Western Eye 05.14 — Issue 06
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UWE’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE
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INSIDE ISSUE 06 WESTERNEYE UWE’s INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE
SPORTS
MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
COMMENT
Financial Fair Play Alex Storey discusses the difficulty
Game of Thrones & Divergent The start of the fourth season
James Riley Article Politics and Science
Yashika & Global Inequality The IMF’s spring meetings
Continues on page (14–15)
Continues on page (8–9)
Continues on pages (12–13)
Continues on page (4)
UWE’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy Change Raises Mental Health Concerns FIT TO SIT UWESU MENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN
Students with problems that could cause them to fail assessments are being urged by a campaign group to voice their concerns following a proposed change to assessment policy RAJITHA RATNAM
Editor@westerneye.net
Will Anderson and Siân Hampson from UWE Mental Health Campaign, wrote a letter to the university that said:“If a student with a mental health issue is unaware of this policy and sits the exam when unwell they will not be able to have extenuating circumstances and we fail to see how this is fair.” The University of the West of England published a draft document on 14 March detailing the proposed changes, which mean if a student submits an assignment or attends an exam, they are “declaring themselves fit to do so”. If they fall ill during the exam, they can submit an extenuating circumstances application to retake the assessment or have it marked again, but this would not cover students with ongoing mental health issues. The Mental Health Campaign is urging students to share their thoughts with student representatives to combat the alleged lack of consultation with
‘We do everything we can to avoid disadvantaging any student and want to make sure we get this right’ students. Rachel Cowie, Director of Academic Services at UWE, responded to these claims stating: “we are still in the process of working through the implementation with the students’ union and other student representatives. Rachel Cowie, Director of Academic Services “Following discussion at the recent academic board we have invited the current VP welfare (and hopefully the chair of the mental health group) to meet with us to work through some case studies so we can see what implications it might have on students with mental health difficulties. We do everything we can to avoid disadvantaging any student and want to make sure
we get this right.” Vice-President for Community Ms Cowie also clarified that and Welfare, Tom Renhard noted: students had been consulted at “The proposals are of huge concern a council meeting in November to the Students’ Union as well as 2012, where no issues were raised. to the Mental Health Campaign WesternEye notes that while and other students who have changes to extenuating circum- provided feedback so far given stances were mentioned, no the potential negative impact the specific references to ‘fit to sit’ introduction of ‘fit to sit’ could were made. have on students. These are being At the moment, students can considered as part of a package of submit an extenuating circum- proposals of changes to academic stances form which could let regulations and would call on the them retake an assessment with university to not to continue to the potential for the mark to pursue trying to introduce ‘fit to be uncapped where this would sit’ as part of this package. not normally be allowed. Some The current proposals do of the reasons that extenuating not provide for students still circumstances may apply include being able to file extenuating “unexpected deterioration in an circumstances should they sit an ongoing illness or medical condi- assessment (exam/submission of tion” or a “major household coursework/etc.). There appears problem” like a fire. to have been some changes in this Under the “Fit to Sit” extenu- stance although this is still not ating circumstances proposal, if clear from the most up-to-date a student had trouble complet- paperwork that was requested ing work due to either of these to be circulated to student reps. reasons, or various others covered Concerns were raised at the under the current policy, they initial Academic Board meeting it would not be able to apply for passed at about who would even extenuating circumstances if they be in a position to assess whether decided to submit an assignment a person was ‘fit’ to make the anyway. decision to sit the exam and allow
for an extenuating circumstances application to progress. Some students when going through difficult periods will attempt to ‘soldier on’ and sit the assessment, believing it shows dedication to their degree, why would we then try and stop this student from submitting extenuating circumstances postassessment should there be a realisation that perhaps that student was not in the best place to submit the assessment in the first place? As a Students’ Union we do not believe ‘fit to sit’ should be implemented and instead thrown out. The majority of student feedback gathered so far on the proposed fit to sit regulation shows that the view of the Students’ Union is reflective of its membership.” Similar proposals for changes to extenuating circumstances and the introduction of ‘fit to sit’ wererejected by the Students’ Union at Keele University in November 2012. Comment below with your thoughts as all feedback will bring attention about the issue to the university.
