Vision Issue 235

THE UK’S MOST AWARDED STUDENT NEWSPAPER

YORK VISION Tuesday June 11, 2013

Issue 235

vision@yusu.org

WWW.YORKVISION.CO.UK

STUDENT SUICIDES

Feature page 16 & 17

“I MUST BE HELL TO WORK WITH!”

8 PAGE COLLEGE CUP PULLOUT INSIDE

scene FESTIVAL ISSUE

BILL ODDIE on birds, brownies and big brother!

scene page 16

I’M TAKING “RACIST” UNIVERSITY TO COURT “If I get hurt like Stephen Lawrence did don’t say I didn’t warn you” VISION EXCLUSIVE THE UNIVERSITY of York are facing legal action on the grounds of causing “impaired education and mental illness” to a former student.

In documents exclusively uncovered by Vision, the University is accused of accepting a “violation” of the student’s rights “because their own procedures were inaccurate.”

COMMENT: I don’t feel like dancing (pg11)

LIFESTYLE: Get fit for Summer (pg.23)

The University deny these accusations.

These reports come out a year on from when Vision reported on student’s views that the University suffered from a “culture of racism.”

The student in question is now set to take both the University, and the Office of Independent Adjudicators of Higher Education, who initially ruled against her, to the High Court to pursue her claims. [continued on page 5]

SPORT: Interview with Samantha Murray (pg27)

2 NEWS

YORK VISION Tuesday June 11, 2013

THE UNIVERSITY have openly admitted that they have no plans to combat an alien invasion on campus.

Freedom of Information data has also revealed that senior administration at the University have no plans to stop a possible zombie apocalypse on either of the Heslington campuses.

York senior staff were also unable to confirm what their plans are for a terrorist attack due to welfare implications.

The University have defended their lack of preparation though,

with a spokesman mentioning that neither of these scenarios “feature in the UK’s National Risk Register, as prepared by the Cabinet Office for the Government.

“In the event of a global catastrophe outside its direct control, the University would act on the guidance issued by the Cabinet Office and the Emergency Planning College’s disaster strategies.”

Third-year Economics student Finn McGuire told Vision: “It might sound silly but this is actually pretty worrying - I’m sure I saw a UFO above Central Hall one night on the way back from Ziggy’s. Maybe they mistook it for one of their own!”

YORKVISION

The UK’s most awarded student publication Editors: Joanna Barrow Dave Washington

Deputy Editors: Oscar Pearson James Scott

Online Editors: Sarah Cattle Alex Finnis

Managing Director: Aggie Chambre

Scene Editors: Tom Davies Karl Tomusk

Photo Editors: Oona Venermo Jack Western

SPACE

INVADERS PHARMACY

Pharmacy planned for Hes West next year Service will move over to Hes East in 2014

A PHARMACY is set to be the latest addition to the Heslington West campus’ servNews Editors: Features Editors: Sports Editors: ices next year.

Alex Finnis Joe Cooper Tom Armston-Clarke The pharmacy is planned to open at the Oliver Todd George Hesselgren Caitlin Graham beginning of the next academic year, moving Deputy News: Deputy Features: Interim Sports Editors: over to Heslington East the year after.

Currently, the nearest pharmacies to Aggie Chambre Dani Farsiani Jack Bradshaw campus are located on Yarburgh Way in Georgina Strapp Fiona Woollett Michael Thurolway Badger Hill, and at the Local Boots pharmacy on Tang Hall Lane.

Comment Editors: Lifestyle Editors: Chief Sub-Editors: YUSU President Kallum Taylor spoke Poppy Danby Zoe Biles Dom Mckinnon-Green positively about the plans, telling Vision: “A Patrick Greenfield Rachel Thompson Angus Quinn pharmacy will be a quality and helpful addition to the campus.

Deputy Comment: Deputy Lifestyle: Advertising Editors: “It’s something that students have long Michael Cooper Kathy Burke Mike Dunnett-Stone been asking for and it’s something that we’ve Olympia Shipley Dom Mckinnon-Green Zena Jarjis long been pushing for! Fair play to the University for taking this on here.”

A location for the pharmacy has not yet Front page photo: Scene Editorial list in pullout been mooted but it is expected to be set up Alex Finnis within Market Square.

Opinions expressed in York Vision are not necessarily those of the Editors, senior editorial Second-year English student Fielding team, membership or advertisers. Every effort is made to ensure all articles are as factually Ronshaugen commented: “It will really imcorrect as possible at the time of going to press, given the information available. prove my life when there is a pharmacy on Heslington West, as I won’t have to travel as Copyright Vision Newspapers, 2013. far to get my medicine.”

Printed by Mortons of Horncastle.

Healthcare on campus has often been

criticised by students - both for the lack of pharmacy options, and the inefficiency of the campus Medical Centre which repeatedly draws complaints due to the long waiting lists associated with it.

First-year Sociology student Julie Washington told Vision: “It’s a really welcome improvement to the campus, particularly as when you’ve been sitting in the Medical Centre for a couple of hours, a walk to Tang Hall is hugely unappealing.”

York Uni Pharmacy: Coming Soon!

YORK VISION

NEWS

HES EASTERN PROMISES Tuesday June 11, 2013

3

Photo: John Robinson / http://www.flickr.com/photos/robbophotos/5800650547/

Taylor praises plans for a YUSU-run “second Courtyard” for Heslington East in 2014 Hotel, supermarket and spa plans on the horizon alongside the new College Nine YORK’S HESLINGTON East campus is set for vast changes in the coming years, with the University announcing a range of new additions to the Russell Group University’s second campus.

The second site, home of Langwith and Goodricke Colleges, has long drawn criticism from students for the lack of provisions made available by the University since the campus opened in October 2009.

However, Vision can exclusively reveal a raft of changes planned by the University to pull Hes East up to the standard of its sister, Heslington West.

The plans also include a variety of ideas being seen at this University for the first time in its 50 year history.

The University’s plans for the campus include a brand new supermarket, a chain of shops, an hotel and a new students’ union-

run venue to open alongside the as-yet unnamed ‘College Nine’, scheduled to be opened in August 2014.

University Registrar David Duncan told Vision: “A working group has already been set up with YUSU to consider how best to improve facilities for students on Heslington East.

“We are also in discussion with a private provider about construction of a parade of shops on the campus. This might include a pharmacy, mini-supermarket, hairdresser, dry cleaner and newsagent. If the project goes ahead, we would like to provide studio space for YUSU and GSA, similar to the lounge space formerly occupied by McQs.” The idea of a new Students’ Union building as also been mooted - with the prospect of a building similar in size to The Courtyard holding gig nights on Hes East.

YUSU President Kallum Taylor talked up the prospect of what he described as a “second Courtyard,” and told Vision: “We’re cur-

rently involved in negotiations with the University on the future of Heslington East buildings and services. Together with the Goodricke and Langwith Chairs we’re making the case to make the campus vibrant, student focused and somewhere to generally be excited about.

“It’s important that whatever is put into place can stand the test of time, as the last thing we want is to be having to campaign and work to get little improvements on an annual basis.

“The University are being genuinely co-operative on this too, which is great, and it bodes really well for the future of YUSU / Uni relations.”

Regarding the prospect of an hotel, Duncan added: “We are in discussion with a leading hotel chain about the possibility of locating an hotel on Heslington East. This was always envisaged as one aspect of the development of the campus.

The hotel would have between 100 and 150 rooms, a function suite

for conferences and other events, a gastro pub and restaurant, a coffee shop and spa-type treatment rooms, which the University claim “would complement the provision in York Sport Village.”

The hotel is aimed to be designed to a high standard but would be affordable to academic visitors, parents and alumni, as well as business visitors to the campus.

Other universities which already have hotels include Lancaster, and more recently, Nottingham.

There are also plans to introduce an athletics track - and the University are seeking funding for a hockey academy to be set up, and a cycling Velodrome to be built.

One first-year Langwith resident told Vision: “These plans sound amazing in theory - hopefully it will be something that will revitalise the Hes East campus as it is pretty dull here at the minute.

“The introduction of a minisupermarket is the best thing. Life saver!”

WHAT’S PLANNED FOR HES EAST? • 100-150 ROOM HOTEL • A SUPERMARKET • A NEW YUSU-RUN STUDIO SPACE • SPA FACILITIES • CHAIN OF SHOPS • A RESTAURANT AND BARS

4 NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 11, 2013

YORK VISION EXCLUSIVE

SHOW ME THE MONEY Colleges still awaiting thousands of pounds promised to them by the University Maguire: “Grenville needs to find the money from somewhere and get it into our accounts now”

COLLEGE CHAIRS have hit out at the University for lack of funding and have been forced to dramatically reduce their budgets after money promised to their colleges had still not been received as of June 10.

The grant, called the Jane Grenville Fund after the University Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Students, was supposed to be paid in at the start of January, but six months later the colleges are still without the vital cash and are no closer to knowing when they will receive it.

YUSU have now asked the University eight times about when they can expect the money, with Union President Kallum Taylor questioning whether they “just scramble around for spare cash at the end of the year.”

“The University is reluctant to increase our funding because they

claim to support the colleges, but have to dramatically reduce your they’re not doing it,” he added. budget half way through the term The Jane Grenville Fund because promised funding is designed specifidoesn’t materialise. cally for the colleges “This money is to spend on nonparticularly used alcoholic and welto hold events to fare based events. support welfare Such events that projects, and make are often run at a the college as a loss, which means whole more incluthe colleges have sive - I don’t underfound themselves stand why releasing struggling for cash. it isn’t a priority.”

The amount is deMeanwhile, LangWhere’s the money Jane? with cided by Grenville herChair Sam self. For the last two Maguire slammed college years she has provided £14,000, funding in general and demanded which is divided between the sev- the money from Grenville herself: en JCRC social finds. The lack of “Colleges are really poorly funded funding so far this year has left anyway so Jane Grenville needs to YUSU as the only financial backer find that money from somewhere behind the colleges. and get it in our accounts now,” he James Chair Dexter Clarke said. told Vision: “It’s really frustrat“We use the Jane Grenville ing when a whole committee work money to put on a wide variety so hard to get value for money for of non-alcoholic and community college members, only to find you building events as these events

usually run at a loss. It is extreme- rectly told to expect this income ly frustrating that we haven’t been then they should be having it. given the money or any timeframe They don’t have much money to for when we will be given it as we go around, and in order for them had forecasted for having it at the to do what they do, they need this start of January. crucial welfare support fund.

Goodricke Chair Dean Hickey “YUSU have asked now, no less aired similar frustrations, telling than eight times on when to expect Vision: “I for one am extremely this money. disappointed that the University “This isn’t the first time it’s has ignored requests from both been late also, which suggests YUSU and JCRCs for funda wider problem about ing which is vital for the fund in general. providing our weekly We need urgent clarwelfare/non-alcohol ity on where we’re events. at right now, and “Our weekly how the fund is spend on these supplied in the fuevents is approach ture.” £70 week on week Colleges are so this is obviously still hopeful of rea significant amount ceiving the money, that we as a JCRC have but it will now come Maguire: out of pocket at a time when its useto outlay putting on events which the Unifulness is hugely diversity praises.” minished.

YUSU President Kallum TayJane Grenville was unavaillor said: “If JCRCs have been di- able for comment.

BARI-STARS NOT A DROP...

YUSU confirm Barista takeover Awaiting Trustee Board approval

YUSU HAVE finally confirmed the feasibility of their move for to take over Alcuin’s Cafe Barista.

YUSU President Kallum Taylor told Vision: “We’re really optimistic and excited with the business case for a service in Barista. We think we meet the concerns raised through the current failings of the service, and also have something new, and attractive to bring to the campus.”

The much-maligned cafe had been under threat of closure from the University before the Students’ Union raised complaints regarding the lack of student consultation.

The University claimed that the cafe was failing to turn over a profit and intended to turn it into a common room with a self -service coffee machine - an option YUSU were not happy with, and proposed their union-run alternative.

The Health Sciences department have subsequently voiced their approval of YUSU’s propos-

als for the cafe, and further support appears to be on the way.

Taylor said: “The support from the College is pending. If that comes, then we’ll seek approval from our Trustee Board to invest and make yet another service run by students, for students.”

Provided the University agree with YUSU’s proposal, the cafe should move into their hands by the 2013/14 academic year, joining The Courtyard, The Lounge, The Glasshouse and YourShop as the Union’s commercial outlets.

Second-year History of Art student Rose Basista said she was impressed by YUSU’s decision: “I feel really good about the fact that YUSU are going to this extreme to help students. I am sure this venture will be successful and am excited about seeing the new and improved Cafe Barista.”

Uni building policy questioned over water shortages Goodricke residents seek compensation

GOODRICKE COLLEGE Chair Dean Hickey has questioned the University’s policy of handing accommodation building contracts to external contractors after it emerged that a lack of communication played a part in prolonged water shortages in the college throughout the Spring term up until May. Goodricke accommodation is owned by private contractor Derwent FM. Hickey has been told that “Derwent FM and the University are at each other’s throats,” and that the lack of communication between the two has left students suffering.

Hickey told Vision: “[University Head of Estates] Kevin Whelan addressed our JCRC and raised some important points, one of particular note was the apparent lack of communication which is to the detriment of students.

“I would hope that whilst the use of private contractors may be ‘cheaper’ they do not represent a ‘profits before students’ approach.

Especially when Goodricke’s ac-

Photo: Oliver Todd

commodation is amongst the most expensive on campus.”

Goodricke Campaigns Officers Hugh Oatts and Bob Clarke have put together compensation claims on behalf of the residents. “We look forward to seeing the University’s response to this issue,” Hickey added.

The problems with water shortages originally arose back in October 2012 and were at their

worst during the Spring term. One first-year resident told Vision: “It was awful - it really messed up people’s routines and made living over on Hes East even more of an inconvenience.

“The fact that the problems went on for so long when we pay so much for our accommodation is unacceptable, hopefully justice will be done and we’ll be able to get some compensation.”

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday June 11, 2013

5

YORK VISION EXCLUSIVE

EX-STUDENT’S LEGAL ACTION AFTER UNIVERSITY HELL Ex-student set to take University to the High Court over perceived “institutionally racist” treatment Now also to take action against the Office of Independent Higher Education Adjudicators University of York tell Vision: “Any claims made would be vigorously contested”

[continued from front page] THE STUDENT spent three years studying Law at the University of York, during which she claims she was “institutionally victimised” by the University.

The University told Vision: “The University has not been informed of any threat of legal action by a former student. However, any individual who is unhappy with the outcome of a complaint considered by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator has the option of taking legal action.

“Any claims which had been considered under the University’s own procedure and by the Office of Independent Adjudicators and had not been upheld would be vigorously contested.”

Across the three year period of the student’s degree she claims to have developed depression following her treatment by staff, students and local residents in York.

At one point during her time at York she wrote in a journal, provided to Vision, about her fears for her own safety in York: “If I get hurt/go missing like Stephen Lawrence did don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Stephen Lawrence was murdered in a 1993 racist attack widely considered to be one of the highest profile racial killings in UK history. Stephen’s mother Doreen was awarded an honorary degree by the University of York earlier this year - being praised by the University for her “tireless campaign against racism.”

“I WILL SIT MY EXAMS, IF I DON’T JUMP INTO A RIVER BY THEN” The Law department initially allocated the student a two week deadline extension due to her mitigating circumstances - although she felt this was not an appropriate measure for her problems.

At the time she wrote: “I will sit my exams, if I don’t jump into a river by then.

“I do not believe that a two week mitigating circumstances extension is proportionate to the effects of the illness. The depression made it almost impossible to get through my daily life.”

The University still have documented the illness that she experienced in emails of complaint that precede the academic appeal as well as various Open Door Team and personal advisor notes.

Having had her case rejected by the Office of Independent Adjudicators of Higher Education (OIAHE), the student is now set to take legal action against both the OIAHE and the University as she pursues what she believes to be an unfulfilled claim two years after she graduated from York.

She told Vision: “Racism on campus is not going anywhere soon, despite the trendiness of protesting against the EDL, and student mental issues are under reported and under-diagnosed.

“The University quoted my wording out of context in the Higher Education case, my harrasers at the University were never interviewed, and they created a fictitious persona of me with actions and beliefs that they then criticised.

“IN SHORT, I PAID OVER £9,660 TO BE SUBJECTED TO CUMULATIVE HARASSMENT” “I am no longer the person I used to be, and never will be. I used to believe in God, University has made me hate God. There are some demonic people in the world, I have met many of them at University.

“In short, I paid over £9,660 to be subjected to cumulative harassment.”

The potential legal action set to be taken could now cost the University thousands of pounds in

legal fees.

The student in question has now, following a year out to help deal with her depression, started studying at another UK university, but provided a parting shot to York, saying: “York is one of the most racist places in the UK, I should have known not to come here.”

The Office of Independent Adjudicators of Higher Education have now also come under fire, with the student claiming that they supported the University’s “beyond the powers” conduct: “The OIAHE has supported the University’s ultra vires conduct.”

A spokesman for the OIAHE confirmed that all OIA reviews are conducted by case-handlers with no connection to the University and within the published rules of the OIA scheme. They also confirmed that the independence of the OIA has been upheld by the courts.

The former student mentioned in this article asked to remain anonymous.

