Issue 257

yorkvision.co.uk

Vısıon YORK

01.03.16

THE UK’S MOST AWARDED STUDENT NEWSPAPER

WHERE IS OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROVISION?

ISSUE 257

SCENE INTERVIEW:

LAWSON

VICE-CHANCELLOR IN THE HOTSEAT - PAGE 6

TRANS STUDENTS SPEAK OUT

YUSU OFFICER TWITTER HIJACKED

BY ABBIE LLEWELYN

ALLEGATIONS HAVE been made against YUSU LGBTQ Officer, Jack Chadwick, that he hijacked the official Officer Twitter account and posted several inflammatory Tweets, one including the infamous #KillAllWhiteMen hashtag.

Huw James, Gay Convenor of the LGBTQ Network, blasted the elected officer saying, “Jack Chadwick claims that it was due to someone hacking into his twitter and that he’s not liable.” continued on P5

TERRIFIED TO BE ON CAMPUS

BY TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS

TRANS STUDENTS at the University have spoken out after a recent rise in harassment has left them scared to walk around campus alone.

The dire state of affairs led to students in the Trans Network setting up a Facebook group last December whereby they could arrange to walk around campus together.

Students claim the rise happened shortly after the University U-turned on its decision to mark International Men’s Day, with the online harassment surrounding election candidates amplifying transphobic sentiments around campus.

One trans student said: “The major issue is that as a trans person… I feel scared to be on campus.

FULL - PAGE 5

“I look down at the ground because I don’t want people to recognise me”

PLUS: SEE THE MOULDY FRUIT SOLD IN NISA

PG 2

2 Vısıon Tuesday March 1, 2016

NEWS

YORK

IS SAT-SUMA OUT OF A HORROR FILM? Yak... We investigated after seeing this post

Disgusting... Mouldy orange bought in Nisa

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK & PAUL WACE DISGUSTING INFECTED oranges have been sold in the popular Nisa supermarket in Market Square.

York Vision investigated Nisa’s fruit isle after a photo of similarly diseased oranges were posted on the social media platform Yik Yak only to find the same infection not once... but twice on two seperate occasions.

The Yak read: “The fact that this made it into Nisa’s fresh produce section gives me hope for my degree.”

The infection raises serious health standards concerns regarding Market Square’s only supermarket.

When confronted by Vision reporters, Nisa’s store manager said: “Obviously we can only apologise.

“This sometimes happens with perishable produce.”

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK

DERWENT’S FLOODY HELL

A FLOOD caused by a blocked sink in a third floor kitchen in Derwent K block has forced all block residents into alternative accommodation.

The flood took place in the early hours of the morning on Friday February 26.

The Fire Brigade arrived on the scene at 05:28 after a second floor fire alarm was activated.

Water from the third floor flowed through the building damaging the building’s fire detection panel but has since been repaired.

EDITORIAL TEAM SPRING 2016 Editors-in-chief: Tom Butler-Roberts Jonny Long

Deputy Editors: Amara Barrett Willett Abbie Llewelyn Scene Editors: Abbie Anderson Dianne Apen-Sadler Webmaster: Carl Goldsmith Advertising Director: Hope Butler

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

The water also flowed into some students’ bedrooms and leaked through the celings of second floor bedrooms.

It is not known when the cleanup operation will finish however the University estimates residents will be back in their rooms in less than two weeks time.

Empty...Derwent K Block

Vısıon

Opinion Editors: Adaobi Nezianya Josh Salisbury

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

Chief Sub Editor: 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

NEW LOGO

BY PAUL WACE

THE UNIVERSITY has unveiled a new redesigned official logo.

It will make its debut in the coming months on the 2017 prospectus.

“The additional logo incorporates a version of the University shield,” the Uni said. Bosses feared the previous version was too “long and thin, particularly when used alongside other university logos.”

There may be confusion over the design, however, because staff “will have the option to use either the existing logo or this new variant.”

CONDOMS STAY IN

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK

THE OFFICIAL University branch of the Vote Leave campaign handed out branded condoms in the library on Monday.

The cross-party Vote Leave Take Control campaign has distributed thousands of condoms to their youth branch in order to encourage young people to vote to leave the EU. Some packets contain the slogan “the safer choice” implying a parallel between protected sex and the circumstances of the UK outside of the EU. Jayh Karia, a prominent member of Students for Britain York, said: “I love the Vote Leave condoms.

“I can have sex and feel like I’m doing my patriotic duty.”

UNDEMOCRATIC SERVICE

YUSU SERVERS went down less than an hour before voting closed in the YUSU Elections on Friday.

In response, YUSU extended the voting time, allowing students to cast their votes for another hour. The failure was fue to a sudden surge in traffic at 4:45pm.

Tuesday March 1, 2016

Vısıon 3 YORK

AS UNI SPLASHES CASH ON OFFICE IN EU, STUDENTS RAISE...

BRUSSELS DOUBTS

BY PAUL WACE

UNI BOSSES are set to open an expensive new lobbying office in Belgium next month.

The space is to be used “to influence EU research policy,” but the investment could go down the drain if the UK votes to leave Europe in just 16 weeks time.

An event to mark the launch of the office, in April, will see Vice-Chancellor Koen Lamberts and three York professors jet off to Belgium for a two day event.

The bash will be held at a swanky Marriot Renaissance Hotel, where rooms start from £60 per night.

Second year politics student Will Barnes slammed the investment, calling it an “unnecessary and gross misuse of public funds and student tuition.”

Pointing out staffing shortages, he said the University “should prioritise the money on ways that will directly help those at

the University and students rather than attempting to lobby the EU.” The office is a project by the White Rose University Consortium, a joint venture between the universities of York, Sheffield and Leeds.

They argue it is part of a “long term strategy.”

Craig Walker, the director of the consortium, claimed the building “puts the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York at the heart of Europe.”

Bosses are hiring new staff for the Brussels office, including a ‘European Public Affairs Director’.

Although the salary of this position is not listed online, the job is only for a “senior manager” with “influencing skills” who speaks English and French and is has good “knowledge of Brussels and the European Commission.”

The consortium’s website claims to have secured “£150 million” worth of

Luxury... pool at the hotel Uni staff will stay at research grants into the universities.

University registrar David Duncan defended the office opening. He said it was

Lamberts will jet off to open the office

“vital that our researchers have access to up to date information on funding sources,” and “sharing a Brussels office with Leeds and Sheffield is a cost effective way to achieve this.”

Asked if the office would be left useless if Britain left the EU he said: “That would depend on whether the UK participated in EU-led research collaborations as a non-

member. Countries like Switzerland do so at the moment, so I assume it’s possible.”

However, countries in the EU are statistically far more likely to be given funding for research than countries not in the Union.

Leading UK scientists fear universities would find it hard to bring in EU science funding if this country voted to leave.

BANNED: NO ISRAEL BOYCOTTS Palsoc chair blasts “ridiculous law” as Leatham says it sets “worrying precedent”

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK THE GOVERNMENT has banned public institutions, including universities, from boycotting Israeli products.

Government officials defended the decision claiming that “undermined good community relations, poisoned and polarised debate and fuelled anti-semitism.”

Universities are included under the definition of public institutions meaning that any boycott by the University would be illegal.

During the 2013/14 academic year a YUSU referendum to endorse the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign was passed by students.

This leglistation does not affect the student union, but YUSU President Ben Leatham told York Vision that the new law set “a worrying precedent by continuing to remove decision making and lobbying power from groups such as students.”

Both the National Union of Students and Amnesty International have criticised the government.

Habib Nassar, chair of PalSoc and a former YUSU presidential candidate, said: “I think it’s a ridiculous law. I think it’s a clampdown on free speech, and a clampdown on what students actually want.

“If students feel like having a boycott of Israel will help with the progression of human rights and achieving freedom then that shouldn’t be banned.”

The new legislation is largely in response to local government institutions passing boycott policies , such as Leicester City Council.

Palsoc protesting against arms firms selling to Israel last term

4 Vısıon Tuesday March 1, 2016

NEWS

YORK

The cover approved

by YUSU

SOUR

CENSORS

BY PAUL WACE

YUSU CENSORED The Lemon Press last week, forcing them to redesign their front page.

The cover that was eventually published is a parody of ‘Making A Murderer’ featuring Donald Trump.

Callum Gearinng, chair of the satirical newspaper, told York Vision the original cover had been “risque” and said YUSU raised welfare concerns over its content.

He added: “We are not concerned by these events as we were allowed to publish the rest of the issue without changes, even on some of the more contentious pieces.”

YUSU President Ben Leatham confirmed “there was some concern that the draft cover may have caused an individual significant distress, but changing the cover was the decision of The Lemon Press editors.”

CHAV D BINNED?

BY TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS

JCRC BOSSES have allegedly been “strongly urged” to scrap the controversial Chav D event.

York Vision has learned tensions are running high between staff and students at the college.

However, College and JCRC officials officially denied anybody had been overruled.

The annual fancy-dress bop attracted controversy last year after students called for it to be shut down.

AWARDS OPEN

NOMINATIONS FOR the Love York Awards, previously the YUSU Awards, opened yesterday.

Students can enter others and themselves for the awards which include Committee of the Year.

The awards ceremony is set to take place in Central Hall on Saturday, June 4.

STUDENTS POLARISED IN...

ISRAEL APARTHEID WEEK CLASH

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK THE PALESTINE Solidarity Society has put on several events in conjunction with the UKwide Israeli Apartheid week movement taking place from February 2228.

The controversial events include a talk by a prominant academic who advocates the boycotting of Israeli academic research and a documentary film comparing Israel and apartheid South Africa.

Pro-Israel students hosted their own events on the same week to challenge the

apartheid narrative.

The York Tories invited the London Israeli embassy’s chief spokesman Yiftah Curiel to speak on the topic of “Pathways to Peace in the Middle East” on Thursday February 25 which many prominant PalSoc members also attended.

Pro-Israel students, unaffiliated with any society, have also been putting up small posters, sometimes over proPalestine posters, during Israeli Apartheid week.

One passionate student affiliated with the group has

taken to drapping the Israeli flag over his shoulders when walking around campus in protest against apartheid week.

Habib Nassar, chair of Palestinian Solidarity Society (Palsoc) told York Vision: “Members of the Palestinian Solidarity Society attended the Israeli embassy talk, and we had a good dialogue with them.”

He added: “Israeli Apartheid Week is run by many universities around the UK. It’s mainly to raise awareness about all the atrocities that Israel commits against the Palestinians.”

The University’s Jewish Society released the following statement on the event: “Whilst as a society we were aware of Israel Apartheid Week taking place, the Jewish Society recently reaffirmed our position to stay apolitical and not hold an official position on Israel or her government’s actions.

“We are not and have never campaigned against Israeli Apartheid Week.

“J-Soc continued its usual busy schedule of events and raised nearly £300 for the fantastic charity Save a Child’s Heart during the same week.”

Israeli Embassy spokesman answers questions

PALSOC PLAY IS “ANTISEMITIC”

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK THE UNIVERSITY’S Palestinian Solidarity Society performed a play accused of being antisemitic on Thursday as part of Israeli Apartheid Week.

The controversial play, called Seven Jewish Children, contains a scene in which a Jewish character glorifies in the suffering of Palestinians saying “tell her they’re animals in rubble...I wouldn’t care if we wiped them out...we’re chosen people.”

The play has been condemned by both the Jewish Society and Britain’s leading Jewish newspaper the Jewish Chronicle.

It has also been described as “Jew-hating, pure and simple” by the author Howard Jacobson.

The 10 minute long production was performed twice on Thursday February 18 and twice again on Thursday February 25 during Is-

rael Apartheid week.

The play was produced by both the Palestinian Solidarity Society and the Antigone Collective.

The event sparked backlash from Jewish students and sympathisers who handed out leaflets claiming that the play “supports antisemitic culture.”

The play was written by Carly Churchill in response to the 20082009 Gaza war.

Some critics, such as Charlotte Higgins, The Guardian’s chief arts writer, have defended the play claiming it is anti-Israel rather than antisemitic and that the worst Jewish characters in the play are not an expression of Churchill’s views on Jewish people.

David Duncan, University Secretary and Registrar, defended the right of students to put on the event: “The procedure for staging this short piece at the University went through the normal procedures and protocols.

“While I understand that some members of the University community profoundly disagree with the political message of the play, as an institution we are committed to the principles of free speech and freedom of expression.

“I do not believe that it would have been appropriate to ban this performance.”

The Jewish Society hit back: “We are concerned by the antisemitism prevalent in the play Seven Jewish Children.

“Thus, we took it upon ourselves (as a result of YUSU’s refusal to act on our behalf) to hand out posters at the event to make people aware of the play’s antisemitic content.”

PalSoc have firmly denied that the play is antisemitic: “This play is not anti-Semitic, it is anti-Zionist.

“Political theatre is not journalism, it does not claim, nor is it required, to be unbiased.

“The play presents right-wing

Zionism in all its jingoistic racist ugliness.

“The [controversial line] does indeed show a genocidal racist hatred.

“The right-wing of Israeli society absolutely displays these beliefs, including the use of poorly understood Jewish theological concepts to justify their beliefs.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s son Tommy Corbyn was inaccurately associated with the performance of the play by both The Jewish Chronicle and The Tab. Both media outlets imply a link between Tommy Corbyn’s role as “Events Manager” of PalSoc and the play, however Tommy Corbyn did not play a role in organising the play.

YES/NO: Should the play have PG 18 happened?

OPINION

NEWS

Tuesday March 1, 2016

Vısıon 5 YORK

YORK’S TRANSPHOBIA SHAME

BY TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS

sion, Ashley Reed, the current Women’s TRANS STUDENTS at the University Network trans*-convenor and one of the have spoken out after a recent rise in incoming LGBTQ Officers, spoke about the harassment has left them scared to shocking levels of harassment they have recieved online. walk around campus alone.

They said: “I’m constantly scared and The dire state of affairs led to students in the Trans Network setting up a Facebook looking around because the amount of hargroup last December, whereby they could assment I’ve received online has just made me mentally suspicious of everyone. arrange to walk around campus together.

“When I just look out at people I’m alStudents claim the rise happened shortly after the University U-turned on its most certain there are people here that hate decision to mark International Men’s Day, me.”

The Langwith student also accused with the online harassment surrounding York Union, the non-ratified debating socielection candidates amplifying transphobic ety, and campus newspaper Nouse of being sentiments around campus. One trans student said: “The major issue is that as a trans transphobic.

They said the York Union “doesn’t care person… I feel scared to be on campus.

“When I walk round on campus I look about debate and cares specifically about down at the ground because I don’t want upsetting and making trans students miserable.” people to recognise me.”

They said: “For a lot of people, campus This is in line with national trends is home and to have a transphobic speaker where, according to research by the National Union of Students, only one in five is very much like inviting a transphobic speaker to your home.” trans students feel safe on campus.

Reed claimed Nouse constantly misA university spokesperson said they were working to identify key issues faced gendered them and another student in their by trans people at university and to imple- coverage of URY’s Candidate Interview Night for the YUSU Elections. They also ment appropriate action.

In an exclusive interview with York Vi- expressed dissatisfaction with the editorial decision to refuse to publish an article TRANS vs TRANS*: What’s from a trans student anonymously.

Around 28,000 students in the the difference?

UK are estimated to be trans.

The asterisk is used to denote any non binary or According to a report released by agender identity but its use is highly debated.

the NUS, half of all trans students seriously consider dropping out of their course during their time at university, while one in three trans students experience some form of bullying or harassment at university.

Reed said: “People were scared to come onto campus because there was a lot of harassment going on.”

One trans student was physically attacked in The Lounge, after correcting someone on their pronoun usage.

George Zama said: “As a trans* student, I’ve experienced hostility from people when I tell them my pronouns and name.

“I’ve experienced invasive questions and people outright denying my identity to my face.

“My identity is also heavily fetishised and I have been physically assaulted based on this.”

Failing to address a person by their correct gender pronoun is considered harassment, under the University’s Equality and Diversity policies.

David Duncan, the University’s Registrar & Secretary, said: “We expect all members of the University community to treat each other with dignity and respect.

“We are strongly opposed to all forms of bullying and harassment, including abuse published online and via social media.”

He added: “We will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against individuals who, following investigation, are found to have

bullied or harassed others.

“The University is committed to ensuring that trans students and staff are treated fairly.”

There are plans to include gender neutral toilets in the new Piazza Building on Heslington East.

Eleanor Alice Ring, a second year student at another university, said: “It may sound like a small thing to cisgender people but it does provide a sense of safety for my trans friends at the university.”

YUSU President Ben Leatham said: “I’m really shocked and horrified to hear that any student feels unsafe on campus.

