will be celebrating together. The theme is 'purple' as purple is the colour of the women's movement. Venue TBC.

Skills Development Service

Leadership Course for women to be delivered by a woman mentor:

The Skills Development Service will be running a 4 day long leadership course aimed at women students. Certificate and qualification upon completion. If you're unable to attend all sessions, you can attend sessions at other times outside of Women's Week:

Leadership Styles

04/2/15, 5pm- 7pm

Leadership In Difficult Situations

05/2/15, 5pm-7pm

Coaching Skills

06/2/15, 5pm-7pm

Assertiveness For Leaders

07/3/15, 10am-12pm

Team Briefings (e-learning format)

Events are open to all, whether you already consider yourself to be a feminist or have never thought much about women's issues and feminism before.

Adam Stokes

I‘Left in dark times’

Are left-wing politics in a state of decline?

t is seen as traditional for students to veer to the left wing. In fact, it is a moral duty for many. The image of Che Guevara adorns tshirts and damp-ridden walls, Tony Benn is considered a hero, Marx is studied and worshipped and socialist leaflets are distributed outside the union. Meanwhile they lambast the right; UKIP are nutty fascists who believe homosexuality causes thunder and the Tories only represent the port and stilton lubricated pockets of the public school mafia.

For many the choice is simple. The left is the side of liberty, equality, and empathy. The right is the side of intolerance, nepotism, and of the few. But if we remove the pomp and imagery, the schoolboy posters and the idols, the truth is less glamorous.

“The parties on the left make wonderful claims that sound too good to be true

”

The parties on the left make wonderful claims that sound too good to be true. Often that is because they are. Ed Miliband has promised to raise the minimum wage to £8 an hour by 2020. In theory a lot of people would be on board with this, myself included. However, if we step back from the soundbite and think about it, the truth is (and I don’t believe that the two Eds aren’t aware of this) – if inflation is as expected by 2020, £8 per hour will equate to what the minimum wage is now at £6.50 under the Tories. It’s not all about money they say; they have a

policy of making sure everyone gets an appointment with a GP within 48 hours of their call. I’m sure hard working doctors on NHS salaries will be more than happy to spend more time in the surgery away from their children and their loved ones. Perhaps worst of all, despite obvious public demand Labour will refuse to give a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union. Regardless of how we may choose to vote, people want their say on this contentious issue (as is their democratic right) and Labour are denying it.

‘They aren’t really left wing!’ you cry out. Well then, let us visit the ‘UKIP of the left’. Caroline Lucas and the rest of the Greens. They believe in a ‘Green Economy’ in which we are in a constant state of recession. This could lead to job losses and lower the standard of living in indescribable ways. Meanwhile they’ll tax everything from sausages to mint imperials, meaning only the very rich can afford these things. They’d also like to scrap exams and school inspectors and have people start education at age six. Added to this they firmly support trade unions, which actively (and sometimes violently) impinge on other people’s right to work. Opposed to these tax increases, cuts in education, and free handouts, stand the Conservatives. They

offer income tax cuts to everybody, and have promised to make no cuts at all to the NHS. They will also offer a democratic and much-wanted referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union. Not only will more apprenticeships be available, but generally more jobs.

Additionally, young people who are out of work will be able to contribute to society and do something meaningful by getting their benefits through community work. More people in jobs, people with purpose in their lives, being allowed a democratic right to choose, no cuts to the NHS, and income tax cuts for all.

Students – I know the Tories are unfashionable and dusty, but so is

the left. Don’t be taken for a ride by parties falsely trading on romantic images that no longer apply. The left may be seen as rebellious and out there, but why not actually do the truly rebellious thing: be a student who veers to the right.

General Election Countdown: Hopes and Fears

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Email: politics@ gairrhydd.com

This is not only an election, but a pivotal point in British politics, where the result has not been this unpredictable for decades, and personally I can’t wait.

Alternative parties are growing in popularity across the UK, challenging the stubborn stronghold of the two, or now three, of Westminsters usual parties. For this election, I hope that smaller parties will grow with a surge of votes across the board. Despite the fact they might not take many seats, even having widespread national support will be an astonishing yet expected result.

Tat will force the Conservatives and Labour to get out of the same old regime, and offer something new, more radical, that will be beneficial for the country.

In this election, I hope that Plaid Cymru’s vote share will grow, I hope the SNP will almost wipe out Labour in Scotland, I hope the Green Party can make progress, and I even hope that UKIP will make gains. Tis is not because I support some of these parties’ policies, but rather that a vote for any of them, will be a vote against the status quo.

I would love to see a result where Labour and the Conservatives combined fail to get 60% of the national vote share between them.

When it comes to Cardiff, I hope that our MP post-May will realise they are not just another MP. Tey will be scrutinised more than ever, as the choice is wide for the next election, making our local MP take his/her constituents more seriously.

This year, Individual Voter Registration has replaced the old electoral registration system in which people were registered to vote under their head of household.

Tis year in Cardiff alone 24,000 people have been dropped from the electoral register as a result. While this has enough impact in itself, young people are increasingly apathetic about politics.

Many feel cynical about a political system which houses out of touch politicians who have betrayed them in various ways. Coming up to May, I fear that young people are not just apathetic about voting now, but are reinforcing non-voting as a habitual culture.

A substantial number of young people don’t view politics as something

within which they can affect change. Tis simply isn’t true. Russell Brand the philosopher is attempting to lead the way towards a generation of the politically useless. Brand’s mantra on not voting suits politicians; if young people don’t vote then politicians continue policies which attack the young. While Russell Brand is a force for good regarding how young people relate to politics, he is not great in terms of advising our political actions.

Carwyn Williams Rhiannon

With the deadline to individually register to vote approaching, it is concerning that many students and young people won’t have registered come election day. Voting may seem a frustrating process to some practically and philosophically. By voting you avoid missing the opportunity to have some say in what happens in your future.

Pictured: Ed Miliband’s smoldering eyes (Photographer: Joanna Kiyone)

Tapp

Pictured: Ed Miliband and David Cameron

Jamie McKay

SWhat does the 26th anniversary of the Rushdie Fatwa say about the state of free speech?

aturday the 14th marked 26 years since the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared a fatwa stating that Muslims worldwide were obliged to kill Salman Rushdie for having written ‘Te Satanic Verses’.

After the fatwa was declared Rushdie spent the next nine years in hiding under police protection. Te publication of ‘Te Satanic Verses’ led to protests across the Muslim world, the bombings of various bookstores and the murder of Italian and Japanese translators. Te British-Asian author Hanif Kureishi refers to what has become known as the Rushdie Affair as “one of the most significant events in postwar literary history.”

Last year, the anniversary was marked among some social media circles with a rewrite a famous poem; “Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Khomeini is dead, Not Rushdie f*@k you.”

A further 26 years on, do we feel proud of this irreverence? Are we willing to mock and ridicule religious dogma and religious leaders?

By 2005, the editor of the Danish centre-right paper Jyllands Posten, Fleming Rose, published a series of cartoons depicting Mohammed. He reached this decision after reading the troubles encountered by leftist activist and children’s author Kåre Bluitgen, in finding an illustrator for a book about the life of Muhammed he hoped would

bring better relations between communities.

Famously these cartoons sparked worldwide protests and by December 2005 a group of Danish imams travelled to the Organisation of Islamic Conference in Mecca with a dossier about the cartoons. However, most of the cartoons and images found in the dossier had never been included in the original Jyllands Posten but were used in an attempt to inflame tensions further. Among these images was a picture of a man in a pig mask; the imams stated that this was a depiction of Muhammed. In reality the picture came from a French pig-squealing contest and had no connection to Jyllands Posten or Islam.

Te point was to try and infuriate Muslims across the Middle East and the imams were successful in this regard. Various dictators and monarchs facing criticism from their populations could posture as the defenders of Muslims under attack from the West and distract from local issues.

On the 7th of January this year the offices of the left-wing French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo were attacked leaving most of the editorial team dead. Some of the English-speaking left claimed the cartoonists and writers were racist. Various covers from the past were dug up as evidence of the bigotry that ran through the editorial room. All of those who were brutally gunned down had previously worked on various anti-racist campaigns. French left-

ists and English speakers who followed Charlie Hebdo have attempted to push back against these smears, but have had little success so far.

Tough most people were willing to defend Rushdie during the early 1990s, the past decade has seen people less willing to defend satirists who critique religious establishments. Te last time any Briton was brought to trial for blasphemy was 1977 when the editor of Gay News was fined for publishing a poem written from the viewpoint of a Roman Centurion, who had sex with Jesus after his Crucifixion. After this case, the UK’s blasphemy law was rarely enforced and was abolished in 2008. For our generation the fact we can criticise or mock Christianity is taken for granted, previous blasphemy laws seem as alien to us as the days of absolute monarchy or slavery. Te smears of ‘racism’ levelled against Charlie Hebdo or Jyllands Posten don’t come from the fact that people don’t know the magazine’s history but that they don’t want to know. Te idea that Charb and his colleagues were racists who ‘had it coming’ is more comforting to people than the truth; that a pair of religious fascists assaulted a left-wing group whose main target was bigotry and racism.

“

For our generation, the fact we can criticise or mock Christianity is taken for granted

”

Pictured: Salman Rushdie Credit: Flickr; Sectaria de Cultura Ciudad de Mexico

Harry Bligh

SCIENCE

Inbreeding of ‘man’s best friend’ causing dogs serious health problems

In the United Kingdom, 24 per cent of all households own a dog. Tat’s around nine million dogs, making them the most popular pet per household in the country. Tis number is even higher in the United States with between 37 and 47 per cent of all households owning a dog.

Between one-third and a half of dogs are ‘purebred’. Tese breeds of dog are the result of selective breeding where the dogs are bred for specific traits. Often the parents of the dog are closely related. Tese pure breeds tend to be ‘fashionable’ dogs such as bulldogs and Bassett hounds. Tese are the sorts of breeds that are seen at dog shows and are sold to people for extortionate prices. However many owners of these fashionable breeds end up with soaring vet bills due to the dog getting numerous ailments.

Got a story idea? Let us know: science@ gairrhydd.com

Tere are a variety of troubling problems that affect dogs that have been pure-bred. Bassett hounds are prone to ear infections, glaucoma and mobility-loss in later life. Boxer dogs often get respiratory distress due to their flat face, heart defects and are very prone to cancers and epileptic

seizures. Even German shepherds can have illnesses such as cataracts, haemophilia, pancreatic disorders and leg pain.

Te UK Kennel Club was founded in 1873; it is the country’s governing body for dog shows and operates the national register of pedigree dogs. Puppies can only earn Kennel Club certification if their lineage back to the club’s original group of dogs can be traced, resulting in the creation of a ‘closed gene-pool’. Tis is where issues arise.