6 NEWS TWEETS OF THE WEEK Rohan Banerjee @RBanerjee23 “Buying my third and final York hoodie while I still can. 1st one is with an ex girlfriend. 2nd was stolen on holiday. What is life?”

Third-year Politics Student

Ollie Moon @OLMOOON “Just watched a video of a Uni of York student eating shit for 15 pounds. I thought they were supposed to be the smart ones?”

York St John Student

Cass Brown @Cassandraa Brown “@KudaClubYork why are you closing? #wewantmore” Incoming York Sport President

Heslington East residents.

No longer will the University’s second campus be that desolate windy wasteland. Alongside the ninth college, York is now planning on adding a supermarket, a chain of shops, and another Courtyard-type venue. It’s a breath of fresh air after years of bickering about facilities on Hes East. There’s even plans for a hotel for when your heating/ water fails again!

GOOD WEEK BAD WEEK

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 11, 2013

SALVATION IN BID TO REGAIN YUSU CLUB NIGHT

SALVO COMEBACK? VISION CAN reveal that Club Salvation will bid to regain an official YUSU club night for the 2013/14 academic year after a year in the wilderness.

The former student favourite lost its regular Tuesday night spot to the newly refurbished Kuda for the current year, but they are keen to return to the line-up, with YUSU admitting they are open to the possibility.

Salvation enjoyed a two year stint as YUSU’s official Tuesday night between 2010 and 2012 and ran weekly themed nights, including foam parties, popcorn parties and various fancy dress nights.

The venue is built over two floors, with the bottom floor traditionally playing chart music and the top floor blasting out rock music or cheesy pop.

It proved popular for its large, covered smoking area and shisha pipes, and the possibility of a return to the YUSU fixture list has excited some students. Third-year Crime and Criminal Justice student Megan O’Kane told Vision: “I’m glad to hear that Salvation might be an official YUSU night again, I just wish I was going to be

there to experience it.”

Not everyone is so enamoured however. First-year Philosophy student Helena Horton said: “The only place worth going out in York is Willow, so I really couldn’t care less if Salvation is an official club night or not.”

YUSU has run three official student nights for the past two aca-

demic years after Monday night Fibbers turned out to be a huge flop back in 2010/11.

Union President Kallum Taylor confirmed that there would be “at least three” official nights again next year, and mooted the possibility of there being an official York Sport night, most likely on a Wednesday, though any plans are

in their very early stages.

Taylor added: “We’ve invited all willing participants to propose bids for the official club nights next year and we look forward to hearing their case to make next year better for our students. Salvation will be part of this, and it’ll be interesting to see what they can bring to the table this time.”

YU-WHAT? FAIR-BAX!

2013/14 SU funding still undecided YUSU HAVE voiced concerns over the lack of confirmation regarding funding for the 2013/14 academic year.

After President Kallum Taylor said earlier this month at the finances of the Students’ Union were at “breaking point”, the University are yet to confirm the funding levels for the coming year.

Taylor told Vision that the delay was “ridiculous”, saying: “We’re still waiting on confirmation of what we have to work with next year; whether we cut, or invest.

Surridge.

They have often been criticised during their equipment contract with York Sport, they finally seem to have lost their kit deal for the coming academic year. Hopefully that will mean a better deal for our sports clubs as “They’re yet to address our they push for a place in the BUCS concerns and questions on widTop 40 in new kits. Sorry er student experience funding Surridge! through the GSA and the colleges,

as well as the fact that our funding per student has been cut for the last four or five years. We’ve got so many more students to serve, with essentially less money, and we can’t push our margins tighter without lessening the value of the work we do.

“EVERYTHING WE DO WILL ALL BE AFFECTED

BY THIS” A change in the level of funding YUSU receives for next year would affect a number of different student services offered by the Students’ Union - an issue that Taylor has already voiced concerns about: “Everything we do, from societies, sports, volunteering, welfare support etc. will be affected by this.”

A University spokesman told Vision: “YUSU were informed of their grant for 2013/14 on 28 May. As indicated in the email to the YUSU Chief Executive, all budgets are subject to final approval.”

YUSU have been only made aware of an expected budget and claim to have had no confirmation.

Fairfax House to be used next year Refurbishment and changes planned

FAIRFAX HOUSE will be used by the University once again next year, after its brief stint as accommodation for York St John Students.

The York student accommodation was rented out to York St John students in 2012 for this academic year, but next year it will be inhabited by University of York students once again.

There was controversy, however, over the accommodation in 2011, with students paying what they thought was far too much money per week for the standard of housing, and prices going up every year.

Compensation was paid to the disgruntled students.

Fairfax was said to have “Inadequate provision of kitchens, bathroom/toilet facilities, all not to current standard.” However, Campus Services have confirmed that work will be done on the house to remedy these issues.

Jon Meacock, Director of Estates and Campus Services, said: “One of the University’s priorities is to progressively improve the

quality of our student residential accommodation.

“We will be spending some money to improve the off-campus accommodation at Constantine House and Fairfax.

“This will mainly be a refresh but we are looking to replace some of the kitchen units in Fairfax.

“We rented out Fairfax to York St John this year because we had a significant number of voids in our accommodation which resulted in a significant loss of income.”

The house will be ready for use

by York students by next term, students will hope the House will be refreshed and revamped.

YUSU President Kallum Taylor was Vanbrugh Chair whilst Fairfax was part of the college, and told Vision: “It’s important that the University give Fairfax House some much needed attention.

“It’s up there with a lot of the other infamous halls of residences crying out for renovation. Obviously too, it’d be in the University’s longer term interests too in avoiding another compensation push from students living there.

“A lick of paint and a movement of the furniture just won’t do.”

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday June 11, 2013

LOCALS OPPOSE ‘NEW TOWN’ PROPOSALS

WHINTHORPE ON THE WAY? New town development titled ‘Whinthorpe’ planned near the University Local MP Julian Sturdy and residents unite to dismiss the plans

LOCAL RESIDENTS from Heslington village have voiced concerns over plans to build a new town close to the University.

A group of around 50 locals met at the Heslington Parish Church, located between the Heslington West and Heslington East campuses, to discuss the proposed ‘Whinthorpe’ development planned for alongside the A64.

DEVELOPING 450 ACRES OF GREENFIELD LAND ALONGSIDE HESLINGTON EAST INTO A NEW 5,500 HOME SETTLEMENT This development was proposed by City of York Council as a plan to develop 450 acres of green-

field land, alongside Heslington East, into a new 5,500-home settlement.

The plans took a particular bashing from York Outer MP Julian Sturdy who claimed that local infrastructure including roads, drainage systems and schools in the Heslington area would be put under a huge strain.

Sturdy also claimed that residents of local towns including student areas such as Fulford would struggle as a result of the new town.

The new town would be larger than the University’s most local village, Heslington, although plans were not widely publicised, despite an eight week period in which complaints could be submitted.

Those who wish to submit questions and comments regarding the development are encouraged to do so by sending an email localplan@ york.gov.uk, or to make a call to the council’s planning department on Sturdy: Slammed the plans for the affects on locals in the likes of Fulford 01904 552 255.

SURR LONG Surridge lose sports kit contract New kit deal announced this week

VISION CAN exclusively reveal that the kit supplier’s contract with Surridge Sports is not to be renewed by the University of York for next year.

The winner of the new contract is set to be announced later this week, as the process has seen the nominations whittled down to two.

Surridge have received criticism from some sports clubs over the past two years, most notably the Hockey Club, who were forced to cancel their kit order this year.

Club President Mylo Scurr said: “UYHC has not had a satisfactory experience with Surridge over the past two years. Last season they delayed the delivery date of our club kit from May to August, at which point many students would have graduated. As a result we had to cancel the order.

“This year our kit order was delayed from the end of January to mid-March, just two days before the end of term, and with only a single game left to play in our season. Communication was very poor and often left us frustrated.

It’s pleasing to see the York Sport Union taking our’s and other’s

feedback on board, and I am confident they have chosen a suitable and high quality supplier.”

York Sport President Charlotte Winter told Vision: “We felt it was time for a change and I’m really excited by the prospect of our new suppliers.”

A spokesperson for Surridge said: “Surridge Sport are disappointed that the University of York have opted not to renew the sports supply contract.

“During the course of the contract Surridge Sport delivered over 560 orders with no more than 12 being delivered beyond the specified delivery dates which we see as a great success.

U-TWIT

UKIP want uni parody account gone Twitter account has +600 followers treme white nationalist organisations, which is quite clearly unacceptable.

THE UNI of York UKIP parody “None of our policies proTwitter account has run into mote racial hatred or ant kind of trouble after a UKIP official intolerance,” he added. asked for it to be taken down.

“In truth UKIP doesn’t want Edward Richmond, UKIP’s re- to close parody accounts because gional Web & Social Media Officer many of our members enjoy for Yorkshire and Lincolnthem as well. But when shire asked for the spoof parody/comedy turns account to be taken sour by extension down as he claimed it suggesting that unfairly linked the the party is akin party to far right to the KKK, extremism.

UKIP cannot stand The account is by and do nothbest known for saing.” tirically portraying The acthe party as a group count was of sexist, homophounapologetic, bic and immigrant telling Vision: “If fearing obsessives, with UKIP is going to be Edward Richmond the vast majority of the a mature political account being centred o n party, it needs to put up with lizard based conspiracy theories. the satire the others get. Mr On May 25 it posed a tweet stat- Richmond’s moral crusade is ing: “Remember UKIP members: misguided and probably part of If anyone finds out you were at an a Bilderberg plot, or Lizards, we EDL march claim you were hacked, not sure which.” that shit always works.” Richmond The University appeared happy claims that he had no problem with to completely ignore the matter, the account per se, but that “the with a spokesman telling Vision: only major issue we have with [it] This would probably be a matter is that it is linking the party to ex- for Twitter.”

What's The

Quack?

s firstWhich infamou mpus ca year wannabe ld wi a d ha io lothar crosse night with a La s?

BNOC in Fibber

Which Sabb Of ficer doesn’t want hi s housemates to fin d out that he drun kenly broke their kitc hen door?

e Which Part-tim en be s ha er Offic bemoaning his itter hangovers on Tw any after one too m week? nights out this

Which Summer Ball ‘act’ has be en promoted with a cringeworthy Yo uTube video this week ?

cult Which campus -ent hero had an XL lot of a ng wi llo night fo Willow? in rk wo nd ou gr

7

8 NEWS

IT’S EXTRA TIME...

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 11, 2013

Vision's Oliver Todd looks at how student media around the country covered criticism of Sabb Officers this year

Departments looking to increase their contact hours Emphasis being placed on different types of contact time

Student Press WHILST YUSU President Kallum Taylor took a lot of flak following the recent announcement that YUSU’s finances were at “breaking point” – the criticism is far from that experienced by other Students’ Union Officers around the country.

With Sabbatical staff coming toward the end of their time in office (or the half-way point for Taylor), students and staff have been voicing their opinions on the successes and not-so-successes of their Sabb teams.

Oxford University’s inventively titled The Oxford Student recently covered a report given by the Oxford University Students’ Union’s Scrutiny Committee about outgoing President David J Townsend – and the criticisms are fairly damning.

"

A great deal of tension and stress for the team

VISION CAN reveal that a number of departments at the University of York are looking to increase the level of contact time between students and academics.

This particularly refers to departments such as History, English and Education, who in the past have received criticism for their lack of contact hours. Indeed, a study conducted by The Daily Mail indicated that history students at the University spend less than 8% of their academic career in lectures or seminars. The study revealed that history students at York were provided with less than 100 hours contact time per year, in comparison to other institutions such as Northampton, where students studying the same degree receive 372 hours of teaching time.

In response to the issue, the University is now attempting to increase the number of contact hours that students will receive, an issue that has become more prominent over the past years due to the increase in tuition fees. University Registrar David Duncan told Vision: “The approaches being

"

Townsend is slammed for his conduct, which the report describes as “often aggressive and rude” whilst his fellow Sabb Officers raised concerns about “the way [Townsend] conducts himself with respect to them.”

It’s something that is not quite on a level with what we see at York – with Sabb staff more likely to be criticised for posting dodgy 90s music videos in blogposts than causing “a great deal of tension and stress for the team.” It’s not too bad, eh?

Earlier this year, Edinburgh’s The Student reported on an Emergency Special General Meeting of their Students’ Union to debate whether to sack Max Crema and one other staff member from their Sabbatical team. This came after Crema took eight months to apologise for a series of ageist tweets, and, rather more scathingly “his contempt of the electorate.”

Perhaps more bizarrely, Edinburgh SU have banned clapping at meetings, in accordance with their ‘Safe Space policy’ – as a result when the motion failed to pass, Crema’s fans amongst the crowd waved “jazz hands” to show their support - a little different to the rowdiness of YUSU’s Elections Results night.

So perhaps before pointing the finger at Taylor and his team we should appreciate that our gripes are more about banana analogies than the problems at SU’s around the country – and if you have enjoyed their time in office, at least you can give a round of applause, should you wish to do so.

taken by departments vary - some involve more lectures and tutorials, while others are considering more one-to-one contact to give students better feedback on formative assessments.”

“I THINK THE QUALITY OF THE STUDENT HOURS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE QUANTITY” Particular emphasis is being placed upon devising a timetable which is stimulating through the use of different types of contact time. On the matter John Robinson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, added: “We want to ensure that the amount of contact time is considered alongside the types of contact (lectures, seminars, labs, tutorial, ...) ensuring that full-time student learning is supported and propelled by the most appropriate and highest-quality academic/student interactions at the right times.”

Second year History student Adam Highland was sceptical on

STORAGE

Summer storage space for students £20 fee for two large boxes STUDENTS ARE set to benefit from storage spaces on campus this summer.

Two large storage boxes will be available for purchase for £20 from YUSU for the holiday period. The new provision is set to aid students whose rent dates do not cross over conveniently and stop them having to cart their belongings around the country each holiday.

Storage was previously offered to international students but this is the first time the service will be available to all students.

YUSU President Kallum Taylor was delighted with the plans, telling Vision: “We’re really happy to be able to deliv-

er this service. Loads of students have storage issues every year, and they’re not always international, so it’s good to be able to offer this to everyone.

“The rates we offer are very competitive, and I’d encourage our members to make the most of it.”

Second-year English and History of Art student Camilla Byles was equally positive, saying: “I am so surprised that there isn’t something in place like this already.

The crossover dates for houses never seem to work and it is a nightmare having to lug all your stuff to and from home.

“I truly believe that this is a triumph for students and will make a big difference to our lives.”

the matter however, and told Vision: “I think the quality of the student hours is more important than the quantity. Office hours are only 2 hours a week and this is often not enough at busy times like essay weeks or when we were picking our dissertation supervisors.

These ‘off-timetable’ hours could certainly increase.”

University teaching committees are currently being used to develop strategy and policy in this area, as the University seek out the best way to improve the academic experience for students. In addition, some departments (for example English, History of Art and Education) are teaming up with the Careers Service to develop employability-related programmes which are offered in the summer term.

“WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE AMOUNT OF CONTACT TIME IS CONSIDERED ALONGSIDE THE TYPES OF CONTACT” Last year the University ran

a Summer Term Challenge, a scheme which allowed student volunteers to illustrate their commitment to the local community, while receiving valuable work experience to enhance their future career prospects. Dr Kate Harper, Acting Manager of the University’s Community and Volunteering Unit, remarked: “The University has fantastic students who have a lot to offer the city and community.

This ambitious project is about helping students to develop their skills, enhance their employability and gain valuable experience in the sectors that are of particular interest to them, most notably the heritage and cultural industries and the education sector.”

YORK VISION

WOODSTOCK

Tuesday June 11, 2013

HEADLINERS ANNOUNCED

DANCESPORT, THE Doctor is Dying, Dandy & DeLions, King No-One Band and Brave New Storm are among the performers announced to play this year’s Woodstock on Saturday Week 9.

The all-day festival on Vanbrugh Paradise, run by RAG, features various entertainment, from live music on both an indoor and outdoor stage, dance acts and the

annual RAG’s got talent event.

All proceeds from the day, which costs £4.50 on the YUSU website, go to the nominated RAG charities: Independent Domestic Abuse Services (IDAS), Sick Children’s Trust, Leukaemia and Lymphoma research, Water Aid, Medicine sans frontier, and YUSU Volunteering.

RAG Officer Kate Elliott told Vision: “I can’t wait for Woodstock!

The original chilled out campus festival is back and promises to be the best it’s ever been!”

OUTDOOR STAGE LINE-UP:

INDOOR STAGE LINE-UP:

Glee Singers, Concert Band, Zamar / Brassneck Saxophone Quartet, Three Girls, One Tom, Big Band, Solomon Senior, Samba, Brass Band, Game Theory, Last Call, The Dunning Kruger Effect, Your Casting Call, RAG’s Got Talent, FyreKid, Gentle Roar, The Doctor is Dying, Jukes of York, Blue Suit, Spotlight, Regulas, Dandy and DeLions, Rosie, King No-One Band My Forever.

