The Lion and The Principal
4
Fr. Holman talks to the Lion about Heythrop’s Identity and Future
Super Student Food
A House of Lies
Ana Bailey Jones kicks off our new segmant with a food so good they named it twice - Couscous
Ben Mercer on Hillary Clinton’s “candidacy” for President
Happy 5th birthday to us! est. 2010
The
Volume 5 Issue 1 17th September 2014 theheythroplion.co.uk
14
Lion
Heythrop in Negotiations with St Mary’s to Form Partnership to Continue to “Sustain and Develop” Self • Fr. Holman: “ [it’s] challenging to maintain ourselves as an autonomous institution”. • “Heythrop will of course fulfil its commitments to students working towards University of London Degrees” • High administration costs face blame for financial struggles • HSU EGM announced to discuss matter on Tuesday 23rd at 1pm • Vice President Holland: “[this is] a potentially monumental change...to the structure of our institution” Fergus Cronin Coltsmann Editor-in-Chief On July 14th, Heythrop College announced that it had entered into discussions with St Mary’s University, based in Twickenham, about forming a strategic partnership. In a conversation that The Lion had
with Fr. Michael Holman SJ, the Principle of Heythrop College, at the time he explained that the College, which has just celebrated its 400th birthday, was facing financial trouble; saying when asked if Heythrop in it’s current form was economically viable that it is “challenging to maintain ourselves as an autonomous institution”.
Holman explained that the College has a relatively high administration cost, 15% of its budget compared to the usual 5% of other Universities, because of its small size. He said that by joining a larger institution, Heythrop would gain an “economy of scale”. Both Holman and St Mary’s University’s Chancellor at the time,
Dr. Arthur Naylor released statements on the news sections of their respective institutions announcing the discussions. Holman’s statement starts by explaining that Heythrop is “exploring its options both within and outside the University of London” with regards to sustaining its mission in the current educational climate “[which]
is undergoing many changes as the government introduces a more competitive free-market”. Holman goes on to stress the commonalities between Heythrop and St. Mary’s University, saying “they [both] share a strong Catholic tradition, identity and ethos and are -both London based. They have a(Continued on Page Two)
Students’ Union basement became submerged in over an inch of water due to a burst water main on Kensington Square. The water was first noticed at around 4:30pm as a torrent of liquid began to gush from the server and archive room
adjacent to the Union’s Recreation Room. The water then made its way down the hallway and into the Union office, The Union Bar and the Lighthouse computer room. Most of the Union office space and the students’ union rooms were saved
from too much damage with most electrical equipment and documentation well above the water line. Following the clear up of the water, a number of new features and attractions have been added to the Bar and other Union spaces. A 58’’
T.V. has been installed to compliment the new BT Sports subscription that has been set up in the Bar. Third year students will no doubt welcome the return of the now functional Juke Box to the room(Continued on Page Three)
HSU Basement Improves and Upgrades Following Summer Flooding The Heythrop Students’ Union basement has seen a solid revitalisation after a flooding which occurred over the summer, with the Exec. working over the holidays to improve the space. On the 11th of June, the Heythrop
2
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
NEWS The
Editorial Team
Editor-in-Chief Fergus Cronin Coltsmann
ferguscoltsmann@hotmail.co.uk
Managing Editor Megan Skingsley megan.skingsley@yahoo.com
Copy Editor Katt Johnson
katherine.johnson@heythropcollege. ac.uk
News Editor Vacant
ferguscoltsmann@hotmail.co.uk
Comment Editor Terence Sibley
terence.sibley@heythropcollege.ac.uk
Culture Editor Jordan Mant
jordan.mant@hotmail.com
Lion
Head Writer Robert Leftwich
Welcome to The Lion Robert Leftwich Head Writer We, as a team, have many ideas about what we are and what we should be, but The Lion is, fundamentally, a vital student resource. Now that the London Student has been closed, we are the only student-run publication at which Heythrop Students can get a taste for the world of journalism by providing training and experience. We are a canvas to air one’s artistic opinions and creative outlets in the culture section. We are a free and open forum in our comment section, to vent, argue and refine one’s political or philosophical feelings, as well as one’s feelings towards the news, and how we print it. We are also, some would say most importantly, a resource for students to inform and be informed about their situation within Heythrop. We are here to report on things that go wrong, when they go wrong, as well as the many suc-
cesses and beneficial aspects of college life with as little editorial bias or censure as possible. We firmly believe that this is ultimately for the benefit of those who attend and run this historic institution, when done properly. The Lion depends on student input in order to remain fresh, informative and relevant to the lives of the student population because ultimately that is our mandate: to provide both a journalistic resource for students who wish to use it, and a freely available news source, public forum and creative outlet that people care enough to read, and contribute to. Whether you’re a budding journalist, skilled at design and want something for your portfolio, or just want to discuss the issues of the time, we are the place to go. If you are interested in contributing to the Lion in any way, please contact the Managing Editor, Megan Skingsley: megan. skingsley@yahoo.com; myself, the Head Writer: robleftwich@gmail. com, or any of our section editors,
Comment Editor, Terry Sibley: terence.sibley@heythropcollege. ac.uk and Culture Editor, Jordan Mant: jordan.mant@hotmail. com. In addition, any student who is particularly interested in a career in journalism (or simply likes knowing what’s happening in and around campus) and is willing to work hard can apply for the currently vacant News Editor position or become a News Correspondent. The News Editor is responsible for ensuring that The Lion is reporting up-to-date information and, alongside The News Correspondents, pursuing stories that are important to students. It’s a hard job that requires dedication and quick wits but it is an interesting and rewarding one. For further information contact Managing Editor, Megan Skingsley or Editor-inChief Fergus Cronin-Cotlsmann: ferguscoltsmann@hotmail.co.uk.
robleftwich@gmail.com
The
The Lion is the independent student newspaper of Heythrop College, University of London. We distribute at least 1000 free copies during term time around campus and to popular student venues in and around Kensington. The Lion is printed by Mortons Print Ltd. No part of this publication is to be reproduced, stored on a retrieval system or submitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of the publisher.
NEXT DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS
2/10
Please send your submissions to: ferguscoltsmann@hotmail.co.uk NEXT ISSUE RELEASE DATE
8/10 The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Editors or of the Heythrop Students’ Union. Every effort has been made to contact the holders of copyright for any material used in this issue, and to ensure the accuracy of this fortnight’s stories.
Heythrop Facing Uncertain Future As HSU Calls For EGM To Mandate Student Opinion On St. Mary’s (Continued from Front Page) -long and rich history of serving the Church and wider society, at home and abroad, and over the years have collaborated on a number of projects”. Naylor of St. Mary’s echoes this sentiment, saying “St Mary’s and Heythrop College have a good relationship based on past collaboration and a shared identity as Catholic academic institutions in London. Together they have more than 500 years of history in higher education” and “St Mary’s University and Heythrop College are clear that any partnership must be to the benefit of both institutions and for the greater good of Catholic higher education in the UK”. Holman also states that: “Whatever the outcome of its discussions with St Mary’s, Heythrop will of course fulfil existing commitments to present and incoming students working towards University of London degrees.” On the 15th of July the Heythrop Students’ Union release a statement in which they said: “The HSU welcomes this announcement, as it ensures a wider participation of students in the future of college, and gives the HSU a chance to really involve the whole student body in the shaping of this institution. However, we wish to express, openly and publicly, that the rapid pace of developments is
questionable.” The HSU’s full statement made at the time can be found on their website and Facebook page. St. Mary’s University is a Catholic education institution that gained its full university title in January 2014, and prior to that had gained the power to award its own taught degrees in September 2006. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency’s data from 2012 to 2013, 61% of St. Mary’s graduates gained a 2:1 or higher, compared to Heythrop’s 83% from the same years. The Lion interviewed Fr. Holman on the 10th of September - the full transcription of which can be found later in this issue but during the interview Holman stressed that no final decision has been made as of yet, as well as speaking about a number of other topics. In the interview, Holman also emphasizes that it is the Governing Body of Heythrop that ultimately have the responsibility for making any decision regarding the College’s future at this time. Vice President, Matt Holland, who as a Sabbatical Officer sits on the Governing Body, gave this statement to The Lion on the 11th of September: “On the 14th July, the Principal released a statement regarding the future of our College. It is a
statement that by now I’m sure you have all read. It is a statement that we must consider and approach in the essence of what it is, a potentially monumental change, depending on the scope of any ‘concrete’ proposal, to the structure of our institution. It is for this reason that we have called an Emergency General Meeting for Tuesday 23rd September at 1pm in the CR. On Thursday 25th September there is a Governing Body meeting and governors will no doubt be discussing the potential partnership with St. Mary’s University.” “Given the nature of what could happen to Heythrop College in the future, it is important for the student body to have its first opportunity to engage en masse and provide your representatives on the Heythrop Students’ Union with a mandated opinion and set of objectives, when they are involved in such discussions. The purpose of the EGM is to discuss as fully as possible what this could mean for past, present and future students of the College and to provide detailed and considered feedback to those looking to make decisions which affect our futures. We encourage you to join us on the 23rd and ask for your continued support and trust...”
