Palatinate Issue 732

Our nonfictious Mrs Elvet solves your woes

Durham Book Festival 2011: Indigo brings you the highlights

Jason Gardener on life after realising his dream

Indigo, page 5

Indigo, pages 14&15

Palatinate, page 15

No. 732

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Palatinate Durham’s student newspaper since 1948

Fears of “campus” university grow

Tuesday 25th October 2011 | FREE

Durham’s twelfth Chancellor, Sir Thomas Allen

Durham locals and businessmen express their concerns as more University buildings move away from the city centre Rowena Caine

Fears are growing that Durham University is gradually moving away from the city centre, as suggested by informed locals and building developments.

An anonymous source revealed that there is a local opinion backed by local political opinion that it would be beneficial for students to stay in university-owned accommodation in order to free current student houses for professionals.

Professor Graham Towl, Deputy Warden at Durham University, said: “Any proposals will be based upon our discussions around whether or not to increase student numbers at either or both sites. These discussions are on-going”.

Locals have expressed worries that Durham is becoming “a campus university”. John Burton, Managing Director of estate agent J.W. Wood fears that “relocating runs a risk of losing commerce on North Road.

“If students were based on South Road, they’d never walk through town. This would be incredibly damaging to the city’s commerce”.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Chris Higgins said that they were developing an accommodation strategy: “We are committed to attracting a great proportion of our student body to remain in university-owned college accommodation.

“This strategy will consider a number of options”.

One option includes the construction of new student accommodation at 93-acre Mount Oswald Golf Course on South Road. University officials commented: “Until a com-

prehensive student accommodation strategy has been developed and approved, which is likely to take a number of months, there cannot and will not be any commitment to any new residential development, including Mount Oswald”.

A number of potential sites, including replacement or extension of existing college builds, need to be considered for suitability and value for money. Until a comprehensive student accommodation strategy has been developed and approved,

“The commercial heart of the city could really suffer”

John Burton, head of JW Woods

which is likely to take a number of months, there will not be any commitment to any new residential development, including Mt Oswald.

Currently, developer Banks Property has £200m plans to build 300 homes and purpose built accommodation for up to 1,000 students at Mount Oswald.

Mark Dowdall, environment and community director at the Banks Group, said: “Student accommodation is also clearly a very pressing issue for the people in the city, both those who are studying here and those that live here full-time.

“The allowance we have made for this in our proposals could help to rebalance the make-up of city centre communities whilst providing students with purpose built, high quality accommodation”.

John Ruddick, senior property development manager with Banks Property explained that they are working closely with senior personnel to help the University to achieve their accommodation strategy.

They hope that the Mount Oswald proposals will offer a “range of benefits” to students and that they will help the University to achieve its “strategic goals”.

The plan also aims to create a community hub, which could consist of shops or a community centre; a doctor’s surgery or convenience store, and aspires to leave space for more student accommodation to be built in the future.

But local businesses are worried that if students move out of the centre it will be bad for the local economy.

Claire Leckenby, a fruit and vegetable vendor in Durham Indoor Market said: “Our intake doubles when students are here. If students move out of the centre, it would hurt everyone”.

Local fishmonger and café manager Ian Kennedy said if fewer students lived in the centre it would “have a devastating effect.

“Although the University needs to develop, you can’t lose track of why people come to study here”.

Mr. Burton added that the wine shop on the corner of Old Elvet has closed down “due to a lack of students” since lecture buildings have moved away from the area.

In 2008, the University sold Old Shire Hall and 14 and 15 Old Elvet to regional development agency One North East. Although the University has leased back the buildings until the Gateway development is com-

Continued on page 8

Renowned opera singer Sir Thomas Allen is set to replace Bill Bryson as Chancellor in January. From County Durham himself, Sir Thomas says he’s delighted to be “coming home” Photograph: Sussie Alberg

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Editorial

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University and town sliding apart Why do we come to Durham? Is it that we didn’t get into Oxbridge? Or is it Durham’s reputation as a top university? Both of these are in part true. However, there is something much more immovable and permanent which marks Durham out from the Warwicks, Exeters, Bristols, and Birminghams of this world.

The place itself. Durham is steeped in thousands of years of history and plays host to some of the most stunning architecture in the country. Even though some of you may tire of being somewhere so small, feeling a tad claustrophobic after three years, it’s hard to imagine someone’s first impression not being of amazement.

It should come as no surprise that in a recent Guardian online poll the Cathedral was voted ‘Britain’s Favourite Building’. As Durham’s new Chancellor Sir Thomas Allen aptly put it, “one could spend a lifetime on Palace Green, exploring all the different nooks and crannies.”

And this is precisely why the University’s steady shift away from the centre is cause for concern. Whilst it’s important to stress that the University has no plans to leave the Bailey, and developments such as

Mount Oswald are still “up in the air” as they put it, the general movement of traffic over the past few decades has undeniably been outwards.

In recent years Archaeology has moved to the science site, and Law and Economics will soon move out of the centre as well.

Living and studying in the centre of such a quaint historic town is something that will never leave us, and it is the crux of how Durham is able to distinguish itself from universities of a similar academic standing.

Take the university’s promotional video for the announcement of Sir Thomas Allen as Chancellor.

Where was the Vice-Chancellor standing? Just in front of a UNESCO world heritage site, and who would blame him. Alongside all the many wonderful things Durham does, the medieval city is massive pull for prospective students, regardless of their course of college.

Obviously, there are clear benefits of having university facilities in one place rather than spread over town.

Think for example of the PPE students who run around Durham from one location to the next because of the random placement of their departments.

Moreover, new buildings would be custom-built for study, ensuring up to date and efficient working spaces rather than the experience of some History and English students, having seminars in crowded offices, with mismatching chairs and a desk if you’re lucky.

Yet, this sort of misses the point.

The city is a bit higgledy piggledy.

There are lots of pesky cobbles and hills which make navigating the walk home after a night out that bit more challenging. The city is littered with what can be only described as ‘rapey alleys’, and no-one knows quite where they go. But this is what gives the city its indelible charm (apart from maybe the alleys thing).

While having all student services in one place may be more convenient, there’s little demand for it.

Even local businesses want us in the centre, as they recognise how valuable student commerce is to their survival.

Today’s front page story isn’t scaremongering. There’s little doubt that the University will always be in the heart of the city in some form or another. But further out of town developments should worry us all.

www.palatinate.org.uk/tv

Tuesday 25th October 2011 | PALATINATE

25.10.2011 No.732

Contents Palatinate News pages 3-9

Careers pages 10-11

Comment pages 12-14

Profile page 15

Sport pages 17-20

Indigo Editorial pages 2-3 Features page 4-5 Cover story page 6

Stage page 7

Music pages 8-9

Fashion pages 10-11 Film & TV page 12

Food & Drink page 13 Books page 14-15 Travel page 16

To Studio!

Ellie Ross investigates whether the movement of Planet of Sound to Studio was a worthwhile venture

The Buskers of Durham

Briony Chappell explores the role of buskers in Durham - the stories behind the musicians and student’s opinions

Corrections & apologies We would like to apologise to Josephine Butler for a mistake that occured in last edition’s ‘JCR Guide’ (page 11). The statistics quoted were incorrect, and were in fact Hild Bede’s. Correct figures can be found on the Durham University website. Finally, apologies to those of you affected by any spam from our Twitter account in recent days. The problem should now be solved.

In Travel: Travelling with your degree

Vacancy: Comment Editor Want to get involved with Palatinate? Love expressing your opinion? Email editor@palatinate.org.uk for an application form.

Applications close 30th October.

Palatinate is published by Durham Students’ Union on a fortnightly basis during term and is editorially independent. All contributors and editors are full-time students at Durham. Send letters to: Editor, Palatinate, Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN. Alternatively, send an e-mail to editor@palatinate.org.uk

Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Daniel Johnson Hugh Anderson-Elliott editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editors Olivia Swash & Alexandra Bottomer deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editor Rowena Caine news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Mei Leng Yew news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Ettie Bailey-King & Emma Charles deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Business Editor John Zhu business@palatinate.org.uk Careers Editor Charlotte Seager careers@palatinate.org.uk Profile Editor Jessica Waite profile@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Michelle Wisson comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editor Olivia Rudgard Sport Editors Delaney Chambers and Peter Vickers sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editor Tom Ryder deputy.sport@palatinate.org.uk Indigo Editors Hannah Shaddock & Rachel Aroesti indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Sarah Murray feature@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editors Catherine Bradfield & Ellie Ross Food and Drink Editor Molly Fowler food@palatinate.org.uk Travel Editor Alexandra Groom travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editors Laura Gregory, Rachel Bailin & Tom Weller fashion@palatinate.org.uk Film and Television Editor Christian Seiersen film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editor Kathy Laszlo stage@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Stage Editors Larry Bartleet & Sarah Johnson Music Editor Jess Denham music@palatinate.org.uk Music Multimedia Editor Briony Chappell music@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Music Editor Will Clement deputy.music@palatinate.org.uk Books Editor Izzie Bengoechea books@palatinate.org.uk Chief Sub-Editor Florence Snead sub-editing@palatinate.org.uk Section Sub-Editors Kelsey Tollady, Alice Melton, Rebecca Lee, Rebecca Paul, Malik Al-Mahrouky & Gemma Neale Chief Web Editors Dori Beeler & Rhiannon Mehta web.editor@palatinate.org.uk Photography Editor Tamsin White photography@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Photography Editors Kartikeya Khanna, Delaney Chambers, Katherine Merchant, Sam Lipman deputy.photography@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor David Drysdale illustration@palatinate.org.uk Palatinate TV Editors Ellie Onions & Danford Showan ptv@palatinate.org.uk Blogs Editor Julie Fisher blogs@palatinate.org.uk Publicity and Advertising Editor Charlie Taverner publicity@palatinate.org.uk

News

PALATINATE | Tuesday 25th October 2011

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News

News Editor: Rowena Caine news@palatinate.org.uk @PalatinateUK Some freshers at St. Cuthbert’s Society have been greeted by gas leaks and cold showers Photograph: Charlie Taverner

Palatinate

No warm welcome at Cuth’s College insists that all is being done to give Cuth’s freshers a smooth start to the year Charlie Taverner

>> Our interview

with the new chancellor, page 4

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For more, visit palatinate.org. uk

Freshers at St. Cuthbert’s Society have been facing major disruption to college catering and accommodation as their time at Durham begins.