Gilbert and Sullivan, Laurence Morgon, DanceSport, RAG’s got Talent (College heat winners), Dance Soc, Ballet, Harrison Rimmer, Irene, Lizzie Wilson / Liam Woodcock, Timba Candela, Jack and Vichi, Cheerleading / Pole Exercise, The Marzec Group, The Quiet Life, The Gilchrists, Stewart Crank, Pioneer, V-Jazzle, Sophism, Brave New Storm, Leo James, Ben Sayer, Josiah Mortimer

YOUNG KATO TO HEADLINE GOODFEST

Made in Chelsea stars will be joined by Glass Caves Dandy and Delions will headline Halifax’s Faxival

INDIE POP band Young Kato, who have risen to fame largely through an appearance on reality television show Made in Chelsea, are to headline Goodfest 2013.

They will be joined by the likes of Glass Caves and The King’s Parade at Goodricke’s annual summer bash, to be held on Heslington East on June 16.

Young Kato were shown playing a gig in the current series of E4’s Made in Chelsea, and their debut EP reached number 31 in the

UK iTunes album chart.

Goodricke Vice-Chair Mason Gurney told Vision of his excitement for the mini-festival: “There will be DJs playing all day in the tent. The high-energy attractions will be inflatable gladiator jousting, a tug of war competition and 4 bungee trampolines,” he said.

York students have a weekend of festivities to look forward to, with Halifax College’s Faxival taking place the day before Goodfest. Campus band Dandy and Delions are set to headline the event that ‘Fax President Marian Lally claims will be “bigger and better than it’s ever been.”

NEWS

9

Eric Milner residents could claim compensation VANBRUGH RESIDENTS have been encouraged by YUSU to pursue compensation claims if they feel their work has been disrupted by the recent building works.

The Vanbrugh-James bridge works have seen some students complain at the noise of builders onsite, which have been a particular nuisance during the academic asseesment period.

Students are advised to get in touch with your academic supervisor if you have any further questions or concerns.

YUSU aim to eradicate academic printing costs

YUSU ARE still hopeful of agreeing a deal with the University to eradicate printing costs for academic work.

YUSU President Kallum Taylor told Vision: “We’ve been lobbying hard for a while now on bringing attention to obligatory printing costs. This is something that affects nearly all students, and to wipe out this spend outside of tuition fees would be a big success.”

The change will come in for the 2013/14 academic year.

Tron makes plans for ‘Access Your Future’ Event

NEW PLANS for an ‘Access Your Future’ event, proposed by disabled students officer Thomas Ron, have been supported by YUSU President Kallum Taylor and university staff.

On Saturday students are invited to D/L/47 from midday for a discussion hosted by aimed at “empowerment for students” and to highlight people with disabilities have made it to the top of their chosen career paths.

In the past it has been rare for the Disabled Students Network to host afternoons of discussion and invite speakers, and organiser Ron is expecting a large turnout for the network’s first big event on campus.

10

YORK VISION

NEWS

ANNE-IVERSARY PLANS HER ROYAL Highness The Princess Royal is visiting campus as a guest of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Summer Soiree, which coincides with the University’s 50th anniversary celebration weekend.

Princess Anne will be in York on June 27, attending the event as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy. The celebration comprises of an exhibition entitled ‘Engineering: De-

Tuesday June 11, 2013

sign for Living’ in the Ron Cooke Hub followed by a Royal Academy dinner.

Throughout the weekend the University’s 50th anniversary will see hundreds of alumni attending a dinner hosted by the Chancellor Greg Dyke and outgoing Vice-Chancellor Brian Cantor. Alumni will visit a range of Festival of Ideas events including talks by Oscar winning Aardman co-founder Peter Lord on animation, the Luma film festival and a debate with Greg Dyke and Peter Hitchens on Sunday morning at the Berrick Saul building.

THE BIG WILLOW GIVEAWAY! THE LEGENDARY Willow Disco is set to give away more than just free prawn crackers in the early hours of next Tuesday morning, announcing that they will be looking to shift the contents of their lost property bin.

The perennial student favourite has put up a sign by the bar informing its drunken residuals that everything from the lost property bin that has not been claimed in over two months will be given away to any takers at 4am on Tuesday June 18 - an added incentive to go the distance and endure the cheesy pop until closing time.

The sign reads: “TAKE WHAT YOU WANT :- LOST PROPERTY - CLOTHES NOT CLAIMED AFTER OVER 2 MONTHS WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN THE VENUE AT APPROXIMATELY 4:00AM TUESDAY MORNING 18TH JUNE.” Willow is known for being the

home of York’s most drunken partygoers. “There must be so much stuff in their lost property,” said third-year History student Freddie Nathan, “everyone there is always totally mashed.”

Third-year Economics student and Willow regular Bertie Baker-Smith told Vision: “This

is absolutely sick - I can do my usual of getting completely off my face on tequila and messing around in the DJ booth and then come home with a load of other people’s clothes for free.

“Tommy Fong can certainly expect me to be in attendance to the very end.”

YORK VISION

COMMENT

Tuesday June 11, 2013

COMMENT

11

www.yorkvision.co.uk/comment comment@yorkvision.co.uk

TOO MANY FALSE TRUTHS? ARE LECTURERS USING INDOCTRINATION TO STOP US THINKING FOR OURSELVES?

DAVE WASHINGTON @DaveWashington9

I

n subjects such as Maths, Physics and Chemistry answers tend to be painted in black and white, but in the likes of English, History, Philosophy and indeed all of the humanities, the multiple theories and different interpretations of an issue present the opportunity to propagate a certain view that leaves students open to exploitation from lecturers who seek to put forward only one line of argument. The word ‘indoctrination’ might be too strong to depict such a procedure, yet at University there are undoubtedly times when a politically charged view of a topic is presented to students with the overarching emphasis on a particular line of thought.

Academics have dedicated vast swathes of their lives to a subject they adore, and it’s therefore no surprise that they seek to push forward their ideas. But this can happen on two levels; either in a manner which highlights all of the options including their hypothesis, or in a way in which the emphasis is solely placed on what they believe is the correct judgement. As a student, the former is the more desirable, yet sadly the latter has a tendency to occur as academics seek

to profess their understandings of important issues to students, thus disseminating their work to a generation who have the potential to emulate them in decades to come.

In most cases this is acceptable providing that other material is covered, yet there remains a fine line between providing theoretical information and using University teaching as a manner of indoctrination.

As students of a leading University we are all intelligent young adults, and one might imagine that we should be able to decipher between honesty and deceit When literature, sources or facts are provided to support solely one hypothesis, then it raises the question as to whether we are receiving the rounded education that we deserve. When such snippets of information all support a theory or understanding held and propagated by a member of one’s department, then one has to wonder if there is an ulterior motive in the message presented by the academic. Do they simply want you to believe a certain theory since it was devised by them, or is it actually the

Illustration: Michael Cooper only theory? Is it honesty or deceit?

As students of a leading University we are all intelligent young adults, and one might imagine that we should be able to decipher between the two. However, when an academic with twenty or thirty years experience is lecturing to you about a subject you only knew existed five minutes ago, it’s hard not to become enveloped by their mindset and their version of the ‘truth‘. At times, we are vulnerable, oblivious to the fact that we are being subtly persuaded that

A VIEW TO A PILL

a certain theory is the one that we should believe, and the notion that the hypothesis happens to be that of the lecturer standing in front of you seems an irrelevance. Is this a coincidence? On occasion, maybe, but when it happens three, four or five times it makes you wonder whether this is no happy little coincidence, but that in fact you are being brainwashed into replicating the understanding of those who are teaching you.

Of course we come to University to be educated by some of the leading academics in the world, and seek to absorb their knowledge and draw inspiration from their enthusiasm. However, we are not here to simply be an audience to professions; minions who heed every word of their cherished advice. In twenty years time our generation will be advancing academic study, and if we are simply reiterating the ideas of our lecturers rather than challenging and developing existing theories then academic development will stagnate.

Indoctrination into a theory, argument or line of thought won’t benefit progression, it will only occur if we are provided a balanced overview of material which allows us to develop rigorous individual thought. In reality, if a theory is worthy of such lavish praise and high esteem then we will discover that ourselves and might even uncover areas for its improvement. We don’t need to be brainwashed or indoctrinated to do that.

THE CONTRACEPTIVE PILL IS JUST A SCAPEGOAT FOR WOMEN CHOOSING THE WRONG MEN

POPPY DANBY

@PoppyDanby

O

pposites attract, or so they say, but what if you were told that one simple life choice was stopping you from meeting ‘Mr. Right’? That it was leading you down a long and painful road of wrong relationships and heartache? You’d think that the best thing to do would be to eliminate this part of your life. You’d be wrong.

Scientific research has proven that heterosexual women are more attracted to men whose genetic makeup is dissimilar to their own; subconsciously aware that they would have a strong relationship, a healthy baby and a happy ever after. Apparently our animal instincts come into play with this and we are wooed by, not a few cheesy chat up lines or a couple of glasses of wine, but body odour. The problem is, new research claims that by taking the contraceptive pill, women can neither properly sense compatible pheromones nor give off their own natural scent; thereby leading to unfaithful, sexually unsatisfactory and generally unsuitable relationships. So why not stop taking it and find another contraceptive?

The answer is simple, we need to stand up

and take responsibility for our own actions.

There are many reasons why relationships don’t work out and to shift the blame onto some tiny, inanimate pill, appears to be, what can only be called, an easy way out.

Let’s get down to basics. It’d be fair to say that at some point we’ve all gawped at a celebrity, whether it be on the glamorous big screen or in a glossy magazine. Besotted, we come to the conclusion that they would be our dream partner. We have no control over the way that we see these people and we certainly can’t smell them. So, if this new research is anything to go by, surely we wouldn’t be able to find them attractive. However, the fact is, we use our initiative to judge whether we personally find someone physically or mentally appealing.

This is by no means to say that a relationship with a person based purely on looks would be right or last long. In fact, if anything, it would be a lustful, short-lived affair.

Still, this is exactly what the new research places under the guise of correct when finding a soul mate. For, the results suggests that women who take the contraceptive pill are more likely to go for men with lower testosterone levels, as they see them as more long term prospects.

On the other hand, women who are not on the pill are fuelled by hormones which encourage them to battle for the most sexu-

ally attractive and masculine males. This leaves the findings to be somewhat contradictory, as choosing a partner based on short-term and lustful outlooks is favoured over looking at the bigger picture.

Granted, it is commonly said that true love comes and finds you when you least expect it, but you’d think that not expecting it would entail something other than fighting over the hottest hunk of man in Willow just because you’re on a hormone fuelled rampage.

As for cheating, how an immoral act can be passed off as the fault of a pill is beyond me. The study claims that if a couple are genetically similar they are less sexually satisfied and thus, more prone to cheating.

However, male or female, if you are unhappy in a relationship you should get out of it, or at least talk things over, rather than being unfaithful.

The capacity to be able to cheat and hurt someone to such a great extent for the selfish reasons suggested by this research, only leads to the conclusion that the person involved would have to be inherently selfabsorbed. If this were the case then they obviously wouldn’t be deserving of a loving relationship in the first place.Love is a case of trial and error. You have to kiss a fair few frogs to find your prince charming, and even when you think you’ve found him, in the blink of an eye he could turn into a fick-

le, heartless troll. Women who are not on the pill have just as many failed relationships as those who are. It’s just a case of finding the right person and for some that’s much harder than f o r others. This new research only seems to seek to excuse our mistakes, whether it’s cheating or simply choosing to be with the wrong person.

We need to take responsibility and learn from our mistakes when it comes to love. After all, it’s our own feelings that control our actions and nobody else’s.

“Daily Mail family planning” Illustration: Patrick Greenfield

12 COMMENT

THE VOICE OF

YORK VISION

YORK VISION H

OSCAR PEARSON

SHOULD FIRST YEAR COUNT?

YES

@oscarjpearson

PUT STUDENTS AT THE HEART OF DEVELOPMENTS

The Universities impressive plans for the development of Heslington East can only be welcomed. Despite the modern infrastructure and pleasant ambience the campus has been chronically underserved for too long.

At last, with a ninth college on the way it seems the University is willing to take the bull by the horns and deal with this disparity, however the fact it’s taken so long isn’t something to write home about, decent shopping facilities are a necessity, not a luxury.

Although the scale of the plans are hugely impressive, the University must make sure that the facilities provided are tailored to the needs of students, rather than corporate interests. A hotel and spa sound fantastic, but have little to do with the day to day needs of ordinary students.

The inclusion of a new YUSU venue in the same mould of the wildly successful Courtyard is a welcome development in order to achieve this goal, although some may question why a full student Union venue is not being built. Effective cooperation between the University and YUSU in order to produce the best possible outcome is a must, and to their credit it does appear that this is the case with Kallum Taylor very pleased with progress made so far, hopefully this will continue throughout the process.

Moreover a note of caution, if these plans were to come to their full fruition it’s possible that the current situation may be reversed and that Heslington West may become the ‘ugly sister’ of the two campuses. The University can’t forget that it has an equal responsibility to both of its campuses and the students that reside in it, indeed the retail facilities on Heslington West leave a lot to be desired, the University should therefore possible attempt to equalise the facilities between the two sites.

Ultimately while these plans are hugely ambitious and exciting they must be tempered with caution. Grand development plans so often get pared down or scrapped entirely when faced with financial reality, especially in the current economic climate, and those that are completed may turn out to be financial dead ducks or ill-suited to the needs to their customers. All stakeholders in this project should not get carried away by the opulence of these plans, but approach it pragmatically and responsibly.

There’s little doubt that the future of our University is situated to the East, with almost unlimited potential Heslington East is an exciting resource to be grasped with both hands. But the priority for all involved must be the students on both campuses and the development must be sustainable and not fall into the trap of building the grandest, most beautiful facilities for their own sake.

aving first year not count towards our degrees is like making students bungee jump over a fifty foot cliff with a sixty foot cord.

The leap from A-Levels to university is undeniably substantial, yet first term totals a titanic ten weeks: more than long enough to ‘settle in’.

Yes, beginning uni and embracing all the stimulating new aspects of life undoubtedly takes some getting used to, but it just doesn’t seem necessary for that process to take an entire year. A first term should be all about going out, meeting people and feeling tipsy - and from then onwards students should be motivated to get stuck in.

If first year results contributed to our degrees it would unquestionably relieve the pressure on later assessments and students would learn what was expected of them earlier in their university careers. I am not, by any means, suggesting it should account for a third of the final degree, but enough to relieve further pressure and encourage considerable effort. A split, for instance, of 20%, 40%, 40% over the course of three years would provide the perfect platform on which to move forward.

Given the national tuition fees increase to more than £9000 per annum, undertaking a year

which does not count seems a bit like a waste of money.

It is sometimes argued that fees should not play a part in the consideration of the length and construction of a degree, but ultimately - and unfortunately - the reality is students are looking for value for money, particularly in this increasingly challenging job market.

And it’s all very well for those in first year now to firmly propose that it certainly shouldn’t count, but from experience, it would definitely have been smoother if first-year essays in summer term had contributed.

For the overwhelming majority of the student population, the 40% pass mark is all that is required to progress into second year, meaning lectures are often sacrificed for nights out. This is understandable for first term, but not for the entire year.

A recent study by Staffordshire University found that graduates where every year of study counts towards their degree course, end up on average financially better off than others, while their results were also better. Plus they were more likely to be “mature” and begin courses “with a better attitude.”

If end-of-first-year exams did count, then the mentality that you simply don’t need to work in first year would cease to exist.

OLYMPIA SHIPLEY

I

Tuesday June 11, 2012

NO

@YorkVision

t goes without saying that the move to University is, fundamentally, a large change. It is not just brought about, for most people, in terms of moving away from home and settling into a new environment, but it offers a whole new method of education for students.

Those who argue that a rise in people remaining at home is somehow an indication that the change is now not so significant are wrong. Although it seems distant once we have settled in, the way in which we study at university level is a huge transition from the way we have been taught at A level.

The reason why first year should not count is simple: University study is too big an adjustment to take on and be critiqued for at the same time. This is true most of all in academia.

A reduced time in the hours we spend in a classroom is not an indication of ease, but rather, the new emphasis that students have on independent study. Never before have we ever been so encouraged to go away and do our own research, which takes time to adapt to.

In addition, the argument of first year counting is one that is primarily a result of the rise in tuition fees, and this is such a shame. Instead of a university degree being done for the enjoy-

ment of a subject, priority has now been transferred instead to the perceived value of a certain degree. Therefore, the idea is that we demand more because we, the student, now pay more.

Does that then mean that first year should count?

The fact that first years now pay more for a year that doesn’t count has become more of an incentive to do well. This is not an argument in support of the tuition fees rise. Rather, with the seemingly huge amount at stake, there can only be an increase in the stress to students during their degree.

As a result first year should remain a time for a student to establish themselves, and grow in confidence before things begin to count. To tell a student, who is already paying a large amount to attend the university, that their initial efforts will be added to their final degree mark is nothing but unnerving.

I am a first year. The truth is that, although I have not yet become a great essayist, I have learnt methods of presenting, structure and analysis. That is not to say that I have been in some way indoctrinated. Instead, I have learnt to think for myself. In truth, it would be unfair to mark me on what I have produced in the baby steps of higher education.

THE UNEARTHING OF PREJUDICES THE WOOLWICH INCIDENT IS SIMPLY UNEARTHING PRE-EXISTING PREJUDICES

WILL MCCURDY @YorkVision

A

lthough the Woolwich incident has undoubtedly provoked a upsurge in Islamaphobic commentary in the media, it has also revealed how many pre-existing prejudices the British public held in its deepest recesses. Many of the reactions from the general public have been brutal in their condemnation of not just extremist Islam, but of immigration and freedom of religion.