3
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
NEWS
Water damage to the CR (right) and to the Union Office (far right)
(Continued from Front Page) -and the news that the pool table is to be refelted yet again. At the time of writing, a six-speaker surround sound system is being installed. New lockers have been ordered for delivery on the 24th of September. The College has invested in a mobile PA system that the Union will have access to for events. Yet to be confirmed is whether a pop up gym will be in place for showcasing during Freshers’ week, though Vice President Matt Holland gave this quote to The Lion: “We’ve been researching and investigating the idea over the summer. We’re very hopeful of this idea progressing into reality. It’s a more complex idea than one might think but we’re positive at the minute. Watch this space”. The HSU Exec. has also acquired a number of sheds for outdoor storage and expanded its office space into the old Lion Office opposite the Rec room, which for the past few years has been used for storage. The HSU Bar is also set to be open more often than last year and on a regular schedule. The Bar got off to a rocky start last year, only making a profit on its first night and on the night of the Heythrop Amateur Dramatics Society’s (HeADS) production of The Producers, which took place in the Bar. It is hoped by the Exec. that a regular schedule from the start of the year will help the Bar perform better finacially.
Holland, who, in his second year in 2012/13, served on the Exec. as an Events Officer gave this statement regarding his hopes for the Bar: “We are pleased to have secured openings for 6 out of the 11 days that form Freshers’ Week and we are delighted to announce a solid set of October openings. From October onwards the HSU Bar will be open every Friday from 4.30pm until 10pm as well as opening for other specific events. It is open at least twice a week during October; the week commencing the 13th has three openings. This is a huge increase on last year; when it only
Newlios New Helios Helios, Heythrop’s virtual learning enviroment, has been subject to a complete upgrade over the Summer. The new website has received a visual overhaul, giving it
a modern feel, as well as including many functional upgrades. The new Helios is powered by moodle, one of the largest e-learning platforms in the world.
opened once in Freshers’ and then didn’t open again for a number of weeks. The bar was poorly managed last year, collectively, and the truth of the matter is that it lost money every night it opened except for two. We are striving to improve the Bar as much as we can with realistic aims. We really want to encourage you to get behind the bar and support it. We feel that this is an encouraging step in the right direction. We want to see this space become the hub of your student experience. It’s quite simple, the more it’s used, the more likely it is for more and more openings.”
Canteen’s New Look At ABM’s Expense The canteen, which has been rechristened “Fresher’s”, received a face-lift over the summer, with new wall decorations, tables, chairs and
other equipment. The refurbishments were paid for by ABM, the catering company used by Heythrop. It has been reported to The
Lion that the refurbishments were a part of the renewal of ABM’s contract with Heythrop.
4
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
NEWS
The Lion and The Principal
On the 10th of September The Lion interviewed Father Michael Holman SJ (pictured), the Principal of Heythrop College, focusing on Heythrop’s future in this time of change and uncertainty. We covered topics ranging from what he understands Heythrop to be to what he sees in St. Mary’s University Fergus Cronin-Coltsmann (FCC): Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. Father Michael Holman (MH): It’s a pleasure, no problem at all. FCC: One of the first things we should discuss is Heythrop in general. As we all know, Heythrop celebrated its 400th birthday last year, and I remember you telling me that someone had commented that one of the reasons it had survived for so long was because of its adaptability. MH: Oh yes, that’s definitely true. FC: And what I would like to know is what you believe has survived for 400 years. MH: Well what I think has survived for 400 years, in different contexts, originally in Belgium in Leuven and in Liège, or in England in Heythrop Village in Oxfordshire, or here in London University, has been a solid commitment to philosophy and theology. It’s quite remarkable that one College has survived for so long with its original inspiration, which was to dedicate itself to the study of philosophy and theology, and the great thing is that over those 400 years we have been able to extend the reach of the original work of the College in such a way that we now not only prepare people for the priesthood but we are also educating a wide variety of people from many backgrounds in these two wonderful subjects. FCC: So a college dedicated to the study of philosophy and theology? MH: That’s right, that’s the core of our mission. FCC: So, provided that continues to happen, you will consider Heythrop to exist?
MH: It’s clear that we need to find an alternative future for the work and the mission of Heythrop College because the costs associated with running an autonomous institution have over the years grown, ok? That is because … of the many requirements we have for reporting countability to government offices et cetera, et cetera [sic], and with providing everybody with the level of service that we want to without the economies of scale. The core of the mission of Heythrop though, its commitment to philosophy and theology, is precisely what I want to see maintained.
teaches philosophy and theology.
FCC: However, included in that, there seems to be little necessity of retaining particular areas of Heythrop now. For example, undergraduate study doesn’t seem necessary to fulfil that mission.
MH: Right, well we’re looking to sustain ... and develop in partnership; be it with [St. Mary’s], and at the moment remember we’re looking not only at St. Mary’s ... the governors have yet to decide on a University of London options as well as St. Mary’s. There are those wider options. What I look to sustain and develop in the years to come are the four main pillars - what I call the main pillars - of Heythrop’s work and mission, which are: certainly the training of priests ministers for the Catholic Church, ok, that’s one. Secondly is the education of a far wider group of people in philosophy and theology at undergraduate, postgraduate and research level. Three: it is what we call outreach or knowledge exchange; if you are here in the summer you will see lots and lots of conferences happening and so forth. And four...would be research projects, of the kind that we have and the kind that we reported on when we submitted our dossier for our research excellence framework last December. So those are the four pillars and that is what I would expect to see and hope to see retained, sustained and developed in a future partnership, whatever form that partnership took.
MH: Undergraduate study does, yes. FCC: Well, how? It’s only been teaching undergraduate study for forty years so it can’t be a fundamental part. MH: It’s been teaching philosophy and theology at the level of undergraduate studies for much longer than that, for centuries, in fact. Initial courses, initial programs, beyond initial programs, before Masters level programs [have been taught] for much longer than forty years. Certainly in its preexistence, let’s say, its most recent existence before the University of London, at Cavendish Square and at Heythrop in Oxfordshire, it was teaching certainly at Masters level, but also at an undergraduate level too. FCC: Yes, but my point is that undergraduate study is not entirely necessary for Heythrop to continue to be. From your understanding of Heythrop as an institution that
MH: It depends, I suppose, on who you want to reach. If you want to provide courses which reach a larger number of people the likelihood is you want to provide undergraduate studies. Which is what I’m kind of keen to do. FCC: What I’m trying to establish is what you believe, what your priorities are now, going into this negotiation period with St. Mary’s. What are you priorities when it comes to saving Heythrop, what are you trying to save?
FCC: Ok
MH: But you see that the trouble is that it is difficult to sustain that as an autonomous institution which, alas, is so small. In other words the expenses that we have necessarily in order to maintain an autonomous institution are so great that our income, which is from our students - of course we have other sources but primarily from our students - is not big enough to sustain it. Alas, that’s the way it is. We have to do something about that in order to sustain and develop this wonderful work. FCC: Yes. Let’s go back to the options other than St. Mary’s, the other potential routes. Could you tell us anything specific about them? MH: Specifically we have been in conversation over the summer with the University of London and with other institutions about possible ways in which the economies of scale which we don’t have could be gained. FCC: So, what other institutions? MH: I can’t tell you what other institutions because that’s Governors’ business, but other institutions within the University of London. FCC: It’s because I was looking through you and Dr. Naylor’s, the Chancellor of St. Mary’s, press releasesMH: Previous Chancellor. FCC: Ok, well he was the one who released the statement when the negotiations were first announced. MH: Yup FCC: [In the press releases] you both mention the commonalities between Heythrop and St. Mary’s, and in the language they use it
seems that the chief among them is the shared tradition in Catholic higher education. Dr. Naylor even goes on to say that “St. Mary’s and Heythrop College are clear that any potential partnership must be of benefit to both institutions and for the greater good of Catholic higher education in the UK”. Is the Catholic link the chief reason that St. Mary’s has been pursued and announced? Because [St. Mary’s] has got a lot further than any other option. MH: The fact that St. Mary’s University is a Catholic institution is significant, Fergus, yes. And the reason is this: because in addition to being a civil institution, namely an institution that offers University of London degrees, which we are very proud to do; we also offer ecclesiastical qualifications, ok? So we offer [them] to those who are training for the priesthood, and others if they choose to study for them, degrees which are church degrees. Now it’s clear that we need to preserve that aspect of our work; and that aspect of our work is best preserved within a Catholic institution; there needs to be a guarantee of that, and that is one of the reasons why St. Mary’s is on the cards. Other reasons are that it is an institution that we see as follows: number one, it’s a place where we can preserve those four pillars, where we can sustain those four pillars that I’ve explained to you. Secondly, it is financially a very viable institution. Thirdly, it’s a growing institution; it has targets to grow, I think, by 11% each year and this year, as in previous years, it has demonstrated that it can grow at that [rate]. Next it’s in London. Being in London is really important for us, it’s important for us because we believe we have a lot to contribute to the life of this city from the perspective of philosophy and theology, not least in outreach, whether it’s dialogue with health
5
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
NEWS institutions or business institutions about ethical matters; be it in combination, as we are, with the Church in London; being in London really matters to us. It’s also an institution which has plans to develop its international outreach, and that’s something that we’re very keen to do, but because it’s a much larger institution it has the capacity to do it - [it’s] for those reasons and for others. That’s the vision of the new Vice-Chancellor of St. Mary’s University, whose
name is Francis Campbell; and there is a great complementarity there, and a great attraction there [sic].
