Palatinate 804

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Thursday 22nd February 2018 | No. 804

Durham on Strike

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LGBT+ in Film & TV Four students discuss their experience of onscreen representation

News bring you the key facts as fourteen days of strikes sweep across 60+ UK universities from today

Students divided over academic strikes set to begin today Tom Mitchell Deputy News Editor Proposed strike action by academics at over 60 UK universities amid an ongoing pension dispute has divided Durham student opinion.

Industrial action orchestrated by the University and College Union (UCU) was approved by 88% of Durham UCU members, resulting in the threat of widespread disruption to lectures, seminars and exams.

The strikes are set to begin on February 22nd, to be followed by a series of escalating walkouts for four consecutive weeks that will disrupt 14 days of the teaching timetable in total.

The dispute revolves around changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) that Universities UK (UUK) is seeking to introduce. This will make pensions subject to changes in the stock market, and could lead to significant falls in retirement income.

Independent forecasting estimates that a typical lecturer would lose £10,000 a year in retirement as a result of the reforms.

Some lecturers have asked students to support them in their strike action in an attempt to force UUK back to the negotiating table.

Professor Deidre McCann, of the Durham Law School, asked students in an email to “tell all your lecturers you support our fight”, “complain to the vice-chancellor” and “join the picket lines with us”.

At an extraordinary meeting of Durham SU Assembly on the 14th February, the SU passed a motion that read: “Durham SU supports the University and College Union’s industrial action.

“Our academic staff [have] the right to protect their pensions through striking, and through action short of a strike.

“The University must understand that career academic staff...

Continued on page 8

▲ HRH The Prince of Wales visited Durham last Thursday, the 15th February, and met student well-wishers on Palace Green (Maddie Flisher)

Revealed:Onlyonein10Durhamstudents say college halls are “value for money” Palatinate survey also finds just 12.4% think the University is worth the overall costs PALATINATE INVESTIGATION Cameron McIntosh News Editor More than three quarters of Durham students say the University’s college accommodation is not good value for money and a mere one in ten say that it is, according to a Palatinate housing survey.

The survey, which gathered 533 responses between January 31st and February 14th, further reveals just 12.4% of Durham students agree the institution offers good value for money overall.

The findings shed new light on

Durham student opinion surrounding the cost of living, both in college and in the city, at a time when value for money in the higher education sector is under increasing scrutiny.

When asked by Palatinate the extent to which they agreed with the statement, ‘College accommodation is good value for money’, just 10.3% of those who participated in the survey agreed or strongly agreed.

In contrast, 77.8% disagreed or strongly disagreed with the same statement.

Many respondents raised the issue of having inadequate funding

from student finance to cover the cost of college accommodation fees.

One individual said: “While I have no complaints about the quality of accommodation offered by my college, given the cost of housing in the North East, both in the private sector and that offered by other universities in the region, the cost of university accommodation is extraordinarily high.

“To set accommodation fees significantly above the maintenance loan available to most students seems entirely unjustifi-

able.”

The problem is only set to worsen, after the University last term announced a 3.5% increase in college accommodation fees, leaving some colleges to charge in excess of £8,000 a year.

This decision sparked a backlash from students, many of whom participated in public demonstrations orchestrated by the #RippedOff campaign, to voice their collective discontent.

The University has faced accusations from student activists of ignoring student concerns, with...

Continued on page 4

2

Thursday 22nd February 2018 | PALATINATE

Editorial

Expansion could compromise our community

I

t is difficult to deny that the past few weeks have been difficult for the Durham student body. The tragic event at Missoula only two weeks ago shocked and upset us all, and we can all only extend our deepest sympathies to everyone grieving as Durham loses a talented and valued member of its community.

At times like these, our student population comes together – leaning on each other in order to bear the weight of the loss of one of our own. Welfare teams did their very best to support students, the University was communicative, and Durham’s student press kept their distance, respecting the privacy of those in mourning.

Our community was deeply shocked, but in this shock it pulled together, doing its best to support those who needed it most. This sense of solidarity is what makes Durham unique. Small student communities such as ours foster a sense of belonging and a unified spirit. So, when something like this happens, we all feel it.

In light of this dreadful incident, Durham’s planned expansion came under scrutiny in national press. The Guardian, in particular, questioned whether Durham can really take the pressure of an increased number of students, even with plans to radically expand its infrastructure.

It makes sense that the University wants to expand – Durham is a world-class institution with the potential to

become even better. However, this should not come at the expense of the safety and security of its students, academics, and local residents. It should not come at the expense of the city, which is already subject to increased levels of construction. It should not come at the expense of accessibility, as inflated rent and increasing college fees are already pricing some people out of the Durham experience.

Durham’s network means people seldom fall through the cracks Above all, it should not come at the expense of our community, which for many is the standout feature of the Durham University experience. What Durham has, that non-collegiate universities in larger cities don’t have, is a network that means it is truly difficult to fall through the cracks.

That’s not to say it doesn’t happen, because it does, but the sheer amount of services available, from friends to welfare to Nightline to the Counselling Service, means that most people have at least somewhere to turn to.

It is our tight-knit community that has allowed us to begin to come to terms with the passing of a gifted student and it would be a great shame to compromise this community in pursuit of expansion for expansion’s sake.

Our shared experience of

Durham University, the feeling of belonging in this city, of having something to contribute, is what makes Durham such a vibrant and intimate student community.

Losing this sense of solidarity would be a grave error and threaten one of the best qualities of this University.

This view is echoed by students voicing their concerns about Durham’s expansion on page 10 of Comment this week. Arguing for a different kind of solidarity, Sebastián Sánchez-Schilling puts forward his view of the strikes taking place in the following weeks in Comment’s debate on the action (page 9).

Elsewhere, the results of News’ housing poll are released, and there’s a certain amount of community spirit in that too – with students almost ubiquitously condemning both college and noncollege accommodation standards in Durham, from accessibility to quality of housing to rent prices (front and page 4).

Politics’ piece on 50:50 Parliament (page 13) is thought provoking.

Have a peruse rather than doing your summatives, I know I will be.

Sophie Gregory

Inside 804 News pages 4-8 Comment pages 9-11 Profile page 12 Politics pages 13-15 SciTech page 16 Sport pages 18-20

indigo Editorial page 2 Features page 3 Food & Drink pages 4-5 Fashion page 6 Visual Arts page 7 Film & TV pages 8-9 Music page 10 Travel pages 11 Creative Writing p12-13 Stage page 14 Books page 15

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NEWS: Prince Charles receives warm welcome from Durham students

POLITICS: Vote 100 – Suffragist or Suffragette?

SPORT: Durham edge thrilling intramural varsity against Loughborough

STAGE: Feet of Clay review: “clumsy charm”

Palatinate brings you exclusive video footage from the Prince of Wales’ visit to Durham Cathedral and Palace Green last week.

As the UK marks 100 years since women first got the vote, Alice Lassman examines those who fought for enfranchisement.

“This year’s event was a thriller,” write our Sport Editors, “with Durham eventually triumphing 5-4 in a close-run affair.”

Technical difficulties held his Terry Pratchett adaptation from being “something brilliant,” writes Martin Docherty.

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 Eugene Smith & Sophie Gregory editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editors Anna Tatham & Caitlin Allard deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Tania Chakraborti & Cameron McIntosh news@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Clara Gaspar, Natasha Livingstone & Tom Mitchell deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Zoë Boothby comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editors Hana Kapetanovic & Danny Walker Profile Editor Isabelle Ardron profile@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Profile Editor Holly Adams Science & Technology Editors Martha Bözic & Jack Eardley scitech@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editors Rhodri Sheldrake-Davies & Julia Atherley politics@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Politics Editors Jack Parker & Tom Walsh Sport Editor Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors Ollie Godden, Will Jennings, Ella Jerman & Louis Gibbon Indigo Editor Tamsin Bracher indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Adele Cooke deputy.indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Rosie Dowsing features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Katie Anderson Food & Drink Editor Emma Taylor food@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Food & Drink Editor Sapphire Demirsöz Travel Editor Harriet Willis travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Anna Gibbs fashion@palatinate.org.uk Film & Television Editor Imogen Kaufman film@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Film & Television Editor Alexander Priston Stage Editor Helena Snider stage@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Stage Editor Helen Chatterton Music Editor Ashleigh Goodall & Tom Watling music@palatinate.org.uk Creative Writing Editor Chloe Scaling creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Creative Writing Editor Kleopatra Olympiou Books Editors Tanvi Pahwa & Alex Leggatt books@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Madeleine Cater visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Visual Arts Editor Anna Thomas Chief Sub-Editor Yongchang Chin Sub-Editors Inka Kärnä, Aoife Clements, Mint Paribatra, Zuzanna Gwadera & Angelos Sofocleous Photography Editor Madeleine Flisher photography@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Photography Editors Claire Cortese and Yangjia Lin Illustrations Editor Katie Butler illustration@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Illustrations Editors Charlotte Way, Akansha Naraindas & Holly Murphy Social Media Officer Helen Paton Website Administrator Alex Stuckey Advertising Officer Alex Hewitt advertising@palatinate.org.uk

PALATINATE | Thursday 22nd February 2018

3

#fakenews

Students to go on strike over predicted losses of “nearly £10,000 a year” Cameron Clegg As you read this, you’ll probably have noticed the UCU strike action taking place at Durham, whether that’s picket lines or absent lecturers. 61 universities are involved in the strike, after talks between the University and College Union (UCU) and Universities UK (UUK) regarding proposed changes to pension schemes ended without agreement.

Chatting with your friends, you’re probably aware that the strikes are a contentious topic.

Students are concerned with a variety of issues, from supporting lecturers’ right to strike, to the impact on their education.

This is why it has been especially important to listen to student voices when forming the official Durham SU policy regarding the strike.

The policy was proposed by George Walker and brought to Assembly, a body made up of a cross-section of students, where the policy and several amendments put forward by another student were rigorously debated. Assembly passed the original policy but not the amendments. You can read the official policy on the Durham SU website.

If you have questions about the strike, you can find an upto-date list of FAQs on our website. The University has also issued a statement encouraging a return to national discussions, along with a policy explaining their procedures for mitigating disruption to students. You can find both of these on the University website.

If you would like to actively support UCU, you can make a choice not to cross picket lines.

You can do academic work at home, in a café or a public library instead. Students may also stand near picket lines, but will not be legally recognised as official pickets.

It’s important to also respect that some students will make the personal choice to attend their academic sessions. And remember, you can talk to your tutors, lecturers and supervisors to understand why they are striking.

Megan Croll

Durham students have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action amid an ongoing dispute with the University over a scheme in which they are set to lose nearly £10,000 a year.

The University scheme was introduced in 2011 and is still seen by students as a bit of a dick move

▲ ‘Students for Lower Handwriting

The scheme, known as ‘Tuition Fees,’ was introduced in 2011 and has been considered a bit of a dick move by students ever since.

Under the policy, undergraduates are required to part with up

to £9,250 a year in exchange for a library card, a handful of PowerPoints, and the right to live in an environment where being drunk all the time is considered more of

Standards’ march through Durham (Charlotte Way)

a virtue than an intractable societal curse.

“Enough is enough,” say the strikes’ organisers. “We’re sending the University a clear message: hands off our future earnings.

“We’ve earned the right to say we will eventually earn the money the government will eventually take off us to provide the University with the funds they’re using to teach us stuff, for every student that does eventually earn said amount of money.

“We haven’t managed to fit all that on a placard yet, but we will.”

All Science departments have warned their staff of major dis-

ruption to timetables, while the Arts and Humanities faculties have released a statement saying the strikes are only “a bit of an inconvenience,” since nine weekly contact hours is “basically a strike anyway”.

“ Nine contact hours a week is basically a strike anyway ”

“Tuition fees are very high,” says woman who literally voted to triple them Andrew Adonis Theresa May last night said she was “immensely grateful for the help of my colleagues” as she made her acceptance speech for the grand prize at the Stating the Bleeding Obvious AwardsTM, presented to her in honour of her recent comments on tuition fees.

The Prime Minister*, who on Monday expressed her shock at the high student debt for which she is pretty much directly responsible, later ruled out abolishing fees in favour of commissioning a review into how her party can make it look like they’re doing something about it while actually not.

“Students are now leaving university with average debts of £50,000,” she said, to an audience

of students already acutely aware of that. “You could practically buy a peerage with that sort of money.

I won’t stand for it.”

When asked to respond, Jeremy Corbyn said he would “deal with” May’s confusing rhetoric When asked to respond, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would “deal with” the Prime Minister’s confusing rhetoric, which his supporters all agreed was not at all as meaninglessly ambiguous as what the other side are saying. *At the time of going to print Photograph: Arno Mikkor via Flickr

BREAKING: Only 0.3 in 10 Durham students say Palatinate survey is “worth taking”

Dear Zodiac Zoëllo...

Palatinate’s resident Agony Aunt solves the biggest problems of Durham student life Dear Zodiac Zoëllo... Why does everyone in Durham care so much about stash?

