Vision Issue 225

GUARDIAN STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR 2011-2012

YORK VISION Wednesday 2012 Tuesday MayMay 29,9,2012

vision@yusu.org

Issue 224 225

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DAVID JUBILEE ATTENBOROUGH FASHIONINTERVIEW FORECAST - LIFESTYLE - - SCENE

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HALIFAX HOME-BREW - PAGE 6 -

AMNESTY STUDENT 'SMARTON INTERNATIONAL DRUGS' CAMPUS - FEATURES -FEATURES--

RACIST ALLEGATION: TUTOR'S VERBAL

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> student CRIED after INSULTS From ACADEMIC STAFF > "THE UNIVERSITY HAS ATTEMPTED TO SWEEP THE COMPLAINT UNDER THE RUG" SUMMER AND BIG ACTS EXCLUSIVELY ANNOUNCED 2012BALL STUDENT SEX DSURVEY RESULTS REVEALED - PAGE- 3PAGE - 3

2 NEWS

YORK VISION Tuesday May 29, 2012

YU-SUPERHEROES!

By WILL HAYDON BRAVE YORK students raised over £5000 by jumping from a plane last Friday in a group skydive organised by YUSU RAG. The amount topped the initial expectations of organiser Kim Norris, RAG’s former sponsored events coordinator, who said: “I think it was a success – we beat the targets we set to

raise for RAG by doing it.

"We also raised awareness, got lots of students involved in and excited by RAG, and set up links with the skydive facility which will hopefully carry the event on for years to come.”

The skydive was originally scheduled to take place in Week 8 of the Spring term, but poor conditions meant it was too risky to attempt.

But Friday’s skydive, held in

Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire, went without a hitch, and students jumped into clear skies – with the help of skydiving professionals, who were attached to each skydiver and opened the parachutes.

Participants planned cake sales, bag packs and full-body waxes to help reach their individual targets of £300.

Third-year student Jennifer Hammond was the top individual fundrais-

er, amassing almost £700 by the day of the skydive.

YUSU President Tim Ellis was among the skydivers in Hibaldstow, and together with his girlfriend Raeesah Haque has so far raised £839.

The event caps an impressive year so far for RAG, who earlier this year overcame more poor weather conditions during RAG week, raising over £10,000 despite the snow.

Photo: YUSU RAG

YOURWEEK

Good Week for UoY Men's Cricket, who beat St. John's by over 200 runs.

Bad Week for students stuck in the library revising while the sun's been shining!

Photo of the Week: Freshers take a revision break in their paddling pool

?

WHICH THE LEA COLLEGE HAV E ST ON WELFAR SPENT E THIS YEAR?

The average number of partners that helped York slide in at 32nd on the University Sex Survey

4.08

proportion of students who feel unsafe 55% The around campus at York Got an opinion? Get involved at www.yorkvision.co.uk Or contact us at vision@yusu.org

Photo: Adam Green

YORKVISION

Guardian Student Publication of the Year 2011-2012 Editors: Helena Kaznowska Oliver Todd

Deputy Editors: Alex Finnis Fred Nathan

Scene Editors: Jordan Lloyd Maddy Pelling

News Editors: Bethany Porter Joe Softley

Deputy Features: Katherine Birdwood Bella Boman-Flavell

Deputy Sports: Charlotte Ferris Oscar Pearson

Deputy News: Sally Dolton Sam Earle

Lifestyle Editors: Rachel Longhurst Georgina Strapp

Chief Sub-Editors: Alex Cochrane-Dyet Sally Dolton

Comment Editors: Olivia Head Max Sugarman

Deputy Lifestyle: Frances Jennings Helena Kealey

Photo Editors: Adam Green Vivan Jayant

Deputy Comment: Ben Dilks Nicholas DunnMcAfee

Sports Editors: Jack Bradshaw Dave Washington

Webmasters: Magnus Tripp Vivan Jayant

Features Editors: Sarah Cattle Harry Pick

Scene Editorial list in pullout

Web Editor: Vish Nithi Advertising: Sarah Cattle

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.

Copyright Vision Newspapers, 2012.

Printed by Yorkshire Web. Front Page Photo by Oliver Todd.

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday May 29, 2012

YORK THRUSTS ITS WAY UP 27 PLACES IN UNIVERSITY SEX LEAGUE TABLE

3

HOW WAS IT FOUR YOU?

By helena kaznowska

THE UNIVERSITY of York has been awarded 32nd place in this year’s University Sex League 2012, as revealed in a survey conducted by studentbeans.com, the results of which were released on Friday 25th May. The survey aims to determine which university’s students have the highest average number of sexual partners since starting at their place of higher education.

While the position down low might not be desirable, York has improved on its previous performance. In the 2011 Student Beans survey, York was third from bottom, coming 59th out of a possible 61 places.

partners standing at 8.31 - which is nearly three people more than at Heriot-Watt University, who came second - it’s easy to see why Bangor's on top. Averaging 1.15 sexual partners per student, the University of Essex are bringing up the rear, in 101st place.

Local rivals Hull were awarded 26th place, and even though Lancaster may have won Roses

2012, York beat them by 34 places in this poll. York St. John did not feature on the league table.

Last year there were three Welsh universities in the top five and the University of Glamorgan topped the table with an average of 10.9 sexual partners per person in the 2011 survey. As Bangor have smashed their way to victory in 2012, it seems as if the Welsh

really are at it like rarebits.

York's change of position may not come as a surprise to the students after the increased public awareness of sexual activity on campus. The university welfare team has worked hard to promote safer sex and sexual health: YUSU Welfare and URY hosted an outdoor event, Summer of Love, to raise awareness on campus in

BANGOR'S ON TOP In 2011 York averaged 3.4 intimate acquaintances, but this year the University is up by 0.68 more sexual partners. This means that York students are now said to have had intercourse with an average of 4.08 people.

In pole position was the aptly named Bangor University. With the average number of sexual

EAT YOUR GREENS!

By SALLY DOLTON YORK'S 'EDIBLE UNI' project, an initiative to establish vegetable and herb patches across campus, is continuing to grow.

Halifax has become the latest college to introduce the communal patches, with over 40 people volunteering for the inaugural planting day. The new site, located next to the laundrette, aims to produce vegetables, herbs and strawberries for green-minded students.

Halifax President George Offer told Vision, “It’s great to see so many people coming together to create something so positive hopefully similar plots will be created right across campus in the near future.”

The move follows the success of the lakeside Vanbrugh 'Edible Uni' patch planted in early May,

with Vanbrugh Environment and Campaigns Rep Josiah Mortimer telling Vision, “The JCR is proud of supporting the project with our time and resources.”

Similar plots have also been created elsewhere, with Madeleine Crosswaite setting up a site at Fairfax House, after spotting a free space next to car park.

She hopes to grow strawberries.

The project is open to anyone wanting to help with the plot’s upkeep, with the produce available to all students at the university.

Organisers are hopeful the unusually warm weather will tempt more to help make the plots of land a success.

Barry Hale from “Edible York” expressed hopes that the scheme will continue to take root across campus, saying he was “delighted with the development of the project."

week four this term.

Not only this, but the newly ratified Fetish Society and last year's orgies in Alcuin Q block could have contributed to the raising of York's sex profile.

YORK'S SEX PROFILE After hearing the results, one first-year Derwent College resident commented: “I think Derwent raises the whole University’s average by quite a few people. I guess this is why we’re bringing out our own brand of condoms!”

Meanwhile, one third-year History student said: “That’s big news! I thought we were the ugliest university."

In response to the survey, YUSU Wealfare Officer Bob Hughes said: "it's worth students remembering that they can pick up free condoms from the Advice and Support Centre if they want as well!"

The poll was answered by 4,656 sexually active students from over 100 universities across the UK, making it more comprehensive and reliable than last year's survey, which was only answered by 2,818 students.

RUGBY RAMPAGE By aLEX FINNIS THE UNIVERSITY rugby club have come under criticism following their behaviour on a recent social.

Club members were reported to have caused disturbances in poular Micklegate bar The Nags Head, with the assistant manager telling Vision: "Glasses were thrown around and things. Glasses have been smashed before accidentally but here they were intentionally damaging property."

The club addressed the issue in a recent email to its mailing list, saying: "Last night in the Nag's Head we smashed a lot of stuff blah blah blah naughty naughty blah blah. In the process we managed to alienate ourselves from the rest of the student population, but more importantly we managed to make several hoes cry as a pleasant consequence of our actions.

"As 6th form top boi I got it in the neck from the management and was told any UYRUFCan caught on camera smashing will hereby be banned from Nag's.

Could the sponsorship secretaries sort this shit out, in the meantime I see it as an empty threat so go wherever you want.

"Fuck you all."

Most of the damage was said to have been caused in the bar's beer garden, and they are now looking into any action they may

take against the club.

A first-year student present at the bar, told Vision: "They were all getting really rowdy and smashing stuff everywhere.

I didn't feel happy there because of them so I was forced to leave."

York Sport President Sam Asfahani commented: "It is a shame that the club have let themselves down after such a strong academic year for them, both on and off the field. This sort of behaviour is childish and unacceptable, and the club's response via the mailing list was plain stupid. Safe to say, the club will be punished by

the York Sport Committee, and it will have to be more severe than in previous cases to make sure they learn their lesson."

This is not the first time that the rugby club have been criticised for their behaviour on a night out. Back in November 2010 UYRUFC were banned from Mansion nightclub, then called Ziggy's, for two weeks following a similar incident of smashing glasses, and in February 2011 the same nightclub was forced to evacuate the premises when a club member deployed a smoke grenade.

Photo: Oliver Todd

4 NEWS Vision's Sam Earle mourns the loss of Man vs Booze...

student press THIS WEEK saw the release of the new, much-anticipated, Guardian university league table. Though York certainly didn’t do badly, coming in at a respectable 17th, Cambridge dominated by far for a second year running.

Not happy however, with merely proving their academic prowess in all areas, the university’s independent tabloid, the Tab, sought this week to flaunt the fine ‘rears’ the university also has to offer in a self-declared “Rear of the Year” competition.

To quell all the cries of "SEXISM!", there were actually two “rear of the year” awards: one for the boys and one for the girls.

The Daily Mail was outraged, as they are with most things in society these days, accusing the Cambridge Tab of sexism and exclusively focusing on the female part of the competition.

The “risqué” photos have been causing quite a stir across the interweb - so much so that, to the disappointment of thousands of lads round the country, the paper was forced to delete the women’s competition and all the photos along with it.

The lads were out in force in Oxford, in an angry mood I’m sure, after being beaten by Cambridge yet again. A six-foot statue of Venus Di Milo, the goddess of love and beauty, was the victim of their revenge in a case of what one might term ‘cultured vandalism’.

Having been stolen from the Oxford St Hughes’ Odyssey Ball, the statue was then found in a student room dressed in a gown, mortarboard and sunglasses, with a Carlsberg in hand.

The JCR President was just happy, however, that the statue was ok, comforted in the knowledge that “she got plenty of sleep and was fed regularly”.

Meanwhile in Leeds, the lad of all lads, the poster boy for binge drinking and the YouTube sensation behind 'Man vs. Booze', has officially retired from his role.

The man who, among other achievements, drank his now infamous version of the ‘Jaeger bomb’ – an Ikea bin filled with a litre of Jaeger and 1.5 litres of energy drink – announced his retirement in a letter to Leeds Student newspaper.

He had earlier tried to retire in a more glorified manner, fabricating a story that he had been admitted to hospital, doing what he loves best, one assumes. However, this was quickly revealed as a hoax by the same paper: clearly they don't sell alcohol that strong.

In the letter, presumably in a moment of enlightenment, he said he “realised that it was sending out the wrong message”. And they say alcohol kills brain cells...

YORK VISION Tuesday May 29, 2012

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME By anmoli sodha YUSU HAS announced a new Neighbourhood Representative Scheme and Community Rag Fund, aimed at improving relations between students and the local community.

The new plans hope to tackle common misconceptions about the student community by highlighting the positive role University of York students can play locally.

Both schemes have sprung from aims outlined in YUSU’s Community Strategy, a collaborative plan developed by YUSU and York St. John’s Student Union (YSJSU), and draw on similar initiatives from Warwick, Leeds and Manchester Student’s Unions.

Josh Allen, Chair of the focus group, said: "A mixture of myths and the speed of change in certain parts of the city have soured relations with the local community." This has contributed towards ‘the implementation by City of York Council of an Article 4 Directive to 'control the spread of students' and fight 'crime', 'house price rises' and 'takeaways'.

Allen commented: “The Community Reps role will therefore help dispel negative myths about students in the wider community,

Photo: Vivan Jayant

Caledonian Society entertaining the community at Celebrate York

promoting the good work that students do (in volunteering, for example) at neighbourhood and community residents’ meetings.”

The nine reps appointed will work in teams of two or three, and seek to provide information about the local area, including advice on housing, crime prevention and how to deal with troublesome or abusive neighbors.

They will meet informally with each other to talk over issues affecting off-campus students and attend the Community Assembly

THE RITES STUFF

By hARRY pick YORK STUDENT Sophie Coulombeau has been proclaimed as the countries Next Great Novelist after winning a competition by publishing company Route’s.

Her debut novel, 'Rites', will be released nationwide in Waterstone’s stores and online next month.

The novel is about four young teenagers who agree to make a pact to lose their virginity away from the watchful eyes of their strict Catholic community – a pact which goes horribly wrong and continues to haunt them a decade later.

STUDENT NOVELIST When Vision caught up with Sophie, she was evidently ecstatic at her success. “I was over the moon to win the award [and] this is an incredible opportunity for a young writer in an industry that is notoriously hard to crack.”

Currently studying for a PhD in English Literature at York, she also credited the University with helping her with the novel’s creation and launch, counting herself “very lucky to work in a creative environment that is so conducive to research and composition.”

Asked what advice she would

give to budding young writers at the University, for Sophie the answer is simple – just keep writing.

“Many talented people consider themselves writers at heart, but never actually write anything, or at least don't finish it, because they're afraid of failure. The first draft will be bad – it always is. It doesn't matter. The next one will be better, and then you'll be glad you tried. Then enter competitions like Route's. You never know what could happen!”

Coulombeau will be signing copies of her debut novel at York's Waterstone’s on 16th June and will be speaking on a writing panel at the University’s Festival of Ideas on the 23rd June.

as Delegate Members (where they will receive two votes each) to make a report on their progress.

Launching recruitment for the scheme, YUSU President Tim Ellis said: “Our students bring a huge range of benefits to the local community, including countless hours of volunteering time and a huge boost to the local economy.

Our Community Reps Scheme will make sure that students are a visible and active part of every community.”

The RAG Community Fund

THE

aims to localise 10% of RAG’s current fundraising ‘pot’, and in the third term of each year reward this to the local charities who will bid to receives small grants, ranging from around £200£1000 in size.

RAG co-Chair Becky Mursell states that the inspiration for the Fund was “the unprecedented financial difficulties that small local charities and residential groups are facing as the City Council, following the budget cuts from Central Government, have greatly reduced the amount of discretionary funding available.”

Fellow co-Chair Erin Cork, in her proposal to Student Assembly, wrote that “by creating a formal bidding and grant allocation process which heavily involves students, we would be providing an excellent opportunity for personal development of employability skills.”

The proposal in its current form will be put forward to the Student Development Assembly, later this term. An information workshop about the Neighbourhood Rep Scheme is set to be held at The Lounge in the Roger Kirk Centre at 2pm Wednesday Week 7, with the application deadline ending Friday Week 8.

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NEWS

YORK VISION Tuesday May 29, 2012

STUDENTS REVEAL SHOCKING TREATMENT AT THE HANDS OF THEIR TUTORS

ACADEMICS IN ABUSE SCANDAL

By OLIVER TODD ACADEMIC STAFF at the University of York have come under fire from students for their misconduct when dealing with students.

Tutors in a number of departments have been criticised for the way they have addressed cases of vulnerable students, the year after York saw a huge increase in the number of complaints dealt with by senior management at the University.

RACIAL DEFAMATORY STATEMENTS CLAIM

claim against the University for the emotional trauma she has received as a result of the alleged abuse and told Vision that the investigation was carried out by a senior member of staff with no previous experience in dealing with such issues.

However, Vision understands that the staff member in question requested that the investigation should be undertaken by an advisor with more expertise in racial discrimination cases.

In a statement, the University of York said: “The complaint has been dealt with exhaustively by

In the past year 1,787 members of University staff have completed an online training course regarding bullying and harassment. Nevertheless, numerous students have spoken to Vision about their negative experiences with academic staff.

One ex-student, who claims to have been subject to racial defamatory statements by University staff, told Vision: “It’s like the University has attempted to sweep the complaint under the rug”.

The ex-student in question is now pursuing a personal injury

the University’s Registrar and at the Appeals stage by a Pro-ViceChancellor who has many decades of senior management experience in the University. We have also benefited from legal advice on this matter and are confident the right decisions have been made.”

The ex-student has subsequently appealed her degree classification.

Two students have also left a humanities course at the University in the past year complaining that a member of staff working on the course was unprofession-

Photo: Ruth Gibson

al.

Other students on the course have described the member of staff as “abrasive”, with one student telling Vision: “He didn’t know how to deal with vulnerable students. He was highly detrimental to my progress until I

"HE MADE ME CRY" switched supervisor."

"During one meeting he made me cry, his behaviour was, I would say, verging on misconduct.”

The University have refused to reply to multiple Freedom of Information requests regarding the number of misconduct cases brought against academic staff or the University’s Open Door team under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act. YUSU Welfare Officer Bob Hughes told Vision: "If students feel that an academic has behaved inappropriately, they should raise it with the head of department if appropriate, and let YUSU know at welfare@yusu. org so that we can help you with the process of speaking to the department and resolving the issue."

All of the students quoted in this article asked to remain anonymous.

SHOW 'D' THE MONEY!

By JOE SOFTLEY DERWENT COLLEGE has defended its low spending on Welfare, RAG and Sport, pointing to the planned increase in fresher numbers and the success of various low cost initiatives.

Recent figures show Derwent have spent as little as £22.97 on Welfare, and only £199.20 on sport since the current JCRC took over.

This is despite being given a sport specific YUSU grant of £300 a term.

The figures stand in stark contrast to those released by other colleges. Vanbrugh announced Welfare expenditure this year of £720, and a projected sports expenditure of £1640 a term.

Halifax posted similarly impressive figures, spending £879.89 on college sports. Derwent’s spending on welfare was also dwarfed by Langwith, who spent an astonishing £1617.27. The money went on events such as the casino night, housing event and de-stress from exams BBQ .

It is thought that the overwhelming majority of Derwent’s spending is allocated to its ClubD events. The JCRC has so far declined Vision’s requests for ClubD finances, citing commercial

sensitivities.

Derwent treasurer Anmoli Sodha told Vision the discrepancies in the welfare expenses could in part be explained by the college’s reluctance to utilize their Grenville grant of £2143.

“The Grenville grant is there to provide funding for nonalcohol related events, an area Derwent has not traditionally spent large amounts of money on.

“However, we have always had a great collection of non-alcohol-

ic events and activities, which have never really cost much money. Things like movie nights, and college FIFA tournaments have always proved successful.

“We’ve also had an eye on next year, where there will be a huge increase in fresher numbers with no increase in the grant, so we’re hoping to have a lot of extra funds available for the fresher’s [week].

