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Retro
January 2009
January 2010 A UWIC Student’ Union Publication
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What’s in a Name? Board of Governors of UWIC to go through another consultation process for UWIC’s name change with the second choice of Cardiff Metropolitan University. Full Story on Page 3
Illustration by Jake Eldridge
UWICSU Launches Brand New Video Webite, SU Tube
Brand New Monthly Club Night, D-Floor Launches in January 2010
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January 2009
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RetroWelcomes
Sabb Welcomes
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Feature Stories What’s in a Name?
More news on the name change of UWIC.
SU Tube
UWICSU Launch new video website.
Let The Game Begin Intra-mural sports are up and running.
ReFreshers Fayre
Another chance to get acquainted with Cardiff’s local business’.
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Happy New Year UWIC! By Claire Rafferty UWICSU President
Hope you all had a fabulous Christmas, enjoyed the central heating, the fully stocked fridge and of course the presents...oh the benefits of going home! It’s that time of year again when we make those famous resolutions... give up chocolate, don’t drink for a month, start
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Retro Contacts
Student President’s Welcome
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for charity (that’s mine, any takers?), it can be anything. We can help .... intramural sports are now up and running, why not play in a five-a-side team, make new friends as well as getting off that sofa. The training and development programme is commencing in march to give students a head start over other university graduates, improve your CV as well as gaining interview and leadership skills for free. We are always looking to hold student events and fundraisers so any
Advertising - Gavin Rickard grickard@btconnect.com Retro Newspaper UWIC Students’ Union Western Avenue Cardiff, CF5 2YB Tel: 02920 416335 Retro Content Statement Content printed in the Retro is not the opinion of the Students Union, but of the persons who submitted it.
UWICSU Staff Contact Details
ideas, or if you would like to take part in any of the above pop into the office or drop me a line. Hope you’ve all enjoyed the snow, have a fab Year and enjoy this term.
Students’ Union President Claire Rafferty crafferty@uwic.ac.uk
Vice President’s Welcome Tell the University What You Really Think
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“Back in the Diff & Raring to Go!”
The NSS Survey allows final year graduates to provide feedback ontheir course.
Music
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Art & Design
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Movie Reviews
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Take-A-Break
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Avatar
Some light entertainment to keep you...entertained?
Students’ Union Vice President Alex Hales ahales@uwic.ac.uk Athletic Union Officer Ian Campbell icampbell@uwic.ac.uk Events & Marketing Manager Gavin Rickard garickard@uwic.ac.uk
Regulars
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Assistant Editor - Gareth Dunt garethdunt@googlemail.com
Photographer - Kieran McManus kieran@kieranmcmanus.co.uk
.... intramural sports are now up and running, why not play in a five-a-side team, make new friends as well as getting off that sofa.
coursework when its set.... Pah! No one keeps them. Why not this year set “achievements”..... Play in a team, make a new friend, enhance your CV, organise a student event, complete the half marathon
Retro Staff Editor - Terence Rosoman trosoman@uwic.ac.uk
Music Editor - Jake May j.j.may@uwic.ac.uk
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Retro Contents
Events & Marketing Assistant Mallory Cottell mcottell@uwic.ac.uk Membership Services Manager Ffion Mainwaring fmainwaring@uwic.ac.uk Property Letting Manager Marc Morrish mmorrish@uwic.ac.uk Centro Bar Manger Robert Caldwell rcaldwell@uwic.ac.uk
Sport BUCS Results & Fixtures
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BUCS Photography
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Scholar of the Month
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Sport News
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Bryony Raine
By Alex Hales UWICSU Vice President
Hellooooooooo!! So the festive season has been… and gone! Now we’re all back in the Diff and raring to go. It’s 2010 people! What are you going to do this year; what are your plans/goals?
Coming up this term we have the Refreshers fayre in Centro (13th Jan), nominations and elections for the new sabbaticals will begin, and no doubt a lot of you will be on the hunt for houses this term. Don’t forget to come and see our inhouse house guru at CLC (Campus Letting Centre), Marc Morrish, who can guide you in everything you need to know about getting your student house for next year. Don’t panic about getting a house straight away – there are so many student houses
around Cardiff and there’s no chance of you and your friends not being able to get one, even if you start looking in July!!! As ever, we’ve been working hard to put together the Retro with enough info to keep you going until next month’s issue. Feel free to pop in any time if you are having any issues that you think your School Reps or StARs may not be able to help you with. We are here to represent you the students. It’s all about your voice and your opinions! R
The Loft Manager Steve Watkiss swatkiss@uwic.ac.uk Tommy’s Bar Manager Karl Price kprice@uwic.ac.uk UWICSU - Cynceod Campus Tel: 02920 416190 UWICSU - Llandaff Campus Tel: 02920 416335
Retro
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January 2009
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What’s in a Name?
Chaplaincy Corner By Rev Paul Fitzgerald UWIC Chaplain
FEAR! I do hope that you have a really good New Year and that now you are ready to start the new term. My diary of students who are seeking help is however already starting to fill and experience has taught us in Student Services and the Chaplaincy that this can be a very difficult time of the year for some with academic, home and often money problems becoming serious. I am sorry to bring you down especially when you are returning from what I hope was a really fantastic holiday but some of you may need to hear what is in this article. Most of the problems that students have between now and Easter can be dealt with IF the student concerned asks for help early enough. We have counsellors, mental health
By Sam Williams
Plans to announce the proposed new name for UWIC took a blow last year when a major objection was made to the proposed name of Cardiff City University which resulted in the decision being made by the Board of Governors of UWIC to go through another consultation process on the second choice of Cardiff Metropolitan University. Students who were consulted on the proposal voiced their opinions stating that a name change would bring about a loss of identity, which UWIC has worked hard to achieve, this name would describe UWIC as the lesser university in the city of Cardiff and would cause a negative reputation with the associated name and the football club, there was also the apprehension about the amount of money which would need to be spent on the rebranding. So whilst Cardiff City University has been thrown out and Cardiff Metropolitan University is in (or at least trying to get in), there are concerns of a different nature that this name is now outdated and would be a significant disadvantage in recruiting overseas students who feel that the term “metropolitan” does not reflect an appropriate status for a Higher Education institution. For UK students there is an awareness that there are a number of Metropolitan Universities in the UK, they will also be aware that London Met has had almost as much negative publicity as
the banking industry, Leeds Met approved a change of name last Summer only to put it on hold until their new VC was in place and will probably revert to the more historic “Carnegie” title; and then there is Swansea Metropolitan. When interviewed by Retro, a leading education specialist pointed out that there are positives to be had from a name change if it reflected the improvement or development of an institutions status. The question needs to be asked does “metropolitan” reflect what UWIC has achieved over the last 14 years, are we really a metropolitan institution and does it reflect where it is going with its own degree awarding powers. Manchester Metropolitan is the remaining “met” which is ranked 31 places below UWIC in the Guardian’s 2009 University rankings, and the others do not rank much better .Leeds Metropolitan, is ranked 37 universities below UWIC according to the University rankings. Many of the issues with the name Cardiff City University also apply to the name Cardiff Metropolitan University. The loss of identity, the loss of the UWIC’s brand, Cardiff Met will be viewed as a lesser university, the negative reputation which the name has with international students, and of course the amount of money which will be spent. This institution has had a number of names over the years which did take place to reflect changes in status or developments which arguably justified the changes. UWIC itself may not have had its fans at the time of introduction but it is now established both here in the UK and Internationally , it is not the best name as admittedly it does not reflect where it actually is , but without doubt it does stand out and for some unexplainable reasons its students feel particularly loyal to it.
If the name has to change ( and does it?) it should be a name which reflects a University that has a high academic and student service reputation and one which will stand the test of time. If it does not and another change is pushed through in a few years time we would lose all the hard earned reputation and credibility that has been built up. Marketing specialists in corporations realise the importance of taking a decision to change the name of an established product, they will usually carry out detailed customer surveys and implementing the name change will attract a massive marketing budget. However if you get the name wrong in the first place it can also attract a certain suspicion from customers (current students) and prospective customers (future students) about the reasons for the change and as someone with a much better grasp of the English language put it( as supplied by a UWIC Fresher !) “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” Romeo & Juliet. W. Shakespeare. “But I do not agree, a name carries history, it carries identity and all the merits related to the same name, when a well known name is changed there is a loss of understanding and knowledge.” UWIC Fresher. If you feel strongly about this, let the students union know how you feel email: crafferty@uwic.ac.uk Or alternatively you could visit our facebook group and leave your comment: www.facebook.com/#/group. php?gid=166736556439&ref=mf
workers, personal tutors, welfare officers, Chaplains, disability workers, finical experts, Nurses, complaints dept and welfare officers, as well as the really excellent help from the Student Union offices. The sad truth is that far too many of you leave things far too late. It is so much easier to help before things hit crisis. This may not apply to you but even so please do not stop reading; one of the real joys of working in UWIC is seeing how strong and supportive many of the Student friendships are and a lot of our referrals come because of sound advice from them, so please do look out for each other. If you get into trouble, or know someone who is - just pick up an internal phone and ask to speak to the Chaplain, Student Services or the Student Union. We may not be able to help everyone ourselves but we are almost always able to find someone who can!
