Car Parking Management on Campus
Issue Number 6 : December 3rd 2007
Drivers flouting car parking rules will face fines and possible legal action when a new means of managing and monitoring vehicles is introduced on campus in the new year.
The University has approved the outsourcing of the civil parking enforcement scheme to a fully licensed company, Liberty Services, who will ensure efficient and timely collection of parking fines.
Contraventions include: failure to park in a valid parking space or display a valid permit/ticket; parking in a disabled person’s bay without authorisation; causing obstruction for emergency vehicles; parking in a no waiting area; exceeding the permitted time limit; abandoning a vehicle.
kusu.net/concourse
PDAs which state the date, time and offence committed.
and the name of the person being visited, and will be traceable by its serial number.
This is then downloaded daily to a dedicated central server, and Liberty Services will be able to request the car owner’s details from the DVLA and follow up with legal letters if the penalty is not paid. The recommended penalty is £50 - which can be halved if paid within 14 days.
Sally Stedman, deputy director of CFM, said: “The existing systems rely on honesty as we have no way of penalizing the drivers of cars which fail to display a valid permit.
Currently all cars parked on campus are required to display an appropriate permit. Staff and student car parking is managed through the purchase of University permits, which designate the areas in which the various permit holders may park. Visitors should use pay and display.
Staff and student permits and the pay and display system will continue to operate in the same way but a visitors’ car parking permit scheme will be introduced. Invited visitors will be given a professionally produced permit which uses scratch card features to validate it. Each permit will be valid for one day and will display the date, car registration number
“Increasingly staff, students and visitors are recognising our inability to penalise unidentifiable cars and failing to buy permits or to Pay and Display. The unfairness of this is obvious and not only results in loss of income, which is used to maintain the car parking infrastructure, but increasingly reduces our ability to identify vehicles and secure the campus environment. To maintain a fair system for all car park users and eliminate the poor publicity and resentment currently generated, we need to implement a penalty system for offenders which will address the needs of staff, students and visitors in an efficient, fair and legal and manner.”
Further information on this article can be found on ‘kusu.net/concourse’ >>>
The Proposed Change : Re-structuring the Keele Degree
If warning notices are ignored, a penalty notice will be issued by existing car parking management staff using handheld
Jack Corrigan Vice-President Education & Welfare
Over the past couple of months, the academic powers that be here at Keele have undertaken fervent discussion regarding the redesigning of the Keele degree structure. This is not a cue to panic; the proposed changes are only due to come into place in 2009/10 and will only effect new students arriving at Keele from that time on. It is, however, important that current students understand the proposals and that you have the opportunity to comment on them.
The current status of the proposal is that it has partly passed the University senate, so that in can progressed towards implementation. The new structure proposes a shift to 8
15 credit modules per academic year, as oppose to the current 12 10 credit modules that Keele currently has in place for a large number of its courses. This will see the abolishment of the Complimentary Study Programme, though this will not hinder student choice or study variety.
The proposed change to the 1st year at Keele, which has successfully been approved by senate, is now based around the rhetoric of choice. Students who come to Keele to do dual honours will be required to do principal modules in their own course, one per course per semester. The other two modules for these semesters can be filled up with electives. This Americanism in essence suggests individual choice. The use of the elective systems means that a student can come to Keele in their 1st year to do Politics
In Concourse Issue 6 Feel the Bubble! > Page 3
and International Relations, but can experience electives in English, which may interest them. On completion of their 1st year, said student could adjust their degree title to either Politics and English or International Relations and English. This would change one of their principal subjects to English if they wanted too. This new system actively promotes choice and with the new provision of the personal tutor, has the right guidance and support network to be implemented successfully.
The area were the proposals have been challenged are the new design structure for the 2nd and 3rd years. The proposition was that a student’s degree would culminate in the articulation of an inter-disciplinary independent project that involved both of their principal subjects. Many academics felt
Bill Rammell Visits Keele > Page 4
this to be an unattractive proposal as it did not give the specialist attention that the current dissertation arrangement gives. The current system predominately ends with a large number of the student body doing two dissertations so that they can specialise in both dual honours subjects. The opposition to the new structure is formed by individual school trying to protect their own system of assessment and requirements to evaluate student ability in a certain fashion. This is only a brief synopsis of the new proposal that outlines a few of its definitive features. If you have any comments or questions on the proposal do not hesitate to contact me vp.edwel@kusu.keele.ac.uk. I welcome any question and will endeavour to answer them to the best of my ability.
Societies Update! > Page 10
Concourse
3rd December 2007
Matt Alexander Vice-President Democracy & Communications vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk
We’ve had a fantastic first semester here at Keele! It’s gone extremely fast but it’s been a lot of fun! I’d like to thank all of you for contributing to Concourse over the last few months. I’ve had so many brilliant articles through from you and it’s made my job a lot of fun (the only hard part is deciding what does and what doesn’t go in!). I hope that you will continue to submit articles throughout semester 2 and keep up the high standard you are setting! I’d like to start my little update by congratulating all those involved with the arrangement of Oxjam the other week. The event went really well and showed just what students can achieve when they set their minds to something! I think that events like this are a fantastic idea and are something we need to have more of at KUSU, however in order for these events to be a success they need the support of students at all stages. If you are interested in arranging an event for later this year the have a word with one of the Sabbs or contact the Entertainments Officer (sta49@kelee.ac.uk). I’m sure most you already know by now about the new Keele prospectus (seeing as I get 50 e-mails a day asking to be in it!), but just in case your are not aware; I’m looking for some charming Keele students to model themselves for the new prospectus. If you are interested, and are free around the 10th and 11th of December then drop me an e-mail. I’m also running a competition through BT at the moment where you can win a £200 digital camera and year’s free subscription to BT Digital Vault. All the details for this can be found on kusu.net. I’ve been working for some time now on getting Concourse Online developed. I wanted the site to be more than just uploads of the pdfs of the newspaper and more of a frequently updated news site, similar to those of national newspapers. I don’t consider Concourse Online to be a ‘off-cut’ of material that didn’t make it into the newspaper, but more of an ‘extra-content’ section where additional articles relating to stories featured in the paper can be accessed. I hope you like the Concourse Online section and I welcome any feedback you have about it. You can access the site at kusu.net/concourse Those of you who attended the Journalism Workshop I arranged earlier in the year will be pleased to hear that we shall be having another one as soon as we can. This time the workshop will focus upon photography and will feature some expert tips from those in the industry. Look out for information on this event in the coming weeks! We’ve still got a lot lined up at KUSU before you all clear off for the holidays. Come down to the free O2 party on the 8th of December and don’t forget to get a ticket for the Xmas party on the 12th of December! Finally, I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and happy New Year (eat lots, drink lots etc.).
Oliver Cotterill Vice President (Finance & Activities) vp.finance@kusu.keele.ac.uk
Hi everybody, hope you are all well and all the essays are now complete for this semester. No doubt the Christmas spirit is starting to take effect, I know I’m starting to get all excited!! First of all I would like to say a big huge thank you to everybody that came to watch Keele’s Got Talent last Tuesday; it was a fantastic evening with over 200 students in attendance. Thirteen students performing a variety of acts including Irish Dancing, Electric Violin, Acoustic Performances and Singing all competed for a selection of fantastic prizes and the title of Keele’s Got Talent Winner 2007. After three hours of incredible entertainment, third place was won by Mr Tom Sharp; second place went to Rod Howcroft & Mark Farthing with their band Strange Brew; and the winner of Keele’s Got Talent 2007 was Matt Woosey with an earth shattering acoustic performance of original material! I hope you all enjoyed the evening, if you didn’t get chance to come, don’t worry…there will be a talent contest next semester! As many of you already know, I run a weekly Thursday night Quiz in the Lounge. The 6th December quiz will be a one off Christmas special in the Ballroom. We will be having extra rounds, there will be lots of prizes to be won, there will be free crisps and sweeties in addition to the odd game of Pass The Parcel!! The Christmas quiz will start at 9pm so come on down and join the fun on Thursday 6th December in the Ballroom. Finally, just a quick announcement to say that Refreshers week will commence the first week back and this will include a society sign up day. This will be run in the same format as society sign up when you all started your year back in September; a chance to sign up to societies that you may have missed. Remember, we have had several new societies that have started during this semester, so come along to Refreshers fair to see what they all have to offer! Considering this is the final edition of Concourse for the semester, I would like to wish you all a very enjoyable, merry and safe Christmas. Remember to have as much fun as possibly, eat lots of turkey, drink lots of wine and most importantly don’t get too stressed out about the exams!
