Reform Magazine - Issue 17 - February 2010 by RGU:Union

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>> CONTENTS

.................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. Update .................. .................. Singing Santas, Condoms, Bomb Threats and more. Find out .................. .................. .................. what’s been going on at the Union this month... .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. Elections .................. .................. Get all the important details about the 2010 student .................. .................. elections. Why don’t you run for a post? .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. Competition! .................. Win a load of lovely gear from Regal Clothing Co in this .................. .................. .................. .................. month’s competition .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. Movies .................. .................. Our brand new regular movies section, reviewing Avatar, .................. .................. .................. Up In The Air and A Prophet .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. Don’t Get Caught Out .................. .................. .................. Nobody wants a green willy, find out how to avoid it... .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. Sport .................. .................. .................. A look ahead at this year’s Aberdeen Universities Boat .................. Race. Can we make win it for the second year in a row? .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. Tell The University .................. .................. .................. What You Want! .................. .................. .................. This is your chance! Take advantage of the National .................. .................. Student Survey .................. .................. .................. .................. ..................

INSIDE ISSUE #17 4

PHOTOS

OF THE MONTH Bobby The Boar joins Ross Murchison (Student President) and Catherine Hilton (Health Officer) as they give blood at RGU: SPORT. He even tries to get in on the act himself! Send your photos to reform@rguunion.co.uk to get featured next month! FEBRUARY 10

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UPDATE <<

UNION JOINS UP WITH CLARK BUILDING Not content with the £250,000 summer refurbishment, we’re doing more work to your Union throughout January & February! The back area of the ground floor (next to the smoking area) has been blocked off since early January in order to connect the Union building with the Clark building next door. “Having the wall knocked through between the Union and the University is a fantastic improvement for students at Schoohill.” said Ross Murchison, Student President, “Not only does it give students a nearby place to socialise during their free time, it also raises the profile of the Union its self.”

SANTA HATS, PURPLE HOODIES AND MARKS & SPENCER! Joe Folan First there was baldness, followed by semi nudity, and then there were blue bodies...what next? Why Santa hats and fetching purple hoodies of course! RGU:RAG were out in force once again just before the Christmas break in the Bon Accord Marks and Spencer, packing bags and lashing out Christmas carols at the door. Around 20 of our volunteers showed up at the start of December to help raise money for Cyrenian’s, a homeless charity located here in Aberdeen. After three hours of packing bags of food that student’s can only dream they could afford, and reaching music notes only the seagulls outside could communicate with, a tally of over £700 was reached, a

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fantastic amount for such a short space of time.When this was added to the totals from other events held in the past semester, a grand total of £4,264.26 (yes, I included the 26p!) has been collected for numerous charities around Aberdeen! RGU:RAG would like to thank all of its volunteers for all the hours they have put in so far, all the charities, all the companies who have sponsored us, and of course anyone who donated, we know it’s hard in these penny-pinching times but thank you!! There was no RAG activity during January due to exams and placements (boo, hiss, boooo etc) but we will be back out collecting in February, with our sight on raising over £10,000 for the student year well within sight!

Work is scheduled to take six weeks, but keen an eye on the Union website for updates.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 2010 Tickets for this year’s Student Achievement Awards are available to buy now! Priced at £26.50, the ticket includes a 3 course meal & drinks, ceilidh, complimentary arrival drink, transport to and from the event, plus the award ceremony its self. Tickets can be purchased from the Union Shop on Schoolhill. For more details contact union@rguunion.co.uk

FREE CONDOMS FOR ALL RGU STUDENTS! Don’t forget that you can get free condoms from the lovely people at the Union! Simply send the Condom Fairy an e-mail with your name and address and she’ll get some sent straight to your flat. E-mail condomfairy@rguunion.co.uk for more details REFORM MAGAZINE

>> UPDATE

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SMALL NEWS

BITS & BOBS FROM AROUND THE CITY RGU SINGERS LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS RGU SINGERS are looking for new recruits! We’re a fun group of both staff and students who sing basically any kind of music and are always open to new suggestions.We sing on Monday nights at Garthdee at 7pm and we’re about to start rehearsing new music for this semester, so would love some new members as we’re hoping to do a few performances this year. For more info email us at singers@ rguunion.co.uk or find us on facebook.