“Over recent weeks I have observed the extent to which social media bullying and harassment is increasingly having an extremely negative impact on our students.

“I have raised this with the vice chancellor and will attend a NUS lead national summit to look at urgent action on the issue.

“It’s clear from incidents like those experienced by Ashley, other trans students and, in actual fact, students in general that we must work with the university to ensure a robust response to all reported incidents.”

Members of the university who feel harassed should seek support from a Harassment Advisor or from the Equality and Diversity Office. Full details are available on the University website.

LGBTQ OFFICER TWITTER ACCOUNT IN...

HI-JACK DRAMA

BY ABBIE LLEWELYN

ALLEGATIONS HAVE been made against YUSU LGBTQ Officer, Jack Chadwick, that he hijacked the official Officer Twitter account and posted several inflammatory Tweets, one including the infamous #KillAllWhiteMen hashtag.

Huw James, Gay Convenor of the LGBTQ Network, blasted the elected officer saying, “Jack Chadwick claims that it was due to someone hacking into his twitter and that he’s not liable.

“Personally I find it hard to believe that someone with the exact same views as Jack Chadwick hacked into his accounts and posted from them, or had the time of day to care for committing identity fraud for this purpose.”

Between 4pm and 6pm on Sunday night, the YUSU LGBTQ Officer’s official account published tweets including, “Liberalism saturates LGBTQ activism, makes our politics all about faux safety & sound language. Kill the liberal in yr life 2day.”

These were then retweeted by Jack Chadwick’s personal account at the time and he also tweeted similar political mes-

sages from his own account.

Chadwick defended himself saying: “Several accounts were hacked over the weekend, which led to a couple of colourful tweets.

“The response to these tweets has played into the intentions of whoever tweeted them.

“We need to all learn to stop taking Twitter so seriously and redirect our outrage at the real threats to LGBTQ people, like the mental health crisis and cuts to services like homeless shelters that lots of us need to get by.”

One of the tweets (pictured) attracted a critical reply from former Labour Society Chair Callum Shannon only to be greeted with “#killallwhitemen lol” as a response.

A further tweet shared a link to a Telegraph article about Bahar Mustafa, the Student Diversity Officer at Goldsmiths who tweeted #KillAllWhiteMen and retained her position, despite national controversy.

A member of the LGBTQ Network, Emily Pownall also responded critically, saying, “Not calling for neutrality either. You can be progressive whilst hearing legitimate political perspectives from other sides.”

The response

was “sounds like tone policing 2me. Kill the tone police #acab”.

Chadwick’s fellow LGBTQ Officer, Evie Paffard, later took control of the account and released an apology before deactivating it.

She also resigned from her position, adding on Facebook: “I refuse to be implicated in the online Twitter drama…

“I do not endorse anything that is currently being tweeted and refuse to be implicated in it.”

A member of LGBTQ Network who wished to remain anonymous told York Vision that Jack Chadwick had published “questionable tweets” in the past that matched up to the same ones on his personal account at the same time, much like in this instance. They also claimed that the perceived political affiliations of the culprit were “Jack all over”.

Although the tweets were not endorsed by the network, Callum Shannon felt they were indicative of a wider problem.

He told York Vision: “Tweets like these are the very reason that I don’t feel comfortable attending network.

“One of the officers makes it a very unwelcoming place for anybody who doesn’t share their far left political views and seems far more preoccupied with furthering their own petty political agenda than being a voice for the LGBTQ students they’re supposed to be representing.”

“They don’t represent me!” he added.

6 Vısıon Tuesday March 1, 2016

NEWS

YORK

VICE CHANCELLOR ADMITS MENTAL HEALTH PROVISIONS ARE “NOT ENOUGH” Koen Lamberts revealed all in a Question Time event last night

BY PAUL WACE VICE-CHANCELLOR KOEN Lamberts came under pressure at a ‘question time’ panel last night as he clashed with students over mental health provisions, the Prevent strategy, and transparency laws.

Lamberts was forced on the defensive as he conceded there are “not enough” Open Door appointments and admitted “mental health provisions are quite vulnerable” in the city when “demand is higher than ever.”

He also revealed he has commissioned a strategic review of how the University approaches mental health lead by Professor Hillary Graham.

He said he would “expect to see answers as to what we can do better” at the end of March. Until then he said he would make no drastic changes, because he wanted decisions to be informed.

“We are waiting for the review to come back,” he said.

Last month it emerged the University had spent £26 less per student on mental health provisions, despite demand for Open Door skyrocketing.

Lamberts also said he was “terrified” about the

prospect of the government’s Prevent strategy being focused on Muslim students.

“It’s not targeted [at certain groups],” he told students. “The risk is that it becomes targeted. That horrifies me … this is a real challenge for us.”

But he refused to properly criticise the initiative, which now forces the University to keep tabs on students who are “withdrawn” or seeking “political change.”

He said: “What I think about it is not that relevant.”

Lamberts refused to change his stance, revealed last month by York Vision, that the Freedom of Information Act should not apply to universities.

“We have a genuine commercial interest to protect,” he said, even though the University receives “a significant amount of public funding.”

This newspaper has only been able to expose scandalous spending by staff on expensive hotels, marketing projects and absurd expenses because of FoI law.

“If we are going to be able to compete with [private universities] on a level playing field, we should be exempt from the Freedom of Information act,” he said.

Lamberts’ key moments:

· There is “only so much the University can do” to tackle on-

line harassment “short of geofencing YikYak.” This would mean the social network could not be used on campus. · He was “surprised” by “how strongly people felt” about the cancellation of International Men’s Day, and said the University would approach future events in a “measured way.” · He has “full confidence” in the Chancellor, Malcolm Grant, who is “tremendous.” Grant was exposed by York Vision last year for saying there should be a “higher potential cap or even no cap at all” on tuition fees. · He thinks the £10,000 of University money spent on Grant’s inauguration in October was a “good investment” because it attracted attention in the “right circles.” · He believes Britain leaving the EU would be a “great risk to this University” and have “severe” implications. But he was forced to explain why he had not signed an open letter by other vice-chancellors backing Vote Remain because “we had agreed we wouldn’t take a campaigning position.” · The University has invited two Syrian academics to travel to York, but there are issues with their Visas. “We are supporting them in trying to resolve those issues with the Home Office,” he said. · Campus accomodation prices may rise again in the future.

“I can’t promise that they will stay the same,” he said. This is partly because, he argued, more students want en-suite rooms. “We’ll do what we can.”

“It’s a matter of principle.”

After the event he said: “I thought the students asked some very good questions, they didn’t shy away from any sensitive areas or difficult questions. It was very constructive.”

He added that he hoped

for more “dialogue” events in the future.

Chairing the event, YUSU Prez Ben Leatham said that the event “sets a precedent for the University hopefully being more open and talking to students about the issues that they have.”

YORK VISION ELECTIONS TONIGHT - 01/03/2016

YORK VISION are holding editorial elections tonight, March 1, 2016.

The elections will be taking place in our office in Grimston House at 8pm, located near Vanbrugh College.

If you are unaware of where are officers are, don’t fret! We will be pick-

ing people up from Vanbrugh stalls at 7:45pm and showing them the way.

If you have always wanted to get involved with York Vision, now is your chance. Elections are not at all daunting, and there are lots of positions to run for regardless of the experience or time that you are able to commit to the

newspaper.

We will also be having a social after the elections – a great time to meet the rest of the team.

If you have any questions, please email us at vision@yusu.org Hope to see you later today!

NEWS

Tuesday March 1, 2016

Vısıon 7 YORK

YUSU: CAMPUS SURGERY “CRAMPED” UNCHARTED WARTERS

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK

A LOCAL councillor has blasted plans to create more student housing.

Mark Warters, the Osbaldwick Independent Councillor, decried the “destruction of a residential area through studentification.”

The landlord of a property, in Thirkleby Way, Osbaldwick, will be allowed to rent out the property to multiple tenants.

Cllr Warters wants the issue to be considered by the City of York Council planning committee instead.

He also accused the council of “condoning” the set up of student homes with no planning permission.

NEW PARTY ON CAMPUS

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK THE WOMEN’S Equality Party has launched a society at the University of York.

The University branch was ratified by YUSU last week and is holding an introductory event on Tuesday, March 1 where there will be a discussion on issues of gender equality and public representation of women.

Its Facebook group currently has 145 members and boasts Lucy Robinson, one of the incoming Women’s Officers, as a founding member of the York branch.

The party believes in equal representation for women in business, politics and law, among other policies to increase gender equality.

DAVE RESIGNS

THE UNIVERSITY’S Head of Media Relations, David Garner, is set to resign.

Responsible for the University’s presence in media, both online and in print, whoever replaces him is set to earn up to £48k a year.

UNITY HEALTH MOVES TO HES EAST

BY PAUL WACE UNITY HEALTH is set to move to Heslington East by the end of this year.

YUSU confirmed the surgery will be a “larger, modern, purpose built facility for patients,” but will be situated on the campus with fewer students. The existing surgery will be closed.

Unity Health boss Louise Johnston added that construction on the building will begin this month, and it should open in December.

She said: “The new building will allow more clinical space and this, in turn, will allow the practice to improve patient access.”

The current campus surgery was slammed by students in November as people waited up to an hour outside

in cold weather to see a doctor.

At the time, one student described her experience there as “worse than the time I got hit by a car.”

However, there are concerns moving the facility to the more sparse campus will discourage people on Hes West from using it.

“I don’t see how moving it can help at all,” one Halifax fresher said. “Moving it to a place with fewer students is just going to mean even fewer people will get appointments because people from Hes West won’t use it.”

YUSU insists the new surgery will “provide greater opportunities for the delivery of better integrated services.”

The new building will have a larger reception

area and more consultation rooms. Unity Health managment will now also be based in the facility, whereas they are currently based off-site.

All the staff at the current practice will keep their jobs at the Hes East surgery.

Scott Dawson, the YUSU sabbatical officer for Wellbeing, said the confirmation of the new surgery was “amazing news.”

Dawson said there would “obviously be teething problems surrounding a sudden transition” from one surgery to another, and noted it is “pivotal that we get accessibility and provisions right for our students.”

He added that there is a “high likelihood” a pharmacy may also be opened.

Scandal... current surgery experience is worse than being “hit by a car”

Development... the new surgery will be part of a big construction project

WHO HAS THE BIGGEST D? Exclusive: Four colleges planning one huge campus event for summer term

BY PAUL WACE FOUR COLLEGES have secretly been working together to plan a huge festival on campus called Westival, to rival Derwent’s Big D. York Vision can exclusivley reveal that the Halifax, James, Alcuin and Vanbrugh college committees are involved in talks with the University to hold the event.

It is understood that Derwent have not been included in the talks.

Organisers hope to hold the mini-festival on June 11, the last Sunday before the

end of the year.

Details about the “oncampus club night” will be announced publicly in the next fortnight.

The event will aim to raise money for RAG, will be held at the Roger Kirk Centre, and will feature a stage with big-name band.

Westival has been given the go-ahead by the University, pending their approval of certain details.

YUSU gave organisers the date of June 11 to avoid threatening Big D, but the colleges are keen to out-do the Derwent event.

This new event will re-

place Woodstock, which has normally been organised by YUSU, but music will still be played throughout the day.

James College JCRC chair Max Flynn confirmed: “It’s set to be an on campus club night with a big act in the RKC and the whole surrounding area open with various entertainment for charity.”

He said there “shouldn’t be any clash” with Derwent’s consistently popular party because they will be “a couple of weeks” apart.

However, Derwent has not yet publicly announced the date of Big D.

The colleges have Derwent’s Big D in their sights

8 Vısıon Tuesday March 1, 2016

NEWS

YORK

Vısıon THE VOICE OF...

YORK

TRANSPORT TRANSPHOBIA OUT OF YORK The story about transphobia on campus will be quite shocking to some people. And that’s why it’s so important to get the message out there – most cis people don’t know this is happening, at least not to the extent that it is.

The fact that some students feel scared to walk around campus on their own is not something that even crosses the minds of most students, which is what people mean when they say cis-privilege. This has opened up my eyes to the reality of the situation and hopefully it will for others.

Once we are aware of a problem we can work towards improving the situation. Trans people are experiencing this every single day and its time something was done about it. We need to start sticking up for trans people.

THE VC AND MENTAL HEALTH

The Vice-Chancellor, Koen Lamberts, was challenged by students last night at his first ‘Question Time’ event. It’s good to see top bosses at the University engaging with students like this, but Lamberts needs to respond to the demands of students, rather than just answer their queries.

The mental health provision at this University – Lamberts confirmed Open Door can only handle 200 appointments a month – is absolutely lacking. York Vision has routinely exposed failures in the funding of this critical service and changes have to be made now.

That Lamberts told the government to remove accountability from universities through the Freedom of Information Act is also concerning. We need to be able to hold staff responsible for how they spend your money, and this may soon become impossible.

DEPARTMENT HEAD APOLOGISES

ANGRY LECTURER: I DON’T GIVE A TOSS

BY PAUL WACE

THE ELECTRONICS department has been forced to apologise after a furious lecturer blasted a whole cohort of students in a mass email.

The message was sent to all second year electronic engineering students, and slammed them for not turning up to lectures.

“Frankly I don’t give a toss whether you attend my lectures or not,” it says.

The lecturer goes on to say: “Just give a moment’s thought as to why I and my colleagues bother to give lectures in the first place.”

The head of the Department of Electronics, Jon Timmis, confirmed to York Vision he was “aware of the e-mail.”

Timmis said the message was “not expressed in

a way that I could endorse” and that he would “discuss it with the author this week.”

He added: “In the meantime, as Head of Department, I apologise to everyone who received it.”

Student attendance may have dropped at the lectures because of the introduction of lecture capture. Last term the department entered talks to have ‘opt-out’ lecture recording.

Timmis was keen to emphasise the intention of the e-mail. “The Department of Electronics is concerned to ensure that students perform as well as possible in degree programmes; to this end, we are keen to impress on all students the importance of attending lectures,” he said.

From: Lecturer To: Second year electron ic engineering students “...as for the rest of you, then frankly I don’t give a to ss whether you attend my lectures or not. I am however lec turing on a twenty credit core module and you will have to pa ss the assessment some way or other if you want to complete your degree. Just give a mom ent’s thought as to why I and my colleagues bother to giv e lectures in the first place ...”

Leonard-NO Where is everyone...

BELGIAN WAFFLE A load of University staff will be flying off to Brussels this year to open an exciting new office so they can try to change the research funding policy of delegates at the EU. It seems all well and good, but Britain might leave the EU in only a few months time! It is unclear whether Britain will keep getting science money from Europe, but our people in Brussels may end up with pointless but highly paid jobs.

It’s unclear whether the University took the prospect of a referendum on the EU seriously when planning the office, but with VC Lamberts saying a ‘leave’ vote would put the University at “great risk”, it’s clear he’s definitely hedging his bets.

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK OVER 1000 students failed to turn up at Centrall Hall at the weekend to celebrate Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar win.

A Facebook event saw hundreds express interest in meeting up past midnight if the American actor took home the coveted award.

After DiCaprio won Best Actor for The Revenant, intrepid York Vision reporters were first on the scene to kick off celebrations only to find no one else had turned up.

According to a Yak, three other people braved the cold to make good on their social media commitment – pressumbly after our reporters decided to call it a night.

The disgruntled Yakker posted: “Just got back from Central Hall.

There were two other people there, one of whom went back to Hes East after like a minute.”

He added: “Fuck y’all.”

The lack of enthusiasm for DiCaprio’s victory is likely to disappoint the University Registrar, David Duncan.

He told Vision before the results were announced: “I’m pleased to hear that the student community is keen to turn out in support of Leonardo DiCaprio, who is one of my favourite actors.

“However, I’m not sure that it would be appropriate to open Central Hall for this.

“Perhaps a gathering on Greg’s Place would be a suitable alternative?”

TANG HALL STABBING

BY PAUL WACE

TANG HALL residents were left shocked last night after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed outside the One Stop shop.

A 44-year-old man was arrested as officers went door-to-door on Fourth Avenue asking if anyone had witnessed the assault.

The teenager’s injuries are reportedly not lifethreatening but he is being treated at hospital in Leeds.

Anyone with information can call the police on 101.

YU NO SHOW

FREELANCE JOURNALIST Abi Wilkinson was due to speak at a York Union debate on free speech last week but did not turn up due to safety concerns.

On Twitter she claimed she “withdrew because of a couple of threatening messages.”

She also claimed “the way the event was being promoted did give me additional reason to worry.”

