This election content (pages 1, 2, 39, and 40) was provided and edited by Kent Union. InQuire’s own election content can be found on pages 6 -17. Ongoing updates on the election can be found at www.inquirelive.co.uk.
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2 March 2018
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Issue 13.9
Why is Young Adult Fiction so Undervalued?
Leadership Elections 2018
InQuire asks the questions you want answered|Page 6 Candidates’ manifestos|Page 6 Culture|Books Page 24 Debate coverage |Page 16
Strike Action Begins on Campus By Grace Pocock Newspaper News Editor
F
ebruary 22 marked the first day of the strike over pension changes for academics. The strike is set to continue for 14 days, escalating across 4 weeks, or until an agreement can be reached. There will be two days of strike action in week one, three in week two, four in week three, and finally five in week four. A list of proposed dates can be found on page 3. Lecturers and students have united in protesting outside their departmental buildings, before joining forces with other departments to protest outside the Registry building. Protesters chanted “what do we want?”, “fair pensions!”, “when do we want them?”, “now!” amongst “students and staff unite and fight” and other words of solidarity. Drums and whistles could also be heard. The strike is led by the University and College Union (UCU), in response to new proposals to transfer the pensions of staff from universities belonging to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), from a guaranteed retirement income, to a riskier defined contribution
scheme, where pensions are subject to changes in the stock market. In total, around 184,000 university staff, including many of those at the University of Kent, contribute towards these USS pension. Changes to these pensions are claimed to leave a typical lecturer almost £10,000 worse off each year in retirement, or around £200,000 in total. 61 UK universities are currently participating in the strike action, with thousands of lecturers walking out across the country. More than a million students are estimated to face disruption as a result. Latest
estimates suggest that around 575,000 teaching hours will be lost. UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “The scale of these unprecedented strikes reflects just how destructive the proposals would be for staff pensions and their anger at university leaders to come back to the table to negotiate. “Despite the fact that over a million students are going to be affected, university employers have been unwilling to reconsider their position and look at reasonable alternatives which would give staff security in retirement. “Nobody is taking this action
lightly, but the ball remains firmly in the employers’ court. If further disruption is to be avoided, university leaders must put further pressure on their representatives to get back to the table for meaningful discussions with UCU.” A solidarity march was scheduled for Wednesday 28 February showing student support for lecturers with the strikes, but it has been postponed until 9 March, due to adverse weather conditions. A
petition showing support of Kent students for the lecturers and asking the university to take actions to compensate students for lost hours, currently stands at just shy of 5,000 signatures. There have been many reports of student petitions and pressure to get compensation from universities for lost teaching hours across the country. In an open letter to the Vice Chancellor, Kent Union, the representatives of the student body at the university, reiterated these demands, asking for students to receive early notification of any lecture cancellations due to the strike, excluding material from disrupted lectures from exams, and potentially reimbursing students for lost hours which they have already paid for in tuition fees. Concerns have been raised over how the strike will affect assessments, with one student last week contacting Kent Union believing they would receive a mark of zero for a cancelled graded presentation. The union investigated the claim with management, and students have been assured that strike action will not result in any zero-marked assessments due to cancellations. Continued on page 3....
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Israeli Ambassador Comes to Kent By Alejandro Javierre Writer
O
n 22 February, the University welcomed the Israeli Ambassador Mark Regev to talk as part of a joint effort between the Current Affairs Society and the Jewish Society at the University of Kent. Mark Regev served as Israeli Ambassador to the UK for 8 years, and has 25 years of experience serving the Israeli Government. The lecture was hosted at Woolf Theatre to a heavy presence of campus security, police, and e m b a s s y security; a level of precaution rarely seen at any event on the University grounds. These measures were entirely precautionary, and no violence or disruption was expected. The location was kept secret until just before the event began, and was then only disclosed to those who had already purchased a ticket to attend. Despite these precautions, there was a heavy protester presence and tensions were high before the talk began. Police and embassy security
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speak at the University comes on the back of several issues of impartiality and alleged breaches of free speech in regards to representation for the Israel-Palestine situation in the University. The event was allowed despite an open
letter being sent to the union prior to the event with over 100 signatures from students and academics calling for the University to call off the event, citing that the Ambassador’s presence created an ‘unsafe environment’ for students who wish to give their opinion on the matter. Mr Regev has a history of gaining media attention for his heavily pro-Israeli government views and frequently acts as
The chair began the discussion, mentioning Israel’s high rating on the world happiness index. The ambassador mentioned that Israel scores very high on the 2017 world happiness index, citing that Israel ranked 6th in the world for country happiness (the most recent index places Israel at the 11th but this is still an exceptionally high happiness rating, 8 places above the United Kingdom). The panel then briefly moved onto the topic of conflict, most notably the growing tensions b e t w e e n Israel and its neighbour, Iran, before the floor was opened up for a question and answer session for the audience. Students who attended remarked that the talk was ‘very enjoyable’ and ‘very interesting’, and were open to hearing Photo by Foreign and Commonwealth Office what the Ambassador Prime Minister Netanyahu’s had to say about even the most spokesperson on conflicts in controversial topics. It was high-profile media appearances. clear that there was a wealth In his own words in an interview of opinion and understanding with International Media on the on both sides to the issues in 2006 Lebanon war, Mr Regev Israel which was well received said: “when you see me, it’s by those who attended, as well usually bad news”. as Mr Regev himself.
Sturry Road to Close for 20 Weeks
Newspaper Sport Editor
Caitlin Casey
stood at guard throughout the venue and audience members were asked to deposit all bags and coats in a nearby cloakroom before being allowed entrance. Photography and recording was not permitted unless by the Current Affairs Society and the Jewish Society themselves, and the audience were locked in the theatre while the ambassador left and entered the building. The decision for the Union to allow the Ambassador to
A
pril 9 will see cars travelling in and out of Canterbury take a huge diversion following work to widen a bus lane on Sturry Road. This work is due to be carried on one of busiest roads of the city, and could result in traffic and congestion for up to 20 weeks. For drivers heading into the city, they will find a oneway road between Vauxhall Road and South Street leading towards the city centre, though cars making the opposite
journey will instead have to will be no access to the city take a diverted route via centre via buses for many who Kingsmead Road, Broad Oak Road and eventually joining back onto Vauxhall Road again. By Grace Pocock The changes are all part of Newspaper News Editor a plan to create new bus, taxi and cycle lanes, meaning -bar have recently more space for drivers, announced that they will more punctual buses and be catering to more students’ less traffic congestion in the requirements by offering a long-term despite shortvegan substitute cheese in term consequences. their paninis. From this week, However, for some, these you will be able to request any short-term consequences panini with vegan cheese as simply aren’t worth it, with opposed to the regular cheddar many concerns that there or mozzarella.
live on Sturry Road, something locals are far from pleased with.
K-Bar Launches Vegan Paninis
K
Photo by Flickr
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
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Strike Action Begins on Campus
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The University have reassured students that: 1. In the case of in-class assessments being cancelled by the action, your academic school should make every effort to reschedule the assessment at the earliest opportunity. 2. If an in-class assessment can’t be rescheduled, your school will remove that assessment from the overall module mark. 3. Where that scheduled in-class assessment is required to meet a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) accreditation, your academic school is required to reschedule the assessment as soon as possible. 4. You will not receive any zero scores because of the action The National Union of Students (NUS) collaborated with UCU to release a statement: The National Union of Students
(NUS) and the University and College Union (UCU) are sister organisations committed to promoting the interests of our members and to defending education. We are proud of our work together in calling for a better deal for students and staff and in challenging the marketisation of education. We believe that fairly rewarded staff are the cornerstone of the university experience and that the proposal by Universities UK to substantially cut the pensions of members of the USS pension scheme will be hugely damaging if implemented. As representatives of students, NUS is worried that the imposition of these cuts in the face of sector wide opposition will lead to a demotivated and unhappy workforce and consequent recruitment and retention problems as staff vote with their feet and move elsewhere. As representatives of staff, UCU is concerned that alongside recent cuts in the real terms value of pay and the very high rates of casualisation, these proposals are seen as yet
another kick in the teeth for hard working staff. We believe that the current policy of paying ever higher salaries for vice-chancellors and principals while cutting pensions for those who do the work sends a hugely damaging signal to both students and staff. In sending its full solidarity to UCU, NUS asks its members to: • continue to call for the university employers to recognise the seriousness of the situation and agree to meaningful negotiations either directly with the union or via Acas • write to their institution head to complain about the impact the strike will have on their learning • participate in local demonstrative solidarity action during the strikes in support of UCU members. • In response, UCU agrees to: • work closely with NUS to explain to students why action is taking place • commit to meaningful negotiations in order to settle the dispute if
It Snowed. By Grace Pocock Newspaper News Editor
S
nowfall hit the country Sunday 25 February, courtesy of the so called ‘Beast from the East’. Whist the disruption was evident, with shuttles to the Medway campus not running from 11:30 am on Tuesday 27, and with the closure of Blackwell’s and Nero’s from 5pm Tuesday 27 and all day Wednesday 28, the enjoyment was also very clear. Students could be seen enjoying the snowfall making snowmen and having snowball fights, even braving the cold to make snow angels. The ski team even made a slope to ski off. The adverse weather conditions are set to continue, with Storm Emma predicted to bring blizzards and gales as it sweeps across the country.
possible continue to support NUS in our wider struggle for a fair and just education system. Shakira Martin, NUS president Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary UUK and UCU have reentered talks from 27 February, but UUK have explicitly ruled out discussion of the current proposal to move to a fully defined contribution pension scheme. During these talks UCU and UUK agreed to involve the national conciliation service ACAS in the next stage of their talks to help reach an agreement. Following this, the university sent out an email, asking staff who have participated or intend to participate in the industrial action to suspend their action “in the interests of our students while these negotiations continue”. In return for the suspension of action locally, the university stated they will “not deduct pay from those staff who participated in the first five days of industrial action”. However, since an agreement •
is yet to be reached, it seems unlikely that strike action will be suspended. Many are outraged at the university for sending out this email to students which attempts to put pressure on lecturers to return to their jobs; no lecturer is taking the strike action lightly, and many feel that agreeing to the conditions in this email would undermine the strike action so far.
Planned strike dates: Week 20: Monday 5 March Tuesday 6 March Wednesday 7 March Thursday 8 March Week 21: Monday 12 March Tuesday 13 March Wednesday 14 March Thursday 15 March Friday 16 March
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Elections
Presidential Candidates
Rowena Bicknell
Why are you standing for the role of President? Every year, candidates promise things they don’t deliver. I’ve been here as an undergraduate and postgraduate, and I’m tired of the Union’s approach to working with students: constantly reactive rather than proactive, with too much emphasis on their own agenda. I actually want to get stuff done, simple as that. What issue on campus are you most passionate about? And how are you going to address it? The lack of options and choices that are accessible to us. By being open and accessible to students, listening to their voices, and making sure they guide my work, I will increase these options across all campuses, including: cheaper accommodation choices, better food variety, and different ways to access support.
Do you believe that Kent Union should be more transparent with the student body? And if so how would you intend on improving that transparency? The wording of this question needs to change: I believe that the Union must be more transparent, accountable, and accessible, rather than simply ‘should be’ more transparent. A good first step would be to overhaul the way the Union communicates and interacts with students, to have more direct conversations. Rowena’s Manifesto: From creating the scuba diving society in my undergrad, to competing at BUCS as a postgrad, and serving twice
as the President of the KGSA during my PhD, I am confident in my understanding of the University, the Union, and — most importantly — how to get the things done that students want. I want to use this experience of actually listening to and working with students to get things done. If we can make our Union transparent and accountable, then students can create the bold change we’ve all been talking about for so long. So...let’s actually get things done. If elected, I will work with students to: Increase the variety and availability of food on campus by including: -more hot and cold meal choices, better options for those with specific dietary requirements -access to more free microwaves so you can bring your own food Help you get the support you need when studying by: -decreasing the wait time for mental-health-support services -working with the next VP (Education) to simplify the concessions procedures for extensions in your school -organising more dog days, mindfulness events, and social activities on campus to help -providing better access to free condoms and sanitary products on campus Make it easier to experience all aspects of student life by: -working with VP (Sport) to increase the variety of gym memberships so that there are cheaper options -increasing the Access to Activities and Sports fund so more people can participate in sports and societies -working with VP (Activities) to overhaul the Kent Union website and make sure that it includes online banking and payments for groups -expanding the variety of events at the Venue and access to reliable cash points around campus Reaffirm the commitment to a Zero Tolerance Policy to sexual harassment on campus by: -working with Campus Security and the College Masters to create an anonymous reporting tool as part of the SafeZone app -establishing a step-by-step process for dealing with issues and complaints -creating a more robust support system for those in need of help
Focus on the Medway community by: -bringing a food shop back to campus -making the shuttle bus flexible so you can catch it after lectures finish, rather than waiting an hour -working with S.A.M. on the plan for new sports facilities on campus getting more options for things to do in the ‘Give It A Go’ scheme Extend Home Stamp accreditation to on-campus accommodation by: -working with VP (Welfare) to draft a contract between students and accommodation services to ensure mutual expectations -demanding a rent freeze in more accommodation, beyond just those that currently exist for undergrads -fighting for more flexible accommodation contracts for those who need to leave early Decrease the University’s and Union’s environmental impact by: -exploring energy alternatives to power our campuses in a cleaner, more sustainable way -replacing takeaway containers with recycled and reusable options -implementing a year-round freecycle scheme and foodbank for students in need -establishing a regular Farmer’s Market on campus to provide locally sourced food
Aaron Thompson
Why are you standing for the role of President? I believe EVERY student should be able to shape their experiences, leave university with great memories and feel part of a community that supports and looks after their needs. I want EVERY student to feel they have a voice and I want students involved in the decisions that affect them. What issue on campus are you most passionate
about? And how are you going to address it? Student Voice is my main manifesto point as I believe the work of the union should be led by students. I will address this be creating student committees for the various outlets across campus, push for a Postgraduate Full Time Officer and review all leadership roles within Kent Union. Do you believe that Kent Union should be more transparent with the student body? And if so how would you intend on improving that transparency? I believe that Kent Union should do more to get students involved in decision making and campaign work; thereby forging a relationship of trust, confidence and transparency from an early stage. This can be done through the student committees and review of leadership roles. We should also better communicate our wins. Aaron’s Manifesto: My name is Aaron and last year you elected me as your VicePresident (Activities) and this year I’m asking you once again to elect me as your new Union President. I’ve had an amazing year in my current role, securing sponsorship for the Activities Department, working on the Kent Africa Summit project and recognising our groups through Society of the Month but now I want to do more. If you elect me, I pledge to be a BOLD, INCLUSIVE and SUPPORTIVE leader. I will make sure you receive the student experience you DESERVE by focusing on 4 key areas: student voice, student experience, equality and inclusivity, and Medway. Student Voice: The voices of students are not heard. They are not consulted on things which impact them and it is often only when bad things happen that the union or university tend to think about asking. The union should be more proactive and students should be involved in making decisions. YOU SAY, WE DO! Institutions should stop doing what they think students want and actually ask them what they want. I will work with the university and the union to ensure they get student
feedback on all their outlets on a regular basis. These include Essentials, Venue, Kent Sport and the various food outlets across campus. ZERO TOLERANCE: Sexual Assault and Discrimination are problems faced on university campuses across the country. I will continue the work of the Zero Tolerance campaign and work with the VP Welfare to ensure that the implementation within licensed venues across Canterbury and Medway is completed and appropriate action taken on campus to ensure a change of culture - one where all students are safe. Higher education funding review: Students are leaving university with an incredible amount of debt and something needs to be done. I will lobby the NUS and the government to ensure there is formal student representation on the governrment review panel, and ensure we don’t just look at fees, but interest rates, postgraduate fees and maintenance support. Free Speech: The protection of free speech is a hot topic at the moment. I am proud of our free speech policy at Kent and I will continue to be a champion of it. I will ensure that we facilitate a productive and safe environment to have great debates where we challenge opinions and open discussions. Empower and Reward our Leaders: We have so many groups of student leaders: sports clubs, societies, community action groups, the relevant exec groups, college committees, part time officers and student reps but do we recognise and reward their achievements effectively? Do we give them the right amount of support? Do students feel represented enough? I will address these issues within the union and review the roles to ensure all student leaders feel supported and empowered to fulfil their role effectively. Postgraduate full time officer: I believe postgraduate students are as important as every other student on campus. They deserve a first class experience during their time here and the union has failed consistently in representing their views. I will
7 Elections
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire lead a review of the full time officer team and push for the creation of a Postgraduate Full Time Officer to ensure that postgraduates have a voice going forward and benefit from their experience like everyone else. Student Experience There are too many barriers in the way of students having a great student experience and the union needs to work harder to tackle these issues. Their experiences are what they remember when they leave so we should do all that we can to make sure it’s as great as can be. Inspirational student list: I believe we should encourage students to be bold, campaign and stand up for their rights. We encourage students to take up leadership roles and get involved but we don’t always recognise those who work in the background. I will work with the union to create an Annual Inspirational Students List, which aims to recognise the unsung heroes of Kent and those who work behind the scenes to make the student experience great! Your SU building: Students need to feel like students. When they come to campus they should be able to meet with their friends and relax, they should have the space they need to do any activity they want and they should be able to get all the support they need in one place. I will continue to lobby the university to give us the funding required to get the SU building we need and I will ensure that students have a voice in what it becomes. Employability on campus: The university’s Employability Points scheme and the union’s Toolkit are very similar and require students to input the same information into different portals. Additionally, all jobs on campus are advertised independently by departments. I will push the university to find a way to create a single platform for the recording of activities and another for all jobs on campus. Make Nus Extra work for students: I will work with the NUS to improve their NUS Extra offering to ensure that they provide more local discounts, so students at Kent can actually benefit from the scheme.
Mental health provision: Students are facing an increasing amount of mental health issues so I will continue to campaign on these issues, along with the VP Welfare and lobby the university to increase their provision of support and welbeing opportunities on campus. Flexible timetabling: Students should have time to learn, work, be with their family, look after their children and have fun without being constrained. I will lobby the university to introduce flexible timetabling so that studies can fit around personal commitments. Review the college system: The college system currently does not work and a lot of students do not understand its purpose. I will work with the Director of Student Services to ensure a meticulous review of the college system is done and an action plan created. Equality and Inclusivity Students should feel like they are welcome on campus; they should feel part of a community and feel proud to be part of a university that celebrates culture. All students should have equal access to resources and opportunities, so the union needs to do more to accommodate the needs of everyone. Diversify my curriculum: I believe some students are at a disadvantage when it comes to learning the content of their degree. Additionally, there is a movement to make students more globally aware and attainment gaps continue to be a national issue. I will work with my fellow full time officers to lobby the university to make the curriculum offered more diverse, in terms of what is taught, the authors put forward, co-curricular opportunities, and inspirational speakers that come to the university. Food for everyone: We have so many food outlets on campus but they all seem to have similar offerings. I believe students should be given a choice and an opportunity to try new things, as well as having their life choices accommodated for. I will work with both the union and the university to ensure that the
overall food offering available to students on campus is reflective of the student population on campus and a map is created so you know where you can get what type of food, including healthy, vegan and cultural options. EDI Strategy: The student population of Kent is very diverse, but this is not reflected in management structures held by the union and university. I will lead on the creation of a Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Strategy with the VP Welfare, that educates staff on different cultures and different groups of people as well as reviewing the university’s EDI strategy and holding them to account. Networks for protected characteristics: I believe society constructs itself to be beneficial to some groups and disadvantages to others, hence the need for liberation officers. I will work to create networks for all the protected characteristics under the leadership of the part time officers so students have more ability to make change and students are able to find people who they identify with. Mature student needs: We have a growing community of mature students on campus who have varying needs. I believe we need to do more to enhance their experience, allow them to feel part of a community and get the support they need. I will lobby the university to dedicate a space for mature students to be able to congregate so they feel at home, and I will work with them to provide better financial support. Student groups first: There are so many student groups on campus, but they are often treated differently. I will work with the VP Activities and VP Sports to ensure that all student groups get equal treatment and are seen equally by the union and the university in order to remove financial and admin barriers to both the committees and the members. Medway: Medway continually gets compared to Canterbury. The town doesn’t offer much and students have safety concerns. Medway needs to see some direction and change so it has its own identity.
Sports facilities at Medway: The sports facilities at Medway are not fit for purpose. They are old and students deserve better. I will work with the VP Sports and the Greenwich Officers to lobby our universities to either create better facilities for students or provide better transport links to off campus facilities that ensure safety. Medway town and community: Students at Medway do not go into the town as there isn’t much there nor do they feel it is very safe. I will lobby the council to redevelop the area and provide better lighting on paths which are currently poorly lit. Representation and strategy for GK Unions and Medway: Students on Medway campus feel more affinity to GK Unions then they do their home unions. I believe we should do more to make students feel represented and ensure “deadway” is a thing of the past. I will work with GK Unions and the Greenwich Officers to make it easier for students to contact us and make more functions centralised; whilst lobbying the university to have a clear strategy for Medway.