Having a personality can be tiring.

Why waste time trying to make yourself into an interesting person by watching films, listening to music, talking to other interesting people, when you could just don a poorly-made, overpriced sweatshirt for a society you neglect 90% of the time, and advertise your status as Treasurer of Hild-Bede Darts, Vice-President of the Knit-

ting Society, or Social Secretary of Trevelyan Rugby?

Actually, maybe you shouldn’t publicise that one.

Dear Zodiac Zoëllo... I was in the DUCFS and now it’s over, my life has no meaning. How can I continue to get validation from strangers?

See above. I would recommend trying to get into Team Durham and wearing your stash at all times, no matter how inappropriate or inexplicable – from lectures

to coffee shops, there is no occasion that you shouldn’t flaunt this unparalleled achievement.

All those looks you get in the library as your walk past in your swishy-sounding tracksuit?

Pure, unadulterated envy.

This should also satisfy your superiority complex and your need to assert your dominance over your peers.

Although if you were in DUCFS you are clearly in a different class to the rest of us and are probably already involved in DU sports.

4

Thursday 22nd February 2018 | PALATINATE

News

Some 79.5% of respondents said the University should cut college fees – and just two people said nothing should be done One person said: “The difference in the quality of rooms and subsidies/event costs between different colleges is ridiculous.”

When asked by Palatinate how they would improve the experience of living in college accommodation, 79.5% of respondents said they would decrease rent. 60.6% opted for “more investment to improve accommodation standards”.

Just two of the 553 surveyed said nothing should be done to improve the standard of college accommodation.

Continued from front page ...college rent prices spiralling from under £5,000 in 2011-12 to over £7,000 today, despite the North East being in the cheapest housing bracket in the UK. The current rate charged to Durham students living in college is £7,422 for a catered non-ensuite room and £7,883 for catered ensuite options. This is reduced to £5,195 and £5,655 respectively for non-catered options.

“Why,” asks one respondent, “would I think a 300% rise in fees is good value?”

Feedback was more mixed on the quality of college housing and the facilities provided.

Under half of those surveyed agreed college accommodation was to a good standard, with 58.3% agreeing their college has good facilities. Most respondents agreed college housing offers a satisfactory array of amenities.

One individual said: “The facilities are good (computer room, chapel, study spaces, hall, bar, etc.) however, the standard of them is very low.” Another commented: “The bar is lovely and the JCR is spacious, communal facilities tend to be good, whilst rooms and showers, etc are in real need of some care.”

A common complaint, aside from the recurring financial aspect, was the variation in room standards, despite the standardised pricing structure.

“In my second year we spent the entire year living with rats in the walls,” said one student

Respondents also condemned the University on the issue of overall value for money, with 61.2% disagreeing with the statement that ‘Overall Durham University offers good value for money’.

One participant said: “A decade ago [University] would’ve cost me £3,000. Why would I think a 300% increase is ‘good value’?”

However, one respondent expressed a different opinion: “Compared to many other institutions in the country, Durham is absolutely worth every penny, despite the fact it is in need of serious change in terms of accommodation.”

The second half of the survey concerned student attitudes to non-college housing in Durham city. Just 22.8% of those polled agreed non-college housing is good value for money, and 31.4% said it reaches a good standard.

The variation in rent prices in popular areas of the city, such as the Viaduct, was also a recurring concern.

Many took issue with the imbalance between the average cost of housing in the North East more broadly, and the premium rents in excess of £100 a week charged to Durham students to live in close

proximity to the city centre.

One person said: “Most houses are old and in a state of disrepair.

Rent prices are almost at London levels and it is an absolute disgrace. Without the £2,000 Durham grant, I genuinely wouldn’t be able to study here.”

Another asked: “What is the justification for paying £130 a week for a small room in the Viaduct which happens to be a 20 [minute] walk to most University facilities, when the average rent for the rest of the city and county is less than half [that]?”

Stories of mould, vermin infestations, heating issues and unreliable landlords were common.

One such response detailed their experiences of living out in second year: “We spent the entire year living with rats in our walls.

“It took three weeks for the landlords to initially come back to us and a further two weeks for them to get anyone round to sort it.

“Pest control failed to keep the appointments they’d set and despite initially getting rid of the problem, the rats soon returned.”

President of Durham Students’ Union Megan Croll told Palatinate: “I’m unsurprised... it is clear that rent hikes in recent years, accompanied with a lack of refurbishment, are significantly impacting on the student experience.

“It is clearly time for the University to respond to this strength of feeling,” said SU President Megan Croll

“Further to this, with 79.5% of students feeling that the University should lower its fees, it is clearly time for the University to respond to this strength of feeling.”

The University was contacted for comment on the survey’s findings, but had not responded at the time of going to print.

£7,883 ▲ Average cost of

a catered ensuite room in college

3.5% ▲ Increase in accommodation fees announced last term

22.8% ▲ ...of respondents said non-

college housing in Durham is value for money

Photograph: John Whitehouse via Flickr

Tributes paid to Castle student and “wonderful young woman” Olivia Burt Clara Gaspar Deputy News Editor The death of Olivia Burt outside Missoula nightclub on Wednesday 7th February has prompted expressions of profound grief amongst her family, the University faculty and students.

Professor Held, Master of University College, said: “The staff and students acutely feel the loss of Olivia Burt.

“She arrived last autumn to begin reading natural science with glowing references from her school where she was regarded in

the highest possible terms.

“She had an outstanding academic record and was an exceptional sportswoman.

“Those students close to her have lost a wonderful friend, whom in their shock they grieve for, alongside her family and friends.

“The college has lost a bright and outstandingly able student,” said the Master of University College

“The college has lost a bright

and outstandingly able student. It is hard to come to terms with her loss, and we will miss her greatly.”

Olivia was a first-year student at University College, studying Natural Sciences. A candlelit vigil was held last Monday at the college for those that knew her.

Prince Charles also participated in a minute’s silence in memory of Olivia during his visit to Durham Cathedral on Thursday, while the flag of University College was flown at half-mast.

Olivia’s parents told the press: “We are totally devastated and heartbroken by the loss of our beautiful daughter, Olivia.

“She was a wonderful young woman and our words cannot truly express how much we miss her.”

Olivia Burt, from Hampshire, was not only a science student, but a talented sailor. She had competed for Britain in the European Championships.

A spokesman for the Royal Yachting Association stated: “The RYA is deeply saddened to learn of this tragic incident.

“As a popular and committed Junior Optimist squad sailor, Olivia Burt exhibited all the drive, determination and good sportsmanship required to progress as a successful Laser competitor.

“Olivia’s passion for sailing always shone through and all those who knew her in the sailing community will miss her tremendously; she was both a likeable and fair competitor.

She sailed for Britain in the European Championships

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of Olivia at this sad time.”

Palatinate offers its deepest sympathy to Olivia’s family and those that knew her.

PALATINATE | Thursday 22nd February 2018

5

News

“Offer your friends support – that’s the most warm, humane way to respond” Palatinate interviews Caroline Dower, Head of Durham University’s Counselling Service

Tania Chakraborti News Editor

A

Palatinate investigation into Durham University’s Counselling Service last term found the Service’s staffing shakeup had left it “short of official guidelines and prone to longer waiting times”.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed that though financial investment and specialist staff numbers had increased, the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) counsellors had been cut.

The wait for appointments “is often as much about student availability as it is about our availability”

The Service now has the equivalent of 2.0 FTE Mental Health Counsellors, 0.8 Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, 0.5 Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre (RSACC) specialists and 0.5 trainees.

Despite this, the number of FTE staff who fall specifically under the bracket of ‘counsellor’ has fallen from 6.2 to 5.4. This places Durham’s student-counsellor ratio below the recommended figure of one counsellor per 3,000 students, as outlined by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Including the specialist staff, Durham’s ratio is within the recommended ratio, at 1: 2,197. However, according to the BACP, specialist counsellors are not factored into the recommended studentcounsellor ratio.

The Association’s report states: “Some counselling posts have been changed and replaced with jobs carrying different titles, for

▲ Palatinate #800 last term included an investigation into the apparent understaffing of the Counselling Service

example, wellbeing consultants or mental health advisers. Such provision can be useful in institutions.

“However, this does not replace the need for fully trained and qualified counsellors.”

Palatinate met with Caroline Dower, the Head of the Counselling Service, to discuss the figures.

Ms Dower said: “The people with a counselling qualification – we have got slightly fewer of those, but what we’ve added is community psychiatric nurses, mental health advisors, and we’ve added the psychological wellbeing practitioner.

“And then the other resource that’s been added is the extra specialist counselling provided by the rape and sexual abuse counselling centre.”

Waiting times are also an issue for the Service. In Palatinate #800, one anonymous student reported: “it was a matter of weeks for [an appointment with] the main Counselling Service but over nine months for the Rape Crisis service.”

In response, Ms Dower said this sounded like an “unusual experience”.

She continued: “Depending on, of course, what time in term people present, there may be a few weeks of wait just because the student’s not there [in Durham] either...

“In the NHS you’re typically waiting three months for individual sessions,” she says

“But yes it’s certainly the case that the Rape Crisis outside the University has got waiting times of about nine months – in the NHS you’re typically waiting three months for individual sessions so in comparison I think we’re offering a really great service…

“That’s also why we have that limit of up to four sessions as a first contract, otherwise it would be really hard for students to get in.

“It allows us to be really responsive to what I think is the most important timing thing we’ve got to get right, which is to see people at that moment when people say, ‘Now I need some help’.”

In the 2016/2017 academic year, the total expenditure on the Counselling Service was £607,645, an increase on previous years.

Asked where this funding had gone, Ms Dower told Palatinate: “There are two specific areas where extra funding has gone in, one was when the mental health advisor post was added – that was

▲ Durham’s Counselling Service is located in the Palatine Centre; (inset) Caroline Dower (Durham University) certainly an extra chunk of budget.

“In terms of measuring the impact of that, I think what we look to is really very positive feedback that we’ve received from the students who have seen the mental health advisor but also very importantly from the college staff and the academic staff who’ve felt really supported in dealing with students in particular mental health crisis.

“The second extra chunk of change has been for sexual violence and that money has gone into... two different streams. Part of it funds the rape and sexual abuse counselling... They are now here for three and a half days a week.

“I would say that’s about £25£30,000 of the amount, about £20£25,000 has gone on the Rape Crisis Counselling Service. The other half of the sexual violence funding has been to fund the training initiatives and the online consent.”

The number of FTE staff who fall specifically under the bracket of ‘counsellor’ has fallen from 6.2 to 5.4

The Freedom of Information request submitted by Palatinate last term also revealed the number of students attending counselling sessions has not increased in proportion to increased spending, with 1,400 students utilising the service at least once last academic year, compared to 1,582 in 2014/15.

When asked why she thought

this was the case, Ms Dower said: “There’s going to be a bit of variation year on year.

“I think that what we do have is a really good network across the University of support and I think one of the things I spend a lot of time working with the colleges is to make sure that the colleges are offering really good support to students because they’re open, available, immediate, at the end of the corridor...

“So for the students who live in, particularly, I think those college officers are a really good point of contact.”

College welfare officers at the University are currently only Nightline-trained and trained internally within college.

When asked whether she thought college welfare officers were sufficiently trained, Ms Dower said: “I know there’s kind of a tradition really, of Nightline offering the training, and what we want to do is really support students offering support to students.

“I think at other moments there’s been talk about whether the University might get involved in training student officers more formally, and I think we have to always find the right balance between what’s appropriate for the University to get involved with and what should students be running for themselves with our support…

“If students would like the Counselling Service to offer more specific training I’m really happy to do that, but also if Nightline are doing a good job, and if welfare officers feel really supported by

the Nightline training, I’ll support Nightline doing the training.”

In response to the suggestion that some student welfare officers may feel insufficiently trained for the range of complex issues they encounter in the role, Ms Dower said:“I see a really important role for the counselling service in both supporting those doing the support – so all of the colleges would know that if any of them or JCR officers are feeling the strain then they can access our service or support.

“But also what we do is... try to convey a message that it’s great to offer your friends support – that’s the most, warm, humane way to respond.

“But also to recognise that this is your degree, this is your investment in your future and if you’re feeling overwhelmed, come forward, bring your concerns and signpost to professionals... We want to lift that load.”

“

This is your degree, this is your investment in your future and if you’re feeling overwhelmed, come forward

”

6

Thursday 22nd February 2018 | PALATINATE

News

www.palatinate.org.uk

Durham Students’ Union Presidential Election 2018

Meet the candidates for Durham SU President

George Walker

Why do you want to be elected?

“I want to be elected because basically in my time in Durham, I’ve been given amazing opportunities that growing up I never thought I’d be able to have. But what I have seen is that I think often those opportunities that Durham offers are not accessible to a huge number of students because of financial reasons, because [of] social reasons and I think that the Students’ Union could be a force that fights to make Durham fairer, fights to improve the lives of Durham students, and I think that, at a critical time of change at the University, we need a strong Students’ Union that’s going to be be on students’ side fighting for them. I believe I have the experience and the ideas to be able to lead that kind of Students’ Union that’s going to be able to stand up for students and hold the University accountable.”