COLUMN

Tuesday March 1, 2016

Vısıon 9 YORK

Are you behind on your student loan payments? Good. Pick up the phone and start dialling follow me on Twitter - @CostasMourselas

Costas Mourselas

I’m declaring war on no-platforming

G

ather round children. It’s time for papa Costas to shout into your ear for the third time this term. And while I refer to you as children in jest, it does seem like some of you do exhibit the qualities of entitled and whiny prepubescents.

Yes, this is going to be one of ‘those’ columns; the ones where I actually take a stance I’m passionate about and try to convince you, my beloved readers, to rally by my side and together, crash on the gates of irrationality and illogic. I’m like King Aragorn from Lord of the Rings and you’re like…erm, the army of initially indifferent conscripts that died in his name. I think that relationship suits my purposes very nicely.

But before you seize arms and prepare to submit yourselves to my command unquestionably (as I am a nobleman and you’re a lowly pleb), allow me to make a rousing speech to move you to action. ‘‘People of Heslington! While you may not know it yet, the armies of darkness are amassing once again. No, it isn’t the forces of Mordor, friends, stirring after a period of unbroken slumber. It is an evil far more insidious, more covert and more authoritarian. I am of course referring to the progressive left. “‘But King Costas,’ you say. ‘Since when have a bunch of fringe left-wingers managed to influence policy in the United Kingdom.’ A most astute observation, lowly subject. Given the Labour Party’s prospects, even I must admit that I did not see this evil coming.

“But on the advice of the White Council of Wizards, *cough* my parents *cough*, I decided to travel to University and see the evil myself. And sure enough, all I hear are

stories about prominent social egalitarians like Peter Tatchell and Germaine Greer going missing in Mordor, no-platformed and whisked away for holding ‘unacceptable views.’

“Now, there is no doubt that the most intelligent and witty of you could see logical inconsistencies and poorly reasoned premises in their arguments and defeat them in a public showdown of sharp wit and good humour; also known as an open debate. But there are also those among you who claim moral superiority in your arguments. You think that protecting the feelings of individuals affords you a certain moral high ground and, as such, the ability to shut down debate when you see fit.

“Some of you even claim that words in themselves are enough to cause distress and thus should be banned. But surely, the context, intent and moral force of the word should be taken into consideration first.

After all, banning words wholesale shows the same black and white approach to the world that Sauron imposed on Heslington all those years ago. We fought to defend nuance and gradation, not to ban it!

“Why, only recently at the York Union, an impassioned debate regarding free speech on university campuses revealed sympathy to the idea that controversial speakers should be no-platformed in the name of minorities who feel oppressed.

“But if social progressives are truly in favour of free speech (as they claim), actively censoring a minority of controversial speakers and students to guarantee the free speech of those that are only passively being oppressed makes little sense.

“I want to make something absolutely clear to those of you that think that caring for others necessarily constitutes being on

No-Use

There have been reports of the Nouse website going down for a few days last week.

You’ll be pleased to know, dear reader, that page visits remained unaffected seeing as no one visited the website in the first place.

Okay just kidding – please don’t come after my family. Oh god, I hear them outside. Tell people what you’ve heard here. Don’t let me die in vain. Plea…

Nisa Radio

Am I the only one that feels mildly uncomfortable when listening to the occasional Nisa Local radio broadcasts?

I mean, there does seems to be something distinctly Stalinesque about a radio presenter cheerily proclaiming that he is: “The voice of YOUR community.”

Fitting too, considering that only a five year plan can deliver food at such extortionate prices.

the ‘right side of history.’ Your arguments are subject to criticism just like everyone else’s. The arrogance and veneer of infallibility you possess is nothing more than a facade, a cover for your inability to participate in open debate with your peers. Get off your moral high ground and justify your beliefs in open debate like everybody else.

“Oh and on a side note, as your selfappointed king, I have unilaterally decided to assume direct control over the York students’ union. After witnessing the shameful popularity contest that occurred two weeks ago (also known as the YUSU elections) I have decided that democracy is too good for you, the people of Heslington.

‘Here there be social progressives’

I’ll be there for you

So no one told you life was gonna be this way Degree’s a joke, you’re broke, you still have not got laid It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your term, or even your year...but I’ll be there for you (when the geese stark to flock) I’ll be there for you (when they laugh at your cock) I’ll be there for you (when you get a 3rd on your mock) I’ll be there for you, coz you’re there for me too You’re still in bed at 2, lectures began at 9 You burned your breakfast and, that bacon was mine!

Your mother warned you there’d be days like this But she never warned you that when you’d get £1500 overdrawn that... *chorus*

Writer: Callum Shannon Production manager: Costas Mourselas Director of Photography: Costas Mourselas Executive Producer: Costas Mourselas Guy that did fuck all: Costas Mourselas

“With this in mind, I intend to abolish the position of Union President (sorry Millie) and replace it with the position of Supreme Overlord of Heslington, which I will of course occupy. I will also no-platform any speaker that wishes to come to the University to argue in favour of noplatforming. My points are evidently irrefutable and as such, not up for debate. This might be a good time to look up the difference between irony and sarcasm.’’

Have I convinced you to rally against the forces of the progressive left? If so, pledge your support to me and join my army by signing this column in your blood and following me on Twitter.

Contributed by ‘Panopticon’ on Facebook

Third years: What they really mean Why do you care about YUSU elections anyway?

You’re a third year.

*I can’t get over the fact that I will be irrelevant in 3 months*

Because I care about the future of this University!

10 Vısıon Tuesday March 1, 2016

NEWS

YORK

POLICY “DEMEANING AND PATRONISING”

MONKGATE WAITS

BY PAUL WACE MONKGATE HEALTH Centre, the NHS sexual health clinic in York, has wait times of as long as four hours.

YikYak users shared horror stories of the waiting times of the facility’s “walkin” service, which allows students access to STI tests, contraception, and care after a sexual assault, without an appointment.

“I arrived at 12 and got seen at like four once,” one wrote. The wait last Monday, another claimed, “was an hour and a half.”

That user added: “Chances are you’re gonna have to wait at least an hour even when it’s not busy.”

YUSU sabbatical officer Scottt Dawson praised the centre’s “wonderful team,” but said they have to “deal with very stretched resources.”

He added: “Other clinics are ran at Wenlock Terrace Surgery, Acomb Surgery and on campus at the Centre of Immunology.

The clinic had not sent a quote in reply at the time of going to print.

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK AN OPEN letter by Business Management student Ben Froughi slamming the incoming YUSU Women’s Officers has received huge student attention after being posted on Facebook.

The no holds barred post opens with with line “congratulations on your victory, now please go and talk about your imaginary glass ceiling somewhere else.”

Froughi makes the case that there is no need for policies to promote women’s equality as, he claims, society structurally advantages women.

He cites statistics such as the 2 to 1 advantage over men that women have when applying for jobs in STEM subects and the fact that women are more likey to get Upper Second and First Class de-

UNI DOES NOT CARE, SAYS YUSU CANDIDATE

WHEELY ANGRY

grees at university as evidence.

Froughi strongly criticses Mia Chaudhuri-Julyan and Lucy Robinson for their advocacy of compulsory consent classes which he claims is “the most demeaning and patronising thing you could do to pick on a group who’ve done nothing wrong.”

The post received a response from Chaudhuri-Julyan and Robinson who defended their policies and their democratic mandate pointing to the fact that consent classes would be compulsory for both men and women.

The letter attracted a lot of attention from both Froughi’s detractors and defenders with one angry student calling Froughi “an idiot” and another encouraging him to “stick to your guns.”

BY JONNY LONG THE STUDENT who placed third in this year’s YUSU Presidential race has slammed university management, saying “I honestly don’t think that the people in positions of power care about the welfare of students.”

Ciaran Morrissey, a third year Philosophy student who’s campaign was based on increasing mental health provision and protecting free speech on campus, added “They know we’re only here for three or four years and that we might kick and scream for a bit but

BY PAUL WACE

ONE HALIFAX fresher says his bike has been targeted by vandals THREE times this year.

Last term he claims he found his locked bike with a large sewing pin in the front wheel near the psychology department.

He returned to Halifax where he removed the wheel to be fixed, and within “an hour” the back tyre was also punctured. “There was no way for me to get that fixed,” he said.

This term, he says his bike was again targeted with a staple gun while it was locked up at the college.

“There is no way a staple can be that firmly in a wheel of a bike by accident,” he told York Vision. “Someone must have done it with a staple gun. None of this adds up.”

NO MORE

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK THE YUSU weekly email sent on the morning of February 25 promoted the Library’s MoreBooks scheme... two days after it had ended.

The MoreBooks scheme allows students to demand books for the University library on a first come first serve basis.

The slush fund for the popular scheme ran dry on Tuesday February 23.

The Library thanked students for their suggestions at 10am on Tuesday.

Not to be deterred by petty spacio-temporal considerations YUSU released an email two days later including a section entitled: “MoreBooks is back on 22 February!”

eventually we’ll be gone and you don’t always get these campaigns running year on year.”

In a strongly worded Facebook post, Morrissey claimed: “Koen Lamberts is a distant and unapproachable man who seems to do utterly fuck all for our Union.”

When asked to clarify his thoughts on the Vice-Chancellor, Morrissey said: “I could be persuaded that Koen Lamberts is worth £233k, I’m not averse to people having high salaries as a matter of principle. However, when we have underfunding of mental health services, when we as students have a comparatively

meagre amount of financial assistance, when the fees have trebled for nearly all full time courses, but funding hasn’t increased proportionately in student support, I do think that it is wrong for the senior management to have such high salaries when none of the benefits of that is coming into the student body.”

Ciaran Morrissey: V-C Lamberts is “unapprochable”

NEWS

Tuesday March 1, 2016

Vısıon 11 YORK

HOURS AGREEMENT REACHED

WORLD BOOK YAY!

BY JONATHAN VAN KUIJK

THE LIBRARY is commemorating World Book Day with a book swap and a Creme Egg hunt.

Creme egg tokens will be hidden throughout the Library between Monday February 29 and Friday March 4.

Upon finding a token, students will have to answer a literary question to exchange the token for a Creme Egg. The book swap will take place on Thursday March 3, World Book Day itself, between 12-2pm in the JB Morrell Library foyer.

Porters “mistreated” in Uni talks, says Leatham

BY STEPH GABBATT BEN LEATHAM, the President of YUSU, has criticised the University’s handling of a new agreement with the porters’ union, Unison, which will change key aspects about the porter system.

In an blog post last night, he stated that during the negotiations, porters were “frustrated and concerned”, meaning that some “who had dedicated a significant part of their lives to the University felt mistreated.”

Leatham encouraged the University to “heavily” reconsider the way reviews are carried out, especially if they will significantly impact staff.

He also criticised the fact that students were largely kept in the dark about the process, due a lack of effective communication.

He wrote: “If there are plans to review and change an element of University life so integral to students, communication must be a priority.”

Whilst he accepted that the “front of house review” was necessary, he also identified problems in

the new agreement which he will pressure the University to address.

There will now be no porters in the exhibition centre, which Leatham said is used by a “huge number” of people. It is “vital,” he wrote, that the University pay for signage to direct students to the porters nearest the building.

The porters, often called on to attend immediate issues, will now have to remain at their desks and a new rapid response team will be in operation. The new agreement reduced the shifts of newly hired porters from 12 hours to 8.25 hours.

Porters will now also be able to alternate between working day and night shifts, to ensure that there will not be porters that students are unfamiliar with. This is to ensure students feel they can approach all the porters for support.

The new system, which will be implemented from mid-July 2016, will continue to provide 24 hour access to porters on both Heslington East and West: in the Information Centre, James, Alcuin, Derwent, Halifax, the Ron Cooke Hub, and Langwith.

EDITORS: AN OPEN LETTER TO YOU

BY JONNY LONG & TOM BUTLER-ROBERTS

As the current York Vision Editors come to the end of their tenure, they have written this open letter detailing what they have picked up on over the past two terms, identifying issues that we need to tackle as a student body.

GETTING TO the bottom of the story, and deciphering fact from fiction and right from wrong, has been one of the most difficult tasks that we have had to contend with this year.

One of the defining stories of the past year has been the saga surrounding YUSU Academic Officer Thomas Ron. While the original story we published regarding messages where Ron appeared to be trying to influence elections was a story that needed to be written, we were not quite ready for the aftermath that would follow.

Anonymous messaging platforms such as YikYak increasingly seem to be producing more harm than good. Not only have we had friends of ours leaking stories over YikYak the day before the newspaper is released, the online witch-hunt that formed on the back of the Ron story set the ball rolling for an outpouring of unsubstantiated allegations and worked in detriment to inspiring the sort of behaviour the online trolls were accusing Ron of not upholding.

Moreover, much more sinister and dangerous than the abuse of power by an elected officer of our Union, are the students who work behind the scenes in

furthering their own unidentifiable agendas within the bubble of student politics at York. During the edition after all of the original Tron stuff kicked off, we were approached by a group of students who gave us more evidence of alleged wrongdoings committed by Thomas Ron. After the initial student journalist excitement wore off, we eventually took a step back and had to question where this stuff had come from, who was giving it to us, and why. When we eventually made the decision not to run the story, the details behind it started emerging on YikYak, perhaps confirming our suspicions about the integrity of the source in the first place.

Eventually, Ron was not re-elected, whether this was the right decision or not, only time will tell. However, the circumstances that brought about his election loss leave a lot to be desired. Rumours of wrongdoing are not enough to disregard someone for a position, and the whole circumstances of this invisible group of students seemingly campaigning against a Union officer must be taken at more than face value.

People like to accuse Vision of sensationalising the news, I would argue that we try to make our readership aware of issues that need shouting about. Lad culture, sexual harrassment, online harrassment, college-backed cultural appropriation, YUSU corruption. We have attempted to cover a wide variety of issues that affect students, however there is one body who I feel we have failed to hold to account. The University itself seem to be

increasingly failing in its duty of care for students, and are becoming well versed in protecting themselves from reputational damage from the likes of York Vision. This only results in more students crying out for more in return for their increased tuition fees.

For greater provision of mental health services, for example, whilst the university arguably wastes money on Chancellor inaugurations and campus signage while many students take the plunge into an ocean of personal debt.

On a final note, turning attention to our Student Union, and the health and vitality of student media. YUSU need to understand how fortunate they are to have a student media that works with the Union, and shoud therefore properly fund it, as an arrangement of this nature should be. What happens at present is that each set of York Vision Editors get served up is not only the task of producing three editions a term, but also trying to manage a backlog of societal debt left behind by previous editorial teams. How this was allowed to happen and is a problem dumped at each new set of Editor’s feet is shameful.

The outstanding media societies that our university has need to be properly taken care of and not just treated like other societies. Not only to help them continue producing their stellar output, but also to ensure that they manage to avoid the encroachment of national student media outlets upon the media talent that is attracted to York.

OPINION

OPINION

A

s an LGBTQ student, I find the present state of the NUS LGBT movement saddening, exasperating, and downright embarrassing. I’ve been somewhat disillusioned with the movement for a long time, but the recent events concerning Peter Tatchell and a certain NUS LGBT Officer have really driven me to despair.

“It should be obvious that Peter Tatchell is no transphobe” In case you’ve missed this latest fracas, let me bring you up to speed. A few weeks ago, the NUS’ LGBT Officer Fran Cowling caused the latest announced they would not share a stage with veteran LGBTQ rights activist Peter Tatchell as part of an event commemorating his 50th year of activism. Fran’s reasons for this? Last year, Tatchell was one of a long list of activists who signed an open letter criticising Goldsmith’s College cancelling feminist comedian Kate Smurthwaite’s planned show at the university and in general, opposing the retraction of free speech on campuses with the widespread no platforming of individuals seen by some as transphobic, including Germaine Greer and Rupert Read. Because of this, in Fran’s eyes, Peter Tatchell is transphobic.

Tuesday March 1, 2016

Vısıon 13 YORK

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

CALLUM SHANNON: TATCHELL AND TRANSPHOBIA: EVERYTHING WRONG WITH THE LGBTQ MOVEMENT Before we even start dissecting this bizarre leap of logic, let’s make one thing crystal clear: Transphobia is one of the biggest issues facing the LGBTQ community at present. In an era when gay and lesbian rights have made huge advancements, the Trans* community still (rightly so) feels discriminated against. If you need proof of this, I refer you to the awful Yaks and Tweets directed at the newly-elected YUSU LGBTQ Officer Ashley Reed on candidate results night. If you haven’t seen them, I envy you greatly. Being a hardened politico on the internet, I’m no stranger to trolling but the stuff sent last Saturday night was truly horrendous. Let there be no mistake: transphobes are awful people and their abuse cannot be tolerated.