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Western Eye 05.14 – Issue 06
W E S T E R N E Y E T E A M PA G E
WESTERNEYE TEAM — A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Meet the WesternEye Team A Letter from the Editor KAYTIE MCFADDEN
editor@westerneye.net
This is the final print edition of WesternEye for this academic year. This has probably been the craziest year of my entire life, between third year uni work, WesternEye, my Student Rep work and my job, it’s been entirely non-stop, but so fulfilling. I have learnt more than I could possibly have imagined: how to be an editor - considering legal implications, reforming our relationship with the SU, and generally being a bit of a nightmare for anyone who tried to tell me what to do! The WesternEye has developed beyond I could have imagined, and this is all down to the extremely hard work of the whole team throughout the year. The intensity of the roles is more than expected, and some members of our team have found that the role has been too time consuming and have been forced to leave the team due to other commitments. Ginny Faulkner, our online editor, has been incredible throughout the changes, she has stepped up to do way more than her job description entails and for this I am eternally grateful. We have spent many a time working late into the night and I hope to work with her lots more in the future! George Gill, our Assistant Editor joined the team halfway through the year and had a lot of information and events to catch up with, which he did astonishingly quickly and he has been an asset to our team. He has made my job so much easier, and has also written some fantastic articles for us. Ollie Hicks, our News editor has had a very difficult job, as News is an extremely demanding
KAYTIE MCFADDEN editor@westerneye.net
JAYDE SMYTH
music@westerneye.net
section and he has had to do it alone for the majority of the year. Ollie has more than stepped up to the challenge and has been an invaluable member of the team. Janeeth Devgun has also worked the majority of the year as sole editor of the comment section, and has submitted perfectly edited articles every single month, succeeding in providing articles on some extremely controversial subjects and promoting discussion and debate. Olivia Garner has also provided some fantastic articles as editor of our lifestyle section, which we have all enjoyed reading. Jayde Smyth and Sophie Seddon, our music editor and assistant editor respectively, have been a formidable team, the amount of emails they receive from PR companies on a daily basis is pretty scary, and they have dealt with them all perfectly, organising contributors to write some incredible reviews of some incredible bands, and introducing our ‘album of the week’ feature. Science and technology editor James Riley and assistant editor Antony Poveda both have the talent of taking extremely complex scientific concepts and writing them in such an engaging and easy-to-understand way that they can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of their science background. I have enjoyed reading their articles and look forward to reading more of their work! George Beard and Tom Williams have been our sport editor and assistant editor this year. A fantastic team, they have dealt incredibly with a subject about which I have very little knowledge! It has been particularly good to provide more information about sports within the local Bristol community, as well as promoting UWE’s sports teams, giving them the coverage
SOPHIE SEDDON
assistantmusic@westerneye.net
OLLIE HICKS
news@westerneye.net
ANTONY POVEDA
assistantscitech@westerneye.net
TOM WILLIAMS
assistantsport@westerneye.net
they deserve. Dulcie Horn and Chaneen Salako were responsible for bringing back Westworld, and introducing brilliant features such as ‘Campus Style’, which showcases the most stylish students found around UWE campuses. Their hard work is very obvious in the incredibly diverse content found within Westworld. Dan Kitchin and George Lewis, our finance manager and assistant have been so helpful in creating a five year plan helping WesternEye to become more self-sufficient in our finances, giving us a greater degree of independence. They have worked closely with Lauren Conen, our marketing manager who has succeeded this year in securing our very first selfsourced advertisements, which are an incredibly important part of our financial plans. James Evans, our head of proofreading has been an asset to the team, proofreading and editing articles very quickly and professionally, saving us vast amounts of time in the process! Our chief graphic designer Matt Woodman, redesigned the whole newspaper at the start of the year, and is responsible for the clean and modern look we have. He, along with our other designers Esther Akinola, Emma Brown, James Barrett and Christine Laifa, have all dedicated countless hours and their phenomenal creativity in order to produce the beautiful copies of WesternEye which you have seen throughout the year. We have introduced regular columns this year, which have had a great response, and many have gained a large following of regular readers. These include Erica Toms, with her Bridget Jones-style ramblings, Laura Howe’s advice on how to survive your housemates’, Jana Zacharias with her A-Z of films, the hilarious George