One of the biggest areas of concern for this is dog shows, such as CRUFTS. According to the RSPCA, in order for a dog to be entered, it must be registered with the Kennel Club, conform to written breed standards and be pedigree. For a dog to be pedigree, both parents must be members of the same single breed. Tey believe that these requirements inevitably lead to inbreeding, with dogs from the ‘closed gene-pool’ experiencing many health problems. Pedigree dogs have been bred for shows to emphasise certain physical features. Tese features can be so extreme that they cause severe pain

and suffering. A recent scientific study showed that all of the 50 most popular dog breeds have a physical aspect that can cause suffering. In addition, this lack of genetic diversity has increased the risk of inherited diseases.

Te RSPCA recognises that some dog breeding is a welfare concern in this country and has taken action in giving a clear message that it doesn’t accept it. In 2009, they pulled out of supporting CRUFTS and they funded

a ‘VetCompass’ research project into disorders in dogs at the University of Sydney, Australia. With the issue of unethical dog breeding becoming exposed in the public eye, more action is being taken to ensure that this malpractice is controlled. Te RSPCA now offer a service to help potential dog buyers choose a dog that has been bred ethically with the best possible chance of being fit and healthy.

Should you still be sleeping with your teddy?

I’m 23 and I sleep with my teddy. I’m not ashamed, and I’m certainly not alone. More than a third of the adult population sleep with an attachment object. Why are so many of us so fond of stuffed toys given to us at a young age, and should we be leaving these behind with our childhood?

All of the 50 most popular dog breeds have a physical aspect that can cause suffering

extra value on an object that they own. In an interesting experiment by psychologists Bruce Hood and Paul Bloom, they saw that most children between these ages would prefer to take home their original attachment object, rather than an identical copy. When asked to take home the copy instead of the original, “the most common response was horror”, said Nathalia Gjersoe, part of the research team. “A few very sweet and obedient children said okay but then burst into tears.”

dies, mobile phones, or even sentimental family heirlooms.

Tere has always been a concern that the emotional bond between a person and an inanimate object could be unhealthy, a sign of loneliness or psychological disorders. But Marjorie Taylor, psychology professor at the University of Oregon, says her research suggests otherwise. In her book ‘Imaginary Companions and the Children Who Create Tem’, she

summarises that children with attachment objects are less shy, more able to focus attention and have an advanced social understanding of what is around them.

Embarrassment aside, there may be psychological benefits to having an attachment object, and breaking the relationship during adulthood may cause emotional distress. I will therefore continue to sleep easily at night with my teddy, and so should you. “

Whether it be a blanket or teddy bear, attachment tends to perk at 3 years of age, although many maintain a relationship well into adulthood

I received my teddy, a toy panda, when I was born. Ever since, we have been inseparable, with a 23-year bond that rivals most of my human relationships. I weaned myself away from needing it to sleep when I began comprehensive school (time to grow up, right?) but as I’ve got older, I’ve embraced the embarrassment of sleeping with a teddy at night. Te comfort from it is unprecedented, and I’m past caring what other people think. I can go to bed without it, I’d just prefer not to – hangovers are made more bearable, and why would I deprive myself of a better night’s sleep?

Tere is no clear consensus as to why up to 70 per cent of children form such strong emotional attachments to a single object or toy. Whether it be a blanket or teddy bear, attachment tends to peak at three years of age, although many maintain a relationship well into adulthood.

At two years old, we can grasp the idea that we can own something; possess something as a part of ourselves. By the age of six, the ‘endowment effect’ is observed; children place an

Some studies suggest that children with attachment objects regard them as living animals, with thoughts and feelings. When three and four yearolds were shown pictures of living animals and toy animals, those who owned a comfort toy were more unlikely to correctly separate how each would respond to a scenario in a story – rather than inanimate toys just reacting physically, the children believed they would respond with feelings too. Te children showed a very strong emotional bond to their toy, thinking of them as more human-like, priceless and invaluable.

Adults who continue to show attachment to an object also think of their toy as invaluable. Tis was evident in an unconscious stress test that involved cutting up photos of various teddies. Adults were far more upset cutting up photos of their own attachment object, than of other ted-

most popular among adults,

Pictured: Ridgebacks often suffer from hypothyroidism, which can cause weight gain and hair loss (Flickr)

Shanna Hamilton

Pictured: Te traditional teddy bear is the

followed by Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bear (Flickr)

Natasha Lampard

Those who have been using the Pill for 5 or more years have nearly double the risk of developing cervical cancer

Contraceptive injections: Is it time for men to share the burden?

The latest in a seemingly neverending list of things which give you cancer is the contraceptive pill. Cancer Research UK has recently highlighted the risks women face when taking the combined pill; scientists have found that while the pill reduces the risk of ovarian and womb cancers, it instead increases the risk of cervical and breast cancers.

Not only do women who take the pill have an increased risk of cancer, but those who have been using the pill for five or more years are at nearly double the risk of developing cervical cancer compared to women who have not used it at all. Since around 100 million women use the pill worldwide, this is worrying news. Women do not simply choose to go on the pill the same way someone chooses to smoke; women choose the pill because it is the best out of a bad bunch.

Te pill revolutionised birth control in the 20th century by giving women power over their bodies which they previously lacked. It is easy to use and more than 99 per cent effective if taken correctly. Yet, recent links with cancer negate its successes. What other choices are there? I’m sure I speak for many women when

I hurl a resounding ‘no’ to the intrauterine device (IUD), otherwise known as the coil. Not only does the IUD sound like a technical term used in criminal law for some form of assault, it also requires invasive insertion into the uterus.

Te contraceptive implant similarly requires an invasive procedure but this time calling for a scalpel to your delicate upper arm, leaving you scarred forever. Ironically, these forms of contraception are described as reversible but the emotional and physical scars can endure long past the physical effects of the contraceptive. So the only choices left are babies and cancer, unless we have neglected the role of men.

New research into male contraception is underway but does it sound more promising than what is currently on offer for women? Vasagel, a name more fitting for Bonjela’s girlfriend, is a polymer gel which is injected into the vas deferens and prevents sperm being released during intercourse. Te Parsemus Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation who are developing the contraceptive, have claimed that they hope it will cost “less than a flat screen TV”;

a small price to pay for a hypodermic needle to the testicles. Te risks of this contraceptive are not yet clear as it has not been trialled on humans. Despite any risks it is hard to imagine a string of excitable males at their local family planning clinic ready for the injection, I am certain they would opt for the flat screen TV. Vasagel is

not set to hit our clinics for another three years as testing continues.

Until something better comes along, or the pill is in fact discovered to be the cure for cancer, our choices for birth control are limited. We can only hope for viable contraception for both men and women so that the burden is equally shared.

Fungus-eaten face restored by virtual reality

Shanna Hamilton

The infection spread deep into the tissue of his cheeks, eating away at the bone, quickly destroying his facial features and blinding an eye

After a rare fungal infection ate away at the soft tissue and eye of Billy Crawford in just four hours, doctors told him he had just days to live. Against the odds, the resilient Crawford pulled through and thanks to pioneering surgery with the help of virtual reality, doctors managed to restore the shape of his face.

61-year-old Crawford, from Lockesburg, Arkansas, faced inconceivable difficulties over a 20 year period, including open heart surgery, bouts of cancer and a torrent of life-threatening infections. In 2010, after chemotherapy left his immune system severely damaged and white blood cell stores depleted, Crawford somehow inhaled fungal spores that are rarely found in soil. A rare infection took hold that would leave him scarred for life.

Mucormycosis is thought to only affect two people per million, but is very difficult to treat and is often fatal. Caused by fungus in the order Mucorales, it has been more prevalent in tsunami survivors, where rotting vegetation is commonly found in the surrounding environment.

What began as a small black mark on Crawford’s nose quickly developed into severe blisters and raw ulcers, a serious fever and a failing immune system. Although doctors quickly administered anti-fungal medication, the infection spread

deep into the tissue of his cheeks, eating away at the bone, quickly destroying his facial features and blinding one eye.

Last week at an American science conference, prosthetics expert Dr Suzanne Verma described how she and colleagues at the Texas A&M University used a revolutionary imaging technique and combined it with silicon prosthesis design to restore the facial structure of Crawford.

By collecting CT imaging scans before and after mucormycosis, the team were able to merge the two using specialist software, creating a computer model of Crawford’s face. Exploring this model, much like exploring a map in virtual reality games, the doctors could pinpoint the areas of damage, design a prosthesis to fit the area and plan the surgery required for the mask to fit. The use of clever technology didn’t stop there. During surgery, light-emitting diodes were laid across Crawford’s face to act as markers, to guide surgeons and help digitally track where exactly to implant a series of magnets in his forehead and cheeks. This method of navigational surgery helped make the procedure more accurate. Once healed, magnets could then precisely attach to a silicone prosthesis mask, which included wrinkles, eyelids and over 16 different colours applied to make

more realistic skin. This improved Crawford’s quality of life drastically.

Before surgery, Crawford said: “I haven’t had a nose for so long, it will take me a little while to get used to it. But it’s going to be a great adjustment. This is the best Christmas gift I could ever receive. It’s perfect; a lot better than I ever imagined.”

Discussing navigational surgery, Verma said: “It’s GPS in the operating room. Just as we use satellite to find our position on a moving map while driving our car, we use cam-

eras and tracking devices to help us find our place on an anatomical map while operating in real time on a patient.”

Unfortunately, after a difficult battle, Billy Crawford lost his life in April last year, but his legacy remains. “This has definitely been the most challenging and rewarding prosthetic restoration I have done in my career,” Verma said. “Mr. Crawford is an inspiration, and his positive attitude helped make his treatment a success.”

Pictured: Billy Crawford with his sillicon prosthesis, attached to his face by magnetic implants (Texas A&M University)

Pictured: Campaigners for contraceptive equality

Theodoros Lekkakos

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has neither confirmed nor denied that such a project exists but it is highly plausible the company may be developing their own electric car

Don’t

fret students: adulthood doesn’t start until you’re 25

As students, I’m sure most of us feel like we’re slipping back into childhood with frequent naps, post-lecture snack time, and perhaps even by having a little cry because you’re missing your mother.

We may have been pushed into acting “like a grown-up” at age 18, and legally you are a full adult at 21. However research has found that adulthood officially starts at 25.

According to psychiatrist, Beatriz Luna, adolescent desires thought to die down after 15 years of age actually increase; desires such as sensation seeking and a want for novelty. Professor Luna believes this has to do with the added responsibilities that come during the late teens and early 20s, especially as individuals leave home and fend for themselves.

