niVerse Volume 22, Issue 7
11th February 2014
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RAG’s popular Jailbreak returns Page 9
OVER 450 IDEAS SUBMITTED BY UH STUDENTS FOR STUDENT IDEAS FORUM
SEMESTER B FRESHERS’ FAIR A HUGE SUCCESS
Deputy Print Editor
showcased the Student Union’s many societies as well as other services offered by the University.
On Friday 24th January, The Forum foyer was jam-packed with both new and current students for the Refreshers’ Fair.
Students had the chance to learn about the wide range of societies at the University and could sign up to those they were interested in.
societies on what they do and how people can join. Dominos pizza was out in force, offering students £1 pizza and posters were for sale in Elehouse. The Students’ Union shop was selling University merchandise at a special discount.
Students could huge variety of
Crush Radio DJs played throughout the day, as well as interviewing
The Refreshers’ Fair also gave students the chance to share
Kat Morgan
explore the stalls which
their ideas on how they think the University could improve their experience during their time at UH through the Student Ideas Forum. Over 450 of students’ ideas were given to the team which will be taken on board. As well as the stall at the Freshers’ Fair, live performances from a variety of societies could be
seen in the Forum foyer. This included great performances from the Salsa, the Ukulele, and the Athletic Union Kickboxing club. The Refreshers’ Fair was a great success and gave students the opportunity to speak to society members and discover what can be achieved at the University of Hertfordshire alongside a degree.
News
Local & World
Features
Health
Sport
Herts gets a visit from the US Embassy
Spain introduces anti-abortion acts
Has Facebook lost its cool?
Heart Disease Awareness Month
Herts students win Service to Sport Awards
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P. 5
P. 7
P. 20
P. 22
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News
UH student wins prestigious Wayra Award Ani O’Neill Print Editor
The Wayra Awards seek to give professional support and investment resources to new entrepreneurial ventures in the UK. UniVerse got in touch with UH student Angelo, who recently won the Award.
A: Start-up accelerators in general are quite new to the scene. Wayra launched in 2011 and was opened by Boris Johnson at the London offices. Start-up accelerators are aimed at entrepreneurial
didn’t help, but things like presentation workshops which were provided by the University did. I recommend students take on as many workshops as possible during their time at university, as they can increase
Universe: Hi Angelo, firstly can you tell me a bit about yourself? Where you are from, what you study here, and why you study it? Angelo: I have lived in Hertfordshire all my life and I am currently living in Barnet. I am studying IT Management for Business (ITMB) which has a strong focus on employability. As we are entering the digital age, an IT degree can help build on the relevant skills to help with career progression. U: What do you think is the most important element of your course? A: The course is in partnership with e-skills UK and more than 50 blue-chip sponsoring organisations, including Accenture, BBC, British Airways, Ford, IBM, ITV, Morgan Stanley, Procter & Gamble, Sainsbury’s and Unilever. We also have guru lectures from business professionals. The combination of Business and IT modules makes it ideal for the future Mark Zuckerbergs out there. U: Can you tell us a about the Wayra Award?
teams associated with the web environment or mobile software. Wayra provides office space in London, and financing of up to €80,000. They also have a growing network of mentors which provide advice in many professional areas. In return they take a small percentage of the business.
employability
skills.
U: Why do you think awards such as Wayra are important?
and it is constantly evolving. Any opportunity to push ahead is a bonus. U: Is the award only open to students? A: Anyone can apply to join Wayra; as long as you have a unique idea and know how to implement it then you have a high chance of being considered. Wayra will help you launch your idea, and you can use the funding to hire people to build it. For students who are looking to start a business when they graduate, Start-up accelerators are much better than bank loans or angel investors. U: What was your innovative idea, and how did you find inspiration for it? A: Our company is called Team-Match; some of you may have been lucky enough to use it in the
different roles. Each team receives a team profile, which shows the group’s interests, strengths and weaknesses as well as practical advice on how to work better together. U: What does winning this award mean for your future? A: By winning the award, we have the opportunity to start working full-time in our new offices. We can spend more time on projects and invest in new staff. The network of mentors Wayra offers will be crucial to building the right contacts with many corporations, as well as providing us with valuable advice from people with real experience. With the funds, we look towards building new products and employing more staff. U: you’d
Anything like to
else add?
Over 500 companies applied this year and they only accelerated 13 out of those 500. After the application and interview process, they ask you to take part in an event called wayraWeek. It is like Dragons Den, The Apprentice and Big Brother all rolled in to one. You have to take part in many workshops and attend lectures by renowned guest speakers. You are then asked to pitch your idea to judges from Microsoft, Mastercard, O2, Universal and more. It is a tense moment and your life is in their hands. The odds were highly against us, but we made it! U: Did you find that your course helped you on the road to this success? A: The course in particular
Written, designed and edited by UH students, and provided by Hertfordshire Students’ Union Editor Ani O’Neill print.editor@hertfordshire.su Deputy Editors Kat Morgan Antonica Jones print.deputy.editor@hertfordshire.su Copy Editor
Sean Howlett Contributors Majella Maguire Lucette Level Peter Ellingworth Priyanka Chavda Gemma Fulton Buwa Tetsola Jack Amos Samantha Montague Kealie Mardell Holly Lambert Madison Vickery Samantha Miller Rosalind Ringe Maria Carbone With thanks to Bella Colafrancesco Shannen Rock Mr Grumpy Believers Loveworld
Contact Us vp.comms@hertfordshire.su Editor-in-chief Shannen Rock
A: Wayra gives businesses the opportunity to accelerate and grow. Without all the benefits that Wayra entails, it would take a business much longer to build funds to hire more staff and promote themselves. The technology world is incredibly fast paced
Business School. TeamMatch helps form students into teams based on their personality. Students complete a personality assessment which then gives the person feedback about themselves as a professional. Lecturers then use the matchmaking technology to sort students into ideal teams for
A: I have recently published an e-book called ‘Effective Team Building’, which you can download for free for Mac and iPad from iTunes. You can also follow me on Twitter: @angelomccaw and you can add me on Linkedin at: linkedin. com/in/angelomccaw to follow my work.
VP Comms & Media Hertfordshire Students’ Union College Lane Hatfield Herts, AL10 9AB
Published by
Iliffe Print Cambridge Winship Road Milton Cambridge CB24 6PP
News 3 University of Hertfordshire first to introduce electric car hire scheme gas-run cars out of circulation, helps the environment, helps save money for families and encourages active travel.
Majella Maguire
Features Sub Editor
A fantastic electric car scheme has been introduced recently at the University of Hertfordshire, who are the first Higher Education institute to do so. This new pay-per-use Electric Car Club provides students, staff and the local community with a convenient, affordable and environmentally friendly travel alternative, which saves on the hassle and costs of owning and running a car.
Dr. Stephen Boffey, Pro ViceChancellor for Regional Affairs at the University said: ‘The University is always looking at ways to improve the travel choices for staff, students and the local community and we are proud to be the first university to launch an electric car club. We hope that by offering access to a low carbon form of transport, we can work together to reduce the cost and environmental impact of each journey undertaken.’
The scheme has been established following a partnership by the University’s Environment and Sustainability team, Source East and E-Car Club.
For those students who don’t own a car, this is a great scheme to get involved with: it’s cheap, and really useful – even just for that weekly shop at Asda.
The offer includes three electric cars to hire by the hour from either the University’s College Lane or de Havilland campus via a membership programme.
Anyone over the age of 19 can register for E-Car membership, and all registrations before 28th February 2014 will receive a 50% discount on the membership fee by using the discount code ‘UHECAR114’ at the E-Car website, www.e-carclub.org.
