780

Palatinate www.palatinate.org.uk | FREE

Thursday 28th January 2016| No. 780

2016’s tantalising new research SciTech preview

What’s on in the North East for Visual Arts

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Photograph: Grace Tseng

Palatinate asks Vice-Chancellor your questions in exclusive interview Alex Cupples and Josh Smith Editors-in-Chief Last week, Professor Stuart Corbridge, Durham University’s new Vice-Chancellor, gave his first exclusive interview to Palatinate.

Invited to the open-plan office on the top floor of the Palatine Centre, where Professor Corbridge

is based, he told Palatinate that he is the only Vice-Chancellor of 24 Russell Group Universities to not have his own office.

In a glass meeting room overlooking the Cathedral, Professor Corbridge said: “I didn’t have an overarching desire to be a ViceChancellor. But I have known Durham for a long time and it was the collegiate system that I liked. It offered something different.”

Previously Provost and Deputy Director at the London School of Economics (LSE), Corbridge said he was adjusting well to life in the North East and that Durham “brought out the geographer” in him.

“I particularly enjoy the views from Prebends Bridge,” he said..

Having been in the role since September, Corbridge described the role of Vice-Chancellor as radi-

cally different to that of Provost: “Vice-Chancellor is much more about students, alumni, etc. There’s a greater range of work and much longer hours, but it’s exciting coming to Durham now as it’s a very interesting time.

Corbridge was eager to share the University’s new academic strategy, which encompasses sport, finance, education, re-

search and internationalisation: “There’s a lot to get through and we’re taking a consultative approach including talking with students. If the wider community accepts this new academic strategy we could be seeing some significant changes.”

Read the rest of Palatinate’s exclusive interview with Professor Corbridge on pages 4 and 5.

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Editorial Time for change The last days of January may seem a bit late for the rhetoric of the New Year.

But universities – in particular Durham – operate on a different time frame to the rest of the world anyway.

Regardless of whether the arrival of a New Year holds any special meaning for you, Epiphany term has a certain ability to affect a feeling of change.

As a fresher, it is at this time that many begin to feel more settled into a new life with new friends. As a finalist, the onset of Epiphany is a stark reminder of the impending reality of adulthood that succeeds graduation.

Epiphany can also perhaps be the most challenging term in the academic year. ‘Blue Monday’ may have been and gone, but for a university student there remains the daunting obstacle of deadlines and exams before the longer days, warmer weather and excitement of summer can ensue.

For this reason it can be helpful to use this period of change and of the new as a time to contemplate our aims, regardless of their degree or time period they may span.

Palatinate’s interview

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with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart Corbridge, himself still new to the role and the university, reveals some of his aims for the university during his time in the position (p. 4&5).

The Vice-Chancellor is aiming to use his time to ensure a sense of “wellbeing” amongst staff and students and a university that is as strong in 20 years time as it is now.

Although a 20 year plan is probably out of the spectrum of most students’ aspirations, introducing “wellbeing” into your aims is one we should all take on board.

He also emphasised his ambitions for an open university, in which students and staff can take part in the important conversations regarding the big issues facing the university.

This term there will be student consultations on accommodation fees happening in Durham and Queen’s on the 2nd and 3rd of February. On the 15th February there will be a student consultation regarding divestment, an issue high on the agenda this term.

Getting involved in these consultations, and showing that the student community care about these issues is

an important step that we should be taking this term.

The Vice-Chancellor urged us that if we want to prove that students want change on these issues we need to prove in our numbers that there is legitimate concern.

We can enable a change at this university this year.

Although the newness of the New Year may be tired and clichéd, I urge you to use this period of change to create new objectives.

For some this can be about bringing a change to the university. For other this is something simply to get you through the week.

Or perhaps the plans made now can set you up for the future. Maybe you want to do something for someone else, giving more time up to help your friends or the wider community.

Or... why not try your hand at writing for us?

Alex Cupples

Thursday 28th January 2016 | PALATINATE

Inside 780

Editorial Board

News pages 3-8

Editors-in-Chief Alex Cupples and Josh Smith editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editor Sandy Thin deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Ryan Gould and Charlie Taylor-Kroll news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Holly Bancroft news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Mirriam Brittenden and Emma Pinckard deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editors Sofya Grebenkina and Rob Littleton politics@palatinate.org.uk Profile Editors Will Fremont-Barnes and Oliver Mawhinney profile@palatinate.org.uk Science and Technology Editor Bruno Martin scitech@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Dan Fox comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editors Adam Cunnane and Oscar Rocklin deputy.comment@palatinate.org.uk Sport Editor Kieran Moriarty sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors Charles Richardson, Matt Roberts and Kishan Vaghela deputy.sport@palatinate.org.uk Indigo Editor Ellen Finch indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Yongchang Chin deputy.indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Isabelle Culkin feature@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Cristina Cusenza deputy.features@palatinate.org.uk Food and Drink Editors Charlotte Payne and Ariadne Vu food@palatinate.org.uk Travel Editor Laura Glenister travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Sally Hargave fashion@palatinate.org.uk Film and Television Editor Rory McInnes-Gibbons film@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Film and Television Editor Hugo Camps-Harris deputy.film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editor Isabelle Culkin stage@palatinate.org.uk Music Editors Jacqueline Duan and Will Throp music@palatinate.org.uk Creative Writing Editor Sarah Fletcher creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Books Editors Hannah Griffiths and Ellie Scorah books@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Jane Simpkiss visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Chief Sub-Editor Marianna Mukhametzyanova sub-editing@palatinate.org.uk Sub-Editors Sarah Boreham, Ollie Mair, Ciara Murphy, Maddy Winnard and Becky Wilson Online Editor Kat Hind online.editor@palatinate.org.uk Web Editor John Morris Photography Editor Grace Tseng photography@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Photography Editors Verity Rimmer Illustrations Editor Kenzo Ishida illustration@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Illustrations Editors Faye Chua and Olivia Howcroft Events and Publicity Officer Morgan Hayden-Kent Advertising Officer Sian Round advertising@palatinate.org.uk Social Media Officer Beth-Ellen Hewitt

Comment pages 9-11

SciTech pages 12-13 Politics pages 14-15 Profile page 16 Sport pages 18-20

indigo

Editorial page 2 Fashion page 3

Creative Writing pages 4

Features pages 5-6

Food & Drink page 7

Visual Arts page 8 Stage pages 9-10 Books page 11

Travel pages 12-13

Film & TV page 14 Music page 15

Get involved!

Interested in joining the Palatinate team? No experience neccessary! Whether you’re an illustrator, photographer or writer, there are plenty of ways to get involved. To write for us, email the relevant section from the email addresses to the right. We hope to see you in the paper soon!

The best of Palatinate Online www.palatinate.org.uk

Stage: Gigglebox Review

Comment What the junior doctor strikes have taught me

Travel: Palatinalps 2016

News: Hatfield JCR rejects motion to change title to ‘Senior Student’

Stage reviews he Durham Revue’s two-night comedy bonanza: “manages to bemuse and delight”.

Healthcare has been an issue that anyone must have a talking point on. But where does this leave health care professionals and most importantly the patients who we serve?

Did the annual ski trip live up to its expectations? Travel looks at the highs and lows of our boozy week at Val Thorens.

12 members of Hatfield College were in favor of the motion; 19 against, with six members abstaining.

Palatinate is published by Durham Students’ Union on a fortnightly basis during term and is editorially independent. All contributors and editors are full-time students at Durham University. Send letters to: Editor, Palatinate, Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN. Alternatively, send an e-mail to editor@palatinate.org.uk

PALATINATE | Thursday 28th January 2016

Union President’s Column

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News

News

@PalatinateNews

2016 is kicking off with some big issues on the table that we’re eager to tackle head on to make an impact. Divestment and accommodation fees are two issues that we’ll be working on, on behalf of students, and are areas to keep in mind with officer elections for next year on the horizon.

Regarding accommodation fees, we have been working closely with the University and lobbying them on their continual cost increases. Following our discussions and recent student action via protests and demonstrations, the University have agreed to consult with students on accommodation fees for 2017/18. I’d urge you to attend one of these sessions which will be held at both Durham and Queen’s Campus

The Students’ Union has also been invited to attend a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor and University Executive Committee (UEC) to consider the issue of divestment. Divestment in a Durham University context relates to calls on the University to end all future investment in fossil fuel companies and to divest from fossil fuel industry companies.

The Union’s current policy mandates us to lobby the University to divest from the fossil fuel industry and actively work with internal/external organisations and societies, including People & Planet, to promote divestment-related campaigns.

The Union is working with our own People & Planet society to gather opinions on divestment and to raise awareness of the ethical and environmental arguments at the heart of the debate. We know this is a topic with lots of different arguments – both for and against – so we’re committed to hearing all student voices before taking any action. Get in touch at dsu. president@durham.ac.uk to let me know your thoughts.

If you’re passionate about these kinds of issues and want to make an impact on them in the coming academic year I’d encourage you to consider running for a Student Officer position in the upcoming elections.

Nominations open on 29 January, and as current President I am excited to hear about the ideas and ambitions of those who hope to be involved in carrying forward the Union’s work next year.

View of the sunset over the Cathederal from Hild Bede

Photograph: Nicola Todhunter

Queen’s Campus Working Group updates staff and students on consultative process Charlie Taylor-Kroll News Editor Anthony Long, Chair of the Queen’s Campus Working Group, has sent a letter to staff and students as the Queen’s Campus consultative process begins its next stage.

Over 230 students and staff members have responded to a questionnaire that was issued by the Working Group to gauge feedback about the advantages and disadvantages of Queen’s Campus.

It also offered respondents the chance to provide ways in which Queen’s Campus could be im-

News in brief

proved.

The first part of the consultative process has been labelled a period of evidence collection.

Town hall meetings to discuss the future of Queen’s Campus were also attended by 170 staff and students during the beginning of the 2015/2016 academic year.

In the letter, Anthony Long highlighted that the main strengths of Queen’s Campus according to the feedback received was the “strong community feel,” emphasizing that students who completed the questionnaire were ‘’very positive regarding their experience.”

However, the split-site work-

ing for staff and students caused by the distance between Queen’s Campus and Durham City was highlighted as a chief concern regarding experience on campus.

Long said that a “wide range of options for Queen’s Campus have been proposed from the staff and students that engaged in this consultation.”

Proposals included “significant investment at Queen’s Campus in order to improve subject diversity and grow critical mass in teaching and research, to re-location of some or all of current activities to Durham City.”

Queen’s Campus is under con-

sultation as part of the Option 3 of Durham University’s Academic Strategy, which aims for the University to be world leading in education, wider student experience, research, and engagement.

“The Working Group is now reflecting on potential options and will submit a report of our initial findings and recommendations to the University Executive Committee in late February.