Candidates for Vice President Welfare Abiee Harris
Why are you standing for the role of VP Welfare? I am really passionate about making the student experience the absolute best it can be and I really want to fix the big problems for students. What issue on campus are you most passionate about? And how are you going to address it? I really want to make sure that students are getting paid for the work they do. I want to ensure there is living wage for all student staff so everyone can
afford to live.
Given that the union have been striving to tackle sexual harassment on campus, how do you intend to support them in your role? I want to make sure there are clear routes for support in the ways that it is needed. I also want to make sure there is an anonymous reporting system so people can report without identifying themselves. Abiee’s Manifesto: What am I going to do for you? Hey, I’m Abiee and I’m really excited to be running for your VP Welfare! I really want to make sure the student experience is the absolute best it can be and fix some of the big problems for students My experiences: -President of Sailing and Windsurfing -Team Kent Exec. -Student Trustee -Former Parkwood Welfare officer -charity and fundraising officer foe sailing and windsurfing -Girlguiding advocate I’m excited to be able to use all my experience in campaigning to help students get the most out of university My priorities: 1. Looking after you 2. Protecting your money 3. your campus Looking after you: Counselling and support wait times: More counsellors = less time to wait for an appointment Tackling sexual harassment and assult: It’s sad but it’s true: Sexual harassment is such a big problem on campuses around the UK. We need a clear route people feel safe to use to access the help they need, along with anonymous reporting so you can report without identifying yourself Your personal tutor: You need to know who your academic tutor is and need to receive the right support from them Postgrad welfare: It’s important our post grads don’t slip under the radar as they have fewer contact hours and are here all year round; support needs to be
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Elections
easy to access for all and that support is tailored to different needs Liberation and equality: Equality has to be at the heart AND forefront of fighting for liberation and diversity. I’ll ensure that Liberation officers receive all the support and resources they need Simple concession process: Have you ever tried to get a concession? Sometimes it is near impossible and it should be much easier for those who need it in such difficult times. Also consistency across the University Tackling the BME attainment gap: Working with with our own BME students’ campaign to run empowering events for BME students to tackle the BME attainment gap and diversifying the curriculum Protecting your money: All jobs on campus in one place: Hundreds of us are employed by the University and the Union each year, surely all the jobs should all be in one place to find to save hunting in every outlet? Living wage for all student staff: You deserve living wage for the work you do Union run letting agency = no more admin fees: This is important for two reasons: the first, being that all off campus accommodation should be to the highest standard, and the second, that we need to stop being ripped off by admin fees and extra costs Free gym sessions to support your mental wellbeing: Exercise improves mood, so we should be able to access a free slot in the gym each week to help up maintain a good wellbeing Eat healthily for less: It should be clear what we’re eating (including the nutritional values) and it should be cheaper to eat healthily on campus Your campus: Safe taxi: Ever worried about getting back to campus (or anywhere for that matter) on a night out? Get in a taxi and sort out paying for it the next day when you are home safe Nap room:
Deadline season is long and tiring and a quick 20 minutes shut eye without having to leave campus might make all the difference, I want to ensure that our new SU building has space for you to relax Timetabling based around your needs: Need Wednesday afternoons off to play sport? Need to pick the kids up at 3? see when your contact hours will be BEFORE you pick your module so you can choose a timetable to suit you Helping you build communities: At uni our friends are our families, let’s create a relaxing space on campus where you don’t have to spend money to build those relationships (sports, societies and academic communities) Protecting the environment: the Union and University need to do everything they can to preserve the environment and reduce waste: cutting down on single use plastics and packaging and taking on a strategy to reduce carbon emissions Study spaces that work for everyone: Need a different kind of space today than you did yesterday? Like to study in a more relaxed environment? Study space at Kent is currently all one of a kind - we need variety to suit all students Medway: All my manifesto points apply to Medway, but there are a few extra things just for the Medway campus Shuttle bus to and from town: Do you worry about getting back from town after a night out? Shuttle busses would give you a safe ride back Better sports facilities: These need to be improved, there is no question about that. As I said, we know that exercise can improve mood, let’s get those facilities in place
Anna Meares
Why are you standing for the role of VP of Welfare? I believe that it’s time for change. It’s time Welfare was seen as the limelight of the Sabb roles. I’m running for this position so I can instigate real, important change for students at Kent. What issue on campus are you most passionate about? And how are you going to address it? Mine is a liberation campaign; I’m standing for the rights of students whose voices aren’t typically heard. My priority is the safety and success of female and LGBT(+) students. I’ll address this by providing specialist support for victims of sexual harassment and working on the college master system. Given that the Union have been striving to tackle sexual harassment on campus, how do you intend to support them in your role? This is a major part of my manifesto. I also plan to create an anonymous forum for sexual assault victims so that it’s easier to come forward, and I will also revamp the ‘Zero Tolerance’ scheme. Anna’s Manifesto: I’m Anna and I’m running to be your VP (Welfare) Mine is a liberation campaign; I’m standing for the rights of students whose voices aren’t typically heard. You can count on me to offer PROVISION for marginalized groups, PREVENTION of discrimination against any student and to ensure everyone at Kent PERFORMS to the best of their ability. How I’ve contributed to your student experience already: - Worked as a Student Community Champion - Have been a Student Rep for Stage 3 Classics, Philosophy & RS - Worked on reception at the Student Activities Centre
- Have been President, Secretary and then Treasurer of the Religious Studies Society - Have been Vice Chair of the Societies Executive - Volunteered as a teacher for Kent Pole Fitness - Represented Ultimate Frisbee at tournaments - Organised the first ever SECL Winter Ball As your VP (Welfare), I pledge to: -Fight sexual violence and abuse on campus and provide support for victims - Promote the wellbeing of LGBT(+) students and other marginalised groups - Bring the University of Kent into the 21st century and make it more ecologically sustainable - Create school-based communal spaces with cooking facilities so students can build a support network within their course - Provide better, additional mental health services that recognise individual Fighting sexual violence and abuse on campus and providing support for victims When elected, I will: -Create an anonymous forum for sexual assault victims - Open up a healthy dialogue between student-led groups to improve education about sexual assault & harassment, reducing the negative impact of ‘rumour’ - Push for the Online Consent Module to be compulsory for all enrolling students - Provide better training (with sensitivity to and awareness of sexual harassment, etc.) for staff at Kent Union club nights, as well as put more methods in place to prevent ‘spiking’ and ‘date raping’ - Push more venues to train staff how to react to students in distress and boosting the ‘Ask for Angela’ campaign - Increase safety for students on their way home from a night out by expanding the Street Marshal scheme & Nightline & ensuring street lights are lit - Revamp the ‘Zero Tolerance’ scheme and improve transparency in the disciplinary system - Continue reshaping the College Master system for sexual assault cases and incorporate the new Sexual Assault Adviser role into the disciplinary and recovery processes Promoting the wellbeing
of LGBT(+) students and other marginalised groups When elected, I will: -Introduce a monthly LGBT(+) night at Venue, creating a safe clubbing space for students of all identities and orientations - Increase the number of gender-neutral toilets on campus to benefit trans and non-binary students, as well as those requiring assistance from someone of another gender - Provide specialist mental health care tailored for students from marginalised groups such as LGBT(+), BME, Mature, International, PartTime Students, Students with dependants & Students with Disabilities - Increase awareness and provisions for students with invisible disabilities Bringing the University of Kent into the 21st century and making it more ecologically sustainable When elected, I will: -Initiate the process for the University of Kent to transition into a disposable plastic-free campus, starting with replacing plastic straws with paper ones in campus outlets - Increase the selection of vegan food in essentials and in campus caterers to minimise Kent’s carbon footprint, as well as provide more food for other dietary requirements, such as gluten free - Take vegetarian and vegan as the standard for internal catering for conferences and training, with meat provided on request. This will save money, preparation time, and will be more environmentally friendly, as well as ensuring all attendees are catered for Creating school-based communal study spaces with cooking facilities When elected, I will: - Lobby for each school to have its own communal study space to give students the chance to build up friendship groups within their course, outside of contact hours. This is especially important for humanities and research-based subjects with minimal teaching hours - Ensure these spaces are equipped with kettles and microwaves so students can get the nourishment they need to study without having to pay oncampus food prices - Use these study spaces for academic societies to easily hold events, further strengthening extra-curricular
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Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire friendship bonds and cementing school identity, thus enhancing the overall student experience Providing better, additional mental health services that recognise individual needs When elected, I will: -Secure more funding to expand university counselling services. The current 3 month waiting list is unacceptable - Simplify access and make it more transparent. Students are more likely to reach out when they know what’s available - Campaign to raise awareness of the services available and that students of every identity and background know they have the right to help - Give student reps training to take on more of a welfare role. They are a bridge between students and departments/ Kent Union and can identify underlying problems and signpost students to the correct support service What else will I achieve? - Recognition for Post Graduate Research Students and the contribution they make to the university as both teachers and students. I will listen to the specific needs of all Post Graduate Students and tailor policy to their requirements with regards to finance, support and wellbeing - Encourage landlords registered to home stamp to move towards more billsincluded packages in order to reduce household bill disputes and improve the health and wellbeing of students living off campus - Ensure sanitary bins on campus accommodation are emptied at least bi-weekly (as opposed to monthly) - Make sure free sanitary products are available on campus, so students who are struggling financially have access to this fundamental resource; we offer free condoms already, why not free tampons?
Mental Health Awareness, a
Omolade Adedapo campaign on World AIDS day
Why are you standing for the role of VP of Welfare? In the 3 years at Kent I have campaigned on access to education, supported students as the Resident Support Officer for Parkwood and Eliot and supported Liberation groups on campus. The role of Welfare is my next step in ensuring students have a representative who have their best interest at heart. What issue on campus are you most passionate about? And how are you going to address it? Among many issues I’m passionate about, Zero Tolerance is an issue that is important to me. One way I hope to address it is reviewing procedures for sexual harassment and hate crimes on campus to ensure there are transparent guidelines on how to handle complaints made by victims. Given that the Union have been striving to tackle sexual harassment on campus, how do you intend to support them in your role? The Union has done well in ensuring venues become certified Zero Tolerance premises. To support them I hope to ensure there are better transparencies with guidelines, work closely with the Wellbeing advisers and introduce an online reporting form which has been successful at Cambridge. Omolade’s Manifesto: Hello! My name is Omolade and I’m the current Black and Ethnic Minorities officer for Kent Union. I am running to be your next Vice-President of Welfare! Get to know Omolade: -Studies Politics and International Relations. - Ran and participated in 5 on-campus campaigns: Access to Education (Books to Africa),
with Kent Labour Students and LGBT+ Society, Black History Month, International Women’s Week, and Kent Africa Summit. - Has worked as the Parkwood and Eliot Resident Support Officer and a Student Ambassador on campus. - Has held 4 on-campus voluntary positions: President of Books to Africa (16/17), BME Officer (Black Place), Student Representative (POLIR Stage 3), 1/4 hosts of student radio show CanterBAME. Financial Aid: -Elevate alternative payment plans for students experiencing financial hardship. - Greater publicised financial support: Working with the Advice Centre and Finance Department to continue supporting students on campus with workshops on money management and available financial aid. - Simplifying Access: Working with the Vice-President (Activities) and Vice-President (Sports) to promote the Access to Learning, Activities, and Sports funds. This would make it more flexible for students during the application process. Also, reviewing the application process of the Hardship Fund, in particular how much money is allocated to students. Wellbeing: -Add substance to your role: Establish an e-module for societies and student groups on wellbeing, diversity and inclusivity, and zero- tolerance. Provide a certificate on completion. - Breaking down communication barriers: The University provides various services and support systems for students. However, students are not aware of the networks and services they can easily access. Communication barriers need to be broken down to ensure that students are able to seek help when they can and where it is most comfortable. - Working alongside the Student Services and Wellbeing support systems that are available on campus, i.e Resident Support Officers, Outreach Advisers. In regards to off campus, working with Street Marshals and Student Community Champions to better publicise themselves to students. - Organised workshops and
events surrounding specialized support around Canterbury and Medway to equip students with the knowledge on self-care. - Working with the VicePresident (Education) on establishing a Student Support Officer within various schools to provide advice and academic support. Zero-Tolerance: -Establishing an online reporting form for sexual harassment and hate crimes which will be dealt with anonymously and confidentially. - Communication with local community: Working with the local police, student groups and other external organisations to establish a relationship and effective means to deal with reports. - Zero-tolerance culture: Introducing a zero-tolerance dignity and respect training e-module to all students. - #NoMore: Reviewing procedures for sexual harassment and hate crimes on campus to ensure there are transparent guidelines on how to handle complaints made by victims of sexual harassment. - Working with the new Wellbeing Adviser (Sexual Assault and Harassment) to provide support for those who have experienced sexual assault. Liberation: -Free tampons and sanitary towels: It can be a pain not being able to afford or access feminine products when there are no machines on campus. - Working with FemSoc and the ‘Respect the No’ campaign to make the ‘Reclaim the Night’ March a yearly activity. - A ‘No Platform’ Policy: To ensure individuals and groups who hold racist, homophobic and fascist views are not given a space or platform on campus. - Working with outlets on campus to host all job vacancies in one place, and ensuring the pay scale across all student roles on campus are fair for all students - How accessible is our university? Is it wheelchair friendly? Does it accommodate ASD students? Are hearing impairments catered for? Is enough being done for students with both visible and hidden disabilities? Working with the Student Support Service to ensure accessibility information and services are
better provided to students who need them. - Better integration and support for international students on campus. - ‘Diversify My Curriculum’: Working with the other full time officers to deliver a curriculum which is inclusive and accessible to all people from all backgrounds - Introducing an LGBTQ+ Adviser who can provide advice and support for those who are transitioning, facing discrimination, as well as those who are having difficulty settling in. - Working towards providing gender-neutral toilets in all buildings. Safety: -Bring back lights: Better lighting and working with local council to better illuminate streets on & off campus for Canterbury and Medway. - Introducing a University of Kent app: Developing a multi- dimensional app, which provides a wellbeing feature, students’ timetables and safety measures on campus. - Working with campus security to showcase services offered by the university, e.g. walking taxis. - Working with street marshals, the council and student community champions to promote security off campus. Housing: -Bringing your accommodation to the 21st Century: Reviewing the accommodation on campus. For those who are moving off campus/already off campus, raising awareness of the guidelines set in place for living standards. - Bringing an Amazon delivery drop off point to campus - ‘Who am I?’: Building a community with colleges and students. Reviewing the college scheme. - Carrying on freezing accommodation cost for Rutherford and Eliot. - Work alongside Student Community Champions to better support students off campus.
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campus community: Jake Pitt - Continuing to support liberation campaigns, in a way that empowers the Liberation groups Overhauling the sexual assault reporting procedures, with an independent reporting service - Ask For Angela with campus security - Welfare officers and training for society committees Jake’s Manifesto: - Automatic voter Student Housing: registration when you - A students’ union-run register at Kent - Redouble letting agency, with zero our efforts on ‘zero tolerance’ lettings fees for sexual harassment to - A student Housing Union ensure it is properly enforced that helps you with housing - Traffic lights at the crossing problems and offers legal at Tyler footsteps advice - A better Hales Place night - Codes of Conduct for bus student homes - A tea and bread room at - Lobby to freeze rents on Venue campus - University acting as - An LGBT+ night at Venue, guarantors for students from open to the general public, low-income backgrounds, bringing money in to Kent who’s parents don’t meet the Union income requirements Mental Health: - Remove the cap on counselling visits - A mental health sign posting service - Create a mental health Becky Bailey student support group - A mentoring system for those who need academic advice while having mental health issues - Lobby for an LGBT-specific counsellor - A special rape, sexual assault and domestic abuse service within our wellbeing structures - Mental Health First Aid for Becky’s Manifesto: campus security
Candidates for Vice President Education
Cost of Living: - Pay all student staff, in KU and the University, the National Living Wage - Create a single employment agency for all student staff jobs - Ensure all student jobs are openly advertised - Work with a trade union to unionise student staff - Look to lower prices in essentials by seeking alternatives to the NUS Services purchasing consortium - Free women’s sanitary products A strong, safe and inclusive
Who am I? I’m a Third Year History Student, with a focus on Communist Russia and the Igbo People of South East Nigeria. What have I done? I have always been greatly involved within Kent Union. For my first two years I was on committee for UKC Sailing and Windsurfing, first as First Year Rep, and then as Social Secretary. Currently I have a radio show on CSR and I am also School of History Rep. In my role as Rep I attend meeting with the Humanities Faculty, as well as chair my own meeting with my School. I am also campaigning for
our own common room, as well as creating an academic community through socials for both students and staff. Why me? Even at school I always wanted to get involved with as much as I could and that passion hasn’t stopped. I’m always open to hear everyone’s ideas and will work towards helping as many people as I can. I know I won’t have the answers to all the problems, but I will always strive to educate myself on what I don’t know. Inclusive learning plans: -Students with ILPs struggle to talk to staff about them, and staff sometimes struggle to understand how to treat these students. -I aim to make ILPs more openly acknowledged, creating a safe space for students and staff to discuss any troubles they are facing. -Many students, including myself, have experienced the troubles related to ILPs and a lack of knowledge of both students and staff. I want to clear this up. Diversity: -According to the Equality Challenge Unit, 2016, there is a 16.1% attainment gap between UK domicile BME students and their White counterparts. -I aim to work on Diversify My Curriculum to increase the recognition of the work of, the BME and LGBTQ+ communities. -I aim to make sure every school provides lectures that highlight the work of minority groups and people. Academic community: -So many Schools have no where to meet outside of academic studies, which means there’s no where for an academic community to develop between students and staff. -I aim to provide every school with a space of their own for both student and staff members to both work and chill out together in. -This will be following on from my own campaign as School of History Rep for our own common room. Support:
-I aim to develop both the role of Academic Advisers within Schools and the Buddy Scheme within Kent Union. -As well as helping everyday life, I will also work towards training within schools so staff are more equipped in helping those with issues such as mental health and sexual assault. -I will also set aside a few hours each for students to come to me with any problems, visiting the Medway campus once a month meaning students won’t be to take a large amount of time out of their day to come see me. Academic flexibility: -So many students drop out of clubs and societies because they’re not able to balance their academic life with their extracurricular activities. -Being a member of a club or societies is so important, and people should not have to pick between that a a good degree. -I will lobby for no compulsory Lectures of Labs on a Wednesdays, and making it easier for members of sports and societies to change seminars that fall on a Wednesday. -This will make it easier for students to enjoy life outside of their academic studies without having to miss out on anything. Devlopment of Opportunities: -I would work with schools to provide students with subject specific employability fairs so students can meet with experienced within the fields of their study. -I would also work with schools to develop the Year Abroad/In Industry schemes, making sure --students more aware of the benefits they can gain from this year away -This will ensure that students feel confident, not only during their University career, but also when looking into the future. Assessents: -I will aim to give students more of a say in whether or not they should have exams, as well as how much they should be weighted. -I will work towards developing how people are assessed, introducing a variety of ways to really show what a student will do. -I will develop the communication between
different schools, to make it easier for Joint Honour students to avoid clashing deadlines. -I will also work with the University to create a base outline structure for all concessions, so students are fairly supported throughout all assessments. Post graduate: -I aim to give Post Graduate students more support and recognition within the University and Union -I aim make the timetables more concise, so Post Graduate students can fit in work and other responsibilities. -I aim to give Post graduate students more of a say in the structure and outline of their courses, so school staff understand exactly what the students expect and need from their courses. -Post Graduate students are just as important as their Undergraduate counterparts, and I aim to make this happen. Medway: -We are one whole University, not two halves, and we need to be more active in representing this. -I aim to make sure both parts of the University are more integrated through a mixture of guest lectures on both campuses, and more events at the Deep End -I will also lobby to change the departure and arrival times of the buses between campuses to 30 minutes past the hour to make it easier for students travelling between campuses. -Medway students are just as important as those in Canterbury, and this needs to be acknowledged and celebrated. Student Reps: -The Student Rep programme has developed so much and I want to carry on and enhance the progress that’s been made. -I aim to increase acknowledgement and advertisement of the programme, so student know exactly who their Reps are, and students. -I also aim to provide Reps with easier access to resources (such as module evaluations) so they find it easier to understand what the students want.
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Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire -I also aim to provide the Reps with improv classes and other drama activities to help develop their confidence before they meet with other students. Modules: -I aim to make all wild modules available to all schools, as well as giving STEM subjects the options of at least one wild module a year. -I also aim to make it easier for students to swap between modules so they don’t get stuck with something they don’t enjoy and lose interest in their subject. -Everyone needs to have the same opportunities within the University to enjoy studying everything they love, as well as trying out some new subjects, I aim to make this easier for students so they can get the most they can out of the University.