Each car will also have its own designated parking space and
electric charging point, provided by Source East, at the de Havilland and College Lane Campus. Those
who
join
the
scheme
can hire an electric car for as little as £5.50 per hour. Members can book the vehicle by phone or online and the E-Car can be reserved for as little as
an hour or for up to several days. Schemes like these have great benefits for local communities and individuals, as it takes
Student Ideas Forum generates mass of responses Amy Washington, VP Education and Welfare spoke about the progression with the multi-faith space. Shannen Rock, VP Comms and Media, said how media is looking up. She spoke about how Crush radio is nearly back on track and that Print is doing well. Shannen also mentioned that UnionTV have some exciting new projects coming up, including, ‘Come Dine with Students’. If you want to get involved be sure to get in touch with UnionTV facebook. On 30 January, the Student Ideas Forum was held on de Havilland campus. With twenty attendees, the forum was a great way for students to get their ideas heard and to voice their opinion. Over 450 ideas were collectted after students were encouraged to put them forward. Most of the Students’ Union Elected
Officers attended and spoke about how their roles were going. Michael Gillett, the President of the Student Union spoke about how he had secured a £50,000 ring fence by estates for teaching rooms, as well at £10,000 to be spent on student activities. Bella Colafrancesco, VP Student Activities spoke about how she
had gained £9826 in funding for the Pongathon, including four new table tennis tables. She also said how there were five new student jobs available, as a result of this. Gurpreet Singh, VP Democracy and Services spoke of a bid he has been working on to get lockers around campus and how an extension of space for societies is also in progress.
com/ComeDineWithStudents or at comedinewithstudents.co.uk. The Student Ideas Forum also announced the decided election committee. The committee members are Alan Borgars, Shabina Ahmed, and Jay Panchmatia. The next Student Ideas Forum will be held on 11th March. If you have any ideas that you want to be heard, contact the Students’ Union tweet #uhideas or for more information, visit hertfordshire.su/ideas
News
4 Question Time session with US Embassy held at UH more difficult to achieve, but also aims for a better representation of the whole population’s wants and needs.
Lucette Level Contributor
On Wednesday 22nd January, the University Chaplaincy and PC Irfan Ishaq organised a ‘Question Time’ session with three members of the United States Government Embassy in the United Kingdom.
Events such as these are a great way to get students more involved with politics, and give us the opportunity to ask all the questions crossing our mind about the United States and current geopolitics. All questions are asked and answered confidentially, for example.
This Question Time session gave fifteen students the opportunity to attend a talk with the members of the Embassy: all kinds questions could be asked, from the silly to the sensitive. Prominent issues included activity in Syria and the Snowden affair, while controversial topics such as Iraq, the Israel and Palestine issues, Guantanamo and gun control were also approached. The talk was a great occasion to get acquainted with members of the United States government without the press filter. It was helpful in understanding the foreign policy of the United States. The several lecturers did not hesitate answering questions on sensitive topics to give their government’s
point of view off the record. Hearing their positions on such controversial issues without the filter of media was really a unique occasion, and highlighted the importance of individual understanding of these topics. As the lecturers predicted,
we all went out of the session thinking, ‘Wow, it’s way more complicated than I thought!’ There is indeed much more at stake in these political issues than we all expected, and the event reminded students that the United States is not the big devil
that our media often depicts it as. The talk was also an opportunity to become more familiar with the United States’ political system, which is completely different from our European ones. The Congress system makes political agreements
These events also allow us to realise the differences between information broadcast by media and reality. We read various sources of information and Western media opinions daily, which are often imprecise and subjective. The Embassy has to cope everyday with the interpretation of media on their government’s actions, and it appears to be really challenging. If you are interested in politics and want to get more involved with worldwide issues, keep an eye out for the next session.
Gas leak on College Lane campus leaves buildings without heating or hot water Kat Morgan Deputy Editor
On Wednesday 5 February, a gas leak was identified on the College Land campus. The gas leak led
to a temporary gas supply being used. The incident did not affect the whole of the College Lane but it did impact many areas of the campus. Buildings including the Key, the Health Research Building, and the Wright Building Extension without heating or hot water. The gas supply was isolated at 12:30pm on Wednesday and it was expected that the room temperature would drop around 3pm. The repairs were expected to be fixed and the gas supply returned to the areas affected by lunchtime on Thursday 6 February however, by the time UniVerse went to print, there was no further news. The University apologised for any inconvenience caused by the incident.
Local & World 5 Death at Hatfield Station Spain introduces anti-abortion acts Priyanka Chavda Contributor
On Monday 27th January, paramedics rushed to Hatfield Train Station, where it had been reported a man was hit by an oncoming train. Hatfield Station, managed by First Capital Connect services, has routes through to London. It was at a standstill for hours whilst paramedics retrieved the body at approximately 12.30pm.
resumed their normal routes. Police from the area have identified the victim as a 31 year old man, from the Chelmsford area of Essex. However, his full identity is yet to revealed. The family of the victim were informed later on in the day, and the police have ruled out any suspicions on the cause of death. However, it is still unclear what the situation was prior to the train incident.
The train, which was headed towards London’s King Cross Station, hit the man at approximately 10.55 on Monday morning. After the incident, First Capital Connect closed the tracks and redirected all its London services via Hertford Loop. A few hours after the incident all First Capital Connect services from Hatfield Station
Lucette Level
and safety procedures, thereby risking their own health and lives.
‘Please, give me some help so that I can go to London to abort,’ Jill Love, actor and model begs in Madrid’s streets to militate against Spain’s law project.
European women are mobilised against this law project: thirteen women in French politics have signed an open letter to the Spanish government, highlighting that the right of women to govern their own bodies is a fundamental right, at the base of sexual equality. It is one major sign of women’s emancipation in our society. Most European parliaments seem to be demanding that Spanish government abandons this plan.
Contributor
Mariano Rajoy’s conservative government has recently approved a legal project limiting abortion rights to such an extent that it could make it almost impossible for women in Spain to access abortion facilities. The law prohibits abortion except in case of ‘physical or psychological danger for the mother’ or pregnancy occuring as a result of rape. According to the law, women will have to obtain the agreement of two different doctors testifying that refusing the abortion would result in physical or psychological danger to the child or mother. This has been added to the law
to avoid excessive declarations. This law is a surprise for both Spanish population and Europe, as Spain was one of the first European countries to vote in laws against sexist violence. Médecins sans Frontières, the French humanitarian nongovernmental organisation, states that placing such severe laws on abortion as Spain’s project would not make abortion figures fall: they would make them rise even higher. Wealthy women would go abroad to abort, while women who could not afford it would be forced to undergo dangerous treatments without the required hygiene
‘If you think women are competent enough to run Germany and the IMF, then surely they are competent enough to decide about their own bodies and their own lives!’ says Dutch member of the European parliament, Sophie in ‘t Veld. This law project still needs to be voted on in Spain, but it is currently expected to pass as the conservative Popular Party has the majority in Parliament.
Syria hopeful after Geneva negotions eCigarettes banned to under 18s Priyanka Chavda
Priyanka Chavda
Contributor
Contributor
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad (pictured below) spoke at the Geneva Peace Talks this month, where he stated that women and children were free to leave the besieged area of Homs in Syria. Since the start of the Syrian civil conflict in 2011, more than 100,000 lives have been claimed. Armed groups have been preventing people from leaving the area and women and children were initially forced to remain in besieged areas. Lakhdar Brahimi, the Algerian diplomat representing the UN and Arab League, has said the opposition has agreed to give the government a list which
The UK government has announced a ban on under-18s purchasing electronic cigarettes.
contains the names of detainees by the armed forces. However, in return the armed groups have asked the government to release a number of prisoners kept in government detentions. With the list of names being
given to the government, Brahimi hopes that the humanitarian convoy from the UN and the Red Cross will be able to go to Homs from the 27th to aid those in need. Mekdad said he hopes arrangements will be made with local officials to get aid to those in need and to prevent aid from reaching the armed groups. It has been ordered that women and children will be allowed to leave the area immediately, but adult males have been asked to stay. A session took place between the government and the opposition, and the talks involved respectful exchange between the two parties. Negotiations took place through Brahimi, who hopes that the atmosphere from this talk in Geneva will follow in upcoming discussions.
Currently, experts do not know what harm the tobacco-free cigarettes can do to the health of young people, but England’s Chief Medical Officer has said they are sure it is not risk free. The e-cigarettes could be producing toxic chemicals which are extremely damaging to the health of young people and adults.
The battery-operated devices can be brought online, in chemists and newsagents, and they allow the smoker’s body to receive nicotine without actually smoking a cigarette.
The smoke from the device is considered to be less harmful than cigarette smoke, and is free of damaging substances such as tar. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death in the UK, with around 100,000 people every year dying. It is because of this that experts want to bring the number of young smokers down and introduce the law banning e-cigarettes as well as regular cigarettes for underage citizens, which would be in the line with the current restrictions on alcohol sale.
The e-cigarette ban could be enforced as soon as Autumn of this year, and anyone under 18 caught with an e-cigarette could be fined from £50 to £2,500.
