Scottish Independence “You can’t make a discussed in new writer”- Fadia Faqir ! New Politics section Interview Palatinate, page 9
No. 736 www.palatinate.org.uk
Indigo Books, page 3
Palatinate Durham’s student newspaper since 1948
Tuesday 31st January 2012 | FREE
In PalatinAlps: All aspects of the trip reviewed
Despite original outrage, curiosity about the new Klute has won over Durham students Photograph: Nicoletta Asciutto
‘New Klute’ still pulling crowds Nathan Noerr Alexander Bond
Durham’s nightclub Klute recently underwent a £40,000 refurbishment which, despite having provoked outrage in the student population, has led to a rise in visits to the club based on figures from this time last year. The infamous nightclub has updated its sound system, installed state-of-the-art plasma televisions and transformed the outdoor area. The new management have also opened up the previously exclusive ‘VIP area’ for general purposes. Despite changes to ‘modernise Klute’s image’, the General Manager, Andrew Golding promised he had been “sensitive to the heritage of Klute so kept up the old tradition and
identity”. Palatinate has exclusively revealed that Tuesday nights will remain as ‘Classic Klute’, a testament to the popularity of the ‘cheesy tunes’ of which students are fond. However, the other nights have changed in an example of ‘new elements’ introduced by Mr Golding. Saturday night offers a particularly racy ‘Risqué’ theme featuring burlesque dancers. These changes have caused outrage among some students. A student from Castle even said that some students have “chosen to boycott the club altogether”. Student discontent has manifested in a Facebook group called ‘Bring back real Klute’ which amassed over 1,500 followers. Mr Golding was quick to dampen what he saw as a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction to the changes.
He also stated that vandalism had occurred but that it had only caused a minimal amount of damage.
“We have kept up the old tradition and identity” Andrew Golding General Manager
The situation became so prominent that the Durham Union Society decided to hold an ‘emergency debate’ on the issue, attended by the new management. Mr Golding argued that the changes would restore Klute to its former glory. However, with twice as many people visiting compared to this time last year, Mr Golding claimed that this “media interest has strengthened the
relationship that students have with Klute and we are extremely looking forward to sponsoring Durham’s Charity Fashion Show next week”. Durham’s student pre-drinking culture has resulted in a decline in revenues for the City’s nightclubs. This led to the closure of Studio last year. Mr Golding remained adamant that if students want Klute to continue to exist they have to “use it or lose it”. Despite some students choosing not to visit Klute, the management remain confident of the clubs continued success after the first two weeks saw Klute achieve full attendance on a number of occasions.
Inside Palatinate >> More on our exclusive coverage of Klute’s renovations (see PTV, p2)
Comment: Press curtailment not just in Middle East
Food: Easy, healthy New Year recipes
2 www.palatinate.org.uk
Editor-in-Chief is a hard job, but worth it? Absolutely When people find out you are Editor-in-Chief of Palatinate, you prepare yourself for one inevitable question: “What does the Editor do?” To save time, we usually answer something along the lines of “Everything”, or “What don’t they do?”, but this is clearly unhelpful (although by no means inaccurate). The truth is, the multitude of responsibilities and expectations accompanying the job of Palatinate Editor would come as a shock to the average Durham student; despite our preparation and the help we received from last term’s Editors, the sheer weight of the workload still came as a surprise to us. Over Christmas, we were not only faced with a legacy of complaints and protests from many voices, including the University, but also the task of hiring a plethora of new editors and fixing an on-going problem with the temperamental website. Hundreds of e-mails, dozens of Skype interviews, and endless Facebook discussions later, we had sorted most of our issues, hired a staff any national newspaper would be proud to call its own, had a just-aboutfunctioning website and had begun organising the content for the first issue. At this point, I think we would both admit that we were beginning to wonder what we had got ourselves into - especially as it was only just beginning.
Our first two weeks back at university were crammed with so many meetings (with everyone from the DSU Chief Exec to the University’s Media Relations team to our new staff) that we were beginning to forget that our main purpose here in Durham is to get a degree, not to edit a newspaper. Spending endless hours in the office explaining the intricacies of our un-cooperative publishing software for the 1,000th time, responding politely to the steady stream of e-mails, whether complaints, press releases, or potential contributors, and, last but not least, what we fondly call Seven-hour Sundays, which are spent frantically making sure the paper is fit to print on Monday morning and panicking when we spot a missing photo credit or a pixelated photo. The inevitable question, then: is it all worth it? In a word, yes. For any aspiring journalist or editor this an invaluable experience, and, although it may take over our lives, for ten short weeks, this is a more than fair price to pay. The simple fact is, although it’s a lot of work, we wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t love it. (In fact, you probably couldn’t do it if you didn’t love it.) Besides, it is not all meetings and e-mails. We don’t forget that we are privileged to produce a newspaper for students, by students, investigating issues relevant to and important to us, and to our readers.
This is our duty as Editors and journalists: our essential purpose is - as long as the facts are present and we’ve done all we can to ensure fairness - to cover every matter relevant to our readers, as students but also (as ex-Editor and Comment contributor Dan Johnson recognises in his piece on page 13) consumers. We may not be paid, but the role of Editor-in-Chief is a job, and we treat it as one. Although you may not know us when you pass us on the street, we are, in everything we do, representing you and your opinions, which you are entitled to express without fear of reprisal or punishment. We do this job because we care about Palatinate and the student voice, which, although sometimes misguided or deliberately provocative, is more often intelligent, eloquent, and well-informed. And then there are the people: Palatinate is home to an unreasonable amount of clever, funny, talented individuals (even, if we say so ourselves), who make the fortnightly socials a perk of the job. Whether it’s the Politics Editors figuring out cut-outs, the News team pulling their first Palatinate ‘all-dayer’, or the Sport and News Features Eds working together to produce an exemplary PalatinAlps spread, the effort we put in behind the scenes is all worth it when you see the results. We only hope you agree. Delaney Chambers & Hannah Shaddock
Oklahoma
Gladiators in Durham
A Review of the recent Dulog performance in the Gala Theatre
An exclusive look at the exhibition on the remains of six Roman gladiators in Millennium Place
Blurred Vision Ep.4
The New Klute
The team, bigger and better, return to Durham streets for the Epiphany term gossip
Palatinate TV investigates whether the new Klute is really as bad (or good) as students feared
31.01.2012 No.736
Contents Palatinate News pages 3-7
News Features page 8 Politics page 9
Careers page 10 Profile page 11
Comment pages 12-14 PalatinAlps pages 15-17 Sport pages 18-20
indigo
Editorial page 2 Books page 3
Features pages 4-5
Food & Drink pages 6-7 Music pages 8-9
Stage pages 10-11
Film & TV pages 12-13 Fashion page 14
Travel page 15
Back page page 16
Palatinate vacancies
Fashion Editor
This role involves commissioning articles, organising beautiful photoshoots and working with the rest of the Editorial Team to produce fantastic content. If you fancy taking on the role, email fashion@ palatinate.org.uk for an application form. No prior experience necessary.
Photographers, Illustrators & Cartoonists
Our Photography and Illustrations Editors are always on the look out for contributors, so if you’re an artist or photographer and would like to get involved, e-mail photography@palatinate.org. uk or illustration@palatinate. org.uk. We’d particularly love to get some topical cartoons for the new Politics section.
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. 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
Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Delaney Chambers Hannah Shaddock editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editors Alexandra Bottomer, Flo Snead & Olivia Swash deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Alex Bond & Nathan Noerr news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Chris Murphy news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Matt Lee, Katie Pavid, & Tim Perry deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Business Editor Jon Zhu business@palatinate.org.uk Careers Editor Charlotte Seager careers@palatinate.org.uk Profile Editor Jessica Waite profile@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editor Hugh Westlake politics@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Politics Editor Francis Still deputy.politics@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editors Olivia Rudgard & Charlie Taverner comment@palatinate.org.uk Sport Editors Spencer Brown & William Warr sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editor Kate Houghton deputy.sport@palatinate.org.uk Indigo Editor Larry Bartleet indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Sarah Murray feature@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editors Catherine Bradfield & Ellie Ross Food and Drink Editor Molly Fowler food@palatinate.org.uk Travel Editor Alexandra Groom travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Tom Weller fashion@palatinate.org.uk Film and Television Editor Ed Owen film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editor Anna Bailey stage@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Stage Editor Sarah Johnson Music Editor Jess Denham music@palatinate.org.uk Music Multimedia Editor Briony Chappell music@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Music Editor Will Clement deputy.music@palatinate.org.uk Books Editor Izzie Bengoechea books@palatinate.org.uk Chief Sub-Editor Kelsey Tollady sub-editing@palatinate.org.uk Section Sub-Editors Alice Melton, Rebecca Lee, Rebecca Paul, Malik Al-Mahrouky & Gemma Neale Web Editors Dori Beeler & Rhiannon Mehta web.editor@palatinate.org.uk Online Editor Mei Leng Yew online.editor@palatinate.org.uk Photography Editor Nicoletta Asciuto photography@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Photography Editors Arthur Dimsdale & Katherine Merchant deputy.photography@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor David Drysdale illustration@palatinate.org.uk Palatinate TV Editors Ellie Onions & Danford Showan ptv@palatinate.org.uk Blogs Editor Julie Fisher blogs@palatinate.org.uk Publicity Editor Charlie Taverner publicity@palatinate.org.uk
News
Editorial
Tuesday 31th January 2012 | PALATINATE
PALATINATE | Tuesday 31st January 2012
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Library refurb nears completion
News Editor: Nathan Noerr Alexander Bond news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor: Chris Murphy news.features@palatinate. org.uk
The ongoing Library development is due to be finished soon before the exam period begins Photograph: Nicoletta Asciuto
@PalatinateUK
Nathan Noerr
Palatinate
The Main Library’s East Wing extension will be completed before the start of Easter Term. The Library extension is on schedule to finish on time and the East Wing will be the first completed section. The £11 million project will provide a 42% increase on the original size of the Library, creating an additional 500 study spaces. The increase in size is likely to be welcomed by many as the existing Library regularly reaches full capacity, particularly during the Easter Term. University Librarian, Jon Purcell,
was disappointed that students often had to resort to “sitting on the floor during peak times”.This is a problem which the extension will help to alleviate. One student claimed: “During exam time I often walked to the library to revise but had to walk home again as I couldn’t find a single seat in the whole building”. The study spaces in the East Wing will each be equipped with power sockets. This will be advantageous as the current facilities are struggling to deal with the current high demand. The East Wing will also feature additional computers. Many of the PCs have already been installed in the recently completed Level 2, giving
students a preview of what they can expect from the rest of the extension. There will also be a number of new features and rooms. There will be a silent reading room which aims to ensure total silence to maximise individual productivity. There will also be six large study room allowing groups to complete assignments and work on presentations using coveted projection equipment. Alongside these rooms, 21 individual study rooms are being created. A Level 4 Research Postgraduate Study Room will be made available to academic staff and will be campus card controlled. The extra space the extension will
bring will ensure Law books, Music books and books currently held in ‘remote stores’ will be available and shelved in the Main Library. The Main Library will be in full operation by the start of the Easter Term. From the 21st April the Main Library, including the East Wing extension, will be open 24 hours a day. The 24-hour policy will operate throughout most of the exam period up until the 27th May. The Palace Green Library is also undergoing extensive refurbishment. The changes being made include a new reception and shop. Jon Purcell has also stated that there are “plans in the pipeline for a new Education Room and café”.
