Palatinate Wednesday 4th October 2017 | No. 797
Where art thou, Art? Visual Arts takes you on a tour of the North East’s eye-pleasers
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Sport interviews the Premier League’s all-time top scorer...
Alan Shearer Cheap booze boosts Durham’s student reputation Jack Reed Deputy News Editor
Wildlife photographer and Durham alumnus Sue Flood captures the scene in Antarctica. Her exclusive interview with Profile is on page 12. (©Sue Flood Photography)
Maintenance Loan ‘leaves average student over £200 a month short’
Annual Student Money Survey reveals some parents are expected to make up £3,000+ annual shortfall in living costs Sophie Gregory News Editor The annual Student Money Survey has found the student loan can leave students up to £221 short every month after polling 2,216 students. The nationwide survey, run by Save the Student, reports that students need an average of £821 to cover monthly spending, with rent alone averaging £394 nationally.
The average Maintenance Loan payment – for students studying away from home and outside London, with a household income of £35,000 – is, however, £600 per month, leaving a shortfall of £221 every month. The Maintenance Loan is means-tested and parents are expected to subsidise their children. One third of students, however, believe that their parents do not give adequate financial support or
report feeling guilty for asking for help. Nonetheless, parents are still turned to in times of extreme hardship, with 83% of students relying on their parents for financial support during a crisis. The Parental Contributions Calculator shows parents earning £35,000 are expected to contribute £1,211 each year for those living outside of London and away from home. For a household in-
come of £50,000, the contribution rises to £3,027. As Palatinate reported online in August, Durham students are ranked among the top universities for parental support, but almost a third of students nationwide assert they do not receive enough financial aid from their parents. When asked how Durham University is supporting those who may need financial Continued on page four
Durham has been revealed as one of the cheapest places in the UK to buy a pint of beer, according to new research. The average price of a beer in Durham is £2.10, making it the third cheapest place in the UK for a pint. Only Plymouth and Croydon offer cheaper pints than Durham, with the average price a mere £1.99 in both places. In contrast, many other leading university locations offer much more expensive pints, with beer costing on average £4.00 in Oxford and £3.63 in Cambridge respectively. Online mortgage advisor ‘Is the Grass Greener?’, which commissioned the research, offer an online tool which enables users to compare UK cities and/or London boroughs on a number of different factors, including: house price, first-time buyer price, crime rate, safety index, taxi fare price, fuel price and pint price. Compared to Newcastle, the largest city close to Durham, there is a £1 difference in the average cost of a pint, with beer priced at £3.10 in the city. This information could prove telling for A Level students applying to university for next year, since pint prices are a key indicator of lifestyle costs at prospective universities. Speaking of which...
Join us at our 2017 Welcome Drinks, in the SU’s Riverside Bar at 19.30 on Thursday 12th October – the wine, in this case, is free!
Wednesday 4th October 2017 | PALATINATE
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Editorial Welcome to Durham’s official student newspaper Imagine the scene if you will. It was the first evening of Freshers’ Week. My parents had left and there I was, lost, alone, terrified. The suitcases strewn haphazardly and arbitrarily around the room offered little comfort. The city seemed large and intimidating, the cathedral looming like a spectre in the gloomy distance. And then, I made a mistake. Tentatively heading downstairs, I stumbled through some awkward small talk with another group of Freshers, before hearing about an open mic night that very evening. This, I thought, was my opportunity. How best to conquer my first night nerves than by doing something utterly ridiculous? Nothing will be a challenge after this, I reassured myself. So after a (shall we say) interesting rendition of ‘My Heart will Go On,’ I took to the Collingwood stage. Waited for the music to start, missing my cue (naturally), before giving an … intense version of ‘Mr Brightside’. Lots of screaming into the microphone. It was not my finest hour. My point being – and you would be forgiven for thinking I did not have one: didn’t trust myself for a moment there – is that people aren’t themselves in Freshers’ Week. The need to fit in makes people do embarrassing (see above) and stupid (likewise) things. People try to adapt their personalities, craft idealised versions of themselves. I think it’s always worth giving a second or third chance to someone in Freshers’ Week, recognising that, despite appearances, everyone’s at least a little bit scared.
Freshers’ Week can be incredible, but it’s also totally fine if it isn’t. It might be the best week of your life, as so often claimed, but I’ve never met anyone who has agreed with this statement. Comment (p.9) gives us three very interesting takes on Freshers’ Week from a number of perspectives. The University offers a wide range of support that you shouldn’t be afraid to turn to if you need it. College welfare, Nightline and University counselling services will always be there for you. Before she tragically died five days after graduation, Marina Keegan, a student at Yale University, wrote a wonderful essay called “The Opposite of Loneliness”. This she defined as a “feeling that there are people, an abundance of people who are in this together. Who are on your team”. This is how I’ve always felt at Durham, this opposite of loneliness. It can be such an incredible place. Hopefully our wide range of sections can give you a glimpse of some of the possibilities that may await you here. Indigo invites us on tours of the city’s artistic delights and its many wonderful coffee shops. The Books section will encourage you to visit the sterling Durham Book Festival that hosts, amongst others, Robert Webb (always Jeremy in my heart), Harriet Harman and Jenni Murray. We also take a look inside the city’s new art exhibition space pioneered by Empty Shop. This is not to say, however, that Durham is perfect. Far from it. One of my predecessors Olly Mawhinney wrote this same editorial last year;
he condemned the lack of accessible education in Durham, as well as its poor representation of those from comprehensive schools. We could add ethnic minorities to this. One would be forgiven for thinking nothing has changed. We fall way below the higher education average of 22% for ethnic minority representation (2014/15). Moreover, 38.5% of our students (2016 entry) are privately educated, compared to 7% of the UK. This is where we hope Palatinate can make a difference. It is our duty to hold the University to account, and challenge its excesses. To best do this, we need to be as diverse as possible, and represent as many of the student body as possible. Our Welcome Drinks will be held on 12th October and we would encourage all of you to come along. I also heard on the grape vine (no pun intended) that there will be some wine circulating. We cannot come close to any of our aims without you, so it would be great to see you there. In the meantime, I wish you the best of luck for the new academic year! Adam Cunnane
Inside 797
News pages 4-8 Comment pages 9-11 Profile page 12 Politics pages 14-15 SciTech page 16 Sport pages 18-20
indigo Editorial page 2 Features pages 3-4 Fashion page 5 Food & Drink page 6 Travel page 7 Film & TV page 8 Music pages 9-10 Visual Arts page 11 Books pages 12-13 Creative Writing page 13 Stage pages 14-15 indigo interview page 16
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NEWS: NUS President: Durham’s ViceChancellor is overpaid
COMMENT: Making a scene: the growth of the LGBT+ community in Durham
BOOKS:
POLITICS:
The Man Booker Prize Longlist 2017
Peru: the untold social crisis of 2017
In an exclusive interview with Palatinate, Shakira Martin opens up about uni bosses’ salaries, noplatforming and why she voted Labour in the general election.
LGBT+ Association president Jess Frieze reflects on the progress made since a 2009 Palatinate column that decried Durham’s lack of a gay scene.
Our team of reviewers give their thoughts on those tomes judged to be among the best of the year, including Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness.
The socioeconomic woes of Venezuela made headlines this summer, but Jack Parker provides a revealing insight into the lesserknown crisis of Peru.
Palatinate is published by Durham Students’ Union on a fortnightly basis during term and is editorially independent. All contributors and editors are full-time students at Durham University. Send letters to: Editor, Palatinate, Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN. Alternatively, send an e-mail to editor@palatinate.org.uk
Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Adam Cunnane & Eugene Smith editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editors Anna Tatham & Caitlin Allard deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Sophie Gregory & Tania Chakraborti news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Ben Sladden news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Jack Reed, Clara Gaspar & Tohid Ismail deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Zoe Boothby comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editors Emily Smith & Danny Walker Profile Editor Isabelle Ardron profile@palatinate.org.uk Science and Technology Editors Martha Bozic & Jack Eardley scitech@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editors Eloise Carey & Cameron McIntosh politics@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Politics Editors Rhodri Sheldrake Davies & Jack Parker Sport Editor Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors James Martland, Ollie Godden, Will Jennings & Ella Jerman Indigo Editor Tamsin Bracher indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Adele Cooke deputy.indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Divya Shastri feature@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Katie Anderson Food & Drink Editor Emma Taylor food@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Food & Drink Editor Sapphire Demirsoz Travel Editor Harriet Willis travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Anna Gibbs fashion@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Fashion Editor Emma Denison Film & Television Editor Meghan Hosch film@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Film & Television Editor Imogen Kaufman Stage Editor Helena Snider stage@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Stage Editor Helen Chatterton deputy.stage@palatinate.org.uk Music Editor Tom Watling music@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Music Editor Ashleigh Goodall Creative Writing Editor Chloe Scaling creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Books Editor Julia Atherley books@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Madeleine Cater visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Chief Sub-Editor Yongchang Chin chief.sub@palatinate.org.uk Sub-Editors Inka Karna, Aoife Clements, Mint Parabatra, Zuzanna Gwadera & Angelos Sofocleous Photography Editor Max Luan photography@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor Faye Chua illustration@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Illustrations Editors Charlotte Way, Katie Butler & Akansha Naraindas Digital Coordinator Craig Bateman media@palatinate.org.uk Website Administrator Matt Moore Social Media Officer Helen Paton
PALATINATE | Wednesday 4th October 2017
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Archive
This is my first column in Palatinate as President of Durham Students’ Union, and I am so pleased to be able to address all our incoming students here, and welcome you to Durham. I want to take this opportunity to share with you one of the priorities of my work this year, and an issue which many other student leaders within your colleges and the Students’ Union have been working on at the moment and in recent years. This is the issue of college accommodation fees. Last term my predecessor began the #RippedOff campaign aimed at cutting college costs, so that the cost of a collegiate experience does not shut out students from lower-income backgrounds. As a result the University has set up a Residential Accommodation Differential Pricing Group in order to make recommendations about differential pricing for accommodation. This is something offered at every other University in the country and allows greater student choice in accommodation. Much of my focus this year with the #RippedOff campaign will be the disparity between cost and quality to ensure Durham students get what they pay for. The lack of differential pricing means that many students are paying the same as peers in another college, or different accommodation block, for a lower quality bedroom and facilities. While we recognise and love the different experiences that colleges offer, every Durham student should receive an equally amazing experience that reflects the high cost of coming to Durham. Another key thing that the campaigns plan to address is the lack of transparency regarding where our accommodation fees go. It seems that we are funding a huge expansion while much of the estate sits in a state of disrepair. We also need to understand if our tuition fees are paying for services which we then pay for again through our Common Room levy. I also want to change the University bursaries. While accommodation fees have risen, the Durham grant has been greatly reduced – we cannot risk Durham University becoming exclusionary to particular groups of people. The Durham Grant needs to have more tiers to be able to help more people, and in a way that is appropriate to their financial situation. Megan Croll
From the archive: Palatinate No. 649 – Friday, 24th October 2003 Concorde had just made its last commercial flight. Jack Black was splitting sides in the newly-released School of Rock. The Iraq War was still in its infancy. And Durham’s newest intake of Freshers, embarking this week on their first year of higher education, had only just started school. Meanwhile, Palatinate was: interviewing former editor-in-chief Jeremy Vine; asking readers whether Eminem is “the Shakespeare of our age”; catching up with England cricketer Paul Collingwood, then merely a young debutant; and reporting on a first-year’s (non-fatal) “freak accident” near Palace Green. Page three of no. 649 makes for especially interesting reading. Off the back of Arnold Schwarzenegger storming to the California governorship that year, the ‘News Analysis’ team wrote: “His election reflects ... a people totally disillusioned with the politics and politicians that, rightly or wrongly, they believe have plunged them into the current mess.” The piece has certain parallels to another, rather more recent U.S. election...
