York Vision 207

NOMINATED: GUARDIAN STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 2009

TUESDAY June 8th, 2010

ISSUE 207

vision@yusu.org

TIM VINE

- features-

YORKSPORT AWARDS

- SCENE-

- sport -

WWW.YORKVISION.CO.UK vision talks all things political with shami Chakrabati

EXCLUSIVE: HEALTH CENTRE COMES UNDER FIRE

STUDENTS CONDEMN

CAMPUS CLINIC

BY DAVID ELLIOTT AND MILANA KNEZEVIC

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UNIVERSITY HEALTH services have has been called into question by students for a wide range of serious and often sensitive issues, including misdiagnosis and patronising behaviour.

Student testimonials have revealed the Health Centre's crucial shortcomings in its ability to deal with medical grievances, including sexual health problems.

Reports of student dissatisfaction with the on-campus health service last year prompted YUSU to conduct a survey, the results of which were predominantly negative.

Furthermore, the practice's own figures show the University Health Centre to rate consistently lower than their two other surgeries in Wenlock Terrace and Hull Road.

Following this, York Vision asks: is the Health Centre failing students?

FULL STORY ON PAGE 5

PLUS: ARE YORK'S STUDENT CLUB NIGHTS SET TO CHANGE YET AGAIN? PAGE 3

2NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

Photo: Flickr

YOUR WEEK QUOTE OF THE WEEK "Not every Vice Chancellor cares about students and the student experience" - Is that so, Aaron Porter, newly elected NUS President?

GOOD WEEK bad week GOOD WEEK

York university

Back in the Top 10, according to the Times Good University Guide

BAD WEEK

SHOOTING STARS AT SUMMER BALL

BY MEGAN GRAHAM

VISION CAN EXCLUSIVELY reveal the latest act signed up to perform at this year's Summer Ball.

Newcastle-based indie band Little Comets consists of four graduates who have already toured the UK supporting Hockey, The Twang and The Noisettes and have seen their single 'One Night In October' reach Number 3 in the UK's inde-

The Duchess

Because students can get battered without your bouncers' 'help'

the number cruncher 38

% student satisfaction in 2008 for phone-in advice from the Uni Health Centre

200

number of pounds the Hockey Club were fined by YUSU for excessive initiations

2205

number of members on the 'Bring Back FitFinder' Facebook group after one week

Join the debate online!

Your constant source for everything York: www.yorkvision.co.uk Contact us: vision@yusu.org

pendent singles chart.

Likened to popular bands The Mystery Jets and Vampire Weekend, Little Comets have an interesting and innovative way of marketing themselves – namely gate crashing lecture theatres, supermarkets and campsites to get their music noticed by a wider audience. Their music has been described as “indie pop” with “tricksy rhythms”, turning the phrase "everything but the kitchen sink" into a musical philosophy.

While the new addition to the line up is exciting news, it comes on the back of potentially damaging revelations by a Vision poll that out of 338 students, 41% branded the original line up "really disappointing."

The remaining 37% of voters weren't planning on attending the Summer Ball regardless of which acts were going to be there, and it looks unlikely that one small change will be enough to reverse the lack of enthusiasm that Summer Ball seems to

be plagued with.

Speaking to Vision, Lewis Bretts, YUSU Democracy and Services Officer, said: "Admittedly, we are not going to be able to please everyone, but I think our line up provides a good mix of genres to suit most people’s tastes. We have listened to students’ feedback in previous years as to how the Summer Ball should be run – students said they wanted it at the racecourse, and that’s what they’ve got."

CARNIVAL RECEIVES LARGE STUDENT TURNOUT

NO RAIN ON THE PARADE

BY NICOLA CHAPMAN

YORK CARNIVAL, the city’s annual festival, took place last Sunday with much university involvement.

The carnival, which was established in 2004, saw the city transformed in to a jungle for the festival’s "Go Wild" theme.

Several of York's societes took part in performances for students and locals alike.

DanceSoc, York Glee Singers and York Big

Band were just some of the acts that took part in proceedings, spread out across the walled part of the city.

One student onlooker told Vision: “Things like this make me really glad I came to York… it was great that it received a large turnout, especially from the student population.”

The carnival included dance acts and performances, including a display from York’s

very own cheerleading group, Hornets.