James Burns
Why are you standing for the role of VP of Education? During the fight for the SMFA last year, KU empowered me to make the change that I wanted. I don’t want anyone to feel powerless in their education, and I know that my experience wasn’t necessarily reflective of everyone else’s, and I’ll make sure that it is. What issue on campus are you most passionate about? And how are you going to address it? My manifesto is centered around making sure everyone has the ideal conditions to learn, from your actual degree, to how you’re studying. Once that’s achieved, the University should allow students greater input in curriculum design, to make sure what schools teach is reflective of the diverse student populous. What issue on campus are you most passionate
about? And how are you going to address it? It seems like an obvious one, but making sure that everyone has the highest-quality education is the issue I care about most! It’s hard to say how I’m going to address it in less than 50 words, but my manifesto tackles key issues to give students what they deserve. James’ Manifesto: I’m James and I’m running to be your next Vice President Education. I’ve already been representing thousands of Kent students’ interests and making their voice heard at the highestpossible levels in every board meeting I could squeeze myself onto. During my time at Kent I’ve been: -President of Students at Medway (SAM) -Secretary of Medway LGBT Society -Marketing Assistant for Kent Union -Kent Union chair Volunteering with Kent Union has given me some unforgettable experiences at University, and I can’t wait to continue delivering the best for Kent students. Wildcard Wednesdays: Having the day your way. There’s more to university than just studying for your degree. It’s about how you work around your studies and grow as a person, whether it’s allowing yourself time to be part of a sports club/society, to volunteer, or to work parttime. We should be given the opportunity to do things outside of our degrees, such as attending an employability workshop, organising a fundraiser or cuddling baby otters. Flexible timetabling: Teaching the university how to do yoga. The module choices you make are serious. If you commute, have dependents or work part-time, you should know how the modules you choose affect your timetable. Not only that, but be given the ability to shape your timetable around your modules. Anonymous marking: Incognito mode, but for your degree. To ensure fairness in
marking, lecturers shouldn’t know which student they are marking: There shouldn’t be any favours or disadvantages. Accesibility within all teaching resources: Making your degree accommodate you. Your school shouldn’t hold resources back so they don’t discourage you from coming to lectures, and they should allow everyone to access lecture capture regardless of an inclusive learning plan. Office hours for lecturers: Getting you the lil’ bit of extra support. No matter which degree you’re studying, every lecturer should have the time to talk. You shouldn’t be waiting for ages for a reply to your query, or bounced from person to person: you’re paying for this degree and you deserve the support. More support for your year abroad/in industry, and after graduating: From Brussles to Bermingham, student or alumni, a helping hand when you need it. I want to make sure that you feel fully supported during your time out/away; helping you come back to Kent, and pushing our careers services to help our graduates more. Improving your study time: Smarter study and sleep spaces, having the day your way. You need a space in your school that is for you to relax in, and during exams you deserve a place to chill out and relax. You should be able to make food, have a cup of tea, chat to other students and thrive in your academic community, undergraduate and postgraduate. I’ll lobby for each school to implement a common room with kitchen facilities to really create a community of students, GTAs and staff. Study trips abroad: Making the most of our European neighbours. Europe is just around the corner, and Kent should be making the most of being the UK’s ‘European’ University. Students should have the opportunity to go abroad for study trips or to volunteer, at an accessible price.
Free coffee during exams: Or herbal tea, or decaf if you just like the taste. You shouldn’t have to worry about being awake or stressed for exams. Free hot drinks for anyone who are taking exams is an absolute no-brainer. Online chat help: Like Siri (or Alexa), but just for Kent. The website is confusing, and it should be easier to find information you need when you need it. I will pressure the university to develop an online messenger tool that is able to help fine the info you need. Wifi in Woolf, and around campus: If Woolf used google docs, she wouldn’t have finished her novel. Let’s be real: the wifi in Woolf, the student hub and a few other places is awful. I’ll lobby the university to make sure every student on campus has decent internet access. Ensuring lectures finish on time: Because we’re not all Usan Bolt. It takes a while to travel from one end of campus to the other. It seems simple but let’s make sure lectures start and finish when they’re supposed to, and that you have enough time to get to where you need to be. Improve digital rep: We should be removing barriers, not adding them. Digital rep is a long process to complete; let’s make it easier and faster to use. Not only that, but make sure student reps are equipped with the feedback submitted using the tool.
Stuart Lidbetter
Why are you standing for the role of VP of Education? I’m re-standing for the role of VP Education as now I have all the experience of a year in office I will be able to quickly achieve my main priorities to benefit students. I think
student reps and academic societies and want to continue to support them. What issue on campus are you most passionate about? And how are you going to address it? The issue I’m most passionate on campus is our spaces. Space is of a lower quality here than other universities and we deserve high quality spaces. Common rooms for example can give students access to kitchens as well as places to build their academic communities and improve learning and wellbeing. What is the most important thing the University could do to improve students’ educational experience?
The University should be investing in more spaces to help accommodate and encourage academic and learning communities such as providing common rooms and giving students microwaves so they can stay on campus for longer without having to purchase food. Stuart’s Manifesto: What I’ve done so far: -Obtained 90 more seats in the Templeman Library to be installed by the end of this term. -Got funding approved for a new study hub in Turing College. Secured new postgraduate study and social spaces on campus from next year. -Made sure more group study rooms were added in the Templeman Library. -Helped implement the first year of lecture capture. If re-elected I will: -Make it university policy that every school has a student common room space that includes a kitchen area with kettles and microwaves, where students of every kind can relax and study together. -Continue lobbying for more high quality, much- needed study space. -Even more seats in the Templeman library. -Refurbish the Darwin College Study Hubs. -New study hubs in Canterbury and Medway. -Ensure that every lecture and seminar room on campus is held to a high standard and lobby the university to refurbish all low-quality rooms. -Campaign for a new union building on campus, designed by students, for students.
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-Pass policy that students are consistently taught in their school buildings and do not have to walk across campus for consecutive lectures. -Establish a policy that students are not taught for a period of longer than four hours without a break. -Make sure a postgraduate sabbatical officer is in place for 2019/2020. -Implement the petition of changes made by postgraduate students about their accommodation. -Provide water fountains in every school. -Ensure the University promises to better support student before, during and after their years abroad or in industry. -Make sure all lecturers at the University of Kent are sufficiently trained to teach to a high standard. -Make sure Independent Learning Plans are read, understood and carried out. -Implement a financial reward system for student reps. Continue to pressure the University to be more transparent about where your tuition fees go.
Candidates for Vice President Activities Douglas Carr
Why are you standing for the role of VP of Activities? Student groups gave me friends, experiences, and personal development. But having served on so many committees, there are unnecessary challenges for running events, and barriers to participation. Everyone deserves to be able to have a world-class activities experience at Kent, and I have common-sense solutions to make this easier. What issue on campus are you most passionate
about? And how are you going to address it? The difficulties of running a student group and taking part in activities. I will increase the start-up, development, and access-to-activities funds, reduce the external-speaker and room-booking policies from 4 weeks to 1 week and 7 days to 2 days respectively, and establish a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination. How would increase participation in Societies? Installing electronic boards to advertise student events each evening. Giving more funding for students to set up groups in Medway. Academicfree Wednesdays. Working with liberation groups to investigate how students from marginalised backgrounds can get more involved with activities. Training for committees on how to balance volunteering with mental health. Douglas’ Manifesto: I am running because student groups changed my life for the better – I wouldn’t have the friends, experiences, or personal development I gained without societies, community action groups, or other committees/campaigns I was able to take part in. However, our groups feel strapped for cash, feel detached from the union in general, feel worried about forming full committees each year, and want to attract more and more people to events. Simultaneously, too many students are still not taking part in activities, with some either unaware, some finding them inaccessible, or are just too busy. I am running because through my own first-hand experience of taking part in multiple groups, and speaking to tons of members and committees, I believe I know what needs to be done to fix this – to make activities at Kent Union world-class. Experience: -Societies Executive – Forum Rep for political/campaigning societies 2017/18. In this role, I get to talk to a range of different societies and deal with their complaints, queries, and funding requests. -Ethics Officer – Part Time Officer for Kent Union 2017/18. As Ethics Officer, I ran a number of campaigns this year. I hosted a presentation
to teach students the number of different ways they can campaign for an issue they care about and how. I have also attended demonstrations in London for Free Education and against cuts to the NHS. -Vice President of Keynes College 2017/18. Being Vice President of Keynes College enabled me to work with a great committee to host themed events in K-Bar and movie nights. I have also taken part in “bystander training”, which teaches you how to spot signs of abuse and sexual assault, and took part in a night walk to inspect night-lights around campus. -Elected Delegate for NUS Conference 2017 and 2018. -President of UKC Student Assembly Against Austerity 2016/17. As president, our society membership grew, turnout for events tripled, and we ran campaigns to boycott the NSS, to cut campus rent, and attended protests against fascist groups. -Disabilities Officer for Kent Labour Students 2016/17. -Social Secretary of UKC Student Assembly Against Austerity 2017/18. -Winner of best political/ campaigning society (UKCSAAA) at the 2017 Kent Union Activities Awards. -KCSV Gold+ Award 2017. -Shortlisted for Student Leader of the Year at Kent Union Awards 2017 Making Activities Easier: -Increase Development Fund, Start-up Fund, and Access to Activities Fund -Reduce external speaker time to one week and reduce room booking time to 2 days. Many societies thrive on guest speakers, but notable visitors often have busy schedules, making it difficult to plan for events, especially with a hard to work around 4 week notice. Let’s give our groups more freedom by lifting these restrictions. -Academic free Wednesdays. This will enable student groups to do events in the afternoon, and students who want to go to two different societies that clash usually will be able to have more freedom to choose. It’s happened at other universities, and its beneficial for studying and mental health. -Electronic boards around campus that advertise student events each evening. This will spread awareness of our groups
and raise turnout. -Allow societies to bring in their own homemade food for their events. -Let society committees access their balance and product sales online without having to go into the SAC. Making Activities Accessible: -Zero Tolerance policy for discrimination and prejudicial abuse within student groups. -Work with liberation groups on campus to encourage students from marginalised communities to engage in student groups. Optional training for students with disabilities on how to be part of a committee i.e. how to balance committee work with mental health and degree. Simplified, better advertised sexual assault reporting system. Making Activities Accountable: Establish a simpler and clearer complaints system for societies/committees to express concerns/dissatisfaction with Kent Union action More transparency between society and sport funding – especially physical activities societies Make it easier for physical activities and performance societies to get sports club status if they want it More support from Kent Union on student campaigns Medway: More Medway societies – encourage students to set up parallel societies to Canterbury ones Give more funding to Students At Medway to fund new societies and funding applications. Organise networking nights so people who want to create a new society in Medway can find likeminded people to accomplish this. More buses for Medway after hours so that Medway students who come to Canterbury for events don’t have to go home early. Let’s have the shuttle bus run until after midnight, at least on nights Venue is open.
Megan Hewitt
Why are you standing for the role of VP of Activities? My passion and energy comes from my drive to help other people. The experience I have gained over the last three years with activities, has helped me find my place at this University and I want to have the opportunity to help other students find theirs too. What issue on campus are you most passionate about? And how are you going to address it? As a volunteer, myself I know how much hard work we put in to help others, and I want to recognise the volunteers for this through a better reward system. I also want to recognise those volunteers that may be less known, through implementing an un-sung heroes award. How would increase participation in Societies? I believe many societies are not reaching their target student groups through lack of awareness. Therefore, one idea I have is to introduce ‘Society in 60 seconds’ which will allow groups to create a promotional video of their society for free of charge, to help promote themselves to all students. Megan’s Manifesto: About me: Hi I am Megan and I am a 3rd year Philosophy student. My roles at the university have included: -President of Stage Spiders -Receptionist for the Student Activities Centre -Kent Community Action Committee Member -Running a student led project at a special needs school -General Committee Member for Canterbury Homeless Outreach Society -Member of University of Kent Women Hockey Club Reduced Room Booking Times: -Reduce the room booking to less than a week -Use spaces we already have for students to utilise without booking -Organise an emergency room booking system
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Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
Validating Volunteers: -Coordinate a monthly social, by choice of the volunteers, to thank them for all their hard work -Establish an un-sung heroes award which will be a Facebook post each week to congratulate those who are new to volunteering, or people that may not always be recognised Sister Societies: -Connect societies on the Kent and Medway campus to make the two feel more as one -Through creating this bond I will dedicate more time to Medway Society in 60 Seconds: -Help students create stand-out 60 sec videos to promote their society -All filming & editing resources provided Commitment to Colleges: -Be a strong representative that college communities can speak to -Spend time dedicated to assisting colleges with fundraisers & events -Attend some college committee meetings to find out how to best assist Finer funding: -Make life easier for organising trips & events by creating a more simple and approachable way of applying and receiving funding RAG Relations: -Make RAG feel more involved and included as a society by establishing them and giving them their own dedicated space -Make all KCA groups & societies aware of RAG and have the opportunity to meet with them in an introductory event
appreciation for the hard work we do. -More organised socials / mingling events for everyone to feel like one team.
Emily Keast
Emily’s Manifesto: What: -Society online banking system -Increase Society & Volunteer Recognition -Maximise Student Involvement -Society Storage -Support for Smaller Groups Who: -4th year forensic science student -Kent Dance President -School of Physical Sciences Student Guide -Seasoned Kent Union Volunteer Why: -Wealth of experience dealing with Kent Union and its various student groups -100% Dedicated to listening to what students want -Enthusiastic, fun and ready to represent you
Beth Matthews
Activity tour for all: -Organise a meeting with Presidents of Societies to discuss a location for an Activity Tour. -Advertise earlier. Support smaller societies: -Promote smaller, less known societies to increase awareness and recognition. -Wellbeing events for Society Committees so they can relax and be in a better position to help. Salute student staff: -As a student working for the University myself, I believe we deserve more recognition and
Beth’s Manifesto: Wednesday’s to be academically Flexible: We have come a long way with free Wednesdays as no student has anything after 1pm, but I want to go further with this. No mandatory seminars or lectures to be on a Wednesday (so anything held on a Wednesday is also held on another day so
students have an opportunity to move classes) this will enable students to have a chance to not only play away games but it gives societies a chance to do fund raising events and meetings. This would be a joint effort between myself and the other Sabbatical officers. Promotion for Societies Charity Work: Kent Union societies host amazing charity events and balls throughout the year, it’s time to give them the help and credit that they deserve. I will help you market your events and get your tickets sales up by sharing your events more widely. Improv for Mental Health: This is something I hold close to my heart, having struggled with anxiety for years which impacted my University experience. Improvisation is a fantastic way for someone to become comfortable with their body and the way their mind works. I will set up Improv for Mental Health workshops which would be led by performance societies. Sponsorship for Societies: Something many societies struggle with every year is getting sponsored, I will work towards a more transparent Union by being clear as to who societies can and cannot be sponsored by and why. This funding is crucial for societies, especially newer ones that are trying to find their feet. This will give them an opportunity to find alternative income which will help them expand and develop. The longevity of this is that hopefully societies will start to feel like communities. Society and Union Mixers: This event is already thrown but it is unsuccessful which is a shame. This mixer is a great opportunity for core committee members of societies to come and meet Kent Union staff as well as meet other societies! The idea of these mixers is also to create a bigger sense of community on campus. I will try new marketing techniques with this event to make it more popular. Access to Activities Funding: This is something the Union has already achieved, but not enough students know about it. Perhaps this is something that could be marketed more
by Kent Union at Fresher’s Fair and via email. Space!: Kent Union is already working on getting a Union building for their students, I will not only safe guard and continue fighting for this but I will work towards getting storage space for societies, so there will be somewhere to put everything your society needs. This will also expand to mature students. Access to Activities for Disabled students: After filming events for Disability History Month I realised how hard it is for disabled students to get involved in societies. Firstly, I would like to bring more awareness and publicity to Disability History Month, from here I would also like to start focus groups for Disabled students to find out how we can improve and what the Union can do to empower them. #MeToo: A huge part of media and society recently has been the ‘Me Too’ movement, which is something I’m personally passionate about. This year I would like to work closer with UKC Women’s Campaign, Respect The No and feminist societies to continue this movement across campus. This Kent Girl Can: This campaign was created to celebrate women in sport and was so successful and inspirational over the past year, I would like to take this a step further and support and involve all the women in societies who are doing amazing! Getting Home Safely: After experiencing an attempted mugging, I want to put something in place that ensures people can get back from campus to their offcampus homes safely at night. Campus security can take you home if you live on-campus and there is the Uni Bus, but this support shouldn’t stop here. This would not just be for people leaving The Venue but for society members and students leaving campus late. Post-Graduate Representation: The Union website can be hard to navigate but it’s even harder for post-graduate students, in order to fix this I will fight for a post-graduate page on the Union website that shows
what events are going on and who to contact when struggling with post-graduate issues. Furthermore, easier access to postgraduate societies on the website. Student Media: Coming from a student media background I will continue to support them with their events and their publicity. I will continue to build relationships between media and societies, a mutually beneficial relationship where they get to promote each other. The Gulbenkian: I would like to develop a closer relationship with the Gulbenkian to increase arts and culture around Canterbury. I would also like to build a relationship between the Gulbenkian and performance societies as it is a great space for societies to showcase their work. Futureproof Campaign: I aim to continue the work of this campaign to ensure students are getting employability benefits from their society experiences. LGBT+: I deeply and truly believe everyone deserves to feel comfortable in their own skin, and the community that LGBT+ has built has grown so much in recent years. But there is still a lot of work to be done, for instance in normalising gender neutral terms. Furthermore, I personally don’t think enough attention was bought to LGBT+ History Month. I am prepared to help and support LGBT+ in every way I can and in raising awareness not just throughout the month but throughout the entire academic year. Politics: I don’t stand anywhere particularly strongly in politics; however I do believe in students having a voice and having the right to be heard. You can count on me to listen to all voices and make impartial choices when concerning politics. Religion and Culture: This campus is a space where all religions and cultures have a place and have the right to coexist. As students, you have the right to believe in whatever you choose and we must respect each other’s views and beliefs, and I will support you.
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Elections
Sasha Langeveldt
Sasha’s Manifesto: When I started University in 2015, I was facing challenges in my personal life which led me to isolate myself from friends and potential opportunities. However, your university experience is what you make of it, and it wasn’t until I accepted this that I became more proactive. By joining the Model United Nations (MUN) society, I met lifelong friends. When I joined Raise and Give (RAG), I got to do my first Jailbreak challenge, in which my team travelled to Venice and won second prize. Had I not pushed myself to try new things, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. Then came second year, another year of selfimprovement. I attended my first MUN conference, and organised a protest in the wake of the Black History Month scandal. Furthermore, after living in Parkwood and noting myself and my peers’ suggestions for improvement, I ran for the position of Parkwood Campaigns Officer and was elected! My wish is to make university as enjoyable for others as it has been for me. What I will strive to change as VP of Activities: -Supporting the Medway campus to the same extent as the Canterbury campus. The two should receive equal and unbiased attention. -Encouraging societies from Canterbury and Medway to interact and hold large scale events together. Inter-society events: -Society should be encouraged to attend each other’s signigicant events such as Black History Month, Chinese New Year, LGBTQ Plus and many more. -Societies should also be encouraged to collaborate in order to create bigger and
better events. This will be in the hope of creating a sense of community amonst societies that otherwise would have never worked together.
throughout the year, this way societies can get the same exposure as well as people will be made aware of volunteering that is happening on campus.
Society exposure: -Create a society matcher as a tool to aid students in finding societies tailored to their interests. -Direct communication with society representatives on a regular basis. This will ensure that any issues are addressed in a swift and constructive manner. -Host a freshers-like introductory event where society committees can engage with Kent Union staff.
Society games: -Societies should also be a part of Varsiy, establishing society games to integrate societies with the rest of campus such as sports.
Socety survival kit: -This will be an online tool for societies to assist in creating events. This kit will include: how to generate funds, contuct risk assessment forms, tips to manage work-study balance and conect with other societies. Public speakers: -Simplify the process of getting public speakers to society events, while ensuring that all students feel safe. Transparency: -Post the Union’s weekly agenda in order to allow students to understand the dayto-day activities of our Union’s representatives. Inactive societies: -The possibiity for committeeless societies to gain a committee at the freshers fair, as people should have the right to know what type of societies are available on campus. Volunteering: -Make volunteering on campus more accessible, whereby each society can have a chance to fundraise and collaborate with RAG. This is a great way to gain employability points. -Build upon current foundations of volunteering opportunities available on campus through social media. Extra funding: -Societies need extra funding for big events an collaborations, if we are going to bring societies together we need funding for smaller underfunded societies that don’t otherwise get as much exposure thus have no available funds to take part. -Showcase calendar on Kent Union website through social media of big events that happen
Selling Food: -Socieites should have the opportunity to gain funding through selling food on campus, as it is almost impossible for underfunded societies to develop without this. -Selling food on campus will also allow cultural societies to get the exposure that they deserve, enabling them to gain new members by sharing their culture. -My goal is to introduce an end of year society food festival, bringing together a rane of societies on campus. Final thoughts: Socieites and the friendships you build through them have the potential to nurture a person and bring out the best in them, in what can potentially be an alienating environment. By improving societies and activities, this will enable them to thrive.