Crucial neurological changes take place beyond the traditional boundaries of adulthood. Professor Luna indicates that attitudes traditionally adopted by teenagers, such as a will to defy one’s parents, are part of this procedure. She states that “at that age their brain is telling them to start leaving the nest and taking chances. Tey are discovering new freedoms”. Tus young people do stay adoles-

cents for longer as the brain encourages them to do what they want to do, rather than what people tell them to do, as it provides a vital variability of experience as mistakes are made during independent decision making.

A part of the brain known as the ‘striatum’ is the cause of this as research has found that it continues to run at an elevated level until around 25. It is stimulated by rewards and thus encourages individuals to seek out their desires and thus gives a heightened sensitivity to motivation. Tis is combined with the pre-frontal cortex, otherwise known as the ‘planning centre’ which controls adult-like reasoning, to drive teens’ curiosity and experimentation, allowing them to function in new situations without seeking help from elders and parents.

However, Professor Luna has also indicated that the messages of responsibility from the pre-frontal cortex are occasionally overruled by dopamine in the young person’s mind – a hormone giving feelings of happiness when taking risks.

All this combined means that the brain still remains in a state of adolescence until much later than originally thought. Luna is still conducting

research into how long it takes for changes signalling adulthood in the brain to complete, but she has indicated it’s possible that they continue into the early 30s.

What does this mean for the young folk of today? People in their early 20s probably won’t be treated any differently, but perhaps you now know on

what to blame for any stupid things you’ve done. Luna herself states that “having the freedom to play a bit longer in life might be a good thing”. Maybe it’s time to stop feeling embarrassed about bringing that teddy bear with you to university: most of us still have a few more years until adulthood.

Apple: Electric car rumours and the iMove concept

One of the biggest problems that the world faces is pollution, and a major contributor is CO2 emissions from cars. To tackle this problem, many large companies are investing time and money into the development of eco-friendly vehicles. Te most common eco-friendly cars run on electricity instead of petrol; however, in recent years the electric car market has become far more competitive since major car companies such as Peugeot and Fiat have started to create their own version of a truly eco-friendly car.

Also, because of the increase of pollution and the rising price of crude oil, the demand for such cars has increased and thus, companies such as Tesla motors were created, that specialise in solely making eco-friendly vehicles. Realising this increase in demand and the potential benefits of entering such a market, other technology companies that have strong research and development departments, such as Google and Apple, have begun work on their own electric cars. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has neither confirmed nor denied that such a project exists but it is highly plausible the company may be developing their own electric car.

But how can Apple hope to compete when they have no experience of car manufacture? First of all, Apple’s design team contains people like Marc Newson and Johann Jungwirth who have both created car designs for Ford and Mercedes. Also, the fact that execu-

years

are

The brain encourages them to do what they want to do, rather than what people tell them to do

tives such as Eddy Cue, who is a member of Ferrari’s Board of Directors, and Phil Schiller and Jony Ive, who are also known to share a love for cars, may push the company towards entering the market. Moreover, there has been a massive exchange of employees between Tesla motors and Apple indicating that there is a need for experts, possibly for the completion of an automotive project. Tis could be the forerunner of a merger or even acquisition between Apple and

car market in an effort to expand the company. After years of consideration and rumours a design was released by the 20 year-old auto-designer Liviu Tudoran. He designed a concept car called iMove, which is anticipated to be released to the market by 2020. Of course many changes will occur until the car takes its final form. Tis car will be electric and most of its bodywork will be covered with transparent materials, which will also work as solar panels.

It is undeniable that the new ideas that Apple is considering on introducing are going to change the driving experience, like autopilot, which will make the car completely independent. Moreover, Apple will enhance Tesla’s electronic vehicles concept, which uses computers to correct the driver, in order to reduce the possibility of an accident, and also create energy-efficient battery technology. It will be very exciting to see the expertise that Apple has brought to the mobile

Maria Mellor

Pictured: Students can take comfort in knowing they have many

of partying before they

officially an adult.

Pictured: Te iMove concept car

SOCIETIES

Barney’s Note

Hello everyone! Elections are upon us and selection process for the next VP Societies underway. I imagine you have seen the manifestos what with them being in the very

What’s On

Monday 23rd February

Student Minds Eating Disorder Awareness Week For more information see article 23rd - 27th February

Student Advice Student Advice Drop In noon - 2pm

Meeting Rooms close to the IV Lounge, Heath Park Campus

Global Health Student Network Let’s Talk About Menstrual Health

6.30pm – 8.30pm Large Shandon Lecture Teatre, Cardiff University Main Building

Nightline

Call Nightline to chat about anything 8pm - 8am every night

Tuesday 24th February

Students’ Union

Wales in Westminster Lecture: Pippa Bartolotti

5pm - 7pm

Birt Acres Lecture Teatre, Bute Building

paper you are holding now but I would urge you to give each of them a good read! Officers are well placed to make real changes but they need to be chosen by an informed and interested elector-

Wednesday 25th February

LGBT+ Society LGBT+ Coffee ‘Crawl’ 2pm - 5pm Meeting outside Next in town

Skills Development Service Short Course in Personal Effectiveness 2pm - 4pm For location information e-mail SDS.

Student Minds Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Understand eating disorders: professional and personal viewpoints 6.15pm – 7.30pm Room 4J, Students’ Union

Art Society Life Drawing - Painting by Candlelight! 7.30pm – 9.30pm Room 4H in the Students’ Union

Tursday 26th February

Expression Fitness 6pm – 7.15pm 4A/B, Students’ Union

As Wale’s biggest student led charity SVC presents a fun filled week of oneoff volunteering events designed for you to try something new and develop your CV! Each day will offer a different opportunity to give back to the Cardiff community. Get involved and make a difference! Unless specified, meet in SVC, Second Floor Students’ Union.

What’s On for Student Volunteering Week:

tweet us @gairrhyddsoc email us societies@gairrhydd.com or visit us online at gairrhydd.com/

ate. In other news, Go Global tickets are available at the early bird rate for another week –move fast! If you are not sure what kind of event Go Global is, have a watch of last year’s show on YouTube! It is without a doubt worth the measly £3 we are asking for admission. As ever, if you are not sure what society you might want to join, feel free to get in touch.

Student Enterprise How to Understand Sales 6pm - 8pm 4J, Students’ Union

Students’ Union

Wales In Westminster Lecture: Elfyn Llwyd MP 6pm - 8pm

Birt Acres Lecture Teatre, Bute Building

Student Minds

Eating Disorder Support Group 6.15pm – 7.15pm Room 4F, Students’ Union

STAR - Student Action for Refugees STAR does Refugee Rhythms 7pm - 11pm

CF10, Students’ Union

Bioscience Society

Biosci vs Psychology 8pm - 3am Lloyds Bar & Glam, Cardiff

Friday 27th February

Art Society

Art Society Hit Dublin! 27th February 8am - 2nd March 1am Dublin

Optometry Society OPFEST 2015 27th February 6pm - 1st March 6pm

Garden Makeover at Local Homeless Shelter 22nd February noon-2pm

Beach Clean at Ogmore Beach 23rd February noon - 2pm

Dog Walking 24th February noon - 2pm

Afternoon Tea for the Elderly 25th February noon - 2pm

Red Cross Society share some student first aid tips

You’re at a party and your drunken friend breaks a glass bottle, cutting themselves on the shards. Blood is flowing and they’re starting to look pale. What do you do? Using your hand or a clean cloth, put pressure on the wound to slow down the bleeding. Call 999 if it’s a really deep cut.

Another one of your friends has drunk a bit too much and has accidentally swallowed some pills they found on the side of the kitchen. Tey’re beginning to have stomach pains and they think they’re going to vomit. What do you do?

If you can find out what they took ex-

Joining fees have been halved and there is still time to get involved with societies in a real way! If you need any support, you can find loads of information on the website or you can email myself on VPSocieties@ cardiff.ac.uk or the Societies Coordinator Becky on Societies@cardiff.ac.uk. Have a nice day and thanks for reading my blurb!

Aston University

Act One According to his Need 7.30pm - 10pm

Saturday 28th February

Fashion & Beauty Society London Fashion Weekend 8am - 10pm

Erasmus Society Cambridge Trip 9am - 8pm

Boardgaming, Roleplaying and Wargaming League All Day Magic the Gathering 9.30am - 10pm

Rooms C/D, Students’ Union

Sunday 1st March

Erasmus Society St David’s Day Celebrations 9am - 4pm

Wilderness and Expedition Medicine

Pen-Y-Fan Walk 10am - 5pm

Pen-Y-Fan, Brecon

Music Society

BBC NOW: St. David’s Day Gala Concert 3.30pm - 6pm

Work Experience & Volunteering Fair

26th February 11am - 3pm

Te Great Hall, Students’ Union

Community Allotments

26th February noon - 2pm

Jailbreak 2015

27th February 9am - 1st March 2pm Y Plas - Students’ Union

Have an event you want covered? Email: societies@ gairrhydd. com

actly, when they took it and how much they took. Look at the packaging, ask them what the pills looked like, and so on. Call 999 and tell them everything you know. Stay with your friend to make sure they don’t become unconcious and try to stop them choking if they vomit.

The Red Cross Group

Em Lowthian

OBritish Sugarcraft Association visits Baking Society for eggsicing demonstration

n the 16th February, Wendy Field from the British Sugarcraft Association came to Baking Society to do an icing demonstration.

fruit and vegetables. You then bake whatever you fancy at home to meet this theme. Everyone brings in an entry, which this week Wendy then judged.

Onion bread gained first place, with courgette brownies and jam macarons gaining 2nd and 3rd places respectively

“ ”

Wendy is an inspiration to us and said “if you say it, I’ve done it”, she was a chatty and friendly lady who everyone could relate to. Wendy did an excellent, eye-catching sugarcraft demonstration on how sugar roses are created. Although it sounds simple, an immense amount of detail went in to this demonstration, as Wendy explained she had taken two days previous to this to prepare for the event.

As shown in the photo, Wendy demonstrated how she combined floristry with sugar to create beautiful roses, a lengthy process as she mentioned that to create one rose can take two days, as the paste needs to dry. Wendy also showed us how to create buds, leaves and calyx’s to create a full bunch of flowers – in the space of 50 minutes!

Every two weeks the society meets for a bake-off social. In advance of each evening they announce a baking theme, the latest one being

Around 20 bakes were entered into this social. It is safe to say, the standard was immensely high and everyone had gone to big efforts this week to win the precious gold, silver and bronze wooden spoon prizes. There was a wide range of bakes entered such as: caramel apple cake, summer berry cake, banana and nutella cookies and lemon tart. Onion bread gained first place, with courgette brownies and jam macarons gaining 2nd and 3rd places respectively.

We would like to thank Wendy Field, CUTV for filming the event, and all of our members at Baking Society, for probably the best event of the year.