THINK ABOUT CO POISONING Cases of CO poisoning are greater amongst certain groups of the population, and one of these is students living in private rented accommodation. As such, Scotland Gas Networks (SGN) recently invited Robert Gordon University to take part in an awareness project which pointed out the dangers of CO poisoning. 50 free CO detectors were provided for students who were willing to fill out a quick questionnaire. There was a huge student response to this e-mail, and the first 50 replies within two hours all the detectors had been handed out! All students should take a look at www.scotiagasnetworks.co.uk, where there is a significant amount of advice, making sure you are living safely. If you do want to purchase one of the detectors they cost £19.99, including postage from the same website. Take a look at the website and you might be shocked about some of the small changes that could save a life!

SQUARE 13 CHANGE OF SERVICE

MOST MENTALLY DISTURBED LETTER OF THE MONTH We always try to catch people’s attention, but never in a million years did we think that we would attract this kind! That’s right folks, our first ever bombthreat! Some thoughtful young chap sent the plan of a crudely drawn and poorly designed bomb all the way from Bristol, addressed to none other than the President of the Union. No expense was spared as it arrived in a window envelope with a FIRST CLASS STAMP – there must have been some sort of rush. Ross Murchison, President, commented “this was definitely more exciting than the usual letters I get sent. Whoever it was, kindly left their name on the paper, but unfortunately forget to enclose a return address. We couldn’t even find them on facebook! But if your out there Derek Irvine, thanks for the sketch.” Of course, we got the experts at the engineering department to take a look at it, to which the reply was ‘juvenile’. Couldn’t agree more, but at least we will have something to fall back on if we run out of fireworks this November. Keep your letters coming in though - although we do prefer constructive criticism rather than destructive criticism…BOOM BOOM!

Square 13, NHS Grampian’s centre for sexual and reproductive health have changedtheir drop-in times/criteria. They are now: Thursday (4:30pm-7pm, under 20yr olds), Saturday (10am-1pm, under 25yr olds) and Monday, Wednesday & Friday (9am-11am, all ages). Emergency contraception is available to all ages during opening hours. FEBRUARY 10

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ELECTIONS 10 <<

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REFORM MAGAZINE

ELECTIONS 10 <<

EXECUTIVE BOARD Vice President (Union & Societies)

PRESIDENT

Vice President (Sport)

Union & Societies Committee

Student Affairs Committee

Sports Committee

Societies

Officers

Sports Clubs

24th FEBRUARY NOMINATIONS OPEN

31st MARCH VOTING ENDS

10th MARCH CAMPAIGNING BEGINS

10th MARCH NOMINATIONS CLOSE

FEBRUARY 10

24th MARCH VOTING BEGINS

31st MARCH WINNERS ANNOUNCED

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COMPETITION <<

YOU’VE

I’m In The House £17.50, RegalClothing.co.uk

GOT THE

E L Y T S

Don’t Stop Believin’ £17.50, RegalClothing.co.uk

Ice Cream Love Injection £17.50, RegalClothing.co.uk

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REFORM MAGAZINE

>> COMPETITION

99 Problems £17.50, RegalClothing.co.uk

Je Suis Un Funky Homme £17.50, RegalClothing.co.uk

WIN!

We’ve managed to get our hands on a mountain-sized pile of funky tees from The Regal Clothing Co. To be in with a chance of winning one, simply answer the following question:

This cast of which TV show recently stormed into the charts with their version of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin”? a) GLEE b) EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND c) 24

If you think you know the answer, simply e-mail your name, answer, address & t-shirt size (remember to include if you want a ladies fit) to win@rguunion.co.uk with REGAL COMPETITION as the subject. The closing date for entries is Friday 26th February. Good luck!