A gas leak in the cellar of 12 South Bailey caused the closure of the college kitchens and the shutdown of the boilers which provide heating and hot water for Houses 12 and 13.

The discovery of asbestos in the cellar has caused delays to the repairs and continued problems for the affected students.

For the next two weeks, there is no hot water or heating for the two affected halls, and mealtime arrangements are disjointed. Breakfast and dinner are now both taken in St. Cuthbert’s dining hall, but the food is being cooked in the kitchens of St. Hild and St. Bede College before being driven down. Lunch is being provided either at Hatfield or University College.

The freshers’ week welcome formals were also cancelled but were re-arranged on two successive Wednesday evenings. This meant however that only half of the first year students were present at each of the formal evenings.

Angus Scott, living in House 13, said: “I know we get food and hot water in other houses and colleges, but we pay to have it in our house.”

Scott’s roommate, Harry Appleby, added: “We pay for it to be on our

doorstep, not up at Hatfield.”

The gas leak was reported on 4th October in the cellar of 12 South Bailey. Heating engineers were brought in immediately but were unable to repair the leak because of the presence of asbestos in the cellar.

Due to the urgent circumstances, the University has arranged for the company removing the asbestos to work 24 hours a day while carrying out the works.

House 12 contains the dining hall, staff offices, college bar and accommodation for 10 students. House 13 is also home to 25 students.

The college has taken numerous steps to ease the situation for the first years. Those living in Houses 12 and 13 have been provided with electric heaters and extra duvets.

The college also gave them the option to move temporarily to the college’s other site at Parson’s Field on Old Elvet or other colleges, though the offer was not taken up by a single student.

The society’s staff have worked hard to ensure that a regular programme of meals is provided, with the vast majority being served in the dining hall. The students have all been kept up to date with regular emails from the Bursar, Chris Finnemore.

Appleby acknowledged the college’s efforts: “We can’t fault what Cuth’s have done. They’ve given us all these duvets and really good heaters as well as the option to move down to Parsons Field.”

“The workers are also visibly here 24 hours a day.”

Sharon Richardson, Acting Principal of the Society, said: “This is a difficult situation for all staff and students involved but we are keen to ensure that college remains open and that we provide as much of a service as possible.

“We are very grateful to the students for their understanding, patience and good humour.”

Despite the college’s efforts, the problems have caused a number of

“A few students asked for a refund of this term’s fees”

different problems for students, all of whom are just starting their time away at university.

Several students have complained to the society’s management, explaining that they are not receiving their money’s worth for their accommodation fees.

A few have asked for a refund of some of this term’s fees, although there has not yet been any response from the college. The matter of accommodation fees is a University not a college issue, as the fees are standardised throughout Durham.

The disruption has had knock-on effects throughout the college. The lack of hot water in the two houses has meant that the 35 affected students have been using the showers

in House 8, a short walk up South Bailey.

Charlotte Trundley, from House 8, explained: “Everyone came and used our showers which meant there was no hot water.

“When they tweaked the boiler to compensate for the numbers, the temperature shot up. It was like a sauna.”

Becky Prifti, also from House 8, praised the college’s reaction: “As soon as we complained it was fixed straight away.”

The changes to the location of lunchtime meals has meant that those living at Parsons Field have been eating at University College, while those living on the Bailey have been eating at Hatfield. Those living at Parsons Field are either self-catered or receive a partial meal package, so would not take breakfast in college anyway.

When asked, students did not believe that the disruption had a negative effect on meeting people from both sites during the early weeks of term.

Angus Scott said: “I haven’t really met that many people from Parsons yet, but that’s because of the two sites and how they keep to themselves.

Freshers’ week was really well organised and I met lots of people.”

Although the asbestos will not be fully removed from the cellar until December, the college is aiming to reopen the kitchens and have hot water and heating in the affected houses in around two weeks.

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Tuesday 25th October 2011 | PALATINATE

Chancellor announcement

Renowned opera singer installed as new Chancellor Sir Thomas Allen, one of the most famous and celebrated British opera singers in history, will replace Bill Bryson as Chancellor Daniel Johnson

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nternationally renowned opera singer Sir Thomas Allen has been announced as the twelfth Chancellor of Durham Univer-

sity.

Allen is replacing the much-loved Bill Bryson, who is stepping down after five years of service to spend more time on his family and writing commitments. The announcement was made at Convocation on Tuesday 11 October in London.

Sir Thomas said: “As a County Durham boy I am extremely proud and honoured to be appointed as Chancellor of Durham University.

“No matter where my life and career have taken me, Durham has always held a special place in my heart so it is a particular privilege for me to accept this prestigious role.

“I greatly look forward to meeting the students, staff and alumni at Durham and representing this magnificent University across the world.”

Vice-Chancellor Chris Higgins said: “Sir Thomas follows in the tradition of great artists and performers who have held this prestigious role, including Dame Margot Fonteyn, Sir Peter Ustinov and Bill Bryson.

“I am sure he will prove an inspiration to all Durham students and a marvellous ambassador for the University.”

Allen is regarded as one of the finest operatic baritones performing today for his voice, his wide ranging repertoire, and his prowess as an actor. He has also performed at the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ in 2004 and in 2009, and was knighted in the 1999 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

In an interview with Palatinate, Sir Thomas spoke of his amazement at being chosen for the role.

On hearing the news, Allen said:

“my jaw dropped to the floor, you could hear it from a mile away. It came as a huge surprise.

“In fact, I’m not exaggerating but I really had to sit down and read the letter more than once, it was an amazing feeling. It took a lot of time for it to sink in – I didn’t allow myself to believe it at first.”

Allen is following in the footsteps of an illustrious list of previous Durham University Chancellors.

Previous Chancellors have included Sir Peter Ustinov, the two-time Oscar-winning actor, Dukes of Northumberland, Earls of Durham, and Malcolm MacDonald, a former cabinet politician and a distinguished diplomat.

Sir Thomas described the prospect of following in Bill Bryson’s footsteps as “extremely daunting.”

“I’m just a normal fellow who came from Seamham Harbour who loves being in Durham” Sir Thomas Allen

“He was very highly thought of by the students, and I’m not at all surprised.”

Born in Seaham Harbour, County Durham in 1944, Sir Thomas’ career almost never got off the ground. His first chance came when he visited a professor in the Music department at Durham.

Allen recalls turning up “in school uniform, probably because I didn’t have anything else decent to wear.”

“I went up to Palace Green, with my little bag of music in, got the music school, and couldn’t find anybody to hear me, so I started to wander

back down.”

Thankfully for Allen, this was not the end of his visit. “On the way down I met this eccentric looking man who said, ‘excuse me, do you want to be a singer?’ and I replied, ‘well yes, I think I do.’”

Allen then sang for Professor Arthur Hutchings, who organised his first audition at a conservatoire in London.

He doesn’t go as far as saying, “the rest is history”, but it is obvious how big an impact on Allen’s career this visit had.

After speaking to Allen for just a few minutes it becomes clear how strong his affection for Durham and his home county is.

As a child, he said, “Durham was a lovely day out, it was only 12 miles away. We often had a little jaunt to Durham, park the car, and just enjoy what a beautiful place it was.

“I remember when I was younger, you used to drive up to the Market Square and there would be just one policeman, in a great big box of the market square, controlling all the traffic. It was extraordinary.”

For Allen however, the heart of the city has not changed at all.

“You could spend a lifetime just wandering around Palace Green and the various pathways, enjoying all the little different nooks and crannies. It’s a truly extraordinary place.”

Throughout the interview Allen is keen to stress what he describes as his “ordinary” roots.

He says he’s “just a normal fellow who came from Seaham Habour, who loves being in Durham and the North East, cold, wet and whatever it might be.

“I’m an ordinary human being who just happens to have this strange arrangement of muscles in his throat and I happen to sing for a living. I don’t survive on a diet of ambroisia and honey, I’m someone who leads a

Sir Thomas Allen receiving an honourary degree from Dame

Bill Bryson

Sir Peter Ustinov

Chancellor between: 2005-2011 About: Bill is a US-born journalist and author and among many interests has been appointed a Commissioner for English Heritage and President of the Campaign for Rural England.

He has written a large number of humorous and best-selling books on travel, the English language and on science. His most famous books include ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’, and ‘At Home: A Short History of Private Life’.

He was awarded an honorary OBE and made an honorary freeman of the City of Durham. Bill describes “life as a University Chancellor” as “interesting and varied”.

Chancellor between: 19922004 About: Sir Peter was an actor, writer, director, producer, broadcaster, journalist, raconteur and a UNICEF Ambassador .

He won two supporting Oscars (one for Spartacus) and, amongst many honours, was made a CBE and knight in the UK. After his death in 2004, the university renamed its Graduate Society as Ustinov College to show significant contributions made while serving as the Chancellor.

Sir Peter said that he “could not guess at the pervasive atmosphere of the place itself.”

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PALATINATE | Tuesday 25th October 2011

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Cambridge elect Lord Sainsbury as Chancellor Hugh Anderson-Elliott

Cambridge University held the first Chancellor elections for over 60 years earlier this month, and the first properly contested race for 154 years.

Lord Sainsbury will take over from Prince Phillip after he decided to retire just after his 90th birthday having held the post since 1976.

Traditionally the Nomination Board will select a candidate who is then elected unopposed. However, in this instance there were three other nominees who had all managed to gain the 50 signatures from senior members of the University required to stand in the election: Abdul Arain, a local shopkeeper, Michael Mansfield, an eminent barrister, and Brian Blessed.

Prince Phillip decided to retire after having held the post since 1976

Margot Fonteyn (top left) and sings at the beach in County Durham (top right) Photographs: Sussie Ahlburg & Durham University

Dame Margot Fonteyn

Malcolm Macdonald

Chancellor between: 1981-1991 About: Dame Margot is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time.

She had a long career at the Royal Ballet where she was appointed Prima Ballerina Assoluta

by HM Queen Elizabeth II and sustained a successful dance partnership with Soviet defecter Rudolf Nureyev.

In the extremely competitive world of ballet, Margot Fonteyn was renowned for her consummate professionalism and loyalty to her friends.

The main hall in Dunelm House in the DSU is named after Dame Margot Fonteyn, as is the foyer to the Great Hall in Castle.

Chancellor between: 19711980 About: The Rt. Hon. Malcolm John MacDonald was the son of Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, and a distinguished politician and diplomat in his own right.