Kristian DeVitto
point -Clear and accurate information about all societies on the KU website -An online calendar showing all of the upcoming society events -Online banking and clearer information about funds and grants -Training that’s more useful as well as new topics such as Mental Health and Social Media -Networking events with other committees to help encourage collaborations -Better promotion of KSCV and the benefits -Make it easier to log volunteering hours -Volunteering opportunities to be better publicized and each CAG to explain the commitment level -RAG to assist societies with fundraising goals -Faster response times from Union Staff -Lobbying the University to secure funding needed for the Union Building -Ensure that all societies and sports clubs are treated equally regardless of their size and reputation Accessible Activities: There are many great societies at Kent but it can sometimes seem difficult to get involved. I want to make sure that it is as easy as possible for anyone to get involved at any point in the academic year. Committees: Committees are the volunteers that run and hold our societies together. Their jobs need to be made as easy as possible to ensure that societies function well and to encourage students to take on roles.
Kristian’s Manifesto: Hi, Im Kristian DeVitto and I’m standing to be your next Vice-President of Activities. I’m a 3rd-year Economics student, President of Canterbury Homeless Outreach and the Treasurer of UKC LGBT+ Scociety. I’m passionate about making societies as easy as possible to get involved with as well as ensuring committees are supported as much as they can be the Union. My Pledges: -Monthly society fairs on the plaza -Free taster sessions at any
Volunteering: Last year we did a toral of nearly 80,000 hours of volunteering which was amazing. However, I want us to achieve 100,000 hours over the next year through better logging and more volunteering. Union: Kent Union is supposed to work on behalf of students but many feel this is not the case. I’d work towards a Union that works for all students.
Candidates for Vice President Sports Emily Window
Why are you standing for the role of VP of Sports? I’m standing for VP Sports because I am truly passionate about making positive changes in the way sports clubs are run at the university. I am also passionate about branding our sports clubs as safe, welcoming environments so that all students can reap the physical and mental benefits of sport. What issue on campus are you most passionate about? And how are you going to address it? I want to increase the support that student committees receive from the Union. I will implement committee training focused around team-building, ensuring that co-operation is strong and also provide mental health support for those who are struggling to balance committee work and university work, as well as launching online banking! How do you intend on managing sport club conduct, and specifically lad culture? ‘Lad Culture’ often has the capacity to insult communities and make individuals feel excluded. I will implement zero-tolerance policies towards homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, racial discrimination and sexual assault, and make it easier for students to report incidents anonymously so that sports societies are branded as safe communities which value everybody. Emily’s Manifesto: Hello! My name is Emily Window and I am runnign to be your next Vice-President of Sports! I have been a member and publicity secretary of the
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Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire Trampolining team, as well as a member of other societies such as Kent Dance a Music society. I want to be your next VicePresdient of Sports because I am truly passioate about making sports at Kent the best they can be, and I want to ensure that our clubs are accessible and welcoming to all! Heres what I will implement in order to make sport at Kent bigger and better next year! -Zero tolerance policies towards homophobia, biophobia, transphobia, racial discrimination, and sexual assault. -Physiotherapy discounts for sports club members. -Online banking for sports teams. -Better representation and funding for smaller sport teams and those at Medaway. -Mental health support for committee members. -Committee training focused around team-building, problem solving and communication. -Facility-only gym memberships. -Qulified medics at contact sport matches.
Erin Fitt-Boyland
Why are you standing for the role VP of Sports? I know first-hand the impact that sports can have on the university experience from being a part of multiple clubs. I want everyone who seeks to enjoy sports to have the chance and for there to be an approachable trustee in Kent Union that all sports clubs feel they can rely on. What issue on campus are you most passionate about? And how are you going address it? Inclusivity in sports is something I feel Kent struggles with as there shouldn’t be any factors stopping people from playing sports. To tackle it, I plan to improve the difficulty surrounding the costs of sports, such as sports club members that pay for the gym membership when they only use the facilities needed to take
part. How do you intend on managing sports club conduct, and specifically lad culture? I believe that the best way to make sure that the conduct carried throughout each sports club would be for me to remain impartial, and therefore treat every sports club the same. I would also treat each issue that came to me with respect and the seriousness it deserved no matter which club it involved. Erin’s Manifesto: Let me introduce myself. My name is Erin Fitt- Boyland and I am running to be VP Sports for the upcoming year. I am studying a degree in Computer Science and during my time here over the past three years I have enjoyed being involved in several sports and societies. I am currently Treasurer of the UKC Rowing society, I’m also in my second year as a member of the Hogwarts committee, progressing this year to marketing official. I have been a part of Rowing and Hogwarts for my whole time at Kent, as well as being a member of the swimming club and a Student Ambassador for both Kent University and the School of Computing. I have also worked as a part-time lifeguard for 6 years. My aim as VP of Sport is to make sports clubs inclusive. Whether it be tackling the issues faced by costs equality in teams or the pressure to compete. I know first-hand the impact that sports can have on the university experience, Kent is my second university as the lack of opportunity and engagement with sports at my first, was part of the reason that led me to drop out. I want everyone who seeks to enjoy sports to have the chance and for there to be an approachable trustee in Kent Union that all sports clubs feel they can rely on to put their needs first. I can be that person. A big issue brought to me was paying to use the facilities that Kent Sport offer but not the gym, making the prices for club memberships unaffordable for some. I want to work with Kent Sport to achieve affordable facilities hiring costs so club prices can remain affordable. As a committee member,
I have multiple boxes of equipment sitting in my house that belong to the club that gets passed on, year on year, and I know I’m not the only person this affects. I want to secure space or funding for on campus storage for sports clubs, so equipment can be accessed by all that need it. An issue we have faced this year, as well as multiple other clubs is lack of transport available for sports clubs. I want to work with outside companies to help lower the costs of hiring and work towards getting more minibuses for sports An issue I faced this year was not having access to our bank accounts. I want to help continue the development and launch of the online banking system to help sports clubs oversee Competing comes with a huge cost that multiple sports clubs incur. I want to work towards getting an access to competitions fund that individual sports committees can apply for, so the cost can be subsidised when needed. Varsity is a great event that occurs each year, however a lot of sports clubs don’t get to take part, because of this they don’t get to take part in the LGBT pledge that was introduced. I want all sports clubs to have the option to take part in the pledge regardless of their participation, so everyone can feel welcome in a sports club. Feeling like you don’t fit in a sports club was a point raised numerous times. I want to introduce body positivity across all sports clubs in a variety of events throughout the year, so we can show that anyone and everyone is welcome in Team Kent. I want to improve the imbalances between sports clubs by making sure all clubs are being supported in achieving coaching within their clubs. With this I hope to also achieve equal treatment when it comes to support from Kent Union and Kent Sport. Over the past year I have developed incredible friendships with the members of the sports club I take part in, but I don’t know other clubs and I feel this is an issue across the board at Kent. I want to revive inter-college so that there is more of a mix with cross sports by introducing a buddy system so each member of the two clubs can try each
other’s sports at an agreed time during the year. I want to meet with each sports committee over the course of the year to ensure we keep up to date with the issues they are facing and to work with them to improve their sporting experience whilst at Kent. As sports clubs we benefit from the use of Kent Sport and King’s school facilities regularly. I want to aim to meet regularly with them so the relationship between them and the collective student voice is better than ever so future developments such as a campus swimming pool can be taken further. Competitive sports are a big part of the sports clubs on campus: however, it can be intimidating. I want to work with sports clubs to remove the barriers that they are facing so we can make sure there is the possibility for more social sports so those that want to play can without the pressure to compete. Currently being a member of a sports club is only worth 5 employability points. I personally think that sports are being over looked as a valued part of extra co- curricular when seeking employment. I want to introduce the ability to earn extra points, such as if you compete for a sports team or remain on the sports team for multiple years. I want to work with Welfare to strive to change the ethics within sports clubs so everyone can feel comfortable and safe when partaking in sports at Kent, as well as ensuring everyone is treated with the respect they deserve. Wednesdays are a big day for those that take part in sport. Having Wednesday off will mean that students competing won’t miss early morning Wednesday classes and won’t have to make the choice between their education and their sport. I want to work with the Education officer to fight for Wednesdays off. I want to make sure the shuttle bus between the Medway campus and the Kent campus are running at the best times for those that take part from Medway, so people aren’t left unable to get home after training. It has also been raised with me the lack of facilities and support for those at Medway wanting to part take in sports.
I want to improve this so there is an equal opportunity by working with the Medway students to understand the issues they face.
Nadia McMillan
Why are you standing for the role of VP of Sports? Sport has always been a passion of mine and I would love to make it a part of everyone’s lives. Becoming Sports VP will assist me in my goal of achieving this by reducing barriers in sport as well as encouraging every student to get involved in physical activity. What issue on campus are you most passionate about? And how are you going to address it? Students often become unhealthy at university through a poor diet and not exercising. This could lead to a great number of health and mental issues. I want to ensure everyone feels like they can partake in exercise and have fun doing it by providing an e-newsletter including free workouts and student friendly recipes! How do you intend on managing sport club conduct, and specifically lad culture? I will ensure I am always approachable and available to all students who have any complaints/disagree with the way their club is being run. Additionally, I will remind students the importance of speaking up when they see something inappropriate and have meetings with those who break the code of conduct. Who am I? My name is Nadia McMillan and I am a third year Sport & Exercise Student with a passion for Sport. I am currently president of Team Medway Netball Club and a Team Medway Sports Executive meaning I have some experience under my belt! I’m an energetic and motivated
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Elections
individual, keen to make sport the best it can be for all Kent students and get everyone more active! Increase levels of student’s phyisical activity: -Nutrition advice: tips on how to live a healthier lifestyle student friendly recipes & home workouts e-newsletter -Merging societies and sports Reduce sporting barriers: -Raise awareness of discrimination in sport to ensure everyone has the same opportunities -More emphasis on female participation in sport. -Maintain the successful ‘This Kent Girl Can’ initiative -LGBT inclusive teams in keeping with spirit of Varsity Free sports massage/clinic fitness assessments:
-Free sports massage/injury clinic for sports teams from Sports Therapy students in Medway -Free fitness assessments courtesy of Sports Science students for Sports teams e.g. VO2max, agility, speed, flexibility, body fat, and anaerobic capacity to create and optimise training sessions. Increased promotion: -Improved promotion across all sports including matches and Vasity e.g. Facebook live stream of a game once a week. -Increased awareness of the ‘Access to Activities’ & Sports scholarships creating more equal opportunities -More advertisement of Let’s Play so everyone is aware of their chance to play unique & fun sports. Reduce membership fees &
costs: -Removing the need for both membership fees and gym fees -”Pitch-only membership” -Create time (for those just wanting to train for their club) and full time membership (for both gym and club members) The little things: -Free parking for sport playerstemporary parking permits for training days -Uni free Wednesdays- or at least the option to swap seminars -Recognition for committee members & sports players e.g. free entry to Venue -Ensure minimal clashes occur with Varsity -Better coordinance with Rhino Increased support from the Union: -More help with funding and management of sponsorships
and fundraising within all sports teams -Out of hours support -Fix issues with transportpromote minibus & increase training days -User friendly wibsite- making membership links and purchasing kits easier More Medway Facilities: -A new Sports Centre! A budget has been put in place for planning permission- let’s finish the job! -University owed minibuses (they’re in Canterbury, so why not here?) for simpler transport to matches Increase levels of student’s physical activity at Medway: Morning yoga classes at the Deep End with Smoothies (Smooth Moves) Increased Budgets: -Higher budgets for sports
went as to say: “I feel like there should be a system in place for students to feel safe on campus”, suggesting that the security service already in place on campus were below standards. Although it’s likely that this statement was not directed towards security, considering that this point was not followed up, it still raises some questions. Another major issue addressed was the increasing movement towards equality between societies, mainly in terms of funding and union representation. Megan Hewitt notes that “there’s a massive gap between sports and societies”, alluding to the Kent Union’s preference towards sports support rather than other societies. This is understandable, considering the size of the groups and their requirements, however an interesting point was raised by Emily Keast who argued that funding should not be “based on proportion, as sports dominate” that as well. This was expanded on in greater depth by Sasha Langveldt who suggested that ‘cultural societies’ were severely less funded than societies such as ‘MUN’. She elaborates further, suggesting that societies should have increased funding due to their lack of external sponsors, of which sports clubs rely upon. Her point is valid, but the size and proportion of societies must still be considered. The candidate’s comparisons between smaller
societies who have less funding, with larger societies such as MUN who require funding to visit conferences and trips, is ridiculous. Sports and larger societies obviously have much greater obligations and requirements than small societies and so require greater funding to function. However, the root of the funding issue was most thoroughly addressed by Douglas Carr when he presented his policy of fund transparency. Within his manifesto and from his experience as a society executive, he states that he wants “transparency between what sports get and societies get”, not only for funding, but also for treatment. It would seem as though Douglas Carr’s aims for his policy were perfectly designed as just moments later when questions were passed to the floor, an audience member made the shocking revelation that the Canterbury Homeless Society were denied funding for no reason. The society runs entirely on funded money.
This lack of funding is a prime example of the flaws which candidates such as Douglas Carr and Sasha Langvedlt mean to address. A final topic interwoven into the debate was about activities accessibility, and problems with unity within Kent Union. This issue was spearheaded by both Beth Matthews and Sarah Langeveldt who noted that they had designed their manifesto‘universally’, so that it would apply to both part-time and full-time Canterbury and Medway campus students. They both then go on to further highlight the issues within the activities system. Beth began with the point that it was increasingly “difficult to actually find out any information about what there is to get involved with” and this was expanded further by Sasha who directed part of her ‘Society survival kit’ policy, inactive societies’ which still remain on the Kent Union website. The issue, as highlighted by both Beth and Sasha, is fundamental to help new students, both
VP Activities Debate Analysis By George Knight Writer
U
nlike the Education debate prior to it, the Activities Election debate was considerably uniform and similar in its candidates’ views. At the centre of their agendas was the primary focus of inclusiveness, accessibility, funding and unity. Each candidate had their own individual background. All had extensive experience within Kent societies; and some even within the Kent Union. To name a few: Douglas Carr has acted in several roles such as Ethics officers and Society representatives; Emily Keast not only works in the Library Café, but also runs Kent Dance society as President; and Megan Hewitt, who has worked with the Canterbury Homeless Outreach Society, Student Activities Centre and also led projects in special needs schools. The candidates are more than qualified for their roles. The first question was the first to unite candidates, asking how they would handle a situation similar to the recent cancellation of the UKIP societies ‘944th Crusade Celebration’ pub crawl by the Kent Union. All collectively supporting the action. Kristian Devitto’s statement “Everyone should be safe at university” and Emily Keast’s “no one should be nervous to go to a social or an event” all echo the unified sentiment. Some, such as Sasha Langveldt, even
teams in Medway -This will allow better quality coaches, more training tie & create more sports teams -A bigger and better Varsity -University owned kit Increased Promotion in Medway: -Announce a list of games & results each week to increase supporters & overall profile of Team Medway The little things Medway: -More social sports events e.g. 5-a-side football, inter-society tournaments -More links with Canterbury e.g. a Sports Day with both campuses Increased support from the Union for Medway: -Union led campaigns e.g. This Medway Girl Can Kesiena Oghoghorie is also running for the role of VP sport, but has not submitted a manifesto, photos, or answers to InQuire’s questions.
undergraduate and postgraduate, in getting involved within the university. If the system which is used to register and begin an individual student’s activity is inaccessible, it will limit them and this is nowhere more true than for part-time and post-graduate students who do not fulfill the majority’s undergraduate criteria. Although their manifestos layout unique points, the difference between policy is incredibly thin for each candidate, and votes may be swayed by other factors beyond their merit and good policy. As highly accomplished figures within the Kent community, all candidates are worthy of the role. However, whether their overarching policies can be implemented is debatable. Small reforms like making the website more accessible and monitoring the function of societies will be simple, but influencing the path of funding and applying universal principles across both campuses may pose increasingly difficult.
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Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
VP Education Debate Analysis By George Knight Writer
A
lthough it seemed to be a debate on education policy, the first debate greatly came down to idealism versus reality. With three strong candidates, one of which is the current Vice-President for Education, the debate was filled with established and new ideas. One of the most fundamental ideas presented, which appeared in various forms in all contestant arguments, was a flaw being targeted more widely recently regarding Kent Union, namely their lack of communication. All three of the candidates offered unique policies for their vice-presidency. James Burns, who is currently President of Medway Students, offered a clear, if not somewhat idealistic argument. His overarching policy was to fight the ‘bureaucracy’ of the Union and this reflected in his points, most notably in his comments on the University Staff Strikes. He claimed that
‘we should be pressing our anger against the university’ and that this pressure would bring change. It is also reflected in his comments on student experience, focusing primarily on Wednesdays and timetable clashes, Burns claimed that his policy of ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ would allow for less academic obligations during the mid-week would address the issue. Although he did make fundamental points, Burns did not address them in-depth. Burns’ arguments were clear and calculated; his “fresh ideas” and focus on feedback could be important for greater Student-to-Union relations in the future. However, his views are somewhat idealistic and vague. Despite pushing for Wednesdays, he acknowledges that the movement has simply ‘potential’ rather than definitive ability. Also, his opposition to the Kent Union body, although useful for obtaining charged student voters, may not be ideal when working with them. But Burns is far from an antagonist,
his heavy focus on criticism may damage his ability to represent our educational interests. Current VP Stuart Lidbetter, hoping to be re-elected, focused his goals primarily on the expansion of space, transparency, and resources all within realistic boundaries. His reserved view comes from his experience working with the Union. On various occasions, during the flexible timetabling questions for example, he contradicted his opposition by claiming that there were practicality issues. He also focused extensively on the expansion and maintenance of education spaces. Burns cleverly quipped that “we’re not builders” in response, but the significance of these spaces should not be downplayed. Having abundant space, especially when nearing the end of the academic year, it is fundamental to have adequate spaces for students to revise and interact. Stuart’s view was wellpresented and supported,
however his somewhat cynical view could hinder progress. Burns’ policy to push the Union could have some fruitful results. However, it is still important to realise realistic boundaries. Lidbetter clearly understands the boundaries which can be influenced to make change. He has demonstrated this in Autumn 2017 with more study areas in the library and passing a policy which protects students from losing marks due to strikes. The third and final candidate offered an emphasis on student interaction and inclusion. Becky Bailey, an active student representative, based her arguments on support, academic community, diversity, and individual learning plans. Her views were primarily focused on the individual issues with educations, mainly between schools and students. She said that her experience chairing a committee meeting prior to the strikes, made her conclude “that students need to be aware of what they are
missing out on.” Aside from the Wednesdays controversy, with her opinion being strongly being support of Burns’ flexibility, her views on wider educational policies were rather limited. Her focus remained solely on personal level interaction between students and their schools. She mentioned briefly how there should more ‘advertisement’ for the student representatives, as well as an improvement of the feedback system which already exists. Although her policies were more anecdotal than Burns and Lidbetter, her arguments did address issues faced by individual students and lecturers, which ultimately is the most important part of university. All candidates address different areas and offer different angles to the Union’s role in education. Although there were moments and issues more finely attuned to each candidate, each question was answered with interesting and thought-provoking policies.
chosen to go for the role. All four of the candidates identified how they believe Welfare to be the most important position, and came to a consensus on how most issues regarding student life can be traced back to a welfare issue: it can have the most impact on a student’s life. Issues regarding LGBT+, hidden disabilities, and the representation of BAME students were put forward throughout the night.
and research. He highlighted that 45% of LGBT+ students identified as having a mental health condition which is higher than the wider UK average. Both Meares and Pitt suggested an LGBT night at Venue, with Mr Pitt seemly coming out on top once more, as he identified how this could also raise money to support student services. Mears added how easy it is to make toilets gender-free, highlighting how it has been done in the past by other institutions. The debate then moved on to supporting students with hidden disabilities, where it was Adedapo and Harris who stood out on this issue. Ms Adedapo raised the issue of making study spaces more accessible, and Ms Harris built on this adding that they should be more varied; suggesting a nap room for individuals who those who wish to have a study break. All candidates highlighted the importance of working with students and services to make them more
accessible. When asked about BAME student attainment, all four of the candidates came across as very knowledgeable regarding the attainment gap. They all seemed to have thought through how they were going to work on lessening this. All the candidates were in consensus about raising representation, not only on campus but also in their individual courses – positing the possibility for more external speakers, as well as taking more time to listen to BAME and support them when needed. The topic of employability and wages was a particularly heated part of the debate. Introducing a living wage on campus is a major point in both Harris’ and Pitts’ manifesto’s, where both highlight the need for wages to meet not only what the government consider a living wage, but what is realistic in Canterbury. Meares challenged this idea, highlighting that although it was something she had considered, she failed to see the practicality of it
and where they would get the money from. However, it was clear that the two candidates had thought this through. Harris explained that she would be seeking support from the university and if she went to them with data highlighting how students are struggling, then they should step in. Jake built on this expressing how achieving a real living wage for student staff at both the University and Union was one of his top priorities. He explained how the university had a surplus of £6.1 million last year from tuition fees, and that they could easily afford it by standardising rates of pay, adding that more money could mean that students need to work fewer hours, leading to more jobs and more flexible hours for students busy with their course. Improving overall employability, including Jobshop facilities, seemed to be an important issue for the candidates, where it was agreed that adding jobs both on and off campus is vital to student life.