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News
Up to 30 countries represented at new International Study Centre
Tohid Ismail Deputy News Editor Durham University has opened a new International Study Centre (ISC) at its Queen’s Campus in Stockton, which could house students from over 30 countries. The Centre, which began teaching students in September, aims to prepare international, non-EU students for undergraduate and postgraduate courses at Durham University through pathway programmes. The ISC offers International Foundation Years, Pre-Masters Programmes and English Language Courses. The pathway programmes available are directly tailored to Durham degrees. Typical tuition fees for the courses at the ISC range from £15,900 to £18,100. English language courses are priced at £4,050 per term. These costs do not include accommodation or any other additional fees. Led by Dr Anna Fenge, the maiden year of the Centre may see its proposed intake surpass forecasts, with the intake now estimated to be around 400 students and spanning over 30 countries. Professor Stuart Corbridge, Durham’s Vice-Chancellor said: “At Durham University we pride
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We value the contribution our international students make to University life
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ourselves on the diversity of our community. Twenty-one per cent of our students are from outside the UK and there are 150 nationalities represented in our staff and student bodies. “We value the contribution that our international students make to University life. We believe that the pathway programmes offered at our new ISC are the best way to prepare students and ensure a smooth transition to our undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes in Durham City.” The ISC is managed by third party organisation Study Group, an education provider. James Pitman, the organisation’s Managing Director, stated: “Pathway programmes are a proven means of introducing international students to the UK education system and preparing them
for university study – around 40 per cent of students in UK higher education come through pathways.” Anthony Long, Deputy Vice Chancellor, has labelled the opening of the ISC a “key moment in our development,” demonstrating “the attraction of Durham University across the world”. Durham University is currently
in the process of the gradual relocation of subjects and colleges from Stockton to Durham City, as well as of Medicine to Newcastle. The ISC is therefore a welcome investment for Councillor Bob Cook, leader of Stockton Borough Council, who said: “We are delighted that the Durham University International Study Centre is making its home here in Stock-
▲ The ‘Infinity Bridge’ in Stockton, home to Queen’s Campus and now the new ISC (Amy Ding) ton-on-Tees and we are excited to be working with one of the world’s leading universities and prominent foundation providers. That they are making such a significant investment is a huge sign of confidence in the Borough.”
A full 84% of students are ‘worried about having enough money,’ the survey claims Continued from front page ...aid, Professor Alan Houston, ProVice-Chancellor (Education), said: “We are focused on providing the very best education and empowering students to succeed. “We are proud to be investing £11.5 million in outreach, student success, progression and evaluation activities in 2018/19. This includes £5.5 million to help students from lower income backgrounds meet upfront costs such as accommodation and living expenses via bursaries.” The survey also reveals that 84% of students are worried about having enough money to live on, up 4% from last year. Rent is reportedly the biggest strain on finances, accounting for almost half of the average £821 a student is said to need per month. Other costs are food at £126 and bills at £54. Rent and college accommodation fees in Durham have histori-
cally been a source of contention. When asked how the University aims to ensure accommodation remains affordable in Durham, Owen Adams, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Colleges and Student Experience), told Palatinate: “The cost of providing our college residences rises year on year and we have to review prices on an annual basis to ensure we can continue to provide a high standard of accommodation and services.
will come into force] from the 2019/20 academic year onwards.” The survey also investigated how thoroughly students understood their student finance contracts. Half of students spoken to reported that they did
Durham University is investing £5.5m into bursaries “to help lowerincome students meet upfront costs” “Therefore, a Residential Pricing Group has been established to consider various options for the setting of differentiated residence ments or repayment terms. [This
(Amy Ding)
not understand their loan agreements or repayment terms. One second year student, George Westlake, Collingwood, told Palatinate: “I don’t think there is enough information given to students regarding the ins and outs of interest rates and when they start applying”. Despite financial uncertainties and the cost of higher education, 49% of students still assert that university is worth the cost. Durham student Izzy Morrow, also at Collingwood, believes this to be the case, saying: “I think university is worth the money, for me. I love my course and this is the best place to do it, so it’s definitely worth it. “I do think Durham does offer financial support to those who might be struggling. Different colleges have their own individual schemes and the university as a whole offers money to individuals whose family income is below a
certain bracket.” With fees set to rise, however, the 51% who disagree may also increase. Concerns extended past university, with over half of students nationwide (51%) reporting that they are not confident that they will be able to find work after graduating.
“I don’t think there is enough information given to students on the ins and outs of interest rates” Save the Student claims that students put forward £6,000 as an ideal amount for their maintenance loan. This figure is currently under the maximum maintenance loan available, suggesting that many feel as though they are being penalised by family incomes.
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News
Work to begin on £40 million ‘Education Hub’ Tania Chakraborti News Editor Work is set to begin on Durham University’s £40 million teaching and learning ‘education hub’ after Durham County Council recently approved the construction at the Lower Mountjoy site. The Centre is set to offer a wideranging selection of technologies, learning environments and new classroom spaces, which will offer courses in real time with students from peer institutions internationally. During the holiday period, the Centre will be host to major academic conferences in order to contribute to the wider economy. The site is set to impact the local economy by £2 million annually. Professor Alan Houston, ProVice-Chancellor (Education), stated of the Centre: “Durham is a world-leading university and the education we offer is one of the University’s greatest strengths. But we want to do better still.
“We want our education to be challenging, enabling, researchled and transformative, taking advantage of all the latest digital technologies, and the Centre for Teaching and Learning will be key to helping us achieve that vision. “We are very pleased Durham County Council has supported our vision. We are looking forward to getting started on site and the Centre welcoming its first students in 2019.” Development of the Centre, planned to open in the academic year 2019/2020, is part of Durham University’s ten-year strategy to deliver world-class research, education and wider student experience. The Education Hub is predicted to create 32 new FTE jobs, as well as 186 direct jobs during the construction process. Other local benefits of the development include improvements to local pedestrian and footpath facilities, as well as the growth of insectfriendly plants and native trees around the site.
▲ Projected plans for Durham
University’s ‘Education Hub’ (Durham University)
Ustinov moves to new home at Sheraton Park Sophie Gregory News Editor Durham University has opened a new purpose-built accommodation for post-graduate students at Sheraton Park The construction of the PBSA represents the delivery of one of the first projects to come under Durham’s University Strategy, 2017-2027. Sheraton Park is the new home for the University’s Ustinov College postgraduate community and will be home to 400 postgraduate students. The move will reduce the College’s residential student body from c.600 to 400 beds.
“Those at Sheraton Park will enjoy the full college experience,” according to the University
This coming year Ustinov College will occupy part of the Howlands Farm site, Durham City, and all of Sheraton Park, with couples and family accommodation at Keenan House, Durham City.
In 2018, however, Ustinov will vacate Howlands farm and move permanently to Sheraton Park. In an article, Durham University stated that those at Sheraton Park will enjoy the full college experience: “this includes dedicated pastoral support, scholarly and research activities, and access to social and sporting facilities, in a supportive and motivating collegiate environment”. John Snow and Stephenson Colleges, currently located at Queen’s Campus, will relocate to Howlands for 2018/19 and share the site with Josephine Butler College. The move has been contentious, with Palatinate previously reporting on the frustration that students felt about the move and the worries of the local community. Addressing this, Jamie Graham, President of the Ustinov College Graduate Common Room, stated: “The University wants to be a good neighbour at Sheraton Park. It is seeking to work with residents living nearby to ensure good community relations, including limiting alcohol sales from its bar/ café to prior to 11pm, other than on a maximum of six occasions per year for special events. Professor Glenn McGregor, Prin-
► A hillside view of Queen’s Campus in Stockton (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Whilst we will be located in new buildings, we will continue the traditions and activities that make Ustinov so popular
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cipal of Ustinov College, said: “The move to Sheraton Park heralds an exciting new era in the history of Ustinov College. “Whilst we will be located in new buildings, we will continue the traditions and activities that make Ustinov so popular with our students and alumni. “We are excited about welcoming the inaugural cohort of students to Sheraton Park and working with them in our new home to further shape Ustinov College’s reputation as a scholarly community that celebrates strength that arises from diversity.”
Heard anything newsworthy? Email us: news@palatinate.org.uk
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News
Mental Health First Aid training course launched at all universities in England Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England have announced the launch of a training course aimed at supporting the mental health of students and staff in universities ahead of the typical ‘freshers week’. The course, which is being implemented nationally, is designed to help students and staff recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health issues and to train those to intervene with first aid where appropriate.
Caroline Hounsell, Director and Higher Education lead, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England, said of the scheme: “In launching this new Higher Education MHFA course we hope to address some of the concerns around mental health provision in universities by ensuring that more students and staff have access to those trained in MHFA skills. “Although students fall into a particularly at-risk group, early intervention and support can reduce many long-term impacts of mental ill health including academic failure, dropout and limited employment prospects.”
There has been a 210% increase over five years in the number of students with mental health issues leaving courses early
“[The course] covers everything from anxiety and depression to suicide, psychosis and eating disorders,” says one participant
Tania Chakraborti News Editor
After successful pilot testing at the University of Chester, the MHFA course, developed with the charity Student Mind, is now available to undertake in all English universities.
▲ Contact Durham’s student services to sign up for the training course (Amy Ding) MHFA have emphasised the growing importance of the course; with The Higher Education Statistics Agency recently revealing that there has been a 210% increase over 5 years in the number of students with mental health issues leaving
courses early. To date, over 30 English universities have run Mental Health First Aid courses; including UCL and the University of York. Speaking to Times Higher Education (THE), a Cambridge student who took part in the pi-
lot stated of the training: “It covers everything from anxiety and depression to suicide, psychosis and eating disorders and it goes through step by step what to do if you’re confronted with a situation in which somebody is disclosing to you that they are suffering.”
Students wishing to take part in such a course should contact Durham’s student services. More information about MHFA England and its courses can be found at www.mhfaengland.org or by emailing info@mhfaengland.