I Like Cakes £17.50, RegalClothing.co.uk Riverside! £17.50, RegalClothing.co.uk

Very Nice Moustache £17.50, RegalClothing.co.uk

FEBRUARY 10

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MUSIC <<

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REFORM MAGAZINE

>> LIVE! IN ABERDEEN

WHAT’S ON WHERE IN DECEMBER

RUSSELL HOWARD 18th December 2009 AECC

Jennifer Macleod Even the snowy weather, icy roads and bitter winds couldn’t dampen the excitement of the crowd queued up outside the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on Friday the 18th of December. The crowds were there to watch Russell Howard, the popular young comedian from BBC’s ‘Mock the Week’, in action. The doors opened at 6.30pm, followed by a 30 minute wait until Howard’s support act, up and coming comedian Steve Hall, took to the stage. His comedic style showed similarities to Howard himself. Hall entertained us with anecdotes of his family and friends and certainly gained the appreciation of the audience at the AECC. Steve Hall has been Russell’s support act for all three of his official tours; he was the finalist of the 2002 Daily Telegraph open mic awards and a runner up in the 2003 New Comedy awards. There was a further wait and anticipation filled the room as Russell Howard strolled on stage and attempted to begin his gig amid floods of applause. His new material, although similar in style did not falter once and his engagement with the audience was surreal. The enthusiasm displayed was infectious. There is something about Howard’s almost childlike excitement and enjoyment of his job that captivates the crowd in a way that many comedians would pray for. As a tradition of sorts, Russell picked out a member of the audience by seat number to join him on stage for a one on one chat.

CINDERELLA: THE PANTOMIME

Starring: Elaine C Smith, Alan McHugh 28th Nov - 3rd January His Majesty’s Theature Kirsty Gladstone Between Saturday 28th November and Sunday 3rd January His Majesty’s Theatre saw Elaine C Smith star in the pantomime Cinderella. The Glaswegian star worked the crowd with some satirical references to areas of Aberdeen and speaking the local lingo. The pantomime stuck to the traditional Cinderella story with some modern additions. The introduction of 3D scenes had the audience screaming in delight as they dodged away from the special effects. There was one 3D scene in each part, at one point a quill flew out toward the audience and at another a bomb exploded causing the audience to jump. The effects were impressive in creating Cinderella’s pumpkin coach which she uses to go to the ball. Other modern additions included an X Factor competition, mid-show, which provided some amusing parodies of Amy Winehouse, Susan Boyle and Katie Price. Elaine C Smith starred as the Fairy Godmother, riding in on a moon and sporting some sparkling outfits. The ugly step – sisters, played by Alan McHugh and Jordan Young, were extremely funny with light innuendos and hilarious costumes. While the Fairy Godmother and the Ugly Step Sisters were the modern hilarious side to the show, Cinderella and the Ugly Step Mother kept the traditional values along with the traditionally painted backdrops.

The gig ended all too soon after many ‘belly laughs’ and Howard thanked the crowd and strolled off stage. Returning almost straight away for his encore and a fleet of questions from very excited fans. All of which he answered to the best of his abilities.

The Step Sisters are not the hateable characters that are traditional to Cinderella. They are idiots who have been forced into doing bad things because of their evil mother. Because they were likable idiots, there was no overuse of “boos” or “oh she he didn’t” which made it less of a cliché.

True to form, he did not leave his audience unsatisfied. As the crowd filed out of the arena there was excited chatter and laughter, proving the ‘Big Rooms and Belly Laughs’ was one of Russell’s most successful tours to date. Here’s hoping there’s more to come from him in the future.