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Features
SU’s new History Society needs you! Gemma Fulton Contributor
Are you interested in having fun with your friends while engaging in stimulating meetings and intellectual debates about the past? If so, come and join the History Society, where a social yet motivating environment is what we aim to achieve. The History Society is not a place for extra work and stress on top of your busy university life. It is the place for all to voice their opinions about something they enjoy and are passionate about. All are welcome and you do not have to be a history student to attend. Debates, quizzes and guest speakers are just some of the
many events that will take place during our weekly meetings. There will be the opportunity for members of the society to suggest themes and topics they wish to discuss in later weeks. So far, some of the suggested topics include history in relation to current affairs, the anniversary of the First World War, Irish history and gender conflict. But don’t worry if that doesn’t sound exactly the type of history you are interested in, as each week we will aim to do different things and these themes are not set in stone! The History Society is a fantastic way to meet like-minded people at a forum to exchange and develop ideas, whilst also catering for your social needs. It’s not
just a bunch of boring History nerds discussing their favourite historical topics, and of course a history social will not be forgotten! To feel comfortable speaking freely with one another, everyone needs to get to know the other members of the society, so nights out and trips to various museums (or even just team building events) are a part of the society’s social atmosphere. Meetings are held weekly from 7pm until 8pm on Monday in M133 on the de Havilland campus. For more information, or if you need to contact the society, follow the University of Hertfordshire History Society: Find us on Twitter - @UHHistorySoc or like us on Facebook – UH History Society.
Features 7
Geek Lounge: has Facebook lost its cool? are also on the rise, despite Instagram being owned by Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg.
Buwa Tetsola Contributor
Young adults and social networking go together like bread and butter. It’s been an unofficial, but nonetheless established trend within our society that online services such as Facebook are dominated by young people.
Recent reports have also stated that Zuckerberg offered $3bn to acquire Snapchat, arguably in a bid to stay relevant and promote their would-be Snapchat killer app, Poke. However, his offer was rejected, which once again leaves Facebook in its steady decline.
So what happens when a young person wakes up one morning and checks Facebook, to suddenly find out that their mother has sent them a friend request? Or their aunt? Or any other family relative for that matter? The entire landscape of the website changes.
In spite of the statistics and current trends, this does not necessarily mean that Facebook will become the next MySpace, which sizzled into irrelevancy around 2009. There has been a change in the demographic, a change which Zuckerberg must take into account if his intends to ensure the social network’s virility.
As the influx of older people increases, it becomes progressively more apparent that Facebook is no longer ‘young people’ territory. The statistics reiterate my point.
So, what do young people do when faced with such a calamity? We go elsewhere to tend to our social
ubiquity would have to be Twitter. Piper Jaffray’s 26th semi-annual market research project, ‘Taking
Like the first step in the twelve-step program, he has admitted that Facebook is no longer cool, nor will it be ever again, when he stated: ‘People assume that we’re trying to be cool. It’s never been my goal. I’m the least cool person there is! We’re almost 10 years old so we’re definitely not a niche thing any more, so that kind of angle for coolness is done for us.’
networking
Stock with Teens’, states that Twitter is the social network most important to young teenagers. The simpler platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram
Ultimately, the end result is still going to be the same. Young people are moving out, and older people are moving in. Facebook isn’t what it used to be.
According to Pew Internet, 71% of adults were using Facebook as of September 2013, which is rather surprising if you think about it. Take into account how many of them could be our parents or family relatives, or even potential employers, and you will understand just how worrying the figures look for us young folk. We don’t want to deal with the awkwardness of having to explain to our family and relatives why we didn’t accept their friend request, since we already have to deal with
it amongst our peers. And this is coupled with the fact that potential employers now view the Facebook profiles of their applicants. The truth is: the infamous social networking platform that we all know - but don’t really love as much as we used to has become too complicated for young people to maintain.
needs,
of
course.
We turn to the alternatives, which come in a variety of forms. The most popular in terms of
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Features
Features 9
RAG’s Jailbreak returns: how far will you go? Ani O’Neill Print Editor
Hertfordshire Students’ Union Raise and Give (Herts RaG) is holding it’s second Jailbreak event this month (February 21st). This year the event is being held in aid of KidsCan – a children’s cancer research charity – one of RaG’s three official charities of this year. Jailbreak is a charity event where students have 36 hours to get as far away from the University of Hertfordshire as possible, without spending any money on travel. Last year saw Hertfordshire students
reaching as far away as Milan in Italy. After the success of last year’s Jailbreak, RaG decided to team up with KidsCan to bring it back, who will monitor the participants and keep in contact with them for the duration of the challenge. They are an experienced charity when it comes to running Jailbreaks and have safely organised 500 people in Jailbreak challenges before. Students wishing to take part in Jailbreak have to raise £120 for KidsCan in order to enter, and the money raised will go towards funding the charity’s vital research into children’s cancer treatment. Hertfordshire Students’ Union RaG Officer Jack Amos said, ‘Jailbreak such a good opportunity for students to take part in and raise money for a fantastic charity.‘ RaG have held several successful information meetings for the event, and signups are now open via: www.kidscanevents. org.uk/jailbreak/Herts-Jailbreak
Professor Green and Cascada perform for Refreshers’ Week Ani O’Neill Print Editor
Saturday 19th January kicked off Refreshers Week at the Forum Hertfordshire. With seven nights of entertainment coinciding with the end of semester A’s exams and deadlines, the Forum experienced some of its busiest nights of this academic year.
The opening night saw Smirnoff Saturday in the Forum and Amplify’s deep house and tech upstairs in the Attic, before Krept & Konan kicked off the first Milkshake of
2014 on Monday 20th January. Krept & Konan are a double act from South London who have made an impact on the UK underground scene, and whose popularity has put them in a strong position for mainstream assimilation. Tuesday’s student-friendly ticket price of £1 meant that Ministry of Pound proved to be a busy night, and Crush Underground
member Frankie Munns got to DJ. But while Tuesday was a success, Ministry of Pound was not as busy as Wednesday’s Bonk and Friday’s
Flirt!, which respectively saw Professor Green and Greg James grace the Forum with their talents. Professor Green performed hits such as ‘Need You’ ‘Tonight’, ‘Just Be Good to Green’, Remedy and Number one hit ‘Read All About It’ to a packed Auditorium. Thursday’s Breakout! took place in the Attic with a TV Takeover theme, with students dressing up as famous characters from television shows, a nod to the National Television Awards that took place on the 22nd January. Flirt! was a sell-out on Friday night (they even opened up the balcony - gasp!), with Greg James playing some crowd favourites that catered to all tastes. Refreshers Week closed with German dance trio Cascada performing 2005 club favourite ‘Everytime We Touch’, among others. This month will see Scott Mills DJ on Friday 7th February, a Traffic Light Party the following week for Valentine’s Day and a performance from Fatman Scoop on the 26th February.
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Features
SU Blog: Bella Colafrancesco, VP Student Activities Bella Colafrancesco VP Student Activities What a crazy, fantastic, unbelievable 6 months I’ve had so far in my role as Vice President Student Activities. Every day has been a new experience but I’ve loved every minute. Just in the last week we welcomed the new and returning students back to Semester B and the staff at the Students’ Union managed to talk to over 450 students, collecting student ideas from them all. This is an amazing achievement and is certainly going to keep all of the Elected Officers incredibly busy! I’ve been working on lots of projects to help you all gain more than just a degree and get the best experience possible through student activities. Within the Athletic Union I have created some new initiatives including ClubMark and the AU Ambassador scheme. For those of you that are involved in sport;
with your club you are able to build upon lots of skills through these projects with your team mates as well as on your own to gain rewards and also build upon those all-important graduate attributes. But even if you’re not involved in sport, there are plenty of ways you can still get to build upon your own graduate attributes with the Students’ Union. With your society, you can participate in the STAMPS programme and even gain rewards, or volunteer your time with our amazing one day projects which are all here to make sure that at the end of your University journey, you have some great memories! I have also been working on a few funding applications this year. Have any of you wondered where the table tennis tables went from the Forum foyer? Unfortunately, last year the tables were damaged and needed replacing, but I can exclusively reveal that through one of my funding applications,
Festival returns to Herts
the Students’ Union will be buying four new table tennis tables for you all to use again! These will be arriving in late February so keep an eye out for them, as well a new evening session in the Auditorium called Pongathon. You guys will have the opportunity to attend ‘try it sessions’ in addition to doubles competitions on a weekly basis with themed nights, DJs and even a PongBot! Late last year, I received some fantastic news. In March I will be attending FISU Forum (International University Sports Federation) in Gwanju, Korea. I have been selected to be the female student representative for Great Britain and the University of Hertfordshire. I will be presenting about how sport can develop young leaders to delegates from all over the world. Don’t forget that you can contact me via email at vp.activities@ hertfordshire.su or on Twitter: @ HertsSUBella, and I wish you a happy and successful Semester B!
