Palatinate Thursday 3rd November 2016 | No. 788
Women in science under the microscope SciTech (p.14-15)
University sexual violence strategy praised in national report
www.palatinate.org.uk | FREE
& Indigo Features explore today’s post factual world (i.3-4)
Sport interview Rafa Benitez Champagne
Society placed on probation following summer ball Ryan Gould News Editor
Nightline, It Happens Here, Feminist Society crucial to helping meet objectives Emma Pinckard & Hugo Harris News Team Durham University has responded to the publication of the UUK Taskforce report, which examines “violence against women, harassment, and hate crime affecting university students.” The “Changing the Culture” report makes a number of recommendations for UUK and universities across the country, focusing significantly on methods of prevention and effective response because “all university students…are entitled to enjoy a safe and positive experience at university. “UK universities have a duty to ensure that outcome.” Set up in September 2015, the Taskforce has, over the course of 12 months, considered information provided by several universities, the National Union of Students, the Union of Jewish Students, Rape Crisis, Tell MAMA, and Stonewall. The report demonstrates that many universities have already taken key steps towards addressing issues of violence against women and hate crime, but also that “not every university had all of the necessary building blocks in place for effective prevention and
response.” It also makes a series of recommendations in order to tackle the problem in universities both inside and outside the UK. The report highlights the need to engage and interact with students to discuss matters of violence, harassment, and hate crime on a regular basis, and establish an environment that actively encourages students to talk. It recommends using senior leadership, the police, specialist services, and community leaders to tackle these issues from multiple angles. It also emphasises the impact that can be achieved through working with students’ unions in order to influence and effect change across all areas of a university, highlighting the desire to adopt an “institution-wide approach.” In order to do this, UUK promote the necessity of having “effective governance, data collection, and staff training” in addition to “robust risk management and regular impact assessments.” It also recommends ensuring that there are established and accessible ways for students to report incidents of this kind. The report has been identified as “the completion of the first... Continued on page 4...
Photograph: wikimedia via creative commons
Durham University Champagne Society has been placed on probation by Durham Students’ Union after “serious concerns” were raised about the safety and conduct of the Society’s 2016 summer ball, which took place at Hardwick Hall following the examination period in June. The Students’ Union received correspondence in July from then Pro-Vice Chancellor (Colleges and Student Experience), Professor Graham Towl, and the Chair of Durham City Partnership, expressing concerns about the conduct of the ball. In documents distributed to Palatinate as attendees of an open Students’ Union Assembly meeting last Thursday, the Students’ Union notes that its Chief Executive was asked by the University to investigate the events of the ball “on the basis of the potentially life-threatening combination of excessive alcohol and students entering the water at Hardwick Hall.” The Society deemed this “an isolated event.” “Whilst the Champagne Society Exec engaged positively with Students’ Union staff, the police, and Hardwick Hall in the run up to the event, it became clear that the risk assessment put in place had not been delivered on the night,” the Students’ Union stated. The Champagne Society has told Palatinate that it disagrees with the claim that the risk assessment put in place for the night was not delivered. The Society said that it had agreed with the venue that any glass would not be taken outside of the marquee area, that there would be a member of security staff patrolling the outside area including the lake, that the quantities... Continued on page 5...