GET LISTED E-Mail reform@rguunion.co.uk

FEBRUARY 10

1st - MUSIC SHED SEVEN Music Hall, Union Street. £16.50 1st - MUSIC FRIGHTENED RABBIT Warehouse, Windmill Brae. £12 2nd - MUSIC FOY VANCE Warehouse, Windmill Brae. £6 4th - MUSIC THE BLOCKHEADS Lemon Tree, W/North St. £15.50 5th - MUSIC RUNRIG Music Hall, Union Street. £23.50 5th - MUSIC MR SCRUFF Warehouse, Windmill Brae. £12.50 12th - MUSIC GOLDIE LOOKIN CHAIN Warehouse, Windmill Brae. £10 15th - MUSIC STATUS QUO AECC, Bridge Of Don. £31.50 18th - COMEDY RUSSELL HOWARD AECC, Bridge Of Don. £20 29th - MUSIC BAD MANNERS Warehouse, Windmill Brae. £15 30th - MUSIC COMPLETE STONE ROSES Warehouse, Windmill Brae. £15

for more details.

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MOVIES <<

For the best selection visit Cineworld.com Headlines / Avatar sweeps at Golden globes / Tim Burton offered Sleeping Beauty to remake

DOUBLE ONE MOVIE, TAKE TWO POINTS OF VIEW Not content with including just one review of the biggest realease of the year so far, we sent two of our keen film buffs to check out Avatar, and give you their thoughts...

AVATAR STARRING: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver DIRECTOR: James Cameron RELEASED: Out Now

1 JULES I really didn’t think i would like this film. Everything about it had already been explained in detail to me by friends that had seen it, and a three hour onslaught of “you destroyed the planet” propaganda was really quite unappealing. I walked out of the film with no doubt in my mind. Three hours of aliens, soldiers, bright lights and the general confusion of 3D cinema had, well, convinced me it was good.Very good. I wanted to write a review that was different from everything that I have previously read. I couldn’t, it wasn’t possible. Regardless of whether you’re an action film fan ,a sci-fi fan, or really just don’t fancy it, believe me when it comes to Avatar, leave your preconceptions at the door. As clichéd as it sounds don’t think, just watch. James Cameron’s long awaited epic “masterpiece” is as much a feast for the senses as a good film; with an amazing use of colour within the movie to leave every scene as much of an artwork as the last. This will not be easy to explain. The film tells the story of a wounded solider, who has traveled to a distant planet in order to join a war to “convince” the 012

Na’vi (big blue locals) to move from their sacred home. Unfortunately this home is miraculously situated on top of mineral deposit of the aptly named “unobtainium” and the people of earth want it.

2ALASTAIR

shows how I felt when I left the cinema better than anything I could ever say.

In order to gain their trust he is given the use of an avatar, which is his mind, in the body of a Na’vi (a big blue version of himself).Yet quickly a love story and a change of heart melt the soldiers tough exterior, he changes his mind, making for a happy ending in my summarised Avatar story.

I was kind of dreading the hype.

An apt description would be that it’s the kind of movie that tuns hours into minutes and causes minutes to lose all meaning.

Sure, the story was pretty predictable but sitting there in my snazzy 3D glasses, I couldn’t have cared less. Visually it was a feast.

The mild confusion you feel after that sentence is merely a snippet of how you will feel once you’re out of Avatar. Totally lost, with an inevitable hint of self loathing, and a feeling that you probably missed a lot of the story.

James Cameron’s world immerses you in its beauty and you get lost in the intended message - humans are scum. We are ruining our world. Our use of the military for financial gain is wrong.

“Little did I know it would change my life forever. I sat in the theatre after it was over just stunned, and then I began to cry. I was ripped apart with feelings I had never had before, hate for myself and my species, hate for my capitalistic and worthless society, and a feeling of such despair that I would never be able to know the Na’vi or their superior culture and way of life. I was there just thinking and crying for about 15 minutes before an usher asked me to leave. I told him I never wanted to leave and he was confused for a second. It got a bit heated at that point and we ended up in a shoving match. The police officer who took me out of there didn’t seem to care either. When I told him he was a tool of an oppressive society that is destroying the world he laughed at me. Now I’ve got a charge against me for public disturbance but I don’t care.