The Grumpy Corner Mr Grumpy Contributor
Kat Morgan
Deputy Print Editor Sonisphere Festival is returning to Knebworth Park this summer. From 4th-6th July, the park will be home to thousands of music lovers alike, with The Prodigy, Iron Maiden and Metallica headlining the festival. Other acts playing over the weekend include Limpbizkit, Alice in Chains, Slayer, and Chas and Dave. Since its beginning in 2009, Sonisphere Festival is a touring music festival which takes place right across Europe over the
summer months. Owned by John Jackson and Kilimanharo Live, the festival is held in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, and Romania, to name just a few of its locations. This will be the forth UK festival and will be celebrating forty years of rock concerts at the Hertfordshire stately home. It has been confirmed that Metallica will perform an interactive ‘By Request’ set on the Sunday night which will allow ticket holders to vote for the songs that they wish for the band to play during their headlining slot.
I must confess that I enjoy partaking in the illicit pleasures of modern technology such as sharing pictures on Snapchat or mindlessly scrolling through posts from people that I couldn’t care less about. However, regardless of the positive aspects to the cyber world we need to understand when to stop. Websites such as Twitter and Facebook have created an opportunity for us all to have those five minutes of fame that our egos crave. What better place to
force your opinion down people’s throats than the World Wide Web? What better place to make a sweeping statement when hidden behind the walls of a computer?
We need to understand that these verbal flourishes that we haphazardly throw out in the real world are permanent when published in a status that is accessible to anyone. Not only are our words captured, but our actions too. What happened to leaving those drunken embarrassments of the night before to the private anecdotes of your friends, rather than having pictures eternally plastered on websites for everyone to see? As well as this inescapable bigbrother aspect of social-networking it has also eaten into our capability of human contact. What’s the point of hearing your friend’s account of the weekend when you can turn to your trusty omniscient friend Facebook? What’s the point in falling in love if it’s not confirmed by your relationship status?
It depresses me to see that human connections are diminishing due to the dependence of the android. My hopes in humanity are continuously lowered when I see a group of friends’ faces glowing not from the joy of each other’s company but the luminous light of Candy Crush. I’m not saying that I don’t fall a victim to these actions myself but we need to help each other from the force of technology before it engulfs our personalities completely. I feel that it is time for all of us to get our heads out of our phones and face reality.
Features 11
UniVerse interviews Flare finalist Greg McClarnon often use a photograph from a night out or a photo snapped on a smart phone. It doesn’t give prospective employers a good first impression.’
Kat Morgan & Ani O’Neill Print Editors Greg McClarnon is a University of Hertfordshire Business student who was a finalist in last year’s Flare Competition. His business, Splaat Media, involves him travelling the country and visiting schools, taking photos of school performances and events. UniVerse: interested and
As it’s important for students to make a good first impression on prospective employers, Greg is setting up a professional photo booth in the de Havilland Atrium on Tuesday 18th February between 8.30am and 5.30pm.
Were you always in business photography?
Greg: When I was about 12 or 13 I made a short film, but that was about it. I actually started the business when I was at college. My old secondary school asked me to take photos of a school show for them, and then other local schools heard about it and it sort of snowballed from there! At one point I was working at 50 to 60 schools a week. I’ve always been more interested in the business side of things, but obviously I enjoy photography. I got a really good camera one year as a present, so that helped! U: What’s the best aspect of your business? G: The best thing is that I have complete control over the business: I get to decide which direction the business is going in. Plus, the work is really worthwhile. Parents are able to take away a permanent record of their child’s achievements, which will stay with them forever. I sometimes get kids coming up to me saying they still have the photo I took of them five years ago, which is always nice to hear. U: And is this a full-time thing? G: I’m a third year Business Studies student – I’m on a placement year right now. It’s my final year next year, and as soon as I graduate I can focus on the business full-time. U: What was experience with Flare
your like?
G: Absolutely fantastic. The whole process was amazing. We stayed in a hotel and took part in a business boot-camp with loads of different workshops. Quite a lot of the other people there hadn’t actually started their businesses yet – they just had an idea. Because of
Students will be able to have a professional photo taken for only £5. The photo will then be emailed to them for use on their LinkedIn profile, amongst other websites. For example, Creative Arts students will be able to use the photo on their online portfolios. Around 78% of recruiters check LinkedIn to find out more about applicants. Greg’s venture will provide a professional photograph, thus improving students’ employability prospects. that, most of the workshops were aimed at them, lots of things to do with marketing and promoting and just general start-up information. Regardless, it was still so useful to me, and the networking opportunities were fantastic. U: So was Flare useful in helping to improve your business? G: Oh my word, yes. All of the nominees had their own promotional videos, filmed on location with a professional crew. It was really exciting. Learning different pitching techniques was particularly useful. Also, the presentation skills workshops were really beneficial. U: What would you say to students who were interested in applying for Flare? G: My advice to others would be, draw up a simple business plan. Think about things such as pricing and promotion, but don’t waste your time over-thinking it. Do a little bit of planning then actually do it. Trial your idea and get some feedback from your target market. See if it works. Keep it simple and check that it’s viable. U: Congratulations on winning Dean’s Award for Entrepreneurship 2013! What did that mean to you?
G: In terms of the Dean’s Award, it was nice to have recognition after working so hard. I think it’s fantastic that the University has awards like this, as it really is a good incentive for students to work hard. The ceremony was great too – there was a really fantastic atmosphere. U: How has studying at UH helped your future prospects? G: The facilities at UH have been so beneficial to me. The Enterprise Department has been so helpful: I’ve been provided with free office space, the aforementioned workshops and boot-camps, and there are other new businesses in the offices, so it’s great to be able to talk over business ideas with them. Also, when I lived in halls on de Havilland Campus, it was really difficult to get parking, and I really needed a car at uni in order for me to visit more schools, so as to branch out the business. The University sorted that out for me, because they knew how important it was for my business, and they fully supported me. U: Would you recommend studying at UH to other aspiring businessmen and women? G: Yes. Herts absolutely lived up to my expectations. The whole reason I came to the University
of Hertfordshire was the entrepreneurial opportunities that the University offers: essentially, that was what made my mind up in terms of deciding where to study. There have been so many opportunities that have helped my business grow. Though I haven’t had as much time to spend on the business whilst I’ve been studying, I know I’ve benefited so much from what I’ve learnt from my course, on top of the facilities and opportunities that I have been provided with. U: What highlight of
has your
been a time here?
G: A definite highlight for me took place at the Enterprise Centre in Stevenage, where I got to meet the Duke of Edinburgh and tell him about my business. Another clear highpoint was the Flare Awards Ceremony. It really was such a massive event; so exciting, with an amazing atmosphere. Like a real awards ceremony. Greg is currently in the process of setting up his newest business venture, which is related to LinkedIn, the social networking website for professionals. As Greg himself notes, students are inclined to unprofessional photos for their LinkedIn profile, ‘students
Nominations for Flare opened on Saturday 1st February, and close on Friday 28th February. The competition is open to all current students and any graduates who have graduated within the last three years. You can enter with a business idea or with your business if you are already set-up. Don’t be put off by the word ‘business’ - ideas can include new product designs, not-forprofit ventures, mobile app ideas, new services, to name but a few. Entrants can win up to £8,000 cash, and over 800 entrants have taken part in the competition since its launch nine years ago. To enter, you must submit a video entry online of your business idea or venture. More information can be found at go.herts.ac.uk/flare or by emailing the Enterprise Team at enterprise@herts.ac.uk.
Features
12
Society interview: Chamber Orchestra C: We meet every Thursday evening to play arrangements of music which society members have found/suggested. This year we have students studying composition and they worked together to compose the music for the collaboration with the drama society in the pantomime of Snow White: Princesses Assemble.
C: My most memorable moment with the society so far has been going to EleHouse after the final performance of the pantomime, and everyone in the orchestra bought me drinks because it was my birthday that day!
C: Our aim as a society is to get instrumentalists of all abilities together to play different genres of music as a full orchestra, as well as small groups from duets to quartets. Meeting in a friendly environment, we also aim to have members discussing ideas of pieces that they would like to play and encourage them to find the pieces or try to arrange it themselves.
Our socials are often held after practicing pieces of music on Thursdays, and we move over to the EleHouse or Style Bar, where we all get to chat to each other while enjoying some drinks.
U: How often does your society meet? What do meetings and socials usually entail?
U: What has been your most memorable moment during your time in this society?
C: The society is very important to my university life because music has always been a significant part of my life since primary school. I am so glad that I get to play the flute at university with other talented and wonderful musicians.
Ani O’Neill Print Editor
UniVerse interviewed Clare Abbott of the Hertfordshire Students’ Union Chamber Orchestra Society. UniVerse: What society are you a member of and what is your position in the society?
U: How important is the society to your university life? Why?