If you think you would be interested in Baking Society, come to our Give It A Go session in Room 4J in the Students’ Union at 8.15pm on the 2nd March for our St. Davids Bake off; you will need to bring a welsh themed baked good.

All events must be signed up for in advance. To sign up and for more information, head to cardiffstudents.com/ giveitago.

Try a Sport

Give it a Go Jiu Jitsu

6pm 23rd February

Talybont Dojo

Give it a Go Ladies Cricket

5.45pm 24th February

Talybont Sports Hall

Be Creative

Give It a Go Manga Library 6pm 23rd February Te Lounge, 3rd Floor of the Union

Give It a Go Sci-Fi

6.45pm 23rd February

Meet at the front of the Students’ Union

Give It a Go Creative Writing 6.45pm 24th February

Meet at the front of the Students’ Union

Give It a Go Anime Screening 7pm 27th February

Large Shandon Lecture Teatre, Main Building

Music, Dance & Performance

Give it a Go Slash Hip Hop Dance 7pm 23rd February

Room 4J Students’ Union

Give it a Go Dance-Sport 7pm – 9.30pm 24th February Salsa 7pm Latin & Ballroom 7.30pm Technique Class 9pm Great Hall, Students Union

Tought, Faith & Culture

Give it a Go Model UN 6pm 24th February

Students Union, Room 4H

Give it a Go Debating 7pm 26th February

Cafe in Bute Building

Heath Park

Give it a Go Healthcare Basketball 2pm 28th February

Heath Sports Hall

Give It A Go Medics Hockey 4pm 1st March

Talybont Astroturf

Go Volunteering

See article on left hand page about getting involved with Student Volunteering Week.

Give it a Go Feed the Homeless 3pm 25th February

Beneath the Queen Street railway bridge on Newport Rd

Community Allotments 12pm 26th February

Meet in SVC, Second Floor Students’ Union

Get some Skills

Communication 2pm 23rd February

Room 2, CSEV, Students’ Union

Speaking and Presenting 2pm 24th February

Room 4i, Fourth Floor Students’ Union

Customer Communication Skills 5.30pm 26th February

Main Building, Lecture Teatre 1.25

Successful Networking 1pm 27th February

Room 2, CSEV, Students’ Union Welfare

LGBT+ Coffee ‘Crawl’ 2pm 25th February

Meeting outside Next in town

Call Nightline to chat about anything Call 02920 870555 for our confidential, non-judgemental and anonymous Student Led listening service.

Con-

Pictured: Sugarcraft demonstration combining floristry with sugar

30 SOCIETIES

Act One: According To His Need

his week Act One presents the second new play of our season. Written by 17-year-old Irish playwright Oliver Eagleton and first performed at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, According To His Need is a clever and sexy sociopolitical comedy. A two-person Socialist rom-com, According To His Need combines advanced Marxist theory with dysfunctional romance into a witty, fast-paced and heartwarming one-act romp. After seeing

Tthe 2014 Fringe production, Act One members have taken on the challenge of reproducing this critically acclaimed play on a Cardiff stage. Seeking self-improvement, enlightenment and most of all girls, terminal bachelor Nick joins the Socialist party in a bid to end his notso-rare dry spell. Faking hardnosed radicalism in order to pull, he soon finds more than he bargained for in Cass, a genuine diehard revolutionary intent on converting Nick into

a fully versed Comrade and also on sleeping with him. As the couple struggle to balance Marxism and sex, this play fondly satirises the Left using politics as a vehicle for laughs and mismatched romance to warm the heart.

According To His Need appears at Llanover Hall in Canton on 27th February, as part of Act One’s shortterm project season. Doors: 7pm. £6/£5 concessions. Tickets available at cardiffstudents.com/actone

his March, twenty dental students from Cardiff Dental School will be travelling to Honduras to provide simple and emergency dental care to rural and underprivileged communities. This

volunteer work is run by a charity called Global Brigades.

Global Brigades is an international, non-profit organisation that empowers volunteers and underresourced communities to resolve

global health, economic disparities and inspire all involved to work towards an equal world. The dental brigade is just one of many brigades that this organisation runs.

Our brigade will be taking place for nine days. During this time, we will be doing a variety of work including extractions, oral hygiene advice, scaling and placing temporary fillings…all in the outdoors without the comfort of a dental chair, light and an endless supply of dental equipment!

These communities have very little access to dental care: typically, 80% of the population do not have access to a dentist. Receiving this basic care and advice could help them improve their oral health and general health.

All of the students are in fourth year, the penultimate year of their degree. Two dentists from Cardiff and two local dentists in Honduras will be supervising and advising us throughout our brigade.

Student Minds Cardiff is once again delighted to announce that Eating Disorder Awareness Week. 2015 will be kicking off on the week beginning 23rd February. Tis is our annual week of events that aims to promote the awareness of Eating Disorders, educate people about them and to advertise the support groups that Student Minds Cardiff offer

students who may be experiencing problems with their eating.

Monday 23rd February

Sock It To Ed!

We will be giving away free Student Minds Cardiff socks in the Students’ Union food court! Take an original photo with your newly acquired socks and then send them to us with the chance of winning an exciting prize – Students’ Union, food court, 11am – 4pm.

Tuesday 24th February

Dodgeball Tournament

Along with Cardiff ’s Counselling, Health and Wellbeing Service, we will be staging the tournament in the Great Hall. High octane excitement is expected so we are fully encouraging you all to get involved or come and spectate. Refreshments will be available – Great Hall, 6.30pm.

Wednesday 25th February

Shed Talk

A psychologist from the Service for

Dentistry molar exploration to Honduras

trip, we are responsible for fundraising approximately £1500 each and because of this, there’s not a guarantee of a monthly bake sale! We have also managed to organise a ‘Honduras Pub Quiz’ that will be taking place this month, as well as bag packing at Morrisons. Additionally, we have been gathering the dental equipment that we will be using when out in Honduras. We have been rallying our dental hospital and local dentists to donate supplies such as medication, local anaesthetic, needles, toothbrushes, toothpastes and alcohol wipes.

If you would like to find out more about our brigade or want to help sponsor us, links are below. All donations will be greatly received!

Facebook:https://www.facebook. com/CardiffDentalBrigade

Twitter: @CDBHonduras2015 Global brigades page: http://tinyurl. com/jwaf7q9

Student Minds promoting Eating Disorder Awareness Week

High Risk-Eating Disorders Team along with a client from the service will be giving an informative talk. Importantly this will include both a professional and personal viewpoint – Students’ Union, Room 4J, 6.15pm7.30pm.

Tursday 26th February

‘Mind Your Head’ Music Gig Te crescendo for the week shall be our Gig Night which will be hosted at the Vulcan Pub. With music from four talented music acts, a raffle, and the announcement of the photo competition winner, we expect a thoroughly enjoyable alternative night out for all to enjoy – Vulcan pub, 8pm.

For more details about any the week’s events, or about Student Minds Cardiff, please check out our Facebook and Twitter pages, or feel free to email us!

Email: Cardiff@studentminds.org.uk

Facebook: StudentMindsCardiff

Twitter: @StudentMindsCDF

Jagjoth Vasir

Above: According To His Need poster Left: Dentistry students taking the trip to Honduras

Kieran Patel

Martin Newman T

Pictured: Te Eating Disorder Awareness Week logo

February

The Jesus And Mary Chain

27/02/15, £25 ADV

Treatment presents...

Ten Walls Live

27/02/15, £18.50 ADV

March

Stiff Little Fingers

08/03/15, £18.50 ADV

The Stranglers

10/03/15, £23 ADV

Sleaford Mods

10/03/15, £10 ADV

Halestorm

13/03/15, £15 ADV

Four Year Strong

24/03/15, £14 ADV

April

Lower Than Atlantis

09/04/15, £12 ADV

Limehouse Lizzy vs Livewire AC/DC

17/04/15, £20 ADV

May

Uriah Heep

07/05/15, £22 ADV

Hoobastank

15/05/15, £22 ADV

June

Young Guns

04/06/15, £12.50 ADV

October

Peace

03/10/15, £15 ADV

TAF-OD

John Davies, 1938-2015

Fe

fydd y

bwlch ar ôl ‘Bwlch Llan’ yn un anferth

Mae’r hanesydd, y darlithydd a’r darlledwr Dr John Davies wedi marw yn 76 oed. Roedd yn un o haneswyr amlyca’r wlad ac mae ei gyfrol “Hanes Cymru”, a gafodd ei chyhoeddi gyntaf yn 1990 gydag ail argraffiad yn 2006, wedi’i ddisgrifio fel y cofnod mwyaf cynhwysfawr o hanes y genedl. Mae’n gadael gwraig, Janet Davies, pedwar o blant a nifer o wyrion.

Cyhoeddodd nifer o gyfrolau ac roedd yn un o olygyddion Gwyddoniadur Cymru. Yn frodor o Dreorci yng Nghwm Rhondda, cafodd ei eni yn 1938, ond fe symudodd gyda’i deulu i bentre Bwlch Llan yng Ngheredigion ar ddiwedd yr Ail Ryfel Byd ac roedd llawer yn ei alw’n John Bwlchllan. Ar ôl astudio ym Mhrifysgol Cymru, Caerdydd, a Choleg y Drindod, Caergrawnt, roedd yn darlithio ym mhrifysgolion Abertawe, ac Aberystwyth, ble’r oedd yn Warden Neuadd Pantycelyn am 18 mlynedd.

Cafodd ei addysg ym Mhrifysgol Cymru, Caerdydd a Choleg y Drindod, Caergrawnt cyn ymuno ag adran hanes Prifysgol Cymru, Aberystwyth. Roedd yn un o sylfaenwyr Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg yn y chwedegau, a’i ysgrifennydd cyntaf, gan drefnu brotest gyntaf y mudiad ar bont Trefechan ym 1963. Yn ddarlledwr poblogaidd, roedd yn Gymrawd yr Academi. Enillodd wobr Llyfr y Flwyddyn yn 2010 gyda’i gyfrol Cymru: Y 100 lle i’w gweld cyn marw. Ymhlith ei lyfrau eraill, mae hanes teulu Ardalydd Bute a Chaerdydd, a hanes y BBC yng Nghymru. Fe wnaeth gyfrannu i ystod o gyfresi a rhaglenni S4C, yn ogystal ag ysgrifennu llu o

gyhoeddiadau a fu’n ganolog i astudiaethau hanesyddol am Gymru yn yr ugeinfed ganrif a’r unfed ganrif ar hugain. Erbyn diwedd ei oes, roedd yn amheugar ynghylch bodolaeth Duw, gan ddweud, yn enwog, “Dwi ddim yn siŵr os ydw i’n credu yn Duw, ond chwarae teg i Duw, mae’n credu ‘yndai i.” Yn dilyn y newyddion trist hwn, cymerodd nifer o’i ffrindiau a’i edmygwyr yr amser i dalu teyrnged i un o febion enwocaf Cymru.