MH: Yes, because-
FCC: I noticed that while you were talking there you said it was essential to maintain the Church degrees.
MH: Yes, and let me tell you why. It is because they are guaranteed by something called the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome, ok? Now what the Congregation for Catholic Education will want to see is the institute, whatever the college, is within a structure that guarantees its denominational
MH: That’s right. FCC: And that could only be done through a Catholic institution?
FCC: So they can only be done through a Catholic institution?
identity, and a Catholic university, such as St. Mary’s, does. Just as this place does now. FCC: So any secular university or institution would be ruled out? MH: It wouldn’t necessarily be ruled out but it would need to provide similar guarantees.
For example, the loss of [the] University of London as a pedigree, and access to [the University of London]; and also Heythrop seems to be far more academic, maybe in a slightly more traditional sense of the word. For example between 2012 and 2013 83% of Heythrop students gained a 2:1 or higherMH: It’s very good.
FCC: That Heythrop could maintain its [denominational identity]. MH: Yeah, let me explain that to you, as well. The reason is because one of our principle funders, which is the Society of Jesus - you know the extent that the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, fund the place - they own the property. They also, in one way or another, provide an annual subsidy to the College, for example by providing men to teach here or to work here at subsidised rates and salaries et cetera. It is clear that this work is of particular importance for our principle sponsor. FCC: So you would definitely say that they are an important voice in deciding how Heythrop continues to be? MH: They are our principle sponsorFCC: Well, no, firstly you said that majority of the money, or rather the single largest contributor, is the students. MH: That’s true, the majority of the annual income does [come from the students] but the fact, for example, that we are here in a property owned by the Jesuits and that we pay no rent is also an important point. It is, if you like, what enables the institution to run at the moment. [So] yes, our principle sponsor does have a very important role in this. FCC: I was just trying to establish who you view this principle sponsor to be because earlier on you did say it was the students in terms of annual income. MH: In terms of our annual income, yeah, but annual income to an institution and the existence of that institution presuppose that we have a property in which to be, and that property is owned by the Jesuits.
FCC: -compared to 61% of students at St. Mary’s. Do you not see a difference in culture there? MH: Firstly I’m not sure whether the way I computed myself the 83% is done in the same way as their 61%. FCC: Well, I got [both these numbers] from the Complete University Guide. MH: I fully accept that. So your point is that there is a difference in the style, let’s say, of their operation and our operation? FCC: Yeah. MH: Well, I think it’s clear that it is the vision of the new Vice Chancellor [of St. Mary’s] that we and our tradition have a great deal to offer to his vision of the development of St. Mary’s. FCC: Ok, well we are running out of time so just one last questionMH: Can I emphasize, Fergus, that the Governors have to decide on this, don’t think that in anyway that a decision has been made - because it hasn’t - and I think one of the points you put in an email is who makes the decision, and it is the Governing Body that makes the decision. FCC: That was going to be my final question, who is ultimately responsible for the negotiations, who sets the priorities of what you are setting out to do, who does the negotiating and who decides whether or not we go with an option? MH: And the answer to all of that is the Governing Body of this College, which has a duty as trustees of a charity, because Heythrop is also a charity, to act in the best interests of the College. FCC: Ok, thank you.
FCC: I noticed that while you were listing reasons why St. Mary’s has been pursued you didn’t mention a lot of things which I think are very important to Heythrop students.
MH: Alrightee, it’s been a pleasure.
6
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
“COMMENT.”
Edited by Terence Sibley | terence.sibley@heythropcollege.ac.uk
The Closure of The London Student and its Lessons Robert Leftwich Head Writer Over the summer, The London Student, The Lion’s largest competitor in the field of student journalism, as well as a paper with nearly a century’s back catalogue of issues behind it, has had its funding withdrawn following the larger closure of the University of London Union and will subsequently cease to publish unless it can find other sources of funding. There are ways in which I see this is as a good thing. The London Student is/was, in my opinion, a leftist echo chamber that bore little to no relevance to many of the students it claimed to represent, and I am almost glad in a smug and self-serving way that such an institution is no longer receiving public funding. Nevertheless, its closure is not something that should be applauded by us, having worrying implications for student journalism, as well as
higher education in general. It establishes a basis for universities to, if they so wish, dispose of (or at least make existence very difficult for) institutions, or parts of institutions that they deem to be unnecessary on the grounds of economic strain or something more sinister. This worries me, mainly due to the fact that services like ours provide a vital role politically and socially in the liberties of students. Although I disagree that our paper’s only role is to inform students of developments within management, it is certainly a vital role that needs to be played. This is because it allows students to have a real impact on how their universities are run through democratically elected and accountable student unions. Universities cannot be democratically regulated without a dedicated, resourced free press. For this reason I find it deeply troubling that another student newspaper (which are amongst the most theoretically free forms of journalism due to the
manner in which they are generally funded) has been closed when other ULU societies which serve little purpose beyond the enjoyment of students have been preserved. This is at least related to, even if it doesn’t stem from, what is, in my opinion, a larger attitude in this country, particularly within the misnomered Conservative Party, that arts and humanities are either a nuisance or a burden that don’t deserve public funding. This is why Colleges like ours receive so little government support, and this is why I feel University managements may come to the conclusion either that they must, or that it is acceptable for them to cut funding to subjects, institutions and projects that primarily involve humanities skills. There is also, of course, the potential for more sinister reasons why our institutions may wish to remove the funding of student newspapers, being that sometimes we print things that they may not agree with or that they may not
like. If this is the reasoning behind the London Student’s closure then I cannot be glad of it. If there are any adages worthy of use then I think; “I may not agree with what you say, but I’ll defend unto death your right to say it” is one we ought to hear more of in relation to this particular closure, and in relation to the funding of newspapers more generally. Whilst my early instinct at the closure of a paper whose politics I profoundly disliked may have been joy, I can only conclude that I should not be smug at the loss of another outlet of constitutionally free press, and that this occurrence should most certainly place us on alert for our own future and the future of democratic influence in higher education. In relation to this issue I also firmly believe that there should also be real consideration of the old market principle that competition is good for business. The more student newspapers that exist the more reason there is for individual papers to pride them-
selves on quality, and the loss of competition within journalism at Heythrop is and will be, a real loss. The London Student sometimes ran stories of interest to students that we missed and vice versa, and students may ultimately pay the price for that sudden gap which we will of course do our best to fill. In summation, we may have had our differences, but the London Student will be missed at least by me, for no other reason than that it did have a place in student life, far more so than many former ULU societies that will continue to receive taxpayer funding, and although the prevailing politics of its editorship were to me abhorrent, it did at least have a thriving and high quality comment section, and it was, at least in part, a thing of quality that we may not see the like of again.
larly in receipt of bonuses orders of magnitude greater than their salary, which provides them with an insulating wall behind which they can hide when the financial institution they work for collapses. When the collapse of the world economy happened, the bankers were not harmed at all; sure, their job may have been gone but with the amount they had been receiving from bonuses, many could simply ride out the wave in their luxury yachts. The primary function of a bank is to loan money - the more loans, the more profit (in theory) and therefore bonuses are given relative to the amount of loans generated. The executives of these
institutions geared the company’s operations towards the mass production of loans, and when the good loans where not enough they started to make bad ones. But that still wasn’t enough, they had to make it almost impossible not to get a loan. According to an official testimony, the underwriters of Greenpoint (one of the lenders in the case) where instructed not to ask for the income of a candidate even if they had their employer on the phone. Such practices were the norm, the lenders simply did not care if the information supplied by the person asking for the loan was accurate, and this is why the prosecution failed. They fed people
toxic loans. In March of 2007, the total value of sub-prime mortgages in the United States was estimated at $1.3 trillion. This is the true cause of the financial crisis, which has created a bleak economic landscape riddled with toxic debt, one that will not improve until the people responsible are dealt with and the financial industry is properly regulated. The only way forward at this point is a class action lawsuit. The government is not going to do a thing about it, they will simply continue to go after the victims: everybody else. Forget the “too big to fail” rhetoric; crimes must be answered for.
Subprime Loans Terry Sibley Comment Editor A few weeks ago, the people who caused the recession were put on trial in a Sacramento courtroom. Not as a government lawsuit or class action but as part of the defence of a group of immigrants who where facing charges of mortgage fraud. The mortgages these people took out in 2006, right at the peak of the U.S. Housing bubble, were made with incomplete and incorrect information. An open and shut case of fraud? Well, no: The crux of all successful fraud prosecution lies in the proving that the alleged fraudsters’ deception was “materi-
al”; something that influenced the people being lied to. The problem the prosecution faced was that the lenders had in fact wanted these people to lie. Now, why would the lenders want to enable people to make bad loans? Bad loans are a big risk, and created en masse mean that financial institutions, the lenders themselves, are harmed, even to the point of collapsing as several did. The group that really benefits here is the group of executives at the top of the financial institution. There is somewhat of a disconnect between a bank and its employees, even the people at the top. This disconnect exists in the form of bonuses. Bankers are regu-
help us celebrate our fifth birthday submit to the lion!
