Concourse Issue Seven by Keele University Students Union

CONCOURSE M M

Issue IssueSeven Five

Hello and welcome to this Election Special edition of Concourse! The General and Student elections are both fast approaching and hopefully this edition will give you the low down on what is happening. There is everything in this edition from the student candidates telling you why you should vote for them in the election of the Sabbatical officers of the Students’ Union, to the leaders of the student political parties asking for your vote in the forthcoming General Election. If you haven’t got election fever already hopefully this edition will help you along the way (that is if you wish to catch election fever)! Happy reading! Matt Davies - Political Editor

News

04 ....................Safety on campus 04 .....................New Observatory 22....International Womens Day

Produced and Edited by Nick Heath Vice President Communication & Democracy Any views expressed are not necessarily the views of Keele University or Keele University Students’ Union. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the explicit permission of the editor

Advertising KUSUMarketing sta65@kusu.keele.ac.uk 01782733712

Editorial/Submissions NickHeathVPComms vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk 01782733702

Entertainment

10 .............Whats on @ the Union 21 ...................Games and Puzzles

features

06.......Politik Election Special 12..........................KUSU Elections

MAD is here to provide easier access into the media industry by working with our peers and coming up with innovative ways of arranging affordable but professional training. The aim is to raise money by offering design services, organising exhibitions, working with other societies, and fundraising. This will allow us to provide opportunities that our members will benefit from (trips, placements, portfolio work etc). We will cultivate a friendly, online forum. This will work in a Deviant Art style where you can upload and critique each other’s work, while chatting in a friendly way. We are here to build a sense of community. We are open to all forms of media, audio and design, including: graphics, photography, music and music tech, paintings, drawings, film, animation, typography, writing, game design, web design, and anything else that’s out there! We hope you are as excited as we are about this! It means that there is finally a place to cultivate all the creative talent at Keele, and actually do something about it. It can be hard to get ahead of the pack when it comes to creative interests and careers. This is the place where you can make yourself stand out and put your head above the crowd, and get some practical knowledge about developing your talent. So far, our members have been partaking in a competition to design the new logo, which means that we’ll have a unique, personal image to identify ourselves with. Other competitions involve ‘Portraits with Emotions’ in photography and short story and poetry competitions for the writers. Prizes include publication in the arts magazine Shoestring and products from sponsors. We will have future competitions like these, so keep your eye on them. In the next few months we will be presenting some exciting new opportunities for our members, including workshops with various artists. We hope to have our first workshop on photography; details of this and other workshops can be found via our Facebook page and website. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and our blog: twitter.com/KEELECOULDBEMAD, www.madsocuk.blogspot.com

CONCOURSE

NEWS Blood, Sweat and Tears:

The Story of the KUSU Constitution Adam Mason - President Some of you will have seen messages on Facebook, others read the Union Update, some might even have been to an Open Forum at Student Council, you might have seen the silly/nasty flyers going around saying I’m the spawn of Satan (in a bad way)... granted, you might have also chosen to ignore all of the above... but in one way or another, you will all have been touched by the new KUSU Constitution. The story starts with the 2006 Charities Act, which rules that Students' Unions will no longer be granted charitable status by virtue of their link to their Institution. This means that KUSU will soon have to register as a charity on its own two feet - demanding a significant overhaul of our constitution in the process.

A new dawn for the Keele Earth and Space Observatory Hannah Hiles - University Media & Communications Officer Keele University’s historic observatory has been refurbished in a major transformation designed to open up the natural sciences to a wider audience. The observatory has evolved from a centre of scientific research and amateur astronomy to one which will be by used by a wider range of visitors to increase the public understanding of science. The Keele Earth and Space Observatory will be officially re-opened by Lord Rees of Ludlow, Astronomer Royal and president of the Royal Society, on Tuesday, February 2. The £360,000 transformation includes the refurbishment of the existing observatory and telescopes, and an extension to the lecture room and its teaching and presentation facilities. It has been funded by the Wolfson Foundation, alumni donations to the Keele Key Fund and Keele University. The centre aims to raise people’s awareness of science while continuing its long-standing commitment to teaching and outreach. Visitors will be able to experience practical examples of physical and earth sciences and astronomy, using equipment dating from the 19th century to the present day. The original observatory at Keele was built in 1962 and was established to house the historic Grubb telescope, which was built in Oxford in 1873 and used by Einstein on a visit to Oxford.

What this means for you? Very little change, to be honest. The Union itself, its core values and the day-to-day running will change in only very minor ways. However, one big change will involve the establishment of a formal trustee board - containing, as UGM decided, 5 Sabbaticals, 3 Students, 2 Alumni and 1 External - ensuring students still have complete control of how the Union works and runs. If you want more information, or a copy of the up-todate Constitution, throw me a message on Facebook, president@kusu.keele.ac.uk, or come see me in my office on the top floor of the Union.