Dwedodd Cynog Dafis, ffrind ers cwrdd yn 1959, “Roedd rhyddid yn bwysig iawn i John, roedd yn genedlaetholwr, yn sosialydd, ond yn fwy ‘na dim roedd rhyddfrydiaeth yn bwysig iddo ... dyna pam yr oedd e mor hoff o fyw yn Grangetown (Caerdydd) lle mae’na gymysgedd fawr o bobl wahanol yn byw. Roedd ganddo deimladau cryf ynglŷn â chrefydd a phobl y capeli, gan eu bod yn meddwl fod y bobl rheini yn barnu, ac roedd rhyddid oddi wrth y math yna o beth yn bwysig iawn iddo.”

Cytunodd y newyddiadurwr Huw Edwards, “Yr oedd John yn ddyn o allu anghyffredin, yn fynydd o wybodaeth am ystod eang iawn o bynciau. Fel hanesydd poblogaidd roedd ganddo’r gallu arbennig i gyfleu neges mewn ffordd fywiog a gafaelgar, yn y ddwy iaith, ac fe brofwyd hynny yn ddiamheuol gan ei gyfrol wych a chynhwysfawr, Hanes Cymru. Roedd yn gymeriad lliwgar ac yn gwmni difyr.”

Credai’r Athro Richard Wyn Jones y byddai John Davies yn cael ei gofio nid yn unig fel un o haneswyr mwyaf ei genhedlaeth, ond fel un o Gymry mwyaf dylanwadol ein hoes.

“Go brin fod ‘na unrhyw un wedi gwneud mwy i sicrhau ein bod ni fel pobl yn ymwybodol o’n hanes. Yn enwog trwy’r wlad am ei ffraethineb a’i wybodaeth ddihysbydd, roedd o’n un o gymeriadau mawr ein bywyd cenedlaethol. Bydd colled fawr iawn ar ei ôl. Mae’r gyfrol yn glasur, yn ffrwyth dealltwriaeth academaidd ddofn o’r pwnc ond hefyd yn gyflwyniad hawdd-mynd-ato a llithrig ei iaith, ac yr un mor llwyddiannus yn y cyfieithiad Saesneg gwerthfawr a gafwyd maes o law. Mae’n ddarllen hanfodol i unrhyw un sydd am ddeall Cymru.” Ychwanegodd Prif Weinidog Cymru, Carwyn Jones, “Bydd yn cael ei gofio fel un o’n haneswyr mwyaf gyda gwybodaeth eang am hanes Cymru, gwybodaeth roedd yn falch o’i rhannu drwy ddysgu, ysgrifennu a darlledu.

Bydd colled fawr ar ei ôl.”

Mewn rhaglen ddogfen amdano ar S4C y llynedd, ‘Gwirionedd y Galon: Dr John Davies’, gofynwyd iddo os oedd ganddo ofn marwolaeth. “Ofn marwolaeth?” Gofynnodd. “Nagw. Fyddwn i’n synnu dim, erbyn y bydda i’n 80 bydda i’n edrych ymlaen ato fe, i ‘lithro i’r llonyddwch mawr yn ôl’. Wnaeth e orffen y rhaglen gan adrodd darn gan y bardd Cynan, “Pe cawn fu hun yfory, yn llencyn deunaw oed, a’r daith yn ail-ymagor, o flaen fy eiddgar droed”.

Trwy ei waith ysgrifenedig, cyflwynodd Gymru i’r byd. Caiff ei gofio fel rhywun a helpodd ei genedl i ddeall a dathlu ei gorffennol a magu ei hunanhyder. Mae ar Gymru ddyled fawr iddo felly, ac yn sgil ei farwolaeth, rydym ar ein colled fel gwlad.

Cymru unwaith eto ar waelod y tomen datganoli

Mae’r Bil Asbestos wedi amlygu unwaith eto rhai o ddiffygion y drefn ddatganoli, yn ôl Gwenno Williams …

Wel am gic i’r asennau! Yr wythnos hon, fe wnaeth y Goruchaf Lys wrthdroi Bil Asbestos a basiwyd gan y Cynulliad yn Nhachwedd 2013, gan ddatgan nad oes gan y Cynulliad y pŵer deddfwriaethol i gyflwyno cyfraith o’r fath.

Bwriad y bil oedd mynnu mai cyfrifoldeb busnesau a’u cwmnïau yswiriant, ac nid y Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol, yw ariannu triniaeth feddygol gweithwyr o ganlyniad i effeithiau asbestos.

Derbyniodd y bil gymeradwyaeth am gosbi’r rhai a oedd yn gyfrifol am droi llygad dall at y defnydd o asbestos yn eu gweithleoedd, gan ad-dalu’r GIG ar yr un pryd.

Cynigodd Mick Antoniw, AS Pontypridd, y bil ar ôl gweld effaith asbestos ar unigolion a’u teuluoedd yn ystod ei yrfa fel cyfreithiwr.

Rhagolygwyd y byddai’r bil yn cynhyrchu hyd at £1miliwn y flwyddyn i’w ddefnyddio gan y GIG i ymhelaethu ar driniaethau mesothelioma, sef y cancr a achosir gan asbestos.

Ar ôl blwyddyn i’w hanghofio yn hanes y GIG, byddai miliwn ychwanegol bob blwyddyn wedi cael ei dderbyn yn llon.

PER Y CWMNÏAU MAWR

Ond wrth gwrs, cafodd y bil ei herio o’r cychwyn cyntaf gan y cwmnïau yswiriant a Chymdeithas Yswirio Prydain. Teimlaf anghrediniaeth lwyr wrth weld y pŵer sydd gan fusnesau Llundain dros systemau cyfreithiol y wlad, a’u bod wedi llwyddo unwaith eto i osod agenda farus yn uwch na’u dyletswyddau dinesig. Mae’n gwbl amlwg pwy ddylai dderbyn y bai am achosi’r cymhlethdodau iechyd. Rheolwyr y busnesau oedd wedi anwybyddu’r goblygiadau o ddefnyddio asbestos yn eu hadeiladau, ac felly rhaid iddynt dderbyn y canlyniadau ac ysgwyddo’r baich ariannol. Ond eu dadl nhw ydi y byddai’r bil wedi achosi cynnydd yn nhaliadau yswiriant busnesau Cymru, heb ategu unrhyw fudd ychwanegol i ddioddefwyr mesothelioma.

Mae’n gwbl eironig iddynt hefyd hawlio y bydd y ddeddf yn mynd yn groes i’r Bil Hawliau Dynol Ewropeaidd – bil y mae eu ffrindiau ym mhlaid y Torïaid wedi’i wawdio ers ei gyflwyniad ym Mhrydain yn 2000.

Mae dylanwad y cwmnïau hyn hyd yn oed yn fwy eglur o ystyried bod y Goruchaf Lys wedi dyfarnu o blaid gallu deddfwriaethol y Cynulliad mewn achosion blaenorol, megis newidiadau i is-ddeddfau llywodraethau lleol ac ailsefydlu’r Bwrdd Cyflogau Amaethyddol.

GWAELOD Y DOMEN

Y cwmnïau yswiriant oedd hefyd yn gyfrifol yn y lle cyntaf am blannu’r hedyn ynglŷn â chymhwysedd y Cynulliad i wneud newidiadau cyfreithiol o’r fath. Ac felly gwelwn wir broblem yr achos hwn, sef y diffyg gallu sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i wneud newidiadau a fydd o fudd i’w thrigolion heb ganiatâd. Er bod y pwerau gennym i benderfynu ar ariannu a threfnu’r GIG, mae’n debyg nad ydyn ni’n gymwys i fynd yn erbyn trefn gweddill Prydain.

Ar ôl yr holl halibalŵ am geisio creu Prydain decach yn sgil yr alwad am annibyniaeth i’r Alban a’r addo di-baid am ddatganoli pellach, dyma ni unwaith eto ar waelod y domen.

Tybed a fyddai’r canlyniad wedi bod yr un fath petai Llywodraeth yr Alban wedi

cynnig y bil? Mae gwrthod pasio bil ar y sail ei fod y tu hwnt i’n gallu gwleidyddol yn sarhaus i ddweud y lleiaf.

Mae’n cwestiynu rôl y Cynulliad, gan droi Cymru’n blentyn mewn gwirionedd, gyda San Steffan yn lapio ychydig o bwerau yn anrheg i’n cadw’n hapus a mud. Ond yr eiliad rydyn ni’n camfihafio a gofyn am fwy, daw’r ymateb anhygoel o wrthod ein cydnabod a mynnu ein bod ni’n ddiolchgar am y briwsion sydd gennym.

Mae’r holl beth yn tanseilio datganoli yn llwyr, gan ein hysgogi i ystyried faint o bŵer sydd wir gennym wrth reoli ein gwlad ein hunain.

Gydag eleni’n flwyddyn etholiad, mae’n bryd i ni ystyried ein datblygiad dros y pedair blynedd diwethaf, gan ofyn am ychydig o eglurhad am beth yn union sydd o dan reolaeth Llywodraeth Cymru.

Mawr obeithiaf y bydd pob plaid wleidyddol yng Nghymru yn gosod datganoli yn uchel ar yr agenda, a bydd yn rhaid i ni aros i weld beth fydd gan y cyhoeddiad ar ddatganoli ar Ddydd Gŵyl Dewi i’w gynnig yn y gobaith o osgoi ffars arall fel hon yn y dyfodol.

“ ”

John Davies yn cael ei gofio nid yn unig fel un o haneswyr mwyaf ei genhedlaeth, ond fel un o Gymry mwyaf dylanwadol ein hoes

“

Mae’r holl beth yn tanseilio datganoli yn llwyr

Daniel Heard

Llun: John Davies

Gwenno Williams

Credai’r

Athro Richard Wyn Jones y byddai

DEWCH I’N GWELD

3ydd llawr Undeb y Myfyrwyr, Plas y Parc 029 2078 1410

Advice@Cardiff.ac.uk cardiffstudents.com/advice

Student Advice

Cyngor i Fyfyrwyr Member

Presented by:

SPORT

BUCS results: Wednesday 18th February

Tegan

Plain sailing as Cardiff dominate Worcester water

On February 14th the most romantic day of the year, the only dates CURC’s novices had was with a 6km stretch of river in Worcester for the first away head race of the year.

After a long January training, and minimal opportunities to train on the water, this was an opportunity for novices to shine over the course of the longest race they had experienced to date.