digitise books. If they are doing this they are acting illegally and liable to punitive fines from publishers who jealously guard their intellectual property. The Library is the only University body licensed to digitise book chapters and journal articles under strictly regulated conditions. 2) Final year students are already using some of the £10m invested in the new Library extension. During the summer of 2011 the entrance level of the Main Library was extensively and expensively redeveloped and from 2nd April they will be able to utilise the additional 500 study places, 29 group and individual study rooms and more computers 3) The newly re-developed EDen on Level 2 does not have half the previous number of computers available
as stated in your article. It has 10 less computers which is compensated for by additional loanable laptops, self service notebook computers and other pcs distributed elsewhere in the Main Library. 4) All peripheral walls in the Main Library have electrical sockets and all study places in the new extension will also have access to power and data points. The oldest part of the Main Library dating back to 1982 is not floodwired due to building constraints but where additional electrical sockets can be installed, they have been. 5) Perhaps the most offensive statement was the insinuation that Library temperatures were turned down when Library staff go home. Given that Library staff are on duty
from 8.00 am to midnight in term time, this comment is plainly inaccurate and quite inflammatory.. With a new editorial team in place at Palatinate I hope and trust that the Library will receive a more accurate and balanced approach. I have no problem with accurate and informed criticism, I do object to populist, inaccurate and unfair criticism which does not accord with reality.
A letter to the Editors from the University Librarian Jon Purcell Letter to the Editors
>> Are degrees
getting easier? page 5
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For more, visit palatinate.org. uk
Your pre-Christmas issue carried an opinion column from a History Undergraduate on the topic of university fees in which a number of inaccurate, misleading and offensive comments were made about the Library. Students reading inaccurate or misleading statements about the Library may think they are true and therefore risk gaining a very distorted picture of the Library. I would like to correct five inaccurate statements contained in the preChristmas issue: 1) Lecturers are not allowed under UK Copyright legislation to
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Have an opinion on the library extension? E-mail news@ palatinate.org.uk
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Wikipedia shuts website in protest Matthew Lee Wikipedia, the staple of every Durham student’s studies, voluntarily disrupted services for 24 hours as part of a widening protest against proposed US copyright laws. Each of the 162 million users who tried to access the online encyclopaedia on January 18th was redirected to a darkened webpage with the message: ‘Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge’. Wikipedia’s self imposed blackout was the most high profile example of internet sites mobilising against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and its sister legislation the Protect Internet Property Act (PIPA). Other prominent participants included Google and Flickr, who posted messages of support on their homepages. Technology magazine Wired covered most of its homepage with black boxes, along with blogging website WordPress. Even Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg felt compelled to wade into the debate, urging politicians to be more “pro-internet” in his first public Facebook post for three months. Closer to home, the stand made by ‘Wikipedians’ has managed to penetrate the usually apolitical Durham bubble. A second year History student commented “I generally don’t use Wikipedia for work but I actually found myself trying to use it more during the blackout”. It would also seem that, for some, academic life was not quite the same without Wikipedia as a third year from Hild and Bede highlighted: “I had an essay in that day and I couldn’t look up facts to double check them”.
Palatinate explains - PIPA and SOPA are designed to combat online piracy.
- Search engines, such as Google, would be banned from advertising offending sites.
- Law enforcement agencies could ban domain names rendering large sites, such as Wikipedia, invisible for a single offending article.
It appears more powerful figures were unable to ignore the protest as well. Barely a day after the formation of this united front, legislators from both Houses of Congress withdrew their support. One powerful ally of the bill, Republican senator and rising star Marco Rubio, commented that the retreat was because of “legitimate concerns about the impact the bill could have on access to the internet”. However, this triumph for internet activists may be short-lived. Battle lines are being drawn between powerful governments backed by influential magnates and internet organisations. Sheffield student Richard O’Dwyer recently lost his legal fight against extradition to the United States. He faces charges of copyright infringement for hosting links to pirate copies of films on his website TVShack. Similarly, the owners of file-sharing site Megaupload have also been arrested as part of the US Justice Department’s global hunt for those who
£432bn
the amount the global economy is losing every year to media pirates
flaunt copyright laws. Perhaps the most powerful supporter of the Justice Department on the issue of copyright is the Motion Picture Association of America. Its Chairman, Chris Dodd, launched a scathing attack against online protests labelling them “a gimmick” and accusing organisations such as Wikipedia of “an abuse of power”. Rather tellingly Dodd is a former senator and established lobbyist. Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is another powerful figure who has voiced his support for the proposed legislation. In a disapproving twitter post the News Corporation Chairman said “seems blogsphere has succeeded in terrorising many senators and congressmen”. The sabre rattling from both sides is likely to drag on for many months to come with regular internet users caught up in the crossfire. This particular battle may have ended but the war of attrition continues. As Wikipedia stated in a rather ominous end to its victory message, “we’re not done yet”.
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Tuesday 31st January 2012 | PALATINATE
The term ahead at DUS Nick Freeman DUS President Epiphany term began with one of the biggest nights in the Union’s history, seeing the Chamber full of students desperate to find out the rationale behind Klute’s renovation in an ‘Emergency Debate’. A surprise vote saw Klute’s manager and his debate partner Elise Trewick convince an initially sceptical crowd of the club’s continued credentials. He also offered free entry to all the attendees. Editor-in-chief of The Economist, John Micklethwait, then proceeded to address the Union and PPE Society on Britain’s relationship with the world. He used the remainder of the time to answer questions on everything from financial regulations to the
prospect of an ‘African Spring’. The evening ended with a lively debate on whether marriage was outdated. Novelist Adele Parks, disputed Edward Hauschild’s argument that “getting married for the sex” would be like “buying a Boeing 747 for the peanuts”, before reconciling in our 24 North Bailey Bar over cocktails. This term will also see Jeremy Vine propose ‘This House Fears Facebook’, Lord Robert Winston on Science and A. C. Grayling on God. There will also be discounted tickets for the Godfather Ball on February 11th costing £25. These are members-only events and discounts; those interested in signing up should visit our Palace Green Office for their complementary bottle of wine, or online at www. dus.org.uk/Join.
Students warned to be vigilant after drink-spiking Hannah Shaddock Two possible incidences of drinkspiking have occurred in the last two weeks. Both potential victims had been to Klute at some point during their nights out. However, it is unknown where the spiking took place, and Klute management have not received any reports of spiking from customers. One girl, a Castle second year, was taken to hospital after as a result of alleged spiking. The incidents come after one possible case of drink-spiking last term. Students are being advised to be extra vigilant about leaving their drinks unsupervised.
PALATINATE | Tuesday 31st January 2012
Degrees getting easier? Rise in firsts awarded Harriet Line
53,215 first-class honours degrees were awarded last summer in Britain, 6,390 more than the previous year. This has led to questions about a ‘dumbing down’ of university education and prompted suggestions to change the classification system. In 2011, 64% of graduates were awarded a first or upper second which is the standard criteria for graduate job schemes. The number of firsts has more than doubled in the last ten years, from 7% in 1995 to 15% in 2011. This rise far exceeds the overall increase in student numbers over the last ten years. 5% more students graduated from UK universities in 2011 than in 2010 at a time when the number of firsts increased by 14%. More first-class degrees were awarded to Mathematical Science graduates, accounting for 30% of last year’s degrees. Approximately one third of Mathematical Science graduates attain a first-class degree making them the most successful students. Law, however, sees the lowest number of firsts, with only 8.1% of graduates attainting this in 2011. The University also adheres to this national trend with a 62.6% increase in first-class degrees from 1999 to 2011. Last year, 564 Durham graduates gained the highest degree classification, while 2,021 (64.02%) were awarded a 2:1. The Daily Telegraph have alludedto the ‘dumbing down’ of degrees as a reason for the rise in the number of firsts.
Questions about the degree classification system have been raised as employers have had to use more rigorous checks to assess candidates, with an onus on their A-level results and degree source. The Chief Executive of the Vice-Chancellors’ group, Universities UK, stated that the current system was a “blunt instrument for assessing achievement”. From autumn 2012, all graduates will be issued with a Higher Education Achievement Report Card (HEAR) to supplement the traditional classification. It will contain information on the graduate’s extra-curricular activities and the European Diploma Supplement, which details their qualification in a standard format, making comparison between candidates easier for employers. The introduction of a ‘starred first’ has also been considered to differentiate between candidates. Prof John Gatehouse, Director of Undergraduate Teaching in the School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Durham believes that there is “no evidence of standards slipping”. Instead, he suggests that the increase in first and upper second class degrees is related to the “increased weighting given to continually assessed work by the modular system, on which students typically gain higher marks. “There has been a change in student outlook, they are better at playing the system: optimising what they are good at to meet their goal of getting a good degree”. However, he notes that there is “pressure from the university to get the best outcomes for students”, but believes this has had “no impact on academic standards”.
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to nag (40%); they are more relaxed and don’t mind a mess (37%); they’re more independent and less clingy (31%), and they will provide entertainment (30%). When asked what the best gender combination was, the most popular response (70%) was four people: a combination of two males and two females. Only one in three men who expressed a preference (34%) would prefer to live with another man.