With this in mind, it should be obvious Peter Tatchell is no transphobe. The man has done more for LGBTQ rights than you, I or any other activist can ever hope to achieve in our lifetimes. His activism should be an inspiration to us all, not something we shun him for. He’s led several major pressure groups, including the Gay Liberation Front and OutRage!, and has faced discrimination because of his sexuality his entire life. In the 1983 Bermondsey by-election, which Tatchell contested for Labour, the opposing Conservatives published leaflets showing a picture of Peter next to Elizabeth II, captioned “Which Queen do you support?”.

Tatchell was also instrumental in opposing Section 28, the horrendously oppressive laws against the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality implemented by the Thatcher government, under which both LGBTQ

conveners, and any real discussion of LGBTQ issues, including this article, would have been illegal. Tatchell is a true activist, a rare example of somebody prepared to die for their beliefs in an era when most self-proclaimed activists are only prepared to dye their hair. The notion that he in any way condones abusive behaviour towards the LGBTQ community (or anyone else for that matter) is ludicrous.

“Network is meant to be a support group for LGBTQ students, not a political wing for a select group” What’s more, the NUS LGBT movement knows this full well. The statement of solidarity with Fran Cowling (signed by two of York’s Trans* Conveners) even goes as far as saying that Tatchell’s views are “ultimately irrelevant” as “none of us is best placed to be an objective judge of our own behaviour”. So why then, did they feel the need to avoid Tatchell? The answer

is obvious. Peter wasn’t no-platformed because of his non-existent transphobia, but because he opposes no-platforming itself. That was, after all, the reason why he signed the open letter in The Observer that led to this whole incident.

In this, we come to the reason why I, and many other centrist LGBTQ people, feel disillusioned with the movement: officers who are unwilling to work with good, solid, activists because they disagree with their political views. Network is meant to be a support group for LGBTQ students, not a political wing for a select group of LGBTQ people.

The longer it pretends to be the former, rather than the latter, the longer students will feel estranged and will stay away.

Whilst this is a major problem, it is luckily easy to fix; all that officers have to do is swallow their pride and work with people who disagree with them, for the sake of the students they represent. The sooner we can do this, the sooner our liberation network will stop its petty infighting and win the struggle for LGBTQ rights. Infighting hurts only ourselves.

Bottom Line: The LGBTQ movement needs to work alongside those they disagree with for the sake of the people it represents @callum_shannon

14 Vısıon Tuesday March 1, 2016

OPINION

YORK

KEVIN AUGUSTINE: STUDENTS AREN’T CRIMINALS

W

hen I started university in October, I thought that life was going to take a turn for the better. Here I was starting a new part of my life as a student which would involve being drunk for considerable periods of time, making D bar my second home (shout out to all the bar staff who are amazing) and starting to learn about my degree through seminars, debating amongst friends and trying to stay awake in lectures.

However, I never thought I would

“I never thought I would become a criminal in waiting” become a criminal in waiting. I do not recall reading any information saying that by the end of university I would be on the path of being a criminal. I knew about the minimum level of debt I would be in after finishing my degree but nothing – absolutely nothing – about being a criminal

once I left university.

If you don’t know about what I am talking about, I am referring to the Minister for Universities and Science, Jo Johnson.

Johnson stated that the government will prosecute those who fail to pay their student loan back despite admitting that the majority of people who take loans pay them back. This one statement has made me lose all respect for the Conservative Party (coming from an individual who flirted with the idea of joining the party when Mr Corbyn entered office as leader of Labour) because it epitomises how cold and utterly ruthless the Conservatives are.

If you voted for this Government at the General Election, I honestly don’t know what to say to you. Students have had their debts increase threefold, seen maintenance grants reduced to ash (in which this student benefits heavily from) and seen increased debt in the form of maintenance loans. Add the fact that students will have to pay more back per month due to them freezing the threshold to start paying back the debt from £21,000 onwards and You can almost sense the Tories wanting students to become criminals when we cannot pay back the debt repayments on time.

The best bit is that Jo Johnson has four separate degrees according to his

CAMPUS CALLING EU IN THE BEDROOM? EW

don’t repay their student loans, destroying their credit ratings, and alienating them is not conducive for them and or for this nation. It goes against every basic theory on generating sustainable growth and is simply heartless.

So I wish you fellow readers the best of luck for the future, for we have a government bent on alienating us and criminalising us for something that in their time was free for all to benefit from.

Bottom Line: Students shouldn’t be criminalised for failing to pay back their student loans @YorkVision

York Vision Editors comment on all things campus

ORANGE YOU GLAD YOU DIDN’T BUY THEM?

T

he ‘Vote Leave’ campaign for the EU Referendum has unveiled a new weapon in their arsenal to persuade the public. Could it be a new video, a celebrity endorsement or a fancy poster? Nope, it’s a condom. That’s right: ‘Vote Leave’ think that the most effect campaigning method is not through Members of Parliament, but through the public’s male members instead.

The condoms come emblazoned with several stirring messages on them. One says ‘It’s risker to stay in’, another tells us leave is ‘the safer choice’. But this is weird.

Surely if you’re wearing a condom it makes it easier to stay in? And let’s not forget that pulling-out really isn’t the safe option.

Whoever came up with this idea was clearly ill on the one day of the year their school dared to risk sex education.

When Queen Victoria was asked by her daughter about what to do on her wedding night, she is rumoured to have advised: “Lie back and think of England”. In their own odd and completely unsexy way, the ‘Vote Leave’ campaign has updated this terrible advice and wants us also to lie back and

official website. I can barely think about financing one degree, let alone four. So it then raises the question, why did he set this policy in the first place? The simple answer is to maintain the UK’s “worldclass education system while living within its means… to ensure the sustainability of the student finance system, and value for money, for the taxpayer.” This makes no sense considering that by Johnson’s own admission, the majority pay back the debt (with interest).

I wish I could go back in time and just tell myself, “Don’t go to university! It’ll kill you from the debt and the Government has a lot of nasty surprises for you in store!”

The Government has been in office for less than a year and we have seen this erosion of financial support for students who would find the cost crippling. To make this clear for anyone who thinks that I want to bankrupt the nation to pay for my tuition: I believe fundamentally that you should pay your debts back. However, for students who are the future intellectuals of this nation, who will be helping this nation move onwards on the global stage, who will be paying through taxes for all the services given by Government (including their salaries and their expenses) threatening to brand students as criminals if they

F think of England.

But what could be more of a mood-killer than a politically themed condom? On the list of bedroom no-no’s, literally waving your political opinions around must surely rank just under confessing you’ve slept with your partner’s sister.

I look forward to the ‘Remain’ camp’s response to this development. Maybe a ‘Eu-rope-ean’ themed cables and ties for those who like kink? I’ll leave it to your imagination what objects they could brand with the slogan ‘Better In’.

I can’t imagine anyone will use these condoms. But they’re useful anyway. They let the rest of us know who the hell to avoid.

Josh Salisbury

urther to the Vision exclusive back in June 2015 that revealed Nisa was selling MAGGOT VEG, it has now been discovered that they have moved on to mouldy oranges. You’d have thought they would have learned their lesson that they can’t avoid the watchful eyes of York Vision.

It really doesn’t seem acceptable that such an established supermarket has such low health standards. Not only did a poor Yakker fall victim to the disgusting oranges sold there, but when our reporters were sent down to investigate they also found mouldy oranges on two separate occasions. This is not good enough! Nisa is the site of the main grocery shop for many students, especially those living on campus, and we deserve better.

What makes matters worse is the flippant response of the Nisa manager.

Just saying “This sometimes happens” is just not a satisfactory reponse to genuine concerns about health and safety.

However it at least shows us what the

power of social media like YikYak can do.

We can inform each other of what is going on on campus...and it’s very useful for student journalists to get stories!

Abbie LLewelyn

OPINION

S

Tuesday March 1, 2016

JACK WORRALL: WHY WE DON’T NEED VOTING REFORM

ince the General Election last year there has been much talk about our voting system. Many have come to the conclusion that the current voting system, First Past the Post (FPTP), is an outdated model and has resulted in the least proportional result possible. They have come to the conclusion that the whole system of FPTP needs scraping and replacing with a voting system which provides proportional representation. I do not believe that we should travel down this route.

The first claim of those who advocate a form of PR is that it is not fair that we have a system which results in a party gaining 4 million votes and only receiving one MP. But far from being a disadvantage of FPTP, the ability of it to keep out those on the political extremes is a key benefit of our current voting system. People do not want MPs representing them who resemble an angry man in the pub, someone who has a great ability to argue against ideas however never having anything constructive in the way of policies themselves. FPTP achieves this wonderfully. This is highlighted by the fact that only one constituency returned a UKIP MP and that MP is probably one of the greatest local representatives in parliament. However, this does not stifle the voice of the 4 million that voted for UKIP. They have exactly what they wanted, a referendum on our future in the EU.

that he would have featured at the top of his party’s list and would still be in parliament today if we implemented PR. Proportional representation eliminates the people’s ability to pick their government and instead puts the governance of the country down to who is best at conducting deals behind the scenes. The Danish elections are a perfect example of this. The ruling party, the SDs, managed to increase their vote share and increase the number of seats they hold. In spite of this, the party that finished in a poor third, losing 7% of their vote and a quarter of their seat total from the last election managed to form a deal which saw them into government. I do not believe that these deals which do not take into account the wishes of the public are democratic or provide the most stable of governments. Indeed we have to go back to 1974 to find the last time the party that lost the public vote managed to form the Government in the UK. Even then that Government only managed to last 8 months before another vote was called.

“A key advantage of the current system is that it “With the provides the implentation of most a form of accountability proportional to the people” representation, we lose the A key advantage of the current system is that it provides the most accountability ability to kick to the people. The tight link that is created by having one MP to one small, spepopulation means that they can truly out unpopular cific keep a close eye on their representative.

In a system of proportional representation politicans” there will be more MPs to a larger area. By

With the implementation of a form of proportional representation, we lose the ability to kick out unpopular politicians.

This is because they can achieve high places on their party’s lists and get in no matter what the public think of them. This is best shown with Vince Cable. At the 2010 General Election he signed the pledge to vote against any increase in tuition fees and despite this he was the cabinet level minister responsible for bringing in the £9,000 fee.

This was a large abuse of his constituents trust and under our FPTP system his constituents punished him and kicked him out of office. I am under no doubt whatsoever

asking people to spread their scrutinising eyes across many MPs you will reduce the amount of overall attention given to every MP. This makes for more freedom for them not to act in their constituents’ interests but in their own or even party interests in an attempt to move further up their party list.

Bottom Line: We don’t need voting reform - we should instead stick with First Past the Post voting @worralljack

T

Vısıon 15 YORK

JAZ MILLAR: ARE THE LGBT AWARDS FOR LGBT PEOPLE?

he shortlist for the 2016 British LGBT awards sparked outrage. Of the nominees for these awards, designed to “showcase individuals and organisations who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the LGBT community”, a large proportion are heterosexual, cisgender celebrities with little or no involvement in LGBT activism. The only mention of LGBT issues in the nomination of Zayn Malik reads: “In 2014, when asked about sexuality, he told his fans: ‘Just be yourself. If that’s who you are, that’s who

“If these celebrities are so unconnected to grassroots LGBT activism, what drove the public and organisers to nominate them?” you are and don’t be afraid to be the person that you are.’”. There is a separate category for “celebrity straight ally”, but “music artist”, “sports personality” and “global icon” also accept nominees who are not LGBT. If these celebrities are so unconnected with grassroots LGBT activism, what drove the public and organisers to nominate them? Perhaps as well as critiquing the awards themselves, this situation should call us to question LGBT visibility in the UK as a whole. When the gay rights charity The Terrence Higgins Trust is in the news, it’s because Nigella Lawson is celebrated for supporting it. When transgender people are missing from our history textbooks, it’s understandable that people will celebrate Eddie Redmayne for bringing Lili Elbe into their lives.

Undoubtedly, there are many allies that can and have made a significant difference to LGBT people. When laws on equality are made, businesses change their attitudes, young LGBT people are inspired by an artist, it is likely to be an ally who’s responsible. In fact, what’s significant is that it’s incredibly likely, far more than proportionally. LGBT people are still less likely

to get into positions of power and influence than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. In 2016 when the Equalities Act, same-sex marriage and diversity programmes are in place it’s tempting to think that we are moving into a post LGBT-phobic society where reserving space to prioritise LGBT people is no longer needed.

Yet statistics on employment, income and discrimination tell a different tale, and UK law is still not protecting a large number of people who fall under the acronym LGBTQAI+.

Many LGBT people are seeing these awards as an opportunity to counter this imbalance that has not been taken. Comments on Twitter talk about how allies simply being “decent human beings” are put before LGBT people living through and fighting discrimination. With the running joke around the phrase “some of my best friends are gay”, followers were shocked to see vlogger Zoella’s nomination, which reads: “Zoella’s best friend, who she often video blogs with, is Tyler Oakley, a gay video blogger and LGBT advocate.”

It would be short-sighted to say that the only potential problem with the awards is the amount of non-LGBT celebrities nominated. That a category refers to allies as “straight” shows once again that T is the silent letter of the LGBT acronym – the fact that heterosexual transgender people are part of the movement is swept under the rug as unimportant. Among the LGBT people nominated, almost all are white, able bodied, middle class people in monogamous relationships and living what would generally be described as a “normal” lifestyle. If we are to criticise the awards we must recognise it as part of a wider system that promotes the assimilation of LGBT people rather than liberation, giving platforms only to those who are already popular and conforming enough. The problem is not that allies are inspiring and supporting LGBT people, the problem is how many LGBT people are not able to, and that those who do have so much less exposure. What are these awards for if not to change that?

Bottom Line: The British LGBT Awards should be for people who are LGBT @YorkVision

16 Vısıon Tuesday March 1, 2016

OPINION

YORK

O

DYLAN JARDINE: THE BULLINGDON BOYS: PART TWO

ne goes out and another, potentially, goes in. From the current Tory leader prospects, Boris Johnson (leaving his newly-announced stance on the EU to one side, for now) and George Osborne are said to be the most likely to win among them. What deems them noteworthy in one sense, makes them entirely commonplace in another: their public school education. Eton for Boris, and St Paul’s for Osborne (son of a Baronet).

Boris appears the favourite to win. If he does succeed in becoming the new PM, then Old Etonian Boris will take the helm from fellow Old Etonian Cameron. It looks like the Eton Empire, producing nineteen prime ministers and countless other political heavyweights, is here to stay – at least for the Tories.

Not only do the two most likely Tory leadership hopefuls share a public school, and Oxbridge, education in common with the current PM, but they all held previous membership of the uber-exclusive Bullingdon Club. All three, including one who currently possesses and another who will likely inherit the very highest office, were part of that infamous Oxford drinking society. You could be a member of this self-selecting club, too – provided you find yourself one of the chosen few at Oxford, subsequent to your public school education, and are willing to splash out on a uniform valued at £3,500 as of 2007. The ties between Boris and Cameron don’t stop there: they’re both distant relatives of the Queen, no less (however much Cameron may seek to keep this, along with his other posh credentials, quiet).

“Politics, at least at the top, is posh once again” It’s the gigantic elephant glaring at us in the room. Politics, at least at the top, is posh once again. We did, however briefly, venture into a period of what could be described as ‘political meritocracy’. The Sixties have always been known as a revolutionary decade, and for politics it was certainly no different. Among the first to break the glass celling was Harold Wilson, a Labour PM, who kick-started the grammar school set’s long road to high office.

The Tories soon followed suit with the next PM Edward Heath, the son of a carpenter and maid, along with the likes of Thatcher, famously a grocer’s daughter later to become the Iron Lady, and John Major. This was a political revolution that showed no sign of retreat – until now. It’s no coincidence that the public school boys have triumphed once again as the age of mass grammar school closures and comprehensivisation has caught up with us – we’re the

hapless bunch that must bear witness to its ugly consequences. Without an academically rigorous grammar school education on offer – unless you’re fortunate enough to live in Kent – to compete with the public schools, they’re gaining the upper hand back again as if nothing had ever changed.

And what does this mean for us? That politics, those who are charged with representing us, is passing up on an abundance of potential talent.

“Today’s top boy at the Oscars, in the Church and in the Government are all yesterday’s Old Etonians”

A public school education, of course, shouldn’t hinder anyone’s chance of a career in politics – nor does it have any reflection on their ability when in office.