“Following this meeting the Working Group’s report and recommendation(s) will go through the usual University governance and consultation procedures,” Long’s letter concluded.

WORLD’S LARGEST CANYON MAY LIE UNDER ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET, DURHAM STUDY FINDS

DURHAM ACADEMICS HELP TRACE FAIRYTALES BACK TO PREHISTORIC TIMES

UNIVERSITY RANKED AMONG WORLD TOP 100 UNIVERSITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK

The world’s largest canyon may lie under the Antarctic ice sheet, according to analysis of satellite data by a team of scientists, led by Durham University. Although the discovery needs to be confirmed, the previously unknown canyon system is thought to be over 1,000km long and as near to 1km deep, comparable in depth to the Grand Canyon.

Durham University academics have helped trace fairytales back to a prehistoric period, with one tale shown to originate in the Bronze Age. The researches, using techniques usually employed by biologists, studied common links between stories from around the world, with some found to have roots that are far older than previously known.

Durham University is listed in the top 100 most international universities in the world. according the international outlook indicator as part of the Times Higher Education World Rankings 2015-2016. The University has been ranked 73rd out of a total of 800 institutions featured in the league table for its international outlook.

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News

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Thursday 28th January 2016 | PALATINATE

Read how the Vice-Chancellor responded to your front

Emphasising the significance of student input into the University’s development plan, Corbridge said: “I see us as stewards for the University. It’s not just about the next year, five years or even ten. I want to see that the University will be as

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You can’t run a University by telling people what to do.

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strong in twenty years as it is now.”

The week preceding the interview, Palatinate called for students to submit their own questions to Professor Corbridge through social media, some of which were put to the ViceChancellor.

One student asked, “What influence do you have over university policy?”

Corbridge responded: “Policy is usually drafted by several people, not just one.

“The principle job of the VC is to ask what we should be doing strategically; you can’t run a university by telling people what to do.”

Palatinate was told that it was rare for policy to be proposed outside of the University Executive Committee (UEC).

UEC’s role is to manage the University’s strategy and to consider and make recommendations to Senate and Council on policy initiatives and other matters “Universities are disputatious, so you have to work on the basis of consent…Even if a policy is not agreed to by every-

one, it can still be passed by a majority.”

Anticipating the questions Palatinate had prepared, Corbridge used this as an opportunity to make a case for the University’s co-operation with students on the subjects of accommodation fees and divestment.

The Vice-Chancellor said that it was a matter of gauging valid student opinion: “We have to make a judgement about whether the people calling for change are representatives of the students more generally, and it is for this reason that we work with the Students’ Union (SU) and Millie (President of Durham SU).

“We have to respond to concerns regarding accommodation and be more transparent, but there are also difficult conversations that need to be had; do we offer more choice; should we be looking at the option of differentiated fees?

“I want to remain an open university, but the quid pro quo is going to be that everyone has to engage in these difficult conversations.”

When pressed further on whether the University was willing to be more transparent on the breakdown of college fees, amidst concerns that revenue generated from rent is being spent on maintenance works

across the University, rather than college services and infrastructure, Corbridge insisted: “I’m a firm believer in opening up debates, rather than telling people what to do.”

However, rather than

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The main thing to consider with student pressure groups is whether or not we are hearing the authetnic student voice.

discussing the calls of various JCRs, MCRs, SCRs and college staff for more transparency, the ViceChancellor diverted criticism by demonstrating the University’s transparency in dealing with Stockton Campus.

In an email to students in November 2015, Professor Corbridge announced the formation of a “working group” to “refine and explore possible futures” for Queen’s Campus.

In the same email he made clear that the review of Queen’s Campus would take place in an open manner through face-to-face meetings and workshops.

Corbridge revered the fact that all the documents and notes from the relevant meetings have been posted online.

In his interview with Palatinate, Corbridge did not give much more information away about the future of Queen’s campus, other than to ensure this continued transparency.

He did, however, say that he felt it was important to consider other options, considering the costs and benefits of having two campuses 25 miles apart.

Another student wished to ask the ViceChancellor whether high spending on capital and investment within the University was morally justifiable, when it was announced last Novem-

ber that accommodation and catering fees will rise by 3.5% in the academic year 2016/17.

“There are moral issues about trying to finance a university generally on student fees.

“There are some hard questions about how much we should be charging students for the running of the University.

“In terms of investing in other areas, living in college is one part of the experience, but students are also involved in academic buildings throughout the experience.

“Some buildings have been there for 50 years and are not in as good condition as they should be for a top university, like New Elvet. There isn’t a clear trade off between where the money should be being spent.”

It was clear that Corbridge was keen to divert the question of whether the increases in accommodation fees over the

past two years, which have been well above inflation, are justifiable.

Rather than tackling the issue of increasing fees head on, he appears to favour the idea of providing more options for students, particularly those coming from low income homes.

Although the Durham Grant was cut by £500 this year for incoming students he said that Graham Towl (Pro-ViceChancellor and Deputy Warden) is currently looking at the best was to provide bursarial support to students as a way to compensate for the increasing fees.

The money for this is to come through “more philanthropy”.

Palatinate asked what students could do to take part in the conversations about accommodation fees and what he thought about pressure groups such as Trevs Left. His response directed us back to the question of University divestment.

Divestment is getting rid of stocks, bonds, or investment funds that are ethically ambiguous.

The University has close links with a number of fossil fuel companies, and the organisation People & Planet has been running a campaign to pressure the University into cutting these ties.

To give credit to Professor Corbridge, his involvement in the campaign to divest has demonstrated a keen capacity to listen to students’ concerns.

“The main thing to consider with student pressure groups is whether or not we are hearing the authentic student voice.

“For example, the head of People & Planet came to me and we talked

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I’m a firm believer in opening up debates, rather than telling people what to do.

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from

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Continued page

PALATINATE | Thursday 28rth January 2016

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questions in Palatinate’s exclusive interview

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Living in college is one part of the experience, but students are also involved in academic buildings throughout the experience.

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ping point and as promised we have agreed to put it on the agenda this term. The way to deal with student issues is through Millie at the SU and elected student leaders.”

The issue is now in the hands of the UEC and there are no guarantees as to where it will progress from here.

The Vice-Chancellor is undecided about his personal stance on di-

vestment but said he is “looking forward to being challenged intellectually”.

Stuart Corbridge talked to Palatinate for almost an hour before his Senior Executive

Officer interjected, reminding him that he had another meeting scheduled that afternoon.

Palatinate asked what would constitute success for Professor Corbridge when people look back on his Vice-Chancellorship.

“Success would be getting consent and broad collective agreement to move the University forward.”

He wants to be able to have worked “through different challenges, but for there to be a general sense of wellbeing.”

The Vice-Chancellor concluded the interview by emphasising the “fantastic sense of community” he has found in Durham and the importance

he accords to maintaining a place where “staff, students and alumni feel invested and comfortable.”

Ultimately, he wants to see that the university “is just as strong in 20 years”.

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Success would be getting consent and broad collective agreement to move the University forward.

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about their concerns. I asked them to prove that it was an issue to other students and they did this by passing motions in favour of divestment through JCRs. “It went above a tip-

News

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Thursday 28th January 2016 | PALATINATE

Zone meeting report identifies areas for improvement Ryan Gould News Editor A report into the findings from a student consultation meeting has found that students think more should be done to improve the handling of sexual harassment and consent across the University.

Durham Students’ Union held two ‘Zone’ meetings in Michaelmas term, with the first meeting focusing on the issue of sexual harassment.

The second meeting focused on the recent decision by Durham University to increase the cost of College accommodation fees to over £7,000 for a standard, catered room in the 2016/17 academic year.

Attended by students from both Durham City and Queens campuses, participants were split between five and three groups respectively to identify various issues and areas for improvement within these areas.

The sexual harassment and consent zone meeting “aimed to gather views on whether sexual consent workshops should be compulsory, as well as to gather ideas on how to reduce the number of sexual assaults that happen to Durham University students during their time here.”

80% of the five groups identified that the “current knowledge that students have on the situation of sexual harassment in Durham is limited,” with one group stating that a “very small minority have the knowledge to tackle [the problem].”

At the same time, 100% of the

groups thought that sexual harassment is “seriously underreported” because “people don’t want to talk about it… [they] don’t want to admit [being a victim] even on an anonymous survey.”

Mentioned by 80% of the groups, it was identified that the close-knit nature of Durham’s collegiate system creates a barrier to reporting instances of sexual harassment.

One group pointed out that “[you] don’t want to exclude yourself by going against [the close-knit nature of colleges],” while another said that an individual is “more likely to be called out in College vs. Klute.”

Similarly, 80% of the groups found that the current reporting structure is unclear. There needs to be “more transparency…the current system scares people because they don’t know where the information will go,” one group said.

Another group suggested that improvements to the reporting structure should be made to ensure that there is “a consistent and strong response to reports of sexual harassment and rape.”

80% of the groups mentioned that there is a male student stereotype in Durham “which is fuelled by ‘lad culture.’” One group said that there is “a responsibility to stop ‘lad culture,’” while another said that it is a sign of “heteronormativity and [the] standards of manhood.”

At the same time, the report identifies the multiplicity of different views surrounding the issue of compulsory consent workshops.

One group pointed out that compulsory consent workshops have “to be for everyone,” and there should be a “base

form of it in Freshers Week delivered by peers and authoritative figures.”

Another group questioned whether consent workshops should be made compulsory by College Common Rooms. While this is the case, the group argued that “by being forced to come, they’ll be less likely to want to come [voluntarily].”

The report identifies three suggestions for improvement in this area: To implement a clear and concise reporting structure; the need to include all demographic groups from across the Durham student population (e.g. undergraduates, postgraduates, international students, LGBTA students, etc.); and for the reporting structure to be structurally inclusive and require cooperation between the University, the Students’ Union, and the Colleges.

At the second meeting, many students were unhappy with the rise in College accommodation fees amid the University’s argument that the rise in fees are essential to cover costs. The report states that the University’s proposals “do not sufficiently justify this and supporting data has not been provided.”

The meeting aimed to gather students’ views on whether the University is justified in increasing the cost of accommodation fees, or whether students feel they are being taken advantage of.

There was a wider aim of finding out whether students think this increase will affect students from lower-income backgrounds, and what measures could be put in place to help balance the opportunity for students from such

backgrounds.

100% of the groups mentioned that the increase in accommodation fees make Colleges less accessible to students. One group pointed out that, “regardless of parental income, it’s equal access to education,’ while another said that it “could create a divide between people who can afford activities/ events/social life.”

Durham finalist selected to join prestigious scholarship Emma Pinckard Deputy News Editor A Durham University finalist has been selected to join the inaugural class of one of the most selective scholarship programmes in the world: Schwarzman Scholars.

