Issue 256

yorkvision.co.uk

Vısıon YORK

10.02.16

THE UK’S MOST AWARDED STUDENT NEWSPAPER

YUSU ELECTION PULLOUT INSIDE

ISSUE 256

TRON SAGA RUMBLES ON

BY TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS & ABBIE LLEWELYN

A PROPOSAL put forward for a Vote of No Confidence last month would have seen students vote on Thomas Ron’s role as Academic Officer.

However, the motion was quashed by YUSU following concerns that any investigation into the YUSU Sabb could breach employment law and result in a lawsuit.

Ron acknowledged the motion and added: “I also understand that these were personal allegations and had nothing to do with my role as an officer, or my record, which I am very proud of.”

INSIDE

FULL - PAGE 5

EXCLUSIVE: STUDENT IN A&E STUMBLE SHOCKER

A BLOODY GOOD NIGHT OUT?

> SECOND YEAR FOUND UNCONSCIOUS IN ROAD BY FRIENDS > SUFFERS BLEED ON THE BRAIN AND FRACTURES SKULL AND COLLARBONE

- FULL STORY PAGE 4 -

PLUS: THE LATEST FORM OF STUDENT MEDIA CENSORSHIP? SEE PAGE 8

2 Vısıon Wednesday February 10, 2016

NEWS

YORK

CATHEDRAL MIX-UP HALF-ARSED JCRC

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK

ELECTION TURNOUT

BY JONNY LONG

JCRC ELECTION turnout for Goodricke and Halifax colleges decreased by more than 50% in the recent elections.

York Vision has received data on the turnout of all JCRC elections, with all colleges seeing a drop in turnout, apart from Alcuin, with 21 per cent more students voting.

Halifax saw the biggest drop, with 67 per cent fewer voters than in 2014.

Goodricke’s drop of 55 per cent followed closely behind.

Overall, election turnout across all colleges was down by 26 per cent, despite being up by 7.5 per cent in 2014.

Last year, Constantine logged the highest turnout in proportion to its members despite being in existence for only two months.

In 2014 their voter turnout was 44 per cent, whereas this year it was 34 per cent.

Not in York... Durham Cathedral

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK

THE CLUB of PEP has been criticized by third year PEP student Jon Barrow for hosting an Oscars-themed ball to celebrate their 10th anniversary.

Barrow complained the event was insensitive in light

Editors-in-chief: Tom Butler-Roberts Jonny Long

Scene Editors: Abbie Anderson Dianne Apen-Sadler Webmaster: Carl Goldsmith Advertising Director: Hope Butler

Not on bus... York Minster

CLUB OF PEP IN OSCARS #WHITEWASH? of the recent #OscarsSoWhite controversy.

He said: “I think it’s disgraceful that this year the PEP ball has an Oscars theme, given the controversy surrounding the 2016 award ceremony.

“This is going to marginalise a small, but important

EDITORIAL TEAM SPRING 2016 Deputy Editors: Amara Barrett Willett Abbie Llewelyn

DAVID DUNCAN has said “heads will roll” following an illustration bungle involving the York Minster and Durham Cathedral.

York Conferences, a subsidiary company of the University of York, lets out University space for business conferences.

The cathedral in the advertisement includes an extension similar to Durham Cathedral which York Minster lacks.

Dedicated York Vision journalists examined the floor plans of both buildings and concluded it could not possilby be York Minster.

A York Conferences spokesperson said: “I imagine the unusal angle of the illustration is what has caused the confusion”.

In Durham Cathedral the extension contains the Treasury, vestry and crypt.

The advertisement, present on the 66 bus for over a year, features iconic York landmarks including Central Hall, the artificial campus lake, the Millennium bridge and Clifford’s Tower.

News Editors: Jonathan van Kuijk Paul Wace Deputy News Editors: Steph Gabbatt Jasmine Golbourne Alumni Officer: Barto Joly de Lotbiniere

demographic within PEP whom already view the club as elitist and quite ignorant.

“Personally, I won’t be boycotting however I will be trading black tie for African dashiki to represent the struggle.”

The hashtag #OscarsSoWhite trended on

Twitter in response to all the Oscars nominees being white for a second year running which was perceived as a sign of institutional racism within the Academy.

The Club of PEP announced the event’s theme before the Oscars nominees were announced.

The 12 hour long ball is being hosted to raise money for SASH, a youth homelessness charity based in York.

A spokesperson for the Club of PEP did not respond to York Vision’s request for comment by the time of going to print.

Vısıon

Opinion Editors: Adaobi Nezianya Josh Salisbury

Deputy Opinion Editor: Dylan Jardine Features Editors: Ella Brown Sylvie Markes Deputy Features Editor: Joshua Gillman-Smith

YORK

Chief Sub Editors: Jasper Hart Ed Hunter

Got a story?

We pride ourselves on being the best news source in York.

Email: vision@yusu.org Twitter: @YorkVision

Sports Editor: Jess Causby Chief Photographer: Paul Wace

Jonny and Tom

Opinions expressed in York Vision are not necessarily those of the Editors, Senior Editorial Team, membership, or advertisers. Every effort is made to ensure all articles are as factually correct as possible at the time of going to press, given the information available. If you do spot any mistakes or wish to make a complaint please send an email to vision@yusu.org. Copyright Vision Newspapers, 2016. Printed by Mortons of Horncastle.

NEWS

Wednesday February 10, 2016

Vısıon 3 YORK

“STOP JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS” SOCTOPUS SAYS YORK TORY CHAIR RETURN OF THE

BY TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS

BIZZARE SOCIETIES’ initiative Soctopus is to be given a new lease of life after YUSU bosses promised to splash the cash.

In the latest twist to the eventful orange toy mascot’s life, societies can win £100 just by spending time with it, in what is being dubbed as “Round 2”.

Activities Officer Chris Wall said: “This competition aims to offer societies two things they always ask for: more promotion avenues and additional funding.

“Hopefully Soctopus will have the chance to see more of the world and we can share that with York students.”

Societies can book out the plush toy, which will also grant access to the aquatic creature’s online Twitter account (@yusu_soctopus).

The mascot was embroiled in controversy last year when it went missing at the YUSU Elections Debate, barely a month after being introduced.

Bungling YUSU Sabbs offered up a packet of McCoy’s crisps as a reward as part of the frantic search operation around the Roger Kirk Centre.

YUSU POLICY U-TURN

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK

YUSU PRESIDENT Ben Leatham was forced to radically alter a flagship policy passed last term after it emerged it was against the law.

The Students’ Union approved a 5p plastic bag charge in the YUSU Shop last term intending to donate the profits to an environmental charity.

As YUSU has charitable status, like all charities, it is not permitted to donate to other charities to avoid corruption in the industry.

Nevertheless, on February 1, Leatham posted on Facebook: “What environmental charity do you all want this money to go towards?

Please comment with ideas!”

Soon afterwards YUSU realised their error, forcing Leatham to hastily delete his post.

It was decided instead to re-invest the funds raised from the bag charge into YUSU Shop instead.

TORY: “CULL ‘TIL THE COWS COME HOME”

BY PAUL WACE

THE YORK Tories have demanded people “stop jumping to conclusions” after their badger culling social was slammed by a national animal charity.

Bethany Wright, chair of the society, hit back in a post on Facebook after the event was criticised by The League Against Cruel Sports.

The organisation, which is supported by big names like Ricky Gervais and Jo Brand, said the event was “not very funny” and suggested the society “do a bit of studying.”

Charity campaign director Tom Quinn said the York Tories had “made light of a national scandal.”

Images from the event obtained exclusively by York Vision show society members holding t-shirts bearing messages including “cull ‘til the cows come home” and “TB or not TB?” The event saw Conservative and Unionist Association committee members

dress as badgers, while other members hunted them down dressed in their “best country attire.”

Stauart Maule, chair of the University Green Party society also condemned the event, telling this newspaper it was in “poor taste.”

He added: “The badger cull is a cruel and ineffective measure, and is opposed by the UK’s scientific community.”

The York Tories’ Facebook page came under fire from people calling members “pathetic” and “lonely sad people.”

But Wright defended the social, saying it was “tongue in cheek” and said “most of us don’t even support culling.”

“The way some of the members have been spoken to is abusive and disgraceful,” she said.

This is the latest in a line of scandal socials run by the society. In November, a “fox hunting social” attracted criticism from YUSU. At that event, members

Insensitive... T-shirt brandished in D Bar mused that “one day” the society would be able to rent out hunting gear. “Sadly not yet.”

Third year politics student Henry Hale said: “I’m for free speech of course.

However, this is extremely childish and calculated to try and upset people.”

One member involved in the event, defended the event, saying: “The appeal of the badger culling social is the same as any other fancy dress social: the novelty of dressing up eccentrically.”

The League Against Cruel Sports claims the

killing of badgers is a “disastrous policy.” In March 2014, MPs passed a motion stating badger culling had “decisively failed” in a landslide vote. Last August the government authorised the third of four years of badger culling around England.

Rifle scope... the event’s photo on Facebook

Scandalous social exposed in Vision last year

ELECTIONS ARE HERE!

BY PAUL WACE POLLS WILL open in the 2016 YUSU election on Sunday night.

Seven people have put themselves forward to replace outgoing President Ben Leatham for the next academic year.

Students will be able to vote online, starting at 7.30pm this Sunday, in what this newspaper understands

is a very open horse race.

University Radio York will host interviews with the presidential candidates this Thursday evening.

Five full-time sabbatical officer positions are up for grabs, as are nine other part time jobs at the Students’ Union.

Campaigning and voting will remain open for five days until Friday of week

Fancy dress... Badger and hunter seven. As voting opens, the Roger Kirk Centre will play host to debates between the candidates for the full time positions.

Leatham was keen for

all students to use their vote.

“The candidates this year are incredibly diverse and I’m really excited to see who wins and whose cardboard lasts the longest,” he said.

INSIDE TODAY: Meet every Presidential candidate in our 8-page election pullout ONLINE: Keep ahead of the election and see the results come in at yorkvision.co.uk

4 Vısıon Wednesday February 10, 2016

NEWS

YORK

COMING OR GOING?

BY STEPH GABBATT

MILO YIANNOPOULOS has been invited to speak in York by York student magazine Jocal.

Organisers of the event aren’t sharing much about the event yet and say they “are finalising the details”.

The controversial rightwing journalist is set to speak on the subject: “Free Speech Is Dying On American Campuses”.

Set to take place on March 9, it will not be held on campus with the actual location yet to be confirmed.

When asked why they were holding the event organisers said: “Why not?

He’s an interesting dude and I wanted to meet him in person!”

90TH BASH FOR HER MAJ

BY PAUL WACE

THE UNIVERSITY is putting together a big party for Elizabeth II’s ninetieth birthday later this year.

“We would very much like to host one of the beacons which will mark Her Majesty’s ninetieth Birthday across the UK,” University registrar David Duncan told York Vision.

He said no plans were yet confirmed, but added: “We are currently looking at options for where this could best be located, one option being Kimberlow Hill.”

WHODUNNIT THIS TIME?

YORK FIRE department is conducting a criminal investigation into Derwent M block after a fire alarm was activated “maliciously”.

This is only the latest in a recent spate of M block incidents.

SPLITTING HEADACHE...

...BUT NOT FROM THE HANGOVER

BY JONNY LONG A SECOND year student was rushed to A&E after a fall on the walk home from a nightclub.

He suffered a bleed on the brain, a fractured skull and a broken collarbone, and now his mum has ordered him to wear a cycle on nights out.

She said: “I’d give him a clip round the ear if he hadn’t taken a blow to the head, from now on he’s wearing a cycle helmet on nights out.”