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January 2009
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RetroNews UWIC Tesco Tuesdays
UWICSU Launches SU Tube By Terence Rosoman Retro Editor
Below: Ephraim Lewis our new Web & Media Editor Photography: Carl Sutherwood
UWIC Students’ Union’s Media Centre in Llandaff has taken a huge leap in it’s efforts to deliver up-to-date, entertaining news to its UWIC Students. 2010 sees the launch of our new news video website, SU Tube.
As a late Christmas present, we thought you students would like a little treat that will go a long way, in fact this present will go all the way to Tesco! I’m sure you’re sick of trying to balance those shopping bags to make the trip home, as well as missing out on those special offers which are just too heavy to carry, so UWIC are introducing the new UWIC Shopper; a FREE bus service which will take you from your halls of residence or private student house to ‘shop till you drop’ at the largest Tesco in Europe on Western Avenue. This Tesco store has a massive range of products as well as cheaper prices and many in-store promotions. The buses will run from 6pm – 10pm every Tuesday, giving you plenty of time to write your shopping list, scoot around the shop and back home to make a slap up meal with all your new goodies. The bus route will encompass all UWIC used halls of residence as well as going through Studentville via Roath and Cathays. Look out for flyers around the campuses and the UWIC media screens for more details, as well as Tesco student promotions. This free service will start running on Tuesday 19th January so get your bags for life ready… Please note that UWIC Rider and Fast Track services will be unaffected by this new edition to the UWIC fleet.
This year saw the welcoming of our new employee Ephraim Lewis. Ephraim, who is studying BA (hons) Media Studies & Visual Culture at Llandaff campus, has been appointed as our new Web and Media editor, and is responsible for the creation and management of SU Tube. SU Tube will only cover major issues within UWIC and the Students’ Union, ranging from anything from Student Presidential elections to UWIC sport. When we can, we will also feature interviews from the people in the know, giving you the students, the latest news straight from the horses mouth rather than relying on the infamous UWIC hearsay. SU Tube is up and running right now and can be found on our website: www.uwicsu.co.uk/sutube So log on, check it out, you might be missing out on some valuable UWIC news.
Current Videos on SU Tube
tube www.uwicsu.co.uk/sutube
UWIC Name Change Update
Llandaff Learning Centre Development
Polluted Mind: Illustration Exhibition Review
Retro
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January 2009
RetroNews
“The World is a Book & Those Who Do Not Travel Read Only One Page”
UWICSU Spreads The Safety Message By Alex Hales UWICSU Vice President
Introducing your UWIC International Department and some of thier travelling experiences. John Phillips
Dean of International Affairs
Michelle Grimes
International Student Language & Study Skills Support Tutor
I always thought Chinese students were very polite, they don’t ask questions during the class! Even though they didn’t appear to always understand the classes, I thought they must do…that was until the end of the class when all the students came to the front of the class and started to ask me lots of questions. In their culture it would seem wrong to ask questions of the teacher, during the class. This would not normally be a problem but when you have to attend another class, dealing with approximately 10 questions can be problematic, especially when its often the same question! Polish students rarely speak or respond to questions unless they are absolutely sure of the correct answer and the correct tense to reply in.
Japanese students do not often use facial expressions and it’s difficult to teach a group of students who don’t give you any visual feedback.
Dr. Lisa Davies
Deputy Head of International Office
Whilst travelling to Mexico City, I once confused the word for tomato with the word for a particularly hot type of chilli (the words are actually quite similar)!! I had made a point of telling the waiter how much I liked them and so he asked the kitchen to make sure that I was given a particularly large portion in the dish that I had ordered. When I began my meal, I realised my mistake but out of pride I felt I had to eat every last mouthful of the hottest and most spicy food I have ever tasted!! I feel very fortunate to work in the International Office and thoroughly enjoy the contact I have with students from all over the world. You can learn a great deal about your own culture by looking at it from the perspective of anther culture.
Kirsty Bird
Finance & Projects Officer
During my first visit to Brunei, I was lucky enough to have a little spare time before travelling home to visit the water village. I was accompanied by one of John Phillips regular drivers. Once we were successful in getting into the water taxi, he then gave us a guided tour of the most interesting sights explaining about the history of the village. Once the taxi ride was coming to an end, he then pulled up outside one of the houses and invited us both in to look around his home. Once I successfully managed to get out of the taxi and into the house without falling into the water J– his family made us most welcome by offering us food and drinks. I thought that this was such a generous offer and amazing to get to see inside his home.
Anna Dukes
Assistant International Student Welfare Officer
In Peru, it’s tradition to crack a raw egg
Let The Games Begin UWICSU is trying to raise the profile of Intra-mural sports and get it up and running for all Students. By Alex Hales UWICSU Vice President Intra-mural sport is more for those who want to take part in sports, games and activities but aren’t too concerned about the outcome or having to commit loads of time and money. Intra-mural sport is all about getting your own teams together – maybe a group of friends or people living in the same halls – or simply saying you’re up for some of the action and joining on to someone’s team on the day. It’s all about having fun, getting out and about and meeting like-minded people up for a laugh.
Watch this space for…SQUASH
Squash is going to be holding an Intramural tournament sometime in February (watch this space for times and dates). If you fancy getting a bit of training in before then, you can join in for a bit of a practice (and free coaching!) every Wednesday (12-2) and Friday (3-5) at the squash courts at Cyncoed.
Watch this space for…NETBALL
Netball is just for women…says who!?! I would like to introduce you to mixed netball Intra-mural competitions at UWIC; the opportunity to take place in one of the only mixed team competitions here. After the successful first tournament of its kind in UWIC for some time, the mixed tournament saw men and women coming together to see what they could achieve as one. The result? An amazing atmosphere,
lots of laughter, and a few goals scored at either end of the court! Building on this we will be setting up more tournaments of this nature, and depending on turn-out and popularity we may put together a friendly flexileague where teams will be given dates to complete their fixtures by (meaning you can organise it between yourselves the time and date that is best for everyone). Keep a look out for the next tournament – coming to you this January. Intra-mural sport really is all about taking part; it doesn’t matter how good or bad you think you might be. If you want to get active and try something new then come and have a go. Get those running shoes dusted off now that you’ve had that lovely Christmas break. I look forward to seeing you there. For more information or to put forward any ideas please contact Alex Hales: ahales@ uwic.ac.uk.
on someone’s head on their birthday. It is also tradition to push someone’s face into the birthday cake whilst you blow out the candles. I was lucky enough to have my birthday fall during my time spent in Peru. I was extremely shocked at having a raw egg cracked on my head first thing in the morning, but it was extremely amusing for my British friends, particularly when it came to the third birthday cake!
Siobhan Robinson
International Marketing Officer
In Libya they use a word ‘Bukra’ (this is the best spelling I could get using the English alphabet) which translates as tomorrow. So for example, when I handed my passport into the hotel to get the approval stamp I asked when it would be ready. The reply was ‘Bukra’ - tomorrow. The next day I returned to collect it and they laughed. Bukra doesn’t actually mean tomorrow, it means ‘tomorrow and a bit later’, so I expect my passport to be back sometime but Im not exactly sure when!
The week beginning November 30th saw UWIC SU’s SMARTER SAFER STUDENT Campaign. The President and Vice President, Claire-Louise and Alex, travelled around each campus during the week giving out safety information and freebies. The sabbaticals worked with the Community Police and Premier Taxis to deliver this campaign to make it more relevant to students. The key areas of safety that were targeted were personal safety, alcohol awareness, travel safety, sexual health and advice on living in Cardiff. The aim of this student safety campaign, titled “Smarter Safer” is to promote awareness and give advice to students, especially those first years that have moved to a new city. The campaign was conducted close to the end of last term, as the nights are drawn in and the party season was soon to begin. The SU felt that it was the perfect time to bring in a student safety campaign as the students had settled and the Christmas party season was upon us. We will be carrying out this campaign on a yearly basis so that all first year students and existing students have the information they need to stay safe in and around Cardiff.” This campaign follows the recent incidents that have occurred at Glamorgan University and Aberystwth University where students’ safety was jeopardised. It is therefore important that the campaign really hits home to students. Although Cardiff is one of the safest cities to live in, incidents can happen. We all have to think about our safety, if we can be smarter then hopefully we’ll be safer! If you have any questions about the campaign or general safety queries, please do not hesitate to contact the Students’ Union.
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January 2009
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RetroNews The Society of All Societies By Alex Hales UWICSU Vice President
We are on the search for students to set up a society to create more varied networking between students that might not necessarily have met otherwise. Students have been telling us that they want to feel there is more to a student’s social life other than drinking the bar dry. Are you interested in helping to set up a Friendship Network Society at UWIC? Do you have a particular interest that you would like to share with others? Would you like to make more friends outside your academic group? If so, let us know!! If this sounds like something you’d be interested in then contact Alex Hales (SU Vice President) at ahales@uwic.ac.uk.