“There is much more to come from Derwent this term.”

The treasurer also defended the apparent overwhelming fi-

Photo: www.facebook.com/JamesTphoto

Derwent doing what it does best at Club D last term.

s ' t a h W The Quack?

nancial support for the Club-D events, claiming their continued financial success justified the spending.

“Club-D is continually the one of the best performing college run events on campus. It success speaks for itself.”

It would appear Derwent students agree. First year Economics student Max Bond consented that the events spending was worth the money.

“If I’m being honest, I didn’t choose Derwent for its welfare support. There’s a reason why it’s commonly held to be the most social college.

“It’s good that people come across campus to come to our events, and long may it continue."

However, one Derwent student, choosing to remain anonymous said that non-alcoholic alternatives left a lot to be desired.

“Although there are options for those who don’t want to get hammered, the movie nights are a bit uninspired. Both Langwith and Halifax had really great Casino themed nights recently, showing what is possible if you spend a little bit of money towards nonalcoholic events.”

Derwent Chair Francesca Knight was unavailable for comment on the issue.

Chair Which College a rival th hooked up wi ow on ill W in r re Treasu '? al ci So a 'Chair's

Which society en ded up with three of their members in ho spital following a rece nt social?

Cup star Which College score a to ed ag an m still four ng wi llo hat-trick fo pre-match pints?

Members of wh ich college were sp otted using signs to ra te passing females ' attractiveness ou t of ten from a ki chen balcony?

ub Which Sports Cl ic set a pornograph eir th r fo t' en m gn 'assi eir th of d ea members ah ay sd ne ed W g in m upco night social?

5

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday 29 May, 2012

6

LARGE SUPPLY OF HOME-MADE ALCOHOL FOUND AT HALIFAX COLLEGE

SOMETHING'S BREWING IN THE BUSHES

By JOE SOFTLEY A LARGE store of homemade alcohol has been found in Halifax.

An estimated 30 litres of home-brewed beer is being housed in a supermarket delivery crate.

The alcohol stash, found by a quiet path behind St Lawrence court, includes nearly 20 bottles of the liquid. The supply was found by a first-year Halifax resident on Friday morning and can still be found outside the college.

It is not known how long the bottles have been there, or who the abundance of alcohol belongs to.

Several empty bottles could also be found at the scene, indicating that students could have been dipping into the supply.

George Offer, Halifax President, commented: "Although home-brewing can be tasty, it is far from recommended without proper equipment and knowledge, and I would not encourage it in the college."

Despite being a relatively

safe hobby, consumption of home brewed beverages does hold worrying risks. If the environment and equipment are not effectively sanitized students may be in danger of leaving themselves susceptible to food poisoning.

CRATE OF ALCOHOL One first year Halifax student commented: “Whoever’s decided to brew back there is braver than me. I wouldn’t go anywhere near something fermenting in a bush.

“But if I’m being honest, with the lack of any college bar and Costcutter doing anything but, you can’t blame them for taking things into their own hands."

Another first-year Halifax resident told Vision: “It doesn’t surprise me that students are being pushed into brewing their own alcohol. Life in the sticks is tough and we need a coping mechanism. Can you blame us?”

Home brewing is on the rise across the country, with Tesco reporting a 70% increase in sales of home brewing kits. Morrison’s

reported a 26% rise.

The process requires a relatively small number of simple ingredients and only a few pieces of household equipment. It produces beer at an average of only 74p a pint.

With beer duty rising over 50 per cent since 2004, it is likely that more students will begin to look for cheaper alcoholic opportunities closer to home.

YUSU Welfare Officer Bob Hughes told Vision: “Cheap alcohol is always an attractive prospect, but the safety of home-brewed alcohol is much less guaranteed and could pose serious health risks. I would advise students to buy trusted and known brands, especially given the number of dangerous counterfeit spirits that have been sold in shops locally.

Brewing alcohol can be very dangerous without the right equipment and expertise.”

The discovery follows the recent YUSU survey revealing many students did not know the number of units found in drinks.

The survey of 839 students was “designed to test students’ knowledge and understanding of alcohol and their own use, as well as eliciting quantative data about usage."

Of the 478 students who

claimed to know the amount of ethanol in a unit of alcohol, only half were able to guess correctly.

YUSU commented that the results were “concerning”, but that the data was “really useful for knowing the target areas for future campaigning around alcohol."

“The number of nights many people admit to drinking per week strengthens the case for responsible advertising and pricing with bars on- and off-campus.”

"SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS" “I would advise students to be very careful about making, or drinking, home-brewed alcohol or any other alcohol if they don't know where it has come from.

Photo: Adam Green

At least 20 spirit bottles were founded containing the liquid.

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday May 29, 2012

UNIVERSITY REVAMP OUTDATED ACCOMODATION APPLICATION SYSTEM

END OF HOUSING LOTTERY By sally dolton THE UNIVERSITY of York is going to change the way student apply for their accommodation following complaints in previous years.

The current application process has been accused of undermining the collegiate system, with applicants having a limited choice of colleges, particularly those who received emails later.

A University spokesman has confirmed that in 2012/13 a new system will stagger the release of rooms so that ideally, future students will be able to choose from all colleges and all rent bands.

The University will be improving the accommodation services website, which has been accused in the past of not being user-friendly. In the 2010 Times Higher Education survey assessing 152 university websites, York ranked last and little has been changed since.

STAGGERED RELEASE The revamped website will have a summary of different room types and the annual cost

within each college, as well as a pie chart showing the proportion of different room types within the University.

The process itself will also face an overhaul. Students will be able to enrol with the University prior to making their application.

In order for students to avoid obsessively refreshing their emails, Accommodation Services will be sending a text alert to inform applicants that their email has been sent.

THE UNIVERSITY'S examination system has been thrown into question after the inconsistent marking of a Corporate Finance exam led to some students having their grades increased.

Second-Year Accounting, Business, Finance and Management students sat the Corporate Finance module in January, with the low results causing many students to complain to the department.

The University, similarly surprised by the low results in the exam, arranged for a third marker to check the papers, but even this was not enough to correct the inconsistencies present with the module.

It was left up to students to point out to the department the marking mistakes when they had the chance to review their scripts in week 10 of last term, where it emerged that content taught in lectures had been marked wrong in the exam.

The wave of complaints led to the issue being raised by the Students Union, forcing the module leader to reconsider his academic judgment and investigate whether the marks should be changed.

All students across the board had their marks adjusted, with some students going up by as much as a grade.

UNFAIR Goodricke fresher Joely Hartley added that he found the whole system quite unfair. "When I was able to apply the only options left

in a lot of colleges were the most expensive”.

These changes have been met with praise by some students including Rosie Royal, who remarked: “The university has done something right; waiting around to get my email ruined my results day last year. I was supposed to go out with my friends but waited by a computer instead."

NEW WEBSITE Students with York as their first choice will receive emails allowing them to apply on Wednesday 22nd of August (the week after A level results day) whilst students with York ranked as their insurance will receive theirs the following day.

In previous years, students have had to wait for an email sent out in random batches over the 48 hour period immediately following their enrollment. This was criticised by many undergraduates who lost out in the lottery.

One student commented: "I must have received one of the last

CORPORATE FINANCE FIASCO

By SAM EARLE

emails to be sent out, literally in the 47th hour, which meant I was faced with very limited options."

“I’m very disappointed in the university for letting such a serious mistake happen on such an important exam – it counted for the entire module”, said Jessica Palmer, a student who took the exam and saw her mark increase by almost 10%.

Another student, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed disappointment in the lecturer.

"I think its slightly ridiculous all the stupid goings on – how many times they remarked it and then finally decided to put the marks up. He didn't teach what was in the exam really."

MARKS INCREASED BY 10%

NEW ENVIRO-POLICY By bethany porter THE UNIVERSITY are putting new measures in place to improve the sustainability of both the Heslington East and West campuses.

Following the addition of David Duncan, University Registrar and Secretary, as a new cochampion of sustainability, plans have been drawn up to introduce a range of new environmentally friendly projects.

University of York has had notoriously poor form in the past, coming 83rd in the People and Planet green league in 2011 with seven of the 13 key areas judged as being poor/awful, but the administration are keen for this to change.

Plans are being introduced to ensure all windows on Heslington West are double-glazed. The campaigns to encourage bike usage will continue as showers on campus are opened up to students. In addition the University are going to be installing two CHP plants and a biomass plants which will result in a reduction in carbon emissions of 7380 tonnes.

The University apologised to students for the mistake, with Dr Andy Charlwood, Head of Undergraduate Programmes at the Management School “appreciating that some may have found the process stressful. For that we apologise."

In a statement issued to Vision Dr Charlwood said: “We issued a full explanation to students and the issue was discussed with the Head of Department and the Chair of the Standing Committee of Assessment. Because of the apparent inconsistency, it was decided the best way to ensure the fair treatment of all students was to remark the scripts. All scripts Second year Social and Politiwere marked accurately.” cal Sciences students James Win-

7380 TONNES CO2 REDUCTION

nington and Kathleen Whitehead, and former Vanbrugh College residents, welcomed the commitment to double glazing in particular. “My window shut fine, but I had a draft whenever the wind blew in Vanbrugh's direction”, said James. “My house mates didn’t close properly at the top for the whole year despite them trying to fix it! Sounds like a good idea”, added Kathleen.

NEW WINDOWS Progress has been made already. The University’s fair-trade status was renewed early this month, after having lapsed and, according to a City of York transport survey vehicle movements have fallen 5% in the last year.

This improvement comes despite an increase in the student population.

A spokesperson for University spoke to Vision; “Sustainability is a core element of the University Plan and we are making significant improvements this year.

This combined with measures such as the fact that our new buildings are BREEAM rated ‘very good’; our recycling strategy will increase recycling rates by a predicted 25 per cent and our sustainable transport policy which continues to deliver lower car usage shows we are serious about sustainability.”

7

NEWS IN BRIEF MENTAL HEALTH POLICY CHANGED FOLLOWING SEVERAL student consultations, the University has decided to change its Mental Health Policy.

Whilst the new document is yet to be released, the changes seek to, among other things, enhance the role departments can play in aiding those in need and potentially reform the ‘Open Door’ system (the University’s counselling service).

With the help of the University, YUSU Welfare Officer Bob Hughes has developed an “action list” on how to address the problems within the previous policy and ensure positive wellbeing across the University.

In the past students have often felt isolated from any help, with international students in particular believing they do not receive the level of support required in facing the difficulties of moving country.

Bob Hughes praised the “useful, wide and forward-thinking” feedback from students, and stressed the “need to keep focus on mental health at the forefront of everything we do.”

MICROWAVES AND BIG BREAKFASTS YUSU ARE looking into the possibility of introducing microwaves into communal campus rooms and changing the breakfast menu at The Courtyard.

The initial plan was to install the microwaves in the new Student Centre, primarily for the use of off-campus students. But it was decided at the recent Community Assembly meeting, held on the 20th May, that they would not fit in with the aesthetic of the open space.

It was consequently agreed that the microwaves will be provided in other college, University and YUSU facilities.

Second-year student Daniel Chow told Vision: "It's a good idea, it means I won't have to spend money buying lunch at Costcutter or Your:Shop every day."

It was also mooted at the assembly that YUSU's bar, The Courtyard, should start serving a cooked breakfast in the morning.

As well as the breakfast, bacon rolls are set to be added to the menu, in addition to changes to the vegetarian options currently on offer.

First-year student James Brown commented on the changes, sayings: "I'm not a fan of the veggie options at The Courtyard – we need a bit more choice. The breakfast is a good idea too, loads of people would love it after nights out."

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday 29 May, 2012

NOT SO SAFE AND SOUND? By bethany porter THE RESULTS of a YUSU Survey published last week have revealed the extent to which students in York feel unsafe on campus, particularly late at night.

The Safer Campus Survey revealed that shockingly over 55% of students are concerned about security on campus despite improvements made recently to lighting and CCTV. YUSU Welfare Officer Bob Hughes and Women’s Officer Emma Hawkens put the survey together to identify student perceptions and experiences of safety and security in and around the campus. They will be using the results to build new campaigns and lobby the University for improvements.

The Survey, which was advertised through Facebook and Twitter, had 376 respondents and unsurprisingly revealed that students feel the most unsafe in Halifax and Fairfax House, with over 30% stating that they felt somewhat or very unsafe in both areas. The Library and Market Square were considered to be the safest areas.

The principal factors that contributed to these perceptions were poor lighting, security presence and history of crime. Vision has previously reported on the crime in and around Fairfax

House, including burglaries and room invasions.

"TERRIFYING AT NIGHT" Open comments in the survey reveal the greater extent to which students are worried about security and particularly lighting, with one student even stating that “Halifax is terrifying at night!”

The survey also looked at the routes people take to and from campus. Retreat Lane, Walmgate Stray and Windmill Lane were identified as areas that needed

Photo: Vivan Jayant

immediate improvement.

Walmgate Stray connects Wentworth to Fulford and currently has no street lights on it at all. One student commented, highlighting the danger: “Many people use it and aside from the criminal risk, there is a physical risk for both walkers and cyclists using the path. I have witnessed numerous situations where people have nearly been run into.”

75% of students said that lighting was 'very important' to them feeling safe on campus.

Second year Social and Political Sciences student Anna McGivern expressed dissatisfaction with

the state of lighting on campus: “Some parts of campus are great, but they need to do more. Especially in Halifax - some parts are pitch black at night!”

STUDENTS FLASHED According to the survey, female students were significantly more likely to be worried about lighting on campus and other safety issues. Recent YouGov surveys revealed that 43% of women aged 18 to 34 suffered from harassment in public places, particularly late at night. The University

8

is no exception, with recent reports in The York Press telling of a 20-year old being flashed early in the morning on Walmgate Stray.

Second-year student Katie Coates told Vision that she felt with 24/7 library opening hours that “the University needs to wake up to the fact that lots of female students are going to be walking home late at night.

Perhaps they should start a late night bus service?"

However, despite the perception of insecurity, the crime statistics released by the University in March showed that crime has actually fallen on campus. In the period October to February crime decreased by 28% compared to last year.

YUSU Welfare Officer Bob Hughes spoke to Vision. “I think the results of the recent Safer Campus survey are incredibly valuable in looking at students’ perception of safety on campus – especially considering how they differ from the University’s crime statistics."

“The strong feeling of a lack of safety can have a large impact on students’ experience and wellbeing at University, as well as making some crimes harder to report and escape from. I will be continuing to work with the University to push for improved lighting and security provision across the University and the wider area.”

COMMENT

YORK VISION Tuesday May 29, 2012

>Comment olivia head

A

s an attempt to procrastinate productively (I do realise that this is completely oxymoronic) I have, over the last couple of weeks, been taking a keen interest in what’s going on in the news.

Obviously I realise that knowing lots about the Leveson Inquiry, the Olympic Torch Relay and Kylie Minogue’s plans to move to Cannes (OMG!) isn’t conducive to knowing anything at all about Mrs Dalloway or Endgame, but I’ve managed to convince myself that it will add to my general air of worldliness and intelligence and this will, in some way, be communicated to the examiner through the medium of my handwriting or something. Somehow, in some way, it will.

More importantly, it has meant that for once I have been able to take part in, and even stimulate, interesting debates with intelligent friends about current affairs and the world around us (which is pretty much what I imagined I’d spend three years doing at university before I got here and discovered hangovers and eating dinner alone and, oh, the fact that this is York, not Cambridge in the 1400s). Inevitably, this has increased my already dangerously high levels of procrastination. Thankfully, it has also

ALEX FINNIS

S

ummer term is in full swing. The sun’s come out, ice lolly sales are soaring and students are tackling the ultimate challenge of avoiding duck poo in their flipflops. Oh, and in case you hadn’t heard, it’s exam period too. But of course you’ve heard – even if you haven’t got any exams yourselves you will doubtless have been subject to one of the most irritating mass whinges ever to afflict this innocent little Yorkshire campus.

I’m talking about the library and, more specifically, people’s disgust and love for complaining that it has a inexcusably limited number of seats. Seats that are sometimes ignorantly filled by other people when the space was without a doubt created for you...

We’re students. This means, by nature, that the vast majority of us will have left the bulk of our year’s work to cram into this short space of pre-exam frenzy. It makes sense then that library is going to be quite busy, so I’m going to give you two options: stop complaining and deal with the problem or find a solution.

I know people who have finally risen from the cess pit that they call a bed, their lumpy, crusty-sheeted, crisp-littered hellhole, at half past 11, and then proceeded to complain to me in one of those unfortunate, hugely undesirable chance campus meetings about the fact that when they got to

9

SEMINAL SEMINARS MIXED COURSE SEMINARS WOULD PROVIDE A UNIQUE WAY TO APPROACH CERTAIN SUBJECTS

increased my productivity: look at me, writing a comment piece about it.

So the other evening in the J.B. Morrell (I wonder how many students are beginning their sentences like this at the moment), I broke the golden silence of the study room by asking the two friends I was sharing it with what they thought about the news

Wouldn’t it be wonderful, albeit a little bit weird, if we had mixed subject seminars twice a term? that a top university in Milan announced last week that it will be teaching all of its courses in English. My friend who studies Politics – let’s, for the purpose of this story, call him Karl – was not at all surprised by this. Apparently, the Milanese university I had read about was not the first to make the transition from its local language to English and there are, in fact, over 4,500 university courses taught in English in continental Europe. Karl, who was proving to know

far more about the matter than I did myself, claimed it was just another illustration of the way that the waters of globalization are rising, something he was beginning to understand increasingly well as a result of his study of Politics.

My other friend, who studies History – let’s call him Jean-Jacques – wasn’t surprised either. He said that the shift from teaching in Italian to English represented an international trend and was yet another reason to believe that English will one day become a truly global language, just as Latin was once upon a time. Jean-Jacques then pointed out the irony that English, which does seem to be emerging as a global language, was beginning to take dominance in Italy, home to the language which bears the most resemblance to Latin of all the Romance languages. Out with one world language and in with another.

By this point the vague semblance of cockiness that I had felt upon bringing up the matter was non-existent. My knowledge on the matter, as a student of English Literature, was limited to an essay I had read

by Salman Rushdie in Term One, exploring the ways in which ownership and use of a national language is hugely important for

people in allowing them to create their own national identity. Or something like that. I hadn’t considered the implications of globalisation or the spread of Westernisation, and neither had I thought about the history of the language.

Between them, Karl and Jean-Jacques had understood the news story and its importance in a way that I had not. And, if by some miracle you are still reading this because you have been able to tolerate my longwinded build up to the actual point of the story, then thank you for not giving up hope on me - I am about to put you out of your misery. As the conversation wound down and the room returned to silence I was struck with an epiphany: wouldn’t it be wonderful, albeit a little bit weird, if we had mixed-subject seminars twice a term?

I would jump at the chance, if it was presented. Give the same text to a History student, a Politics student and an English student or a Maths student, a Philosophy student and a Economics student and talk about it in classes of, say, fifteen, for a couple of hours. If my conversation with JJ and Karl was anything to go by then it would be an incredibly interesting way of understanding ideas.

QUIET PLEASE!