Clare: I am a member of the Chamber Orchestra society. I do not have a committee position but I have been a member since September 2012 and I am a flautist. U: What mantra
is
your or
society’s aims?
It is also great to socialise with people who are not studying
the same course as me. I am definitely proud to be a member of such a friendly and fun society.
get on really well; they are definitely more than just people I meet every week, they are my friends!
U: join
others society?
U: What events or socials have you had so far this year?
C: We greatly encourage musicians of all musical abilities to join us for fun sessions of playing a variety of music; from classical music by Beethoven and Mozart to jazz and even arrangements of popular songs (we have performed an orchestral arrangement of Titanium in the past!) People interested in composing are welcome to come along as we would love to perform your pieces of music. Everyone is welcome to listen to what we play if listening to performances is what interests you. Any new people who come along are guaranteed to experience a friendly environment where you’ll be welcomed by all of the members!
C: At the University open day in October, we performed pieces of music by the entrance of the Forum near Style Bar while prospective students were on campus tours. A screening of the film Elf took place on in the Weston Auditorium in December and prior to this, we performed some Christmas carols. Our collaboration with the drama society took place on the 6th and 7th December 2013, in which we also played music, including Christmas carols, during the interval for each performance. We also performed a few pieces at both of the Freshers Fairs which sparked interest in students who listened.
U: of
Why
should your
What is the best part being in this society?
C: The best part of being in the orchestra for me is that I always look forward to meeting everyone on Thursday evenings. All the students are so lovely and we all
U: Have you upcoming events
got any for 2014?
C: We will be playing music at the Student Recognition Evening in April and we are also discussing some potential flash mobs and a showcase to show our talents to the University.
Society interview: Drama friendly
Ani O’Neill Print Editor
UniVerse interviewed Da of the Drama
U: What mantra
am
Drama Vice
is
your or
each
other.
U: What events or socials have you had so far this year?
Raeesa Society.
R: We performed our Pantomime ‘Snow White’ in December, and been Living Statues in the Forum for an afternoon. We also had a Murder Mystery event to raise money for the charity ActsOne ArtsBase.
UniVerse: What society are you a member of and what is your position in the society? Raeesa: and I
with
Society, President.
U: Have you upcoming events
society’s aims?
R: To have fun, and welcome all students who enjoy various aspects of Drama.
often run fun drama workshops, play games or rehearse for any shows we have coming up!
U: How often does your society meet? What do meetings and socials usually entail?
U: What has been your most memorable moment during your time in this society?
R: Some of my closest friends are from the society, so the Drama Society has definitely always made me feel welcome at the university.
R: Twice a week- Tuesdays and Thursdays, both 7pm-9pm. We
R: of
U: join
Winning the Year
Society last year!
U: How important is the society to your university life? Why?
Why
should your
others society?
R: We are a really friendly and diverse group of people, all with different interests and talents, yet we all get along greatly! U: of
What is the best part being in this society?
R: Being able to go to a place where everyone is close and
got any for 2014?
R: We are currently rehearsing for two performances: one for our showcase, which will be on the 7th and 8th March. We were also awarded the Diamond Fund grant, with which we will be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. We will also be holding a 32 Hour Challenge, and a monologue and duologue challenge in the coming months.
Features 13
Society interview: Baking and
Ani O’Neill Print Editor
UniVerse interviewed Shana Walker of the Baking Society. UniVerse: What society are you a member of and what is your position in the society? Shana: I am the Chairwoman of the Baking Society. U: What mantra
is
your or
society’s aims?
socials
usually
entail?
to your university life? Why?
S: We meet every Tuesday at 12pm for an hour. For three out of four meetings we have lessons on how to bake something you like, which members can lead if they wish. The fourth lesson is the Society Bake Off! We give you a theme or challenge and you get the chance to win prizes!
S: Very important because food is part of daily life and being able to make it enjoyable is key! It gets people together who share a common interest and you can learn, have a laugh and eat all at the same time! Perfect!
U: What has been your most memorable moment during your time in this society?
S: We aim to show people how easy and rewarding it is to bake sweet and savoury treats and to encourage more university students to cook and bake for their friends and family.
S: Every bake off is amazing! We had the winner get an interview for Crush Radio. Also, judging the University Bake Off last Summer, we all went on to the university barbeque afterwards and had a laugh.
U: How often does your society meet? What do meetings
U: How important is the society
U: join
Why
should your
others society?
S: Tasting, obviously! But getting everyone fully involved in the lessons so they get messy too! U: What events or socials have you had so far this year? S: Last semester we raised money for Children In Need, sold cakes for the Drama Society’s production and baked a cake to raise money
for the disaster in the Philippines. U: Have you upcoming events
got any for 2014?
S: We have a Bake Off on the 18th of February and we are looking to hold a coffee morning soon to raise money for MS Society. We will also be holding a bake sale for Comic Relief!
S: It is a great way to meet lots of different people on different courses and to learn scrummy recipes from your friends. It’s also a great way to raise money for charity and connect you to other societies and businesses. Did I mention we get to eat cake? U: of
What is the best part being in this society?
Believers Loveworld Society wins three awards Believers Loveworld
to
Contributors
We hope this achievement will encourage and inspire other Christian Societies to become even more steadfast with the work of the ministry and a unique beacon of God’s Love.
On December 13th, 2013, the Believers Loveworld Society was in attendance at the Believers Loveworld Campus Ministry Christmas Concert and Awards. Over 70 Universities and Specialised Colleges all around the United Kingdom converged at the Loveworld TV Complex to celebrate the achievements and impact of both Zonal/Collective Universities and Individual Universities. Our Believers Loveworld Society was the winner of three prestigious awards on the night. Awards for being the Most Improved Fellowship amongst the plethora of University Fellowships in the United Kingdom, awards for being a Top Participator on Yookos; our social media network that is a unique platform for the world and full of extraordinary promise. Award for second position in soul wininng for the year 2013. Believers Loveworld are especially grateful to Our Heavenly Father for this wonderful opportunity
proclaim
His
Gospel.
Furthermore, this represents a new window of opportunity for other Christian Societies in the University of Hertfordshire to achieve new heights Our society meetings are held every Tuesday at 7pm at the Rotunda, the Key and Sunday at 4:30pm both in the Rotunda, The Key.
Features Discussion Page: 14
Editor: The views expressed in the following articles are not those of the UniVerse or the University of Hertfordshire Students’ Union. If you have any strong views about the following topic or any others then please send us an article at
Celebrities manipulate the media in order to make more money have ventured further into their personal lives! Now I don’t know about you but if Katie Price is more than happy to write willingly about her sex life in her so-called self-penned autobiographies, why shouldn’t journalists be rooting around her bins?
Anonymous Contributor
The phone hacking scandal that has been front page news in the UK for the past two and a half years has led to much public debate about, not only the role of journalists, but also whether celebrities should be given the privilege of a private life. News of the World was targeted as the baddie of the media world during the scandal and ended up releasing its last ever issue on 10 July 2011. However, former News of the World journalist, Paul McMullan said that the paper was ‘one of the least bad offenders’ at hacking, and claimed that other newspapers were ‘much worse.’ Speaking about the glamour model Katie Price, McMullan made it clear that celebrities such as her manipulate the media in order to make more money. He spoke about
a time when Price was getting her hair done and gave him the finger through the door. Speaking about the event, McMullan said: ‘I sold it for £2000. She knew exactly what she was doing.’ Reality ‘celebrities’ and other talentless individuals seem to be able to gain a ridiculous amount of media coverage talking about their private lives. Then they complain when the press
Don’t get me wrong, I think it was disgusting and shameful that News of the World journalists interfered with Millie Dowler’s phone. The fact that her loved ones have had to go through further torment through the Levenson Enquiries is unforgivable and I am pleased that so many of those that were guilty have been embarrassingly fired. However, why should the press get all the blame when the majority of the minor celebrities that have stories written about them following phone hacking benefit from it also? Would Amy Childs and Spencer Matthews have made so much money if it wasn’t for the likes of the newspapers and magazines
writing about every scandal in their private lives? Quite simply, no. They need the press just as much, if not more than the press needs them. With the majority of celebrities giving the public an insight in to their private lives through Twitter, it is clear that in order for celebrities to stay in the public eye, more and more of their personal life needs to be open to the public. Lord Grade, the former BBC boss argued that he would condone phone hacking if it was the only way of exposing wrong doing. If a celebrity who is considered to be a role model does something deemed irresponsible and wrong, why should the press not uncover their actions for the world to see? If you are in a position whereby you chose a career that means that you are in the public eye, you have to be able to handle the strong media presence in your life.