Good housemates are as important as a good house Photograph: Arthur Dimsdale
“Personalities are more important than genders”
approximately half disliked others playing loud music at unsociable times. Those interviewed included a random sample of 2,030 adults aged eighteen and over. 51% of respondents had a preference for which gender they lived with, with females being significantly preferable: 73% claimed they would rather live with a female, since they were more likely to cook and keep the living space tidy. Reasons for preferring a male flatmate include: they are less likely
Palatinate asked Durham students whether they agreed with the gender stereotypes which appear to be compounded by the survey. A Bailey College third year said: “I have found that living with an equal combination of genders has worked well. I imagine that a house full of six or seven girls can get intense, and it’s more likely that petty arguments will escalate. Also it’s actually the boys in our house that get into cooking, and I’m a girl and terrible at it!” One third year said, “I would say personalities are more important than genders when it comes to compatibility. Boys can be clingy too so it really depends on the character of your housemates”. Another said, “A house full of girls can be just as dirty as boys’ houses. If anything, girls can sometimes be worse”. Psychologist Corinne Sweet said, “As we’ve seen from programmes like Big Brother, throwing together a group of people with different interests and disparate opinions and backgrounds in a ‘home’ environment can lead to both positive and negative experiences. Ultimately, it’s about striking a balance and learning tolerance – being considerate towards those around you, and learning to listen and be sensitive to other housemates’ needs, is pretty crucial”.
army, creating a vast refugee crisis. More than 800,000 refugees have been driven into neighbouring Thailand, Bangladesh and India and over quarter of a million ‘migrants’ have crossed the border into Thailand to seek work. Aung Sang Suu Kyi, who assumed the leadership of a popular pro-democracy revolt in 1988, has spent most of the subsequent years under house arrest. The Burma Education Partnership (BEP), a charity based near Durham, provides professional educational support for schools in communities of Burmese refugees on the Thai/ Burma border. BEP is involved in both materials development and teacher training. It
also operates a mobile teacher unit working in partnership with Burmese teachers in the classroom. Currently all of the work of BEP is carried out in Britain and Thailand by unpaid volunteers. BEP has benefitted from overwhelming DUCK support, paticularly from students involved in the DUCK Thailand and Cambodia expeditions, who have kept the mobile teacher units going in such difficult conditions. Additionally, BEP currently has a group of eight Durham students working as part of their Communications and Development Team (CDT). Their job is to increase the profile of the charity and raise awareness of the situation in Burma and how we can help.
Survey reveals most annoying habits in housemates Katie Pavid A recent survey has shown that 42% of British people who have shared a house have had a negative experience with their fellow housemates. The survey, conducted by BT, identified a range of annoying habits, the top being housemates failing to do their share of household chores. 64% also complained about others not paying their bills on time, while
Durham charity fosters democracy in Burma
Vivien Cumming Bob Anderson
The number of students graduating with firsts is increasing Photograph: Durham University
Durham University students are becoming involved in helping Burmese refugees on the Thai/Burma border. Volunteering for local charity and TEFL.com charity of the year (2011) the Burma Education Partnership, they are increasing awareness of the plight of the Burmese people and fundraising for the charity. Burma has been under military rule since 1962, with a strong reputation for brutality, corruption and human rights abuses. The country is undergoing one of the world’s longest running civil wars with ethnic groups fighting against the national
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Tuesday 31st January 2012 | PALATINATE
The Exiles: Josephine Butler’s secret society DSU Jillian Ward Josephine Butler’s secret society of exiles of Castle College is in decline. The exclusive club is composed of predominantly male, white, upperclass students. It was created upon the college’s foundation in 2006 by students who were ‘exiled’ from the more traditional Bailey Colleges where they applied. The group initially discussed ways in which Butler could be improved to emulate the traditions of the Bailey
Colleges. Recently, however, it seems the club has dissolved into a drinking society that, in the words of Butler JCR President Alex Bailey, “does not represent anything anymore”. Butler students have the impression that the group’s gatherings consist of students drinking excessively while wearing chinos, hats and rugby socks. Their behaviour is harmless, yet their anti-Butler outlook is questionable in an environment where most students contribute to the College community.
As confirmed by Alex Bailey, Butler College has more sports teams and societies than any other due to the appeal for students to “leave their stamp on it”. This sort of spirit resulted in two out of five first years rejecting invitations to join the society. One former prospective exile did not attend the initiation meeting upon hearing that the club’s members “are rich boys who don’t like Butler”. As an actively involved student at Josephine Butler, he claims not to “have time for people like that”, both practically and on principle.
Many of the exiles are themselves members of Butler’s societies, sports teams and, remarkably, its JCR executive. Alex Bailey could not understand “why you would associate with values different from your own and your college”. The fact that the exiles “think they’re better than everyone else,” Bailey asserted, is “disgusting”. Butler students seem to either disagree with the attitudes of this society or ignore them altogether. As such, the College has gained an open, lively reputation of its own.
President’s Column Mike King DSU President
The DSU represents the students’ needs. Student representation is gaining increasing importance both locally in Durham and also on a national level. Student representation helps influence the University’s decisions. The DSU has over 600 representatives at every level within the University committee structure. Topics discussed include academic issues, student experience, quality in learning and teaching, and college facilities. A recent example is the 38 week let debate. It is important to remember that although DSU represents societies, welfare, and DUCK it also represents students.
PALATINATE | Tuesday 31st January 2012
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Wonga claim ‘misunderstanding’ over marketing Money-lending website denies allegations of directing ‘predatory marketing’ at cash-strapped students Stuart Marshfield
Payday loan company Wonga withdrew student finance webpages after sparking protest across social networking sites and being labelled “incredibly irresponsible” by the NUS. Wonga, who promote short term loans with a typical APR of 4,214%, claimed the protestors had misunderstood the offer. Many believed that the company were specifically targeting students and promoting a quick solution to long term finances. Pete Mercer, NUS Vice President for Welfare, called for immediate withdrawal of what he referred to as “predatory marketing” aimed at financially vulnerable young people. Mercer urged students to think long
and hard before choosing to opt for payday loans over any other form of borrowing. Wonga’s student finance pages were quickly removed following this criticism in order to clear up what Wonga deemed to be “confusion” and “misunderstanding”. The page had originally suggested that a short-term solution to unexpected events or occasional emergencies could be found in a Wonga loan. It also highlighted the extensive time-scales associated with paying off regular student loans and that short-term solutions could reduce long-term graduate debt. Although the industry is regulated, the Department for Business, MPs, and money saving experts urged students to be wary of shortterm lending, advising all borrowers
to be aware of the costs associated with credit loans. Wonga released a statement replacing the content of the original pages stating the firm “do not actively target students”. Wonga then asserted that the company would not discriminate against working, adult students who may wish to apply and would be put through the same robust, objective assessment. Wes Streeting, Chief Executive of the Helena Kennedy Foundation and former head of the NUS, stressed the need for universities to take affordability more seriously. Streeting suggested that Wonga’s student finance marketing should “raise alarm bells” amongst universities as to the dangers of students pursuing high interest loans, particularly in the current economic climate.
DSU President Mike King comments on student representation
Josephine Butler’s secret society, a once-exclusive club of proud Bailey rejects, is in decline Photograph: Durham University
Nightline launch ‘The Anonymous Student Project’ Nightline Nightline are campaigning to raise awareness of the less talked about side of student life. They have set up ‘The Anonymous Student Project’, where any Durham student is invited to send in an anonymous thought or message on the back of a postcard. The idea is similar to Frank Warren’s community art project ‘PostSecret’ but rather than only sharing secrets, Nightline are extending the offer to any anonymous message. The project’s aim is to raise awareness of the benefits of sharing and talking about things that are important. Postcards will be displayed in the Main Library and at the Queen’s Campus in late February. However
students can also submit postcards that will not be displayed by writing ‘confidential’ on the back. Nightline have set up a Facebook event called ‘The Anonymous Student Project’ to raise awareness of the project and to increase student involvement which is paramount to the success of the campaign. If you are interested in sharing a postcard, you can find the anonymous post boxes on level 2 of the Main Library, at the DSU reception desk, and at the Queen’s Campus library. Postcards can also be sent directly to the Nightline office through the University’s internal mail system. Simply write ‘Nightline, Old Elvet, Internal mail’ on the envelope and hand it in to any college or departmental reception.
Come along to any DSU council on a Wednesday, talk to your course reps, Senior DSU rep or send me or the other sabbaticals an e-mail if there is an issue that you want raised. Finally, if you want to be at the heart of representation, if you want to be in charge of a £686,000 budget, and if you want to run your own business for a year then submit your manifesto for DSU President by 3rd February.
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Students are often reknowned for living on a tight budget Photograph: startpilbrow
NUS recommends alternative use for £60m Royal Yacht fund Maya Peilow
Intelligence Officers £24,750 + benefits UK based Analysing information. Spotting connections. Making decisions that really matter. This is what MI5’s dedicated and focused Intelligence Officers do every day. Working together, we help safeguard the security of the nation. This is challenging and vitally important work that demands strong communication, analytical and organisational skills – not to mention a good deal of patience and attention to detail. If you enjoy solving problems, becoming an Intelligence Officer is one of the most rewarding and interesting career paths you could choose. Make sense of it at www.mi5.gov.uk/careers/intelligence To apply you must be over 18 and a British citizen. Discretion is vital. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.
The National Union of Students (NUS) has criticised the estimated £60 million allocated for the Royal Yacht to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, by suggesting ten alternate ways of spending the money. Earlier this month, Education Secretary Michael Gove advocated spending around £60 million on a new Royal Yacht to celebrate the Queen’s 60th year on the throne.
20,000
The number of internships £60m could fund
7,500
The number of apprenticeships £60m could fund
This announcement was met by a wave of criticism, including from NUS President Liam Burns. Burns stated he “felt it was im-
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portant to remind Mr Gove and Mr Willetts [Universities Minister] what benefits £60 million could bring to education”. This backlash from the NUS is unsurprising considering 2012 marks not only this celebration for the Queen, but the beginning of the dramatic hike in tuition fees this September. The list of suggestions included paying £9,000 tuition fees for more than 6,500 students for a year, improving college buildings, funding the training of 4,000 secondary school teachers, paying the London Living wage for more than 20,000 ten-week internships, and training 7,500 apprentices for £8,000 each. In light of the record youth unemployment and cuts to education budgets, Burns suggested that £60 million could be better spent. He added that he believed “the Queen would rather her Diamond Jubilee was celebrated by funding the future, than frittered away on pointless luxuries”. It should be noted that Downing Street has since insisted that the Royal Yacht would only be built in the event of a private donation and no public money will be spent on the project.
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Record-breaking night with John Micklethwait at the Durham Union
John Micklethwait covered a whole range of current issues in his well-attended address Photograph: Julia Wegner Christopher Murphy The Durham Union Society enjoyed record-breaking attendances on January 20th as part of a bumper event co-hosted with the PPE Society. There was standing room only in the debating chamber on Palace Green as the Editor-in-chief of The Economist, John Micklethwait, gave an address to Durham students. It came as the middle part of an evening that began with a debate over restoring Klute to its former glory, and ended with a debate arguing that marriage is outdated. There was no doubt as to what the highlight of the evening had been however, as Micklethwait enthralled his audience with a 30 minute address entitled ‘Britain and the World’, in which he covered a range of topics from the upcoming United States presidential race to Chelsea FC. Following the address the floor was opened up to students, who asked Micklethwait a variety of questions, whilst often having their own opinions challenged. Micklethwait joked that whilst working for The Economist in Los An-
geles in the 1980s he had followed Hollywood actress Jane Fonda in giving a talk; this time he had Klute to follow.