The carnival’s Facebook group boasts that the event “brings students and residents together every year for a day of music, art, drama and dance”.

Despite heavy rainfall early on in the day, people's spirits were not dampened. A first year chemistry student stated: “It was a great day – a definite highlight of my university life so far!”

Guardian Student Newspaper of the Year 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007 Tuesday June 8th, 2010 Editors: Paddy Harte Tom McDermott

Deputy News: Megan Graham Paul Virides

Deputy Editors: Nicola Chapman David Elliott

Comment Editors: Laura Cress Jack Stanley

Scene Editor: Jaime Riley

Deputy Comment: James Masters Will Thorman

Deputy Lifestyle: Zoe Pinder Siobhan WardFarrell

Features Editors: Josie Cridland Jack Knight

Style Editors: Emily Brunwin Sarah Woods

News Editors: Daniel Goddard Milana Knezevic

Deputy Features: Rory Jones Lifestyle Editors: Maddie Potts Katy Roberts

Deputy Style: Helen O'Brien Helen Turnbull

Webmaster: Edward Hartwell Goose

Sports Editors: Stephen Holcroft Josh Mangham

Web Editors: Andy Nichols Jim Norton

Deputy Sports Jon Cook Rebecca O'Dwyer

Managing Editor: Merryn Hockaday

Photo Editor: Marcus Roby

Scene editorial listed in pullout

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, 2010.

Printed by Yorkshire Web

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YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

CU GET COLD FEET OVER LGBT MARRIAGE PROPOSALS

EXPECTED SHAKE-UP OF YORK NIGHTLIFE

ORGASMIC PROSPECTS FOR YORK STUDENTS

BY CEM TURHAN

ution: Students of the Revol Our new drinking hole?

Photo: Marcus Roby

BY TOM MCDERMOTT THE STATE of York’s club scene is rumoured to be changing in the near future, although opinion is divided over whether it will be changing for the better or worse.

Following the recent switch over from Tru to Salvation on a Tuesday night, the rights to host the other official student nights now appear to be under review by YUSU. Persistent rumours suggest that York’s often overlooked Vodka Revs is to merge with Orgasmic and be refurbished. The new club is expected to collaborate with YUSU; however, at the time of printing these reports remained unsubstantiated.

When asked whether they would be happy with a shake-up of the bars and

3

clubs which YUSU promoted the majority of students reacted positively. Second year Biology student Jonathan Robertson told Vision, “Getting a bit more variety in the club nights on offer would be a really good thing – at the moment all the clubs seem to offer the same basic things on student nights. I’d like to see a broader spectrum of music played on a regular basis: it would be great to get a YUSU backed Drum and Bass night or Dub-step night going on somewhere.”

YUSU Democracy and Services Officer Lewis Bretts, who is currently negotiating the changes with various companies in York, told Vision: “I’m happy with the way the club nights are shaping up – the market in York is changing substantially, and I am confident that students

are going to have some great nights over the next year.”

Bretts also suggested that plans are generally in line with those of York’s student population and that students’ wishes for more variety could be granted. “Hopefully people will understand and support the idea that there should be something for everyone to enjoy,” he said.

Moreover, he also assured students that that YUSU will still be striving to get the best deal possible for students.

“For me the priority is always whether or not people will have a good time. We’d never promote a club night that wasn’t the best on offer.”

LGBT COMMITTEE'S gay marriage events have been left in jeopardy following disagreements about the campaign arising within the Christian Union.

A key event of the week, a panel debate on the issue with representatives from various different faiths, has been left in a dubious situation after the CU chose not to participate, ostensibly because of issues arising from it not being a ratified YUSU society and therefore unable to represent itself at an event like the debate.

However, it is rumoured that a further reason for the CU's lack of attendance was because of fears within the society that debating such a sensitive issue could cause unnecessary arguments and rifts within the group, which is made up of Christians from all denominations with widely varying opinions.

While CU representatives were unavailable for comment, LGBT Officer Tom Martin has said that he thinks “it's important we approach this topic from a religious context and one that isn't religious, because some believe that marriage is no longer as much a religious institution as it is a social institution."

While Wednesday's debate still looks unlikely to happen, Martin did suggest that he and fellow LGBT officer Nell Beecham were in talks with University chaplains about organising a similar but larger fresher's event next year.