DAN KITCHIN
finance@westerneye.net
GEORGE BEARD
sports@westerneye.net
Lewis (who is also our assistant finance manager) with his satirical WesternLie, Dino Zelenika’s food related column which specialises in Chinese cuisine, our Fashion Fortnightly column dishing out advice from Hannah Rooke and Amelia Clifford, Emma Brookbanks and Sarah Gore, who have embarked upon a mission to complete all of the things on their bucket list before leaving UWE this year; and last but certainly not least, Anna-May Richards who has interviewed interesting people from all around Bristol from whom we never really hear, from Joe the drug dealer to Davy Jones, who works for Crack Magazine. Hannah Khan, Vice President of Societies and Communications, has been a fantastic support this year. WesternEye is a demanding society to support, and I have certainly taken up a lot more of her time than most! Neil Clark has also been incredibly supportive. He has put up with a lot from me and has always been on hand to offer wellbalanced advice and support. Marcus Keppel-Palmer, one of UWE’s very own lecturers and WesternEye’s media law advisor, has been invaluable this year. He has always been on hand to give advice, supporting me when faced with possible legal action, and for this I will be forever grateful. The Editorial Board has been a valuable sounding board for the decisions WesternEye have made this year. The board is made up of aforementioned Hannah, Neil, Marcus and Ginny, along with Hugh Boyes, general manager of the Students Union; and Harry Burrell, elected onto the board as an independent student. Most of our new team are now in place and looking forward to fully taking over their roles. I would like to welcome
GINNY FAULKNER
online.editor@westerneye.net
CHANEEN SALAKO
westworldassistant@westerneye.net
our new Assistant Editor Anna Osborne, Online Editor Elena Martínez Veira, Assistant Online Editor Jessica Scott, Comment Editor Phil Mansell, Lifestyle Editor Belinda George, Lifestyle Assistant Editor Owain Atkinson, Music and Entertainment Editor Christian Northwood, Science and Technology Editor Sophie Evans, Sport Editor George Chellis, Head of Proofreading Celena Haslett; and am so very pleased to re-welcome Dulcie Horn as Westworld Editor, she is the only member of our team who is staying on next year! We are still recruiting for an Editor, News editor and graphic designers. If you are interested in either of these roles, or any other involvement with WesternEye please email me for more information.
JAMES RILEY
scitech@westerneye.net
DULCIE HORN
westworld@westerneye.net
Kaytie Chief Graphic Designer Matthew Woodman design@westerneye.net Graphic Designers Esther Akinola Emma Brown, James Barrett design@westerneye Finance Assistant George Lewis assistantfinance@westerneye. net Marketing Manager Lauren Conen marketing@westerneye.net Head of Proofreading James Evans assistanteditor@westerneye. net
JANEETH DEVGUN
janeeth.comment@westerneye.net
GEORGE GILL
assistanteditor@westerneye.net
Western Eye 05.14 — Issue 06
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NEWS
NEWS — BANKSY & SAINT MATTHIAS & UWE STADUIM
Banksy’s ‘Mobile Lovers’ ADAM WICKENS
comment@westerneye.net
New artwork has been discovered in Bristol by the famous street artist Banksy. The piece shows a couple embracing whilst hvolding mobile phones and appeared on Banksy’s website on Monday 15th April. Shortly after the discovery, members of the nearby Broad Plain & Riverside Youth Project
removed the artwork replacing it with a note saying “to prevent vandalism or damage being done.” Shortly after the removal of the piece, Gordon Powell, a youth worker at the club, said “we are open all the time, day and night, so people can come to see it for a small donation.” The financially struggling youth club believes Banksy placed the artwork to help them raise money to be able to keep their club open. The club, which
BANKSY BACK IN BRISTOL
is based in Clements Street, St. Judes, has been running for well over a hundred years and have stated they need over £100,000 to be able to stay open. A spokesperson for Bristol City Council has indicated initial responsibility for the piece to the club, stating “the council cannot condone graffiti which is put on to people’s property without their permission. However, we recognise that the public do see work by Banksy as significant
pieces of public art and it is clear that this piece has been getting a huge amount of favourable attention. It would be a shame if it was removed or damaged. The artwork follows suit in a string of new murals by Banksy critiquing societies use of modern technology. Another piece of artwork was recently found three miles from GCHQ, Cheltenham depicting three men wearing sunglasses using listening devices to spy on a public telephone box.