What are your main priorities?

“So I would say one of my main priorities is accommodation and housing. I think, especially if we look at the private housing market, especially with the rising student numbers in Durham, we’re gonna see a lot of pressure on that private housing market and we are going to see a lot more landlords being able to exploit students because of a lack of housing stock. So one of my main priorities, I want to roll out a Durham landlord database across the whole of Durham so they have a yearly housing survey where students can answer various questions and then that data will go into a database, and then all new freshers signing houses will be able to see how previous people rated their landlords.

“That’s something that will both allow to make them more informed choices and incentivise landlords to treat their tenants better.

That’s something that has already worked at other universities, I think it’s something that next year we could roll out in Durham.”

Why do you want to be elected?

Josh Cavendish

“Because I think I would do a good job. I think the last five presidents have been from JCRs, but I think that I represent the voice of a lot wider group of students over the course of my time at Durham. I play Music for DUOS and some other bands, I’ve represented Team Durham in Water Polo and Fives, I currently ballroom dance for BALADS, that’s a student union affiliated society.

“I was the president of Chess, part of the exec of Bridge as well, and I’ve also done academic-related activities in the Business School. So in terms of being a representation of wider student culture and understanding the needs of, I would hope, the majority of the student population, I fit the bill and I think I’d understand them more and represent them were I to be elected president.”

What are your main priorities?

“I’m standing on three things. Transparency, synergy with colleges and more engagement from students in terms of the DSU’s own societies. I think I’m standing on a platform that’s almost the same as what Megan stood on last year – I’ve read her manifesto and she’s saying a lot of similar things to me – but I don’t think she’s publicising well enough what those changes are. If you go through Charlie Walkers’ sort of… he posted something on Facebook last week, ‘this is what i’ve done in the last month,’ and most of it is ‘I attended x meeting, I attended y meeting’. There’s no substance as to what those meetings were. He just attended the meetings on students’ behalf.

“So, at the end of my presidency, the one thing that i’d like to do is say ‘this is what I’ve done, I’ve failed here but this is why, I’ve passed here but this is why’. I think the Students’ Union needs to be more honest with its students about the changes that it is going to be able to effectuate and point out bureaucracy, or people who are getting in the way of that, and they need to make more noise in that area if students are going to get engaged.”

Josh Butterworth

Why do you want to be elected?

“I want to be elected because I think I’m the best person for the role, and as to why I want to run, I look at how the University is changing at the minute and it’s just started this Ten Year Estate Plan and I think it’s been very badly thought-out. I think it’s very unsustainable. I don’t think it’s been well thought-out in terms of what the consequences are going to be of bringing this amount of students at such an increased rate. I think there’s going to be a lot of overcrowding in Durham and I think that you need a strong student voice in University meetings to tell them exactly ... the impact it’ll have.

“It’s not like the University staff are unreasonable people, it’s very easy to paint them as villains in all this, but a lot of the time they just genuinely aren’t aware of what exactly the impact is going to be of their actions. As someone who has taken part in the ‘Ripped Off’ campaign, I know part of that was gathering a lot of thoughts to give to them to say actually this is what’s happening, this isn’t just a small subsection of the university protesting for the sake of protesting, this is having real consequences and real knock-on effects.

That’s something I’d want to do as Union President to really just hold them accountable.”

What are your main priorities?

“My main priority is to increase transparency from the University and also increasing transparency within the SU at the same time, because a lot of the time, as a student, I’ve found I’ve not known what’s being going on, I’ve not known why it’s going on, I’ve not known what procedures there might be if I want to report certain things and I want to make that a lot clearer. Yes, part of that is holding the University accountable, particularly [the] Estates Masterplan, obviously that’s the biggest thing going on at the minute but I fully expect there to be other things too. Also accommodation fees is something I want to continue to campaign against.”

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PALATINATE | Thursday 22nd February 2018

www.palatinate.org.uk

News

Durham Students’ Union Presidential Election 2018

Where do they stand on the key issues?

What are your views on the NUS and what should Durham’s position be within it?

George Walker: “I campaigned in my first year to remain in the NUS and I’m glad to say that we actually won by quite a substantial majority to remain in the NUS in that referendum. My view is that yes, the NUS have massive flaws and there are candidates that ran with obviously very legitimate concerns about [the] NUS. “I’ve always been clear that I think the NUS does have major flaws, it’s had major problems with anti-Semitism, it’s had major problems with not always being representative of students, where it has not always focused on the issues that are most important to students. However, what I do think is that [the] NUS does provide a lot of vital support to students’ unions and it does allow us to be able to amplify our voice on that national stage and also to be able to get a lot of training, and to work with other students’ unions and to be able to share best practice in a way that I think is actually really beneficial. “

Josh Cavendish:

Photograph: National Union of Students

“I think an organisation like the NUS is important to represent students in the same way that lecturers are currently striking, and teachers as well have striked in the past, because we’re more effective as a united body as opposed to a disparate one. But the NUS at the moment, as Tom Harwood highlighted, has a really awful image.

“So I do think it needs to sharpen its act up. Obviously I’d just be one voice in the voice of all of the students’ union presidents within that, but that’s what I’d be advocating for. Instead of postulating about laws in their fake parliament, it’s about lobbying for reforms that actually matter to students and representing the wider student. Not just the ones that are pro-Palestine. Every student has needs, general needs, irrespective of their political views, their sexual orientation or what welfare they need, they want support, they don’t want to pay that much and they want to come out of their University with a decent degree. I think the NUS just needs to refocus its values to what the everyday student needs.”

Josh Butterworth: “I think the NUS is often misrepresented, I think it does some good work, especially the working with the various associations, I know it gives them a lot of support. I don’t think it’s perfect but I think it’s better to be changed from the inside. I think that’s probably Durham students’ views at the minute.

“As you mentioned with Tom Harwood, he won more than 50% of the vote for NUS delegate last year, whereas that [vote proportion] almost halved this year. So I think that the point of view from Durham students currently is that they support being in the NUS. But obviously, if that were to change, I’d look into ways to change our position as a union. As the Students’ Union president, you can have your own opinions, but you’re not representing those, you’re representing the opinions of students.”

What are your views on lecturers’ planned strike action?

George Walker: “I think first of all we need to recognise that the cause of this is the cuts to pensions that have been proposed by Universities UK (UUK). One of the first things worth noting is that it was Universities UK, not UCU [the Universities and Colleges Union], that walked away from negotiations on this.

Let’s think about the long-term impacts of the attack on pensions...

“I think actually the blame lies not with the lecturers, who I think are taking quite reasonable action to protect their pensions and I think they have their right to do that....We think that we need to put pressure on the University to get back around the table and to reach a fair deal, whilst also absolutely, and this is what my position is, working to minimise disruption, making sure communication with students is good because students shouldn’t accept their education being disrupted, but they shouldn’t, at the same time, be having to accept massive cuts to their lecturers’ pensions.

“I think that we need to be clear that actually the blame lies here with the Universities UK, not the lecturers who are taking reasonable action to protect their pensions. “

Photograph: Gavin Reid via Flickr

Josh Cavendish: “I read the statement Megan submitted two weeks ago and it was sort of neither here nor there... You need to ask the question: how many lecturers are supporting student strikes on accommodation fees? None have come out.

“So I think it would be, I understand why lecturers have decided to strike in the biggest way possible because if they affect the student population, they’re going to get students behind them, you see all the frames on Facebook [saying] ‘solidarity with lecturers’ – I understand that – and, if I was the Students’ Union President, I would support them. But I regret the fact they haven’t come up with a way to strike administratively, as opposed to affecting humanities or science students that are going to lose a large proportion of their contact hours, they could have refused to mark exams, refused to respond to emails, or something that would have less directly affected students’ education.”

Josh Butterworth: “Personally I support the strike action, the lecturers have a right to strike and they have got to do it here. They’ve been forced into a corner and I don’t think we should be holding them accountable, we should be holding the University pensions body accountable for that. However, I do question whether it’s right that the Students’ Union supports the strike.

“I think it’s quite clear that, whilst there are a very strong contingent of students who are in favour of the strike, the majority of students are either ambivalent or disagree with it. So I think it’s poor that the Students’ Union, which represents all students, puts forward an opinion which I don’t think is representative of all students. I would try and put pressure on the universities pensions body to get the bodies to the table. We all want an end to this strike.”

Thursday 22nd February 2018 | PALATINATE

8

News

Durham University and SU create “chilling environment for free speech,” survey claims Natasha Livingstone Deputy News Editor Durham is among 45 UK universities that have intervened to discourage free speech, a controversial survey has claimed. spiked magazine’s Free Speech University Rankings (FSUR) categorises institutions into a trafficlight system based on their intervention in freedom of expression on campus.

Durham is this year awarded an Amber rating, an improvement on last year’s Red ranking but which still denotes a university that has “chilled free speech through intervention”.

The survey specifically criticises the cancellation of the Trev’s Rugby Club ‘Thatcher vs Miners’ social in November 2017, as well as the University and Students’ Union’s “vague restrictions on ‘offensive’ material”.

The survey highlights the SU’s “outright ban on homophobic and transphobic speech” As previously reported by Palatinate, spiked labelled Durham Red in 2017 for “banning and actively censoring ideas on campus,” highlighting the Students’ Union’s

▲ The cancellation of Trev’s Rugby Club’s controversial Miners’ Strikethemed social was cited by the survey

“outright ban on homophobic and transphobic speech,” the campuswide discouragement of initiation ceremonies, and the 2015 cancellation of a speech by former English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson.

Durham has not entirely escaped red flags this year, according to the magazine. The FSUR also ranks individual policies with the traffic light system. spiked named the SU’s decision to hold compulsory sexual consent classes as Red, judging the policy as “hostile to free speech and free expression,” though this did not override the University’s overall ranking.

In response to the survey’s findings, University Secretary Jennifer Sewel told Palatinate: “Durham University is committed to freedom of expression within the law and encourages free expression and debate amongst our staff, students and visitors. This reflects our core values as a university.”

President of Durham Students’ Union, Megan Croll, told Palatinate: “Our [Amber] rating is justified in the sense that we aren’t hostile to free speech, but we are careful to ensure a safe environ-

Photograph: dominic via Flickr ment... My personal view is that we have a good balance, which I suppose the [Amber] rating reflects.

Megan Croll describes the report as “ridiculous” and based on “frankly inaccurate” information “In terms of targeting us for the zero tolerance to sexual harrassment campaign, I find that quite ridiculous. I am proud that Durham is leading the way in tackling sexual violence and a zero tolerance approach is the only way to do that. “spiked have also marked us down for holding compulsory con-

sent classes, which isn’t actually the case.”

She added: “I’m not personally of the opinion that the spiked campaign holds too much weight, particularly as it’s scored us based on information which is frankly inaccurate”.

Other Amber-rated universities include Cambridge, York and Birmingham. The FSUR judged most institutions as Red, for example criticising Oxford for forcing students to use transgender pronouns and banning an anti-abortion group.

Only seven universities, such as Buckingham and Hertfordshire, were awarded Green status, commended for “placing no significant restrictions on free speech”.

Petition demanding strike compensation gathers more than 2,500 signatures disappointed [by] the confusing and contradictory messages Megan Croll SU is sending out. The SU on Wednesday passed a motion which supported the strikes. Here the SU President is informing students to act like the strike isn’t happening and to cross picketlines.

“Don’t assume classes will be on (most likely your lecturer will inform you on the day they are not), don’t cross the picket, and don’t be a scab!”

Continued from front page ...deserve security in their employment and can’t be part of providing a world-class education when they are under threat.”

“Students won’t accept their education being a bargaining chip,” the SU has resolved It goes on to state it will continue to seek to minimise disruption to students’ education and maintains that “students won’t accept their education being used as a bargaining chip.”

George Walker, Van Mildert Col-

Photograph: Nick Efford via Flickr lege’s Durham SU representative and SU presidential candidate, said at the assembly that students should “put pressure on the University to change their position.

“Students and staff have shared interests and we shouldn’t be pitting them against each other.

We have to accept disruption and fully support our lecturers”.

In the aftermath, ‘Durham Student-Staff Solidarity’ – a Facebook page dedicated to encouraging students to support the strike, issued a public statement criticising SU President, Megan Croll, for the position she has taken.

The group said: “We are

The University have urged students to “show respect for all members of the community” Student opinion on the issue of strike action has been decidedly mixed. Tom Harwood, a Durham NUS delegate, told Palatinate he thinks the UCU “are trying to use Durham students as pawns in their dispute.

“It’s unacceptable that we are being caught in the crossfire. The strike will cost students hundreds upon hundreds of pounds in lost contact hours. It is outrageous that we will not receive any

remuneration.”

A petition organised by a student at the University of York that demands remuneration for lost lecture time has received more than 2,500 signatures.