Fundraising officer Robin Cross said: “The Keele Observatory had been showing its age for some time and was in a poor state, with leaking domes, rotting window frames and a lack of disabled access among the many issues it faced. “The refurbishment and re-equipping of the facilities provides an exciting, safe and attractive environment in which organised groups, businesses, schools and educators can enjoy a ‘hands on’ experience into the research activities in the physical sciences, astronomy, earth sciences and the environment.” Professor Nye Evans, of Keele’s astrophysics group, said: “The Observatory at Keele has a long tradition of exciting both youngsters and adults from the area. We anticipate that this exciting new facility will enhance their experience, and continue the strong links we have with the community.”

The Wall Of Silence Charli Bailey - Disabled Students Officer If you spent much time in the Union in the first week of February you would probably have been harassed at some point to duct tape your mouth shut and pose for a headshot. Strange, but true, and a way for everyone to get involved with a great cause; raising awareness about the importance of not staying silent about domestic violence. Each photo was a ‘brick’ in the wall of silence, with over a hundred of you fabulous people taking part and helping us raise over £30 for Staffordshire Women’s Aid. The campaign has even made it into The Sentinel twice! Raising even more awareness and showing how great Keele students are. Thank you everyone who had a photo taken, donated money, or joined me in hounding people!

National Student Volunteering Week 22nd–28th February Established in 2001 Student Volunteering Week is an important event in the student volunteering calendar, helping to raise the national profile of student volunteering in the UK. This year the focus for the week is: ‘Inspiring futures, connecting communities’. VE @ Keele have set up a number of events during the week to highlight and promote Keele student volunteering activities, whilst enabling students to put something back into the local community, and will be working with local organisations, Staffordshire University volunteering project and community members to support students to get involved. More Keele students are needed to help with these events. Getting involved is easy, you could gain a VE Award and you will gain additional essential employability skills to add to your CV! If you are interested in helping to make a positive impact in the local community and would like to make a difference, or you want to find out more, contact Becky at: volunteering@kusu.keele.ac.uk Tel: 01782 733626

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NEWS

Activities throughout the week include: Monday 22nd 10am-12pm: A litter pick in Silverdale The KUSU minibus will be leaving Keele at 9.30am Tuesday 23rd 10am-12pm: A litter pick in Newcastle The KUSU minibus will be leaving Keele at 9.30am Wednesday 24th 1pm-3pm: Afternoon Tea for village residents at Keele Village Hall Thursday 25th 10am-4pm: A day planting trees and shrubs at Biddulph Grange The KUSU minibus will be leaving Keele at 9am Friday 26th-Sunday 28th All weekend: A weekend at Fordhall Farm in Market Drayton. Tent & sleeping bag required. The KUSU minibus will be leaving Keele at 4pm on Friday and returning to Keele from Fordhall at 4pm on Sunday

Do you have a letter for the editor?

Just send you thoughts to vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk

Politik

Matthew Davies - Political Editor

IT’S HERE!!! Welcome to the Election Special edition of Concourse! The excitement in the run up to the General Election started in October 2007 when it was widely believed that an immediate election would be called. Since then there has been much talk of when the next election would actually be and what the outcome of the election would be. Although in all honesty we still cannot be sure of the actual date of the General Election two years on. It looked as though it would definitely be the 6th May, although there is now speculation that an earlier election could be called for April. The next General Election is especially exciting as for the first time since 1992 no-one can actually be sure of the result. There are suggestions that the result could be as varied as a 100 seat majority for the Conservative Party to a hung parliament. There are many factors that could still swing the election one way or the other such as the Budget, Gordon Brown’s appearance at the Iraq War Inquiry and the effectiveness of all parties’ campaign strategies. The election will be contested mainly by the three main parties again, although it will be interesting to watch which other parties win seats as they may well be involved in any coalition deal in the event of a hung parliament. The Scottish and Welsh nationalist parties are the obvious ones to watch for any gains they may have. There will also be interesting battles in Buckingham, where Nigel Farage is hoping to win UKIPs first seat by defeating the speaker John Bercow. Brighton will also be interesting to watch where Caroline Lucas is launching a strong campaign to try and win the first seat for the Green Party after the party she leads came

first in that particular area in the recent European Elections. Whatever the outcome of the General Election one thing will be certain: there will be a lot of new faces at Westminster. After the events of the last year in which the sitting parliament has come to be known as the ‘Rotten Parliament’ the start of a new parliament will hopefully see the start of a new politics and the start of a new trust in politics. There are some excellent, hard-working and honest MPs on all sides of the House sitting in the current parliament, however in a lot of minds the current parliament will be remembered for the MPs who did not behave honestly and who have caused a greater loss in confidence in politicians and in parliament as an institution. Hopefully, by the end of the next parliament confidence will have at least been partially restored in what has been seen around the world as the ‘Mother of Parliaments’. In this edition we have attempted to cover many areas and get many different voices that might convince you which way to vote. There will be many of you who have already decided, but there will, I’m sure, still be those who have not yet decided. After reading this edition of Concourse I hope that you will be clearer as to which way you will vote.