MacDonald served as a Labour MP from 1929 to 1945, and held a number of cabinet posts, including the Secretary of State for the Colonies. He also served as the Minister for Health.

After retiring from politics, he served as British diplomat around the world, including holding the post of High Commissioner for Canada.

very ordinary life, but who just has a rather less than ordinary job.”

Allen’s modesty is apparent throughout the interview, and he seems genuinely honoured to have been appointed Chancellor. In spite of his humility however, it only takes a few seconds of listening to Sir Thomas sing to realise that his aptitude for performing relies on much more than just a “strange arrangement of muscles in his throat.”

He admits that performing, something many musicians find incredibly challenging, always came easily to him.

From singing in a school concert to performing all over the world, as one German director described him, Sir Thomas has been “like a fish in water” on the stage.

Allen says that he “enjoyed being

up there and performing and singing songs for people, and I could do it instinctively. I don’t know why but I could do it.”

In recent years he has also turned to directing, and he says he “cannot wait” to use some of his expertise to help students at Durham who are interested in singing or performing.

Sir Thomas’ also admits that although “opera is a no go area” for many students, he hopes to show us that “this needn’t be the case”.

Whilst he is unsure of what his exact duties as Chancellor will be, he frequently comes back to the students and his “excitement” at the prospect of meeting them.

His first official engagement will be in January, but some kind of reception for Sir Thomas Allen is expected before then.

Although Brian Blessed enjoyed overwhelming support from the undergraduate population, only those who hold an MA degree or higher are permitted to vote. Thus his popular support came to very little, as Lord Sainsbury required only one round of Single Transferable Voting to gain a decisive majority.

On hearing of his success, Lord Sainsbury said: “I am delighted and honoured to have been elected as the next Chancellor of Cambridge University, and would like to thank all those who have supported me, and the other candidates who have made this such a friendly election.

“I am particularly pleased that the election did not turn into a battle between the arts and humanities and science, or between political parties, and I look forward to championing the University... in the years ahead.”

Cambridge’s student newspaper Varsity reported that turnout for the election was low, with just 2.5% of those eligible voting.

Abdul Arain, the first challenger to announce that he would stand, attracted significant attention form the media as he was standing in opposition to a new Sainsbury’s Local in his area, complaining that Cambridge was becoming “a clone town” and was losing its character. Nonetheless, he managed to secure only 312 votes, a mere 5.6% of the turnout.

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News

Tuesday 25th October 2011 | PALATINATE

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CIS replaces heavily criticised ITS The University’s IT department has expanded and rebranded in a bid to improve student IT services Mei Leng Yew

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eturning students will already be familiar with the University’s long struggle to provide a reliable IT service. However, this may change following the University’s recent extensive upgrades.

Formerly the Information Technology Service (ITS), the department responsible for the provision and maintenance of the IT network is now the Computing and Information Services (CIS). This is part of the University’s five year “IT Vision and

Leslie Beddie, Director of University IT Photograph: Durham University Strategy”, first drawn up in Dec 2007 after the Council’s Audit Committee raised “significant concerns with the University’s current approach to managing IT”. The Committee also found that the existing system consisted of “confused lines of accountability and authority and the absence of a strategic approach in supporting current needs”.

The student population have also expressed dissatisfaction with the service and frequently-cited complaints include being unable to log onto the DUO blackboard system, the email system crashing, students unable to access pass lists or exam marks, limited opening hours on the IT Service Desk, problems with the online enrollment system, and poor compatibility for non-Windows/ non-Internet-Explorer users.

Last year, a Facebook group named “Durham Uni ITS... EPIC FAIL!” attracted hundreds of new members, as students rushed to vent their frustrations following a spate of unscheduled downtime and extremely slow loading times. ITS was also criticised for what was perceived as a

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slow reaction to the situation, and for their limited customer service.

It is these issues, amongst others, that the University hoped to resolve when the IT Vision and Strategy documents were written. The intention was that “by 2012, the University will have World Class IT provision which will enhance research, teaching and learning and administration, the student experience and management and administrative activities”.

This ambitious goal would be deemed accomplished if, by 2012, the following three requirements had been met: 1) Delivery of high quality generic IT to all users; 2) An outstanding support structure that is dynamic and responsive to change and needs; 3) Supportive IT governance and IT management.

A number of steps have since been taken, including centralisation. In March, many IT staff within individual departments and colleges found their roles and positions changing so that they now work more closely with the then-ITS staff. Director of University IT, Leslie Beddie, who now bears overall technical responsibility said: “This [new] IT support structure allows us to look at what we provide and how we can work more collaboratively with all our users to better understand and respond to their needs”.

This is a move which the University hopes will fulfill their “aspiration to have a single unified and integrated infrastructure”. It should also lower costs by “reducing duplication” and by the “release of time spent on IT-related administration in departments and colleges”.

Other changes have taken place which more directly affect the student experience. Mrs Beddie said: “We have introduced Online Student Enrolment and Registration, eliminating paperwork and cutting down on lengthy queues. We have also improved IT facilities and services in the Library for students, including laptop loans”.

CIS have also installed IP telephony, reintegrated IT support for corporate applications, upgraded the interactive Smartboards in teaching rooms, bought a VHS-to-DVD copying unit, expanded some aspects of service to Mac users, introduced double-sided printing, and expanded wireless coverage across campus, Mrs Beddie added: “The last 18 months has also seen us engage more actively through termly updates, the new Student IT Forum, which is attended by both the DSU IT Rep and

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the DSU President, and the provision of IT ‘starter’ information to new students joining the University.”

CIS has also made support more accessible via the internet. @durhamuni_cis, @durhamuni_esol and @ learntechdurham are three Twitter

The IT Vision “was remains a very challenging objecting”

accounts used to keep students updated on queuing times at the Service Desk, planned downtime, etc.

For example, on June 25, @durhamuni_cis reported: “Callers into the IT Service Desk are having difficulty getting through and will be kept on

hold for an indefinate [sic] period” due to an incident affecting calls. It was only on Sept 6 that the following was tweeted: “The issues affecting calls into our switchboard & IT Service Desk have been resolved and these services are working normally.”

While keeping users updated is laudable, a browse through the Message of the Day archive shows that such incidents were not uncommon this year. On March 15, ITS began “experiencing network issues over the last 36 hours which have affected a number of our internet based services, including Outlook Web Access. The service which has suffered the most noticeable impact however has been duo”. Staff worked into the evening to fix the issue but normal service only returned two days later.

As well as these issues, a power outage also affected Hild Bede Col-

lege and the School of Education in April, while a problem arose within the internal telephone system of Hill Colleges in May. Other disruptions are detailed online.

Speaking last year, Deputy ViceChancellor Anthony Forster acknowledged that the IT Vision “was and remains a very challenging objective”. With 2012 almost upon us, we will soon find out if the University’s ambitious 2007 IT Vision has been realised.

Mrs Beddie is already looking further ahead, “The development of the IT Strategy for 2012 onwards has begun and we are assessing and building on what we have achieved so far. The DSU President is a member of the review group and we will be meeting to discuss the best ways to gather student input into the next phase of the Strategy”.

Some good reasons to visit us:

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{DSU card, age limit 25)

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20% OFF

All meals Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings

(From 6pm, exludes Bank Holiday weekends and the above offers)

www.courtinn.co.uk email: info@courtinn.co.uk Court Lane, Durham, DH13AW tel. 0191 3847350

PALATINATE | Tuesday 25th October 2011

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JCR levy: how much and what for?

Many of us pay our JCR charges without question, but Palatinate investigates how our money is spent Sam Lipman

The first term of a new year is always wrought with expenses; accommodation, tuition fees, new books.

Amongst these charges is the college Junior Common Room (JCR) levy, an expense paid unquestioningly by most, at a time where bank account balances make a rapid transition into exponential decline and students are forced to become uncomfortably acquainted with the question: where did all the money go?

The JCR is the social hub of each of the University’s fifteen undergraduate colleges. Financed by student contribution each year, it invests into college formals and events, sports, societies, as well as welfare and facili-

ties, including bars, common rooms, computer rooms and libraries.

Each college has its own structure and its own way of functioning, so it should come as no surprise that each college JCR levy comes at a different cost.

When considering the basic levy, there is a whopping £71 between the highest charge of £141 per threeyear course at Grey College and the lowest charge of £70 at John Snow College, which works out at more than 100% cost increase on Grey’s part.

However, as is always the case with finance, the breakdown of overall JCR charges isn’t so black and white. John Snow’s JCR subscription costs £23.33 each year, but for second and third year livers-out, there is an additional charge of £10 (+£5 bottle of wine) per formal and men’s

football adds another £50 to the bill.

St. John’s on the other hand charges a £30 levy each year, but this includes fresher week costs, a weekly formal and college facilities.

On questioning Grey’s costs, as well as the additional fresher week rate of £20 and only two free formals each year (a result of the £51 association fee rather than the JCR levy), Grey President Josh Turner commented: “as a JCR we pride ourself on the renowned and impressive range of social events we are able to put on for our students, including the largest fireworks display in the North East.

“Every penny received goes back into the student experience. We run the JCR ourselves as an independent charity - students working for students, and are proud of the work we do.”

John Snow has the lowest JCR levy but livers-out pay up to £15 per formal Photograph: Durham University Hatfield is another costly college, with a JCR levy of £120, and it would appear students are saving £21 within this JCR in comparison to what would seem to be the highest charging JCR at Grey. Except, when Hatfield’s levy is put into context with the £50 sports and societies fee as well as the £36 library and computing charge, which are included within Grey College’s levy, the total cost of being a member of Hatfield College with the ability to use all facilities totals £206 (excluding charity and association charges, including twiceweekly free formals for livers-in).

When compared with Van Mildert’s modest levy of £35 per year, which includes all sports, societies and facilities, the question remains to be asked, why is there such a noticeable cost discrepancy? Hatfield’s JCR President was unavailable for comment.

Josephine Butler’s levy, when incorporated with the use of all facilities, totals £150 and suddenly Grey is knocked well and truly off the top slot for most costly JCR. Similarly Trevelyan, with charges for JCR membership and the use of all facilities, as well as an extra cost for their college day (also included in Grey’s levy), amounts to £137.50 throughout a three-year degree.

Having spoken to DSU President Mike King, it seems that each college receives an annual grant from the university. On the whole, the money subsidises any sabbatical officers working for the college JCR. Despite the absence of sabbatical officers in Trevelyan College, it still has one of the highest charging JCR levies.

Where is the grant going?