Martyn Harris Chair of SRC
Hello my lovelies - One of your friendly neighbourhood Constitutional Affairs Commitee (CAC) men here, to bring you all up to speed with what we’ve been up to since the beginning of this year. CAC have been busy sorting meetings and making important decisions regarding the constitution - aiding the other elected officers in their roles and letting them know about any issues with the constitution. My job is to chair these meetings, and I will be chairing the next Student Representative Council (SRC) this Tuesday the of 4th December where us students get to question and scrutinize our elected officers on what they have or haven’t been up to. if you’d like to get involved with this just email me at u5i95@ugi.keele.ac.uk and I can give you more details. The most important thing we’ll be doing this year is conducting a governance review of the Union where the consitution will be overhauled and the way KUSU works will be looked at; meaning that its a great oppurtunity to direct on where the Union is going. Student feedback is really important in this review, so if you’d like to get involved just pop up and see one of the sabbs with any of your questions or suggestions, or contact Gareth Snell, the general secretary of KUSU by emailing him at : gareth_c_snell@hotmail.com CAC and the sabbs have regular meetings about governance, so if you would like to come along just drop Gareth an email and we’ll let you know times and dates etc.
Want a website that won’t ruin your degree? 1. Go to kuberadio.com 2. Click ‘Listen’ 3. Enjoy YOUR award winning Student Radio Station with music and quality entertainment plus Keele news that’s relevant to YOU. P.S Exclusive podcasts are now online now!
3rd December 2007
Concourse
The Keele Bubble really does exist…
Oli Cotterill Vice-President Finance & Activities
Finally...the suspense is over…it has been a long time coming but it has arrived…it is sexy…it is chic…it is THE BUBBLE! Yes, you have voted, the scores are in and the winning name was the Bubble. A few weeks ago we unveiled the swanky new K2 toilets and promised a complete transformation of the old K2 toilets; we most certainly have given you that. The Bubble is equipped with sumptuous décor, stylish sofas and a few sparkling lights to add to the ambience! We hope that this will become an area that offers something different on a night out; a place for you to chill out and talk to your friends. The Bubble also provides you with the opportunity to book out this space for a meeting room, a social or an event. The building contractors, Thomas Vale, have excelled themselves once again, working non-stop around the clock to get The Bubble up and running in time for the Christmas party. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Garry Bradley (Site Manager) and his team for their contribution and hard-work over the past few months. I am sure you will agree with me that the new K2 toilets and The Bubble look absolutely amazing. It has been a roller coaster ride over the summer with all the developments that have been happening here at KUSU, but it is finally starting to all come together. On behalf of the University and the Students’ Union we hope you are all pleased with the new developments. Have a very Merry Christmas!
KEELE KEY FUND KICKS OFF!
Naz KUSU President
In October, Keele University launched the Keele Key Fund. This is a new long-term approach by the University to attract new sources of income to improve student life at Keele. The Keele Key Fund is focused on six main elements: Enhancing the Student Experience Sports, Arts and Leisure Bursaries and Scholarships Academic Excellence Heritage and Environment Each year there will also be a Special Project – this time
Concourse Editor : Matt Alexander Concourse Issue 6 contained articles from;
Environmental Policy
Prof Ray Cocks Pro Vice-Chancellor (Staff, Students and the University Community)
As the University develops plans to become the Ultimate Campus University for the 21st Century (UCU21C) it is clear that a review and revision of our Environmental Policy, first adopted in 1996, is now due. Earlier this year a working group was set up under the auspices of UCU21C to do this and the policy has now been developed to the stage where it is appropriate to seek more widespread input.
It is hard to imagine Keele becoming the Ultimate Campus University for the 21st Century without effectively addressing this issue. We have already made excellent progress in some areas and the draft policy commits to further developing all areas; this is identified in a series of targets as appropriate. I would encourage you all to read the draft policy and make your views known via the online questionnaire. Both are available on the UCU21C website which you can access from the University homepage. Additionally, there will be a series of focus groups for staff, students and residents running throughout January 2008 to seek your views and more details of these will be announced shortly.
around, we are raising funds the Astronomical Observatory, to improve its function as a learning resource and to support science education in the local community Forty-four students, mainly second year undergraduates but also a couple of postgraduates, telephoned Keele alumni throughout November, and chatted to graduates who studied here from as long ago as 1954 and as recently as 2001. They heard about the experiences of our predecessors at Keele – from the mysteries of the Foundation Year and the “Keele experiment” to the cosy Huts, from the Declaration of Independence to the Levitation of the Vice-Chancellor’s residence and all the fun, frolics and pranks enjoyed by every Keele generation. They also discovered how people felt about remaining connected to Keele, and just how many people loved Keele – and keep on loving Keele long after they have left. We all know about the community at Keele but our callers have realised that our current students don’t know yet how much they part of a unique lifelong community dispersed around the country and the entire world. In return for memories and offers of donations, our student callers shared their own enthusiasm and affection for Keele and expressed how important it was to provide the best possible experience for students at Keele now – and in the future. They described by veteran call room supervisor, Greg Hodder of Rux Burton Associates, as a “fantastic team”, whose skills and personalities created a better atmosphere and better outcomes than he has seen at other universities with longer established fundraising programmes. In four short weeks, our callers gained promises and pledges of over least £132,000 - all of which will be used for the improvement of Keele as a place for students to learn, live and enjoy. There were also a tremendous number of promises
Jack Corrigan, Oli Cotterill, Professor Ray Cocks, Naz, Savitha Piercy, Farah Halime, A Liberal Ranter, Nikki Cooper, Stella Wilkinson, Ollie Willaims, Stephen Johns, Katie Ryan, Mark Harrison, Lizzie Leeson, Becky Taylor, Fay Harris, James Appleby, Manpreet Manku, Simi Sehgal, Chido Silape, Lydia Medler, Roxana Rudzik, Lindsay Holden, Adele Wooton, Rich Hill, Liam Kilbane, Mike Fryatt and Jenny Ball
from alumni to remember Keele in their wills. To be in at the launch of our first ever campaign - with its plenty of troubles, learning curves and unpredictable responses – is something our callers should feel proud about. And when they come back in ten years time as fully-fledged alumni, with careers in full-flow and maybe even children in tow (horror!), we hope they’ll see the real impact of the Keele Key Fund and the difference they have made. All the callers and helpers deserve the appreciation not just of the University but also of their fellow students for doing something effective and practical and influential to improve life for all at Keele. Here is the Keele Key Fund Roll of Honour – why not ask them what they did and what it was like?