Conrad Whitcroft-White, a firstyear politics student at York, said in an interview with Palatinate: “Universities need to take our needs into account when it comes to situations where our education isn’t being provided.

“The universities have failed to use our tuition fees appropriately to pay our lecturers to give us an education. We don’t get reimbursed for the money we’ve spent, which is fundamentally unfair.”

He added: “It is not against the lecturers, we support them in their endeavour.”

George Walker, SU President candidate, claimed students must “accept disruption and fully support our lecturers” Alan Houston, Durham’s ProVice Chancellor (Education), said: “On strike days we ask that your actions reflect your understanding

that this is a complex national issue.

“Individual opinions vary; please show respect for all members of the community.”

Action “could affect exams and graduation” Cameron McIntosh News Editor Durham’s summer examinations and graduation ceremonies could be affected by extended strike action if no resolution to the pensions dispute can be found, the UCU has confirmed.

The union’s general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “Our mandate from members for strikes runs until July.

“On March 2 we will meet to finalise further plans, which will include strike action during the period students will be taking their exams.”

Durham’s exam season runs between 7th May and 1st June 2018, and is therefore under threat.

PALATINATE | Thursday 22nd February 2018

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M&S closing and the Elon Musk debacle Page 11

Comment

►

Comment debates: the UCU strikes Seb SanchezSchilling

We must do more to support striking staff

From the 22nd February, lecturers who are members of the University and College Union (UCU) will be going on strike.

The strike is against the proposed cuts to pensions by Universities UK (UUK), which represents higher education employers. The changes could see lecturers lose on average £10,000 a year from their pension, potentially meaning a loss of £200,000 during their retirement.

UUK proposes to scrap the assurance of a guaranteed level of income during retirement, instead making pension income wholly contingent upon the pension fund’s stock market performance. UCU members’ response was, literally, striking: 88% voted for strike action. Many students across the country are opposed to the strikes.

But this opposition is misguided: many are unaware of what a strike is and what it entails.

Lecturers could lose up to £10,000 a year from their pension Some would-be student supporters of the industrial action claim that it is important to minimise the impact on students.

But it is wrong to suggest that lecturers can strike and not impact students. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

A strike is a collective decision to withdraw labour – to refuse to work – by workers, in order to draw concessions from employers or retain rights which are at risk.

As such, any strike will inevitably

impact students, not because of any ill will, but since teaching is the essence of tutors’ work.

Likewise, the UCU have not deliberately organised the strike during ‘summative season’. The timing is the fault of UUK, who took action against lecturers’ pensions, not the tutors themselves, who would surely rather be teaching and not potentially losing three weeks’ worth of pay.

Strikes will impact students because teaching is the essence of tutors’ work Some represent those striking as either malicious or unconcerned with the wellbeing of students, suggesting they are using us as bargaining chips.

Why else would they go on strike at this time? But most higher education professionals are deeply committed to their students. One of the biggest drawbacks of striking for lecturers is the impact it will have on students.

Similarly, the UCU have demonstrated in the past that they have students’ interests at heart.

They have been at the forefront of the fight against the marketisation of higher education; against tuition fees being implemented and increased.

An educator’s job is to provide the best teaching environment possible, which means actively supporting students – even if, in the case of the walk-outs, that’s not always so clear-cut.

So why should students support the strike? Most importantly, because this attack on pensions is just another acceleration of the marketisation of higher education under the Conservative government. Profit has usurped learning as the primary function of a university. Because of the

Illustrations: Katie Butler

exorbitant fees charged, students now think of themselves as consumers, demanding in petitions across multiple institutions this week that money ‘spent’ on lost lectures is returned. As if lecturers merely ‘provide a service’.

In contrast, Vice-Chancellors’ pay has ballooned, though few students know what they actually do. Meanwhile, students are paying more for less, as staff and contact hours are cut even as fees increase. Nowhere is this truer than at Durham – with increases conspicuously ignoring the fact that our University only received a Silver in the Teaching Excellence Framework. The idea of the university as a place for learning, a community between students and staff, is on its death-bed.

We should support the strikes because of the long-term harm that the pension changes, unopposed, would cause.

They could discourage current academics from coming to the UK. Those currently in post-graduate study – who may feel particularly threatened by the impact of strikes on their teaching role – could opt for work outside of academia. Overall, the quality of our education will drop , as tutors’ teaching conditions are our learning conditions. The interests of students and staff are not mutually exclusive.

The interests of students and staff are not mutually exclusive Moreover, clear and vocal support for the strike is the best way to prevent or shorten it – and its negative impact. Ambiguous notions which support the strike, but also permit pickets to be crossed, will only strengthen UUK’s resolve, in the face of apparent division. In contrast, if the full force of a student body was behind the strike, then that would put overwhelming pressure on the administration to get back to the negotiating table. The longer the picket-line, the shorter the strike.

Finally, is it too much to ask that we support the strikes because the cut to pensions is simply wrong?

It contravenes the contract under which lecturers entered work, and tramples on workers’ rights. There are, undoubtedly, good reasons for students to support strike action, and those condemning educators are wholly misrepresenting their position.

Natalya Evans

These strikes will unfairly hurt students’ learning

It might be a long way off, but when you retire, how would you like a pension linked to your salary, that increases with inflation each year, and provides generous medical coverage and family benefits?

Sound great? Well if you’re under 30, dream on. Virtually no major British company offers this type of ‘defined benefit’ scheme to new staff any more. Those days are long gone unless you are lucky enough to be a Durham lecturer in the ‘final salary section’ of the snappily entitled ‘Universities Superannuation Scheme’ (‘USS’).

Students will have to bear the financial burden if nothing changes But why are pension plans changing now? Well it boils down to the unsustainable costs of the current form, the cost of which will significantly increase next year to be an extra 37% on top of a lecturer’s salary. To put this in context, a pension cost of 37% would be the equivalent to the annual fees of around six thousand home students. Of course, the lecturers contribute to that 37% as well and you might think that they will contribute more to meet rising costs.

But it doesn’t seem so. Looking at the proposals, they’ll still only pay around 8% of their salary. The difference will need to come from the University’s income, of which students provide about a half.

So, what if the lecturers get their way? Who will bear this financial burden? The answer: current and future students. As life expectancy increases, the burden on the ever-diminishing working age population also grows. Ultimately, you and I will pay for the current largesse either through increased university fees or general taxation, with no prospect of securing similar benefits for ourselves or our offspring.

Something needs to be done.

The status quo is not an option.

To be fair, lecturers have already suffered. In 2016, USS reduced benefits and introduced some capping. Still, suffice to say that the 2016 changes and the proposed

ones will still result in a comfortable retirement for most Union members. Pensions may not be as generous as they were before, but lecturers will be infinitely better off than the 1.1 million pensioners who rely on the measly state pension.

To be clear, the benefits lecturers have already built are not under threat – they just won’t build up a pension as quickly going forward, although their pension will still include all the lovely ancillary benefits. In order to secure the same benefits that the USS scheme provides today, you’d have to pay at least 60% of your salary. Lecturers could always contribute more of their salary to a personal pension if they wanted to make up any shortfall.

USS is jointly backed by 350 educational institutions which benefit from significant levels of state funding. All 350 would need to go bust before the pension scheme ends up in the PPF, the Government’s lifeboat protection scheme. That’s very, very unlikely. Just ask the pensioners of BHS or Carillion about the importance of the backing of these 350 institutions.

Where do the students come in all this? Firstly, the lecturers’ dispute is with the University, not students. By affecting us, they are merely aping selfish striking train drivers who leave millions of commuters stranded, causing them to lose their jobs, incur extra costs, and endure disruption to their family lives. Whatever happened to the nobility of public service?

It will be hard to make up for lost contact hours Secondly, existing contact hours are minimal for many Durham students, particularly in the humanities. Reducing these further is totally unjustified. This lost time will be difficult to make up.

When you look objectively, yes, lecturers are taking a hit to their pensions. But that’s just the way of the world these days. It’s difficult to see why one group in particular should be unduly shielded.

As for the University itself, its position is not to pay striking lecturers for their strike days. By the same token, I expect that the University will refund the students for services not provided by those striking lecturers. Provisions offered by lesserqualified replacement staff will not be tolerated. Perhaps I shall ask my law lecturers for an opinion. If they are available, of course.

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Thursday 22nd February | PALATINATE

Comment

Is Durham big enough for its planned expansion?

Hanna Suliman-Nicol

In 2016, Durham University unveiled its ten-year programme of expansion and growth entitled the Estate Masterplan. Aiming to keep Durham at the forefront of global higher education, the plan outlined an increase of, at most, 4,000 students by 2027, as well as the construction and renovation of various sites around the city.

It was initially hailed as an ambitious proposal that would help to develop Durham’s reputation as a world-class institution. But two years down the line, serious concerns are being raised about the project’s sustainability. It is already becoming clear that the rate of the University’s growth is neither in line with that of the city’s, nor does it match the current capacities of the existing colleges.

The defining characteristic of the collegiate system is unquestionably the sense of community it fosters. By forcing colleges to increase their student numbers, the University is placing a huge burden

on them – both in terms of finance and practicality – to source new accommodation whilst maintaining their collegiate atmosphere.

Given Durham’s density, it is impossible for colleges to build ‘on site’, and so accommodation is being pushed further and further afield.

Serious concerns are being raised about the sustainability of expansion At University College, a new building is being developed on Claypath to cater for 100 new freshers joining in the 20182019 academic year. These new students will be so isolated from college that the option of self catering, rather than having them dine with the rest of their year in Castle, is currently being discussed. Another consequence of the increased student intake is that the College Office has had to significantly decrease the number of rooms available to third years and finalists.

While such changes may not

seem drastic to an outsider, it is small tweaks like these that slowly erode the sense of community and remove what it means to be a collegiate university. Living out or further away discourages people from being active members of their college. If students are dissociated from their colleges, what differentiates us from any other university, and where is the value in having this system at all?

Even worse, the University’s expansion plan could seriously harm Durham City itself. Durham is already besieged with students, who account for approximately 75% of the city centre’s population. It is a small town which lacks the infrastructure to deal with a growing population. Cafés, restauPhotograph: Zoë Boothby

rants and entertainment venues, are struggling to meet the needs of the student body.

If it is not yet too early to learn lessons from the tragedy earlier this month, it is clear that dangerously large crowds both inside and outside of clubs must be tackled.

Integrating the Stockton colleges, while also expanding the general student population, will only exacerbate this issue.

The city is struggling to accommodate for the increase in population Property in Durham is also becoming more expensive as the city tries to cope with the massive demand for central locations. This is not only an issue for students looking for affordable accommodation, but local people and businesses who will soon find themselves priced out of their own city. Even major multinational retailer M&S is closing its Durham branch in April, perhaps because it is unable to justify staying open when the cost of operating in the city centre is so

high.

Although the University argues that increasing the student body will offer more customers, the reality is that students leave for months on end over the holidays, and the local population does not compensate for their absence. The prospect of losing most of your customer base is simply unviable for local businesses.

The University’s website describes its plans with platitudes like “organic growth”, but there is nothing natural in the way that the institution is being forced to expand. We will witness further issues when the Bill Bryson Library, already stretched to its limit, tries to accommodate the influx of students in the coming exam periods.

Reinvestment into services and facilities is necessary for Durham to develop its reputation and ability to offer world-class education.

But this goal should not encompass expanding the student body beyond reasonable bounds. Moving forward, the University must balance its plans for rapid expansion with the reality that Durham is just not big enough.

Ustinov College’s misguided move to Sheraton Park Mika Laiho Two years ago, students were appalled with the University’s decision to relocate Ustinov College from the Howlands Farm site, near the Botanic Garden, to Sheraton Park in the Neville’s Cross area, without prior consultation with its student population.

This unsavoury act sparked outrage throughout Durham, especially among Ustinovians, who felt let down by the Vice-Chancellor.

But what of the mystical ‘wheels of change’ — are they spinning looms of Doom & Gloom or Ye Olde Progresse?

Durham University was dealt favourable cards in the 19th Century— established by Parliamentary decree in 1832; granted the use of Durham Castle by Queen Victoria in 1937; and establishing St Hild’s for women in the 1850s as a reaction to new British attitudes about higher education for women.

In 1965 postgrads comprised a small proportion of the University population. 86 male and 8 female students founded the Graduate Society with the assistance of Professor William Payne Fisher who advocated for their status. When Ustinov college was established in 2005, its student body comprised two thirds of the University’s international population and was esti-

mated to be twice the size of other graduate student bodies.

“Diversitate Valemus” (strength in diversity), coined by Ustinov’s first GCR President, Zu’bi Al-Zu’bi from Jordan, became the college motto on the basis of Durham’s ‘tribal’ collegiate system. When Zu’bi moved to Durham he discovered that Hatfield students were proud of belonging to the original college, whereas the Graduate Society was proud of being the most welcoming towards international students.