To VOTE or not to VOTE There is currently much apathy towards politics and this is expected to lead to a low turnout at the forthcoming election. However, I think that now is the time when it is more important to vote than ever before. There was much disillusionment with politics, people feeling that their voices were not being heard, feeling that the parties did not listen to their concerns or that certain polices were too similar. Then ‘Expenses Gate’ happened and confidence in politics fell to a new low. British politics will take a long time to recover from the fall that it took in 2009; the 2010 General Election could be the start of the healing process. This is why it is paramount for a very high turnout in the next election. One prominent comedian stated on elections and politicians ‘Don’t vote, it only encourages them’! I would fully endorse that statement, but that is the exact reason that we should vote. If there is a low turnout it encourages politicians to believe that people do not care about politics, that there is not much interest in politics and that therefore that every action they take will be below the radar of public consciousness. If there is a high turnout at the next election that will set the precedent for the next parliament, that we are bothered, we are inter-

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ested, we are watching and we will scrutinise every action that they take. For a democracy to be truly legitimate it needs a high turnout in elections to give it that legitimacy. For a democracy to be legitimate it also needs there to be a right not to vote, however at this time the country really needs a legitimate government. However people feel about politicians it is important for Britain to have a parliament where a high percentage of the population turned out to vote it in. At the last election in 2005 there were people that did not vote than voted for the winning party. It would give a great breath of fresh air to British politics if that statistic did not repeat itself in 2010. On a local level it is important to vote because Newcastle under Lyme is a constituency where every vote will matter. The students of Keele University could really decide the outcome of the contest to be the next Member of Parliament for this ancient constituency. All of the parties will be looking to offer policies and commitments to students in order to secure their vote. The majority of us will only vote in one General Election as a university student and therefore should take the issues that affect students seriously. In conclusion.... VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

Politik

Matthew Davies - Political Editor

Keele has a strong history of politcal activisum amonst its student body, so Concourse decided ask a few of the groups what thier current stnace is for the upcoming elections on both local and national issues, 1. What do you think are the biggest issues currently facing university students? 2. What will your party and your candidate for the forthcoming General Election do to help tackle these issues?

Hannah Gascoigne - Newcastle & Keele Conservative Future 1) The thing students are most concerned about is finding a good job whenthey leave university. Unemployment is terrible at the moment, with onein five young people unable to find work, and graduates are not exempt from this. So many students are unable to find a decent job after the degrees they're paying through the nose to get, and many are faced with moving back in with their parents once they graduate. We can't go on like this. For sixth formers, and students facing more years in education, tuition fees and the availability of training and university places are also key issues. 2. Gordon Brown's recession has hit British businesses hard, and that's the cause of many of the job losses. The Conservatives' priority will be to repair the damage done to the economy by Gordon, as Chancellor and Prime Minister. Cutting the defecit will prevent the international community from seeing Britain as a credit risk, and helping businesses out of the recession will create jobs and prosperity for everyone. David Cameron will introduce a work programme that will provide support to every person out of work, including many on benefits who do not presently receive attention. Labour have promised the same: except that they are in government, and Gordon Brown's programme won't be up and running until April - a full two years after Britain went into recession. The Conservatives' package for aspiring young people will include 400,000 new apprenticeships, training opportunities, work pairings and FE college places; plus 10,000 extra university places each year, for the next two years. And under the Conservatives, if you pay back your student loan early, you'll get a discount! 3. Newcastle has many economic issues in common with the rest of the country: the local economy is suffering, many businesses are laying off workers, and many shops in the town centre are closing. In healthcare, Newcastle would bene-

fit enormously from better outpatient services, and increased mental health provision. Above all, local people need to know that their representative in Parliament is working flat-out on their behalf, to bring investment and opportunity to Newcastle: the current Labour MP just isn't. 4. Newcastle-under-Lyme is just one of many seats that Labour have taken for granted for too long. The sitting Labour MP owes his place not to hard work, but to a tradition of voting Labour locally. This tradition has fortunately come to an end: since 2006, Newcastle Borough Council has been Conservative-led, and delivering better services and better value for money. And just last year, voters in Newcastle helped overturn a 28-year old Labour administration on Staffordshire County Council, now under Conservative control. By electing Robert Jenrick, Newcastle and Keele will benefit from effective representation at the centre of government. 5. There is only one choice at the General Election: do you want David Cameron, or Gordon Brown to be Prime Minister? Not everyone is ecstatic about the prospect of a Conservative government, but it's the only electorally-possible alternative to another five years of a clapped-out and corrupt Labour administration. One of those two men will be Prime Minister, and the choice that Newcastle's voters make will impact directly on which it is to be. The old order, of expenses-fiddlers and placemen with an inflated sense of self-entitlement is over, and those who aren't resigning before the election will be voted out. This is a year for change. Robert Jenrick promises to be a different kind of MP: he'll quadruple the number of surgeries with local people, make Newcastle's voice heard at Westminster for the first time in years, and act independently of his government if it's in the best interests of his constituents. Forstudents, he's already signed up to the NUS "Funding Our Future" pledge, against the wishes of party spin doctors.