Saint Matthias campus closure
With St Matt’s closing this summer, Beth Middleton takes us on a walk through history, giving us an insight into the past and a brief look into what the future holds. BETH MIDDLETON comment@westerneye.net
Saint Matthias campus, a site of learning for the past 160 years, is to be closed as a UWE campus this summer. The University of the West of England has revealed plans to sell the site for conversion into a combination of new housing and a new Steiner school, which is a branch of independent schools. It is with a heavy heart that we say farewell to our beloved ‘mini Hogwarts’. The original site with its-neo gothic architecture is set to be converted. Being grade II, listed this at least must be preserved. The same cannot be said of the student accommodation on the site and both blocks of flats, the foundation stone of which were laid by the Archbishop of Canterbury, are set to be demolished. These two buildings, known as Bishop Monk and Elsa Nunn, stand as tributes to two of the most prevalent individuals in
St Matthias’ bustling history. stood on it. Well, I suppose if the all current students and alumni behind on whatever item was James Henry Monk (1784-1856) lawn did cave in at least it would will be able to say goodbye. called out. was born in Nottinghamshire. be company for the dead in that Talents old and new will be enterThere is a tale of a car being A graduate of Cambridge catacombs that lie beneath, the taining the revellers late into the carried into the student union University he quickly made a current most popular not-quite- night. A campus with this much in the 1970s. There is debate name for himself as an influen- truth. Rumours can run amok history deserves to go out with a (somewhat heated) over whether tial academic, publishing several on a small campus like this! The bang. The Farewell Weekend is this was a Fiat 500 or a mini but pamphlets and books. Monk was beauty of the campus is a source free to attend, but tickets must be sources concur that the car was ordained as a priest in 1810. He of pride to its students and has ‘purchased’ from the SU website. significantly easier to get in than was made Bishop of Gloucester been described as “a rambling Some fun stories from St it was to get out. The car sat in its and Bristol. He worked tirelessly Tudor agglomeration, quite Matt’s past: unlikely garage until the double to gather support and funds for haphazard in external appearance In 1988, a popular game doors were taken off temporarily the creation of a training insti- and looking like several large amongst a select group (namely to allow for its removal. tution for schoolmistress and by vicarages stuck together”. the rowdy rugby lads) was that of St Matts has always been well the 10th of September 1853 the The site remained a teacher “Bare arse on the….” The rules are known for it’s community spirit College of St Matthias was open training college for the next somewhat complicated, so bear and everyone tends to join in at for the first time. century or so, and in 1974 the with me (and excuse the pun). social events. This is particularly Resembling a church in many site was sold to what is now the At any social occasion a blood true of certain dances. For this ways with it’s high ceiling and University of the West of England curdling cry of “Bare arse on the…” generation it has been the ‘time arched doorways and windows and has been the home of English, would go up without warning. warp’ and the ‘YMCA’. In the 70s it the sight is something to behold. History, Drama, Journalism and a All involved would wait, tension was ‘Glad all over’. At the chorus of The space in front of the original few other courses ever since. The growing until the sentence was ‘Baby I’m *stomp stomp* glad all buildings has a knotted garden great iron gates at the entrance finished “…student union bar!” over’ the entire student union bar and winding pathways, as well were donated by students on June At that every participant would would stamp their feet. Glasses as the sunken lawn- the sunken 4th 1954 to mark the College’s race to said bar, stumbling and would stumble and furniture lawn that only a few years ago centenary. tripping over each other as they would quiver to the point where was rumoured to be at risk of Final farewells are planned for try and loosen their trousers the record was banned before any collapsing if too many people a weekend in the summer where until one victor places their bare serious damage was done.
Sainsbury’s & UWE Stadium go ahead as planned UWE’s 21,700 Seater Stadium Given The Green Light After High Court Legal Challenge By Campaigning Local Residents & Glouscester Road Businesses.
UWE STADIUM COPYRIGHT
GEORGE GILL
comment@westerneye.net
Bristol Rovers FC have been allowed to build a large capacity stadium next to Frenchay Campus. Local campaign group TRASH (Traders & Residents Against Sainsbury’s Horfield), led an unsuccessful challenge in the High Courts against the proposal.
The stadium, which will be the largest in Bristol, will also be the future venue for UWE-UOB varsity games. It will also provide job opportunities for students and graduates, but some students doubt the benefits for the wider UWE community. Previous UWE business venture, the Exhibition and Conference Centre, remains
routinely empty. An anonymous academic staff member told the Western Eye: “the ECC is vicechancellor’s white elephant.” The campaigners oppose what they call a “goliath” supermarket which will be redeveloped at Bristol Rovers’ Memorial Stadium. Sainsbury’s plan includes concessionary measures to Horfield
residents such a “homezone” buffer area designed to reduce disturbance. Local communities remain divided over the development with many UWE students and Bristol Rovers Fans happier than Bishopston’s left-voting constituents. They have not sought an appeal but remain “profoundly disappointed,” reports their website. A counter campaign group was headed by Bristol North West MP Charlotte Leslie in favour of the proposed developments. It triumphed the TRASH campaign group both in the High Court and in amounting over 13,000 signatories, twice its competitor. TRASH criticise the petition
arguing its support was not from local residents like theirs. Bristol’s Gloucester Road has the highest number of independent traders than in road in the UK and is treasured by its local community. A vast number of students live near Gloucester Road and enjoy the choice of its many butchers, greengrocers, pubs and coffee shops, among other small businesses. Gloucester Road-based UWE student, Chris said: “I think some students will be tempted by a big supermarket but many will continue to shop with local traders. You can buy the exact quantity and the quality you want, at a surprisingly good price.”