VP Welfare Debate Analysis By Gemma Faithfull Writer
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had hoped that, after watching the debate, it would become clear to me who I wanted to vote for, but I did not expect to be so impressed with the candidates. During a debate, you expect for someone to come out on top with the best manifesto, demonstrate significant involvement during the debate, as well as exhibit personal characteristics suited to fit the position and appeal to voters. However, after listening to their ideas, I thought that the debate was a pretty even playing field, and I would be happy if any of them were elected to be next year’s VicePresident. The debate began by reminding candidates how the position of VP Welfare is often viewed by many to be the most attainable, and somewhat leftover, role for those who do not fit the other committee positions. They were asked their opinions on why this is the case, and why they had
Ms Harris avoided making any detailed promises about how she intends to increase inclusivity for LGBT+ students, instead stressing the importance of it being at the heart of everything the Union does, rather than covering specific points. Some may be a little disappointed that she had nothing particular in mind for the LBGT community. The other candidates suggested concrete ideas such as specific counselors and advisers, with Mr Pitt standing out from the candidates with his knowledge
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Opinion By Katinka Pim Writer
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hat do we mean when we’re talking about gender stereotypes? It could be referring to the way one dresses, their makeup, their attire; or perhaps it’s their behaviour, mannerisms and speech; or a whole other myriad of things, such as gender and sexuality, gender and raising children, or most prominent in today’s discussions, gender in relation to the transgender movement. Sex and gender are not synonymous, and gender really does seem to be a social construct. It has even been said that gender is a spectrum, or that there are many genders, Facebook now offers a choice of a whopping 71 genders. In light of this, it is surprising that, although within our society enough people have accepted that gender does not equal sex, these stereotypes are still ingrained. Investigating these stereotypes today, one may realise that the issue of them surrounding behaviour is prominent in both the genders
of men and women; however, it has become evident in recent decades that the issue of gender stereotypes externally, predominantly in dress, is upheld more for men. This can be explained by the suffrage movement from the turn of the twentieth century, and both the first and second world wars, women hae had a gender stereotype revolution of sorts. Women not only began working as more than just teachers, nurses, and clerical workers, but it triggered something in the world of women’s fashion. It began with women wearing pantaloons and trousers, which was followed by decades of new freedoms: the bob haircut, the abandonment of corsets, the mini skirt, and the two piece suit. In reaction to all these changes, there began a “panic [which] started over the instability of gender identity… [as] many worried that the lack of hoop skirts would lead to the ‘usurpation of the rights of man,’” as quoted in Bustle’s article ‘How Women Have Used Fashion As A Feminist
Tool Throughout History.’ This quote alone indicates the vital attachment of gender stereotypes to fashion, a trivial matter, which still seems to be associated with power and domination. It is now evident how women have gained so much more freedom within the world of fashion, and it is now also clear why men haven’t. To quote Bustle’s article once more: “What causes society to panic isn’t different hemlines, but rather women defining for themselves what it means to be a woman. So, the power of dress was an important tool that influenced their standing in society, helping them towards less oppressive gender norms with every snap, zip, and fasten.” It is in this quote that I find the essential arguments for abandoning these gender stereotypes, not just for women but for men too, and therefore feel the urgency to reiterate: as a society, changing our idea of gender acceptable fashion is imperative to our abandoning of those gender stereotypes altogether. The Western zeitgeist leads
Photo by the AIGA | Wikimedia
Gender Stereotypes: A Straightjacket We’ve Worn for Far Too Long
one to question the sexuality of a man wearing makeup or nail varnish. If he’s wearing a dress, skirt, or heels, one would assume that he must be transgender, or at least gay. Why must we tie such superficial things as a person’s choice of clothing to their sexuality? Why can’t androgynous
looking people be accepted and allowed to be whichever sexuality they are, without being ridiculed by society. I believe that the solution to this is to promote the view that femininity, whether in behaviour or dress, doesn’t take away from masculinity. People can have both, a mixture, and should be proud.
Kent Union Election Disappointingly Reminds Students that the Union Exists By Jordan Ifield Writer
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ith student election coming up, students at the University of Kent have been sent into a wave of disappointment. Kent Union still exists. Students have been sighing with exasperation, and students filed noise complaints in the library when a large crowd cried “meh”. Freshers fall into the trap of believing that the Union is relevant. This consequently starts the endless cycle of disappointment, lack of enthusiasm, and finally “meh”, that now embodies Photo by the Sultee | Wikimedia the Union.
Despite the electorate’s negative vibe, reports of a protest vote were quickly quashed as one student answered: “that would imply that I cared.” Several students across campus merely laughed when asked for an interview on the subject, and one curiously threw me a signed copy of Zayn Malik’s album ‘Mind of Mine’. Candidates standing in the election have now become public. Kent Union saw fit to ask them some hard-hitting questions like–and this actually happened: What type of cheese would, and why? Notable responses included: “What?”, “What’s the point?”, “You gouda brie kidding me.”, and “If this is what the Union really
does as a job, I’m in”. I wish the next question was: “How stupid was the previous question?” to which the candidate would responded “I camembert to answer.” No other responses were polite enough to put in this article. Whilst Kent Union has attempted to instil some integrity in the elections, it is not the only union to be suffering with “meh” syndrome. For example, upon hearing the news that their union’s election was soon, London students at Queen Mary whipped out their phones to avoid conversations on the matter, and those studying at any northern university were reported to be visibly miserable; a considerable achievement
considering the university’s infamously low standard of happiness beforehand. With the Union elections looming, it seems that enthusiasm for the event has wavered over recent years, and turnout concurs. The Union has seen little support lately despite having been passionately involved in supporting the 2018 lecturer strikes, and having been particularly forthcoming about recent sabbatical officer departures. As a result, with the elections just over a week away, we can only hope that students participate in the elections, and that some form of democratic mandate is established. Or not, I’m not sure if I care either.
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
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Opinion
China On The Rise By Matt Nuttal Writer
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hina has the size, populace, and resources, to be the greatest power in the world. Historically they have filled that position, and over the last half century they have been rising to fill it again. But with this rise has come development. Their cities are modernising, and their citizens are becoming more educated, and more wealthy. Gone are the days of Mao’s Great Leap Forward, and furious industrialisation; China is on the brink of becoming a first world country, on par with their rivals in the West. The question, however, is what form will this China take? There is no chance that China will suddenly adopt the features of a typical Western first world country as it develops. That is typically the path taken by most developing nations, but those nations have been Western or guided by the West. France developed similarly to Britain because they share a Western culture, and Japan developed similarly to the US because America essentially guided
its development after World War II. China meets neither of these criteria. China has guided its own development with its Eastern culture, and the firstworld state they form will not suddenly become harmonious with its former rivals. So, what differences are we likely to see between a Western first-world country and an Eastern first-world country? Since the close of World War II, the fully developed countries of Europe have essentially accepted the United States as their proverbial leader. China will not. Only once in history was China subservient to the West, when it became a piece in the great imperial game played by Europe in the 19th Century. This period is now referred to in China as the ‘Century of Humiliation’. It is hard to overstate the feeling in Chinese culture that they should be a prominent world power, and below no nation. This is the reason why China has been relatively hostile to
the West over the past halfcentury, and also why they declined Soviet hegemony during the Cold War. Much like their American counterparts, China will not accept second place. Another potential difference could be a democratic system. In the West, democracy has
become a byword for development, but this is not the case whatsoever in China. There, democracy has been tried once, in the Republic of China. This government was weak, stagnant, and witnessed repeated humiliation at the hands of their age old rivals in Japan, and was later overthrown by the communists
in the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Since then, this Chinese democracy has been exiled to Taiwan; sustained only by consistent American support, while communist China has thrived. While it may seem bizarre to us in the West, democracy has not been widely called for since Tiananmen Square. This has not necessarily been because of political suppression, but rather government successes. In the decade post-Tiananmen, an estimated 150 million Chinese peasants were pulled out of poverty, while the economy soared. As such, the majority of China’s vast populace remains in favour of the government, and there is no guarantee that a first-world China will not retain a totalitarian regime. Vast cultural differences will also remain a barrier between China and the Western nations. China’s society and culture is built on their own history, which bears very little resemblance to the history of
Europe and America. China has never had a consistently fractured continent, an age old great empire to aspire to, or consistent, bitter religious divisions. Instead, they have had their own issues, their own wars, and their own development. This is unlike the UK and France, or Italy and Germany, which share some history. China shares essentially nothing with these nations prior to the 19th century; a first-world China will remain culturally different to its Western counterparts. China will never be a western nation. There seems to be a vague hope that once China develops it will just happily get along with America and Europe, but it’s a vain one. Its development does nothing to change its history. However, having said all of this, we needn’t have poor relations with the great Eastern power. Treating them with respect, viewing them as an equal, and considering their desires will, as always, help to ease tensions between our two sides. But it is foolish to expect them to adapt wildly to suit our traditions.
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Opinion
Trumping Up The NHS By Matt Nuttall Writer
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ecently Donald Trump tweeted that the NHS was ‘broke and not working’ after to calls to march on Downing Street to protest the state of the British healthcare system. Trump’s statement completely missed the point of the march; the protesters want more funding for the NHS, they were far from wanting to end the institution. This particular wild Trump tweet, however, can spark a debate about healthcare in both the UK and USA, which is a conversation worth having. To begin with, the NHS is a venerable British institution and is not going anywhere. It was recently ranked by an American think tank as the best healthcare system in the world, it is regularly voted the thing that British people are most proud of. Scrapping the programme is extremely unpopular among all age groups. However, it is not a system without problems. The NHS is unbelievably expensive, taking up nearly 7.5% of the British budget by percent
GDP. That is an unbelievable amount of money spent on a single institution, and, along with pensions, is far-andaway the biggest strain on our government. Furthermore, its general lack of private funding means that the care it can actually provide is significantly worse than privatized American healthcare. The same study that ranked the NHS as the best healthcare system in the world also revealed that it allows more preventable deaths than the majority of Western Europe. The NHS is simply not a perfect system. Due to these issues, Trump is actually right in not wanting an American equivalent to the NHS. The problems that plague our system would be magnified tenfold should they be applied to a country of that size. The United States has just shy of five times the population of the UK, and the increased population would weigh on a national health care deficit. The NHS is not a system the US should be aspiring to. It would be far too expensive and unwieldly. However, that is not to say
that their current system is in any way better. The current American healthcare system is ranked the worst of any Western nation by the same study, and with good reason. While good healthcare is fantastic if you have access to it, the expenses prohibit all but the middle and upper classes. Putting a necessity like healthcare in the hands of the free market leaves those in need open to abuse. What they are selling can mean the difference between life and death, allowing sellers to charge extortionate prices: companies hold the cure in one hand, and extend an open palm with the other. The result is a healthcare disaster. New institutions like Obamacare have helped, but 10.9% of Americans remain without health insurance, and therefore remain essentially on the brink of disaster permanently. For this 10.9%, something as simple as a broken leg can lead to either financial ruin, or a lifelong health problem. Trump lecturing the UK about the NHS’s issues feels rather like a heroin addict lecturing
Half page advert
a teenager on the dangers of smoking cigarettes. Solving the healthcare problems that trouble both the UK and the US is obviously easier said than done, but the situation on our side of the pond does require less dramatic action. Further privatisation for nonessential parts of the NHS is an unpopular, but legitimate, solution. Raising taxes could also help, but remains unpopular for obvious reasons. Ultimately, the NHS is not the problem, but rather the right idea with kinks to iron out. A national healthcare system works in this country, and it will continue to work. Adaptations are required, not wholesale change. The American situation does require dramatic upheaval. Republicans champion more competition in the healthcare
market, which may keep prices low, but would fail to solve the problem. Democrats favour guaranteeing all Americans health insurance for subsidised prices, which helps but is a real strain on government resources. I would favour a state-by-state government service, with each state government providing a healthcare system. The nation would be casting fifty separate nets over its populace rather than one large one, lowering overall expense, and providing coverage for all. However, this would require very conservative states to implement a very liberal policy, which will not happen. Either way, the Amexrican healthcare system all but requires dramatic overhaul. So Donald, please solve your own issues before targeting any of ours.
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
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Opinion
Theresa May has Failed Refugees: What Needs to be Changed? By Alys Parsons Writer
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n 2015, David Cameron promised that the UK would take 4,000 refugees a year from camps near Syria, a total of 20,000 by 2020. He faced opposition from the Labour Party; Rowan Williams, the former archbishop of Canterbury; and David Miliband, the head of the International Rescue Committee, who argued that the UK should be taking 20,000 a year instead of 20,000 over 4 years. Germany’s government expected to accept up to a million refugees in 2015 and said it could take half a million a year over the next few years. As a country, we could be doing far more. In Theresa May’s 2015 speech as Home Secretary during
the Conservative Annual UK to take in 1,500 child Conference, she called for the migrants from Calais. Over international definition of the 100 French politicians wrote word “refugee” to be changed; to Amber Rudd, the Home a move designed to shrink the Secretary, demanding definition. She stated that some refugees and asylum seekers were more deserving of aid than others, arguing: “there is a huge difference between a young Syrian family fleeing the tyranny of ISIL or Assad, and a student who claims asylum once he has been discovered overstaying his visa, or a foreign criminal about to be sent to a prison in his own Photo by Frank Montellano | US Africom country.” In October 2016 she refused immediate action and to accept more refugees, questioned whether the UK was ignoring a direct plea from living up to its moral duty. Mrs Francois Hollande for the May refused to budge.
In March 2017 she implemented a “safe country review” policy, first announced when she was Home Secretary. All refugees living in the UK face a review after five years; the consequences may include losing their right to work, and potential deportation unless they have a legitimate reason for staying–59,000 people who have been granted refugee status in the past five years will be affected. Over the past few years the Conservatives have offered substantial amounts of money to help solve the refugee crisis, but they have done little when it comes to allowing refugees to stay in the UK. Though funding is important, actively providing homes for
there does not seem to be any drastic changes. However, this still raises questions about what happens to such students who wish to apply after Brexit? At the moment, Prime Minister Theresa May has put forward her intention of leaving the single market. It could be that EU students, just like other international students, may have to apply for student visas in order to study in the UK. Conversely, British students who also wish to study abroad may be affected. For instance, Maastricht University which is situated in the Netherlands attested that if the UK leave the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement which advocates legislation concerning the single market, tuition fees could increase from their current level of £1,600 to anywhere between £6,000 and £8,000 a year.
and partnerships with academics from around the globe. Currently, none of this has been confirmed, and might not go ahead, however, it is not just British universities which will be monitoring these changes, but other universities in the EU. Close attention will be paid to British students studying at their universities, and whether they will still be eligible for Home-EU status, which may have a significant effect on the admissions of students as well as their financial intake.
refugees is as well. When the UK government has committed to policies it has often failed to meet the numbers promised, even though we could be taking in more refugees. If you would like to support the refugees more than the PM, here are several things you can do. You can make donations to charities like Save the Children, sign petitions, or volunteer. The Kent Refugee Action Network provides help and support to asylum seekers and refugees, and is currently recruiting volunteers for its Refugee Youth Mentoring Project. You can apply via the network’s website (https:// kran.org.uk). You can also volunteer with Migrant Help UK (www.migranthelpuk.org) and Dover Detainees Visiting Group (www.ddvg.org.uk).
How Will Brexit Affect UK and EU Students? By Suki Kaur Writer
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lot of speculation has arisen over whether or not the UK’s decision to leave the EU will have an adverse effect on EU nationals studying at UK universities. In October 2016, the Department of Education released a statement affirming that EU students who apply to study from the 2017 to 2018 academic year in British universities would still have access to the same levels of tuition fees, both for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. In addition to this, they would continue to be eligible throughout the duration of their course, even if Brexit is triggered during that time. So for those EU national students who are currently studying in British institutions,
Although this does seem like a sharp increase, other countries, governments, and institutions in the EU will most likely have their own regulations. Another financial implication of leaving the EU include funding to universities. Even though the UK currently pays membership fees to the EU, the money returned to universities is great, and has helped with building new facilities, in addition to funding programmes within institutions, such as the renowned “Erasmus” exchange programme. A large proportion of research funding and grants are also provided by the EU to UK universities. This funding is crucial not only for ground-breaking research and resources, it makes studying in the UK an attractive and viable option because of research excellence,
Photo by Ilovetheeu | Wikimedia
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By Molly Hope Newspaper Culture Editor
‘Lefty Scum’
What’s on... LAST FLAG FLYING (15) Fri 2nd Mar 2018 PHANTOM THREAD (15) Fri 2nd - Mon 5th Mar 2018
Petrie 'A powerful new songwriting voice’ The Guardian 'Whining folk singer'- The Telegraph
BOYS DON’T CRY (18) Sat 3rd Mar 2018 COCO (PG) Sun 4th Mar 2018 JOURNEY’S END (12A) Sun 4th - Wed 7th Mar 2018 ROH: CARMEN Tues 6th - Sun 11th Mar 2018 STUDENT EVENT: ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND Tues 6th Mar 2018 JUPITER’S MOON (15) Thurs 8th Mar 2018 LOVELESS (15) Fri 9th - Sat 10th Mar 2018 ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ. (12A) Fri 9th Mar 2018 THE MERCY (12A) Sat 10th - Thurs 15th Mar 2018 MEAN GIRLS QUOTE A LONG (12A) Tues 13th Mar 2018
Photo by the Gulbenkian
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omedy, music and revolutionary socialism will reunite in the fantastic triple-headline UK tour Lefty Scum at Gulbenkian on Thursday 1 March at 8pm with three of the UK's most joyfully rabblerousing acts. Advance booking is essential for this riotous evening, featuring: Three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee - Josie Long 'One of the most potent political
voices on the comedy circuit' - The Guardian 'Can she please stop grumbling?' The Telegraph British Comedy Award & Musical Comedy Award nominees - Jonny & The Baptists 'Politically energised... raucously silly’ - The Guardian 'Distasteful' - The Telegraph
(N.B. Lefty Scum welcomes audiences of all political persuasion, though the acts warn that if you are a Tory, they will most probably take the piss out of you.) Lefty Scum will be at Gulbenkian on Thursday 1 March at 8pm. Tickets: Full £13 / Student, Under 25s and unwaged £11. Suitable for ages 14+. For more information and tickets please visit www.thegulbenkian. co.uk or call 01227769075.
Acclaimed protest musician - Grace
Get Out “Just because you’re invited, doesn’t mean you’re welcome…” By Isabelle Dray-Sharma Newspaper Lifestyle Editor
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MY GENERATION & LIVE STAELLITE Q&A WITH MICHAEL CAINE & DAVID BATTY (12A) Wed 14th Mar I, TONYA (15) Fri 16th- Sun 18th 2018 WINCHESTER: THE HOUSE THAT GHOSTS BUILT (15) Fri 16th - Tues 20th Mar 2018
Prices Full - £8.50 GulbCard Member - £6.50 Senior - £7.50 Registered Disabled - £7.50 Student - £5.30 Student GulbCard Member - £4.30 Unemployed - £7.50 Photo by the Gulbenkian
n Tuesday 13 February The Gulbenkian hosted a oneoff screening of ‘Get Out’, a film which, despite its recent release, is swiftly becoming a cult classic. Jordan Peele’s stylish satirical horrorcomedy, first released in 2017, hits almost too close to many of the most pressing questions faced in American society today. The film presents a fascinating way to approach the question of race relations in the modern world; the true horror in this film lies in what is hidden, what is unseen but lurking just beneath the surface of a culture. This is a film to be watched not for its grand reveals and jump-scares, but
for the spine-chilling nuances which pepper every scene – and only become more and more terrifying with every watch. The screening was followed by a film talk given by Dr. Matthew Whittle, Dr. Sean Grattan and Dr. Portia Owusu. The talk examined and developed many themes present within the film, such as the portrayal of hair and its importance within the conversation around race, the portrayal of African-American women within the film and ideas around authority and identity in the America of today. The varied and enthusiastic question and answer session in the talk only served to further illustrate the profound impact ‘Get Out’ has on its audience, and how film’s such as this one are vital for encouraging public discussion about race.