Carrie Martin - Keele Labour Students 1) The possibility of rising tuition fees is an obvious one. But everyone is also worried about whether or not they’ll be able to find a job after they graduate. It’s very easy for politicians to forget that students are affected by the same issues as everyone else and I think it’s a big problem when students are ‘pigeon-holed’ as if our views on things like the economy, the environment or MPs’ expenses don’t have to be listened to or aren’t as important 2) Luckily for us, Newcastle and therefore, Keele, already has one of the most pro-student MPs in the country. Paul Farrelly is leading the campaign in Parliament and within the Labour Party against lifting the cap on tuition fees. He works very closely with the National Union of Students and has also always treated students’ views on all issues as being just as important as anybody else’s. Paul has been working hard to support students wherever possible, including campaigning to make sure people have access to the medical treatments which they need, helping international students with their visa applications or pressuring the local Council to improve parking facilities on campus. 3) One of the biggest issues at the moment is the danger of losing what is left of Newcastle town centre if the proposed building of another massive Tesco in Trent Vale goes ahead. So many Keele students rely on their part-time jobs in local pubs and shops for extra income, but many of these are likely to have to close if even more trade gets drawn away from Newcastle. Disillusionment with the political system and politicians in general is a big problem as it’s important people know that they can turn to their MP for help if they need it and that they know their vote really can make a difference.

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3. What are currently the biggest issues facing the local area? 4. Why do you think your candidate is the best candidate to deal with these issues?

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5. Give a summary of the main reasons that Keele University students should vote for your party and in particular your candidate in the forthcoming General Election.

Morgan Inwood - Keele Liberal Youth 4) Paul Farrelly has worked hard for Newcastle ever since he was first elected in 2001 and has done so without claiming for dodgy expenses. He has been the first MP to publish all his tax returns online, proving he does nothing else but work for the people in Newcastle. During the last few weeks Paul has managed to persuade the Government to open the proposal for a new Tesco up to a public inquiry so that everybody’s views on the matter can be heard, rather than just those of Council planning officers. If politicians don’t put the interests of their constituents first, then they don’t deserve to be elected – and Paul has shown that he really cares about Newcastle, the town where he grew up, by working to bring investment and jobs here after decades of neglect. 5) Labour has done everything it can to shield vulnerable people in Britain from the impact of recession and as a party member I am particularly proud of the Government’s commitment – which has been opposed every step of the way by the Conservatives – to ensuring that people who can’t find work are not left on the scrapheap like they were in the 1980s. One of the biggest dangers of a recession is always the risk of generating large numbers of long-term unemployed and Labour has been right to take the difficult decisions needed to make sure people can get back into employment as quickly as possible. While I think the Labour Government has done a lot of good things – I know I would never have been able to have the opportunity to go to university without the things Labour has done to support poorer and middle-income families – I am also really proud of the fact that we have an MP who isn’t afraid of standing up to the Government when he thinks they’re making a mistake and whose sole ambition is to help the people who elected him in any way he can.

1) The biggest issues currently facing students are tuition fees and finding suitable jobs. It is wrong to be lumbered with a huge amount of debt when we graduate whilst at the same time getting a job and trying to make ends meet. The Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate, Nigel Jones agrees with the party policy to phase out tuition fees. He says that it is not without significance that excessive personal debt is a factor in the current recession and people should be able to attend university by ability to study and not be put off by costs. 2) The Liberal Democrats also propose investing billions of pounds in infrastructure which would improve job prospects for graduates; those graduates who get training through internships should be paid a training wage of £55 per week. 3) In our local area, two big issues are development of new businesses on the site adjacent to the campus and housing within the village. The local councillor for Keele University and village, Robin Studd is keen on developments, but wants to make sure they happen in

a way which does not harm the local environment. Another major issue for Newcastle-under-Lyme is inequality, which to a large extent mirrors the national situation. Nigel says on this one that he will fight in support of the Liberal Democrats' proposal to cut tax for those on low and middle incomes as a key first step to deal with this. 4) Nigel is a highly educated candidate, a teacher, a very experienced person and has spent the last 7yrs as a local councillor. Over the last 4 yrs he has been chairperson of the Borough's Audit&Risk Committee, one of the key committees of the council. 5) The Liberal Democrats offer a fresh start for Britain at a critical time in our recent history. They are the only party which offers real political reform and will clean up politics; that includes reforming the electoral system as well as enhancing the way both Parliament and local authorities operate. Fairness is at the heart of the Liberal Democrat agenda with fairer taxes, a fairer and more sustainable economy, a fairer start for all children and a fair, transparent and local politics.

Make Your Mind up Time I hope that you have found this edition of Concourse enjoyable as well as useful and that you now feel more informed about who would be the best MP for Newcastle under Lyme than you did when you began to read this edition. Although the three main parties seem to be closer together than ever before in some areas, this edition was also intended to highlight the differences in policy and suggest what may be the main battle lines come the election. Whoever you will be supporting in the next election I hope that you enjoy the excitement in the run up to the day itself and that you keep in touch with the gathering campaigns in Newcastle under Lyme. Happy Voting!!

in the Don’t forget to jo ents Group KUSU Enter tainm par t in weekly e k ta to k o o b e c a on F e giveaways. z ri p d n a ts e k c ti free E K EE L E V O L : U S U K E V LO

ThirTy Second inTerview

FO F O

Refreshers Week 2010 may be a thing of the past, but for many of us there were definitely some bits to remember. So Concourse asked students what thier highlights had been.