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Western Eye 05.14 – Issue 06
COMMENT
COMMENT — YASHIKA & GLOBAL INEQUALITY
The #FightForYashika Campaign
The case of Yashika Bageerathi created a social media outcry; but why did no one listen?
STANDARD.CO.UK FIGHTFORYASHIKA
PHILIP MANSELL comment@westerneye.net
On 02 April 2014, A-level student Yashika Bageerathi was deported from Britain to Mauritius. Despite a petition garnering 178,000 signatures, an apparent refusal from British Airways to deport Yashika, and a slight delay by the airline eventually complicit in the deportation - Air Mauritius - the #FightForYashika campaign was eventually defeated. But why was the Government so determined to ignore these potent outcries of protest? It appears that central to the
Government’s decision was the avoidance of a lapse in law as a result of public pressure. There are very few asylum seekers who gain this level of public support when they are to be deported, and arguably this decision was made purely on law, and not emotion. Whilst the place of emotion in political decisionmaking can be debated, it appears the law is totally inflexible and therefore problematic. Yashika was in the process of completing her A-Levels and was attracting attention from Russell Group universities. As she had reached the age of 19, an adult, her case was detached from that of her family and she had no legal right to remain in Britain. Not even to finish her education. Surely there is a case for changing the law so that asylum seekers, regardless of the status or nature of their application, should be allowed to complete their education? We are so often told that the key to a good chance in life is education, but yet Yashika has not been allowed to finish her
A-Levels. This contradiction is perverse, and should be amended. Many have questioned why Yashika was granted asylum in the first place. She moved to Britain in 2012 with her mother and two siblings, in order to escape domestic abuse. The state of Mauritius is multi-ethnic and democratic; therefore unusual to be seeking asylum from (a UNHCR report states that at the end of 2012 there were only 118 pending asylum cases from the country). Regardless of the merits of the Bageerathi family’s initial asylum application, it was granted. The family had begun to start a life in this country, and now for Yashika, that has been cruelly snatched away. Air Mauritius have attempted to shirk blame of the deportation, claiming in a statement that ‘the company had no other choice than to abide by the directive’ from the Home Office. No repercussions seem to have come to BA, who appeared to refuse to deport Yashika just days earlier. Another contentious point
is UK Immigration’s decision to deport her alone. As her case had been separated from that of her family, Yashika was deported back to Mauritius alone despite previously stating that there is nothing left for her there. There have been reports that Yashika was accompanied by two security guards for the flight, and that eight rows of seats were reserved so that she was entirely isolated. Whatever the validity of Yashika’s asylum, she was a student, not a dangerous criminal. Her treatment replicates a growing trend of anti-immigration feeling that emanates not only from the Government, but also Westminster more widely. It is this attitude which allows the controversial Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire to remain active, despite questions repeatedly raised about the conditions of those detained there. In fact, on the same day Yashika was deported after being detained at Yarl’s Wood for eleven days, another detainee, Christine Case, died at the Centre. Centre
Managers SERCO claim the woman was given a full medical assessment when she entered the Centre ten days previously and that a nurse was on hand three minutes after being alerted to Ms Case’s illness. However many previous detainees have spoken of the lack of medical care they were provided with there, and Immigration Minister James Brokenshire has said that this case will be investigated. Whilst #FightForYashika was defeated, many of its prominent campaigners aim to take the positives from it. Petition organisers wrote shortly after Yashika had been deported that the campaign had helped organise a family in Mauritius to take her in whilst her future plans were made. It is also hoped that this public movement and the support garnered for it will reflect on future unjust deportations. It is a sad fact that this support will be needed sooner rather than later, as the next immigration injustice lies only around the corner.