ReFresher Fayre Wednesday 13th January 11:00am - 4:00pm
The Campus Centre Cyncoed Campus COMPANIES ATTENDING: ENDSLEIGH POWERLEAGUE BOULDERS CARDIFF BLUES CARDIFF DEVILS DOMINO’S PIZZA PIZZA HUT DELIVERY FUTSAL CARDIFF OCEANA PREMIER TAXI’S
uge Featuring H rom: f e l a S g n i h Clot
REVOLUTION STA TRAVEL STUDENTS UNION CAMPUS LETTING CENTRE SID CARD SUPERDRY CLOTHING THE PARK PLAZA HOTEL YR URDD TRAVELINE CYMRU UNIVERSITY OF WALES UWIC RIDER
In association with:
Student Identification & Discount Card
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SiD Sale starting in January 2010 For more information or to purchase a SID card please visit:
uwicsu.co.uk/sid
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Retro
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January 2009
RetroNews
Let The University Know What You Really Think NSS begins on January 18th Remember, it is your chance to have your say about your student learning experience during your time in higher education.
The National Student Survey (NSS) is an important questionnaire which allows final year undergraduates across the UK to provide feedback on their courses in a nationally recognised format. The survey which was introduced in 2005, comprises 22 questions relating to various aspects of the student learning experience, namely: teaching, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources, personal development and overall satisfaction. Students are also given the opportunity to write positive and/or negative comments on their learning experience at their university. These comments are then passed on anonymously to universities and, in UWIC, they are examined thoroughly in order to help identify areas for improvement. In response to previous NSS surveys, a number of important changes have been implemented at UWIC. For example, in 2007 students commented on the need to modernise some of the
university buildings. Since this time significant refurbishment of the university’s estates has taken place (including the Cyncoed Student Centre and the new Cardiff School of Management building) and this work is continuing. Also some students were concerned about library facilities. As a direct result of such feedback, UWIC significantly increased investment into library services. Last year saw a considerable improvement in feedback on library resources and, although improvements are still being made, some very positive comments were received about the IT and library facilities such as “the IT room and library are always available with good resources” and “the library facilities are excellent and e-journals are always available”. The results of the survey are also used to create university league tables which are published nationally and are also made available on Unistats. com to help prospective students make informed choices of where and what to study. Since 2007, UWIC student satisfaction over the 22 questions in the survey has increased by an average of 6%.
READ Need Your Help By Emma Parr
READ International has founded a new initiative this year called the Campus Book Drive and need student volunteers. The Aim
Teams of student volunteers will collect thousands of books of ALL sizes, shapes and subjects on each and every UK university campus! Volunteers are needed at UWIC to sort through the books and send the best, most relevant, up-todate books to Tanzania/Uganda. Those we can’t send, we’ll sell or recycle - it’s that simple. This project is entirely student volunteer led and we’re recruiting at UWIC now. We need people to give up time to help collect books; donate books; sort through them; help fundraise etc.
Volunteer
If you would like to volunteer to help with READ international’s new project, Campus Book Drive please email Megan on: uwic@readbookproject.org.uk
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RetroNews Take Care of Your Stick
By Terence Rosoman Retro Editor
A staggering amount of USB data sticks are left behind in UWIC’s computer rooms every single day. Considering they are probably carrying some of your most important university work they are suprisingly easy to lose, so here’s a helpful tip to keep track of your little friend. Hot Tip Add a Word Document or Notepad Document to your datastick with your name and contact details in its main directory. This way if anyone picks it up they will be able to return it to you.
Only 150 Days Until Summer... The days of winter tick by and it just seems to be getting colder. Snow fights provide momentary bursts of adrenaline but you quickly realise that you can no longer feel your feet and after losing a glove your hand has turned an unnerving shade of blue. Inside the house the heating has broken & you’ve run out of milk for a cuppa. Sound familiar? Well then brace yourself as 24th January is looming and according to Cliff Arnall of Cardiff University it’s the most depressing day of the year. By Helena Bourke
Two It seems that Cliff developed an elaborate formula which takes in the consideration the hideous weather, debt left from Christmas extravagance , time elapsed since you stuffed yourself on turkey, failed new year resolutions, motivation levels, and knowing that the next holiday is months away. However try not to despair as there are a few ideas which might keep you from throwing yourself in to oncoming traffic just yet.
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The cold weather gives you a legitimate reason to stay in bed the entire day. Pile on the extra blankets, cozy up with whoever you wish and enjoy the excuse to lazy. Everyone else is so cold as well that they won’t judge you.
You might be well in to your overdraft and your credit card bills may be huge but holidays are cheap! £171 for seven nights in Spain...dissertations aren’t due in for months yet so treat yourself to some sun before you get your head down.
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Since most students break up (latest) by the end of June, it’s only 150 days until summer; BBQs in the park, drinking in the sun and knowing that you look that tiny bit hotter with a tan. Everyone’s favourite season is just around the corner.
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The sales are still on and despite the tangled hangers and the occasion elbow to the ribs from other eager
hunters, it is all still worth it for the satisfaction of finding an absolute bargain.
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Pity from the parents. Play on the sympathy for your lack of heating and guaranteed they will supply you with some desperately needed provisions. Throw in a few tears and watch your cupboards ‘magically’ fill with delicious foods all courtesy of the bank of mum and dad. Thank you very much!
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Your student loan is in your account!! And yes you may have gone a bit mental with it that first week but you are still nowhere near as skint as you were a month ago plus you have a brand new tv, impressive wardrobe and a million hazy memories to keep you smiling.
Illustration by Ed Fairburn
Retro
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January 2009
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RetroNews
Why People Boycott… Bottled Water By Jake May
Illustration by Jack Bayliss
When you compare the taste of bottled water, especially if you live in certain areas of the country, to tap water, the difference is often minute. Chuck a water filter into the equation and I’d bet a fair amount of money on you not being able to tell the difference between the two. So why is it that we as a nation buy a staggering two billion litres of bottled water per year, especially when water is often as expensive as petrol?
What buyers usually don’t consider is how the water got to the shelf. Not only the energy it takes to produce one billion bottles, but also the transportation of the filled bottles over hundreds or thousands of miles and then issues of clogging up landfill sites unnecessarily still remain. Even if you sit on the other side of the fence for the gas emissions and global warming row (in that it doesn’t cause ‘global warming’), you can’t argue against the waste of resources that is being used to make water bottles rather than other plastic essentials, such as afro-combs or Tesco clubcards. I jest. But come on, there are better uses for crude oils than making bottles filled with the stuff we get from our taps for a fraction of the cost! Save the world and some money, fill up your bottles at one of UWIC’s water stations.
Shove Another Shrimp on The Barbie.... Illustration by Mark O’Gorman
By Benjamin Parker
There’s no time to act like a Sheila; it would be best to put down your surfboard, grab a lager and wear your cork hat because this January sees the celebration of the annual Australia Day. If a night out is being planned on Tuesday the 26th of January then chosen glad rags should reflect the heroes of Down Under: perhaps a Steve Irwin-inspired urban outfit? Or a more glamorous Kylie Minogue
frock? However you decide to mark the occasion you can be sure that any of the Australian-themed pubs and clubs around the city, and many other none Aussie establishments, will be running special offers and events on and around the 26th. It’s likely not many people know why there is such a thing as Australia Day. The actual roots of Australia Day go back to 1788, when Captain Arthur Phillip, the first governor of New South Wales and commander of the First Fleet of convict ships from Great Britain, arrived at Sydney Cove. Although the tag of ‘Australia Day’ wasn’t adopted by the country until over a century later there is evidence to suggest celebrations on the 26th of January as far back as 1818 under the guise of different
names, such as ‘Foundation Day’, ‘Anniversary Day’ and since 1935 all the states and territories have called it Australia Day, the name still in use today. Forgetting stereotypical views of our Australian cousins, understanding the point of Australia Day means one has to understand what it means to be Australian. Obviously there could be many different answers to this question but what ties Australians together culturally? Australian journalist William McInnes says basic Australian values are “a sense of the fair go, mateship, a laconic humour, irreverence for authority, an adventurous spirit, a disdain for pretence and snobbery, a willingness to pitch in help others less fortunate”. Is it for this reason that
Australia can come together and celebrate its sovereignty? Why does Britain have so much trouble with a national identity? However, Australia Day is not without its controversies. For some, particularly Indigenous Australians, Australia day has become a symbol for the negative effects the British settlement of the country had on the Aboriginal people. In 1988 a mass gathering of Aborigines led an ‘Invasion Day’ commemoration on January 26th, marking the loss of indigenous culture, and almost each year ‘Invasion Day’ protests coincide with Australia Day. The response to this has been positive, with official celebrations trying to include indigenous people. Even as early as 1957 there were talks to move the date of Australia
to something appropriate, although this has not materialised and even as recently as 2009 the Australian Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition expressed resistance to change. Most nations have a day when families and friends come together to celebrate their country in a proud, positive way. I think it’s time Britain took a lesson from Australia and showed a more patriotic side. A start to this would be celebrating the British Commonwealth; on the 26th of January go out, grab a Fosters and get some Australian in you!
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RetroNews Looking for a property?
www.uwicsu.co.uk
New Year’s Resolution: Healthy Eating
Do you have a good quality landlord who provides you with good quality accommodation? By UWIC Nursing Dept.
of you have probably Does theMost landlord treat you well as a tenant? spent the holiday period eating
Around this time of year some people begin to think about searching for properties to live in private rented accommodation but DON’T RUSH.
too much rich food and drinking too much alcohol, so, here are some suggestions on healthy eating, to help you clean up your systems and make this a healthier new year, with kind permission from the Food Standards Agency:
Is the letting agent not doing a good job of managing the property, and you’re in contact with the landlord direct?