The answer can be found in the college accounts; in comparison with other colleges like Van Mildert, Trevelyan’s bar and events do not make a profit, therefore requiring excess

contributions to fund college facilities, events and activities.

Most colleges fall within a bracket of £75-£130 JCR charges for a standard degree course, including facilities, welfare, sports and societies. Regardless of independency from the university, it is largely determined by the state of college finances and is therefore up to college discretion as to what the JCR costs will be and how they will be distributed.

St. Mary’s JCR president, Amy Annette, said: “We fund three course formals, sports kit, and other activities throughout the year, meaning that, I believe, students get value for money and we have a number of funds to make sure that any student with financial difficulty is not precluded from any activity”.

It is possible to opt out of the JCR levy and ‘pay as you go’ for college formals and events, although this could end up working out more expensive than paying the original cost.

College association fees must be paid regardless, a charge which some colleges, such as John Snow, do not have.

A former Business graduate from George Stephenson College said: “I thought it might be worth doing but I never have yet”. This brings into question whether the alumni and trust association charges should also be obligatory.

Ultimately, college levies are put back into student members and it is subjective as to how much benefit a student can receive from it. Marta Blaszczynska of Grey College feels: “The college levies have been used in a good way and I know that the money goes towards things that I can get a lot out of.

“I can understand that some people who don’t like participating in college life feel that they shouldn’t pay towards it but my personal experience has been nothing but positive”.

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News Continued from page 1

plete, One North East will sell the properties for commercial use.

Over the past few years, the University has invested more than £100 million in new facilities. These include the main library extension and the Palatine centre, scheduled to open in 2012.

Durham University Treasurer Paulina Lubacz said: “The Palatine Centre will bring student support services together on one site for the benefit of students.

“To enable this redevelopment the University will be vacating properties in Old Elvet with professional support staff moving to the new Palatine Centre or to refurbished offices at Mountjoy.

“A number of academic departments in Old Elvet have also relocated or are due to relocate, including Anthropology which now shares the Dawson Building with Archaeology on the Science Site.”

Similarly, Durham Law School occupies the old court house on North Bailey and some town houses opposite Durham Crown Court on Old Elvet. The law library is located on Palace Green. However, the Law School is moving to the new, purpose-built facilities in the University’s Gateway complex.

The University explains that this is because “the School promotes a

modern and vibrant atmosphere for learning, teaching and research.”

They argue that these changes allow the University to bring together activities in a more coherent fashion and in fit-for purpose buildings.

They have also freed space to create outstanding visitor facilities on Palace Green and allowed properties in Old Elvet to be put to alternative economic use for the benefit of the City.

However, John Burton said: “The University has gradually been moving out of town. In the next four to five years, I doubt that the University will be in the city centre.

“The commercial heart of the city will really suffer.”

On the other hand, Paulina Lubacz said that the University “has and always will have a major presence in Durham City Centre.”

She argued that many colleges and academic departments will be retaining their place on the Bailey and on Palace green. Although the Law Department is moving, there is talk of using the building to create a Postgraduate Hub for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

Currently, second and third year students live out in the viaduct and other areas of Durham. On Hawthorn Terrace, students occupy 90% of the houses.

However, a new rule called Use Class C4 states that a planning application will be required to convert a house into a student house.

www.palatinate.org.uk

Tuesday 25th October 2011 | PALATINATE Behind the story

. . . . .

The new Gateway project is due to open in 2012 Photograph: Delaney Chambers

The legislation, administered by the Department for Communities and Local Government, covers small shared houses or flats occupied by between three and six unrelated individuals who share basic amenities, such as student houses.

An anonymous source revealed that this is “a tool to control student housing in the future. They decide whether students can occupy a house or not – so they can effectively kick students out of the area.”

Keepmoat Homes is building a development on Hawthorn Terrace called Byland Lodge. When asked if the properties will be used for stu-

Anthropology has moved to the Dawson Building at the Science site Economics is due to move into a £16.6m extension of Durham Business School at Mill Hill

The Music Department will be staying on Palace Green along with Theology and Religion and the Institute of Advanced Studies, as well as Palace Green Library Palace Green Library now incorporates the new Wolfson Gallery housing the University’s historic treasures and artefacts There are proposals to relocate part of the Music Department, currently based on Queen’s Court, to newly refurbished premises in the current Law School on the Bailey

dents, Keepmoat Homes commented that they will “definitely” be for private use only and not for students.

The anonymous local source concluded: “There isn’t enough openness or debate about the project. The University is doing the right thing for the University, not for the town.”

Discussions about increasing student numbers at a range of sites are on-going. Paulina Lubacz said: “We are mindful of the impact any proposals might have on the local communities and economies.”

Professor Higgins added: “The University is committed to ensuring that Durham remains a place that

will attract the best and brightest talent from across the world to live, work and study in the city.

“We also encourage all of our staff, students and visitors to contribute positively to the local economy and to the wider community through culture, arts and sport as well as outreach and volunteering.

“We’re developing an accommodation strategy to ensure that we consider carefully our responsibilities to our students and to the wider community.”

Palatinate will be following new developments of the proposals closely as they become clearer.

PALATINATE | Tuesday 25th October 2011

Books over booze Christopher Murphy Students at Universities in the United Kingdom are more likely to spend money on books than on alcohol, a recent study has suggested.

A Credit Confidential poll found that on average, students spent £65.43 on alcohol during their first month at university. Over the same period, the average spent on books was £76.34.

New first year students appear much more money-conscious than in the past, spending an average of £40.93 on alcohol during the first month of their course, where as third years spent £65.24.

However, first year students spent a much larger proportion of their money on books than their third year counterparts; £86.59 and £73.09 respectively during the first month of university.

At Durham University, despite the newly refurbished library and ten per-cent discount available to students at Waterstones, many have found themselves struggling to find the money required to obtain all the books needed for their courses.

Sophie Boyle (2nd year modern languages) has spent over £140 on books so far this term including £70

on a textbook for beginners’ Spanish.

Sophie said: “Having to buy all these books for my course, as well as all the module dossiers, has cost me a lot more than I thought it would. It has really meant that it’s a massive struggle to balance my budget.”

Similarly, Ben Woodhouse (2nd year law) said: “Every year we are told to buy new editions of our books which came to about £150 this year.”

£76.34

The average a student spends on books in their first month at university However, this is not always the case. In an attempt to avoid these costs, some students try to put off buying the books they need for as long as possible.

Daniel Hobbs (second year Economics) commented: “I still haven’t bought any books yet after spending so much on them last year and using them very little.

The Credit Confidential survey, questioning more than 700 students, also found that nearly a third had borrowed money from family and friends.

9

News

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Students move to American Universities Anna Davis British students are opting for American universities following the rise in tuition fees due to take place in 2012.

A study by the Institute of International Education in the US found that the number of applications have been steadily increasing since 2004, reaching 8,861 in 2009.

This year’s applications are expected to be considerably higher.

Ivy League Institution can set back students up to $60,000 (£27,000) a year. However, with the majority of British Universities, including Durham, set to charge £9,000 a year, students are thinking more carefully about their options.

American Universities are renowned for valuing the individual, encouraging skills such as music and sport. Whilst Durham also promotes this, many other universities focus less on this aspect of development.

Therefore, some parents are opting to pay the large financial sacrifice to send their child to one of the top universities in the world. Eleven of the fifteen top universities in the QS World University rankings for 2012 were American.

However, the huge financial cost

American Universities have more focus on extra-curricular activities than the UK Photograph: Katie Merchant will still deter the majority of British students.

A Durham third year student said: “I didn’t even consider applying in America.” In the face of higher tuition fees in the UK she maintained: “It would have been out of the question. A £27,000 debt is very different to an £80,000 one”.

There were other factors, such as the distance, to consider as well as the obvious financial issues. Many 18 year olds will not feel ready to leave the country for four years.

Scholarships or sponsorship

would make the trip to America more feasible.

Universities in England will also have to offer more financial support if they want to encourage students to enrol. Durham’s new support fund will help students to pay the fees. It will supply up to £3,000 a year towards living costs.

Durham’s ranking in the top three UK institutions in the Sunday Times University Guide 2012, may also help to encourage a high level of applicants in the future.

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Careers

www.palatinate.org.uk

Tuesday 25th October 2011 | PALATINATE

Careers Editor: Charlotte Seager

careers@palatinate.org.uk

Internships are often highly sought after, but they are not always prerequisites for a job Photograph: Alex E. Proimos

@PalatinateUK Palatinate

Accessories or necessities?

Internships are often a contentious political issue, but they are highly prized by students in all fields Charlotte Seager

>> For full coverage of the Careers fair, look out for our next edition

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For more, visit palatinate.org. uk

M

ost employers view internships as a gateway for young undergraduates in today’s increasingly competitive job market.

However, with Durham University having recently leapt from 24th to 15th in worldwide employability rankings, is it really necessary to go through the extra agro during your studies to secure a (possibly unpaid) internship?

The National Council for Work Experience outlines reasons that make internships worthwhile, citing examples such as the insight they give into particular industries, improving skills and clarifying career aspirations.

Work experience can also be very important for graduates seeking employment as most employers want prior experience and are more concerned about that than the relevance of degree discipline.

Tom Davie, Careers advisor for the University, spoke to Palatinate, “Large amounts of firms say 60 or 70% of their annual graduate intake is through internships”. This represents by far the largest group of uni-

versity leavers, suggesting that work placements in your relevant field are fast becoming a requirement for future graduate employment.

A study of internship schemes backed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), found that students and graduates felt their employability skills developed significantly as a result of

“Internships it can therefore be argued are the ultimate recruitment process”

work experience.

Internships it can therefore be argued are the ultimate recruitment process. An employer gets an unabridged evaluation of their potential new recruit long before any remuneration takes place.

This gives candidates the opportunity to demonstrate and develop their strengths to an employer, meaning an internship could make the difference between job success and failure.

Despite this, criticism has been levelled at unscrupulous employ-

ers using unpaid internships as a method of low-cost labour. A survey by Graduate Prospects found that at least two-thirds of students complete a form of work experience whilst studying, with almost half of them working for free!

It is for this reason that the National Council for Work Experience urges candidates to be cautious when applying for internship roles.

It is necessary to weigh up the relevant gain to your potential career versus any necessary sacrifices such as money, time, or commitment to your studies.

An internship can greatly enhance your career choices upon graduation, shows commitment to your future and at the very least shows employers you didn’t spend your summer touring the UK festival circuit with your housemates... well, at least not for the entire summer.