The incident has given right wing advocates and social conservatives the perfect opportunity to voice their opinions, and whether or not they have been reasonable, they have been listened to, whereas before this may not have been the case.

The European Defence League (EDL) has taken to marching, and its members have been moved to violence. Over two hundred Islamaphobic incidents, including ten attacks on mosques, were reported in just the few days following the incident. However, throughout the course of history, instability has often been the root of extremism; we only have to look at the rise of the Third Reich in Nazi Germany after the devastation that WW1 brought, or the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan after the Russian invasion.

It’s easy to condemn these incidents as the isolated actions of idiots and eccentrics.

But racism and bigotry can be just as prevalent amongst the supposedly “educated” middle classes and university students. For example, Martin Sewell, an economics lecturer at Cambridge, came under fire because he possessed a store of Nazi imagery on his computer and was of the opinion that black people were impulsive and had lower IQs. Furthermore, according to a recent Nouse poll, 49% of international students feel excluded, and 30% believe that they have been the victim of racist attitudes.

Bigotry permeates everywhere and is not just something that is the domain of demonized extremists It is important to realize that the demographic base from which York derives its students is relatively narrow, with over 90% being middle class and around 30% privately educated, on top of this, black students are still an extremely underrepresented minority here at York, making up only 2.5% of the student population.

University societies also expose the presence of racial prejudices amongst students.

For example, Poker society once held a “black up social” and at Oxford the infamous “bring a fit Jew” social created massive outrage. Though these incidents might not nec-

essarily be indicative of anything, they show that perhaps students are not necessarily the mostly informed or sensitive of people. However, perhaps more worryingly, they demonstrate how bigotry permeates everywhere, and is not just something that is the domain of demonised extremists.

The Woolwich perpetrators were almost certainly acting alone, and their actions cannot be considered as terrorism as a result.

Consequently, I believe associating them with radical Islam may be a mistake; as, in my opinion, they were simply murderers and criminals and, as such, their association with radical Islam cannot be taken as causation.

Having understood the ways in which incidents such as Woolwich can foster extremism of the worst possible kind and realising how prevalent racial issues are, even in the safe and relatively progressive university culture, we see how we must be careful to not let incidents such as these foster further tension. The danger we currently have in our midst is not a result of how we act in our everyday lives, it is a result of how we carry ourselves when a horrific incident pushes us, and reveals the prejudices that lie within. Even those that consider themselves as reasonable people must be able to retain that reason, when it is challenged by traumatic and emotionally charging events.

Most importantly, we need to be able to act logically to improve our society, rather than mindlessly lashing out against the perceived ‘other side’.

YORK VISION

COMMENT

Tuesday June 11, 2013

13

DON’T GO BACK FOR MOU-R OLIVER TODD

@oliver_todd

W

YUSU announce their latest healthy eating policy ahead of the 2013/14

ith Jose Mourinho’s return to Chelsea fresh in the mind of many with a sporting eye, students should be considering what many journalists asked this week: Should you ever make a return to something you have done before?

Mourinho’s move to the club he left almost six years ago might make a little more sense than a lot of similar decisions us students make - although admittedly any actions we take are probably unlikely to provide a ten-million-pounds-per-annum salary.

The summer break sees a lot of people ‘returning’ - from first-years enjoying their first lengthy holiday at uni, to finalists ending up back at home, jobless, boasting only a Desmond and a few lines on their CV from three years in Higher Education.

Patrick Greenfield It might seem like the easier path to tread, but is it one we should be following? Ending up back at your crappy little job in the village bakery, sleeping academic year in the squalor of the bedroom that has long become an extension of your mother’s wardrobe - it’s not exactly ideal.

WE’RE NOT KIDS ANYMORE WE’RE STUDENTS, AND SO ARE YUSU. LET’S ACT LIKE IT ALEX FINNIS

@AlexFinnis

W

hy can’t more people be like Rory Foster? I love Rory Foster, I want him to be my friend, or maybe my dad or something. If more people thought like him then the world would be a happy place free from the vicious cycle of thoughtless, offensive people and the ridiculous over-the-top rules put in place to combat them.

This random man who I have in fact never met and probably never want to meet now that I have weirdly professed my love for him in print is thankfully not a strange obsession of mine – he, as the creator of the brilliant ‘York uni rate your shag’ Facebook page, is someone

“Shag” here was referring to carpets rather than carpet burns you probably love a little bit too.

This page, for those who didn’t see it, was not of the same crude and objectifying ilk as those set up by many other universities, nor the original one set up here at York, but a piece of simple and yet genius wordplay that innocently and quietly mocked all these other aggressive and failed attempts at humour with genuine wit.

Foster’s page rated shags just like all the others, but with the one subtle difference that “shag” here was referring to carpets rather than carpet burns.

The group’s death was the one trag-

edy of Facebook’s otherwise commendable blanket ban on all “Rate your shag” pages on its website, but its disappearance did not come so soon that it wasn’t able to remind us of some important lessons – lessons that tend to get forgotten in amongst today’s obsession with offence; creating it, taking it and trying to stop it happening to anyone ever.

What this spoof page quite obviously did was highlight just how awful the original efforts were, for they were offensive in an extremely blatant way that was most often totally devoid of humour.

What it also did was act as an exemplary beacon of self-policing. By embracing ‘York uni rate your shag’ and shunning the original we as students proved that we do not always need to be herded like sheep down safe, insipid alleyways by any higher power.

We managed similar when ‘Spotted’ was the Facebook craze of the day.

It took a while, but we came out with something that was self-regulated and yet still fun. Something everyone could enjoy without the fear of being told they were dressed like a slag.

These two examples both made students proud to say they attend the University of York – there is arguably more to be proud of in this self-policing than there is in saying we are part of a Russell Group university or that we beat Lancaster at Roses again.

Other universities cannot say the same – I have not spoken to anyone from any other university who has seen their ‘Spotted’ and ‘Rate your shag’ pages combatted in anything like the same way. They continue in their base-level existence as York mocks them from its softly carpeted moral high ground.

And yet this university can also feel a lot like a school, with us the oversized children still bound by the mouth and suckling on the nipples of an overprotective students’ union.

Whether YUSU is forcing our heads

down or we are gladly suckling at our own will is more difficult to say, but it is not something that we particularly need.

When we’ve occasionally dragged ourselves away from the teat we’ve shown that we can look after ourselves pretty well as a group of young adults with noone in particular to answer to. It’s not that a students’ union is redundant – far from it, and in general the work that YUSU do in the way of things like societies and welfare is vital to university life, it’s just that there needs to be less of a divide between us and them.

By its very essence a students’ union should be a part of the student body, but at York it doesn’t quite feel like that.

YUSU tend to think of themselves as a group that is in control of students rather than thinking of themselves as students, and this is why at times people find themselves frustrated with them.

They hate the term themselves, but

Stop trying to think of what might be best for students and think as one instead there is a reason why people who wind up in positions of power within the student body are labelled as student politicians. This is totally natural though, and is not a tag they should be ashamed of – by rights the sort of people who want these positions will also hold political interests, people who don’t wouldn’t run, and if they did would probably be awful at their jobs.

What it important is that they can separate themselves from that politician’s mindset – stop trying to think of what might be best for students and think as one instead.

After all, having spent month-on-month in monotonous York, walking past the same people on the same hungover route to campus each day - isn’t it about time we sought to make a change from the typical York route?

Sure, not everyone ends up on the grad scheme of their dreams at KPMG, but there has to be another option? From the standard student dosser job of teaching English out in the Far East to hours spent behind a bar to just about fund a shared South London flat - change is where it’s at and it’s good to embrace it. Perhaps a thought that it’s best to keep in mind before you pay up for that expensive masters course - staying in the same house that you spent your third year in, or before you end up filling shifts at that same old summer job.

After all, having spent month-on-month in monotonous York, walking past the same people on the same hungover route to campus each day - isn’t it about time we sought to make a change from the typical York route? I mean, we are so obsessed with this city that in the past it has been used as an excuse for our comparatively poor graduate employability statistics. Whether you are a first year, second year, finalist or postgrad, try not to get sucked into the same old cycle that struggles to provide you or anyone else with any benefits.

Just like it’s inevitable that Jose and Roman will fall out, going back to what you did before is always going to end in tears - only for us students to have to, eventually, more on. Why not make the move earlier?

Make the most of the summer months, or the rest of your life, whichever length of time it is that you are spending away from this fine concrete campus.

So, move on - try not to find yourself trapped back in that old failed relationship stacking shelves back at your local branch of Co-op, or shacked up with the parents. Get out - mix it up a bit and make the change. It’s the least you can do after months of the same old monotonous routine.

Mr Mourinho has his own way of doing things - now York students should be encouraging themselves to find theirs.

14 COMMENT

I DON’T FEEL LIKE DANCING

TOM DAVIES

I

@tomdavies111

always found dancing to be a bizarre concept. I realize I may be in an extremely small minority here, sharing my thoughts only with sociopaths and old men who shout at children for playing football in the street. In the words of Nietzsche: “We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.” I find this incredibly depressing, mainly because it’s a sad day when you realize you’re more morose and less fun loving than Friedrich bloody Nietzsche, but also because I’ve apparently lost a hell of a lot of days.

To me the act of dance seems to be a total evolutionary relic. Despite every evolutionary advancement we humans have achieved, we still seem to cling desperately on to this prehistoric mating ritual. Like the human equivalent of a bird that attracts a mate by standing on a rock, flashing its feathers and squawking. There is, of course, a reason why animals do stuff like this - those who display power and skilful movement are generally better at acquiring food and crucially, not getting eaten by alligators. However, we aren’t birds. In fact, we have developed to the point where we regularly reject our own evolutionary instinct in favour of sheer decadence. We wear clothing which is impractical because it looks nice, and we don’t need to scavenge or hunt for food, we only have to walk to Tesco. So, why have we held on to the most regressive of past-times?

In truth, I don’t really know why I don’t like to dance. Maybe it’s because I’m not very good at it, perhaps it’s an issue with my own confidence, and maybe, just maybe it’s because I know that my skills lie in conversation, in talking to people. So, obviously, I harbour something of a resentment for the level of importance placed upon the willingness to partake in elaborately peacocking myself, whilst standing next to men who resemble Ancient Greek statues.

It’s about sex isn’t it, naturally! Of course it is you fool! It’s always about sex.

Perhaps if I made you a scenario it may sound more familiar to you. Say you’re talking to someone on those tables up the top of Willow, maybe one of your house mates friends from their course or back home. You’re on top form, brimming with wit and confidence. Then, of course, comes the death blow. “Let’s go dance?” they say.

You’re heart drops; you know you can’t compete out there, out in the wild in the heat of the battle. You either stay in your seat and quietly sip your drink or hover at the corners of the dance floor, awkwardly flailing your limbs around like a prized tit.

Ring any bells? If not, be thankful. If yes, then hark to me my brethren, for I have a rousing battle cry. I do not know what it was that struck us with this affliction. Perhaps our mothers held us too much as children, or maybe not enough. Maybe it’s genetic, or it could simply be that we’re just a craven band of social incompetents with no business in such an establishment in the first place. Perhaps it’s all of these things, perhaps it’s none. Look I really don’t know.

Maybe best stick to house parties, eh chaps?

YORK VISION Tuesday June 11, 2013

ANARCHISTS ANONYMOUS

HACKER GROUP ANONYMOUS COULD BE MAKING TURKEY’S CRISIS WORSE

MICHAEL COOPER

@MichaelCooper09

L

ast week, a protest against the development of a shopping centre complex in Gezi Park, Istanbul, originally started as a peaceful, ecological demonstration but mutated into a brutal confrontation between Turkey’s liberal classes and the nation’s increasingly authoritarian government. The ensuing social media blackout across Turkey was frequently interrupted with images of bloodied protestors humiliated by inappropriate uses of power by Turkey’s police force as huge national protests rose up in support of the demonstrators in Istanbul.

In the midst of this hopelessly complex situation, the elusive hacker group Anonymous has reared its head. Turkish governmental websites have been shut down, and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s emails have been dumped on the internet in a display of international solidarity with the brutalised Turkish protestors.

Indeed, I have absolutely no problem with public protest. It is a necessarily outlet for frustration and I wish there was more support for political expression globally.

Nonetheless, I cannot help but feel cynical about Anonymous’ involvement.

For those who do not know, Anonymous is a group of computer hackers who

use cybernetic methods to interfere with structures of power and anything else that they deem to be ‘unjust’ in the world. They have historically targeted the Scientologist movement, Israel, Westboro Baptist Church, Sony, Visa and various child pornography organisations. However, what concerns me about a group like Anonymous is that even though they have the power to attack governments and multinational corporations, they, just like their plutocratic enemies, are not accountable to anybody.

As someone on the left of politics, I feel there are many reactionary lefties who just support Anonymous, and other similar groups, because they ‘stick it to the man’ and take down people whom the public supposedly dislike. But I feel there is a greater responsibility to those of us who believe in justice, and think that governments, politicians and corporations should all be held accountable to the public. Moreover, getting lost in short term point scoring is often counter-intuitive, and we must realise the difference between ‘sticking it to the man’ and vigilante justice.

The protesters in Turkey were having a hard time, and they needed international help and support. Their government was not listening to them, and the police authoritarianism was not appropriate for a country that claims to be democratic.

But has Anonymous’ intervention really helped? We cannot forget that as much as we may want to see authoritarian governments replaced by more transparent and

less corrupt alternatives, this is not a reason to let groups like Anonymous drag society into anarchy.

All successful demonstrations and revolutions – in so far as they can be considered as such – usually succeed when the police and the army decide they would rather submit to the will of the people than continue to implement greater force on the oppressed. To me, Anonymous’ attempt to destabilise the establishment does not help with this aim and if institutions like the police feel threatened, they are less likely to believe that the people will act responsibly once they take control of the country, and therefore are less likely to submit to them.

My other main issue is that, as far as one can tell, Anonymous does not seem to have any set political agenda. Of course, this is to be expected of a group that does not have any central leadership, but it is also rather worrying. It is hard to really understand what they stand for. We should understand straight anyway that this group possess a morality almost as shady as their opponents, and I do not believe that my enemy’s enemy is my friend, especially if they do not seem like an ally that we can rely on.

The Turkish protesters will not be helped by Anonymous’ intervention in achieving their goals in the long run; it will only further infuriate the megalomaniac in charge of Turkey, and lead to more authoritarianism. We must ask ourselves, in a world where public anger against elites is increasing all the time, is this shady organisation really the answer to our prayers?

BRITAIN’S ZIMBABWEAN FRANKENSTEIN ROBERT MUGABE’S LEGACY MUST BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED

BEN SMITH

@BpSmith33

O

n the 2nd of June an interview was released on South African television that provided an exclusive glimpse of the ‘real’ Robert Mugabe. The interview gave the 89 year-old a forum to appear far more humane than many onlookers thought possible. Questions have been asked, however, about the interview’s timing in the run-up to the Zimbabwean general election later this year- many journalists have condemned the interview as a PR exercise. Nevertheless, history suggests that Mugabe tends to adopt rather more coercive means to ensure he is elected.

Robert Mugabe became Prime Minister of Zimbabwe in 1980 amidst rumours and allegations of corruption, but then, there hasn’t been an election in which Mugabe has won that hasn’t been in some way considered corrupt. The dubious circumstances in which he was re-elected in 2008 was highly publicised in the British media.

Considering Mugabe’s past performance of representing his people, events such as the genocide that took an estimated 20,000 lives at the hands of the 5th Brigade show that concerns regarding his leadership are understandable. Like something from a horror film, the 5th Brigade constituted select Zimbabwean soldiers, trained

in North Korea in order to become the weapon of choice for Mugabe’s atrocities.

The 5th Brigade undertook mass public executions from behind the barrel of a gun, or torched their victims alive Yet, the UK’s isolated view of history systematically ignores the role that the UK has played in Zimbabwe’s turbulent past.

Our view of Mugabe’s time as leader of Zimbabwe tends to be from the same one sided perspective that fails to take into account the part that the UK had to play in the narrative.

The UK’s isolated view of history systematically ignores the role that the UK has played in Zimbabwe’s turbulent past However, many of Zimbabwe’s ills, he claims, are the product of the way in which his nation has been treated by its former colonial ruler and the EU. He had, in particular, an issue with Tony Blair whom he facetiously refers to as “Blair”.Britain and the United States enforced economic sanctions upon Zimbabwe, in an attempt to support conformity to Western expectations of democracy and respect of human rights.

The reasoning behind the sanctions is certainly noble, yet unemployment has risen from around 50% to an estimated rate of 95% in the last decade. The facts certainly

support Mugabe’s suggestion that the sanctions represent an attempt from outside to cause unrest within the country. A more reasoned approach might highlight the great deal of suffering that the sanctions have had upon Zimbabwe’s people.

The UK’s influence over Zimbabwe’s independent political past is equally damaging. Britain’s role as a colonial power left in its wake the civil war which caused mass suffering, culminating in the atrocities which have come to characterise both the country and its leader. The story we are told here in the UK is an entirely one-sided account, which takes no account of the damages that we have caused.