‘It is a myth that older people don’t experience sexual violence,’ Durham University research shows Clara Gaspar Deputy News Editor A Durham study by researcher Dr Hannah Bows has uncovered that hundreds of people over 60 are victims of sexual violence in the UK. The research has been significant in recognising that people from the older generation can also be victims of sexual violence. In recognition of her work, Dr Bows was a finalist for Outstanding Early Career Impact in the ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize 2017. According to the research, around 150 rape and serious assaults involving an adult aged 60 or over are reported to the police across England, Wales and Northern Ireland every year. Bows estimates that due to the
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Hundreds of people over 60 are victims of sexual violence in the UK
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chronic under-reporting of rape cases, the true figures are likely to be higher. The study shows that people aged 60 and over are more likely to be raped by an acquaintance in their own home or in a care home, with only one fifth of rapes against older people being committed by a stranger. In addition, two-thirds of perpetrators were younger than their victim. She said of her research: “I discovered that the Crime Survey for England and Wales didn’t ask those aged 60 or over questions about sexual violence they may have experienced, and no-one had any convincing explanations why older people weren’t asked. “The crime was almost invisible. People didn’t appear to acknowledge that rape is something that could impact older people. There seems to be an idea that
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My findings challenge the ‘real rape’ stereotype of a young white woman attacked by a stranger who is motivated by sexual desire
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age will make you safe. “My findings challenge the ‘real rape’ stereotype of a young white woman attacked by a stranger in a dark alley who is motivated by sexual desire.” Influenced by the Durham University researcher’s findings, the Office for National Statistics is now trialling the collection of data on sexual violence for the over 60s in its Crime Survey for England and Wales. Dr Bows aims to raise awareness of rape against older people. She said: “It’s not just young people who suffer sexual violence – older people get raped too.” “Recent plans by the Office for National Statistics to gather data from the over 60s is an important step in reframing the issue.”
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News
The intern: not a role to joke about Jack Reed Deputy News Editor Over half of internships result in job offers, according to a recent report by graduate job board Milkround. However, nearly three of quarters of graduates, who receive a job offer after their internship, decline it. The pressure on undergraduates to secure an internship during the summer is perhaps now greater than ever before, with many students viewing a placement as the only way to secure a job at their desired company. The added value to internships has meant there is an increased necessity to complete one. Judging from Milkround’s re-
search, which involved speaking to 5,319 university students and recent graduates, it appears internships now consist of far more than the traditional work experience tasks, like making the tea or filing documents. While this may seem to be a reason for the increase in popularity of internships, there may be another reason, manifested in the domino effect. Record numbers of students are both going to university and graduating with first class degrees, meaning there is increased pressure for jobs after graduating. To bolster and perfect CVs, students are turning to internships as the solution. It is therefore unsurprising to
see that 57% of graduates have completed an internship or work experience whilst at university. 53% of these internships have resulted in job offers by the same company, yet the fact 72% of these interns decline the role is far more revealing about the attitude of graduates. This theme of rejection is reflected in the general graduate job market, with 34% declining a job offer and 33% declining two or more. The fact many graduates are rejecting job offers points to a crisis in confidence, with 58% not feeling confident enough in their own skills to take the job offer. 19% said they declined the offer because the role offered wasn’t right for them. Francesca Parkinson at
Milkround said: “It’s well known the benefits that an internship can bring to a CV, adding depth and on-the-job experience that complements academic qualifications. “Although the majority of those offered jobs from their internships turn them down, the fact students are thinking about their future while in academia shows a real savviness amongst today’s graduates. “Employers who want to minimise the number of candidates reneging on offers can keep in regular contact with graduates ahead of their start date. “They could also keep the time between the offer and the start date as short or possible, or even
invite their new employee to a social event ahead of their first day.”
The Facts: • 57% of graduates have completed internships or work experience at university... • ...and 53% of these internships have resulted in job offers... • ...but 72% of these interns declined the role According to figures supplied by Milkround, September 2017
Durham Vice-Chancellor set to light up Lumiere Jack Reed Deputy News Editor Durham University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart Corbridge will be one of the speakers at a conference that will run in coordination with Lumiere 2017 this November. Lumiere is the UK’s largest light festival and will be held in Durham from the 16th-19th November this year. The one-day conference will take place during the festival on Friday 17th November at Durham’s Gala Theatre. The festival organiser, Artichoke, invites those attending to contemplate and discuss the following question: ‘Who are we and where are we headed?’ Durham University is a major sponsor of Lumiere 2017. The institution has invested £100,000 into the festival, while also acting as an important partner in delivering the areas of investment, research, education and cultural activity. Professor Corbridge is part of a line-up of high profile speakers who will consider this broad question, discussing the issues we face today and what challenges the future holds. This will encompass topics ranging from physics to theatre, education to finance. The speakers will use their expertise and offer opinions and ideas regarding the changes that our world is experiencing. Other speakers at the conference
include the following: Tony Heaton OBE, Founder of NDACA (National Disability Arts Collection and Archive); Judith Knight MBE, Founder and co-director of Artsadmin, an organisation which supports and produces the work of contemporary artists and companies working across all artistic disciplines; and The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, Dean of Durham.
and something that the University is very proud to support as part of our cultural commitment to the City and North East England.” Helen Marriage, the Director of Artichoke, added: “Following the success of the 2015 conference, the international Lumiere conference has become an integral and much-
anticipated fixture in the festival programme. “I am very excited about this year’s event and hearing how this fantastic line-up of speakers will respond to questions around the future of our cities and the impact of culture in regeneration. By inviting speakers from
“Lumiere is a highlight of Durham’s calendar and something that the University is very proud to support” There are also a number of speakers from the arts, including Anuradha Henriques, Founder and Editor of Skin Deep, a multimedia platform that ensures voices of colour are heard through a discussion of race and culture. The conference will be hosted by Artichoke in association with Durham County Council and supported by the European Commission. Artichoke is a leading UK arts charity and this year’s event builds on the successful conferences of 2015 and 2013. Regarding his role as a speaker in this year’s conference, Professor Corbridge said: “Lumiere is a highlight of Durham’s calendar
▲ Durham University is a major sponsor of Lumiere (Amy Ding)
across the board, from near and far, the cultural to the scientific, we promise the conference will be a truly eye-opening day.” Lumiere will be held between 16th-19th November this year. Tickets to the conference cost £35. Concessions are priced at £15.
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News Features
Durham in international Top 30 for Arts and Humanities
By Ben Sladden News Features Editor Durham University has strengthened its reputation abroad and at home this year after being ranked 29th in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2018 for the Arts & Humanities. Success for the University’s Humanities Departments was also matched University-wide as Durham was ranked fifth in the UK by The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide. Professor Stuart Corbridge, Vice-Chancellor at Durham University, said: “To be ranked in the top five universities in the UK reflects the sustained commitment we have to delivering excellence across education, research and the wider student experience. “As part of our new strategy we have ambitious plans to develop and place the University firmly among the best in world. “Recent milestones include opening the International Study Centre in Stockton welcoming the first cohort of students, and in Durham City work will shortly commence on the new £40m Centre for Teaching and Learning which will be a hub for educational innovation.” Most prospective students will refer to university league tables to help inform their choices regarding higher education. However, this can be a perplexing task with numerous different rankings existing, often presenting disparate results. In September, Durham University was placed 29th in the
Significantly, the global rankings do not take into account student experience, unlike most domestic league tables world in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2018 for the Arts & Humanities. The THE rankings are among the main global ‘hard’ rankings, disregarding factors such as student satisfaction (which the domestic rankings factor in), focusing solely on academic reputation, quality of research and the internationalism of departments. Professor David Cowling, ProVice-Chancellor at Durham (Arts and Humanities) said: “These latest world rankings demonstrate the continued international excellence of Arts and Hu-
manities teaching and research at Durham University. “We have strength in every subject area and particularly value research-led education, allowing our students to develop skills which equip them well for future studies or the world of work.” Durham’s Humanities Departments are involved in ongoing cutting-edge research projects across the world. Archaeologists from Durham became the first UK university team to work on sites within the Forbidden City in Beijing where access is restricted. Furthermore, The Zurbarán Centre for Spanish and Latin American Art is scheduled to open in Bishop Auckland alongside a gallery exhibiting Spanish art. Despite recent success, there appears a clear mismatch between Durham’s reputation in Britain compared to its standing across the globe. QS 2018 placed the University joint 78th in the UK, and 12th in the UK. Similarly, the THE only narrowly placed Durham within the top 100 universities in the world this year, and ranked the University outside of the top ten in the UK.
The University has embarked on a £700m tenyear investment strategy, which it hopes will improve its global prestige The discrepancy in international and domestic league table results has in large part to do with the disparate methodology of the rankings. The international rankings emphasise universities’ reputation amongst other academics, citations per paper and papers per faculty alongside other metrics. This serves to benefit the larger, research-intensive institutions, like Oxbridge and London—known in academic circles as the “Golden Triangle”. Domestic rankings, however, take into account student experience, and other factors not directly relating to departmental academic prestige. Durham is among the smallest Russell Group universities with just under 18,000 students as of 2015/16, though this is set to rise in the coming years. Moreover, it has the smallest number of academic staff of the Russell Group—around a quarter of the academic staff of Oxford and UCL. Nevertheless, the University
▲Durham ranks 12th in the country in terms of actual earnings compared to other UK universities (Amy Ding) administration is clearly taking significant steps to improve its global prestige. Earlier this year, the University embarked on an ambitious £700m ten-year investment strategy, which will include the relocation of students from Queens’ Campus in Stockton, increasing student numbers; Durham City has seen significant infrastructural investment; and the University aims to establish “four to six new Colleges through the life of the new University Strategy”. In a statement to Palatinate, Professor Stuart Corbridge, ViceChancellor, Durham University, stated: “Our University Strategy aims to strengthen Durham’s position as a globally networked university, recognised around the world as an outstanding place to study and work and a significant contributor to international research and innovation agendas. “This year, many British universities ranked lower in international league tables than they did in previous years’ results; in the QS tables, Durham was placed joint-78th this year compared to 61th in 2016. Some have argued the trend across Britain was a result of the Brexit referendum which has created uncertainties about the continuity of cross-border academic networks which exist within the EU.” In response to queries about
the specific effect of Brexit on Durham’s international standing, Professor Corbridge told this newspaper: “We are immensely proud of the contributions of all of our staff members and students. We will continue to lobby through Universities UK and the Russell Group for the rights of EU citizens to remain in the UK after the UK leaves the European Union, and for continuing access to EU research funding.
By The Economist’s ranking of “expected” versus “real” earnings, Durham ranked just 109th in the UK “We will also continue to make the case for immigration and work regimes which properly value and facilitate the contributions of international staff and students.” This year has marked the infancy of some new university rankings. The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)—ostensibly a means of rating quality of teaching—was introduced earlier this year, awarding universities Olympic-style rankings of Gold, Silver and Bronze. Durham was ranked Silver, leading to an unsuccessful appeal by the University in which it sought the coveted Gold ranking. Some commentators and university administrators have, how-
ever, criticised the virtue of the TEF as a true reflection of teaching quality. But for many students the prime motivation for attending university is to increase employability. The Economist this year released a new study of graduate salaries, comparing the gap between the expected earnings of graduates had they not attended university and their actual earnings after five years. By the magazine’s analysis, Durham ranked just 109th out of the 125 UK universities surveyed. However, when factoring out “expected salaries” as a unit of analysis, Durham ranked 12th in the country in terms of actual earnings. Similarly, Oxford rose from 10th to 2nd place when focusing on actual earnings alone. Meanwhile, in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings, Durham was placed in the top 50 universities for “employer reputation”. Professor Corbridge said of these rankings:“What is clear is that the University is realising that, if it wants to maintain its position amongst the top flight, prestige at home has to be mirrored abroad. “The University’s Ten-year Strategy, with its focus on boosting the internationalism of the University ... is a clear step toward this goal.”