7
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
COMMENT
A House of Lies
Ben Mercer Third year Undergraduate
Were the relationship between press and politics in the United States as adversarial as it’s supposed to be, and were the American population as savvy and intelligent and incredulous as the dignity of that great country demands, talk of Hillary Clinton running for the presidency in 2016 would have ended some considerable time ago. Actually, it would have ended with the impeachment of her disgraceful husband, or, failing that, with the conclusion of his second term. That she is being referred to as a potential candidate, let alone a front runner, is a damning indictment of America’s increasingly dynastical political system, and of those who fail to hold it to account. More lenient critics might accuse her of adopting the same ‘blank slate’ strategy which was used to great effect by the independent candidate Ross Perot in 1992, briefly at the expense of Ms Clinton’s husband. (Ross Perot’s decline began when people belatedly began filling in that slate on his behalf, resulting in a dirtied picture of a nasty man with a paranoid fear of black people and the CIA.) I would go further, and would encourage others to do the same. In fact, there is already enough colour on Hillary’s canvas to rule her out of the race. The three most recent disgraces take the form of an embarrassingly incompetent fabrication concerning her role in Bosnia during the last years of the Clinton administration, and of the flagrant and apparently shameless (a word which will quite probably recur several times in this article) deployment of the race card against Barack Obama in her 2008 campaign, and her ‘stance’ on foreign policy and foreign intervention - one might describe this as being the stance of a bipolar hawk - which has, during this last month, resulted in overtures to her ‘good friend’ Henry Kissinger; a man whose singular accomplishment has been to avoid indictment as a war criminal whilst maintaining his image as a respected foreign policy guru. (A man, furthermore, who once joked that Bill Clinton lacked the “moral fibre” re-
quired to be a war criminal.) These are all current issues, and they are relatively well known (though they have been treated uncritically by most whose opinions could matter.) Her claims about coming under fire in Bosnia, presumably alongside the moral boosting entertainment troupe that accompanied her, are especially amusing. Rather than cover these, I intend to revisit some of the unpleasant truths that her unwise supporters, both Democrats and Republicans, have regarded with wilful blindness for over two decades. 1) As a 27 year old attorney, she defended a man accused of raping a child; a man she allegedly knew to be guilty. This story was revived during the 2008 presidential campaigns and flaunted by the most extreme right wing media outlets for all the wrong reasons. The facts of the case are damning enough without the hysterical and false addendums made by her political enemies. She was, of course, obliged to either do her job as a defence attorney or to stand aside on principle. Principle is not something which comes easily to Ms Clinton, and so, she undertook to do her job, and to provide the best legal defence that she could. And, in her qualified opinion, the best legal defence would be an entirely unfounded attack on the victim. “I have been informed that the complainant is emotionally unstable with a tendency to seek out older men and to engage in fantasizing,” wrote Rodham, without referring to the source of that allegation. “I have also been informed that she has in the past made false accusations about persons, claiming they had attacked her body.” The girl was 12 years old at the time. 2) The commencement of a decade of ‘support’. Those who tend to focus a little too much on Bill Clinton’s sex life have proffered the thesis that his long term affair with Gennifer Flowers did more than anything else to propel him toward the White House. This seems to me to be a little too simplistic, as his ‘expert’ handling of the scandal was part of a much wider methodology. But it
cannot be denied that, as governor and later as president, Bill Clinton succeeded in turning allegations of sexual misconduct to his advantage until long after he admitted that he had, in fact, had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. Whether he was supervising the execution of a lobotomized black man in Arkansas, or taking the executive decision to bomb a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan, he has an impressive record of keeping a smug and apparently handsome face above very troubled waters. And yet, this might not have been possible had it not been for the public support of his wife, and her more covert involvement in smear campaigns against people - Flowers, Lewinsky, Willey, Broaddrick (who made the much more serious charge of rape against the President) - who should, if their allegations are true, as we have many reasons to believe that they are, should more properly be referred to as Clinton’s victims. Hillary Clinton’s bizarre claim, made in 1999, that her husband’s sex addiction stemmed from abuse at the hands of his own mother, is only one of the ways in which she contributed to restoring and sustaining an image of family integrity which remains to this day. (I will not dirty this article with the pointless and, as far as I am aware, unfounded insinuations, made by some of the more disreputable of the Clintons’ critics, that Hillary’s reputation as being good on ‘women’s issues’ stems more from her personal than it does her professional life.) Her work on behalf of her husband’s image had the added bonus of giving her leverage over her husband, which undoubtedly contributed to... 3) She pressured Bill Clinton to delay taking action to halt the campaign of ethnic cleansing being carried out in Bosnia, on the grounds that it would distract the press from her work on healthcare reform. To quote a passage from Sally Bedell Smith’s book For Love of Politics: “Taking the advice of Al Gore and National Security Advisor Tony Lake, Bill agreed to a proposal to bomb Serbian military positions while helping the Muslims acquire
weapons to defend themselves— the fulfilment of a pledge he had made during the 1992 campaign. But instead of pushing European leaders, he directed Secretary of State Warren Christopher merely to consult with them. When they balked at the plan, Bill quickly retreated, creating a “perception of drift.” The key factor in Bill’s policy reversal was Hillary, who was said to have “deep misgivings” and viewed the situation as “a Vietnam that would compromise healthcare reform.” The United States took no further action in Bosnia, and the “ethnic cleansing” by the Serbs was to continue for four more years, resulting in the deaths of more than 250,000 people.” This shameless regard for her own political image, and the disgraceful number of casualties for which it is a direct cause, gained the American public exactly nothing in return. The Clinton healthcare plan failed to limit the parasitic effects of big business on the HMO, and served only to introduce the worst elements of the bureaucracy with which many Americans associate the public health provisions of ‘socialist’ countries. 4) She lied about her own name. During a tour of Asia in 1995, she was fortunate enough to meet Sir Edmund Hillary. In a minor and yet revealingly dishonest episode, she claimed that her mother had in fact named her after this great adventurer and philanthropist. Ms Clinton was born in 1947, and Sir Edmund’s most famous mountaineering expedition (the one which first caught the eyes of the world) did not take place until 1953, requiring us to believe that Hillary Clinton was not given a name until she was 6 years old. 5) With the help of her husband, she tried to make us forget her support for the Iraq war. For the record, I should state that I have never been opposed to the argument for intervention. It should have been carried out in 1991. This is not a debate on the merits of those arguments, or of the (often shambolic and criminally incompetent) handling of the occupation that followed. I am solely concerned - as anyone who views foreign policy and national security as being important issues should
Comment on our comments! haze the lion!
be - with Hillary Clinton’s record on the issue. This was done with a view to gaining a little more support in the Iowa caucuses. She had initially taken the position that a conflict with Saddam Hussein was inevitable. By extension, we are supposed to assume that she viewed continuing coexistence with Saddam and his regime to be impossible, and that he represented a grave threat to the security of the United States and its allies. If this had been her view, she would have been perfectly correct. But her willingness to compromise on what should have been a deeply held opinion (compromise might be putting it too politely) suggests that, much to the surprise of no one who has followed her career, the hawk has never flown from its nest for anything other than a few easy-won votes. (Incidentally, the hawk/dove dichotomy is both stupid and inaccurate. Compared to doves, hawks have superior vision and intelligence). 6) The Brothers Rodham. They’re ludicrous; they were pardoned; they shouldn’t have been. I fear I have trespassed too long on the good graces of the editors. To conclude: I find it astounding that many democrats and self-described liberals in the United States are gleefully awaiting the anointing of a woman who sits to the right of many Republicans. Those who have criticized Obama’s foreign policy as being too ‘hawklike’ should, if they are consistent, be apoplectic with rage at the prospect of a commander in chief who believes Kissinger has made moral and worthwhile contributions to US policy. This is a man who should have scribbled this latest empty text from a prison cell. Clinton apparently earned her place in the senate by performing admirably in the arduous task of covering for her lecherous, conniving, lying husband. Anyone who criticizes the United States for adopting a principal that is morally equivalent to the hereditary succession it had once railed against will be further vindicated if she succeeds to the office of president. I mean, really. It would be akin to electing Francis Urquhart’s wife.