“He drew out the general feeling of uncertainty, mingled with the inevitable optimism that characterises both our world today and our lives as students” Josephine Macintosh President of the PPE Society
A graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford, Micklethwait joined The Economist in 1987 and demonstrated his vast knowledge of all things political, philosophical, and economical during the address.
He discussed topical issues such as the French presidential elections, Scottish independence and the euro, stating that in politics: “nothing can go on forever”. He then turned to talking about a range of changing issues likely to affect Durham students in the future, such as the job market, the rise of China, and inequality. Micklethwait then went on to analyse certain aspects of his own publication, such as the challenge faced by new digital media and their efforts to overcome them with iPad and Kindle editions, for example. The address was organised by PPE Society President, Josephine Macintosh, who met Micklethwait at a conference organised by The Economist in Geneva in 2010 and continued to stay in touch with him. Speaking exclusively to Palatinate she said: “John was very happy to accept my invitation and I am delighted that the hard work put into the event was rewarded by such a large attendance. “He proved to be just as incisive and wide-ranging as The Economist is. Everyone seemed to come out of it very inspired. He is a good speaker, and the talk had great relevance to
the current economic and political situation. “I think that what stuck out most was the way in which he tailored his thoughts to the audience, touching upon the challenges facing students after university. “He correctly drew out the general feeling of uncertainty mingled with the inevitable optimism that characterises both our world today and our lives as students”, she continued. Josephine stated just before Micklethwait’s address that with the PPE Society she had hoped to attract more famous speakers, and was very pleased to attract such a high profile guest who more than lived up to expectations. The assembled audience were also suitably impressed. A secondyear Combined Arts student noted that: “the most impressive thing was his total control and composure; not once did he hesitate over his address or in responding to a question”. Micklethwait was also happy to stay around after the event and chat with students, all of whom clearly felt they had a lot to learn from a man who seemed to have extensive knowledge on pretty much everything.
University applications increase as deadline looms Alexandra Feast
Recent figures from UCAS show that there has been a late surge in university applications for courses starting in September this year. December showed a 6.4% decrease in applications compared with the same time last year; half of the 12.9% decrease displayed in November. The total number of applicants aged 18 increased to 187,463 in December from 93,713 in November. From this age group, the number of applicants in December was only 1.8% less than the same time last year. This is compared to the decrease in November of 9.2%. The figures were released following the announcement that close to a fifth of English universities plan to decrease their tuition fees to below £7,500 in an attempt to gain extra student places. Durham University is not among those universities lowering their fees and stands by its decision to increase fees to £9,000 for 2012. However, the late surge could simply be a sign that students are taking more time to consider their options and the long term value of a degree. Mary Curnock Cook, UCAS Chief Executive, said “Applicants are taking longer to research their choices but the application flow has speeded up, as these statistics show”. A Durham student commented “I cannot see that decreasing the fees from £9,000 will have had much of an affect on applicants’ decisions about university. If a £6,000 increase was too much for them, then a £4,500 increase will surely still be a problem”. Universities UK Chief Executive Nicola Dandridge said “It is reassuring to see that the numbers of applications are recovering. But we will need to look closely at the January figures to see how they compare to last year”. In spite of the recent surge in applications, current figures still show a decrease in the overall number of university applicants compared with last year. However, application figures from January are yet to be seen. The application process closed on the 15th January and final figures are set to be revealed by UCAS at the end of the month.
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Sam Richards
Scottish Nationalism is expected to peak in 2014 Photograph: Dauvit Alexander
Act Of Union under threat Michael Catania
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ensions are rising over the continuation of the 1707 Act of Union between England and Scotland. Alex Salmond made a pledge to hold a referendum in 2014, however disagreement is mounting over when a referendum might take place. London and Edinburgh dispute who has the legality and legitimacy to call a referendum. Those in support of London cite Parliamentary Sovereignty, which appears to be supported by public law authorities. Edinburgh however argues that Parliamentary Sovereignty is distinctly English with “no counterpart in Scottish Constitutional Law”. Regardless of whether or not the referendum’s outcome would be binding, the Scottish National Party’s claim that a positive vote for independence in a referendum would have “enormous moral and political force... impossible for a future [Westminster] government to ignore” is a
In Scotland
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HS2:
Necessary or unaffordable?
valid one. In their view this would give the Scottish Parliament a mandate to negotiate an act of secession with the Westminster. David Cameron is demanding that any referendum must take place within 18 months, to avoid the economy being damaged by uncertainty. He also says there should be two options for Scotland: “in or out”.
“It had 1000 years as an independent nation before the Union”
Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland This puts him at odds with Scotland’s First Minister who, in addition to wanting the referendum in 2014, argues for a third option, “devomax”; deep devolution leaving little more than defence and foreign policy in Westminster’s hands. The general view is that the later the referendum takes place, the
Stats: support for independence
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Against 43%
In England
Support 40%
Against 32%
Support 43%
greater the chances of Scotland voting for independence is. Opinion polls in Scotland suggest the proportion of people who want full independence is growing, but slowly. If the referendum were in 2014, many government cuts will have affected Scotland, which has a higher proportion of public sector workers than England. Salmond also wants to capitalise on nationalist sentiment running high in 2014 which sees the 700th Anniversary of The Battle of Bannockburn, and both the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup being held in the country. The extent of the implications of independence is unclear; issues surrounding the armed forces, the British Pound, and foreign policy are widely spoken about. Depending on Scotland’s status within the EU and how Salmond’s desire for ‘good neighbourly ties’ was settled, Scottish students could even be expected to pay international fees. Many doubt that Scotland would be able to continue avoiding £9,000 tuition fees, potentially leading to a typical Scottish degree of four years costing £36,000. Scottish Academics could be hit if they lost their high share of the UK Research Council Grants. Particularly important is how an independent Scotland would fair economically. Some commentators believe this would depend largely on the amount of North Sea Oil that cotland obtained and how long the oil would last. However, the SNP maintain that Scotland would have a strong economy and would survive separation.
On January 10th the Government announced the go ahead of a new £32 billion high-speed (HS2) rail link from London to Manchester and Leeds, via Birmingham. Proponents argue that HS2, to be completed by 2033, will produce a smorgasbord of benefits; cutting journey times, preventing a capacity crisis on the main north-south rail route, and increasing economic activity in the north of England. The Prime Minister stated, “The things that have made the biggest difference to regional patterns of growth are major transport infrastructure”. HS2 is presented as a triumph of modernization; catapulting Britain into the 21st Century by introducing the same high-speed trains that other Western European countries already enjoy.
£32bn
The cost of the HS2 The idea of speeding across the country and into Europe at 250mph is certainly appealing and a project that promises faster, less crowded trains is both welcome and necessary. Yet whilst HS2 is attractive to a government determined to be defined by more than austerity, others are skeptical about whether this project will deliver its promises. Critics are concerned that in both France and Spain, high-speed rail saw businesses relocate to the Capital city. Therefore some claim it may exacerbate regional disparities, not reduce them. Others are unconvinced of how useful HS2 will be to them; a journey from London to Durham currently takes 2hours 54 minutes with no changes. Using HS2, with a change at Leeds, it would take 11 minutes longer. The inevitable damage to the countryside has sparked a debate on whether such objections should be dismissed as “Nimbysism”. There are concerns that HS2 will lead to less investment elsewhere and many would rather the money was spent on existing routes.
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Careers Careers Editor: Charlotte Seager
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Tuesday 31st January 2012 | PALATINATE
Women at the top: tips for making it in the boardroom
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ew research reveals nine critical job assignments that a woman should get under her belt in order to build a credible CV that will make her ready for the boardroom. The research, amongst 49 senior and board-level women in mostly FTSE 100 companies identifies the key work experiences that senior women themselves attribute to their success. Based on the experiences of these successful women, the nine assignments female graduates need to plan into their careers include: • Stretch assignments early on in her career to show her and others around her what she can do; • Gritty and broad roles that include international assignments, operational roles with profit and loss accountability; • Roles that help make a name and build a leadership brand – as a change agent in a merger or downsizing assignment, a fire fighter in a crisis and as a corporate ‘entrepeneur’, creating a new business, product or service.
The study also revealed five other key success factors that are a must for future female leaders: 1. Actively engage in career planning, including careful timing of the critical job assignments. 2. Have the courage to take on new and potentially daunting roles. 3. Demonstrate curiosity to try
new roles, work environments and working styles. 4. Get connected through networking (although avoid women-only networking), sponsorship, mentors and role models. 5. Ideally, get a numerate degree so that working with financial information is second nature. This will give you a head start when it comes to building credibility.
Dr Wichert, senior psychologist and expert on women in leadership, says: “Increasingly, it’s not cultural and structural barriers such as gender stereotyping and having children that are stopping women getting top jobs, it’s their career choices and the lack of certain experiences on their CV. “Young women need to be savvy about career development and planning to ensure they get the right experiences to make them ready for senior management”. Under-representation of women at board level has long been of concern but research to date has been quantitative. This study forms one of the most comprehensive examinations of the experiences of senior business women. Dr Wichert’s book: Where Have all the Senior Women Gone? 9 Critical Job Assignments for Women Leaders, is available from Amazon.co.uk and leading bookstores.
The Chicago trading board Photograph: Frank Kehren
An inside look at graduate positions with Unilever Palatinate speaks to a Leadership Development professional about necessary skills
How to >> Online: make it in the legal profession
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What graduate schemes does Unilever offer for students? Orla Meade: We offer roles within seven different business areas on our Future Leaders Programme (UFLP): Supply Chain Management, Financial Management, Business & Technology Management, Research & Development, Human Resources, Customer Development and Marketing.
Photograph: Sean Biehle Unilever is one the world’s leading consumer goods companies, featuring iconic brands such as: Ben & Jerry’s, Lynx, Dove, TRESemmé, Pot Noodle and PG Tips. Orla Meade, from Unilever’s Leadership Development Team, speaks to Palatinate about the opportunities availiable for graduates, and how to stand out from the crowd.
What type of things do you look for in a graduate during the application process? OM: Throughout the application process, we look for business motivation. This means we judge a candidate’s motivation both for working for Unilever and also the specific business area for which they have applied, whether that’s Supply Chain Management, Financial Management or Marketing. We want to ensure that every new employee is passionate about what
they do and the company for which they work.
How could someone make their CV / application stand out from the crowd? OM: Candidates should think about why they want to work for Unilever over and above any other company, as this is just as important as being able to demonstrate the competencies for which we recruit. Candidates should also think more broadly about the areas of experience that they have. There’s a common misconception that candidates can only draw on professional or academic experiences in the application process but, in fact, they may be able to better demonstrate a key competency from their time in a club or society, from travelling or playing sports or even just a personal experience.