Tara Subba, an undergraduate studying Politics and Philosophy, has been selected from over 3,000 applicants as one of only 111 Scholars to study in the first class of the fully funded programme.

The programme is designed to provide the select group with the exclusive opportunity to enhance their leadership abilities.

Currently, the rate of acceptance for the Scholarship stands at only 3.7%.

Schwarzman Scholars, the prestigious Master’s degree program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, will focus on preparing future leaders in areas including, but not exclusive to, business, science, technology, and law, with a

particular focus on the importance of China’s role in global politics in the 21st century.

The class is made up of students from 32 countries and 75 different universities.

44% of the successful candidates are from the United States, 21% from China, and the remaining 35% is made up by the rest of the world, including the United Kingdom.

“Each Scholar has demonstrated tremendous leadership potential at a young age and differentiated themselves through a myriad of academic and non-academic pursuits,” said the founder of the programme, Stephen A. Schwarzman.

Tara, 20, has been greatly involved with Durham Amnesty International, and has set up the St. Mary’s College Freedom Association.

She has also been involved in the promotion of infrastructural reconstruction and relief efforts in Nepal, which have had significant results for sustainable development and the in-

Tarra Subba will study China’s role in global politics Photograph: Tara Subba

corporation of developing nations into the global community.

Tara, who is English-IndonesianNepalese, hopes to work with the United Nations or to gain a ministerial position in the Indonesian government.

Schwarzman Scholars Global Director of Admissions, Rob Garris, said: “These 111 Scholars represent the first members of a constantly expanding network of future global leaders who together will have a tremendous impact on the world.”

Support for the program since April 2015 has come from a prestigious global list of donors, including PepsiCo Foundation, Volkswagen, Johnson & Johnson, Econet Foundation, Lenovo and the Varkey Foundation.

The scholars will live and study together at Schwarzman College, a dedicated state-of-the-art academic and residential building built exclusively for the program.

The programme will start in August 2016.

Similarly, the report notes that “there is a lack of trust in the University’s motives for the increase in accommodation fees,” with 100% of the groups mentioning this.

One group questioned where the University are “covering something up by not being more transparent,” with another asking: “How can Durham justify accommodation costing more than Oxbridge?”

100% of the groups also identified that there is a lack of knowledge as to what the surplus funds gained from increasing the cost of accommodation fees will be spent on.

One group alluded to the University’s “high spending on art,” asking “Why?!” Another mentioned that it is “difficult to find out what the money is spent on—what counts as what.”

The groups also recognised that communication between the University and students is a problem. “Acknowledge students’ concerns and address them,” one group said, while another remarked that College staff members provide “more direct communication” than that from higher authorities.

The report concludes that there is a need to create more transparency about where the surplus funds are being spent and why an increase in accommodation fees is needed. It also points out that communication channels between the University and students need to be improved.

Only 75% of the groups mentioned that “a collaborative response [to the issue] is needed, combining Colleges, the Students’ Union, and students.”

SU Elections Charlie Taylor-Kroll News Editor Nominations for 2016/2017 Student’s Union Officer Elections will open on the 29th January, with five possible positions available.

President, Academic Affairs Officer, Activities Officer, Community Officer and Development Officer positions are all open for students to stand for.

Previous experience with Durham Student’s Union is not necessary.

Speaking about her role as President over the last Academic Year, President Millie Tanner said: “It’s honestly the best decision I could have made.

“How many other jobs allow you to make decisions that shape the entire organisation, sit on the governing body of the University, work with hundreds of students, staff and the University Executive and have a lot of fun while you’re doing it?”

Visit the SU’s site for information.

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Thursday 28th January 2016 | PALATINATE

Durham University ranked third highest University spender on art

Charlie Taylor-Kroll News Editor Durham University has been ranked the third highest English university spender on artwork, with expenditure totaling over £2 million since 2010.

A Freedom of Information request issued by the BBC on the amount English universities spend on art saw the University ranked as the third highest spender in the last five years, only being outspent by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

Durham University’s total spend was £2.6 million between 2010 and 2015, over four times as much as Oxford Brookes University, who was ranked one place below Durham on art expenditure.

In light of the findings of the Freedom of Information request, Durham University told Palatinate: “Durham University is a custodian of many fine treasures; we develop our collections of graphic art and sculpture for public display.”

The University also claimed that the collection, the majority of which is kept in the Palatine Centre, was among ‘’the largest and most successful in the UK.” Of the £2.6 million sum, £1.4 million was spent on purchasing and installing works of art in 2013 as a part of a £60 million development programme, which included the construction of the Palatine

The “Geoscultpure” outside the Bill Bryson Library

Photograph: Joyce Uerpairojkit

Centre and Law School.

At the time of the development, the University was criticised for its expenditure on art by the public sector workers’ union Unison, who argued that it is difficult to justify spending so much on art work in times of austerity.

Palatinate reported that the £1.4 million expenditure in 2013 was nearly five times the University’s original budget of just under

£300,000 at the time.

The £1.4 million brought a lucrative collection of art work, including a collection of African art, and works by Sandra Blow, Victor Vaserely, Alexander Calder, Terry Frost, and Andy Warhol.

Durham University’s most expensive piece of art work, however, lies outside of the Palatine Centre.

The “Geosculpture,” a geological

map of the UK which lies adjacent to the pavement, was the most expensive piece of art in the £2.6 million over the last five years.

The sculpture, which was created by John De Pauley, will be a familiar site for those walking from Church Street to the Science Site.

The University claims that supporters have assisted in raising funds to allow the Durham art collection to grow, including the

ing, “restricts offensive speech under its sexual harassment policy, has banned blackface, and recently blocked a student who wanted to set up a men’s society.”

“The institution’s overall ranking remains Amber,” the FSUR says.

The rankings come following the release of the FSUR on Monday 18th January. In its press release, the FSUR said that “campus censorship is an epidemic.”

“According to the UK’s groundbreaking survey of campus censorship in 115 UK universities, bans, bureaucracy, and campus illiberalism continue to blight the academy.

“From the No Platforming of Germaine Greer to the rise of Safe Spaces to the University of East Anglia’s sombrero ban, campus

censorship has become headline news this year.”

The FSUR, run by the online magazine spiked, “surveys all UK universities and students unions—offering deeper insight into campus censorship and the shocking stories the nationals missed.”

Charlie Taylor-Kroll News Editor

University “places vague restrictions on ‘offensive’ speech,” Free Speech University Rankings say

Durham University and Durham Students’ Union “collectively create an environment that chills free speech,” says the spiked Free Speech University Rankings (FSUR) for 2016.

The University, which maintains its “Amber” ranking from 2015, “places vague restrictions on ‘offensive’ speech.”

The FSUR notes that the University “urged the cancellation of a speech” by Tommy Robinson, cofounder and former leader of the English Defence League (EDL), at the Durham Union Society in 2015.

Durham Students’ Union, which also maintains its “Amber” rank-

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Ryan Gould News Editor

The institution’s overall rank remains Amber

£90,000 geological map, which was funded by private donations.

They told Palatinate: “The Geosculpture created by John De Pauley, and located near the Bill Bryson library, was largely funded by donations.”

In relation to the need for an extensive and expensive art collection, the University believes that its art collection has a myriad of benefits to the University, as well as to the city of Durham.

They said: “A regular programme of public exhibitions is staged in Palace Green Library, the World Heritage Site Visitors Centre, and the Oriental Museum.

“In addition, the University organises free guided tours of the art collection in the Palatine Centre and Law School, and staff, students, and members of the public are encouraged to come and enjoy it.”

Art tours have previously been conducted by Henry Dyson, who is the Keeper of Fine Art at Durham University, with tours offered to both the staff and the students of the University.

The University art collection is not just offered for viewing by Durham students and staff, but also to the general public.

“Virtually the whole of the University’s collections are on public display.

“They are also available for loan to other institutions,” the University said in a statement.

Durham Business School agrees partnership with North East innovation firm

Durham University Business School has agreed to host the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, acting as a base for an initiative to encourage innovation in the North East.

The North East Innovation Observation aims to work closely with universities in the North East to encourage and support business innovation.

The role of the Durham Business School as the base for the project is in part to provide research into innovation success factors, barriers to innovation, and innovation trends.

Durham University Business

School will also assist in the North East’s LEP “smart specialization strategy,” which measures growth in areas including passenger vehicle manufacture, health, and life sciences.

Professor of Operations Management at Durham University Business School, Kiran Fernandes, said: “As a leading business school, our expertise will compliment the programme’s objectives to maximise the success of the region as a hub for innovative business and business growth.

“It is an exciting time to be involved in the programme and an honour to be selected as host.”

According to the Complete University Guide, Durham University Business school is ranked fifth in the UK.

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Experience: Suicidal thoughts We need to create a culture where it’s fine to talk about mental health

Joanna Gower

So you’re sat on your own in a busy restaurant, with a half-eaten plate of food you really don’t like (but have eaten some of so as to not offend the chef) in front of you. Everyone told you this restaurant was amazing, that the food was fantastic and the service was exemplary, but you’ve had an awful time.

You could throw your food on the floor, ask to see the manager and demand that the meal is on the house; but the staff are rushed off their feet running around looking after everyone, and you’d feel really bad inconveniencing them.

It isn’t their fault you’ve had a bad time, it isn’t anyone’s fault, you just want to leave. You also don’t really

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Discussing it demystifies it. It makes it easier to ask for help, and it makes you way less likely to feel alone

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have the energy to put into it. So you pay the bill and go.

That’s what being suicidal is like for me, and for many people, but not all. It isn’t always some big dramatic display of emotion, sometimes you’re just sort of… done.

When someone who has experienced being suicidal mentions suicide to someone who hasn’t, their response is usually to freak out.

“Oh God, that’s so horrible! Are you okay? Should I call a doctor?!”, and the tears start.

It’s nice that people care about you but trying to explain that it isn’t that you want to die, as such, but just that you don’t want to go through the hassle of actually living is pretty difficult. Particularly when people are upset, and especially when you just can’t relate to that emotion.

That’s the thing a lot of people don’t know about depression: it

isn’t just feeling sad all the time.

Mostly it’s just nothingness: like you’re trapped in this bubble and you can’t interact with anything.

Things change around you and you notice them, passively, in a sort of absent-minded way. “Oh, look, I’ve fallen over”, or “hmm, I failed that summative”, but nothing seems really to relate to you.

The other thing is the drowning sensation. Well, as ‘drowning’ as can be when you can’t actually feel anything. Have you ever woken up in the morning and tried to get out of bed but your muscles are still asleep so you can’t quite lift the duvet off yourself? Depression is like that. You’re suffocating in your own body and your own mind, and you’re trying to shake it off, but the more you try the heavier it feels.