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Notes from a graduate Millie Sparkes Page 11
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Comment
Student unions: is there any point? George Walker
Forget the myth makers: student unions matter For a long time now, it has been popular to attack student politics. With the much-maligned National Union of Students (NUS) and student unions often failing to cultivate much engagement from student bodies, campus politics has become an easy target for populists across the political spectrum. These sentiments have been embodied recently in NUS disaffiliation across the country, and presidential and election campaigns here in Durham. Yet whilst these campaigns undoubtedly posit valid criticisms of student politics, such initiatives more often engage with a caricature of the movement, not the positive and vibrant communities that hugely benefit both activists and the wider student population. Detractors of campus politics often present a weak straw-man argument. They paint a picture of a small band of self-righteous career politicians, setting out to right the world’s wrongs at humble JCR meetings. They fail to recognise the diverse range of forms that student politics can take. Student politics can involve campaigning on specific issues that affect students on campus, such as spiralling rents or a lack of study space. Equally, it can mean involvement in the student wing of a political party, involvement in a campus liberation campaign, shaping the direction of your Students’ Union, or simply promoting debate and political education amongst fellow students. A huge proportion of students are engaged in one or more of these forms of student politics, and all have their virtues. A major criticism levelled at student politics is that it cannot enact change – and yet this has repeatedly been proven to be a myth. In the past, NUS campaigns helped win students an exemption from council tax and the creation of discounted railcards. They also became the first national organisa-
tion to pass policy in favour of gay rights in 1973. Here in Durham, we have also seen the difference an increasingly vibrant activist community can make, with tireless campaigns helping to reduce the rate of college rent hikes and securing the creation of Durham’s Sexual Violence Taskforce. These campaigns are not ‘egotrips’ for those involved; they have in fact made a real difference to students in Durham and across the UK. We should celebrate the positive impact student politics can have on our campuses, and praise those with the bravery and tenacity to drive that change. To those who claim students cannot make a difference: the change you can make is always bigger than you think.
A major criticism is that student politics cannot enact change -- and yet this has repeatedly been proven to be a myth As well as creating real change, student politics also educates and engages young people, countering that label of ‘apathy’ to which they are often assigned. Party politics can often be dour: dominated by middle-aged white men who have little in common with the average student. In this regard, student politics can be an excellent antidote. During the recent general election,
Durham University Labour Club provided opportunities for many Durham students to campaign for the party and talk to voters in their local community. Even if few students attend Labour Party Branch meetings, through student politics – an environment geared towards young people – they can become more civically active and educated citizens as a result, which helps bust the myth that young people simply do not care. In Durham specifically, a university whose student body has a reputation for being pale, stale and generally apathetic, student politics can dispel this perception by showing the capacity of Durham students to push for change in an often colourful, creative and exciting fashion. Student politics certainly has its problems, and as students we should hold student leaders to account and criticise them when we feel they are failing to represent our interests. But calling for more apolitical campuses is not a solution. Instead, more students should be involved in more politically active students’ unions – which should in turn campaign unapologetically to uphold the interests of their members on the range of issues they face. Doing so would benefit all students and shape our campuses for the better – so let’s stop taking the easy option of castigating and go out and engage people instead. Photograph: Rob Hardyman
Samuel Betley
Ignore student union politics : you might discover yourself Arriving in Durham for the first time, you are probably sick of being told that your time at university will be the best of your life. Yet as an undergraduate, you have an unparalleled opportunity to discover your fundamental beliefs about the basis of a prosperous society. At university, there are two main ways of getting involved in politics: the Student Unions (of Durham, and at national level), and the various associations and clubs affiliated to Britain’s major political parties. The former route merely seems to narrow the minds of participants. In contrast, the diversity of student political groups represented at the Freshers Fair never ceases to impress. It is true that some have tried to break the mould and introduce new ideas to the National Union of Students (NUS). Arguably the best known of these outliers is Tom Harwood, a Durham finalist whose recent campaign for the NUS presidency went viral. Harwood was ultimately unsuccessful – at least in terms of vote share. Nevertheless, he identified some key problems that are currently impossible to overcome because of the ideo logical homogeneity of the NUS.
Student politics societies offer so much more than the grandstanding NUS Consistently low turnout at university elections sends an unrepresentative body of delegates to the national conference, which tends disproportionately to the left, weakening the opportunity for debate. Even university student unions are afflicted with this bias. More importantly, though, a taste for grandstanding has become endemic in NUS culture: instead of focusing on crucial issues for students such as exorbitant
rent and falling quality of teaching (based on the most recent National Student Survey results), they choose to debate motions on subjects like global geopolitics and the monarchy. Every fresher with an interest in politics should heed the lessons from Harwood’s experience: ignore the NUS circus, and debate political issues in the many political groups that exist within Durham University. Student politics societies offer so much more that the NUS and DSU. As a fresher, I did not have the confidence to even join a political group. Yet now, as a finalist, I find myself on the Exec of the Durham University Conservative Association (DUCA), with a growing network of contacts amongst the extensive list of names who travelled to address us over the course of last year. The group enables you to befriend passionate people who may challenge our beliefs about the world. It is this principle of intellectual debate that sets such groups apart from the political activities of the NUS: an organisation perennially compromised by the rigidity of its delegates’ views. The Durham University Labour Club (DULC) espouses similar principles to DUCA regarding diversity of opinion, reflecting changes in the national party. An active member of DULC attributed this approach to the friendly and tolerant attitude of its members, and credited campaigning activities with helping to deal with long-term anxiety. It appears membership of a political group at university can even contribute to good mental health. It is also beneficial for your career prospects, with numerous opportunities to develop skills such as public speaking and leadership. There really are no downsides to getting involved. Weighing up the pros and cons of divergent pathways into student politics, there is no real comparison. The groups with direct affiliations to national parties can make a difference. Whatever your views are, these groups give you the freedom to discover your own political niche. HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION?
Tell us what you think by emailing us at comment@ palatinate.org.uk
Wednesday 4th October 2017 | PALATINATE
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Comment
No such thing as a normal Freshers’ Week Edoardo Lanfranchi International student When I first arrived at Durham last year, I was picked up at the airport with a few other internationals. We were driven to the hill college area, where I had to wait until smaller cabs would come and pick us up again to deliver us to our respective colleges. It felt weird. First of all, it wasn’t rainy – which is how every Italian expects England to be all of the time – though it was freezing cold, and grey. I kept asking myself which mysterious world I had landed in. An impenetrable wall of wilderness surrounded me; I could hear its melancholic sounds coming
Alisa Anwar Teetotal Freshers’ was one of the most exciting, nerve-wracking, and busiest times of my entire life. For the most part, my experience was quite similar to others. I took part in all my college events, talked to more people than I could have ever imagined, and signed up to far too many societies (and still receive weekly emails from every single one…). I finished the week worn out and exhausted, but completely settled into every aspect of Durham life. Yet, there was one abnormality: I didn’t drink. Before coming to university I
Jack Schofield Christian On paper, I’m a top notch Christian bloke. Churched weekly from birth, two-time winner of St Stephen’s semiannual Bible Quiz, and a fearsome part-time apologist. If anyone has reason to boast, I had more. I also didn’t believe a word of it. Half of my life reflected that disbelief – in the form of nights spent blackout drunk, girls whose names I don’t remember, and all without a moment’s thought to any sort of savior. The other half had me sitting in the pew, going to
from the bushes, its gloomy shadows all around, and it felt like civilisation was thousands of miles away. And that was my first and only encounter with Josephine Butler College. Later on, things got a bit easier. Aside from the fight against a giant spider found in my room on the second night – may he rest in peace – the wilderness did not bother me any further. The rain did come in the end, but only after a couple of days, and the second nightmare of all Italians moving to England - the food - turned out to be acceptable (at least in the short run). Freshers’ week started, and, as one friend of mine recently declared, it was a ‘riot of drunken hedonism’. I soon learnt the meaning of expressions like
‘binge-drinking’ and ‘chunder’, and discovered that many English students seem to view social life as a collective renouncement of their psycho-physical abilities. But that wasn’t all. Without me realising it, the Durham spirit started to get hold of me. It was mainly in the quiet moments, at lunch or at a Welfare tea-and-toasts that it started to happen. After only one week, I could already feel a growing sense of being part of… something. Durham and my college made me feel like I was in my place. My new home – built on diversity, rain and bad food, and occasionally inhabited by scary spiders. But my home, nonetheless.
was often met with the impression that not drinking would ostracise me from events and hinder making friends. I was anxious that I would feel peerpressured into going out every night, and apprehensive that I’d be forced to change my personality to fit in with the crowd. I even once found myself scrutinising the pages of ‘The Student Room’ to see whether being teetotal at university was a common thing. To my dismay, on the surface, it wasn’t. It is important to disclaim that I have absolutely nothing against those who drink or had the ‘typical’ freshers’ experience. It just wasn’t for me! However, I am glad to say that, when I arrived at university, all the myths and stories
that I had found myself believing over the previous couple of weeks were completely banished from my mind. Not one person seemed to care that I didn’t drink! I met many people who didn’t drink, yet went out clubbing, in my block. It is a lot more common than people are led to believe. Moreover, not all freshers’ events even revolved around drinking. Colleges ensure that they organise ‘chilled events’ each night to coincide with the regular clubbing nights out, and to my delight! I found them to be extremely popular. As long as you try to be sociable, , freshers’ week will be thor-
the Christian summer camps, and earnestly trying to look godly. “This has got to come to a head,” reasoned my 17-year-old self… and to a head it inevitably came. I set out to prove Christianity false to myself and ended up doing the opposite. After examining the evidence, I became convinced that Jesus had died and risen again for broken people like me. And it was in this frame of mind that HildBede freshers’ week hit me. While home friends regularly remind me that Durham is known as “Dullham”, Dullham is still able to push a fair few drinks down its new freshers. How did I handle it as a man newly striving to live the way Jesus teaches as the best
way? Badly. I drank way too much. I did things that I’m not proud of. And that is why I’m so thankful that we’re not saved through our actions – everyone would fail by that measure. Instead, knowing Jesus has taken every punishment that I deserve on himself, I can be confident that my many failings are not going to bar me from an eternity with Him. You can find the full roster of Christian Union events on the Facebook page. These events are open to everyone, particularly if you have your own questions about Jesus or the
oughly enjoyable.
Christian faith.
PALATINATE | Wednesday 4th October 2017
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Comment
Being a ‘Millennial’: The rise of a curious phenomenon Kleopatra Olympiou
COMMENT EXPERIENCE
‘Millennial’ is probably a word that makes you sigh. It is a term loaded with a set of assumptions about the younger generation and their presumed entitlement, narcissism, and inadequate coping mechanisms. If these generalisations are to be believed, attending university would have catastrophic consequences for such an emotionally-challenged generation. So, on the eve of a new academic year, it is worth taking a step back and examining the complexity surrounding current discussions about millennials. Regular headlines, such as “Millennials aren’t ready for the reality of college life and can’t manage time or money, research reveals” (The Independent, July 2017), make grand, sweeping statements about the inadequacy of our generation. Still, while much of the discussion in the media can be cynically attributed to ‘clickbait’, it is intriguing to observe the conversation about millennials’ supposed shortcomings spilling into the worlds of politics and popular
culture. In the U.S., Republican senator Ben Sasse’s book The Vanishing American Adult, published last May, criticises what Sasse sees as “perpetual adolescence”, arguing that parents should be responsible for cultivating grit and resilience in their children. Characteristically, he states: “Our kids simply don’t know what an adult is anymore – or how to become one… Perhaps more problematic, the older generations have forgotten that we need to plan to teach them. It’s our fault more than it is theirs.” In response, Sasse encourages parents to teach their children the value of hard, manual work, to encourage them to read, to delegate chores between children, all whilst looking back to the “Greatest Generation” for inspiration.