Historically, the Graduate Society has been diverse and welcoming Ustinov comprised students of different races, cultures, and religious backgrounds, which made Ustinovians distinct from most other English academics. Unlike other Durham colleges, however, the Graduate Society’s living and study spaces were spread far and wide, between Fisher House in Old Elvet to Shincliffe Hall beyond Maidencastle.

In 2004, the Ustinovian tribe predominantly comprised British students, with around 20% from China, and the rest from Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Greece and the Middle East. Only a decade later, Ustinov proudly declared that it was the largest college in Durham with an estimated 1,700 postgrad-

uate students from 100 nationalities, studying 100 subjects.

The Vice Chancellors’ new strategy for growth aims to boost University revenue by increasing the number of students from 17,500 to 21,500 students by 2027. Sally McGill, Chief Finance Officer, claims that around 50% of the University’s budget comes from tuition fees and other education contracts, which is why accommodation has become a major priority.

Hence jigging around Ustinov, Stephenson and John Snow colleges — plus, perhaps, another six colleges predicted to be introduced in Durham by 2027!

A former trustee of Ustinov’s GCR described the Sheraton Park development as a “fortunate expedient to the benefit of the University through, what seems to be, a bit of a solution to its short-term planning needs.”

That sounded like a tongue-incheek way of saying the move to Sheraton Park is not something college students decided but rather an effect of the University’s unchecked ambition for growth.

The move to Sheraton was not made with students in mind Casting my mind back to 201516, I recall how several ups and downs ensued because of the ViceChancellor’s decision, particularly

at Howlands Farm where the general mood was dismally ominous.

The irony of the ‘We shall not be moved!’ song performed by GCR reps was cringeworthy because Ustinov was destined to be moved, not for the first time, and probably not for the last!

Ustinov staff who voiced concerns said they were equally shocked at how little they knew about the University’s relocation plans, which ranged from not knowing whether college facilities would be available, to not knowing whether the Sheraton Park site would be ready on time for freshers.

Ustinov’s Sheraton move was not the first and definitely won’t be the last Zu’bi told me, “When I came to Ustinov there was a crisis involving moving Ustinov to another location […] but at this time, Howlands Farm seemed like a shot at building something more permanent.” However, he continued, “it wasn’t long until the ‘Ustinov Mound’ was renamed ‘the Mound,’ after Josephine Butler’s student body moved in.”

Now the entire Howlands Farm site is intended as an undergraduate space, leaving many postgraduate students feeling like they are being evicted!

One fresher explained to me that although Ustinov’s identity

Photograph: Mika Laiho

is based on the premise of student ownership, any attempts to decorate Sheraton Park common room have been met with disdain by staff members who forbid residents to change anything (including Christmas decorations!) which is why she moved to Howlands Farm where “even if the bathroom is regularly overflowing, at least it feels homely.”

I hope that the Vice-Chancellor accepts responsibility for the way that the University disregarded a legacy of respect for Ustinov’s and Durham’s identity. I would like to know how long the present system of forced migration is intended to last and, while the paint is fresh at Sheraton, I would like to know whether we have a real opportunity to make it a success.

How long will this move last and what will it cost for Ustinov?

HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION?

Tell us what you think by emailing us at comment@ palatinate.org.uk

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PALATINATE | Thursday 22nd February 2018

Comment

Marks & Spencer’s is closing – time to panic (not) Wilfred Goodhart Every day our world is ravaged by a new disaster of some kind.

In Myanmar, the mass genocide mercilessly rages on, forcing desperate Rohingya Muslims to flee from their homes in seek of refuge. In Libya, men are still being auctioned as slaves in scenes which would scarcely seem believable to you and me if we were to witness these horrors. In Yemen, war has inflicted starvation and disease upon approximately ten million innocent people creating an unparalleled humanitarian catastrophe. In Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine, conflicts have left, and continue to leave, families brutally torn apart and governments without a glimpse of stability. In Durham, Marks and Spencer is shutting down.

It has recently been announced that a number of Marks & Spencer stores, including the one in Durham city centre, will be closing down in an attempt to boost the iconic store’s future economic prosperity. This has sparked out-

rage amongst Durham students.

And rightly so.

In Myanmar, genocide rages; in Durham, M&S is closing down Durham students will soon be brutally subjected to rival stores Tesco and Sainsbury’s, which will inevitably induce food poisoning, malnutrition and scurvy; I hear their products contain no traces of vitamin C whatsoever.

The meat sold at these stores will be so contaminated that it will create an epidemic of salmonella, with the potential to exterminate an entire body of students. Durham as we know it will be on the verge of destruction.

Durham as we know it will be on the verge of destruction Last, but by no means least, Hatfield students will no longer be able to pop down the Bailey to acquire their weekly bag of Percy Pigs.

Perspective is a wonderful thing.

We can all be guilty of worrying

tirelessly over small problems, fearing that they are entirely inescapable. However, when we proceed to suffer another, much more severe, problem, we realise the triviality of the previous issue. When you begin to consider the scale of other peoples’ suffering, you realise that it is in fact not a problem at all. We become so caught up in our bubble that we forget how lucky we are.

Where will Hatfield students get their weekly bag of Percy Pigs?

For example, in the past year we have been so worried as a nation about Brexit that it has come up in the news as regularly as Donald Trump says something stupid. This is rather ironic because I am about to make yet another small reference to Brexit.

Now, I fully understand the potential implications of a bad Brexit.

Economically, the UK could become less attractive to foreign direct investment (FDI) because of uncertainty and reduced access to the single market. Bilateral trade flows between Ireland and the UK are likely to significantly reduce. The

imposition of passport control at the Northern Ireland border would be a regressive step for facilitating co-operation between the two countries.

Students’ anger at this closure will aggravate the city’s class divisions However, as a nation we have become prolific worriers. Let’s be honest, economists make more mistakes than an England goalkeeper at a major football tournament. Irving Fisher, a great American economist, famously said in October 1929 that he believed equities had reached a “permanently high plateau”. I can’t quite remember how that one turned out.

So, for those of us who can do absolutely nothing to rectify this potentially world-destroying-catastrophe that looms over us, let’s not worry about it. Who knows, it will probably turn out fine. I am not at all saying that we should disregard our problems because they are on a radically different scale to other people’s. I am saying that we should not worry as much as we do. We certainly shouldn’t

be fretting about the closing down of Marks & Spencer.

Student anger at this decision aggravates the class divisions that run through this city like fault lines, lying dormant for long periods until they are sparked by certain events, such as the Trevelyan Rugby social. This was a deeply insensitive reminder of the devastation inflicted upon Durham County, which was hit hard by the pit closures instigated by Thatcher. Now, our anger at the closure of this store must send a minor shudder through those very fault lines.

Although many local residents were annoyed by Marks & Spencer’s decision, this outcry must intensify their dislike of students, who are kicking up such a fuss over a luxury food chain.

Photograph: Allen Watkin via Flickr

It’s not rocket science – Elon Musk, cars, and space travel Ben Sladden The year is 2018 and a car carrying a mannequin-cum-driver now drifts through space, blaring David Bowie from the stereo. Yes, the modern world is a strange place, but we should look deeper and ponder whether this bizarre spectacle is exactly what we need.

On 6 February, Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX (a private aerospace manufacturer) and Tesla (a clean energy car manufacturer), watched gleefully as the Falcon Heavy rocket launched towards Mars from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying with it a cherry-red Tesla sportscar.

Do we really need to witness a sports car being launched into space?

This was the second-most powerful rocket launch ever, after Saturn V which transported the Apollo astronauts to the Moon.

Moments later, two of the three ‘boosters’ returned safely to the ground, which may mean these rockets can be reused.

Musk, the world’s 12th richest man, reportedly spent $90 million on the Falcon Heavy launch, on

top of discarding a $100,000 sportscar to venture into space.

The launch also required huge quantities of natural resources.

The launch seemed emblematic of Silicon Valley ‘bro’ culture It begs the question: what on earth was the point? On the surface, the rocket launch appears emblematic of the wasteful, indulgent ‘bro’ culture of Silicon Valley. It seems like simply a very expensive, self-aggrandising PR stunt.

Indeed, marketing firms could probably not conceive of a better advert for a car manufacturer.

“Silly and fun things are important,” Musk said, aloofly, after the launch, adding to the image of the CEO as a child in a man’s body with too much time and money on his hands, chasing the next big thrill.

Moral outrage against the rocket launch, however, is shortsighted, and ignores the bigger picture of advancing technology – which may just save humanity.

Yes, Musk is a rich eccentric, but one who possesses a vision and determination. Aside from Tesla — an electric car manufacturer – his other key venture is SpaceX. This company has a more ambitious aim: improving space

travel for humans to become an interplanetary species. Musk hopes that one day SpaceX will allow humans to settle on Mars.

Many scoff, and Musk is perhaps overconfident in predicting how soon this goal will be achieved.

Yet, haven’t all technological advances once sounded like outlandish sci-fi? A man on the moon? The internet? The idea that we would all be staring into blocks of glass in our hands? 7.6 billion (and counting) of us are immersed into an economic system in which consumption necessitates further extraction and decimation of our planet’s resources and climate.

Didn’t all technological advances once sound outlandish?

It is doubtful whether countermoves, such as the 2015 Paris Agreement, will even be enough.

What will happen to humans in a future scenario in which global Photograph: OnInnovation via Flickr

climate catastrophe makes the world uninhabitable?

According to Musk, and other futurists, we must look beyond our planet and towards space as the new frontier. SpaceX is working in a void into which short-term investors would never venture. Musk’s ambitions are long-term, and he may not even be alive when the full dividends of space exploration are realised.

Aside from a human mission to Mars, a more feasible possibility is mining in space. Both Luxembourg and the US have legislated to allow companies to engage in non-terrestrial resource extraction. There are meteors floating in space abundant in gold and other resources.

If, in the future, we can shift resource extraction into space whilst simultaneously bolstering clean energy on Earth we may possibly stem further destruction on top of that which we have already wreaked.

Musk’s ambitions are long term and he may not live to see them realised The opportunities in space may just make the world’s first quadrillionaires, but by breaching this frontier, we can reach a future of new possibilities. We should embrace great technological

leaps head on, accelerating the development of our existing technological tools.

We can then decide what we want to do with the technology afterwards. For instance, the internet is ubiquitous now, but has multiple functions and developing uses that are not yet settled.

We should embrace great technological leaps with enthusiasm Figures like Musk can be quietly encouraged to venture their capital, whilst being monitored by governments. Events like the launch of a car into space are simply surface froth on a deeper, more important technological wave.

It is our role, and that of our politicians, to argue that this new frontier should be dealt with in the best interests of humanity. Opportunities like space exploration and artificial intelligence could create a less severe, less miserable human experience.

They may merely enrich private companies with little ‘trickledown’ effect, but mediating between these two opposing possibilities is the function of politics, and a challenge we should be embracing head on.

Thursday 22nd February 2018 | PALATINATE

12

Profile

Staying on the ball: juggling university with professional sport Profile talk to Exeter Chiefs and England rugby union scrum-half, Jack Maunder, about his charity work, sport and “not watching too much TV” Holly Adams Deputy Profile Editor

chance to try surfing in Cape Town.

“It focuses on trust and developing trust in others as well as giving children a focus and escape,” he says.

M

ost of us struggle to balance studying with socialising and enjoying the university experience. But England rugby union and Exeter Chiefs scrumhalf Jack Maunder goes further than most, managing to maintain his studies alongside a career as a professional rugby player.

Rugby teaches “discipline as you have to put hour and hours into training”

On the 20th April 2017, Maunder was listed on Eddie Jones’ England squad for the Summer Argentinia tour

In his words, he is trying to balance a career, a degree and a social life. “The trick”, he says, “is not watching too much TV.” Jack Maunder made his debut for Exeter Chiefs in 2016. On the 20th April 2017, he was listed on Eddie Jones’ England squad for the Summer Argentina tour, alongside five other Exeter Chiefs players.

The Chiefs are currently in first position in the Aviva Premier Cup.

The trick to a good worklife balance, he says, “is not watching too much TV”

When he’s not on the pitch, Maunder is studying Business and Business Management at the University of Exeter.

Yet Maunder would not describe himself as a “typical rugby lad”, saying his mum would not allow him to be.

Instead Jack describes himself as a “pretty normal student” who relies on help from his friends to catch up on seminar notes.

Maunder started playing for a local Devon club with his best friend at the age of seven.

“And I haven’t grown much since then,” he jokes.

“Every person apart from one in my family play in the scrum half position”

Remembering Devon country walks chucking a rugby ball around with his dad and brother, Maunder reflects on the advantages he had being able to ask his father about rugby and captaincy.

For Maunder, rugby is a family affair. His father, Andy Maunder, is a former scrum half for Exeter Chiefs and also runs a local butchers.

Maunder laughs, “Every person apart from one in my family play in

▲ Jack Maunder in action for Exeter Chiefs (southwestsportsphotography) the scrum half position.”

Maunder desrcibes his first game playing for Exeter Chiefs as “one of the best experiences of my life” I ask how long Maunder had dreamed of playing rugby on a professional level.