But mostly you don’t feel anything, like a robot who has just enough consciousness to know it isn’t a real human, but not enough to work out what that actually means or why it matters. It isn’t just depressed people who can be suicidal; many mental illnesses can result in that situation, and sometimes it just happens, regardless of mental health.

People also seem to be just as shocked when suicidal people discuss suicide in an offhand, nonchalant manner. They ask how you could possibly joke about something so horrendous but when you’re experiencing it it can be the easiest thing to do.

A friend of mine says that if he decides to top himself he’s going to do it by jumping off of the Empire State Building in a wetsuit, after placing a tiny glass of water at the bottom with a note saying: “I think I can make it!” He says that when he’s had enough and he decides to opt-out of life he wants to do it with a question mark rather than a full stop.

A lot of people will think that his comment was in bad taste, but for someone who is suicidal in a society that point blank does not discuss suicide, it’s an outlet. Having something constantly on your mind but not being able to express it is draining, and it’s dangerous.

It’s scary to think that people may treat you differently if you tell them you’re thinking about not doing ‘alive’ anymore. Discussing it demystifies it. It makes it easier to ask for help, and it makes you way less likely to feel alone.

That’s why we need to create a

culture where it’s fine to talk about mental health.

Being able to talk about suicide without it being taboo is one of the best things for someone who is suicidal because it can go some way towards popping the bubble in which they are trapped. Suicide isn’t always a dramatic cry for help or attention.

Often it’s the people who seem absolutely fine who decide they’ve had enough. If someone tells you they’re suicidal, take them seriously. It’s upsetting, yes, but try not to make it about you by getting overemotional because that can make them feel really guilty for upsetting

you, which just discourages them from talking about it ever again.

Covering someone in bubble wrap or treating them like porcelain when they’re feeling alienated just doesn’t help.

If you have a friend who is suicidal and you don’t know what to do, consider simply asking them if there’s anything you can do that will make things even a little bit better. Sometimes there isn’t, but what often improves things is genuine, human contact. People listening if you want to talk about it, laughing with you if you find it helpful to make macabre jokes about it, and showing that they

genuinely are glad you’re still alive.

The thing that gets me through when I’m really not into this whole ‘existing’ lark is the knowledge that I could just not do it.

The fact is, every day we are alive it is because we have made an actual decision to put up with all the senseless chaos, uncertainty and problems that life throws at you. There is another option, and we’ve chosen not to take it, even if we’ve tried to in the past. And that’s kind of empowering, isn’t it?

Samaritans free helpline: 116 123

Illustration: Alice Oseman

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Debate: Should the accus

Daniel Pettingale

As soon as any story involving child abuse enters the news, it is easy for emotions to run high, notwithstanding that many of us who take to the streets or - more likely our keyboards, have never experienced either sexual abuse or character assassination, and so do not really understand the ordeal for either the accuser or the accused.

All that most of us will ever see is the backlash that an accusation of somebody causes - either in the media or in whichever organisation is held culpable of the alleged crimes. I want to pause a moment here to emphasise the *alleged* nature of the crimes. One of the things that we must all be constantly reminding ourselves is that using that word to refer to people who have never been convicted of any crimes is not just a legal nicety.

It is a reminder that as far as the law is concerned – and therefore as far as we, who are not involved in the case, are concerned – the accused is not a criminal. They are guilty of nothing. Somebody says

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It would be better for us to be uninformed than to spread misinformation.

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that they are guilty of something.

That is all.

In the case of one man, that is quite literally all we know. Bishop George Bell died in 1958, 37 years before the allegation of child abuse was made against him in 1995.

This was dismissed at the time and has come to light late last year, when we hear that the Church of England has apparently admitted his guilt and paid out compensa-

tion for it. The police have told us that there is enough evidence that Bishop Bell would be prosecuted were he still alive but we, the public, have not been told what this evidence is, who the accuser is or even which gender they are.

And yet the character of a man who was, until recently, revered by almost all who knew of him as a brave defender of morality and justice during WWII is now, with the public sanction of the Church of England, in ruins.

I have focused on this case, rather than the more recent and perhaps more topical case of Lord Janner, because it is a better example of the problem with the system as it is. In the case of Lord Janner, we are told of multiple cases involving witnesses whom we know something about, making the case against him far more credible. My purpose here is to point out the abuse of the system as it stands.

Many people who hear of Bishop Bell now will hear of him only as a paedophile. His honourable work and brave stand against the bombing of German civilians during WWII will be remembered only as a curiosity, or at best, the earlier acts in a tragedy of which the most important part is the end. This is really only possible because of the modern press and, in particular, the internet. This is why anonymity for those accused of crimes like this needs to be at least a credible option, and certainly one that should be employed in a case like Bishop Bell’s.

I am sure that many of you expect me to cite the presumption of innocence as my main reason for this, and many of you would be right. What I think, however, is not quite so straightforward as that Bishop was never convicted, therefore his name should never be released. After all, I have made no complaint about Lord Janner’s case being made public. What I actually think is this: to have one’s name released in the press, and particularly online, as one who has been accused of child abuse is already a de facto punishment. However honest or well-intentioned reporters may be, headlines spread faster than legal evidence, and so many will only hear of this case in forms like: Revered Bishop George Bell was a paedophile. The repu-

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tation of the accused, on which a living person may rely for employ-

To have one’s name released in the press, is already a de facto punishment

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ment or even simply to avoid being attacked in the street, is destroyed.

They carry the shame of a paedophile whether or not they deserve it. Therefore, that information does need to be contained at least for a while, in particular if the name of the accuser is not made public (which, by the current law, it is not) and so most of us cannot call them into question. As things

stand, we have a rather disturbing state of affairs in which many of us will firmly believe a certain person, no matter how high their standing was before, to be guilty of one of the vilest crimes possible for no better reason than because somebody said so.

I cannot solve this problem here; a question that is still troubling the finest legal minds in the country is too much to be answered by one student at the tail end of an article. That is not my purpose. What we need now, with emotions running high from survivors of both abuse and false abuse trials, is caution, proper procedure and patience. None of those things will be achieved if as soon as a person is accused their name is released to the mercy of the internet (a phrase that should never be spoken, read or written without a nervous flutter in the stomach.)

The principle of the system of trial by jury and presumption of innocence is simple: it is better to

let the guilty go free than to punish the innocent. This principle is true, but thanks to the modern press, these instruments are no longer enough to abide by it and still to give justice: they failed to abide by the principle for Bishop Bell, and failed to give justice to the victims of Lord Janner. I, or any of my readers, may suggest new instruments or refinements to those we already have, but ultimately, our main interaction with these stories will simply be in reading or hearing the news. It is no poor reflection on any of us that we are instinctively angry when we hear that somebody has been accused of abusing the most vulnerable in our society but that being the case, for the sake of justice, the best we can do is to either heavily discipline ourselves whilst reading the stories, or stay away from them altogether. It would be better for us to be uninformed than, even inadvertently, to spread misinformation.

Illustration: Kenzo Ishida

PALATINATE | Thursday 28th January 2016

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sed remain anonymous?

Against Jordan Hogan

When the French philosopher Michael Foucault famously conveyed that “where there is power there is resistance” he was focused on systems and the abuse of power within them. The legal system is no different, situations are manipulated, corruption occurs and bias

plays a decisive role. Power, therefore, needs to be managed and a concept like anonymity shifts the balance far too much in the way of the system and to those who are in charge. People have a right, good or bad, to be able to know what is happening to their fellow man.

In a country where we value our freedom of speech there must be no reason why information should be kept from us. Yes, sometimes there are situations when names are smeared, identities shattered and lives are ruined. The media sensationalises, everyone gets in

a huff and it just doesn’t stop raining. These are just anomalies however - little inaccuracies which take away from all the good work which the system does. Our justice system should be an open door with a welcome mat on the floor, not a dungeon.

Rape is the common crime tossed out there when the anonymity question comes into the fray but it is hard to understand why. It hampers investigations and must have a major impact on people coming forward in serial rape cases. We would all still think

of Jimmy Saville as that charming, if not slightly creepy, charity god if his name had remained anonymous, not as the foul monster that he actually was. The stigma which comes with being accused of rape must be awful and should not be taken lightly but the simple fact is that if someone is innocent, 9 times out of 10 they will be proven innocent by a jury of their peers and then all the stigma should vanish into the abyss. This is obviously not always the case and as with anything there is an element of subjectivity but most people would

be willing to accept that the system has done its job to the best of its ability.

Our society thrives on being able to know anything at any time and it would be standing in the way of progression to withhold information from the public. It is about having confidence in the system which is in place and revaluating that said system when certain challenges present themselves. Justice should be found in the end and we should all just let it, rather than worrying too much about situational abnormalities.

The silence is deafening: the end of free speech?

No-platforming is shutting down conversations which need to occur Helen Chamberlain

Listening is a skill that we are all aware is an important part of learning. Yet in recent times there has been a disturbing trend: the silencing of individuals in an effort to shelter people from their ideas – something that has been increasingly occurring on university campuses. Students are being denied the right to listen to, and to learn from, people and ideas that might conflict with their own. This only limits our ability to critically evaluate new ideas, to promote discussion of important issues and to challenge ourselves to engage with

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In recent times there has been a disturbing trend: the silencing of individuals in an effort to shelter people from ideas

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people who have different points of view.

The tactic of censoring is used in two main ways: to ostensibly prevent extremism and to avoid offence. However, the issue lies in how we define these and how we respond to them. The government currently states that extremism is ‘the vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.’ For a legal definition this seems worrisomely vague – for one thing what exactly are “British values”? UK universities have come under scrutiny and in 2015 a list of higher education institutions that had hosted ‘extremist speakers’ was published by the government in an attempt to get them to commit to helping curb this perceived problem. But with such a vague definition, who are we allowed to invite and who do we ban?

The answer isn’t clear. Individuals often mentioned as ‘extreme’ include Haitham al-Haddad, Hamza Tzortzis and Uthman Lateef, all of whom, for example, have made openly homophobic statements and hold views many people would disagree with. However there is a very real risk that nonextremist Muslim speakers will be tarred with the same brush and excluded from speaking on the ba-

sis they may be extremists, purely by association with these or other people – as seen in the treatment of organisations accused of having links with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Church of England has recently sided with openly homophobic organisations, yet universities across the country host events with speakers from this organisation with no questions asked. It seems there is a disparity in how we treat religious organisations and speakers with homophobic views – we label some extreme, yet others are praised for being the source of British morality. This only serves to vilify, further alienate and increase animosity towards the Muslim population, the vast majority of whom are just normal, peaceful people.