Richard Winter, an Economics and Finance undergraduate, spent 2 days in hospital after tripping over a railing whilst chasing his housemate home from Kuda in the early hours last Wednesday morning.

Despite intitially visiting A&E early on Wednesday morning, housemates rushed him back to hospital after he was sent home when Mr. Winter started “speaking back to front” and “couldn’t open his left eye”.

Richard was chasing a friend home when he tripped on a railing by the Shell Garage at the junction between Hull Road and Lawrence Street.

“I was knocked unconscious.”

Richard recalls, “I grazed my back, smacked my head and ****ed up my shoulder. Don’t know how I did all three.”

Someone saw Richard fall and posted about the accident on Yik Yak but none of his friends did. This led one of them to believe Richard lying on the ground was a joke, Snapchatting a picture of his friend passed out on the road with the caption: “get up ahahaha”.

Richard’s memory of the fateful night is hazy, but he tried to piece together the timeline of events as he remembers it: “I’ve got a bit of memory when I caught my foot on the railing and I knew I had fucked it. I remember coming to after the fall, because I remember getting put in the ambulance.

“The gas and air made me feel sick and then I remember standing up against the wall having an Xray done and being in agony. A&E couldn’t wait to get rid of us. They kept on telling us to stop swearing.”

Richard wasn’t entirely happy with the service provided by A&E: “They didn’t give me any painkillers or anything. They didn’t check my head. They just told me to come back if I had any symptoms to do with my head injury.”

“I got home at 7.30am, woke up at 11am. I was so confused, I couldn’t keep my left eye open, I was speaking back to front, I went downstairs, felt really sick and threw up in the sink and then my mate drove me back to”

Despite mimicking Usain’s famous pose, it is unlikely that Richard will be bolting home from a night out anytime soon...

Where it all happened...

nd a helping hand Richard’s friends le rently have not in hospital, but appa ghtclubs since the ni om fr ed rr te de been It’s quite hard to ge accident. t up when you’ve be en knocked unconscious and ha ve a fractured skul l...

A&E. I feel all Upon returning to the hospital, a head scan revealed that Richard had fractured his skull. “Turns out I was kind of lucky, the accident could have killed me.”

When York Vision visited Richard at hospital, he had been there for 48 hours, and was complaining about the lack of things to do.

“Having to be still in bed is the worst thing,” he said.

“I’ve got my laptop but there’s no internet, and the TV is rubbish, it costs £10 a day and is black and white, it’s so crap.

“The codeine is good though,

woozy, but when it wears off, my shoulder kills.”

“Laying down my head feels like cotton wool but if I stand up the room starts to spin.”

It will be six weeks before his shoulder heals, up to ten days before the pain in his head will go, and then it will be months before the fracture on the side of his head is fully healed.

Having spoken to his supervisor, the University has told Richard they can authorise him up to four weeks of absence. Otherwise he will have to redo his penultimate year.

If the pain is bearable enough, Richard is hoping to return to lectures within a week.

Despite everything, Richard seemed cheerful, still sporting the Kuda stamp on his wrist that got him into so much trouble in the first place: “I thought I was Superman trying to hurdle the fence.”

Richard was discharged from hospital on Saturday, and returned home to his family home in Doncaster to aid his recovery.

NEWS

Wednesday February 10, 2016

Vısıon 5 YORK

YUSU ELECTION RULES IN SHAMBOLIC...

ELEVENTH HOUR U-TURN

BY ABBIE LLEWELYN & TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS YUSU BOSSES were left red-faced after their electoral reforms were blocked by a panel of students tasked with ensuring the elections are fair.

Plans to allow YUSU societies, sports clubs and volunteering groups to endorse candidates in this year’s elections were scrapped on Sunday.

An email sent out to all YUSU societies over three hours after online campaigning started, read: “We appreciate that this is an unusually late reversal of our position - endorsements were something we really

wanted to have this year and it’s a shame that it won’t be possible.”

The regulations were going to apply only to those running for Full-Time Officer positions.

On January 26, societies were sent an email informing them that they could now officially endorse candidates, but it now appears this was premature as the new voting rules had not been run by the Policy Review Group.

This is a panel of students who serve a variety of functions in YUSU, including ap-

Late night... Review Group pore over election rules on Sunday

proving any changes to the YUSU election rules.

An emergency meeting was called on February 7 to discuss the issue and it was decided to reject the policy.

A statement released by the panel in the wake of the decision said: “The hurried nature through which these controversial changes would have been passed, led us to the conclusion that a far more comprehensive consultation with the student body was needed before the PRG felt comfortable allowing society, sport and volunteering endorsements to occur.

“Whilst we have no reason to believe the bypassing of the PRG was deliberate, it is extremely worrying that the only body which is able to effectively scrutinise decisions made by YUSU was almost completely circumvented in this process.

“We have a duty to ensure that the election rules are open, fair and maximise participation. Due to the many concerns that were raised, and the tight schedule of the rapidly approaching elections, we felt it would have been irresponsible to approve them in such a rushed manner.

“We recommend that society endorsements are looked into further, and the wider student body is properly consulted.”

However a number of amendments were made

during the emergency meeting where it was proposed that the policy change should be adopted in its reformed state for the 2017 elections.

Ben Lombardo, Chair of Octopush told York Vision: “While this doesn’t personally affect me, I can imagine some other people are disturbed by this last minute change.”

Grace Lievesley, Chair of York DramaSoc, said: “I personally didn’t agree with endorsing candidates anyway because I was uncomfortable for a committee to choose a candidate to endorse, when that committee comprises of under 10% of the society’s members.

“Even though we have the same common interests through our society, we still have different views and opinions and I wouldn’t want to tell anyone who to vote for.

“As for YUSU changing this rule, I’m glad they’ve reconsidered it but don’t understand why it got rushed through and revoked so quickly.

“As a society chair I knew endorsement was something we could do but I had no idea about any rules surrounding it.

“While this doesn’t personally affect me, I can imagine some other people are disturbed by this last minute change. I’ve no idea why the change has been implemented and would like to know what has happened.”

Photo credit: The Yorker/ Jack Harvey

YUSU BLOCKS MOTION FROM STUDENTS

EXCLUSIVE: VOTE OF NO TRONFIDENCE

BY ABBIE LLEWELYN & TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS

A PROPOSAL put forward for a Vote of No Confidence last month would have seen students vote on Thomas Ron’s role as Academic Officer.

However, the motion was quashed by YUSU following concerns that any investigation into the YUSU Sabbatical Officer could breach employment law and result in a lawsuit.

York Vision is not allowed to comment in more detail on the nature of the employment law breached.

Ron acknowledged the motion, saying: “There was a vote of no confidence taken forward and I understand that the motion was not investigated by PRG. “I also understand that these were personal allegations and had nothing to do

with my role as an officer, or my record, which I am very proud of.”

The proposals come just before the YUSU elections in which Ron is re-running as academic officer.

The proposal for a Vote of No Confidence was presented to the Policy Review Group – a panel of students responsible for democratic oversight of YUSU with the power to approve such a motion.

The motion was later dropped, despite the Policy Review Group wanting to investigate the allegations.

Callum Furness, Head of the Policy & Review Group, hit out at YUSU’s decision, saying: “Although I find extremely frustrating that the PRG’s hands were tied in this matter, we have to accept the extraor-

dinary circumstances at hand here.

“However it a major potential concern that YUSU might in the future continuously find ways to bypass the only body that has any power to hold our elected members of office to account.

“This would be extremely harmful for our campus democracy.”

YUSU President Ben Leatham said: “All motions of no confidence submitted against elected officers are taken incredibly seriously by the Union.

“In this case, due to concern about the potential for breaching employment law, the allegations are being considered by the Union, as opposed to the PRG. “The PRG understand the context behind this and the extraordinary nature of the case.

“The issues raised are still being con-

sidered seriously and appropriate action will be taken as necessary once the issue has been fully examined.”

The motion comes after messages exposed by York Vision, where Thomas Ron appeared to try to put off another student from running for YUSU President.

The messages were not included in the evidence for the Motion of No Confidence.

Luke, who submitted the Vote of No Confidence, said: “Following Vision’s initial reporting on the allegations against Thomas Ron, further students came forward to document other incidents.

“This led to the process of submitting a Motion of No Confidence (MoNC) to the Policy Review Group (PRG) on January 13.

“Evidence was collected over the following week in support of this MoNC, and was submitted to the PRG on January 20.”

6 Vısıon Tuesday February 9, 2016

NEWS

YORK

Vısıon THE VOICE OF...

YORK

A NEW KIND OF STUDENT MEDIA CENSORSHIP Call us sceptics, but maybe YUSU thought that the media charter hasn’t gone far enough.

Maybe ‘planned works’ on the building that hosts the student media offices is a more direct, effective and efficient method of censorship? Yes, our office is far from perfect, but couldn’t the University wait until the holidays to undertake such massive works instead of springing it on us a month beforehand? Especially when a number of publications are due to have editions coming out.

Yes, this may be a story that only student media circles really care about, but don’t blame us in three weeks time when you walk up to a media bin, hoping to find a copy of your favourite campus tabloid, and it isn’t there!

BREAKING NEWS: UNIVERSITY DON’T WANT US INVESTIGATING THEM In another quite introspective news story, Univeristy officials have said that the Freedom of Information Act shouldn’t apply to universities (not YUSU though, Ben Leatham has actually defended the FoI Act).

In similar breaking news, students drink too much, sleep too much, and don’t do enough studying.

Should FoIs cease to exist, York Vision could go the same way. How will the students be able to know how much of our tuition fees that the powers that be spend on biscuits?!

On a serious note, FoIs are an important aspect of holding the University to account and ensure greater transparency. Students need to know that £20k was spent on the Chancellor’s inauguration and then be able to make up their own minds on whether or not they think this is an appropriate for the university to spend their tuition fees.

DOES NO ONE CARE ABOUT JCR ELECTIONS? After nearly an eight per cent increase in participation in the 2014 JCRC elections, it was suprising to see voter turnout drop by a quarter in the most recent elections.

Colleges and their JCRCs need to find the root cause of this, and come up with strategies to encourage apathetic students to participate. College life is not only one of the biggest selling points that York has to offer to prospective students, but fosters the community spirit that we enjoy on campus.

FRESHER’S TERRIBLE MISTAKE

That’s one expensive wash...

BY PAUL WACE

ONE STUDENT must have been given quite a shock last month when they put on a wash - with their iPhone inside.

We’ve all forgotten detergent at some point, but one Constantine fresher made a far more costly mistake.

This picture was snapped by first year Film and Television student Phoebe Knowles in the college’s laundry room.

“I felt so bad for the owner of the phone,” she told York Vision. “It sucks that you cant open the doors once a wash cycle has begun, else I would have tried to get it out.

“It was sitting on the side like in the picture, then it got sucked into the drum and you could hear it going round and bashing off the sides. I was actually wincing.”

A single Circuit Laundry wash costs £2.70, but a single iPhone 5S on Apple’s website starts at £379.00.

Once we allow for about 25p of detergent, the cost of this remarkable wash comes in at a whopping £382.05.

It’s unclear whether a session in a tumble dryer, at £1.30, would have fixed the phone; but a 500g packet of basmati rice at Asda clocks in at a slightly more economical 98p.

LET THEM EAT CAKE!

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK NO EXPENSE has been spared on a swanky new multipurpose building on Heslington East.

The Piazza building, expected to be completed in time for the start of the 2017-18 academic year, will include a full service restaurant as well as a study space, lecture theatres and classrooms.

As well as granting gastronomic satisfaction to passing traffic the restaurant will provide approximately 300 Hes East students with a catered accomodation package.