Slow down, slow down its WAY too early to be concerned with looking for a property. Don’t be pushed into signing an agreement. Houses become available all year round. Please be aware of agents who insist that all good houses go early. DON’T PANIC – house hunting before the easter holidays is not necessary as there is more supply than demand for houses, it’s a renters market. Landlords and Letting Agents tend to charge top rent earlier on and then drop it as time goes by. So waiting until March will get you a better deal! Also beware of set up charges that some agencies charge..... CLC don’t charge at all!
The two keys to a healthy diet are: 1. Eating the right amount of food for how active you are. 2. Eating a range of foods to make sure you’re getting a balanced diet.
Do you feel that your landlord would benefit from an exclusive position of having their property marketed by UWIC? A healthy balanced diet contains a variety of types of food, including lots of fruit, vegetables, carbohydrates; some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs and lentils; and some dairy foods. If you have any queries or need advice on healthy eating or any other health related issues please contact a Nursing Officer at Howard Gardens or Cyncoed or email healthservice@uwic.ac.uk.
If the answer is yes to any of the above, then you could benefit from:
CLC’s Referral System To submit a referral or to register your property requirements for the next academic year. Please contact Marc on:
Tel: 02920 417073 Email: mmorrish@uwic.ac.uk
If you supply us with details of yo ur landlord, any successful re ferral will be awarded a
£G10.00 ift Voucher
Campus Letting Centre No Student Fees!
Located at the Cyncoed Campus Centre is CLC. A Letting Agency provided by .
www.1stclc.co.uk
UWIC Student Housing Fair 26th January 2010 10am-3pm
Campus Centre, Cyncoed • Free information and advice. • AVOID Falling into the trap of signing a contract with a Housing Agent too early! • Don’t fall for Housing Agents’ flyers/leaflets that they’ve dropped around UWIC campuses Come to the housing fayre first and find out more. DON’T GET STUNG! Speak to US first! Confused? Visit us or Telephone and Speak to the UWIC Accommodation Team:
Tel: 029 20416189
Retro
www.uwicsu.co.uk
January 2009
fully furnished high quality student accommodation
Summer Accommodation available throughout July and August All bedrooms include your own private en-suite bathroom Available in 3,4 & 5 bedroom flats with a television & Sky package included in each flat and broadband available in every bedroom
For more information contact the Victoria Hall Management Office on:
02920 359 500 cardiff@victoriahall.com fax: 02920 359 507
Victoria Hall, Blackweir Terrace, Cardiff, CF10 3EY
welcome to your
future www.victoriahall.com
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Retro
January 2009
www.uwicsu.co.uk
RetroMusic Retro Recommends... By Jake May Retro Music Editor
Release of the Month: 25th January 2010
UWIC Artist of the Month
Ronnie Rube
First Aid Kit Big, Black and the Blue Swedish sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg are barely out of school and yet they are already causing a huge stir in the worldwide folk scene. Signed to Wichita, the duo release debut album ‘Big, Black and Blue’ exactly a month after Christmas and will do wonders at lifting your back-to-uni blues by providing you something special to look forward to in January. Expect heartfelt harmonies and perfectly plucked acoustic guitar in each of the eleven tracks on this album, which takes influence from the likes of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Oh, and be prepared to shed a tear at the beauty of it.
Other Recommended Releases from January:
By Jake May Retro Music Editor
11th January:
Armed with an acoustic guitar, and sometimes with the support of a few friends, Ronnie Rube, aka Graphic Communication student James Cox, makes bedroom crafted songs about drinking, smoking, girls and other miscellaneous rock n roll tomfoolery. We caught up with him via the wonders of the internet over the Christmas break to ask him about his life, his music, his hometown of Wrexham and more. Do read on…
Vampire Weekend Contra
(File next to: Ra Ra Riot, Animal Collective, MGMT)
Adam Green
Minor love (File next to: The Moldy Peaches, Kimya Dawson, Jeffrey Lewis)
18th January: Good Shoes No Hope No Future
(File next to: The Maccabees, Mystery Jets, Bombay Bicycle Club)
Fyfe Dangerfield Fly Yellow Moon
(File next to: Guillemots)
Cold War Kids Behave Yourself EP
(File next to: White Rabbits, Kings of Leon, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)
25th January: Magnetic Fields Realism
(File next to: Belle and Sebastian, Beat Happening)
Ronnie Rube. That’s an unusual name. Does it come from a childhood nickname or did you choose it or a particular reason? Well me and my mate where just sitting in my room and I was offered my 1st solo gig but I didn’t have a name. We were a little drunk and I needed a name for the poster, we were just saying random names based on anything we saw or were doing and my mate was fiddling with a rubix cube. I had said Ronnie, and he said Ronnie Cube, and we were just going off that and then he came up with Ronnie Rube! You cite a range of influences, from Johnny Cash to David Bowie to The Libertines. Do you feel these sounds come across in your music, and are you interested in a wider range of music than this?
Bands and Solo Artists Wanted!
Yeah I like to think I have a wide range. My collection goes from Frank Turner to Frank Sinatra. I suppose my influence comes from every genre of music. I like quite a lot of rap music and I don’t mind a bit of dance music when I am out but I draw the line at Dub Step! I can’t stand it! Where do you take your lyrical influences? Drugs drink and girls pop up a fair amount. Are these personal experiences or are you telling stories? I try to tell stories; a lot of them are a mix of both real stuff and me elaborating the truth. A lot of the people in my songs are people that I know of and I try to work on that really. One of your tracks is ‘Elle’. Writing songs about girls, I always feel, is a personal and risky thing to do, especially if circumstances change. Have you had any awkward moments from it? No I haven’t really which is a bit boring. Sometimes when I am playing a song about a girl and there is someone I know in the audience, I’ll change it to the girl I know there. Just to be a knob though, more than anything. The majority of your tracks, on your MySpace at least, are quite lo-fi in terms of production. Have you chosen this feel for your music, or would you have a bit more going on in different circumstances (i.e. more money and the use of a recording studio)? I’ve never had a need for a studio really but I think that I would like to go into a studio and do the whole process, but only once I had the right songs. The tracks were mainly up for people to get a feel for my music. I suppose the essence of
Each month Retro gives its students a chance to get acquainted with a band or artist from UWIC.
a song stays the same regardless of the recording, but yeah, those tracks would be much better if they weren’t all recorded in my mate’s bedroom on a mac, but it’s all good.
Well, probably nailed out 4 cracking albums, and about to go on my 3rd world tour and having one last big blow out party/gig in Cardiff for all my friends until I get back, drinking Sailor Jerry’s and coke!
You and your acoustic, plus the odd bit of backing vocals, work alone on your recorded tracks. Is it always a one man band, or do you ever add a drummer etc for your live shows? I tend to do most of my gigs and that by myself but, in Cardiff, sometimes my mate who is studying in Newport comes down and plays a few songs with me. We used to be in a band together. When I play in Wrexham my friend Danny Gruff usually plays towards the end of my set and we do a few covers and always finish with the song we wrote together. I prefer playing with other people I guess.
To hear James’ music and to find out more information about the nights he and some friends put on in and around Cardiff, head to his MySpace at myspace.com/ ronnierube.
You’re a Wrexham boy but obviously are studying in Cardiff. How do you feel the two cities compare in terms of music scene and live opportunities? I’m more involved in the Wrexham scene as I know everyone who’s going to be playing and I regularly get involved myself. With Cardiff though I guess I don’t know as many bands or promoters to get as involved as I am in Wrexham. This is why some friends and I in Wrexham have just started up our own promotion company called The Gashienda. We did this so we can put on our own music and bands that we like around Wrexham. We are now bringing it to Cardiff and the first one is on the 22nd of Feb in Ten Feet Tall. In a perfect world, where would you be in ten years time if you focussed on your music completely?
So, are you in a band/artist? Are you a current student at UWIC? Do you want to be seen in 3,000 Retros distributed across Cardiff for UWIC Students? Of Course you do!
UWIC Life What is your real name? James Cox What course at UWIC are you studying (and what year)? 2nd year of Graphic Communication You’ve played a fair few gigs around Cardiff (Barfly, Teen Feet Tall etc). What advice would you give to others trying to bag support slots for bands? Just keep on blagging the clubs and the promoters really. Just get involved, talk to people, start your own event, be heard. Do you ever find housemates getting annoyed by your practise sessions, or do you have any secret tips to avoid any arguments? Force them to start playing too. I was thinking they might start getting annoyed so I got my house mate to start learning bass. Now were always telling him to stop playing!