Arts
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
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Culture
Royal Opera House Students
By Alice Bezant Photography Co-Ordinator
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allet and opera… they’re not for students, right? It’s too elite, too expensive, and too much like hard work to try and engage in something that doesn’t seem to include people our age. These are the stereotypes that the Royal Opera House, and particularly their ROH Students initiative, is breaking down. The arts need new patrons in order to survive in an increasingly technological world, and millennials and Generation Z’s are the people to carry them forward. It is
finding independence, earning sooner, and having families who can then continue the cycle of supporting culture and holding up a mirror to society. Through the creative arts, we are able to showcase the sublime and the ridiculous in equal measure, from balletic adaptations of Shakespeare to operas about noses. It is this diversity that reaches out to as many people as Photo by ROH possible. It would be very easy for the Opera House with this understanding that the Royal to fulfil the stereotype and Opera House is running a series of only put on performances that would programmes to open themselves up to appeal to ‘higher-brow’ audiences new audiences and new ideas. that would pull in a substantial Days such as Schools’ Matinees for income. What they have though is secondary school trips, and Welcome the understanding that they must Performances for younger children establish a new group of performance enables students to discover and enthusiasts to keep the arts sustainable. explore ballet, opera and dance in This is where the ROH Students more accessible means. However, it is initiative comes in. Every season, the students who will be able to have the Opera House sets aside more than greater impact sooner on sustaining 10,000 dedicated student tickets, with the arts. It is students who will be prices ranging from £1 to £25, which
opens the House up to every kind of budget. As well as the tickets, they hold Student Insight events that further expands the reach of every aspect of performance, such as costume and props. Students also get the chance to become Student Ambassadors and promote the scheme to their universities, receiving training days throughout the year, getting valuable experience working within a figurehead institution, and the chance to run events on campus under the banner of the Royal Opera House in an easily accessible situation for the area they understand the most: their university. To find out more, head to roh.org. uk/for/rohstudents to sign up for your chance for cheap tickets, and to see UKC’s ROH scheme in action, come to the Gulbenkian on Tuesday 6th March at 6pm for the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and free tickets for a student-only screening of the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ballet! Tickets are available on the Gulbenkian website: https:// thegulbenkian.co.uk/event/ student-event-alices-adventures-inwonderland/
Could Croydon be the Next Big Art Scene? By Miranda Thomas Writer
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here is Graffiti movement taking Croydon by storm one that doesn’t follow the traditional forms of art. The medium of art is an expression of an artist’s emotions, used to illicit a reaction from others or to convey a message, for years now street art also known as graffiti has been frowned up by the public. With it being normally associated with gangs scrawling ugly tags without permission on the sides of public buildings. However, things are changing especially in the borough of Croydon. The Rise gallery with the approval of Croydon council decided to start a project in which they brought high quality street art to parts of Croydon. With new work being added regularly it is well worth a visit for any art lovers or people interested in graffiti art. According to Rise gallery’s owner Kevin Zuchowski-Morrison, in an interview with the Croydon Advertiser “Croydon is being talked about in New York as the next art scene, which is very encouraging to hear.”
When asked about his views on graffiti he responded that “street art has a very positive impact on the area, making it more interesting and vibrant in a way that is appreciated by people in the community of all ages and walks of life.” Here is a look at the best murals around Croydon: fig.1 - Image from Croydon advertiser ‘The Void’ by Sr. X. His name stands
fig.1
for Senor X as the artist is from Spain. He has murals in Camden as well as an exhibition at BSMT Workspace on Purley Way. In an interview with Croydon Advertiser he explains his love for walking in the street and seeing surprising things that make you smile and how he wanted to recreate this feeling. The piece can be found on Katherine street opposite theQueen’s gardens.
fig.2
fig.2 - Work by Sonny @sonnysundancer for the #totheboneproject @croydonphotos fig.3 - Image from Croydon advertiser @olivierroubieu Unnamed piece by Olivier Roubieu, Olivier is a French street artist and photographer. It’s this diversity of creative talent that can be witnessed in his work. The piece can be found on St George’s walk.
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Culture
Books
Malorie Blackman’s ‘Noughts and Crosses’ and Why is YA Fiction so Undervalued? By Maryah Chugtai Writer
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f you’ve never given Malorie Blackman’s ‘Nought’s and Crosses’ a read, well then what the bloody hell have you been doing?! When Sephy – a dark-skinned Cross and a member of the ruling-class – strikes a startling friendship with Callum – a ‘colourless’ Nought and a member of the underclass – their worlds around them begin to collapse and their hope in one another is the only thing that they can cling to. The two have been friends from childhood, however as the years go on and they begin to develop stronger feelings towards one another, they are faced with many challenging and heart-breaking decisions which could ultimately shatter their chances of surviving in a world where Noughts and Crosses simply do not align. Doesn’t this all sound a bit too familiar…two star-crossed lovers, pulled apart by every exterior layer and undoubtedly destined for destruction? Blackman has her own spin on Shakespeare’s classic tale of Romeo and Juliet, however she has previously claimed that the ways in which she went about writing her novel, the themes she wanted to focus on and how she would then choose to convey them to her audience were all influenced by her own observations as a black woman, who was born in Barbados and raised
in Clapham. One of the main storylines throughout her trilogy revolves around Callum’s older brother, Jude, and his father, Ryan, and their involvement in the Liberation Militia, a terrorist organisation. As contemporary readers we can appreciate that Blackman chooses to focus on such a current and hard-hitting subject as terrorism – particularly given the early 2000s setting. She creates a compelling relationship between her readers and characters and, by playing them into our own real-life experiences, she is able to capture even the most rawest of emotions. The novel’s characters, events and subtlest wording, have its readers bursting with moments of happiness, outrage and disbelief, and pages and pages of wet, soggy, mascara-runningdown-your-face kind of sadness. Just a warning. On the flip side, what is extremely frustrating about this novel is that there are a vast majority of people who have no clue that this phenomenon even exists!
Unfortunately, there hasn’t been as much rave about this beautifully tragic novel across the pond as there has been here, which makes me wonder, is there a certain element holding it back from greater world-wide success and how have people gone through their lives without completely binge reading what is the brilliant ‘Noughts and Crosses’ trilogy? Well, the idea that a young-adult fiction (YA) novel could be in someone’s top five or even a stand-out favourite of all time, would probably raise a few eyebrows. It is a genre unfortunately not given the same amount of credit or recognition amongst other literary groups, purely because it is a book written for ‘teenagers’. It is assumed that because these novels generally revolve around the inconsistent, unstable and hormonal behaviours of teenagers, that there could be no way in which the quality and complexity of their texts could be compared to what is
“bursting with moments of happiness, outrage and disbelief”
considered ‘good’ adult fiction. Other works in this genre, such as John Green’s ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ and Jay Asher’s ‘Thirteen Reasons Why’, have also fallen victim to the curse that is YA fiction (despite both proving to being massive onscreen successes). They are initially praised and celebrated within their communities but still face a public backlash over their use of sensitive topics and the ways in which they convey it to their younger audiences. Yet, writing predominantly aimed at ‘teenagers’ does in fact have a mature and appropriate approach to many of their complex issues. The importance of one’s identity; mental health; depression; suicide; and relationships – to name but a few. This genre of fiction is underestimated in the ways in which it has removed the social taboo surrounding some of these topics, and instead acts as forms of reassurance to readers of any age. However, the sad reality of YA fiction being labelled as ‘literature that is not serious enough’, essentially undermines these sensitive topics and makes me wonder as to whether the genre is solely overlooked because of its association with a younger audience. Nonetheless, whether you are like my 12-year-old self, religiously having read this book, shamelessly taking it everywhere you went and are now almost too familiar with this whirlwind of a novel. Or, if you are still waiting to dive into Blackman’s epic trilogy, sceptically skimming through the pages, wondering if it will live up to the buzz at work, it is a YA fiction novel that will have you wishing you could quickly erase it from your memory, just so you could go back to the first chapter, curious and everso naïve and read it all over again.
Photo by wikimedia
Fiction
By Bhareth Madhusoodanan Writer
Author’s Note: My intention was to create a world where gender was expressed through gender characteristics we choose to see as prominent. A person feeling they are are more ‘masculine’ than ‘feminine’ would be a he/she whereas someone the other way around would be she/he.
T
he day shone bright from the gleam of the moon as the whole world tuned in to experience the electoral results. Tonias gripped the microphone tightly as s(he) faced the camera in the backdrop of the Terra Elections Office. “In 3…2…1… and … go” said the floating camera as h(er/is) face was broadcast to the world. “Good morning, Earth. I am Tonias Skinson and I am proud to present the results of the first ever worldwide Terra Elections. It has been a long day and…” The words flowed programmed into the speech area in her skull by the algorithm the broadcast network placed in the cranium of their employees. But Tonias had to still account for humanoid presence around the office as the camera indicated her to shift 25.6 degrees to avoid the conflicting protest groups of the Pro-Andro Galaxy and Anti-Martian Stance who used the auspicious moment to make their politics crystal clear. “It is the first time Earth has conducted elections on the scale of the whole planet and brought about by the coming of the new race, the Arragor’tians.” She continued, “Oddly enough voting rights were granted to the Arragor’tians before this call for Global Solidarity. But it is with reason, given the contributions the Arragor’tians have made - new access to stars beyond, real-time interface, and transhumanist equality, culminating with prosperity for our world.” Tonias’ speech on autopilot, h(er/ is) mind shifted to consider how while the Earth reached this prosperity after a tumultuous a time of stagnation, what happened in outer space was not the same. Mars’ meritocratic elections had selected Worsian, a geneticenvironment combination of pure ambition whose expansion plans were breaking InterGlobal laws. Their recent expose on the trade house zaibatsus on the Moon and their discriminatory android practices last month showed the colours of the Red Planet being adorned by three Mega-cities there. Not at all like the Earth-allegiant satellite. Negotiation time would soon emerge. As it always did – with the Pan-Asia Council, The Antarctica Nexus and with the Latin American Initiative. Earth stopped seeing war a long time ago. “The Stability Party’s candidate is the one-named Marnian, born from our sister planet Mars but switched allegiance to ours at the young age of 12. H(is/er)concern for Earth-
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
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Culture
The Day the Earth Changed. origin life and reservation in jobs and education has been a rally across all national communities as a way to preserve the race of humans from alien interference.” Tonias announced, while trying not to flinch at the automated guards, who were neutralising rowdy protestors and dragging other potential violent figures away with calculated efficacy. S(he) resumed her flow of thoughts and realised that there was not only Mars in the picture to think about. The real reason the Arragor’tians first came to the planet was to escape from the civil jihad (the closest equivalent term translators could agree on) that ravaged their entire solar system back in the Andromedas. All of this was revealed when their communication and language was finally standardised for all of humanity to understand and open up relations. The humans, they had known before arriving, were good at war, but found their interstellar travel subpar. So they stayed and helped, hoping for mutual partnership, exchanging resources, leading initiatives such as the colonising of Venus and pioneering real-time communications with the Moon. But as with any growing and stable collective, as the Earth became more prosperous, the less people wanted to go beyond the bubble or stretch out of the comfort zone. The tensions between the Humanoids started to show soon after. “The Growth Party’s support went to the Indix’wethy, an Arragor’tian who is a child of first generation Arragor’tians and knows only Earth as home. His calls for aid and reconnaissance of the Andromeda Galaxy and cooperation between humans and Arragor’tians as part of the ‘We Are Humanoids Together’ campaign has earned him and his party speculative gains and support from AI-backed political prospectors and people indebted to the Arragor’tians for their advances in healthcare, education and ways of living. Tonias wondered what the results would lead to. Would s(he) be sent to Mars on negotiation coverage with the two planet leaders if Marnian wins or will s(he) be able to go with the first Recon Scout Fleet to report first hand on what the other galaxy is like? Reason suddenly kicked in as s(he) realised that current military situations didn’t look that good. Rumours of impending war were often discussed in news briefings but ignored in the end – war was an outdated and primitive idea, academics and politicians stated. Militaries only existed for defence and safety, they argued. But intelligence reports of strange offensive technologies being developed on Mars and Arragor’tians seen on the Moon (which featured ‘Humans-Only Paradise’ in its tourism campaigns)
did cause some distress. Tonias’ mind came back to the camera when the doors to the election office opened. As expected, the bustle of the protest and civilian crowds reached new heights and everyone moved closer. She tuned in to her own automated word delivery to learn more – “The Most Advanced Computing System in the world, designed to input in the political thoughts and opinions expressed by 10 billion Earth Humanoids in voting booths, and arrive at the most optimal electoral choice has reached a consensus within its operating cores. As the crowd stands around watching with bated breath… who do you think the next world president should be? Please share your thoughts through our own Synaps page” She ended as the camera panned around to the crowd and to the doorway. Tonias spots an Arragor’tianHuman couple standing near the invisibarrier and realised that somehow these results and all that chaos out there did not matter in the bigger picture – that their world had reached a point of peace, and how nothing could ever shake that core. S(he) remembered her world symposiums on modern history when she was smaller which debated on how military power and threats were useful until the Arragor’tians revealed how small nuclear weapons actually were in the face of the universe, and showed how life would always be more important to invest in than death. The audience cheered as out walked… both candidates? While the realisation was slow and gradual, soon everyone understood the surprising change of events. “Members of Earth, please welcome your new co-leaders, Marsian and Indix’wethy, a joint presidential rule that will truly take us forward as a planet.” And the world seemed to rejoice at the announcement which she felt in the vibrations around her. Now that’s how you start a new era, s(he) thought as the wireless AI in her head agreed. As soon as she saw the chance, she used her genetic tag to get through the invisi-barrier and interview the presidents who were distracted by the screaming public and their own happiness to suddenly prepare for. S(he) believed that spontaneity always gave the most natural reactions. “So tell me, leaders, what is your plan? How will you reconcile the vast differences between your parties and your agendas?” she asked, proud of being an Earthian while ignoring the sounds of the Automated Guards fusing out and malfunctioning around her. This was common in the past months, with the build-up of the electoral process and the mass roll-out of these guards for coordinated discipline. Tonias still couldn’t believe concepts like Hive-Mind Tech that these robots
had was still so primitive. But that wasn’t of priority and from seeing the crowds drawing closer, they seemed in agreement. “Well, to be honest, we just got to know two seconds before you all, so I guess the best way is… to talk. Right partner?” Indix’withy’s posh accent spoke out in anticipatory patience for Marsian’s reply – it was clear that they were still working out their dynamics. The face of the ex-Martian went from grim to cheerful as he said – “That sounds like a plan, partner! If the System decided, then we will improve our homes as we should, being the Humanoid’s Serva…” The last lines of the outcome of the greatest electoral feat on the planet was cut off by a plasma shot fired through Marsian’s chest as Indix’withy struggled to hold him and dodge any more attacks at the same time. The Arragor’tian-Human couple were now armed with sleek rifles, standing proud and wearing the bearings of a strange alien insignia and Martian Squads logo respectively as they screamed “Traitors like you seal the fate of this planet”. They proceeded to Tonias and the leaders with their primed suicide vests that could level cities, while firing at the rapid response teams swooping in from the sky. Tonias wondered how they got through the security and what they hoped to achieve – it was just two of them. This won’t stop or change anything, she reasoned in her head as her wireless AI triggered hormones to calm her body and keep her focused on the job. Peace is always the way, she screamed internally.Then she heard the same rumbling noise she had earlier felt as vibrations and realised they were not from Earthians rejoicing but from above, beyond the bright sky. Looking up, she saw it spaceships of an alien nature all bearing the same insignia as on the Arragor’tian suicide soldier, looming from the sky with the background of a moon that grew dimmer as colourful explosions danced on its atmosphere. Suddenly it all went dark and Tonias realised what h(er/is) ancestors called the ‘night sky’. It actually looked beautiful, especially as the Martian ships lined up alongside the Arragor’tian ships and started firing those same colourful shots. Tonias’ final thoughts were that at least they got to celebrate a true achievement – that too, with fireworks from the sky. And as the Suicide Soldiers screamed “For the Future…” the world went to war. “A reminder to viewers back home - there is no hope, no recourse for us Earthlings. This day marks the last big step for humanity and the first big step for a new world. This is Tonias Skinson signin.…” The static continued without any pause, out to a vast, uncaring universe.
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Lifestyle By Amber Bytheway Writer
Life
From Casual to Extreme Hobbyists: the Art of Collecting C
ollecting is still very much a part of modern life; onethird of adults engage in the hobby in the UK. In today’s society, it appears rather easy to distinguish the extreme from the casual hobbyist. Who hasn’t watched a show about extreme collecting and had a good chuckle? You know; when people take their love for Star Wars a little too far? But aside from those few, collecting can be great fun, and very rewarding. Collecting can often begin at a young age. Think back to the days on the school playground where physically running around with a football was replaced by trading Match Attax cards in the hope that you’d land a Ronaldo, or Steven Gerrard, in your dream football team collection. Many continue this habit with new collecting hobbies in their teenage years. Beyond adolescence there are many individuals that give up collecting for good. But sometimes you really can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and these habits can hang around for a lifetime. Why collect though? It could be just for interest, to discover Photo by Joao Tzanno on Unsplash hidden gems, to build an epic
unrivalled collection, or just for financial gain. For most, it is about attaching to an object of desire: strong feelings of connection when adding new items to a collection. There is also the joy of being able to share a collection with fellow collectors. Is there anything more satisfying than finding a fellow appreciator? Collecting attracts both the weird and the wonderful. Common trends, particularly for millennials, include the resurgence of collecting vinyl, with music lovers, and self-identified hipsters re-discovering the medium. If you’re a music lover Canterbury is the perfect place to hunt for new additions to your collection. Shops like the Vinylstore Jr on Castle Street offer a fantastic selection of new and second-hand records with a range of new and old records to suit any fan. There are also some bizarre collectors out there. Joann and Cecil Dixon from Elkhart County have managed to collect over 6,500 chicken-related items, ranging from chicken fridge magnets to chicken ornaments. And those who remember the trend of the troll dolls, Sherry Groom has managed to collect an incred-
Food Intolerances
F
or someone with a food intolerance eating out can range from a small hassle to a nightmare. Reaction symptoms can vary from mild to severe with every person, and so can the cause of the reaction. I suffer from a mild soy intolerance, and it can seriously affect eating out and cooking; more than anything I’m missing out on trying new dishes. Food intolerances and allergies do share similarities, but they’re also differ from each other. For instance, they are both the body’s way of reacting to certain foods and both produce physical side effects. Allergies, however, can result in mild to life-threatening physical reactions, like anaphalactic shock, that affect organs throughout the body. Intolerances are not life-threatening, but commonly result in digestive problems and stomach aches, pains, and nausea. I’m no doctor, but from personal experiences, here are a few tips I’ve picked up over time to help me with my
mild intolerance to soya:
Cook from scratch
Cooking from scratch means you have complete control of what goes into your meals. Home-cooked meals are also a much healthier way of eating nutriciously, and it also encourages meal planning.
Plan simple meals
Planning meals in advance will ensure that you take the time to plan meals free of intolerable food. It will also lessen the chance of intolerant food sneaking in.
Look up the restaurant in advance
If you’re planning on eating out look up the restaurant or cafe’s menu online in advance. Many food outlets have their menus online, sometimes with common
ible 3,500 of them. Forget the Pokémon Go app; Lisa Courtney from Hertfordshire has amassed a total of 17,127 Pokémon themed items and holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection. When you find a hobby it keeps you occupied, and can help you meet like-minded people. The problems only start to appear when the hobby dictates your actions. For most people, collecting won’t interfere with daily life, but in 2 -5% of the adult population out of control collecting can lead to a diagnosis of hoarding disorder as listed in the DSM-5. Hoarders are defined as showing signs of four behaviours: 1) Difficulty discarding objects; 2) Strong urges to keep, and distress at throwing out; 3) Accumulation and clutter; 4) Clinically significant distress or impairment. Researchers have stressed that many collectors will meet the first and second criterions, however the average collector is not likely to show signs of criterion three or four. Enjoying collecting shouldn’t ring alarm bells but if you spot signs of collecting taken to the extreme, it may be appropriate to seek out help.
By Grace Pulford Writer
allergens labelled for each dish. If this is not possible, ask on the day. Don’t worry about being difficult; you want to be sure that your dish won’t set off your intolerance, and the restaurant wants you to enjoy your meal as well.