Questions you need to consider when seeking work placements are the benefit to you and your future career choices. For example – does the internship give insight into a particular industry? Will it help you to hone certain skills or supply useful contacts and training opportunities? Is there a possibility of any future paid work with the employer? Everyone has a choice and if the balance isn’t good, think about it carefully.

From the Careers Advisory Service “Don’t miss out on opportunities”

Tom Davies, from the Careers Advisory Service, urges you to apply.

Many of the deadlines for internships and graduate jobs close before the end of December so you should make good quality applications as soon as possible.

Durham students are highly sought by companies in the UK and abroad but you are in competition with similarly qualified students from other leading universities. Therefore within application forms you must give evidence of skills gained from your degree, student activites, voluntary and part-time (including vacation) work.

Key attributes such as analytical skills, the ability to communicate and persuade as well as team work and commercial awareness are just what employers want you to articulate.

- www.dur.ac.uk/careers/s/

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PALATINATE | Tuesday 25th October 2011

Careers

www.palatinate.org.uk

Starting your own business Anyone who wants to start their own company should throw caution to the wind and do it, says James Bolton Most of us aspire to start our own company, however few go on to achieve this ambition. James Bolton is the managing Director and cofounder of Wealth Management firm Atkinson Bolton Consulting, based in Newmarket.

He graduated from London University in 1989 before training with Willis in London, and moving to Beckett Financial Services, where he became the Client Servicing Director, responsible for the management of key corporate clients and the Employee Benefits team. He left his position in 2001 to help found Atkinson Bolton Consulting. In this exclusive interview, Bolton speaks to Palatinate about the truth of starting your own business.

Why did you decide to start your own company?

Largely I believed I could deliver a better service than my employers.

I was a director in the company but with no real control. I could see what my clients appreciated and wanted to deliver a more personal service with greater control over the company I worked in. The incentive of a

potential financial reward was secondary to this.

Were you concerned about the risks involved with starting your own company?

Younger people are in a better position to take a risk because they have fewer commitments.

The main risk for us was the investment of capital from each of the partners. This was necessary to purchase the equipment, office, and additional employees we needed to hire to begin the business.

As it was a service business we did not need to purchase any additional machinery, however this is often also necessary.

The second difficulty was the regulatory side to the company. The financial services are heavily regulated. We were required to be approved by certain bodies to trade properly, which is similar in many businesses.

Any skills from University that helped?

At university I studied biochemistry, so my degree was not directly related to the financial sector. However

we do work with biomedical companies and this basis of knowledge has been extremely useful in maintaining an understanding with some of our clients.

University taught me self-reliance, routine and how to work hard. University and further qualifications are also necessary in the financial services, so my degree enabled me to reach this position.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own company?

You have got to have knowledge of the business you wish to create.

Or else have a strong business idea you are confident with and committed to. Personally I had over ten years experience working in the industry before I decided to set up my own company.

It’s like having a child, you never feel ready for it or financially secure enough, but if have enough drive and ambition then you’re likely to succeed. You feel a lot more content and in control in your job and a greater sense of satisfaction when you succeed.

Helping you get started:

Businesslink • Businesslink is a government body from the department of business innovation and skills, which runs a Small Firm Loans Guarantee scheme, encouraging high street banks to lend to high risk small firms. It also provides online advice for anyone interested in starting up their own company. For more information, go to: http://www.businesslink.gov. uk Prince’s Trust • Prince’s Trust is a trust established in 1976 to provide practical and financial support to individuals. They have an Enterprise Programme which lends up to £4,000 to a new business start-up. You can also attend regular sessions with a free mentor, provided to help young people start up in business.

For more information, go to:

Enterprise Allowance • The government has recently announced plans to expand the scope of its proposed New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) to a loan package of up to £2,000 available to unemployed people wanting to set up their own businesses. For more information, visit: http://www.dwp.gov.uk

Durham Blueprint Competition 2012 • The Blueprint business plan competition has been running for seven years. Each of the five universities in the North East run their own individual competitions which then feed into the regional grand final, which usually takes place in October.

To enter visit: http://www.dur. ac.uk/blueprint.durham/ and submit your business plan before 17th January 2012

Statistical modelling in action

Why not do something you love... turn data into knowledge

www.atass-sports.co.uk/careers

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Comment Comment Editor: Michelle Wisson

comment@palatinate.org.uk

@PalatinateUK Palatinate

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Tuesday 25th October 2011 | PALATINATE

Debate: Would you vote Lib Dem again?

The Liberal Democrats relied on students for a vital base of support in 2010. Can they count on us now?

YES: Joe Mayes

T

hey say a week is a long time in politics. Well a year feels like an age. It’s hard to believe that only last Summer many of us students were proudly casting our votes in favour of Nick Clegg and his men in yellow. Clegg, the most popular British politician since Winston Churchill, could do no wrong. You remember the days: Cleggmania, no more broken promises and, ‘I agree with Nick’.

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

The Lib Dems now stand as national objects of derision, flailing at nine percent in the polls and accused of propping up a Tory-led government.

Is the criticism justified? Were we wrong to vote for them? Is Britain worse off with the Liberal Democrats in government?

The answers are simple: no, no and no. Whilst the red mist of tuition fee rage might cloud the judgements of other students, I will proudly say that I will vote Liberal Democrats again. The events of the last fourteen months show that there are compelling reasons to do so.

Firstly, coalition politics is good for Britain. Whereas in the past we saw majority governments merrily ramming legislative programmes through Parliament, we now see negotiation and compromise between coalition partners. This is healthy for democracy and it’s how politics should work. I’ll be voting Lib Dem because I never want the Tories or Labour running riot alone again.

Secondly, the Lib Dems have proven themselves to be a significant force in government. Without wanting to sound like a Lib Dem spokesman, 880,000 low earners are no longer paying tax, the result of a Lib

Dem policy. By the end of this Parliamentary session that number will be three million.

They’ve also played an instrumental role in clamping down on tax evasion, linking pensions with earnings and scrapping Labour’s ridiculous ID card scheme. For anyone remotely concerned with social justice, these are all good things.

Another reason I will vote Lib Dem, is I want people like Vince Cable in the Cabinet. When it comes to tackling today’s crisis of capitalism, it’s old hands like Vince that we need at the heart of the government machine. To think that we could one day have Ed Balls running the economy is enough to induce a shudder.

So please, Nick, if we get a coalition in 2015, make it a requirement of the Coalition Agreement that we get Vince as Chancellor.

“

Politicians break manifesto promises. Get over it.

”

But of course we must address the elephant in the room: tuition fees. People say they won’t vote Liberal Democrat again because Clegg’s party has made higher education unaffordable and they’ve ‘sold-out’.

I’ll deal with these accusations oneby-one.

‘Higher education is now unaffordable’. That’s simply wrong. Let’s repeat the basics. Students will pay less per week to pay off their loan

Nick Clegg speaking at the Durham Union Society on the eve than they would have under the old system. You only start paying back your loan when you are earning over £21,000 a year. If you’re earning £25,000 a year your weekly repayment will be £6.92. Only £6.92!

It’s just disingenuous to say that students will not be able to afford university.

Now the second accusation: ‘The Lib Dems sold-out.’ True, but so what? Tony Blair said in April 1997, “we have no plans to introduce tuition fees for higher education”. His Labour government then brought in tuition fees in 2004. Promise broken.

And David Cameron wrote in the Conservative manifesto in 2005 that, “we will restore real choice in higher education by scrapping fees”. Again, promise broken.

So to throw your hands up in moral indignation and call the Lib Dems spineless sell-outs for agreeing to put up tuition fees is to take a very narrow view of recent history.

Politicians break manifesto promises. It happens. Get over it.

In fact, the Liberal Democrat handling of the tuition fees saga sums up pretty nicely why I will vote for them again. They’ve finally proven themselves to be a party capable of government.

Whereas previously they were happy to play pie-in-the-sky politics on the sidelines, they’ve now shown a willingness to take tough decisions in the national interest.

But most importantly they’ve made coalition politics work at a crucial time of global turmoil. I applaud that. In other words, the Liberal Democrats have grown up.

It’s time their critics did too.

NO: Ellie Ross

A

fter a lifetime’s support of the Labour Party I decided to join the fickle ranks of university students elsewhere and vote for the Liberal Democrats. This has left me with not only with the sour taste of disappointment on my political palette but also one of embarrassment too. I feel like a child whose parents have given them a cardboard box wrapped up in glittery paper, stick on bows and velvet ribbons, only to discover the bows were only semi-adhesive, the cat ate the ribbon and died, and the box, well, the box remained a box.

At dinner parties, if the conversation turns to the matter of who we previously voted for, I usually choose that moment to slink to the toilet and weep to myself, or to mutter Lib Dem and hastily down my afterdinner liqueur. I am disappointed that I allowed myself to be deceived by the Lib Dems, who had seemed to promise something a little different from the main two parties.

Thanks to my History degree and a brief scan of the Tory party manifesto, I was aware that in similar times of economic panic they would most likely embark on a rampage of wild cutbacks and insolent decisions regarding the NHS and possibly miners (although this might have only been relevant to the 1980s).

I also struggled and still struggle to comprehend why anybody

PALATINATE | Tuesday 25th October 2011

13 www.palatinate.org.uk

Comment Reaction: EWO officer weighs in on the relevance of DSU Scott Parker

EWO Officer

of the 2010 General Election. Photograph: Chris Willetts at university (in most respects a progressive and thoughtful place) would vote Conservative when there is so much to change and fight for.

The Conservatives were a party I felt, that would perhaps appeal to me when I had made my millions and was reclining in the Cotswolds smoking a pipe. They were fine for my grandparents and my parents, but the Conservatives were the last party on earth that would help me to make those millions or actually get a job at all. So they were out.

Labour. This was the big decision. I had first decided that I was an ardent Labour supporter when I was six years old and realised that the word Labour looked slightly like Labrador and I was a huge dog fan.

So I was in. Unfortunately, since the tender age of six, my support for the Labour Party has reduced annually, right up to 2009, when, despite my Labour Party Membership, I knew that I couldn’t go through the hell of having voted for the party in power again.

‘They were responsible for war!’ and, ‘They brought us into this economic crisis’ were two accusations I had to swat away if I ever dared to admit my fondness for the Milliband clan.