Then get in touch with our Music Editor Jake May and show your interest! j.j.may@uwic.ac.uk
Retro
www.uwicsu.co.uk
January 2009
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RetroMusic Gig Reviews 13th November
Owls/The Afternoons/ She’s Got Spies/OK Tommy’s Bar By Rory Wilkinson Friday the 13th is notorious for bad luck, but it turned out not to be the case this time in Tommy’s Bar, Howard Gardens. Never having been to Tommy’s I didn’t know what to expect in terms of a venue but it definitely ticks all the boxes for those who like the small intimate gigs. Also the beers only two quid so it’s hard not to be happy! The first band up was ‘OK’ who went down rather well. They weren’t amazing but they weren’t bad, they were...OK (surprisingly). They opened the night nicely with their happy folkey style, kind of like the an acoustic version of The Coral. They certainly couldn’t have built the crowds hopes up anymore for the second band. ‘She’s Got Spies’ took the stage armed with a mini keyboard and a tambourine and, well, you could say they failed to capture the audience to much with their welsh infused, tell-it-like-it-is, simplistic style. The whole honest, basic thing does work most of the time, but in this instance it was not to be. Imagine ‘The Moldy Peaches’ without any talent, humour or appeal. The real highlight of the night were ‘The Afternoons’ who were next up. An incredibly well balanced and professional bunch from Cardiff managed to bring back the audience from the brink of boredom and entertain with punchy and powerful numbers. Definitely worth a listen I’d say. The headlining act was ‘Owls’. A
kind of Welsh/American blend who were well fitted into the Green Day mold. They kept the crowd happy but just like ‘OK’ they weren’t much to shout about. The night itself went well. It’s always enjoyable to be able to hear new music and you couldn’t pick a nicer environment. Keep Grade the Friday nights coming I say!
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20th November
Houdini Dax/I Was A King/ Cwmbient Tommy’s Bar By Rory Wilkinson The second Friday Night in a row for me at Tommy’s Bar and the word had definitely got around about the gigs judging by the crowd. That, and the calibre of the bands gave a sense of a special night in the making. The first band up was ‘Cwmbient’ and the ambience was definitely in abundance with them. A very enjoyable local band whose sound gave the impression that a lot of planning and work had gone into their tracks. One of them even sounded like a new version of Albatross by Fleetwood Mac (That’s the Marks and Spencer’s music by the way). Next up was ‘I Was A King’ all the way from Norway. I was looking forward to these quite a lot maybe due to my previous disposition towards Scandinavian bands (‘Sigur Ros’ are of course legends) but I was somewhat let down by the unadventurous nature of their music. It was a strange mix, all their songs had
amazing intros that really thought something spectacular was going to happen, but then all of that was lost when the song carried on. The final band was ‘Houdini Dax’ who were in as an emergency replacement, and what a good decision that turned out to be! The guys in the band, who initially seemed scared and shy, delivered a blinding performance. It’s hard to describe their music properly; blues infused rock that bristled with originality, face-melting solos, and a whole load of raucous choruses chucked in to boot! A fantastic end to a good night. Make sure you take your chance to see Grade ‘Houdini Dax’ if you can.
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10th December 2009
High Contrast Buffalo Thea Wise At first sight, Buffalo Bar was more reminiscent of a school disco than a setting for one of Cardiff’s trendiest born and bred high profile DJ’s… I for one certainly wasn’t convinced. When Mr High Contrast finally took centre stage, his audience was more than welcoming. To the fans amusement, Lincoln Barrett aka (High Contrast) was in a cracking mood with a beaming smile on his face. Blessing our ears with some of the paramount beats and drops of the noughties, it really took me right back to
being in the dance village at Glastonbury Festival 2009. Big artists of 2010 made a prime appearance too, with mixes from Deadmau5, Ellie Goulding and Jakwob. It was definitely one of the best sets I’ve seen of his to date. Not only was he clearly looking and feeling fresh for the year ahead, he constantly titillated his audience with excitement and glee in a way only he knows how. People left buzzing, chatting about the lucid flow between tracks and how High Contrast can make even the worst Oceana tunes transform magically into dubstep delight! Overall, I don’t see the success and creativity of Grade Lincoln Barrett fading anytime soon!
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Photo: High Contrast
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Retro
January 2009
Happy New Year ya’ll!
www.uwicsu.co.uk
POLLUTED MINDS SUCCESS Left to right: Adam Travers, Richie Lee, Bill Giles, Dave Hazelgrove
By Gaz Dunt Art and Design Reporter
Welcome to the Art and Design section of Retro. Here you can find plenty of inspirational stuff to get your creative juices flowing. My name is Gareth Dunt. I’m the Assistant Editor and Design Reporter for Retro. I’d like to thank Ed Fairburn, Mark O’ Gorman, Jack Bayliss and Jake Eldridge for their hard work this month. Their illustrations can be seen throughout this issue. I spend a lot of time looking for interesting things in the world of art and design. Some of which I put in Retro, but most end up on my design blog due to the sheer amount of it. So if you have 5 minutes and want to check out whats happening in the world of art and design, be sure to take a look at my design blog at blackmaths.com Furthermore if you have a question or would like to have a chat about anything featured in Retro, feel free to contact me on the email address below. garethdunt@googlemail.com
Express Yourself Comp Results!
TALENTED staff and students across UWIC have battled it out to be crowned the UWIC winner of the hugely popular Express Yourself competition, sponsored by CyMAL. And after some difficult deliberations for the judges the winner was named as Leah Crossley for her poem Les Mots. Organised by Library Division, the UWIC leg is part of a national competition with the university’s winning entry going through to the next stage to be considered as the overall winner. Well done Leah!
By Gaz Dunt Art and Design Reporter
The Polluted Minds exhibition rolled into town last month featuring the work of four illustration students from UWIC. It was located over at the international art space Tactile Bosch and was the brainchild of Bill Giles, Adam Travers, Dave Hazelgrove, and Richie Lee. Upon arrival, you’re first impressions of the building are of somewhat confusion – a cold and leaky building in a dark corner of a housing estate in Llandaff North. However through the doors lay a vibrant, dynamic illustration exhibition boasting the
Calling all UWIC Artists and Designers!
unstoppable talent we have here at the Cardiff School of Art and Design. Towering cityscapes merged with sinister characters, elegant floral illustrations entwined with abstract shapes. It really was an attack on the senses. There were numerous pieces in the exhibition- broadly collaborative works based around the theme ‘pollution’. A great congratulations goes to the artists that made the exhibition possible! Furthermore a big thank you to all that pitched in with helping them- that includes you girls who made the food! You know who you are! Photographs: Top - Darragh Murphy Lower - Carl Sutherwood
Retro want to hear from you!
If you fancy featuring as the next Retro Artist/Designer of the Month, submit an article or advertise an exhibition please get in touch with our Art & Design editor -
UWIC Students’Union listens to Nation Radio - 106.8 & 107.3 FM, www.nationwales.com
Gareth Dunt garethdunt@googlemail.com
Retro
www.uwicsu.co.uk
January 2009
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Designer of the Month
AMIE SALT
Photograph below: Carl Sutherwood Hello! First things first lets get some background info on you. Where do you hail from? What college did you attend? And what course are you currently studying here at UWIC? My name is Amie Marie Salt from the city of Oxford. Before my move to university I lived in a town called Banbury and studied a 2 year art and design BTEC course at Oxford and Cherwell College. I am now currently in my third year of contemporary textiles, and have chosen to specify as a textile maker, where I get the chance to create one off conceptual pieces, rather than a textile designer. In your opinion, what is the best thing about studying an art and design degree at university? In college I loved the freedom you had to experiment and play with a huge range of different media’s and techniques, but by the end of my time in college I really wanted to be more specific in the design area of textiles. I now get the chance to be creative in my specific field, learning the topic I love, surrounded by people who feel the same, making great friends and hopefully great contacts for the future. In such a close environment, the feedback
we can give each other and advise is not only helpful, but reliable and trusted. In university, I have had the chance to meet a lot of people not only have I met great textile artists, but I have had the chance to live and be close to people on other art courses who’s input has always been very appreciated as it is a view from a different perspective. What inspires your work? The things that inspire me the most are world issues, since doing this course my eyes have been opened to a lot of issues and things that I probably would have never thought about or taken into consideration. It is this that has given me the drive to try and teach people about these issues through my art. I also use recycling as a main part of my projects. Living in a house full of artists helps, we all give each other inspiration and bounce off of each others creativity. Looking into the future, where would you like to be in 5 years time? As I have not had a gap year, I am starting to feel like it is about time I had a break. Next September I’m going to climb Mount Kilamanjaro for charity, and hopefully
UWIC Students’Union listens to Nation Radio - 106.8 & 107.3 FM, www.nationwales.com
from there, carry on traveling the world. I want to use my time traveling as an opportunity to carry on learning about textiles and craft and hopefully be able to bring back a wide knowledge of skills. When I come back to the UK I plan to start working in a studio as a textile artist/ maker. What is the most important piece of advice you would give to someone thinking about starting an art and design degree course? Any words of wisdom? Make sure its something that you love, and really make sure you understand the courses background, art and design is very time consuming and sometimes even if you have put your heart and soul in to it can be a little unpredictable, but you just need to use these times to help you learn and grow. University is a great time to create a contact list and a portfolio, with the help of very knowledgeable people. I’ve loved every second I’ve had here, I just wish it didn’t have to end! Amie and her fellow students have an exbition in January called ‘In Transition’. Keep your eyes peeled!
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Retro
January 2009
www.uwicsu.co.uk
cineworld
RetroFilm Reviews
cinemas
AVATAR (3D) By Adam Chubb Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Stephen Lang Director: James Cameron Writer: James Cameron Original Score: James Horner Running Time: 150 Mins.