Hes East, with only 1900 students,

has few amenities to boast of especially compared to the main Hes West campus.

Puzzingly, a first year Hes East resident complained: “The money would be better spent on improving the public spaces that already exist on Hes East, for instance the Goodricke Nucleus is a very poor facility that goes almost totally unused.”

David Duncan, University Registrar and Secretary said: “We expect the new building to become a major hub of student activity on campus.”

Playing host to a major hub of student activity on campus would of course be unprecedented for Hes East.

NO BAR FOR FAX

UNIVERSITY BOSSES have said there are currently no plans for a bar in Halifax College, despite student demand.

A senior university official added: “If someone could develop a business case for it, then we would look at it.”

The closest watering hole for Halifaxers is a several minute walk away in Heslington village.

One Halifax fresher complained: “There’s no bar, so it’s harder to meet other college people.”

SEXPOSE EH?

THE PANEL show all about sex is back!

Run by FetSoc, WomCom and LGBTQ, the popular event is back for the fourth year running.

Last year the panel show featured drag kings and queens dressed in bin bags, steamy text messages and outrageous prizes.

It is set to be held in P/X/001 on Wednesday, 17 February at 7pm.

NEWS

Tuesday February 9, 2016

Vısıon 7 YORK

SCANDALOUS SOCIALIST SOCIETY INVESTIGATION

SAVE OUR SERVICES

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK

THE UNIVERSITY has spent £26 less per student on its main mental health service since 2011, whilst increasing tuition fees for most courses to £9,000 a year since over the same period.

Funding for Open Door failed to keep pace with the 46% increase in demand, only rising by 24%.

Student Support, the umbrella organisation responsible for Open Door and a variety of other student welfare services, has seen its own funding increase by only 12%, from £1,336,455 (adjusting for inflation) to £1,508,280 since 2011.

Demand for student counseling services as a whole, including both Open Door and other services saw an increase of 132%.

The sobering investigation, conducted by the Socialist Society, concludes the trend is likely to continue without a dramatic increase in funding pointing to a dramatic nationwide increase in cases of mental health problems.

Peter Quinn, Director of the University’s Student Support Services, said: “The Socialist Society report has many valid points but it is not the case that students are limited in the number of sessions they have with the Open Door Team, the average number students need is less than 3.”

He added, “the Open Door Team service has evolved to include a much larger group and workshop offerings, hosted by Colleges.

David Duncan, University Registrar and Secretary said: “We have recently authorised two additional appointments

in the Open Door Team to cope with rising demand and reduce waiting times.”

Duncan also said that a wider review of University mental health services will be conducted by Professor Hilary Graham of the Department of Life Sciences.

The investigation also highlighted problems with mental health services outside the University, highlighting the closure of Bootham, the specialist mental health unit.

A number of mental health awareness campaigns and events have taken place on campus this academic year, most notably the York Student Mental Health Campaign and the Mind Your Head campaign.

Quinn also pointed out an increase in Mindfulness and Yoga workshops available on campus.

COMMENT: A SIMPLE SOLUTION

BY JACK CHADWICK AND KATIE SMITH

A 46% increase in York students struggling with their mental health raises serious questions about more than just the readiness of campus services to cope with the new demand.

We also need to investigate the causes of this trend and do what we can to stop it.

At the moment, the strategy of both the university and YUSU is all about firefighting: responding to a worsening crisis with bits here and there.

Hiring a new counsellor, improving signposting and, in the case of YUSU, talking, but not doing.

York isn’t alone with this problem.

According to the Higher Ed Funding Council, there’s been a 132% rise in the number of students with mental health problems from 2012 onwards.

While rising openness about mental health is a factor, it’s no coincidence that the near tripling of problems has occurred since the introduction of fees and further marketisation.

What can be done? In the short term, a halt to the falling staff-to-student ratio, greater support for students on leaves of absence – counselling and fee waivers – and an opening up of Open Door.

8 Vısıon Wednesday February 10, 2016

NEWS

YORK

WHERE WILL WE GO?

PUB QUIZ SHOCKER

BY AMARA BARRETT-WILLETT

STUDENTS WHO attended a pub quiz held at the Glasshouse in Langwith College last week were left outraged.

One group of friends claim they were cheated out of £30 of winnings when the quiz masters “ignored” the teamscores.

Laura Aspinwall, a first year, said: “I feel cheated and ignored, this isn’t fair.

“They told us they make it up as they go along, I didn’t sign up for this.”

Participants were required to pay a 50p entrance fee, which went towards the £30 prize for the end of the night. The students made a complaint to YUSU, who are yet to respond.

NEW-SU

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK

NO EXPENSE has been spared in plans for a new YUSU building on Heslington West.

The £10m building will include new offices for both sabbs and staff, a student society activity space, a media centre and a bar similar to D Bar. YUSU President Ben Leatham said: “It is incredibly exciting that the University has agreed to invest in a new Students’ Union building.

“We will be consulting heavily in the coming months; the building must be designed around the wants and needs of studends.”

BY JONNY LONG & TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS STUDENT MEDIA societies have spoken out after being given a MONTH to move out of their media offices.

In an email from YUSU, societies including York Vision, Nouse, Lemon Press, and HARDzine have all been told that they will have to pack their bags.

This is due to planned ‘major works’ on Grimston House, near Market Square, which houses their offices, as well as those of other societies and Nightsafe.

The works are planned to start at the end of February, and continue until mid to late April.

Chris Owen, Editor of Nouse, slammed the lack of communication from YUSU, claiming their response showed “a profound lack of repsect and consideration for the work done by societies.”

YUSU President Ben Leatham responded to the concerns raised, saying: “YUSU are currently in discussions with the University Estates Department on this matter. We are trying to reach a compromise that will satisfy all parties.

“The groups located in Grimston House work incredibly hard, often to tight deadlines, and it’s important that their needs are catered to.”

Alex Lusty, Editor of the Lemon Press, said the planned works were “very conveniently placed at the busiest time of year for societies.”

Florence Mitchell, Editor-inChief of HARD Magazine, also blasted the treatment of media societies, saying that it “seems indicative of the lack of respect that the university has for the hard work of media societies.”

She said: “Student media is an integral part of York in raising awareness of issues and events, and providing an outlet for free speech and expression.

“It is therefore disappointing that we haven’t been factored into the equation when plans for Grimston House developments were drawn up.”

However, she added that she was optimistic that the situation was simply the result of miscommunication and could be resolved with the help of YUSU.

GRIM TIMES FOR STUDENT MEDIA

Is this the future o f student media?

STUDENTS AIM TO RAISE £2K TO HELP REFUGEES IN LESVOS

BY PAUL WACE

17 STUDENTS are to travel to Lesvos in Greece to help refugees next month.

The group have launched a campaign to raise £2000 on the website JustGiving, and are planning fundraising events including a pub quiz before they set off.

They are being supported by Hellenic Society.

Eliza Gkritsi, a member of the team who has already done charity work in Lesvos, is appealing for more people to join the group.

“It’s amazing,” she told York Vision. “Honestly, everything about that island changes your perspective.”

“I saw a 70 year old American woman volunteering, and she wasnt at the boats or diving in the sea, she was just cooking and helping around the camp.

Anyone who is considering it should look into it, whenever or however.”

She added: “Volunteers and refugees are trying to work to-

gether in the harshest of circumstances. And yet apart from those involved, no one cares.”

More than 60,000 refugees arrived in Greece in January, but over the last year hundreds have drowned before reaching the shore. The University has pledged £500,000 towards helping refugees.

COLUMN

Wednesday February 10, 2016

Vısıon 9 YORK

Follow me on Twitter – I don’t tweet, but it helps my ego. @CostasMourselas

Costas Mourselas

I tried the ‘real world’ and it sucks

S

alutations University of York! It is I, generic white male no. 58 reporting from the second floor of my beloved Harry Fairhurst. As I write this column, I am currently in the process of winding down on the sofas with a group of friends after a long, hard day of work (two hours).

And by winding down I mean chatting loudly, abusing the ‘studious buzz zone’ signposting and annoying absolutely everyone around me.

Yeah I see you eyeing me angrily from that opposite end of the room, fresher that probably takes first year far too seriously. I relish in your excessive politeness and inability to walk up to me and justly tell me to shut my gob.

But anyway, it is with a heavy heart I must remind you that it is ‘that’ time of the year again, dear reader. The time where BNOCs (Big Nobs on Campus) come together in an annual dick-measuring contest; as you’d expect, men generally take home the bacon.

Now, as much as I would like to dedicate this column to relentlessly mocking the YUSU elections, I am really not in the mood to tango with the YUSU censor.

Before I move on though, I would recommend that you don’t vote for any of the utterly unfunny ‘joke candidates’. Should any of them buck the trend and actually manage to be somewhat entertaining, I would still urge you to cast your vote elsewhere. As I mentioned last year, the only thing funnier than a good joke candidate is a serious candidate.

So, what is there to talk about then? It would seem like fate has thrown me absolutely nothing of interest to write about this week. No controversy, no instances of the proletariat seizing the means of pro-

duction and no campus uproar.

I have to say, I am quite disappointed in you, York. Not a morsel of outrage.

So, let’s talk about my favourite topic then: me. You will probably be pleased to know that a member of the library staff has endeavoured (and succeeded) to publicly shame me for my contributions to York Vision. This particular gentleman has a habit of finding me in my habitat, the sofas of the Harry Fairhurst, and loudly asking me for my autograph or a selfie — it alternates each day.

While making sure that plenty of students are in earshot, he will also quote certain lines from my article entirely out of context, making me look like an absolute tosser. So, thanks for that mystery library man who I will not name for fear of causing you too much embarrassment (but mainly because I can’t remember your name). But hey, at least this means that someone other than my mum reads my column.

Oh, and it may surprise you to know, dear reader, that this deadbeat columnist is actually looking for a job in the real world. That’s right, there is actually a world outside of the University, a world that extends past the boundaries of Heslington East. I realize that this information may come as a shock to some of you, but please, don’t break down and cry. Prospective PhD students, you may want to stop reading.

Anyway, in a somewhat shocking turn of events, no journalistic outfits seem interested in hiring a student columnist that writes provocative columns about campus events that absolutely no one outside this fine establishment gives a shit about. But, like every other wannabe journo, I’m currently pinning my failure on the ‘dying press industry.’ That’s right Costas, there

Top four ways to be edgy at UoY Climbing Library Hill

Asserting dominance publicly

Sure, there are a set of stairs leading up to the library. But who needs stairs when you can climb Library Hill the way nature intended: by braving the long grass and steep gradient like an absolute badass.

Cursory glances from passing drivers and students waiting at the bus stop will establish you as an individual not to be trifled with.

Purchase a meal deal from either Nisa or YUSU shop and then buy supplements from the competing store.

The store clerk will gesture to your already purchased meal deal for scanning, allowing you to authoritatively look them in the eye and explain why it’s unnecessary. Those in the queue will be quivering in recognition of your alpha status.

Arriving fashionably late

Writing an edgy column

Arriving a shocking 40 minutes late to a lecture is a surefire way to cause a stir.

Just ignore the sniggers from your peers and the dirty looks from your lecturer.

If all else fails, this is a guaranteed method to demonstrate your edginess. Think twice before going down this road however — it comes at the expense of your self-respect.

is nothing wrong with you. The rest of the ‘Senior Sales Manager’ and 500 quid extra world is to blame. Excuse me while I lov- a year. ingly caress my damaged ego.