Other events within the campaign, which is aimed at looking at the institution of marriage in an LGBT context include yesterday's screening of documentary "Tying the Knot", a series of presentations about the meaning of marriage on Friday and a stag/hen do social on Sunday.

VANBRUGH STUDENTS "PRACTICE" FOR GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL

IN-TENTS-IVE TRAINING

BY JAIME RILEY

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nf ah i .D Whic h P m o u s t had n s t u d e t at a n a ra itor n ed ? o i s w Vi l l Wi o in the

Photo: Marcus Roby

A GROUP OF STUDENTS have set up a tent outside of their campus accommodation in order to "practice camping" for Glastonbury festival later this year.

The first years decided to put their tent up outside of their block in New Vanbrugh, so that they'd be able to erect the tent again quickly and easily when they arrived in Somerset at the end of June.

"Someone dared us to sleep there and we lasted the whole night! Well, until 6:30", the two campers told Vision. "We'd had a bottle of wine and it seemed like a good idea".

Their night of harmless fun soon turned stale however, as Vanbrugh

College administrator Georgina Heath sent a blanket email around all college residents asking, "PLEASE: remove the tent!"

Heath stated that the university maintenance team were left unable to cut the grass, and that the festival goers had "no permission to camp [there]." The tent was swiftly removed following the email, although a wine bottle and a few empty cans remained on the field for several days following the incident.

Fellow New Vanbrugh residents expressed their upset at the issue, including a first year Psychology student who remarked, "I wish we were allowed to camp outside, it would be really good to create a festival vibe after our exams have finished."

4NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

We read them... ...so you don't have to Highly A-moo-sing

Concerns have been expressed in the Cambridge Tab at post-exam revellers attempting to ride the cows on Midsummer Common while drunk.

This is apparently a recurring theme of Cambridge partygoers; the 1905 Midsummer Fair is described in the newspaper rather hideously as a sort of bovine “orgy.”

Thankfully, the owner of the cows is not concerned, stating that they “tolerate it.” The success rate of these drunken escapades is so far unknown.

Don't Diss the Briss The Bristol Epigram has been forced to defend its students as they were branded with “the worst attitudes” by the Bristol Evening Post.

The paper accused students of living in a “smug, rich, immature bubble”, coming to the university only to “get drunk… with daddy’s money.”

Epigram defended Bristol students, citing charity fundraising and volunteering as examples of their involvement with the community. The local businesses still remain unimpressed, with one bar manager commenting that “we hate them when they’re here!”

Durrrr-ham Durham students are paying good money for well written essays, the Palatinate reports.

The newspaper revealed that students at Durham are frequent customers to “cash back guarantee” ghost writing sites like UKEssays.com, where the certainty of a 2:1 or above can cost up to £3000 for a regular essay, and a first class dissertation will set you back as much as £22,500.

The website claims that the essays are only used as learning resources, but has been branded “stupid” and “fraudulent” by academics and staff at the university.

Missing A Linc?

Alien attack preparations are a high priority of the University of Lincoln JCR, according to Oxford University’s Cherwell.

It was proposed in a motion to keep two tins of baked beans in the JCR kitchen to provide sustenance in such an event, and the President received a special "JCR Bat”.

Students were said to be relieved that “every possible eventuality was being catered for.” It will set many a mind at rest to learn that these contingency plans contained provisions for a possible raptor attack as well.

Megan Graham

YORK STUDENT STARTS CAMPAIGN TO BRING BACK FLIRTING WEBSITE

YOU WON'T

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DAY 3 embers m 9 0 3 .. embers m DAY 2.

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2 HOU of fitties

FITFIND IT HERE

BY TOM MCDERMOTT A CAMPAIGN to reinstate popular student flirting website 'FitFinder' after it was banned for proving too much of a distraction to studying students, has been started at the University of York and has gained national media attention.

The campaign, led by York Vision columnist, Scott Bryan, began after FitFinder creator Rich Martell was forced to close down the website and pay a £300 fine to his university, UCL for "bringing their name into disrepute."

After apparently finding Scott's comment article defending FitFinder on the Vision website, published in print earlier this term, Rich got in touch with Scott asking him if he would be happy to lead the campaign to bring the website back.

After considering Rich's proposal, Scott started up the Facebook group "BRING BACK FITFINDER" which now boasts over 2,200 members.