PEOPLE WHO COMPLAIN THAT THE LIBRARY IS ALWAYS FULL NEED TO GET UP EARLIER AND STOP MAKING EXCUSES the library they couldn’t find a seat. This is quite simply the worst breed of library complainer – if you care enough to rant at me, a mere acquaintance at best, for a good part of 10 minutes, then why don’t you prove it by getting up a few hours earlier to ensure yourself a spot. If this is important enough to you that you’re willing to sacrifice my welfare with your moaning, then you can sacrifice a small portion of your sleep. The worst thing about these people is that you

If you care enough to rant at me, a mere acquaintance at best, for a good part of 10 minutes, then why don't you prove it by getting up a few hours earlier to ensure yourself a spot? know, whilst talking to them, that they’re secretly over the moon that the library is full. They get the best of both worlds: the rant to show their pretence of care, and what they really want – to go back to bed.

Another, admittedly less annoying breed of library complainer, is that which consists

of people who do manage to scrounge themselves a seat, yet still insist on moaning about the library itself. Either it's "too hot" and it "smells", or it's "too loud" and "the colour scheme and decor isn't conducive to a good working environment..." These are all genuine complaints I have heard against the library. If it is too loud for you to work even there then you have serious problems with your concentration, and as for the colour scheme and decor, some people will go to ridiculous lengths to find an excuse not to work. I am in no way saying that am the perfect student here, far from it, but I can admit that my pitfalls are down to me and not the smell in the humanities reading room.

We are at the stage now where moaning about the library has become an activity; an alternative to revision. People complain to make themselves feel better about the fact that they are potentially going to fail their degree through laziness, and to convince themselves that at least they have tried. The truth is, of course, that you really haven’t, but despite the fact that you make me want to tear off my ears (before I realise that wouldn’t actually stop me from hearing you), I am actually going to try and help you. If you really are too set in your ways to get up before lunchtime I suggest that you do the unspeakable and work from home.

For some absurd reason many students

simply do not see this as an option, and the whole maddening fiasco begs the question: how did any students work before university, when they most likely did not have a library to work in at all? Being at York most of you will have got pretty decent grades at A-Level to be here. Now I believe, unless I and everybody else I know is totally out of the ordinary, that people revised in the comforts of their own home for the exams that got them here; yet, suddenly, this has become impossible – apparently it’s the library or nothing.

You say there are too many distractions, but then you also have the will-power of a squirrel with a nicotine addiction. If you really cannot find it within yourself to shut your door for a few hours and get some decent work done, away from the magnetic draw of Countdown and Deal or No Deal on the TV downstairs, then you quite simply have no hope.

Considering the exam period only lasts a few weeks and you have spent the majority of the previous two terms slacking off as much as possible, partying hard at night and monging out the following day, is it really too much to ask students to change their attitudes for a short space of time during the third term? To actually be students for a few weeks of the year? Doesn't sound fun I know, but at the end of the day it is why we're all here, isn't it?

THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER? EMAIL COMMENT@YORKVISION.CO.UK

10COMMENT

THE VOICE OF

YORK VISION

W

Vision Says...

e're getting hornier. York has risen 27 places to 32nd in Student Beans' latest 'sex survey', with the average number of sexual partners over the course of a degree now at 4.08.

Here at Vision we are not entirely sure what the extra .08 of a person represents. If one point is for full on intercourse then perhaps it is a handshake, or at a push, a hug. Even so, it is good to see that we are no longer hanging around near the bottom (of the table) and are rising swiftly up, simply for embarrassment's sake.

Just a theory, but perhaps this climb up the sex league is a direct product of our dramatic slide down the University league tables. You know, the real ones. Because we're no longer sitting pretty in the top 10, and therefore no longer the go-to destination for Oxbridge rejects, maybe we are now attracting a more, shall we say, 'interesting' breed of student. It looks like we might finally be shaking of our highly undesirable nickname of 'the University of Dork'.

Bangor University (who else?) topped the poll, coming out with an average of 8.31 sexual partners per student, which is considerably higher than York's statistic. We can also take pleasure in saying that Lancaster were left languishing in 66th place. If only they'd come three places lower and they would have something to brag about.

A

Thumbs up to...

ll students who took part in the recent skydive to raise money for RAG. Over £5000 has been raised so far overall, with third-year student Jennifer Hammond worthy of particular praise – the top earner by the day of the event, having raised almost £700.

Our very own YUSU President was one of the divers, taking the leap with his girlfriend. The pair has so far raised £839 for their bravery. Of all the ways to show commitment to representing your Union and raising money for charity, jumping out of an aeroplane is quite an impressive one – not a bad way to sign off the year in charge of YUSU. In case you were wondering, Ellis and co. hurled towards the earth at approximately 124mph – the fastest President in history? I think he might be. The participants must have suffered a fright the previous day when a story ran in the Daily Mail about an 80-year-old skydiver who was left hanging by a thread on his jump. Luckily this one passed without such drama.

T

Thumbs down to...

he Derwent JCRC. True, events often provide the highlights of people's University years, but that does not mean that all of a college's money should be splashed on them to the detriment of other key areas such as welfare and sport.

Derwent is known as the party college, and therefore naturally there is much pressure on them to produce with their events. The Club D brand has become a famous part of the college's tradition, but it appears that the feeling of duty to deliver is now affecting the JCRC's outlook on other areas of college life.

Thankfully for Derwent, their sports teams appear to be as proficient at securing funds of their own as they are on the field, but they should be able to rely on their college for funding rather than see it all go on events.

As for welfare, this is quite simply something that cannot be sacrificed for any reason. Looks like Derwent need to assess their priorities.

YORK VISION

Tuesday May 29, 2012

JAMES BUGG

FACING YOUR BOSS FACEBOOK HAS BECOME AN UNNECESSARY TOOL FOR NOSY EMPLOYERS

L

ately on Facebook (a sentence which sounds like a recap at the beginning of the dullest soap opera ever filmed) I’ve noticed my friend list has gotten decidedly cooler.

Brian A. Hipsworth. Tito PuentoPoptuez. Geoffrey Panther. However, whilst I quite enjoy being transported to the Buena Vista Social Club every time I visit my Facebook feed, the reality is far more mundane. People are changing their names for jobs. Not in a Prince ‘let’s get out of this darned contract’ way, but in a ‘let’s get into a contract by not allowing my future animal rights employers see pictures of me eating veal twizzlers’ way.

I have no problems with jobs. Apart from contract killer or freelance, backstreet abortionist. But on the whole jobs are pretty important and generally a ‘good’ thing. Yet I find this phenomenon of stopping bosses from finding you on a social network a wholly depressing state of affairs.

Here, it’s important for me to stress that I don’t blame the potential employees for this epidemic. If anything, I think they’re pretty sensible. After all, no one likes to be stalked, and Facebook’s a nifty little website for that, employer or not.

This may even be beneficial to me, as on more than one occasion I’ve walked across campus grinning at people, thinking I know them. But of course I don’t.

I’ve just stumbled (cough) onto their profile the previous evening.

I’m just staring at someone. Someone I’ve found to be fluent in ‘Pirate Bantz

benjamin dilks

A

(lol lol lol and a bottle of rum)’ and a fan of ‘The awkward moment Gemma from TOWIE saw Chipping on a map and didn’t try to eat it’. Inevitably, they walk past, grimacing. And the only thing of comfort to me is that I know they’ve probably been on my Facebook profile before, doing the same as me.

Instead the problem lies with employers. Why should it be acceptable for them to look through someone’s profile in order to form an opinion about them? If an employee is bad-mouthing the organization, or revealing their secrets in a non‘mischievous six-year-old girl’ way, fair enough. But when it exclusively concerns the person’s private domain this seems difficult to condone.

Why should it be acceptable for employers to look through someone’s Facebook profile?

I understand most organizations don’t want to hire a lunatic. Really, I do.

However, from my experience, most of my friends jumping on the anonymity bandwagon have very little to hide, apart from a few pictures of them being a little bit raucous and drinking some alcohol.

I’m sure this wouldn’t put employers off them, after all, it would be ridiculous to be turned down by a big city firm who spend most their free time drunk, and most of their time at work wishing they were

drinking. ‘Alcohol? Oh no, we don’t want drunks working here. Sorry sonny. Right lads, half five – let’s go get shitfaced.’

The problem is more the culture this has created. Imagine sitting in an interview and being told, ‘Right, that’s everything, thanks for coming. If you don’t mind, Richard here’s going to follow you home and make sure you don’t glance at any sex-shop windows on the walk back’.

Or, ‘Geoff from HR’s going to be round sometime between six and eight to look through your binbags’. That’s not acceptable. This really isn’t that different.

Apparently some firms, particularly in the US, have taken snooping to the next level by demanding your Facebook password. You might as well hand over the keys to your drinks cabinet, or tell them where you keep your black and white minstrel body paint (bathroom cabinet, fourth shelf down, next to the little medicine bottle with a drowsy pony on the label).

Changing your Facebook name makes no difference in the grand scheme of things. If you’re a nutcase it will eventually show through when they let you use a photocopier. When they want to find you, they will find you. I could probably find you on there in a few minutes and I’m not exactly Dog the Bounty Hunter.

If we keep playing their games, we’re only sacrificing our own liberties. They’ll only get cleverer. The hunted remain the hunted. Friends, unite! Don’t change your Facebook names. We have nothing to lose but our Robot Unicorn Attack highscores.

HERE COMES THE SUN, GOODBYE 2:1

s I write this, my half-hearted attempt at a revision timetable lies despairingly crumpled in the wastepaper bin. Why? Because despite the exhilarating prospect of spending days cooped up in my room revising 'basic verb inflections' for my fast approaching Anglo Saxon exam, the temptation of the past week's glorious weather has proved too much to resist.

I can't be the only one. Students up and down the country, studying for everything from GCSEs to their finals, are surely experiencing a similar waning of willpower as the annual novelty of 30-degree heat and blissful sunshine strikes once again during our busiest time of year.

Just as the 1st of January routinely brings with it a flurry of gym subscriptions and supermarket trollies awash with nicotine patches, each and every year we approach the exam season promising ourselves that we will study diligently in order to avoid last minute panics. We are, however, just as able to rely on the fact that even the briefest spell of clement weather has the potential to devastatingly disrupt our good intentions.

It is a sad reality that earlier this week my flatmates and I joyously sprang from our individual pits of revision despair and raced outside in order to investigate the faintest jingle of an ice-cream van.

I think we would struggle to reach such levels of excitement even if our beloved

HOW THE WEATHER IS RUINING MY DEGREE One Direction announced they were to perform live from our living room!

We are all safe in the knowledge that the moment we finish our last exam or hand in our final essay black clouds will roll in and that familiar pitter-patter of rain, synonymous with the British summer, will resume. In the meantime, it seems criminal to spend our days crammed cheek by jowl in the library, hunched over our notes, when instead we could be outside enjoying what the Daily Express is no doubt over-enthusiastically hailing as 'the greatest heat wave since records began'.

Students up and down the country are surely experiencing a similar waning of willpower as the annual novelty of 30-degree heat and blissful sunshine strikes once again during our busiest time of year.

Unfortunately though, the fact that I am almost certainly not the only one to have guiltily traded coffee stained textbooks for a cheeky gin and tonic and a deck-chair in the garden will provide little reassurance come my exam next week. I envisage turning over the paper

and having the horrendous realisation that, had I spent less time soaking up the rays, I might actually be able to answer the questions.

Perhaps we should consider challenging the outdated tradition of the 'academic year' beginning in the autumn, which is responsible for all our woes!

Why not adopt a system where studies begin in January, with a long break over the summer? Exams could take place in December, leaving everyone free to relax in time for Christmas.

Of course, despite all my complaining, this would perhaps be a bit of an overreaction to what is in truth a relatively minor problem. An easier and more appealing solution might be to embrace our love of the sun as part of our degrees! It probably says more about the History of Art department than it does about my own gullibility that I barely bat an eyelid when a friend joked with me that they would be introducing a 20 credit module in 'sun tanning'!

By now you are probably thinking that I've completely lost it. To be fair though, it might not even be such a bad idea. After all, I expect even the most ambitious amongst us aspire to spend more time throughout our lives enjoying relaxing afternoons in the sun than examining Kandinsky's use of abstraction, deconstructing Keats or indeed wrangling with mind-boggling formulae and equations.

YORK VISION

COMMENT

Tuesday May 29, 2012

11

Patrick Greenfield

IS CELEBRATING THE DIAMOND JUBILEE A WASTE OF MONEY?

MAX SUGARMAN

SAYS...

A

YES

s another month rolls around, it seems like another occasion to celebrate. This time, we will be celebrating the amazing amount of time that a certain little old lady has ruled our island, and all the things that she has done for our country...

Yet, my objections to the Jubilee celebrations on June 5th are far from the standard republican moaning. In fact, I actually quite like the Queen and the whole of the royal family. I despise as much as the next royalist the populist republican - the ones who sit around complaining how we are still under the yolk of an oppressive dictatorship, but who don't give a crap about House of Lords reform, political lobbying or any other of the more serious issues that blight our parliamentary democracy.

So when I reject the Jubilee celebrations it in no way reflects my views on the monrachy. Instead, I object on the simple grounds that I've had enough.

You see, last year as the Royal wedding approached, I, young, excitable and patriotic, did all I could to join in with the festivities. I woke up early in the morning to watch the wedding in a grotty Langwith kitchen, wearing a full suit. And as the day came to the close, and the Pimm-induced hangover closed in, I was left short on cash, nautious and exhausted.

So this year, as the celebrations begin, I will once again be forced to go through the usual sequence of events, as I feel forced to celebrate with my friends, in fear of being branded a party pooper if I as much as hint at my opposition.

My situation seems a somewhat apt metaphor for the condition of the entire country. As the economy grounds to a halt, we are being forced to take a break from the vicious economic hell and enjoy some patriotic fun.

Sure, these celebrations help us forget our woes, but the country doesn't need so many in such a sensitive period of growth. Can the country really justify having two royal occasions as well as hosting the Olympic Games? Eventually, we need to say enough is enough.

A NEW DAWN FOR FASCISM bella

Patrick greenfield

I

THE EURO CRISIS LEAVES US ALL AT RISK

n 1927, the Nazi political philosopher Carl Schmitt published The Crisis of Parliamentary Democracy, a powerful critique of the Weimar Republic’s constitution that provided the intellectual basis of the Nazi Party’s rise to power.

As the current Euro crisis rumbles on, fascism has raised its ugly head once again in the form of the Greek neo-Nazi party the Golden Dawn and a serious discussion has begun on whether democracy remains an appropriate form of government to guide Greece through this economic meltdown. After the latest set of elections, they have not been able to form an effective government and sadly, the spirit of Carl Schmitt’s message has found meaning among frustrated and humiliated Greeks.

Amid the impending financial Armageddon, some seem to have forgotten the brutal consequences of fascism in Spain and central Europe.

Indeed, the crisis of values only looks set to worsen but there is an important contrast to be made with Spain, a former fascist nation that is arguably in a much worse financial position than Greece.

With a higher percentage of unemployment and much larger public debts, Spain could soon be knocking on the IMF’s door. Yet, there is little

sign of a revival in Spanish fascism.

Why? Running battles with riot police, burnt out buildings and crippling strikes have characterised the Greek reaction against austerity whereas in Spain the considered 15-M movement has formed the basis of the public’s response. Young Greeks and Spaniards have similarly bleak futures ahead of them but one nation has resorted to anarchy whilst the other leads the call for a global revolution in capitalism, democracy and civil society.

Moreover, the 15-M group has been cited by the Occupy movement as their main inspiration due to the open and practical discourse that they encourage among all citizens about the future of global governance. The chaotic management of Greece’s economic problems is a perfect example of the governmental misconduct that the 15-M feel undermines modern democracy and drives citizens to more extreme forms of political expression.

Maybe it is the memory of General Franco’s authoritarian regime that is keeping Spain from a Grecian scale social meltdown but we should not ignore these visible early warning signs. Nazi Germany was a product of international humiliation and a global economic crisis; we do not

want to make the same mistakes.

Whilst it is widely accepted that many Greeks became reckless and greedy after the Euro induced influx of readily available credit, the international community should not punish every citizen for the actions of a few.

A solution that isolates Greece must be avoided at all costs but the current brutal austerity measures look to be doing exactly that. It is time for a rethink if we wish to stop the current trajectory that Greece is on.

After the G8 have cited the importance of employment based growth to the solution to the current difficulties this week, we must find the humanity to grant troubled nations the right to pursue similar policies for the good of Europe and make sure that revitalized fascist parties stay on the edge of the mainstream.

Such a problem is one that will likely be overlooked in the current and future talks concerning the fate of the Euro. Yet, it is an issue that deserves serious consideration.

Like it or not, we are all in the mess together and pursuing national interests will exacerbate an already volatile situation. It is for the international community and Europe to bring Greece back from this dangerous precipice.

boman-flavell

E

SAYS...

NO

xperiencing these past few days of glorious sunshine is helping me understand why Greece, Spain and Italy are in such financial difficulties. Drinking and lounging outside in the cocoon of warmth and sunshine is enough to make anyone forget their troubles: retire at 50 and live off a generous state pension while getting drunk in the sunshine every day.

Unfortunately, you can’t really do that in this country. Our government cruelly insists we work until 67 and top up our meagre state pension with our own savings. But then again, this is Britain, so an extended alcohol-fuelled retirement gives me these grim-seeming images of a lonesome whiskey-sipping while it rains outside.

However, next weekend, thanks to a God-sent combination of sunshine and the 60 year anniversary of a little old lady ruling this great kingdom, we get to pretend like we’re the Mediterranean. The Queen’s gift to us, two extra bank holidays, means that we have four whole days of barbeques, Pimms, sunbathing and enthusiastic patriotism. I, for one, can hardly wait.

Now, to ensure there are no misunderstandings, I have to admit I am a staunch republican. I believe the monarchy is an outdated and totally unjustified institution that props up the class system, which is the root of all of Britain’s social issues.

But, if we are going to let one family represent the pinnacle of British society by virtue of birth, we may as well make the best of it and enjoy a few days off when we can.

But seriously, there are some real economic and political benefits to celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. This is because Queen Elizabeth II is not just Britain’s monarch, but ruler of those many countries in the Commonwealth, all of whom will also be celebrating the Jubilee in some way. Good PR for the royals is good PR for Britain, and helps us pretend Britain is still a huge imperial power.

And at the end of the day, love or loathe the monarchy, you can’t deny that the Queen has dedicated her life to public service. After 60 years, I think we can let her have a bit of a celebration. Some things just aren’t about money.

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YORK VISION

Tuesday May 29, 2012

FEATURES

YORK VISION Tuesday May 29, 2012

>Features

13

FEAR AND LOATHING AT COACHELLA ADAM COE remembers unusual fragments of this year's Coachella, from a very English perspective...

W

PR stunt, as was predictable, Tupac's appearance would be known the world over via YouTube. To be honest, the whole thing seemed just a bit freaky.

This hip-hop séance, led by Snoop Dogg, had to be seen to be believed. Only in America could this happen. 3D bless America.

hile they may drink muscle-milk in an attempt to distinguish themselves, white Americans are most definitely some cross-breed of Anglo heritage and, for many, the desert is unfamiliar territory.

Yet these music pilgrims came to the desert, Palm Springs, California last month for the festival of the year - Coachella, 2012.