Millie Frost: ‘THE BUBBLES! Also the Super Hero night was amazing... but I don’t can’t remember if that was refreshers or not’ :-s

Nat Sham: ‘Definitely Shy FX’

Stephen Bourke: ‘Had to be the return of Thirsty Thursday at the Piggy, atmosphere was buzzing...definitely want to transfer that buzz to the Union’

Rose Prinelle: ‘the hypnotist.. he was well fit! (and he was actually quite good)’

Adam Mason: ‘Refereshers Fair! Can’t beat a free Dominos!’

Dave Little: ‘Massives!!!’

Are you in one of these three photos? If so you’re on the Guest List for our

Wednesday Night Project

O OU OUFSUBJONFOUT UFSSUUBJONF NFOUT Wednesday 24th Feb

£3.50 before 10:30 £4.50 10:30 - Midnight

Just go up to the ents office to get your name down!

CaNdidates for

PresideNt Dan Hougham D’ Avranche

Amanda ‘German’ Gross My name is Amanda, I am currently in my third year studying International Relations. I am running for the position of President because I believe that I have the drive, commitment and dedication necessary to make a positive impact on the Students' Union. In my time at Keele, I have been involved with many societies, teams and organisations; such as Women's Hockey, the Pig and Rat, Union Committee and of course Keele International Students' Society (KISS). I believe that being involved so heavily with campus life has put me in a position where I know what the average Keele student wants if elected

Robert Griffiths

Roger Weston I am Roger Weston, the current Vice-President (Sport and Fitness) here at KUSU. During my year as a Sabbatical I have thought about how I can take the Union forward and have ideas which I feel can enhance KUSU for the better. Entertainments, Car parking, Library Funding and Tuition Fees are all on my agenda, however my door will always be open and I’m willing to fight for any just cause in the name of Keele Students. Having experienced sabbaticals around this year has worked wonders...do it again and vote for me!

Kari Rittoo

Hi, I’m Kari Rittoo, a third year English and Education student running for President. The main themes of my campaign are based on a competitive union, better security and increased student participation throughout university life. I promise to be an approachable, hardworking president with realistic aims, ready to listen to student concerns. Please read my manifesto with a full explanation of my policies on my facebook group “Vote Kari Rittoo for KUSU President” where you can feel free to ask me anything. VOTE KARI for PRESIDENT! If your vote is decided elsewhere please make me your number 2, thank you!

Candidates for

VP Communications & Democracy

Fadi Dada Hello, my name is Fadi Dada, I’m a third year Marketing and Media, Communications & Culture student here at Keele University. I’m a big fan of music, especially music that came out of the 1970’s/1980’s – Bruce Springsteen, Al Green, Prince and Johnny Cash ranking amongst my favourites. I’m also a big fan of my local football team, Derby County, although they don’t make it easy for me! I don’t really know what else to write here, I only get 100 words, nowhere near enough… Please read my manifesto, it will give you a clearer idea of who I am

Becci Leslie After being in the bubble for nearly 5 years, and spending nearly 4 of those as a manager for The Pig and Rat I'm in a brilliant position to represent he student body. The main things I wish to implement should I get elected are; a wider student participation within concourse, to gather more opinions about entertainments and to communicate them and try the best to implement them through the Ents dept, take advantage of the close proximity of the halls council to the student body an allow them to become a more engaging and constructive arena.

Aide Rushton Hi, I’m Aide and I’m a final year French and Music student. For four years I have had the best time of my life at Keele and now want to give something back. If elected I would: - Continue the good work on Concourse in its magazine format whilst developing online content - Work to improve communication between the union and those living off campus including hospital campus students - Liaise with the entertainments department to improve your nights out - Work to make sure more students know what their union officers do and how to get their problems addressed.

CaNdidates for

VP FiNaNce & Activies Andy Baldwin Hi, I’m Andy Baldwin and I’m running for VP Finance and Activities. I’m currently in my 3rd year and I study Physical Geography with Geology. I work for the Yearbook as Home from Home editor and I am in charge of block photos. I enjoy playing xbox and darts in my free time and I absolutely love the union. I am a very friendly and approachable person and my door will always be open if I am elected. So pop by if you ever have a question that needs an answer and I’ll try my hardest. Keep it Keele!

Rosie Weatherley I’m a 3rd year English & Criminology student with a passion for life and helping other people. For the last two years I’ve been working for KUSU behind the bar, but I’ve worked in all kinds of jobs prior to uni, so as well as being a student, I’ve got life experience. I want you to vote for me because I know I’d do a brilliant job. I’ve been working towards this position for months so I already know what I’m doing. My policies are ambitious but entirely achievable- no naïve promises but lots of considered and practical targets to make KUSU a better place.

CaNdidates for

SPORT & FITNESS Sonia Douz Hi I’m Sonia, I am 24 years old and completing my final year in History and Sociology. I am currently the Athletic Union President but now want you to vote for me to be V.P Sport and Fitness! I believe there is a great deal of scope to the role and I am the person who will take it forward. I want to include and appeal to all students by organising varied events and activities. I will make sure that students are involved and informed with all decision making! Please vote for me!!