Mugabe’s actions cannot be excused; however, we in the UK should not be so quick to avoid our part in a sorry series of events. The future for Zimbabwe is still unclear, and in the run up to the general election later this year, Tambo’s interview has allowed Mugabe to utter his battle cry. He suggests that “there is a fight to fight” and one the 89 year-old appears intent on fighting. The leader, described by his interviewer as “warm” and “charismatic” appears far removed from the man who has ruthlessly maintained control over Zimbabwe.

Few can doubt the man’s commitment to what he thinks is the right path for his nation, nonetheless there remains a concern that Mugabe’s desire to influence Zimbabwe’s future will come at the cost of democracy. Should he lose his influence later this year, it seems unlikely that he will walk away quietly.

15

FEATURES

YORK VISION Tuesday June 11, 2013

FEATURES

www.yorkvision.co.uk/features features@yorkvision.co.uk

AN INTERVIEW WITH GYLES BRANDRETH OSCAR PEARSON spends an hour with writer, former MP and eccentric GYLES BRANDRETH...

T

he BBC describes Gyles Brandreth as a man with “fingers in more pies than most of us could hope to eat.” A former MP and minister in John Major’s government; Gyles has written biographies, diaries, novels and stage plays; he’s starred in his own West End revue; he is a successful broadcaster and accomplished speaker; and in his spare time he set up a teddy-bear museum and started the UK Scrabble Competition. The motto, he says, that guided him through all this, is “don’t dabble.”

ey.” But, he told me, he has “enjoyed everything.”

“Being an MP and in the Government Whips Office was fascinating, worthwhile and challenging. I love being a reporter on The One Show because of the immense range of stories I am sent to cover and the variety of people I meet. I get a lot of satisfaction writing my Oscar Wilde murder mysteries because the books enable me to ‘live’ in late Victorian London - and nowhere is more intriguing. Wilde knew everybody - and through him I have got to know everyone

When I was an MP the one thing I just couldn’t stand was my constituents Currently a reporter on The One Show and a regular on Radio 4’s Just a Minute, with his acclaimed Victorian detective murder mysteries published in twenty-one separate countries and his nationwide speeches inspiring youngsters, he is a truly wonderful enigma. And Gyles, who once held the world record for the longest ever on-screen kiss, spoke to me about his loves, hates, and everything in between.

I started by asking about his election as president of Oxford University Union and involvement with the student newspaper, Isis.

Did he make a conscious effort to reach ‘top spot’ during his time at Oxford, or was it just that he enjoyed writing and politics a great deal?

“When I arrived at Oxford, I had three ambitions. I wanted to be President of the Union; I wanted to edit Isis; and I wanted to direct the OUDS.” Motivated, then.

“Simply because I was determined, I seem to have managed all three. I don’t know that I made myself much loved in the process, but I had fun. I thought these were the things to do at Oxford because they had been when my father was there in the late 1920s. Forty years on, I was following his agenda.

“While everyone else was enjoying the Swinging Sixties, I was still living in the Roaring Twenties,” he said.

So what came after University?

A career of writing and politics, but did he ever find life harsh and challenging? “I don’t think anything I do could ever be described as ‘tough’,” he said. “Being on Just A Minute is quite nerve-wracking sometimes. And producing plays is a nightmare - I have produced several and they have all lost mon-

from Pope Pius IX to Bram Stoker, a great privilege.”

The flamboyant broadcaster and author, who kept his marriage a secret from his parents for two years because he regarded it as a purely private matter between him and his wife, has appeared on Countdown over 300 times in Dictionary Corner and has written a book - The Joy of Lex - which is all about words.

“Language is power - it’s what defines us,” he said. “I find language is everything. And we are so blessed in Britain that English is our parent tongue. I love words, so I have always found Countdown fun. I founded the National Scrabble Championships forty years ago, and currently I host a word game on Radio 4 called Wordaholics, so playing with language has been part of my life all my life.

‘Yex’ is my favourite word ... But I am quite fond of ‘brandreth’ too.”

He introduced the 1994 Marriage Act during his time as MP for Chester, which allows marriages to be carried out in certain “approved premises.” I asked why this was an important issue for him, and whether any personal religious beliefs influenced this particular proposal.

“The Marriage Act came about because Mrs Graybill, a constituent of mine, had a castle and wanted to be allowed to have marriages take place at her castle. It seemed wrong that civil weddings could only happen in rather dreary register offices. The Act is perhaps my one ‘achievement’ - and I am proud of it. For people of faith, a church wedding is wonderful, but it’s good that people who don’t have a faith can be married in a memorable setting.

“But I have to say,” he contin-

ued, “when my darling wife heard people describe me at the time as an ‘expert’ on marriage… she virtually fell off her bunk.”

I questioned what his role of Government whip involved, and if it differed from being just an ‘average’ MP. “It was the happiest moment of my life, being a whip,” he replied.

“The Whips are the people who ensure that the government of the day secures its business. It was a job that I found totally absorbing because it’s about politics and people - and understanding and managing people. “‘Breaking the Code’ is my diary of my time as an MP and Whip and people say, very generously, that it’s the best account of the reality of life as a back-bencher and government whip.”

But it wasn’t all wonderful, he joked: “When I was an MP the one thing I just couldn’t stand was my constituents. Every Friday afternoon, there they were, the miserable old so-and-sos lining up to tell me how dreadful life was.”

Gyles lost his seat in 1997 as Blair rampantly came to power.

His wife then told him he could do “anything he wanted” and later, I discovered, he became a European Monopoly champion and President of the Association of British Scrabble Players. Gyles’ quirky, charismatic personality became even more intriguing. What is his favourite board game, I asked, and what on earth made him get formally involved with these institutions?

“My father bought the first game of Monopoly sold in Britain in 1936 - and met my mother playing it.” Now that’s something to tell the grandchildren. “I learnt Scrabble when I was a boy and used to play with an old gentleman who had been a friend and contemporary of Oscar Wilde. I also enjoy Bridge and Backgammon. And Snap and Beggar My Neighbour.

And Squeak Piggy Squeak…” The list could go on and on.

The man is obviously very arty, and ranks Chekov and Redgrave among his idols. But his buoyant and self-assured charm clashes with his more reserved, private character: “Out there I’m precarious, but in here I’m a quiet person,” he said.

I then asked Gyles if he is a royalist, and if so why? Gyles is known for being Prince Philip’s only admirer, and so I asked just what about the whole system he finds appealing. “It’s a curious system,” he began. “But then again it’s very adaptable and has been

with us for a thousand years and more.

“The Queen, driven by duty and sustained by faith, is a remarkable person, a model of public service, and I like the fact that we simply get as Head of State the natural successor of the last one.

“The very eccentricity of it appeals to me. It’s like parliamentary democracy - not without its drawbacks. But, on the whole, it’s the best system we’ve got.”

Gyles’s comedic personality, and the fact that Eddie Izzard is seeking nomination as the Labour candidate for London’s mayoral election, while Boris Johnson currently represents the capital – led me to ask whether Gyles thinks there is now more room for comedy in politics.

“Comedians are people, too.

Eddie Izzard is highly intelligent and articulate - and committed.

We need more people of his calibre and commitment in politics. Comedians, farmers, soldiers, teachers, entrepreneurs, train drivers we need all human life in politics.”

But Gyles’ comedic input has stretched far and wide, with the sage frequently appearing on Just

A Minute.

“I wish I were better at it!”

Giles chuckled. “I love the programme and have been doing it off and on since the early 1980s. What I like most about it is the fact that it’s unedited: it’s just a minute you can’t edit it: what you hear is what they got.

“And I love Nicholas Parsons, whom I first met when I was President of the Oxford Union in 1969.

He seemed incredibly old to me then. Now he’s nearly 90 and he seems younger than springtime.”

And that was that.

But wait… “Given your splendid name, I hope you get a chance to discover my Oscar Wilde murder mysteries,” he cheekily suggested. I told him that as soon as this dreadful student loan is paid off I will be able to afford his collection, much to his disgruntlement. “If we wait until the student loan is paid off we may wait thirty years!” he replied. Wow, thanks for that vote of confidence, Gyles.

“BORROW the books from the library - for free!” he said, and with that I hastily journeyed to the JB Morrell. And you know what?

They are bloody good.

As an MP, Brandreth introduced the 1994 Marriage Act

16 FEATURES

YORK VISION Tuesday June 11, 2013

DEALING WITH

OLIVER TODD talks to York students about coping w

“T

HIS ESSAY is making me want to kill myself ” - the sort of cast-off phrase you tend to hear around the library at this time of the academic year. But student suicide is a very serious issue. Fortunately, the University of York saw its last student suicide back in 2010, but it remains a serious problem at the forefront of many student’s minds.

Earlier this month the National Union of Students (NUS) published the findings of a survey that showed one in ten students at UK universities has considered taking their own life while at a Higher Education institution. It represents the first survey of its kind - and is a problem that a number of students at York face up to every day: considering the ultimate sacrifice of one’s own life.

It might seem like something not at the forefront on student’s considerations, but with the variety of stresses associated with university, it is a more common problem than many would expect.

Joe is one such student at the University, and suicidal thoughts plagued him throughout his first year at York as a mature student: “Coming to university was a big change for me, being so much older and everything kind of got on top of me, but I always had depression.”

“I found the adjustment difficult in some respects, suffering from manic depression. Personally I felt like I shouldn’t be at university, I didn’t feel like I fitted in with anyone really” Homesickness, and feeling alone and left out are familiar sen-

sations for a lot of students when they first move to university. In fact, the NUS survey cited a huge number of cases of homesickness and suffering at the hands of the actions of other students. It’s a problem that colleges and the Students’ Union at York frequently try to address during Freshers’ Week each year, but ultimately it can be a fruitless task undertaken by volunteers not fully trained to deal with these kind of situations.

depth of what you’re feeling.”

“You feel completely and utterly alone, and when you stop being able to see a time past how you’re feeling right now, that’s when suicide becomes an option.”

That sense of being alone may be alien to many - being based in university accommodation with dozens of other like-minded first year students, but for Joe: “It wasn’t what I expected or hoped for.

I felt very alone, and out of place -

One in ten students at UK universities has considered taking their own life while in Higher Education.

The absence of feeling ‘at home’ is far from the only cause of students problems when moving to university though, as Jessica’s case shows from when she first moved to York: “University was meant to be a fresh start, I had a good group of friends and I was enjoying my course. However, I have a history of depression and it comes at intervals - the smallest thing could trigger it.”

“I find it difficult to remember what precise instant caused it; it was probably something insignificant like struggling with what seemed like an insurmountable amount of work to do. It flicks like a switch, and you’re paralysed by the pressure you place on yourself, by how easily everyone else seems to be coping, by how few people seem to be able to relate with the

it upset me, and then all just came down on me. I was drinking lots as it was early on in first year and I just slipped into a downward spiral. I overdosed in week 2 I think or early week 3 and was found and taken to hospital, and then I tried another attempt later on that term by attempting to hang myself.”

Similarly, Helen also came close to taking the most drastic step an individual can to end their own suffering: “A couple of times I’ve written several notes to my friends and family and went to York train station, with the intention of jumping in front of a train that was going past. I stayed there for hours, until one of the staff at the station asked me if I was ok. I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

The consideration for self-harm is even more widely prevalent amongst students than suicidal

People who are depressed often suffer in silence.

Homesickness and feelings of loneliness cont considerations. Frequently categorised by the wider media as being a teenage problem and derided for its frequent lack of thought or severity - it may be surprising to some to hear that 14% of students have considered or undertaken self-harm.

Helen is one of those: “I selfharmed at the depth of my feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness.

It was something I hadn’t done since my early teenage years, its something that people direct a lot of condescension towards, but it’s just an expression of a very real and seemingly inescapable pain. It takes a lot to want to cut into your own flesh, and there’s a lot of reasons to do it. Some people want to act out their self-hatred, some people just want to feel again.”

“It’s so easy to mock that as a part of emo culture, or whatever, but this numb constant ache that depression is, that roots you to the ground has a stultifying and cloying effect on how well you can function. Sometimes, adrenaline from cutting is all you can look forward to feeling.”

Over a quarter of those inter-

viewed by the NUS admitted that they had not spoken to anyone about their problems. Despite the social stigma that some feel is still attached to suicide - students are fortunate that at York, there are a wealth of options open to those struggling - even for those that feel uneasy talking about the problems they face with friends. The Open Door team at the University have

Being able to sp about how I was fe difference in my come under criticism in the past, and funding issues for the department are frequently publicised, but the service they offer can still be invaluable. One meeting may be all a sufferer needs to find the best path towards help and support. Both Jessica and Joe benefitted from the department’s advice.

Helen was initially reluctant to come forward about her problems: “I was pushed into seeking help

18 FEATURES

YORK VISION

YORK’S ENTREPRENEURS

Tuesday June 11, 2013

GEORGE HESSELGREN speaks to some of the most exciting entrepreneurs the University of York has to offer...

Artur Oganov Ogan&Mour

A

rtur is a second year Accounting, Business, Finance and Management student. I sat down with the stocky Russian in his beautifully airy house over a drink and we spoke over a variety of topics ranging from the value of internships and making the most of contacts, to the state of the Cypriot economy.

Exuding an air of total calmness and professionalism, mirrored in the sleek design of his web site; all crucial in filling any potential business with confidence.

He set up Ogan&Mour roughly a year ago at the end of his first year at York with a friend. While a broad business idea, it’s one that has filled an area of the market where demand will never dry up.

Ogan&Mour deal with branding for various companies, particularly start-ups. Their website describes it as ‘where technology meets innovation.’

Obviously Artur has been incredibly successful, yet Ogan&Mour isn’t even a one off. Even from his mid to late teenage years he was organizing and promoting parties back home in Cyprus. “It’s important to use others’ opinions and their judgment. Always listen even if it isn’t agreeable first time.”

I questioned Artur on how he was able to launch such a grand venture from his Goodricke room last summer. A lot of ‘entrepreneurial spirit was needed he quipped. “I wanted the idea of branding to be associated with my name.” In fact, the business is now expanding far more than was initially expected, adding realism to his initial dreams.

Some extremely large deals are in the pipeline or have recently been completed including the largest property company in Cyprus.

Making time in a typical university day has started to become a stretch though. He claims many sleepless nights are involved in an

Recyclabook send you a cheque instantly via their online service Essentially Artur has entered the business of cutting-edge and competitive branding. Names, logos, websites, promoting, social media – you name it and Ogan&Mour deal with it. Artur recently rebranded the International Student Association’s website and was heavily involved in also designing and promoting the York Finance Conference held earlier this year.

attempt to efficiently juggle his various commitments.

It was therefore inevitable that extra help would have to be taken onboard. Three agents are now employed for Ogan&Mour, stationed in Hong Kong, Cyprus and Moscow. He hopes to expand this even further with permanent office space across Europe, potentially moving into every country.

Ogan&Mour have a very slick design process

Clearly the talented young business man hasn’t bitten off more than he could chew and left with some telling words of advice.

“You mustn’t waste opportunity,” he claimed. “God sends people equal opportunities, it’s just how you make use of those openings.”

Tom Williams Recyclabook

Y

ou won’t see much of Tom Williams around campus any more as he has left the university to run and also expand his young business, Recyclabook.

The now-former second year Economics student has been running Recyclabook since the start of his fresher’s year, but in January it all got too much trying to balance a degree and a business, spiralling out of control in terms of size and time demand.

The simple idea is to become the easiest possible way for students to sell their old textbooks, claiming back as much of their spent money as possible. He now takes over a million titles by scanning them in and then giving the student a cheque there and then at one of various events they host.

The books are then sold on, usually to universities in developing countries who often work on the old syllabuses.

With textbook prices soaring past the three figure mark, the idea is a very sensible one. It is also a simple one at heart, but there are large plans afoot to expand in all directions. Now based in Cardiff, living with an old friend at university there with whom he shares the venture, Recyclabook currently caters for twelve different universities in the nearby area, including Bristol, Bath and Southampton.

However, by Christmas, Tom hopes this could be at least into the fifties, expanding to cover the whole country. He would also like to move beyond books, taking on board anything from electronics to clothing and maybe, just maybe, one day expand into Europe or even world-wide.

Tom clearly has quite a bit of the entrepreneurial spirit about him, having done various “little things” since the age of eleven involving small candle companies to childcare agencies. In this vein he wants to keep Recyclabook going beyond the end of his degree.

It’s not about the money for him, apparently, but the generation of “crazy ideas” that keep him going.

He just enjoys the lack of structure and making and maintaining his own targets.

Recyclabook poses a different challenge everyday, and Tom has learned a vast amount since it all started.

He now employs four full time staff. All of them are older than him, which he notes provides “an interesting dynamic.” He’s had

to deal with tax and learn how to properly strike up relationships in the business world. Adapting properly was of critical importance he emphasised.

If Tom had to offer any advice to want-to-be entrepreneurs in York, it would be to make use of the “awesome” careers department. They were “extremely helpful with things like grants, office space and networking,” Tom said appreciatively.

Overall, Tom Williams has had a whirlwind last 18 months. It will be interesting to see at what stage Recyclabook is at when he returns to York in just over six months’ time. Watch this space…

accessibility, entrepreneurship and creativity within the visual arts.” While that may seem complicated, at a basic level the brand wants to aid the accessibility to contemporary art by becoming a mediator between emerging contemporary artists and their market: an online auction platform dealing with both rental and sale of art.