Cameron was right when he uttered, presumably in defence of his own background, that ‘it’s not where you’ve came from, but where you’re going’. And it really comes as no surprise, to me at least, that the public schools hold a disproportionate share in high office, as they always have (even during our brief stumble into ‘political meritocracy’): they are, after all, academically rigorous on the most part, especially when considering Eton. Though the fact that public school boys are once again at the forefront of public life, in a recovery of quite astounding success, does reflect our own U-turn on meritocracy. And it’s not just in politics. Today’s top boy at the Oscars, in the Church, and in the Government, are all yesterday’s Old Etonians.

Just how did a comeback of this magnitude happen without anybody wanting to talk about it – or so it would seem?

What will it mean if Boris does win the Tory leadership and becomes the next PM? In a sense, nothing will have changed at all.

The same can be said of Osborne winning.

After a brief experiment with meritocracy, though never truly representative, politics has retreated back to the drawing room – most probably to smoke cigars and guzzle port.

Bottom Line: Politics may be intended to represent the people but it’s far from representative @YorkVision

ADAOBI NEZIANYA: NO PLATFORMING (AND BEYONCE)

A

s everyone knows the topic of Free speech, safe spaces and no platforming has been a hot topic for the whole of this term. From the banning of certain speakers, to debates at the York Union, everyone has had some sort of opinion to voice. Surprisingly I have been very calm and withdrawn from the whole debate, until now. My stance has not wavered in the slightest; I believe in safe spaces and despite some convincing arguments for platforming, I am for no-platforming.

Those who oppose me retaliate back with claims of censorship which I have found to be humorous at times until now.

Beyonce’ in the last couple of weeks released a single and subsequently a video for the song ‘Formation’. The essence of the song is the unwavering and unapologetic appreciation and celebration of all things seen as stereotypically black, or / and African American. This includes facial features, hair type and food types. Of course such strong celebration of such features can be jarring for those who don’t see anything to celebrate but the song made its impact and the video further cemented it.

From the poignant scene of the little black boy dancing in front of the police to signs saying’ Stop shooting us’ to the police car drowning in New Orleans, reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina, it was clear where Beyonce stood in the very relevant and needed Black Lives Matter debate. Such obvious support has caused a lot of whining from right wing America with some going as far to say it was ‘anti-police’. But the censorship took off after the Superbowl performance.

“The history of the Black Panthers is not well known for those who aren’t black”

In the Superbowl performance, Beyonce was dressed in a costume similar to that of the 1960’s political activist group, The Black Panthers. In all honesty the history of the Black Panthers is not well known for those who aren’t black but for those same people the anything pro black must be ‘anti –white’. With such thinking another uproar was caused after the performance resulting in police departments childishly withdrawing from their public duty to guard Beyonce’s concerts. This, though extreme and I still believe illegal, was expected of America; anything which promotes the advancement and sheds light on the mistreatment of anyone black, gets at the very least a defensive response. But what the UK has done did indeed shock me.

It was rumoured soon after the performance, that an email was sent around the main radio stations in the UK, warning them not to play the song ‘Formation’ or to mention the performance without reasons.

Such instructions were not challenged and if you pay attention to Capital, Capital Xtra and BBC radio stations ‘Formation’ has not been played at all. I still am very curious at the real reason behind this decision but what has frustrated me is the blatant censorship that has taken place. Music is an art form which the very essence is to express your thoughts and feelings. In For-

“There may be some who find it offensive for whatever incoherent reason” mation it is very clear what Beyonce’s feelings are and it is very clear that none of it is of a violent nature and the lyrics aren’t dubious unlike others that have been played on the radio. They may be some who find it offensive for whatever incoherent reason, but to ban the song completely is what I call extreme, surely if you don’t like the song- switch channels! In this I found that my argument began to sound very much like those who oppose no platforming and it got me thinking.

In every argument, those who support the ideals do so with obvious reason and passion. Whether you like it or not isn’t of importance, the main issue is to have the opportunity to voice them and if that is taken away, you take away a cornerstone of democracy. As extreme as that sounds it is true, and this being the case, I ask how fair this debate is. Now the shoe is on the other foot (mine) and my views (as well as Beyonce’s) are being silenced. So to create a balancem, maybe no platforming shouldn’t be a thing but safe spaces should still be created if demand is there.

Bottom Line: Censorship to protect the feelings of others is stupid @YorkVision

OPINION

Y

Tuesday March 1, 2016

JACK WALLER: ABOLISH THE BME AND WOMEN’S OFFICERS

es that’s right, abolish the Women’s and BME Officers, so sit back and sharpen your knives while I explain.

YUSU officer positions are complex and overlapping. For example the Black & Minority Ethnic is a position which is supposed to ‘Represent black and minority ethnic students’. Taking the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of ethnic minorities, ‘A group within a community which has different national or cultural traditions from the main population’, suggests that any person who is born outside the UK, as well as some of those born in it, will be covered by this office. The position can be taken by anybody who does not define as White British.

“We are simply creating more division and categories” Does this mean a Scottish Nationalist could take the position? In all seriousness of course it doesn’t but it does show that the position could be filled by a white person of any nationality other than British, an international student in other words.

We already have an International Officer so it seems as though we are simply creating more division and categories. I recognise that there are racial minorities that are not international students but in this case they are British and therefore have experienced living as a minority and unless they have been part of a very reclusive community, have also experienced British culture so come on an equal footing as any other British student. In other words the position does not really serve a purpose.

Perhaps the problem is one of terminology but in this case at the very least the position needs a name change and clarification that they are focusing on racial issues, not ethnic issues.

Now to the Women’s Officer position.

YUSU defines the position’s responsibilities as ‘Representing women and promoting women’s liberation across campus’.

This perhaps suggests that women are somewhat oppressed on campus. One of the Women’s Officer candidates suggested that women are ‘talked over in seminars’ and this is probably the case but in a heated seminar were multiple people are striving to get their point across I do not believe this is a mutually exclusive problem to one gender. It can even be questioned how well a woman officer serves the female population of the university as candidates generally have the same policies of increasing protection. By constantly preaching how much protection women need, we are reinforcing the message that women are weak and this is a genuine complaint of some women at the university.

When looking at what Women’s Officer actually does, the position takes on a more political guise. A quick look on the Facebook page of the YUSU Women’s Officer (lazy journalism on my part) shows articles focused on international issues and posts about the cancellation of International Men’s Day. The Women’s Officer position seems to draw controversy and create division even if the officers themselves are not at fault but this has been exacerbated by officers involving themselves in these controversial campus events and commenting on complex world issues instead of focusing on women’s welfare on campus. Political problems such as campaigning against tax on tampons and the gender pay gap are best left to the University’s thriving Feminist society. Furthermore raising awareness about sexual assault is clearly a wellbeing issue and as with racism, can be dealt with by the police, the YUSU Community and Wellbeing Officer, and staff.

“My proposal is to have two officers, one for men and one for women” So what is the way forward? My proposal is to have two officers, one for men and one for women, because there are obviously times when women with wellbeing concerns would like to talk to a woman. This position would concentrate on the welfare of women and hopefully shed the negative connotation that the current Women’s Officer position suffers from while encourage a greater variety of candidates. The BME officer and International officer position should be merged as they are currently serving the same people. This reduces labels and division and may just promote increased inclusion.

W

Vısıon 17 YORK

JOSH SALISBURY: STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT MILLENNIALS

e’re narcissists, entitled and spoilt. We’re special snowflakes, who want medals just for taking part in a competition. We’re shallow, unwilling to work and easily distracted. We are Millennials.

Or that’s what newspaper columnists would have you believe, using the term to denote anyone younger than them who exhibits a mildly annoying trait. TIME magazine argues that we’re the ‘Me Me Me’ generation. The Telegraph questions whether this generation is the most narcissistic there’s ever been. Forbes goes further, calling us the Selfie generation – Millennials on steroids.

Well hold on just a moment as I leave my Chai Tea Latte, close my Tumblr tab and move my MacBook. This article is an open letter to people who moan about Millennials. It’s a moan about other people moaning. A moan-ifesto, if you will.

Firstly, where does this rubbish about being uniquely shallow come from? According to some conservative columnists, we’re all guilty of judging someone by looks alone. We’re addicted to swiping right on Tinder, instead of properly courting people. But what’s new about that? Henry VIII once married someone based on a single portrait. At least we ask for a few more pictures. And we’d definitely leave marriage until after the first date too.

“Henry VIII once married someone based on a single portrait - at least we ask for a few more pictures”

We apparently can’t handle the real world either. Resident windbag at the Daily Mail, Melanie Phillips, laments the supposed culture of ‘all must have awards’.

According to Phillips, we’re the products of an education system that doesn’t allow failure and has too many soft subjects.

We’re damned if we succeed, and damned if we don’t. If you manage to achieve good grades it’s because of grade inflation. If you don’t manage to get good grades you’re feckless and lazy. And what’s a ‘soft’ subject supposed to mean? A social science? A Bottom Line: humanities subject? Anything that doesn’t The BME and Women’s leave you covered in chalk dust while roteOfficer positions should either reciting Latin phrases?

Our softness even extends to the workbe changed or abolished place. Ours is the entitled generation, who @YorkVision thinks they’re going to walk into a well-

paying job with cushy benefits claimed a Guardian article in 2008 – hilariously attributing this to the “lack of a significant economic downturn”. Never mind that we’re graduating with more debt than our parents, into uncertain graduate prospects and unstable careers – we’re accused of having a poor work ethic. Self-styled truth teller and blogger Matt Walsh said precisely that in a 2014 article for the Huffington Post. In his appeal to the ‘yoof of today’, he argued that no matter what the job market is like, there’s always vacancies at fast-food places. This is the McDonald’s theory of labour economics. Can’t get a job? Work at McDonald’s. Your degree is going to waste because graduate employers aren’t hiring? Work at McDonald’s. Our parents’ generation made it impossible to ever own a home, oversaw the Great Recession and wrecked the economy? Don’t worry son there’s work at McDonald’s.

“They hate us twentysomethings when we’re on the internet but they love us when we fix the internet” Sometimes when crusty old journos tire of bashing our education and our work ethic, they attack our leisure habits instead. We over-use Facebook, or Twitter or Snapchat, and miss out on the value of face-to-face interaction. But there’s a reason social media is called social: because it allows you to connect to people you would never be able to otherwise. And we don’t over-use social media, we use it properly.

Unlike many people of a certain age, we understand that a comment on a Facebook status isn’t the appropriate way to send greetings to the entire extended family.

God bless middle aged commentators: they hate us twenty-somethings when we’re on the internet, but they love us when we fix the internet.

No moan-ifesto would be complete without an irritated call to arms, and here’s mine. Millennials of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but… Well, you have nothing to lose at all really.

Bottom Line: People need to stop criticising us Millennials @josh_salisbury

18 Vısıon Wednesday February 10, 2016

OPINION

YORK

YES/NO

SHOULD THE PLAY ‘SEVEN JEWISH CHILDREN’ HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO HAPPEN? ERAN KAHANE PALESTINIAN SOLIDARITY SOCIETY

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

YES:

NO:

This play is not anti-Semitic, it is anti-Zionist. Political theatre is not journalism, it does not claim, nor is it required, to be unbiased. The play presents right-wing Zionism in all its jingoistic racist ugliness. Freedom of expression gives us a right to articulate this political opinion, just like our Zionist peers have the right to perform a play showing the nice side of Israel.

What is happening here is something that non-Zionist Jews are well used to: Our voices being shut down by proponents of Israel with false accusations of anti-Semitism. Five Jewish anti-Zionist students saw the play and had no problem with it, while three Jewish Zionist students saw it and had a problem with it. So is the play more likely to be anti-Semitic or anti-Zionist?

As to the specific lines under scrutiny: “They’re animals...I wouldn’t care if we wiped them out...we’re chosen people.”

“Don’t tell her about the family of dead girls...tell her we killed the babies by mistake...tell her there’s dead babies, did she see babies?”

The former does indeed show a genocidal racist hatred. The right-wing of Israeli society absolutely displays these beliefs, including the use of poorly understood Jewish theological concepts to justify their beliefs. In Jerusalem, we have gangs of young men patrolling the streets to beat up Palestinians, at right-wing ral-

lies they sing, “A Jew is a soul, an Arab is a whore’s son,” during the 2014 assault on Gaza there were those who drove to the border to watch bombs drop and cheer.

This is a very real and politically powerful part of Israeli society which it is important to expose.

Accusations over the latter seek to connect criticism of the IDF’s brutal military tactics with the historical anti-Semitic blood libel myth. In 2014, the IDF’s indiscriminate bombardment led to the death of over 500 children in one month. There absolutely were dead babies, and Zionist Jewish Israeli parents whose kids see the news have a hard time explaining this away: “Tell her we killed the babies by mistake.” Every week, young Palestinians who go out to protest against the occupation are fired on with live ammunition, and every week we have more death. It is absolutely not blood libel to criticise Israeli policies that lead to the deaths of children.

@YorkVision

The Jewish Society would like to release a statement on the event organised by the Palestinian Solidarity Society (“PSS”) entitled Seven Jewish Children.

The Jewish Society condemns this event in the strongest possible terms. It contains references to strong antisemitic tropes and reflects very poorly on the PSS. Seven Jewish Children is not a play about Israel.

The words Israel, Israelis, Zionism and Zionist are not mentioned once in the play, while Jews and alleged Jewish behaviour is core throughout it. We are often told that when people talk about Israel or Zionists, it is mischievous to accuse them of meaning Jews. Now we are expected to imagine that a play that talks only of Jews, in fact, means Israelis.

However, what provides far greater worry for the Jewish Society is the lack of concern regarding antisemitism that is shown by the University of York’s Students’ Union (“YUSU”). The Jewish Society reported the anti-Semitic content of the play hosted by the PSS to YUSU at the earliest opportunity. YUSU responded explaining that it does not operate a ‘no-platform’ policy and that the event had been approved as it was deemed safe. This is a classic, and awful, example of how Jewish concerns are treated with contempt by a student body that claims to have universal anti-racist values.

Despite YUSU’s dismissal of no-platform policies, YUSU has not taken a stand against this play and the antisemitism therein. The Jewish Society finds this approach to be entirely inconsistent with

YUSU’s commitment to challenging antisemitism in a serious manner.

The Jewish Society was not contacted

by YUSU, or the University regarding this event. In fact, the number of times that the Jewish Society has been contacted

by YUSU (including BME officers) or the University about the welfare and safety of Jewish students has been nil. The Jewish Society has been completely alone in the battle against antisemitism on campus.

Despite the claims that the University and YUSU take antisemitism seriously, there has been no positive action to do so. The Jewish Society, however, considers actions to be much more indicative than words in this fight against antisemitism.

Jewish students at the University of York are a minority of a minority. Our numbers struggle to reach 30, and yet our welfare is not considered as important as free speech. When the Jewish Society has raised very legitimate concerns of antisemitism on campus, YUSU has refused to act – leaving us alone in the battle against antisemitism. So alone we have been told to report these incidences to the police because YUSU refuses to take action.

The intention of the Jewish Society in publishing this statement is to bring to light the serious failings to look after Jewish students on campus by YUSU and the University. In doing so, the Jewish Society hopes that members of the University community – both students and the administration – become more sensitised and aware of the issues facing Jewish students.

@YorkVision

FEATURES

Tuesday March 1, 2016

features

Vısıon 19 YORK

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

york lgbtq history month ABBIE LLEWELYN gives the run-down of some of this year’s events

Sexpose: The Fourthcoming

Sex Survey Results 796 people were asked questions about their sex life....Here are a couple of the results

How often do you masturbate?

2.8% I’m wanking right now 6.3% A few times a day 17.3% Daily

47.9%

If you haven’t been to Sexpose, think Have I Got News For You combined with Would I Lie To You, but all the questions are about sex. The popular panel show, run by FetSoc, WomCom, LGBTQ Network and LGBTQ Social, returned for the fourth year running and recieved a packed lecture theatre. It featured questions on the sex survey, a drag contest and many other salacious elements. Highlights for me included the comedic 50-shades-ofgrey-esque short story read out by Alex Rushfirthww of ComedySoc and the beautiful reading by Ben Leathem of a fanfiction about the YUSU Prez and fellow Sabb Chris Wall. Whilst a little shambolic at times, the event was certainly enjoyable and unquenchably sex-positive. A little more preparation could made it run more smoothly but the atmosphere was light-hearted and the show continued despite setbacks.

6.4% Never 32.1% Occasionally 35.1% A few times a week

27.7%

of respondants said that they had got naked over of respondants have had sex on drugs webcam with or for an- other than alcohol including 12.5% of people who have had sex on MDMA other person

LGBT in Archeology Talk A talk on the LGBT lives and leadership in Archaeology was given by Alan Greaves (Head of the Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology at Liverpool), who is an LGBT activist. It addressed the challenges of writing LGBT histories of past societies using archaeological materials and the professional contexts within which LGBT archaeologists have to operate.