On the other hand, we have speakers being banned for causing offence or insult. Maryam Namazie, prominent human rights activist and spokesperson for the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, was initially barred from speaking at 3 UK universities in 2015 and her talk was significantly disrupted at Goldsmith’s university by people seeking to silence her. Whilst Maryam may criticise Islamism (the far right political ideology) and even Islam (the religion), she does not incite hatred towards the people themselves and in fact hotly defends the right of the individual to hold their own beliefs. Criticising

ideas is not the same as displaying prejudice towards those that hold them. This is not to suggest

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We shouldn’t underestimate students’ ability to analyse opinions

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that seeking to knowingly cause offence is a good idea as it is often counterproductive, but at the same time we do have a right not to be offended. Unless someone is directly inciting harm, hatred or prejudice towards a person or group of people they shouldn’t be silenced – they may have something important to say. We have a fundamental human right to be able to believe what we want and unless we harm others, we ought to be free to speak about our own beliefs and ideas.

In an effort to protect students, universities are treading a dangerous line - in making tighter and tighter no - platform policies to avoid extremism on the one hand, and offence on the other, we’re actually shutting down conversations that desperately need to occur. The majority of this discourse

unfortunately surrounds Islam; however, there have also been calls for other allegedly homophobic, sexist, transphobic and racist speakers to be banned from university campuses. By having the discussion, listening to people, and challenging them, we can learn why they hold their views and encourage them to change their opinion. Stifling the conversation only compounds the issue by making sure the two ‘sides’ never meet in constructive debate or discussion.

People can be offended, people can protest, people can hold events promoting alternate points of view.

We shouldn’t underestimate students’ ability to analyse opinions critically and weigh up the arguments presented to them; only in this way will we truly tackle some of the most important issues facing us as a society.

Durham Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society are pleased to announce that Maryam Namazie has accepted an invitation to speak at Durham University. This was due to take place on January 26th, however the event has had to be postponed for the moment.

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The Science of 2016

A preview of the year’s hottest research The Natural Sciences

Periodic Update Jennifer Hack

What better way to kick off the New Year than with the synthesis of four new elements, which together complete the seventh row of the periodic table. Groups working in Japan, Russia and the US have devoted their research to creating the new elements. They were synthesised by firing beams of ions at heavy metal targets, which resulted in formation of the elements with atomic numbers 113, 115, 117 and 118. The new elements only exist for fractions of seconds, which has made the groups carry out extensive and meticulous research to prove that their claims are substantiated. Now they will need names and symbols, which are chosen by the institutions at which they were discovered. This process could take a little while however, so the thousands of periodic tables around the world don’t have to be updated quite yet!

The Microbiome Rosalind Tucker

This is also the year that the first results of one of the most ambitious sequencing projects are to be released. The Earth Microbiome Project aims to describe and characterise 200,000 genes from microbial DNA samples, collected from across the world. It is expected that the results will yield clues about the multitude of processes which rely on microbes that occur within ecosystems. Of course, humans have their own relationship with microbes, and scientists have already exposed an unprecedented number of important roles that bacteria play in health and disease. Examples include links between the microbiota and obesity, autism, autoimmune disorders and depression. With some of the project samples so far being taken

from komodo dragons, deep sea sediments, hypersaline waters and deserts, who knows that the results will reveal? The conclusions could uncover some disturbing knock-on effects of environmental change, or expose unknown functions of these mysterious microbial genes.

Gravitational Waves Tommy Pallett & Elizabeth Hopper

The next big astrophysical goal: to detect ripples in the fabric of spacetime. The ‘ripples’, known as gravitational waves, are generated by the acceleration of massive bodies such as those found in binary star systems, and were first predicted by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. The energy these bodies emit causes space-time to vibrate, and the waves generated distort everything in their path. When they reach Earth, the size of the displacement is in the order of a billionth of the width of an atom, which luckily can be detected by extremely sensitive interferometers, such as the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) centres in Washington and Louisiana.

Interferometers have two long arms at right angles, along which laser beams are reflected so that they travel up to 62 miles. The laser beams start simultaneously, but passing gravitational waves alter their paths, so if the beams are not in synchrony when they return, it can be inferred that a gravitational wave has disrupted their journey.

Everything is ready to go, we are just waiting for a cosmic event dramatic enough to produce a detectable gravitational wave: a huge supernova or the collision of two black holes perhaps. If detected, we can use this new technology to begin searching for objects actually constructed of warped space-time.

Controversial Experiments

Deadly Diseases Eloise Godden

2016 may also see the return of ‘gain of function’ research in infectious viruses, after the last ban came to an end in October 2015. The US government has performed a riskbenefit analysis to decide whether to resume, after prohibiting funding of the research for one year. Gain of function research involves genetically modifying viruses, in this case the influenza virus and SARS virus, to make them more lethal or infectious. Study of these strains could uncover how to target, attenuate and eliminate these viruses. But does the risk of accidental virus escape outweigh the potential discoveries? A more transmissible and deadly virus could easily cause a pandemic.

Gain of function research has been intermittent due to fears of outbreak from the scientific community. The first year-long ban began in 2012.

Research was resumed until 2014 when another ban was introduced.

Lab accidents involving pathogen contamination have occurred in the past, initiating protest against gain of function experiments. Whether 2016 will see the research resume will indicate how much the US government values the benefits over the drawbacks.

Genome Editing Charlie Hyde

Dr Kathy Niakan of the Francis Crick Institute will soon make her case to regulators to perform gene editing procedures on human embryos—a first for the UK. If successful with the

Proposed design for the high-speed travel Hyperloop pod

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the first embryos could be modified as soon as this summer.

Dr Niakan is trying to understand the first week in the womb. This is where the fertilised egg develops into a blastocyst: a collection of 200300 cells. Fewer than half of fertilised eggs reach this stage, so new research into DNA activity could be crucial to understanding miscarriage and fertility. Dr Niakan’s intention is to use the Crispr system to switch genes off at different stages, and see how they affect development. While this research could be a first step in improving IVF treatment, some feel that Dr Niakan’s research would go too far. Dr David King, Director of Human Genetics Alert, said: “This is the first step on a path that scientists have carefully mapped out towards the legalisation of GM babies.”

Illustration: Rich Macf via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk on the Spotlight

Rocket Science Jennifer Horrocks

Aerospace manufacturer SpaceX finished 2015 off in style with the first ever vertical landing of a reuseable rocket following launch and orbit into space. CEO Elon Musk aims to dramatically slash the costs of rocket launches by making rockets re-useable, saving millions of dollars and months of preparation time.

2016 began with a semi-successful attempt to land a rocket on a platform at sea, with the rocket landing just 1.3 metres from its target, prior to toppling over and exploding as a leg failed. Following the explosion

of one of its Falcon 9 rockets back in June 2015, SpaceX continues to have much to prove. However, the company has already made six successful re-supply missions to the International Space Station and has just been rewarded with one of three NASA contracts to re-supply the ISS until 2024. With another NASA contract to carry astronauts to the ISS by 2017, and plans to build a rocket capable of carrying 100 people to Mars, SpaceX is one to watch this year.

Speedy Travel Tech

Eccentric billionaire and serial entrepreneur Elon Musk, when not designing the latest Tesla electric car or launching SpaceX rockets, is busy

establishing the Hyperloop, a new system of high-speed public transport that could reach speeds of up to 760 mph. Pods will be pressurised and travel inside reduced pressure tubes driven by air compressors and motors. This year will see a major test for the project as engineers and students compete in an open contest to design pods for the Hyperloop, to be tested in the summer on a Californian test track. Much of the technology is yet unproven, and with costs conservatively estimated at 6 billion dollars for a track between Los Angeles and San Francisco, it remains to be seen whether the Hyperloop will become a feasible proposition for affordable and sustainable longdistance travel.

PALATINATE | Thursday 28th January 2016

The Anthropocene Emma Thomson

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Planet Earth

2016 could become the year in which we enter a new geological epoch: the Anthropocene. This geological time period has been proposed on the grounds of the massive influence humanity has had on the Earth’s structure and composition. A new epoch is noted by a significant change in the layers of rock. If there is minimal evidence of such a geological change then the Anthropocene is unlikely to be declared. It can be argued that humans have been impacting the planet since the start of the geological period we are currently in –the Holocene– and that the change is steadily growing, so why turn the page now? The role we’ve played in tipping atmospheric carbon dioxide levels above 400 parts per million for the first time will likely hold the strongest case for the Anthropocene to begin this year. However other events affecting the atmosphere, biosphere and geology of the planet are also important, including the sixth great extinction and increasing levels of waste. 2016 will be a year of remarkable change, but whether it is the year of the Anthropocene, we will have to wait and see.

plant growth rates. Although it removes a negligible amount of CO2, roughly 900 tonnes compared to the 35,700,000,000,000 tonnes released to the atmosphere each year, it is a step in the right direction. At an estimated cost of 3-4 million euros (around 100 years worth of costs in using coal burning to do the same job), the project’s business model hangs in the balance. Although an attractive technology, carbon capture is yet to prove a viable alternative to emission reductions. David Keith, executive chairman of Carbon Engineering notes: “One group of people say it’s a s i l ver

causing an upheaval in the global climate. The consequences include heavy rainfall across the normally arid state of California and droughts in the West Pacific, sometimes responsible for devastating bushfires in Australia. The most recent El Niño episode began early in 2015. Scientists are saying that El Niño is likely to go on into 2016 and the worst of its chaotic weather is still to come. However this time, scientists will be better poised to study the events of this climatic event. The U.S.-European Jason-3 satellite, which was launched on 17th of January, will allow researchers to measure the height of

SciTech

Promoting Ideas

Manchester Forum Charlie Hyde

In 2016, Manchester will host the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF), highlighting the city’s proud association with scientific advance and achievement. The forum’s theme is ‘Science as a Revolution’, which seeks to explore and challenge the impact of science on our daily lives.

The organizers laud Manchester’s heritage as birthplace of the industrial revolution, alongside its reputation for innovation and enterprise.

Absorbing CO2 Luke Andrews

In-between carbon capture and the ‘green’ technologies, stands avant-garde carbon conversion. This tech venture extracts CO2 from the atmosphere and sells it. It is certainly appealing, with CO2 levels surpassing the safe level of 350 parts per million, reaching 401.85ppm in December 2015.

Climeworks, a Swiss carbon conversion start-up, is one such company that has capitalised on the ‘think green’ pressure, striking a deal with agricultural firm Gebruber Meier Primanatura AG. The deal allows extracted CO2 to be transported to Gebruber’s greenhouses, to raise

Illustration: Kenzo Ishida

bullet and one group say it’s bullshit.”