“I think I may be the voice of my generation” says Girls’ Hannah Horvath
The senator’s approach seems to be in line with that of inspirational speaker Simon Sinek, who also blames millennials’ faults on “failed parenting strategies”. Both make interesting points, yet it is
Lena Dunham ; Photograph by Fortune Live Media via Flickr
hard not to raise an eyebrow at this erosion of generational responsibility by both commentators. The oxymoron of self-reliance having to be taught by parents is rather puzzling, and somewhat counterintuitively encourages the over-involvement of parents: it seems the discussion of millennials as children is perpetuating a treatment of millennials as children. Another issue is that the perceived magnitude of the millennial ‘problem’ seems to be largely dependent on where an individual lies on the political spectrum. This disparity is easily discerned when reading criticism of Sasse’s book. Emma Green of The Atlantic, despite pointing out various flaws, gives Sasse credit for his idealism, saying that he has “identified the right project for America: rehabilitating a shared moral language”. Jennifer Szalai, writing for The
New York Times, however, is less open to what she sees as blind romanticism. She points out that Sasse ignores all external forces, including economic scarcity, racism and sexism, with his suggestion that self-reliance is the only factor for determining success. Other criticisms based on political orientation can be found in the very assumption that there is anything wrong with the current generation – to mourn the loss of a ‘greater’ past and aim to recreate it is becoming a distinctly conservative tendency (see “Make America Great Again”, or “Take Back Control”). This prompts one to entertain the thought that it could be a conservative desire to condemn the more liberal youth which sparked the entire debate about millennials — but that would perhaps be too absolutist. The tendency of older generations to bemoan the defects of millennials cannot entirely be attributed to their own emotional or political biases, and, indeed, many of their arguments are compelling. It is wiser to simply accept this tendency as one of the factors that helps to perpetuate the current notoriety of millennials, and to consider the probability of its setting in motion a deeper wheel of
self-fulfilling prophecies. It cannot be ruled out that such extensive lamenting can lead millennials to consider ourselves problematic – such is the impression given by popular culture, anyway. An interesting example would be the contentious TV show Girls, in which the four main characters wander around New York, manipulating and consistently failing at connecting with one another. “I think that I may be the voice of my generation,” says Hannah Horvath, the character played by Lena Dunham (pictured).
back. This isn’t me saying that you shouldn’t join societies or throw yourself into the DU bubble. Rather, I’m saying they’re not for everyone. They weren’t for me, and if you bottle out of signing up to Harry Potter Soc it doesn’t matter – most people are Potter Heads anyway. Don’t regret not being the president of this society and the secretary of that, just because your friends are. Rather, do it if you want to, not because it will look good on your CV. Looking back, it’s clear to me that there is so much more to Durham than the university brand. It’s about those first few years as an adult: leaving home, trying new things, losing the ability to ever drink rum again (again, maybe just me). It’s about learning and making mistakes. A dry run, really, for real adulthood. And so, here I am three years later and to my surprise, not much has changed. I’m three years older, somewhat wiser, and slightly more qualified. But my worries stay the same. I’ve left the
familiar once again (because that is what Durham had become), and now I find myself in London, to find my fortune like a modern-day Dickens character.
It could be a conservative desire to condemn the more liberal youth
So, where does this leave us? Being aware of the complexities illuminates their context. It reminds us, rather predictably, to be wary of generalisations that often say a lot more about their speakers than the topic at hand. To speak is to share a) who you are, and b) what you think. The former infinitely enriches the complexities of any discussion.
Notes from a graduate to a nervous fresher Millie Sparkes
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hree years ago today, give or take, I headed north for the very first time. The car was packed to the gunnels with everything that I absolutely couldn’t live without (but wouldn’t even look at for the next three years). The M1 was full of cars similarly loaded, right down to the nervous fresher in the passenger seat. I was, for the first time in my adult life, entering the unknown. I think most of us had the same worries when we started at Durham, however irrational they may seem now. I had convinced myself that I’d been accepted by mistake, that I’d show up at my lecture on Monday morning to find the professors waiting to give me the bad news. Lit-
tle did I know that the lecturers never had a clue whether I was supposed to be there or not, and were most likely grateful for an extra face in their near-empty lecture hall. Would we make friends? Would we manage the workload? Had we won our places at this prestigious university by accident? Once we arrived
I don’t think anyone’s vision of University ever really comes true
would we be told there’d been a mistake, that we were not at all clever enough to be there? Maybe this one was just me. And still, at the very backs of our minds, with three years to brew, the small question of: What job can we get with our degree? We each had visions of who we would be at university, promising our parents that
we’d join every society, play sports and go to all our lectures. I don’t think that anyone’s vision ever really comes true (kudos to you if it did), but that’s not a bad thing. I knew the second I stepped into the freshers’ fair with three of my new friends that I was going to bail out of stuff I’d been so confident about signing up to. I liked these people, and I didn’t want my quirks revealing themselves too soon for fear of scaring them off. I didn’t sign up to half the things that actually caught my attention. That said, it didn’t matter. I never even saw the people I went to the fair with again after freshers’ week. Instead, I found my group of friends, without the need of societies, and I never looked
If you bottle out of signing up for Harry Potter Soc it doesn’t matter -- most people are Potter Heads anyway
Durham is about losing the ability to ever drink rum again
And my old worries have come back to haunt me. Once again I ask: Will I find friends? Will I be able to do the work? Perhaps the only difference is that the once distant worry of finding work is rather more at the forefront of my mind, now that I no longer have the comfort of a student loan. The other difference is that I’ve done this before. I’ve ventured into the unknown and made it my home. It might be daunting, but this time I know I can do it. That, and my hangovers are worse – oh, the hardships of old age.
Wednesday 4th October 2017 | PALATINATE
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Profile
“I have the best job in the world”
Profile talks to wildlife photographer and Durham graduate Sue Flood about waking up with penguins and working with David Attenborough Flood’s wildlife highlights, when she was touched on the side of the head by a gorilla as it gently stepped over her whilst climbing down from a tree. Despite the undoubted highs of her chosen career, Flood is also conscious of its challenges, describing the photography industry as “absolutely” a male-dominated one, and she criticises Nikon’s recent advertising campaign, which
Isabelle Ardron Profile Editor Sue Flood graduated from Durham with a BSc in Zoology in 1986. Since then, she has worked at the BBC on renowned documentaries including The Blue Planet and Planet Earth, and more recently as a freelance wildlife photographer and guide. Flood acknowledges – and few would disagree – she has an “absolute dream career”, working alongside some of the world’s most beautiful wildlife in locations from Antarctica to Zambia, and credits her degree as “definitely” helping her into the BBC, alongside her post-Durham volunteer work in Bermuda and Australia. Although her goal had always been to work with David Attenborough at the BBC, a career am-
Despite her composure when camping with polar bears, Flood admits she gets flustered talking on the phone to her hero, David Attenborough bition Flood persistently presented to sceptical careers advisors at school and university, she initially worked as an accountant after graduation. Though she “hated every single moment of [it]”, Flood views it as a “good lesson” that served to reinforce her ambition to pursue wildlife filmmaking. This ability to find the opportunities in every situation, combined with a readiness to “hold my nose
The photography industry is “absolutely” a male-dominated one, but Flood approaches gender inequality with typical resolve and jump” when these opportunities have presented themselves, perhaps explains Flood’s success in her challenging but undoubtedly rewarding career. Flood entered the BBC Natural History Unit in 1993. Here, she achieved her dream of working with David Attenborough and more, working as a researcher and assistant producer on The Blue Planet, and as a field assistant on Planet Earth. Flood believes the extensive time spent researching in the field before filming – a whole year in the case of The Blue Planet – was a large part of these shows’ successes. It was this commitment to time in the field that provided Flood with the experience she considers to be the standout encounter of her career. Whilst filming humpback whales for Planet Earth, Flood was in such close proximity to these animals that she reached out and touched one of them, pushing off the whale to avoid being dragged into her by the cur-
▲ Flood out shooting in Antarctica; (below left) two penguins star in one of the photographs from the trip (©Sue Flood Photography)
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Poaching, Flood says, is “an absolute disaster” – and it’s “not going away”
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rent. Despite her composure in the water, and description of camping with polar bears as “challenging” but ultimately “part of the thrill of the job”, she admits to getting flustered when speaking to her hero, David Attenborough, on the phone. Flood recalls the first time she called him at home, and her astonishment at hearing his “inimitable voice” on the end of the line; when she expressed her surprise, Attenborough replied: “Well I live here”. Tricky first phone calls aside, Flood describes Attenborough as “absolutely remarkable and completely inspirational”, and celebrates his philosophy of encouraging people to conserve nature by showing them its beauty. Having spent eleven years at the BBC, Flood left to pursue a career in stills photography and wildlife guiding. Flood’s approach to moving into an industry which, she admits, is increasingly competitive in the era of digital photography and readily-available online images, was characteristically optimistic. Flood reflects on this period by concluding: “Some of the best opportunities I’ve had in my life have come about because I’ve had a chance to go and do something interesting and thought right, what the hell, let’s go for it.” Her decision to work freelance has paid off, with Flood’s work as a photographer and travel guide leading her this year alone on trips to the Galapagos, Antarctica, Zambia and Rwanda, among other destinations. An expedition in Rwanda to observe mountain gorillas produced another of
featured 32 male photographers and no women. However, Flood approaches gender inequality with typical resolve, stressing that the message she derives from her experiences is that “it didn’t matter what you wanted to do if you were determined enough and followed your dreams”. The problem of conserving the wildlife to which she has devoted her career presents a more significant challenge for Flood. Whilst identifying overpopulation as the main challenge facing conservationists, she recognises the difficulty of resolving the conflict for space between human agricultural demands and animal habitats. Likewise, poaching – an “absolute disaster,” she says – is “not going to go away”. However, Flood cites success stories, such as the project at Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia, which employs former poachers as gamekeepers, as examples of progress in tackling the crisis. Flood also views her own career, as a wildlife guide for tourism companies committed to investing back into local communities, as part of the solution to encouraging conservation. She emphasises the importance of demonstrating the benefits of protecting wildlife to the communities living alongside animals, through ensuring that the employment and financial benefits of wildlife tourism are felt locally. With a book on Emperor Penguins due for publication next year, and a plan to continue her photography and guiding work, Flood’s main aspiration is to “try and make a difference with my images”. You wouldn’t bet against her.
Wednesday 4th October 2017 | PALATINATE
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Politics
Escape your social media echo chamber
Cameron McIntosh Politics Editor The average student spends an astonishing two hours 26 minutes a day on social media, with 28% of 18-24 year olds citing it as their primary news source. The likes of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have revolutionised the way we interact with others by placing the world at our fingertips. However, understanding the all-important algorithms that dictate what we see and, more significantly, what we don’t, is necessary for raising society’s consciousness to the problem of social media echo chambers.