Maunder says, “I have dreamed of a career in rugby as long as I can remember.”

However, he says it was not until he was named on the England under 16s squad that he realised this would even be possible.

Maunder played his first match for Exeter Chiefs back in 2016, recollecting, “I do not remember much of it because I was so scared.

Everything happened so quickly.”

Yet despite the surreal nature of the experience, Maunder stands by this as “one of the best feelings of my life”.

As for Maunder’s experience on the England Squad’s Argentina tour, he reflects on the challenging nature of the experience.

Retrospectively, Maunder has fond memories, but also recalls the challenge of living in isolated parts of Argentina at a time of anti-British protest on an anniversary of the Falklands War. Being brought on for Danny Care in the last few minutes of England’s test match against Argentina, Maunder says he almost felt as though he was watching the game from an outsider’s perspective, a completely different experience than his first game for the Chiefs.

Although Maunder says he has never questioned his commitment to rugby, he has had to sacrifice many things most twenty-year-olds take for granted.

He tells me “since I started my first professional preseason at fifteen, the longest summer holiday I have had has been four weeks and that was only this year.”

According to Maunder, “it’s the little things like missing family weddings or not being able to have a gap year,” that feel like the

biggest sacrifices.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in charities using sports and athletics to help people out of poverty or simply provide an escape in hard times.

Maunder encourages using sports, like rugby, to help people.

Discussing the work of SCRUM, a charity based in South Africa, Maunder says rugby teaches “discipline as you have to put hours and hours into training”.

Maunder also believes rugby can act as a family and support network for those in difficult times, describing how “being part of a rugby club, you get looked after and equally you have loyalty to the rugby club.”

“The longest summer holiday I have had has been four weeks, and that was only this year”

Maunder goes on to talk about the work of Waves for Change, a charity giving children from disadvantaged backgrounds a

However, Maunder emphasises the need for more to be done, as “unfortunately, despite all the good work they are doing, it can not keep up with the amount of poverty in Cape Town”.

Maunder himself has been involved with sport-oriented charities, saying that if you can encourage someone to become active then they will start looking after themselves.

He talks of the “butterfly effect” of sport and how it can have benefits that go far beyond keeping healthy and fit.

Looking to the future, Maunder hopes in 2018 he will remain fit and injury free.

Maunder also hopes to regularly start for Exeter Chiefs and get another chance to play in Jones’ England squad.

Scoring a try in an impressive 43-20 Chiefs victory over rivals Saracens on Saturday 3rd February, Maunder looks like one to watch.

Maunder recalls living in isolated parts of Argentina at a time of anti-British protests during the Falklands War

As for Maunder’s advice for students at Durham University; “Participate in as many different sports as possible and most importantly, never miss a social.”

“ Participate in as much as possible and, most importantly, never miss a social ”

PALATINATE | Thursday 22nd February 2018

13

Politics

This Week in Politics: What You Missed Barnier on Brexit

New Sinn Fein leadership

Labour: public ownership

Dreamers’ fate still undecided

Rhianna Cameron

Tom Cameron

Anna Gray

Anna Myers

After 34 years, Gerry Adams has stepped down from the leadership of Sinn Fein, and has been replaced

by Mary Lou McDonald.

A one-off party conference was held on Saturday 10th February, where leadership was formally transferred from the old president to the new.

During McDonald’s first speech as leader, she outlined her vision for both the party and a united Ireland. At the top of her agenda is to secure, and win, a referendum on the unification of the island.

Another goal is to grow the party and win power both north and south of the border. Brexit is also a concern; she wants to ensure peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland is not threatened.

John McDonnell, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor to the Exchequer, has recently come out and stated that renationalisation – bringing services such as water, electricity and rail back into the public sector – would cost nothing.

McDonnell, a long-time advocate for re-nationalisation following Margaret Thatcher’s campaign of privatisation in the 1980s, said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, that the cost of bringing these services back into the public hands would be “cost free”. McDonnell believes borrowing the money to nationalise the services, estimated at £90bn, could be offset through future earnings by the companies when in government hands.

In recent weeks the fate of 700,000 ‘Dreamers’, undocumented immigrants protected by President Obama’s DACA scheme, has been the topic of fervent political debate.

President Trump recently proposed continuing to provide support for existing recipients of DACA in exchange for $25 billion funding from Congress for his infamous border wall with Mexico.

This prompted significant opposition from both the Democrats, who refused to support the wall, and Trump’s extreme right wing supporters, who labelled the President ‘Amnesty Don’. This congressional opposition indicates the Dreamers’ fate is far from decided.

“You have taken a decision and you have to live with the consequences”: this was the message Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator had for the UK’s Brexiteers.

Talks in Brussels have come to a stumbling block over two issues: the UK wants the right to reject new EU laws established during the transition period and deny EU citizens arriving in Britain the same rights as those who arrived before.

Mr Barnier said h was surprised by the “substantial” new demands, and said: “If these disagreements persist, the transition is not a given.”

Sinn Fein via Flickr

Waldopepper via Flickr

Michael Vadon via Flickr

European People’s Party via Flickr

The Oxfam sex scandal

Julia Atherley Politics Editor Oxfam bosses have been accused of covering up sexual abuse allegations in Haiti following the earthquake there in 2010.

The charity has been told it will not recieve new government funding following the scandal. Last year, the charity recieved almost £30 million from government sources. Roland Van Hauwermeiren, the former country director in Haiti for Oxfam resigned in 2011 before the end of an investigation into his involvement with prostitutes in the country.

The Haitian president, Jovenel Moise, has said this is only the “tip of iceberg” amid claims of abuse and misconduct by the charity.

United Nations via Flickr

It is time for a 50:50 representative Parliament Ellie James It has been exactly 100 years since the Representation of the People Act 1918 came to force, giving all men and some women the vote for the first time. It’s also the centenary of the Parliament Act 1918, which allowed women to become MPs. A hundred years is a long time, a long time for representation to be a goal not yet fully achieved. As a member of UK Youth Parliament, young women outnumbered the

young men on the benches, suggesting there isn’t a lack of confidence, aspiration and ability for young women in politics. Then why does the passion and ambition that I saw in these young women and myself disappear?

The link between diversity and improved business performance is clear – the same goes in Westminster Parliament is meant to be a rep-

resentative body; such representation and diversity is fundamental to informed policy-making. The link between diversity and improved business performance is clear; the same goes in Westminster. For Parliament to showcase a range of talent, there must be accessible routes into politics for women.

Women are needed to prioritise issues that concern them, specifically sex trafficking, FGM and pregnancy discrimination. Without this, representation is a lie. I, like many others, signed the 50:50 Parliament petition that gained traction during the 2015 election promoting exactly this.

There must be accessible routes into politics for women

Phil Dolby via Flickr

16 key ideas were outlined in The Good Parliament Report to suggest what is needed to achieve this goal. The motions that resonated with me were the promotion of friendly working conditions and championing of female MPs already in Westminster.

Watching Prime Minister’s

Questions, an attractive working environment is hardly presented.

Mostly middle-aged, privately educated men jeer at each other in an entirely inaccessible way.

Watching Prime Minister’s Questions, an attractive working environment is hardly presented Some elements of political life, such as meetings at 10pm, are surely not compatible with family life, for men and women alike.

I have often been asked whether I would like to become an MP. Truthfully, no. The thought of having my personality, personal life and every decision I have ever made criticised by constituents, the media and fellow peers is terrifying. I fear the working environment that I would be entering myself into.

This is a view, unfortunately, held by far too many. If we are to prioritise a 50:50 Parliament, a culture change is needed to allow women to thrive in an environment generally conditioned towards men.

When a female MP is elected nationwide support should recognise the challenges she has faced to get

there.

The media’s scrutiny of female MPs often focuses on their clothing rather than their achievements.

The entrenched male gaze dictates the agenda, meaning that there is often not enough support for female MPs already in Parliament.

Being a woman in politics is tough and I abhor anyone who tells me that it will be easy, who tells me I will not be intimidated by the difficulties that makes being a woman in politics difficult.

Nonetheless, much can be done to change the conditions which make encouraging women into politics more likely. With 100 years of legal rights, we now need the cultural change to make representation possible.

“

A cultural change is needed to allow women to thrive

”

Thursday 22nd February 2018 | PALATINATE

14

Politics

Tensions thaw between Koreas at the Olympics Jack Parker Deputy Politics Editor Towards the end of the 19th Century, Baron Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympic Games to encourage political leaders to act in favour of peace, a sentiment that has perhaps never been better embodied than at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea.

Korea was greeted by a standing ovation from the world leaders in attendance, yet Mike Pence pointedly remained seated. The US Vice President was sitting just one row in front of Kim Jong-Un’s younger sister Kim Yo-Jong; the fact that she is the first member of the ruling Kim dynasty to visit the South

since the Korean War is the sign of the importance that both countries are placing on the Games.

The de-escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula was sparked

by Kim Jong-Un’s New Year address. It was a speech of two halves, as he flipped between warning the world about the nuclear button on

Many believe the secretive North’s sudden turnaroud is only a facade for something far more sinister The opening ceremony was noteworthy not only for its technical feats, but also for its diplomacy – for the very first time, athletes from North and South Korea entered the stadium marching under the same flag, that of a unified Korea.

It was a sight that will surely be etched in the collective memory of the peninsula for decades, and it is especially remarkable considering the pace at which the missile crisis had been escalating just months earlier.

Entering the stadium last, as is customary for the host country,

his desk, and wishing the South luck in their hosting of the Games.

Considering the two countries are still technically at war, this shift in rhetoric is radical and unprecedented.

What followed was the first high-level diplomatic talks between the countries in over two years. Held in a small village in the DMZ (the ‘demilitarized zone’ on the border), the negotiations paved the way for a North Korean delegation to attend the Games, along with the creation of a unified Korean women’s ice hockey team.

But there is a clear sense of uncertainty south of the border. The South has reportedly agreed to pay the North’s expenses at the Games, leading

many South Koreans to accuse their President Moon Jae-in, who was only elected in May last year, of using the Olympics to harbour pro-North sentiment.

Many more believe the secretive North’s sudden turnaround is only a façade for something far more sinister.

It is still far too early to judge whether these Winter Olympics will mark a permanent new chapter in North Korea’s relationship not just with the South, but with the rest of the world. The scepticism surrounding their change of tone suggests they still have a long way to go.

For the very first time, athletes from both North and South marched under the same, united flag Ultimately, the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics are taking our minds off our fears of nuclear war.

That’s probably what Baron Pierre de Coubertin would have wanted.

Andy Miah via Flickr

US shutdowns: A new reality? German coalition deal Sarina Rivlin-Sanders “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”

If one were to bastardise the famous Dr Martin Luther King, it would now say: “The arc of US government history is short; it bends towards shutdowns.”

The issue on the table this time, DACA, is a weighty one The Antideficiency Act, often cited as their legal underpinning, was passed in 1884, but shutting down the nation’s government over a negotiation failure did not become common until the 1980s.

That was when the Act was “rediscovered”– as if the legislation underpinning the earnings of hundreds of thousands of federal employees had just been lost under last night’s reading.

The 2013 shutdown saw the US economy reportedly lose around $23 billion While the most recent shutdown on February the 9th only lasted a few hours in the early morning it displays a worrying trend.

The issue on the table this time, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a weighty one. It is not something to be held like the Sword of Damocles over people,

reminding them that their government, and the jobs of thousands of their constituents, could disappear in literally a second.

Historically speaking, these shorter shutdowns have been the rule. The dire economic warnings that have resulted, with reports the US economy lost around $23 billion due to the 2013 shutdown, may have jolted some lawmakers out of their complacency and speedier resolutions to future shutdowns may be the way forward.

But the threat of shutdowns occurring constantly, with the latest deal keeping the government open until March 23rd and not a second longer.

This is an age in which sensationalism beats sound policy With shutdowns being redesigned to be more palatable to mass audiences, as seen in the decision not to close national parks during them and their undeniable media appeal, politicians seem more willing to use them like any other tactic in an age where sensationalism beats sound policy.

Becky Mingard After three months of political uncertainty following the German elections, a tentative deal has been struck between the two largest parties: Merkel’s centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), and Martin Schulz’s centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).

A tentative deal has been struck Like any good compromise, it has resulted in tears on both sides.

Despite emerging as the strongest party with 33% of the vote, the CDU were forced to concede several

important ministries to the leadership of the SPD, in order to gain their 20% and a majority government. Meanwhile, the SPD reneged their central campaign promise, to refuse to enter into another Merkel-led government.

With an SPD minster leading the finance cabinet, Germany can expect less spending restraint, with commitments to welfare, housing and pensions. The coalition will also encourage further integration with the EU, including a larger contribution to the EU budget and a convergence with Macron on reform of the euro zone.

However, the election also demonstrates a growing trend towards pluralism in Europe. This has disillusioned voters, who increasingly recognise interchangeable policies regardless of the governing party and turn their hopes for change towards newer, radical parties. It is this trend which has allowed the rise of the alt-right Alternative for Germany to gather an unprecedented 10% of the vote. Although the coalition may be a temporary relief for the stability of Germany, it is not a guarantee for the future.