Speaking to Vision, Bryan revealed that even if he hadn't been approached he would probably still have been moved to act.

"I have always been a keen user of Fitfinder, it was great between friends as banter," he said.

"I was going to set up a Facebook group and just when I did I got contacted by Rich Martell who said that he would help it in any way he could and endorse the campaign. In one hour the group got 100 members and the

minute it was linked on the official FitFinder website it jumped to 1,000."

Bryan also told Vision that despite the objections of some that the website is "letchy" and "a threat to people's privacy" he is standing firmly behind his initial comments defending the site.

"Although I admit that a small portion of 'filthy tweets' did make my skin crawl, you can't close down a website for the actions of a very small minority of people. I think the support people have shown the website shows that people remember the website favourably rather than as a social evil."

"As for privacy issues - a social networking site is only a product of the people who use it. Anyone can go through your pictures on Facebook or follow you on Twitter and these were never closed down. Rich has assured me that new privacy features will be added to the site when it eventually does return but that it'll be done in a way which doesn't undermine the whole website."

Other students at York also seem to agree with Scott's point of view. One third year Computer Scientist remarked: "I really have no idea why UCL would want to shut down the website. People showing initiative like this should be praised not punished - it's absolute madness."

At the time of printing the petition had amassed almost 8,000 signatures from students who wish once again to be able to share

their edge on campus.

A university spokesperson released a statement, saying that "The University of York made no formal complaint about the FitFinder website. Our understanding is that it was taken down by its creator following advice from UCL. More generally, the University of York has a duty of care towards students and staff, and will take action on harassment and bullying using electronic means.

If necessary, that will include disciplinary action, whether the harassment or bullying is taking place using University equipment or not."

Photo: Facebook

student press

CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED BY COURSE REP TO IMPROVE DEPARTMENT FEEDBACK

FEEDBACK UNDER ATTACK

BY MILANA KNEZEVIC

FOLLOWING COMPLAINTS regarding the quality and timeliness of feedback, Politics Department Course Rep Graeme Osborne, has launched a campaign to provide students with more detailed comments.

Disgruntled students are encouraged to send in their past assessment forms as proof and post their complaints on a recently set up Facebook group. The campaign ties in with a wider effort launched by YUSU to tackle inconsistencies in feedback across departments.

Speaking to Vision, Osborne says he was approached by a number of students doing politics modules who were unhappy with the feedback given for assessments and exams. “After looking at some examples of feedback it was clear that there are major problems in some ar-

eas, including students receiving either partially or completely blank feedback forms, illegible comments, contradictory comments, or direct criticisms of their argument rather than the way in which they had presented.”

Johnny Pannell, a first year Politics student thinks "that they should give us far more guidance!

Sometimes you were expected to have done something but were not even told about it.”

Large disparities between departments have also been revealed.

Computer Science students can access their provisional marks online around two weeks after they have sat exams, and they also have access to their marked papers online.

This starkly contrasts the system currently applied in the Politics Department, with a single hard copy sheet of feedback given out.

Osborne raised the matter to

the Board of Studies, where he departments are doing pro-acwas given a mandate from the tively to deal with those issues. department to look into the is“In a climate with sue. “The campaign is govery tight finaning well, I have cial constraints identified a it's important number of isthat we strive to ture h fu en sues with the do the best with c i h e W has b f f essay feedwhat we have, o Sabb g n i back forms allocating rebu n k socials? and am waitsources where b y b l sa al n't re ing for the restudents will We do them... e maining exam most benefit.” m a l b results and feedThe uniback to come out versity's press before I start to officer, David bring everything Garner, comtogether and look mented that “the Departat making recomment of Politics is always intermendations to the department.” ested in constructive suggestions YUSU Academic Affairs Of- about how to improve feedback, ficer Charlie Leyland fully sup- and welcomes them through ports the campaign, stating that the student representatives on in addition to recognizing the Teaching Committee, the Board issues with punctuality, quality of Studies, the Board of Graduand consistency of the feedback, ate Studies, and the Studentthe campaign is also about what Staff Committee.”

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NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

SURVEY AND TESTIMONIALS DAMN CAMPUS HEALTH CENTRE SERVICE

5

UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTRE IN CRITICAL CONDITION By david elliotT and milana knezevic NEGLECTED STUDENTS have spoken out against the abysmal treatment they have received at the hands of the University Health Centre. Students have told Vision they were angry and that they felt humiliated when dealing with staff about delicate issues.