Jordan and Alex recognise that the most dynamic areas of the art business world are at the low and high ends. They intend, therefore, to fill the market gap in facilitating the low end. For instance, many talented artists leave art-college with a diverse portfolio

God sends people equal opportunities, it’s just how you make use of those openings.

Jordan Harris Alexander Caspari Encounter Fine Art

J

ordan and Alex go back well before York, having come from the same London school to the same university to study the same degree, they now live together and have gone one step further in starting up a business together.

As History of Art students, their innate love of art was always likely to permeate into their professional careers and now that they have established Encounter Fine Art, this looks more and more likely.

Unlike Tom and Artur’s ideas, Encounter Fine Art is yet to substantially embed itself as an up and running business, but rather large plans are afoot to potentially turn this gem of an idea into a fantastic reality.

The idea behind the business is a complex, but almost unique one, which is what makes the potential buttressing Jordan and Alex’s creation so great.

The official line is that Encounter Fine Art is “an innovative cultural network which facilitates

of work, but without the business acumen necessary to promote themselves.

So while a solid idea in the making, what are the next steps?

Jordan and Alex tell me they will be working hard this summer to sign contracts with artists and future clients, as well as developing their web site and brand so they are ready for the market. Attending every London art college degree show will only be a minute part of this big push.

If the summer is a success, applying for significant funding will be the next stage at the start of the next academic year. The business has also been recently short-listed for Shell LiveWire Grand Ideas Award. If all goes to plan, there should be a fully functioning business to walk into after the end of their degrees.

Again, this is another exciting idea from York students that seems set for interesting, if not great times.

It will be intiguing to follow the progression of all of these budding entrepreneurs over the next year, as they embark upon a career which will hopefully see their businesses thrive.

Jordan and Alex of Encounter Fine Art

YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday June 11, 2013

Page 19- Hot to Not & “Off the beaten track” Page 20 - Festival fashion Page 21 - Summer Bods are go.

Kathy Burke & Isabelle Scott leave the beaten track in search of good food in the

19

Page 22- Europe on the mind Page 23 - Blind date Page 24- FOOTBALL KIT FASHION

Best of Bishopthorpe Road

Trinacria Sicilian Cafe

HOT THIS WEEK The inexpensive Long Island Iced Tea pitchers in Lucia.

Tom Clarke at the top of the college fantasy league with 56 points.

The sex appeal of the new La Senza lingerie line - definite Victoria Secret influence there.!

On a sunny Saturday afternoon with two good friends I was eager to have a much needed catch up whilst enjoying a taste of Sicily . I noticed immediately how busy it was and this turned out to be a good sign. As you would expect there was a tempting range of salads, pastas and main courses on offer, as well as the more unusual array of arancini and focaccia. The most notable thing about the menu was the recurrent theme of ‘handmade’ and ‘homemade’ food.

For lunch I chose the mushroom, garlic and cheese arancini (a deep fried rice ball, served with a side salad of rocket, lettuce and vinaigrette) which came quickly and was made fresh to order. It was delicious, and at only £4.50 it truly was the perfect light lunch. Unfortunately, after such good service it took a surprisingly long time for our plates to be cleared- although nothing could counteract the temptation of the dessert display. The centre piece of this counter was undoubtedly the home-made traditional Sicilian style ice cream. I tried something a bit more adventurous, and went for the pistachio semi freddo (a frozen mousse). Although well presented, I was disappointed with my choice. This was my first semi freddo and I found the consistency too heavy and looked enviously at my companion’s cherry amaretto ice cream.

Overall, my experience at Trinacria was a very enjoyable one. The main course and bubbly atmosphere was well worth the trip out of the city centre, I will definitely be returning soon- even if only to finally try their ice cream!

The Good Food Shop

York Uni’s reputation as it does not adhere to the LAD conventions of rating your sexual encounters and opts for the more ‘fluffy’ alternative.

If you’re looking for a new food take away then look no further than The Good Food Shop on Bishopthorpe. It’s in the perfect location because Rowntree Park is just around the corner so you can take your light lunch and have a picnic in the sun!

The left hand side of the shop proudly displays a beautiful counter with an array of fresh meats from Parma to Serano ham, alongside a wide selection of specialist cheeses. To the right are wooden shelves reminiscent of a larder, and home to all the chutneys and jams amongst other items that are required by the most luxurious kitchens. In keeping with the British fare take on a delicatessen, to the rear of the store is a stand of cakes wrapped up and ready to go, handmade ‘with love and care’. There are also more exotic treats, including real Turkish delight from Istanbul.

Whilst The Good Food Shop has many pitta sandwiches and other takeaway snacks on offer, I was tempted by their Feta and pepper quiche and Mediterranean roll- all made locally. Both snacks were delicious and exactly what I was hoping for, but the price was the most pleasing thing at all at a mere £1.15 for the quiche and everything else was similarly priced.

This is a great place to stop by for a healthy snack and I for one are converted. It’s time to put down the Starbucks panini once and for all and start supporting independent shops like this!

The number of free treadmills in the Sports centre gym at 6pm- beach bodies are a go.

Being able to relax on the quiet place grass as far too much duck poo .

The believability of the couple that is Andy Jordon and Louise Thompson . (MIC) Guybrows- far too defined and extremely distracting.

See The Apprentice’s Alex Mills.

The predictability of the Great British weather; whether to bring a brolly or your sun cream.

NOT THIS WEEK

The Pig And Pastry Outside the city walls and off the beaten tourist track, the ‘Pig and Pastry’ is a easy place to miss, nestled between a greengrocers and an optician’s on the busy Bishopthorpe road. But to walk straight past and not to take note of this hidden gem, would, quite simply, be blasphemous.

With queues regularly stretching around the corner and only a handful of tables, we squeezed on the end of one long wooden tables, squashed between yummy mummies and a young couple.

The interior is a mix between country pantry, and a idealised version of granny’s kitchen; limited edition Rory Motion prints line the wall, providing a stark contrast to the Cath-Kidstonesque vibe.

After chatting to owner and chef Steve Holding, it became apparent that people who brunch, come here for one thing: the eggs. Unable to make my mind up between the asparagus, poached eggs and the eggs royale, I finally settled on the latter.

Smoked salmon and perfectly poached eggs were smothered in a buttery, smooth-as-silk hollandaise sauce, topped with chives on a bed of two muffins: it was heavenly. Although the English muffins were a little doughy, the locally sourced, fresh ingredients, coupled with superb cooking meant that even simplest of dishes wows you. Being full, we weren’t able to take advantage of the mouth-watering array of freshly baked cake, bread, sandwiches and deli options. At number 7 on The Guardian’s top 10 budget cafes and restaurants in York- this place certainly lives up to its hype. Although it’s not particularly budget friendly, with brunch coming to 9 pounds - it is well worth a visit!

20 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 11, 2013

Helena Horton and Rachel Thompson advise us on the must have festival fashion for this Summer

RACHEL & HELENA’S FESTIVAL FASHION GUIDE After seeing the rich and famous sunning themselves in achingly cool garments at Coachella, whilst we hugged our duvets and textbooks, it is now our turn to wow other people with our festival fashion choices. At festivals, conservative dressing isn’t really the done thing. You can afford to bare your belly, and wear feathers in your hair, to dress like you raided a glitzy dressing up box from the 1940s or simply strut about in a bikini and doc martens. It’s a great time to try out new trends that you were too shy to try before. However, try not to drown in mud, get sunburnt or overdose.

H O T P A N T S Yep, I said it. You aren’t going to get many chances this year to wear next-to-nothing with it being socially acceptable, and this is coming from the girl who was turned away from revs for wearing a leotard, so go wild! Take the chance and wear this pair from Topshop (pictured £30). I’d pair thiswith a crop top as they are back in fashion again this year! I was so happy that crop tops became acceptable to wear again for the first time since the early Noughties a couple of years ago, so make the most of it, who knows how long Anna Wintour will smile upon our midriffs? I’d pair these shorts with a black crop top; I have one from boohoo.com that has a tribal embellishment around the neck.

D U N G A R E E S Usually the reserve of mad cat ladies, stereotypical feminists and artists, these have been spotted on this year’s ‘it girl’, Cara Delevigne, amongst other A-listers and American apparel aficionados. They are comfortable and perfect, paired with a bikini or a bandeau, and you can unhook the straps for some sneaky between-concert sunbathing. Cara is in a pair from River Island (pictured £35). The great thing about them is that they look on-trend without looking like you’ve tried too hard.

M A X I - S K I R T These have been a staple for the past few summers, and what is good enough for Nina Dobrev is good enough for us. I love how she wore hers with a bandeau and flowers in her hair, a bit like boho on acid! Look on ASOS for the best maxi skirts, they have everything from colour blocking to bright flowing numbers (pictured £30) and even aztec prints. The pink bralet from New Look (pictured £16) would capture the bright neon trend that many pulled off so well at Coachella, and it is slightly more forgiving than the tiny one that Nina wore. If you’re feeling daring, scour the shelves of Claire’s for cheap clip-in feather hair extensions.

F O O T W E A R You’re probably going to be tramping all over the site, from your tent to the stages to your tent again, and it’s England so who knows what the ground will be like underfoot. Be prepared for a deluge. I am sworn off wellies and managed to survive the whole of Reading last year in my tatty old pink Doc Martens. If you can afford them, they are so comfy once broken in and they last for ages. You can get them in all sorts of eye-popping colours too. I’m personally lusting after the Harrie Boot (pictured), but at £100 they are a bit pricey. Tell your overdraft that they are a great investment though! Make sure to break them in before your festival though, or you’ll be suffering with blisters and bleeding feet the whole time. If you’re fixated on wearing wellies, though, these high-heeled crocodile print wedge wellies are pretty cool. Team with knee-high socks to avoid chafing!

Rachels’ festival footwear

“For festivals I’m all about the fringed and funky gladiators, they look amazing and keep your feet cool as you dance around. If the weather is typically British -wet- I always opt for a pair of Allstars. They are so comfortable, can handle being dirty, and come in an array of colours to match any fancy dress.”

ASOS Leather Knee High Gladiator Sandals £32.00

YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday June 11, 2013

21

Rachel Thompson sources full body workouts to get you beach ready.

GET IN SHAPE FOR SUMMER

GIRLS v BOYS ABS

A twist on the traditional sit up is abdominal pulses. Lie on your back with toes on the ground (ankles lifted), elevate your shoulders reaching towards your toes and pulse arms for count of ten. Then lift legs so vertically above you, shoulders lifted away. Do three sets of each.

For strong arms the plank is always the best method. Hold a thirty second plank (balancing on your elbows) have a mini break and repeat three times. Followed by some dolphin dives- form the plank position, from here push your nose forward to the ground in front of your hands and then up towards the ceiling- repeat this smooth motion five times.

Start in a narrow leg squat position, do eight individual squats, then sink down and hold the squat position for ten pulses, hold for a further five and then change to a wide leg position. Again, eight individual squats, ten pulses and a five second hold.

A twist, this is a rotational movement that targets every muscle in your core and helps to tighten your waistline. Place arms straight out in front of you (palms touching), then twist and hold the torso on each side alternatively.

Do this for a count of twenty.

ARMS

If you’re into fitness, you know how important and beneficial exercises like pull-ups are. They work your entire upper body from the back to the forearms. The reason an arched back pull-up is more efficient than a regular pull-up is because it works all of your pulling muscles at once. Arching your back using a neutral grip gives you a horizontal and vertical pull in one motion, intensely working out your arms.

Do sets of ten until your

ARSE

Lunges are brilliant for creating strong, lean legs. Mix it up with static and dynamic sets. For static lunges do ten individual lunges, then do a ten second hold on each leg. Follow this with some dynamic lunges, do ten of these; jumping from one lunge position to the oth-

LEGS

The table exercise, This works both the glutes and the back. Sit on the floor, legs bent, arms straight and fingers facing forwards. Drive your hips up to add strength to your glutes and back, then lower, repeat this action fifteen times.

Mountain climbers- Lock and load your core with this combination move that calls on both your stability and your explosive power. From your plank hold, jump feet forward and back alternating from leg to leg and remember control trumps speed. Do this exercise for one minute, pause, then repeat for another minute.

22 LIFESTYLE @HelenaKealey

Kealey's...

YORK VISION

s

ion s s e f on

C

Aaaaah balls!!! What total weasel faeces. What utter face smashing dribbly bottom juices! This CANNOT BE MY LAST EVER COLUMN. NOOO!! God damn it, please York Vision! Don’t make me leave! There are so many things that I’m yet to write about; feminism; the badger cull; my own distrust of high heels; why the Church should take itself off on a relaxing spa trip whilst we sneak in some lady bishops; an apology to all those spectacular people in my life who had to prod me through finals and pat my head; something about the fear of unemployment; class; and a nice love letter to Oliver Todd, because we should all write one.

Well. As this is my last column, I’d like to humiliate myself, put on my fantasy floor length dress and thank this spectacular, wonderful society for EVERYTHING you are.

Bear with me. Or maybe not. This is a bit of a cringe fest.

Vision is awash with the most talented, kind and funny people in existence. Everyone is accepted, everyone is encouraged, and the standard is crazy high. There’s a reason The Guardian says overall we’re the best UK student paper for those of you ignoramuses that DIDN’T KNOW. The kids at this little paper work harder for Vision than their degrees, long into the night, sobbing through production weekend, over and over again out of love for the magic they create. You should join them immediately. It’s amazing.

And the result is, of course, that this amazing group of people have totally changed my life.

I had my first confidence perk at 16 (the amazing Laura, Daniel and Charlotte); and my second life transforming moment with this lot.

Without the wonderful, incredible odd wink from Ruth Gibson, Milana Knezevic, Daniel Goddard, Helena Kaznowska, Oliver Todd, Alex Finnis, Alysia Judge, Sally Dolton and Nicholas Dunn-Mcafee to name a few, I’d never have kept going and discovered how incredible these people are at EVERYTHING; how much I love writing, and how I want nothing more than to spend a few years being that person who chats about boobs for money. You must all promise to employ me when you become editors of THE WORLD. Because you will be. And I will hunt you down and black-mail you if you don’t offer me a job. Pretty weird stuff went down in that office. I’ve kept diaries. None of you are safe.

The point is University, like life, can be a pretty hostile place, and the whole thing is made so much better by clubs like this and people like those. I learnt to revel in the mass delusion that I can write, that I want always to write… and… erm… if you could please follow me on Twitter and on my blog (helenakealey. wordpress.com) I’ll be incredibly, incredibly grateful.

All I really want to say is you are the most wonderful people. You really have changed my life. And I hope you know it… thanks.

- BLIND DATE -

Tuesday June 11, 2013

This week Vision sprinkled a little amour over ever consenting 2nd year WDP student Tom and 1st year Psychology student Louise. This is what happens when you put a girl, a boy and a melon in the same room...

Tom on Louise

Louise on Tom

What were you hoping for?

What were you hoping for?

A pleasant evening and a chance to meet a new person/see how good I am at blind dates. Also a free meal.

I was merely hoping for an amusing night with a negligible amount of awkwardness

First impressions?

Wow, I think she might be the one

What did you talk about?

First impressions?

He seemed friendly. I like a boy who’s comfortable dressing like that.

What did you talk about?

British and Dutch culture/Her experience of York/Milo Boyd/Mutual We complained about Milo for a bit, and then went on to discuss all the interest in films/Music. usual things: films, music, books, etc. We also talked about the differences between The Netherlands and Britain for a while.

Any awkward moments?

Any awkward moments?

Not really, no. A little awkward to get going but nothing catastrophic, no awkward silences.

He was easy to talk to so not really. Just your average study pod blind date tension to begin with

What did you eat?

What did you eat?

The curry that Milo bought for us. I enjoyed the Korma particularly.

Also doughnuts and melon.

We ate a curry. I hadn’t eaten one before so I was pleasantly surprised.

Mild, fragrant and filling.

Best thing?

Having a shared love for Django Unchained and Fight Club

What did she wear?

Clothes. Don’t remember specifics. I think she wore a spotted top?

Dunno.

The most interesting thing you learnt about Louise?

Best thing?

His love of Fight Club, the easiness of the conversation. Northern.

What What did did he wear? he wear?

Jeans and a collared shirt with a red moustache pin that distracted me on multiple occasions.

The most interesting thing you learnt about Tom?

She got punched in town last week. Also that her brother is amazingly talented and makes his living busking in New York.

He’s friends with Alex from the last blind date. Apparently he turned up really drunk.

Did you go on anywhere?

Did you go on anywhere?

No

We went out for a smoke, if that counts?

Did you kiss?

Did you kiss?

As above.

No.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be? it be?

Have it in an actual restaurant. Or at least somewhere with decent lighting. Candles would’ve been good.

I would take it off the record.

Do you think they’d make a good lover?

Do you think they’d make a good lover?

A resounding yes.

You really can’t ask that question, Milo! (Louise tentatively puts a hand to her mid-drift, exhales and looks wantonly at an ever nearing metaphorical horizon)

Marks out of 10?

Marks out of 10?

6.5/10. Treating 5/10 as a standard good date, 0 as 2 hours of silence with someone and 10 as love in its purest form.

N/A

For a video of Tom and Louise’s date and an update from last edition’s love birds visit www.yorkvision.co.uk/lifestyle

Blind Date is sponsored by Zaf’s Tandoori.