So yeah, I feel like Martin Freeman Being the good student that I am, I de- from the office. That is, if Martin Freeman cided to go to my supervisor to ask for ad- wasn’t an award winning actor and multivice. I could go to the careers service, but millionaire. that requires waking up at 9am to book an Now that I think about it, the YUSU appointment, so fuck that. I told him about presidency doesn’t sound too bad. £20,000 my inability to break into journalism and a year to further my own political agenda at my recent efforts to “diversify my job port- the low, low price of my dignity? Where do folio”. That is, to apply for jobs in other in- I sign up? dustries at the same time.

Unfortunately, he saw right through my elaborate self-deceiving ruse. He had the look of a man that had seen many a university graduate led astray from their dreams, tricked into serving our all-powerful corporate overlords.

“Don’t sell your soul Costas,” he murmured. Okay, he didn’t quite put it like that, but it was the university career advisor equivalent.

In what can only be described as a remarkable coincidence, I’ve started watching the British version of The Office recently, and having completed the very last season, I can’t help but draw comparisons between myself (and indeed other fellow third years) and Martin Freeman.

After an excruciating day at the office, Martin realizes how much he hates his dead-end job at a paper company and decides to give it all up and study to become a psychologist — his lifelong passion. However, after having confessed his intentions to the entire company, he is offered (and accepts) a promotion to the rank of Contributed by Panopticon on Facebook.

Excuse me, can I interest you in my manifesto?

Fuck off

I highly doubt it

10 Vısıon Wednesday February 10, 2016

NEWS

YORK

STUDENTS HIT OUT AT V-C

UNIVERSITY SAYS ‘NO’ TO COMEDY FOR ALL TRANSPARENCY LAWS

BY MATT KIRKUM

YORK COMEDYSOC are running free workshops aimed at helping marginalised students get involved with comedy.

The workshops will be coordinated by members of ComedySoc who are underrepresented in the industry and are due to take place on February 29 in V/045.

Drop-in sessions for stand-up, writing and improvisational comedy will be offered, as well as advice on making it on the comedy circuit.

BY PAUL WACE UNI BOSSES have said the Freedom of Information Act should not be used to hold them to account.

In a document sent to the government and seen by York Vision, the University says: “The Freedom of Information Act should not apply to universities.”

“We strongly agree that universities should not be treated as public bodies,” the file, signed by Vice-Chancellor Koen Lamberts, contends.

The document is a response to a Green Paper on the future of higher education (HE), which suggests universities be made exempt from the FoI Act because they are largely privately funded.

In the past year, FoI requests

from this newspaper have revealed that staff were treated “like royalty” in luxury hotels for thousands of pounds a night, and how the University splashed £20,000 on a celebrations to welcome the new chancellor.

These investigations would become impossible if the proposals in the Green Paper are accepted by the government.

Students have hit out at the University’s response to the paper.

“The university isn’t above the law,” one Halifax fresher said.

“If they’re concerned about damaging things being published, they

KILLER CANDLES

shouldn’t engage in controversial activities.”

Registrar David Duncan defended the University’s position: “As a university we are committed to openness and transparency in all areas of activity,” he said.

“However, we would prefer to achieve this through an expanded publications scheme rather than individual requests for documents, many of which tie up large amounts of time which could be better spent on other activities.”

The 17-page document also exposes that the University is concerned over proposals for diversity targets set by the government.

“Universities are best placed to deter-

mine how they should prioritise their activities and investment in this area,” Lamberts argues.

YUSU President Ben Leatham joined the chorus of student voices opposing the plan saying: “I was disappointed that they agreed with the proposed deregulatory measures.

“Freedom of Information is critical when it comes to higher education institutions being transparent and accountable.

“Removing higher education institutions from the scope of FoI legislation could fundamentally damage trust in universities and hamper students and the media’s ability to properly scruitinize decisions made behind closed doors.”

VC Lamberts supports the Government proposals on FoI

BY TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS

SCENTED CANDLES could be putting people’s lives at risk by giving off dangerously high levels of a toxic, cancer-causing chemical, York scientists have warned.

Researchers found that formaldehyde formed when the mood-setting torches released limonene which reacted with naturally occuring ozone.

Formaldehyde is poisonous to humans and high-level exposure can cause cancer.

The research has led to multiple online petitions calling for a blanket ban on ‘toxic candle components’.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

YORK VISION came out a day late, for reasons unrelated to stories in this paper.

An administrative error caused the delay.

Sorry for the hold up, but York Vision is always worth waiting for!

Expenses...only exposed by FoI

BUT... UNI TO SHARE

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK

A NEW government policy requires universities to publish data on the gender, ethnic background and socio-economic class of all students in an effort to diversify student populations.

David Cameron announced the plans on January 31 in the wake of scrapping grants and increasing the cap on tuition fees in the last budget.

YOUR

The Prime Minister, who studied at Eton College and Oxford University, said: “Too many in our country are held back, often invisibly, because of their background or the colour of their skin.”

He added: “I believe this new transparency duty offers a real chance to help nudge universities into making the right choices and reaching out in the right ways.”

PERSONAL DETAILS

BY TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS

White working class males are the most underrepresented group at British universities with only 1 in 10 in higher education.

At the very top of the chain black students face similar constraints with only 24 black students in the 2014 Oxford University intake.

OPINION

OPINION

I

Wednesday February 10, 2016

Vısıon 11 YORK

www.yorkvision.co.uk/opinion opinion@yorkvision.co.uk

JACK WALLER: BYE-BYE BURSARIES

n the much anticipated autumn statement, George Osbourne announced another inspired method to make sure that he passes on his Government’s problems to the Government of 2035. I am talking about the scrapping of university bursaries. As a recipient of these bursaries, I for one was very glad I am buggering off. Enjoy your extra debt, folks, especially those who voted the Government in.

Unfortunately, I do have a shred of human compassion and so I want to enlighten you all about this world of debt.

“Enjoy your extra debt, folks, especially those who voted the Government in” So what is the proposal? Currently people can claim a maximum of £9,703 if they live in London and £7,434 if they live outside. Of this, £3,387 is given as a bursary. From next year, the maximum you can be loaned is increasing to £10,702 within London and £8,200 outside which Osbourne and the Conservatives hope will deal with the problems of students being unable to fund the costs of living during university.

This raises a couple of questions. Firstly, is the current payment enough to live

off? Yes, easily. Yes campus accommodation is extortionate, beer is not exactly cheap (York seems to have relocated to London as far as a price of a pint is concerned) and Society has increased the price of Jäger bombs. Even then I manage to live comfortably while paying for a ski trip, multiple trips to Mumbai Lounge (I presume my fee is in the post), and countless Freddos. What is the biggest drain on a student’s finances? Drinking. I am partial to a night out or two, but I understand that if I can’t afford to go out, I don’t go out.

You are all people with half a brain cell so why not use it. Don’t run up a £1000 overdraft buying drinks for your mates. Don’t go to Evil Eye. Perhaps you could even lay off the drink. In absolute terms as long as you can survive and have the basic essentials, you are completely fine.

However, there are still people who struggle fund living expenses at University. 53% of students have resorted to taking a part time job to support living expenses, and some have to drop out due to cost. It can also be argued that students should be able to make the most of their time at university to develop themselves. Going skiing, eating out in different restaurants and travelling are all part of the student experience that make University so enriching.

Does this, therefore, mean every student should be funded adequately to do this?

I’ll leave you to make your mind up.

The second part to the policy is the more controversial one. The cutting of bursaries has been criticised heavily, but it has also been defended by both sides of the political spectrum. The increase in money

students receive is a definite positive that should have been introduced with the increase in tuition fees. Meanwhile, the final student debt becomes ever higher. I have heard the defence that students, in most cases, won’t have to pay back more. This is true but will the average A level student have all the information they need about how student debt works? I know I didn’t.

After all there are so many variables to take into account.

“With debt figures above £50,000, even middle class families will struggle to pay for education upfront” Another thing to remember is that students from a poorer background are less likely to have parents who understand the Higher Education system. They are likely to under-estimate the benefits while overestimating the costs, and therefore they may try to convince their child not to at-

tend university. With debt figures above £50,000, even middle class families will struggle to pay for education upfront.

Another consideration is that we live in a society where debt is perceived as being bad. But, in reality, student debt is harmless and can’t effect getting a mortgage for a house, for example. However with the Government practising austerity, this perception is unlikely to change anytime soon. Is there evidence to back this up? Well this very move has happened before under a Labour Government. In 1998 grants were scrapped only to brought back again in 2004. A study examining this period found that for every thousand pounds of grants that were cut, participation in higher education fell by 2.6% and this was backed up by further studies both here and in the US. Therefore, I urge you to oppose the scrapping of grants because, if this goes ahead, how long will it be until Oxford, Cambridge and even York are able to set their fees at £15,000 or even higher? After all there seems to be no limit on how much student debt will be allowed to rise.

Bottom Line: We should oppose the scrapping of maintenance grants and bursaries because the added debt will lead to fewer people going to university @YorkVision

12 Vısıon Wednesday February 10, 2016

OPINION

YORK

SOPHIE FLINDERS: YOU CAN KEEP YOUR FREE SPEECH

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ecently Oriel College, Oxford announced it will keep a statue of Cecil Rhodes after its alumni threatened to withdraw funding of around £100 million to the college, despite the efforts of the Rhodes Must Fall Movement (RMF). RMF aims to take ‘direct action against the reality of institutional racism’, one of the manifestations of this direct action being the campaign to remove statues of Cecil Rhodes at the University of Cape Town and at Oriel College Oxford, where Rhodes studied in 1873.

“Rhodes Must Fall has highlighted the insidious nature of institional racism that continues today”

Cecil Rhodes represented the very worst of British colonialism. His belief in the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race drove him to push for ever more aggressive expansion of the British Empire. His mining company, the British South Africa Company, founded and governed the territory of Rhodesia (modern day Zambia and Zimbabwe), and he also had a stint as the Prime Minister of the Cape Colony (modern-day South Africa). In his 1877 essay ‘Confession of Faith’, he wrote: “I contend that we are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race. Just fancy those parts that are at present inhabited by the most despicable specimens of human beings what an alteration there would be if they were brought under Anglo-Saxon influence … Africa is still lying ready for us, it is our duty to take it. It is our duty to seize every opportunity of acquiring more territory and we should keep this one idea steadily before our eyes: that more territory simply means more of the Anglo-Saxon race, more of the best, the most human, most honourable race the world possesses”.

Rhodes justified the colonisation, murder and exploitation of South African people with the view that the “Anglo-Saxon

CAMPUS CALLING

race” was superior. The legacy of Cecil Rhodes is not one that should be celebrated. However, RMF has been met with objections that the removal of the statue amounts to some form of censorship of our free speech.

“The people prohibiting free speech are not marginalised people but the elite” The idea that marginalised groups are prohibiting free speech by demanding the removal of a blood-soaked statue reflects something that has been dominating a lot of conversations around RMF. With thhis in mind RMF in Oxford adhered to this criticism and debated whether ‘Rhodes Must Fall?’ in one of the most prestigious

(and institutionally racist) public forums: the Oxford Union, and won.

RMF has highlighted that the people prohibiting free speech are not marginalised people but the elite. Plans to remove this statue came about by a democratic process, which was halted by money and not by a counter campaign. Although RMF failed in removing this statue, I think this is a success for the movement.

Decolonisation does not end with the removal of a statue. RMF has highlighted the insidious nature of institutional racism that continues today.

Bottom Line: Rhodes Must Fall has shown it’s the elite restricting free speech, not marginalised groups @YorkVision

The Opinion Editors comment on all things campus

MUCH ADO ABOUT FANCY DRESS

MENTAL HEALTH IGNORED?

emember that time that some people in Derwent blacked-up as characters from Cool Runnings? Or that time that Halifax and James College thought it would be good to dress as chavs?