El Niño Goes On Shubhi Sharma

El Niño is a periodic warming of the Equatorial Pacific, known for

the sea with accuracy to 1 inch. In addition, a large number of buoys, floats and robotic ocean gliders have been deployed across the Pacific to allow scientists to monitor the ocean system. “We expect to learn how El Niño evolves in greater detail than we’ve ever seen before” said Dan Cayan from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. It will be

Cancer Research Marcus Cassop-Thomson The battle against cancer has never been more important. The holy grail of cancer research is figuring out how to kill cancerous cells, which were once part of healthy tissue, without damaging the rest of the

The conference is biennial and panEuropean, bringing together over 4,500 researchers to deliver “stimulating content and debate”. Between 23 and 27 July, scientists will collaborate and discuss issues regarding the environment, policy, and Turing’s legacy, amongst others.

Biomed Funding

The US National Institutes of Health received a welcome budget increase of 2 billion dollars this year, bringing total spending up to 32 billion dollars. This funding increase comes after a decade of cuts and stagnation to research, and in the face of new challenges—such as combating microbial resistance. The future seems increasingly uncertain in the Life Sciences; as such the budget will be spent on a broad range of issues, ranging from molecular biology to healthy eating initiatives. The largest spending increase in 12 years will allow scientists to tackle more pioneering pr oje c t s: the Harvard Wyss institute is developing an ‘organon-a-chip’ system of culture cells for research, pot ent ia l ly elim inat ing the need for animal testing in industry.

body. The problem of specific targeting is currently being addressed using genetically modified oncolytic viruses as well as looking for novel ways to use our own immune system to preferentially seek out cancer antigens and destroy the cancer cells. Research and clinical trials have already shown promise; last year Duke University gained publicity after some patients in their clinical trial using a modified poliovirus ‘PSV-RIPO’ to treat glioblastoma could return to a normal life. It will be exciting to follow developments in this crucial field of modern medicine, especially if the technology can be applied to other types of cancer.

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Politics

Thursday 28th January 2016 | PALATINATE

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Simon Danczuk exposes all, but for what?

Kate McIntosh The tabloid press made merry when Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk was unceremoniously suspended from the Labour party on New Year’s Eve. It was alleged that he had sexually harassed a teenager who approached him for career advice. The Daily Mail delighted in a few choice phrases from Danczuk’s texts to 17 year old Sophena Houlihan, and even The Telegraph obliged, with a blow by blow account in timeline form. Manchester Police confirmed that they had investigated the claims and concluded that Danczuk’s actions did not constitute a breach of his duty of a care as a potential employer. But the story remained in the headlines as, one by one, media outlets took it upon themselves to ask whether or not Danczuk should keep his seat in parliament.

Taken at a first glance it seems that Danczuk’s private life, however unsavoury, was unduly paraded before the public. If he didn’t commit a crime, his private relationships should not be subjected to public discussion, permitting that they do not directly affect his ability to represent his constituents. If you think Danczuk’s texts to Sophena Houlihan warrant a resignation, you should probably

be arguing instead that this form of sexual harassment should be punishable by law. A more credible reason to doubt Danczuk’s ability to represent the electorate is his failure to react with urgency to the Christmas floods, which made some of his constituents homeless. This latest scandal could well have lost ‘sex text’ Danczuk his seat come another election, when voters will surely consider personal character alongside party policy but, for now, he is not required to resign.

Unfortunately, Danczuk’s admission of drunken guilt was not the last we heard of the story. In a sinister new episode, it was reported on 4th January that Danczuk was being interviewed under caution in relation to rape allegations dating backs to 2006. Now, the rights and wrongs of press intrusion seem unclear. On the one hand, Danczuk, as before, has not been proved guilty of a crime. Now he is associated with the investigation, it has the potential to jeopardise his career. Yet on the other hand, publicising the allegations may, hypothetically, help other victims come forward.

Danczuk had previously denied the allegations and the police took no further action after he attended the interview voluntarily.

Judgement about the extent to which Danczuk’s private life affects

his political career can be reserved temporarily, in light of information printed by the Manchester Evening News on 13th January. It’s claimed that in 2015, Simon Danczuk earned approximately £50,000 from deals with media outlets. Some of these press deals involved tipping off photographers as to his whereabouts so pictures of him could be sold on to the tabloids. It is alleged that in one year he received just under £21,000 from the Daily Mail. Multiple media agencies, including ITV, also provided him with pricey gifts like prime tickets to Rugby World Cup matches.

The payments from media agency FameFlynet, who help stage and sell on photos intended for the tabloids, increased as Danczuk moved back into the spotlight in December. On 15th January, Buzzfeed attributed candid shots of Danczuk on a night out with both his ex-wife and his partner at the time to FameFlynet photographers. They also connect the agency with pictures taken of Danczuk working out with a parliamentary aide who, coincidentally, sued him for sexual harrassment when she worked for him a decade ago. This casts the latest scandal, involving the teenager Houlihan, in a different light.

Danczuk has done a great deal himself to blur the territory of public and

reported in Cairo’s Tahrir Square at the time of the Egyptian revolution. These organised groups of migrant men have been spotted in Germany and other countries in previous years, but never on this scale.

The sexual assault attacks in Cologne on New Years have opened up some tough questions about migration. Germany is the largest social experiment of whether migrants will assimilate into European culture. It is difficult to cut through the rhetoric of pro and anti-immigration groups. While it is true that hundreds of European women have been sexually assaulted since migration increased in 2013, many of the perpetrators will be European citizens. People have claimed that the specific form of group attack which is ‘exclusively’ committed by men from migrant backgrounds is not linked to the mass migration of North Africans and Arabs to Europe.

However, the link is obvious and undeniable. Moreover. this spate of crime puts at risk refugees from Iraq and Syria by tarring them with the same brush.

How some officials have reacted to the sexual assaults is downright offensive. Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker, has proposed a “code

Should a politician’s private life matter?

Photograph: Benmil222

private. The whole charade suggests a great deal of superficiality, especially now that Danczuk looks to be complicit in his own public downfall.

The electorate are surely entitled to the knowledge that Danczuk was profiting from the exposure his private life. But it is frustratingly contradictory to insist the electorate take note, considering that Danczuk’s unnerving narrative thrives off public attention.

On top of all this, Danczuk’s disregard for his public image somewhat

negates any argument in support of him. He has made sure that his private life matters in politics, and unfortunately has embroiled his party in the scandal.

Whilst politicians are, of course, entitled to a private life that exists separately from their public one, men and women who decide to forfeit their privacy for personal gain should remain responsible for their actions.

Indeed, Danczuk’s choice to broadcast his private fall from favour will surely prompt a disaster at the polls.

of conduct” for women to prevent sexual assault, advising them to remain at “an arm’s length” from strangers. Victim blaming women

for their own attacks neglects the universality of the problem as both European and refugee women are subject to abuse. There is

Cologne attacks are a reality check about migration

Victoria Lincoln Since World War II, there has consistently been a population of Middle Eastern and North African migrants in Europe. But on New Year’s Eve, Germany was hit with a reality check about its opendoor immigration policy. On that day, 520 alleged sexual assaults mostly perpetrated by economic migrants and asylum seekers occurred in Cologne. Nineteen individuals are currently under investigation in connection with the Cologne attacks, and North-Rhine Westphalia’s Interior ministry has reported that none of them are German nationals. The ministry’s report details how 1000 migrant men gathered in central Cologne and organised themselves into groups. Capturing one woman between ten to twenty men, they would then sexually assault her and steal her valuables. The report describes a modus operandi known as “taharrush gamea” in Arabic, meaning group sexual harassment in crowds, and compares it to similar incidents of assault

Recent attacks in Cologne shift public opinion

Photograph: Harold R Cologne via Flickr

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PALATINATE | Thursday 28th January 2016 more rape and assault in migrants’ camps on European soil than anyone wants to admit. Migrant women often come from places where women are denied basic rights to education, freedom of movement and equal access to property and jobs. These women deserve to know they have increased rights in Europe. Equally, migrant men often hold views entrenched in sexist culture, and thus struggle to respect or fully understand the concept of empowered, educated women.

Most shocking of all is the attitude of one Muslim preacher towards women. His words ar-

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guably contribute to the maintenance of this rape culture. Sheikh Muhammad Ayed has been broadcast on Memri-TV, an Arabic media channel, saying “We will give them fertility, we will breed children with them, because we shall conquer their countries”, supposedly refering to European women. This kind of hate speech against non-Muslims is not a new phenomenon, but will definitely stoke anti-immigration propaganda in Europe given the current crisis. The culture shock that migrant men face is huge, but EU policy is failing to deal with it.

The only common characteris-

tic between the men identified so far is that they were all Muslim. It is clearly both a lazy and offensive generalization to say that all Muslim men hold derogatory views of women, but it appears that some do, and this need to be addressed.

Cultural adjustment attempts have been made in some countries. In Norway, Nina Machibya leads a course that helps immigrant men to understand European norms for women. Similar programs exist in other countries, and Germany should shape its own messages, and echo them in a widespread publicity campaign in Arabic. However, will these few

hours of lessons offset decades of cultural indoctrination?

Europeans’ pro-migration optimism has fallen flat. Countries are offering protection to unchecked individuals at the cost of their own citizens’ safety. These men seem to have escaped responsibility for the attacks in Germany. Only 19 of the 1000 are in custody today.

This rape culture has been seen in other European nations with large migrant influxes in the last year. Such incidents were also reported in Finland, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland. Sweden has been the worst effected with a staggering rise in

rape cases since 2013. We see this on our own doorstep with cases of Muslim men grooming girls in Rotherham, Derby, Coventry, and other parts of Britain. Police and social workers have done little for fear of being called Islamophobic.

The vast majority of migrants are in desperate search for a better life. But the crime epidemic imported by a very small minority is putting at risk well-intentioned migrants and Europeans alike.

White, Christian supremacists increasingly consider themselves to be protectors of Europe. At the core, their claims have only served to split public opinion further.

meant to protect citizens from the government stifling their opinions, not “the ability to freely use hate-speech”. Although their safe space policy has been violated pre-

gages.

They occasionally host panel discussions, as the one on feminist pornography last year, and also look for members to present their ideas at the General Meetings to decide on campaigns for the year.

“We don’t want this to be a theoretical discussion group. We want to get out into the community and help.” First on the agenda for this year is the Take Back the Night campaign when feminists and allies host a march in the street to try and claim back their safety on the streets at night. Laura considers this to be a very pertinent issue to Durham due to all the previous problems with street lighting and river safety.

“We try to get everybody involved.” Although the campaign is run and organized by FemSoc, the issue could affect anybody. “You shouldn’t have to feel that your life is being put in danger just by being alone.” The focus of the protest is that, regardless of how much

an individual has been drinking or what they are wearing, they should be able to just be safe.

Another big issue that Laura wants DUFemSoc to get their hands on is the “pervasive sports culture” at the University, which has over the years “fallen into the hideous trap that is lad culture”.