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

A THIRST FOR MUSIC As 50,000 tomato-coloured bodies wander deliriously, some questions seem apt: Why here?

Why would you take me here?

Why the desert? And where is the fucking water? Welcome to the festival in the desert - water wasn't included in the price of your ticket. Also, what are the hydrating properties of musclemilk and are short, weedy, 'aliens' (to invoke my immigrationstatus) allowed it? The search for sacred water: a definitive part of the festival you may have missed on YouTube.

The music starts at midday so I've calculated if you attempted to see all the acts on the main-stage without leaving you would, quite simply, die. It was there, in five fountains spread out across the entire festival. UK Health and Safety would have a heart attack, if they didn't succumb to heatstroke first. "This is a disgrace, I want provisions," I say to a steward. "Well if you recycle ten of your empty bottles, you receive a free 500ml from our tent," she responds. I know we're speaking the same language, but are we really?

PROHIBITION COUNTRY Thursday evening before the festival: it's time to get in. My group uses the convincing guise of 'exchange students' in the cause of our operative identities of 'international smugglers'.

"I've got forty beers under the seats, vodka in the glove compartment and a fake ID I hope I don't have to use," says Joe, expert at such matters. Moonshine, liquor, booze, call it what you will - in America, us Brits are forced into the underground to enjoy the national staple of 'warm festival pint'. Luckily our Avis rental-car cum drugs-mule makes it through security. Having momentarily debilitated the Security Warden with our "lovely accents", no further James Bond evasion tactics were required. A man next to me has his backpack searched.

Sticking out, quite plain to

Temperatures reached 39 degrees as 200,000 fans descended to the desert for the three day festival.

see, is an ounce of what most certainly is not oregano. "What's this?" asks the security guard.

My heart sinks for the guy. Oregano can be an essential festival ingredient for some, and no one wants theirs taken away. "It's a hybrid [strain of Marijuana] from Humboldt County. They call it Blueberry Headband," replies the man, who, upon second glance, could be a woman.

Was he unsolent? Was he overconfident? Well, let me put it this way: this is California, where an Austrian bodybuilder and Sci-Fi Hero got elected to 'Governate' the state, and then proceeded to decriminalise Marijuana. "Blueberry Headband?" replies the Warden, "I love that stuff, have a great weekend."

GREAT EXPECTATIONS Concerning the standard English festival: For those in possession of a decent pair of Wellington Boots, their utility at avoiding the muck, piss, squelch and vomit below is quite the privilege. We shudder at the thought of what could be down there, on that unloved part of the land which is used only for that convivial purpose each year.

At Coachella, there was none of that. The turf was pristine, and respected, and rented from (of all organisations!?) a polo club. In fact, I dared to walk around barefoot (before realising how painful stepping on that desert land could be). Personal space was revered in both the campsite and crowd (who were extremely polite). Not once did I get covered in piss, or find a

mosh-pit. Each group was assigned their own, equal, personal square for camping. None of this tent-where-you-like malarky.

Whereas aforementioned water safety may have been a bit of a burden, there were none of those mad noise level regulations we have in England. The music was loud and glorious. As for the potential health hazards, (the tinnitus, deafness, and such) let's just say it was worthwhile.

Not once did I feel the urge to actually hear the song on my iPod as opposed to the banal chatter, louder than the music, between Kelly and Frankie from Essex and their holiday in Kavos that summer (The Killers, Reading Festival, August 2009). There was a monolithic ferris wheel in the middle of the festival's vast grounds. I can't think of a music festival in England with such a fun and bewitching icon.

THE LAND OF 3D...

In the land of dreams, a man, truly back from the dead is standing before me. He is a God of hiphop and we thought he was gone - but this resurrection is a miracle before my eyes. The phantom in front of me is Tupac Shakur, and he is preaching his sermon to the very crowd I'm standing in. "WHADDUP COACHELLA?” - Yes, I am at Coachella. Yes, you're dead. As skeptical as I was at first, it's impossible to deny the presence of the holy ghost of Hip-Hop – Tupac Shakur at Coachella, 2012 – and the rippling effect it had on the world of music. Everyone was in awe for good reason. 3D had, the week

previously, transported me to the world of the Titanic via James Cameron; now 3D was showing me the way of Tupac Shakur. I came to America a sceptic. But this is the land of 3D. Tupac's disciple, St. Snoop Doggy Dogg, kept his distance due to the risk, I suppose, of walking through the hologram, making for what can only be described as a slightly awkward on-stage relationship.

Did Snoop Dogg want to throw a casual arm over Tupac's shoulder? Did Tupac actually want to be alive?

As both Snoop Dogg and Tupac gave all the passion they had (whether that be human passion or computerised passion), something slightly uneasy overrode the performance. Of course, our Lord and Saviour Tupac Shakur would have to be about two times his real-life size. Resurrection does that to you. History, having already proven the resurrection gig as a pretty good

"Bex, you're driving on the wrong side of the road!" Rebecca's from Bromley, London. She's been in the US for 8 months and yet, some habits die hard. It's 3am on Sunday morning, it's over and we've finally left the festival. If the risk of severe dehydration was not enough, she just added car-crash to the list of distinctly American hazards. English people, I think, are just not very good at adapting. In our cultural pomposity, we just assumed that water would be plentiful in the desert, just as we assumed that the left side was the right side.

HONK HONK: Right, so, another thing about America is there is an abundance of ten-ton trucks, transporting the consumerist life-blood of the nation. It seems - in Rebecca's English delirium - that we're set for a head on collision.

HONK HONK: I cannot believe it took two pairs of honking before Rebecca realised we had left the Disneyland of music and were re-entering the tangibly Real World. That thing in front of us was real. A ten-ton truck, which our driver definitely needed to become conscious of. She swerves and we miss a bullet.

She squeals something about not remembering, or driving in a foreign country being a nuisance.

We live, and the need to edify this group of exhausted Brits in a hologram for their adoring friends and family disappears, for the time being anyway.

Highlights included Swedish House Mafia and Madness.

14FEATURES

YORK VISION

Tuesday May 29, 2012

"The hunt has begun! d

MILANA KNEZEVIC reports on the sad state of gay rights in the Balk Serbian comedy The Parade is currently making the rounds on the international film festival scene. Its plot is at once simple and complicated, sweet and ridiculous: gay veterinarian Radmilo enlists the help of homophobic Serb war veteran Limun to organise and protect a gay pride parade in Belgrade, in order to stop Radmilo’s wedding planner/ theatre director/activist boyfriend from emigrating to Canada. Hilarious, uncompromising and totally politically incorrect, it was one of the most popular Balkan films of 2011. However, it was a highly unlikely hit.

It is based on Belgrade’s first ever pride parade in 2001, which was attacked by a large number of anti-gay protesters, seriously injuring several activists and

ILGA-Europe, explains this situation can in largely be traced back to widespread ignorance on LGBT issues. Worryingly, the misinformation often comes from the higher levels of society: “Homophobic hate speeches made by opinion makers are not uncommon in the region,” she says.

Recently, when a Tiranabased LGBT organization revealed plans to hold a “Festival of Diversity”, Deputy Defense Minister Ekrem Spahiu, publicly encouraged the people to physically attack the activists: “What remains to be done is to beat them up with a stick. If you don’t understand this, I can explain it: to beat them with a rubber stick,” he told daily newspaper Gazeta Shqiptare. The issue

I've heard relatives refer to homosexuality as a disease halting the march in the process.

Also featuring real footage from the bigger 2010 parade, where 6000 anti-gay protesters clashed with the police, wounding 147 officers and 20 civilians, it is very much a satirical take on the homophobia prevalent in Serbia and the region as a whole.

“It was written in 2008, before there was even a hint of the magnitude of aggression directed at the growing LGBT community that would follow the 2010 parade,” says director Srdjan Dragojevic. Indeed, the script almost eerily foreshadowed the challenges that would face a growing gay rights movement in the Balkans.

According to the European branch of ILGA (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association), discrimination, hate-motivated violence and negative stereotyping of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community is rampant in the Balkans. The Rainbow Europe Index yearly tracks the overall human rights situation of LGBT people on the continent along a number of benchmarks, including freedom of association, nondiscrimination and prevalence of hate crimes. In 2011, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, and Macedonia all received between -1 and -2 on a scale where -7 constitutes gross violations of human rights. Macedonia is the worst offender, scoring -2.

Lilit Poghosyan, Senior Programmes & Policy Officer at

wasn’t helped by sensationalist media, who presented the event as a pride parade, rather than the much less provocative celebration of diversity it was intended as. In Montenegro, in a televised debate, the Minister for Human and Minority Rights claimed there were no gay people in the country. The irony, I’m sure, is not lost on anyone.

In fact, most events with the slightest whiff of an LGBT-related theme have found it incredibly difficult to amass support, and have faced a near-constant threat. Following the violence that marred Belgrade’s 2010 pride parade in which far right anti-gay protesters threw stones and petrol bombs at the police, while chanting “The hunt has begun! Death to homosexuals!”, authorities shut down the 2011 effort, claiming they would not be able to provide adequate protection. The 2012 parade is tentatively set for October, but if last year is anything to go by, might too be subject to cancellation.

Likewise, in the first and so far only, Queer Sarajevo Festival in 2008, six people were hospitalised after being attacked in the streets. In the weeks leading up to the event, it garnered scores of negative press. The country’s Muslim media were especially vocal in their disdain, as the event took place during the holy month of Ramadan. The victim’s names were also published in three of the biggest national newspapers, which meant they continued to receive death

threats even after the event.

“Local authorities kept silent, they did not react against the violations of human rights that took place,” says Emina Bosnjak from the equality NGO Sarajevo Open Centre, adding that politicians were also heavily involved in what she labels “the homophobic campaign” prior to the festival.

While discrimination based on sexual orientation is illegal in most of the region’s countries, only Croatia’s laws on hate crimes refer to sexual orientation, and recognize it as a potential aggravating factor. The problem then becomes not only the lack of appropriate legislation to protect the LGBT community, but also that the few, weak legal protections in place are not adequately enforced.

Bosnjak further explains: “Little progress has been made in harmonising other laws with the anti-discrimination law. Until today, very few complaints about discrimination have been officially registered [with the police]; only one case so far is related to LGBT persons.”

Indeed, there have actually been a number of reports of harassment and violence against LGBT people by the police – the very institution meant to protect them. Few countries keep official records of homophobic hate crime, and even if they did, in many cases the police are not properly trained to deal with it.

“Most incidents of homophobic and transphobic violence remain unreported because of the lack of trust in law enforcement institutions,” explains Poghosyan. This lack of trust again forces large parts of the community to remain practically invisible, in the process hindering further efforts to organize. In other words, the very activism needed to stop the flow of negative stereotyping and misinformation in the future is thwarted by the precarious situation of today. It is a vicious cycle, continuously perpetuated.

With the living situation being as difficult as it is in the Balkans, there is some evidence to suggest the best and brightest of LGBT population are leaving the region in order to pursue a life relatively free from prejudice elsewhere. Dragojevic, who made this problem a major theme in The Parade, is convinced this is the case: “Young people haven’t got the time to wait forever for things to improve here, both in terms of the economic situation and with regards to human rights. I know many examples of LGBT people emigrating, many whom I met in Germany, when the film was screened at the Berlin Film Festival.”

6000 anti-gay protesters showed up for only

Bosnjak agrees, explaining the Open Centre is aware of many young, educated gays and lesbians leaving Bosnia to start, or rather continue, their lives in Western Europe, the US or Canada, “where homophobia is not a widespread virus and when it happens, it is being sanctioned by the state.” Though research in this specific field does not yet exist, ILGA’s Joel Le Deroff, who leads policy work on asylum, says there is “a lot of anecdotal evidence that people leave the Balkans for this reason,” adding that their member organizations in the EU regularly deal with asylum seekers from the EU. Niko*, fled from Bosnia to the UK with his parents at the outbreak of the Yugoslav wars.

He still lives and studies here, but has visited his home country a number of times and has a first-hand account of the level of prejudice faced by the LGBT community in the region: “I have heard relatives refer to homosexuality as a disease.” He is keen to point out that he is very proud to be able to call Bosnia his place of birth, but due to the current situation has chosen not to come out to family in the region. As for where he feels most secure in living his life, the answer is clear: “When I came out to my father, he could not stress enough how

thankful he was that I got to be who I am in a country like England and that I did not have to experience what its like to be gay in the Balkans.”

But not everyone is as lucky as Niko. The mere fact that the Balkans have legislation in place against discrimination – even if it is not enforced – means asylum applications are often rejected.

For the majority, the hope of a better future must be fulfilled in their own country.

Most incidents violence remai Poghosyan and Bosnjak both argue that this change must come from all levels of society, but remain realistically pessimistic about the current crop of political leaders and their will for progress. For examples, during this month’s Serbian General Elections, most parties completely shied away from the topic of gay rights, with only the Socialists expressing any kind of support when prompted.

When I put it to Bosnjak that

YORK VISION

FEATURES

Tuesday May 29, 2012

15

death to homosexuals!"

kans. What lies ahead for the region's young LGBT movement?

the second ever Belgrade gay pride parade in 2010.

the politicians don’t prioritise LGBT issues very highly because Balkan countries, and especially her native Bosnia, have so many challenges to focus on, she argues that is no excuse: “We don’t believe there should be a hierarchy of “issues to be solved in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. There is always something more important, but even these “important” issues are not being tackled. This represents a simple, yet powerful rhetoric tactic in keeping the sta-

of homophobic in unreported tus quo. This is the reason why we opt to demand the “impossible”; the process of developing a better society for all human beings should be parallel and multiple.”

This process is taking place, albeit slowly. Croatia recently took its first, small steps towards legalising gay marriage, with Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic publicly stating that he believes “stronger civil rights foundations” should be given

to same sex couples. Furthermore, leading LGBT advocacy group Contra, recently called for the removal of textbooks that containing material describing homosexuality “in the context of abnormality and social delinquency.” While Croatia too has its challenges, it does boast the region’s oldest and strongest gay rights movement, as well as by far the best gay rights record.

It serves as an inspiration and achievable target for its neighbouring states.

Furthermore, the fact that the EU has set improved LGBT human rights as a condition for accession may work as an incentive, as many of the countries are desperate to join the Union to improve their growth rates. However, Poghosyan stresses that for real change to occur, the political actors must fully commit to principles of human rights and nondiscrimination: “There should be a strong political will and understanding that the required reforms are for the benefit of the society and not only a ticket to the EU coach.”

Moving forward, ILGA-Europe call for further legal reforms and a serious commitment to enforcing the legislation already in place in the Balkans. Leaders have a responsibility to foster constructive public debate,

and engage actively with the LGBTI organizations by inviting them to consultations with civil society on legal and policy reforms in the countries. The organizations themselves are encouraged to continue to build alliances with other regional groups, and plan more strategic advocacy for public education on LGBT issues.

Bosnjak and the Sarajevo Open Centre are cautiously optimistic about the future.

Through their self-styled “stepby-step” approach, focusing on capacity building through workshops, social and cultural events, they hope to “sensitize an otherwise heteronormative society,” to LGBT issues. As the Bosnian movement is still relatively young, these activists are pleased to detect a small, but steady and positive change: “This is visible in the way the LGBT community members have become stronger, more outspoken and interested in their rights, and the ways in which they can contribute to LGBT activism. If there weren’t any change, we would stop working immediately!”

In line with the much-used cliché that young people are the motors of a better, more tolerant future, Bosnjak seems confident that the generational shift is working to their advantage: “Part of our optimism and our activist effort is fuelled by the fact that our organization is completely formed and run by young people,” she says. “With these people on our side, the future seems definitely brighter.”

And the enormous popularity of The Parade is nothing if not a positive sign. Dragojevic explained he didn’t want to make a film about what it is like to be gay in Serbia, which would have a very narrow target audience, and alienate large parts of the potential audience.

No, he wanted to turn the concept on its head, and make a film which was about “your average homophobe,” who hates gay people, but in fact doesn’t know anything about them and is operating on negative stereotype alone. Does he think his movie has changed anything?

“I don’t know if a film can drastically change the perception and behaviour of people. But it might affect people and help initiate processes that can give gay rights a bigger place in the social discourse. Will the film help provide safe conditions for Belgrade Pride 2012? Only time will tell. If that happens, I can confirm that art really can change the world.” *Name changed for confidentiality

1000 gay activists marched for equal rights.

Anti-protesters threw stones and petrol bombs.

147 officers were injured in the riots.

The 2011 parade was cancelled due to fears of security threats.

16 FEATURES

YORK VISION Tuesday May 29, 2012

STEROIDS FOR STUDY

SOPHIE GADD explores the increasing popularity of 'smart drugs' and Ritalin at universities

T

ea, coffee, Coke, Red Bull, or Pro Plus: these are the saviours of the late night library session and the last minute revision cram. Caffeine is the world’s favourite legal drug and a normal part of the student existence; without it 9:15 lectures would surely attract far smaller audiences.

In reasonable amounts it is proven to enhance mental activity as well as the obvious consequence of warding off sleep.

to cocaine, although the effects and comedown are far milder.

In terms of enhancing cognitive activity, Ritalin is proven to increase alertness, attentiveness and concentration. This means that it can be taken at night in order to ensure concentration levels remain high and to stave off tiredness. It is often sold on the black market by students who are legitimately prescribed it for ADHD. Despite Ritalin’s positive merits, the list of possible side ef-

Academic performance enhancing drugs: is it fair to use them?

Yet a new market has begun to emerge in some British and American universities to rival the dominance of caffeine: the market for so called 'smart drugs', or Nootropics as they are scientifically known. This is the classification given to any type of drug or supplement that has the capacity to enhance memory, brain power or concentration.

Many of these drugs also have the dual function of preventing sleep for long periods, allowing students to stay awake and study

fects include heart palpitations, paranoia and anxiety among others. The long term effects of Ritalin dependency are widely unknown, but have been known to include depression, psychosis and addiction. Although it has a useful medical value, outside of a prescription it is categorised as Class B drug in the UK because of its potential for abuse. Nonmedical possession can result in a maximum 5 year prison sentence and an unlimited fine.

Adderall is a derivative of

The long term effects of Ritalin dependency are widely unknown, but have been known to include depression, psychosis and addiction. for longer. The most commonly used 'smart drugs' are prescription ADHD and narcolepsy medications such as Ritalin, Modafinil and Adderall.

Since 'smart drugs' are being used for off label purposes (not for the problem they were prescribed for), their affects on different people vary a great deal.

Ritalin, or Methylphenidate, is commonly prescribed in the UK for the treatment of ADHD, narcolepsy, and in some cases other problems such as depression. Chemically, it is similar

amphetamine salts, also prescribed both for attention and sleep disorders, which is not distributed in the UK but widely prescribed in the US. It is used by students in the same way as Ritalin, either taking it at night to stay awake and study or during the day to aid concentration.

The effects are slightly stronger than Ritalin and can last for several hours. Whilst it is illegal in the UK, a simple Google search will reveal that it is not exceptionally difficult to get hold of.

Adderall is potentially danger-

ous to combine with alcohol since it prevents tiredness and the depressant effects of alcohol.

This may make it difficult to determine how drunk you are, leading often to alcohol poisoning.

Additionally, since it is amphetamine based it has the potential to become highly addictive; for this reason it is a Class B controlled substance in the UK. In a small number of cases taking Adderall has resulted in sudden death or stroke due to its stimulant effects on the heart.