Screenings If you missed these, make sure to look them up and give them a watch!

Tangerine (2015) - A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart.

The Edge of Heaven (2007) - A Turkish man travels to Istanbul to find the daughter of his father’s former girlfriend.

Eyes Wide Open (2009) - A married, Orthodox Jewish father of four falls in love with his handsome, 22-year-old male apprentice, triggering the suspicions of his wife and the disapproval of his Orthodox community.

C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005) - Extraordinary lives of ordinary people in search of love and happiness - a family drama unlike any other.

Suddenly Last Winter (2008) - A couple engage in discussions with people on the street, politicians and religious leaders about the discrimination against gays and lesbians in Italy.

All About My Mother (1999) - Young Esteban wants to become a writer and also to discover the identity of his father, carefully concealed by his mother Manuela.

Circumstances (2011) - A wealthy Iranian family struggles to contain a teenager’s growing sexual rebellion and her brother’s dangerous obsession.

Bad Education (2004) - An examination on the effect of Franco-era religious schooling and sexual abuse on the lives of two longtime friends.

In the Name of... (2013) - Adam is a Catholic priest living in a village in rural Poland, whose took vows in part to run away from his sexuality. When he meets Dynia, vision@yusu.org your pics and stories of your hygiene horrors the son of a rural family, his self-imposed Email abstinence becomse a heavywith burden.

20 Vısıon Tuesday March 1, 2016

FEATURES

YORK

GAME OF CLOWNS

JOSHUA GILLMAN-SMITH compares ‘Game of Thrones’ characters to Republican candidates in light of the current GOP elections...

These two men, Trump and Tywin Lannister, are nasty pieces of work; both are rich, cruel and rich. Initially I wanted to tie Trump with Joffrey simply because they’re both spoilt shits, but I didn’t let hatred take control of me. Both Big Don and Tywin sport old, worn out views, yet I do feel Tywin has a little more nous to him, although you can only envy Trump’s luscious blonde mane.

Ted Cruz and Petyr Baelish are both sneaky bastards who will scheme in any kind of way to get to the top. The problem is both men have not as of yet been caught by karma and aren’t faring too badly for themselves either. Even Ted Cruz’s roommate at Princeton, Craig Mazin (screenwriter of ‘The Hangover’) openly hates him. Imagine if Baelish had Cruz’s nose, the ultimate creep!

The young guns from the south. Both Marco Rubio and Oberyn Martell radiate a swagger unlike any of the other GOP candidates. Rubio is that cool clever kid in school who knows everyone, until the bully Chris Christie got jealous and wanted to end his own campaign on a high note. I really hope Rubio doesn’t suffer the same fate as Oberyn and get his eyes squashed into his skull - I quite like this kid.

Ben Carson is so boring. I don’t really know any of Carson’s proposed policies because I doze off and I definitely don’t know Varys’ agenda as he’s just ridiculously crafty and conniving. All this being said Carson is a bit of a wizard, miraculously separating conjoined twins, whilst Varys has also had something separated from him.

So, all in all, it seems that the remaining candidates for the Republican Party are no better than a bunch of fictional characters. And, even though I doubt more proof is needed, I think that the fact Trump’s policy appears to stem from ‘Game of Thrones’ shows his complete lack of common sense; building a wall between the US and Mexico is a bit extreme.

FEATURES

Tuesday March 1, 2016

Vısıon 21 YORK

IT’S ALL COMING TOGETHER FOR GLOBAL WEEK

ALEX DAVENPORT gives us an update of the upcoming ISA events, and it’s bound to be exciting...

I

ntended as an appreciation of all things cultural, the International Students’ Association’s flagship 7-day celebration, Global Week, takes place next week. The ISA will mark this celebration by holding events on every day of Week 9, aimed at immersing the University and its students in the heritage and traditions of nations the world over. The result of months of preparation on the part of the members of the ISA as well as the numerous other societies involved, Global Week, in the words of Co-President Roberto Avelar, represents “an excellent chance for international students to showcase what other cultures have to give to the University and city. There are many great events going on that aim to promote diversity and multiculturalism, so we’re really excited.” Here we take a look at the various events taking place over the course of the week.

CULTURAL PERFORMANCE

The first landmark event of the week is the cultural performance, taking place on Thursday 3rd March in Central Hall.

This event, commencing at 6.30pm, will provide eight different societies with the opportunity to each put on a performance “rooted in heritage and tradition”. It is hoped that given the wide variety of cultures on show at the performance, spectators can come away with a much wider understanding and appreciation of the traditional and historical relevance of performance art around the globe, epitomising the very aims of Global Week itself. The night will also have a competitive element to it, with audience members able to vote on their favourite performance, and the winning society receiving a prize from the ISA. Stand-alone tickets for the Cultural Performance cost £5, although buying one of the broader Global Week tickets will gain you admittance to this event, as discussed below.

FOOD FIESTA

Of course, no celebration of the world’s cultures would be complete without an appreciation of international cuisine. On the Saturday afternoon of Global Week, the ISA takes on the ambitious task of doing justice to the richest culinary traditions the world has to offer, in the form of the Food Fiesta. Hosted by the Roger Kirk Centre, no fewer than sixteen societies will be contributing to the Food Fiesta, offering cuisine spanning three continents, many of which are likely to prove completely novel to the majority of attendees. However, even the more well-known cuisines will have a rare level of authenticity, making every dish worth a try. For a £9 stand-alone ticket, anyone can enjoy an odyssey of international gastronomy.

BEVERAGE FESTIVAL

Sunday evening’s Beverage Festival marks the return of another popular event from incarnations of Global Week. The final event of the week allows visitors to indulge in a wide variety of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, all in the name of cultural appreciation. This means there is no excuse not to put down your can of supermarket lager or carton of orange juice, and branch out by trying the beverages of the 12 societies present. Taking place in Hendrix Hall, and being followed by the Afterparty in town, the Beverage Festival promises to be a buzzing and vibrant end to an informative week of cultural interaction.

Looks like a week to Enjoy!

In addition to the three main events, the ISA has this year tried to expand Global Week by having different student groups run numerous free events throughout the week to make it more inclusive and all-encompassing. On Monday, Tea Society’s tea-tasting session and Taiwanese tea ceremony in the James JCR will be followed by a themed routine by Vanbrugh Jazz in V-bar, playing international jazz music of a variety of sub-genres. The following evening, SpiKL, the language exchange platform, will be running an acoustic night in P/T/006, featuring performances from musicians in French, German, Malay and Mandarin. In collaboration with the Britasian society, a Holi party is also taking place at the Vanbrugh Bowl on Wednesday, marking the Hindu festival of colours that celebrates the coming of spring time. At the same time, Mandarin Consulting will be giving a talk in V/123 about studying in the UK as a Chinese student. On the Friday, hosted by online magazine Jocal (run by two of the University’s students) and in Collaboration with FemFest, will be a panel discussion on Women in Different Cultures. This event will consist of female international students talking about their experiences growing up as women in different countries, generating interesting conversation on topics such as, but not limited to, sexual healthcare, societal expectations, and dating. Finally, the official Global Week Afterparty will take place in Revolution on Sunday night, and promises to be a satisfying conclusion to Global Week.

In essence, Global Week marks the end of an era for the ISA, whose Co-President Olivia Grütter will finish her term of office at the end of Week 10, while the composition of its committee, led by Roberto Avelar, will change significantly following elections next term. A successful and enjoyable Global Week would be testament to the hard work put in by Grütter, Avelar, and the rest of the ISA committee, and there is a strong desire among all to finish on a high, by rivalling the best and biggest international student-run events across the UK.

22 Vısıon Tuesday March 1, 2016

FEATURES

YORK

nerds and nerf guns: yORK’S alternate varsity

JONNY LONG investigates how some people spend their weekends...running around Hes East shooting each other with toy guns.

“

Isn’t the wind going to affect the flight of the foam bullets?”

“Yes, most probably!”

If you have elected to spend your Sunday morning running around outside the Law and Management building on Heslington East shooting Nerf guns and throwing cuddly toys at one other, wind is unlikely to be the thing that phases you.

and owners mistook the knock-off nimbus 2000s for an enchanting game of fetch, but it was probably more sinister than that.

The President of York Hazsoc is a lovely guy called James, who wore a permanent smile the whole time I was there, and most probably for the entire weekend, if not throughout every waking hour he’ll spend on this Earth. Not only did he take time to explain patiently what must have been a tirade of very basic questions about what was going on, but he told me just how happy he was with the turnout and success of the event. He explained that the reason that people were throwing cuddly toys around were that they acted as grenadesort-of things, and if you get hit by one then an imaginary explosion of glitter and synthetic wool takes place. He also explained that fancy dress wasn’t mandatory, but people simply enjoyed getting in the spirit of the event, adding to the seeming ridicu-

‘‘What unsuspecting Heslington East residents made of it all I couldn’t imagine.”

As I walked towards the scene of imminent foamicide, the bubble of infectious noise rushed up to meet me before I had seen a single toy gun.

What unsuspecting Heslington East residents made of it all I coudn’t imagine, but they were probably just happy that something was happening in that ghost town that they call home.

This particular weekend would have seen a proliferation of the ghost population at the hands of modified, orange toy guns, with York hosting “UK Assassin’s Varsity”. With my counting skills leaving a lot to be desired, around 50 members of various university Assassin’s Guilds came from Durham, Sheffield, Huddersfield and Leeds, gathering on our campus for a weekend of shooting each other with toy guns.

There are many variations of what boils down to running around in fancy dress and trying to shoot each other with foam bullets, but the premise of the gathering was more than that.

In the room that they had hired out on Heslington East to host their visitors, it became apparent that an all night boozer had taken place, with many participants in the games functioning on very little sleep. The weekend had been about making friends from other universities over a shared passion, while also going out for meals and getting completely wasted. For people who

are already aficionados of the Nerf gun, I imagine that their appeal and use can only increase exponentially after a few pints.

Because I am boring and don’t have many interesting hobbies, and also because I have apparently developed into the archetypal student troglodyte, the thought crossed my mind of how much players spent pursuing this hobby at the expense of additional pints and bottles of multicoloured alcopops on a Wednesday evening.

“The Nerf guns themselves are not that expensive, but they do accumulate.” I was told by the Vice-President of the Huddersfield’s Assassin’s Guild. Immediately images sprang to mind of a multicoloured plastic arsenal assembled in the middle of what is otherwise a shite place to go to uni , which made me realise the worth that events such as Assassin’s Varsity have.

How great is it that whilst at University we can just spend time pursuing what makes us happy. And if that means running around a soulless courtyard outside a University Law & Management department building shooting people with foam bullets, then that is even more great. While some people might take one look at a game of Assassin’s and denounce the whole thing as pointless, we often forget that hobbies aren’t necessarily supposed to have a final ‘point’. Things that aren’t pointless are usually pursued as a means of pursuit of something else, usually happiness.

This may be something that we should be especially thankful for in the glorified village that is York. Talking to a bouncer the other night about the subject of this article, he told me how he used to work at student events in Leeds, and told of how the Leeds Uni Quidditch society used to have to hire bouncers for them to be able to run their sessions. This was because people had previously set dogs on them whilst they were chasing a quaffle around a notoriously dodgy public park. Maybe the dog

‘‘I walked away feeling at peace with an otherwise crazy world. A strange feeling having just witnessed mass nerdicide.”

lousness and vibrancy of proceedings.

Despite not actually having a turn at unleashing unadulterated fire and brimstone upon someone with a magnitude of foamy fury, which I imagine would be a

theraupeutic exercise, I walked away feeling at peace with an otherwise crazy world.

A strange feeling having just witnessed mass nerdicide, but I will take whatever peace and tranquility I can get.

Maybe if the pro-gun lobby in the USA, and other connoisseurs of violence around the world swapped their deadly weapons for a plastic orange replica, we might see less death and more laughter. Laughter seems to be the answer to a lot of our problems, and if we had more people with the mindset of those who enjoy spending time running around with toy guns and enjoying imagined destruction and violence instead of the real thing, the world would become void of misery, and instead full of colour.

That and we’d all be standing three-feet deep in blue-tipped, orange foam bullets.

FEATURES

Tuesday March 1, 2016

Vısıon 23 YORK

I went and gone and done a mensa test

JONNY LONG tells his story of walking the line before certified genius and utter buffoonery with reckless abandon.

I think that the most robust measurement of intelligence is whether or not you think that intelligence is a phenomenon that can be measured by spending two hours in a hall in the back end of York, ticking boxes and deciding which shapes look the most similar.

Even if taking a MENSA test can accurately assess whether your intelligence is in the top 2% of humanity, how does a comparatively planet-sized brain reason that this is an appropriate use of your time? The only response to this level of hubris is a beating served with whichever piece of MENSA merchandise you have subsequently bought to parade your aptitude, in the hope that you lose a few brain cells, you fall, and your high horse gallops off into a nearby forest to live a fulfilling life of eating grass and doing horsey things. A more fulfilling life than MENSA members hope to lead.

Maybe my judgement is excessive (don’t read into it too much before you get to the paragraph where I reveal whether I got in or not!), and that if people want to set up their own club for social events and generally good ends then that’s fine. However, when you limit it based on narrow conceptions of intellect, and one of your official objectives is “to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity”, this speaks to a level of wankery saved only for the most ardent champions of masturbatory glee.

As soon as I announced to my housemates that I would be taking a test that would once and for all quantitatively state

‘‘One in seven females experience serious physical or sexual violence while at university” just how thick I was, their eyes lit up with a hunger and desire only glimpsed in that Channel 4 programme Supersize vs Superskinny when the fat one looks over at the 4,000 packets of Skips that they usually have for breakfast while they suck the life out of a withering leaf of lettuce. From that moment on, every action and conversation I had was under intense scrutiny.

Luckily, the attacks largely came from housemates who study Economics.

If arriving a full five minutes late to the examination centre and interrupting the introduction for the other eleven candidates didn’t highlight my inadequacies to be there alongside them, failing to bring any stationery with me and being asked very loudly by the examiner “what sort of

“A sense of relief washed over me when I realised I hadn’t scored in the double figures and subsequently resigned myself to babyproofing my house.” journalist doesn’t carry a pen” let everyone know I was an outsider before I had even answered a question.

It was a complete Kelloggs Variety pack of people there taking the test, including two people who probably still get bought them by their mothers.

It was hard to tell

whether the two young children, probably around the age of eleven, actually wanted to be there.

Their eyes told a tale of years of pushy parenting, which seemed to have already got the best of them, resigned to the fact that the pencil they held to complete the exam would be used in the future to sign the cheque for counselling services. The rest of the assembled examinees were a diverse bunch

but the neuroticism hung in the air, so thick you could almost taste it.

The tests largely revolved around patterns, shapes, and tasks where you had to decide which words were the most relational or opposite. Each test was under strict time conditions, and I was pressed for time in each test, resulting in the random ticking of numerous boxes at the end of each test.

It turns out that randomly selecting A, B, C or D may not be the worst strategy after all. On the more literacy-based examination I scored 124 (132 was the score needed to qualify for MENSA) and in the more numerical one I scored 147 (with a threshold of 148). To become a member of MENSA, you needed to pass only one of the two exams, and a sense of relief washed over me when I realised I hadn’t scored in the double figures and subsequently resigned myself to babyproofing my house.

Failing by a single mark is arguably the perfect score.

It means that I am just below the level of certified genius, which is good because it means I’m obviously very intelligent, but it won’t go to my head. It will also appease my bank balance as certifiable cleverness comes at the price of a £50 a year membership fee. Although, I could definitely have done with a big old plaque on the back of my door to remind me of my worth on daily basis.

Maybe I’ll just make my own. Maybe I could start a rival society that contains the same testing but allows you in regardless. Another of MENSA’s stated objectives is: “To provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members.” Do you

know anyone who is overtly very, very intelligent? Tell me that they’re not a bit knobby? A self-congratulatory intellectual circle-jerk sounds like the sort of social environment where human contact goes

“Failing by a single mark is arguably the perfect score. It means that I am just below the level of certified genius, which is good because it means I’m obviously very intelligent, but it won’t go to my head.” to die. I prefer my social interaction with at least a slim possibility of sustaining a head injury, or flippant, mildly offensive ignorance.

One moment stuck with me that sums up the whole experience, and ties up the article with a big old coloured and poignant bow – like wrapping on a present for people like me who don’t actually know how to read or write.