Celebrities should be able to live without fear of media interference Kat Morgan
Deputy Print Editor
Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few years, you will have a fairly good idea why celebrities hate the media. With the likes of Jude Law, Charlotte Church and Hugh Grant all vocally sharing their views as to why the media should not be damaging their private lives, it seems the general public have mixed views on this matter. Being a journalism student, I guess Perhaps I should support the side of the media mongrels, Rupert Murdoch and all his eager minions, but I can’t help but think that even people in the public eye should be granted some sort of private life. When people like Sienna Miller and Chris Tarrant, who I consider to be skilled at their art, have their bins rummaged through to find just that one piece of evidence which could
ultimately not only end their career but severely damage personal relationships and everyday life, that doesn’t seem right. Reading about the recent trial
involving British actor Jude Law, you can clearly understand why so many celebrities are taking legal action. Law stated in court that the press would turn up to places he had privately arranged
to meet his young children and begin taking photos. And yes, Jude Law chose to adopt a career in the limelight - but his children didn’t. Why should they be part of this media man hunt and competition to get the best personal photo? At the same trial, Law also learnt which of his family members sold to the press personal information about him. Now if that doesn’t destroy a family dynamic, I don’t know what would! With the birth of Twitter, celebrities are now, more than ever, able to share their innermost secrets, photos and general observations about their private lives. Why do photographers STILL feel the need to invade them even more? Of course, I sympathise with some of the reverse argument. ‘Celebrities’ born out of talentless reality shows maybe shouldn’t be granted the same level of privacy as, say, Millie Dowler’s parents.
With people like Jordon publically slamming the media for being too involved in her private life, then posing with her innocently shy children at her side for the latest issue of OK! Magazine, it is somewhat hard to argue that the press should not invade. Nevertheless, the fact that so many previously successful journalists and media executives being fired and even taken to court, the importance and significance of this case has been acknowledged. Let’s hope that some good can come out of the tale, and future journalists will understand the difference between celebrities’ public and private lives.
16
Features
UH students prepare for LGBT History Month
Antonica Jones
Deputy Print Editor February brings with it LGBT History Month, and Herts SU LGBT+ Society are putting on a month of exciting events to celebrate! LGBT History Month is an event which seeks to celebrate the lives and achievements of members of the LGBT community. This might include scientific achievements, such as Alan Turing, the famous World War II codebreaker who was persecuted in 1952 for homosexuality; or writer
Oscar Wilde, who was trialed under the same laws. LGBT celebration is inarguably more important now than ever, with Russia enforcing anti-LGBT laws with little resistance. This month will feature countless university societies, organisations and charities pulling together to put on LGBT events across the country - including National Student Pride, a weekend festival which is taking place from 21st to 23nd February! The events kicked off for University of Hertfordshire students with a film screening on Wednesday 5th February. Members were invited to come
along and watch the eye-opening documentary‘(A) Sexual’, which confronts the cultural stereotypes and misconceptions associated with asexuality. A discussion was held afterwards to talk about what the documentary’s issues mean for those who identify as asexual in such a highly sexualised culture, and members talked about their own experiences with asexuality and how they felt asexuality is defined and represented in
t o d a y s ’ s o c i e t y . This week, on Wednesday 12th February, the Society is collaborating with Hertfordshire SU’s Spoken Word and Poetry Society and Baking Society to present The Big Gay Bake-off and Poetry Night! This will be a night of self-expression, poetry and cake. Attendees are asked to bring along homemade cakes, to be judged by Baking Society, and a poem to read aloud which expresses
their identity – either of their own creation, or a poem they’ve found. The event will be held in room C400 on College Lane campus, at 7pm. On Wednesday 19th February The Society is hosting an arts workshop night, with members running arts and craft tables for a fun social evening. Workshops include painting, photography, rainbow flags and friendship bracelets, with more to be revealed on the night! The event starts again at 7pm in room C400. The Society’s National Student Pride events is taking place on Saturday 22nd February, where the excitement will culminate for the weekend’s events. Although students can attend any of the Pride weekend events with a ticket, LGBT+ Society are organising an exclusive trip on the Saturday for UH students. Attendees will travel up together to enjoy the daytime festival, and those who want to, can stay for the club night at popular LGBT London club, G-A-Y. Although there will not be a Society trip on the Friday or Sunday, ticketholders also have the opportunity to see the opening ceremony on Friday, and attend a number of LGBT film screenings on the Sunday.
Tickets are available for £6 (for entrance to the entire weekend’s events) from the Society’s Herts SU page at hertfordshire. su/activities/societies/6284. If you’d like to attend the event with Herts SU LGBT+ Society, contact lgbtas@gmail.com for more information. The month’s events will draw to a close with a meal at the Galleria, followed by the Society’s usual Half Price Cocktails night at the Style Bar, on Thursday 27th February. If you’re interested in any of these events, or for more information on joining LGBT+ Society, contact lgbtas@gmail.com, or join their facebook page at facebook.com/ groups/HertsSU.LGBT. UH Equality Office will also be running events for LGBT History month throughout February. They are holding three LGBT-themed film screenings during the month, with free pizza for attendees! The films on show are /Margarita/ on Monday 10th February at 7pm, /Weekend/ on Tuesday 18th at 7pm, and /Myra Breckenridge/ on Monday 24th at 7pm. The film showings will take place in the Attic and are free for all students to attend. For more information about the UH Equality
Features 17
Study Abroad Blog: UniVerse’s Kealie Mardell on life in the States Kealie Mardell
venues, filled with skanking, stage diving, and back-stage access.
After returning home for Christmas I’m even more determined to make the most of the rest of my time in California.
With all that has been going on, it’s hard to imagine how I’ve found the time to go to classes! But yes I am still studying and living the campus life with my incredible dorm mates here at Cal State Long Beach.
Contributor
Spending January on the beach seems as far from the cold winter of England as I can get, and I couldn’t be happier! I last wrote for the UniVerse study abroad blog shortly after arriving in Long Beach and it has been a hectic few months since then.
Which brings me nicely to the most incredible thing I’ve found since studying abroad - the people you meet. They are the ones making this experience for me. Whether Studying abroad really makes you catch the travel bug, and being in America opens up a wealth of opportunities.
included the extravagant holiday celebrations, with an over-the-top Halloween and my first Thanksgiving.
During last semester my travels included San Francisco, San Diego and an incredible 21st birthday in Las Vegas. Hopefully the coming months will be filled with even more adventures.
I’m happy Christmas was spent at home though; it wouldn’t have been the same without family and frost-bite!
Wish me luck - Next on the list is crossing the border into Mexico. A taste of American life also
it’s the locals, people in my dorms, or other exchange students from around the world, these are people I would never have met had I still been in England. I’m truly honoured and count myself lucky to be able to share this time with them, and I hope that our incredible memories together will form lasting friendships. One thing I’ve decided is that this won’t be the last that the sun-soaked coast of California sees of me. Who knows what the future could hold!
Living in the greater Los Angeles area has also opened up the music scene for me, with personal favourites including a mix of metal and ska shows at some iconic
Model UN Society to attend international conference Ani O’Neill
Print Editor
The Model United Nations (UN) is a society that acts as a simulation of the UN. All members of the society represent different countries in varying committees, tackling contemporary world issues in the process. The Model UN meets every Thursday at 5.30pm in W042 in the Law Building, where they prepare for upcoming conferences as well as holding socials such as game nights, film nights and fundraising events. On the 15th January, for example, the Model UN Society spearheaded
a Back 2 Uni party in collaboration with the Ukulele, Acapella and Drama Societies, which also functioned as a fundraising event. £102.18 was raised, all of which will go to UNICEF. At present, the Model UN is in
talks with Mankind Mission, a student-led project that promotes volunteer work and on the aid of victims of war, persecution and disasters the world over. Currently,
the Model UN
are
planning to assist Mankind Mission a public forum event next month, which will focus on the issue of the ethnic minority Rohingya who are being heavily persecuted in Burma (Myanmar). Emails regarding the event have been sent to several individuals and organisations, such as the Human Rights Watch, Myanmar Embassy, a UH law lecturer and a human rights activist. Aside from this, the Model UN has a particularly exciting upcoming event – the London International Model United Nations (LIMUN) conference on Friday 21st February 2014. Attending this conference is a first for the University of Hertfordshire. The LIMUN conference has a reputation for its exceptional standards of debate regarding pressing issues within the global political agenda, and it welcomes 1500 delegates from across the world. Eleven students from the University of Hertfordshire will be attending the event.