Philip Bensusan, Verity Biddlecombe, Joe Bonsor, Amina Buba, Gwen Chireka, Fiona Costley, Candice Ferguson, Chanelle Hardware, Alex Goucher,Kayleighh Higgins, Ellie Hooper, Mary Humana, Aisha Karefa-Smart, Laura Knight, Malcolm Kotwal, Layla Laurenson-West, Ian Mahoney, Adam Marsland, Kayleigh Mayhew, Lindsay McCargow, Bhavna Meisuria, Charlotte Miller, Danielle Moore, Dave Moran, Briony Morgan, Sunita Morris, Dave Moseley, Tee Olawumi, Regina Owusu-Sekyere, Asha Patel, Susie Povey, Temi Pratt, Joel Radiven, Maheshi Samaraweera, Shanny Nawaz Suleman, Deepe Rawji, Ben Shaw, Salma Sultana, Chelsea Tomlinson, Stephen Uagbale, Maria Walsh, Helen Waring, Tim Watt, Sophie-Beth Williams
Asha Patel won the prize for eliciting the highest value of gifts – over £12,000, or around 9% of the total. Malcolm Kotwal gained the prize for the highest giving rate, encouraging over 60% of the people he called to make a gift. Philip Bensusan won dual-honours – for being the most enthusiastic team-member and the Devil’s Fork prize for being the most devilish at the same time! The Iron Man/Iron Woman honours go to Lindsay McCargow, Briony Morgan, Joe Bonsor and Fiona Costley for attending the most shifts.
Want to write for Concourse? You can submit articles and adverts to Matt Alexander in the VP Comms office on the top floor of the Students’ Union, or at; vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk
Next Edition of Concourse: Monday 21st January
Please submit articles for this edition by 12pm on Sunday the 13th of January to VP Comms
Concourse
It’s time to get down and dirty...
Savitha Piercy (article) & Jonny Craig (artwork)
Last year in the Green Edition of Concourse, we told you about a funding bid for an allotment project here at Keele. The funding is now available and we need you!
Situated behind the Music Department is a field that is just waiting to be plowed, planted and reaped by students. Apart from the obvious health and financial benefits to growing your own food, it’s an opportunity to build links with the local community and learn a whole new range of skills in the fresh air. It’s also an excellent way to do your bit for the environment. Don’t worry if you can’t even keep your basil plant alive for more than two weeks, you would be sharing an allotment with 4-6 other students and would have an experienced mentor overseeing your plot. This funding would allow us to turn the field to prepare it for allotments, and to pay for tools, seeds, plumbing, fertilizers and everything else you might need for a forest of carrots, potatoes, cabbage, herbs, fruit and if you’re lucky.....parsnips. Lots of you we have spoken to think this is a really good idea, some of you have even started growing subversive vegetables around campus! If we are successful this project will begin next year, so unfortunately finalists like myself won’t be able to participate, but for everyone else including postgraduates this is for you. If you are prepared to spend a few hours a week with your mates in psychedelic wellies, and are not adverse to dealing with a few bugs and slugs then let us know. Please write to Savitha Piercy at u4r04@ugr.keele.ac.uk for further information and to sign up as a group or as an individual with your name(s), contact details and year of study as well as any experience you might have. Or just pop in to the Sabbaticals Office on the top floor of the Onion and put your details down on the Allotment Sign Up sheet.
“And how does he take
A Liberal Ranter
his tea?”
Hannibal Lecter ate people. That’s what everyone remembers about that film... Well, that and the violence, classical music and Chianti. What people forget about Hannibal in Silence of the Lambs are his motives. All his victims were rude to him. Whilst rationally we appreciate this approach is over the top - plus not offering individuals the opportunity to reform, the prison system would be well advised to leave well alone - we can sympathise with him ... at least to a point. No one likes to be spoken to in a derogatory way, in jest or with lack of respect: Rudeness. “Does what we say really matter?” in the last issue of Concourse brought up for me the key issue regarding today’s overly conscious P.C. society; that the intention behind what is said has no baring on its actual meaning. In Stoke, ‘Duck’ is a term of endearment and ‘Dead’ means very - Go figure! Words change their meaning over time and so do their impact and emphasis. However to claim this in the same heartbeat as listing terms and phrases we should use and avoid is in direct contradiction to the spirit at the inception of the article. Demeaning phrases are regularly launched at those ‘on the fringe’ of society, even today in our ‘accepting’ and ‘liberal’ society. Disabled people should not be defined by that single fact; Nor should a woman be a gender before a good worker; a gay man be shunned from society for his sexual preference; a black woman ignored because of the colour of her skin. There are more things to define us as human beings than a disability, gender, colour and sexual preference. Surely what society needs isn’t a list of “please do say” and “please don’t say”? What we need is educating. A list of does and don’ts does not achieve that. Ignorance breeds ignorance and understanding breeds compassion and empathy. Aren’t these human attributes more valuable to all us, both as a Campus Community as well as members of a wider national and international community?
Further and Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell Visits Keele Farah Halime
Bill Rammel, MP for Harlow, was last week visiting Keele University in a bid to answer concerns regarding higher education and related issues of academic funding. Having successfully campaigned for top up fees and measures to tackle anti social behaviour including Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, which the Council and Police are now using; Bill has been under the Governmental spotlight.
Bill has had strong links with the student population initially serving a sabbatical year as President of the Students’ Union at Cardiff University while later becoming a Regional Official with the National Union of Students (NUS). Bill’s experience within higher education therefore stretches conveniently to his recently promoted post (2005) to Minister of State at the Department for Education and Skills.
For the Labour Government, it is about ‘widening participation’ – this is not merely political jargon, encouraging as many people from the broadest backgrounds reflects strongly in our current education system with the introduction of Educational Maintenance Allowances which offers up to £30 a week for pupils to continue in secondary education and the recent investment of over £100 million into the ‘70% of the adult workforce who aren’t educated to degree level’. Bill adds that ‘we’ve got the best funding we’ve had in a generation’. Bill emphasises the importance of University education if we are to compete in the international market and invest in our national economy. Currently however, Bill ob-
Response to A Liberal Ranter
Nikki Cooper Disabled Students Officer
It slightly disheartens me to have to justify providing our student body with non-offensive terms to use when talking to and about disabled people, but here goes... Yes, education is key, and I would love to go into a pointby-point discussion about why each term causes offense and why the alternative should be used, but I’m sure that would take over most of Concourse. So let me just take on one point; referring to someone as ‘wheelchair bound’ implies that they are confined to their wheelchair, when in fact, a wheelchair is a tool which somebody uses, therefore the correct term is wheelchair user. Perhaps our ‘liberal ranter’ assumes that in writing this article, my target audience was the ignorant people that
3rd December 2007
serves that ‘China and India produce more graduates each year than the whole of the European Union’. In addition to investing in those who do not yet have a degree, Bill is looking to increase those students studying in the nicknamed ‘STEM’ subjects - science, engineering, technology and mathematics by highlighting the salary benefits of this type of career base.
But will increased numbers of students going to University reduce the value of the traditional degree? Bill disagrees: ‘81% of employers are very satisfied with graduate recruits which is a lot higher than A Level recruits.’ He highlights that the UK is second to the United States in terms of the numbers of students being admitted from over-seas; for Bill this wouldn’t happen if there was ‘no confidence’ in the system. However ‘Universities have got to spread their vocational attributes’, as it is the ‘flexible, problem solving, team building’ skills that employers really value.
The hot topic however has been the introduction of top up fees in the academic year 2006/07 which raise the tuition fee limit to £3000 per year. It means more financial support for poorer students and replacing up-front fees with repayment after graduation. ‘Study now, pay later’ is the motto Bill and the Labour Government emphasise.