Or more recently when someone ended up going in a cow costume to a Bollywood themed event?

Well God bless the York Tories. Not content with York’s already long streak of being featured in the news for poor fancydress decisions, the Tories thought they’d add one more with a recent ‘Badger Culling’ social. How did it work? Members of the committee dressed as badgers, and normal members dressed as the farmers. That’s what you need to get you in the mood for a piss-up: the thought of dead animals. Cheers!

A mildly distasteful joke, you might think. But then you’d also think that a society which a few years ago found itself in the spotlight for a Fox Hunting themed social would exercise a little more caution. Predictably, like its fox-y forbearer, the Badger Culling social ended up in the national papers. Hilariously though, nobody told the

he lack of support for mental health is not only concerning but very telling. University is known for being a time not only to gain higher education but gain a better understanding of oneself.

This process in knowing yourself unfortunately requires having amazing high’s and depressing lows; in the time you are most vulnerable and away from your family the university needs to step up. However as shown by this news article such responsibility is met with little concern.

Yet this laid back attitude leads me to think why? Why won’t the University of York, step up and take swift and effective action. After all I haven’t been here for a year yet and I am aware of one suicide and have heard many complaints about Open Door’s policy. Could it be that such effort requires more money and they rather dedicate it to building new colleges and fancy new buildings? Or could such effort (and money) be directed to other endeavours by the university such as the welcoming of the new chancellor? Either way the picture, painted isn’t a bright one for the wellbeing of current and newcom-

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spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports – angrily quoted in the Mirror – that badger culling isn’t even a sport.

If you’re someone like that spokesman – grievously offended by the social – then you need to chill out a little. Dressing as badgers: it’s hardly Bullingdon Club 2.0, is it? But then so do the Events organisers for the York Tories. Sure, it must be fun baiting the ‘over-sensitive lefties’ with your social themes, but the aggravation of landing in the national press can’t be worth it. Next time just have a pizza social. You’ll have just as much fun, and you won’t risk the ire of Brian May in the process.

Josh Salisbury

T

ing students.

So the question is what now? How do we go about solving this very serious and apparent void? Do we just decide to hit the bottle and drink our sorrows away? Do we encourage newcomers to look for other universities which would be more supportive of their wellbeing? These avenues may seem very dramatic but with specialists in mental health unable to tend to everyone’s needs, the university may have to prepare itself for the worst.

Adaobi Nezianya

OPINION

Wednesday February 10, 2016

DIANNE APEN-SADLER: VOLUNTOURISM ISN’T HELPING ANYONE

W

hen I came to university I had no idea just how many gap year students there were – in fact, in halls everyone on my floor had taken one, and suddenly I was the odd one out.

Of course, there could be any number of reasons why someone took a year or two out before university, but it has become somewhat of a tradition for people to volunteer abroad on their ‘gap yah’ in order to help people who are less well-off and to really ‘find themselves.’ Finding yourself and what you care about whilst helping others seems like a fantastic idea, except for the fact that voluntourism is becoming increasingly problematic.

your current skill set is of no use to anyone, especially when you don’t even speak the local dialect, is for a bunch of pretty pictures to upload to Facebook whilst making yourself feel better about the gross inequalities in the world. Volunteering at a food bank is far less exciting than volunteering in India, and you almost certainly won’t get as many likes on your profile picture if it’s you with a homeless man over a picture of you in your ‘gap yah’ trousers somewhere out in Africa, but what does it say about us if this is all we really care about?

By placing more value on photo opportunities and having something to brag about for years to come over the genuine impact you’re having on communities, you’re perverting the purpose of charity.

Charity should be about helping others, not making you feel good about yourself or giving you something interesting to talk about. There’s nothing wrong with travelling, embracing new cultures and learning about the world we live in, but by volunteering abroad in the knowledge that your efforts would be better spent elsewhere, you’re ultimately damaging the people you are trying to help.

T

I’m not saying that we should choose to help people at home before we help those abroad, or that some causes are more worthy than others, what I’m saying is that we need to be more effective in how we spend our time and money. An expensive trip abroad isn’t worth the hassle if the help we’re giving is basically useless, and the cost of flights and accommodation would be better off donated directly to charities.

Choosing to volunteer in Nepal for a mere 17 days with YUSU this summer isn’t going to make a big enough difference to make the expense worth it, nor should we pretend it is. I think it’s time we start calling voluntourism by what it really is - a glorified holiday that isn’t helping anyone.

Bottom Line: The money spent travelling abroad would be better off donated directly to charity @badDAS1994

YORK

OLLIE SIMMONDS: WE PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO U.S. POLITICS

he chances are, if you’ve paid any attention whatsoever to the London media in the last few days, you’d know that an evangelical Cuban-American (and possibly Canadian) Senator from Texas has cruised past ‘the Donald’ to win the Iowa caucus. For years now, the British media have been documenting every minutiae, every triviality of any development in the runners and riders for the US Presidency. Everything from Hillary Clinton’s emails to Ivanka Trump’s press releases all the way to Marco Rubio’s choice of footwear is tediously and constantly reported by the likes of the Daily Mail, The Times, the Guardian, Sky News and even the BBC. It’s all a bit embarrassing the way we glorify American politics as if it was our own.

“Volunteering at a food bank “It’s all a bit emis less exciting barrassing the than volunteerway we glorify ing in India, and American poliyou won’t get as tics as if it was “Charity many likes on our own” should be about your profile helping others, Of course, eminent British journalists picture” like Mehdi Hasan and Christopher Hitchnot making you ens have previously crossed the pond for the excitement and glamour of WashingMany travel abroad to build schools or feel good about ton based politics and rarely ever return, homes for communities that need them, but the obsession isn’t exclusive to the which is a perfectly good cause and somemedia. Ed Miliband, for example, hired a thing that we should definitely be involved yourself” former Obama “community organiser” to in. But what qualifies you, an 18 year old boy or girl, fresh out of sixth form or college with no experience of building anything that wasn’t flat-packed from Ikea, to help build a school abroad? What are you contributing to the project apart from incredibly unskilled labour? Admittedly, your presence is boosting the local economy by making it into a tourist destination, but in the process you’re taking jobs away from local workers who would do a far better job. In some cases, the work by tourists has been so bad that local builders tear down the work done during the day at night and rebuild, all to keep up the illusion that you are helping.

I wholeheartedly encourage those among us who are qualified to help abroad to go and do so, whether they be engineers, medical staff or teachers, but for the rest of us, it’s best to stay at home. Your time would be better spent raising money through bucket collections, bake sales, charity runs or signing up for schemes like Give As You Earn to give a little of your pay-check to charity every month. The only reason why you would choose to go abroad over helping in your local community when

Vısıon 13

rebuild the Labour Party back in 2011 and spent £224,000 on hiring Obama strategist David Axelrod, despite the former having very few connections with the British political system and the latter barely turning up for work. This deep yearning to be somehow associated with US politics is not only entirely counterproductive for British politicians, but their neediness is symbolic of the so-called ‘Special Relationship’ of ours, undoubtedly perpetuated by the binge watching of The West Wing and the Netflix version of House of Cards.

In fact, it was decided that was absolutely vital that Parliament held a debate in order to comment on Donald Trump’s proposed immigration policy. Honourable members lined up in order condemn the domestic policies of one candidate in one primary 4,000 miles away, for the presumed benefit of a combination of moral grandstanding and the soothing of the egos of backbenchers. While you may initially think that the staffers of the ‘Make America Great Again’ campaign were shaking in their boots at the prospect of their candidate being referred to as a “wazzock” by

the MP for Louth and Horncastle, it turns out they didn’t really mind all that much.

No doubt, they eagerly anticipate the moment when the delegates of the US Senate deliberate on whether or not to approve of David Cameron’s recent proposal to limit welfare payments to EU immigrations with such ferocity.

“The media, our own Parliament and even our own politics seminars are being dominated by issues that have such little bearing on our lives” Of course, I mock, but there is actually a serious point here. How many readers of York Vision could describe the difference between the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Parliament? How many readers could even name the current Foreign Secretary?

Of course, it is exactly that kind of information that is going to be crucial to understanding the forthcoming referendum on our future as an independent nation, yet so much of political discourse, from the media, our own Parliament (and even our own politics seminars) is dominated by issues that have such little bearing on our lives.

Bottom Line: We focus too much on US politics at the expense of our own domestic politics @OSimmonds

14 Vısıon Wednesday February 10, 2016

OPINION

YORK

O

JOSH SALISBURY: TIME TO LEAVE THE EMBASSY, MR. ASSANGE

n the 5th of February the UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention argued that Julian Assange, the Wikileaks founder, had been subject to arbitrary deprivation of liberty and should be allowed to walk free. There is just one problem with this judgement: Mr. Assange isn’t being deprived of his liberty by the British Government, and he’s perfectly free to leave his self-made prison.

To explain, Julian Assange is the founder of the whistle-blowing service, Wikileaks, which published a huge number of confidential diplomatic documents and cables belonging to several governments.

Assange is currently hiding as a refugee in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he has been since 2012. The reason Julian Assange is still inside the Ecuadorian Embassy is because since 2012 the UK Supreme Court has upheld a request for extradition to Sweden, where the authorities want to question him on allegations of rape. Mr. Assange claims the encounter was entirely consensual, and sought refuge in the embassy to avoid questioning. The moment Assange steps outside, the Metropolitan Police will arrest him. In short, he is detained inside of the embassy of his own free will. He could leave at any time, but does not want to, because he is a fugitive from justice.

“He could leave at any time, but does not want to, because he is a fugitive from justice” This simple fact seems to have gone over the heads of the lawyers of the UN’s working group, who have ignored the truth that Assange has placed himself under house arrest. Of course, it’s hardly a surprise that the Working Group ruled in his favour: it has ruled in favour of the detainee in the majority of its 1,325 cases. What’s bizarre is that of the 5 experts in human rights law who wrote the opinion, only one dissented, proving that the cleverest and best educated of people are also sometimes the stupidest.

The statement by the UN isn’t just absurd, but also dangerous. It gives succour to those who defend Assange by disregarding the allegation of rape out of hand. For these people (who seemingly congregate on the Guardian’s comment section), the man and his political activities are inseparable.

The activities Wikileaks engaged in were virtuous, so the founder himself must be virtuous. They claim that their noble hero is the victim of a government conspiracy, that this accusation is merely a ploy to get

Assange shipped off to the US, where he will face punishment for the leaking of sensitive state secrets. The truth, however, is that the reason Swedish authorities want to question him is entirely unrelated to his activities at Wikileaks. If Assange is innocent, he should go to Sweden and prove that innocence. If he were to be charged while in Sweden, it’s hardly as if he wouldn’t receive a fair trial. Instead, however, he has shamefully chosen to evade questioning by hiding away under diplomatic immunity, while the police guard outside costs the British taxpayer £10,000 a day.

“If anyone has been subjected to deprivation of liberty, it is Chelsea Manning, who should rightfully be a free woman” Even worse, the media frenzy caused by the UN statement - and Assange’s subsequent appearance on the balcony of the embassy for the awaiting press corps - has served to obscure the true victim of Wikileaks’ whistle-blowing. Chelsea Manning is currently serving a 35 year sentence in the US for leaking documents while she was a private in the US Army. The documents revealed that the US committed potential human rights violations in its operations in Iraq. For this she was held for 11 months in solitary confinement in her pre-trial detention, prevented from using a public interest defence at her trial, and ultimately overcharged for her ‘crime’. If anyone has been subjected to deprivation of liberty, it is Chelsea Manning, who should rightfully be a free woman.

Luckily the statement issued by the UN regarding Assange is not legally binding.