“We Need To Think Global When We Think About Inequality” The IMF’s spring meetings signalled a desire for tackling inequality but US elites still prolong reform. GEORGE GILL comment@westerneye.net
At the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) spring meetings, a selection of policy-makers, academics and civil society actors came to the agreement that rising inequality is a major concern. To many normal people this will sound strikingly obvious. For the IMF, this is a powerful statement which they need to uphold. The international organisation provides crisis loans to its member’s central banks. Such loans, however, come with increasingly strict conditions that heavily impact countries’ domestic policies and are sometimes cited as the reason for the increasing use of austerity measures. Oxfam reports the 85 richest people in the world have more wealth than the poorest 3.5billion people. In addition, 7 out of 10 people in the world live in a country with increasing inequality.
Britain is one of those countries. In 2012 the United States top 1% of income earners achieved 95% of the country’s income gains. Likewise, on a global scale, workers have not been the main beneficiaries of recent increases in global productivity; these instead have come about as a result of technological advances, globalisation and neoclassical economics. A recent phenomena has occurred. Countries with higher rates of economic growth can reduce absolute poverty while simultaneously experience increasing inequality. Here, China is a perfect example. In the IMF, the recognition of inequality as a problem was unanimous; the approach to dealing with it was not. While some advocate poverty alleviation measures, others call for stronger redistribution methods. This would need controversial powers to be entrusted to the IMF in order to have greater influence over domestic policies such as taxation.
Recent tax dodging corporations highlight the necessity for this. Google, Amazon, Starbucks and Vodafone are all participants in the substantial network of corporate tax dodgers. International corporations are legally abusing the international system by basing their accounts in countries with lower taxes. A Guardian-BBC investigation last year revealed that two dozen British nationals control thousands of companies based at remote addresses in the British Virgin Islands. The islands are an overseas territory of the UK and the British government needs to act to close the loopholes. There is increasing economic consensus that redistribution does not necessarily inhibit growth. No longer are people fooled by ‘trickle-down’ arguments. We need to tackle the problem of negative externalities and the management of public goods on a global scale if we are ever going to address inequality effectively. Oxfam participated at the
centre of the session discussing macroeconomic policy and economic growth. They commissioned the research which revealed the inequality levels that the panelists were concerned by. They also highlighted that a majority of people believe that laws protect the rich. In 2010, the IMF promised reform that gives greater powers to the emerging economies of the world, including BRIC*. Without their inclusion there is a risk of poor coordination between various national economic policies. Many people will retort at reform given the history of accusations that the IMF represents the rich. The United States retain the highest voting weight in the IMF with 17% and are effectively able to overrule all of the BRIC states combined. There was agreement at the IMF for reform of the voting weights in 2010, to reflect the modern global economy, but Republican US lawmakers are stalling the reform. Politics in the United States seems to increasingly reflect the
rich. Election campaign spending has spiralled out of control. The Republican party have become an almost one-issue party with lowering tax as their main policy. But paying less tax doesn’t necessarily mean the majority of people are better off if they suffer from poorer welfare services as a result. It is relieving to see an institution as important as the IMF begin to address inequality. But it’s a shame that this story hasn’t got huge coverage in the mainstream press. We need to have an open and frank discussion about the future of economic policy becoming entrenched in international law rather than at the hands of domestic policy makers. The Arab Spring, the Spanish Indignados, the Occupy movement, the Brazilian Spring and the British August Riots are among so many other examples of recent civil unrest.
Western Eye 05.14 — Issue 06
05
COMMENT
Who needs Scotland anyway? More like, why does Scotland need us? They would keep their oil, finances, and own policies, not to mention Murray and the Olympic winning curling team.