When change comes, it will come with the full force of youth disillusionment, frustration and the new wave of nationalism.

Vicky Laforge via Flickr

Rich Renomeron via Flickr

PALATINATE | Thursday 22nd February 2018

15

Politics

Canada’s gender-neutral national anthem

Editor’s Note Rhodri Sheldrake Davies Politics Editor

J

ustin Trudeau has proven to be a radically reformist Canadian Prime Minister, especially on issues of gender.

The self-identified feminist’s government has recently pushed to change the wording of the Canadian national anthem to be gender-neutral.

Two of our regular contributors, Simon Green and Matthew Spivey, debate whether this is truly going to mean anything for gender equality in Canada, or whether it is a distraction from his Liberal government’s shortcomings in other areas.

This is a trivial issue No, it’s long overdue Simon Green

Matthew Spivey

A lot has been made of the Canadian Senate’s decision to pass a bill replacing the lyric, ‘In all thy sons command,’ with ‘In all of us command’ in ‘O, Canada’. Social media took a typically insightful and nuanced response to the issue, in creating a range of memes in which Justin Trudeau reacts angrily if the word ‘man’ appears anywhere.

Obviously, sexism and gender discrimination are issues that continue to haunt Western society, but is a word in a song the reason for this in Canada?

Senator Frances Lankin passed the bill to amend the National Anthem, ‘O Canada’, with the profound message that this change “may be small... but it’s huge in terms of one of our major national symbols”. Patriarchal gendering of the line, ‘in all thy sons command’, is an exclusion of women from societal prevalence.

Contentions to this decision suggested that the change defies the sacred nature of Canada’s history. The ‘sacred’ nature of a lyric representing gender exclusivity holds no place in modern day society, patriarchal or gendered terms should be removed from all displays of national identity.

It looks like window-dressing According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, “An estimated 10-15% of the wage gap is attributed to gender-based wage discrimination”. Seriously?

It’s the 21st century and there is still a section of Canadian society which feels women are less valu-

John McCallum via Flickr

able in the workplace, purely on the grounds of gender?

Surely this is the issue that Trudeau’s Liberal Party should be addressing, and not taking a stand on such a trivial issue as a word in the national anthem. I don’t believe for one second that Canadian women will really feel any more or less valued after this change takes place; do the government think that this will magically make sexist discrimination disappear overnight?

Frankly, making such a songand-dance about it looks like window-dressing, pure and simple.

nent writer Margaret Atwood battling for change. Whilst a poll taken in 2013 found that 65% of Canadians were opposed to changing the anthem, it is a longawaited but aptly timed amendment, as Canada’s arguably most liberal-minded Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is in power.

In a television debate last week Trudeau claimed that ‘we like to say “peoplekind”, not necessarily “mankind”, because it is more inclusive’. It would seem then that to continue presenting this gendered National Anthem as a mark of National Identity would be to undermine this very inclusivity.

Marcus Hebel via Flickr

Gender exclusivity holds no place in the modern day The struggle to amend the lyrics of the National Anthem began way back in the 1950s, then resurged in the 1980s with promi-

Rees-Mogg fight at UWE: How should we protest?

Hefin Rees Edwards On February 2nd a Jacob Rees-Mogg speech at the University of West England was interrupted by antifascist protestors.

After initially attempting to engage in dialogue the North East Somerset MP was then caught in the middle of a melee between the protestors and audience members.

Although the police were called, nobody was arrested and the event was allowed to continue. Afterwards Mogg said how being subject to protest was a natural part of an MP’s job.

“I think people coming along and shouting at you, people heckling you is part of political life,” he said. “And to be perfectly honest, as a politician, a bit of heckling can make your speech.”

es-Mogg to take place – a person whose homophobic and anti-abortion beliefs are well known and documented,” and hence, they “felt it was appropriate of us to disrupt his speech”.

This event has opened up a wider debate about freedom of speech

on university campuses.

Rees-Mogg does hold views which are out of step with vast majority of the British public; for instance. he believes abortion should be illegal even in cases where rape is involved.

However, living in a democracy

Rees-Mogg said protests are a natural part of an MP’s job The protestors have claimed their actions were a “complete success,” with a spokesperson for Bristol Antifascists saying: “UWE, a university that takes pride in its inclusivity of LGBT stance, decided to allow a speech from Jacob Re-

means freedom of speech is a universal concept and should be applied consistently. Rees-Mogg himself is a strong free speech advocate and his calm, measured response to the protestors has earned him wide praise.

It is not the first time Rees-Mogg has encountered protests while giving talks; he was similarly heckled at the Mile End Institute in London, at a Brexit event during the Tory Party Conference in Manchester and at Cardiff Cathedral – but he said such protests were “three in one hundred”.

Given Rees-Mogg’s controversial opinions, this is a fairly low hitrate. Investigators have found none of the protesters were students of UWE and in fact it was students themselves who had invited ReesMogg to speak back in September 2017.

Living in a democracy means freedom of speech is a universal concept It is fair to say these protestors did not reflect the views of the majority of student body.

The main issue raised here instead seems to be security, an area Rebecca Pow via Flickr

in which UWE accepts it failed in this instance. Students had requested support from the university security team three days before Rees-Mogg’s speech, however the email went unread as the member of staff responsible was on holiday.

It is fair to say these protestors did not reflect the views of the majority of the student body A UWE Pro-Vice-Chancellor said the University had addressed the issue: “We have reviewed that so in the future there will be an inbox open to the security team and not just a single individual”.

The main issue raised here seems to be security Rees-Mogg is due to speak on the 16th of February at the University of Bristol, where security is set to be far more stringent, ensuring that if protests do occur they can do so without descending into violence.

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Thursday 22nd February 2018 | PALATINATE

SciTech

How important is carbon dioxide in affecting climate change?

Jack Eardley SciTech Editor After the Paris Climate change accords, it would seem that the world, with the notable exception of President Trump, has agreed that climate change is real, humans are responsible, and reducing carbon is the solution.

But is climate change really that simple?

Last Thursday, Student Energy Durham hosted Chartered Energy Engineer Andrew Clarke to discuss the wide range of contributors to climate change and rethink some common misconceptions.

Mr. Clarke focused his talk on both the anecdotal evidence that often features in news, as well as the hard data that climate scientists present as irrefutable evidence.

Weather change happens in days and climate change happens in decades The first common confusion that he tackled was the distinction between weather and climate. Put simply, Mr. Clarke explained that weather change happens in days and climate change happens in decades.

Aiming his comments towards President Trump and climate change sceptics, he explained

Reader’s Scigest

that global warming does not mean that everywhere gets hotter, going on to explain that extreme weather conditions are predicted and already being seen in some parts of the world.

Although we may be experiencing colder winters, increasing the risk of hypothermia in Chicago and freezing iguanas in Florida, the global temperature is clearly rising. Mr. Clarke showed that climate change, and average global warming, is happening, and it’s happening now.

Many factors can influence global climate and these factors fall broadly into two categories.

One cause is the production of gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect and reflect solar energy back to Earth from the atmosphere. Another issue is that these gases change how much sunlight the surface of the Earth can absorb to warm itself.

We are experiencing colder winters, causing iguanas to freeze in Florida Often, climate change causes are not simple and can have competing effects.

Melting sea ice, for example,

is not just a symptom of climate change but a cause. An increase in global temperatures can cause ice to melt into water, this water is then better at absorbing sunlight than the ice, which results in increased temperatures and more ice melting. Such a vicious cycle is a mechanism often cited as a reason climate change may be irreversible.

Deforestation of the Amazon for cattle rearing reduces the number of trees, which naturally capture carbon dioxide, on the planet.

This deforestation is unwelcome or illegal and, as a result, it is often impossible for loggers to

sell the trees they chop down for construction purposes. Thus these felled forests are simply left to decay and release their carbon back into the atmosphere, exacerbating the problems deforestation causes.

Near the end of the lecture, Mr. Clarke concluded that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are the most likely cause of climate change, based on the best available climate data. Unusually though, he claimed that regardless of whether carbon dioxide is to blame or not, we should be taking steps to reduce it.

Not only does increased carbon release cause ocean acidification ,which could endanger thousands of aquatic species, but continually burning oil will prevent it being used for its many other industrial and medicinal applications. Mr Clarke claimed he was not anti-oil but against wasting oil.

Continually burning oil will prevent it being used for its many other applications The overwhelming reality of the data presented in this lecture proved that although other factors do effect the climate, it is man-made carbon that is the greatest problem and one that our generation must fix.

(Noclador via Wikimedia Commons)

Durham research filmed for TV by baboons Martha Bozic

Rachel Miller

SciTech Editor

This weekend has seen Team GB win three medals, including a gold for Lizzie Yarnold, in the skeleton at the Winter Olympics.

Yet this success has been marred by backlash at the team’s new “skinsuits”.

The suits are created after 3D scans of the athletes’ bodies are tested in wind-tunnels, and each suit is uniquely fitted to achieve the most aerodynamic efficiency.

In other wintery news, after an iceberg four times the size of Greater London broke off from the Antarctic Peninsula in July 2017, a British Antarctic Survey led team are heading South on the 21st February to explore the sea bed ecosystem.

They are hoping to find weird and wacky wildlife in an area that has not seen sunlight in approximately 120,000 years!

On Thursday 8th February, research from the Durham University Department of Anthropology graced the screens of the nation.

The Primate and Predator Project, led by Professor Russell Hill, was featured on the BBC One programme Animals with Cameras.

The show sees the world from an animal’s point of view - quite literally – as footage is taken from cameras attached to their bodies.

Baboons are shown running wild over a plot of butternut squash Studies forming part of the Primate and Predator Project have focused on the ecology of local species in the Soutpansberg mountain range in South Africa,

looking at the threat that humans pose to their conservation. Animals with Cameras concentrated on the project’s work with local farmers, which aimed to reduce crop raiding by baboons.

The team try to understand the human side of the conflict with conservation Hill said that the Project came about “by chance” after a PhD student was forced to relocate the focal point of his studies when an airline lost his bags. Their new host, Professor Ian Gaigher, has since become a long-term collaborator with the University.

The team try to integrate their work with the local community, and look to understand the human side of the conflict with conservation. In particular, Hill says that the farmers suffer from “very real economic losses” when

livestock and crops are damaged by local animals. Such mutual understanding is important for the project to be sustainable.

In the clip, the baboons are shown running wild over a plot of butternut squash - a problem which has led to some farmers shooting them in an attempt at

damage control. After cameras are attached to the baboons, the conservation researchers find that wild fruits are preferred by the baboons, presenting a more sustainable and peaceful solution.

(CharlesJSharp via Wikimedia Commons)

Thursday 22nd February 2018 | PALATINATE

18

Sport

“Basketball has huge potential in the UK” Newcastle Eagles owner and managing director Paul Blake speaks to Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero about the rise of the club, basketball’s status in the UK and how the sport can continue to grow

Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero Sport Editor

N

ewcastle Eagles are the most successful club in the history of the British Basketball League. Since their rebranding in 1996, they have won 25 titles and achieved three clean sweeps of BBL silverware – in 2005-06, 2010-11 and 2013-14.

Off the court, they are an example for sports clubs across the North East.

None of this would have been possible without owner and managing director Paul Blake, who has been at the club for more than 20 years.

The Eagles were once one of three teams along with the Falcons and the Cobras (a now defunct ice hockey team) who formed part of Newcastle United Sporting Club, a grand vision from the football club’s owners to expand across a variety of sports.

But when they announced they would not continue to run any of the sides in 1999, then-marketing manager Blake stepped up and bought the Eagles. As he tells me, “the rest is history”.

The club’s success is even more impressive given they started from a financial base which Blake admits “wasn’t in great shape”.

He attributes the change in fortune to “a lot of hard work from a lot of people” in building a

system which “didn’t exist in any sort of large scale” for basketball in the North East.

“We’ve had a very strong focus on community development; setting up junior clubs, leagues for those clubs to play in and schools programmes to engage young people and point them to those club sides.

“Ultimately we’ve built an infrastructure up across Tyne and Wear and parts of Northumberland that mean that we have over 40 different sides that operate every week where young people play.”

It is tempting to compare the rise of the franchise with Newcastle United’s stagnation under Mike Ashley over the past decade, but Blake says “it’s all relative” when I ask him how he views the situation at St James’ Park.

“You say ‘mismanagement’, but I look at it and 50,000 supporters are still turning up every week – Bournemouth Football Club would love to have 50,000 supporters turn up every week.

“It’s a different set of rules, and fortunately we’ve found a way within our league to get to the top of the pile financially and on the pitch – and one helps the other.”

One difference is the status of the two sports. While the likes of football, rugby and cricket are undeniably popular in the UK,

basketball does not receive the same attention. Blake, who served as Chairman of the BBL between 2006 and 2013, says participation is not the only factor.