As the final test finished and we all put our pens down, the sound of children laughing crept into the vacuous hall, and the head of the young boy sitting in front of me, swiveled around towards the sound of the place, the place where he should have been. As students, we have forgotten how to have fun. Alcohol consumption is down, coffee consumption is up. Do you know how boring people who actively drink coffee are? Caring about your own exact level of intelligence is even more boring. Being stupid and saying you’re wrong is one of the most pleasant attributes of people, in a society where being wrong is fatal, and being right gets you a job and means you can eat. I say stand with me, say yes to starvation, yes to knobby and exclusive social organisations, yes to being arsey about things and groups that don’t really matter but being obliged to write an article about it because they let you do something for free.

Sidenote: I am currently writing this article in a pub next to King’s Cross station. One of the four people sat at the table adjacent to me just said Ben Fogle really loudly in conversation. Two of the four are wearing beanies indoors. Three of the four have cases on their iPhones. These are the type of people that MENSA want to attract. These are the type of people that are deemed intelligent enough to be ordinary functioning members of our society. There aren’t enough lifeboats for us all, something the truly intelligent among us have known for quite some time.

24 Vısıon YORK

SPORT

Tuesday March 1, 2016

HUESSI vs. ZGAIA AT THE start of the first round Anna Huessi went for the first attempt, although it wass Sophie Zgaia who landed the first real blow as Anna tripped over her feet.

Sophie came in with four body shots but Anna took advantage of the space and pushed Sophie back to the corner of the ring. Anna landed a five combo attack on Sophie, who was unable to respond.

After a quick pause to reevaluate, Sophie came back with a quick combination of jabs to Anna’s body. Anna did not start as strong in the first round, but used space and drove Sophie to a vulnerable position where she mounted an attack.In round 2, Sophie started well with a quick combo but Anna came in with a left right, left right, left, combo to her face.

Sophie’s defence was open to Anna’s fast paced punches as she then came in with a strong punch to her head which knocked her back slightly. Anna focused on Sophie’s face and head and delivered punches to the side of her head and her nose, she was too slow to keep up with her calcu-

lated jabs. Sophie came in strong just before the end of the round with three strong punches to Anna’s side which was unexpected by her opponent.

However, she faltered slightly in this round, not able to match Anna’s speed. Although she did land several counterattacks, they were not strong enough to force Anna to pause.

Heading into the final round it began with a quick exchange and Sophie coming in with a strong right jab to Anna’s face. Anna took a double jab from Sophie’s body to face which forced her to stumble, but she came back with five strong punches that Sophie was unable to defend, which caused her to fall against the ropes. Although bleeding heavily from the nose, Sophie’s defence was briefly strong, blocking Anna’s attempt to finish her.

Sophie eventually faltered and Anna took her opportunity and ended the match with three controlled punches. The fight was called, and Anna took the win, the ref confirmed Sophie had been technically knocked out, forcing Sophie to be carried back to her corner.

THE FIGH

BATTERED, BRUISED AND BLEEDING Words by Jess Causby & Josh Kerr

Photos by Sam Bangle & Isaac Beevor

HUESSI: “In the first round I thought she had me; I felt nervous and didn’t know what to do. Then I got her with one hit to the nose and I knew then that she was hurt so I just kept going. I just kept going and going until I won.”

OSHO vs. RICKARD BRENNAN vs. RIDOUT RIDOUT: “I didn’t embarrass myself too much but I was just too defensive which screwed me over. It was a good fight.”

IT WAS clear there was going to be an edge to this fight even before it had begun. Both fighters, Richard Osho and Matt Rickard, strolled towards the ring with a strong arrogance.

In their conference with the referee, they exchanged heated words and did not touch gloves with one another.

Whatever they had to settle, they were going to. What followed was the most entertaining but also most ridiculous display of boxing I have witnessed.

On the sounding of the bell to get proceedings underway, they both bolted out the blocks as if they had been under starters orders. Leading head first almost, they attempted to collide their knuckles into the faces one

another, Rickard the successful party.

Osho was knocked to the ground, the referee administered a count and the fight was back underway. The pair, both tall figures, oddly elected to spend most of the fight at very close quarters, despite the range of their arms. Having just seen Osho on the floor, it was then quite the shock to see Rickard caught unawares and also knocked down in the first round. Osho appeared then to hit Rickard when he was down which was met with boos from the crowd and a stern ticking off from the referee. An explosive first round ended with both fighters needing a breather.

The fight remained sloppy into the second as both fighters swung and missed throughout. The referee did

SPORT

Tuesday March 1, 2016

HTER:

D

THE PENULTIMATE fight of the evening saw Sardor Karimov, who originates from Uzbekistan, up against UYAFC’s 2nd team captain Euan Bell.

Karimov who is noticeably shorter than Bell may have been feeling up against it as he entered the ring given the partisan chanting for his opponent.

As the fight began, Bell straight away landed the first serious punch but having done so left himself open to a heavy counter attack from Karimov. Karimov, who started with a high intensity, was too quick for Bell, who was unable to get his guard up in time. Following a hairy first exchange Bell soon established himself with a style that showed a clear differentiation between attack and defence.

Karimov continued his high work rate throughout the round but, as it progressed,

KARIMOV vs. BELL THE FIGHTER was an evening of the sublime and the ridiculous, this fight fell in to the former category.

James Whittaker and James Edwards both performed admirably in what was the closest and most technical fight of the evening.

In contrast to a number of the other fights, both competitors were quite compact allowing for a neat style. Whittaker displayed very quick feet and Edwards’s powerful swings were equally as impressive.

There was nothing to split the two at the end of the first. Whittaker looking clear in his game

Vısıon 25 YORK

Bell grew into the fight more and more. With the first round drawing to a close, Bell began to hold the centre of the ring and his defence, which had eluded him early, was now keeping the majority of Karimov’s head shots away limiting him to focus on the body. Karimov, however, had the last word in the first, with his final punch bloodying the nose of Bell.

The opening of the second round matched the closeness of the first, until a strong hook from Bell caused Karimov to stumble into a corner.

Bell then followed up with four more with equal weight. Form that moment Bell kept Karimov in the corner, who was left to rely on the counter attack.

As the second round ended, Bell was clearly on top and Karimov was beginning to show signs of tiredness, having been leaning on the ropes when Bell had backed off.

Clearly the energy in his first round had taken it out of Karimov and early in the third he used grabs to avoid Bell’s offensive. However, once Bell was able to land his punches, Karimov was back in the corner. There was still plenty of time left in the round when Bell landed a lengthy combo causing the referee to call a count and, subsequently, call the fight. Bell was victorious via a technical knock-out.

plan, as was Edwards. Edwards was often searching for a connection over the guard of Whittaker and finding it as regularly as Whittaker was landing hits.

The second round was another close one but may have been the one that made the difference in the referee’s mind. Edwards was looking again to use his power and on connecting it was to good effect, but Whittaker was launching useful counter attacks and frequently evading Edwards with tremendous ducks, dives and dodges.

With it all to play for in the final round, the crowd watched on and were split in their support,

with large sections supporting either fighter. After another round, it was as close as the first, with neither fighter acting decisively. As the round ended, and with it the fight, the crowd were unanimous in their appreciation for what was the best display of boxing from all nine matches that took place.

Just left was the matter of the decision, which neither fighter was claiming before it was called.

When it was called it was Whittaker announced as triumphant, the referee appreciating Whittaker’s use of his good boxing brain to avoid what would have been damaging punches from Edwards.

EDWARDS vs. WHITTAKER

well to keep the fight under control especially as at one moment Rickard has his forearm against the throat of Osho.

Rickard had Osho stumbling right at the end of the round when he sweetly connected the final hit.

In the final round, Osho appeared to be running out of steam and would have gone down a second time after a jab from Rickard, but for a one handed grab on the ropes. The remainder of the round saw grab after grab with Rickard chipping away in between.

The fight ended and it was clear how much the fight had taken out of Osho, who was being supported by both his corner men. Rickard was then announced the winner of what was a crazy contest.

EDWARDS: “I was surprised how tiring it was even after the first round. In the training it’s different because you’re not constantly getting hit, it was still hard but being hit takes a little more out of you.”

26 Vısıon YORK

SPORT

Tuesday March 1, 2016

DERWENT CLOSE IN ON COLLEGE FOOTBALL TITLE

BY MAX PALFREMAN

Derwent maintain their title charge after a 2-0 win against James

HAPPY DAYS FOR HORNETS

BY BETH CASH

THE YORK Hornets Cheerleading Club competed in the biggest cheerleading competition in Europe on the weekend commencing February 20.

A massive 73 universities took part with a total of 215 different teams. The Hornets had 8 different teams competing and all of them put out amazing routines, with a lot of people new to cheerleading and to competing.

First to compete were the dance teams who all perform a routine including their own dance styles and techniques.

The Hip-Hop squad placed in an incredible 8th place, the Jazz squad placed 9th, with all of the team members in this squad being new to the Jazz team. Finally the Pom squad placed an amazing 4th place out of 12 teams!

Competing next were 3 group stunt teams that perform a routine solely consisting of stunts.

The Queen Bees (level 2) placed 5th out of a large category of 21 teams, and 4 out of 5 members of this team were competing for the first time.

P.I.T.A, the Level 3 group stunt, won their division and became the new Level 3 Coed Group Stunt National Champions.

Finally, the Stingers, competing at level 4, also successfully won their division.

Last to compete were our full cheer teams: Black (Level 3 Coed) and Gold (Level 2 All Girl).

These teams perform routines consisting of jumps, dance, tumbling, stunts and pyramid.

Gold squad placed an impressive 10th in a hugely competitive category and Black squad placed 6th in another competitive category.

The competition was a huge success for all teams and they are all now back in training to improve their routines before their next competition this weekend.

DERWENT AFC ran out convincing winners, against a James side who started the second half with ten men, in a result that puts Derwent in pole position for yet another title.

For the opening fifteen it was very scrappy affair, as both defences remained solid allowing for no notable chances.

The game’s first real chance fell for Derwent’s Ferrao who was afforded plenty of time in the box, from Hawkins cut-back, but dragged the resulting shot wide of the left hand post.

This seemed to spark the otherwise lethargic James team into life. Gwyn Davies picked the ball up on the left hand side, before cutting in and twisting Bell inside out, only to see his scuffed shot travel safely into the arms of the previously untested Cooper.

This was warning enough to Derwent, that for all their dominance, James could still hurt them on the break.

Derwent’s intensity increased,

and they should have gone ahead when Naylor threaded the ball in behind the James defence onto the foot of Nicholson, only for the on rushing Angus to brilliantly save down low to his right.

Shortly after, Nicholson left defenders flat- footed, with a beautiful pirouette that ballerinas across the country would have been proud to stamp their name on, but sadly the resulting cross was just in front of the approaching Ferrao, and was easily mopped up by James.

Into the second half, Derwent continued to assert their dominance with slick passing from the likes of Ingham and Hawkins, who controlled the centre of the park, with their pressure finally paying off in the 60th minute.

The tireless Hawkins won the ball back after a sloppy bit of play from the james left back, Mcguinness.

His sumptuous ball picked out the head of Nicholson who headed Derwent into a much deserved lead. Almost immediately James looked to prove the ancient Chinese proverb, that you

are most vulnerable when you’ve just scored.

Firstly, a free kick from the right of the Derwent box was flapped at by a less than convincing Cooper, before being hooked to safety.

Then Davies, who was standing in an offside position, was played through on goal and for some reason threw himself to the floor in an attempt to con the referee into awarding a penalty.

You are unlikely to see such a poor show of unsportsmanlike behaviour. James pressure did not relent, as Cox was sent through on goal, which brought an excellent save from Cooper.

But Derwent were not to be deterred and quickly doubled their advantage.

Ingham won the ball deep in James’ half and sent a delightful ball, which Naylor incredibly failed to connect from just 3 yards.

From the resulting corner, a poor ball in by Ferrao was resurrected by Shelbourn allowing Naylor to redeem himself with a tidy headed finish from 5 yards.

James best chance came when Ingham, under pressure from Thorpe, sent the ball into his own post, which cannoned back to McGuinness whose resulting shot was pushed to safety.

From then on in, Derwent controlled the game, with James’s keeper, Angus, responsible for keeping the score down to 2, with a couple of excellent saves from both Naylor and Hawkins.

Derwent will be very happy with an efficient win, even if it came against a severely weakened team, which leaves them top of the Premier Division, with just Langwith to come. As my dad used to say, “ a fish in the mouth”.

UYHC IN DRAMATIC COMEBACK WIN

BY ALEX LAKE

UYHC MEN’S first XI pulled off a dramatic comeback to take away 3 points from their away game at Sheffield.

York found themselves 2-0 down at half time, a scrappy short corner and a revserse strike from the top of the D made it a mountain to climb for them in the second half.

However 5 minutes into the second half York pulled one back with captain Newton firing into the bottom corner from the top of the D. York rallied well and placed the Sheffield defence under a huge amount of pressure but

struggled to find a reward for their hard work.

The breakthrough the York men had been searching for came with 10 minutes to go, a long aerial from Lake managed to bounce through the Sheffield defence and Silcock was on hand to expertly finished into the right hand corner.

However, with York sitting preciously close to the relegation spot in their BUCS league they continued to push and pressure every time Sheffield had possession.

The amount of bodies York committed forward left gaping holes at the back and York had to

defend numerous short corners, producing a string of fine saves from Levy in goal.

However the comeback was completed with 5 minutes to go an excellent run by Watton down the left side saw his cross tapped in at the back post by Guy. York had to hold on for the last 5 minutes in a nervy end to the game, but the men in black and gold managed to hold firm and the comeback was completed.

UYHC M1: R Levy, M Hyde, A Lake, H Foster, A Dhandwar, P Newton, L Watton, H Oakley, T Silcock, A Watters, S Richardson, M Guy, T Cadman, T Pyman

SPORT

Tuesday March 1, 2016

Vısıon 27 YORK

SWIMMING CLUB RAISE £1500 WITH 12-HOUR CHARITY SWIM

BY REBECCA HALL

THE UNIVERSITY of York Swimming and Water Polo Club attempted their 12 hour charity swim in aid of Marie Curie on Friday 26th February, aiming to swim the 184km from York to Lancaster.

The event began with a 6am start and over 20 members

turned out in great spirits ready to get through as many lengths as possible.

Imogen Jordan put in a fantastic effort and swam 3km before 8am, with another 3km of kick from an injured Jacob Mortlock Williams.

Chris Unsworth was the first male to reach 10km, with women’s polo captain Fiona Whiting the first female.

York Sport Village also showed their support with staff members wearing Marie Curie vests and donation boxes throughout the centre and also granted them their own lane free of charge.

A steady stream of swimmers continued to plough through the distance and the target was smashed by 1:30pm.

Determined to challenge

themselves, they continued to swim on with Rob Mason clocking the furthest distance of the day with 25km and Sam Timpany swimming for the full 12 hours to reach 20km.

The furthest distance swam by the women’s team was Becky Mott at 16.1km, deliberately sneaking past Bill Timpany’s 16km.

Fran Falcini added an im-

pressive 5km all the way from Svalbard, highlighting the commitment of the whole club to support the cause.

The day finished at an astounding 304km and raised a fantastic amount of £1500 for Marie Curie.

Any last minute donations would be much appreciated and can be made at: www.justgiving. com/

YORK 56 - 48 DURHAM

COLLEGE VARSITY RESULTS

SPORT Volleyball A Volleyball B Badminton A Badminton B Netball A Netball B Darts A Darts B Tennis A Tennis B Women’s Touch Rugby A Women’s Touch Rugby B Lacrosse A Lacrosse B Women’s Football A Women’s Football B Basketball A Basketball B Hockey A Hockey B Men’s Rugby A Men’s Rugby B Squash A Squash B Men’s Football A Men’s Football B

YORK (College) 4 (Wentworth) 5 (James) 3 (Halifax) 6 (Langwith) 69 (James) 25 (Derwent) 3 (Derwent) 6 (Vanbrugh) 0 (Halifax) 2 (Langwith) 3 (York A) 2 (York B) 10 (James) 6 (Halifax) 2 (Alcuin) 1 (Vanbrugh) 69 (Derwent) 76 (Vanbrugh) 1 (Goodricke) 2 (Alcuin) 27 (Derwent) 22 (James) 0 (Wentworth) 5 (Alcuin) 2 (Halifax) 2 (Langwith)

DURHAM (College) 1 (St. Johns) 0 (Van Mildert) 6 (St. Mary’s) 3 (St. Cuthbert’s) 25 (Grey) 35 (Collingwood) 4 (Trevelyan) 1 (University) 3 (Collingwood) 1 (St Mary’s) 5 (Milbut) 3 (Cuthle) 6 (St. John’s) 18 (University) 0 (Grey) 1 (Josephine Butler) 72 (Ustinov) 69 (John Snow) 5 (Hatfield) 0 (St. Aidan’s) 10 (St. Aidan’s) 5 (Hild Bede) 8 (Collingwood) 3 (St. Chad’s) 2 (University) 1 (Stephenson Rangers)

28 Vısıon YORK

Tuesday March 1, 2016

OCTO-PUSHING FOR GLORY

BY RACHEL McGLONE

THE BRITISH Octopush Student Nationals is the highlight of the sporting calendar for university underwater hockey players.