Kerry Passmore

I am 21 and currently in my final year of studying physiotherapy and am on the lookout for a challenge! I am a lively, friendly and sociable person who can be easily approached if there are any concerns, ideas or requests. I am passionate about the views students have on what they want and am not afraid to express the views of the students on their behalf want to inject a sense of rivalry and belonging between each of the halls and off campus students. My main aim is to make sport fun and rewarding for all!

CaNDidates for

VP EducatioN & Welfare Nikki Cooper I’ve 3 years experience actively campaigning and winning on issues for our Union. Vote for me and I’ll use my year to utilise my experience and knowledge to make sure the changes YOU want happen! I'll fight for: - 24 Hour Library throughout term-time - Unlimited Wireless Internet in every Hall and Social Space - Free Dayt Lockers for Off-Campus Students - ALL Lecture Materials Online in advance - More Freebies & Discounts for the things you want and need! I promise to listen to and represent YOUR views! Get what YOU want – Vote Nikki Cooper 1# VP Ed&Welfare

Janina ‘Nina’ Hilton-Bolt Hi all! My name is Nina Hilton-Bolt and I am currently a third year law student and I want to be your VP Ed & Welfare. I have a lot of exciting things planned but I can only do them with your vote. Just to name a few, I hope to increase safety on campus (extend safety bus and presence across campus), give additional student support through the increase of welfare events as well as increase library opening hours before examinations and improve StARs. I promise to put the students first. This election; Think Students, Think Nina.

Laura Milroy Hello! I’m Laura Milroy and I am running for the position of Vice President Education and Welfare. I am currently a 3rd year studying Law with Criminology. I work on Union bars and am on the Yearbook Team. I will strive to protect the interests of Keele Students and will ensure students’ wellbeing, personal security and educational welfare. I want students to know that my door will always be open to everyone, whether for advice, queries, guidance or simply a reassuring chat- no problem is too small! Keele isn’t just a university- it is a way of life! LOVE:KEELE

Kunal Khanderia Hi! After my BSc in Biology & Economics and working abroad, I am presently studying an MSc in Finance & Management. Currently an AU Squash player, I am KUSU Postgraduate Officer and KPA Humanities Representative. Participating in the Keele experience (not just in the bars…) has offered a wide scope, from both a student and a representative role, into academic process, especially where a number of significant improvements can be made to greatly benefit the student experience. I’m running not just to give all Keele students Real Representation, but give them the transformation they want from KUSU!

CaNDidates for

AU PresideNT Tom Walker Since coming to Keele, I have been heavily involved with sport and the AU. Having joined the rugby club in my first semester, I was elected Club Captain at the end of the year. Through my experience there, I understand the problems that face both clubs and students with the current set-up. While I am in debt to the work of the previous committee, I believe I can make a real and noticeable difference to your sporting experience at Keele. Working closely with the VP Sport and Fitness, I will push for a united Athletic Union, and a great Team:Keele.

Dan Casey I am committed to ensuring that YOUR sporting experience at the university will be well organised, competitive and, above all, enjoyable. I am determined to provide focused, energetic and supportive leadership to the Athletic Union which will ensure the continued and further success of our sports on and off the field next year. I have been involved in sports development throughout my time at university, and would now welcome this opportunity to work on a wider stage to promote sporting excellence and to lay the foundations for the future development of sport for all at Keele. Vote Dan Casey for Athletic Union President!

CaNDidates for

ENtertaiNments Officer Lisa Derry Hi I'm Lisa and I'm running for entertainments officer. If elected I would make the events at the union more varied by including different acts and ideas on nights which were generally kept the same each week. I would also aim to increase student participation in the events themselves by creating an electronic forum, decorations committee and a suggestion box. This would make it easier for students to keep in contact with the entertainments department and to have their say ultimately leading to a union with events that the majority of the student body will enjoy.

Vinnie Moomin Hi my name is Vinnie. If you recognise me it’s probably because at some point I may have taken a photo of you as I’m one of the photographers for the Students’ Union. I’m a 2nd year student originally from London and I absolutely love it here in Keele. This year I have been heavily involved with entertainments and I have helped out a lot. If you ever want to discuss anything entertainments-wise or even anything about university politics I’m always around and I can always make the time to talk to you – just come up to me and say hello.

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ENVIORNMENTAL Officer Nick Jinks My name is Nick Jinks and I’m running for Environmental Officer. My goals if elected are simple: Make the campus more energy efficient, reducing costs to the university, therefore providing more money for students. By working with Huw Evans of Keele’s Deep Green campaign and the new Environmental Manager, I want to improve recycling facilities for students all over campus, and reward students who do recycle. I also want to get fellow students involved by creating a network of volunteers across campus to help Deep Green find ways to meet the universities carbon targets over the next few years.

Tom Alfie Dowthwaite As a current second year student studying applied environmental science and physics, I am more than familiar with the current state of climate change. Students are not typically known for their efforts towards recycling or reducing their carbon foot print. In order to slow down the rates of climate change this issue needs to be addressed and it can start here in Keele if I am elected. My main policies are getting mixed recycling bins in blocks, to organise a great green week, to promote an energy efficient lifestyle practices, and to get biodegradable packaging for products sold in Keele.