James Cameron, as we all know, is the self-proclaimed king of the world but which world might that be? Not so much the Earth but more the king of actually “creating” worlds, there is no denying the infamously control-freakish director has a knack for immersing his audience in a world from the bottom up, whether it be the post-apocalyptic future of the Terminator films, an Alien (s) planet or, indeed a great big (doomed) Titanic sized ship. So it would be prudent to assume that in creating a whole new world (called Pandora) for his latest opus, topically named Avatar, that he would once more succeed in bringing this Pandora to fully immersive, believable and most
importantly, entertaining, life. Couple Cameron’s past repertoire with the tools he has at his disposal, most notably a totally new way of shooting in 3D and hugely advanced motioncapture techniques that put Zemeckis’ Polar Express, Beowulf and A Christmas Carol to shame, and you should have a product well worth the 11 year wait even in the face of an insurmountable level of hype... So, does the final product add up to the sum of its parts? Well, to answer diplomatically, yes, and no, you see for all the strengths Avatar has, it also has equally as many weaknesses, some you can overlook while others prove too pertinent for even lush visuals to paper over. And what visuals they are, and always were destined to be the crowning achievement of Avatar, in creating his Pandora James Cameron has brought to life a world as lush and most importantly realistic as anything you have seen onscreen before, in the same way that Peter Jackson did with The Lord of the Rings, from a visual point of view at least, we are transported to the world inhabited by a vast array weird and wondrous creatures. It is obvious, even to the most oblivious viewer, that Cameron has spent the last decade crafting this world with meticu-
lous loving care, enhanced furthermore not so much by the 3D element (more on this later) but more the emotion conveyed by the Na’vi, the blue skinned indigenous population of Pandora, always a strong writer of female characters Avatar presents yet another fine example of this, with both Sigourney Weaver and particularly Zoe Saldana’s Na’vi, Neytiri, as the stand out performances. Though kudos must go to Sam Worthington, surely now destined to become one of the biggest A-List action stars following his promise in Terminator: Salvation, and now a much more nuanced performance here. That these three stand out so well is purely down to performance and charisma, and not script, for this is the film’s biggest failing, in crafting Pandora, its look and inhabitants Cameron seems to have neglected to write a script that matches the technical achievement, at its worst it invokes the weakest parts of the Star Wars prequels (no good thing I assure you) and at best it’s simply clichéd and predictable. The story itself is so hackneyed and has a terrible “seen it all before” air about it. and yes the question as to what is truly “original” nowadays in film remains, but there are ways around making things feel not so stale, and injecting something you have seen before
with a bit of energy can liven it up. However here the suggestions that we were being faced with Dances With Wolves or Pocahontas in Space, and Ferngully with blue aliens are fully deserved, not so much in a derivative way but more disappointingly. The best example of this stereotyping comes in Stephen Lang’s villainous General Quarritch, he isn’t an actor lacking in menace but simply written so two dimensionally you can play dot to dot with the plot and his character arc, so badass he can breathe in the usually lethal air of Pandora this is the closest we get to characterisation. Though to be to down on the film for a lack of good script may seem harsh given its achievements but without substance behind the sheen I simply cannot endorse something on the same level as Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings or even Cameron’s own Titanic, which suffered the same stereotyping but overcame with real emotion. Even the final 40 minutes of action fail to hold a single stand out scene, which is gravely disappointing in the face of the fact that a.) this is the man who gave us Terminator 2: Judgement Day and b.) the potential that exists in the film’s world, hopefully in the suggested sequel these issues can be
rectified... On a final note much has been made of Avatar’s 3D, and it is true this is the best example of it yet, however it still has a rather needless feel, given the version of the film I saw was digitally presented the hi-def alone does enough to enrich the world of Pandora and the 3D aspect left me feeling more distracted than in awe by the supposed revolutionary advances, something not helped by the increased hike in price for the privilege of this new technology.
Verdict
Avatar has a stunning outer shell, and there is no question as to the amount of time and effort that has gone into making it look good with or without the 3D “upgrade”. However what lay underneath is greatly lacking, meaning that while your eyes will be in awe your brain will wish that Cameron had spent as much time scripting as he did on the “mindblowing” visuals. Grade
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Retro
www.uwicsu.co.uk
January 2009
RetroTake-A-Break Retro’s Crossword 1
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Do you have a question for Aunty Archer? Please email fmainwaring@uwic.ac.uk
Hi Tim, The NSS is a chance for students across the UK to provide feedback on their courses. It’s an important questionnaire as final year students are given the opportunity to say what they liked and did not like about their student experience. The results of the survey are used to identify areas of improvement within the University and are also used to create University league tables which are published nationally and are made available to help prospective students make informed choices of where and what to study. The survey will go live on the 18th Jan, so as soon as you get a chance, fill it in – as your feedback is very worthwhile. Aunty Archer Dear Aunty Archer, The completion of my degree is fast approaching and soon I will need to start thinking about polishing up my C.V. and practicing my interview skills. However, I’m not sure where to start! Could you tell where I can go to get this kind of help please? Rosie
Retro Classifieds Dissertation Questionnaire Help From Shaun Bartlett
Hi Rosie, It’s good that you’re thinking about your future employment. The ‘Your Career e-module’ on Blackboard delivers interactive career development skills sessions on self-assessment, CV writing, Job Applications, interviews and many more. The module can help you to design a CV for a job in your specified area and to meet employers’ needs. Workshops/talks are also delivered across all Schools which are designed to support initial career path planning and transition into the workplace or further study. If you haven’t yet looked into this section on Blackboard then I’d advise you to do so as your first option, as it contains a massive amount of helpful information. Aunty Archer
Hi Jessica. Don’t worry, help is at hand! UWIC offers help with academic skills; this comes in very handy with dissertations or any essay or coursework that you would like someone to look over or give you some helpful tips on. You can visit www.student.uwic.ac.uk/academicskills through the student portal. There are people that can help you with your work; be it on how to construct an essay, help with referencing, organising your time and much more. You can find these people by asking at the Library, Careers Services or Student Services. Aunty Archer
Dear Aunty Archer It’s just hit home how soon dissertation hand-in will be once this term gets going! I’m finding it hard to see if my work’s any good and I’m getting fed up of reading it over and over to check for mistakes. Is there anyone that can help? Jessica
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Down 1. Keen (5) 2. Sliced meat (5) 4. Powdered grain (5) 5. Give fresh life (5) 7. 8th planet from the Sun (7) 9. Consume (3) 10. University teacher (3) 11. Moistureless (3) 12. Slippery fish (3) 14. Push roughly (5) 15. Out of condition (5) 17. Mistake (5) 18. Settle a bill (3,2)
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If you would like to help and fill in the questionnaire please contact Shaun Bartlett on: bartlett9-9@hotmail.co.uk
If you have anything you would like to advertise in the Retro Classifieds please contact: trosoman@uwic.ac.uk
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Across 1. 1961 Charlton Heston epic (2,3) 3. Mention (5) 6. Ex Chancellor of the exchquer (6,5) 8. Clarinet mouthpiece (4) 11. Sketched (4) 13. Fish eating mammal (5) 14. Shock (4) 16. Short, sharp cry (4) 19. Annual work gathering (6,5) 20. More than usual (5) 21. De-clothe (5)
Please could you help me with my dissertation and fill in my questionnaire. The questionnaire intends to discover the relationship between people’s attitude, knowledge and perceived barriers to exercise and how it relates to their inactivity.
If you require any further information then please do not hesitate to contact the project supervisor Dr D. Wasley on: Tel: 02920417192 or email: dwasley@uwic.ac.uk
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Across: 1. Elcid, 3. Refer, 6. Gordon Brown, 8. Reed, 11. Drew, 13. Otter, 14. Stun, 16. Yelp, 19. Office Party, 20. Extra, 21. Strip. Down: 1. Eager, 2. Carve, 4. Flour, 5. Renew, 7. Neptune, 9. Eat, 10. Don, 11. Dry, 12. Eel, 14. Shive, 15. Unfit, 17. Error, 18. Payup.
Dear Aunty Archer, I’m in my third year at UWIC, and I’ve seen a few posters and flyers around the campuses on the National Student Survey. I’ve also heard people mentioning that it’s a survey for final year undergraduates?! Can you tell me what the purpose of this survey is and whether or not I will need to fill one in? Tim
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If you have a picture of UWIC Plum then we want to know! You can either email your pictures to the Retro editor: trosoman@uwic.ac.uk. Or you could upload your picture to our facebook group. Search for Retro Newspaper.