What skills from university do you look for as an employer? OM: The five key things are: teamwork, time management, commercial awareness, responsibility and accountability.
Would you say previous relevant work experience is necessary for a successful application? OM: Previous work experience is helpful because it provides students with examples to demonstrate their competencies in an interview situation. It also gives the applicant an insight into the world of business - so it has definite advantages in any application. However, if a candidate doesn’t have relevant work experience, it shouldn’t deter them from applying; a breadth of experiences can also be really valuable.
PALATINATE | Tuesday 31st January 2012 Profile Editor: Jessica Waite profile@palatinate.org.uk
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Profile: Melvyn Bragg
“I would have been very happy at Durham” Emma Francombe spoke to the novelist and Radio Four superstar after his lecture at Van Mildert last term, and discovered the Oxford alumni has a bit of a soft spot for Durham
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itting in the Van Mildert SCR, Melvyn Bragg – one of the nations most celebrated broadcasters and authors – prepares for Van Mildert College Trust’s annual lecture. His topic this year – a discussion on the impact of the King James Bible over the last 400 years - has attracted a crowd of over 300 hundred people and offers an insight into the importance of this Bible translation and its affect on history. However, he was willing to spare a few minutes with Purple Radio to discuss his university career and how he began his broadcasting success. His trip to Durham, and his son’s alma mater, Van Mildert College, has also allowed him to research material for an upcoming series of programmes on the history of the written word, and Durham played a vital role in this linguistic development. Although initially disappointed that his son was unable to accompany him on his trip to the North East, he values the time spent in the city and in the cathedral, a building he deems one of the most spectacular in Britain. Lord Bragg’s own university experience was key in his personal development, in that it allowed him the chance to write, act and explore his talents and hobbies, yet he had no initial intentions to write or to broadcast, ironic considering how work in these areas has dominated his life for over 50 years. However, as he explains his humble origins and his family life in a small factory town in Cumbria, it becomes clear that any career outside of the norm was unexpected. “I didn’t think I would go to University at all, just thought I would come out, live in a little town and have a white collar job in a factory or something. I didn’t give much thought to it. It was
the teachers who said why don’t you try for university?” He was the only member of his family to stay in education aftwe the age 15, but his academic ability landed him a place at Wadham College, Oxford in the late fifties. Bragg fondly remembers how this was the first time he was able to develop his love for writing, and he appreciated the chance to explore avenues never presented to him before. “I think a big advantage of university, for me, was seeing that it was possible to do things that I had simply never ever conceived at all possible until I met people of about my own age who were doing it”. Secretly writing short stories from the age of 19 or 20, and contributing to a local paper whilst studying, he realises he started doing it simply because he was good at it. “It is like people who are very good at sport, as it were, become interested in sport and decide to do sport because they are quite good at it. I liked writing stuff at school, and I started doing it”.
“I think a big advantage of university was seeing that it was possible to do things that I had simply never ever conceived at all possible” Reading was an important aspect of his childhood, although he did listen to the radio, and comments that his desire to write was heavily influence by this passion. However,
Bragg came to Van Mildert, which his son attended, to deliver a lecture Photograph: ITV plc Bragg’s fellow students at Wadham College, including Alan Coren and Julian Mitchell were already established published authors during their university career, and this inspired him far more than any figures of literary esteem or historical idols. “Its not the people you read, although that was very important as that was the thing that got you there; not the great figures from the past although they were persons you’d look up to; but people your own age, or near enough, and doing these things”, and from this, he developed the attitude of if they are doing it, why shouldn’t I? “You think it is possible that I could do that, they are my age! We eat together, we are alike, so what is the problem? The problem is whether you are bold enough really, and if you can get over that, you have a bit of a chance”. Although a career with the BBC was not his first choice vocation, Bragg was recruited as one of three general trainees with the company after his graduation. From here, he was introduced into numerous aspects of the corporation, from local radio to the World Service. It was after a stint with the Home Service that Bragg found himself
“It’s not the people you read [at university] but the people your own age that inspire you” working with an arts programme on the television called Monitor, and he realised that he had found the area in which he wanted to work. He jokes that he is able to summarise his career in a few sentences, as the story of his life finishes at the age of 24. It is clear that his passion for his work remains, and that he was fortunate to find his perfect career so soon after graduation. Careers in media and journalism are highly coveted buy graduates across the country, but Lord Bragg affirms that he was lucky to have found his career in a very different era. “In my college at University, there were three guys who had already got stuff published but it was a different time, so don’t lose heart! At that
time, men, all men, unless they were physically unfit, had spent at least two years doing national service, which meant they were 20, 21 or 22 when they went to university”. As well as this, he notes that “it was more relaxed then, it was competitive but not as fiercely competitive as it is now”. Although Purple had limited time with Bragg, ahead of his speech, we could not leave without asking Lord Bragg’s opinion on which was better – Oxford or Durham. “I would have been very happy at Durham – a lot of my friends from school came across to Durham and they liked it. I think both are very alike really, can’t see much difference! Ancient buildings, fantastic history, places that are just of their own, and have been on their own for almost a thousand years – I don’t think there is a great deal of difference except one is a little bigger than the other!” Bragg has had historic success with The South Bank Show, is an accomplished author and a wellrespected figure in British broadcasting, with his Radio 4 show In Our Time receiving two million listeners weekly.
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Is Durham nightlife underrated? YES: Emily Dillon
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or all its academic prowess, Durham has long had an Achilles heel, an issue that has seen our fair city mocked by students at the larger and louder universities. The issue in question is our nightlife, a problem that has traditionally been seen as the major drawback of living in Durham. However, despite its size, I believe that Durham has a thriving and underrated nightlife, and one that is worthy of any student town. Firstly, Durham is able to offer what most universities cannot, a wide variety of college bars, each with their own unique drink and challenge. College bars provide students with places to pre-drink and meet friends before a night out, while also being the perfect setting for pub golf - potentially the world’s most lethal drinking game. Moreover, college bars have the advantage of being personal to Durham. Other university towns may have a wider range of big anonymous clubs, but until you’ve squeezed into Mary’s bar and ‘enjoyed’ a shot of filth, you have not had the authentic Durham experience. College bars are also perfect for a chilled night, or when it’s too cold to face the walk to Studio or Loveshack. They also embody the sense of community that is so integral to life at Durham; where a combination of cheap drinks and no need to pay for a cab home ensures a seriously messy night. College bars are almost always the place where freshers experience their first taste of Durham nightlife, and in my opinion, are the perfect substitute for what we may lack in traditional nightlife options. However, that is not to say that Durham’s clubs and bars are not worth mentioning. They may be small and few in number, but we love each and every one of them. At
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Durham has a thriving and underrated nightlife
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Even if club music isn’t really your thing, Durham does not disappoint on a night out. Fishtank, Durham’s leading alternative night spot offers poetry readings, live up-and-coming bands, and a relaxed environment to enjoy it in. Oxjam at the DSU brings Durham’s best musical talent together to raise money for a great cause, and Durham Live Lounge brings the big gig experience straight to our town.
Universities are big, bad businesses: time to get over it Dan Johnson
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Should Durham’s nightlife enjoy a far better reputation?
the time of writing, the ‘Bring back real Klute’ Facebook group has more than 1,500 members, proof that if you mess with our favourite club night, you mess with us. Wednesday night at Loveshack is practically a Durham tradition, not to mention a staple of many a sports social. Klute, even in its refurbished state, will forever be the worst club in Europe in our hearts, and Sunday nights would not be the same without a quaddie or two to welcome the new week. Our clubs may not be able to offer the same range of options as bigger towns like Newcastle or Manchester, but as anyone who has drunkenly danced to Steps or S Club 7 in Klute will know, that’s not always the most important thing. Durham at night is a far cry from the sedate, scholarly, World Heritage Site that the tourists see during the day; clubs and bars like Studio and Jimmy Allen’s give students the chance to have a great night out, knowing that they are never more than a 5 minute taxi away from bed.
Comment
Some argue nothing beats a luminous Quaddie at Klute
But what about some Jazz at Fabios? Photographs: Katie Merchant & Nicoletta Asciuto
Even metalheads don’t miss out, with the fortnightly Full Collapse night held at Hild Bede, proving that there is something for everyone, regardless of how you like to spend a night out. Finally, there is no doubt that what we may lack in clubs, we more than make up for in creativity. Socials and theme nights are everywhere, with costumes ranging from the standard super heroes or policemen, to people dressed like Rubik’s cubes and the Statue of Liberty. We make the most of what we have, and although what Durham’s nightlife has to offer may not measure up to the standards set by other cities in the UK, every Durham student can attest that it does not mean you can’t have an amazing night out. The songs might be cheesy and the floor might be sticky, and there’s no guarantee you won’t find yourself throwing up onto some historic cobblestones, but it’s what we love, and it’s what Durham is all about. We don’t have big chain clubs, but we do have a place that will sell you triples for two pounds, just around the corner from the best cheesy chips in the North East. Durham’s nightlife shouldn’t be underrated, it should be celebrated, if only because it’s the only place in the world you can see a dinosaur doing the walk of shame out of a castle.
deliberately go with a huge group of friends, you can be pretty certain that you’ll be able to blend in with the crowd and do pretty much whatever you want, without having to worry about seeing the people who may have witnessed your humiliation ever again. Some of the best nights I’ve had have been when I’ve gone out with just one or two friends to a club playing ‘our’ type of music. It means that you can really enjoy the music, you don’t have to be in a massive group of people and you don’t have to be completely wasted in order to have a good time. Where I live, the choice and variety of nightlife is incredible. In northern university cities such as Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Liverpool, you can just as easily opt for a huge clubbing ‘experience’ such as Tiger Tiger, as a tiny indie club, a bar in a converted public toilet and an ex-church, all playing completely different types of music and catering for completely different tastes. Let’s face it, Klute, Studio and Loveshack are really all variations on exactly the same theme. They are interchangeable, tasteless and often extremely dull. The music choice is between endless top 40 songs in Studio or Loveshack, and ‘tech, deep, funky and classic house’ in Klute, which to me seems to be the same top 40 songs, but with the addition of remixes of totally unsuitable songs (dubstep Adele, anyone?) and
NO: Olivia
Rudgard
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hen I picked Durham as one of my university options, I was warned by almost everyone I know that the nightlife was rubbish. All my friends applied to Leeds because of its reputation for offering some seriously great clubbing. I scoffed at their frivolous decisions and, seeing myself as more of a ‘quiet drink in a bar’ type of girl, opted for Durham’s self-consciously cheesy approach. At first, my decision seemed to have been vindicated. Freshers’ was incredible, the college bars were perfect for having a drink on the way down to town, Studio and Loveshack seemed perfectly acceptable clubbing fodder, and Klute was silly, cheap, and full of my friends. What could be better? Actually, most things. Before I came to university, I never fully appreciated the joy of a dancefloor full of strangers, the anonymity of a club containing people you’ll never have to see again, and most importantly, the pleasure of losing yourself in music that you truly enjoy, not that for which the only reaction in an eyeroll and a sense of humour. I miss knowing that unless you
awful 80s music. You can’t really go with one or two friends and still have an amazing night because, unless you’re completely hammered or on the pull, it’s just really boring.