Emblazoned with shiny new CURC kit, the novice men’s 1st and 2nd 8+ did well, winning their category. As did the two novice women’s 4+, with the 1st 4 winning their categories, this added to the best result of the day, which came from the 1st 8+ who won their category by over a minute and twenty seconds. Having competed in both 4’s and an

8 over a long course, this will put the novices in an assured position looking forward to further races.

With BUCS at the end of this month, training for the senior and novice squads has intensified, with the club hoping to bring home some medals and build on winter training.

With the conclusion of head season fast approaching and with the women’s and men’s Head of the River Race in London in the middle of March; Worcester will have prepared the Novices for the baptism of fire that is the tideway, and we look forward to seeing what they can achieve.

Te Cardiff performance in Worcester comes just a week after the rowing club’s charity 24 hour row.

Te Cardiff rowers, with a little help from some

Morris

Pictured:

Your views: Racism in football

After a group of Chelsea fans were filmed racially abusing a black man on the Paris underground, Cardiff students give their verdict on what this tells us about the modern game

In my opinion, football fans are the best in the world and the atmospheres at Europe’s elite football grounds provide some of the most magical and memorable moments of people’s lives. Unfortunately for Chelsea fans, they will want to forget their most recent trip to the Parc des Princes. I say that Chelsea fans would want to forget the trip as this attack was not the work of the Chelsea faithful, but of a handful of disgusting,

Te disturbing footage didn’t really surprise me; although incidents of this kind are relatively rare in the modern game, they are still far too frequent to suggest that racism has been completely eradicated from the game.

In Britain the use of the derogatory term ‘Yid’ to describe Tottenham fans

Granted, the abuse subjected to the Parisien by the group of Chelsea ‘supporters’ was totally unacceptable, but it has been the reaction to the incident which has emphasised how far forward British football has moved as a whole.

Make no mistake, these bigoted idiots will be banned by Chelsea, very possibly for life, and will face the full letter of the law. Had this event

bigotted men who do not represent the average football fan.

Troughout the ‘80s and ‘90s fighting, racism, sexism and alcoholism were all associated with football matches and the wider culture of the sport in general, but times have changed - for the better.

No longer can a football fan hurl abuse at their own or opposition players for anything other than their footballing ability and no longer

by both themselves and opposition fans is a prime example.

While there have been heavily publicised incidences in Western Europe such as Mario Balotelli being subjected to abuse by Inter fans whilst playing for AC Milan, as well as Barcelona’s Dani Alves getting banana skins thrown at him, they are even

happened 20 or 30 years ago though, I feel that they would undoubtedly have gotten away with the incident; the camera phones that recorded the abuse wouldn’t have been around for starters, and the strongly protolerance and anti-racist attitude in our society was not so pronounced.

We need to stamp this out once and for all, but it should be pointed out that the problem is so much

When the shocking footage first emerged of the disgusting Chelsea fans singing “We’re racist and that’s the way we like it”, my initial reaction was one of utter disbelief, before I unfairly associated the behaviour of a few idiots with the entire Chelsea fanbase.

As a Liverpool fan, I too have been branded racist due to a few idiotic fans making racist remarks, which tarnish the club, not to mention the

I was shocked that Chelsea fans were still behaving like this. I thought the club (as well as the FA) had taken steps to stop any repetition of racism, after incidents in the past, but this incident goes to show that it hasn’t worked.

Te fact it involved an assault as well, of the individual that they pushed off the train, was even more shocking. It’s completely horrifying.

Clearly it sends out a strong signal to not only Chelsea, but the whole of football, that you cannot

Te narrative that football fans are thuggish bigots is a long-running one, but there’s no real evidence to support it. I am a season ticket holder at Cardiff City, a club with a reputation for aggressive fans – as recently as 2011, more Cardiff City fans had been banned from matches than those of any other club in England and Wales. Despite this, I have never encountered any racism at the stadium in the five years I’ve held a season ticket. Ditto for sexism

can fans brawl openly outside of the stadium.

Although the concept of modern football is not without its own flaws, it stands for an inclusive, multicultural world.

Tese Chelsea ‘fans’ do not represent this, but the old, nasty side of football we’ve nearly overcome, and lifetime bans for all racist supporters moves us closer to an ideal footballing world.

more frequent in Eastern European countries; British footballers have experienced it when playing games overseas, such as Wales captain Ashley Williams encountering racist abuse in Bulgaria.

While football is definitely moving in the right direction, it still has a lot of progress to make it acceptable.

worse elsewhere, and perhaps the way in which the F.A. acted to reduce the frequency of racist abuse.

For example, just last week former Italy manager Arrigo Sacchi (pictured right) asserted that the youth setup of his national side had “too many blacks”. Meanwhile incidents of racism in and around stadia are relatively common in countries such as Spain, Italy and Russia.

row between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra (which was handled unbelievably poor by the FA, in my opinion).

What I am saying is that we must not take the stance of believing Chelsea are a racist club because of the actions of a few idiots. For all their faults (plastic flags, Russian Oil Money, their obsession with Steven Gerrard and Diego Costa as a whole), they are not racist.

Te concentration should not

be complacent and think the actions you’re taking are sufficient to deal with the scourge of racism, sexism, homophobia and anti-Semitism. We’ve got to do a lot more and not be complacent.

Te infamy around the group of hooligans known as the ‘Soul Crew’ tarnished Cardiff City fans with the same image for years- as violent, racist thugs, with games marred by disgusting, racist incidents carried out by Soul Crew members.

We know then that prejudice is

and homophobia. Tat’s not to say that these things don’t go on at all; doubtless they do, as they do in society at large. But football stadiums are not the hotbed of bigotry and violence that they’re often portrayed as.

Indeed, when it was revealed that ex-Cardiff manager Malky Mackay had sent racist, sexist and homophobic text messages, the Cardiff City Supporters Trust decided to strip him of his honorary

be on branding the football club, but identifying these hooligans and throwing the book at them. Te absolute idiocy of these ‘fans’, for me, is ironic beyond belief as they sing these chants, block an innocent man from boarding a train before paying hundreds of pounds to travel to France and chant the names of players like Didier Drogba, who would be absolutely disgusted by these revelations.

on the increase and that it leads to hateful attitudes and this sort of conduct.

Chelsea then are far from the only football club to have had big problems with racism recently—though theirs was particularly bad—but they have struggled more than others to completely stamp it out, with some incident or another involving the London club’s fans seeming to crop up every season.

Let’s hope this is this is the last one this season, or ever.

membership.

Te shockingly low proportion of black managers in the Football League proves that football still has a problem with racism. Blatant examples of racist abuse like those seen on the Paris Metro, however, are rare, and would disgust most ordinary football fans. Some have tried to use the video to claim that racism in football is rife, but we must resist such a simple, black-and-white conclusion.

Jamie Williams

Dan Heard

Liam Corcoran

Rory Benson

Jack Boyce

Joe Atkinson

Tom Bamford

The case for a Welsh national cricket team

In the wake of another World Cup giant killing by Ireland, we ask whether Wales should have its own team on the international stage

Devolution is all the rage at the minute, but in cricketing terms England and Wales are still intimately tied together. Should Wales separate from the ECB and go it alone?

Te World Cup is the great chance for the underdog, and Ireland have again proved in their tenacity what it takes for an associate member to compete in the international area. Tis year, cricketers from the Emerald Isle have followed up their win over England in the last World Cup with a win over the West Indies.

Welsh cricket finds itself somewhat flagging on the international stage –this is despite having twice as many clubs as internationally recognized Scotland and nearly four times as many as Ireland. It also has a population of club cricketers and fans that amounts to more than any of the Associate ICC members – the level below Test-playing status.

Tere is a strong alumni of cricketers from Wales who have gone on to represent England. Ashes 2005 hero Simon Jones is the last Welsh cricketer to play for England, now ten years ago. Sydney Barnes, the legendary fast-medium bowler played 27 Test matches for England and took 47 wickets for Wales in first-class cricket, before retiring at the ripe old age of 57.

Robert Croft, Pat Pockock and

C“

All the signs are suggesting that at the next Games in 2018, Wales will have arguably its strongest ever athletics team

Matthew Maynard, to name but a few, have also donned the Tree Lions.

An all-time Welsh XI would be more than handy. Te real question is whether they have the resources to field an internationally competitive XI.

Once upon a time, Wales beat England in a One-Day International. Okay, so it wasn’t really a One-Day International. And it wasn’t really a Welsh team, augmented by the world’s best all-rounder at the time and perhaps ever, Jacques Kallis. But Steve James and his men still fought tooth and nail to defeat an English side by the narrowest of margins.

Despite there being Wales age group teams up to U18s – I know this from personal experience having been stuffed in the County Cup final against a strong under 17s Wales side at Oundle – it does seem strange that they are not represented at senior international level.

In 2013, the matter was put up for debate at the Welsh Assembly. As expected for a proud nation, some proud views were aired.

Bethan Jenkins, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on heritage, culture, sport and broadcasting said: “Wales is the second-oldest cricket playing country in the world, yet it is alone in the British Isles in not having its own national side. Even Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man have their own

teams.

“Rugby and football players get to grow up dreaming of playing for Wales. But for those who love cricket there is no Welsh team to dream of playing for or to support.”

Tere are of course manifold issues that would arise from a break away from the ECB.

Swansea East Labour AM Mike Hedges commented: “If Wales broke away from the England and Wales Cricket Board to set up its own board under the ICC, Glamorgan would have to leave the County Championship and there would be no more Test matches at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff, with all the revenue it brings from Sky TV. If Glamorgan was no longer in the Championship, it would receive none of the shared-out revenue.”

Te Welsh cricket team does have some history. Wales used to play against visiting teams like New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies during 1920s & 30s. Tey managed to defeat West Indies in the past. Wales also participated in the 1979 ICC Trophy. Tey performed commendably, winning two of their four matches and narrowly missing out on the semi finals.

We have seen fledgling teams such as the Netherlands, Ireland and Canada develop strongly in recent years. Given a chance to shine on the International T20 and ODI circuit, we have also seen the likes of Kenya and Afghanistan make the required steps to compete internationally. So why not Wales?

Wales would most likely look to become an Associate member of the ICC as a first step on the international ladder, and would soon find their way to the top of the pile alongside or slightly behind Ireland.

Tey would be able to play in World Twenty20s and fight for World Cup places. Tey would be able to form a cricketing Celtic League with Interpro and Pro Series teams from Ireland and Scotland, dare we say, even England?

It would be a huge leap of faith but a strong one. We have seen Afghanistan come from out of absolutely nowhere to be competitive on the international stage. If the ECB allowed Glamorgan to stay in the County Championship, the move for Wales to go solo just might be potentially easier and quicker than first thought.