Modafinil is perhaps the most unusual of the 'smart drugs' since its main purpose is to enable people to go without sleep for long periods of time with limited initial side effects. Both the British and American military have conducted research into its usefulness in combat, with one study showing that a pilot could continue flying for 40 hours without sleep, showing no signs of decreasing alertness. While some students claim it improves concentration, there is in fact limited scientific evidence for this; its main function is to enable long periods without sleep.

In 2004 Modafinil was prohibited in sport since it allows athletes to perform to exhaustion.

Since it isn’t amphetamine based and not considered to have the potential for widespread abuse it is not a controlled substance in the UK. Modafinil is legally available to buy online in the UK for around £2.50 per tablet under the name of ProVigil. Yet, as with other 'smart drugs', it does not come without the possibility of side effects, such as headache, nausea, nosebleed, confusion and difficulty seeing. Additionally, the consequences of no sleep for 40 hour periods can be severely detrimental to health.

The exact percentage of students who actually regularly use 'smart drugs' is somewhat unknown. Chad*, a visiting student from the University of Massachusetts, claims that 50% of students on his Biomedical Sciences course have taken 'smart drugs'. "It's just a part of college life", he says. A survey by the National Centre on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) of 119 American universities found 6.9% of students were long term users of non-prescribed stimulants, whilst the number who had taken them in before ranged from zero to 25% dependent on university.

For comparison, the number who smoke marijuana heavily (at least 20 days in every month) is around 4% whilst an estimated 8.2% of American students use illegal drugs other than marijuana at least twice a month.

Evidence of use in British universities is so far mostly anecdotal; however estimates from The

University of Cambridge suggest that 'smart drug' use is indeed increasingly popular, whilst at York, Nouse's 2009 article on Modafinil remains one of their most read online. The 'smart drug' phenomena is evidently present and is on the rise in some University campuses. The popularity of these drugs has led many academics to call for further research into their possible positive and negative effects on the healthy. A study by the International Weekly Journal of Science argued that since the numbers of 'smart drug' users were increasing, in-depth research is the only

levels from better quality food and electric light have already enabled people to work at night, giving them an advantage over those who choose not to.

Similarly, many parents already take steps to try and improve their child’s mental capabilities by playing them classical music or paying for extra tuition. It would be irrational to be against the creation of advantage and cognitive improvement, but is it unethical to attempt to enhance mental capabilities through drugs? The current policy of British universities is that students should not experi-

'Smart drugs' still have a long way to go before they reach the same levels of acceptance as coffee or Red Bull. sensible option to move towards the responsible use of cognitive enhancing drugs by the healthy.

Whilst most performance enhancing drugs are banned in sports, there is argument among medical professionals over whether taking 'smart drugs' to improve exam performance ought to be considered cheating. There are the obvious legal penalties for possession of illegal prescription drugs; however the moral consequences are less clear. This subject has been heavily debated by the British Medical Journal (BMJ); particularly focussing on Ritalin as it is the most widely abused.

The main question raised by the BMJ is how far human enhancement can be taken before it is considered ethically wrong.

Humans have evolved rapidly in the last two hundred years because of physical improvements such as better diets and healthcare, as well as inventions such as electricity. Higher energy

ment with 'smart drugs' since the issue of drug abuse is very serious and anyone who felt pressured enough to take them ought to speak to their GP or guidance service. The jury is still out amongst medical professionals.

Although stimulants have been used to stay awake and improve concentration for many years, 'smart drugs' still have a long way to go before they reach the same levels of acceptance as coffee or Red Bull. The current lack of studies on possible side effects on the healthy, as well as the illegal nature of some 'smart drugs' suggests that they are currently an unsafe option for students wanting to do better in exams. However, if thorough research is conducted, and combined with the creation of drugs that are specifically designed for improving the cognitive performance of healthy people, 'smart drugs' might be the next step in human evolution. *Names have been changed.

'Smart drugs' are increasingly popular among Oxbridge students

YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday May 29, 2012

>Lifestyle

In this issue:

17

P 17 - Jubilee chic P 18 - Campus Confessions and Morning Make-up P 19 - Summer Food and Spinning P 20 - Travel Abroad and Locally P 21 - Skype and Dressing for summer P 22 - German Beer and Dating pitfalls

Garden Party Glamour

Francesca Martin and Jordan Lloyd look forward to Jubilee weekend...

It’s Jubilee season and this bank holiday is about looking polished - with delicate florals, ‘lady-like’ lace, and chiffon in sugary pastel shades for the women and blazers, statement shoes, and clashing colours and prints for the men. By keeping clothing tailored and patterns understated next weekend you will embody elegance that her Majesty would be proud of. Nod to this trend with subtle details: metallic embellishments, broderie anglais, and coloured crystals. Here, Vision delivers six tips for the girls and guys featuring the best new-season pieces at not so regal prices.

Louis Vuitton

Tip 1:

Giambattista Valli

Layer up on lace

Erdem

Tip 3:

Dazzle in a tiara

Tip 2:

Colour block pastels from head to heels

Bluebe ll dress - embroidered p Topsho p - £65. rom

Broder ie £44.99 - dress Mango .

ar irt coll Lace sh 7.99.

1 Zara - £

er ith flow dress w £40. r te a k S e - Asos appliqu Replica Kate Middleton Cartier Halo Tiara Selfridges - £65.

Enigma KG by Kurt Geiger - £140.

Scotch & Soda

Party barely there sandals - Topshop - £78.

Nicole Farhi

Christopher Shannon

Tip 1:

Invest in a statement blazer

Tip 3: Clash colour with prints

Tip 2:

Brogues are a must teamed with that one-off timepiece

Linen D e Zara -£ tail Blazer 89.99.

Peoples Market Purple Chinos - £40.00.

M-

s - H& er shoe

Leath £39.99.

Victorinox Swiss Army Vintage WatchAmazon - £165.00.

sleeve t short o . d e lu B - £28.00 opman shirt - T

18 LIFESTYLE Resolutions, third-term woes and granny knickers...

Kealey's...

pus m a C ions s s e f on

C

Which utterly stupid person conceived that the day for making resolutions should be New Year? This is the day in which we are at our drunkest and most content.

Even the Grinch, in his gnarly, green, onion-eating misery, is happy by New Year. No one can make helpful, life changing resolutions when they’re happy - what you need is the uncomfortable, black depression of exam term.

If the Grinch were to make New Year's resolutions, he would stand in front of the mirror, smile at his hairy stomach hanging down onto his webbed feet, under the weight of a million undigested Christmas baubles, and declare: “this year, I resolve to buy a summer bikini for my trusty dog.” If however, he was suffering the misery of a third term at York he’d be struck with a moment of clarity and resolve: “I need to have all my teeth removed, come to terms with being alone for the rest of my life, and buy one of those zimmerframe chairs for the elderly to ensure a seat in the library.”

Last week, I walked from Vanbrugh to the key texts area of the library and then up Hes Road with my skirt pinned up under my rucksack and my grim granny knickers on display, wobbling around like jelly. A helpful van driver honked at me on the walk, and I was so absorbed in thinking about my essay and wondering whether if I sliced my arm and stuck it in a bucket of redbull the caffeine would get into my system faster, that I thought the man was honking ‘cause I’m so fit. Realising that the mysterious wind between my thighs was because my butt was out, and absolutely no one thought I was fit, I turned to my friend to comfort, who told me that I was “so, so stupid. How could you have been so stupid?

You’re far too unattractive to be honked at.”

I’m currently at optimum stress capacity. So much so, I’m seriously considering taping paper bags permanently to my face to counter the hyperventilation. The time is right for me to assess my life. These are the recommendations that I make to any long suffer of the exam term: 1. Always wear attractive knickers. Always.

2. Make sure you have nice, sensitive friends, and quietly strike off any horrible friends who don’t swear that Tuesdays are the library’s ‘blind students only’ days.

3. Buy a zimmer-frame/chair.

4. Grow glorious green fuzz all over your body, and go and live on an isolated mountain. It’s a happier place up there...

Pick up next edition to absorb more of Helena Kealey's insights...

YORK VISION Tuesday May 29, 2012

Frazzled to Fresh Sarah Cattle takes us from sleeping to beauty in 15 minutes Almost every girl at university is familiar with this scenario: you’ve had a heavy night out on the town, or more realistically at this stage in the year (unless you’re a fresher), a cramming session at the library into the early hours. You finally manage to drag yourself out of bed to turn off your alarm and, head pounding, wonder groggily why you’ve set it. A frantic check of the diary leads you to realise, in horror, that you have to meet your study group at 9:15. It’s 8:45. You live a fifteen minute walk away from the Courtyard. Can you be bothered to go? Yes, yes you must go. Groaning, you muster up all your might and check the state of your face in the mirror – and it’s not a pretty sight. With fear of scaring away your course mates, you somehow need to transform your current zombie-like appearance back to your normal vibrant self and, with just a quarter of an hour, time is of the essence. Here are five tried and tested steps you can follow each morning to ensure you’re looking less exhausted and more energised, in time for your ridiculously early commitment:

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1.

Right, pull yourself together and get ready to rush. After a very quick body shower to scrub off the Willow stamps up your arms (no one wants to do a presentation with a dirty, hopelessly hungover moron) run a brush through your scraggly hair and, if it's looking greasy at the roots, apply some dry shampoo, such as the fruity and retro Batiste Cherry Dry Shampoo. Massage this gently into your roots until it can't be seen, then brush through your hair again. Tie up in a loose bun if you're still having issues. This should all take five minutes, if you’re speedy.

2.

Brush your teeth and spray some deodorant, obviously.

Make sure your skin is make-up free if you haven't managed to take it off the night before (naughty). Clean and clear skin is ALWAYS better than crusty old make-up residue from the night before. Resembling a panda with smudged eyeliner and crumbling mascara is not a good look. Envigorate your skin with something zingy, like Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser.

This will remove excess make-up and clean your pores without drying out your skin. Use colder water and circular movements to get your circulation going and bring some colour back to your face, making it appear more energised and less drained.

3.

After using a radiance enhancing moisturiser such as The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser, your skin should be feeling a lot better. It also contains SPF 30 - total bonus in this current heatwave! If you feel you need some coverage, a light tinted moisturiser such as Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser (RRP £14.99) should do the trick and gently help disguise problem skin. For further awakening of your skin, use a pink facial primer afterwards, such as Benefit "That Gal" – guaranteed to make you look like you’ve walked onto campus straight out of a Nivea advert, and fast. Though pricey on a student budget, Benefit make-up products are some of the best for brightening and generally last a long time: a while investment.

4.

Your make-up needs to be simple, quick and aim to brighten your eyes, giving the impression you've had a good night's sleep. Tidy your eyebrows with a brow brush, gently pat a little concealer in a V shape underneath your eyes and in problem areas, and apply a few subtle strokes of pearl pink eyeshadow underneath your eyebrows to lift them - my favourite is Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin. Benefit Eye Bright in the corners of each eye will further combat dark shadows for a more wide-awake look. A few lashings of mascara, a little blush to your cheeks and a slick of Rose Vaseline on your lips will help bring your face back to life again, resulting in a bright, natural look.

5.

Time is beginning to run out – without risk of sounding like your mother on the school run, you really need to leave soon. Throw on a comfortable and easy outfit you know looks good - think a summer dress and sandals, or skinny jeans with a pretty top. Stuff your books, laptop and phone in a large bag. Be sure to make something easily transportable for breakfast such as toast, or at least grab a banana. Bananas are an easy, quick and healthy rush breakfast choice, giving a substantial energy boost. Alternatively, decide to be that person that eats chips at the Courtyard at 10am. Your choice. Voila!

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LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION Tuesday May 29, 2012

19

One For The Picnic Basket

Rachel Longhurst suggests a snack, a meal and a special treat for the summer months

Fruit Freezer Container/ Freezer Bags

Treat- Mug Cake

Meal - Quesadilla

Snack - Frozen Fruit

Price = From 20p to £2 or £3 depending on the fruit.

Frozen fruit is an extremely healthy snack and the best way to get your 5-aday in the summer months. Chop the larger items of fruit and pop them all into a sealed bag or container that can be placed in the freezer for at least 2 hours. When frozen, fruit is not only a cooling respite in the (hopefully) hot days nearing the end of term, but it's even more delicious - frozen banana tastes a little like ice-cream! My favourite, however, has to be grapes.

Refreshing and easy to snack upon, this barely prepared snack is the perfect addition to revision, essays and the aftermath of exam term.

3/4 Tin of Chopped Tomatoes 2 Flour Tortillas 200-300g of Cheese (any sort) Handful of Spinach Oil for Cooking 250g of Chicken (Optional)

Price = Approx £1 per two portions (without chicken).

Quick, cheap and healthy, quesadillas are an often forgotten yet filling meal.

Add the chopped tomatoes, spinach and cheese (and chicken if using) to the inside of half of a tortilla, leaving about a 2cm gap from the edge. Fold the tortilla to make a semi-circle and fry in a frying pan pre-coated in oil.

Fry the half tortilla on both sides for approx. 3 mins each until crispy. Repeat this with the spare tortilla, cut into wedges and then you're ready to eat!

Price = 4 Tablespoons Flour Less than 4 Tablespoons Sugar £1 for 2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder each cake.

1 Egg 3 Tablespoons Milk 3 Tablespoons Oil Pinch of Salt Cooking Spray/ Butter for greasing 1 Mug (preferably large) This five-minute mug cake is perfect for student cravings and quick desserts. Either use cooking spray or very lightly grease the inside of a mug (the larger it is the less messy it gets) and add in the dry ingredients. Stir in an egg and then add the milk and oil whilst stirring continuously. Pop the mug and mixture into the microwave, uncovered, for between 3-4 minutes (depending on the wattage 1000w 3 mins, 700w 4 mins). The cake is complete, although it is best to let it sit for a few minutes before removing from the mug. That's if you can wait that long.

I'm Spinning Around...

Lauren Bray introduces you to the new craze in fitness

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or those of you not ‘in-the-know', spinning (at the University gym at least) involves a room full of oddly orientated exercise bikes surrounding a ‘lead machine’. Offensively loud and fast music is played throughout the class to get your adrenaline pumping, but the speakers aren’t nearly loud enough to drown out the seemingly impossible commands of the instructor. Adding to the humiliation of the whole situation are the mirrors and windows which line every wall of the studio: look up and you see people sardonically gawking at you through the window, look to the side and you understand exactly why they’re staring. With that image in mind, here’s a brief account of my spinning hell.

By the time I had negotiated the gym’s unfathomable turnstiles a comfortingly diverse mixture of people were already warming up, and the instructor was mid way through assuring the room that "anyone can finish a spinning class, because you dictate your own level of exertion."

Having considered and wisely discarded this reassurance I searched for a free, discreetly positioned and slightly obscured bike at the back of the room. Of course as luck would have it the only available machine was directly in front of the instructor, in full view of everyone else in the gym, and miles away from the fan. Having prophetically imagined myself turn-

ing into a wheezing, immobile heap, helplessly macerating in a puddle of my own sweat by the end of the class, my failure to avoid the judgmental eyes of the spinning veterans was nothing short of traumatic.

Perhaps noticing the horror written across my face, the instructor gave me a knowing look and came over to help adjust my seat height, explaining that the BIG RED lever that was strategically positioned between my legs was to be used to stop the bike. He returned to the front of the class, and said: "maybe you should have a practice with that!" through a friendly smirk.

I wish I’d listened, because as we began our first ‘sprint’ I became instantly terrified by the bike's momentum; emitted a shamelessly girly scream and gracelessly removed my feet from the still spinning pedals. This is certainly NOT an acceptable method of stopping and will earn you (as it did me) a few condescending glares.

As the class progressed I naïvely allowed myself to internally utter: "This isn’t so bad..." until I realized that my inability to discern left from right meant that, 10 minutes into the class, I had failed to add any resistance to the bike. This error corrected, all my assertions that I could breeze through

the class crumbled. As the music got faster and the instructor began to motivationally command everyone to speed up, get out of our seats and change handle bar positions, I quickly discovered that spinning doesn’t just work your legs, but your core, your arms and just about every other muscle group in your body - we even had to do press-ups on the handle bars!

Personal ineptitudes aside, the seats of these torturous contraptions certainly aren’t built for comfort. In fact standing out of the saddle to "work those thighs" quickly becomes a relieving respite. Indeed a hushed and politely euphemistic conversation with a fellow female class member, in the library of all places, assured me that the problem wasn’t because of my height (I’m only 5ft tall so the bike wasn’t exactly a perfect fit) but the awkward ‘design of the saddle.

Mental and physical trauma considered, I left the class (Bridget Jones style) with a surprisingly content sense of achievement; confident that spinning is certainly an effective way to keep fit. Who knows, maybe after a few classes I’ll be able to walk out of the gym door without the gait of a penguin and absent of the need to throw-up!

20 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday May 29, 2012

Summer in Kenya?

Emily Hogan convinces you to take a walk on the wild side I don’t know about you but the last place I want to be right now is the library. If I hear the words ‘exam’ and ‘revision’ one more time I am not responsible for my critical anthology ‘slipping’ out of my hands. Summer is almost here, and for me the thought of escaping this duckridden revision-hole to a sunnier climate is what is getting me through these next few weeks.

perfect place for spotting the ‘Big Five’.

Opting for overnight safaris, you will stay in luxury tents within the park's boundaries and be able to fall asleep to the sounds of bull frogs and other wildlife singing at

correctly, you can help rangers with the feeding an array of animals.

If you did want to make your trip that little bit more memorable and give a little

Now, when you think about where you want to go this summer why not try somewhere completely different? Visit somewhere that has some of the most beautiful beaches in the whole world, fabulous markets, lovely people and beer that costs less than seventy-pence? Think of Kenya.

Kenya’s golden coastline is inundated with amazing hotels if you’re wondering where to stay. My time in Kenya was spent popping between Mombasa and its local villages down to the beautiful town of Kilifi. The White Sands Hotel and Bamburi beach in the outskirts of Mombasa are particularly fabulous, with excellent facilities and gorgeous views of the Indian Ocean. If you’re planning on staying nearer Mombasa, Nyali beach is worth a visit.

If you’re up for a bit more adventure whilst in Kenya you should make sure you get on safari. Tsavo National Park is viewed as a park of excellence and is the

phanages in the area. Split into five houses, the orphanage caterers for orphaned and abandoned children aged from birth to 18. Each house has a house mother and an auntie and up to 10 children per house, creating a stable family unit in a safe and loving environment.

The children love visitors and seeing new faces as they enjoy having new people to push them on the swings, play new games with or take on at football. And for you broody bunch, there’s the smallest babies who often need feeding and playing with and are so cute that you will be tempted to take them home with you.

If the Orphanage leaves you feeling like you want to do more in the community, every Sunday, just outside of Mtwapa, the Coca-Cola plant holds a feeding station run by a local Indian family that feeds up to 1,500 starving children, many of whom will have walked hours that day to be fed.