On multiple occasions they have even been forced to seek appropriate medical assistance at off-campus facilities.

UNPROFESSIONAL Mary*, a second year Psychology student, was made to wait for 90 minutes at the GUM drop-in clinic, only to be told that she would have to make a separate appointment at a clinic on Monkgate as the health centre could not deal with symptomatic Chlamydia. The Health Centre the ability of the Health Centre to effecclaimed that they could not offer across tively diagnose physical problems. Tina*, the counter medicine, but did not even a first year music student with a history give her a prescription for an off-campus of joint probelms, went to the practice with wrist pain and was told pharmacy, which they that no tests would be necare fully licensed to do. essary. The problem was She claims that the persistent however, and medical staff at the on seeking a consultaHealth Centre were tion with her home surh two c i h dismissive of her W ocis gery, she had a blood test a i d concerns. “I felt emme en that led to fast and effecve be a h barrassed and cons e et over g tive treatment. “The uni n i h fused... I was made to bitc ook? health centre told me just feel extremely uncomFaceb e're W to stop playing my instru: e u fortable, but the staff at Cl em'! ment - if I had listened to ne of o t the GUM clinic in town o n them I may have had to were really friendly, do so permanently." and understood what I Second year Politics was going through.” student Alan* sought advice from Numerous other stuthe Health Centre regarding a lifelong dents have come forward with similar problems. Third year veg- sexual condition. One of the doctors there etarian, Sarah*, spoke of how staff at the assumed without asking that he was sexuhealth centre were contemptuous of her ally immature and Alan was told that the lifestyle choice. “I was asked how long I problem would "treat itself." It did not, was planning on being a vegetarian for. and Alan has since consulted another The doctor was patronising throughout doctor, who recommended to him a readand continually belittled my belief sys- ily available course of steroid cream that quickly treated the problem. tem.”

First year Steve* hurt his thumb playing rugby, and was told by the surgery that it was merely a strain. His thumb turned Concerns have also been raised over purple overnight and he was urged to go

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MISDIAGNOSED

to A&E by friends, where he was informed that it was in fact broken.

POOR STANDARDS In response to similar complaints from students about the standard of treatment at the health centre last year, YUSU conducted a survey with 89 respondents. Among other things, respondents were asked if they had any positive or negative experiences with the Health Centre. They were also encouraged to give examples of how the service could be improved.

Over half the female respondents to this section claimed they had had solely negative experiences, with one third claiming the service was mixed. Only two women taking the survey said they had had solely positive experiences.

The figures were slightly more positive for the male students who completed this section.

One quarter mentioned just negative experiences, one quarter just positive ones, with the rest giving both positive and negative responses.

Furthermore, the number of drop-in and emergency slots was singled out as an area where there was room for improvement. The survey report also stated that there was “noticeable concern” at the need to disclose symptoms at the reception and the lack of privacy that this entails.

Vision contacted the surgery but the Practice Manager, Brenda Mumby was unavailable for comment. The receptionist on duty did however say that it is

not standard procedure to ask patients for symptoms at the reception desk.

The practice’s very own year on year survey from 2005 to 2008 shows the University Health Centre consistently scoring lower than the other surgeries in Wenlock Terrace and Hull Road. On most measures the surgery also scored markedly below the national benchmark.

For 2008, the satisfaction with the receptionists was 63%, while the national benchmark was at 75%. Similarly, the target of satisfaction with how well the doctor puts the patient at ease was 78% while it was 74% in the University Health Centre. The biggest disparity was in the service provided when phoning in to the clinic for advice. The health centre had a 38% satisfaction rate in 2008, 18 points less than the national benchmark and 22 and 34 points less than We n l o c k Ter race and Hull R o a d respectively.

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“The health centre is contracted to provide a service to students on campus; it has a significant duty of care and complaints that it's failing in that are worrying,” states YUSU Welfare Officer Ben Humphrys. He recognises that although last year’s survey was a good first step, it did not provide the information needed to make substantial changes. YUSU are therefore launching a larger survey this year, where Humphrys also hopes to hold focus groups to “drill down the issues to provide actions from which we can make progress.”