Te number of domestic players in Wales is higher than both for that of Ireland and Scotland. Glamorgan, the county team representing Wales, has won the county championship three times, while Ireland, Scotland, Denmark and Netherlands – who have also taken part in the County Championship – could not even come close to such performances.

Peake’s gold tops Welsh success

ardiff University athlete

Sally Peake was named women’s pole vault champion when the British Indoor Athletics Championships were held over the weekend of February 14th and 15th at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. Her gold cemented the number one ranking she has held throughout the 2015 season so far.

Te healthcare student’s winning jump of 4.25m was some way off her best of 4.42m, but was more than enough to secure victory, with a 25cm margin of victory over the other medallists, both of whom recorded the same height. Tis victory can now be added to Peake’s outdoor British title from 2014, as well as her pair of BUCS Championship wins from the last two seasons. Her crowning achievement of course remains the Commonwealth Games silver that she won in torrential Glaswegian conditions last August.

Peake was joined in Sheffield by her Cardiff and Commonwealth Games teammate Hannah Tomas, who competed in the 200m. Having struggled with illness over the winter, Tomas managed her best time of the season to build some momentum ahead of the BUCS Indoors.

Wales’ Paralympic Champion Aled Sion Davies was also competing at

the event amongst an able-bodied field and extended his own F42 shot put world record to 15.93m. Te only Paralympic competitor, he finished fifth overall.

Other members of the Welsh athletics team who were in attendance also had a thoroughly successful weekend. Tough Peake’s was the only Welsh gold, there were silver medals for Rachel Johncock in the women’s 60m, Laura Maddox in the women’s 400m and for David Omoregie in the men’s 60m hurdles. Te pre-event favourite in Maddox’s event, 19 year old Welsh athlete Seren Bundy-Davies, was tripped in the final and did not finish.

Johncock’s performance had the added bonus of constituting a new Welsh record of 7.33 seconds, while Omoregie was separately recognised at the event for the European junior 110m hurdles record he set last year. Overall, nine Welsh athletes with an average age of just 21.6 made the finals of sprints and hurdles events, though that number could have been higher with several highly talented athletes missing out.

Melissa Courtney ensured it was not all about the sprinters, however, as she took bronze in the women’s 1500m. Tis was backed up by another six top-eight placings for

Welsh athletes in non-sprint events. Te event was held on the same weekend as the Welsh Junior Championships in Cardiff, meaning that some of Wales’ most talented athletes had chosen not to compete in Sheffield, despite being eligible to do so. Commonwealth Games athlete Hannah Brier, still just 17, was one athlete who chose to compete in Cardiff and won the 200m there in a championship-best time of

24.54 seconds. Tere was another championship-best performance for Shannon Malone, also 17, in the 60m, with the North Wales athlete running a new personal best of 7.58 seconds.

Welsh athletes appear to be seriously upping their game in this post-Commonwealth Games year and all of the signs are suggesting that at the next Games in 2018, Wales will have arguably its strongest ever athletics team.

An all-time Welsh XI would be more than handy. The real question is whether they have the resources to field an internationally competitive XI

“ ”

David Hooson

Pictured: Sally Peake winning silver at the Commonwealth Games

Continued: Wales’ Six Nations progress

Continued from back page

good try for Scotland after an alleged high-tackle by Rhys Webb, yet still there was no sin-binning.

To compound his display, Jackson blew for full-time when there should have been time for a re-start with the game tantalisingly poised. Tis meant that Wales therefore got away with this one and will need to perform a lot better in Paris next time out.

After their impressive win in Wales, England faced Italy at home and, despite the seemingly comprehensive 47-17 score-line, if Italy had a man who could kick, rather than Kelly Haimona who proved that he definitely cannot, then they would have led at the start of the second half and the game might have turned out differently. England conceded three tries to unquestionably the worst team in the competition, and it took a dubious refereeing decision concerning Billy Vunipola’s supposed

Igrounding to get them into the game.

A win in this fixture was the minimum expected and the defensive frailties of Lancaster’s side will concern him ahead of a trip to Dublin.

In the previous week, Ireland had been to Rome and eventually churned out a 3-26 victory, with tries from the ever-improving Conor Murray and late open-side replacement Tommy O’Donnell. Te win was secured after a near heroic defensive effort from the Azzurri, who staggeringly made over 200 tackles.

Scotland were the visitors in Paris in the first week, and despite going down 15-8 to Les Bleus, Vern Cotter and his players will know that they should really have won the game. Stuart Hogg looked world class at fullback, whilst the Glasgow midfield axis of Alex Dunbar and Mark Bennett was both exciting and industrious. A special mention also has to go to Finn

Russell, who on his Six Nations debut was fearless in the number 10 shirt and deserved to be on the winning side. France looked distinctly average and Camille Lopez’s left-foot apart, there were next to no plus points for them to take from the match. Scotland got into the right situations but a failure to take chances combined with giving a host of needless penalties away cost them dearly.

Defending champions Ireland are in a good place going into the break. After getting the job done in Italy, their win at home to France saw them reach nine test match victories in a row. With returning stars Jonathan Sexton and Sean O’Brien performing impressively, Ireland beat France with good control despite a nervy last 10 minutes. Sexton proved what an important player he is for Ireland and much will rest on his performances this year, it would seem. Te French

Analysis: the aerial battle

n round one of the 2015 RBS Six Nations, Wales were second best in almost every department as they fell to Stuart Lancaster’s side in a 16-21 loss. One side of their game that let them down hugely was their competition in the air under the high ball, something that in the past Wales have been superb at, especially with the ever reliable Leigh Halfpenny who will always put his life on the line for his country.

However, even Halfpenny struggled against the English as Wales lost

most of their aerial duels to their counterparts, with Mike Brown being the stand out receiver for England, as he has been for some time now. Tis was also hindered by how loose Wales’ kicking game was in the match and in the week that followed it was surely something Warren Gatland and his staff would have looked at.

Tis was evident as Wales were much improved for their trip to Murrayfield, most noticeably under the high ball as most of the Welsh backline were praised for their bravery and commitment as Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell struggled to win any aerial battles with Leigh Halfpenny, Jamie Roberts and Dan Biggar being singled out as especially ruthless. Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards described the trio as “fearless”. He went on to talk about how Jamie Roberts’ size gives him an advantage but with Dan Biggar he draws comparisons to his former rugby league team mate Steve Hampson, saying, “He [Hampson] wasn’t a massive man, but he used to leap in the air just like Biggs.”

In the game against Scotland, there were problems for referee Glen Jackson as he struggled to referee the aerial battles between the two sides and seemingly resorted to a no contest rule as Jonathan Davies was controversially sin binned for a legitimate attempt to catch the ball. Finn Russell, however was not so innocent as he up-ended Dan Biggar as the Osprey fly-half leapt twice as high as his Scottish counter part and came off much worse, but still made sure he kept the ball nonetheless. As Russell realised he was beaten to the ball, he backed out of the challenge which resulted in him charging his shoulder into the legs of Biggar as he tumbled, resulting in a yellow card for the Scotsman who has since been cited for the incident.

Next for Wales, they must expect the unexpected from Phillipe Saint-Andre’s French side who will be without captain Pascal Pape who has been banned for the rest of the Six Nations due to his knee to the back of Jamie Heaslip, who will also miss the tournament with three broken vertebrae.

once again were poor for the majority, and it is almost unfathomable at this stage why Philippe Saint-Andre insists on playing South African-born Scott Spedding and Rory Kockott ahead of natural French talent such as Brice Dulin and Morgan Parra.

Looking ahead, it seems at the moment that much will rest on the outcome of the two remaining undefeated sides, when Ireland face England on the 1st March in Dublin. Whichever side were to win this would be in a great position to go on and claim the Grand Slam. Although, with Ireland still to visit the Millennium Stadium and France still to go to Twickenham, it could yet come down to points difference again this year. Regardless, the loser of France-Wales in Paris will certainly be out of the running this year, defining it too as a crucial fixture ahead of the showdown at the Aviva.

15th

Scotland

Wales’ remaining fixtures:

February 28th, 17:00

France v Wales

March 14th, 14:30

Wales v Ireland

March 21st, 12:30

Italy v Wales

38 SPORT Team Talk: Ultimate Frisbee

Club President John Gilliland talks to James Lloyd about the weird and wonderful world of his sport

What is Ultimate Frisbee all about?

James Lloyd

The sport is self-refereed so it relies a lot on the spirit of the game, which encourages fair play

It’s played with a Frisbee, the outdoor season is 7-a-side, the indoor season is 5-a-side and you score a point by catching the Frisbee from a team mate over the opposition’s goal line. It’s very much like American Football with an endzone, but you aren’t actually allowed to run with the Frisbee, so it’s also a bit similar to netball in the way we make use of pivoting. Te sport is also selfrefereed so it relies a lot on the spirit of the game, which encourages fair play. At the moment we are focusing on the outdoor season as indoor and outdoor are completely different games.

Do you compete at Varsity?

Yes we do. With no referee there is a lot of rivalry between the two teams, but we play Swansea quite a lot and we have got to know them a little bit so it’s a healthy rivalry.

What is your role as president?

I just oversee most of the things that go on in the club. I have a really helpful committee – even without asking they will step in. Te main thing I have been doing recently is organising a big regional tournament,

so that should be fun but it has taken weeks of preparation and a lot of work to get it in Cardiff in the first place. We’re hosting both the men’s tournament and the women’s tournament, so it has been a lot of work and we are expecting over 350 players from different parts of the country. It’s a Western competition, so a lot of students will be coming – some of them all the way from Birmingham or Exeter.

Has it been stressful to organise?

I wouldn’t say stressful. It’s been a little time consuming, but I’ve had people helping me out. Everyone is chipping in and doing their bit so that has been fine. Te main thing that we’re doing is sorting accommodation out for everyone so that’s been a big effort, but it’s going well and we are getting there. It’s looking good and the Union have been helpful as well. Te event is at Llanrumney, which has eight pitches, from 9am to 5pm on the weekend of February 28th to March 1st

How long have you been playing Ultimate Frisbee?

Te majority of people only start once they come to university and have

Steffan Thomas Cardiff Blues director of rugby Mark Hammett has come under pressure to attain better results for the capital city region, as reports begin to circle that the former All Black hooker’s role at the club is under threat. Hammett, who only joined the region last June from Super Rugby outfit the Wellington Hurricanne’s, has only achieved four Guinness Pro 12 victories this season.