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Social media tribes seemingly operate in parallel universes
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More than any other field, politics has fallen victim to this pernicious online phenomenon. From the bitterly fought Brexit referen-
dum, to the political earthquake that propelled Donald Trump to the White House, and to the hung parliament that saw Theresa May gamble away her Tory majority. Politics is more polarised than ever before and social media has become an amplifier of partisan division. Algorithms divide people based on their likes and dislikes. From their favourite bands to the football team they support. While this seems a reasonable principle, it has had profound implications in the political sphere. Crucially, users are separated based on labels such as Remain and Leave, Hillary and Trump, Labour and Tory. As a result, these identities have formed social media tribes that seemingly operate in parallel universes, insulated from dissenting opinion. It is natural to seek confirmation of one’s own views and we can all be guilty of this in many aspects of our lives. But having your views openly challenged and debated is vital to any functioning democracy. Skipping this process, via social media echo chambers, causes beliefs to become entrenched and turns opinion into dogma. This leaves radical opinion, and the
scourge of ‘fake news’ to fester and make its way into mainstream discourse.
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We need to be more proactive
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To combat the subversive influence of social media formulas, we need to be more proactive and sceptical during the time we spend scrolling through our newsfeeds. Firstly, it is vital to recognise your own bias. Whether that is your communist leanings or your penchant for Margaret Thatcher, know your own partiality. This will enable you to better understand why you receive targeted posts and to question the information you receive. Furthermore, get to know the leanings of the news sources you read. Every publication has a political leaning and maintaining a healthy degree of scepticism will enable you to distinguish between the facts and opinion. Naturally we seek to read views that confirm our own, but by following and liking several pages you disagree with, you will receive
(Elena Onwochei-Garcia)
a more balanced view of events to better inform your own opinions. In addition, on Facebook you are able to adjust your “news feed preferences” to establish viewing priorities, and it would be prudent to add different viewpoints for balance. Further to this, learn to recognise fake news by check-
ing the validity of your sources and be wary of opinions being presented as absolute truths. The ubiquity of social media in modern life is predominately positive. However, it is vital that users better inform themselves about the role of algorithms to thwart the dangers of echo chambers.
War of words: Trump vs ‘Rocket Man’ Brexit delayed until 2021 Jack Parker Deputy Politics Editor Donald Trump has delivered his first address to the United Nations General Assembly as US President. His speech, which lasted over 40 minutes, was broad in scope, opening in relatively diplomatic fashion as Mr Trump praised the UN for being a driving force in the fight for social equality. Turning his attention to Iran, whose government he called “a corrupt dictatorship under the guise of democracy,” Mr Trump condemned his predecessor Barack Obama for negotiating and signing the 2015 nuclear accord, which halted Iran’s nuclear development programme.
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The President is provocative in his rhetoric
for being the latest chapter in the ongoing war of words between the United States and North Korea. Evidently preempting Trump’s aggressive and scolding remarks, North Korea’s ambassador to the UN, Ja Song-nam, walked out of the venue just moments before the US President took to the stage. Although few would disagree with Trump’s sentiment that North Korea is a threat to world peace, his dubbing of Kim Jong-un as the “rocket man on a suicide mission” and his boasting of the US’s ability to “totally destroy” North Korea were poorly received in the room. The speech has been widely criticised by world leaders and international diplomats, many of whom accused the President of being provocative in his rhetoric. His blunt claim that North Korea
and several other nations are “going to hell” has done little to win him allies on the world stage.
“ Unorthodox
approach to diplomacy
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The muted applause that followed Trump’s address was perhaps an accurate reflection of this. The unorthodox approach to diplomacy he demonstrated in his inaugural UN address is the defining characteristic of his presidency. Whether meaningful progress or further escalation takes place has yet to be seen.
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He referred to the accord, signed by Iran and six other world powers, as “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into”. Trump’s address was also notable
(‘stephan’ via Flickr)
Nathan Cinnamond Theresa May began her speech in Florence regarding the latest rounds of EU-UK negotiations with a homage to the region’s past, specifically the Renaissance period. The age marked a new era for creativity and critical thought and its “example shaped the modern world,” May argued. Indeed, the Republic of Florence heralded a unique opportunity for localised participation in government and a belief in liberty. Forgive me for not knowing the Latin for “take back control,” but I am sure you can spot the similarities. Many have already been searching for a precedent for Brexit. May discussed that while the Norwegian model may bear closer resemblance to our goal than Canada’s, it is unhelpful to use these as markers due to our unique withdrawal. She is right. A post-Brexit United Kingdom will continue to share intelligence and security data with the EU, and assurance was again given to the EU natives living on our shores that their rights will remain intact, but the UK will not have single-market membership nor succumb to ECJ jurisprudence. The first audible murmurs
could be heard when May backed a “transitional period,” beginning after the expiration of the triggering of Article 50, in which businesses are given time to adjust to the new political structure. While arguments of logistics and convenience can be made, this struck many as hugely disappointing. A two-year transition period in which we continue to be subject to EU laws and restrictions, a card which the Prime Minister confirmed she will be laying on the negotiating table, will amount to nothing more than a delay of Brexit.
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This struck many as hugely disappointing
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This concession must be taken with a (not yet provided) sweetener. The response to the speech was mixed and the cabinet infighting has only added further pressure to the Prime Minister. While only in the primitive stage of our withdrawal, May must score a big win in the next round of negotiations to shift public opinion back in the right direction.
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PALATINATE | Wednesday 4th October 2017
Politics
Politics News in Brief: What you missed
Catalonia’s political crisis
McDonnellAmendmentpasses
United States of Europe?
Sir Vince ‘could be PM’
Take a knee NFL defiance
Eloise Carey Politics Editor
Edward Keeling
Juliette Holland
The independence referendum on October 1st is a symbolic moment for the Catalan people, who have felt trapped since their oppression as political prisoners under Franco. However, the referendum may not ever be enforced, since the Spanish courts and central government claim it is illegal – with more than a dozen officials arrested over the controversial decision. Catalonia might unilaterally declare independence – in effect forming a rebel nation and relying on other states’ recognition to solidify their independence. This political and constitutional clash reaches further than Spain, however; it may act as a catalyst for other separatist uprisings, such as in Scotland or Flanders.
The Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has settled on an agreement which will mean that only 10% of MPs and MEPs are needed for the nomination of a leader to the Labour party. This fall from 15% means that, given Labour’s current number of politicians, only 26 votes will be needed for a nominee. A reduction of this type will allow more extreme candidates to be nominated. Allies of Jeremy Corbyn, including former MP Katy Clark, have hailed it as democratisation, whilst others have suggested it will lead to a polarisation within Labour and its voters.
Jean-Claude Juncker’s annual address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg outlined plans for the strengthening of remaining ties and deeper integration within the union such as all member states becoming part of the euro. Plans to expand the union past its remaining 27 states, with one president creating a centralised power, led to many calling it a blueprint for the “United States of Europe,” something only reinforced by the economic comparisons he drew with the U.S. Keen not to dwell on Brexit, he used the case to reinstate the EU’s original premise of greater solidarity for the future of integration.
During Vince Cable’s seemingly endless speech, one of his most notable comments was that he could “be the next PM,” which appears inconceivable for a party with just 12 MPs, but he went onto justify it by saying that politics is in a “remarkable state of flux”. And although this may be true, the wounds from coalition are not yet fully healed and with a second referendum still the centrepiece of the party, in a country where 421 constituencies voted to leave the EU, it seems more than unlikely. But then again, who would predict anything in today’s politics?
President Donald Trump has fallen out with the NFL over players refusing to stand for the national anthem. American football player Colin Kaepernick started the protest, which was originally about police brutality. The president has waded into the issue with all his usual tact, saying the players were disrespectful and should be fired if they knelt for the anthem. This has brought the dispute to international attention, and the refusal to stand has turned partly into a protest against Trump. Clearly both sides have a point here, but with international tensions escalating by the day, doesn’t the president have bigger things to worry about?
(Rob Shenk via Flickr)
(Sussex LRC via Flickr)
(Mehr Demokratie via Flickr)
(University of Essex via Flickr)
(Lois O’Bouike via Flickr)
Make your voice heard Victoria Lincoln The new academic year is here, so it’s time to set some goals and they should include getting involved in a student cause, political party or association group. Durham students have been accused of being apathetic and, to be honest, we haven’t been doing ourselves any favours in debunking that assumption. However, recent elections highlight that if we don’t get involved, we’re going to continue to be a marginalised generation.
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We need fresh talent and debate
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Let’s recap our two most recent elections - the General Election and the EU referendum. There is quite a bit of confusion about the youth turnout in the General Election earlier this year. Initially, some commentators put the youth turnout as high as 72%, but this was inflated. A YouGov poll put the youth vote (1824) at less than 60%. However, the 57% turnout in 2017 is better than
the 43% in the 2015 General Election. The 2017 election signalled some changes in how young people voted. The share of the young vote for the Conservatives and UKIP fell and increased for the Liberal Democrats and Labour. The latter’s increase in the share of young voters was massive. The change in how we vote and how many of us voted in the last election is tied to the EU referendum last year. The LSE places youth turnout around 64% for last year’s EU referendum. YouGov data suggests that 75% of 18- to 24-yearolds voted to remain. Many young voters feel their voices aren’t heard, which has created this bitter cycle. We feel we’re not listened to so we don’t engage, then we lose vote share and fall down the political agenda and it enhances the original feeling of disenfranchisement. Even when politicians try and bribe us into voting for them like Corbyn’s recent promise to relieve all student debt, it ends up empty promises. Corbyn might have prescribed an irresponsible policy, but at least he can connect with young people which is more than can be said for Theresa May. Now is a difficult time to be a Young centre-right Conservative, as the only leadership the party is offering are UKIP-
lite. To a lesser extent people who associate as centre-left could feel the same way about Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour party. In this polarised climate, Durham’s political societies need support more than ever. Political groups often attract people who have the same views. Sometimes this makes these societies’ look exclusive. However, these societies cannot change or diversify without new students joining them and bringing fresh talent and debate. It should be another exciting year for student politics so get involved.
If you want to get involved by writing for Palatinate Politics, scan the QR code below to join our Facebook group.
Louis Gibbon
Perry Gresham
Merkel holds on Rhodri Sheldrake Davies Deputy Politics Editor Berlin is a changed city today, following the fallout of the latest round of Bundestag elections. Angela Merkel’s CDU/CSU suffered significant losses, as voters expressed discontent with the policies of the 2013-17 government, however have held onto power as the strongest party.
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The face of the Bundestag has changed entirely
The big winners of this election have been the controversial AfD, who surpassed pollsters expectations and became the Bundestag’s third largest party, drawing in supporters from across the political spectrum, as well as a substantial number of first time voters. Similarly, the FDP had cause to be happy with their result, returning to the position of kingmaker. With a total of six parties now sitting, the face of the Bundestag has changed entirely from when Merkel first took up her chancellorship in 2005.
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On the other hand, their ex-coalition partner, the SPD, received its worst result since WW2. It has subsequently announced that it plans to return to opposition in order to reconnect with its core vote, many of whom have shifted allegiance to the smaller parties. This decision has left the CDU/ CSU in an awkward position, needing to negotiate the support of both the Greens and FDP in order to form a viable government.