This is not necessarily easy for those upset by scenes of poverty but it is truly an amazing experience.

your window. If you’re not too keen on a full on safari session, there’s always Haller Park, Mombasa’s largest animal sanctuary. The park boasts a variety of mammals, reptiles and insects and beautiful botanical gardens and, if it is timed

something back there are a vast amount of places you could visit and I would recommend a day trip to The Good Life Orphanage in Mtwapa, about half an hour outside of Mombasa. This family-run orphanage is perhaps one of the best-run or-

So now you’ve read this, you have two choices; either you can go back to revision or whatever work you are expertly procrastinating to avoid, or you can decide that you want to get away this summer. If it's the second option, I promise you that a flight into the southern hemisphere and some time spent in Kenya will not disappoint.

Procrastination Destinations A

s the exam season draws to an end, the panic of exams/essays/assessments is suddenly replaced with purposeless and unstructured days and a promisingly blank academic timetable for the last three weeks of term. Without lectures and seminars to organise my day around, I find that this part of the year merges into one big blur. So, if like me, you find that you would quite like to do something with your free (non-hungover) days, then why not try exploring the city and local area. York has so many attractions and events to offer, not all of them very well known; here are some of my top suggestions:

Yemi Nathan explores some end of term day trips to a stately 18th century manor set within 1,000 acres of beautiful landscape, this location provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy a relaxing day after the stress of exams. As well as the calming woodland and lakeside walks, the house itself is open to visitors. If you happen to visit on Sunday 24th June then you can also attend the annual White Rose Polo Cup where polo demonstrations and a parade of ponies will be a part of the main attraction.

for a panoramic view of the local area.

If that doesn’t convince you then there is also an amusement park, as well as a variety of arcades, casinos and market stalls.

For lunch, I would recommend Mother Hubbard’s fish and chip restaurant whose food more than rivals Hull Road's Harpers.

YORKBOAT – RED BOATS

SCARBOROUGH

CASTLE HOWARD

If you fancy a laid-back picnic in an idyllic environment then I would recommend a trip up to the Castle Howard grounds, 15 miles North-East of the city centre. Home

YORK RACES (14th-15th June)

Though slightly further afield, a day trip to Scarborough is definitely worth the effort. At only £4.60 each way (booked in advance), for 50 minutes of travel time on the train, a visit to this seaside town is a bargain. Offering more than just a beach, you can explore the gorgeous scenery with scenic uphill walks, leading to the castle,

If you don’t feel like travelling far and would prefer a nice day out closer to home, then perhaps you could consider renting your own self-drive motorboat for an hour or two. Regardless of the weather, these boats are available for hire every day from the Kings Staith landing and provide the perfect opportunity to explore the city sights from a new perspective. Each boat seats up to 8 people and costs just £25-35 per hour (plus a refundable £20 security bond) so this is a really inexpensive way to leisurely kill some time during the day.

The York Summer Races draw thousands of visitors to enjoy a laid-back day, and provides students with the rare opportunity to don their most elegant clothing and accessories. Though the main attraction is tempting in itself, this event supports a worthwhile cause; by simply attending the day, racegoers help raise money for cancer related charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support. For just £7 you can gain access to the Course Enclosure (the informal area) which offers a view of the finish line. Though the grander areas provide more comfort and luxury, this section of the racecourse puts you in the midst of the action, and is the only place at the racecourse where you are allowed to bring your own food and drinks into the grounds (making for a cheap and very enjoyable day out).

21 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday May 29, 2012

Getting Kinky on Camera Carrie Underwood and Maddi Howell spill the secrets of online sex...

T

hough some would only admit to doing it in the strictest rounds of 'never have I ever', Skype sex and footage of your most intimate moments is seen by many students as a standard component of a healthy sex life.

Adam Thies, a third year Erasmus student, explains: “Across continents, Skype can be great. Clothes definitely tend to come off."

The absolute accessibility to free video calling afforded by Skype and webcam facilities means couples are easily tempted to rely on visual gratification as an alternative to the good old anonymity of phone sex and fantasy.

It is easy to forget that we cannot help but lose control of images and recordings as they are released online as easily transferable, storable data that quite forseeably could come back to haunt the Law graduate applying for prestigious internships or the Politics graduate running for office!

A leaked image could prove a damaging invasion of privacy which could

put you off stripping down for a loved one for life.

Skype sex is not for the camera-shy and we often see the dangers in newspapers and in celebrity magazines. A recent article from Reuters revealed a scandal that erupted from India last month as a spokesman of India’s ruling Congress party was forced to resign following allegations that he featured in a sex tape “distributed on YouTube and other websites”. Though this has been disputed and ‘strongly denied’, even the reputations and careers of our public figures can clearly be tarnished by the decision to record their explicit moments – the damage even the most notorious of our own BNOCs might face is inconceivable.

Yet for those who can handle the infamy, such a scandal can be used to advantage. A seedy sex tape can catapult your average Z-lister into the stratosphere of celebrity. Kim Kardashian, now a household name, was a mere assistant to the stars before her private video was released in 2007. Not only did the settlement earn her a cool $5 million, her subsequent manipulation

of her new found fame landed her a reality TV show, countless sponsorship deals and modelling contracts, and has allowed her to accrue an estimated net worth of $35 million in just five years.

However, when Tulisa Contostavlos was exposed by a vengeful ex-boyfriend in a (debatably) unflattering video, her prospects appeared bleak.

Her newly founded career as X Factor judge and solo singer threatened and her credibility called into question by the media, she was forced to release an explanatory video on YouTube in which she defended her decision to record what she described as an “intimate moment”. It was not until Simon Cowell sprung to her defence declaring: “What she was doing was not illegal. You’re allowed to do this stuff in your bedroom, but you don’t want the tape to come out” that the abuse was tempered. Though Tulisa has since been named hottest woman of the year

by FHM, if you see yourself as a future TV personality, you might want to rethink that kinky online diversion from exam revision or convenient attempt to avoid the walk of shame across campus.

How To: Safe Skype Sex Protecting yourself when having sex is always important, even when there is no physical contact involved! Be aware. Skype sex is never 100% safe from unwanted dissemination.

1. Trust is vital when you bare all online.

2. Skype sex is significantly safer within a committed relationship or arrangement.

3. Know that you lose control of anything you release online instantaneously.

4. Don’t be pressured into anything you feel uncomfortable with and don’t be afraid to start small; a saucy text might be all it takes.

We urge all you girlfriends, boyfriends and friends-with-benefits out there to carefully consider whether you can really trust anyone...

Don’t forget to charge your laptop!

Summer Luvin'

Frances Jennings gets you dressed for the season Male Swimwear

Male Shoes

Jewellery

Fluorescent, checked and floral are all set to impress in the menswear department, but avoid the dreaded Speedo and leave the Bond film impressions to the girls; you WON’T look like James Bond, you’ll just embarrass yourself.

The more fashionable males amongst you might want to experiment with a low-top Chelsea boot; however the rest of you will be pleased to note that – as long as you keep it simple – Vilebrequin, anything goes this £100 summer. Stick to one colour, and a good fabric – no neon plastic sandals or printed Nike high-tops please – and you’ll be fine.

Winning choices would be a pair of leather Abercrombie flip-flops (£50), TOMS (£30-40), white Converse (£40-50) or a pair of navy-blue deck shoes.

The very essence of summer-cool is the number of leather or fabric bands around your wrist; whether male or female, it’s a must-have. If you don’t have time to nip to Cannes, then head to Hush near Fenwick and immerse yourself in their range.

Original Penguin, £41

Female Swimwear If you’re a fancy kinda girl then this is your chance because swimwear isn’t simple chic this season, it’s bright, it’s frilly, it’s patterned, it’s floral... it’s fifties. There had to be a catch, didn’t there? Miu Miu's Bond-girl style onepiece is gorgeous but I prefer Seafolly’s kitsch styles; they’re less daring, a little cheaper, and you can find them in summer promotions at ASOS. Add a large hat and Halle Berry’s got nothing on you.

Handbags Everyone – and by 'everyone' I mean the nice people at NetA-Porter – are going crazy for ‘raffia’ this summer. Wicker clutches are popping up everywhere with prices ranging from £10 (New Look) to £169 at upper-High Street brand Reiss, although you can still indulge yourself just below triple-figures at Paul Smith or Ted Baker. I love the Paul Smith number because of the cute “pouch” style – these bags are inspired by French brand Celine and the shape makes them useful as a makeup bag or small document carrier as well as for nights out. If you’re more of a leather type then head to Whistles for their pouch bag at the super-reasonable price of £35.

Dresses Dresses this season – whether simple, printed, plain – are all about the understated detail. Throw away your harsh patterns and the aztec styles of spring; it’s time to get girly. Hop on down to H&M for their Oasis, £50 super-flattering dairy print jersey dress.

D&G Silk, it may not be, but at less than a twentieth of the price can you really complain? Zara and Oasis have some beautiful floral – and fish, oddly enough – prints. A similar style to Vivienne Westwood's take on the iconic Panier dress can be found in a well-chosen white or blue cotton shirt-dress.

C h e c k out Oasis or Topshop for crocheted and colourful styles.

Female Shoes

Male Shorts

Put your heels down and dig your wedges out. UGG, a brand traditionally associated with sheepskin boots, have a summer collection that is to die for, available on ASOS for about £130, (minus student discount).

Designer Aussies 'Senso' and trainer brand ‘ASH’ also have wonderful wedges, but don’t forget to check out our old shoe friends Office for colourful and patterned daytime staples.

Short shorts are back in men’s fashion.

You can take this one of two ways; embrace the trend with dignity and purchase a pair of Diesel’s lovely chino shorts for £85, or steal your girlfriend’s best denim shorts and start incorporating phrases like “reem” and “shad ap” into your vocabulary, TOWIE-style.

Senso Saba, £145

22 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION Tuesday May 29, 2012

Munich's Big Six

Oliver Todd takes us on a tour of the Munich beer gardens

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final beers of the ‘Big Six’, which I sadly missed the chance to taste. HackerPschorr is part of the Paulaner brand but maintains a level of independence. It is described as being similar to its sister beer, but with vivid taste composed mostly of nuts, malts, caramel and a hint of toffee.

unich has always been one of my favourite cities. Giant Bavarian pretzels, Bratwürst sausages and of course, the city’s fantastic traditional German beer. What's not to love?

Last weekend was my second visit to the Bavarian capital in recent years; the first was for its famous Oktoberfest and the second, just two weekends ago, was for the Champions League Final. Both presented obvious opportunities for sampling Munich’s finest beers from their 'Big Six' breweries in the city’s famous beer gardens.

Spaten is the final of the six and the least well-known. In fact, many Munich residents are unaware of its existence, despite it being the brewer of the first Oktoberfest beer. Similar to Hacker-Pschorr, Spaten is now owned by Löwenbräu, but also maintains a level of independence in terms of brewing. The descriptions of it match it as a richer and bitterer tasting version of Löwenbräu.

From the world-famous fine bitter lager Hofbräu, to the less-well known but equally enjoyable sweet lager, Paulaner pale, Munich offers a range of beers to suit any palate:

Hofbräu Hofbräu is the beer that made Munich’s Hofbräuhaus famous. Fine, but with a bitter taste that is unusual for a lager, drinking Hofbräu in the grounds of the brewers famous ‘Haus’ is an enjoyable experience, and probably the closest you can get to experiencing Oktoberfest, if its autumn dates don’t suit your travelling plans.

Paulaner Regarded by many to be Munich’s second best beer, Paulaner is cloudy to the eye, fruity and creamy in taste, and with what

some have described as an ‘elastoplast aroma’. It wasn’t something that quite appealed to me but is likely suit those who prefer British beer to their lager.

Augustinerbräu Augustinerbräu is renowned for brewing, in the opinion of the locals, Munich’s best beer, and who am I to argue? With 5.6% alcohol by volume, this fine beer has a light, clean, hops-filled taste dissimilar to the other beers I tried. This beverage is great for summer afternoons in beer gardens all over the globe, or, of course, in a tent at Oktoberfest, although I’m sure it’d be equally fine on draught at the Courtyard...

Löwenbräu Arguably the most famous Munich beer in terms of world-wide exports, Löwenbräu was a natural choice following a student budget accommodating 18-hour coach journey across Europe, consisting of sipping warm cans of Fosters. Golden, grainy and refreshing, it does everything that an advert for the Australian ‘Amber Nectar’ would claim to do, complemented by a sweet, malty aftertaste.

Hacker-Pschorr Spaten

and

Hacker-Pschorr and Spaten are the two

Munich therefore offers an ultimate paradise for any beer drinker. As the image to the right shows: how can you argue with a litre of strong, German beer accompanied by a giant salted pretzel and German sausage?

This year’s Oktoberfest runs from 22nd September - 7th October, with the huge festival being attended by around 6.4 million people each year. Each festival, over 7 million litres of beer is sold, including all six of those listed here. For something a bit different to your standard student holiday, I would highly recommend it.

Just remember to pack some spending money as steins (1 litre glasses) of beer at the festival this year will set you back around £8.

Crushed and Conquered I

n the game of love, all parties ultimately seek a sustainable and longlasting peace. Yet, despite this mutual ambition, there are horror stories a-hundred spilling out of the dating battlefield, and it is undeniable that there is something of a gulf between expectation and reality. Specifically, there is something of a distance between the deliciously handsome, charming gentlemen we hold in high esteem, our 'crushes', and the average looking, considerably ordinary boys we wake up next to the morning after the night before. The 'conquered'.

So, what accounts for this discrepancy?

What separates the crushed from the conquered? Ultimately, the answer lies in the fundamentals of attack strategy.

The LBD and the V.K. are the W.M.D. of the dating world. These weapons of choice are guaranteed to create an instant and dramatic impact. Unfortunately, much like their military counterpart, the LBD-VK duo may deliver somewhat indiscriminate results. Aside from the inevitable uninvited bum grope and titpervert situation, the LBD and VK have a history of lowering standards. Precisely how this occurs remains unknown. However, once the LBD-VK duo has been employed, there is a strong likelihood that conquest stats may rise. Meanwhile, crushes, often put off by slurring and erratic behaviour, typically remain

An analysis of the dating gulf absent

throughout

LBD-VK

episodes.

The second tactic known for alienating a crush, and producing many an accidental conquest, is the classic lighter-borrow or cigarette steal. When combined with the lash bat, extra lip-gloss and a sprinkle of charisma, this weapon is an easy way to disarm the enemy, ignite conversation and claim victory in the early hours.

Tragically, however, as the familiar follow up to the LBD-VK duo, this weapon falls prey to the same weaknesses. Both your knickers and your standards are likely to be found somewhere around your ankles by the end of the evening.

So, if the LBD-VK duo and the classic lighter-borrow are both prone to high rates of collateral damage, how exactly does one snare that elusive, much crushed upon chap? Well, I’d be lying if I claimed there was a magic answer to this question; female history is blighted by a preoccupation with pursuing an apt response. However, there are certainly guidelines, and more importantly, there are a few clearly black listed weapons.

The drunken message, in all formats, is 100% black listed. Be it a text, tweet, Facebook message, smoke signal, or handwritten letter. It is empirically proven that nothing but embarrassment can come from instigating drunken communication.

Tempted by the appealing immediacy of a casual message and the apparent simplicity of the send button, hundreds of good women have fallen to this sword (myself included!). Invariably, this weapon produces unintended embarrassing consequences. Victims will find themselves plagued by the sort of morning after panic that makes you want to smother yourself with your own duvet, because, yes, death WOULD be preferable. This initial horror is likely to haunt victims - manifesting itself as shrieks, squeals and wails of the words “cringe”, “FML” and “kill me now” throughout the day.

The second black listed weapon is 'the chat'. Seemingly innocuous, 'the chat' involves slyly and subtly mentioning your undying love for your crush to one of his close friends, typically while intoxicated. Much like the drunken message, 'the chat' had a fluffy and enticing exterior. However, results are rarely as anticipated. 'The chat' bares hallmarks of horror identical to those associated with the drunken message.

ture the crushed. An army of eye-wateringly funny stories and an alluring laugh are guaranteed to begin bridging the gulf.

Meanwhile, in the period of overlap, as you begin to instigate retreat from the old tactics of LBD-VK, lighter-borrow, and the drunk message, aim to be prepared for accidental conquests: bring flat shoes, don’t go braless, and always have cash for a taxi.

Finally, try and remember that in the morning, you will be sober and that eventually, you will have to leave the battlefield, bringing all your war wounds with you…

So, with the female arsenal significantly refined, what weapons remain for the game of love? This is when the guidelines come into play.

Instigating peace talks is the way to go.

Good chat is the only sure fire way to cap-

The

Girl

I

Wish

I

Wasn't

...

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday May 29, 2012

>Sport

23

COLLEGE HOCKEY

THE SUN SETS ON DERWENT'S UNBEATEN RECORD HALIFAX 1sts secured a crucial victory over Derwent 1sts to move clear at the top of group one, whilst there were also commanding wins for Alcuin 1sts and James 2nds.

It was a day where records would come to an end; where the unbeaten would fall.

The captains of Derwent and Halifax both offered a silent prayer that it would be their side preserving their winning run.

The crowd was treated to an evanescent half of hockey, as both sides displayed their credentials. A brace from Alex Francis provided Halifax with first blood, but revenge was swiftly extracted as Mathew Leech slotted home. Phil Hammick offered the brawn to Leechs' grace, moments later supplying a goal of crude effectiveness. In seconds Derwent were in the lead, Leech once more evading tackles to make the score 3-2, at half-time.

What followed was a massacre. A flagging Derwent seemed a shadow of their former selves and first half performance; Halifax completed an 8-3 rout with Francis completing his hat trick, Craig Dickinson and Chloe Quilliam both scoring two apiece and Cat Johnson finishing off an intricate move to end any hopes of a Derwent fight back. For Derwent the sun has set on their unbeaten run, but for Halifax it continues to burn as brightly as ever.

In the boiling conditions, James 2nds got back to winning ways against Goodricke 1sts. James started brightly and quickly went ahead, with the forwards linking well, and despite a single Goodricke goal, James led 3-1 at half time.

James continued to dominate after the break, and fantastic defensive work by

Becky Hall ensured Goodricke were limited to only two further breakaway goals, while Robin White orchestrated the James attacks, resulting in an emphatic 7-3 win.

Ashley Emmett scored five goals as Alcuin 1sts turned in a dominant performance against Langwith 2nds. Alex Wilson opened the scoring for Alcuin, and they extended their lead to three by the break.

Alcuin increased the pressure, constantly peppering the Langwith goal, to end the match as a contest. Langwith almost pulled one back when Craig Burnell somehow missed from a yard out. Alcuin reached double figures before Jed Warwick-Mooney scored two consolation goals to reduce the arrears. Alcuin, however, were too good and victory was never in doubt as the final score read 11-2.

Halifax now remain the only unbeaten side, but Alcuin and Derwent sit close behind on two wins a piece. In other news, after the controversy of week one, the Alcuin-Derwent game has resulted in Alcuin being forced to forfeit, handing Derwent a 1-0 victory.

Reporting by: Fred Isaac, Chris Butterworth and Prakhar Chandra

Photo: Adam Green

A FLOOD OF GOALS IN GROUP TWO

IT WAS goals galore once more on Saturday afternoon at the JLD, as Halifax 2nds and James 1sts recorded comfortable victories, whilst Vanbrugh 1sts defeated Langwith 1sts 6-3 in the key group two encounter.

Langwith seized the first goal early on as their captain Doug Jayatilaka slotted the first goal of his eventual hat trick into the back of the net. Vanbrugh, however, squeezed out the early lead with two goals from Charlie Potter, who was making his college hockey debut, leaving the score 2-1 at half time.