These themes have all been discussed until I‘m bored of hearing them.

I just wish I could stop thinking about this; it’s more than a movie.”

What I had yet to appreciate is the cult following that the film and its ideals have developed so quickly over the internet.

All I can hope is that Phan#1’s tale is somewhat true. Though I’m not sure I’d really mind if it isn’t.

I stumbled upon www.avatar-forums.com whilst paroosing the internet one day. Not only does this mean I don’t have to repeat the now hackneyed things you have probably already heard about the film, it means my writing time has been halved.

All that’s left to say is go see the film!

Throughout the film the fact we are destroying the earth is never far from the agenda. It may not be the newest of themes but when displayed with flashing images and aliens, people tend to pay considerably more attention than they did to Al Gore’s version. Although this thoroughly depressing topic is evident throughout the entirety of the film, there are still plenty of bright plants, explosions, interesting plot twists ...really everything you could want in a movie. I’m just not quite sure I’m happy with the human race at the moment.

I feared it was going to be like that first Christmas that you realise you’ve grown up. It wasn’t.

One post caught my attention above the others. Posted by ‘AvatarPhan#1’, it

VERDICT:

THUMBS UP REFORM MAGAZINE

>> MOVIES

Queens Links & Union Square,Aberdeen

Get more of everything you love about cinema with Cineworld in Aberdeen

ASTARRING:PROPHET Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif DIRECTOR: Jacques Audiard RELEASED: Out Now Alastair Gossip A remorseful thought meanders through my mind, “two and a half hours of subtitles - this is going to be a drag.” I haven’t ever done the whole ‘foreign film thing’ before. It has always seemed the sort of thing for the intellect or for someone who wants to appear to be in touch with the ‘independent film community‘. However, with A Prophet, I found myself becoming so engrossed in the plot, I forgot I was reading the (sometimes dodgy) subtitles. The film starts as typically as most prison films do.The film follows Matik El Djebena who enters the established order of the prison right at the bottom as a niave young man, just old enough to be in an adult prison. The prison is run by the Corsican Mafia and they look down upon Matik due to his Arabic background. Matik finds himself being forced by this mob to kill another inmate. After a successful kill, he slowly works his way up the Corsican set-up, all the while building a network of his own both within and out of the prison. This network sees to parole days being used for more illicit dealings, from drugrunning to hostage takings. As he progresses through the film and up the ladder of the Corsican Mafia, Matik grows in confidence and shows an intelligence absent at the beginning from a boy who was illiterate. The end of the film becomes a little predictable, and seems to drag a little. It was at this point that I became aware of the subtitles again - perhaps for the last ten minutes. It may be a personal barrier for me, but after around two and a half hours of the film it seemed a little too much; you knew what was going to happen in the end but there was still another peak to reach - like walking up a hill, only to discover there’s another hill at what you thought was the top. Overall though, the film was engrossing, I think the foreign language added to the story-telling, there could be no shuffling to have a sneaky peek at the mobile in the dreaded fear of missing anything. Director Jacques Audiard claims he wants to use film to create icons for those you don’t have icons - the Arab races in France. With the clever story line surrounding Matik El Djebena it looks as though the Arabs may have found one. FEBRUARY 10

UP IN THE AIR STARRING: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga DIRECTOR: Jason Reitman RELEASED: Out Now Jules Johnston Air travel really isn’t what it used to be. Blonde barbies stroll up and down the tiny cabin selling us reheated food that regardless of the labels, all tastes the same. Lines at checkout snake out taking up the whole airport, and even once you’ve reached your destination, its time to return. This, my friends, is modern air travel. Yet in Jason Reitman’s (Juno, Thank You For Smoking) film Up in the Air we are presented with a view of air travel from a frequent flier... and to be honest, its an appealing prospect. George Clooney (lets face it he’s been in everything) plays Ryan a “career transition” counsellor, who effectively has the job of firing people when their boss “lacks the balls” (his phrase, not mine) to do so. This life leads him to travel mainland America with unseen ease, skipping queues at checkout and building up frequent flier miles. Paid for expenses and business lounges are all part of the job, and the advantage of never seeing his family all seems to perfectly suit the traveling bachelor.