8
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER| THE LION
COMMENT
SM, a Remix of S&M by Rihanna Anonymous Na na na na na Come on Na na na na na Come on Na na na na Come on Na na na Come on, come on, come on Na na na na Come on Na na na Come on Na na na na na Come on Na na na Come on, come on, come on Na na na na na Feels so good being bad (Oh oh oh oh oh) There’s no way we’re turning back (Screw you Sussex oh oh oh oh oh) PGCE’s are our pleasure ‘n our “London” campus we do treasure (Oh oh oh oh oh) Sport is great, our grades are... fine (Oh oh oh oh oh) Out of a job, in the dole line (Oh oh oh oh oh) The infliction of full Uni status leaves us wanting more (Oh oh oh oh oh) ‘Cause we may be shit, but we’re perfectly good at it Failure in the air, we don’t care, we love the smell of it Academic rigour may break our bones But Sports facilities excite us. S-S-S M-M-M S-S-S M-M-M Oh, Heythrop, I love the credibility you bring to me, oh, you turn me on It’s exactly what I’ve been yearning for, give it to me strong Give us all your resources, we need your averages I like it-like it Na na na Come on, come on, come on (400 years) Come on, come on, come on (400 years) Na na na Come on, come on, come on I like it-like it Come on, come on, come on I like it-like it
Trojan Horses and Media Diversions Terry Sibley Comment Editor
The “Trojan Horse takeover” of a few schools in Birmingham, discovered in July, sparked a debate about faith schools in the UK. In reality it was less of a takeover and more of an embarrassing incident in which Ofsted’s Islamophobia overcame its own bloated self interest. The Church of England have been pulling that old Trojan trick for years, I remember my non-faith school’s daily prayer and regular trips to our local church, during which we where all bored to tears with all kinds of Christian fun. People who run things will always push their own interests - the chief of which usually being religion (excluding the obvious money-grabbing). The governors of our schools being, as usual, almost exclusively rich, white, Christian men. Through the lens of our own culture it is easy to miss the Christian detail, and the Christian canvas upon which it is painted. We are still, to a certain degree a theocratic state: the head of our constitutional monarchy is also the head of the church and the Bishops of the country get seats in our parliament. A minority group deciding to push their religion is nothing when you consider that everybody else is pushing their own interests too. Our schools are not under threat, our values (whatever you may arbitrarily decide they are this week) are not going to be destroyed by such a tiny concern. Genocide, for example, would be something that could actually erase the values and culture of a nation. Faith schools in general are slightly more of an issue, however, as 6,844 of our 24,372 schools are run as such, and funded by the state. 56% of people surveyed believed that schools funded
by the state should teach only the national curriculum, rather than changing religious education to favour their particular religion at the expense or exclusion of all others. Ignoring the debate about whether it should or should not be this way (as far as I am concerned, the people have spoken) I take issue with the intent of the survey. Another question asked if people believed there was a serious risk in students adopting extremist views if educated in Muslim faith schools, to which 75% said yes. Now, is it a particular thing about Islam or is it faith schools that would be the cause? With 6,765 of the 6,844 faith schools being Christian, it must make people wonder about the lack of extremist Christian crusades occurring. The reality is that nobody told them that only 18 of those schools are Muslim, none of which having currently succeeded in producing a terrorist. This is all just more Islamophobic scaremongering perpetuated by the vultures of the media, whose only talent revolves around inflating a bouncy castle of money-making hype. Those who are making the money will do anything they can to stop you realising that you don’t really have much left. While the mainstream media are brewing up their short term profit but long term problem of right wing extremism, the economy is still only technically out of recession. While unemployment may be back to its long term average rate, since 2007 there has been a mass migration from long term and permanent jobs to short term and temporary jobs, even zero hour contracts. People are still worried about where their next paycheck will come from, which is exactly the problem during a recession. If people are not confidently spending, we cannot have real
economic growth. If people are not confidently saving, the money lending system has nothing to fall back on. If you watch closely to what is going on in the market you can see that we are not really out of recession, even only by house prices. The smart money in times of crisis falls on land. Housing. These prices are still rising, with no sign of stopping. When the paper money is going out of the window, buy land, because they aren’t making any more of it. Stay tuned for the next in the series of things that disappear in the bigger picture.
Do you have a point to make? Can you do it by rewriting a pop song? even if you can’t, share it with the lion!
9
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
COMMENT
Have I Got Old News For You Fergus Cronin Coltsmann Editor-in-Chief
I found a lot of things confusing when I first arrived at Heythrop. “Why is the smoking shelter for halls a cross between a bike shed and a Damien Hirst?”, “Why is my sink dripping?” and “Why is that owl there?” are all questions I asked myself. And over the course of two years I slowly learnt the single answer - that Heythrop is a weird place (hence the opening line of Heythrop: The Musical: “Heythrop! Why is that there?”) where not a lot gets done. I predict that this year the following things will be complained about: the food, halls, the Common Room, the Union, the length of EGMs, SHAG week and the pool table. I predict that these things will be complained about because they are complained about every year. Every. Single. Year. I don’t blame anyone in particular, I think the problem is that no student is around for long enough. You turn up in your first year and complain. In your second year you decide to muck in and do something but make the same mistakes as everyone prior to you, and in your third year you may be able to do something if you still care, but even then you have to make sure it happens before you leave or the following years’ Freshers will fight the same fight. As for the Union Executive, all well-meaning people, but the Sabbaticals have between them one year of Union experience and neither were on the Union last year. The remaining ten Exec. members have two years experience between them, and nothing in the roles they are currently doing. Things do change though, just slower than gin. So, to the point: One of the ways
I hope to facilitate change for the better is by putting this year into context by briefly going through the big stories The Lion ran last year, most which I covered as News Editor. PRESIDENT LEAVES OFFICE ONE DAY INTO FRESHERS’ WEEK Volume 4 Issue 1 of The Lion
Following a vote of no confidence in the HSU President by the Executive at the time, in which only two voted to keep him, Peter O’Neil was ousted a day into Freshers’ Week. The reasons for the vote were never established beyond doubt, though rumours abounded about his right wing politics and drunkenness. This lead to a byelection in which Dermot Kennedy became President. CAREERS SERVICE PUT UNDER SPOTLIGHT BY HSU SURVEY Volume 4 Issue 2 58.7% of students who responded to a survey sent out by the Exec. rated the Careers Service as not effective at all, with the emails sent out by the Service (which you will become very familiar within short order) described as “spam” with “no relevant careers advice”. This prompted many promises of change from the College, leading to careers and the careers service becoming a major focus of the Sabbatical candidates’ campaigns in the HSU elections. LGBTQ OFFICER FOR HSU (AND THE NOVEMBER ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING) Volume 4 Issue 3 The LGBTQ+ Officer role was created and considered by many to be a big step for Heythrop, which made the front page of the now
defunct London Student in 2005 with the headline “HEY-STROP – Heythrop students report powers that be throwing a wobbler over attempts to set up a society for LGB students”, reporting that the sign up sheet for the LGBT society had been ripped up. The OGM at which the role was created also passed a number of other interesting motions: the student body voted in favour of requesting the College replace the smoking shelter, to put dates of birth on the student ID cards and to install arcade machines in the Common Room. Also passed was a motion allowing societies to charge a membership fee and one that banned OGMs, EGMs and AGMs from taking place at the same time as any religious observance unless it was unavoidable. Most controversial were the issues raised at the OGM concerned the irregular opening hours of the new HSU bar. The Vice President of the time noted that Campus Services were being markedly unhelpful regarding the opening of the bar. UNNAMED ERASMUS STUDENT DISMISSED FROM HALLS FOR “SERIOUS MISCONDUCT” (AND THE HALLS EGM) Volume 4 Issue 4 Following a disagreement with Campus Services concerning the payment of a fine for smoking in the stairwell of Alban Halls, the student lost their temper and swore in the presence of a Campus Services officer, in addition to making highly critical remarks of Alban Halls and its management. The student was then dismissed from Halls under the pretence of posing “an immediate risk to the health and safety of other students” and for “serious misconduct”. What made this, in my opinion, a particularly topical story was that it
took place almost immediately prior to an EGM held by the HSU concerning Alban Halls because of the number of complaints received by the HSU concerning their state and management. At the EGM the fining system was criticised, as fines levied against students seemed to be inconsistent and lacking any official guidelines, and in particular the use of the word “misconduct” received criticism, being described as an “ethereal” term. The Residential Assistant system as it was implemented last year was also subject to criticism. Two years ago there was an RA on each floor, while last year the RAs were all on the ground floor; and many felt this change had a negative effect on the ability of the RAs to fulfil their pastoral role. The Union resolved to review the RAs’ role and to ensure that they were receiving the proper support in their job. The HSU also resolved to push for a change in how money is put on the Residents’ ID cards for the canteen, to move it from a daily allowance to a weekly one. Finally, and most crucially in my opinion, was that the HSU resolved to campaign for an overhaul of the overnight guest system. At the start of the year two years ago a guest could be signed in to stay overnight on the day of the stay, however this was changed during the year, following an event involving a student and an overnight guest which ended with the police being called. The system was changed to one where three days notice had to be given for a guest to be allowed to stay overnight and a limit of two overnight stays a week being placed upon each student. This system proved to be particularly unpopular with students.
HALLS RESIDENTS GIVEN UNTIL 9PM TO VACATE AFTER DISCOVERY OF LEGIONNAIRE’S DISEASE IN WATER SYSTEM Online and Volume 4 Issue 7 During a routine check of the water systems, two tested positive for the legionella bacteria. The Halls of Residence was evacuated on the 16th of April. Students were told to go home if they could, and those that were unable to were either re-accommodated on site or in the nearby Kensington Close hotel. What made this worse was that it came a month before exams and close to the end-of-year-essay deadlines. Ultimately, however, the College financially reimbursed those who it was not able to accommodate and seemed to be generous with extensions and deferrals for outstanding work to students who were displaced by the situation. And there you have it, a brief, but my no means extensive, time-line of the big events of last year. Hopefully this will place any confusions or issues you have into context and help you approach them with as much of the relevant information as possible. Please come and see me (I live in The Lion office) if you want to know anything more about any of the stories I’ve mentioned.