“We're pleased they have agreed to take part in a consultation, of which this week’s survey is one strand, to address underlying issues and we look forward to forming a better service for students over the coming months.” *Names have been changed to protect students’ identities

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

STUDENTS HUMILIATED AT LGBT NIGHT

TRU CROWD SLEAZERS HOMOPHOBIC ABUSE LEADS TO FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST NIGHTCLUB

pubs in town. YUSU Welfare Officer Ben Humphrys states that he has received several complaints over the past few months about a number of venues in town.

While he didn’t want to implicate any venue in particular., he did state that "if anyome has any complaint about the conduct of bouncers or staff at local clubs they should contact me at b.humphrys@ yusu.org" When contacted by Vision, the manager of Duchess expressed disbelief at the incident and said in any case he did not believe that the staff member would act unprovoked. He also said he would review the CCTV tapes. He refused to issue an official statement.

Photo: Flickr

is seen by many students as one of the only places they can go on a night out where they know they will be free from the kind of prejudice or the behaviour that can exist on other nights in the social calendar.

YUSU LGBT Officer, Tom Martin, said of the incident, "in order to maintain the anonymity of the persons involved, the officers privately wrote a letter of complaint that addressed the nightclub and its owners, asking that the appropriate actions be taken to ensure student welfare at the club in the future.

We have since received positive feedback from the club."

The two students who filed the complaint say they feel that they can never go back to Tru, and that the DJ's crude behaviour made them feel singled out and uncomfortable. They felt that the attack was deliberately sexist, as the DJ hadn't done anything similar to any men that night, or to any straight couples.

BY MILANA KNEZEVIC

A DOORMAN at the popular student club the Duchess has been accused of violent behavior towards a student.

The alleged attack happened around closing time Saturday two weeks ago, when the victim was getting ready to leave.

Following confusion at the bar, the bouncer allegedly pushed the drunk individual who then in turn pushed back.

The student was then pinned down to the ground and strangled while the bouncer gouged his eyes. A second member of staff finally had to separate the two.

This is not the first time students have had problems with the door staff at clubs and

BY MEGAN GRAHAM HOMOPHOBIC AND SEXIST behaviour has resulted in a formal complaint being made against Tru nightclub in York over allegations of cruel and embarrassing behaviour from the club's DJ during LGBT’s flagship Ice Breaker event earlier this term.

Two female members of the LGBT society have complained both to Tru nightclub management and the LGBT representatives on campus about the incident, which occurred on Sunday 16th May. They claim that during the night the DJ inappropriately attracted the attention of fellow dancers in the club to the fact that the two girls were kissing on the dance floor.

Telling everyone in the club to look at them, the man jeered and pointed, even switching off the music that was playing and making an announcement through the microphone, much to the victims' embarrassment.

Sunday night is Tru's designated "gay night" and

DUCHESS BOUNCER ACCUSED OF ASSAULTING STUDENT

Photo: Google

6 NEWS

UGM ROUNDUP: ALL BUT ONE MOTION PASSES

CHARLIE CHALKS UP A LEY-GACY

BY PAUL VIRIDES

Photo: www.york.ac.uk

HESLINGTON’S “NEW BUILDING” could be renamed to honour outgoing Academic Affairs Officer Charlie Leyland, if new YUSU Active Policy is successful.

A motion passed at Week 4’s Union General Meeting has mandated YUSU to henceforth refer to the building as “The Leyland Study Space” and to pres-

sure the university to follow suit. The proposal was put forward by Luke Malkin, who also chaired the meeting.

“After thinking that "The New Building" was an awful name for any study space, I could think of no better person to name the building after than Charlie Leyland,” said Malkin, speaking exclusively to Vision.

“We have the Roger Kirk centre, the Dixon studio and the Berrick Saul Building. Why not celebrate the work of students a little more?”

Malkin went on to say that he did contact Leyland prior to submitting the motion - in his words, “she's too modest to agree with it but she didn't say no either, so I went ahead with the UGM and I'm very glad that enough voters agreed with me to make it Union Policy.”

Leyland, who has spent two years as an officer for YUSU, spoke to Vision, saying that she was “very flattered” but felt that we should “move away from personality politics” which could “undermine the hard work done by people at all levels within the organization and within the university.”