A chance meeting in an airport bar leads Ryan to fellow jet setter Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga). This quickly develops into the type of one night stand typical of the beginning of rom-coms. Fun, flirty, but inevitably becomes serious. Up in the Air doesn’t disappoint. They quickly discover that they are “two people who get turned on by elite status” after a display of their various club-cards and milage bonuses, which is in its own way quite perverse . The romance aspect of this rom-com is really what makes it watchable for the entire audience. Ryan and Alex agree to meet only when their schedules allow them to be in the same city. No feelings exchanged, no fuss, easy. Yet the moment the traveling life is taken away from him by a new piece of technology leaving Clooney’s way of life obsolete. He quickly realises he wants to continue what he had and sets out on the road with new arrival at his company Natalie Keener (played by Anna Kendrick), who’s now calling the shots after coming up with the idea thats ruining Ryan’s life. The charm of Up in the Air is its quirkiness. The romcom market is littered with films that are identical, and this is something new. The running one liners and cameos from numerous famous actors (John Malcovich and Ashton Kutcher to name a few) make it watchable for everyone. Whilst the twists from the standard rom-com make for a surprisingly good movie, it is fully deserving of the nominations it will no doubt receive.

New Releases This Month... 5th FEB

-The Princess & The Frog - Astro Boy - Invictus - Ninja Assassin

12th FEB

- The Wolfman - Valentines Day, - Percy Jackson & The Lightning Theif - My Name Is Khan

19th FEB

- The Lovely Bones - Crazy Hearts - Soloman Kane

26th FEB

- From Paris With Love - Everybody’s Fine - Extraordinary Measures - The Crazies - MicMacs

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FEATURE <<

, DON T GET

CAUGHT OUT

Sexually Transmitted Diseases are some of the most difficult diseases in the world to catch.You have to be up close and personal to spread them. Why, then, are STDs so common? Because people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to treat, prevent, and avoid them. Here are some common STDs that should be on your radar screen.

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REFORM MAGAZINE

FEATURE <<

ChlamYDia

Chlamydia is the most common curable STD, with millions infected each year. It infects the urethra, rectum and eyes in both sexes and the cervix in women. If left untreated, long-term infection can lead to fertility problems and even arthritis! Painful urination, itching genitals and white/green discharge are common symptoms but Chlamydia can go unnoticed for years. If you want to get tested, free ‘self-testing’ kits are available from condomfairy@rguunion.co.uk.

GonoRrhea

Gonorrhea is another common curable STD, otherwise known as ‘the clap’. This infection affects the same organs as Chlamydia and similar long-term effects. Symptoms are very similar to those of Chlamydia also. If you are one of those that thinks oral sex is safe, beware... Gonorrhea can also infect the throat!

SYphilIs

Syphilis has a notorious history and can lead to serious complications if left untreated. It is transmitted by direct contact with syphilis sores, which appear on external genital areas, rectum and the mouth. Sores can appear in areas unable to be covered by a condom, so do not eliminate transmission! Just when we thought we were safe! The painless sores may heal in the early stages but it doesn’t mean the disease is gone; it has just become more difficult to treat and detect. Left untreated it will remain in your body and can erupt years later, even worse! Syphilis is very similar in symptoms to Herpes, any indication of sores in private areas – consult medical expert immediately!