Teams from across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland come together each year to compete for the coveted trophy. This year it was hosted by York on the February 27.

After months of planning and hard training, the big day finally arrived for the two university teams. The first game began at 9am, with five games of twelve minutes each. The teams comfortably settled into a rhythm winning seven out of the ten games.

In the rankings, one team from York placed in the top six and the other comfortably in the second league. After playing another five games each, the first York team qualified for the 5th/6th playoff and the second winning their league and finishing 7th.

The final rankings read as 6th and 7th which the highest ranking ever for our fresher’s team and the highest average score across both teams.

During the Nationals, the team managed to beat Lancaster 8-0, giving them an extra confidence boost to beat them again at this year’s Roses. Overall, a great weekend for York Octo-

HALIFAX LET LEAD SLIP TO SHARE VARSITY SPOILS

BY ADAM HAGERTY

IT WAS honours even after a scrappy affair between Halifax College and University College Durham ended in a two all draw.

Halifax wasted no time before going on the offensive, opening the scoring with the first attack of the match. A stampeding run down the left hand side by Garo Heath caught the Durham defence asleep at the back, cutting into the box before playing a simple ball across the mouth of the goal, onto the foot of the advancing Charlie Dunning who was able to tap the ball in for a simple finish.

It wasn’t long however until University College levelled the score as they looked to grow into the game and apply some pressure of

their own. A corner ball whipped in from the left eluded the Halifax goalie as he came to claim it, before being played back across goal and squeezed into the bottom right corner by the waiting Stuart Whitehouse.

With both teams on the score sheet the match began to open up, however it was Halifax who continued to have the better of the chances. A lovely cross into the box from the left by Dunning found the run of George Waring in the centre, who was unable to make the necessary connection, flicking the ball harmlessly over the bar.

Halifax finally did manage to break through the University defence. A deflected shot from outside the box was blocked by the goalie, only for the

rebound to find the outstretched leg of Heath who managed to roll the ball into the back of the net.

However, in the dying minutes of the first half, University College once again found the equaliser. A headed clearance by Halifax following a subsequent University corner was met by Don Bishop whose volleyed effort from the edge of the box beat the goalie down to his right.

Neither keeper was truly tested in the second half as the game descended into a scrappy battle in midfield with neither team managing to retain possession for long.

The best chance of the half went to Halifax, as number 24 turned his man on the edge of the box before laying up a shot for Waring who

SPORT

was unable to find the target, lifting his shot over the bar. Both teams would have to settle for a share of the spoils as the final whistle was blown ending the game at 2-2.

HATFIELD HOCKEY THRASH GOODRICKE

BY ALEX LAKE

A MATCH dominated by Hatfield ended in a trouncing victory over Goodricke by 5 goals to 1.

With Goodricke struggling to even get the ball out of their own half for the majority of the game it looked certain to be a large score line from the beginning.

Hatfield started brightly on a sun drenched JLD and soon took the lead.

The Goodricke defence, who had been under pressure from the off, parted down the centre and the Hatfield forward took his chance from the top of the D with ease, slotting it into the bottom corner.

The next 20 minutes went the same way as the first 5, Hatfield camped in the Goodricke half, and only a string of brilliant saves from the Goodricke keeper

Halifax earn draw in tight encounter with University College and some poor finishing from the Hatfield side kept the game at 1-0.

This lack of goals conceded seemed to spur on the Goodricke attackers who had been mere pedestrians during the first half and with 10 minutes to go they eventually ventured into the Hatfield D, but they didn’t look like troubling a strong defensive unit.

This push for a goal left them open at the back and two more goals were put past them before

the half time break. However, the third goal was a stroke of fortune for Hatfield; the ball seemed to strike the body of their attacker off a shot, but this wasn’t picked up by either umpire and the goal stood.

The game in the second half continued the same way, but as legs and minds got tired the foul count rose and it turned into a highly scrappy encounter, with short corners being the main feature of every Hatfield attack.

A failure to convert any of these didn’t matter though as a strong run down the right saw the Hatfield’s midfielder’s ball poked in at the near post to take their lead to 4 goals.

The second half seemed to be as gloomy for the Goodricke supporters as the first, but Goodricke seemed to come to life, even for just a moment, as their attacker slipped past two defenders and, with a composed finish, got the York college on the score sheet.

Any thoughts of an unlikely comeback were dashed from the restart, Goodricke still in celebration mode after finally scoring lost all concentration and it was too easy for the Hatfield forward to find all the time and space she needed to finish into the back of the net.

Hatfield dominated this varsity match from start to finish, and were deserved winners on a surprisingly sunny JLD pitch.

SPORT

Tuesday March 1, 2016

Vısıon 29 YORK

YORK TEST DURHAM’S DUR-ABILITY

BY MOLLY MCELWEE

DERWENT VERSUS Ustinov was a bloody affair, with both sides going extremely aggressive on their zone defences, making sure neither team got a look it.

The first two quarters finished very low-scoring, on 19-17 to Derwent, in an instensely fought end to the half.

Durham’s college side suffered from an injury, which pro-

voked an incredibly aggravated reaction from their top scoring player, almost risking a technical call.

The aggravation kept rising with a slight altercation between Derwent’s Jago and Durham’s captain, resulting in a technical call for the York college’s top scorer.

From thereon the score continued to be dominated by the Durham side, but not without a match from York’s side and rowdy supporters,

who made efforts to deny Durham complete ease during the remaining quarters.

Derwent’s Jago continued to play aggressive and brave basketball against a side intent on silencing his efforts, and Tom Gill made a difference throughout the second half, despite the remain-

ing ten-point deficit.

Durham proved the victor, in the face of a very close scoreline throughout, proving to be the most well practiced side, against a Derwent who perhaps did not have enough game-time together. The game finished 7561 to Ustinov.

COLLINGWOOD RALLY TO BEAT DERWENT

BY LAUREN MALCHAREK

IN THIS year’s annual college varsity competition, Derwent College Netball braved Durham’s Collingwood for the B match title. It was a game by no means for the fainthearted, with both teams putting up the fiercest of fights.

From the first centre whistle it was clear to see Collingwood had a lot of practice working on the positioning of their players on the court.

Their spacing resulted in a quickly increasing score tally to their name. Before Derwent had a chance to secure their opening goal in the first quarter, Collingwood had three goals in the net. Determined Derwent kept a cool head against the mounting scoreline of the Durham

college and applied persistent pressure.

Derwent’s centre Charlotte Beckett didn’t let the light of day come between her and the equivalent Collingwood player, strong and direct passes down Derwent’s central line concluded with the ball breaking through Durham’s defence and landing in the safe hands of goal attack, played by Sophie Craven.

The first half of the game was goal for goal between the two colleges - the great turn out of supporters’ heads did not have a chance to rest as the ball travelled from end to end, gripping everyone in the moment.

As the half time whistle blew, the score was settled at17-13 to Collingwood.

Collingwood cemented their lead in the third quarter. Derwent was confronted

by injury of their wing defence player just moments after the commencing whistle blew, resulting in an unexpected substitution.

Although Derwent had good possession and movement of the ball, the defence barrier Collingwood put up seemed to be almost unbreakable. This, mixed in with strong passes around Collingwood’s shooting third and the accuracy of both their shooting players, increased their lead in the game with a score of 28-17 to the visitors.

With lethargic legs all round, the final quarter required the most determination.

Derwent showed off their sprinting skills by chasing down any stray balls they could get their hands on.

Collingwood ripped through the court with brash interceptions which were called up by the umpire, giving away many opportunities.

However, their quick decision passes and the continuation of their good spacing throughout the game more than paid off.

As the gesture for time was signalled and the sound of the

end whistle echoed throughout the tent the score fell dead with a win to Collingwood 36-25.

After the game, the Collingwood captain said they had a “super performance and was extremely proud.”

Lauren Kiy, Derwent captain said “I’m super proud of all the girls today, everyone gelled really well despite the lack of matches played together over the year.

Collingwood were a good team but we put up a great fight, we kept our heads up and played our best which is shown by the amount of times we were able to bring the game back, I couldn’t be more chuffed. Bring on college cup!”

The immense effort of all the players on the court resulted in a great game for all to witness.

30 Vısıon YORK

SPORT

Tuesday March 1, 2016

DERWENT RUGBY ROMP TO VICTORY

BY CHRIS ILETT IN A confident display of rugby, Derwent secured a 27-10 over the travelling side from St Aidan’s College in the most hotly anticipated match of the Varsity weekend.

Strong attacks from the visitors left Derwent pinned in their own half for the opening 10 minutes of the game, however, the storm was weathered without conceding a try before Derwent responded with pressure of their own.

Powerful carries from Lee and Gibson, coupled with well-rehearsed back

line moves, meant it was not long before the bantamweight flanker, Callum Ronald, went over for the first points of the game.

Butler narrowly missed adding the extra points but this turned out not to be fatal as Van Doorneward soon added another 5 points from the wing.

St Aidan’s tried to respond but were met by the brick wall of the Derwent defence.

Strong work at the breakdown meant that the home side did not go long without the ball.

One attack from St Aidan’s did however break through for a try.

Derwent restarted with more passion than before and ensured they had a comfortable lead of 20-5 at the break.

The second half saw fewer tries despite both sides playing at full intensity.

Eventually Derwent

opened up their lead with a try under the posts finally leading to success off the kicking tee.

The score remained the same going into the final quarter and it seemed like it was Derwent’s match to lose.

St Aidan’s threw everything they could at the sea of blue shirts and succeeded in scoring another with an attack that outmanoeuvred the tired defence.

However, it was too little too late for the visitors and at full time, when the crowd erupted, the score stood at 27-10.

YORK COME WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE

BY CHARLOTTE BECKETT BOTH YORK women’s touch rugby barbarian teams may have just missed out on a win at Varsity but they definitely gave those rowdy Durhams a run for their money.

The first match was the York B team against St. Cuthbert’s – a very even match with a tight finish. Vanbrugh’s Megan scored the equalizing try mean-

ing it was 2-2 in the second half, but Cuthbert’s managed to sneak in with a final try just before the end making the final score 3-2 to Durham.

The second match was the York A team against Van Mildert. Even with a first half full of Durham contact, York managed to come out on top with a score of 3 tries to 2.

York was definitely the stronger side

but were no match against one speedy Durham who scored two tries in the second half meaning the end result was 5 to Durham and 3 to York.

All round a great sunny morning with incredible touch rugby from two teams that had never played together before.

Next time time York will just have to get a bit more competitive for the win.

SPORT

Tuesday March 1, 2016

RAINBOW LACES AND SNAPCHAT FILTERS ADD TO VARSITY VICTORY

BY JESS CAUSBY VARSITY 2016 saw a huge push in the Rainbow Laces ‘Kick Homophobia out of sport’ campaign with all members of sports teams wearing laces to show their support.

The college JCRC’S funded the laces and they were also being sold on campus for £1.50 raising money for the Stonewall charity. Spectators were also wearing rainbow ribbons in their hair, provided by Amy Gould and Esther Worrall, College sport officers and organisers of a fantastic sporting day. Vanbrugh and Derwent Dart teams showed their support by playing with rainbow flights on the ends of their darts.

Varsity 2016 was great day for sport but also to show York’s fantastic backing of the campaign.

Isaac Beevor, incoming York Sport President: “It was absolutely exceptional that every single player of every team in one way or another showed their commitment to equality in sport! I was over the moon with the support from the JCRCs/Student Associa-

Vısıon 31 YORK

WENTWORTH VOLLEYBALL WIN SEALS YORK

BY JESS CAUSBY

HEADING INTO the second round, Durham came back fighting as the score started off at 4-3 to York.

The opponents continued to play a stronger second game but it wasn’t enough as York’s consistent hits brought them up to a 13-6 lead. Durham had a few strong blocks close to the net

winning a few points in a row, however, York again dominated the second game which ended on 25-10.

Knowing this could be the winning match for York, both teams played a strong first rally wanting to take the lead.

Wentworth eventually took the first point and continued this streak taking the score up to 7-2.

With Durham looking heavily defeated, the score stood at 22-11 in the last part of the match before York eventually smashed the ball over to win the final point, winning 3 out of 5 games taking the overall win.

A very strong 3 games from Wentworth, which added to York’s Varsity victory over Durham this year.

tions who bought the laces, and the fact that every college got on board! Sports clubs this term, at University and College level have excelled themselves and long may they continue to demonstrate their commitment to tackle all forms of discrimination in sport.

Organisers were also successful in creating a special Snapchat geofilter to advertise the sporting day against Durham University.

The photo-sharing app introduced the geofilters feature in July last year which allows users to add special overlays over their pictures that can only be accessed in certain areas.

Students throughout the day were snapchatting the sports fixtures, adding the ‘College Varsity’ filter. Last year students were unsuccessful in creating a ‘Roses’ geofilter but hopefully this year there will be a filter and the app could also feature Roses as part of its ‘Our Story’ feature.

POINTS SHARED AS DARTS CLOSES VARSITY

BY FRED EVANS & VIVEK PAREKH

The two captains of the colleges that competed in Varsity Darts report on an evening in the Roger Kirk Centre that closed the weekend’s competition.

VANBRUGH COLLEGE took on Durham’s Trevelyan College in the darts B game for varsity, with the result of the tournament confirmed prior to the start.

Captain Vivek Parekh and

Josh Habgood started well in the doubles hitting back to back 100s with Trevelyan nowhere in sight by the time Vivek hit the double.

Following this, three consecutive 2-0 wins meant Vanbrugh had an unassailable 4-0 lead.

Trevelyan went on to secure their one and only win before Vivek and Josh played some superb darts to inflict a entertaining 6-1 win.

So, the big game - Der-

went against University College (Castle) started strongly, with the York college going 2-0 up, thanks to some clinical finishing from Mark Curran and a great win from Lil Henesy.

Next came Lydia Instone (annoyingly at this point there were discussions about a change of format - due to time constraints), and when Lydia went 1-0 up there were cheers as a few of us thought she’d won the match, however this was not to

be, and she unfortunately lost 2-1.

The format was changed from this point onwards and unfortunately did not suit our players, as we saw Mark Johnston and Peter “The Predator” Bunce fall short, just as they were getting used to playing on the stage, with a tidy finish from Mark Curran to seal another set for us.

It was 3-3, with the final match coming down to Alastair Cawdron against Dillon Bloom-

field, ex-captain of the Durham team, where unfortunately thanks to a good 100 checkout from Dillon, they secured the 4-3 win to Durham.

There were very good performances by all involved, and a big thank you to Hayley Ramshay for organising the event, and a well done to Harry Smith, Mike Britland and Shaun Phillips for refereeing the night.

Lastly, a big thank you to everyone that came and supported!

yorkvision.co.uk/sport

ısıon VSport YORK

P27-31: EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF YORK’S FIRST EVER VARSITY WIN!

YORK WIN VARSITY

BY JESS CAUSBY

Grace z e r P t r o p S York ighted l e d “ s a w e k Clar ry.” with the victo

P24-25: THE FIGHTER

YORK HAVE won this year’s College Varsity event with a 48-38 victory over Durham.

This was the first victory for York in the tournament’s three year history.

A successful performance from Wentworth’s Volleyball team against Durham’s St John’s took York to the 53 points ahead of contributing scores from three remaining fixtures.

Other strong performances were seen from Derwent’s Rugby team, Langwith badminton and Goodricke’s hockey team.

The day was extremely successful with lots of spectators, the all-important College mascot race which was won by Langwith’s

Langaroo, and the darts competition acting as a closing ceremony to the day’s events.

Grace Clark, York Sport President, told York Vision how she felt about the victory: “I am absolutely delighted and it still has not sunk in that we won College Varsity 2016.

“What an absolutely fantastic celebration of the fantastic college sport teams we have at York and what better way to end a term.

“I am so proud of each and everyone that played yesterday or came down and watched.

“The day would not have happened without the amazing organisation and work of the two College Sport Officers, and huge recognition needs to go to them.”

BY JONNY LONG

ROGER KIRK CENTRE SERVES UP KNUCKLE SANDWICHES