Books

News

Seun Twins

Durham Students’ Union President

We made it!! We made it to the end of term and we made it to the end of the year. I cannot emphasise enough how much survival is an achievement for each and every student. Sarah (your Postgraduate Academic Officer) always says this to me and every day it becomes more and more true. In my matriculation speech, I said that “2020 is a year of chaos, flux, and existentialism” and upon the review, it looks like I was right. To say it has been a tough year would be an understatement.

I wish that everyone would take the time to reflect on this year and lessons learned. On a personal level, I have learned to be patient with myself and that my mental health should come second to none; as a President, I have recognised the sheer toll of Michaelmas Term, not just on students but on student volunteers, marginalised students and other student leaders.

As a member of the Durham community, I have seen morale and the excitement that comes with the wider student experience take a real hit. It is true that Durham not only looks but feels a lot different. To be honest about how you are feeling is truly the only way to get through a once in a lifetime crisis like a global pandemic.

I believe that we have all come to recognize that we are only as strong as our more vulnerable students and it is up to us to care for us. Students adhering to Covid-19 restrictions, volunteering as Covid-19 stewards, delivering food parcels or even just setting up an online Zoom quiz are truly the students we should be thanking and honouring.

Now, I am under no illusions that 2021 will be our wildest dreams but what we can say is that we got through 2020 and it is looking like there may be a light emerging out of this very long and very dark tunnel.

I wish everyone a safe and well end to the term and make sure that everyone takes a test before they travel.

Stay safe, Seun xx

Castle MCR pledges £25k to acquire Palace Green almshouses

the acquisition will be finalised The refurbishments of the sition, the Castle MCR President Luke Payne early next year. building will likely be extensive said: “The MCR has grown signifiInvestigations Editor Castle MCR is one of the wealth- and costly, as the building’s roof cantly over the last three years, iest common rooms, but the sum requires replacement. Reports averaging 270 members. The Castle MCR is planning an ambi- pledged to the building will rep- acquired by Palatinate suggest Maurice Tucker Room is currently tious expansion of their exist- resent a substantial portion of its that the building’s loft space is insufficient to meet the needs of ing common room facilities into finances. Its acquired wealth has filled with asbestos, which will the MCR and so the previous exec Bishop Cosin’s Almshouses, also recently been the subject of con- require removal by profession- decided to investigate options to known as Café on the Green. The troversy. Last year, Palatinate re- als. The Almshouses’ listed status expand our physical space. After common room has committed vealed it had historically profited and location on a world herit- the lease of the Café on the Green £25,000 to the total cost of the thousands of pounds from its an- age site will likely increase these ended, the University decided to acquisition and all necessary re- nual charity balls. costs. The common room may start exploring other uses for this furbishments required. Despite also face stiff competition from building and the previous Castle the significant cost of the pro- “They are not very transpar- other University departments, as exec and Principal investigated posal, the common room’s or- ent with budgets” Palatinate understands there are this as a possibility for the new dinary members have yet to be multiple parties interested in ac- location of the MCR. consulted. An ordinary member de- quiring use of the building. “Before taking this proposal to

According to the MCR Treasur- scribed the plans as “unfair”, be- The building dates from 1668. the MCR, we first needed to eser’s most recent report, the com- lieving they had no say on where Almshouses were buildings that tablish that the space was in fact mon room sees the building as a their money goes and comment- provided accommodation for available which, as of today, is long-term investment and plans ed; “They are not very transpar- people who could not afford to still not confirmed. No decisions to use it for exclusive additional ent with budgets. We have been pay rent. The Almshouses have, have been made regarding use of space for its members. The plans asked to pay membership fees until recently, been the home of this space since nothing has been have been in the works for some this year and received little in re- Café on the Green, a University- confirmed. However, the exec will time. The previous President and turn. It feels like our money is be- owned business. engage in a broad consultative Treasurer commenced work on ing used to refurbish something When approached for com- process should it be decided to the project. The executive hopes for future students.” ment with respect to the acqui- proceed with this acquisition.”

10% of students sought counselling in 2019

Continued from front last five years, nearly two thirds of students who sought counselDale, Director of Student Support and Wellbeing, and Joanne Race, or digital services including those used by the NHS. We also have One student mentioned that “in the past, coming back up to Durham could feel overwhelming but I always knew where I stood, whereas now that all the norms we rely on have been uprooted it’s hard to know how to ‘do uni’ in this context.” Another suggested that, in order to help improve students’ mental health, the University “could publicise [access to mental health services] better”, for they “don’t put anything about ling were female. “The health, safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and the wider community is always our first priority” The number of third year students who seek counselling from the University is around seven times higher than first year students. In the 2018-19 academic year, 114 first year students Director of Human Resources and Organisation Development. They said, “The health, safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and the wider community is always our first priority. We remain extremely mindful of the impact that Covid-19 restrictions, which are necessary to limit the spread of the virus, have on our University community, and we are committed to supporting those affected through it. All students have full access to a range of pastoral supportive structures and services in place for our staff, ensuring they can raise problems and seek help – be this from their line management, Occupational Health, Health and Safety, the University Counselling Service or HR and Organisation Development. “All staff also have access to our Employee Assistance Programme which provides a wide range of support, including access to telephone counselling. We are developing a Health and it in the emails, as far as I know.” sought counselling, as opposed support through their colleges Wellbeing Strategy, with the aim However, the majority of the stu- to the 798 third year students. and professional support servic- of creating a more responsible, dents surveyed by Palatinate said In 2014-15, there were 81 first es such as our counselling team. attractive and productive place to they know how to access Univer- years compared to 616 third “To ensure these services are work and study. We look forward sity mental health support. Half years. Covid-secure they are currently to announcing further initiatives of the students also said they In response to Palatinate’s being delivered predominantly in our whole University approach would feel comfortable talking to findings, Durham University is- online. Our advisers are also to health and wellbeing.” welfare services about their men- sued a statement on behalf of Sam trained to signpost to telephone (Amana Moore) tal health.

Data by Durham Polling also shows that 53% of students would feel negative if face-to-face teaching was removed completely.

Data collected by savethestudent.org showed that two in three students nationwide say their mental health has suffered due to Covid-19, with 49% of students saying they worry about loneliness. 67% of students nationwide want at least some inperson teaching right now.

Data published by Durham University reveals that the number of Durham students seeking counselling is increasing each year. In 2019, one in ten students sought counselling. By comparison, in the 2014-15 academic year, 8.7% of the total student population was known to the counselling service, whilst in 2015-16 it was 9.1%. Over the