Tom and Louise highly recommend the Chicken Korma.

YORK VISION Tuesday June 11, 2013

LIFESTYLE

EUROPE ON THE MIND

23

Fancy a city break over the summer? Planning on doing a tour of Europe or going Interrailing? Here is a selection of the best places for students to visit. Paris and Berlin, two of the greatest cities in the world, can be surprisingly inexpensive if you are careful and know where to go. Lisbon and Budapest are less obvious options, but both have so much to offer for visitors on a student budget. Here are some tips for these fabulous cities. By Joe Cooper and Fiona Woollett.

BUDAPEST

LISBON

LISBON, set against the Atlantic, is a stunning and vibrant city. Its relaxed atmosphere and great Budapest is far from the grim ex-Soviet city you might imagine. It’s cheap, beautiful, rich in culture and situation makes it perfect for a chilled break in the sun. Its rickety trams add to its romantic appeal. is fast becoming a student favourite.

What to do

Lisbon is perhaps best captured by sitting with a caipirinha or an ice cold Sagres at one of the City’s countless street kiosks. Also of note are St. George’s Castle and the Museu Colecção Berardo with its world-class contemporary collections. Shop in the elegant Chiado district. Catch the train to Sintra or Cascais for beautiful beaches within an hour of Lisbon. Here the more adventurous can surf the sometimes fearsome Atlantic swells – nearby Nazare is famed for being home to one of the world’s biggest waves.

What’s on

The Festas de Lisboa run into July and see parties take over the streets. Sample Portugal’s thriving Jazz scene at the Gulbenkian Foundation festival (2-11 August).

What to do

Free walking tours are a great way to start and offer the opportunity to orientate yourself while taking in the beauty of the city. St. Stephen’s Basilica is one of Budapest’s most imposing landmarks, pay the small fee to climb to the top and catch panoramic views of the city. Reasonably priced museums are dotted on both sides of the Danube. To splash out, hit the Szechenyi Baths – slightly more expensive than many of the city’s spots but relaxing in the beautiful thermal spas is a perfect end to the day. To escape the summer heat the small town of Szentendre is just 20 minutes on the train; the cobbled streets offer a closer insight into Hungarian life.

What’s on

The 5th-12th August sees the Szigent festival. Now in its 21st year it has previously been awarded the ‘Best Major European Festival’ award. This summer it boasts a huge variety, from Blur to Dizzee Rascal to Regina Spektor.

Going out

According to Lonely Planet Budapest has the best and third best bars in the world. The first A38 is a decommissioned Ukrainian stone hauler ship. Szimpla Kert, the third, is the original ruin bar which essentially means it is in a previously abandoned building.

Both are definitely worth a visit.

Going out

Lisbon comes alive at night, with bars open until 2 or 3AM and clubs long after that. The Bairro Alto, up above the city centre is home to some of Lisbon’s best nightlife for young people looking to party. LuxFragil is a flash option, with a rooftop bar looking out over the ocean.

BEST FOR… Hipsters

BEST FOR… Lounging in the sun

PARIS

BERLIN

Paris is the second most visited city in the world, and with good reason. Its reputation for being expensive is outweighed by the events that take place and the advantages of being a young traveller.

Berlin surprisingly features in Lonely Planet’s best value destinations for 2013, making this vibrant and lively city a fantastic place for young people.

What to do

Paris’s major museums are free if you are under 26. The pick of the lot is arguably the Musée d’Orsay. For something different, head out to St. Ouen and wander the Marché aux Puces, a sort of super-refined flea market.

What to do

Get your bearings by checking out the view from the top of the Reichstag, or hire a bike to explore on your own. Explore Charlottenburg for great galleries and museums; or if you want to see the more alternative side of the city head to Mitte, where amongst many things you can find thrift shops and quirky art galleries. Must sees are the Holocaust Memorial and the Berlin Wall.

What’s on

Stagger along 2.2km of folk festival during the Berlin beer weekend from 2nd – 4th August.

From 19th – 22nd September you can find Art Berlin showcasing the best of European contemporary art.

Going out

Going out to eat in Berlin is cheap, try some German classics like currywurst. Berlin has world renowned clubs such as Berghain and Renate, as well as countless smaller more intimate venues like KaterHolzig and Kaffee Burger.

BEST FOR… Nightlife

What’s on

“Paris Plages” runs from July 20 to August 18 and sees the bank of the Seine transformed into a beach, along with the Bassin de la Villette, at the top of the hip Canal St. Martin. At the adjacent Parc de la Villette, films are shown by moonlight throughout the summer.

Going out

Paris’ eating possibilities are endless. For a cheap classic Parisian experience try Chartier. Montmartre holds cool bars, as does the Marais. For clubs try Batofar, which is on a boat, or Wanderlust, both near the Gare d’Austerlitz. More expensive and glamorous clubs can be found around the famed Champs Elysées

BEST FOR… Couples

24 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 11, 2013

BARCELONA AWAY

This Barcelona away kit is a huge improvement on some of their recent efforts, particularly the awful orange and yellow gradient number from last season. This strip features the colours of the Catalan flag, and the hoops on the sleeves are a particularly nice touch. If only Barca would go back to the old days of doing away with a sponsor and this would be perfect.

CHELSEA HOME

Simple and effective - Chelsea have gone back to basics with this season’s home shirt. No more gold trim, no hoops, just the traditional royal blue and white - and it works. Adidas pushed the kit with a strong marketing campaign: “It’s blue, that’s all that matters” went the slogan, accompanied by some of the players fully submerged in blue paint. I think they got the message.

PSG HOME Mega-rich PSG have gone for a tri-tone design with a new adaption of their current kit. Whilst it is not going to be modelled by David Beckham next season following his retirement, the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the bald-headed Christophe Jallet will be looking magnificent, trotting around the pitches of Europe on a quest for Champions League glory.

FOOTBALL FASHION Alex Finnis and Oliver Todd cast their fashion-keen eyes over the best and worst of next season’s football shirts

NEWCASTLE ‘KEEPER AWAY

MARSEILLE AWAY

LIVERPOOL AWAY

Newcastle’s Tim Krul - provided he doesn’t end up elsewhere during the summer break - will be sporting this rather garish sky blue number next season. With new sponsors wonga dominating the midriffs of their ‘keepers for the coming season, this terrible outfit is topped off and finishes top of the table for awful shirts. At least that’ll be some success for manager Alan Pardew...

Marseille have gone with one of the more bizarre designs of next season’s kits. Known for their unique kits, the south coast outfit seem to have some sort of ridiculous pocket embroidery. It’s also not helped by the weird patterns across the sleeves and sides of the shirt. Whilst l’OM tend to get it right with their bizarre kits - this one simply misses the mark.

This looks like it’s come off the shelves of Topman rather than the high-tech football kit laboratories of today.

I’m not sure what Warrior were going for with the awful pattern on the bottom of the shirt, I’m not even sure how to describe it, but I do know it is just about the worst thing ever. It looks like one of Raheem Sterling’s kids has thrown up all over it. I’m off to the toilet.

YORK VISION Tuesday June 11, 2013

ADVERTISEMENT

25

26 SPORT

YORK VISION Tuesday June 11, 2013

sport

Web: www.yorkvision.co.uk/sport Email: sport@yorkvision.co.uk Twitter: @YorkVisionSport

RAFA: A FRENCH TOAST

RAFAEL NADAL’S French Open triumph, apart from the unsettling protests during the second set, was a historic procession towards a peerless dominance on clay. For David Ferrer fans, and anyone else expecting a close match, it was a damp squib.

Nadal had won their last eight encounters and led the overall head-to-head 19-4.

If Ferrer is nicknamed ‘The Everywhere Man’ by his fellow professionals, Nadal is the ‘Even More Everywhere Man’. Granted, Ferrer is the model professional and his life story to reach the top is inspiring, but his record against the current ‘Big Four’ is woeful, and he has never won a tournament when at least three of them have entered.

It was ironic that Usain Bolt was chosen to present the trophy to Nadal, for whom the last six months have been a fitness building marathon. He was left devastated after missing the US Open and then Australia in January and many of us questioned whether the great Spaniard would ever be able to catch

up with the pace-setters; watching Djokovic and Murray steam ahead in the rankings must have been difficult.

Indeed, this year’s French Open produced some unforgettable moments. The home players excited the crowd as Gael Monfils returned from injury to beat fifth seed Tomas Berdych, while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga swept aside Roger Federer in the quarter-finals. Veteran Tommy Robredo won three consecutive five set matches from two sets down for the first time in the sport since 1927. Then we enjoyed the latest instalment in the Nadal-Djokovic rivalry, this time as a blockbuster drama, rather than persistently high-quality tennis.

But there were also disappointments, not least for British fans. Andy Murray’s absence demonstrated the lack of British strength in depth compared to France, Spain and others. Heather Watson, recovering from glandular fever, burdened the greatest expectations and, in truth, she did well to grab a set against Stefanie Voegele.

What’s more, the young talents in both the men’s and women’s game failed to deliver and there are serious question marks about who will succeed today’s greats.

Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (pictured left), whose style of play has been compared to Federer, was easily dispatched by Djokovic in straight sets while the young Pole, Jerzy Janowicz, succumbed to Stanislas Wawrinka. By the fourth round, only one player in both the men’s and women’s draws was aged under 23.

We shouldn’t really be surprised. Only six players under the age of 21 on the men’s tour are ranked inside the world’s top 200, but there are over 50 players in their thirties. On the women’s circuit, meanwhile, there are just 11 under-21 players in the top

100 compared to 27 back in 1993. Tennis is in danger of loosing a whole generation of young players for a host of reasons, notably inadequate grassroots funding and sloppy leadership from the authorities.

For now, however, our attentions must turn to the grass court season. With Ferrer reaching the French Open final, Nadal has intriguingly slipped to world number five.

From a British perspective, this has made the Wimbledon draw critical for Murray’s chances. He could face Nadal as early as the quarters, followed by Federer in the semis and Djokovic in the final – a tough run. Alternatively, he could avoid the rest of the ‘Big Four’ until the final and play Ferrer

in the semis. However, dark horses Tomas Berdych and Juan Martin Del Potro will be fresh and more likely to cause an upset.

These two players will be in action during the Aegon Championships at Queen’s Club this week, a line-up also including Tsonga, Dimitrov, defending champion Marin Cilic and, of course, Murray. In beginning his comeback, albeit following a much shorter spell on the sidelines, perhaps Murray can take heart from Nadal.

The Spaniard has undergone careful physical management while maintaining a champion’s mentality which has served him so well. Murray must rediscover these qualities over the next few weeks.

ARE THE NEW TYRES GOOD FOR F1?

JAMES SCOTT

YES

THOSE THAT see the degradable Pirelli tyres as ruining F1 have a highly simplistic and utopian vision of what F1 should be.

F1 has never been purely about the fastest driver winning after driving at full speed lap after lap; any F1 driver that takes this philosophy will never be world champion. F1 is about trade-offs, sacrificing reliability for pace, driving at a sensible while still fast past, managing the car, the fuel and the tyres.

Tyre management is a fact of life and although F1 drivers have more of it to do than in the past, it’s a universal skill dating back to the days of Juan Manuel Fangio, that separates the best from the merely very good.

During the 1980s, the lack of refuelling meant F1 drivers had to obsessively manage

their fuel, which led to great drivers such as Alain Prost and Niki Lauda coming to the fore. Many complained that the sport had been emasculated and drivers were nowhere near the limit, but this didn’t stop the era being one of the most exciting and best remembered in F1 history. The same applies to the tyre situation today; nothing changes.

The best drivers will always adapt to the regulations, whatever they are. That is proved by the virtue that the best drivers prior to the new tyre regulations; the Sebastian Vettels, Lewis Hamiltons and Fernando Alonsos of this world, continue to be the benchmark under the new regulations. The cream always rises to the top regardless of what the regulations are.

Not only do the new regulations encourage overtaking and excitement, something the sport has been lacking for many years, but they have also brought back the cerebral element to the sport, something that has also been absent for a while. This is a better test of a driver’s true skill set than the predictable ‘splash and dash’ racing of the noughties. I for one hope it continues for many years to come.

JACK BRADSHAW

NO

THE OTHER week, I decided to catch up on the Monaco Grand Prix. Laced with a rich history, the race is worth watching even if you’re not a massive F1 fan like myself.

But this time, it was a strange experience. I had been looking forward to pumping excitement and drama, gut-wrenching overtaking moves and everything else one would associate with the thrills of racing. But the build-up and the race itself was seemingly a running commentary on tyres.

Tyres? Even the word sounds boring. No longer is a Formula 1 race determined by the quality of the driver, but the quality of the rubber. And worse, you have to be an expert to even begin to understand the rocket science behind tyres.

Drivers and commentators alike seem

to be fed up with the current situation. The Times’ motor racing correspondent, Kevin Eason, said: “I sometimes wonder why F1 bothers with racing. They should just hire a circuit, pull up chairs and have a row. Cut out the expensive bit”.

Then, towards the end of the race, Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, demanded that Sebastien Vettel slow down in order to conserve his tyres. Vettel’s response was memorable: “But I just want to have fun!” Lewis Hamilton was also fuming in that race when he was told not to attack Mark Webber for similar reasons. And the British driver had previously seen his rivals lap him at the Spanish Grand Prix, despite starting second on the grid, because his tyres degraded unusually fast.

Something has to change. Martin Brundle wrote on Twitter the other day: “I want to enjoy and spot the fastest current and future drivers, not only the best tyre preservers. 90% of a race event is talking tyres now.” Right now, the BBC’s decision to concede their comprehensive F1 coverage to Sky seems like a wise move. The entertainment factor in racing is, if you’ll pardon the pun, slamming on the brakes.

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday June 11, 2013

27

SILVER SAMANTHA TOM ARMSTON-CLARKE INTERVIEWS GREAT BRITAIN PENTATHLON STAR AND LONDON 2012 SILVER MEDALIST SAMANTHA MURRAY

JORDAN GILLIES

SAMANTHA MURRAY is an Olympic silver medallist, World Championship gold medallist and Junior World and European Championship gold medallist. She took time out of her hectic jet-setting schedule and training regime to talk to Vision.

Having only recently returned to her hometown of Bath from competing in the World Cup finals in Russia, my time speaking to Samantha was cut short as she was going through the final check-in before flying off to compete again. “The life of an athlete is not easy, it’s demanding on your body and your mind. I’m in an airport now and I’ve only just got back from Russia and that’s great, but it’s hard to live out of a bag all of the time.”

Samantha started her sporting career at the age of seven, when she swam for her local swimming club and started competing in galas. She told me how it was from there that she evolved into a pentathlete. “I enjoyed running at school, so I entered myself into the Biathlon which is the running and swimming event.

I enjoyed the competition and so from there I began shooting training.”

Luckily for Samantha, her Grandma had stables where she lived. “I’ve pretty much been riding horses since I was born. I could always ride and I enjoyed sports and the triathlon, so why not give fencing a go? That gave me the ideal opportunity to enter a pentathlon.”

Not many children fulfil their dreams, at least not the dream of winning an Olympic medal. From the age of twelve, Samantha had fairy tale ambitions of wearing an Olympic medal around her neck. There is no better place to win one than on home turf; for Samantha that was the case last August during London 2012. When asked what the greatest achievement of her career was, I could sense her happiness immediately: “Its London 2012, that’s got to be the highlight of my career.”

I asked whether the fact she was performing on home soil added to the pressure, but she argues that in fact it was pure inspiration. “All of my friends and family came to watch me and some of them had never seen me compete before. I had thousands of people cheering for me all day. It inspired me.”

Unfortunately, modern pentathlon is not

the most publicised sport and most out there are more likely to be able to name the Chelsea starting XI than any Team GB modern pentathlete. The main problem for the sport is that it doesn’t anything like the media coverage get the media coverage it deserves, especially in comparison to more mainstream sports such as Football. “It always comes down to money, and finance, that is the reason it isn’t as publicised and accessibility isn’t created,” she says.

Samantha was optimistic, however, and believes that the success in London has helped to promote the sport.“I think that the Olympics has opened the door for more female role models. The Paralympics also broke barriers and showed people that sport is just not just for your stereotypical, six foot whatever, muscly guy who is macho, but can be for a lot of other people as well.”

There is still a great divide within any sport, between males and females, with greater attention piled on the former. She tells me first hand how she sees it: “I was in Russia last week, and the crowd all came to watch the men’s events, but the women’s had only about a third of the spectators.” Fortunately, support from the British public was unanimous for men and women in both Olympics and Paralympics.

Unfortunately the media doesn’t tend to help the situation. “I think that it’s a market driven by things that sell,” Samantha remarked. “If you’re good looking and have a great personality that helps, but male sports by far dominate the discourse. In any newspaper, if you look at the back pages it’s male athletes in typical sports.” This may improve over time; maybe one day all the red tops will have a photo of Arsenal striker Kelly Smith scoring a screamer, rather than Fernando Torres sulking again?

Samantha’s training schedule is brutal, with little time to herself, but in those brief moments it’s the normal things that help her to relax. “I hang with my friends, go out for dinner, go to the cinema, I go to yoga, I try to do that once a week.” But for now, Samantha is looking forward to the next Olympics in Rio, with her sights firmly set on going one better and claiming the gold.