Realising I had inadvertantly voted for those who were sending thousands of soldiers to Iraq and wreaking havoc on innocent civilians whetted my appetite for a party that was so middle of the road that it would surely just spend most of its time handing out free lollipops and reminding us who they were.

The Lib Dems deserved a shot at the top. For one thing David Lloyd

George, leading a coalition consisting of his own party, the Conservatives and Labour had brought the Great War to an end in 1918. Perhaps Nick Clegg would do the same.

It’s fair to say that the Lib Dems certainly made a lot of promises, which all sounded very impressive.

The only difference this time to the previous times that he had made lots of empty promises, was that the media decided to place him on equal footing with the other two parties in a series of televised debates, and suddenly, Britain remembered that there was a third party.

Nick Clegg and his party promised four key pledges: ‘Fair taxes that put money back in your pocket.

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If you missed last week’s debate: palatinate.org.uk

A fair chance for every child. A fair future, creating jobs by making Britain greener. A fair deal for you, from politicians’.

Even now, despite having come to terms with my gross mistake, I wonder how I was so deceived by somebody who apparently felt that a ‘fair future’ was anything to do with ‘making Britain greener’. But we were all so caught up in the moment I probably just ‘whooped’ along with the rest of Britain.

In 2009, the Lib Dems promised to crack down on tax evasion and ensure that the mega wealthy can’t avoid stamp duty by putting their properties in an offshore trust.

Holding hands with David Cameron

however, the Lib Dems have quietly dropped the more meaningful aspect of their manifesto, and have reworded it like this: ‘We will tackle tax avoidance’.

And this year’s earlier referendum on ‘Alternative Vote vs. the Single Transferable Vote (STV)’? Well here’s the belter. In the Lib Dem’s original manifesto, they favoured the STV and it was only under the coalition that they were persuaded by the Conservatives as part of ‘a miserable little compromise’ (Clegg) to promote AV. And I won’t even go there with tuition fees. It was a key election promise and the reason why thousands of students voted for the Lib Dems. Yet it was broken almost immediately after they came to power.

So desperate was Clegg for power that he joined with a party that he had previously accused of having “no progressive reform agenda” and, “an unbearable sense of entitlement” (May 2010). In the same month during an interview with New Statesman he divulged: “anyone with a progressive frame of mind should vote for the Conservatives or for the Lib Dems”.

The Lib Dems have shown us that it’s ok to lie and have also managed to create disillusionment for a number of first time voters. Will these people vote again or have they now become so disenchanted with the whole political system that some will begin to focus their attention on fringe parties?

Anybody with that level of fickleness is not worth mine or anybody else’s support and is why I will never vote for the Lib Dems again.

As I read the interesting debate between JCR and DSU I was struck by the focus on which the writer had placed on the role of Education and Welfare Officer (EWO), my role. Around a quarter of the article focused on how the role of EWO is unneeded and in reading this I felt dutifully obliged to respond in order to inform readers of the reality of my role.

Having been a JCR welfare officer, I understand the need to have dedicated front line workers who are able to offer a confidential listening service. The writer fails to acknowledge the students who don’t feel comfortable speaking to somebody in college whom they may see day in and day out. I deal with a large number of students who simply want to speak to somebody who is relatively anonymous to their everyday life.

In addition to this the DSU offers the Advice Centre which delivers professional advice to any student, independent from the University.

We have a number of advisors specialising in areas such as welfare, benefits, housing etc.

The second part of the JCR

“

Welfare Officers’ role is to deliver powerful welfare campaigns throughout the academic calendar. These are coordinated and organised collaborate through DSU’s Welfare Committee meetings. During campaign weeks I help and support officers with both campaign resources and in colleges throughout the week.

College welfare representatives are trained by experts recruited by the DSU in every field; some of the training offers international recognition, for example the SAFE certificate.

Representation plays a vital role in the role of the EWO and nothing is mentioned about the vast number of University governance committees where all students are represented on the issues affecting them. In addition to this I work closely with the Deputy Academic Registrar and the Dean of Colleges in order to ensure that college and student support groups are the best that they can be.

This project would not be at all possible without JCR welfare officers and for that I thank them. I would at this point like to acknowledge every student ‘working in welfare’ and say that of course I agree that it is those people on the ground in conjunction with the resources DSU, which make the Durham Student Experience so worthwhile.

People who criticise the Lib Dems just don’t understand that coalition politics is all about making concessions2nd Year History The Lib Dems will never be a viable alternative to the Conservatives- 2nd Year Modern Languages Left-wing voters should concentrate on Labour- the Lib Dems have had their shot- 3rd Year English

”

14

Comment

PALATINATE | Tuesday 25th October 2011

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The market has no place in education Adam Robertson

Opinion The solution for our schools is simple, and it isn’t competition

O

ne piece of news which nobody at Durham can have missed since the formation of the Coalition Government is the furore surrounding the increase in tuition fees. The policy was so incendiary that there was even a protest against them here in Durham, in spite of our reputation as being one of the least politically active universities in the country.

The debate has continued apace, with the words ‘progressive’ and ‘social-mobility’ being claimed by both camps. However, what I find most worrying is the growing culture of the commoditisation and commercialisation of education, and an application of the principles of competition to the education sector in a bid to raise standards.

This is based on the notion that, in a market, the consumers will pick the best products offered at the best prices, and leave overpriced or undesirable products on the proverbial shelves.

Fantastic: standards will go up as only the best courses and universities will be able to attract students, who under the new system will pay the entire cost of their courses in most cases, meaning that those courses which cannot attract students won’t be offered and those institutions that can’t bring in enough fees will go bust.

But, and I don’t mean to patronise anyone here, what position are seventeen year olds (the consumers of this system) in to make judgements

about the quality of a university?

Because this is what the whole system of introducing competition into the education sector as a means of raising educational standards is predicated upon: the ability of educational ‘customers’ to perceive the best educational ‘products’ and choose these over lesser products.

In the USA perhaps the most evident effect of the importance of consumer choice on the university system is the huge expenditure on campus landscaping and the provision of luxury sports and accommodation facilities: to the ‘customer’ a perfectly manicured lawn would obviously be attractive, but it has nothing to do with the quality of education provided.

Given this inability to evaluate the quality of a university, prospective students rely instead on league tables. Surely this is a way of giving students the information about which universities and courses are the best?

Well yes, to an extent, but the main aspects of the league tables for universities are determined by the national student survey, which relies on subjective student impressions rather than any measure of the quality of the university as an educational establishment.

But even where grade attainment is taken into account, as in the league tables for schools, further problems arise.

In this situation there are two methods for schools to appear a

better school to its prospective customers: firstly to concentrate so completely on how to excel in examinations that the notion of an education is brushed aside in favour of a system churning out exampassing automata; and secondly to choose the easiest exams for their students and to usher students away from difficult subjects into ones which guarantee good marks for the school, but as universities blacklist subjects they deem unacademic, this often does nothing for the student.

“

Most worrying is the growing culture of commoditisation

”

The system of marketising secondary education only provides an incentive for the reduction in difficulty of exams and for the narrowing of educational focus, and does nothing to increase educational standards.

Further problems with this application of competition to the school system arise when allowing them to

vote with their feet and leave failing schools.

In this situation not only would consumer choice do nothing to improve educational standards, but could also contribute to social segregation as, to invoke a cliché, the sharpest elbowed middle class parents would go out of their way to ensure their children places at the best schools, leaving children of parents with less time or resolve to take up places in worse schools.

Why, then, is this policy so eagerly applied by politicians of all aspects of the education sector? It must partly be the dogmatic adherence to the notion of the market as a force for good. But I would also suggest, at the risk of sounding cynical, that it is born out of a desire to either actually improve educational standards, or merely to be seen to, without committing to spending greater sums of public money.

If you really want to improve educational standards, whether it is in a rural primary school or one of the best universities in the world, the formula is simple: employ more teachers, make classes smaller.

Consumer choice is not an inherently bad thing, but for competition to improve educational standards the consumer needs to be able to clearly identify which institutions provide a better education. This simply cannot be done with an education in the way it can with a television or a car.

Is media sensationalism really moral policing?

Omar Naboulsi

Perspective from abroad Be thankful corruption is rare, not for the British press

L

iam Fox, perhaps inevitably, resigned from his post as Defence Secretary on Friday the 14th of October.

And though revealing state secrets to a person with no government position whatsoever (no matter how good a friend he has been to you over the years) is no minor offense, the media shitstorm that was kicked up by the story was an unusual sight to me, in spite of the fact that I have seen it happen many times before.

But this story struck me as particularly unusual, coming as I do from Lebanon, a state built almost entirely on an elaborate system of nepotism. In Lebanon if you are as friendly with your local powerhouse politician as Adam Werrity was with Liam Fox, the occasional exotic excursion with the politician in question is the least that you would expect. A nice position in the government itself would be a little closer to the mark.

But the purpose of this article is not to lament the state of my own country, but rather to offer a mirror

into which the British might see their strengths- and weaknesses.

The first thing one might take from this comparison might be pride that, though such a case as that of Liam Fox and Adam Werritty may seem innocuous in comparison to what is happening in other parts of the world, it is a healthy sign that the British media can, in a sense, call foul play on the government at all.

The delightful British habit of self-deprecation is in its own way a policing force that does not allow the head to rise too far above the body. It keeps self-celebration in check even when things are being done right, and in a strange way this leads to things being done even better.

However, from the eyes of an outsider, it is also absurd that achievements such as a comprehensive welfare system, complete with the National Health Service, are so often chided by the throngs of malcontents. No matter your stance on welfare, the NHS is a remarkable achievement rarely ever celebrated.

By a similar token, one must not

get too carried away with praise to the media’s ability to curtail the government’s free rein. The significance of these investigations can seem overblown (certainly to such people as myself from countries where such actions as Fox’s are commonplace). In spite of the risk of state secrets being compromised, there seemed to be little suggestion that Werritty posed a significant risk to the nation’s security.

I remember having a similar reaction to the expenses scandal, where politicians were also named and shamed, having brutally abused their power to build duck islands and purchase secondary toilet seats using taxpayers’ money.

The fact that the corruption is so relatively minor is, in a way, an accolade. Not only has corruption been reduced to such inanities, but even these are being whittled away.

But here arises the potential danger of taking such investigations too seriously. As admirable as these initiatives are, it would be a mistake to believe that these +campaigns mean a completely purified state.

Aside from the moral victory, one might also question how much money has actually been saved following the expenses scandal? What actual harm has been prevented by the resignation of Liam Fox, especially at a time when his job is in need of an occupant, with the Libyan conflict and others ongoing?