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Durham clubs are tasteless and often extremely dull
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I can’t count the number of nights when I’ve come home early from a night out just because I decided that sitting in my kitchen eating pizza with my friends would be far more enjoyable than having vodka and coke spilled all over me by drunken clubbers, being constantly jostled and stepped on and having to listen to ‘Mr Brightside’ for the 20th time that week. The best nights out I have in Durham now are usually socials. The opportunity to meet new people, the camaraderie and the drinking games add that extra interest that Durham
nightlife itself fails to provide. Going to Boathouse or Jimmy A’s is usually the best part of a night. Bars in Durham are just as they are everywhere else; as long as the music isn’t too loud, the drinks aren’t too expensive and there’s somewhere to sit, it’s difficult to get a bar badly wrong. It’s the clubs themselves, the supposed climax of a night out, that are a disappointment. Yes, there is Fishtank, but no one ever goes. Itchy Feet is an occasional distraction but does not provide a viable alternative to the usual Durham night out. The DSU is a complete write-off; even they have given up trying to produce a decent night out for anyone. College bars are fun and sociable, but not really a night out; like most other aspects of Durham nightlife, they can be tacky, dirty and cheap, and best enjoyed with a large dose of irony. Most of the time, I don’t want an ‘ironic’ night out; I don’t want to do silly dance moves in the limited space that a packed Studio usually provides, or mime ‘I can be your hero baby’ at a friend. I want decent music, a bar that I can access and an interesting crowd. Durham very rarely provides any of these.
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guy walks into Klute, resplendent in his boat shoes, tanned chinos and quilted Barbour jacket. At the bar he asks for a quaddie, only to find that he can either fork out a whopping £4.50 or chose from a pointless selection of cocktails. Frustrated , he heads to the dance floor, but is shocked to discover it is so dark and dingy that he has no idea which peroxide blonde rah girl he has previously imposed himself on. Angered by his failure and with Klute’s transformation, he leaves, deciding that next time he will try Loftshack or Academio instead. Now, obviously this is no laughing matter, as the recent bout of Klute hatred has shown. But, what do you do after leaving an equally unsatisfying lecture or seminar? Apparently, nothing at all. Durham students have a famous propensity for getting irate about almost nothing, apart from when their favourite club makes a few changes. Even the planned protest over 38-week lets has been temporarily shelved, most likely because the DSU fears an embarrassingly sparse turnout. Yet this is not about protest. It is about accepting that universities are becoming more business-like, and students using that fact to their advantage. Unhappy about a lecture? Feel like you haven’t been given enough help with work? Complain. Ask for a refund. Tell your head of department you don’t think a seminar was worth the money. Don’t be fooled by universities’ status as “charities”: universities look like businesses, sound like businesses, and act like businesses. It goes without saying that in an environment where fees will rise to £9,000 and funding has been slashed dramatically, the ‘consumer-provider’ relationship is an increasingly prevalent one. Money is now king. Just ask academics about applying for research funding and they’ll tell you that there is skill in finding the middle ground between what you want to research and what you can get money for. Universities, desperate for cash, are also ever more unscrupulous about sourcing finance. In recent years Durham has taken funding from British American Tobacco and the Iranian government, to severe internal criticism from staff.
LSE’s involvement with Libya and the Gaddafi family blew up spectacularly last year, and Newcastle encountered condemnation for its investments in arms giant BAE systems. In the same way that some oldfashioned football fans bemoan the Premier League’s relentless brand promotion, universities now pay similar attention to their “brand”. Most universities have a dedicated Media Relations office, which is not only there to clean up the mess when institutions move from public relations blunder to blunder, but to constantly promote the university’s image in the public consciousness.
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Universities now look and act like businesses
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The perpetual stream of merchandising and advertising to come out of Durham are salient examples of this pursuit. Durham protects and promotes its brand with a remarkable voracity. To add to this, the University recently reported an operating “surplus” of £19m last year, which many would regard as a tidy profit. The evidence is therefore compelling. Universities are businesses, and just as with Klute, it’s time everyone moved on and adapted. At Durham, there was no battle and so the war was lost. But do not despair. Universities are acutely aware of students’ progressively savvier approach to higher education and are investing where they can as a result. Why do you think Dunelm House is soon to receive a multi-million pound makeover, bankrolled by the University? It’s certainly not because students have demanded it. The harsh truth is that an empty six-story concrete ogre isn’t exactly attractive to prospective students. So, students of Durham, unite in demanding better teaching, nicer accommodation and greater opportunities if it isn’t up to scratch. After all, before long a younger bunch of freshers will be footing most of the bill.
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PALATINATE | Tuesday 31st January 2012
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Press control isn’t far from home
From Durham to Damascus, 2012 could potentially be a difficult year for journalists Delaney Chambers
H
ow much control does the government have over the press? Are recent sanctions imposed on journalists keeping the people from knowing the truth? It is not only in Middle Eastern dictatorships that these questions must be asked. In March 2011, the Arab Spring first came to Syria, but even those in Syria were not aware of the extent of the opposition. The coverage coming from the Middle East was remote and uninformed, as the government had begun to refuse access to foreign journalists. The first rumours of protests started to appear on television, before the government banned Al-Jazeera and other free press from televising any dissent. In Damascus, Syrians were convinced that the country would remain peaceful. I was surprised the first time I saw evidence of protests in rural Syria, while shopping in Damascus. The shopkeeper, a young Syrian man, pointed to the television and said: “not here, not in Syria. We are happy with our lives here”.
Most people in the capital still hold this view, despite the reports we see in the West of violent crackdowns carried out by security forces in towns outside the capital. This violence, though, is not widely recognised and acknowledged by the press. I was in Syria when the protests broke out, one of the few foreign students still studying in Damascus. This enabled me to experience the political situation first-hand. I attended the first pro-government demonstration in Damascus, in which thousands of Syrians had gathered to profess their support for ‘Bashar’, or President Assad. I was therefore in a position to compare news coverage in the West to that of the Damascus government news agency, Sham, and the stark differences between this coverage and reality. The press reported as fact the government’s claim that the protests had been started by either Israel or foreign terrorists intent on driving a rift between the Syrian people and their government. The relationship between politicians and journalists in much of the Middle East is one of control. If the government cannot control every story published and every move made by journalists under its jurisdiction, it is, according to its own criteria, doing something wrong. I had previously come to a similar
Censorship is rife in Assad’s Syria Photograph: D. Chambers conclusion in Egypt, where I compared election coverage in the popular newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm and the government-run Al-Ahram, the ruling National Democratic Party’s mouthpiece. I discovered stark differences; the government newspaper even went so far as to refuse to acknowledge the opposition. The shocking fact is this: it is not just in the Middle East (where politicians have their own media outlets in order to maintain complete control) that fear of politicians controlling journalists must be acknowledged. In Britain, where press claims to be free, there has also, in recent
months, been a surge in press oppression. This country has witnessed the passing of new libel laws which make it increasingly difficult to gather information, and which even, in some cases, criminalise dissent. Sitting in the Durham Union above crowd of cheering (and booing) students when Nick Clegg visited, I shared an alcove with a cameraman from the BBC in order to get my shots of the visiting celebrity. Clegg visited Durham the day before the election to gain the student vote. He agreed to an interview with our editors, wishing to be well-represented by the student press.
Little did he know that David Miliband, the charismatic Labour MP, had that very morning visited the same place and made an impression on students that lingered far longer than Clegg’s speech. Palatinate fairly represented this discrepancy, and it was the Labour representative who won the local election, though whether our coverage of the Miliband and Clegg visits had an impact on that result is impossible to tell. Durham University have, in the past, accused Palatinate of being too controversial, of unfairly attacking the university’s decisions and exposing too much of the truth. However, if the facts are all present, it is not only the newspaper’s lot but also its duty to report on any breaches of student confidence. And, equally, it is the university’s duty to allow the press to carry out its role as reporter of truthful news that can be substantiated. So do politicians control the press, or does the press control politics? Will the press be able to hold its own against an increasing fear of censure in many governments worldwide? The answer to the question of control depends entirely on the degree of freedom to which the press is allowed to operate. This year will prove a difficult one for journalists worldwide, with politicians from Durham to Syria operating in a system of reactionary fear.
Mein Kampf should be studied, not shunned A new commentary-filled edition of Hitler’s work is polarising public opinion Matt Williams
F
riday 27th January saw the 12th annual Holocaust Memorial Day in which many across the country joined together to remember the six million Jews who died due to Nazi brutality. Plans by a British publisher to reprint Mein Kampf (My Struggle), Hitler’s masterpiece of hateful excess in Germany, in the same week unsurprisingly caused a stir. Such a controversial act inevitably raises many questions regarding the balance between sentimentality and investigative historiography. It goes without saying that as a society we should commemorate those who died during the Holocaust, that we should have respect for those who survived and that we should do all that is necessary to prevent such a detestable crime from reoccurring.
The question is: which of these points is most important to us today? The reprinting of a book which vividly expresses Hitler’s antiSemitism and in which elements of the Holocaust are set out is seen by many as highly insensitive and unnecessary. This could not be further from the truth.
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It is not a reprint promoting anti-Semitism
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The reprint is a series of short booklets of excerpts of Mein Kampf
followed by in depth analysis by renowned historians. It is not simply another copy of the same text that is already widely available in well known bookshop chains around the world. Neither is it a reprint promoting Nazism and anti-Semitism. In fact, it is the opposite. Historical commentary allows Hitler’s writings to be further scrutinised. In so doing it allows a greater understanding of national socialism and puts it in its historical context. If we cannot fully understand why these horrible crimes occurred, then how can we possibly prevent further genocide in the future? Since repeats of the Holocaust still threaten us today, it seems ridiculous to attempt to stop efforts for further understanding of it. Yet, this is exactly what the Bavarian state government is attempting. The government claims that the reprint violates the copyright of Mein Kampf which is in its ownership. There is no doubt that for Germans, the issue of links to their Nazi past is contentious. But surely enough time has elapsed to allow
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the freedom to fully explore this dark époque of their past.