TrichomOnIaSis

Trichomoniasis is the most common STD in sexually active young women, it is commonly mistaken for a yeast infection of bacterial vaginosis due to the similar symptoms: change in discharge, strong odour and irritation and itching. Men are not safe from this but luckily don’t have the symptoms! Women who are or have been affected MUST ensure their partner gets treated. ‘Trich’ may not be affecting him much but girls you don’t want him giving it back to you!

CRaBs/or PubIC Lice

‘Crabs’ are a lice which live on your pubic hair and occasionally other course haired areas of the body such as armpits. ‘Crabs’ are most commonly spread through sexual contact but can also spread through infested linens (bedding, towels) and clothing! So if you are itching ‘down there’ check for visible lice and eggs and get to the doctors immediately! The rumour that all pubic hair has to be shaved off, is exactly that... A rumour!

Human PapiLlomA Virus

HPV is the most common of all STD with a study showing that three quarters of the sexually active population having HPV at some point during their lives. HPV is known as the ‘cervical cancer virus’ but only a few strains of HPV are linked to cancer. Others cause genital warts and some can cause no symptoms at all. HPV is considered incurable although the symptoms can be treated and infections can be resolved, there is still no ‘cure’ for the disease. Wear a Condom!!

FReE CoNDOMS?

Don’t forget that you can get free condoms from the lovely people at the Union! Simply send the Condom Fairy an e-mail with your name and address and she’ll get some sent straight to your flat. E-mail condomfairy@rguunion.co.uk for more details

REMemBER!

Condoms will never go out of fashion... STD’s always kill the passion! (we cranked it up to ‘Cheese Factor 10’ to come up with that one!)

FEBRUARY 10

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FEATURE <<

NORTH SEA

11:15 Spectator Bus Leaves from the Tilted Wig, Union Street 11.55 Universities Second Crews Race 12:15 The Alumni Boat Race

T EE

13:00 Media Challenge Race

11:15 Tilted Wig

13:20 ABERDEEN UNIVERSITIESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; BOAT RACE 2010

KE T ST RE ET

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Aberdeen Sports Village

FREE DRINKS VOUCHERS for spectators available.

11:00 Spectator Bus Leaves from Aberdeen Sports Village 11:00

LINKSFIELD ROAD

BUS + DRINKS VOUCHER FREE BUSES from Hillhead, Kings Campus and town and

10:45 Spectator Bus Leaves from Hillhead Turning Circle

Hillhead Turning Circle

KING STREET

FREE

PROGRAMME RIVER DON

10:45

RIVER DEE

ABERDEEN BOAT CLUB

13:50 Presentation of Trophies

REFORM MAGAZINE

SPORT <<

LET’S MAKE IT TWO IN A ROW ABERDEEN UNIVERSITIES’ BOAT RACE 2010 RGU v ABERDEEN 28th FEBRUARY RGU will look to retain the title of rowing champions this month as, once again, we battle Aberdeen University in the annual Aberdeen Universities Boat Race. A new team of eight will attempt to pick up where Judith Herbert’s team left of last year, and win the race for only the third time in the history of the competition. A phenominal victory in the 2009 event saw the RGU team come within just 1.5 seconds of smashing the course record, which no doubt would have FEBRUARY 10

made the victory over bitter rivals Aberdeen all the more sweet.

David Hegarty, Vice President (Sport), feels that a victory in this year’s race is extremely important; “Everybody knows about the rivalry between the two Universities in the city, and winning the boat race last year really lifted the spirits of each and every one of our teams, not just the rowers. To come out victorious again this year would really fire a warning shot to Aberdeen Uni, and let them know that we mean business! That’s especially important when you think that the Granite City Challenge is only weeks away, and we’re going out there to win”. Buses will be provided to the event (see details on the opposite page), so make sure that you get down to the waterside and cheer on RGU to another boat race victory! 017

THE LAST WORD <<

TELL THE UNIVERSITY

WHAT

U O Y THINK

Ross Murchison / Jennifer Cadiz

The 8th of February 2010 sees the launch of the National Student Survey (NSS) 2009 at Robert Gordon University. The survey is aimed at all final year students and is your chance to have your say about the student learning experience during your time at RGU.