How successful has this been? Bill is adamant that the last year cannot act as a real indication: ‘We said all along we want to see the first 3 years before 2009 when it goes to the Independent Commission. It would be crazy to prejudge that.’ Bill highlights that it’s either increased taxation or the cap on fees that will improve the quality of higher education and so the Government must ‘strike a balance’. Is this a better and fairer education system? Most support goes to the students who need it, and it is the students from relatively high income backgrounds that may suffer. On a more positive note - Bill was also once Ricky Gervais’ boss, but I doubt the ‘boss from hell’ character was based on Bill having met him!
take on the attitude ‘and how does he take his tea?’ (Or ‘does he take sugar’ as it is more commonly know). Well it wasn’t. My article was aimed at the people out there who are fully aware that disabled people are capable of many things including ordering their own tea, and have various aspects to their lives other than their disability. Those people that do not wish to offend but do so through lack of knowledge; hence the ‘do and don’t guide’ provided by Disability Now and the National Union of Journalists.
I’m pleased that issues surrounding disability are actually being discussed in C---oncourse now. There is a whole culture of ignorance out there that needs to be tackled, part of the battle is getting people to think about the meaning behind the words that they use. Some words can change there meaning and emphasis, but others are so closely tied with the ignorance that created them that they should be left in the past. It’s not about defining disabled people by a single fact, but disability is part of many people’s identity and therefore needs to be acknowledged by people, but acknowledged with the right words.
3rd December 2007
Concourse
Concert in the Chapel: The Choir you can’t afford to miss!
Stella Wilkinson Secretary
As the first term draws to a close and the Christmas season is upon us it can only mean one thing………..the Revelation Rock-Gospel Choir are ready to perform for you! This term the choir have been busy working on a variety of songs which we hope will leave the audience wanting more. The songs we’ve been working on range from classic gospel tunes such as Amazing Grace to well known musical songs from films such as Sister Act and High School Musical but we’ve put our own special “rev” twist to them to make them that little bit different. The concert will also include solo and group performances from members of the choir who can’t wait to show off their talents. The concert will be taking place in the Chapel on Monday 10th December at 7.30pm, drinks and mince pies will be served to get you all in the Christmas spirit. We will not be charging for you to enjoy our concert but we will ask for donations which will go towards a charity which is close to the Chapel and choirs hearts, Khristiya Seva Niketan Hospital in West Bengal. The proceeds we receive will go towards two delivery beds for their maternity ward which they desperately need. We look forward to seeing you there!!
Respect for our war dead?
Stephen Johns
I was walking from Hawthorns the other day when I thought I’d take a walk through the church graveyard to see if it was quicker to get to the leisure centre than going through campus. Anyway at the start of the church in Keele village is Keele’s cenotaph that commemorates Keele’s war dead and their ultimate sacrifice they made for their country on the foreign battlefields of the First and Second World Wars. This was just after remembrance Sunday and I noticed there had been two wreaths of poppies placed on the cenotaph. One was by Keele parish council and the other was by the church. Noticeable absences were wreaths by Keele University and especially one by our student union. As you know many millions of young men about our age were conscripted to serve in the armed forces during both wars. Many of these young men had never been to the other end of the country, not talk about going abroad to fight on foreign battlefields and never came back. Unlike today with the “war on terrorism” the conscripts had no choice but to serve their country and have a real risk of dying, or face prison and be looked at as a coward/traitor while there fellow friends were dying and fighting for our country’s survival. Also to be remembered is that a very significant amount of the British military from both wars were made up of soldiers from our empire and without their sacrifice Britain would unlikely have been able to amass a large enough army in the first place.
Letters From America Ollie Williams, Peer Adviser, Study Abroad
Still ‘umming and aahing’ about whether or not to study abroad? Well, we at the Study Abroad Office (Walter Moberley Building WM0.03- come and visit us; we’d love to see you) get a lot of correspondence from people studying abroad. No, not to tell us that they need bail money, but to tell us what a great time they’re having whilst we’re sat in a draughty old office with the rain tapping playfully on the windows. Below are some extracts lovingly selected from letters we’ve received from Keelites in America. Enjoy… “We took the train to NYC for two ‘Fabulous’ days pretending to be in Sex and the City. It was pure heaven except for my throbbing feet and empty wallet at the end of it! We crammed in as much as possible in our 2 day visit, we went to the Empire State building (at night which was incredible!), Central Park, Toys R Us!, the View Restaurant, a comedy club, the Statue of Liberty, SOHO, Phantom of the Opera, Times Square and the Hard Rock Cafe - IN TWO DAYS!!! It was AMAZING!!!” Sophie Kelland, University of North Carolina, Wilmington “I’m living in ‘the global village’ community with the other international students and some Americans who are interested in other cultures. I have met so many amazing people who all love my accent and don’t want me to go back home. I’m starting to feel the same way, I’m loving my time in Bowling Green. I have joined the Phi Delta Theta fraternity which has opened up a lot of doors for me. Through the fraternity I have really experienced the true American college experience. I’m already planning on coming back to visit all of my great friends here next August.” James Howells, Bowling Green University, Ohio
“Portland is the best of both worlds – all the feel of an American city but not so much of the size. Its population is only 65000 – that’s much smaller than Stoke! Everything worth going to is easy to get to – the buses run regularly and cost 50c (25p!) with a student ID (in fact, USM students can ride free in Sept- Oct). The people are friendly and open, the crime rate is low and the main city area is pedestrian friendly The University is fantastic for several reasons. Its stunning... much prettier than Keele. The students are, in my experience, a friendly bunch. The sporting facilities are excellent – and mostly free to students. The Campus Centre (SU without the alcohol) runs trips all over the State to different places of interest. Other reasons why I don’t want to come home… 1. Lobster 2. Ice Hockey 3. Excellent hiking, skiing, snowboarding and outdoor stuff 4. The Fall colours 5. Being by the sea 6 The weather – warm until October, then getting colder and snowier 7. $25 return bus tickets to Boston – only a 2 hour journey and they play a film on the bus to entertain you! 8. Moxie – the ‘Official State Soft Drink’ – its the best thing ever!
People could argue that the Keele war dead died before the university was created but their ultimate sacrifice, even how few ensured that Keele University was allowed to be created (1949 only 4 I have not learned so much in all my school years as I have in these past few months. The experiences, years after the end both good and bad, are unforgettable and invaluable.” Hattie Earle, University of Southern Maine of World War II). This article would not have been published, written in English and Just to clarify I have no declaration of interests. I am not a would have been praising about how wonderful Adolf Hitler member of the Royal British Legion, none of my friends, famand Germany is. Naz our union President most certainly ily or myself are serving or ex services men of the military. would not be President of KUSU as ethnic races were hated The only members of my family that did serve in the military and there would not have been any women in Keele Univer- were all conscripts during the two World Wars. Merely I sity as women in Nazi Germany were there to produce chil- would like KUSU to show that Keele students appreciate the dren and look after the home and family. sacrifice of our fallen soldiers. I commend the union and the university for selling poppies to By concourse publishing this article maybe we can put things help fund The Royal British Legion who help thousands of into perspective and realise there is more to life than arguserving and ex service men and their families in their time of ing over some errors in the student elections that made no need. Also the amount of Keele students I saw wearing pop- difference to the result, especially as only one candidate pies showed how respected the British military still is in Keele stood for each position. Without our brave soldiers there and showing their respect for the contribution of our grand- would have been any election or free speech. parents and great grandparents in the wars. I will finish this with a famous remembrance Sunday quote I would like KUSU to take this article into consideration for that to myself sums up the sacrifice and why we appreciate next years remembrance Sunday and that a wreath of pop- the fallen. pies from the student union is laid on Keele’s cenotaph to show our appreciation to all the fallen. “For your tomorrow, we gave our today”
Lizzie’s last update….. for a While :o(
Yep it’s true this is the last you will here from me for a while. In my opinion I think it’s been an awesome semester, the KUSU ents department has treated you well Keele. I hope everyone has an amazing first semester. I hope all you fresher’s are settled in now and are enjoy every single second of student life!! A couple of weeks ago one Saturday (usually a quiet one for Keele) the union was transformed into a lively and rocking venue for Oxfam. I want to congratulate Catie Dear for an amazing success with the OXJAM gig. Well done Keele for coming down and partying against poverty. Because it is the end of the semester KUSU ents has something on for you practically every night. So make sure your essays done and come out and spend your last couple of pounds and enjoy your union. If any of you want to get involved in the ents side of your union then come along and have your say every Monday 1pm in K2! Look at the lovely people you could be working with! If you have any questions or want to just tell me what you think about your union, please email me (lizzieleeson1987@hotmail.com). I hope you all have enjoyed this semester I certainly have. Have an awesome Christmas and I am looking forward to partying next year!!