Yet much money has been dumped in numerous wars and conflicts over the past few years in which the public has had no kind of say. I am willing to bet a Cedar tree that the expenses scandal does not register in comparison with the sums swallowed up by these conflicts. As for morals, how many lives have been lost in wars of others in the East?

While such media campaigns as those of Liam Fox and the expenses scandals register moral victories over what might otherwise be minor scandals, one must not see the media as any kind of enforcer of justice. There are more important, less sensationalist, moral wars that will always lie forgotten about.

PALATINATE | Tuesday 25th October 2011 Profile Editor: Jessica Waite profile@palatinate.org.uk

15

Profile: Jason Gardener

The “Bath Bullet” celebrates winning an Olympic Gold Medal in 2004 Photograph: Mei Leng Yew

“I had that burning desire” Olympic Gold medallist Jason Gardener talks to Mei Leng Yew about life after realising his dream

A

s an Olympic Gold medallist, four-time gold winner at the European Indoor Championships, holder of two Commonwealth Games titles, and one of few to break the sub-10 second barrier in the 100m, Britain’s beloved “Bath Bullet” Jason Gardener has every right to brag.

“I was given a gift. I was given a talent. I inherited good genes from my parents. I had something innate in me. I had that burning desire. If you genuinely believe you can achieve something, you can make things happen but you have to want it, and I certainly wanted it”.

Yet, for someone who speaks so candidly about his own superior athletic abilities, Gardener is both a likable and inspirational figure who refuses to be embarrassed by either his mountainous levels of selfesteem or the self-doubt and injury that shadowed his career.

“As a professional with a career spanning 12 or 13 years, there were moments when I honestly didn’t think I’d get to stand on the rostrum let alone on top. There were times when I did feel like giving up but I

didn’t”.

“Every Olympic athlete will go through countless disappointments and failures. Sydney was a disaster.

The dream didn’t work out. The majority of my career was spent injured. In Zagreb, everybody beat me and I remember being on the banks in tears. When you set a goal which is so high, it is inevitable that you will fail on many occasions”.

In late 2003, when preparations

“Talent alone won’t win you a Gold medal” for the upcoming Games in Athens were only beginning, a title seemed impossible, “In October, I had a broken wrist but as an athlete, I had to lift 22 or 23 stone as part of my training. I was admitted into hospital for four epidurals [for a bad back]. I was constantly having injections in my Achilles, in my back, in my wrist, and that was the situation I had to manage. I didn’t have the luxury of taking time off. I couldn’t afford to

get a bone grafted, pinned, being put in plaster and still expect to win a gold medal”.

It was when doctors said he needed a double hernia repair that Gardener felt himself “starting to get mentally weak” and credits Malcolm Arnold for being a coach who “showed no mercy”.

“Suddenly, the pain got to such an unbearable situation that it switched off, but my performances dropped down to a respectable level”. His reward followed in March at the World Indoor Championships.

“I read in the broadsheet ‘Gardener: Britain’s Only Uncert for Gold’.

I was injured. The guy who was second fastest in the world, Shawn Crawford, was only one-hundredth of a second behind me in the world rankings”. Amazingly, Gardener took the gold medal in the 60m in 6.59 seconds.

Gardener has no doubt that his success can be traced back to his perseverance, “Talent alone will not win you an Olympic Games gold medal. Everybody that competes for their country has talent and more often than not, the winners are the

ones that have less talent. I was absolutely hungry. I was determined to achieve success.”

Success first began in the playground, “As a kid I was really shy.

When Father Christmas used to come to the rugby club, I would be that one kid who was clawed around his mum’s leg, not wanting to go up and get that present. By the time I’d plucked up the courage to go up to him, all the presents had gone!”

Gardener went from last to first at a lunchtime race at school, “I remember being on that line, my heart pounding, the whistling blowing and against my classmates, I charged down to the bottom of the playground, hit the fence, turned back around and for the first time in my young life, I was a winner. Instantaneously, it was something I wanted more of”.

This coincided with the 1984 Olympic Games, “Seven years of age and I remember being captured watching the British heroes - Daley Thompson winning gold for Britain, Sebastian Coe, Steve Redgrave. They were my role models because I connected with ’84 and I connected

with seeing British athletes in those arenas winning golds and I wanted to be like that”.

Interestingly, it is when Gardener reflects on winning his own Olympic Gold for Britain that his winning attitude takes a more humble turn, “A fundamental to performance is teamwork. Clearly, the relay. I couldn’t achieve an individual gold medal. I needed a team to achieve an Olympic Gold”.

He recalls lining up to take leg one of the relay, a position he had taken since 1994, “I go to pick up the baton and I notice the colour of the baton. It was gold and I was struck.

There were just too many signs that day and I could taste it in the air. I had a sneaky look at the Nigerian next to me. He had a bronze. In lane six, Shawn Crawford had a blue coloured baton. I didn’t need to look any further. That was it. That was our night, our moment”.

That night, his teammates Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis celebrated their win partying. “Me? I went to my rooms. I knew my life had changed and I went to reflect. I remember waking up nearly every hour and I kept looking, wondering if it had been a wonderful dream and that [the medal] wouldn’t be at the side of my bed”.

Gardener’s success did not end there and he won another gold medal at the European Indoor Championships in 2007, only months before retiring. When I suggest he may have had a few more medals left in him, he shrugs.

“I got to a stage where my body broke down. I’d pushed it and pushed it and pushed and it broke down and broke down and that becomes very taxing mentality. And life changes. I’d achieved my dream goal in 2004 and my first child was born in 2007 so suddenly, my sport wasn’t my most important focus. I achieved the goal, the gold medal and my hunger wasn’t quite what it was like before I achieved that success”.

“And the real truth in the matter

“I knew my life had changed”

is, the sustained levels of performances which I was doing were very hard to do, and the sport had moved on. There were athletes who were running a lot faster and I didn’t want to be in this business if I couldn’t get to the very top”.

It’s been four years since his retirement but Gardener has yet to fill the gap, “[It is] very scary because I couldn’t tell you right now where I’m going to in ten years time whereas when I was seven, I could tell you exactly where I wanted to be. I’m exploring and coasting for the moment. It’s not frustrated me yet that I haven’t found my second life but if I don’t find it within the next few years, it will”.

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Sport

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17

Sport

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Castle suffer spirited loss New Premiership team Castle A take on the reigning champions Hild Bede A

Sport Editors: Delaney Chambers & Peter Vickers sport@palatinate.org.uk

@PalatinateUK Palatinate

Castle’s left-winger, Stu Preston manages to keep up with Hild Bede’s fast-paced game Photograph: Delaney Chambers

FOOTBALL Hild Bede A

1

Castle A

0

Tom Kelly Joe Nagle

our Olympic >> for hopefuls, turn the page

P

For more, visit palatinate.org. uk

Newly promoted Castle A’s Premiership bow ended in credible defeat at the hands of defending champions Hild Bede A. Hild Bede will no doubt be pleased with their victory in a match they dominated. However there were also encouraging signs for the Premiership newcomers who created chances of their own and battled gamely against strong opposition.

The opening exchanges saw the league champions moving the ball around purposefully and creating several opportunities to score with an Alexis Ivett free kick coming the closest as it rattled the crossbar.

The champions’ pressure intensified and after Javier Garay had gone close with a lofted effort, a Hild Bede goal was ruled out for offside.

Ivett and teammate Oli Salt frequently combined down the left and asked tough questions of the Castle fullbacks, drawing several free-kicks

in dangerous areas. Sam Colley was also influential with an incisive and stylish midfield display, popping up all over the pitch..

However, with the half almost at a close, Castle fashioned a rare chance of their own and came close to snatching a half-time lead. Following persistent play from Castle’s front men, the ball was fired invitingly across the six yard box, only for a timely goal-preventing challenge

“It’s an encouraging result considering who we were facing”

James Benson Castle Club Captain at the back post to prevent the newcomers from opening their Premiership account.

The second half proved to be a more evenly fought contest, as the Castle frontline began to combine with more purpose but still struggled to create clear-cut chances. Eventually, a needless freekick for shirt pulling just outside the box lead to a dnagerously placed free-kick. Ivett’s curling delivery to the back post resulted in the unfortunate keeper palming the

ball straight into the path of the alert Chris Wyche, who side-footed home from six yards.

But conceding only seemed to galvanise the newly promoted side and they almost hit back immediately, forcing a terrific diving save from the previously untested Hild Bede keeper after good work from the front pairing. The next ten minutes were spent largely in Hild Bede territory and featured Castle’s best move of the game, a sweeping move from left to right eventually culminating in a thunderous strike from 20 yards which flew narrowly wide.

Nervousness began to creep into the champions’ play in the closing stages as Castle finished the game strongly but were unable to profit from late corners which were well defended. Hild Bede will be pleased with the victory, their clean sheet and an accomplished team performance. In defeat, Castle A can take solace from a courageous performance which restricted their opponents to very few clear chances and fleeting passages of play that suggested they will not be out of their depth at this level.

Inside Palatinate >> More new developments in college football this year

Results Men’s Premiership: Collingwood ‘A’

4

St Cuthbert’s ‘A‘

1

Grey ‘A‘

2

Hatfield ‘A‘

Hild Bede ‘A‘

2

1

Castle ‘A’

0

John Snow ‘A’

1

Collingwood ‘B‘

4

St. Mary’s ‘A‘

Stephenson ‘A‘ Van Mildert ‘A‘

Josephine Butler ‘A‘

4

1

2

2

18

Sport

Collingwood creates first ever ‘I’ team FOOTBALL Collingwood College Football Club has scaled new heights for the 20112012 season by forming an ‘I’ team, making them the largest college sports club in Durham.

In total, over 150 participating members have signed up, an achievement Club President Ivan Rutherford is very proud of, “We’ve had an overwhelming number of freshers trialing this year and in comparison to previous seasons we haven’t lost many players either” he adds.= “It’s great that so many people want to be playing football, now we have to work extra hard to make sure the club functions properly”.

Both the ‘H’ and ‘I’ teams will play in the rather bizarrely titled ‘friendly league’, which is essentially the sixth tier of Durham student fotball.

Collingwood already fielded more teams than anyone else before the expansion, with Cuth’s, Hild Bede and Van Mildert coming the closest on six teams each.