(Daniel Morgenstern via Flickr)
Wednesday 4th October 2017 | PALATINATE
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SciTech
How to survive university – according to science Martha Bozic SciTech Editor As new students take their first steps into Freshers’ Week this year, they may find themselves wanting for many things. There will be forgotten essentials, like phone chargers and blankets, the unwelcome surprise of waking up to find there is no clean underwear, and, most distinctly, a huge lack of time.
For the disorganised student, there are alternatives to treating life like a yoga retreat With an enormous variety of things to do at university, students are often told they can “sleep, study or socialise, but only choose two”. Consequently, a lot of people will find themselves compromising on sleep to fit everything in, but if you really want to do it all, what is the best way forward?
How to sleep less
There is mixed advice available online when it comes to sleeping less. Some articles recommend that people “train” their body by reducing the time spent in bed by a small amount each night. Even these, however, warn about the dangers of sleep deprivation, and the majority of research argues that you cannot force yourself to sleep less. Only the rare and fortunate “sleepless elite,” in possession of the hDEC2 gene, can get away with as little as six hours a night. Instead, there is plenty of guidance on how to make the most of time spent sleeping. (It is unfortunate that most of it reads like a set of never-followed New Year’s resolutions.) Suggestions include: cutting down on alcohol, on caffeine and on nicotine consumption; exercising regularly, but not in the evening; and forming a night-time ritual of meditating before bed. Additionally, banning all screen use one to two hours before bed time is said to be beneficial. For the disorganised student, however, there are alternatives to treating life like a yoga retreat. It might not be the dream answer, but for the best quality sleep, advice is to wake up at the same time every day, then nap. As needing a lie-in is itself a sign of sleep deprivation: if you can go without it, it’s likely to be better for you in the long term.
Alternatively, banking sleep in advance by going to bed a couple of hours earlier for a week has been shown to work for short periods of time, which may be more effective when deadlines start hitting. In the short term, sleep deprivation produces symptoms familiar to anyone who’s had a bad night, including reduced concentration, confusion, and a short temper. These effects certainly aren’t ideal for anyone with a 9am lecture or an important assessment the next day. Less well known, though, is the negative impact on both short- and long-term memory, as well as the adverse effects on problem solving and decisionmaking abilities. This is because a lack of sleep changes the level of activity in multiple parts of the brain, including the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the frontal and parietal lobes.
Even for the currently uninitiated, napping is likely to become a necessary compromise for getting to 9am lectures on time In a trial with mice, parts of the brain were found to literally eat themselves after a few bad nights, breaking down preformed connections. Long term effects, meanwhile, can be surprisingly severe and include an increased risk of diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. Even for the currently uninitiated, napping is likely to become a necessary compromise
(Pixabay)
in order to get to rowing or 9am lectures. Given that most students study and sleep in the same room, it can be tempting to switch one out for the other. Scientifically, napping can also be the better option, especially to avoid the jetlag-like effects of an out of sync sleep schedule. Many people, however, discover that they feel worse after a nap due to the effects of sleep inertia – that is, “the period of impaired performance and grogginess experienced after waking”. Thankfully, the effects of sleep inertia can be minimised, or even avoided altogether. Studies suggest that caffeine consumption can help to reduce grogginess, but, perhaps coun-
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Sleep deprivation is serious: in a trial with mice, parts of the brain were found to literally eat themselves after a few bad nights
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terintuitively, it is most effective when administered before sleep. Additionally, timing naps carefully can help to avoid waking during deep sleep – the period during which sleep inertia will be at its worst. Aiming for a nap length of either 20 or 90 minutes will give the best results, whereas waking anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes in will make it much harder to get out of bed. It may be frustrating to learn that there is no easy long-term way to compromise on sleep. Without it, however, it would be difficult to do anything at all. Remember that, and you can go through university without feeling that you’ve wasted a second.
The post-Brexit future of UK science is murky Jack Eardley SciTech Editor
Opinion
A recent government paper entitled “Collaboration on Science and Innovation” revealed at least some detail of the government’s plans to maintain the competitiveness of UK science. Many news outlets were, however, quick to criticise the position as overly ambitious to the point of fantasy. The paper refers to numerous EU and non-EU scientific funding organisations and frequently targets re-entering these organisations as an independent state after Brexit. Many of these organisations currently have no clear mechanism
for this, or are likely to allow it only on the condition of reduced influence for the independent members.
The depressing reality for UK scientists is that the best outcome is no change, and the worst could be more difficulties with funding and collaboration It is probably accurate to describe this paper as overly ambitious. Even if, after the Brexit dust has settled, the government ne-
gotiators’ manage to muscle their way back into all of these funding and collaboration groups, we will be at exactly the same point we were at just before Brexit. The depressing reality for UK scientists is that the best outcome is likely to be no change, and the worst could be even more difficulty in securing funding and collaborators for their work. This is all without even considering the freedom of movementshaped elephant in the room, which will no doubt be a sticking point for the European negotiators. The recent paper is clear that complete freedom of movement to the UK will end, but seems to expect researchers to be able to maintain their freedom of move-
ment throughout Europe. If such an arrangement is possible then yet again this enormous and complex negotiation will result in UK science being in exactly the position it was before the referendum. This news is not a surprise to the scientific community as prereferendum polls conducted by Nature saw British scientists in favour of Remain by a margin greater than four to one. Out of the scientists who wanted Brexit, when asked if they thought it could have a positive effect on UK science a majority expected the process to have no influence. It is still early in the negotiation process, so we can only hope that UK science manages to survive this political black hole.
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Wednesday 4th October 2017 | PALATINATE
Sport Sport
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“With the standard of defending now, I would comfortably score 40 goals a season”
As the Premier League celebrates its 25 th anniversary, Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero speaks to all-time top scorer Alan Shearer about what makes a great goalscorer, his return to Newcastle and his career in punditry Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero Sport Editor
I
f there is one thing which the Premier League has obsessed over since its inception 25 years ago, it is goals. Great goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders have graced English football, but prolific forwards invariably receive the most affection from fans, managers and pundits. Alan Shearer is at least partly responsible for this obsession. With 260 goals to his name, the former Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United striker is far and away the Premier League’s all-time top scorer. The only player even remotely close is Wayne Rooney, who is still 60 goals behind. “A great goalscorer is someone who delivers when it really matters,” he tells me. “There are a lot of players who can score goals. But scoring when the team is playing badly, when the result is on the line, or when the pressure is on, is what separates the good from the best.” Shearer’s famous ‘one-hand’ celebration is synonymous with the Premier League. He says it was “just what I did naturally”, and the same could be said of his goalscoring feats. What makes his record even more impressive is that he never played for a powerhouse such as Manchester United, though he was offered the chance. Southampton first spotted the boy from Gosforth, Newcastle, playing for Wallsend Boys Club. Having spent time at their Centre of Excellence during the holidays, moving to the south coast in 1986 was the next logical step for Shearer. Apart from “a history of producing good players,” Southampton was also a city where the teenager could “focus on my football away from my mates”. It didn’t take long for him to make an impression. Two years after joining the Saints, a fresh-faced Shearer was handed a full debut against Arsenal at The Dell. He responded with a hat-trick, and his reward was a first professional contract at the end of the season. “I didn’t even know I was starting the game so none of my family had got tickets. To play was incredible, to score a hat-trick was amazing. The next day I was back [to] cleaning boots, so they didn’t let me get carried away.” Shearer had announced himself to English football by becoming the youngest player to score a top flight hat-trick, and after a goalless season he started to gain momentum. He scored 40 over the next three seasons, as well as all seven for England Under-21’s en route to winning the 1991 Toulon Tournament. By then, other clubs were sitting
up and taking notice of Southampton’s young striker. For the first time, Sir Alex Ferguson made a bid to bring Shearer to Old Trafford. Instead, he opted to join Jack Walker’s ambitious Blackburn a few months before the inaugural Premier League season. “Jack Walker, Kenny Dalglish and Ray Harford sold me the dream. They had all been successful in their lives before so they knew what they were saying.” But it was Shearer who turned that dream into reality, becoming Dalglish’s talisman and netting 130 goals for the Lancashire club. He was unstoppable as Blackburn pulled off a remarkable title win in the 199495 season, thanks in no small part to their star man’s 34 goals. Some choose to focus on Walker’s huge investment in the club, but Shearer says this is missing the point. “The season we won the title, I can’t remember the figures, but we certainly weren’t the highest spending club in the Premier League at the time. It was just because we were such a small club taking on the big boys.” It was the second of three consecutive seasons in which Shearer scored 30 goals or more, and his presence is still felt at Ewood Park. The fact a street in Blackburn is named after him demonstrates his legacy in that part of the country.
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Returning to St James’ Park was the ultimate fulfilment of my boyhood dream
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Shearer also flourished for England during those early Premier League years. He scored on his senior debut against France while still at Southampton, but the summer of 1996 was when he proved his worth in an England shirt. Euro 96 was the first international tournament to be hosted by England since 1966, and the home team did not disappoint. Shearer won the Golden Boot with five goals as England made it to the semi-finals in their last great performance at a tournament, ultimately losing to Germany on penalties – a recurring theme to this day. He scored twice in the 4-1 rout of the Netherlands at Wembley, which he sees as the defining match.
▲ “A great goalscorer is someone who delivers when it really matters”
“The game against Holland in Euro 96 was the greatest atmosphere I played in during my career. The game had everything – two great footballing nations, an incredible atmosphere, a fantastic team performance from an England side, which I don’t think we have matched since.” He says it was a “shame” that Terry Venables was unable to continue with that side – five months before Euro 96, the manager had announced he would stand down after the tournament due to upcoming court cases. But two years later Shearer captained the team at the World Cup, and although England were undone by penalties once again in France – this time by Argentina in a bad-tempered round of 16 fixture – Shearer considers himself indebted to Venables’ successor. “By far the proudest achievement of my career was captaining England. I will be forever grateful to Glenn Hoddle for giving me the honour, and to then lead England out at the World Cup finals was the ultimate, but yet again we failed in the penalty shootout.” But there was still something missing for Shearer. The Blackburn striker was in high demand prior to Euro 96, but that tournament heightened the excitement surrounding him even further. Once again, he was approached by Man United, but another team entered the mix – his beloved Newcastle, which he describes as “my club”. “I’d all but agreed to go to Manchester United, but once I met Kevin Keegan and spoke to him there was only one thing I could do, and that was return home to Newcastle.” Players rarely get the chance to play for their hometown club under their childhood hero, and it is
hard to argue with Shearer’s choice. Newcastle paid a world record £15 million to sign him, but the fee was unimportant. They had their man, and Shearer was home. “It was the ultimate fulfilment of my boyhood dream returning to play at St James’ Park wearing the number 9 shirt. With 15,000 people coming to watch my unveiling, I knew I had made the right decision.” Many wonder what might have happened had Shearer joined Ferguson’s side that summer. Newcastle failed to win a single trophy during his 10 years at St James’ Park while United swept all before them, but Shearer says he does not regret “any decisions” he made in his career. “My only regret is my injuries. I couldn’t have done more on the pitch to try and win a trophy for Newcastle. When I signed we were challengers and the only time I would have had a regret was if Newcastle had won a trophy during my career and I had not been part of it. I did everything I could to make it happen, but it wasn’t to be.” Shearer had to adapt his game after suffering ankle ligament damage during a pre-season match against Chelsea in 1997. He evolved from complete forward to target man with great success, before injuries caught up with him in 2006. And yet, he surpassed Jackie Milburn’s scoring record and provided countless memorable moments for the Magpies. He was given a hero’s send-off at his testimonial, and the club erected a statue of him outside St James’ Park – with one arm raised, of course. Shearer did not just play for the club; he embodied it. Then there is that daunting 260goal mark which looms over the league. Rooney recently became the second player to break 200, but he
(Arq London)
is in the twilight of his career. Can anyone catch Shearer? “Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku are both young enough to have a chance. They would have to stay injury-free and of course play most of their careers in the Premier League. I honestly think that with the standard of defending now, I would comfortably score 40 goals a season. They currently both play in sides at the right end of the table so both have a chance.” Shearer is not alone in criticising defending in English football. As someone there at the start of the Premier League 25 years ago, he is more qualified than most to analyse the changes since then. “The overall product has improved. The Premier League is a global phenomenon. I don’t think the standard of football has improved, but our league is definitely the most competitive and exciting.” He admits he was tempted by a managerial career, but “those days have passed” since an eight-game stint in charge of Newcastle at the end of the 2008-09 season, where he could not prevent his old side from relegation. Now Shearer is an established pundit on BBC Match of the Day, where he feels at home. “I love my job. For a while, when I was thinking I would go back into management, I held back on giving my real views on TV as I didn’t want to say anything I might regret if I then took a job. “I realised, though, that meant I wasn’t giving myself the chance to be my best in either field so I made the decision to focus on my TV career and really work on being the best I could be at that, without compromise.” It is a phrase which could sum up Shearer’s career.