Check food labels
All food labels clearly identify main food allergens in bold. They will also label if the factory has handled allergenic ingredients. The same method of identifying these triggers can apply to your food intolerance. Even if yours aren’t highlighted in bold, reading food labels is one of the safest ways to determine whether your intolerance is one of the ingredients. Photo by Jennifer Pallian on Unsplash
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
Lifestyle
Style
A Day at London Fashion Week
Beauty Goes Cruelty-Free
By Carola Bendinelli Writer
I
t may have been cold outside but inside the Store Studios it was spring as models paraded fashions on the catwalk during London Fashion Week Festival. Excitement was in the air and the atmosphere lively with the crowd of fashionatas impatiently
waiting to play an active part in the carnival of fashion art. When I say ‘carnival’, then, I mean it in the most positive way thanks to the variety of colours, patterns, fabrics and styles. The starting point was the tour around the stands showing the most outstanding pieces from new
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By Victoria Rees Website Lifestyle Editor collections of clothes, shoes and accessories. These were mainly emerging designers of all ages, trying to make their creations known to the audience. Perhaps the best part of the event was that visitors could buy anything they wanted, with the
by a black and white minimalism that recalled the simple neat style of the accessories. I must admit that no matter how thrilling the catwalk experience might seem, the show itself was nothing extraordinary. It lasted about 30 minutes and featured some Autumn/Winter 2018 trends. It was divided into three parts, with the first and last being the most colourful and playful in a street style. The second part had a more edgy and avant-garde design defined by pastels and sharp lines. Everything was dealt with in a professional way; from the staff outside the building to the models running the catwalk, and it was interesting to have a peek at how the fashion industry actually works. The organisation deserves praise especially when it comes to managing such a huge amount of visitors who were all eager to get their hands on the next season’s trend. Attending the fashion show is an experience I recommend to everyone who has an interest in fashion and a weakness for shopping but also to those who seek an alternative way of spending their day in the British Bold, clashing prints and patterns were seen capital. Buying tickets, choosing preferences in the House of Holland Show and reaching the venue advantage of acquiring a unique were all surprisingly piece. What struck me the most easy thanks to all the directions was the affordability of the largest and customer service given by number of brands and that the the agency. So, go check www. price tag seemed not to affect the londonfashionweekfestival.com quality of the product. and book yourself a ticket to the The catwalk parade took place in next fashion event in September the basement of the building. The 2018. space was huge and characterised
I
t can be hard to know which companies operate ethically, and unfortunately countless make-up brands are not cruelty-free. Many big-name brands use animals when they test their products, as they sell in countries outside the EU which require these tests. Investing in crueltyfree makeup is a great choice for those who want to live a more ethical life, and have moral qualms about animal testing. Finding the right companies to buy from can be tricky and it can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack, so here are a few good options for next time you need a new lipstick:
Body Shop
The Body Shop actively markets itself as crueltyfree. It’s a British company that doesn’t test on animals, but their parent company Estée Lauder do. With a great range of products on offer, it’s hard to go wrong. Their new lip juicers are “moisture-boosting” and 100% vegan. And the best part? When you stock up on lipstick, you can treat yourself to a new body lotion too.
Burt’s Bees
While not vegan–as many of their products contain beeswax–Burt’s Bees is cruelty-free. The company has selection of 18 lipsticks, which are also ultrahydrating. Their other products include lip balms and moisturisers.
Barry M
Barry M is a makeup range is one of the most extensive out there. With a huge range of lipsticks and eyeshadows available, there’s always a fantastic choice. One of the best parts about Barry M is their nail varnishes; they have a coconut infused polish which helps to keep nails healthy. Their newest collection includes iridescent mermaid-inspired colours. Finding the right product for you can be difficult, but there are options out there. The leaping bunny symbol signifies product’s cruelty-free status and can be found on packaging. With so many options out there it’s hard to make the transition, and adopt a cruelty-free lifestyle.
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Lifestyle
Silent Travels By Connie Enzler Newspaper Entertainment Editor
H
aving grown up all over the world, I fancy myself skilled at communicating with people who don’t speak the same language. In the first couple of years living in Amman, Jordan, the extent of my Arabic was ‘I don’t speak Arabic’ and ‘you donkey!’, which if said together would probably have earned me a ripped up residents visa right there and then. I eventually had no choice but to learn the basics, since some teachers in my supposedly ‘international’ school only spoke Arabic, namely a physical education teacher and a science teacher. So when a German friend of mine invited to me spend a few days at her grandparents’ in RoStal, Germany, I seized the opportunity to take a break from Canterbury. I figured with my multi-national background, language differences would not a present a problem. Upon arrival, I was quickly struck by the warmth and generosity of the family. They offered me a drink about every ten minutes, cooked every meal we ate, cleaned up my mess, and declined all the help I offered–or rather the help my friend offered on my behalf. They wouldn’t even let me pay when I stopped at a pharmacy for some essentials. I could only say ‘thank you’ and ‘I’ in their language, and brought them nothing but some measly shortbread cookies, and massive inconvenience. They are the some of the most hospitable people I have ever met. They insisted on driving us to all the nearby cities and guiding our visits, and as a result I spent many hours each day listening to German. My friend translated as best she could, but not native in the language herself, I could never be fully involved in
conversations. Sometimes I would just give up trying to catch words that sounded like French and casually slip my phone out of my pocket and swipe through Instagram. But somehow, at some point during the third day, I found myself enjoying a conversation I didn’t understand. It’s a well-known fact that spending time around a language you don’t know is the best way to learn it. Some people report having become fluent in a language after only three months living in a country that spoke it. Although I can’t say the same about my time in Jordan; hearing a foreign language can offer a lot of insight into the people’s culture. Vocal inflections and facial expressions can tell you a lot about a culture’s sense of humour, for example. Human connections are born in the smallest moments, like when you flash an embarrassed smile at the person across the dinner table when you drop a piece of spaghetti onto your lap. The look of recognition in their eyes when they understand exactly what you mean even though the feeling cannot be conveyed via a friend’s translation. But even beyond understanding, there’s something humbling about hearing sounds that you normally wouldn’t, or recognizing an emotion without knowing what it is. Something that reminds you that you are not the centre of the universe; a silent stranger for just a short while, willing to learn what little they can during their stay. Don’t just hide in a five-star resort with all the other tourists, but go out and mingle with the locals. Not only will you be able to fully immerse yourselves in another culture, it might even grow your faith in humanity just a little.
“You are not the centre of the universe, but a silent stranger, here for just a short while.”
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
Travel
Moscow: The City that Never Sleeps By Margot Aquaro Writer I spent a summer semester at the Higher School of Economics, one of the best universities of Moscow, and it was an experience I won’t forget. The city, the culture, the art and the lifestyle mesmerised me. I didn’t expect to, but I absolutely fell in love with the city. Everybody knows the stereotypes about Russian culture, that it is cold and closedoff, but for me, it almost felt like home. I stayed in the university’s accommodation, which dates back to the soviet period. When I arrived, I was shocked and I almost turned back, but I like a good challenge. I shared a room with two other girls, and the bathroom was shared between five of us. I found it strange sleeping in a bunk bed at 21, but it forced me to accept a type of intimacy with my roommates that I had never felt before. For the whole building, which housed 473 students, there was a single kitchen with three stoves, one oven, two sinks and a small table. For me, who likes cooking, this was simply not feasible. So we ate out most meals. I know what you’re thinking: expensive! But actually, if you know where to go, you can eat two tasty meals for less than 15 pounds! If accommodation from the soviet era is not to your taste, don’t worry, there are modern hotels too! Moscow is one of the great capitals of Europe, but there is a uniqueness to it that marvels all. It is the second largest metropolitan city with more than 12 million inhabitants, much bigger than London and Paris. Moscow offers to satisfy every taste: from famous theatres to modern galleries, to astounding palaces and cathedrals, from parks and markets, to the wildest nightlife and the trendiest
restaurants and cafés. Walking is an option, but short distances in Moscow are relative to your experience of large cities. The metro is very cheap (0.71 cents for a single ride), clean, runs incredibly well at night and is one of the cleanest public transports I have even taken. Some station walls are works of art with frescoes, mosaics, bronze statues and gold detailing. I find that Russian culture is in many ways similar to German, French and Italian cultures with a sprinkle of Over-Ural influence. The Tretyakov Gallery collects Russian art from the XI to the XXI century and you can see how European movements influenced their art, but kept their unique style. And there are many more museums: the Pushkin Museums and galleries, the Kremlin treasure rooms and palaces, Glazunov Gallery, and the Art-Play District where young designers come together to display and perform their creativity. The people of Moscow have a love for parks that is unmatched by any other city. Gorki Park by Mosckva river offers social events, sport activities, stands, festivals, and a natural escape from the city. Although there aren’t a lot of trees on the streets, there are over a hundred parks within the city limits ranging from historical to wildlife to leisure and memorial parks. The selection of restaurants and cafes is so wide that chosing a place to eat is difficult. I really enjoyed the Russian chain Varenichnaya N°1 that sells one of the best dishes: varenichi, little ‘dumplings’ with different fillings served with smetana. They also serve Georgian cuisine and shisha in family-run restaurants, and blinis with salmon and cheese in food stands. But the city has so much more to offer, the clubs are incredible, and similar to those in England, bars and cocktail lounges serve whatever you desire, but there is something in the air, that just gives it a surreal feel. It might be the glamour or the powerful history or the exuberant life of the summer after freezing winters. You get swept away by the rhythms and the energy because Moscow never sleeps. The party is always on.
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
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Lifestyle
Food
Review: Skinny Kitchen By Emily Nicholson Writer
T
he Skinny Kitchen looks like an artisanal little restaurant, perfect for the traditional hipster. Whenever I walk past it on the street, my eyes are immediately drawn to the twinkling fairy lights in the windows and the hardwood furniture. For well over a year I walked past and wanted to go in, but didn’t, partly because it’s intimidating; it looks like a place for people who have their lives together, who go to the gym, and drink smoothies. I do neither of those things, I am not a vegan, and I definitely don’t have enough money to just casually eat lunch there. But when my mum came to visit me, I dragged her there, so I could try their food, and have her foot the bill. Most of the food on the menu looks like it came out of the dream clean eating guide: quinoa, acai, avocado–all the favourite foods of the health-nut millennials. However, there are options
Photo by Skinny Kitchen
if you actually enjoy eating real food. There are two burger options, chicken satay, and beef; with options to make
both meat-free. On the menu, there are several options with meat, several that are vegetarian, and there’s the option to make any dish vegan by requesting different ingredients. I have to give Skinny Kitchen kudos for trying to provide healthy food for everyone, no matter what dietary requirements they have. Personally, I had the avocado quesadilla, it is vegetarian, but there’s the option to add chicken, which I did. It was amazing and really big, I didn’t manage to finish it, but when you’re paying £6 for a quesadilla, it better be. The variety on the drink menu is so great that it needs its own section; I found it hard to choose just one. There are fresh pressed juices like ‘Strawbazzle’, smoothies, protein shakes, iced tea, and cocktails. All the drinks sound fairly amazing from the descriptions; each drink has one which also pronounces the health benefits of the ingredients. However, again the cost could be an issue, with the
Spinach and Kiwi Smoothie By Isabelle Dray-Sharma Newspaper Lifestyle Editor
O
ur health is precious, something we should cherish. Eat your five (or is ten now?) a day, drink water, work out. We all know these things, but when you’re knee-deep in your dissertation and reaching for another energy drink, healthy living can seem all too far away. But do not fear. This smoothie is easy to make and packed full of healthy ingredients to provide the perfect midweek pick-me-up.
Ingredients - 1 kiwi, peeled and cut into chunks - 1 banana, peeled, frozen, and cut into chunks - 1 cup loosely packed fresh spinach - 1 cup unsweetened vanilla flavored almond milk - 1 tablespoon chia seeds (or 1-2 tablespoons gluten-free oats) - 4-5 large ice cubes
cheapest smoothie priced at £5 and a small orange juice at £3, which could be a promlem, especially for the cash strapped student. The staff were super up-beat and friendly. They told me and my mum about the health virtues in the food we ordered, and it sounded like they genuinely knew what they were talking about, and cared about how healthy we were being. The service was also really good. Overall, the food was good. The menu has been replicated in various brunch places in London, so you can probably guess that you’ll find smashed avocado on toast. The drinks were what really made it stand out for me. I have never seen such variety, and I will go back just to try more of them. However, the price puts me off, the atmosphere seems to be aimed at students, but the prices are more suitable for people with full-time jobs. So, go to The Skinny Kitchen, but make sure someone else is paying for you.
Activated charcoal works by trapping toxins and chemicals in the gut, preventing their absorption into the body. It helps to prevent premature ageing, whiten teeth, and can relieve bloating.
- Activated charcoal powder (optional)
Instructions Combine the kiwi, banana, spinach, almond milk, chia seeds, and ice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and sprinkle with the charcoal (if using).
Photo by Kim Pine on Unsplash
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Entertainment
FILM
‘Rey’
Experimenting with History
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t the end of the nineteenth century, a French country lawyer, Orélie-Antoine de Tounens (Rodrigo Lisboa), decides to travel to Chile to unite native tribes of Patagonia and become their king. Traveling on horseback through the forests with his guide and translator (Claudio Riveros), he is armed with a handwritten constitution, and the flag of his new kingdom. It is a true, but forgotten, part of Chilean history which was brought back to life on 31 January by Niles Atallah in his film ‘Rey’. The director is an artist, and his film is exactly what one would expect it to be. It is a dream-like or hallucination experimental film, full of strangeness, special effects and masks, but what makes it different to the avant-garde is its narrative structure and its adventurous plot.
What is most stunning about the film is its visuals. Through skilled use of mixed media, the director explores the passage of time and the psychological state of the main character. The character’s determination to become a king is almost abnormal. The hallucinational structure of the film suggests that the main character is not sane and that he likes to live in his own dreamy fairy tale. Rey was filmed over 10 years, each scene through different mediums: some on 16mm film, some on 35mm or Super-8 film, and others on digital cameras. The earliest filmed parts were buried in the filmmaker’s garden to let the stock age to give them a vintage, romanticised appeal. Some parts of the film are more damaged than the others; it represents how history and facts can
By Matilda Makovska Writer
be forgotten and manipulated by time just as the film stock has. To convey this message, the filmmaker also chose to film some scenes with papier-mâché masks over the actors’ faces, making them resemble theatre puppets. Since there is very little known about the people that de Tounens met when he was in Chile the characters do not have real faces because there is some doubt that they ever existed. The nonlinear plot structure also suggests that the common memory of history can change when more information is discovered, or alternatives are suggested. The film won special recognition at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2017. Photo by YouTube
A Churchill for Every Generation By Lisa Wehrstedt Writer
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n recent years, there has been an outpouring of films and TV shows about Britain’s political figures of the 30s, 40s and 50s. With ‘The King’s Speech’ (2010), Netflix series ‘The Crown’ (2016–), and most recently the film ‘Darkest Hour’ (2017), Winston Churchill, King George and Queen Elizabeth have become beloved heroes rather than real – and in Elizabeth’s case, still alive – historic figures. These portrayals have been deemed everything from inaccurate and insulting, to definitive and insightful. But can there be an ultimate representation of a real character? And why has there been a spate of depictions of these figures in recent years? Most importantly, why so much
widespread interest in Churchill? Gary Oldman’s performance in ‘Darkest Hour’ has been hailed as the best depiction of Winston Churchill yet–there have been over 200 other screen representations. He won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama earlier this year, and was nominated for the Academy Award in the same category. On a surface level, his Churchill is very similar to John Lithgow’s from ‘The Crown’ and Brian Cox’s from ‘Churchill’ (2017). They all picked up on the cigar, the glasses, the bowtie, the barking, and the
grumbling. The former Prime Minister’s iconography makes him one of the most recognisable caricatures in history. He himself was an actor, a master of his own image. “Which self should I be today?” asks Oldman’s Churchill to his mirrored image. With such a big personality and long and successful career, there can’t possibly be one Churchill. He is a malleable figure, adapting to the times. He answered a national need in 1940 and continues to adjust to the needs of following generations. ‘Darkest Hour’ Churchill is a unifying leader of inflexible certainties. He is exactly what the people of today want, and desperately need, in this time of political uncertainty. In this Brexit era, Churchill has become a symbol for an independent and strong Britain,
a reminder of what Britain was and could be again. Only in June of last year, Jonathan Teplitzky’s ‘Churchill’ was released, showing an exhausted Prime Minister awaiting the Normandy landings that he feared would end in catastrophe. Though in the months leading up to the Brexit vote that Churchill had already lost his resonance with the national spirit. It was pilloried for vandalising a national hero. Even as a historical drama, ‘Darkest Hour’ says more about contemporary society than about the real Churchill. Churchill has always been a myth, an evolving idea, and to judge a Churchill film on grounds of historical accuracy is to misunderstand his role in British mythology.
Photos by Netflix, Amazon, and BBC
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
Entertainment
TV
Does ‘Everything Suck’?
‘Columbo’ Fifty Years Later
By Rafaela Scharrer Writer
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eleased on 16 February, ‘Everything sucks!’ is a light hearted comedy that has received mixed reviews . Although the coming of age story is set in the 90s, it still presents a stereotypical high school experience complete with geeks, drama kids, and bullies. The series follows the story of three freshmen geeks trying to fit in at Boring high school, Luke (Jahi Di´Allo Winston), Tyler (Quinn Liebling), and McQuaid (Rio Mangini), and their friend and principle’s daughter, Kate, (Peyton Kennedy), who is questioning her sexuality. The era is set with a a banging 90s playlist full of the catchy sound that’s lacking in today’s music. Even though the show did make me laugh, the sense of humour is mostly light. It contains a lot of cringeworthy, cheesy, moments. But it also manages to take a more serious tone intended to capture more important issues like social acceptance, sexuality, and suicide. The actors, and their characters are what make the series worth watching. Kennedy’s portrayal of Kate is complex, and realistic. She manages to embody a shy girl trying to come out to her father and friends. And Winston delivers an incredible
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performance of a frustrated teen who experiences moments of pure happiness and anger. Some reviews have criticized the series’ lack of originality claiming that it is practically a a copy-cat of the similar series like ‘Freaks and Geaks’. Ben Travers, a reviewer for IndieWire, said “By the time ‘Everything Sucks!’ gets around to its valuable point, you’ve probably already taken the title at face value. But not everything sucks in the latest underdeveloped Netflix series.” And Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair, wrote, “‘Everything Sucks!’ is, quite unlike that dumb and ungainly title, a refreshingly good-hearted, uncynical show about adolescence.” Indeed, the directors and writers could have brought a more authentic touch to ´Everything Sucks!´, although its imitative nature does not take away from the strong premise. I personally loved the show, as well as all its tender, beautiful and cringe moments.. I am highly anticipation a second season. The last episode ended with a major cliff-hanger, which suggests that our questions will be answered in a follow-up season.
Photo by Netflix
By Matthew Crook Writer
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t was an adaptation of a thenpopular stage play ‘Prescription: Murder’, which introduced the world to Peter Falk and his legendary character, Columbo. In 1968 it was an inconsequential TV movie in the United States, but the story didn’t end there.
‘Murder by the Book’ was helmed by a very young Steven Spielberg, and whilst he would mature as a director, his trademark touches are noticeable throughout. The very best stories, of which there are many, are superbly written. The dialogue is intelligent, and playful, which draws the
viewer into the lives ‘Columbo’ of the went on to characters. become one of By showing the most beloved us the murderer Photo by Wikimedia Commons crime dramas from the beginning, ever written. 2018 is an we get an element of seeing important year for fans of the TV series, life on the other side, and delight in the as it marks its fiftieth anniversary. In sparring back-and-forth between the recognition of the important milestone, criminal and our hero. Witty one-liners, this review will honour it with a brief acerbic retorts, and moments of clever retrospective on why it still holds up interplay, make for a gripping watch. almost two decades after the final The show never looks dated either; it’s episode was broadcast. so easy for a TV series to appear very For those of you unfamiliar with old to our modern eyes, either through ‘Columbo’, it’s important to note a sluggish pace, or a cheap production that there is a great deal of genre design. ‘Columbo’ avoids both. The sets trope breaking within its format. As beautifully decorated; it looks retro, not opposed to the usual whodunit style old-fashioned. of crime writing, ‘Columbo’ did the But for many, these elements are reverse; we see the killer–usually a big just extra parts that make ‘Columbo’ celebrity of the period–meticulously the great show that it is. The core of executing their plan for murder, while the show, the thing that keeps it as establishing what appears to be a one of the greatest programmes ever perfect alibi. To some extent, one could made, is Peter Falk as Lieutenant see this as counterintuitive: the thrill of Columbo himself. Falk’s charm, his a crime show is normally trying to work incredible acting and his dedication to out who the culprit is. Where is the his character mean that we watch as suspense in ‘Colombo’? The beauty is he evolves from a gruff young detective in the killers. It is engrossing to watch in the first episode, to warming them try to navigate around awkward into a brilliant, unassuming sleuth questions while demonstrating their throughout the rest of the show’s run. outwardly ingenious cunning. The thrill Although the writing and directing comes from wondering where they will certainly enhanced his performance, be tripped up. Incredible guest stars, there is no denying that the love everyone from Johnny Cash to Patrick and fondness that so many feel for McGoohan, have played a killers, which Columbo comes from Falk as the further adds to the excitement. central character. Without a shadow of The writing, directing, and a doubt, Columbo is one of the greatest cinematography, also deserve TV dramas ever written and it deserves acknowledgment. Fan favourite episode a very happy fiftieth birthday.