28 SPORT

YORK VISION

FACILITATING GREATNESS

Tuesday June 11, 2013

THE TIPSTER

READY TO WIN YOU LOTS OF MONEY BEFORE HIS SUMMER BREAK

THE LAST three weeks had it all didn’t they? Our half-time Play-off Final tip at 21/20 came romping home, our Champions League ‘Predo’ was on point, the diamond of the day was easy money, AND I scraped 40% in my end of year exams. What more could go right? And so it’s the summer. Get out and take in the cultural attractions that York has to offer, enjoy life, go to a museum, the Minster, the park, the bookies.

As for the Tipster, I’m thinking of heading on an inter-railing tour of Europe. Bulgarian bookmaker to Bulgarian bookmaker, 3rd division Hungarian football game to 3rd division Hungarian football game, underground Slovakian gambling den to underground Slovakian gambling den. I can’t wait.

Anyway, nostalgia over, we aim to terrorise the bookmakers again as we look towards the U21 European Championships which are well underway. Yes I know, betting on U21 football shows the early signs of an addiction to gambling (as well as no life), but football is football and if there’s a chance to get dollar, then let’s take it lads!

All there’s left for me to do is to wish you all a happy summer holidays; no need to be upset, in just 11 weeks time our bank accounts will be full with Student loan money, ready to take on the new season and bash the bookies yet again.

This week: Italy to beat Norway. Germany to beat Russia. Spain v. Netherlands - draw.

Both teams to score: Israel v. England YES. Norway v. Italy - NO. Double pays 5/2.

DIAMOND OF THE DAY Spain to beat Republic of Ireland by at least one goal tomorrow (-1 handicap).

Banker.

[continued from back page] THE UNIVERSITY’S links with British Cycling have enabled the significant improvement of facilities on offer over past months, with the recent installation of the 1.2km loop cycling circuit being the first part of the development.

The viability of plans to construct a 3km mountain bike trail are also currently being assessed, whilst it is hoped that the current cycling facilities will receive 25,000 visitors in the next year.

An eight lane county standard athletics track is also set to be constructed, along with a stand of a minimum capacity of 300.

The location of this facility is yet to be confirmed, with the possibility for it to be situated either on Heslington East, or in place of the current track around the JLD. Therefore there is the potential for the relocation of the JLD Astro, as a grass field would form the centre of the athletics track. In place of the JLD an enhanced quality hockey facility would be provided, in the form of a sand dressed or hybrid astroturf.

As well as this, a tennis dome will be installed, which will cover the three floodlit tennis courts by the sports centre, allowing them to be used in adverse weather conditions. The work on this will be completed in the autumn term, whilst the University are also hoping to attract a postgraduate to coordinate tennis at the institution and provide coaching sessions as part of an LTA nationwide initiative.

In addition to these new constructions, existing facilities are also set to be redeveloped. The current gym in the sports centre is to undergo a significant overhaul, and it is hoped that a new and improved gym will be in place by September, with an increased focus on strength and conditioning. A comprehensive survey in March highlighted the areas where equipment was lacking, and these moves will look to rectify this problem. The development will treble the floor space of the existing gym, and provide an improved service for team training sessions or classes.

General fitness facilities will be located on the first floor, with the emphasis down-

ODDS:

3/4

DUCK OF THE DAY Moreno Rodrigo top scorer, utter drivel. Never heard of the lad, even the football hipsters don’t know who he is.

ly in the planning stage, but they signify a major move towards assuring high quality facilities for students at the University. Money has been put aside for this work, as the University realises that current facilities are coming to the end of their lifespan and will need replacing.

Second year English student Fred Isaac told Vision: “As long as they increase the weights in the lifting section, then the plans are all good by me - the current selection is sup-par brah.”

First year Chemistry student James-Luca Burroughs added: “I’m delighted that the University are investing in new facilities.

The new sport village seems excellent, and more facilities of a similar standard will only help to improve the standard of sport at York in the following years.”

The new sports village on Heslington East has been overwhelmingly successful, with the current membership now numbering 4889, whilst there are also 2441 students who are a member of the old sports centre, highlighting the important role that it continues to play. These new plans look set to continue the progression that has been made over the past year, and benefit students in years to come.

YOU KEN-DO IT TOO JONATHAN BARRON SHINES THE SPOTLIGHT ON KENDO

ODDS:

9/1

TIPSTER TREBLE England to beat Israel, Denmark to beat Armenia (seniors), Argentina to beat Ecuador. All tonight. Student loan on it now!

stairs revolving around strength and conditioning. A first floor dance studio will also be installed as the University looks to emulate leading sporting institutions such as Loughborough. Improved storage facilities will also be provided with the completion of the storage container, which will protect valuable equipment from the elements and replace the existing storage containers.

Furthermore, the current planning permission for the tent as a temporary fixture will not be re-granted, so a permanent fixture is set to be installed in its place on the same footprint. The facility will be cladded to allow for temperature regulation throughout the year. The timescale for this work is as of yet unconfirmed, but it has been budgeted for and planning work is set to start next year.

A bid has also been made to Sport England to secure the redevelopment of the boathouse, with a two storey construction planned to replace the current facility which is in need of significant repair. The first stage of the application has been completed, and it is hoped that the new facility will meet the club’s current needs and facilitate further progression in the future.

All of these developments remain large-

ODDS:

8/1

SHOUT-OUT OF THE WEEK Mark Hughes and Roberto Martinez.

Great to have these two in the Premier League. Pure box office. (PS. I had money on both, check my twitter).

Follow Miles on twitter for more betting tips and info, day by day action as he squanders his student loan - @YorkTipster All odds correct at time of writing.

Gamble responsibly: visit gambleaware.co.uk or phone 0808 8020 133 Photo: Jack Bradshaw

ASK YOUR average person what ‘kendo’ is, and there is a good chance that the answer will fall within a diverse spectrum of responses, ranging from “Swinging samurai swords about, innit?” at one extreme to “WTF is kendo?” at the other.

Now, whilst the latter scores 0/10, to be honest, the former does not score much higher. There is much more to “The Way of the Sword” than simply smacking people with one at random.

First and foremost, the focus of kendo is technique. Everything from the gliding motion of your feet to the straightness of your spine must match to a strict form. Not only does the combination of all your limbs working together look very aesthetically pleasing but, as is the base of so many martial arts, correct technique is specifically constructed so as to generate maximum efficiency from minimum effort.

This is not like tennis, where you can choose whether or not you want to have a one or two-handed backhand. In kendo, you simply have to grind through the initial stages of going over proper form and posture until it becomes muscle-memory; kendo is not a pick-up-and-play sport, it is

an acute test of your discipline and proprioception. However, by the end of the session, I was just about getting the hang of it.

At the tail-end of the session the members faced off in pairs, and I was treated to an exhibition of what I could expect to be doing in the coming weeks.

Each warrior had their own unique “kiai” - a battle cry or “expression of your spirit” (think “Hi-yah!” “Leeroy Jenkins,” etc.) - to accompany what were some pretty hefty strikes to the armour of their opponent. But at the same time as being struck by the real energy possessed by the warriors in battle one couldn’t help but be impressed by the discipline and maintenance of poise and form throughout.

The members were consistently encouraging (particularly admirable in the face of my persistent uselessness), and the atmosphere was remarkably open and friendly.

For my part, this Spotlight session left enough of an impression on me that I shall be returning next week.

The University Kendo Dojo train oncampus most Tuesdays (8.30pm, Derwent Squash Courts) and Sundays (8pm, James Hall), and off-campus on Tuesdays, meeting at the library bus stop at 6.30pm.

SPORT

YORK VISION

JAMES DERAILED

Tuesday June 11, 2013

IN A dramatic last round of group fixtures in the College Cup hockey, James 2nds hopes of progressing through to the cup semi-finals were cruelly demolished, as they missed out on the top two places courtesy of goal difference.

Derwent 1sts, Halifax 1sts and James 2nds, all finished tied on 15 points in Group 2, but it was Derwent and Halifax who qualified for the cup semi-finals as their final goal differences were marginally superior to James. They now join Alcuin 1sts and James 1sts in the Cup semi-finals, whilst James 2nds drop into the plate.

The most crucial fixture of the day was the contest between Derwent 1sts and Halifax 1sts, as Derwent knew that only a win would secure a top-two place. And they duly delivered, claiming a vital 4-3 victory in one of the most intense encounters of the Cup, which saw tensions escalate.

Halifax, who moved into the weekend unbeaten, led 2-1 at half-time, but Derwent rallied after the interval overturning the deficit and securing the three points through goals from James Ramm and Phil Hammick, which sealed their progression through to the Cup semi-finals. James 2nds meanwhile also tasted victory, prevailing 6-2 over Langwith 1sts to temporarily put them ahead of Halifax on goal difference.

In the final matches of the group stages Jambo Talbot and Charlie Tyler continued their excellent form for James, helping their side to a convincing 11-2 victory over Vanbrugh 2nds, but dramatically they still slipped behind Halifax 1sts after their rivals thrashed Alcuin 2nds 26-0. Alex Francis was the star of the show, bagging an

incredible 16 goals, whilst Matt Pheasant and Hannah Boyne scored five and three times respectively.

In the end the margin between the two teams was only a paltry three goals, but that was enough to cause anguish for a James’ side who were desperately unfortunate to only finish third in a strong group. James will be joined in the plate by Langwith 1sts, who secured fourth place with a 4-3 victory over Goodricke 2nds.

There will be one James team in the Cup semi-finals though, as two victories secured James 1sts second place in Group 1. Both Joss Winter and Millie Greenwood were in fine form, scoring crucial goals as James overcame Halifax 2nds 9-4, despite some skilful dribbling by Cameron Sanders and resolute defending by Helen Marston. A second victory of the day followed, as Chris Butterworth and Declan Hall starred in an excellent performance, as they breezed past Derwent 2nds 15-3 to book their place in the semi-finals next week.

Alcuin 1sts meanwhile cemented top spot in the group, as they maintained their 100% record with a comfortable 13-2 victory over Langwith 2nds. Both Robin Willows and Katie Penrose displayed their talent expertly, whilst Michael Thurloway bagged two goals on debut. Langwith battled wilfully, with Guy Bennett and Steve Le Cornu both impressing, but they were unable to contain an Alcuin team who have shone so far this tournament.

Langwith also narrowly lost out to Derwent 2nds, who will meet James 2nds next week in the plate. Goodricke 1sts meanwhile prevailed 7-2 over their third team to secure third place in the group, and will meet Langwith 1sts on Sunday.

29

Photo: Jack Western

Photo: Jack Western

Group 1

P

W

D

L

GS

GC

GD

Pts

Alcuin 1

6

6

0

0

45

15

+30

18

James 1

6

5

0

1

52

18

+34

15

Goodricke 1

6

4

0

2

24

26

-2

12

Derwent 2

6

3

0

3

22

33

-11

9

Halifax 2

6

2

0

4

31

29

2

6

Goodricke 3

6

1

0

5

28

34

-6

3

Langwith 2

6

0

0

6

13

62

-49

0

Group 2

P

W

D

L

GS

GC

GD

Pts

12.3

Derwent 1

6

5

0

1

80

21

+59

15

Halifax 1

6

5

0

1

64

15

+49

15

James 2

6

5

0

1

62

16

+46

15

Average number of goals per game

Langwith 1

6

2

0

4

33

31

2

6

Goodricke 2

6

2

0

4

33

44

-11

6

Vanbrugh 1

6

2

0

4

28

59

-31

6

Alcuin 2

6

0

0

6

3

117

-114

0

518 Total number of goals scored to date

27 Most goals scored by one side in a game

SUNDAY’S SEMI-FINALS CUP 11:00 Alcuin 1sts v Halifax 1sts 12:00 Derwent 1sts v James 1sts PLATE 11:00 Goodricke 1sts v Langwith 1sts

0 The number of draws in the tournament

12:00 James 1sts v Derwent 2nds VASE 11:00 Halifax 2nds v Vanbrugh 1sts 12:00 Goodricke 2nds v Goodricke 3rds Don’t miss all the action on the JLD on Sunday

30 SPORT

YORK VISION

TOP 10 SPORTING MOMENTS OF THE YEAR

Tuesday June 11, 2013

2

ROSES ARE

3

1

Photos: York Vision Photography Team

SECONDS TO GO...

AS THE black and gold kits are put away for another year, the balls sent back to the store cupboard and sticks lowered, Vision takes a look back at the best sporting moments from the year, including the best bits of Roses 2013 and some of our personal favourites of the year.

1) Seconds to go...

It may as well have been the 1999 Champions League Final. Drawing against Leicester 7-7

with only 30 seconds left in the game, Ash Daly sent the ball flying into the back of the net, sending the crowd into hysterics. Now the team are on their way to Malaga after reaching the BUCS semi-final. Futsal are sure to do us proud, but next time, please don’t leave it until the dying seconds!

2) Roses are white York’s victory over Lancaster to win back the Carter James Trophy was arguably a walkover. With a final score of 180.5-105.5, York put on a spectacular display across each day, including some fantastic individual perform-

RISING HIG ances. Lacrosse, rugby and hockey all stood out with dominant victories.

3) Rising High-ton You can forgive this girl for taking a break this summer. Louise Highton’s Roses performance was outstanding and her Player of the Tournament award was thoroughly deserved. Competing in both fencing and water polo, she excelled, smashing home several goals during the water polo and barely losing a point at fencing. A true role model for university sport, Highton has been an integral part of an excellent year for both these clubs.

4) Flying fly half Tom Chadwick worked his way around the Lancaster rugby team at the Huntington Stadium with ease following the Roses Opening Ceremony. Only missing one conversion in the whole game and contributing a try, he excelled as the Rugby 1sts kicked off the Roses mauling.

5) Golden oldies The longer you play the game the better you become at it. The postgraduates from Wentworth won their first ever college football title by beating Vanbrugh 4-0, thus confirm-

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday June 11, 2013

4

31

7 95 AND WHAT?

8

FLYING FLY HALF

5

CROQUET KALLUM WHITE

9 GOLDEN OLDIES

6

GH-TON ing their status as one of the most consistent teams in college football. Let’s hope they can keep up the standard next year.

6) Intermediate status The beginner men from UYBC proved they were novices no more, coming of age in a whirlwind of drama. The eight put in a worthy performance at Nottingham City Regatta this year, with the fastest times in the heats, before going even faster in the final with a time of seven minutes and seven seconds. It was a performance to be proud of, and they now progress to the Intermediate level.

INTERMEDIATE STATUS 7) 95 and what?

It was a game Alcuin would rather forget, if truth be told, Alcuin were expected to put up more of a challenge against the might of Derwent’s rugby team. With Derwent constantly on the offensive, and Alcuin not threatening the try line, the game was only ever going to end one way. Kemp scored a hat trick of tries, and the boys enjoyed a jubilant day. It looks like the team in black and red will need to up their game next time.

8) Croquet Kallum Never has there been a more comic moment

SIDELINE BANTER

10 LAX BEAT BOOZERS

as when our very own YUSU President tried his hand at croquet for Vision. A good sport, Kallum took to croquet like a duck to water and showed flashes of brilliance. His hard practice paid off; at Roses, Kallum teamed up with Brian Cantor and Greg Dyke to claim another York victory. But next time, Kallum, take off the scarf !

9) Sideline banter A little dirt was given out at this year’s battle of the Roses. Derwent BNOC Simon Varley invested in a megaphone, and proceeded to hurl abuse at the Lancastrian opposition. His

quick-witted and sometimes questionable remarks provided humour to the home support, but caused upset to some of the visitors.

10) Lax beat boozers There’s simply nothing better than having an unbeaten season. And when your opponents at Varsity turn up after a visit to the pub, you know it’s going to be a good day. Hull’s men’s lacrosse team decided it would be pointless to try against York, having already being defeated by them earlier in the season, so they decided to have a little tipple to help with the game. Safe to say their tactics didn’t pay off.

SPORT

V

BIG INTERVIEW: SAMANTHA MURRAY

P27

SPOTLIGHT: KENDO

COLLEGE CUP PULLOUT

P28 Centre Pages

VELO-DREAM

VISION CAN reveal that the University of York are planning further significant developments of the sporting facilities on offer on campus.

Keith Morris, Head of Sport at York, told Vision: “Sport has been a focus for so many people this year and the opening of the Sport Village has been a highlight as has the significant increase in student activity levels.

“This year started positively with clubs returning early for pre-season camps and that seemed to set the agenda for a year that continued in such a positive vein.

Issue 235

@YorkVisionSport

“Hopefully those returning next autumn will feel as positive and will be motivated by the efforts being made across the University and the Union to further enhance sports related opportunities on campus.”

Plans are being implemented to construct a velodrome and mountain bike trail on Heslington East, whilst facilities such as the tent, boathouse and athletics track will all receive a significant overhaul.

A 250m closed cycling circuit is to be situated on Heslington East, as part of the move to expand sporting provisions at the University, and make York a regional hub for cycling.

Continued on page 28

Tuesday June 11, 2013

www.flickr.com/photos/yorkvision

> UNIVERSITY PLANS OVERHAUL OF ON CAMPUS SPORTING FACILITIES > VELODROME TO BE BUILT, WHILE ATHLETICS TRACK AND OLD SPORTS CENTRE GYM TO BE REVAMPED sport@yorkvision.co.uk

www.yorkvision.co.uk/sport

15 pages of sport