The consequences have been that “misogyny, transphobia and homophobia have come back into fashion”. These forms of prejudice have flourished under the excuse of being “banter, a word that is rarely used to describe any positive communication”, speech that comes “at the expense of someone else”.

DUFemSoc wants to eliminate the possibility of feeling threatened by “a group of sports players when they’re out at night”, as Laura claims one of the DUFemSoc’s exec had recently suffered from this type of harassment. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the University does not “go out of

their way to help one society that felt that it was being treated unfairly in the wider university community”. Problems like this are, more often than not, left within the wider student body to deal with.

On the backlash that DUFemSoc has received, Laura says that the most recent incident has been an article within The Tab on an “imagined war” they had fabricated between the society and the newly-formed Male Human Rights Society. “They were trying to pit us against each other as working for entirely different causes”, says Laura, and upon addressing the writer in the comment section of the article, she only invited a further negative response.

On the criticism riled at DUFemSoc for neglecting to help the Male Human Rights Society fundraise for a charity aiding the homeless, Laura is disappointed that DUFemSoc was the sole society isolated in this way. “It was irrelevant and inappropriate to bring up DUFemSoc in that article. It seems they wanted to provoke an argument that really wasn’t there.”

Laura denies outright that the issue could have anything to do with feminists’ dislike of meninists.

“Meninism was a satire that was badly latched onto on Twitter. We have to separate the idea of what’s going on in wider social media and what we are actually trying to act on in real life.” Laura has spoken to the president of the Male Human Rights Society and concedes that they “have a lot of ideas in common”.

Looking further into the future, Laura wants for DUFemSoc to stay in touch with other North East feminism societies for cross-campus initiatives in order to achieve mutual goals.

Meanwhile within the University they are reintroducing their zine QUIRK, with a new editor, and are continuing to have weekly meetings on a range of feminist issues, the next of which will be on how class affects women.

Interview with DU Feminism Society

At Durham University, Feminism Society began four years ago. According to Laura, the society’s creation had been “a long time in the running” and the road to it was bumpy. She blames the “traditional atmosphere of Durham”: namely the domination of “old, white men”, which made the university reluctant to accept such a “liberal” society. Nevertheless she does not think that feminism is “the opposite of traditional, conservative beliefs”, which she identifies Durham as having. What really is the problem, she believes, is the “quiet atmosphere” which does not allow politically-active people the freedom to express their views.

Durham is also not exclusive to such aversions. In Newcastle University, Laura claims the Feminism society “made a bit of noise and themselves known” after a variety of protests and demonstrations, including the ever-controversial Slut Walk.

Despite all this, Laura believes that students need DUFemSoc as a “safe space in which to express their opinions and they can be heard, and they can be validated.

We are not going to be alienated or ostracized for our views.” The society defines itself as “an intersectional feminist space, with a safe-space policy.” Laura insists “everybody is welcome, and I mean, everybody. What will not be tolerated is anybody who says anything that is going to offend or marginalize someone in person.

We can ask you to leave if you repeatedly say something transphobic, racist, sexist, or homophobic.

We want to create a space where people are free from that and they don’t have to hide who they are, for fear of people not understanding.”

On proposing that such a policy may stifle debate or infringe on free speech, Laura responds that this is a “vile misunderstanding” of what free speech actually is. Laws of free speech, she points out, are

“

Misogyny, transphobia and homophobia have come back into fashion.

“

Sofya Grebenkina Politics Editor

viously in meetings, there is yet to be an instance which has resulted in a ban.

DUFemSoc is most consistently a space for engendering discussion; however there are a range of other activities in which the society en-

Feminism is often misconstrued as man-hating.

Photograph: DU Feminism Society Facebook

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“The fact that we did change the line-up meant that we could carry on”

The departure of Bloc Party’s drummer and bassist could of broke the band, Oliver Mawhinney joins guitarist Russel Lissack to see why 2016 promises to be one of their most exciting years in a long time

Oliver Mawhinney Profile Editor It is testament to the enduring appeal of Bloc Party that upon their return to the mainstream with their fifth album Hymns the aura of excitement that has stalked the band’s career sustains. It is over ten years since debut album Silent Album throttled the post-punk revival scene, heralded as NME’s album of the year and selling over a million copies. Yet, much of Bloc Party’s ilk from the early noughties have departed from the conscious as quick as Shoreditch has become the new Camden and the trilby and Libertines-esque militant jacket became destine for the local Oxfam.

Lead-guitarist and founding member of Bloc Party, Russell Lissack is all too aware of the achievement in still remaining at the forefront of the scene: “the fact that 10-or so years later we’re still doing this is an achievement in its self.

“To look back at 2004/2005 it was a boom period for guitar music in the UK and a lot of artists from that period don’t exist anymore so you could certainly to put that in itself as an achievement.”

I prompt Russell as to whether it is more difficult to be successful in a band today in comparison to the time of the band’s formation following Russel’s encounter with leadsinger Kele Okereke at Reading Festival in 1999: “Definitely, definitely, there’s so much difference.

“In the UK the popularity of traditional live guitar music has been replaced by pop and electronic music. The whole system of how people listen to and treat music has also changed, people don’t really buy music anymore, some people do still- if you’re Adele or Coldplay you can still operate in the traditional ‘put out an album and a lot of people will buy it method’.

“But for the majority of artists that system doesn’t really exist anymore and you have to find alternative revenues and methods- touring being a much bigger part for us now.”

“On the one hand you’ve got a lot more opportunities to get noticed and upload your music which is great but on the flip side how do you stand out against countless other people also doing that?

“I don’t know, if I was a sixteenyear-old now trying to get my new band noticed I wouldn’t know where to begin. It seems a lot more difficult, we kind of botched it, we were part of the last period of that way of doing things through gigging in pubs, sending demos to record labels and

Justin Harris (bass), Louise Bartle (drums), Kele Okereke (vocals), Russel Lissack (lead guitarist)

“

that culture.”

I’m really excited, we haven’t done a proper UK Tour for about 3 or 4 years.

”

“Maybe that’s why electronic music and pop music are a lot more prevalent because the system is very different for them.”

However Bloc Party haven’t been without their own difficulties, a hiatus following third album Intimacy saw the four-piece switching attention to side-projects and rumours surfaced suggesting Okereke had departed the band to focus on soloprojects. Reports of difference have long circulated across the media, perhaps it was therefore unsurprising that bassist Gordon Moakes and

drummer Matt Tong departed the band in the 2013. In a characteristic manner, Bloc Party have remained muted regarding the bands split with Okereke only suggesting cocaine was a contributory factor.

However, with the subsequent arrival of bassist Justin Harris and drummer Louise Bartle, Bloc Party appear rejuvenated and ready for a new stage in their life, Russel considers: “I think strangely the departures actually meant that we weren’t going to disband, I think if we tried to carry on as the four of us then the way the dynamics had become between us it wouldn’t of worked and we wouldn’t have made another record or played any more shows.

“The fact that we did change the line-up meant that we could carry on and put out a new album, we’re already working on new music and about to go on tour again.”

The band are currently preparing to play the headline slot on the seminal NME-Awards tour alongside Drenge, Ratboy and Bugzy Malone during January and February, the first opportunity to see Bloc Party in the UK for many years: “I’m really excited, we haven’t done a proper UK Tour for about 3 or 4 years. We’ve got a really cool bill

alongside us, it’s a really eclectic mix that’s been put together beside us.

“I’m looking forward to seeing them because there’s a lot of different styles put together, it will be interesting to see how the audience react to the gigs so it should be really fun.”

The tour coincides with the release of Bloc Party’s fifth album on the 29 January, an album many never expected to hear prompting a stream of excitement and curiosity of what Hymns will offer.

“

It’s all part of the Bloc Party journey and wanting to challenge our-selves and do something that is different

”

Photograph: Bloc Party

Although giving little away Russel asserts: “This record is very different, certainly from our last record. I think that was a conscious decision on our part to try and do something completely different but I think that’s always been the case with us. “’Four was a decision to do something completely different to Intimacy which was quite an electronic album whereas Four became quite a loud-brash guitar record. In that sense it’s all part of the Bloc Party journey and wanting to challenge ourselves and do something that is different and exciting.”

After the turbulence of the past few years, Bloc Party appear in a very positive place, Russel reflects: “We’re finding it really enjoyable, everyone’s getting along really well which is nice, we’ve just started touring and playing live shows and they’ve being going really well. People have been commenting that everyone seems to be really physically enjoying themselves on stage.”

2016 is looking like one of the most exciting years in a long time for Bloc Party, looking at their freshest in years, major festival headline slots success inevitably awaits Unlike many of their contemporaries Bloc Party are not petering down just yet.

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Thursday 28th January 2016 | PALATINATE

Neville savouring the tastes of ‘la buen

Five months into his new life as assistant manager at Valencia CF, Phil Neville is embr abroad in Valencia, spoke to Neville at the Valencia training ground, discussing how Elliott Charles European Football Writer

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

From someone who has won a Champions League medal and six Premier League titles with the greatest club in English history, these certainly are not the words you expect to hear in a discussion about the difficulties of direct object pronouns.

“You know what, forget football, if I can actually learn this language it will be the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

With a new language, a new club and a new home, it appears Phil Neville is relishing the challenge Spain has thrown at him.

Neville joined Valencia CF as assistant manager at the start of this season following an invitation to join the coaching staff from the previous manager Nuno Espírito Santo.

For the former England full-back, it was too good an opportunity to miss.

“I’m a big believer in following your gut, and my gut feeling from the moment he asked me to be his assistant was ‘this is your moment’. That’s what I said to my wife, ‘if I don’t do it I know I’ll never do it’. So we had to do it and here we are.”

Walking around the club’s training ground, it is obvious that Neville has settled into his new home, greeting everyone with a ‘buenas’ (‘hello’) and a smile, while being congratulated for Valencia’s recent win from youth coaches who pass by.

Yet as expected when moving to a country having never spoken its language, it has not all been plain sailing.

“You don’t think it’s going to be as hard as it is, you think you’ll just get by, but actually the first pre-season where there’s actually a lot of information being processed, it was mentally very draining.

“

If I can actually learn this language it will be the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.

For every meeting I’d take in a pen and notebook and think ‘he’s using that word a lot’ and I’d write it down.”

“I had ten days before getting here when I just wrote down every football expression. Out on the pitch football language is pretty similar, ‘pasa’ (pass), ‘gira’ (turn), so I learnt how to say basic sayings and words.

When you’re out on the field where nobody speaks English and you’re just listening then you learn more. I was thrown in at the deep end, and I just had to learn.”

Since arriving five months ago, Neville and his wife have shared Spanish lessons together every day.

Despite admitting that he finds it more difficult than his wife, Neville has set himself the target of conducting an interview in Spanish by the end of the season.