Sean Ryan, Chair of the Model UN Society is particularly looking forward to the event because it is the largest of its kind in Europe. He states, ‘Delegations from all over the world and from all kinds of universities, such as Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Hong Kong, will all be attending!’ Considering that the Model UN Society was only set up last year and, with 22 members, they are a relatively small society. This only makes their achievements so far even more impressive. The conference takes place from Friday 21st Sunday 23rd February, at Imperial College London. You can contact the Model UN Society on Facebook at: facebook.com/groups/UHMUN or on Twitter at: @UHModelUNSoc If you’d like to find out more about Mankind Mission, visit them on Facebook: at facebook. com/UHSUmankindmission or on Twitter: @MankindUH
18
Features
Does social media help or hinder long distance relationships? Kat Morgan
Deputy Print Editor
Is social media good or bad for your long distance relationship? For many students, a long distance relationship is just one of the many things they have to juggle during their time at university. Social media sites can be a godsend to those geographically restricted couples, allowing them to talk and share photos for free. However, it can also have the opposite effect, and in fact lead to the breaking down of some long distance couples. The charities OnePlusOne and The Student Room recently carried out a survey which showed that a third of couples felt Facebook was partly to blame for the breakdown of their long distance relationship (‘LDR’), while one in ten blamed Twitter. One fifth of the people surveyed said that their LDR ended because one partner cheated, and the other found out through photos posted on social media sites. Though you could certainly argue that here, the fault lies in the cheater, not the photos. Social media sites have become an essential part of long distance relationships, with a massive 75% of students saying they use sites such as Facebook and Twitter to talk and send photos to stay in contact while they are apart. And more than eight out of ten students in LDRs use texting and ‘WhatsApp’ at least once a day to stay in touch with each other while 44% ‘sext’ or send intimate photos to one another. But although Facebook can be fantastic way to stay in contact, it can also create a level of uncertainty and can make it
hard for someone to trust their partner. Facebook-related jealousy is becoming a real problem for some long distance couples. Jack Wallington, Marketing Director at The Student Room, said, ‘using
social media such as Facebook, Twitter and The Student Room can help couples keep in touch, but it’s clear that students do need to be careful about what they are posting. It’s easy for a quick post to be misinterpreted, leading to jealousy and friction in the relationship.’ However, do not fret! Long distance relationships have almost the same chance of working out as those where couples live near one another. The survey showed that over 90% of students do not think it is okay to have sex with another person while in a long distance relationship. Jack responded to these statistics by stating, ‘Students are saddled with many unfair stereotypes - one
of which is that they all want to sleep around as much as possible. In fact, the conversations we see on The Student Room show that many students are committed to being faithful and making longdistance relationships work.’ Hannah Green from OnePlusOne said: ‘There are a number of factors that contribute to making a relationship work, regardless of physical distance. While social media has opened up more ways to stay in touch, it cannot replace more personal forms of communication, which can demonstrate love and trust of your partner. It is often the small gestures that matter, such as a text to say “I love you.” Studies have shown that couples in a long distance relationship who meet
face-to-face at least once a month are more likely to last and be happy.’ TheStudentRoom.co.uk is a forum where students can connect and communicate with over 1.3 million other members. The Student Room claims to be the world’s largest online student community, and continues to grow as students spend more time researching their education choices. OnePlusOne was commissioned by the Department of Education and has led a campaign to encourage couples to see that seeking support is a normal thing to do in strengthening their relationship. Visit oneplusone.org.uk or thecouplesconnection.net for more information and resources.
Features 19
Do you have what it takes to lead a society? Ani O’Neill Print Editor
Students of the University of Hertfordshire: a valuable opportunity has been opened to you all!
Every single one of us can benefit from gaining experience in leadership, team management and organisation, if not for bulking out your CV, then for important personal development. Many of our societies here at Hertfordshire Students’ Union require committee members who will be solely in charge of running the society. If you have as keen interest in any of the following areas, it is highly recommended that you get in touch with the Students’ Union, so that you can receive an induction session and free training, as well as the support required to help
you run these fantastic societies. Societies that are in need of committee members are as follows: -Amnesty International Society -Band Society -Bollywood Dance Society
Win £300 with MS Society! Holly Lambert Contributor
An exciting new challenge is about to launch on campus offering students the chance to win £300 to spend at The Galleria. Hertfordshire Student’s Union have partnered with the MS Society to gather your ideas of how you would turn £100 in to as much money as possible in just ONE MONTH. The five teams with the best ideas will be set the challenge to make it happen. You’ll get £100 cash and four weeks to generate as much money as possible. Whichever team generates the most money wins and gets to spend their socks off at The Galleria! You can pick up an entry form from the Students’ Union receptions (College Lane or DeHav) from Monday 3rd February and have until the end of the month to submit your ideas. You can enter on your own or with up to two friends and the possibilities are endless. Here’s some ideas to start you off: -Festival feel! You could do face painting outside The Forum and recreate those festival vibes
-Pub crawl! Hire fancy dress outfits and take collection buckets round some bars and clubs on a Friday night -No likey, no lighty! Organise a Take Me Out night and ask people to pay to sit in the audience -In a band? Use the money to organise your first gig -Buy low, sell high! Use the £100 to buy something everyone will want and flog it round campus Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological condition that affects the way we move, feel and see. It’s usually diagnosed in your 20s or 30s; news that can be scary and heartbreaking. And MS can get steadily worse, or symptoms can come and go unpredictably throughout your life, causing any number of problems.
The MS Society fund researches and fights for better treatment and care to help people with MS take back control. All money generated from the competition will be donated to the MS Society to help continue their work. If you win though, not only will you look great in your new clobber, you’ll have something amazing to put on your CV. Employers like to recruit people with good ideas and a can do attitude. Enter now and help make sure you stand out from the crowd in more ways than one. If you want to find out more, contact Holly Lambert: holly. lambert@mssociety.org.uk There’ll also be some fun stuff happening on campus over the next few weeks with the MS Society project group so come say hello, tell us your brilliant ideas and be in with your chance of winning £300!
-Bright Futures Society -Chess Society -Flair Bartending Society -Jewish Society -Law Society -Learning Disability Society -Mauritian Society -MTO Sufi Society
-Mulan Chinese Society -Persian Society -Photography Society -Physiotherapy Society -Pokemon Society -Politics Society -Psychology Society -Real Ale Society -Rotaract Society -Russian Society -Saudi Society -Student Bar Society -Unicycle Society -Voice Aloud Society If you’d like to play an important role in these societies, get in touch by emailing societies@her tfordshire.su
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Health
February is Heart Disease Awareness Month Kat Morgan Deputy Editor
The British Heart Foundation, the UK’s biggest funder of charitable heart research is organising an exciting event on Friday 7th February to raise money and awareness for heart disease. The Ramp up the Red event encourages people to ‘wear red, make up red and party red’ on 7th February. The statistics about heart disease are extremely alerting. A huge 2.6 million people in the UK are living with Coronary Heart Disease and it’s the single biggest killer in this country. Nearly one in six men and more than one in ten women die from coronary heart disease with the UK spending a massive £2 billion each year on the healthcare costs of it. Although there are many different types of heart disease, coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease and can often lead to sudden death from a heart attack. This is caused by the gradual buildup of fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries in the heart on which blood clots may form. The deposits cause the artery to narrow, making it harder for it to supply the heart muscle with the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function. There are many ways in which you can lower your risk of
developing
heart
disease.
Smoking greatly increases the risk of coronary heart disease and a study found that smokers had a 60% greater chance of dying from heart disease than non-smokers. So put down that cigarette! Another factor that can severely affect your chances of developing heart disease is obesity. A quarter of adults in the UK are obese with around 30% of the children in the UK being
considered overweight or obese. By eating the right foods and exercising frequently, the chances of developing heart disease which could led to a heart attack or a stroke, are very much weakened.
a happy heart; eat healthily, be active, and get the right support.
More than a third of men and over a quarter of women regularly go over the government recommended limit of alcohol intake.
An impressive £90.7 million was given to researchers last year and the British Heart Foundation researchers have already made heart research history, uncovering information which could help regenerate hearts in the future.
Alcohol consumption is another factor which can lead to a higher risk of developing heart disease. Why not google how many units are in your usual? You will be surprised! One in three adults in the UK have high blood pressure which nearly half of them are not receiving treatment for. Instead of ignoring that chest pain or the fact that you are always feeling out of breath, go to your local doctors. They can give you advice and support on how to lower your blood pressure and ultimately lower your chances of developing heart disease. The British Heart Foundation advises you to follow three simple things in order to have
The foundation supports research in to heart disease following the motto that ‘Research saves lives.’
So why not done something red on 7th February and support the British Heart Foundation and their ongoing and much needed support and research? Here are some easy top tips on how to get a healthy heart Get active. do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. This can be achieved through doing 30 minutes of activity on five days a week. Give up smoking. this is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease and a year after giving up, the risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.