Katie Ryan
Yukinoda Band
The Ents Committee at your service
It’s all good and well discovering new bands and jumping on the bandwagon of the latest music craze but sometimes there is nothing better than just hearing some classic songs from a covers band. Yukinoda Band (oddly named after the bassist) is Keele’s only covers band and one which aims to encompass “good energy, lively music and danceable songs”. After having been together for merely a year, Joe Salmon (Drums), Yuki Noda (Bass), Payam Gammage (Lead vocals), Jon Parish (Guitar) and Susie Haynes (Lead/backing vocals) of Yukinoda Band have performed an eclectic and very unconventional assortment of songs from Head Automatica’s Beating Heart Baby to The Kooks’s Naïve and a variety of covers by Incubus and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. So far they have mostly played on campus, predominantly at the Pig and Rat Bar and also rocked at last summer’s PigFest! On stage, the band really does just have fun and the crowd follow in their footsteps, singing along and dancing to all their favourite songs. However, Yukinoda Band definitely put their own unique stamp on the songs such as when Susie and Payam covered Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity. The duet brilliantly merged the husky and sultry voice of Susie with Payam’s stronger, more fluid sound to create a completely idiosyncratic version of the song. When it boils down to the nitty gritty “everyone contributes to choosing the songs” and there is a perfectly relaxed vibe within the band; there are no egos or politics getting in the way of their great soulfull music. Yukinoda Band are even open to song requests…It’s refreshing to find a band who just want to have fun and entertain their audience.
See them… Monday 3rd December – Pig and Rat Bar Headliners of this year’s PigFest
Check out… Facebook group – Yukinoda Band
Keele Oxjam Ruled
Mark Harrison
Just like to say well done to Catie, Adam and Cameron for organising Oxjam it was an amazing night in the Union. Really good to see so many people that actually care about the future and want make a difference in some way. The little bit everyone did by supporting Oxjam, is for a big difference for the future. It was a really good atmosphere everyone having an amazing time for an amazing cause. It would be good to see more charity events in the Union, not only to raise money but to raise awareness of different activities of charities. I would like to acknowledge the work that Oxfam do all around the world, despite the questions of how much money goes to where it is needed. Oxfam is active all round the world and the money raised makes a big difference to people who really need aid and support to rebuild their lives. We will never all be able to go out to countries and make the change, but by charity events it is the start of the change.
data.select.party
Katie Ryan
Imagine this scene: I’m sitting with the band in their dressing room, just after they’ve performed at their first ever Oxjam, the Jack Daniels and beer are flowing and suddenly it strikes me that the band have actually agreed to give me an interview. So I’m forced to come up with the most sudden, impulsive, makeshift and (slightly drunken) interview yet. With no preparation, amazingly, I find a pen in my bag and grab some paper plates to scribble my notes on, meanwhile the other musicians from different bands have propped themselves up and are keen to pitch in and shout out random comments which I’m just too dazed and confused to stop and care about. To say the least, it was absolutely manic! So I fire away…Data.Select.Party tell me that “playing at Keele uni was good – we had a sweet time tonight!” They certainly looked like they were loving it, jumping around the stage with their guitars falling all over the place, jibber-jabbering down the microphone, having friends performing with them while also, getting the crowd clapping and dancing. After having been together for only a year and a half, Data.Select.Party looked every inch the Rock ‘n’ Roll band they hope to be, dressed in skinny jeans,
Friday 7th December
leather jackets, black vests and lumberjack shirts and were clearly revelling in playing on such a large stage and just having some fun. So on asking them how they would describe their music sound, Daniel Quanstrom (Guitarist/Vocals) excitedly starts ranting something like this; “lets say that it’s a phenomenal fusion of Hip Hop, Indie, Pop and our intricate guitars make for an amazing amount of ecstasy and fun-good times to be had by all!” The band is as bonkers as they come across; permanently laughing, forgetting the question, drinking and incredibly upbeat to be around. Hugo Edwards (Bassist) is the quietest of the lot, while James Monnington (Guitarist) is the quirkiest and according to all of them Tom Groome (Drummer) looks like Jerard Depardieu, the French director!!! From the sound of their music, they say their influences come from bands such as The Bronx, Refused, Rancid, Joy Division and The Kings of Leon and always aim to perform like it’s their last ever gig. Just when I think they can’t surprise me anymore, they decide to nickname me ‘the sex’ and wouldn’t stop joking about it, so on trying to cut that short I say, have you got any final words on your time at Keele’s Oxjam? And they respond with, “It’s been as drawn out as it’s been painful but you’ve been the best…the best we’ll never have” Whatever that means…I think they loved us! Check out…
www.myspace.com/dataselectparty
Concourse News… News… News…
Becky Taylor VE
VE-blog Launch VE @ Keele will be launching an exciting new on-line diary, VE-blog, on Wednesday 5th December. VE-blog, will give VE @ Keele volunteers an opportunity to meet other volunteers, share experiences, best practices and finest volunteering moments in the new on-line diary. VE-blogs will be judged at the end of each semester and the best will be awarded a prize. For further information, visit the VE stand at the Careers Open Day on Wednesday, or check out VE-blog on WebCT. VE-blog diaries are not open to VE @ Keele CSP volunteers, who have their own e-blog section on WebCT.
New Handbooks for VE @ Keele provide all the right Information! VE @ Keele has introduced a series of 3 new handbooks providing essential information needed to help students who are volunteering with VE, and to ensure that volunteering is a happy and fulfilling experience for Keele students and for our placement providers. If you are a VE @ Keele volunteer or are completing a Volunteering CSP module, and have not yet collected your new handbooks from the VE office, please pop by to pick up your copy. Volunteering Essentials Many of our volunteers are busy volunteering their time at projects and organisations in and around the University and the local community. Some VE volunteers will be working towards one of our four VE @ Keele awards, others are completing a Volunteering CSP module, and some are volunteering simply because they have some time to spare and want to do something worthwhile. All of our volunteers will be enjoying new experiences, learning new skills and making a real difference where it counts!
If you are interested in volunteering, or have signed up for a Volunteering CSP module, but have not yet registered with VE @ Keele, there is still time to do this before the Christmas break, and begin your search for a suitable volunteer placement. VE @ Keele currently has 92 organisations registered - one of these might offer just the right volunteer opportunity for you! Pop into the VE office for more information.
For those Keele students who are working towards a VE @ Keele award, or are completing a Volunteering CSP module, please be aware that you should inform the VE office of where you are volunteering when you take up a placement, and submit your Hours Log regularly. These provide important information that allow VE to check your placement provider is registered with VE @ Keele, and that you are meeting the required minimum number of volunteering hours. You should also, by now, have begun work on your VE workbook, to evidence your learning and development during your voluntary experience. If you are unsure about any aspect of your workbook, or need more information about what you should be doing, contact VE @ Keele for advice.