An example of incredibly effective Nazi propaganda
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The book is an example of incredibly effective Nazi propaganda. By exploring it and publishing the findings, historians will be able to gain a greater understanding of why Nazi propaganda was so successful in enabling them to commit mass murder. For historians, as for journalists, freedom of expression is paramount.
Of course, a balance must be found between what is in the public interest and what can therefore justify upsetting many people, and what cannot. There is no doubt that this is one of those times. The insights which could be found through exploration of Mein Kampf far outweigh the hurt that could be caused. The Holocaust was the worst genocide in human history and occurred in a thoroughly modern developed society. The evil ideology of a minority was able to permeate an entire nation through propaganda and fear, by playing on people’s prejudices and intolerances. This was a society which was no less intelligent or gullible than any others of the period. For this reason, we owe it to all the people who were killed to understand this event, so that prejudice and intolerance can be eradicated, or at the very least controlled.
P
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PalatinAlps
Winter onesie-land Les Arcs provides an unforgettable treat for over 1000 student skiiers
Editors: William Warr & Christopher Murphy @PalatinateUK Palatinate
the page for >> turn an in-depth look at all aspects of the trip
The rugby club will be looking to repeat their undefeated year Photograph: Team Durham
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PalatinAlps
“The best week of the year so far” Kate Houghton
T
he anticipation was finally over, suitcases were packed full of oh so fashionable ski wear and spirits were high as we boarded the coach in Durham. Friends shared news from Christmas and New Year, an array of films were watched, and snacks were munched to try and speed up the horrendously long journey. After filling all the remaining seats in London, it was onward to the ferry. The ferry ride lasted only an hour and a half, so we were back on our beloved coach before we knew it as several attempts were made to try and find a tolerable position in which to get some much needed rest.
“The weather was
delightful and the slopes were lush.”
We finally arrived in Les Arcs around 4pm on Saturday. Weary eyed and jelly legged we slumped off the coach, collected our luggage and headed to our cute snow cabin apartments, unpacking and then of course checking out the night scene of Les Arcs 1800. Day 1, Sunday: Due to the wonders of altitude everyone was up early on the slopes, feeling fresh and hangover free. Typical French ski instructors with typically French names such as Bernard, Jean-Pierre and Claude came over to teach their lessons. Après ski began around 4pm, where the entirety of the trip was invited to the Opening Night Party which went on until 8pm, when everyone dispersed to get ready for their evening activities. Every night, each room got a helpful visit from their rep before stting of into the diverse nightlife of Les Arcs. Day 2, Monday: Les Arcs arose to a clear blue sky with the slopes even busier than the previous day. The last ski lift was at 4:30pm and it was half of the colleges’ turn to go up to the top of the mountain for Feast on the Piste. Awaiting our arrival at the peak were the reps who gave us directions to the mystery location - a restaurant and bar nestled into the side of the mountain. We were entitled to a bottle of wine each, as well as some mulled wine at the start of the evening, so it wasn’t long before the naked tabletop dancing began! Day 3, Tuesday: Again the weather was delightful and the slopes were looking lush with excellent skiing and boarding.
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PALATINATE | Tuesday 31st January 2012
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Winners talk to Palatinate Surini Ranawake
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Tonight the reps visited rooms to sign anyone up for the big competition the following day, before students headed out into the town to meet the rest of their college. Day 4, Wednesday: As today was the big competition day, all over the slopes you could see skiers and snowboarders anxiously refining their skills. Very generously, free mulled wine was provided; a vital necessity for keeping warm in the cold. Both the ‘Big Air’ and Slalom created a great show, with plenty of impressive tricks and hilarious faceplants! Day 5, Thursday: Today there was a much slower start to the day, however just after lunch time people started to emerge to get a good couple of hours’ skiing in before the Final Night Party. The crowd was large in number and after pulling some serious shapes on the D-floor, DJ Fresh materialised, opening with his most famous track ‘Louder’ which got the crowd going wild. He continued to play a banging alternative dubstep playlist for the remainder of the night which everyone seemed to enjoy. Day 6, Friday: Feeling slightly sad that this was our last morning, we got ready for our final hours on the slopes. Unfortunately, after a busy day of skiing, followed by packing we then had to clean our apartments spotless in order to get our deposits back. This was a disappointing way to end the trip, but it had to be done so using what cleaning equipment we could scramble together we scrubbed it clean before waving Les Arcs goodbye.
“Boarding is an expensive but worthwhile hobby”
Vincent Snell
James Dix Winner of ‘Big Air’
wo winners of competitions in Les Arcs kindly found time to talk about their individual experiences to Palatinate. James Dix came first in the freestyle event ‘Big Air’, with a winning 540. It was the first time he’d landed it. He also won first place in another freestyle event, ‘Float style’, which was a course with two rails and three jumps, where judges were looking for a variety of tricks. He started snowboarding in 2005 including twelve weeks in Canada during a ski season on his gap year. His first time in the Alps was last year; he prefers boarding in America as there is a lot more variety and mixed scenery, so instead of straight runs which are more of a ‘blanket’, the runs are broken up with trees and more landmarks. His first time with PalatinAlps was in 2011 but he said that he definitely enjoyed this year more, not just because he won two events, but because of the electric atmosphere, and the perfect conditions: lots of snow and constant blue skies. He says one of his favourite things about snowboarding is the people you meet, as if you’re in a snow-park people just help each other out and you learn a lot from watching.
Travel nightmare
F
or most, the journey began on board a coach departing from Durham, Leicester or London. With the prospect of 16 hours of coach travel enough to test the patience of the most relaxed of characters, all were hoping for a stress-free journey. Unfortunately, this blessing did not extend the way of the Collingwood students on board coach C6. Just one hour after leaving London, the coach came to a halt in the hard shoulder, having barely made it out of the suburbs. Despite being treated to the less-than-idyllic view of the M20 roadside, the orange lights of the AA were a welcome distraction. An hour passed before the coach was up and running again, but this was thankfully the end of the misfortune for those onboard.
A skiier in the glorious Les Arcs sunshine Photograph: Josh Cunnington
Top and right:
The ‘Big Air’ competition Photographs: Asher Haynes
He described boarding as an expensive but worthwhile hobby, and is hopefully going to Austria with DUSSC over Easter. Jack Miller was part of the Mary’s team that beat Grey in the duel slalom. He’s been skiing since he was 10 and now lives 40 minutes drive from Garmisch ski resort, instructs during holidays and used to compete with his old school ski team. For Jack the competition was great but the trip was far more about the overall experience. He said: “There was amazing fancy dress on the piste, massive respect to the group all wearing monkey onesies!” He also credited the trip for its awesome snow and the great weather in such a huge, vibrant resort.
PalatinAlps
Competitions a success, says PalatinAlps President Greg Newman, PalatinAlps President
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full schedule of Intercollegiate Competitions, kindly sponsored by Clifford Chance, gave many thrills and a few spills. With a fearsome looking Giant Slalom course clearly visible from the first lift up on Wednesday morning, loads of competitors made it down two runs to find a fun, if not fast, course great to ski or board. Congratulations to the winner of the male skiing Harry Ruffel from Grey College, followed by first time racer Chris Madoc-Jones of Collingwood in second and Alex Blake of DUSSC in third.
“The Dual Slalom
saw an awesome turnout with over 100 people representing their college in a head-tohead relay battle.” For our speedy girls, Imogen Yardley was fastest down the course, followed by DUSSC Race Captain Jess Pitcher in second and Olivia Murphy in third. The boarding was won by Charlie Bullock, with Tom Harth in second, and Callum McGuniness in third. Congrats to Zofia Dilieto for winning the ladies. That evening the Floodlit Big Air, complete with Red Bull arch, saw many people in the upside down club showcasing their skills for the crowd’s pleasure. The eventual winner was Ham-
ish Goar, with a sick switch 540, as Charlie Bullock nailed a 540 on only his second ever attempt - grabbing second and pushing MC Grimes into third with a cheeky grab in his backflip. The girls also stepped up on the kicker with winner Alex Charman making the grabs, followed by Sophie Bogdiukiewicz and Emma Jackson. For our boarders, congratulations to James Dix in first, Andy O’Brian in second and Guy James in third. A special mention must also go to our ladies’ competitor and winner Harriet Simonis. The Dual Slalom saw an awesome turnout with over 100 people representing their college in a head-tohead relay battle. Powering down a rutted course, the semi-finalists were towed up by ski-doos to decide the final between Grey 1 and Mary’s 1. A thrilling final saw Grey crash out in a big way and pave the way for Mary’s to be crowned champions. The slopestyle up in the park the day after was missing a few faces after the Big Air, but nonetheless, the sunny conditions in the park saw some great runs for everyone chilling in the deck-chairs to enjoy. Jack Bidgood from Hatfield grabbed victory highlighted with his steezy 360, followed by a backflip and then a Lincoln Loop second run on the red line of kicker. Second place was Stu Sexton, also from Hatfield, followed by Greg Newman from Grey who decided that skis weren’t really for him on landings for some reason. For the boarders James Dix added to his 1st in the Big Air by winning again, follwed by Ollie Sulley in second and Guy James in third. For the Ladies, Emma Jackson upped her game and took the top spot off Alex Charman, with Hanne Davies taking third place.
A beautiful morning in Les Arcs Photograph: Asher Haynes
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Sport
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Tuesday 31st January 2012 | PALATINATE
PALATINATE | Tuesday 31st January 2012
When the going gets tough, Tough Guys get going
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Sport International honours for ‘Invincibles’
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The notoriously gruelling Tough Guy event - a marathon course including mud, fire and ice - took place on Sunday. Two contestants tell Palatinate how they prepared for the physical challenge Michael Galea Commentary
By the time you read this I will most probably be recovering from hypothermia or in a body bag bound for the Wolverhampton morgue, or maybe with a bit of luck I’ll have completed the course and raised over £400 for Help the Heroes. My main concern is that at 46 kilos I am almost certainly one of the lighter competitors making up this year’s DUCK Toughguy team. I have wanted to do Tough Guy since hearing many of the epic stories from those who undertook the challenge last year, and perhaps just to prove to everyone that despite my size I am tough! Upon signing up I was told by Archie Dallas (DUCK manager) that it was all in the head and I’d “walk it”.
“My main concern is that at 46 kilos I am almost certainly one of the lighter competitors...”
Michael Galea, Tough Guy Contestant However this outlook was soon shattered by both friends and acquaintances who claimed that I faced
Tougher than he looks? 46kg Michael Galea Photograph: Michael Galea
Billy Phillips
an impending death by hypothermia, electrocution and exhaustion. The best responses came from my father who simply stated: “But you’re not tough…”, and the nice lady at the DSU reception who claimed I weighed as much as her eight year old son! As a member of DUBC’s men’s fresher eight last year I am used to extraordinary feats of endurance that are both physically and mentally challenging, then again as the cox I was never intimately familiar with this.