SCOTREFERDUM COPYRIGHT - ‘BARRY OB ’L
JANEETH DEVGUN comment@westerneye.net
In September, Scotland will be given the chance to vote on their independence, with the result legally binding. Many Scots see this as a chance to release themselves from English rule, with Westminster historically the central power for the domination of political proceedings throughout the UK. Last month, former Secretary General of NATO, Lord Robertson – warned that Scottish
independence would be ‘cataclysmic’ and could even threaten global stability. Some might argue that this is slightly extreme, but for the rest of the United Kingdom, if this referendum passes with a yes, there will be huge consequences for both sides of the border. The Scottish National Party (SNP), led by Alex Salmond, has pushed for a referendum on the issue for many years and has finally reached their goal of securing it; as a consequence of their majority in the Scottish Parliament. However, both sides of the campaign are amidst rallying supporters for their cause. If the Scots vote yes, the relationship between Scotland and the UK will become undeniably complex, and there is almost no doubt the Labour Party will never be able to secure an overall majority in the British government again. However, if a majority vote no, it is impractical to believe that everything will once again go quiet and that the independence campaigners will retreat back into the shadows. The campaign in itself has highlighted the differences between
London and Edinburgh, and an undeniable discontent with the treatment of the Scottish people by Westminster. The increasing dissatisfaction with Westminster is that many laws which are enforced in Scotland are decided and passed in England, without much consideration for the Scottish people. A clear example of this would be the winter allowance for the pensioners in Scotland, which is the same as it is in England, despite the more severe and colder weather in the north. The Scottish National Party has encouraged their supporters to vote yes to independence in the referendum, so that Scottish policies can be created with the Scottish citizens directly in mind. Alongside this, there are many economic benefits to Scotland’s independence. Oil has been reported to lie within the North Sea, which stretches over what would be Scottish (rather than British) waters. Also, Scotland might consider joining the EU and the monetary union, although Brussels may oppose this as a result of the state’s
unstable economic climate. It remains to be seen whether they would be able to hold their own, without the financial proceeds from London. It could be seen as an extremely risky economic gamble. Unionists argue that the Scottish state will be severely damaged, if not fail entirely, if Scottish independence is passed. In its unity with the UK, Scotland is part of a powerful and influential state. Becoming independent would arguably significantly decrease Scotland’s global presence and influence. In addition, Scotland’s membership in the European Union is not clear. Experts and politicians have disagreed on whether or not Scotland’s status as an EU member state could be established if Scotland becomes an independent state. Without membership of the EU, Scottish trade would suffer. Scotland’s lucrative whisky industry has already flagged its concerns over Scottish independence, stating that the global network through the relationship with the UK has been key to both promotion and
sales. One issue of which readers may not be aware of is the West Lothian question. This is where, because of Scotland’s current devolved powers, they can vote on issues in Westminster. British (and English) issues are debated here, with the Scots being able to vote on government policy that affects England. However, in the Scottish Parliament only the Scottish officials vote. Scotland is therefore represented in two parliaments, whereas the English only figure in one. Nevertheless, one question that perhaps needs to be raised is should the English get the vote? Do the English want Scotland? Indeed, do the Welsh want Scotland? And Northern Ireland? Surely, all nationalities belonging to Britain should get a say in the matter as to what the make-up of Britain should look like? The Scottish decision will affect us all in some manner. Me? I’m just really concerned about not being able to cheer on Andy Murray in Wimbledon anymore.
The little card in your wallet that could save a life DAVID PYE ORGAN DONOR
Why You Should Get Involved In Organ Donation
SOPHIE EVANS comment@westerneye.net
National Organ Donation Awareness Week took place between the 20th and 27th of April this year. A multitude of fundraising and awareness raising events were organised for a single cause: to increase the number of organ donors in order to both save and improve lives across the world. The first successful organ transplants occurred at the beginning of the 20th century and ever developing technology has resulted in these operations playing a vital role in hundreds of thousands of life-changing surgeries each year.
In this case, why are there still considerable numbers of people waiting desperately over long periods of time for these treatments? Bone marrow, skin, kidneys, and lobes of the liver can be transplanted between a living donor and recipient, while heart, lung, corneal, and pancreatic tissue can only be transplanted between a brain-dead donor and a living recipient. As a result, the most common transplantation treatments, other than blood donation, are kidney and liver transplantation surgeries. The ageing population has resulted in increasing numbers of individuals
requiring new organs, either as a result of lifestyle choices, injuries, cancers or advances in modern medicine enabling survival for those with autoimmune conditions. Nevertheless, generally people are surviving longer and this means that a smaller proportion of the population dies and there is a direct loss of available organs for donation. Increasing the number of organ donors across the world will help to counteract this disparity and to improve the quality of life for millions of people. Although the prevalence of transplantation surgeries has increased markedly over the last
decade, they are still extremely complicated treatments which prevent accessibility for all. Science frequently tells you that you are unique, as a result of your DNA makeup. This results in differing major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs), proteins that are present on every cell in the human body. When an organ is transplanted from a donor to a recipient, the recipient’s immune cells detect the MHCs and therefore the foreign nature of the organ. An immune response is then launched to destroy the tissue and remove it from the body, as it does with bacterial infections and other
foreign invaders. Oppositely, immune cells in the transplanted organ may present your own cells as foreign to your immune system, resulting in a devastating autoimmune response. For this reason, it is critical to ‘tissue type’ individuals before performing transplantation surgery as the more closely related the two MHCs are, the less potent the rejection of the transplanted organ is. Thus, the more people that exist in the organ donation database, the better matched transplants will be, and rejections will be less likely to occur.