“Frankly, if I hadn't made progress over these two years, making change for students, I wouldn't be doing my job… I hope we've shown this year and last the amount that we can achieve together when opinions are vocalised in safe spaces, issues are raised, and we all work together as stakeholders in our education with the university to enhance student experiences in a supportive environment.”

BY PAUL VIRIDES ALL MOTIONS bar one passed at the Union General Meeting earlier this term, continuing a longstanding trend in which most proposals that reach quoracy pass at the student vote.

The UGM included motions to create an International Student Committee and for YUSU to lobby for the new York City FC Stadium to be built near the Heslington East site. The latter campaign, spearheaded by student Jason Rose, has attracted a lot of attention on a Facebook group set up to support it.

Democracy and Services Officer Lewis Bretts commented on the results of the UGM: “I'd suggest most UGMs pass because students agree with them!

In many cases motions have been through the YUSU committee structure, and been reviewed by various different elected representatives and going to UGM is about securing a strong mandate from the Student Body. That said,

motions are contested, and motions do fall - it's up to YUSU members to get involved and have their say.”

Week 4’s motion to “Make Union Materials Accessible” failed to pass because not enough students voted for it, despite around 750 of the 13,000 students at the university voting – around 5.8%. Bretts’s response to this was to say that “to achieve this we used the website, daily info, flyers, banners, Facebook, emails to stakeholders and Twitter as well as word of mouth.”

“I'm particularly pleased that we've managed to get speeches filmed (by YSTV) this year in order to make them more accessible, and we'll be developing this area in line with the Strategic Plan.”

Luke Malkin, who chaired the UGM also said it was successful and praised YSTV’s work at it, encouraging students to attend them in order to “learn more."

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

7

YORK BACK IN TOP TEN OF UNIVERSITIES WITH LANCASTER HOT ON ITS HEELS

WAR OF THE RANKINGS

BY DANIEL GODDARD

THE UNIVERSITY of York has reentered the UK’s top ten elite universities in The Times' Good University Guide 2011. York has risen from 11th to 9th, in a table which has also seen Lancaster, York's rival, shoot up 13 places to 10th. The ascension of both institutions has come at the expense of Exeter and Bristol University. In The Independent’s league table, which also came out in May, York remained 10th for the second year running, but was leapfrogged by Lancaster by one place for the first time in a decade.

The Guardian’s rankings for 2011 come out today, where York will be looking to improve on their 11th place from last year.

Despite the recent re-entry into the top ten, over the last decade, York’s ranking in most league tables has gradually declined. When Brian Cantor took over as Vice Chancellor in 2002, The Guardian had York listed as the best university in the country bar Oxbridge and the top London institutions, placing us at 6th. Since then it has fallen to a low of 15th between 2006-2008 and has since crept up back to 11th.

The university press officer, David Garner, commented: "Our position in The Times Good University Guide and The Complete University Guide in The

Independent reflects the hard work of our staff in pursuit of the highest standards in both teaching and research and further underlines York's reputation as one of the leading universities in the UK and the world."

This contrasts greatly with comments made by the Vice-Chancellor, back in 2008.

In response to York’s decline to 16th and 15th place in The Times and The Guardian respectively, Cantor stated, "We [the university] don't really believe league table charts."

The league tables also show York is considerably behind in some measures, specifically graduate prospects. Although York has improved marginally in recent years, only 71.5% of graduates take up graduate-level employment or further study within six months of graduation.

This ranks the university at 33rd in the country in this measure. In comparison, Bath scores 80.9% and Lancaster 77.6%.

Antonia Short, a first year Economics student commented: "It's good to see York back in the top ten universities. But I'm slightly concerned that we're doing so bad for graduate employment. University isn't just about getting a job, but I find it hard to understand how at York I'm less well positioned to find work then someone at Edinburgh Napier."

The Times guide also includes subject breakdowns, where York came top in the

PORT RED HANDED MEMBER OF SECURITY SERVICES POSES AS MULTIPLE STUDENTS TO LAMBAST PORTERS

BY ANGUS HILL UNIVERSITY SECURITY staff have student services committee Jane Grenbeen posting online with comments ville, who stated that anger among stusupporting the portering cuts in at- dents over the portering cuts was "finely tempts to stir up anger amongst stu- balanced."

It was also revealed in this article that dents, according to a remarkable campus crime had risen by anonymous letter sent to Vision.