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Retro
January 2009
www.uwicsu.co.uk
RetroBUCS Fixtures & Results
British Universities & Colleges Sport December 2009 UWIC BUCS Results Badminton l (W2A)
25th Nov
2nd Dec
8 - 0 Glos 1 (A)
5 - 3 Soton 2 (A)
Badminton W (Prem)
9th Dec
94 - 80 Bristol 1 (H)
Basketball W1 (Prem)
150 - 9 Portsmouth 1 (H)
Basketball W2 (W2A)
82 - 40 UWE 1 (H)
13th Jan
27th Jan
142 - 41 Bristol 1 (H)
Badminton W (Prem)
Cambridge 1 (H)
Basketball M (W2B)
Swansea 2 (A)
Basketball W1 (Prem)
London Met 1 (H)
Basketball W2 (W2A)
Football M1 (W2B)
2 - 3 Hartpury 2 (A)
Football M1 (W2B)
Football M2 (W2B)
3 - 2 Gloucester 2 (A)
Football M2 (W2B)
Football M3 (W3B) Football W1 (Prem)
20th Jan
Badminton l (W2A) 3 - 5 Bath 1 (A)
Basketball M (W2B)
January 2010 UWIC BUCS Fixtures
Football M3 (W3B) 0 - 2 Brunel 1 (A)
1 - 3 Hertford 1 (A)
Football W2 (W1A)
10 - 0 Bath 1 (A)
Football W1 (Prem)
1 - 2 Exeter 1 (A)
Football W2 (W1A)
Golf (Prem S)
Brighton 1 (H) Gloucester 1 (H)
Golf (Prem S)
Hockey M1 (W2B)
3 - 1 Swansea 1 (H)
10 - 1 Bath 4 (A)
Hockey M1 (W2B)
Hockey M2 (W3B)
6 - 2 Glos 2 (H)
6 - 4 Cardiff 3 (H)
Hockey M2 (W3B)
Hockey W1 (Prem)
0 - 3 Bristol 1 (A)
2 - 1 Oxford 1 (H)
Hockey W1 (Prem)
Hockey W2 (W 2B)
11 - 0 Glam 1 (A)
1 - 1 Swansea 1 (H)
Hockey W2 (W 2B)
Hockey W3 (W3B)
0 - 0 Glos 2 (A)
2 - 2 Medics 1 (A)
Hockey W3 (W3B)
Lacrosse (W1A)
0 - 24 Bristol 2 (A)
Netball 1 (Prem)
25 - 43 Bath 1 (A)
56 - 33 UWE 1 (A)
Netball 2 (W2B)
57 - 25 Bristol 2 (H)
41 - 38 UWIC 3 (H)
Netball 2 (W2B)
Netball 3 (W2B)
28 - 21 Swansea 1 (H)
38 - 41 UWIC 2 (A)
Netball 3 (W2B)
Netball 4 (W3B)
36 - 43 Aber 1 (A)
Newport 1 (A)
Netball 4 (W3B)
Rugby Union M1 (Prem A)
9 - 6 Hartpury 1 (H)
23 - 5 St Mary’s 1 (A)
Rugby Union M2 (Prem B)
Southampton 1 (A)
Cardiff 1 (A)
Exeter 1 (H)
Lacrosse (W1A)
39 - 31 Bristol 1 (H)
Netball 1 (Prem)
Brunel 1 (A)
32 - 8 Bristol 1 (H)
Rugby Union M1 (Prem A)
12 - 17 Hartpury 2 (A)
7 - 20 Cardiff 1 (A)
Rugby Union M2 (Prem B)
Rugby Union M3 (W1A)
18 - 35 Hartpury 3 (H)
10 - 41 Exeter 2 (H)
Rugby Union M3 (W1A)
Bristol 2 (H)
Rugby Union M4 (W1A)
7 - 33 Exeter 2 (H)
7 - 33 RAC 1 (A)
Rugby Union M4 (W1A)
Glamorgan 1 (H)
53 - 0 Exeter 1 (H)
Rugby Union W (Prem)
Brunel 1 (A)
Rugby Union W (Prem)
Rugby League (Premier S)
0 - 48 Nottingham 1 (A)
Rugby League (Premier S)
Squash 1 (W1A)
5 - 0 Bristol 2 (H)
4 - 1 Bath 1 (A)
Squash 2 (W2B)
3 - 2 Aber 1 (A)
5 - 0 Glamorgan 2 (H)
Squash 2 (W2B)
4 - 0 UWE 1 (H)
Squash W 1 (Prem)
Squash W 1 (Prem)
3 - 2 Exeter 1 (H)
Ox Brookes 1 (A)
Oxford 1 (A)
Squash 1 (W1A)
Tennis M1 (W1A)
8 - 2 UWE 1 (H)
6 - 4 Bristol 2 (A)
Tennis M1 (W1A)
Tennis M2 (W2B)
5 - 5 Cardiff 1 (A)
5 - 5 Aber 1 (H)
Tennis M2 (W2B)
Tennis W (W1A)
8 - 2 Gloucester 1 (H)
7 - 3 Bath 2 (A)
Tennis W (W1A)
Volleyball M (W2A)
Volleyball M (W2A)
Volleyball W (W2A)
Volleyball W (W2A)
(H) - Home (A) - Away Red - Conference Cup
Exeter 1 (H) Oxford (H)
Loughborough 2 (H)
Southampton 1 (H)
Bristol 2 (A)
Bath 2 (H)
Bo’mouth 2 (A) Swansea 1 (H)
Swansea 1 (A)
Exeter 2 (H)
For more BUCS fixtures & results www.bucs.org.uk
Retro
www.uwicsu.co.uk
RetroBUCS Photography
January 2009
19
www.uwicsu.co.uk/au/gallery Photography By Kieran McManus
Photography By Kieran McManus
Photography By Kieran McManus Photography By Kieran McManus
Photography By Carl Sutherwood
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Retro
January 2009
www.uwicsu.co.uk
RetroSport
Scholar Of The Month Bryony Raine Sport: Athletics, I am a pole vaulter.
had recommended I try pole vaulting, something I hadn’t even heard of at the time! So it was 2005 that I started, and I’ve been really into it ever since.
Sporting Achievements: My best sporting achievements are probably all from this year to be honest! I started the year with a number of domestic wins, including the Birmingham games, the Midlands Championships and the BUCS Championships, that indoor season was great fun and I added 25cm to my personal best. I was really excited moving into the outdoor season and managed to gain another 10cm on my PB when I jumped 4.05m at the UK Championships in July and finished up with a bronze medal.
Who is your biggest sporting influence? That’s a tough one, and a lot of people would expect me to pick a gymnast but Id have to say it was my coach, Scott Simpson. I can’t even begin to describe the amount of work and coaching hours he puts into the group’s training, and anyone who is so dedicated to something is certainly a worthy role model. He was a great international pole vaulter himself and that makes such a difference because he knows the solution to every problem and he knows how to keep us motivated.
Course of Study: Well I am on MSc Sport and Exercise Science but also did my undergrad, BSc Sport & Exercise Science at UWIC.
What does an average week of training consist of? In a normal week at this time of year (we are not competing yet), I would had have three pole vault sessions, working on the technical parts of the jump, and one of these sessions is on our new downhill run up. Two weights sessions, three running sessions which include a speed endurance one, a session for speed and a more chilled tempo running session. A core stability session, three gymnas-
When did you first start playing your sport and how long have you been involved? I came to UWIC as a gymnast but quit after the first term as I felt I was getting too old, then within a few weeks a friend
tics sessions - two of which are more conditioning based, and one being more about skills. One plyometrics sessions and a swim session which constitutes our rest day. Do you have any pre-competition rituals? I wouldn’t say I have rituals but i am very superstitious and I really wish I wasn’t. I can’t compete without my yellow rubber duck which marks my run up, and I am quite particular about what socks I am wearing and the way I have my hair. I tend to fiddle about with my spkies as I worry that they are too tight or too lose, and I always find time before I compete to listen to some Britney or McFly! What are your hopes for the future after your time at UWIC? I would like to see what happens in the next couple of years, I hope that all the hard work I am putting in at the moment will pay off and that I will be jumping even higher this time next year. Most of all I aim to be enjoying the event as much as I am now, and I know that’s what’s given me such an improvement in the last 12 months.
Retro
www.uwicsu.co.uk
January 2009
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RetroSport
UWIC’s Women Hoping to Repeat Success of Last 4 Years
UWIC Women RFC
53
Exeter Women RFC
0
By Kylie Wilson Women’s Rugby Head Coach
On the 9th December, the last game of last year, UWIC welcomed Exeter to Cyncoed in a game which promised to be hard fought after a close encounter on the away leg. After receiving her first welsh international cap last weekend against Sweden, UWIC were lead superbly by Lisa Newton who combined well with fellow backrow players Sioned Harries and Hannah Newport. However, the UWIC platform was established by an outstanding scrummaging performance from front row players Katie Hutchins, Lowri Harries and Abbey Constable. The set piece work of Olivia Robinson and S. Harries at lineout
also provided a wealth of ball for the back line to exploit; whish resulted in tries for Kiri Bennett, Yazmin Leung and Levi Hallett. Excellent linking play by backs and forwards saw scrum half Larissa Muldoon give a deft pass to put L. Harries into the corner for an excellent team try. This performance sets UWIC up as Premier South league leaders with only a few fixtures remaining, which should give them a favourable home draw for the knock-out stages. The squad are hoping to repeat the success of the past four years by reaching the final to be played at Twickenham on 21st April. The team has trained hard over the Christmas period and are looking to step up a gear over January and February to ensure they are prepared for the stiffer challenges that face them. Head coach Dr. Kylie Wilson was full of praise for her squad “today we put some passages of play together which gives me the confidence to really believe we can make the final this year, players stepped up to the challenge and a as a squad, we look the strongest we have this season, so we are definitely moving in the right direction.