The second half featured a plenitude of goals. Chris Baldrey and birthday girl Hannah Harrison both proved instrumental in setting up their Vanbrugh teammates. Langwith's centre midfielders were equally prolific, as great team work led to Jess Paisely making a lovely one touch sweep into the net at the far post.

Langwith won territory in the opposition's D, but Mylo Scurr stopped many attacks whilst providing some beautiful through balls. One such ball penetrated the opposition's D for Charlie Potter to casually nudge the ball home. Both teams displayed seemingly endless energy in light of the fierce sun, and kept their composure to put on a brilliant spectacle.

Meanwhile in a ruthless display of benign control, James 1sts showed no mercy to Goodricke 2nds, consigning the team in green to an 8-3 demolition. Ben Crawley drew personal consolation from his third college cup hat trick as he continued to justify his role as the sharp point of Goodricke's hockey rapier. Nevertheless even his exploits could not nullify the qual-

ity of James who, through goals from Declan Hall, Gareth Purvis, Rohit Rana and the indomitable Oliver Mcgraw, were able to pick up the points and record their third win, in what was a good natured game of hockey.

In the third game, Halifax 2nds made it consecutive victories with a thumping win over Derwent 2nds. By the end, most of the crowd had lost count of the score, which eventually finished 15-4 as the goals rattled in. Danny Williams and Graeme Osborn particularly shone, bagging five a piece, whilst Isaac Barker scored a brace.

Derwent gave it their all though, and their spirit was commendable as they battled until the end, with a double from Callum Douglas being the highlight. Halifax though were ultimately too good for their opposition, with the final score beginning to resemble that from cricket.

James and Vanbrugh sit at the summit, with perfect records, but Halifax's form has been improving after their opening defeat to James, and they are snapping at the leaders' heels.

Reporting by: Sally Dolton, Fred Isaac and Dave Washington

Photo: Adam Green

STAR OF CAMPUS: LOUISE HIGHTON

YORK'S STAR FENCER TALKS TO JACK BRADSHAW ABOUT HER CAREER, THE BUCS SEASON AND HER MOST FORMIDABLE OPPONENT When did you start fencing?

What is the highlight of your career?

us for most of the season.

I started when I was 12-years-old at Pendle where I did pentathlon. I entered a competition in Blackpool for fencing after about three months, but I was awful! After that, I remember winning lots of competitions and really enjoying it. Then I won the under-14 nationals a year after, out of about 30 competitors. I loved it from then on.

I came second at the senior nationals at Wolverhampton when I was 16, it was amazing to get a medal there; I was completely shocked. It was the turning point in my senior career, and after that I had an amazing season, won another senior open competition in London and got medals in a few others. At 16, I ended the season as senior number one and also U17 British number one.

Who is the best fencer you have ever faced?

When did you join the GB junior team?

I first competed for Great Britain in the U17 events, so I would have been 14 or 15. There were two in Germany to start off with, so I did those for a couple of years. Then I took part in the European U17 Championships, and when I was 16, I was high enough in the U20 rankings to enter U20 European and World Championships.

Where are the most exciting places you have travelled?

The World Championships in South Korea were great. It was good training out there and competing. I have also been to Poland, Germany, France and Italy. But I’ve not seen much apart from the airport and hotel! So I’ve travelled the world but haven’t seen very much!

At 16, I ended the season as senior number one and also U17 British number one.

How have you found competing for York in BUCS? I was captain this year and last year; in my first year we were in BUCS Division 1 and we won that easily and got promoted into the Premier League. But we finished bottom and had a play-off to avoid relegation which we won. I’m happy with how we did this year: we finished fourth in the end and it was very close between Birmingham and

Probably a girl called Corinna Lawrence. I fenced her in the final of the U14 nationals, when she was 11 and I was 13. She got all the way to the final that year. I also fenced her at the U14, U16 and U18 nationals. Now she’s definitely going be part of Team GB at the Olympics.

Which of the three weapons – foil, sabre or épée – is your favourite and why?

My favourite weapon when I came to university was épée because I only did épée fencing at pentathlon. But I enjoy foil quite a lot now, although I don’t fully understand the rules! I have done BUCS individual foil and épée this year and for the past few years as well. But I hate sabre – I don’t get it, it’s stupid!

Any ambitions for the future?

I honestly don’t know. There’s not much fencing in York and with the final year of my PhD it’s getting a bit stressful. But I’m currently ranked 27th in the UK, so I would like to get back into the top 20.

LOUISE HIGHTON

24 SPORT

YORK VISION

Tuesday May 29, 2012

THE

TIPSTER

WILL HAPPILY ACCEPT BRIBES FOR EMPTY LIBARY SEATS

sure thing thing sure THE TOP WICKET-TAKER IN THE CURRENT TEST SERIES TO BE ENGLISH With England 1-0 up in the first of the summer test series against the West Indies, the nature of the games so far has meant that top run-scorer could be from either side, with the exploits of Chanderpaul, Samuels or Strauss.

However, one would expect the top wicket-taker to be English, judging if nothing else by Stuart Broad's fantastic 11-wicket haul in the first test at Lords. The spin of Graeme Swann, the ever-consistent Jimmy Anderson and the fiery Tim Bresnan have all also picked up wickets so far, and only Kemar Roach from the touring party has threatened the statistics. Top wickettaker is normally a fair indicator of the way the test series is shaping - The Windies have impressed with the bat yet have not penetrated enough with the ball, while England's bowlers, on their home surfaces, have found the edges on numerous occasions.

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

9/4

long shot

ROGER FEDERER TO WIN THE FRENCH OPEN

The man who many feel to be the greatest tennis player of all time has had a lean couple of years. His last major win was the Australian Open in 2010 yet that victory was his 16th in the space of eight short years, a truly remarkable feat for a man just the wrong side of 30. He is third seed behind Rafa Nadal, going for his record 7th French Open, and Novak Djokovic, who cannot stop winning and will be vying to become the first man in 43 years to win four grand-slams in a row. However, Federer is setting his sights on re-claiming world number one (last held in May 2010). He has won four titles this year so far, despite taking some time out from the game, including winning impressively at the Madrid Open earlier this month.

It will be a hard ask to oust his two adversaries, but if anyone is defy all the odds, it's Fed.

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

10/1

ABSOLUTE MADNESS JACK BUTLAND TO KEEP A CLEAN SHEET IN THE EURO 2012 FINAL

Picture the scene: Joe Hart gets injured after the opening game. Rob Green fills in, but ignominiously repeats his feat that he managed against the USA at the 2010 World Cup, making him public enemy number one. This gives Roy Hodgson no choice but to call upon a 19-year old kid, called up to replace the injured John Ruddy, who has played all of his career league games in League 2, for Cheltenham Town. He is incredibly highly rated by those who have watched him, having kept 11 clean sheets in 24 games... against the likes of Macclesfield, Burton Albion and Dagenham and Redbridge.

You get my drift here. Yet he's thrown in for the final group game against Ukraine, saving 2 penalties and keeping a clean sheet as we advance through the quarters and the semis with Butland producing match-winning saves.

Then, in the final against Spain, he summons all his courage mustered from playing in front of 3,000 people every week to help bring the trophy home. It's fun to dream.

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

300/1

AND OUR SURVEY SAYS...

DAVE WASHINGTON INVESTIGATES THE BIGGEST SPORTING ISSUES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF YORK A SURVEY of students at the University of York demonstrated that in the areas of advertisement and pricings, sport at York currently lets itself down.

However, not everything is doom and gloom, and there are a number of positives to take from the survey results. Of course, a survey of 69 individuals is not fully reflective of a community consisting of over 10,000 members, but from the results clear patterns developed, which correlated with official YUSU surveys. A range of students were asked, from different backgrounds, years, and subjects, providing a relatively accurate picture of feelings regarding sport at York.

Participation levels advocated that 55% of students are members of a university backed sports society, but only 13% belong to more than one.

These figures are slightly higher than YUSU figures, which suggest that 40% of students are members of a sports society.

I n deed being a member of sports societies takes up numerous hours, and can be a big commitment with training sessions, matches and socials cutting into a busy schedule; however, other factors must also play a role in creating these figures. College sport is much less time consuming, yet only 29% said that they regularly competed in college sport, whilst 51% stated that they had never represented their college in sport. A YUSU survey of college sport participation, found that out of 500 students, 46% were involved at some time.

This is fairly similar to Vision's results. Despite the seemingly low figures, this in fact ranks in the top five of British universities.

However the participation rate could be further increased, helping to remove problems such as Langwith's absence of a college rugby side.

One of the key factors is the poor advertisement, leaving people unaware of the vast array of societies on offer. Only 17% believe that sport at the university is well advertised, an alarmingly low number.

Freshers' Fair provides solid advertisement, but after that any real advertising campaigns die out and new members can be difficult to attract. The general consensus tends to be that the Refreshers Fair in term two is a let down, and many assert that it is hard to enter a sports society midway through a year, as this can seem a daunting and intimidating experience.

First year physics student, and keen kayaker, Dan Ellis called for better advertising to raise awareness, by arguing: “There was only really the Freshers Fair.

surely be of great benefit to sport at the university. 92% of those surveyed believed that these new facilities would have a positive impact, even if some also argued that the location on the new campus might put off some potential users.

Not everything is downbeat though, and as well as emphasising areas for improvement, the survey also highlighted positive aspects already present with regard to sport at the university. 91% of those surveyed believe that a satisfactory range of sports is offered by the university, with very few people complaining of any sports that are missing. The belief that sport at the university is open to all abilities is also encouraging, with 70% agreeing with this statement, and only 9% claiming that it is not.

For some, the standard of competitive university sport may be too high, but this is another aspect in which York’s college system is beneficial, enabling everyone to get involved. An anonymous source, however, said they’d like “more club sessions in mainstream sports for people who aren’t that talented”. Nevertheless, the general consensus is that sport is accessible for those of all abilities, and is are members of at i n cl u s ive least one rather than exclusively sports club for the talented.

The final question inquired as to whether people believe that sport at York compares well to other universities. This received a mixed response, with some arguing that in competitive terms York fared poorly, and that some bership of its facilifees and ties compared initial unfavourably outlay on with other inuniversity stitutions in kit, mean that the northern rebeing a member gion. of a sports society can Others, however, soon empty your wallet. believed that with the Only 26% stated that University wide range of societies sport is affordable, with 44% claiming it and benefits of college sport, is too expensive. However moves such as York actually stands in good stead in comabolishing York Sport membership, and parison to other universities. Indeed, the running free training camps should ben- new facilities will further boost sport at efit students from the next academic year.

York, and although York is not renowned Many also consider the current fa- as a top sporting university, the prospects cilities to be slightly below the expected look bright for York’s sporting reputation standard. The absence of a swimming to improve in the future. pool and running track are disappointThe marvellous constructions on ments, whilst the poor state of the pitches Heslington East will provide solid founon 22 Acres hampers the standard of both dations, and help to attract more keen university and college football, often lead- sportsmen and women to the university, ing to postponements. thus improving the standard over the comWhen asked to rate the current facili- ing years. Additionally, by making minor ties out of ten, the average rating was five adjustments, such as an increase in adveror six, inferring that the facilities are of a tising, and a slight reduction in prices of satisfactory, but not great standard. More society memberships and university kit, worryingly, 13% clearly showed their dis- more students will get involved in the fupleasure, by marking the facilities with a ture. This would also increase the already three or below. high satisfaction rates, which currently However, this issue is already being show that less than 5% of students are distackled, and the construction of modern satisfied with sport at the University of sports facilities on Heslington East will York.

There was a hint at the Refreshers Fair, but I believe many sports didn’t attempt any advertisement there.”

Undoubtedly this is an aspect where there is room for improvement, and better advertisement would surely help to increase participation levels. College sport especially suffers, and many never get involved as they have little knowledge of the system. York Sport President Sam Asfahani acknowledges this, commenting: "Advertisement is something we are working on pushing next academic year as a priority because we need to."

Third Year Stephanie Ashwood, captain of Alcuin College Hockey Team, stated that if she could make one alteration it would be to “raise greater awareness and increase participation in college sport, which is very accessible for everyone, and involves only minimal costs.”

The expensive nature of university sport is also an off put for many, who living on a tight student budget, struggle to afford to get involved with a number of societies. Currently aspects such as the costly gym membership, high society mem-

26% considered sport at the University affordable

55%

17%

thought that sport at York was well advertised

29%

regularly play college sport

91%

believe a satisfactory range of sports is offered

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday May 29, 2012

FRENCH FANCIES WILL BARNES EXAMINES THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE ROLAND GARROS HOPEFULS WE ARE approaching the end of the month of May. For tennis fans this only means one thing: the culmination of the clay court season at Roland Garros in Paris.

All the speculation surrounding the men's competition has been centred on the top two seeds, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. If Djokovic emerges victorious, he will become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four grand slam titles at the same time. If Nadal triumphs, he would attain a record seventh French Open title, surpassing even the achievements of the legendary Bjorn Borg.

Nadal perhaps is looking more likely to secure victory for he has recently defeated Djokovic on the clay courts of Monte Carlo and Rome. Yet, with three grand slam victories on the spin, the Serb is going to be uber confident going into the tournament.

However, it would be a serious mistake to rule out the ever-threatening Roger Federer. After all, it was the Swiss master who defeated Djokovic at last year's Roland Garros before going on to lose to Nadal in the final. Indeed, Federer has shown signs of good form recently, outshining both the top two seeds to emerge victorious on the blue clay of Madrid.

But what of our own nation's hope for grand slam success? Can Andy Murray overcome the top three seeds? Barring a

miracle, I sincerely think not. For one, he has not reached the semi-finals in any of the three clay court tournaments he has played in 2012. Further, he recently pulled out of the Madrid Open due to a back problem and from his words: "hopefully the worst of it's gone now", it is evident he has still not fully recovered.

Having said this, the Scot has not failed to reach the semi-final of a major tournament since the 2010 US Open. However, if once again, he reaches this hurdle he is likely to play Nadal who defeated him in straight sets at this stage of the tournament last year.

Can Andy Murray overcome the top three seeds? Barring a miracle, I sincerely think not In terms of outside challengers, Juan Martin del Potro and Tomas Berdych have the potential to go far in the tournament.

Del Potro, now fully recovered from a serious wrist injury, has had a good clay court season, conquering all of his opponents at the Estoril Open before losing to Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open.

Berdych himself went onto lose to Federer in the final of that tournament but, having also reached the semi-finals at Monte-Carlo and having the experience of a Grand Slam final under his belt, he definitely has the potential to cause an upset in Paris.

Meanwhile, in the women's competition, we nearly saw a huge shock yesterday, as world number one Victoria Azarenka beat world number 97 Alberta Brianta 6-7 6-4 6-2, after being 4-0 down in the second set. She definitely stands a fighting

chance of going far in the tournament, especially after winning the Australian Open title in January.

Despite having a mostly fine year, her defeat at the hands of world number two Maria Sharapova in Stuttgart earlier this month, and her loss to Serena in Spain, means Azarenka is no longer the favourite to emerge victorious in Paris. This being said, her recent losses may give her new resolve to set the record straight by producing her best tennis.

Also in the hunt for the title are of course Sharapova and thirteen-time grand slam winner Serena Williams, who are undoubtedly the form players to look out for.

Sharapova defeated defending French Open champion Li Na in the final of the Italian Open a week ago to claim her second clay court crown this season, but was herself brushed aside by Serena at the Madrid Open a week earlier. Williams went on to defeat world number one Victoria Azarenka in the final of that tournament.

Indeed, she made the tactical decision to pull out of her Italian Open semi-final a week later, in all likelihood desiring to be fresh for her title challenge in the French capital.

The Pole Agnieszka Radwanska is also in with a shout, and dismissing her early exit in Rome, she has only been defeated

by Azarenka this whole season.

YSJ BOWLED OVER

By TOM BRANDRETH CENTURIES FROM Fraser Crawford and Tom Brandreth helped York 1st XI secure an emphatic cup win over York St. John 1st XI on 22 acres, a victory which sees them ease into the Quarter Finals.

York posted a mammoth 368-6 in their allotted 50 overs and made short work of the opposition, bowling them out for 162 to complete a comfortable 206 run win.

After being put into bat by the visitors on a sensational batting wicket, York opener Nick Townson fell fourth ball of the innings, leaving York 1-1. York, who had finished top of the table during the league season, rebuilt through Alex McDonald and Joel Hughes, the partnership developing effortlessly, until McDonald failed to keep a leg glance down, and was caught well at square leg for 30.

This dismissal brought danger man Crawford to the crease, who immediately carried on from where McDonald had left off, blazing the ball to all parts, ably supported by Hughes. Hughes departed when he feathered one through to the 'keeper for 70, leaving York 157-3 off just 27 overs, with a solid foundation to build a huge total.

Left-handers Crawford and Brandreth did exactly that, tearing apart the St. John bowlers. Crawford brought up his hundred off just 64 balls with a scampered two to

the midwicket boundary. After a stand of 104, he was finally dismissed for a superb 101 off just 64 balls, including eleven fours and three sixes, and left the field to rapturous applause.

Surprisingly, this did not lead to a drop in the run rate as two run outs in quick succession led to the big-hitting Thyian Padiachey’s arrival, who had no trouble clearing the rope straight away.

Meanwhile, with overs running out, Brandreth had a hundred in his sights.

Needing eight off the last over with Padiachey on strike, some tactical running gave him the opportunity with four balls remaining. With the help of a dropped catch it took just three, including two audacious clips to fine leg. Padiachey finished unbeaten on 37 off 23 balls and Brandreth on 106 from 68 in a partnership of 92 in eight overs, leaving St. John struggling.

With tight bowling up front from open-

Photo: Adam Green

ers Rob Gillespie and Jack Bradshaw, the visitors made a slow start. A wicket apiece pushed the run rate up and the chase appeared all the more unlikely with every over bowled.

Some clean striking from Akram, third batsman for St. Johns, was the highlight of their innings but even he could not make inroads into the colossal total. When he fell to Hughes, and a direct hit from Townson caused a run out, the visitors were left 90-4.

Despite a middle order recovery, the inevitable was only being delayed. After a patient, wicketless first five overs from leftarm chinaman Tom Witherow, the spinner grabbed three in his next three to leave York on the verge of victory. The introduction of off-spinner McDonald completed the victory, as he picked up three wickets in only two overs, finishing with figures of 3-7, to help dismiss the away side for 162.

The win means York will meet either their own 2nd team or Hull 1sts in a game that is to take place later this week. In the absence of Andy Kirkwood, stand-in captain Crawford said, “I’m delighted with the way the boys performed with bat and ball.

I can’t have asked for anymore - it was a perfect day.”

In contrast, the York St. Johns skipper concluded, “We gave it our best shot.

We had lots of players missing today and I’m happy with our effort in the sweltering heat."

25

ON YER BIKE! VISION DEBATES WHETHER MARK CAVENDISH IS THE GREATEST BRITISH CYCLIST OF ALL TIME

YES

By sally dolton

BRITAIN IS not short of talented cyclists.

Victoria Pendleton and Chris Hoy dominate on the track, whilst Nicole Cook and Bradley Wiggins excel on the road. However, the one cyclist that tops them all is Mark Cavendish.