So what is the NSS? NSS is an annual survey of final year undergraduates in the UK. The aim is to provide robust data on the learning experience for prospective students, and for RGU and the Students’ Association to identify areas for improvement and to highlight areas of best practice. The information for RGU also allows us to not only compare the results to other Higher Education Institutions nationally but can also give information about the student learning experiences at the different Schools of RGU. The information is geared toward providing a better Student Learning Experience for all students, and Robert Gordon University is part of this for the second year in a row! This means that we now have comparative results [from last year] so we can determine the areas in which we’ve improved purely as a result of the feedback that last year’s exiting students gave us. With NSS Data, prospective students will be able to make more informed decisions on where they choose to study and it also gives final year students the chance to let RGU know what they loved and what needs to be improved! Why should you be interested? The results don’t just disappear into a black hole! Future students can use the results as well as The University and the Union to effect change and bring about quality enhanced education provision. The questions allow you to give feedback on, among other items, what you thought about the Academic Support you received during your studies and how you felt about the Organisation and Management of your course.There’s also space at the end for any positive or negative comments that you had about your whole experience.Were you satisfied with the way cancelled lectures were handled? Did you feel that the library had enough copies of that elusive key text? Write it down and let your University know!

dents to shape the future of higher education. Aaron Porter,Vice President for Higher Education for NUS UK 20082010 said, “The National Student Survey gives final year students a unique opportunity to inform future students about the quality of their student experience. Prospective students will be able to compare standards in a number of institutions giving them valuable information, which can help in making choices about their Higher Education. It also provides students’ unions and institutions with the kind of feedback they need to affect changes and improvement to the student experience. I hope that finalists will take a few minutes to share their experience with the next generation of students.”

EDITORIAL Editor

Gregor Mailer Contributors

Jennifer Cadiz Joe Folan Kirsty Gladstone Alastair Gossip Catherine Hilton Jules Johnston Jennifer Macleod Darren Millar Ross Murchison Rachel Watson

CONTACT US Reform Magazine RGU:Union 60 Schoolhill Aberdeen AB10 1JQ tel: 01224 262 263 fax: 01224 262 268 reform@rguunion.co.uk

How can I get in on the action? Eligible students will be sent an invitation email by Ipsos MORI (an independent research agency that administers the survey) and later, non-respondents will be contacted by post or ultimately by telephone. Alternatively, visit www. thestudentsurvey.com to complete the survey online. You may also opt out at any point that Ipsos MORI contacts you about the survey. The success of the NSS depends on your feedback, so please set aside a few minutes to participate. It is definitely worth your while as RGU has kindly donated fifteen £25 amazon.co.uk vouchers as prizes for the prize draw of respondents. So, why not give yourself the chance to save a few pounds and get involved! Your response is anonymous so your answers can reflect your genuine perceptions of your experience. Plus there’s no need to worry about your contact details being passed on because they will only be used for the purposes of the NSS and are destroyed shortly after. Want to know more? Visit www.thestudentsurvey. com or contact the National Student Survey team at Ipsos MORI at thestudentsurvey@ ipsos.com.

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Gregor Mailer ext.mailer@rgu.ac.uk 01224 262 263

THE SMALL PRINT This magazine may contain personal views which are not the views or opinions of The Robert Gordon University or The Robert Gordon University Student Association. We’re always looking for new writers and photographers. Whether you fancy doing gig reviews, news articles, one-off features or covering RGU sports matches get in touch! RGU Student Association - Registered Scottish Charity No: SC0 16639

Involvement from The National Union of Students fully supports the NSS and sees it as an opportunity for stu018

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