Deadlines for the completion of VE @ Keele workbooks will be announced shortly after the Christmas Break. Speaking of Christmas… VE @ Keele is organising a Christmas ‘get together’ for all VE @ Keele volunteers on Monday 10th December from 7pm-9pm in Barista in the Students’ Union. All VE @ Keele volunteers will be offered a glass of champagne and a Christmas goody bag – ‘Santa’s Mini Sack’. Light bar snacks will be available also! This event will provide an opportunity to meet up with other VE @ Keele volunteers and still leave plenty of time to party at other Student Union events that week. If you are a VE @ Keele volunteer and would like to attend this event, please let me know by Wednesday 5th December, so I can organise bar snacks and goody bags. Please note, VE @ Keele CSP volunteers wanting to attend this event should speak to Becky at the VE office.
VE @ Keele Top Floor Students’ Union (Inside the Independent Advice Unit) Tel: 01782 583626 Email: volunteering@kusu.keele.ac.uk
Fay Harris
3rd December 2007
Be Safe this Christmas
‘Tis the season to be jolly” – except if you get caught watching television without a TV licence! It’s the time of year when the TV licence people are checking whether you are correctly licensed. If you aren’t sure whether you need a licence or not, please contact the Unit, but do so quickly as it is not a defence! If you aren’t properly licensed and you get a knock at the door, you don’t have to let them in, but they can get a warrant and return. For more info visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk/noexcuse or contact 08706001236.
Living off campus? Did you know that your landlord must tell you, within 14 of receiving it, which scheme they have paid your deposit into. If they fail to protect a deposit paid on or after 6 April 2007 or does not give the tenant information about the scheme and deposit you can take court action. Please contact the Unit for more info.
Are you going to be leaving your house empty for the Christmas period? If you are check what your contract says about the heating / pipes etc and check what your insurance policy says about leaving the property vacant.
When You Need More Than Alcohol To Sustain You
James Appleby, Manpreet Manku and Simi Sehgal
Hanley is the most frequented place by students after Morrisons. This is hardly surprising when you consider the fact that it is home to Stoke-on-Trent’s major shopping centre, “The Potteries”. And since “Starbucks” has opened on the top floor (which we didn’t actually know about when we were writing the last edition’s article – clearly we need to venture off campus even more than we do), thus replacing the food court, you might be wondering where you could go if you want a meal. Well, in this week’s edition, we offer for your consideration, a little known restaurant called “Pastiche”. How To Get There: At the bus stop, you get off and walk down the road, crossing over so then you’re on the same side as “Bon Marche”. You carry on walking down this road and then, right next to the cash points is the conveniently placed “Pastiche”. “Pastiche” is perhaps one of the most unique places we have ever been to because every month, “Pastiche” changes its menu, ensuring that it’s a restaurant that will never grow tiresome. And with a lunchtime menu which allows you to have two courses for the price of £5.50 and a dinner menu that allows you to have three courses for the price of £10.50, it’s good value for money. The menu every month is varied, ensuring that there is something for everyone, and they always have several vegetarian dishes on offer. And if there really isn’t anything you fancy on the menu, then the optional side dishes are always wonderful and extremely filling to boot. James says: “My starter (which was a chicken and bacon salad) , wasn’t really my usual choice and I remember that there was a little too much veg on the side. Because of this, I’d probably give it a 6/10. I had Pork and apple sausages on mash with onion gravy, 10/10, perfect. I loved it. For dessert I had the jam and vanilla sponge with white chocolate sauce and ice cream, 7/10 nice but not as good as the main.” Manny says: “I had the warm salad of spinach, pine nuts and balsamic baby onions. It was all right; the spinach was nice but I found the pine nuts too many. I got sick of them at the end and also found the dressing was a bit too vinegary as well. Afterwards I had a Barnsley chop on couscous with pesto and lemon grass sauce. This dish was fairly average - the flavours were nice and so was the presentation but the chop was absolutely tiny and very little meat could be eaten as most of it was gristle so that was very disappointing. For dessert, I had the chocolate truffle torte. Now I am a huge chocolate lover but I could only manage about half of this! It had a very intense flavour - I think there was a mix of two different types. It was delicious but I would say that after one or
two mouthfuls it became too sickly.” Simi says: “The leek and potato soup was a little bland, I hate to say, and I ended up adding a little bit of salt and pepper to it to try and give it the flavour it needed. The Fisherman’s Pie was absolutely huge, the presentation was gorgeous and the way the dish was laid out was different. When I’ve had Fisherman’s Pie, or Ocean’s Pie, the fish usually lies underneath the potato topping, and there usually isn’t that much of a gravy involved. Here though, it was laid out so then the potato was optional and it was absolutely soaked in sauce, which gave it an appeal that was fitting with its unique menu system. The cheese platter offered a total of three varieties of cheese, several biscuits of a different type as well as grapes. It was absolutely huge and unfortunately, though it was gorgeous I could barely eat another bite after all that pie.” So would we come back to “Pastiche”? We’d have to say yes, definitely. It’s brilliant value for money, considering the portions that are given to you and the amount of courses that are on offer, and it’s a place that impresses despite its understated appearance. It’s a place to take a date or a place you can suggest to your family. One warning. The menu changes. We cannot stress this enough. Luckily though, “Pastiche” has an online site here at www.pastichebistro.co.uk where they constantly update the menu so you can always check before you go out for the day or evening.
3rd December 2007
Concourse
World Cinema Review The Science of Sleep
Chido Silape
The Science of Sleep is the brain child of Michel Gondry, Director of the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). Michel Gondry used inspiration form many of his own dreams and his imagination to tell this story. The Science of Sleep centres on the world and dream world of Stephane, played by Gael Garcia Bernal (Motorcycle Dairies, 2004). Stephane is a young man who has left Mexico for France, in search of a better job in graphic design and lives in his mother’s apartment building in Paris. Stephane’s life revolves around his new job, which is rather tedious and not as creative as he had hoped, spending is days with his unnervingly bizarre workmates and his apartment building where is has formed a peculiar relationship with his neighbour Stephanie, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg (Jane Eyre, 1996).
At the heart of the story is Stephane’s love for Stephanie, his equally eccentric and childlike neighbour. Stephane sleeps in his childhood bedroom, filled with bright colours, animation and tiny furnisher; this is mirrored by Stephanie, whose apartment is full of bright colours, arts and crafts materials and unfinished crafts. This is in strange parallel to Stephane’s dreams. In his dream world, Stephane flies or rather swims around Paris, trying to solve the mysteries of his day. Stephane’s dreams are very visual and distorted, but still reflect his life. While watching the film you could get very confused as to what is actually happening and what is a dream. This tension is increased further when we begin to see that Stephane himself has trouble sorting out facts from dreams.
To say that the Science of Sleep is, a mystery wrapped in a riddle trapped in an enigma, would be to put it lightly. Unlike more mainstream films where the plot is clear and have some surprises along the way. The science of sleep is a journey you take with Stephane and those around him. It is an exploration of the characters lives. This journey is at times, painful, with an unclear destination and produces false epiphanies about life and love. It is surreal, but at the same time true to life. Despite the complexities of the film, an unassuming childlike view is useful to see the simple platonic love between Stephane and Stephanie. The science of sleep is an interesting unpretentious film and unlike Michel Gondry’s predecessor - An internal sunshine of a spotless mind, you don’t need a lot past life experiences to understand the science of sleep and it offers a time machine to boot.