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FEMALE GENDER Officer Kathryne ‘Rhyn’ Hewardine Hi. My name is Rhyn and I’m running for Female Gender Officer. I’m currently Secretary of Keele University Women’s Society. I’m running for Female Gender Officer as I want to maintain and improve gender equality at Keele. As Female Gender Officer I would seek to work not only alongside the Male Gender Officer but also the Sabbatical Officers, Societies and Students in order to provide a high quality resource to Keele University which will maintain and improve equality within the campus.

Holly Brown I have been KUSU’s Female Gender Officer for the past 4 months and am very enthusiastic to continue in the role! I am passionate about women’s rights and issues of gender equality and would be very glad of the opportunity to continue in a position where I can campaign and raise awareness of these issues. If I were elected, I would take my cues from student suggestions and ideas, and work hard to create a strong and visible support base for those requiring it. I would also continue to raise awareness of women’s issues, and campaign for better safety for all students.

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CAMPUS AFFAIRS Officer Morgan Inwood I am a second year Politics student who has been involved in student politics for 4 years. I have been living at Keele since I started Uni. I have been a Member of Halls Council for 2 years and I am currently the Off-Campus Affairs Officer. I have been involved in recent campaigns and the Housing Information Day. I am very passionate about student issues and I will work hard for you. As Campus Affairs Officer I will: Increase Internet Allowance, Improve safety, Promote Inter-Hall events, Reform Halls Councils to make them stronger, Let you know about the redevelopment of Campus

Dom Skevington I am a current second year Law student, a member of student staff in KUSU and a member of a number of societies. I am passionate about student welfare and believe that there are areas that could be improved upon in order to maximise the student experience at Keele. If elected, I would endeavour to make a difference in the areas of safety, security and accommodation.

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Hosipital CAMPUS AFFAIRS Officer Jonny Craig I’m Jonny Craig and this is my fifth year at Keele, I first completed a degree in Biology and Forensic science before starting my nurse training. Since being at Keele I have taken part in a variety of societies and represented students both through unions and as a StAR If I am elected I want to improve the communication between the main campus and the hospital campus, represent students both within the university and locally as well as making sure essential services used by hospital campus carry on running and services are imporved.

Richard Bowman I’m Richard Bowman and I want to represent you! Running for re-election as Hospital Campus Representative for health students and for everyone else too. I do medicine, going into my fourth year. An ex-hawthorner (mostly lived at templar bar), now off-campus but still hate missing a union night out. As Hawthorns Student Chair I organised Christmas and summer parties, charity-work, and got the safety-bus to pick-up from Hawthorns. As KUSU Rep I’ve campaigned for online-voting, worked nurse enrolment day and currently creating a permanent squirrel-themed treasure-trail and free party project.

CaNDidate for Mature STudeNts Officer Enric G. Torrents My aim: to make Keele a more suitable institution for life long learning. To understand mature students´ problems, to support and advice them, think ahead and make things change in the appropriate direction. To accomplish this I will; talk to mature students to get to know their situation and try to find solutions that will benefit everyone; give support and guidance; think ahead and get things done, making sure that everyone will have the chance to truly fulfil his/her own potential at university.

CaNDidate for MaLE GENDER Officer Sammi Nemo Hi I’m Sammi Nemo, vote for me as your male gender officer and I ensure the well being of the men of Keele. I know I’m a woman, but I know what men need. If you want to be a part of Keele history vote for me to be your first female male gender officer. I intend to give out more free condoms for all and have a serious sophisticated testicular cancer awareness campaign and other male health issues. I’m open to more suggestions, and I’ll always be on call to give a helping hand. Every vote counts!

CaNDidate for Faculty of Hums & Social ScieNce Laurence Mallows

CaNDidate for RACIAL DIVERSITY OFFicer TK Olawumi

CaNDidate for NON-Portfolio Officer Tiff Cole I am a second year Accounting and Finance student, and a member of KSBC. I am interested in representing fellow students and raising everyday student issues and concerns. As your Non-Portfolio officer, I would have the opportunity to work along side and assist the other officers with their duties. This would allow me to raise student issues that are of concern to you. I would like to get involved with campaigns regarding the safety of students, the 1GB a day download limit, better and healthier food in the Kiln, the quality of nights out and improved regulation of parking permits.

GameS & PUzzleS

KUSU SUdoKU 6 1

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Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than at the US Treasury.

Tom Sawyer was the first novel ever written on a typewriter.

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NIKIPEDIA You’resourceofrandom knowledgeatKeeleUniversity

During the filming of the movie "Scream", director Wes Craven kept telling Drew Barrymore real life stories about animal cruelty in order to keep her looking scared and crying. She is a keen animal lover in real life. Shanghai, China boasts 4,000 skyscrapers -

double the number in New York City. If you keep a goldfish in the dark, it will eventually turn white. In 2009 one of eight newly married couples in the UK met online.