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Retro
January 2009
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RetroSport
UWIC’s Small yet Mighty Badminton Club By Caroline Harvey and Alex Walburn Badminton Team Captains
Badminton is one of the smaller athletics clubs in UWIC but what we lack in numbers we do not lack in performance. The club consists of one Mens and Womens team with 6 players on each team, the Womens team play in South Premiership and the Men in West 2A. The Womens team has moved up into the Premiership this year and this compared to the previous years competition is very tough. The team has stepped up to the mark consisting of two fresher players, Fiona Sheppard and Claire Hannah who have made their mark in UWIC Badminton. The other players include the four players that helped to move the team up to the premiership Tanya Chick, Lauren Hughes, Natalie Bailey and Caroline Harvey. So far the season has gone well
being 2nd in the league with 1 win, 3 loses and a draw with an overall goal for the one remaining game of the league this season to not to be relegated from the league. The girls have all played really well and are competing well in the premiership. Coming up to the Christmas break the boys were sitting second in their respective league chasing down UWE for promotion. So far the team has experienced a mixed start to the season with some outstanding wins and some poor performances. New members of the team include Tom white, Craig Swann and Sam Roberts, all of whom have been performing well in their debut sessions and have fitted in with ease with the regulars; Mark Gillard, Krish and Alex Walburn, oh and not forgetting our very own Christmas Grinch; Oliver Hartrey, who provides hours of entertainment and earache (when he decides to play). Hopefully the New Year will bring renewed vigour and energy to the
team, and see us challenging for the top spot, promotion and success in the upcoming cup matches, providing we didn’t eat or drink too much over Christmas. A highlight of the uni badminton year is BUCS championships in Nottingham which is all fun and many games. This year a team of 12 were entered in all disciplines, with Caroline Harvey reaching the quarter final in the singles and losing to the overall winner from Leeds Met. The players all fought well in their games but the competition was very tough. I am sure other than the games the Saturday nights entertainment in Oceana Nottingham was also thoroughly enjoyed, with a few stories to tell from that. So far this season has been a good one with prospects for the second half being interesting and busy with remaining league matches and cup matches, keep up the hard work on court everyone and good luck for the rest of the season.
Retro
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January 2009
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RetroSport
UWIC’s Men On Target For 2010 League Double By Terence Rosoman Retro Editor
Halfway through the winter season and our UWIC Men’s Rugby Team 1st’s are riding high at top spot in both the WRU SWALEC league and the University’s BUCS League. Could this be the season that sees them bringing back a double league title to UWIC?
points, with vital wins against Hartpury University and local rivals Swansea University. Entering the new year, UWIC are sitting pretty on top of the BUCS Rugby Premier division with only a hand full of games left, starting with a crunch match against Exeter University which will no doubt determine this years league winners.
Last year in the SWALEC WRU league One East UWIC ended up coming a respectful 4th, however this year they seem to be well and truly in the driving seat. With 9 wins out of possible 10 and suffering only one defeat to 2nd place Bargeod, UWIC are two wins away from equalling last seasons win count half way through the season.
With a string of games coming up in the new year against bottom of the table teams UWIC look very comfortable and confident of a Welsh League title this year. So this year, make your new year’s resolution to help support your UWIC rugby team and aid them in bringing back the 2010 double, and with the BUCS Championships approaching in March we could be looking at an historic UWIC trophy treble. R
At the very start of the BUCS campaign you would be forgiven for thinking that this possible wasn’t going to be UWIC’s year. In the first three games they only picked up 4 out of a possible 9 points, drawing with arch rivals Hartpury 14 -14, beating St Mary’s College but losing to Bristol University by 3 points. That loss to Bristol University seemed to kick start UWIC back into their winning ways. Since the game back in October they have failed to drop any league
Premier Division 2009/10 P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
8
6
1
1
199
83
19
University of Exeter 1st
7
5
0
2
149
108
15
UWE Hartpury Men’s 1st
7
4
1
2
136
94
13
University of Bristol 1st
8
4
1
3
189
173
13
University of Bath 1st
7
3
0
4
128
132
9
Swansea University 1st
7
1
1
5
131
136
4
St Mary’s University College 1st
8
1
0
7
64
270
0*
D
L
F
A
Pts
Accurate from 7th December 2009 * Point deducted / awarded
Welsh Rugby Union SWALEC League One East 2009/10 P
W
UWIC Men’s 1st
10
9
0
1
275
128
41
Bargoed RFC
9
8
0
1
258
149
36
Newbridge RFC
9
7
0
2
243
184
32
Blackwood RFC
9
6
0
3
266
160
30
Llanharan RFC
9
6
0
3
264
173
29
Rumney RFC
8
4
0
4
195
182
22
Merthyr RFC
10
3
0
7
210
267
16
Ystrad Rhondda RFC
8
3
0
5
188
223
16
Tredegar RFC
9
2
0
7
163
250
13
Bedlinog RFC
7
2
0
5
108
126
11
Caerphilly RFC
9
2
0
7
158
315
10
Beddau RFC
9
1
0
8
123
294
6
Accurate from 7th December 2009
On Thursday 26th November the annual Cardiff Secondary Schools Girls Tag tournament was held at Cardiff International Sports Stadium organised by Sport.Cardiff/Cardiff Blues/UWIC. The tournament aim was to help promote and raise the profile of woman’s rugby within Cardiff secondary schools whilst also providing a Club exit route to Cardiff Quins RFC Girls & Women’s Section. Leading up to the tournament and via a new exciting partnership creation, 14 members of UWIC Women’s Rugby Squad were qualified with a WRU Community Tag Leaders Award and accredited as Sport.Cardiff/Cardiff Blues/UWIC Community Rugby Coaches (CRO’s). Plasmawr successfully won both the U14’s & U18’s age group categories. Plasmawr as a result progressed to represent Cardiff Schools at the WRU National Schools Tag Rugby Tournament 2009 held at Llandovery RFC.
National Girls TAG Tournament
BUCS Rugby Union UWIC Men’s 1st
Cardiff Secondary Schools Girls TAG ‘09
Photography By Kieran McManus
Llandovery RFC was this year’s venue for the National Tag Tournament with 17 Under 14s and 15 Under 18s teams attending from across Wales. In the U14s competition, the semi finals were between pool winners Cardiff (Ysgol Plasmawr) and Carmarthenshire East (Tregib) while RCT (Bryncelynnog) played the best pool runner up, Carmarthenshire West (Caedcae) with Carmarthenshire East and RCT the eventual finalists. In the U18s competition, the semi finals were between Neath Port Talbot (Neath Port Talbot College) and Pembrokeshire (Ysgol Dewi Sant) while Cardiff (Plasmawr) tackled RCT (Treorchy). Pembrokeshire put up a great fight against a strong Neath Port Talbot team which included Welsh under 20s players Jess Smith and Rosie Fletcher, but were lost eventual lost out by 4 tries to 3. Cardiff (Ysgol Plasmawr), coached by current Welsh International Catrin Edwards, proved too strong for RCT and won decisively 6 tries to 2. The final was a fast and physical encounter. Both teams showed fantastic athletic ability and exceptional rugby skills but at the final whistle Cardiff took the title 6 tries to 4. Jason Lewis, Welsh Women’s Head Coach, spent the day at Llandovery and expressed his excitement about the standard of players coming through the Schools Tag Programme. “The tag event at Llandovery was a great success. It was good to see so many girls playing rugby. What was apparent was the real natural ability many of the girls possess,” he said. “The final of the U18’s competition was a fantastic game with end to end attacking play. The handling and support play was sublime at times. I’m sure all teachers present will have seen what a great game rugby is for girls.
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Retro
January 2009
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RetroSport
We need to turn the corner… Archers Norwegian import and MSc Sports Psych student Mia Spasowska on route to basket versus Sevenoaks Suns in the Archers Arena.
By Damian Jennings UWIC Archers Head Coach
To close 2009 reflecting on the last three and a bit months I would have to say this has been an incredibly testing period. It’s hard not to be too result driven when your own and your teams expectations of ourselves is so high; but losing to Leeds and Sheffield on the road in the EBL & then to leave the National Cup in the semi-final to Nottingham Wildcats away from home has us very disappointed. Up to now and no different to the last 2 years BUCS looks after itself until we
get to the Final 16/8’s and meet some of the competition from the north premier league. Wednesday can become very frustrating blowing out teams that are supposedly premier division level but really are anything but. It could become very distracting to us but of course we would rather be in our winning situation than not, and the players have acted very maturely under the circumstances and we always seem to be able to take at least something performance-based away from each mid-week contest. If aspects of final performances in December are anything to go by then 2010 could see the bedding-in process of new players complete and a real chemistry and sync on court take shape. People often comment that it is better to peak late in readiness for the Play-Off’s, but to be honest in contest that last for 6-7 months I would rather just peak for every Saturday. We are off to Belgium to play
Head Coach, Damian Jennings reviewing his tactics.
Scholar Of The Month
January’s Scholar of the month is Bryony Raine, UWIC Pole Vaulter.
Page 20
some very high level European competition in the shape of 3 professional clubs from the some of the best leagues across Europe. The aim is that this prep will take us into the latter part of the season better prepared than the rest and give us further opportunity to fine-tune what is either missing or just simply needs more time and quality reps. Don’t forget to checkout www. uwicarchers.com to see when we are playing the likes of Leeds, Sheffield and Nottingham. We have them all at home in the Archers Arena so you really could play a special part in ensuring retribution for road trips is gained and push your Archers to league & play-off success…the title race is still very open!