Manage your weight. being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease so stick to a wellbalanced diet which is low in fat and high in fruit and vegetables. Ditch the salt- stop using salt at the table and use less when you are cooking. Look out for high salt levels in processed foods. Have five a day. make sure you have 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day. Eat oily fish. eating fish, such as mackerel, sardines, tuna salmon give you a great source of omega-3 fats which help protect you from heart disease Walk off stress. if you are feeling under pressure, by going on a walk you can clear your mind. This can also go towards your daily activity as well. Read food labels. take a look at exactly what is in the food you are buying. For advice, support and facts, contact the British Heart Foundation. Call their Heart Helpline on 0300 330 3311 or visit bhf.org.uk
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Rowing club onto bigger and better things Madison Vickery
AU Media Ambassador This year the University of Hertfordshire Rowing Club is moving onto bigger and better things.
UHRC did a rowathon and rowing challenge in conjunction with RaG. This raised money for the charities that RaG support and also contributed to fund raising for a trailer for the club. The athletes managed to row over 76,000m!
is taking place to attain a trailer to transport the boats to t h e s e competitions. Without having a trailer it ultimately limits UHRC to what they can do, so it is vital they get a trailer as soon as possible to progress the team.
In 2014, the club will be competing in BUCS head competition, British Rowing head races/regattas, regattas with other Universities and the highlight of the University rowing calendar BUCS Regatta. However, to get there, fundraising
The athletes are progressing fast and it is the committee’s top priority to progress the club at the same pace. And so 2014 holds m a n y exciting things for UHRC, and they are prepared to embrace any and e v e r y opportunity that comes their way.
They are aiming to take part in more competitions, compete at a higher level, be more inclusive to all levels of athletes and have a good time whilst doing it. There is a more condensed team that are committed to training and the results are already paying off. The committee this year introduced an internal head race and regatta, which saw the experienced and beginner rowers split into teams of four and compete against each other, in both a 2000m time trialed event and a 500m sprint regatta. This allowed all athletes to gain invaluable race experience. A new connection with University of East Anglia was made and athletes from UHRC made the trip to Norwich to compete in a side by side 1000m regatta on the River Yare. This day saw two wins and two losses. A great day for both clubs and with the scores tied another event is definitely on the cards in the upcoming months.
Women’s football team set to win league Samantha Miller
Contributor
After an amazing turn around game against Cardiff Met, Hertfordshire Woman’s football first team have not only set themselves to score a round of goals but also set themselves up to win the league. This could be their year. After a dramatic home loss to Cardiff, being on the wrong end of an away win for the welsh side. Herts made a comeback in an amazing away win to get their own back, was an experience the girls will not forget in a hurry. They needed to win 4-0 to be in with a chance of potentially winning the league and managed to bag themselves a 8-2 win. An amazing unexpected result, a record against an experienced side, the current champions, they even finished off the game with nine players
after retrieving two red cards. The girls showed passion and desire and manager Faye White expressed how proud she was
of the team effort and desire showed throughout the game. In order to win the league the girls need to win their last league
game at home against Brunel. The last result to Brunel away was a Herts 4-1 win, if they can win again then the league title is theirs, just a game away from this tremendous achievement. Having lost out on the league title in the past years to Cardiff, it would mean a lot to win the title back and put their mark on the league again, declaring what should be theirs with the quality players they possess. The season has lived up to its expectations and the quality of the players this year has been sensational, scoring some wonder goals in important games. Changes were made this year such as players coming in, others stepping up to first team and new management of a high profile. This gave the team a massive boost and confidence which has so far payed off majorly and if
the girls win the league it would be a great achievement for Faye Whites first year in charge. Jordan Nobbs started off the goals against Cardiff early on in the game giving the girls a great lift before completing her hatrick with Caroline Weirr following, both were clinical in front of goal and showed technique and motivated the other girls with Megan Wynne also adding to the goal tally. It was a Welsh girls on a high happy with
record against the and left the team with the girls all their performance.
The win showed a massive improvement and the international player’s added experience to the team and proving themselves to be positive role models. The last game will be the decider and the team have faith they will lift the trophy.
22
Sport
UH Netballers play exceptionally Maria Carbone Contributor Last week, the girls of the UH Netball team faced King’s College London. Herts seemed the stronger and more rounded team with a squad of twelve this week. The seven first on to the court got off to a slow start in the first quarter; play was quite messy with lots of unforced errors and wasted opportunities from turnovers. The quarter ended 5-8 in KCL’s favour. Keen to get back in the game, a few changes took place for the second quarter with Penny Northwood coming on and creating some great links down the court from defence to attack. There were some wonderful interceptions by Karelle Evans in defence, giving Herts the opportunity to get a lead but despite the hard work Herts still couldn’t settle and were still trailing behind 12-16. A tough talk from coach Rhi
Crawford at half time helped to motivate the team, again a few changes were made to the team bringing some fresh legs on court. There
were
some
great
to secure a draw of 22-22 at the end of the third quarter. Encouraging support from the bench kept team spirits high and although fatigue was beginning to show, Herts went out fighting. Lauren Bryan, Joanie Goss and Rachel Lindsay picked off some poor passes from KCL, Herts managed to stay in control getting the ball down the court where accurate shooting from Joanie Goss and Lucy DeRosa converted these.
interceptions by Nicol Beadle and in general the team began to click with play looking smoother and higher accuracy from shooters Joanie Goss and Lucy DeRosa. Herts had managed to push ahead by 3 goals, but KCL did not give up easily pulling back at every opportunity. A far off penalty shot by Joanie in the final second managed
UH students win sports awards Ani O’Neill Print Editor
At the end of 2013, two University of Hertfordshire students were named as winners at the Herts Service to Sports Awards. The Awards Ceremony took place on on Thursday 5th December in the Weston Auditorium.
Overall a very tense match but great performance from the team! Well done!
The award was for a student at a Hertfordshire Further Education College or Higher Education Institute who, as a volunteer, has made an outstanding contribution to sport at their place of study. Announcing the winners and presenting this award was Bella Colafrancesco from UH Sport and the Chairman of North Herts District Council, Jane Gray.
An exceptional performance by everyone saw Herts pull together in the end, great support from the coach and other team members kept the teams heads up to finally pull through and take the win! The final score was 31-29 to Herts and the player of the match was awarded to Rachel Lindsay for her persistence in defence leading to some fantastic rebounds and interceptions.
In December, two of our very own students were awarded in a new category, Service to FE/HE Sport, which was sponsored by UH Sport, including the Students’ Union, Active Students and the Athletic Union.
Every year the sports coaches, instructors, officials, administrators and volunteers of Hertfordshire are recognised for their commitment. Categories for the awards include Primary and Secondary Schools of the Year, Best Newcomer, Community Sports Coaches of the Year and Service to Sports Awards.
Student Samantha Hughes came in third place for her contribution to UH Cheerleading, while Carly Morris placed second thanks to her commitment to UH Netball Development. First place went to Jay Welsh, of North Hertfordshire College. Congratulations to both UH students for your achievements.
UH students achieve Basketball Coaching A w a r d Rosalind Ringe
providing an affordable and easy to access qualification at a discounted rate of just £10.00 per student.
In January, UH students successfully achieved the level one Basketball Coaching award.
We are grateful to the support of student Carol Russell (far left), who helped pull it together, following on from a similar arrangement for Dance Leaders last year.
Contributor
These Bachelor of Education, thirdyear trainee primary teachers, specialising in Physical Education, attended this dedicated course that has provided them with additional skills and a qualification that will help support their future roles in the classroom.
Coaching manager, Rob Hardwick says of the students’ involvement, “We are delighted to continue to support the development of trainee teachers and add value to their learning and this course proved very popular.”
The skills learned through sports leadership are very transferable and will be invaluable to their future careers. Working with Professor Barry Costas, Senior lecturer in Education and professional lead in Physical Education for UH, the course has supported the time pressures within the course structure to provide additional support.
The Herts Sports Partnership is a UH hosted organisation that works to encourage more people to be more active, more often across the Hertfordshire. This basic level coaching qualification provides an introduction to coaching basketball that enables leaders to introduce basketball to individuals, groups
(male, female, adults or children) and people with particular needs, in this case particularly in schools. The
Herts
Sports
Partnership
(HSP) constantly works to develop relationships with the wider partnership including university staff and students. HSP organised this programme,
For more information on the Herts Sports Partnership, visit sportinherts.org.uk or contact Coaching Manager Rob Hardwick on 01727 281204 or via email at r.d.hardwick@herts.ac.uk
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