KUSU croSSword Across 1.Wickeredlight(6) 4.Standdownaskingorqueen(8) 9.Asinglestrand(6) 10.Pattingthedog(8) 12.Eyeswide....(4) 13.Twelve(5) 14.Itassistsdigestion(4) 17.Lackingfeeling(12) 20.Studyofthegreatseas(12) 23.CountryofBasraandBaghdad(4) 24.Handlerofstolengoods(5) 25.Wealthy(4) 28.MidlandscityofWarwickshire(8) 29.Madman(6) 30.longing(8) 31.Aplacetopasswater(6)

Down 1.Romanreligion(8) 2.Vikings(8) 3.ShakespereanKing(4) 5.Sweettypeoftoffee(12) 6.Asymbol(4) 7.Birdhouse(6) 8.Powergenerator(6) 11.Platonicsolid-12faces(12) 15.Anage(5) 16.Eachandall(5) 18.Eyedoctor(8) 19.Offantasticproportions(8) 21.BayoffthecoastofFrance(6) 22.Typeofplant(6) 26.UnknownAuthor(4) 27.Reasonable(4)

The blue whale can produce the loudest sound of any animal. At 188 decibels, the noise can be detected over 800 kilometres away.

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International Womens Day March 8th 2010

March 8th is International Women’s Day, a holiday intended for the campaigning and awareness of women’s rights. The day was first honoured in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, when more than one million women and men attended rallies campaigning for an end to discrimination and demanding women’s right to work, vote and hold public office. In recent years, this day has seen parades, marches, rallies, and all sorts of public events worldwide. Why is International Women’s Day still important? And why still all this talk of women’s rights? In the last hundred years, many countries have given the right to vote to women and the notion of equal opportunity in the workplace and in education has become integral. We have seen female political leaders and business executives. Many women across the globe have free access to abortion and healthcare. What is there left to do? WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN THE UK Between 1918 and 2005, 4670 Members have been elected to the House of Commons. Of that total, only 6% have been women. The gap has closed significantly, and by 2005, 1 in 5 Members of Parliament elected were women. This is a very promising change, but with women making up a little more than half of the UK population, is 20% fair representation? The Cabinet office, together with the treasury, forms the centre of the UK government, and is made up of more than 20 ministers, of which 4 are women. And it’s not just in Parliament that women are underrepresented. Of the 2,742 board seats for the top 350 Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE), 232 are held by women. And of 970 executive directorships, only 34 are women. Pay across the workforce is still unequal between the sexes, for a number of reasons. WOMEN’S RIGHTS GLOBALLY While the UK may have come some way in tackling inequality, this shift is not universal, and women’s rights are still violated and ignored daily across the globe. Women account for 70 percent of the world's people who live in absolute poverty. Women work two-thirds of the world's working hours, produce half of the world's food, and yet earn only 10% of the world's income and own less than 1% of the world's property. Worldwide, a quarter of all women are raped during their lifetime. Over 120 million women have undergone female genital mutilation. Women hold only 12% of parliamentary seats worldwide.

The issues of the globe are far too many to cover here, but the facts, studies, and figures are many. Violence against women remains endemic. To be raped is considered a crime in many countries, and it is cruelly punished. Female infanticide is common in many countries, and thousands of women and girls are forced into marriages each year, and many are killed over dowry and ‘honour’ by their husbands and families.All of this may not be happening on our doorstep, but it is of great importance that we, as a world, are aware of these problems, and resolve to tackle them together. MALE STUDENTS AND WOMEN’S RIGHTS We live in a complex society which gives a lot of meaning to the terms ‘male’ and ‘female’, and these vary across time and across cultures. This has historically oppressed women and cut their access to resources such as political power, money, and work, amongst many other things. This, however, does not mean that only women are affected by how we look at sex and gender. To apply one set of expectations and traits to one sex means to apply another set of expectations and traits to the other sex. This means that, culturally and socially, we all face tired, ridiculous, and painful stereotypes. Women’s rights, by it’s very name, concerns itself with the oppression of women, but in a society where a person’s biological sex is a cornerstone of how we treat each other, everyone is involved and everyone will face repression. As a society we champion equal rights for everyone, and we have certainly come a long way in the last 100 years. No one wants inequality to be a part of their, or anyone else’s lives and most of us would agree that as far as the biological differences of women and men go, there's not really all that much to it. We are all capable of logical, rationality, sensitivity, emotion, and any other of a million traits. The male/female divide in terms of capability is myth, and the ultimate goal is to see this represented in how we conduct our lives and run our society. Female Gender Officer – Holly Brown Office hours: Tuesday 2 - 4 (on the top floor of KUSU) Email: kusu_female_gender_officer@kusu.keele.ac.uk Should you want to know more, discuss any of what you’ve read here, or learn how to get involved, don’t hesitate to come along and see me during my office hours, or contact me via email. Keele University Women’s Society President: Lauren Sheehy Email: keele_womens_society@hotmail.co.uk KUWS is a new society, open to anyone interested in women’s rights and related campaigns. We have meetings to discuss , as well as socials. We also have several campaigns and ideas for the year, so do come along if you’re interested! NUS Women’s Campaign NUS Women’s Officer Email: olivia.bailey@nus.org.uk The NUS Women’s campaign takes women’s rights issues and campaigns with a focus on the student body. They are aiming to see women represented better in student unions, and to ending violence and objectification on campus. They run a number of events open to students, and are great to get in touch with if you have any questions the above cannot help with.

www.internationalwomensday.com

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