Free Word 714
gairrhydd Cardiff’s Student Weekly
Monday 25 February 2002
Inside: Your 12 page Varsity 2002 pullout Including: Cardiff and Swansea pen picks and a Cardiff supporters poster
BEST CAMPAIGNING NEWSPAPER IN THE GUARDIAN STUDENT MEDIA AWARDS
‘Students would be Funding cut for better off on benefits’
GRANTS NOT FEES: Cardiff students protest in Trafalgar Square
by Aimee Bryant and Abbie Jackson HUNDREDS OF students, including many from Cardiff, met in London last Wednesday
to protest against the thousands of students who are forced to live below the poverty line. Armed with banners and flags, the students marched past the Houses of Commons and
Downing Street in a demonstration against the introduction of tuition fees and the abolition of the grant. This follows a shocking revelation from the National Union of Students (NUS) that many students live below the poverty line. The new figures suggest that students would be financially better off living on benefits. The key findings show that students are expected to live on £29 a week after accommodation costs. Young people (aged 18-24) on state benefits receive £42 a week after housing benefit. In response to these new statistics, NUS president Owain James said, “NUS is appaled that a government who claims that its number one priority is education is forcing thousands of young people to live below the minimum threshold that it believes a single person can live on.” Recent UCAS polls indicate that applications from the poorest social backgrounds have declined
by 9.5 per cent in the last year. The average student debt has nearly doubled in the last two years, but the disparity between the amount owed by middle-class and working classes has also increased. As reported in Gair Rhydd last week, the Welsh National Assembly has opted to restore the student grant system, but this scheme will only benefit Welshdomiciled students whose familial income is less than £15,000 per annum. As a result of student debt, concern continues to mount within the education authority that grades may suffer as more and more students take on paid work to supplement loans. Today, more than 40 per cent of students have part-time jobs. NUS Wales President Steve Brooks concluded, “Central Government claims it wants to widen participation, yet it refuses to remove the financial barriers that stop students applying for Higher Education.”
Elvis was a Taffy by Lydia Kirby THE KING of rock and roll originated from Wales, as did Joan Collins, Burt Lancaster and Russell Crowe, a comical website has claimed. The site, www.famouswelsh.com, also claims that America was actually named after a Welshman, Richard Amerik, who worked as a British customs official in Bristol and that Wall Street is rightfully the property of a Welsh family, descendent’s of explorer Robert Edwards. Apparently the 3,000 descendent’s of Edwards living in Wales today would receive
an estimated $26 million each if the claim was ever proved. But by far the most outrageous claim is that Elvis Presley originated from Wales. Allegedly, the surname Presley actually comes from the word Preseli, a chain of mountains in mid-Wales. And, to make the story a little more believable, there is an ancient Celtic church in the area called St Elvis’s Church. Russell Crowe, who is currently starring in A Beautiful Mind, apparently has a grandfather from Wrexham and Hilary Clinton, Burt Lancaster and Joan Collins have unconfirmed connections with Wales.
THE KING: Born in Wales?
But the editor of the webpage, the aptly named Ed Welsh, urges browsers not to take the contents too seriously. He said, “People should take the information with a pinch of salt but some of the stuff is pretty fascinating nevertheless.”
FIRE AT THE FIRKIN: SEE PAGE 3
clubs? by Dominic O’Neill
THE UNION has upped the stakes in the battle for student participation by threatening societies and sports clubs with closure. In the run-up to their Annual General Meeting, the Students’ Union Council has decided that if the clubs and societies do not attend the meeting, they will be cut loose from the union’s patronage. Strong worded letters have already been sent out, stating that from every sports cub and society, 10 or 5 members respectively must attend if they wish to retain the privileges given to them by the Union. The officer responsible for the AGM, Societies and Union Secretary James Sommerville, explained that, “We are under increasing pressure to justify the money we receive from the University. “The AGM is supposed to be attended by five per cent of our members, that is the student population. That’s about 750 people. If, like most years, only 50 turn up, it will not make a very good impression to the Vice Chancellor who will be giving a speech. We need to show that students care about their Union, and this is the only way to do it.” The meeting, taking place in the Great Hall in two weeks time (Monday 11 March) at 8.30pm, will also include a vote on whether Nestlé products, banned from union shops on the basis of the company’s unethical practices, should once again by sold. Mr Sommerville commented, “At the moment the AGM is ignored and undervalued. We want to turn it into a useful reality.” Tristan Thomas, second year journalism thought that the tough treatment was quite justified. He said, “I think it’s about time clubs and societies started offering something back to the Union rather than just taking money.” But Jennifer Jones, a member of the badminton society and first year English Literature student complained. “It’s a bit much threatening us to go. It’s meant to be a voluntary event ”