Then nothing really interesting happened for a while, other than the elections for this years HSU Exec. That was until:
Think you can write better headlines than these? Think you can find better stories than these? become a news correspondent for the lion!
10
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
Culture Discover London! Jordan Mant Culture Editor Forbidden Broadway Vaudeville Threatre
Bond in Motion
Vauxhall. Dirty Burger serves
style! Don’t worry if you can’t
London Film Museum
Sausage and Egg or Bacon and
make it to this month’s event,
Covent Garden
Egg breakfasts for just £4. Then
however, because the team
Holland Park
The London Film Museum is
from 11am, you can pick your-
organise parties monthly- just
Kensington
self up a Cheeseburger for £6
check their website for further
or a Dirty Bacon or a Dirty Cop-
info!
Finally, if you are looking for
Out (the veggie option) for £7.
Friday 17th October, 10pm-
If you’re especially hungry, you
2am. £7 if tickets are booked
can grab a side of fries for just
online in advance or £8 on the
over £3 or a doughnut for £2.
door.
Feeling thirsty as well? They’ve
The Art of the Brick
you to the park which is perfect
Bricklane
for a peaceful walk, a nice run
Credit: Jacob Tong
or just a place to sit and have
currently filled to the brim with
Whether you’re a musical
all things Bond. We’re talking
theatre fanatic or just simply
scripts, props, miniature mod-
looking for an unforgettable
els of sets used in the films and
night of non-stop comedy, I
an entire basement of vehicles;
compel you to take a trip to see
Aston Martins, Rolls Royces,
Forbidden Broadway. The pro-
speedboats, motorbikes, the
duction is described as a ‘love
Lotus Espirit, Little Nellie
letter to Broadway’, as the cast
and many more. You can even
of just four performers manage
partake in a photo opportunity
to lovingly mock twenty-eight
for £8, where you get to dress
well-known productions into
up as Bond himself! It was a
this jam-packed two hour feast
brilliant afternoon of obsessing
of theatre; Les Misérables, Billy
over the incredible franchise
Elliot, Matilda, Once, Wicked,
and finding out about how the
(if you’re ever passing.)
The Jersey Boys, Miss Saigon,
films have been made over the
Itchy Feet
The Lion King, Frozen, Charlie
years. It should certainly help
Concrete
and the Chocolate Factory and
to calm your Bond appetite
Shoreditch
so many others are all subject
whilst waiting for the next
Credit: Ana Bailey-Jones
to the ridiculing. There is no-
Bond instalment next year! Tickets to the exhibition can
www.itchyfeetonline.co.uk
where to hide for the big names of the West End community,
be bought for £14.50 online at
with the likes of Andrew Lloyd
londonfilmmuseum.com. How-
Webber, Cameron Mackintosh
ever, I have since walked past
and Elaine Paige also being
the museum many times and
poked fun at. I have never
they regularly have a member
attended a production which
of staff giving out 2-4-1 vouch-
has made me laugh as much as
ers. Thus, I suggest buying
this show did and therefore it
tickets on the day to possibly
makes the perfect night out.
grab yourself a bargain!
Performances of the show are
Dirty Burger
the 20th century to the point
rare and the cast’s current West
Vauxhall
where Rock and Roll exploded
End stint ends on 22nd Novem-
Credit: Joseph Walker
onto the music scene after the
ber. You can grab tickets with
If you’re looking for a tasty
war. Dress code is optional but
burger on a student budget in
whether you choose to dress up
London, then you should set
or not, the team promise that
your burger satnav to head to
you will be pelvic thrusting in
decent seats from as little as £12.50 on the likes of lovetheatre.com.
got it covered with £4.50 milkshakes, along with other soft and alcoholic drink options. Plus, if you’re not in Vauxhall, Dirty Burger can also be found in Shoreditch, Whitechapel, Kentish Town and…..Chicago
describe themselves as ‘a collective of DJs and events people who spend our time touring around the UK throwing parties.’ The next big party in London takes place on Friday 17th October at Concrete on Shoreditch High Street. This particular event will be rolling back the clock to the middle of
The Art of the Brick has opened by Rough Trade on Brick Lane, Spitalfields, this month as part of a globe tour by artist Nathan Sawaya. This exciting exhibition has a bit of twist, with the main artistic material being Lego bricks. Inside the gallery there are over a million bricks used on 80 sculptures. With
an oasis of calm then head down the road to Holland Park, just off High Street Kensington. A ten to fifteen minute walk down the high street will take
a read. There are some really nice benches set in flower displays with water features. There are some peacocks which wander the park. Plus, check out the stunning Kyoto Garden; a Japanese garden, complete with a waterfall and plenty of fish. Now is the time to go to the park before it gets too cold!
bright and vibrant colours, that have you feeling as if your
Hire a Boris Bike
younger Lego building days
Boris bikes, officially called
were just a piece of shit by comparison to Sawaya’s work, which totalled at 4,188 hours to create. The artist takes on the human body, dinosaurs and famous recreations of masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa. This truly is something that you do not want to miss this Winter in London. Open until 4th January 2015
SHARE THE UPCOMING EVENTS THAT
Barclays bikes, are a great way to spend an afternoon and see more of the city. When I started at Heythrop, one of our first weekends was spent cycling around Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park and the fresh air may well help to cure those fresher hangovers! You pay a £2 deposit and get to ride the bikes for free for 24 hours, in 30 minute time slots. If you ride for more than 30 minutes at a time, they start charging you a bit extra.
11
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMEBR | THE LION
edited by Jordan mant Art: Disobedient Objects Jessica Hazrati Third year Undergraduate
wonder if this creativity will
Currently the V&A are showing
lions.
a fabulous exhibition on pro-
Another favoured piece was
test culture. The aim of such
the work of three prisoners, the
exhibition is to show how art
Angola 3, who were imprisoned
and design has been incorpo-
during the protest against the
rated into various protests and
treatment of black citizens
the impact such designs and
in 1960s America. Whilst in
symbols have made on the suc-
prison, they joined the political
cess of the movements.
party, the Black Panther Party,
At the student tuition fees
and consequently extended
demonstration, I remember be-
their sentences. Their story
ing overwhelmed by the crea-
is as amazing as their work.
tivity, as well as passion, being
Despite serving 100 years com-
showcased, making the event
bined in solitary confinement,
feel almost carnival like. As
their creativity and obvious
soon as I entered the exhibition
capacity for beauty is wonder-
room, I was once again hit with
ful and inspirational. Kenny
the overwhelming emotions felt
Zulu Whitmore makes, from
back in 2012. It is a very emo-
his solitary cell, beautiful tags
tive experience in which you
which share his message, ‘free
are at once filled with anger
Zulu’, for those who support his
towards the oppressive organi-
campaign. Showing that, even
sations/governments and hit
when you are actually encaged
with the realisation of the sheer
by your oppressor, you can
power of the people, amazed at
still show love towards those
the lengths people will go to in
around you, support your cam-
order to fight their cause and
paign and continue to protest
for causes that don’t directly
against your treatment.
affect them. Faith in humanity
The last part of the exhibition
is very much restored.
is a projection of various films
There is an unbelievable wealth
of protests around the world,
of material on display, span-
allowing you to see the demon-
ning both historically and
strations in action and under-
geographically and showing
stand the electrifying power of
material that focuses on vari-
protest. The message is clear
ous concerns such as gender,
- power and change comes only
race, politics and oppression.
from creativity, direct action,
I will just talk about three of
solidarity (both locally and
my favourite pieces but I’m
globally) and by screaming,
sure when you visit you will be
shouting and sometimes fight-
drawn to different ones.
ing for your beliefs (or even
One of the first pieces that
just causing mischief as seen
attracted me was the ironic de-
in the revolution of the dwarf
facing of newspapers from the
uprising). As one commentator
1980s, such as the Sun and the
comments, it is not enough to
Evening Standard (the Evading
press the like button or retweet
Standards). It was interesting
a statement, physical pres-
to see how ideas and messages
ence is needed. Creativity and
of outrage were communicated
determination – even when you
and spread, pre-social media,
are caged in – is the only way to
and it does make you stop and
create change in your world.
survive the electronic era in which only a tweet is needed to spread a message to the mil-
The exhibition continues to the 1st February and is free!
12
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
Culture
D
Music: Record Review Round Up Will Howard Third year Undergraduate
ever. Lines such as ‘I have a
home yet.’ Maz O’Connor has
‘Don’t You Find’ showcases
of a voice, singing of a ‘sad sad
lover, he treats me good, he
produced a wonderfully excit-
Jamie T’s solemn side with a
post-teen caught up in a love-
flips me over like you never
ing folk album which blends
downbeat track, a powerful and
machine’. Both tracks are cause
would’ echo how seductive
old and new. It would not be a
rare addition to his repertoire.
for excitement for the new
they have become. ‘Wanderer
stretch to crown This Willowed
‘Zombie’ is a fast tempo punk
album and upcoming (almost
Wandering’ ends the record on
track lending kindly to his husk
sold-out) tour.