Therefore, when Assange inevitably crawls out of hiding, the Met will arrest him in order for him to face Swedish prosecutors for questioning. His extradition surely can’t come a moment too soon.

Bottom Line: Julian Assange has not been arbitrarily detained, and it’s about time he left the embassy @josh_salisbury

I

JONNY LONG: WHY MY SEMINAR GROUPS PERSONIFY ‘BROKEN BRITAIN’

have never once wholly enjoyed a seminar group I have been a part of.

I have very few ‘course-friends’. But would I want to be friends with them?

Probably not.

Studying Philosophy & Politics, you’d think that people would be open-minded enough to listen to other people’s opinions, but an overarching air of sanctimoniousness fills my nostrils at least three times a week, and I’m sick of it. We’re all 20-yearold overgrown children: anything that any of us have to say about Syria or vegetarianism or whatever is being discussed is unlikely to be more illuminating than anything that has been put in actual books that we can read in the actual library. So, why don’t we just stick to that rather than feeling that it is necessary to share the inner workings of the rusty cogs inside our melon-ous heads?

My whole experience of seminar culture represents my interpretation of the phrase ‘Broken Britain’, now a set phrase in my own vocabulary to assert damnation upon all social decay that irks me. A key facet of this is the aforementioned repulsive self-righteousness that I am forced to sit through, pretending to write notes on what people are saying but really flicking through Facebook, waiting for the inevitability of death or the end of the seminar, whichever comes first.

“...waiting for the inevitability of death, or the end of the seminar, whichever Maybe my resentment towards seminars stems from my inability to do the assigned reading each week, instead relying on snippets of interviews that I have heard on television, or a few absorbed words of my lecturers’ monologues in between napping. This leaves me in the doubly frustrating situation where I don’t really know what other people are talking about, but I nevertheless intrinsically know that I don’t like what they are saying.

The way that I know that I am right about this, is if you consider the alternate argument. “Seminars provide an interesting platform for students to express their response and engage with other students in discussing what they are studying,” is something that I imagine one of these anaemic seminar keenos, who outside of seminar rooms are only spotted browsing books in the library or buying tins in Nisa, would say.

By this point, if you haven’t come to the conclusion that I am a bit of an arse then this sentence will help catch you up to speed. For those of you that did within the first two sentences, I recommend that you read Susan Wolf’s ‘Moral Saints’ which will educate you about why only worrying about not being an arse is overrated. See, sometimes I do my seminar reading.

“Anything that any of us have to say about Syria or vegetarianism is unlikely to be illuminating” Writing an opinion piece about this is all rather redundant and ironic really, as what I am really campaigning for is complete and utter apathy when it comes to most things. If this is unachievable, then I’ll settle for uninformed conversation where sincerity and questions such as, “Sorry, I didn’t quite get what you meant by that, could you repeat yourself?”, are equated on an intellectual level with smearing your own, fresh faeces all over the whiteboard where the seminar tutor has endeavoured to write out the group’s ideas while at the same time re-wording every single thing that has been said.

Just as a final note to anyone unfortunate enough to read this and then find themselves in a seminar with me, don’t take it too personally: it’s not me, it’s you.

Bottom Line: If you enjoy seminars you are probably going to die alone. @iamjonnylong

OPINION

Wednesday February 10, 2016

YES/NO

Vısıon 15 YORK

ARE WE BETTER OFF IN THE EU? CALLUM SHANNON, YORK’S STRONGER IN EUROPE

YES:

In politics, some issues are so monumental that they transcend party boundaries. Matters so important that the petty squabbles over which solution to the West Lothian Question is better for the residents Chorlton-cum-hardy, or what TFL zone Gatwick airport should really be in that elected officials thrive off are instantly put on hold. And this year, no issue looks set to unite people across the political spectrum more than Britain’s European Union Membership Referendum.

In York, this unifying process has already begun. Last term, representatives of the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Green and Labour Parties banded together and formed York’s Stronger in Europe, a cross party organisation to spread word of the benefits of the EU and campaign for that crucial ‘In’ vote. This level of cross party cooperation is unprecedented; even last year’s living wage campaign didn’t unite such a diverse group of budding young politicos. This pattern is by no means unique to York; on campuses up and down the country students are banding together to fight for our collective future.

In terms of unity, and in a bizarre reversal of the Scottish Independence Referendum, the In campaign has a significant advantage over the Out. While the In campaign have already begun singing from the same song sheet, Factions who advocate leaving the EU can’t seem to agree on exactly why we should be leaving. From UKIP MEPs who warn of the ‘swarms of migrants’ that they blame the EU for to radical socialists who see the union as a capitalist conspiracy, to Conservative backbenchers with jingoistic hangovers who can’t accept that Britain isn’t the global hegemon anymore, the groups campaigning for Out votes couldn’t be any more disunited in their aims.

While nobody doubts their passion to their respective causes, treating the Eu-

UDAY MAUDGIL, YORK STUDENTS FOR BRITAIN

ropean Referendum as means to a selfish end will win them little favour with the British electorate, who despite the constant barrage of anti-EU propaganda from the British media over the past few years, support remaining in the EU 44% to 38% according to the latest opinion polls.

This is encouraging news: the date of the battle to secure the economic security of Britain hasn’t even been decided yet and already the ‘In’ vote is ahead, despite the populist media attacks. However, we can’t get complacent. It’s essential we do everything we can to secure an In vote for Britain, to safeguard our futures.

The future of the 3.5 million jobs that rely upon Britain’s membership of the EU, most of them skilled jobs in the service and high tech industrial sectors that students such as ourselves will be soon competing for. The future of our trade links, both existing (74% of British exporters operate within the EU) and future, as the EU negotiates free trade deals with other nations. The future of the environment: through commonly agreed EU standards, national Governments have achieved improvements to the quality of air, rivers and beaches. The future of our sovereignty, as only transnational institutions like the EU are strong enough to stand up to the corporations who any political scientist will tell you have infringed upon democracy far much more than the European Commission, despite what Nigel Farage’s mate down the pub thinks.

The EU referendum is the single largest event of our lives so far that will affect the future of everyone. Only by securing an ‘In’ vote can Britain’s future be certain.

For this sake, we must forget any party political allegiances we have and band together. If you’re in, we’re in. And Britain will be in.

@callum_shannon

NO:

By June, or a few months later, you’ll have made the most important political decision of your life. Assuming that you are a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen (over 18 and living in the UK), you’ll have the chance to vote in a referendum that determines whether the UK will leave the EU, or remain. Making the case to leave is not easy. Naturally, people prefer to go for the status quo. Nevertheless, give me a chance and I will explain why I think that the UK would be a better country outside the EU. The “Remain” side often tell us that the EU is uniformly good, doling out £8.4 billion to the UK in 2015, or just over £130 per citizen. What they fail to point out is that we pay in vastly more than we receive. We pay £18.2 billion, or £280 per citizen. Per week, that’s the cost of a fully staffed hospital. Per year, that’s half England’s schools budget, four times our science and research budget, and a whopping sixty times what we spend on NHS drugs for cancer sufferers. Every time you are told that we receive more than we give, remember that it is your own money, minus almost half.

To be a member of any club, you have to obey their rules. Whatever the PM comes back with in his renegotiation deal, he will not change the basic EU right of freedom of movement. Anyone EU citizen, no matter what they bring with them, can enter this country. Legally, our government cannot do a thing to stop them.

Furthermore, they are entitled to the same privileges as a citizen here. With a generous social security system, many do come, with 40% of the 183,000 EU immigrants last year not having a definite job to go to.

Downward pressure on wages via mass migration is a boon for big companies, but not for the working and middle classes.

Rational migration is the way forward.

Australia, America, and Canada can all choose the brightest and best to allow in,

and plug their skills gaps, but we cannot, with our open door to half a billion people.

60% of private sector employees work for small and medium size businesses.

Every diktat, every rule and regulation that comes from Brussels is forced upon them. Not just the nonsense about kitchen gloves having to be able to withstand 200°, but extortionately expensive rules like the climate change targets that push up energy prices, and mandate that £20 billion of taxpayers’ money be spent on closing down power stations and funding wasteful renewables subsidies. The British steel industry is taking a hammering because their increasing energy costs force them to charge more, and be undercut by China. Furthermore, this industry can’t be bailed out, because of state aid rules that ban governments from propping up failing industries.

Let’s consider life outside the EU. We could control our borders, and write our own laws. We would have to obey some EU regulations, but not the most wasteful, like the Working Time Directive, climate targets or the CAP. We could sign our own free trade deals with countries with a shared history and legal system, like America. We would still trade with the EU – we spend £6 billion more on their exports than they do on ours, so they can’t just walk away. And critically, we could control our borders again. However you vote, please do. You won’t get this chance again.

@theoude

FEATURES

Wednesday February 10, 2016

FEATURES SYLVIE MARKES talks about reforming the way we think about sex education.

S

‘‘One in seven females experience serious physical or sexual violence while at university”

heterosexist and excludes other ways in which all people with different sexual orientations can mutually enjoy themselves.

There was also no focus on consensual sex, with the assumption that everyone knows what that is.

George Lawlor, a Politics and Sociology student from the University of Warwick was recently at the centre of a media storm after being invited to consent classes and consequently rebutting the invitation with a Tab article and accompanying picture reading, “This is not what a rapist looks like.”

Lawlor felt the invitation was like a “massive, painful, bitchy slap in the face” as “it implies I have an insufficient understanding of what does and does not constitute consent and that’s incredibly hurtful. I can’t stress that enough.”

Lawlor’s insensitive article exemplifies an attitude that facilitates rape culture in mistakenly thinking that a stereotypical rapist exists. What does a rapist look like?

When most rape victims know their perpetrators there isn’t a single answer, but it could be found a lot closer than you think.

The production of Lawlor’s article also implies that his voice is the only one that should be heard within sexual discussion, reiterating a negative sexual hierarchy and undermining the positives of sexual discussion by denying a voice to those that need to be heard.

When a Guardian video entitled ‘Sex, lads and grey areas’ reports that “one in seven females experience serious physical or sexual violence while at university”, you’d think that individuals can take one for the team of humanity in the hope of lowering that statistic, without having to write a solipsistic article after their pride was wounded.

Having consensual sex is also not always just a simple yes or no situation, feeling pressurised is never OK and it isn’t just the responsibility of the person feeling pressured to make themselves heard; it is the responsibility of both people to make sure that they are both freely and actively consenting.

Al Vernaccio’s TedTalk called ‘Sex needs a new metaphor’ explores the replacement of sex as a game of baseball with sex as eating pizza. At first watch, one thinks that the intended audience was American but some of us too have

YORK

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

Valentine’s Pizza n’ Chill ex Ed at my school consisted of putting a condom on a banana before the condoms became water balloons for the following break time, leaving my desk smothered with lube for the next few weeks. No-one in my former class has had an unplanned bundle of joy yet, but if any have since acquired a queue at their bedroom door, it’s no thanks to our Sex Ed class. It took a friend from a different school a few years to recover from the mental scars of institutionalised scare-mongering, as the pupils were each given a cup of water and were told to then pour the water into other people’s cups, mimicking a sexual encounter and the supposedly inevitable STDs that would follow.

Of course there needs to be a focus on the risks in sexual encounters and how to avoid them, but the majority of these classes has a very limited view of what sex is. There is a gap in young people’s education where people are not told how to have happy and enjoyable sex while ensuring that their partner or partners are feeling equal pleasure. Our model teacher should be Barbara Streisand in Meet the Fockers.