By his own admission, he isn't happy unless he is the best. He has shown his skill at both the track and the road disciplines. On the track, he won gold in the Madison at the 2005 and the 2008 World Championships, as well as gold in the scratch at the 2006 Commonwealth games.

On the road, he is unparalleled. In his first ever professional season he racked up a whopping eleven wins, and in 2011 he became Britain's first road race world champion for 46 years. In the Tour de France, the most prestigious road race in the world, he has won twenty stages, placing him sixth best of all time. He is the first person to win the final stage three years in succession, and at the 2011 event became the first British cyclist to win the 'green jersey'.

This year, he has continued such form, winning the third stage of the Tour of Qater, and is currently excelling in the Giro d'Italia.

He hasn't won three Olympic gold medals like Hoy, but every year he racks up historic victories and unparalleled firsts. He has to be the best British cyclist of all time.

NO

By Dave Washington UNDOUBTEDLY MARK Cavendish is an exceptionally talented cyclist. To become World Champion and points jersey winner in the Tour de France and Vuelta, you have to be special. Mark is the top sprinter in cycling at the moment, if not all time, but sprinting is only one aspect of cycling.

Cavendish isn’t the only current top British cyclist. Britain has an illustrious pedigree in track cycling, with Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton being two who have enjoyed remarkable successes. Bradley Wiggins is also another world leading cyclist, who has made the transition from track racing, to become one of the best tour riders in the world.

The pinnacle of cycling is winning Tour de France GC, and however superb a rider Mark may be, that is beyond him. Wiggins, however, has a realistic chance. In 2009 he finished fourth overall on a testing route against some of the greatest cyclists of all time, matching Robert Millar’s achievement in 1984. Despite a lack of support, Millar also claimed the King of the Mountains jersey in 1984, and finished second in both the Giro and Vuelta.

Last year it seemed as if Bradley might surpass that achievement, before he broke his collarbone in a crash, which ended his tour. He bounced back finishing third in the Vuelta GC. In 2012, he has won the prestigious tour from Paris-Nice, as he gears up for a tilt at Tour de France glory. Winning that would surely class him as the greatest British cyclist of all time.

26 SPORT

YORK VISION Tuesday May 29, 2012

TABLES

COLLEGE CUP ROUNDUP

GROUP 1

ALCUIN 1STS EDGE TOWARDS QUALIFICATION IN GROUP 2 AS THE RACE FOR THE CUP HOTS UP

By DAVE WASHINGTON

Team

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

Derwent 1

3

3

0

0

+7

9

Halifax 3

3

3

0

0

+3

9

Goodricke 2

3

1

1

1

0

4

Langwith 2

3

1

0

2

-1

3

Wentworth 1

3

0

1

2

-2

1

James 3

3

0

0

3

-7

0

Upcoming fixtures (01.06.2012): 2pm: Halifax 3rds vs Goodricke 2nds 3pm: Derwent 1sts vs Wentworth 1sts 4pm: Langwith 2nds vs James 3rds

GROUP 2 Team

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

James 1

4

4

0

0

+19

12

Alcuin 1

4

3

0

1

+3

9

Vanbrugh 2

4

2

0

2

+2

6

Wentworth 2

4

2

0

2

-5

6

Halifax 4

4

1

0

3

-5

3

Goodricke 3

4

0

0

4

-14

0

[continued from the back page] At the other end Josh Allen crossed for Brown who headed on target, but Taylor comfortably saved. A close and competitive first half ended with Alcuin holding a narrow lead, but Vanbrugh most certainly still in the game.

Vanbrugh had a second big penalty appeal in the early stages of the secondhalf, after chaos from a corner, but again the referee waved away their appeals.

Vanbrugh kept up the pressure, with a series of threatening corners, proving themselves a match for their opponents.

However Alcuin defended resolutely, centre halves Brad Wood and Chris Boyd particularly impressing. John Sanderson was twice denied by David Marshall, the second an acrobatic tip wide, after the Vanbrugh winger had surged through the Alcuin backline.

Alcuin meanwhile were relying mainly on the break, and for large parts of the second half, Taylor was a spectator. Greg Fearn came on as a sub, and with his first touch, crossed low, only for Boyd to direct his effort narrowly wide, as the game approached the closing stages. Again Vanbrugh threatened to equalise, a mishit shot being deflected agonisingly narrowly wide of the post.

By ALEX FINNIS

GROUP 3 Team

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

Vanbrugh 3

3

3

0

0

+3

9

Halifax 1

3

2

0

1

+6

6

Goodricke 1

3

2

0

1

+1

6

James 2

3

1

0

2

-3

3

Derwent 2

3

1

0

2

+1

1

Alcuin 3

3

0

0

3

-8

0

Upcoming fixtures (29.05.2012): 2pm: Halifax 1sts vs Derwent 2nds 3pm: James 2nds vs Alcuin 3rds 4pm: Goodricke 1sts vs Vanbrugh 3rds

JAMES 1STS became the first team to book their place in the College Cup Quarter-Finals as they eased to a 6-0 victory over Goodricke 3rds.

Tom Clarke added two more goals to his already impressive tally and Oscar Lynch and James Offord too found the back of the net, whilst James Davies notched a second half brace to give James six of the best.

James were dangerous from the off, Clarke signalling his intent early on when he forced Goodricke ‘keeper Noel Rogers to palm away a powerful half-volley from outside the area.

Rogers was left helpless at the hands of the same player minutes later, however.

James Offord flicked the ball on to Clarke down the left hand side and the James striker rifled a shot home to make it 1-0.

James added a second through Oscar Lynch when the big centre-back latched onto a James Davies corner with his head, and it was 3-0 not long after, Offord curling

By JACK BRADSHAW

GROUP 4 P

W

D

L

GD

Kimber almost sealed the win for Alcuin, after a Brown flick on, but from a narrow angle he fired his effort past the far post. Kimber then returned the favour, setting up Brown, but he miscued his effort harmlessly wide. Will Taylor then struck a freekick on target, but his namesake saved comfortably, as Alcuin finished the stronger of the two sides.

Alcuin held out for a crucial victory, displaying great battling qualities, which should see them through to the quarter

finals.

After the game, Alcuin captain Brad Wood commented: “I’m really happy with the first half display, it was difficult in the second half with the heat, but we picked up another three points."

Dan Shepherd, the Vanbrugh skipper, was delighted with his side’s performance, but disappointed with the final result. He told Vision: “It was a great effort from the lads, we were unlucky not to get anything as we dominated the second half."

JAMES 1STS SEAL THEIR PLACE IN THE QUARTER-FINALS WITH CLINICAL 6-0 VICTORY

Upcoming fixtures (05.06.2012): 2pm: Alcuin 1sts vs Wentworth 2nds 3pm: James 1sts vs Vanbrugh 2nds 4pm: Halifax 4ths vs Goodricke 3rds

Team

Photo: Adam Green

Pts

Vanbrugh 1

3

3

0

0

+14

9

Halifax 2

3

2

0

1

+5

6

Derwent 3

3

2

0

1

0

6

Langwith 1

3

1

1

1

-2

4

Alcuin 2

3

0

1

2

-3

1

Wentworth 3

3

0

0

3

-14

0

Upcoming fixtures (31.05.2012): 2pm: Langwith 1sts vs Wentworth 3rds 3pm: Vanbrugh 1sts vs Alcuin 2nds 4pm: Derwent 3rds vs Halifax 2nds

SECOND HALF goals from Andrea Marcheggiano and Simir Abdoulaye handed Wentworth 2nds a vital win over Halifax 4ths.

The result means Wentworth are now in an excellent position to secure a position in the Plate.

The opening stages of the match saw Halifax 4ths take an early initiative as Alec Rieck and Ryan Doherty both tested 'keeper Jon Cooke with close-range efforts.

Wentworth's main weapon was Rich Rhodes' long throw, but Halifax dealt with the threat well.

A comical moment then occurred after 20 minutes when Rob Stead, who thought Ryan Doherty was offside, caught the ball and subsequently gave away a dangerous free-kick.

But the effort was wasted as Nick

a shot from the left-edge of the D past the reach of Rogers and into the bottom right.

Davies was unlucky not to add a fourth as he expertly gave himself space to shoot before smashing a superb strike against the inside of the post before that man Clarke did add the fourth goal of the half courtesy of a beautifully curved free-kick.

Follwing a Goodricke handball, Clarke bent his strike round the wall and past Rogers into the top left in typical fashion.

Goodricke improved considerably in the second period and were able to give James more of a game in midfield. However, the men in green were lacking in options up front and the James defence were able to deal comfortably with any potential threat.

Davies came close a couple of times early in the half before adding James’ fifth goal. Richard Baxter chipped the ball over the Goodricke defence and Davies rushed onto it, flicking his header past Rogers for his first goal of the game.

His second, and James’ sixth, also came from his head, as he connected with Townson blasted the ball into the wall, as the half's best chance went begging.

The second half simply could not be as dire as the first, and so it proved after just three minutes from the restart.

Marcheggiano collected possession 30 yards out and marauded forward unopposed, before lashing home a fierce drive which flew over the head of Connor Tait and into the net.

Minutes later, Wentworth doubled

Photo: Adam Green

an Oscar Lynch cross after a surging run from the centre-back to round off the scoring and send James through to the knockout stages.

“We’ve had four wins from four, the start we wanted,” said James captain Richard Baxter after the whistle. “We were back to our best today, hopefully we’ll keep winning games to keep it going.”

Photo: TK Rohit

their advantage as Marcheggiano's deliciously floated cross into the middle was headed home by Abdoulaye, who managed to steal in front of the defender and give Tait no chance.

Wentworth nearly added a third when Marcheggiano teed himself up and slammed a volley against the post, while Halifax were limited to speculative longrange efforts.

A moment of controversy then arose as Rhodes hacked down Doherty on the edge of the area, but the midfielder escaped any extra punishment and Halifax wasted the freekick.

Afterwards, Wentworth stand-in manager Dan Horsfall said: "We were outstanding. Halifax are a decent side but everyone could see we were the better team today."

Meanwhile, Halifax's Elliot TaylorWheeler admitted: "We weren't good enough and didn't work as a team."

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday May 29, 2012

SPORT SPOTLIGHT DAVE WASHINGTON IS THROWN INTO AN ULTIMATE FRISBEE SESSION

ULTIMATE FRISBEE is often mocked as a sport. People say it’s just a game for the park or the beach, and simply a bit of fun. How hard can it be to throw a frisbee? Well when I made the trip down to 22 Acres to join York Ultimate in one of their training sessions, that myth was completely dispelled. I quickly discovered that ultimate frisbee is a high tempo, physically challenging, and tactical game.

In the scorching heat, a relaxing game of cricket seemed more appropriate, but instead it was straight into a typical session. A quick warm up, involving fitness and a few basics, was followed by a series of drills. At first I though I had the hang of it, managing the simple skills, but things soon got more complex.

The first problem started when they talked about “the force”. "The force? This isn’t Star Wars", I thought. I was perplexed, and not knowing anything about the sport such technicalities went straight over my head. Then we moved onto breaking the force, and by this time a three year old would have been as clued up as me.

After some explanation by the helpful members of the society, who were somewhat more experienced than me, I realised that they were in fact talking about blocking opposition throws. The drills that followed encompassed both defensive and attacking tactics, neither of which suited me.

Even from the drills, it became clear that this was high tempo game which re-

Photo: Adam Green

Photo: Adam Green

quired high fitness levels, and the blazing sun quickly drained your energy, lowering the intensity. Constant drinks breaks were required to rehydrate, but despite that, and my lack of natural ability for the sport, the drills were still enjoyable.

The series of drills were followed by a practice game, with the members split into two sides. Once more things got complicated, as I realised that I didn’t understand any of the rules. I felt like a fish out of water, and decided that the best ploy was to start off, and learn by watching.

Fortunately, others were willing to explain. The game is 7-a-side, and is a bit like a combination of American football and netball, with a frisbee. Imagine that - confusing I know. Well it’s not like American football since you can’t tackle people and wrestle them to the ground, but the principles are similar, in that you have to move the frisbee to end zone. Similarly to netball, you aren’t allowed to run with the ball, or in this case the frisbee, and thus have to rely on the movement of your teammates.

Despite the heat, the game moved at a rapid pace, the frisbee going from one end of the pitch to the other in minimal time, and with plenty of running. What also struck me were the tactics and codenames.

Once more all of this went straight over my head, much like the frisbee...

After observing for about ten minutes, it was time for my team, who were at this stage losing, to throw on their secret weapon. On I went, trying to remember the rules and hoping for the best. At times I

did alright. The running around was my strength, and made it difficult for whoever was marking me. That was about as good as it got though and I don’t think the opposition saw me as a major threat.

My moment of glory was an interception, when I positioned myself perfectly to cut out a throw and instigate a move of our own. Such inspirational moments were few and far between, and I shan’t be winning any awards for my excellence at the sport for a while. In my mind my role was to make everyone else look good, and I successfully achieved that.

York Ultimate train regularly up to four times a week, and have numerous tournaments across the year, including one last weekend. For those of you who believe that as a sport it is a joke, think again. As member Rachael Venables said: "People have a grudge against the sport, considering it as a bit of a joke. It's a shame, Ultimate Frisbee is a fantastic sport which really doesn't get the credit it deserves."

I wasn’t sure what to expect before I arrived, but I quickly realised that it was a serious and physically testing sport, combining both fitness and skill.

Despite my struggles to master the game, I found the session really enjoyable, and would undoubtedly encourage others to go down and have a go. It’s the type of game you may only ever be able to experience at university, and it is definitely worth giving it a try.

Photo: Adam Green

WOMEN'S ROWING

By AMY BALLARD

FOLLOWING THE success of the Senior men’s squad in Nottingham last week, where the 4+ came second in IM1+ category, the women’s squad took to the water at Peterborough on Saturday.

The squad had a fantastic day of racing and Natasha Linyard-Tough, Kate Argent, Amy Finch and Francesca Jones won their category, losing their novice status and all gaining British Rowing points.

Pippa Maloney, the senior women’s captain was very proud of the girls, commenting that their “motivation and drive” got them through the day.

The course was a short sprint 1,000 metre regatta. In their first heat, things did not go smoothly: at the beginning of the first race the girl sitting at stroke, Natasha Linyard-Tough’s feet came out of the footplate, making it very difficult for her to row. Despite this, the girls came second in the first heat, finishing just two seconds slower than the winning crew, which meant they qualified for the repercharge.

They won the repercharge and confirmed their place in the final, which was

the girls' third of the day, in comparison to their opponents who had only raced twice.

Captain Amy Finch said afterwards: "It was a great day, each race was better than the last and winning was amazing, particularly as we did it the hard way. I thought it was anyone's for winning and we just went for it. It was tough but just over half-way we began to pull away."

UYBC have had a successful and excit-

ing term so far, both on and off the water, and it can only get better. Over the next couple of weeks UYBC will be representing York at the Metropolitan Regatta, Marlow and Henley Royal Regatta - the most prestigious race of the year.

Last week's club elections saw the nomination of a promising brand new committee, led under new President Ed Scobie.

The future looks bright for UYBC.

27

SPORTS NEWS IN BRIEF KEITH MORRIS, head of sport, has told Vision about plans to maintain sport on the Heslington West campus.

With the emergence of the sports village on Heslington East, there were fears that the sporting atmosphere on the main campus would be eradicated, but the proposed ideas would prevent that.

At the moment we are only in the preliminary stages and nothing is certain, but the proposals include improving the tennis facilities by putting a dome over some of the existing courts to create an indoor effect. There will also be improvements to the gym and a more affordable membership fee to compete with Heslington East.

The most elaborate of the plans involves turning the existing running track into a county standard athletics track, with eight lanes, and turning the JLD into the required grass pitch. In addition, a 500 seat grandstand would be built, greatly improving the sporting infrastructure.

To compensate for the loss of the JLD, it would instead be moved to behind the sports centre, where it would be reconstructed to a higher standard. Thus sport would still remain on the main campus, just with vastly improved facilities.

SATISFACTION LEVELS with the university sports facilities are excellent according to a pilot survey.

The National Benchmarking Service for Higher Education Sports Centres found that the average satisfaction rating among users of the sports facilities was a healthy 4.13 out of 5.

A total of 374 users were surveyed back in February on how they would rate aspects of sports facilities in an ideal world compared to reality.

The results showed York performed very strongly in coaching, with 44.2% stating they were very satisfied with what was offered, while 85.6% were happy with the overall cleanliness of the facilities.

Those surveyed were also pleased with the availability of activities at convenient times as well as the ease of booking, with more than 80% being at least fairly satisfied with both.

Although a third of those surveyed doubted the membership prices were value for money, satisfaction levels never dropped below 60% for any category.

Health and Fitness Manager, Chris Carling, told Vision: "Thank you to everyone who took part. It will help us moving forward with the new sports centre and seeing where we can make changes."

THE UNIVERSITY of York MMA Club are hoping fresh funding from York Sport will come through, in order to execute their expansion plans for the next academic year.

The club intends to spend money on upgrading their equipment to include new headguards, shinguards and belly protectors. This should hopefully increase the safety of sessions.

The society also hopes to attract professionals to deliver MMA seminars to increase the quality of training.

Finally, a BUCS league from the next academic year, could pit York against the universities of Hull, Nottingham and Brunel in a series of termly fights.

Reporting by Dave Washington and Jack Bradshaw.

Tuesday May 29, 2012

sport@yorkvision.co.uk

Issue 225

VISIONSPORT

STAR OF CAMPUS: LOUISE HIGHTON

P23

YOUR #1 SOURCE FOR ALL UNI SPORT

FULL COLLEGE HOCKEY REPORTS

P23 SURVEYING SPORT AT YORK

VANBRUGH VANQUISHED

P24 P24 WORLD SPORT: FRENCH OPEN

Photo: Oliver Todd

P25 SPOTLIGHT: ULTIMATE FRISBEE

P27

> alcuin 1sts GRIND OUT 1-0 WIN OVER VANBRUGH 2NDS > james 1sts secure progress with 6-0 win

By DAVE WASHINGTON ALCUIN 1STS all but secured their place in the quarter finals with a battling 1-0 win over a resolute Vanbrugh 2nds side.

Only a sequence of shock results in the final set of matches can prevent Alcuin from progressing through to the next round.

Both sides entered the contest with two wins and a loss each, separated only by goal difference. In theory Alcuin entered the

match holding the advantage, as their opponents still have to face James 1sts, whilst they possess a comparatively easy final game.

Battle commenced on a sun drenched JLD, with the first chances falling to Alcuin.

Kallum Taylor denied Jakob Scholz, and then Graham Kimber fired narrowly wide. Alcuin didn’t have it all their own way though, and Vanbrugh had a penalty appeal when Max Poynter Hall was challenged in the area. A long throw then caused danger, resulting in

Photo: Adam Green

Alex Habeck firing high over the Alcuin bar, in a relatively even opening.

Yet it was Alcuin who took the lead midway through the first half: Kimber produced a trademark surging run before unleashing a thumping drive, which Taylor could only push away. Scholz reacted first and was on hand to nod home. Alcuin enjoyed a good spell, but Vanbrugh almost struck the next blow. A freekick floated into the area, and under pressure, Marshall parried onto the bar.

Continued on Page 26

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