“

Football, rugby and cricket have a historical legacy in this country, and basketball doesn’t

”

“When you delve into the figures in terms of the numbers of participants, in rugby and in cricket particularly, the participation rates that come out from Sport England’s Active People Surveys are that basketball’s participation rates are just about the same as rugby and cricket, but its media presence isn’t.

“Those participation figures that you’re seeing in basketball could be people that are playing at clubs but are more likely to be people that are just picking a ball up in a park or have a hoop on the side of the house; or are watching a bit of NBA or perhaps watching a bit of BBL.” He sees the lack of basketball

infrastructure and history in the UK as the two main reasons it has not yet gained a foothold nationally.

“It doesn’t matter where you go in this country, you can find a rugby club,” he says. “If you rock up in Norwich tomorrow morning, you’ll find a rugby club and you’ll find a football club you can join, you’ll find a cricket club in the summer that you can join. You may find a basketball club, you may find a volleyball club, you may find a netball club. The infrastructure is just not as developed, and that’s the key.

“The sports you named have a historical legacy in this country, and basketball doesn’t.”

Is that not strange given how easy it is to pick up a ball and play?

“It’s not hard to pick up a ball and bounce it, but it is hard to then find a club to play in at 12 or 10 years of age,” he tells me.

“If you cannot access it because you don’t have a school team or a school basketball club or local junior club that you can go and join, it’s not easy to play. And that’s regardless of the number of basketball facilities available in the country, because every school has one.”

Even so, the Eagles have created a fervent basketball community in the region. Blake says the club’s infrastructure is “bursting at the seams”, to the point where coaches are having to be turned away.

They are not the indomitable force they once were in the league – they currently sit third in the table behind Leicester Riders and Glasgow Rocks, which Blake describes as a “tragedy for us” – but the unveiling of a new 2,800-seater stadium in November later this year will mean the Eagles will have their own venue for the first time in their history.

“Teams around us are getting stronger and their business models are improving so we’ve got some challenges there in terms of the league becoming more competitive but that’s good for the league.

“Our main challenger is Leicester and they’ve been in their own facility for a few years now. They were the first club in the country to own its own facility, and if we don’t do the same then we’ll get

left behind.

“Equally, in building [the stadium], it’s going to open up opportunities for us to play on different nights of the week and Europe’s part and parcel of that.”

Blake adds that clubs having their own venues is crucial for the league and basketball in the UK. “Our league needs organisations that own and run their own assets.

All sports that have found their way and ultimately have become mainstream have owned their assets for many, many years and have been able to build up a level of sustainability.

“Whether that be just a cricket club or a rugby club that own the land and have a bar and a clubhouse, that’s the route to sustainability.

“It’s very positive and it should mean a period of growth for the clubs that are participating in the league, a more sustainable league, hopefully a higher profile league as a result – one that can go out and put its teams into European competition and test themselves.”

“

It’s not hard to pick up a ball and bounce it, but it is hard to then find a club to play in

”

He takes a deep breath when I ask him how he views basketball progressing in the UK, but he seems cautiously optimistic.

“As always, huge potential, but that potential is only ever going to be properly realised if an infrastructure like ours can be seen area by area,” he says.

“You have, nationally, patches of intense activity, other places very little, and that’s purely down to club infrastructure in my view, or lack of in certain places.

“The sport can grow, the interest is undeniably there, but if we’re wanting to engage people to play the sport frequently, you cannot do that if you don’t have the clubs. It’s as simple as that.”

▲ Paul Blake has been at the Eagles for 20 years and has overseen their transition from a loss-making club to the most succesful in BBL history (Newcastle Eagles)

PALATINATE | Thursday 22nd February 2018

19

Sport

York College Varsity 2018: the preview The view from York: what to expect from the home sides Adam Philpott Nouse Sport Editor

▲ Durham won the varsity last time on home soil with a comprehensive 94-31 scoreline and are looking to retain the title in York (Durham University)

Will Jennings Louis Gibbon Deputy Sport Editors The month of February represents different things for different people. For many it marks the eventual lapsing of January, a month characterised as a period of gloom, post-festive blues and reflection. For many students at Durham, however, its advent represents the arrival of an altogether more enticing prospect.

Yep, that time of the year has arrived and Varsity has returned, an event that will see a formidable contingent of Durham teams make the journey to compete in a whole host of sporting competitions. 31 college sides will travel to York on Sunday, all of whom will surely be eager to attain success and secure the subsequent bragging rights over our – relatively – local rivals.

In footballing circles, Grey and St. Cuthbert’s are Durham’s chosen representatives in the men’s game, with the latter’s B team fixture preceding the more prestigious event later that day.

Indeed, Grey’s undefeated record

in the league since their shock Floodlit Cup departure in October should stand the side in good stead for the contest.

For the women, Josephine Butler and Trevelyan are the delegated teams in the A and B team fixtures respectively, with the Butler side surely going into the event with confidence owing to their table-topping exploits in the Women’s Premiership.

Four Durham sides travel up for the rugby, and after Collingwood’s success last year it is the turn of last season’s Premiership champions Hatfield A alongside University A to represent the men.

The transition away from combined college teams in the women’s rugby, means Durham send up two teams from individual colleges for the first time in the form of St Aidan’s A in the A team fixture and Trevelyan in the B team fixture, and will have to adjust to the non-contact version of the sport played by the York sides.

Hockey provided a rare success in Durham’s last varsity visit to York as Hatfield A dominated

Goodricke in a 5-1 victory. This time around it’s up to Premiership table-toppers Collingwood A who look to continue their fine form as they represent Durham in the A team fixture. Van Mildert will hope a change of scenery can result in a change in fortunes after a disappointing start to the season, as they play in the B team fixture.

Badminton players will form a considerable proportion of Durham’s travelling contingent, with six fixtures being allocated to the sport in the men’s, women’s and mixed forms of the game.

St. Hild and St. Bede A team will compete in the men’s fixture, while St. Cuthbert’s and John Snow will make the journey to represent the women’s and the mixed teams. In the B team games, Van Mildert, Stephenson and St. Cuthbert’s have been chosen to participate.

Although there are no women’s fixtures, Ustinov and St. Hild and St. Bede have been chosen to represent the university on the basketball court, while St. Aidan’s and Trevelyan will compete in the volleyball.

In lacrosse, it is difficult to imagine University relinquishing their unbeaten record in the A team game given their recent league record, while St. Chad’s will play in the B team fixture.

The fixtures extend further than mainstream sports, however.

College teams have also been chosen to represent the university in darts and pool, with Grey’s darts team seeking to replicate their rampant Monday night run on the bigger stage.

The college’s pool team – alongside Collingwood in the B team fixture – will also be making the trip down to York.

Durham will hope that all 31 college sides can produce the same sort of form that led to a convincing 94-31 points win last year.

Either way, this tournament is a showcase of the great, unique collegiate systems of both universities, and at the very least it will give the travelling Durham contingent a chance to enjoy nightlife outside of Jimmy Allen’s and Klute.

Comparing the 2016 York varsity victory and the 2017 Durham victory highlights that ball sports was the area in which York struggled last year, gaining just 21 percent of points available in this decisive category. The footballing sides of Langwith and Halifax will be looking to avenge Durham’s sizeable 2017 lead in this category.

All the points in rugby went to Durham last year, but York’s top two rugby clubs, Derwent and Hes East, will be confident of ensuring a whitewash does not happen again. After a spicy fixture between Derwent and Hes East in the qualifiers, it was Derwent who came out on top to gain a place in the top tier match.

The basketball qualifying final was a particularly spectacular moment from qualifiers weekend, with Constantine edging out winners 44-39 in a tense and closely-fought contest.

Hockey has been a source of more recent points accumulation for York, winning five of a possible eight points in 2017. This year Halifax and Derwent will hope to at least replicate that tally against Durham’s finest.

Volleyball has often been an assured point-winner for York, having won 72 per cent of points available in this sport since the formation of the tournament in 2014. While this is the first year a strong Wentworth side have failed to qualify, having sealed a firstever Varsity victory for York in 2016, the equally strong sides of James and Halifax will be hoping to continue the volleyball dominance of York.

Goodricke netball provided arguably the biggest shock result of the qualifiers, as they qualified for Varsity for the first time ever after dumping out a strong Halifax side in a narrow 20-18 win.

Halifax and Derwent dominate the 6 teams representing York in badminton, in which a sizeable 24 points are up for grabs across six fixtures. Since 2014, York’s badminton teams have won 62.5 per cent of matches and will remain hopeful of continuing this form in the Sports Arena later this month.

Sport

Thursday 22nd February 2018 | PALATINATE

York College Varsity preview We take an in-depth look at this weekend’s highly anticipated tournament (page 19)

Paul Blake interview Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero speaks to the Newcastle Eagles owner and managing director about basketball in the UK (page 18)

College Sport Manager: intramural varsity victory bodes well LJ Crawford College Sport Manager

▲ Durham travel to York for the college varsity this weekend. We preview the main fixtures on p19 and hear York’s thoughts on the clash (Durham University)

Cricketers raise £1,600 for mental health awareness and smash record Ollie Godden Deputy Sport Editor At first suggestion, a continuous 48hour cricket match seems a less than attractive proposition, but Hatfield student Ben Gould’s No Boundaries world record attempt in aid of PAPYRUS mental health charity previewed by Palatinate proved to be a huge success and a big hit with volunteers and donors alike, raising over £1,600.

As the first band of men and women clubbed together on a dreary Monday evening in Durham School’s indoor hall on the 12th Feburary, the end goal seemed a long way away. Gould himself even admitting after the event he wasn’t sure he realised “quite how long 48 hours would feel in one sports hall”.

However, a can-do attitude from all present set the tempo from the

off. With MCCU talent down to first time players, the spirit of the event was encapsulated within moments.

The first gruelling night shift seemed to be a hard slog for those involved, but a visit from Durham County Cricket Club’s James Weighell and Matthew Potts lifted the mood the next day.

Gould’s younger brother Tom, 19, hosted the professionals for their stint and was impressed with their commitment.

“They really picked up the spirit of the occasion and increased the quality of the cricket massively,” he said. “We are very grateful for them and the rest of DCCC for supporting us”.

London consultancy firm JDX were present and provided strong support too, with Durham alumnus Alex Moore attending the event personally on behalf of the company.

As the hours went on, running

between the wickets dramatically reduced but there were still tons earned in the night sessions (12am7am) – the only one of the three daily sessions not to be run in pairs cricket forma, players instead given unlimited time to bed in for the night.

All the while, generous donations were coming in via the JustGiving page set up for the event raising money for Papyrus.

With suicide the leading cause of young deaths, PAPYRUS exist to listen, support, and guide young people with mental health issues who are thinking of committing suicide.

Gould was hoping for four figures from fundraising but that was easily surpassed within the first session – an outstanding achievement.

Reflecting on the feat, Gould sought to appreciate the help he received.

“I am so grateful to everyone who took the time, effort and lack of sleep to come and play cricket to help support such a worthy charity.”

On the topic of fundraising, Gould was unsurprisingly ecstatic. “We absolutely smashed our target which I am over the moon about, a big thank you has to go to JDX, Durham School and DCCC for making it all possible”.

Finally discussing the bizarre notion of early hours cricket, Gould remarked that it was “tough but also weirdly fun”. The Hatfielder was effusive in his praise for volunteers – friends old and new – who gave up their time to make the event a success.

In the end, the attempt was secured with relative ease but a definite lack of sleep. Gould’s efforts were certainly fruitful and a grateful PAPYRUS will no doubt reap the rewards of the Durham community’s hard work.

Last Sunday saw the Loughborough IMS programme arrive to a chilly but bright winter day at Maiden Castle.

Durham were hoping Stephenson’s win in mixed badminton would guarantee their lead for the rest of the day but Holt quickly took the lead in men’s basketball against Collingwood and the competition was tied.

Despite a very close match in women’s football, Grey lost in the final minutes to Telford. Van Mildert netball secured a last minute win, making it a tie once again. Everyone huddled into the Sports Hall to watch the women’s basketball. The game ended with a heartbreaking 28-27 defeat.

Once again Loughborough had taken the lead in the Varsity and Durham’s hope was with the St Cuthbert’s Men’s Football team who were also playing an extremely close match. Tied threeall at half time, St Cuthbert’s got the much needed fourth goal with four minutes left in the match and once again the Varsity was tied.

Grey women’s hockey remain undefeated so far this season after a 2-0 win against Telford & Falk Egg, which put Durham in the lead again finally. But nobody could have anticipated the upset in the men’s rugby match. Faraday literally ran over the Collingwood men to give a 50-15 win to the visitors. The competition was tied with only men’s hockey left.

At it was 1-1 between Hild Bede and Farady & Telford. The visitors missed a penalty shot and two minutes later Hild Bede put the ball into the visitor’s goal and won the match. Durham had won!

Despite a day full of nail-biting tension, the fixtures were enjoyed by all and Loughborough did leave smiling after a battle lost but well fought. Well done to all of the Durham teams who participated for an amazing display of college sport excellence.