He is also adamant that his efforts have helped him win over the players in training. He explains “The biggest thing I did was commit to the culture and language.

So from day one, I tried to speak Spanish in front of them. I wasn’t going to be an English person and demand ‘you need to learn what I’m saying’.

The more I tried the more help they gave me because they had more respect for me. And you know what, I messed up, and they laughed, but they laughed with respect because they thought, ‘this lad’s trying, so we’re going to help him.’”

Listening to Neville speak so positively about the challenge of learning a language and immersing himself in a foreign culture is both touching and poignant.

The energy with which he describes his experiences so far are frank evidence that this really is a unique life-changing period for him both as a coach and as a person.

Yet, Neville would be the first to admit he has had to overcome certain hurdles.

“It’s not easy moving abroad, and now I understand why a lot of people turn down chances to go abroad.

The first move is always the most difficult, and if I was on my own and single I’d have definitely gone for it, but I had other people to think about.

So I can understand why people don’t do it and I don’t think that’s a bad thing, it’s not like you’ve bottled it, it’s just that there are other things to consider when you’re moving your family to Europe.” But it does open your eyes to another way of life.

Waking up to a blue sky every day changes your life, it changes your outlook and you think to yourself, that’s a little thing, but it makes you feel good about yourself, it makes

you feel happy.

For me, the challenge of being able to coach in a different culture, different players, in arguably one of the best leagues in the world and learn a language is a life experience that I’ll never forget.”

Neville has already flourished in his short time in Spain.

“As a coach, you come out here

and learn a different style of play and how to treat players differently, as they’re a little bit more sensitive here.

The climate means you can do everything outside on the training field.

So you have to be a little bit more creative and you’re putting yourself in a situation where you’re totally out

Photographs: Wikipedia of your comfort zone.

This is a real stretch of a barrier coming to Spain and it opens up a whole new world for me now.”

“If I can speak Spanish and English, then I can coach in any league in the world.

Having made the first big move, I know that with the second move I make, if I do make one, I won’t have

“

PALATINATE | Thursday 28th January 2016

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na vida’ on his very own ‘year abroad’

racing the challenge of moving to a new country. Elliott Charles, currently on his year w he’s adapted to life in Spain, and the invaluable lessons he’s learnt during his time facilities, Spain is far behind England.

However in terms of football, it’s equally as good, if not better.”

“Technically, it’s probably a little bit slower. Tactically, I think the teams in Spain are really good. They set their teams up well and it is clear that they’re well coached.

They work hard on the tactical side of the game so you’ve got to be really sharp in games as a coach to keep up with the changes that happen within a match.”

The respect and admiration with which Neville speaks about the coaching in Spain raises that million dollar question, are they producing their young players better than we are?

Neville insists Valencia’s academy offers a “motorway” rather than a path to their first team.

Following his experience coaching some of Valencia’s academy teams to help develop his Spanish, he maintains England are still getting it right, despite the recent rise of non-league diamond Jamie Vardy suggesting otherwise.

“We are getting it right. The problem we have is that when they get to a certain age, 19, 20, they need to be playing first-team football. If their first game is at 22, 23, then it’s too late, they’ve missed out on three

years of development.

So we need to start saying we’re going to put our kids in and persevere with them. There is this threeyear gap where they get lost and that is why we’re losing too many of our academy players.

I think our academy system is brilliant. It produces brilliant footballers, good coaches but the problem is when they get to 17, 18, 19, they are not getting the opportunities.”

Ross Barkley is a particular example which Neville believes proves that the English systems are doing it the right way.

“He’s had four seasons in the first team. He’s now getting to the point where he’s probably had well over 100 appearances, he’s got experience now. He plays for England, he’s going to be a superstar, he looks like he’s getting ready.

(John) Stones is the same, with Barnsley and now Everton, he’s just clocking up appearances.”

When Phil arrived five months ago, he had no idea that his elder brother Gary would eventually take over as manager at the end of November after the club’s poor run of form.

Unsurprisingly, his working relationship with Gary is like no other.

“We’re best friends, we’re brothers, and we’re work colleagues. If I wanted to pick someone to work with in life, I’d pick Gary and he’d

“

probably pick me.

You’ve got the top three clubs in La Liga who could win any league in Europe.

“

I won’t have as many fears as I did when making this one.

“This is something that I always wanted to do during my football career and when I became a coach I wanted to be different from the rest. I wanted to do something where people thought, ‘wow he’s taking it seriously.

“He’s doing something that maybe I would have liked to have done.’ I was lucky to get the opportunity, and I’m grasping it.”

With a playing career that spanned eighteen years in the Premier League, La Liga is a new beast for Neville to tackle and he is adamant that the British perception of La Liga doesn’t hold true.

“You’ve got the top three clubs in La Liga who could win any league in Europe. Below that, you play against teams that people in England probably don’t know much about.

Eibar, Granada, Las Palmas, and you think ‘it’s going to be easy today’.

They’re not easy teams to beat.

They‘re all very well drilled, they’re all really well coached, they’re all technically gifted players.

The stadiums that these clubs play in are not bespoke stadiums but they don’t tend to care about that in Spain.

All they seem to care about is what happens on the pitch. So in terms of

With Gary, because I’ve known him forever, I know what he’s thinking and he knows what I’m thinking.

We’re cut from the same cloth. He loves me to do stuff knowing full well I know what he wants.”

The ‘Comunidad Valenciana’ is all too familiar with the British; home to the British hotbeds of Benidorm and Alicante, as well as six of the top 10 most British populated towns in Spain.

Yet its main football club in the city of Valencia itself has never had a British player or manager until Gary

Neville.

Nonetheless, that doesn’t stop Phil thinking that what they are starting to build under his brother’s guidance has the potential to become something extraordinary.

“I think we’re at the start of something which could really be special.

We’re a very young team but a very talented young team.

The team and manager have a lot of energy. With energy and youth, there is no fear.

When I was young I had no fear, but when you start getting to 24, 25, you know the pitfalls, so you start becoming a little fearful.

At the moment we’re fearless, the owners are fearless. It’s like there’s a snowball effect here and you can see where it’s going. We just need to keep that going along the way and control that momentum with good decisions.”

Time will tell whether this project really hits the heights that Neville has set it.

One thing is for certain, he has no plans to leave anytime soon. “This is something special. I feel it. I ain’t going home from here. They’ll have to dig me out, life’s too good, the job is too good.”

Neville has taken on the country and its language in a full-on battle, he’s loving every minute of it, and it looks like he’s winning.

Sport

Phil Neville Exclusive

Thursday 28th January 2016 | PALATINATE

In an in-depth interview with Elliott Charles, Valencia CF assistant coach Phil Neville discusses working with his brother, adapting to life abroad and the issue of whether La Liga really is superior to the Premier League.

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College rivalries to intensify despite looming York Varsity Sophie Bingham College Sport Coordinator

Elliott Charles chats to former Manchester United defender Phil Neville in Valencia. Read the full interview inside and online.

Photograph: Elliott Charles

Team Durham prepare for another stellar term of sport Simon Carey Team Durham President As Durham currently sit at the summit of the BUCS league points table, the Palatinates now look ahead to what promises to be another fantastic term of sport.

Following on from last year’s success, we remain on course to have a record-breaking 20 teams finishing in the top two of their respective premier leagues in 2016 (on top of the four premier titles we have already secured).

February sees the launch of several national championship competitions. The biggest of these events is undoubtedly “Big BUCS Wednesday” on 16th March in Sheffield, as teams will be vying to be the best in the UK. After last year’s tremendous success of eight finalists and five national champions, the English Institute of Sport will hopefully be a sea

of Palatinate once again. This level of representation at the peak of university sport is unmatched from any other university and is something we are incredibly proud of.

Team sports are celebrated every Wednesday. However, behind the scenes, many more clubs have been tirelessly working for their chance to shine at BUCS Nationals.

Athletes will be seeking gold in 10 sports over the weekend of 20th21st February.

From athletics to karate, this is the one chance to shine that many students have over the course of the year.

Huge swathes of Olympians have started their careers in this arena., and you can guarantee the future stars of Rio 2016 or Tokyo 2020 will be honing their talents.

Durham is certainly not short on individual talent either. Heather Goodman is set to take to the mat in the Judo Championship, fresh from representing Durham in the Euro-

pean University Championships.

In fencing, Thomas Curran-Jones, current Junior Commonwealth Champion, will be showing the competition why he represents Great Britain.

Meanwhile, Angharad and Megan Phillips, who have represented Wales in table tennis, will show us what they can do for Durham.

This is just a small selection of the huge amount of talent we have at Durham and we’re sure all of our athletes will do us proud.

It is not just national championships which offer us the opportunity to be remarkable.

The Northern Conference Cup and Trophy competitions give Durham teams lower down the program a chance to shine, usually playing 1st teams from other universities.

We caught a glimpse of that magic when our 3rd XV Rugby Team beat Loughborough 2nd (top of the league above them) last term. This will serve as inspiration to the side,

as they face Nottingham Trent 1st XV on 17th February.

These teams will also be buoyed by the recent England call-up of former DURFC alumnus Josh Beaumont, who Palatinate Sport interviewed in October last year.

Finally, stay tuned on social media as all the cup campaigns kick off this term, especially for round two of the Loughborough Varsity.

Last time out, the Palatinates thrashed Loughborough emphatically, particularly in the Women’s Hockey and Rugby.

Durham will hope for a similarly outstanding set of results when they face their fierce rivals again on 3rd February.

How to follow Team Durham:

Facebook (Team Durham Page) Twitter (@teamdurham)

Instagram (@team.durham)

Michaelmas 2015 was an exciting term for College Sport.

Despite dipping temperatures and intermittent snow days, there was plenty to celebrate including the introduction of women’s Futsal to the competitive programme and the first ever college mini tennis tournament.

As we enter the business end of the season, several colleges are in the hunt for glory across a number of sports.

University A top the men’s football Premiership, with an impressive five wins from seven under their belt.

Meanwhile in the women’s division, Grey A lead the pack ahead of Collingwood A. Hild Bede A are sitting pretty at the top of the netball Premiership, while the formidable Collingwood A are dominating the men’s rugby competition.

In table tennis, St Mary’s A will be looking to maintain their lead at the top of the Premiership with the always redoubtable Trevelyan A in close pursuit.

Epiphany 2016 heralds the return of the college indoor cricket league; a huge competition in which 18 teams will compete for the coveted title.

Volleyball fixtures also enter the schedule, ensuring there are plenty of points to play for.

While the college rivalries remain as intense as ever, they will be temporarily put aside on 28th February, as Durham travel to York University to compete in the annual College Varsity.

Our athletes will collectively be doing everything that they can to ensure that the trophy remains where it belongs.

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or at ‘Palatinate Sport’