06
Western Eye 05.14 – Issue 06
LIFESTYLE
LIFESTYLE — EMPLOYMENT
How to: ‘Spring clean your CV’ A guide to dusting off your CV and improving it for the new season! Education- Begin with your most recent, which I’m guessing is our beautiful university, and continue back to your secondary school. Skills - The self-analysis I mentioned. Use essay feedback, personal statements or any comments made by tutors or employers to help assist you in Experience- It is worth dividing this into two sub-sections depending on the role you are applying for; “Relevant Experience” and “Other Experience”. “Other Experience” for part-time jobs/full time jobs to support studying, and “Relevant Experience” for internships or work experience placements. Hobbies/Interests- Optional, but if these relate to the job role, or pass you off as a “well-rounded individual”; then they are worth a note. Referees – put down any employer who likes you, preferably the most recent. If you prefer, simply write “References available upon request”, but prepare for having to fulfill this request (worst case scenario). IMAGELIFE COPYRIGHT - ‘BARRY OB ’L
ERICA TOMS lifestyle@westerneye.net
Spring has finally arrived! No more hibernation in bed or avoiding your workload, party season has (unfortunately) come to an end. Summer is approaching; bringing with it a whole host of opportunities. Now is the time to act, spruce up your CV and get ahead of the game for Summer 2013; when you get that internship, work experience placement or full time job, you will thank yourself for it! In the competitive job-market today, it is crucial to understand the purpose of a CV and how to apply yours to your chosen role or sector. In order to do this, you’ll need to partake in the long, tiresome and frustrating activity called research. Yes, I know. Who
cares what anyone else thinks? all seriousness, evaluate yourself. Well when that person is about to Write a list of your work-related provide you with the key to your pro’s and con’s. It’s easy to think future; be it a reference, place- of the negatives, but make sure ment or a much needed injection you include what you’re ace at. of cash, you probably need to Remove your primary school right know what they want. You can now. Nobody is impressed that do it. You’ve spent the majority you can read and write anymore of your degree so far learning (harsh reality). Consider your research skills, so use them! Make self-analysis combined with your it your mission to find out every- research, and organize the inforthing you can about the position mation under these headings: and company you are applying for Education, Skills, Experience, and how you can improve your Hobbies/Interests (optional) and chance of winning it. Referees (there is a clever way out After you have found out of this for those of us who are less everything possible, it is time to impressionable). turn your attention to the hardNow for the the artsy bit. est part; self-analysis. What are “Presentation is key”. I sound like I your skills (outside of the pub)? have just begun a very dry lecture Do you have any interesting however in this case, presentation qualities? Hopefully. What expe- is essential. I have watched several riences are worth mentioning? of my own previous employers Definitely think this through. In discard CV’S that are not easy on
the eye, and webcam pictures do not go down well. To begin with, pop your name and contact details at the top (no need for marital status or date of birth).Create a professional layout, and if you are lacking inspiration as I often do, Google search “CV template” and you will be confronted with lots of amazing websites made by people who care about this sort of stuff. Absolutely no word art, pictures or jazzy fonts which prevent actual reading. Think like a middle-aged employer who is bored of looking through CVs, may have eyestrain and wants to go home early. Make it clear, professional and make it your own. You’ve made it to the last part, congratulations. This is the really fun bit: checking. Check everything
for errors. Although tiresome, one tiny error could cost you a massive opportunity. You also don’t want to misrepresent yourself, embarrass yourself or die a bit inside when you realise you spelt a company name wrong. Get somebody else to check your CV, however much nagging that involves. If you have followed this advice, you should now have the perfect CV for you (and I won’t be held responsible if not). There are plenty of websites that you can check for extra information, and to make sure that I haven’t lied to you. Get applying for those internships and jobs, and think big!
Useful links uwe.ac.uk/careers (shows you examples)
myfuture.uwe.ac.uk (this puts the CV together for you)
prospects.ac.uk/cvs.htm (hints and tips from outsiders)
infohub.uwe.ac.uk/Appointments.chpx (the UWE Careers team are available to support you with CV feedback)