The Sheffield duo, Rebecca
Light the best folk record of the
a slow and solemn note which
Taylor and Charles Watson,
year.
has run through the whole al-
are a stylish and cool band
bum appearing in both the full
who sing each song in the
band and stripped back songs.
heartfelt manner in which it
The record seems to be plagued
was written. Their class is ever
with the ghosts of ex-lovers and
present in the video for the
the pain of heartbreak and the
title track of their new album,
result is beautiful and flawless.
that has a sound they enjoy
Maz O’Connor
way to execute it. Cissa opens
tion shots of Charles holding
The Willowed Light
on a repetitive and driving
a cat and Rebecca executing a
In a perfectly poised mixture of
Slow Club Complete Surrender
Complete Surrender. There are black and white slow mo-
choreographed dance routine, yet there is something of them which is rather strange. At a recent gig Rebecca performed the entire stripped back, intimate, acoustic set wearing a fake handlebar moustache. An emotion driven rendition of their new album took place all the while with no allusion to the facial hair. It was only afterward, on social media, it was revealed that the singer had some terrible cold sores she intended on hiding from the audience. No matter how bizarre the pair may act, they have written a beautiful and mature record merging their talent for being tender lyricists as well as composing elegant yet simple music. Opening track ‘Tears of Joy’ is an example of their simplicity, drums and keys set the base with a simple melodic line which by the end of the track has exploded into a full song with various instruments and a rhythm to get people dancing. ‘Suffering You, Suffering Me’ offers swirling vocals building to a grand 80s influenced track with a full band and added brass instruments. The heart wrenching lyrics of ‘Not Mine to Love’ is typical of Slow Club, yet on this record things are becoming more sordid than
traditional and contemporary English folk music, O’Connor takes traditional songs and rewrites them in such a way as to preserve their true nature whilst bringing them to the very edge of modern folk. Her latest record, This Willowed Light, showcases the very best of her ability. ‘Awake Awake’ opens the album with a traditional folk song of the betrayal of a father murdering his daughter’s lover, with a haunting accompaniment on the Shruti box. ‘Derby Day’ depicts the scenes of suffragette Emily Wilding Davison’s death at the feet of the Kings horse, at the Epsom Derby (1913), from the point of view of a young boy in the crowd. The song was commissioned by Broadstairs Folk Festival along with a second track, ‘Mississippi Woman’; a feminist interpretation of the
Traams Cissa The new 5-track EP from this South coast three-piece is another showcase of a band playing and know the exact
track, ‘Giddy’, bass and drums lead the song through whilst front man Stu’s lyrics are echoed by his guitar. Barely passing the two minute mark ‘Selma’ screams of everything TRAAMS have embodied before; endless riffs and desperation in the catchy yet somewhat discernable chorus line, in which the only eligible line is ‘here’s to happiness’. Other tracks ‘Marbles’ and ‘Carousel’ are trademark of the band from Chichester, and the title track ‘Cissa’ spans seven minutes of repetitious anguish. Whilst this new release is perhaps a bit too predictable, the sound is one that has not been exhausted and each track sounds fresh and progression seems evident. I was once told that TRAAMS were too self-indulgent with their monotonous endless riffs, however I urge you all to indulge.
creation story. ‘Barcelona’ con-
Jamie T
veys a story of when her friend
Tracks Don’t You Find and
was so drunk in Barcelona that
Zombie
he stopped a cyclist to ask for directions and proceeded to steal his bike and ride home. The album finishes on ‘Nightcap’, a youthful tale of late nights which one does not wish to end, as she claims ‘there’s a song in my head and space in my bed, and I don’t wanna go
Five years since his previous record, Kings and Queens, Jamie T is back with a new full length album and tour. Carry on the Grudge is set to be released 6th October 2014, and as the hype is built up two initial tracks have been aired.
Slow Club in concert
13
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
Heythroppers Around the Globe! (Well, Europe...)
Theatre: Shakespeare in Love
the play he promised, Ethel
speare quotes from his various
the Pirate’s Daughter. The play is filled with witty Shake-
Returning primary school
Madrid
Turkey
students are inevitably set the
Kate McGuffog
Catherine Squidd
Ana Bailey Jones Third year Undergraduate
same task - a presentation
Third year Undergraduate
Web Dev Officer
‘“I will have poetry in my life.
on ‘What I did on my sum-
Madrid is literally the city that
Turkey is the perfect place to
And adventure. And love. Love
mer holiday.’ Now, here at
doesn’t sleep; lunch at three,
relax and get away from reality.
above all.”
The Lion, we would never ask
dinner at ten and if you get to
The culture and
As an avid fan of Shakespeare
our contributors to do such a
a club before three, you will
sun makes it the perfect desti-
I have a wonderful love/hate
childish task. So, we swapped
probably be the only one there.
nation for everyone. I went to
relationship with Marc Nor-
class presentations for written
Start with going to El Tigre for
Turkey for the first time two
man and Tom Stoppard’s film
articles and tales of playing on
dinner (for five euros you will
years ago and I went back this
Shakespeare in Love. Thus,
game consoles and bike riding
eat and drink like a king). Get
summer to spend two weeks
I was excited and nervous in
with descriptions of some of the
a huge plate of food with each
in Fethiye by the Blue Lagoon.
equal measure for the new
places that our students have
drink. Then take yourself on a
I thoroughly enjoyed going to
stage production of Shake-
been soaking up the culture of
pub crawl – the best ones are
Istanbul on my first trip, as it
speare in Love.
this summer. They have also
Wild Crawl and Funky Mon-
is full of vibrant markets and
The story is that of broke young
thrown in some added student
key and they meet in sol. They
temples galore. We spent a
Shakespeare (played by Tom
tips, if you fancy taking a trip
sound awful and cheesy but this
day tour around the mosques
Bateman), commissioned for
there too!
is the cheapest way to make
and were blown away by the
plays yet in a rut with writers’
Spain
the most of your night; for ten
grand nature of the buildings.
block, and Viola De Lesseps
Joe Walker
euros you get entrance to three
If you ever get the chance, go
(portrayed by the fantastic Lucy
Third year Undergraduate
bars, free shots and a club entry
to the Blue Mosque. This year
Briggs-Owen), a noble young
I had never been to Spain
- normally Koko or Shoko. Drag
was a different type of holiday;
woman who is a huge fan of
before and I didn’t think of it as
yourself out of bed and visit
relaxing by the pool, going to
Shakespeare’s work and a
a place that I had to tick off my
Quintas de los Molinos; my fa-
the spa and drinking cocktails
secretly aspiring actor. Shake-
bucket list. With all the videos,
vourite park in Madrid, covered
of course. This was a lovely
speare spots Viola at a showing
images and stories of Brits
in the most beautiful trees, cre-
and relaxing break, I came
of his play and, in true Shake-
abroad and Lads holidays, the
ating shade from the 40 degree
away feeling thoroughly rested.
speare style, falls madly in love.
notion never really appealed to
heat. On Sunday get brunch at
Though, in 39 degree heat we
After seeking some inspiration
me. I was blissfully mistaken.
the Toast Café. 14 euros gives
were dragged off for a cliff walk
from his friend and rival, Chris-
What I discovered is that Es-
you a choice of pancake, salad,
to take in the views of the Aege-
topher Marlow (David Oakes),
paña caters for everyone; from
croissant or fruit, followed by
an Sea. However, I got straight
he embarks on Ethel the Pi-
long sunny beaches to the hus-
burritos, eggs benedict, a fry
back to the pool. These holidays
rate’s Daughter. He begins au-
tle and bustle of the city streets.
up, along with juice and coffee.
might not sound like what you
ditions for this new unfinished
Barcelona was great, with its
Also add a 2 litre jug of mimo-
are looking for but if you want
play, to which Olivia arrives
architectural chefs-d’oeuvre by
sas. Madrid is an amazing city
cheap and fun, Turkey does
disguised as a boy. The love
Gaudi to the ever thriving La
that has so much energy and
have an insane nightlife and
story that entails is inspiration
Ramble. Cambrills, a little fur-
excitement.
cheap alcohol. So there really is
of the scripting of Romeo and
something for everyone.
Juliet, slightly different from
Radio: The Philosopher’s Arms
may affect the real world. Mill,
of a thing’ about fairness) are
groan-worthy puns that litter
Hume, Kant, Aristotle – you
all great, eye-opening starters
the show, elevating it from stiff,
Katt Johnson Copy Editor
may be well versed with all of
to these subjects.
philosophical commentary, to
the arguments but not so much
Overall, it is thirty minutes
real entertainment.
with what the point of it all is.
of well-rounded philosophi-
You can download some earlier
Whilst many of the topics are
cal debate with a spin on it
episodes as a free podcast now
old hat to the majority of this
that makes it a brilliant way to
on iTunes or listen to the en-
audience, the show still retains
spend a half-hour each week. I
tirety of the past series on BBC
this new edge to attract all.
highly recommend this show,
iPlayer. But don’t forget to tune
On this show, the robot
whether as a beginner’s guide
in to the fourth series – Mon-
daughter, Maria, Bernard the
to a vast array of subjects or
days at 8pm on Radio 4.
chicken-toucher and the Ring
just a new perspective for those
of Gyges Doughnut Shop (that
who already know it all. That’s
introduces Kant as having ‘a bit
all without mentioning the
ther down the east coast, is also somewhere to venture to just for its exquisite fresh and local sea food, served with a stunning view of the sea. A must see spot is Tarragona. It takes you back to the time of the Roman conquest with the amphitheatre and other ruins. There are also little quirky shops in the town, all the tapas you can eat for under a tenner, a spectacular view of the sea from the top of the cliff and an astonishing Cathedral whose grandeur will leave you speechless.