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Entertainment
Music
An Interview with Indie Band, Wild Front By Heather Guthrie Writer
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ild Front epitomises that lazy summer afternoon; Hampshirebased with Hypnotic lyrics mixed with vibes you can’t force. The band blends the Indie movement with a funky retro sound, and with growing numbers on Spotify and YouTube, it’s clear to that they have big things coming. Following up from the latest single release ‘When We Were Young’ on February 9, I got the chance to jump on a call with lead singer, Jack. How would you want people to remember Wild Front? How would you summarise yourselves? As a band? I think we like to be known as a live band, we have a hard time nailing down a certain niche, we tend to say we’ve got three sounds. Like a cross between dreamy, ambient pop funk. I know you record, engineer and mix all the tracks yourselves, can you give me any insight on what that is like? I think there’s a few reasons. One, we save a lot of money that way. Instead of paying for studio time, and equipment, we can have total control over a home studio. Last year we were putting out a new track every month and we’re going to try and get back into that. Two, we all really like the vibe, at this stage in the band to have that vibe, you know the
feel to the band. There’s also no time constraints, like for us to really hone our sound and to work on it as much as possible together. You guys just announced your headline tour, and I see you guys are playing independent venues such as the Edge of the Wedge in Portsmouth. Do you think independent venues are important? Yeah, I think they’re hugely important, we’ve actually done a few interviews on just how important we think independent venues are. We’ve done fundraisers as well, to keep these venues open, we all think that these venues, such as the Wedge, are so crucial for a band to grow. We really cut our teeth on independent venues, such as the Joiners in Southampton. They’re just so crucial to any city and without them so many bands really wouldn’t be around.
we’d love to tour with them. What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you in the music business? *Laughs* We saw David Beckham at Glastonbury which was mad. There was also once in Dublin, we were setting up for a show, I was setting up my pedal board, and someone was carrying this massive wooden chair and like turned around with it and hit me right on the temple and actually knocked me out. I was only out for a couple minutes but I had to skip sound check and go to the hospital, we still played the gig, but it was the strangest one of my life. If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be? I think
f you’ve tuned in to any pop radio station in the past few months, then you’ve probably heard Camila Cabello’s hit single ‘Havana’ (featuring Young Thug). Cabello left Fifth Harmony of X-Factor fame in 2016 to be met with criticism and low expectations for her solo career., But when she released ‘Havana’ last September, it instantly became a huge commercial success, and it made an impressive 23-week
Photo by Amazon
Where do you see yourselves in a year from now? In a year from now…I think touring on a level where we’re selling out 200/300 cap venues. We can do well at venues locally, like the Joiners in Southampton but like outside Southampton, London and Newcastle we’re not selling out venues there. I think that would be the goal. Be sure to check Wild Front out on Spotify, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t miss out on tickets for their headline tour throughout February and March and be sure to check out their new single ‘When We Were Young’.
Who is the dream to tour with? We’re actually so split on this one, because there’s so many different main influences, personally I’d love to tour with Bon Iver, but the others would probably say like Zeppelin, Queen for another. We’d probably not fit each vibe, but
Cabello’s Debut Album ‘Camila’ I
mine would be ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ by Bon Iver and ‘Grace’ by Jeff Buckley.
climb on the Billboard Hot 100 chart until it reached #1 in January. Now, her debut album ‘Camila’ has arrived, and it shows that Cabello is not just a one-hit wonder. The 10-track record is a balanced mixture of sexy, fiery tunes, stripped personal songs about her old flames, and songs about her experiences with fame and falling out with friends in the industry. It opens with ‘Never be the Same’, in which Cabello shows off her breathy vocals while singing about an addictive love that’s “Just like nicotine, heroin, morphine.” Then she moves on to chronicle a meeting with a former love, and the regret of never confessing her feelings to them on track two, ‘All These Years’. ‘She Loves Control’ is something of a power anthem, expressing Cabello’s newfound freedom as a solo artist. This empowerment is mirrored in ‘Real Friends’, a song about the desire to find trustworthy people, and to go to new places where nobody
knows her name. Some speculate that it’s also a not-so-subtle dig at her former band-mates. Near the album’s end, Cabello exercises her unique raspy vocals again on ‘In the Dark’, where she asks a potential lover to show her the dark parts and let her in when life in L.A. gets them down and lonely. ‘Something’s Gotta Give’ and ‘Into It’ are, to be fair, mediocre break-up and one-night-stand songs, respectively. The only song left to mention on the album is undoubtedly its best – ‘Consequences’. On this track, Cabello is at her most vulnerable yet. It’s a piano ballad with a more simplistic structure than the rest of the album. Cabello’s emotional voice is in the foregrounded, and the lyrics are her most personal and honest. It starts with confessional lines such as “Lonely pillows in a stranger’s bed” and “Lost a little weight ‘cause I wasn’t eating.” She sings soulfully about a love that was everything from young, to hot, to dark, to sweet; a love that was
Photo by Bimm Festivals
By Yuri Hilal Writer “sunshine, but then it poured” because of the consequences it had. The bare, honest track shows that Cabello can excel at stripped, mellow tracks just as well as she does at the more energetic ones. Cabello is of Cuban-American descent, and she pays homage to her cultural heritage on several tracks in the album. In ‘Havana’, she shouts out her birthplace and the city she spent most of her childhood in. ‘She Loves Control’ has a Latino drum beat that carries on throughout the song, while ‘Inside Out’ shows influences from the Miami music scene and includes a verse sung in Spanish, which is no surprise since Cabello also lived in Florida’s vibrant beach city for a few years. All in all, ‘Camila’ is a strong, multilayered debut record that combines a personal look into the artist’s past, and character, while still being relatable to listeners. You can catch Cabello in June on her first UK headlining tour.
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire 33
Entertainment
Games
Kent Gaming Festival: All GEEKs Welcome
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By Grace Pulford Writer
t’s been an exciting weekend for gamers across Kent, as the GEEK gaming festival made its way to Margate, Dreamland for the sixth year in a row. From 16-18 February, gamers of all ages were able to spend the three days playing, and celebrating, a wide range of video games from the most recent releases to some of the oldest classics ever made, including ‘Asterix’, ‘Super Mario bros’ and ‘Pacman’. The venue’s two floors are jam-packed with souvenirs, from Pokemon plushies and Japanese anime-style candy to the countless consoles on offer to admire and try out, from the SEGA Mega Drive, Nintendo Entertainment System and arcade style machines to the PS2, Wii, Xbox Ones and PS4s. The insanely vast variety of consoles made me think long and hard about how much gaming technology has evolved in a matter of decades. GEEK welcomed a wide variety of gamers with open arms, including some as young as 9 and 10 years-old. It was heart-warming to see so many youngsters get together, and have such a fun time celebrating such an extensive timeline of gaming. One of the many tournaments held at GEEK was the Dragon Ball FighterZ tournament with many young players ecstatic to pull off their fighting skills in this recently released title. The winner of the tournament, and game development student, Josh said: “It was brilliant to
see young gamers become inspired by the older gamers who took part in the tournament. I remember quite a few
“It’s brilliant, the atmosphere here is brilliant” said a GEEK representative. “There’s something for everyone. We
Photo by Grace Pulford
asking me for advice on how to be better at the game as they were impressed with how I won the tournament. It’s so nice to be able to be an inspiration to the younger generation of gamers.” The joy of seeing such friendly competition and good spirit between everyone was my favourite part of GEEK. And I wasn’t the only one:
haven’t just got one area in use, we have the bottom floor and the whole top floor upstairs. The whole interaction with everyone and atmosphere between them is really good.” Students representing universities across Kent including Canterbury Christ Church University and University of the Creative Arts (UCA) also came to join
the fun and promote various courses and higher education opportunities careers in the gaming industry. “We’re trying to attract younger people, people aged between 30 and 20”, said a representative for UCA. “We want them to understand that it’s not just a degree they can get, but how it can get them so many opportunities in the games industry, and related careers.” Overall, GEEK gaming festival truly was the celebration of gaming with every console you can think of and retro classics that bring back every ounce of nostalgia; even if you grew up with the original Xbox or Wii (like me). The staff clearly love their jobs and hosting each tournament, which made everyone feel more welcome, and the university visitors proved that there’s a role for everyone in the games industry from animating, rigging, programming to the website design aspect of promoting a game. “It’s a great experience and I would certainly recommend it to so many gamers out there’, Dragon Ball FighterZ winner Josh commented. “It gives you the opportunity to learn a lot from the people around you as with such a wide age variety it can help you to understand what kind of games stand out to people of a certain age, and how far games have come over the years.”
Entertainment
Last Issues’s Crossword Answers Across: 1 Flag, 8 Tradesman, 9 Rat, 10 Lea, 11 Talkathon, 13 Koeman, 15 Latria, 17 Notre-Dame, 18 Ali, 19 Sin, 20 Chameleon, 21 Smetana, 22 Trap.
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7 9 8 6 2 1 7 5 3 1 5 2 8 2 4 9 8 2 5 4 9 3 1 5 6
Down: 2 Llama, 3 Great Dane, 4/4A Camila Cabello, 5 Ban, 6 Lurcher, 7 Ostentation, 8 Telekinesis, 12 Amazement, 14 Entente, 16 Havana, 18 Arena, 20 Cha.
Crossword
Across 1. Wake Up ___!, a 1995 UK Top 10 single for The ___ Radleys (3) 3. A children’s game involving hopping on one foot (9) 8. Equipment; outfit (3-2) 9. And I Am ___ You I’m Not Going, a song in the musical Dreamgirls (7) 10. The officer who leads the devotions in a mosque (4) 11/2/22A. 2016 drama film about the formation of a rap group including Ice Cube and Dr Dre (8,5,7) 14/23. American hip hop group whose members included Chuck D and Flavor Flav (6,5) 16. In India, a place of retreat for a religious community (6) 1
2
3
Puzzles
18. A turning round like a wheel (8) 19. Molten material discharged from a volcano (4) 22. See 11 23. See 14 24. An apparatus for turning mechanical into electrical energy (9) 25. The part of a cereal plant containing the seeds (3) Down 1. In North America, the constellation of the Plough (3,6) 2. See 11 Across 3. Anthony ___, 19th-20thC British novelist whose works include The Prisoner of Zenda (1894) (4) 4. A South American plant or its
4
5
6
7
Sudoku Hard
Sudoku Easy
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8
3 1
2 1 6 5
6
4
9 4 6 9
3 1 2
5 8 7 6
3 4 5
tuber (6) 5. Any sudden or complete breakdown (8) 6. Anything that starts a train of actions (7) 7. A tight embrace, usually of affection (3) 12. Fictional character created by Mark Twain that first appeared in a 1876 novel (3,6) 13. The Great ___, a 1940 political satire film starring Charlie Chaplin (8) 15. In cricket, a player not bowling or fielding (7) 17. A short poem of fourteen lines of ten or eleven syllables (6) 20. The stage name of the British Cooking Motor utensil vehicle (US)
Tavern
1 7 9
Puzzles by Matthew Sapsed singer who released albums called 19, 21, and 25 (5) 21. A large dessert fruit broadest at the base and tapering towards the stalk (4) 22. A projection, for example on a toothed wheel (3)
Fun & games Arrowword
Owing
Debt
Holiday
List
Afterwards
Frank
8
9
Arid ___ humbug!
Extreme
10
11
12
Break Snug
13 14
15
Bronze
Revolve
16 Move Quantity slowly of paper
17 18
22
Midday nap
19
Squeeze Open river valley
Weaken Grand Object of worship
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21
Spying
23
Type of silk Hint
24
25
Waterproof coat
Nerve
Emblem of Wales
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire 35
Societies
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Sport
Life on the Ice: Hockey at UKC By Harvey McKenzie-Richford Writer
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Photo by Kent Knights’ Facebook
s a first-year student who wanted to be active to counteract the funnelling of instant noodles and burgers down my throat, I figured joining a sports society would be my best option. I had played Sunday league football back home and I did have a trial for my college football team, but if I’m being honest, it didn’t interest me the way it used to. I needed something refreshing and new that would kick-start my university career. So, I did what any sane human being would do and signed up for ice hockey.
“Ice hockey?! That sport with all the fights and blood?!” I hear you gasp. In my defence, it’s a sport which has interested me for some time. I watched my hometown team, Invicta Dynamos, on a regular basis and am also a supporter of the NHL team, the New Jersey Devils, so my hockey knowledge is almost average. I joined because it was a good chance to see what being an ice hockey player is like. For many of you, this will be the first time you’ve even heard of the Kent Knights, the university’s ice hockey team. A few months down the line my skating has improved leaps and bounds, I own most of the
equipment and kit and have made great friends in the process. It’s a fast-paced sport that requires a lot of skill and the fighting us not as prevalent as believed. It nonetheless remains a fantastic spectacle which I’d love to see shared by more students. If you’re looking for something new, fun and something that can take you from a beginner to a skilled player then this is for you. If you’re like me and just starting out, we also have the beginners league made up us less-experienced players who still fall over from time to time. Either way, it’s a fantastic sport which I hope to see more people taking an interest in soon. Let’s go Knights!
Friday 2 March 2018 InQuire
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Sport
Kent Varsity: Best Sporting Moments of 2018: Relived by Molly Hope and Caitlin Casey
Kent Dance Take First Varsity Win Kent Dance took home the win after an intense competition.
The mood was confident as Kent dominated the first half, impressing judges with their ballet, tap and jazz performances. But in the second half CCCU pulled out all the stops with their impressive Afrobeat’s Wild Card and left Kent supporters feeling tense. As the judges deliberated, crowds gathered round the dance floor as both teams had a energetic dance-off. As the judges announced the winners, CCCU took home the first three prizes: best choreography, best costume and best male dancer and Kent winning best female dancer. Kent supporters braced themselves as the varsity winner was announced. As the judges announced that Kent had won, cheers erupted from the room and supporters jumped to their feet. KentDance were in tears as they accepted their well-deserved trophy. Whilst it’s dance’s first varsity performance, their victory will not be reflected in the overall varsity results, but their competitive dancing deserved them the Varsity title.
on, the snow could not hold the Falcons back on their amazing defensive line and charging offence. Even after losing their only Quarterback mid-way through the game, the Falcons headed straight to victory and left the Chargers out in the cold. Make sure you catch our exclusive interview with teammates Fez, Jersey and President Joe Ganly speaking about what this win means for the undefeated Falcons and how they prepared for
Christ Church! The Canterbury Varsity battle was looking up
battered CCCU, not giving them a chance to win. The 3s put the Rugby teams off to a good start, with great vibes and constant tries. Being 4 tries up, the 3s only let CCCU have one try, and then brought the lead even further up in the second half. A great win from the 3s! In a tougher battle, the 2s struggled to make any shift in the scores in the
for Kent, though there were many teams to go! Tuesday saw, the penultimate fixtures for Varsity,
first half, but still didn’t let CCCU have a chance. With our boys sliding around in the mud and rain, the pitches were not easy to move around on, but the 2s took over and didn’t let Christ Church have any points at all, leaving them 20 points up and CCCU with nothing. Kent Win 26-11
this intense Varsity win. Read the interview online
now! ultimately led to goals as Kent walked away with a 4-1 win. Magic Monday
Dominant Falcons Performance Set in a frosty scene, the Kent Falcons headed onto the Pavilion pitches for their Varsity (and also official BUCS game) against Christ Church Chargers. With fans freezing up at the Pavilion cafe, and Kent Cheer at the sidelines cheering our team
CCCU 1s who failed to turn up on the day. Dominating with a 3-5-2 formation and controlling the midfield, using their pace up front to cause CCCU problems and starting attacks from any one of their three talented ballplaying centre-backs. After seeing then 1-0 lead brought back by CCCU, Kent FC found their feet again and began to punish them with multiple attacks down the left which
Men’s Football 1s Punish CCCU Kent FC took control in their live Friday night fixture with a dominant, classy and tactically sound performance against a
In a very busy day at the Pavilion, InQuire watched 10 matches and Kent kept up their battle well, fighting back against CCCU with a strong lead. Even with the weather freezing over the pitches, enough to delay the Hockey games by two hours, Varsity carried on, and Team Kent kept up their spirit. In 10 games, Kent only lost 2 and gained another 8 points to put us forward in a heavy lead against
w i t h Equestrian, the first batch of Rugby teams, Kent Snow’s trip to Essex and even Trampolining. With a great lead from Magic Monday, Kent needed to maintain this momentum going into the final days of the competition and the performances from Monday’s teams set a high standard! Rugby 2s and 3s Stroll To Wins UKC Rugby were soaked in today’s matches, the rain starting mid-day and not giving up throughout the games, much like our players! The crowds were wrapped up in layers cheering on UKC as they
2018 has been a great year for Varsity, and you can see the highlights reported over InQuire’s website, as well as on KTV highlights and CSR’s radio shows commentating. Being documented on the Canterbury Varsity website, you can see a full set of scores of every single game. Starting with a heavy lead, Kent pushed their way to success, finishing every single day with points far ahead of CCCU. Unlike last year, where Christ Church slimmed the points between the two teams, Kent held the winning title every single day and snapped Varsity up from the very beginning. Well played to every single team that took part in this year’s Varsity and what a great year for Kent! There’s still this season’s BUCS matches left, so the competitiveness will not be stopping any time soon.
Sport www.InQuireLive.co.uk/sport
InQuire
Karate Take on BUCS By Rebecca BartonHagger Writer
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n the weekend of 17 February, the University of Kent Karate club travelled to Sheffield for the 2018 edition of the Karate BUCS Championships. Having enjoyed some success in previous years, the pressure was definitely on the squad to perform to a high standard again. Day 1 saw Team Kumite (fighting) and Kata competitors step up to the plate from Kent. The Men’s 5-man team (James O’Connor, James Lockhart, Milan Dimitrovski, president Christopher Aris and Miro Ahmad) came up against the future semifinalists Birmingham and,
after a strong performance and some unfortunate injuries, were eventually pipped to the post, losing 3-2. The Ladies’ 3-man team, who have had a history of success at the Championships, were feeling the pressure to return home with their third gold in a row. They had a strong team of Kent Sport Scholars and England Internationals (Jasmine Pomeroy, Rebecca Burnett, squad captain Rebecca Barton-Hagger and Danielle Kirby) filling all three spots and a reserve place, and their competition experience proved fruitful as they worked their way through the rounds to bring it home, winning 2-1 in the final. On the same day, the Kata (choreographed movements) saw Kent return with two
medals, the first being won by Miro Ahmad, who took a wellearned bronze in the Men’s Intermediate Kata. Then, final-year scholar Rebecca Barton-Hagger took a silver in the Women’s Senior Kata, making her Kent’s first Kata finalist in over a decade. Day 2 saw the turn of the Individual Kumite Competitors. PhD student Eithaar Al Barwani gave a strong performance in the Women’s Novice -57kg category. First-year scholar Danielle Kirby stormed to bronze in the Women’s Senior -61kg, only conceding one point across both the individual and team events. Rebecca BartonHagger won her first match in the Women’s Senior +68kg, but fatigue from the day before was showing and saw her lose in
the quarter final stages. Finalyear scholar Rebecca Burnett took Kent’s third bronze of the Championship after a strong performance in the Women’s Senior -55kg, and the weekend was rounded off beautifully with a gold from MSc student and scholar Jasmine Pomeroy, who dominated the final of the Women’s Senior -68kg without conceding a point. A special mention must also be given to those who were new to karate upon starting at university, and for whom BUCS was their first major tournament. Nicola Imrie performed a lovely Kata and came off the mat buzzing for another competition, and Gina Schneider consistently performed her Kata at a high level, seeing her through
to the quarter-final stages. Overall the University of Kent, with a modest team of twelve competitors, showed that strength is most definitely not in numbers, finishing third on the medal table – with winners Bath and runner’s up Edinburgh taking squads of more than double the size. President Christopher Aris said: “It was wonderful to lead such a diverse team to BUCS, and even better to have everyone’s hard work pay off. To place third with such a small squad was beyond my wildest expectations. I am immensely proud of everyone who competed.”
Content and questions by Kent Union.
Content and questions by Kent Union.