They occupy at least one space in every division, they are the only col-

www.palatinate.org.uk

Bailey beaten by Hill In the inaugural charity fixture, the Hill triumph FOOTBALL Hill

4

Bailey

2

Sam Colley lege to have two teams in the premiership and even have two teams in the astro-football league.

The size of the club has led to Varsity and Nando’s both offering sponsorship to CCAFC, which appears to have been rather shrewd as the clubs first social brought 110 members into Varsity. Rutherford is hoping for success across the board in what could be a thrilling campaign for the Woodsmen, “Obviously I want all the teams to do well but if we could win trophies that would be great. We also want both the ‘H’ and ‘I’ teams to be successful this year so they can be in the official leagues next season”.

Above: President Rutherford with the nine Collingwood captains.

Tuesday 25th October 2011 | PALATINATE

The much-anticipated Hill-Bailey match was a thrilling 6-goal encounter.

The general feeling at the Rubber Crumb pre-match was that the Bailey were going in as slight pre-match favourites.

The teams were made up of all the college captains and an elected player from each of their squads, which meant the opening phases were predictably scrappy as both sides got used to playing with their new teammates from rival colleges.

Possession was given away far too often, but the game opened up thanks to Grey’s Ben Miller. Receiving the ball wide on the right side, Miller

travelled to just outside the penalty area before chipping the ball over Hild Bede’s keeper, Pittalis, and in to the the top corner.

The keeper’s pass into central midfield was intercepted by Josephine Butler’s Dom Williams, who calmly slotted the ball home to send the Hill 2-0 up after 35 minutes.

The Bailey were praying for the half time whistle, but unfortunately it would not come soon enough, as the Hill pressed home their advantage and extended their lead to three on the stroke of half time. Van Mildert’s lively Oyebade scored the goal, leaping to meet a ball from the right and expertly heading home.

The Bailey became a new team after the break. St Cuthbert’s Jonty Maullin, Hild Bede’s Wyche and skipper Oli Salt all put in inspiring performances and the Bailey began to show the signs of dominance many had predicted.

The Hill backline, marshalled by Collingwood’s Tom Haley, withstood intense pressure before finally conceding from a through ball down the middle, which Salt was quick to

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take. The University Second’s player rounded Collingwood’s Shearer and reduced the deficit to 3-1.

The Hill were stretched and the Bailey were piling men forward, creating an increasingly open game.

The next goal was crucial, and it came from Captain Salt again as he poached a second following a scramble in the box after a cross was not dealt with by Shearer.

Collingwood Captain Billy Phillips moved inside to centre-back for the Hill in an effort to calm the game and ended the Bailey’s hopes of a thrilling comeback. Van Mildert’s Archer dribbled down the left before cutting inside and then bending a shot from 20 yards into the bottom right corner in a winning goal fitting of the occasion.

Despite the weather, this was a great game and a great event, which saw the first ever Hill v Bailey match end with a 4-2 win for the Hill.

Thanks must go out to everyone at DUAFC and at DUCK for all their help in organising the game. Over £400 was raised for the CSMF Charity, which was set up by a Durham student four years ago.

PALATINATE | Tuesday 25th October 2011

19

Sport

www.palatinate.org.uk

Durham’s Olympic hopefuls HOCKEY Name: Daniel Coultas College: St Cuthbert’s

Degree: BA Sport, 3rd year Country: Scotland Caps/goals: 16/8 Years Played: 14

Former teams: Kingston Upon Hull Yorkshire Northeast England

FENCING Name: Kira Roberts College: University

Degree: English (Masters) Event: Sabre

International Caps: Capped as cadet (U17), Junior (U20) and Senior Level.

Honours: Current Commonwealth Champion (Junior) Years Competed: 6

Former clubs: Trinity School, Teignmouth

A late starter in the fencing world, Kira took up the discipline at the age of 14 and has never looked back.

She is now a TASS (Talented Athlete Sponsorship Scheme) scholar at Durham and has competed internationally in Hungary, Italy and Spain.

Her event is the sabre, the “gentleman’s” weapon, meaning that in her duels points can be scored through hits above the waist only.

A defiant competitor, Roberts states on her website: “I believe I have the ability and will to succeed and I will qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London.”

The stark reality though is that “politics” have got in the way of her progression towards the current games.

“It’s 50/50” she tells Palatinate Sport, “but I’ve been nominated to carry the Olympic torch, so that’s something.”

It certainly is something. Roberts spars with her mentor Lazslo Ja-

kob, a world-renowned coach who despite now being 53 years of age continues to push Kira on to further greatness.

She describes the sport as akin to a game of chess - involving the brain as well as the physical body. It’s about posture, determination and speed.

When quizzed on whether or not home advantage is going to help Team GB in the medals department, Roberts believes there is still a lot of ‘catch up’ to be played in order to challenge the Olympic powerhouses such as Team USA and China: “The Americans will still dominate. We don’t really have the training facilities compared with other countries, but the new fencing arena at Maidens Castle will undoubtedly help,” she explains.

“The facilities here at Durham are definitely better than at any other University at the moment.”

Roberts is pictured right at the 2006 Junior Commonwealth Games.

ROWING Name: William Fletcher College: Stephenson

Degree: Sport (Foundation) Years rowing: 7

Years as international: 4 Henley wins: 4

Years rowing for Durham: 3

Honours: Competed for GB at Under 23 World Championships, won gold in 2010 and bronze in 2009; competed at Henley for Durham and won 4 titles; included in seat racing for GB senior lightweight 4 this year

Daniel Coultas’ international success began at Durham University, where former GB and senior Durham hockey coach Gavin Featherstone offered him a scholarship.

On meeting Coultas’ grandfather and hearing his scottish accent, Featherstone encouraged Coultas to go to Scotland trials where he soon impressed.

Coultas was chosen to play for the Scottish Under-21 Squad in the European Championships last year, but dropped out due to a back injury. He was told that he had damaged one of his spinal discs and would never be able to play sport in the future.

But defying all the odds, Coultas came back to play again last season and was immensely successful; he

was the top scorer in the Northern Conference league, and led Durham to win it for the first time before being beaten by Loughborugh in the championship final.

This was followed by an unexpected call-up to the senior squad in March and a debut in which Coultas scored twice against Canada in a 3-2 win.

He has since gone on to make sixteen caps, scoring eight times.

As a drag flicker, a specialist position, Coultas is up against tough opposition for a Team GB berth but is surely in contention after such a lively start to his international career.

Coultas is pictured left at the Palatinate ball where he won Sportsman of the Year for 2010-11.

For William Fletcher, rowing began as sibling rivalry.

“My sister was rowing, and I was jealous, so I started rowing, too.”

Fletcher, from Chester-le-Street, had been playing football for the county, but says “rowing gradually took over.”

He puts his success in rowing down to hard work and the encouragement of Durham rowing head coach, Wade Hall-Craggs.

Hall-Craggs had been coaching Fletcher and two other rowers who went on to row for Durham University. A development high performance coach, Hall-Craggs has himself won an Olympic silver medal.

Fletcher began rowing for Tyne Rowing Club and then joined Durham University Boat Club.

“The first year we trained with Wade was the first year we won Henley,” said Fletcher, “and it just went from there.”

A win at the Henley Royal Regatta is one of the most coveted awards in rowing.

Fletcher has won four Henley titles, and at 21 is believed to be the youngest rower to be able to make this claim.

He competed for Great Britain in the World Under-23 Championships in Amsterdam this summer, after having won gold in the same competition in 2010.

He has also been included in seat racing for the Olympic Men’s Lightweight 4, and his selection for the GB squad will depend on GB trials, which take place the weekend of the 22nd-23rd of October.

As an 18-year-old in 2009, Fletcher came 6th in GB Team Trials, beating older, more experienced competition.

Fletcher is pictured at left holding his latest Henley trophy, donning a cream and palatinate blazer.

Sport

PALATINATE | Tuesday 25th October 2011

Interview: Jason Gardener Gold Medallist in Palatinate, page 15

College football kicks off Castle take on Hild Bede, page 17

Durham’s Olympians

Olympic hopeful interviews, page 19

Netballers dominate in stunning season opener Durham see off strong Northumbia opposition in front of Super Wednesday crowd

remarkably energetic Durham side, led by Megan Ellery (C/WD).

Abby Ryan (GK) was imperious in defence and subjected her Northumbrian counterpart to a torrid afternoon feeding off scraps, whilst Katie Worthington (C) dictated the pace of the game from the middle.

By the end of the second quarter Durham had secured an unassailable 22-9 lead, but refused to ease off the pace in the second half and offered no hope of a reprieve for the shell shocked Northumbrian opposition.

As captain Ellery remarked after the game, Durham’s victory was a product of strong defence ‘all over

NETBALL Durham

39

Northumbria

17

Alex Stewart

D

urham Netball First Team inflicted a heavy defeat on local rivals Northumbria in their opening game of the 2011-12 BUCS Premier North league.

The 39-17 score-line was indicative of the way in which the Palatinates bossed the game from start to finish, and is cause for great optimism this season given the strength of the opposition.

The two teams came into the game fairly evenly matched; both claiming one victory apiece over each other in last year’s campaign, Durham perhaps slight favourites having finished one place above Northumbria in the

8

the court’, and owed much to the collective fighting spirit of the close-knit squad. Despite only fielding two substitutes due to injury, the Palatinate’s work rate never dropped and goes some way to explaining how they have earned two successive seasons in the top flight of the BUCS league.

Durham travel to Manchester next week optimistic of building on this week’s encouraging result, and captain Ellery was hopeful of seeing energy levels remain at a high level.

‘We were so pumped up for today, and that’s probably what separated the two teams. If we can keep that level of motivation going for the whole season then we’re capable of beating anyone.’

Last season’s third placed finish defied expectations but their knockout campaign was ended prematurely by Brunel. This season Durham will have to once more defy expectations if they are to go further.

“We were so pumped up for today.... We can beat anybody”

Megan Ellery league standings.

All the more remarkable then was Durham’s utter domination of a contest in which they notched up more than twice the score of their opponents.

In the final third Izzy Drummond (GS) was robotically accurate from under the net, one half of an attacking partnership with Kat Hill (GA) which had the Northumbria defence on the ropes by the end of the first quarter.

Northumbria were not technically poor, nor lacking in effort, but were made to look less than ordinary by a

Points conceded

by Durham in the second half

Durham’s attack was far more prolific and defence stronger Photograph: Delaney Chambers

Inside Palatinate >> More on college sport, including a report on the first ever ‘I‘ team.