RUGBY UNION Seven past or present members of DURFC have earned selection to the England Students squad for a trio of upcoming international fixtures. James Hallam, Josh Beaumont, Andrew McCulla, Mike Ward and Tom Shiel are the current players to have won a place in the elite 29man squad, while two stars from last year’s all-conquering Palatinates have also been called up. They are Tom O’Toole and ex-captain Rob Malaney, both of whom also recently competed for Cambridge in the televised Varsity fixture at Twickenham.
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The age of the DSU receptionist’s son, who, she claimed, weighed the same as Michael
Over the last few weeks I have taken up regular exercise in order to improve my fitness. I have done several runs, some as far as twelve miles, spent hours rock climbing and most recently went for a dip in the river followed by a series of punishing hill sprints up Windy gap with Archie Dallas. I have also purchased a wetsuit that disconcertingly fits perfectly, in spite of the fact it is ‘age 12-13’. Hmm... maybe Tough Guy was a mistake!
White water: Sandra Hyslop paddles through the rough rapids in the BUCS race last term Photograph: Tim Swetnam
Tough Guy contestant wades through icy water Photograph: Tough Guy competition Jack Jones
When first hearing this event, I pictured 6 foot 8 strongmen flexing their muscles, most likely in preparation of pulling a lorry up a hill, but what I actually discovered was something far worse. Approximately 8 miles of mud, freezing water, cargo nets, concrete tunnels, more mud, electric shocks, more freezing water, torture chambers, fire-walking, yet more mud, and pain. Widely-regarded as the hardest assault course in the world, each year thousands of ‘Tough Guys’ (girls included) from around the globe take on this fiendish assault course. A legal contract nicknamed the ‘Death Warrant’ states the farm on which Tough Guy takes place takes no responsibility for the death or harm of anyone foolish enough to take part, confirming the sheer scale of the task ahead. The event itself looks daunting, but the training is just as brutal. I am no stranger to physical exercise or hard training, having won national medals for athletics during a 5 year athletics career spanning back to the age of 13, and as such I assumed the training regime I had set myself to deal with the Tough Guy
obstacles would be a piece of cake; I was wrong. I had singled-out three main barriers which could prevent me finishing the course; hills, fatigue, and cold. Being from Peterborough (the biggest ‘hill’ is probably an escalator in the shopping centre), I decided training for hills would best be left until being back in Durham. However fatigue and cold were dealt with by going on a mile run, jumping in an ice-bath at home, and repeating…6 times. Tough Girl Beth Hudson has dealt with the cold with a swim in the North Sea on Christmas day, and Hannah Howie opted for skinny-dipping up in sunny Scotland, while the Sunday previous to the event they had a mass ‘dunking’ session in the river next to Collingwood Boathouse. Sam Jones and I took to swimming across the river from Hild & Bede boathouse, avoiding the fury of rowers and their boats, and up to the Education building on a continous loop (a similar tactic being employed by Krystina Warrington), all in the hope it will carry us to the end of the event relatively un-harmed. Mud is an obstacle I have yet to deal with, and is often referred to as the hardest part of Tough Guy as the mud adds weight to already tired legs and slows your progress through the obstacles.
However, Charlotte Duxbury informs me she took part in a Muddy Races run, where she ended up needing to get pulled out from the mud! Others have focussed purely on ensuring fatigue does not get the better of them, with Jennie Swain even going on a 12 mile run on New Years Day (if you can run with a hangover, you can do anything), whilst Dominic Buscall and Harry Plunkett have been clocking up the miles for the past 3 months. This is just a brief overview of the levels of training people are willing to go to conquer Tough Guy and confirm themselves as some of the Toughest people in Durham. Despite being told repeatedly the feeling at the end of it is one you will never forget, whilst swimming in the river at 8am it’s very hard to remember that. Being a Fresher, this will be my first taste of Tough Guy, and I only hope that I along with all my fellow Durham students will complete this mammoth task and live to tell the tale.
P
To see if Jack’s intense regime paid off, and for a full report on the Tough Guy event, visit our website: palatinate.org.uk
New status propels canoe club forward DUCC has been elevated to a category 1A sport by Team Durham - the benefits of a professional coach and a new boathouse are already evident William Warr
For many students at Durham, the Canoe Club has become a very important part of their lives. Palatinate caught up with Charlie Jefferson, club president and Rosie Henderson, Women’s Canoe Polo captain to tell us more. Despite having five Great Britain canoeists in their club, Charlie emphasises that one of their main aims is be able to cater for as wide a range of people as possible.
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Number of GB canoeists in the club
“We want to be able to cater for absolute beginners, who have never done any canoeing before,” he said. To their recent weekend away in the lake district they took 50 beginners with them.
On the other side of the skill level is their five Great Britain athletes. Beth Barratt, Matt Fletcher and Scot Cresswell all play Canoe Polo. Sandra Hyslop is a white water racer and Alice Haws is a Canoe Sprinter. With this vast array of talent the club has been promoted to a category 1a sport by Team Durham. This means the club now has a full time coach, Mark Ledger. He said that he hopes to attract “new members to the club and develop our canoe polo team.” Ledger explained he was really excited about improving the polo team because “the university has gained several high performance athletes this year and should make a sizeable impression at this year’s BUCS events.” For those who are wondering what canoe polo is, women’s captain, Henderson offers an outline of the game. “It is a five-a-side game in kayaks. It’s like a cross between rugby, basketball and water polo,” she said. What is more, she emphasises that the game can be “quite violent, we need to wear masks helmets, which can get knocked off by the boats.”
The BUCS’s Canoe Polo Tournament is held at the end of April in Doncaster. Training for the club is now split up depending on what discipline of Canoeing you pursue.
“Canoeing is like a cross between rugby, basketball and water polo”
Rosie Henderson, Women’s Canoe Polo Captain Club president Jefferson explains that one of the advantages of having Mark as new coach is that it “enables discipline-specific sessions. 'Lots of people who have done it for a year, but want to make the step up, and the coach will help making that transition”. And these changes can already be seen to make a difference. In the
1st term BUCS Wild Water Racing Tournament (where you have to go from the top to the bottom of a white water course as quickly as possible), Durham came third overall. Individually in the Sprint and Classic events, Durham dominated the podium. Sandra Hyslop came first in both, closely followed by Alison Auld. What is more, with its promotion to a tier one sport, the club now enjoys a brand new boathouse. Jefferson said: “It is a great facility and we have so much more space than used to have.” As one of the most successful, active and possibly unknown societies that Durham University has to offer, it competes in all major disciplines with great success. It is therefore not difficult to see why the University has offered so much recent support to the Canoe Club. Although both training and competition are taken incredibly seriously, the club still manages to create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere enticing new members. With the perfect balance between competitiveness and fun, we can only asssume the club will continue to thrive for years to come.
“It’s a testament to the quality of the Durham side that [we] have been selected.” Tom Shiel Starting XV
International recognition for Durham’s finest is long overdue, as not one Palatinate was included in last season’s national squad despite their momentous unbeaten campaign. Centre Tom Shiel, who is part of the starting XV in England’s first encounter against the full Portugal national side, expressed his pride at DURFC’s strong representation this year. “It’s testament to the quality of the Durham side that 7 of last year’s ‘Invincibles’ have been selected,” he said. “I’m delighted and cannot wait to represent my country.” Second-rower Josh Beaumont will join Shiel in the starting lineup for the Portugal game in Lisbon, while Ward, Hallam and O’Toole have earned spots on the bench. DURFC, meanwhile, have continued their dominant form in the BUCS leagues. The first XV, in Premier North A, have continued their imperious form, securing eight wins from eight. They also recently travelled to Cambridge and won 44-22, further underlining their status as the country’s best university rugby team. The seconds are six points clear at the top of Premier North B, the thirds are second in their league, while the fourths are leading their division.
Sport
Tough Guy preparations
PALATINATE | Tuesday 31st October 2012
Meet two hopeful Tough Guys, page 18
Canoe club on the rise
Granted category 1A status, page 19
England students call-up
Durham rugby players selected, page 19
Flying high: PalatinAlps Freestyle Tournment Photograph: Asher Haynes
PalatinAlps 2012
Inside >> Turn to page 15-17 for special feature on the trip.
Wildcats march into FA Cup third round against the odds Spencer Brown
Durham Wildcats advanced into the third round of the women’s FA Cup after an emphatic giant-killing of Sheffield Wednesday WFC. A stunning 4-1 triumph in South Yorkshire ensures another memorable chapter has been written in the Wildcats’ debut season, as they extended their cup run in spectacular fashion. As the lowest ranked team left in the competition, the Wildcats travelled to Northern Combination League heavyweights Sheffield Wednesday as rank underdogs.
But a resounding first-half performance, in which Durham established an unassailable 3-1 lead, was the basis for the club’s most remarkable victory to date. The reward is a mouth-watering tie against Women’s Premier League side Preston LFC in the third round on Sunday, 5 February, which will be played at Brewery Field. Just as they had in the first round against California Ladies, the Wildcats started the game brightly and broke the deadlock with just seven minutes on the clock. Laura Stockdale lobbed the ‘keeper from the edge of the box after a perfectly executed set-piece, and for the next twenty minutes Durham
dominated territory and possession. The relentless pressure finally told when defender Anna Faux capitalised on Wednesday’s failure to deal with yet another corner by slotting home from six yards. In under half an hour Durham had twice breached the Wednesday defence, despite being without injured top-scorer Hannah Beard. Her replacement Elise McLear looked consistently dangerous, but Wednesday recovered from a slack opening half-hour and soon pulled a deserved goal back – suddenly the tie was hanging in the balance. But the Wildcats have regularly thrived on pressure this season, and this was proven when Emily Clark
won the ball in her own half and released Gemma Nortcliffe, who provided her customary ruthless finish to re-establish the two-goal cushion and drain the life out of Wednesday’s revival. The second half was a ferociously competitive if scrappy affair, with Durham’s defence remaining stoic in the face of a determined Wednesday onslaught. Jess Quador exemplified the resolute defensive effort with a goal-line clearance, while Laura Stockdale made countless crucial challenges to keep Wednesday at bay. Elise McLear then provided the quality at the other end of the pitch with a delightful left-foot chip to ef-
fectively kill the contest after 75 minutes, a goal that booked Durham’s place in the third round. Captain Maeve Clarke says the team is “eagerly anticipating” the third round. “The whole squad and coaching staff deserve praise for what was a fantastically spirited team performance - this competition has been great for us this season,” she added. The Wildcats have now scored 25 goals in the FA Cup, conceding only twice. Preston North End will visit Brewery Field - setting for two Wildcat FA Cup victories already this season - on Sunday, 5 February for a titanic thirdround clash.