American Gangster: Scott’s Best Film Since Gladiator
Lydia Medler
It’s sad but true, but since Gladiator was released in 2000, Ridley Scott’s form seemed to plummet into the average depths of contemporary cinema, with efforts such as Hannibal (2001) and Black Hawk Down (2001). However, in American Gangster, Scott returns to familiar heights, making us remember why he is one of today’s most talented directors and producers. The movie is set in 1970’s America during the concluding years of the Vietnam War, where not only most American soldiers were said to be addicted to either heroine or cocaine, but also most civilians as well. Denzel Washington plays the notorious Frank Lucas, a heroine king-pin from Manhattan, who, after being the solitary companion to a known black crime boss decides that enough is enough. The black man doesn’t always have to struggle to be his own boss in a world dominated by white men. In short, he uses the Vietnam War, and the army in particular, to act as a vehicle to set up his own heroine business. By obtaining pure heroine from the source, he cuts out the middleman and can offer the cheapest, but purest heroine, transported by the American army itself. Hot on the tail of drug crime, Russell Crowe plays Ritchie Roberts, a moral cop, but a man plagued by the dominance of his job and the consequences of being so moral. Almost comically, he finds a car boot full of unmarked dollar bills, and hands it in! Just so you get the jist… Although Crowe and Washington only share screen presence for a matter of minutes, their chemistry is subtle, as these two completely different characters begin to try to understand each other. The film proceeds to show Roberts trying to trace the source of New York’s drug problem, leading him not only eventually to Lucas, but also to the very police force itself. Lucas produces ‘Blue Magic’ heroine, and as it spreads like wild-fire across the city, his anonymity is shattered by the extravagance of those closest to him, making him the black ‘Godfather’ in many ways. Inevitably, this is Washington’s movie as his performance is simply exquisite, but Crowe also finds a role where he can showcase his talent, but unfortunately is out-classed by his co-star. Out in cinemas nationwide NOW!
Concourse Keele Ju Jitsu Hits The Big Time At The Nationals
Mark Harrison
Keele jitsu club took a trip down to Bedford for the nationals in November. This was where the whole association from all round the country met up trained and competed against each other. When it came to the competition it was in the form of gauntlets, where you have to walk between two rows of people. The people in the rows can attack the person who is walking between in any way they want, and the person walking through has to defend against the attacks. The competition was about capability to defend your self, through different techniques we learnt. There where two competitions, at the senior level keele’s very own Sarah Towner finished first. Then in the other competition keele took the top three places, with Andreaos Killi taken third place, Joanne Lovatt second place and Craig McMillan first. Further to this our very own instructors Claire and David where awarded best instructors in the association for the year. It was great to see Keele jitsu club getting acknowledgment for all there hard work of everyone involved in the club. The best bit of the weekend for me was seeing the instructors train with one another. It was a fun weekend had by all, and everyone afterwards knew they been training all weekend. If you fancy learning a bit self defence and having a good laugh, come down to the sports centre 7 – 9 Monday and Wednesday, get involved in your Athletics Union and check it out.
Drama Society The Importance of Being Earnest
You are cordially invited to Keele Drama Society’s production of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. Directed by Lucy Druce, with the assistance of Joe Bonsor. The play was first performed back in 1895 at the St. James’ Theatre London, and is considered to be one of Wilde’s most famous works. ‘Importance’ tells the story of Jack Worthing, who is frequently called to London as a result of his imaginary younger brother Ernest’s escapades. Meanwhile Algernon Moncrieff pretends to have an invalid friend, “Bunbury,” whose attacks call Algernon into the country whenever there is a distasteful social function in prospect. Their two paths collide, and a friendship is born- however Jack keeps the details of his estate a secret from Algeron, in order to conceal the whereabouts of his attractive ward- Cecily Cardew. The play takes a formidable turn when the appearance of one ‘Earnest Worthing’ at his brother’s estate causes the excitement and fussing of the ladies of the house, and the growing frustration of Jack. The play opens in K2 on Thursday 29th of November at 8pm, and runs for 4 nights excluding Saturday, closing on Monday 3rd December 2007. Doors open at 6pm for a 6.30 performance every night except Thursday which will be 8pm for 8.30. Tickets are available from the Students Union Foyer- weekdays 12-3pm, or on the
The Sound of Music: The Story so far…
Roxana Rudzik Musicians’ Society President
The first semester is nearly up before we break up for Christmas and exams. The Musicians’ Society has organised some great evenings of both socialising and live performances so far this year. Following on from the successful Ice Breaker where members got to know each other in October, we’ve hosted numerous Open Mic nights in the Lounge and various other locations on-campus. A more recent social event was organised in conjunction with Keele’s French Society, which was an enjoyable evening of dining in Buffet Island.
Also, a Confidence Building Workshop was organised for society members, which proved to be a valuable afternoon for all who attended. So, a big THANK YOU to everyone who came along! The Committee are working on a few more workshops, some of which will hopefully be of interest to you. Details coming in the New Year!
As a Committee, we plan to make semester 2 even more spectacular, starting off with a ‘Musicians’ Society Post Exam Party’ featuring live entertainment and refreshments. Additionally, we intend to kick-start this evening with a ‘Speed Jammin’ game – just think Speed Dating but in our game, the aim is to meet other members in the hope of finding potential band mates. This is one not to miss out on especially if you’re considering jamming with others or getting a Keele band formed in the hope of entering Battle of the Bands 2008.
One last thing… MUSICIANS’ SOCIETY SHOW on KUBE radio every Wednesday from 4-6pm. It’s proved to be a huge success with regular listeners from around the world. We even won Show of the Week in midNovember! There are some great features to the show, such as: JukeBox Judiciary, Band Profiles: 6 Degrees of Separation, Roxy’s Cheesy Pop Choice of the Week, FreakShow, Dr. Matt’s Second Opinion, Sam’s Thought of the Day, live interviews, reviews, playing your Play Requests, and much, much more. There will be opportunities for members to WIN the chance to come onto our show for a 5-10 minute interview with us and perform live on air. Want to sign up to be a part of this society? You still can. It’s only £3 and you get so many great opportunities to show Keele what you’ve got! Want to know more about any aspect of this article then contact me on: mspresident@hotmail.co.uk
door on performance nights. £3 K.D.S Members, £3.50 Students and Concessions, £4 Adults.
p.s. ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is on the reading list for English this year, so the performances would be a great supplement for students wanting to gain an extra understanding- that, and it’s only £3.50 and they read it to you...’
Brothers
Lindsay Holden.
3rd December 2007
On the 15th November I walked out of K2 with a massive smile on my face, and it wasn’t because I’d had too much to drink, it was because I’d just watched ‘Brothers’. For those of you who missed Keele Drama Society’s first production you missed one amazing treat. With Pulp Fiction and Snatch style killings and humour, writer and director, Andy Humes, has managed to create one of the best shows ever to have been shown at Keele. ‘Brothers’ which boosted many new and talented actors, brought laughter, disgust and even tears to my eyes. The final scene was amazingly intense, leaving me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. The ending had to be the best bit, next to the character Leroy and the line: “Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” It reminded me so much of ‘Blood Brothers’ I wanted Mrs. Johnson to burst out on stage and belt out ‘Tell me it’s not true’. Alas she did not, but thankfully I left K2 looking forward to the next show KDS is going to produce, because if they are all going to be the standard of ‘Brothers’ then we all have one amazing year ahead of us.