Whilst it is a step forward that Sex Education is now compulsory at state secondary schools, regardless of a pupil’s religious beliefs, the teaching is still very narrow and doesn’t improve our sexual attitudes or our loving behaviours towards each other. I remember only a singular focus on vaginal penetrative sex, something that remains unchanged. Yes, this form of sex facilitates reproduction but it is also

Vısıon 17

told our friends of first base, second base, third base and home runs. By replacing this whole way of thinking with pizza, as Vernaccio explains, we would have a much healthier reciprocal attitude to sex.

‘‘Changing the sexual metaphor of baseball to pizza” The sequential bases correspond to increasingly high scores and the implication of a male batter’s climactic home run, setting up a game of sex favouring heterosexual relationships and male pleasure in an instructed way of ‘playing’.

The oppositional attacking and defending within baseball are also detrimental to both healthy and more enjoyable sex for all parties involved. Rather than opposing each other, people eating pizza are working towards a shared goal, for all parties to enjoy the meal.

Vernaccio makes the very helpful observation that playing baseball depends on the external situation, i.e. you are going to play on a scheduled match day, correlating to a date night or following a club night, setting up preconceived expectations of what is going to happen, thereby creating a pressurised environment.

Conversely, eating pizza follows an internal hunger and a discussion about toppings and sauces and the complimentary dishes that are going to be enjoyed as part of your meal before you eat it, ensuring that all parties are comfortable with what they are going to experience before they do it.

Pizza doesn’t require a bat and a ball; anyone can eat it and there isn’t an end result to the game, it finishes when any party is no longer hungry. You may be a meat eater, a vegetarian or someone who likes their slices really gooey, but no one’s keeping score.

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FEATURES

Wednesday February 10, 2016

Vısıon 19 YORK

HALIFAX COLLEGE: yORK’S VERY OWN SOCIAL SIBERIA

ELLA BROWN discusses (with brutal honesty) the slightly more negative aspects of living in the uni’s most unheard of college...

R

esults day. You think it can’t get worse than missing out on both your university offers, but with a place secured at York through clearing, things are starting to look up. You’ve filled out the endless array of forms, adjusted to the idea of your changed fortunes, and sent off the dreaded accommodation application- so, for a while, it seems like you’ve managed to get it all back on track. Yet, needless to say, it was never going to go that smoothly. The accommodation team email you – in what can only be described

‘‘You’ve pulled the shortest straw of the lot: you’re in Halifax college” as an overly cheerful message considering the news they’re about to deliver – and it turns out you’ve pulled the shortest straw of the lot: you’re in Halifax College.

The first Google check doesn’t seem too bad.

After all, it’s the biggest college on campus, and prides itself on having relatively new accommodation buildings (‘relatively’ being the key word). But upon further inspection, you realise you can’t actually find it on the map. Scanning Hes West and Hes East, you’re sure they’ve made a mistake in your allocation – this college definitely doesn’t exist. But ah wait, what’s that cluster of buildings in the bottom corner of the paper, miles from anyone and anything? A residential estate? An isolated quarantine?

Nope, that’s where you’ll be living for the next year and trust me, that map makes it look amazingly underwhelming.

The feeling of dread is certified on moving in day when you’re driving through what

At least we get our own gardening patch...

appears to be a council estate to get to your new ‘home’. Unpacking your bags, it’s hard to differentiate between the student housing and the housing for, well, no one actually knows who lives in those houses, but they’re definitely not students considering the permanent silence echoing across 22 acres on a Wednesday night – do they not know Salvo’s exists? Although, with hindsight, I can understand the lack of appeal in venturing out when you take into account the trek back from the bus stop at 3am on a freezing winter night. You’d think we’d at least get a bus stop that’s closer than Hes Hall, or there’s no doubt that it’s only a matter of time before someone will be blown away on the unsheltered path down the sports pitches.

Instead of providing any reassurance, your worst fears are confirmed in Freshers, when on the first night someone asks about your college. You tell them Halifax, and the look of bewilderment on their face says it all. You fumble around, trying to find a way to describe where the hell you actually live, and then to explain why the hell they’ve never heard of it. “Is that on Hes East?” they ask, and you reply with a firm no. “Ah, so Hes West then?” they say, to which you can only shrug and gesture vaguely, mumbling that it’s below the sports centre. Their faces transform into shock as they try to comprehend that there’s anything but fields below that road that no one ever dares to go beyond, and you assure them that there is,

and no it’s not just you that lives there, and yes I promise there’s 1000 of us Halifaxians, wherever the hell they’re hiding.

Your voice wavers and you question yourself – I mean, it is unfeasible that there’s a whole college that no one’s ever actually seen. This is an experience that continues throughout the entirety of your first year, and you develop a generic response, ultimately resigning yourself to obscurity and irrelevance.

Don’t get me wrong; there are certainly bonuses to living in possibly the most unheard of community that ever existed. We get our own Nisa (seeing as were so far from the main one that having another is the only way to fend off starvation when the supermarket order hasn’t arrived), and it’s just as ridiculously overpriced as the one at Market Square – we’re only so different from you lot in James and Vanbrugh. And we have JJs which, in case you’ve never heard of it, is, erm, a combi-

‘‘At least the college is trying to stimulate a sense of pride’’ nation of a rundown school hall and a long extinct kid’s arcade. With an air hockey table that doesn’t work, and nothing as fancy as a bar or a café, it’s easily the most

The heart of Halifax college...

depressing way to spend your Saturday night. But you take what you’re given, and begrudgingly attend the weekly film showings, the Zumba classes, the wine tasting events (which can be a useful pre-drinks I’ll admit), and the assortment of other bizarre activities that are held there, all paid for by your college membership fee- 100% value for money, of course. At least the college is trying to stimulate a sense of pride, although the success of their efforts is questionable at the very least. Thanks Halifax, at least you tried.

The dreaded walk down 22 acres

20 Vısıon YORK

Wednesday February 10, 2016

SPOTLIGHT: Women’s Darts

SPORT

JESS CAUSBY gets on board with the women’s darts team YORK VISION’S ‘Spotlight’ feature explores sports clubs throughout the university which receive less coverage than some of our main sports. Aiming to provide more information for potential players and creating more awareness throughout the University, this edition’s spotlight feature will be focused on the Women’s Darts team.

Although often perceived as a ‘men’s sport’, the university women’s darts team is made up of 13 women who train regularly, are committed, and who enter more leagues than any other university women’s darts team. In fact, we are one of the only universities in the country to have an official team. Currently competing in the North East League, the girls have been travelling to various places across the North including Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham and will continue to have fixtures this term which will be held here at the University. Despite being the only women’s team entered in the league, they do not let themselves be intimidated by the rest of the teams consisting only of male players. Although not yet managing to win any matches, they have gained valu-

able experience playing against a variety of teams, and earned a lot practice for Roses.

The women’s team have been around for about 20 years and participate in the

prestigious Roses event each year. Last year, the second’s team captain was a woman and the second team of the university was consisting of both male and fe-

male players, something which no other university had.

Captain of the women’s team this year is Julie Panayi, who talks about how much the team has improved, and what it has accomplished, so far this year: “This is the first year York has entered 3 teams in the North East league, one of them being the women’s team.

We have regular practices twice every week as well as the college games which are every Tuesday evening. I believe we stand a very good chance at Roses this year. We are a good group of friends who like hanging out and playing darts”.

Many people ask: “is darts even a sport?” Although it cannot be defined through athleticism as many other sports can, it is defined through its skill and practice. To play as well as a team such as the university women’s darts, it requires a great amount of time, perseverance and team work.

For anyone tempted in trying out a new skill and meeting a great team of girls, the University of York Women’s Darts page can be found on Facebook, or alternatively email darts@yusu.org.

YORK BAG DARTS NATIONALS

CHARITY SWIMATHON

THE UNIVERSITY Darts UK big weekender 2016 will be happening on the 12th and 13th of March right here at the University of York.

This national darts tournament happens once a year and is attended by all university darts teams in the country.

The tournament has previously been held at universities such as Lancaster and Nottingham, but this year York has won the bid and will be hosting this fantastic event in the Roger Kirk Centre.

The tournament will consist of a full weekend of matches; there will be a singles tournament on Saturday 12th, and a team event on Sunday 13th of March.

In previous years, York has played extraordinarily well and has never finished any lower than 3rd place out of an average of around 16 university teams.

This year, the club are expecting it to be bigger and better than ever.

A York alumnus, Alex Harrison, was last year’s runner up in the National finals, adding to his 4 time finalist streak and 2 wins, with Fred Evans, captain of both Derwent and the men’s 1st team, being a national semi-finalist.

Harley Wilkes, President of York University Darts Club, tells

THE UNIVERSITY of York’s swimming and water polo club will be hosting a fantastic charity event on Friday 26th of February, and it is right here at the York Sport Village swimming pool.

The team will be covering the driving distance from York Sport Village to Lancaster University, which is just over 180km. This will be completed in the pool as a club over the course of 12 hours from 6am to ­6pm.

This incredible sporting event is all in aid of the charity Marie Curie. Two of the club’s members have been directly affected by cancer and one is currently undergoing treatment, which is why they are doing something so great to show their support, raise awareness and hopefully raise money for the charity too.

They will be using YUSU JustGiving page to raise the fund but there will also be donation boxes at the pool at the event.

Please show your support for the team and all their hard work that will be put into a great sporting event.

BY JESS CAUSBY

us his thoughts and expectations on the event: “This year’s Nationals are going to be the biggest yet.

There will be more teams, more players, and Saturday night will be a huge event in the Roger Kirk Centre.

York will be entering 3 teams this year for the first time: the men’s 1st and 2nd team, and a women’s team.

As a team we always play well in the competition, as highlighted in last year’s results.

Alex Harrison finished just short of his third national singles championship as runner up.

We are all confident we can do

that little bit better this year.”

This event, which is being sponsored by Red Dragon Darts & YUSU Bars, will be a massive event in York’s sporting calendar and definitely not one to be missed.

Tickets are free to this event so anybody is welcome to come and watch and show support for our York University Men’s and Women’s team.

Any students wanting to be involved or who have general enquiries can find the ‘UDUK Big Weekender 2016’ page on Facebook, or alternatively email darts@yusu.org.

BY JESS CAUSBY

UYSWC President Beth Richards gives us her opinion on the upcoming event: “We’ve gone for a Roses themed distance/swim which is 184.4km - 7376 lengths.

This is a large distance to cover, particularly in a swimming pool, however, members of each four teams of our club are coming together to achieve this.

We’re all so determined to reach this goal because it’s a cause close to our hearts and we’ll be giving everything we have to make sure we complete the distance.

We hope the swim will raise money and awareness for Marie Curie and show our support for those who benefit from their services. We’re also hoping to get people pumped for Roses. On behalf of UYSWC I’d like to thank everyone for their donations so far and hope we can raise even more.”

Visit: https://www.justgiving. com/uniofyork/ to donate.

SPORT

Wednesday February 10, 2016

Vısıon 21 YORK

BY JESS CAUSBY

A FANTASTIC sporting event took place this weekend in York where colleges battled it out to gain a place in this years Varsity against Durham, taking place on Sunday 28th February.

Halifax College were featured in many of the matches and came 1st place in men’s football, badminton and this year’s new featured sport, tennis. Wentworth came out of top in volleyball and squash while Derwent took the lead in basketball and darts. James College stormed though in 1st place for netball and Goodricke also took a 2-0 win against Alcuin in the hockey.

This year’s home Varsity will be bigger and better than ever with an American Varsity theme.

This includes food, music and a supporters pack which will consist of items such as a t-shirt and wristband for Sunday Revs. Everybody is welcome to this event so come down and show your college and University support!