Recently started is the latest series of this fantastic radio show - the Philosopher’s Arms. Matthew Sweet takes weekly visits to the highly conceptual pub, to discuss all those textbook philosophical ideas cast aside as pompous and unimportant by the masses to see how they
plays and sonnets, bags full of humour and a dog! The story is hugely complex. Therefore, I applaud the production and design from Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod who boldly took on Lee Hall’s reworking of the original screenplay and transformed the Noёl Coward Theatre into Elizabethan London. One special and unexpected feature of the play was the music. The musicians that brought Paddy Cunneen’s polyphonic Renaissance music to life were fantastic; they carried the play and bound together a complex story and muddle of settings and scenes. Charlie Tighe, counter tenor, has the voice of an angel and I certainly hope to hear more from him in the future. My main criticism would be that the cast, particularly our Shakespeare (Bateman), felt a little underworked and perhaps nervous? However, I saw the performance during its opening week so I’ll forgive the that. I highly recommend the show and right now it’s pretty cheap too. My ticket cost £16; I was eleven rows back in the dress circle and with a price band D ticket felt particularly lucky to have such a fantastic seat!
14
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
The Creative Commons A Creatively Compiled Collection Student Super Food of the Fortnight: Couscous! Whether you are new to university or an old timer, I urge you to discover couscous. This easy recipe is a tasty alternative to super noodles or canteen food.
What to do: 1. MEAT EATER - preheat the oven to gas mark 5. Envelope your chicken thigh with a little oil, clove of garlic and salt and pepper in foil
What you’ll need: Kettle Saucepan
on a baking tray. Bake for 15 mins. Go to 3. VEGAN 2. VEGGIE - boil one egg - bring a
Frying pan
pan of water to the boil, add your
Sharp knife
egg and wait until the egg moves
Wooden spoon
(rolls) this should take 7-8 mins.
MEAT EATER add:
Remove and allow to cool for 3
Foil
mins before peeling the shell. Go
Baking tray
to 3. VEGAN
VEGGIE add: Saucepan
3. VEGAN - prepare couscous
Ingredients per-person: 75g couscous
as packet instructs – usually 75g for one person in boiling water for 8-12 mins. Finely chop onion
1/2 an onion
and garlic and fry in a pan with
1 courgette
a little olive oil, gradually add a
1 large tomato
little water to soften the onion
Olive oil 1 teaspoon of oregano 1 clove of garlic
and avoid crispy bits. Add roughly
VEGGIE add:
Thus I see Love in me sitting still, Shaped by Desire, Sharing with Anger and Jealousy Lust’s twisted home, She lingers with Desire, Schemes with Lust, Fashions thick chains to Bind my heart and mind to you!
All!
with salt.
Why not try? No effort couscous; 75g of couscous, 200mls boiling water and one chicken stock cube. Leave for 8-12 mins. Cheap, easy, filling.
But in spite of this laden ‘All’, Love is life’s crowning jewel.
Desire’s Spawn Just A. Poet
are you a semi-talented and inventive cook? Or a talented and semi-inventive poet? submit to the lion!
From Heythrop College
Ana Bailey Jones Third year Undergraduate
Yet we welcome this Love and treat her well, Insist that Love, Desire’s progeny, Unlike her mother Lust, Has a deeper mystery to tell,
more oil and the oregano. Serve with chopped tomatoes seasoned
1 egg
Dark Anger pours from Love’s scaly skin, He twists his seething thoughts with hers, Red-lipped Jealousy flashes her joyfully sadistic smile From between Love’s fork-tonged mouth,
Poetry and Recipes
1 clove of garlic extra
This Love, Desire’s daughter, Is fettered in the incestuous Partnership of her mother, Lust; She sits, still full of cravings, Debauch!
drained) and mix, adding a dash
couscous (with any excess water
1 chicken thigh
Love She crawls forth from The tar-black mouth of Desire, Forming and shaping Out of clinging Stygian ooze,
***** Yes Love is joy, and hope, true, Yet she is Desire’s spawn, Lust’s fettered daughter, Jealousy’s watchful sister, Anger’s joyous playmate,
chopped courgette, allow 5-8 mins until soft but not mushy. Add
MEAT EATER add:
Wantonness within us, Desire is his name, He lies fat, glutted by Imagination’s art, Languid, putrid and yet revered by Lust His graceless mate -
15
WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER | THE LION
Horoscopes Aries
Taurus
Gemini
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
Mar 21 - Apr 19
Apr 20 - May 20
May 21 - Jun 20
Jun 21 - Jul 22
Jul 23 - Aug 22
Aug 23 - Sep 22
Bold, courageous, independent, enthusiastic, fun-loving and fascinating Aries, with Uranus moving through your sign, others will surely be magnetised by your presence and captivated by raw animalistic lust.
Persistent, appreciative, dependable, practical and creative Taurus, with Pluto moving through another of the Earth signs, your expertise is set to grow and consolidate in the coming years. Put work into your new endeavours and you’ll find you might even get the job of your dreams one-to-five years down the line.
Funny, versatile, talkative, fast-thinking and sophisticated Gemini, Jupiter is in your sign broadening your world. You will find yourself embracing new ideas - maybe even a new religion. You will then attempt to convince everyone around you of the truth of your new beliefs. Don’t be put off if they seem annoyed by this, that just means it’s working.
Sensitive, nurturing, careful, imaginative and encouraging Cancer, Jupiter is arriving in your sign ushering in a period of extraordinary growth and opportunity. You will find yourself in a position to pursue a new career in journalism and you should take every opportunity to further this as your new life goal.
Instinctive, warm, creative, extravagant and delightful Leo, with Uranus moving through another of the Fire signs, there is the potential for your life journey to include adventures bringing increased contact with new ideas and maybe even new ways of expressing yourself romantically. In order to make this happen you must appease the fire signs you must shave your head and burn the hair whilst reading aloud Enoch Powell’s “Rivers of Blood” speech.
Nimble, versatile, analytical, constructive, meticulous and often mimically-gifted Virgo, with Neptune now in your opposite sign of Pisces, the need to find perfection is strong. You will find yourself reading Nietzsche, and thereby aquiring a strong desire to free yourself from the trappings of judeo-christian social morality.
Libra
Scorpio
Sagittarius
Capricorn
Aquarius
Pisces
Sep 23 - Oct 22
Oct 23 - Nov 21
Nov 22 - Dec 21
Dec 22 - 19 Jan
Jan 20 - Feb 18
Feb 19 - 20 Mar
Charming, elegant, stylish, romantic and merger-making Libra, Pluto’s passage through Capricorn is shaking your very foundations - most likely prompting dramatic career changes, upheaval and even resettlement, because as we all know, drastic lifestyle changes should always be made on the basis of how planets move relative to the Earth.
Mesmerising, insightful, determined, resourceful and focused Scorpio, Saturn is moving through your sign. View this as a long period of self-investment. The responsibilities you accept now could bring reward later. Also, what others discard, you could turn into something valuable. I urge you to accept your life-long calling in the waste disposal industry, that’s where your money could be, if you get involved enough.
Quirky, determined, logical, eccentric and freedomloving Sagittarius, Saturn is passing through Scorpio and through this period latent ambition could surface. You might also decide to move home: an action that might be related to career development. Also the property market is probably as big as it’s going to get right now, so if you’re thinking of selling, now is the time.
Intuitive, sensitive, bigpicture thinking, kind and thoughtful Capricorn, slow moving Neptune is in your sign enhancing your aptitude for romance and creating a better world. Along the way there are beautiful relationships to enjoy and an emotional ocean to surf. And by this we mean that you should take up surfing and then flirt ceaselessly with your instructor, even if they ask you politely to stop.
Loud, honourable, wellmeaning Aquarius, Pluto is in your sign. This means that you need to express your independence and prove to others that you won’t be pushed around anymore. Do things for yourself and have fun while you do it. Your heart will know which way is the right way to proceed. Don’t be fooled by those who try to tell you otherwise. Success comes when you force people to engage on your terms with no regard for their views on the matter.
Outgoing, but introverted and sensitive Pisces, you will find yourself woefully inadequate especially in the love and romance department. You’ll find that there is a magical, adventuresome spirit amongst others that dissapears in your presence. Try to expand your world regardless, people will eventually feel obliged to pretend to like you if you force your presence upon them for long enough.
EASY
MEDIUM
ROARFUL
G M I R EM ME GE P p ENE D ERG RG NC AR RA T E Y ENC R h GE NER L M Y G EYT NER SH ENE HR AL IP O RA P s MEE L M t. T EET ma ING r EM
dURH NERAL E G GENCY
1pm in the common room/ egm ON heYTHROP’S HSU BAR fUTURE 23rd of September