Political Weekend
Adele Wootton
‘Political Weekend’ is an annual event hosted by the National Organisation of Labour Students, and this year’s event on 17-18 November provided an opportunity for members of Keele Labour Students to exchange ideas with like-minded individuals from across the UK, and the experience has certainly brought us closer together as a society. The programme of events on offer was interesting and varied in tone and content. We were all motivated by the opening speech given by John Mann MP; he reiterated the importance of young people within the Labour Party making an active contribution, and in addition to emphasizing the positive aspects of what Labour has achieved he was more than willing to acknowledge the party’s failures and led an open discussion on how we might redress them. What was most interesting for me personally was the women’s reception, which highlighted some of the most harrowing happenings in our world today - domestic violence, unfair differences in pay, violence towards women and of course the fact that poverty and lack of education in the international sphere tend to affect women the most. Linked to this was a talk from Oxfam
about how we can change the world for the future and help to eradicate poverty once and for all. Arguably, the most important part of the weekend was the talk from Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools & Families. Keele students were keen to ask as many questions as possible about some of the issues surrounding education on which we’ve been campaigning on our own campus; Ed also spoke with enthusiasm on a range on other topics including apprenticeships, the idea of diplomas replacing A-levels and some alternative viewpoints surrounding Higher Education. Overall, this weekend has been an important part of what has been a steep learning curve for me, because I realise more than ever that politics is not something that can be separated from other areas of life. If you are interested in making a difference, no matter what your priorities or concerns, the most important thing is to get some knowledge and get involved. For details, email ian@keelelabour.co.uk
3rd December 2007 This Week’s A.U. update
Rich Hill AU Deputy President
It has been a busy couple of weeks. B.U.S.A has been running along smoothly, netball have been taking their dresses off and rugby have been putting them on!
Snowflake Ball This year’s Christmas ball was undoubtedly a success. After weeks of selling tickets people finally made their way down to Keele Hall in their tuxedos and dinner dresses. The food and the décor were superb and it was a most enjoyable night of social drinking and dancing! I hope you all had a fantastic time and I shall hopefully see you at the Presentation Ball. This year’s special guests included David Oldham, Angela Dale, John Downing, last years A.U. committee and the full team of your S.U. sabbaticals. (As for the Presentation Ball the date is set for March 15th with tickets going on sale from the February 8th) Athletics and Cross-Country Club Race Report Audley 10km, Audley, Staffordshire Sunday 18th November The 3rd race for athletics and crosscountry took us up to Audley on the
Concourse
Staffordshire-Cheshire border. The course was a fast flat 10km road course, but while the course may have been nicer then the mud at the Teggs 5km, the weather was not. Conditions were barely above freezing, with strong winds and rain, which post race turned to sleet. 7 Keele runners took part with former AU President Chris Cason just beating Robert Yarham to be the first Keele runner home, both managed to break the 43 minute mark, while a solid effort from Treasurer Patrick Eakin meant he was only a minute behind. Fourth home was a coldravaged Club Captain David Limmer, who was unable to break 45 minutes, closely followed by a fast starting Harriet Williamson. Pippa Hicks and Andrew Farmer rounded out the Keele contingent both were comfortably under the 50 minute mark. The club now embarks on a 2 race weekend with the scenic Cheddleton 10km road race on Saturday 1st December, and the challenging offroad course at the Newcastle-Dales Dash on Sunday 2nd December.
Home Fixtures for Wednesday December 5th Badminton Men 2nd vs. Edge Hill 1st New Sports Hall 2:00 PM
Badminton Women vs. MMU Cheshire 1st New Sports Hall 2:00 PM
Keele University Motorsport SUKC Round 1
Football Men 1st vs. Chester(C-) 1st Pitches 2:00 PM
Football Men 2nd vs. Edge Hill 4th Pitches 2:00 PM
Football Men 4th vs. Keele 3rd Pitches 2:00 PM Football Women vs. Liverpool Pitches 2:00 PM
Hockey Women 2nd vs. Bolton 1st Astro 2:00 PM
Netball 1st vs. Man Met 1st Old Sports Hall 2:00 PM
Netball 3rd vs. Chester (Warr) 1st Old Sports Hall 3:30 PM
Rugby Men 2nd vs. Lancaster 2nd Pitches 2:00 PM
As usual, any articles you have then please feel free to send them to au_dep_president@hotmail.co.uk Thank you and I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas holiday.
Mike Fryatt and Ben Phillips on the grid
Mike Fryatt President
keeleuniveristymotorsport@hotmail.co.uk
November 21st saw the first round of the Staffordshire University Karting Championship with members of Keele University Motorsport making the first of hopefully many appearances since the recent linking of the two university’s societies. It wasn’t the best conditions with a few puddles of track, which became very wet later on after an incident involving Keele’s Mike Fryatt and Staff’s Andrea Eigler as the German tried an ambitious move from the start of one of the heats, only to run out of track and end up in the barrier, sending water flowing across the tarmac, making the first corner that bit more interesting. Ben Phillips had a reasonably disappointing outing, finishing round one in 18th place, something I’m sure he’ll be quick to make right come round two. It could have been all even between the two universities in the final heat, with the second semi final, a Keele 1-2 would see both Mike Fryatt and Will Warnock into the final but a spin on the first lap left Fryatt chasing from the back, managing to gain back one place, but it wasn’t enough and saw him bow out earlier than he hoped, the frustration obvious as he
slammed his fists against the steering wheel as they came into the pits at the end. It ended with an all Staffordshire podium, with the experience of brothers James and Callum Davies obvious. “Its been seen today that the level of competition is high, which bodes well for the rest of the season and the next round with drivers having points to prove” Matt Meir- Staffordshire University Motorsport Media Secretary. The rivalry between the two universities will be less intense come February and the British Universities Karting Championship (BUKC) where the two will compete together and hopefully get a strong result. The first test session in early November was a surprising success and the team continues to get stronger in what is turning out to be quite a turbulent rookie year.
Men’s Rugby ‘Drag Day’ in aid for Children in Need
Liam Kilbane Men’s Rugby Club Captain
It has become something of a tradition that the Keele Men’s Rugby Club takes part in ‘Drag Day’ each year to raise money for Children In Need. The day is considered by the team as one of the best days in the rugby social calendar.
The day begins with an early 8am meeting in the union, when we start imposing on the generous students and staff at Keele. Dividing our forces we worked our way around the academic, administration and halls buildings on campus. Some people found us disturbing, some found us amusing, and then there were the worrying few who I think may have actually found us slightly attractive. Others just remarked on the obvious suggestion that these twenty something men’s rugby players were actually enjoying being dressed as women a little too much.
Around lunch time, when we had lightened the purses and pockets of all the people who were out and about during the morning, we had a game of touch rugby. The pitch was the concourse and the playing kit an uncoordinated miss match of women’s clothes. A number of tries were scored none of them too pretty, especially when the spectators managed to catch the occasional up skirt viewing. After the game we went for a warming pint in Union Square, before braving the cold once more for the afternoon of collecting.
The day ended the same way as most Fridays at Keele, with a trip to the union. Just when you think you have given enough, we ask for a little more. At the end of the night, when we had all grown tired of wearing tights and bras and we could dance no more, we handed in the last of the collection tins and went home. Our efforts of the day had raised a grand total of £2,050.78 for Children In Need. A figure that I am very proud of. So a big thank you to all those who donated, and a congratulations to all those involved in the collection throughout the day. It was a very successful day, and more importantly all in the name of charity and good fun.
Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
SUKC CHAMPIONSHIP
After Round 1 (21st November 2007)
Driver
James Davis Callum Davis Matt Fithon Jonathon Davies Andrea Eigler Tom Holmes Will Warnock Andy Smith Mike Fryatt Dan Meeson Dave Whitehouse Andy Salt Ben Foss Matt Meir Dave Glover Rob Ganner Jon Pitt Ben Phillips Lawrence Shaw
Points 23 23 22 19 19 19 17 17 15 15 14 12 11 11 11 11 11 9 6
Bonus Points 5 4 1 4 2 1 3 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
Concourse
3rd December 2007
Jenny Ball
(first person only)