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PALATINATE | Wednesday 4th October 2017
Sport
www.palatinate.org.uk
College Sport and Team Durham preview: the teams to watch this season Will Jennings Ella Jerman Deputy Sport Editors
Football Following a dramatic apogee to the Floodlit Cup that saw Collingwood break Grey hearts by snatching a last minute winner in the final, both sides look set for strong campaigns with young and ambitious squads. Hatfield should also be a force, having lost to Grey in an eventful semi-final on penalties under the lights on the crumb. With Van Mildert winning the Premier Division and a plethora of impressive teams looking to gel over the next few weeks, the college football scene looks to be in strong and competitive shape. Collingwood A are aiming to win the women’s Premiership title for the third year in a row, but they face fierce competition. Trevelyan A only lost out on the league title on goal difference last season, while third-placed Josephine Butler A beat Collingwood A 5-3 in the Trophy final to prevent the league winners from completing the treble. Meanwhile, Division One will have a new team playing in the 2017/18 season: Josephine Butler B. They will compete with the likes of Hatfield A for promotion, who missed out on a Premiership spot by just one point last season.
Rugby Playing rugby on the crumb may be an unenviable task, but Collingwood mastered it last season, marching on to victory in the Floodlit competition while also winning the Premier Division. Impressive campaigns from Hatfield and St Aidan’s in the top flight also demonstrated the range of talent the college rugby circuit has to offer. Van Mildert’s strong finish last season only adds to the potential for more drama and tenacious tussles this year. In the women’s game, Graidan’s topped last year’s table with a faultless record of eight wins in eight league matches. Milbut will be looking to mount a serious title challenge this year after losing just once last season to the eventual champions.
Hockey Grey A have a lot to live up to in the Women’s Premiership after last year’s success. They maintained a 15-match unbeaten run
in their league campaign to top the table last year, scoring 62 goals and conceding only three. St Aidan’s A and St Cuthbert’s A will also be challenging for the top spot after finishing 2nd and 3rd last season respectively. Meanwhile for the men’s teams, it would take a brave individual to predict the outcome of the imminent men’s hockey season after a strange year that saw Hatfield triumph in the Floodlit Cup yet get relegated from the Premier Division in the process. St Cuthbert’s will once again be a team to watch following their league success last year, while Collingwood will inevitably present a threat after their impressive showing in both competitions.
Ollie Godden Deputy Sport Editor
(Jed Wee)
Men’s Rugby
Netball Last spring, University A became Premiership champions after winning all but one of their 11 matches. John Snow A could be one of the teams to watch this season if they manage to maintain last season’s impressive record of 336 goals in just 11 matches. With Collingwood B and University B achieving promotion from Division One, we will see a couple of college derbies in the Premiership this season too. Van Mildert C could be the surprise package in Division One after their promotion if they can replicate their 11-match unbeaten run which earned them promotion last season.
(Jed Wee)
(Max Halcox)
In BUCS, the Women’s 1s finished a creditable fourth, although the team will be hoping to build on the five draws procured from their 10 games. A good performance in the BUCS knockout will draw encouragement for the 2017-18 season. With Loughborough and Birmingham proving to be the big guns in the league in previous seasons, Durham will be vying to topple the favourites.
Men’s Lacrosse
Cricket With the outdoor season not beginning until April, John Snow, Collingwood and Grey will be looking forward to the indoor format beginning following their strong showings last term. The latter two sides were terrific throughout, reaching the final, but with Collingwood triumphing on the day.
DURFC finished fourth in the inaugural Super Rugby regular season but lost to Bath by a single point in the quarter-final. This summed up what seemed to be an underwhelming season. This time around, the Palatinates will be aiming for progress in the competition, and a semi-final berth may be a reasonable aspiration considering the introduction of sporting institute Hartpury College and historic favourites Loughborough.
Women’s Hockey
Mixed Lacrosse Collingwood A won the Premiership last season with 24 points, closely followed by St John’s A in second with 22 points. Last year’s runners-up will be confident they can clinch the title this year having finished the season with the Premiership’s most impressive goal difference of 55. The standings were tight in Division One, with just four points separating the top four teams. However, it was St Chad’s A and Van Mildert A that managed to clinch promotion to the top flight.
It is often said there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. However, Loughborough winning the British University and College Sport (BUCS) title each year seems almost as certain, with the Midlands university winning each championship since the turn of the century. But with Durham claiming the accolade of best team sport university for the fourth year running in 2016/17, will the Palatinates’ fierce rivals be knocked off top spot?
(Max Halcox) Collingwood rugby will be in contention again and it will be a tough battle in the Mixed Lacrosse Premiership; Big things will be expected of Team Durham’s Women’s Volleyball 1s and Men’s Lacrosse 1s after impressive seasons
A simple goal for men’s lacrosse lies ahead this year - win the national championship for the ninth time in 10 years. Successive unbeaten seasons leave the club with a reputation that should be upheld. A two-point victory over the England Senior Performance Squad at the end of last year sums up their ability.
Women’s Lacrosse The women’s lacrosse squad were equally impressive, with the 1s and 2s both claiming their respec-
tive championships. This coming year they will no doubt continue to focus on both elite performance and player development, building on their already impressive five regular teams, an especially admirable showing considering their focus as a performance sport.
Men’s Cricket Durham’s MCCU suffered a stuttering season on the whole. After holding their own in pre-season against eventual County Championship winners Essex, they struggled to really get going in the national competition. Impinged by captain Joe Cooke’s injuries, they racked up three wins and three losses to finish sixth, 3.9 points off winners Loughborough. The Marylebone-funded club will be hoping for a strong injection of freshers after losing key players including Ed Pollock, who performed brilliantly when called upon for Birmingham Bears’ T20 squad.
Tennis Both the men’s and women’s teams in Durham’s formidable tennis programme were victorious, defeating Stirling University in their respective national championships, and hence the accolade of Club of the Year was a relatively straightforward decision. To repeat such exploits will be a hard task but invariably that will be the goal for the Team Durham squad that just seems to be getting stronger year on year.
Women’s Volleyball Last year’s Team of the Year are a club on the rise. Women’s Volleyball 1s won the BUCS competition last year and were also the first team in Durham’s history to win a National Governing Body elite league national championship. The club assert their hope this season is to repeat the feat.
Fencing Both the men’s and women’s fencing first teams made it to their national finals, where the men were victorious and the women were narrowly defeated by Edinburgh. This year’s targets will no doubt be similar, but with the women going one step better.
Sport
Wednesday 4th October | PALATINATE
Alan Shearer interview Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero speaks to the Newcastle United and Premier League legend about his life in football (page 18)
Team Durham and College Sport preview We look ahead to what could be in store for Team Durham and the College Sport Competition this season (page 19)
Why you should take up a sport at Durham Matt Bell Team Durham President
Steam rises off a bone-crunching scrum in a 2016 fixture between Durham and fierce rivals Loughborough. We preview all the college and University teams on page 19. (Max Hickox)
The £35m Maiden Castle redevelopment: an update
James Martland Deputy Sport Editor As this term gets underway, both freshers and returning students are likely to be arriving excited to view the redevelopment at the Maiden Castle sports park. The first phase of the project, which started in June, is expected to be completed this month, and means that both Durham students and members of the local community can look forward to using improved sports facilities. Costing around £35 million, the aims of the development are twofold. Firstly, Durham desires to continue competing at the highest level of university sport, and therefore better and more up to date facilities are required in order to achieve this.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, however, the University wants to increase participation in sport, not only from its students, but also from outside, with 2,000 staff and 15 different groups from the local community currently using the facilities at Maiden Castle. The University has set itself a goal of increasing student participation in sport from 75 to 80 per cent. Quentin Sloper, Director of Experience Durham and ‘Operational Lead’ for the project, has split the redevelopment into two different parts. Only the first is set to be completed this month. This first phase has included adding an extra, state of the art rubber crumb (3G) pitch, which will now sit alongside the two previously built. The 3G pitch has been built inside the existing running track
at Maiden Castle. On top of this, the hockey pitches have been upgraded, with two new water-based pitches added, and the car park has been improved. The start date for phase two is unclear, but a planning application has been submitted by the university. This phase also includes some exciting developments which are sure to improve sport at Durham. A new cricket facility will be built – an important move, considering that indoor cricket games have always been played in Durham School and other buildings not owned by the university. An indoor sports hall, indoor tennis facilities, a squash court and a new fitness suite are also part of the plans for phase two. These changes will require the existing building at Maiden Castle to be expanded.
The new facilities will also include new sports laboratories, which will be used to facilitate the Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity degree program. To find out more, visit: www.dur. ac.uk/estates-developments
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Sport at Durham University plays a key role in the experience of many students during their time here. Sport at any level provides a platform for meeting people and socialising as well as maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle which will help to balance out the academic rigours of a Durham University degree. The strength of sport at Durham University lies in our ability to cater for every level. Team Durham currently supports 54 sports ranging from equestrian to boxing, tennis to Gaelic football. There are over 120 teams across these 54 sports which means there is a place for everyone to get involved. It is never too late to pick up a new sport and challenge yourself. Having up to six teams in several clubs creates an opportunity for those who have never played a sport to take it up and compete. Countless students have taken up sports they had never previously played and ended up winning national championships. Many of our sports clubs, such as tennis and rowing (Learn to Row), run development programmes year round for those who have never tried the sport but want to pick it up in Durham. Our colleges have over 650 teams covering 18 different sports. For those seeking to push themselves to compete at the top level we have 17 performance sports with a further 15 sports receiving part time coaching. During the 2016/17 season, 16 of our teams won national championships, with a further nine making national finals. Over 40 of our teams reached the knockout stages of national competitions. On top of this, 45 of our students received international caps. It truly is an exciting year to get involved with sport at Durham University. The Maiden Castle redevelopment (see left) will allow us to continue to increase the quality and quantity of sport provision at the University.