Given the high calibre of players that the Blues have at their disposal, this is an extremely disappointing return for a coach who came highly

rated from his native New Zealand. In fairness to Hammett he has largely inherited this Blues squad from former director of rugby Phil Davies, however it is very difficult to see a cohesive game-plan emerging at the Arms Park, with all that is good about the Blues mainly emanating from individual talent such as new signing Gareth Anscombe, or Welsh international Gethin Jenkins. What may be Mark Hammett’s saving grace is the fact that the Blues have qualified for the quarterfinals of the European Challenge Cup, with

never played it before, so at university level it is such an accessible sport. People can just come along having never even heard of it and within a few weeks are very good at it. Some new players have even represented the first team this year. I only started in first year of university so I have been playing for a year and a half now.

Do you play to a good standard and play it outside of university? I only play for university, but our team captain Alden Ching has been trialling for Great Britain Under 23s so he has obviously been putting a lot of hard work into his game. We have mixed and then also women’s and men’s teams. One of the girls, Camille Kostov, also plays for GB.

What physical components are required for Ultimate Frisbee?

It is mainly fitness-based, as we play on a pitch that is almost the same size as a rugby pitch. A lot of it is sprinting and quick changes of direction. You need to jump quite high too, but it is mainly based on speed and agility and endurance – they are the three main components.

Are you in a BUCS league?

Te way it works is that we play a regional tournament, which is what we are hosting in Cardiff this weekend.

Ten the top three teams from each region go through to nationals which is obviously the whole of the UK. We are aiming for at least nationals as we got there last year and we’d like to do a little better than that. I think we came thirteenth overall last year out of the whole UK which is good, but we have won it in the past so we’d like to improve on that placing this year. It would be nice to win the regional competition, as we are hosting it.

Tere are a couple of tough teams in our group, including Birmingham, who won the indoor title so they are the team to beat. We’ll give it our best shot and see how we get on.

Who is the biggest character at socials?

Our social secretary Bon Leung is good fun. He’ll sometimes get you to do things that you don’t really want

his side facing an East Wales derby against local rivals the Newport Gwent Dragons.

If the Blues were to lift the Challenge Cup in May then they would have an opportunity to qualify for next season’s Champions Cup by being parachuted into a two legged play-off with a Top 14 outfit, which must surely now be Hammett’s main priority for this season. Hammett has also already begun recruiting for next season with Samoan international Ray Lee-Lo promising to be a quality acquisition.

to, which means you don’t really have much say in what you do. We do have a lot of characters within the club. Te Vice President Dan Geerah is always a laugh at socials too.

Do you have any promising freshers for the season?

We had a fresher who made the first team for the nationals, who has only played Frisbee since September. He is fast, he can catch, throw and jump and he has good fitness. It is nice to see and encourages people to start the sport knowing that you can pick it up quickly.

How many players do you have signed on?

Over one hundred so that is quite good and a lot of people have said that they will join next year so it’s only set to go up. I’d encourage people to come along and try it out. Most people will stay on as they absolutely love it. You don’t need to be able to throw a Frisbee because we’ll teach you all that. Just come along and I can guarantee that you’ll love it.

Despite results being extremely disappointing thus far, any new coach needs time before being able to deliver success to a new club or region. Whether that may be in terms of the players he wants to recruit, or the game plan he wishes his players to implement, Hammett does have some leeway from this point of view. Hammett has rightly put a lot of emphasis on getting the culture right within the squad. However, what is the point of getting the culture right if results do not follow?

People can just come along having never even heard of it and within a few weeks are very good

Pictured:

Left: Australia and Canada battle in the air at the World Ultimate Championship

Below: Cardiff en route to beating Swansea 15-7 at Varsity 2014

Sport’s Pitch: Football’s money problem

wonderful world of his sport

Figures released last week revealed that upon finishing 20th in the Premier League in the 2013-14 season, Cardiff City gained more than double the amount of television money than German champions Bayern Munich.

Considering also that BT Sport and Sky Sports paid a combined total of £5.136billion for the rights to three years of Premier League games between the start of 2016/17 and the end of 2018/19, there have rightly been questions asked of just where that money will go and how it will benefit those that so willingly put in to the commercial juggernaut that is the Premier League.

There is an overriding feeling that the status quo will be strictly adhered to, and that the TV money will go into the pockets of the chairmen, managers and players

Idealists would have the league enforce reductions in soaring ticket prices that are putting a squeeze on the pockets of fans up and down Britain. Te latest TV deal has seen a stunning 70% increase on the previous contract, with each match now being valued at £10.2million, so surely there is room to reduce ticket prices and give a little back to supporters?

However, there is an overriding feeling that the status quo will be strictly adhered to, and that the TV money will only go into the pockets of the chairmen, managers and players of the clubs to which it is distributed; player contracts in particular show no signs of slowing on their upward trajectory, with the average Premier League player earning £30,000 per week – for some perspective, the average yearly wage in Britain is estimated at £26,500.

Deloitte’s Football Money League 2015 released in January revealed

Cardiff City will be disappointed that they couldn’t protect a 1-0 lead against Blackburn on February 17th, conceding an equaliser in the closing moments of the match.

It’s important for City to now focus on the positives of the point rather than choosing to dwell on the two points lost. Although the Cardiff faithful may see the result as two points dropped, the performance that the players produced was not underwhelming.

It was the third draw on the bounce for the Bluebirds, who are searching

that Cardiff City, in terms of revenue streams, made more money than Champions League regulars FC Porto of Portugal, who won Europe’s premier competition as recently as 2004. Tis was supplemented primarily by the £62.1million that the Welsh capital club received in television rights over the course of their maiden (and highly unsuccessful) Premier League season.

Bayern Munich, who would be many people’s pick for the best team in the world right now, earned £27.34million in comparison. Season tickets for able-bodied supporters to watch Cardiff City play in English football’s second tier started at £329.99. To offer a contrast, the cheapest equivalent ticket to watch the German champions and last year’s Champions League semi-finalists at the Allianz Arena costs just £104.

Tese contradictions crop up wherever you look; we continue to fill out grounds and buy into the Premier League bandwagon despite the clearly extortionate ticket prices, especially considering the period of austerity that Britain finds itself in.

Te decision-makers continuously hike up the prices of tickets, replica kit, match day food - anything they can stick a price tag on basically - and bask in record-breaking revenues year-on-year.

Te success of national football teams is another contentious issue surrounding the vast amounts of money being injected into the British game; while we are told that the Premier League is the best in the world, the England team in particular have been seen to suffer, their first-

for just their second Championship win this year under Russell Slade, who will now more than likely be hoping that his team don’t have to rely on a header from a defender at a set piece when they go into their next game.

City have a little bit of momentum and it’s encouraging that the side aren’t losing, but they need wins to rack up points and get them moving in the right direction.

Te teamwork and willingness of players to work for each other was good to see. If they can maintain their current standards, City

round elimination from last year’s World Cup prime evidence of this.

Tere is a relatively limited pool of talent coming through in Britain – bright sparks such as Ross Barkley, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane are few-and-far between, and it is difficult to see where the next major success story such on the level of Gareth Bale will come from. Te Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish national teams are also noticeably mediocre and show little prospects of dramatically improving.

Just 44.93% of Premier League players are of British descent, compared to 45.2% Italians in Serie A, 56.5% Germans in the Bundesliga, 61.1% Spaniards in La Liga and 68.4% Frenchmen in Ligue 1. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that fewer chances for home-grown players to compete at the highest levels will lead to fewer players capable of competing on the international stage.

Germany meanwhile, a country that places emphasis on player development for the national team at equal importance to that of national league quality, have reaped the fruit of their labours; the national team won the World Cup at which England performed so dismally, while the Bundesliga goes from strength to strength in terms of overall quality and entertainment value.

It seems extremely unlikely, that despite all of the arguments outlined in this article against the continued commercialisation of football, the Premier League will give any leeway to allow the national game to flourish. It Is equally unlikely that they will, as

will finish in the top half of the Championship. With little to choose on the Championship table in terms of points, goal difference could prove crucial towards the end of the season and Cardiff ’s currently makes for much better reading than that of the teams around them.

Despite this however, Cardiff aren’t fighting for much this season. It looks as though a play-off push has been left too late, and relegation is not much of a threat to the Bluebirds anymore.

At the Blackburn game, new head coach Paul Trollope was both

TV revenue (2013/14)

Real Madrid - £103.74mil

Barcelona - £103.74mil

Liverpool - £97.5mil

Manchester City - £96.6mil

Manchester United - £89.2mil

Juventus - £69.66mil

Cardiff City - £62.10mil

Paris Saint-Germain - £33.05mil

Atletico Madrid - £31.12mil

Bayern Munich - £27.34mil

many have suggested, subsidise ticket prices in light of the huge hike in TV revenue due to arrive in the next few years.

Ultimately one can only see the price of attending and enjoying football rising, along with the value of player contracts, agent fees and other multi-million, perhaps even billion pound deals. While the likes of Manchester City can bypass financial fair play rules intended to protect the level competition amid spiralling spending, it feels as though no amount of regulation can prevent prices for the average fan rising. Make no mistake, the Premier League continues to thrive, but it is to the detriment of those who make it profitable in the first place.

heard and seen, striding to the front of Cardiff technical area to shout instructions. He has only been involved in three training sessions so far and won’t have made a huge difference, but the signs are that he could work well with Slade.

City are starting to lay some sort of foundation to build on. Tey need to maintain the tempo, enthusiasm and belief in their coming games.

Tey set new standards against Blackburn, with the best team display for some time Progress is slow, but it is clear Cardiff are moving forward.

It is hard to see where the next major success story on the level of Gareth Bale will come from “

Dan Heard

Joe Atkinson

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Underwhelming Six Nations start for Wales

With the tournament taking a break, we assess how Wales have performed so far, with a home defeat to England being followed by a narrow victory over Scotland

As the 2015 RBS Six Nations enters its first break, the competition is still wide open. Warren Gatland and his Welsh troops will be disappointed at how they have started their campaign though; the opening match of the tournament saw England visit the Millennium Stadium on a Friday night, and the theatrics put on before the match were spectacular even if

nothing else was, with a combination of lasers, flashing lights, fire and blaring music.

There was also an argument over the closing of the roof and a stand-off in the tunnel, both of which heightened the tension even more. Despite a great start to the game, as Wales went 10-0 ahead, the men in red will be immensely disappointed with how England

took a stranglehold of the match in the second half, dominating all aspects as the Welsh scrum was well and truly eviscerated, whilst Wales’ attacking prowess was stunted in a pointless scoring half.

After this disappointment, Wales travelled to Murrayfield looking for a response. Despite getting the result in the end, with the score 2326, the win had as much to do with

referee Glen Jackson’s shameful performance as it did Wales’ good work. Scotland played well, and it was only really a 15-minute spell at the start of the second half that Wales dominated. In the second half, Jackson allowed Wales to repeatedly give away penalties on their own tryline without producing a yellow card until they won the ball back. The referee also disallowed a perfectly

Continued on page 37

Michael Cantillon