SEMI-FINALS

QUALIFIERS RESULTS FINALS

22 Vısıon YORK

HORNETS FUNDRAISE

BY ABBIE LLEWELYN

THE YORK Hornets Cheerleading Club managed to raise £889 to send their five squads to the National Championships this year.

The club lacked the funds to send all of their 79 athletes to the BCA (British Cheerleading Association) University Nationals in March, so a crowdfunding page was set up at the end of last term.

Friends and family were asked to donate to the club to help pay for competition entry fees, travel costs and overnight stay.

Beth Cash, the President of the Cheerleading Club, said: “It was amazing to see how much support we recieved during the Crowdfunding. We raised over £800 in a month and it was amazing to see how generous and supportive everyone was! I was so happy with how it all went!”

OCTO-HOST NATIONALS

BY JESS CAUSBY

SPORT

Wednesday February 10, 2016

THIS YEAR, York’s University Octopush Club (underwater hockey) will be hosting the annual national student competition in Leeds on the 27th February.

With around 12 universities from across the country taking part, there will be 20 teams competing overall.

This is an incredible honour for the club and they are confident that they can come out on top this year.

Last year’s team came fourth in the competition overall and they have continued to improve throughout the year, with the team winning their first tournament in Oxford in December.

There are enough players in the club to field two teams and this will be great preparation for the Roses tournament in April.

This is a key event on the Octopush’s sporting calendar and is what the club works towards throughout the year.

The team is becoming more and more successful each year, and hopes that this event will bring more success.

‘FAX BOUNCE BACK TO BEAT LANGWITH ON PENALTIES

BY ADAM HAGERTY

PENALTIES WERE needed to give Halifax the win in a muddy yet thrilling 3-3 draw between Halifax 1’s and Langwith 1’s.

It was Langwith who started the brighter of the two teams, dominating possession and linking up well as they looked for cracks in the Halifax defence.

Langwith’s Matt Hamill almost found the back of the net with a fantastic effort from 25 yards out, however Rob Basu in goal pulled out an equally fantastic save, diving at full stretch to tip the dipping shot onto the crossbar. A heroic goal-line block from Emile Chasteauneuf was needed moments later, to prevent a frustrated Langwith from opening the scoring.

The opening goal finally came from Langwith’s Charles CJ Chiweshe, who looked increasingly dangerous down the left wing. An inch perfect through ball by Dyaus Gohil cut out the Halifax defence, before Chiweshe, making a run into the box from the left hand side, managed to get the lightest of touches and rolling the ball past the advancing goalie.

It wasn’t long before the rampant Langwith team had a second, this time coming from some lovely passing play on the edge of the box. The ball made its way to Jack Parsonson who skilfully managed to find space in Halifax’s defence, hitting the ball low into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

However, this second goal seemed to be the kick Halifax needed as they soon began to increase the intensity of their play, looking far more organised on the ball. Halifax’s breakthrough came with the last move of the half. Langwith’s defence under pressure failed to sufficiently clear their lines, before a vigilant Rune Bore lingering on the edge of the area spotted the Langwith keeper off his line, hitting a looping shot over both defence and keeper into the back of the net.

This perfectly timed goal appeared to take some of the sting out Langwith’s dangerous attacking play, and Halifax looked to take full advantage of their growing confidence in the second half. Garo Heath on the left hand side played a vital role, collecting the ball and pushing his team up the pitch, and it wasn’t long before Halifax found the equaliser, to the dismay of the Langwith team. A ball in off the left from Garo finally fell to the feet of Jay Mathru on the edge of the box, whose powerful low drive beat the Langwith keeper down to his left.

Both teams pushed for the winner, with chances for both sides. However it was Halifax, playing some lovely linking play once again down the left, who struck next. A subsequent ball played into the box saw Langwith’s keeper fail to gather and, from the scramble that ensued, Rune Bore managed to latch on to the ball, rocketing his shot into the roof of Langwith’s net.

Halifax looked to see the game out with a composed finish as they entered into the final 5 minutes of the match, while Langwith looked to muster a last ditch response. In the dying minutes of the game Langwith’s Charles Chiweshe, made a devastating run on the edge of

the box. Penalty. Up stepped Jack Parsonson who calmly sent the keeper the wrong way to bag a last minute equaliser.

With the final whistle blown shortly after ending the game 3-3, a penalty shoot out would decide the winner. Halifax goalie Rob Basu, seemingly invigorated by the penalty just moments before made no mistakes this time, pulling off three great saves in a row to seal the victory for the Halifax 1’s. Halifax will now face Durham in the upcoming College Varsity on Sunday 28th February.

GAME SET FOR HALIFAX TENNIS TEAM

BY JESS CAUSBY

TENNIS WAS this year’s newly included sport in the 2016 Varsity and was a really great sporting event over the weekend with all four colleges fielding strong teams.

Both Langwith and Halifax played solid games in the semi-finals, meaning the final was going to be a tough game for both. Halifax started off well winning 6-0 in the first match, but then Langwith

took the lead on the second match with a 6-2 win, meaning the score stood at 1-1.

As an intense third match began, Vanbrugh eventually took the lead winning 7 points to 5, having a 2-1 win over Langwith in the end. Penny Figgis, Vanbrugh tennis captain told us how she found the finals match against Langwith College: “The matches today were competitive and of a high quality but not fully repre-

sented in the reasonably lop-sided results.”

The Halifax 1st pair of Megan Whitwell and Cameron Low quickly won 6-0 in less than 15 minutes showing their excellent partnership and skill. The 3rd pair of Elaine White and Rhys Stevenson played well but ultimately lost 6-2 to an unexpectedly strong Langwith 3rd pair.

Fortunately Frances Roche and Jamie Brooks showed their

superior ability by winning a close game 7-5 to Halifax meaning a 2-1 win overall.

Despite Langwith tactically swapping their 1st and 3rd pairs in an attempt to get the win, Halifax’s consistency and experience of winning close matches won them the final, allowing them to compete at Varsity as well as continuing their unbeaten streak since September.

SPORT

Wednesday February 10, 2016

Vısıon 23 YORK

DERWENT WIN BASKETBALL

BY JESS CAUSBY

continued from back page a good thing for college sport.”

A pitch inspection conducted by grounds staff from the university deemed pitch 2 playable, and then after being moved to pitch 1 for the remaining 20 minutes, the game was in fact cut short as that pitch was deemed unplayable.

A James College player suffered a broken leg in the first semi-final of the day against Halifax, which caused the game to be moved to ‘pitch 1’ while the player received treatment on the ‘pitch 2’.

York Vision has not been able to verify the identity of the injured player, but pictures have been uncovered that reveal the presence of an ambulance on 22 acres at the time of the match.

The second semi-final will now be played on Wednes-

THE MATCH started off with a strong lead from Derwent which continued through the first quarter ending on 3014.

They continued to stay firmly in the lead throughout the second quarter ending on 40-21.

However, Vanbrugh began to step up and play a strong third quarter which left the score at 5041.

The final quarter of the match was extremely close with only one point between the two teams ending on 59-58 to Derwent.

Derwent captain Philipp Sch-

day February 10, further delaying the final match which will decide the rugby fixtures for Varsity against Durham which takes place later this month.

James beat Halifax 14-0 in the first semi-final, and will face the victor of the rearranged fixture between Derwent and Vanbrugh.

These latest complications follow complaints made by both college rugby and college football that provisions are not up to scratch.

In November 2015, a college rugby player told York Vision: “We don’t have any facilities for training and we’re constantly messed around with when and where we will be playing.”

College footballers also complained that fixtures were cancelled at short notice due to poor pitch conditions on 22 acres.

JAMES’ NETBALL

ANNIHILATION

BY LAUREN MALCHAREK

DERWENT DARTS DOMINATION

BY JESS CAUSBY

DERWENT THRASHED all three colleges last week in the Darts Varsity qualifiers beating Halifax, Goodricke and Vanbrugh in all three games.

In the first round, Vanbrugh started off well with a quick 3-0 lead over Derwent. However, in the end it all came down to Alastair Crawdron and Vivek Parekh, and Crawdron took the victory, winning the first match for Derwent.

Derwent gained a great victory over Goodricke in the second round, with all of their 1 point singles being won and winning the first of the 2 pointers which enabled them to win the match quickly. Lydia Instone played very well and won her first singles match of college darts for Derwent College.

Lastly, Halifax College took on Derwent which was a tough game as both colleges brought strong teams. Alastair Crawdron for Derwent

reiber gives us his views on the match and how he thinks his team will fair at Varsity: “We’ve had two really strong matches this weekend, yesterday against James and today against Vanbrugh in the final.

“Today we had a really strong start but in the third and fourth quarter we slacked off a little so in the end it was a very close win.

“I think Varsity is going to be pretty tough, we are usually really strong – at least last year that was the case.

“We have four second team uni players on our team which should be a great help, I am feeling confident”.

took on Jack Allsopp and again took another win for Derwent.

Fred Evans, the Derwent team captain tells us how he thought the team faired and what he expects at this year’s Varsity: “The whole team played really well; Lil Henesy against Mitch Cockburn from Halifax, hitting a 22 darter but unfortunately losing. Peter Bunce hitting a 180 (losing the leg) but winning the match. Mark Johnston who won all three of his singles matches, and finally Alastair Crawdron winning the deciding games convincingly! I think that we can win at Varsity as Durham are not as strong as us”.

THE FIERCEST rivals in college sport, Derwent and James, came head to head in netball for a chance to secure a place in the upcoming Varsity weekend against colleges from Durham University.

From the first center whistle James dominated the court, securing the first goal of the match in what felt like a less than a second. The speed and accuracy to which James were able to pass the ball down the court dazzled the depleted Derwent team who unfortunately were missing many of their key first team players.

The first quarter concluded with a score of 11-3 to James.

By the halfway point of the match James appeared to be unstoppable. Derwent’s first team captain and goal defence Lauren Kiy made a number of huge interceptions to temporarily halt the winning streak of James, however James’s goal shooter Harry Cooper was unbeatable with her shot accuracy when the ball landed in her hands. The second quarter was rounded up with a 21-4 win over Derwent.

James stopped many of Derwent’s challenges with strong and

direct interceptions, most notably from their goal defence. The combination of James’ excellent positioning and Derwent’s missed opportunities with thrown away balls saw the third quarter finishing with a 34-5 scorecard to James.

Spirits almost defeated, Derwent saw the silver lining in the fourth and final quarter and pulled out two consecutive goals bringing their score up to 7.

Strong passes between Derwent’s central players put pressure on the victorious James, play got a bit more rough as Derwent tried to dominate every minute that was left of the match, resulting in a minor fall from James’ wing attack.

The end whistle blew and the final score was announced as a win for James College 41-9.

Derwent’s center player Charlotte Beckett said, “We felt the struggle of James’ strong defence and shooters as we were missing a lot of our key players. The final score reflects how we are all feeling.”

Overall the traditionally strong performance from James was highly apparent in this match, which on this occasion Derwent could just not match.

yorkvision.co.uk/sport

ısıon VSport

COLLEGE VARSITY QUALIFIERS: ALL THE RESULTS FROM THE WEEKEND

YORK

“UNPLAYABLE” PITCHES CAUSE RUCK-US

BY JONNY LONG COLLEGE VARSITY rugby qualifiers were marred by a series of setbacks, including pitches deemed unplayable which has been a continuing theme for sports that use the 22 acres site.

College sport officers Amy Gould and Esther Worrall moved quickly to quell rumours of foul play as voices within college rugby raised concerns o v e r pitches being held back from college rugby so that they were in good condition for the univer-

sity rugby team.

Gould and Worrall hit back saying that they, “make no apology for putting the safety of players first in all situations and it is disheartening to hear that others are unable to see us taking our responsibilities

seri-

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