72% this year, compared The controversial and potentialto the same period a year ly damaging allegations earlier. In response to relate to online comthis, the anonymous auments posted on the h Col thor of these startling Nouse story 'Ngwena Whic hair C allegations has suggestand Humphrys face e g le ly ecent ed that the "increase in reprimand', where a was r upted r crime can largely be atr discussion has been e t in n? assio tributed to the cuts in sparked regarding the mid p -err! portering, as that has university's portering Oooh been the only variable." cuts.

Since the portering The anonymous aucuts, university securithor, who claims to be ty staff have taken over a member of university some of the porters' duties, but staff, specifically claimed the letter also claims that they have failed that "nine-tenths of the most opinionated anti-portering messages to do this effectively. For example there have in fact been written by one particu- was an outspoken attack on the author’s lar member of security who, using vari- colleagues, where it was claimed that security staff have been "arsing around on ous guises, enjoys goading students."

The letter, sent through the universi- the internet instead of doing their jobs."

The university refused to comment on ties internal mail system, specifically takes issue with remarks made in a previ- the allegations. ous edition of Vision, by the chair of the

shh!

whole country for Nursing. Other departments that made the top five for their subject were: Archeology, Biology, Chemistry, History of Art, Social Policy and Social Work.

Other criteria that were used for the tables include student satisfaction, student/staff ratio and services and facilities spending.

University of York's league table ranking

8 COMMENT

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

>Comment THE VOICE OF

Vision Says...

I

t’s nothing less than outrageous that the University Health Centre cannot provide accessible treatment for such a prevalent sexual infection as chlamydia, especially when young people aged 16-24 are at most risk of its contraction.

That the medical staff were not only unhelpful and patronizing, but often inaccurate in their diagnoses, is more than just salt in the wound, it is an insult to our collective intelligence and a definite threat to the welfare of York's student body.

This shocking insensitivity to students' situations could lead to students being reluctant to report very serious issues and therefore suffering in the long run.

Evidence suggests that doctors are treating students like textbook cases rather than taking each case as it comes.

Vision can only hope that the imminent YUSU survey will finally lead to some concrete improvement in this regard.

david efird

S

I

Thumbs down to...

t’s hard not to be of the opinion that sports initiations have become something of a relic. The hockey team’s dog chow-related torture is merely the latest incarnation of a less than illustrious tradition.

The idea that ritualized degradation is a necessary precondition for good teamwork may lead to in some cases a strong bond of shared suffering, but in cases of ‘failure’ this can have a profoundly negative effect on the sportsperson’s future participation in the team.

A challenge can be healthy, but forcing people to do things they feel uncomfortable with is completely against the true spirit of university sport.

THE VANBRUGH PROVOST ARGUES:

"INCREASING STUDENT CONTACT HOURS ALONE WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH TO HELP"

S

o, what are colleges for? Why don’t we get more contact hours in the Arts and Humanities? As a Provost and an academic in the Arts and Humanities, students often ask me these questions. I think an answer to the first may help us to ask a better question than the second.

But to give my answer to the first question, I’ve first got to talk a bit about another thing I often hear discussed at the university, namely, space – space for teaching, research, administration, and activities – and how there never seems to be enough of it to go ‘round. From these discussions, it seems that space is a valuable commodity. On the contrary, in and of itself, space is valueless.

Space only has value when it is given value, and when it is given value, it becomes a place. Reflecting on what is perhaps the most hotly contested place on the planet, the land of the Hebrew Scriptures, Walter Bruegemann writes: ‘Space’ means an arena of freedom without coercion or accountability, free of pressures and void of authority. Space is characterized by a kind of neutrality or emptiness waiting

Thumbs up to... cott Bryan, Rich Martell and the campaign to get FitFinder back online. While some might find the website immature, UCL’s blackmailing of founder Rich Martell represents a attack on the foundations of student free speech.

In doing so, university administrations are in danger of establishing a worrying precedent.

How long is it before an external system of morality is imposed wholesale from above on any website accessed from a university network? Our values are not to be commandeered and directed by others.

If a website exists on morally shaky ground, let its users make the final judgement.

A SPACE ODYSSEY

ANGUS HILL

E

to be filled by our choosing . . . But ‘place’ is a very different matter . . . It is a declaration that our humanness cannot be found in escape, detachment, absence of commitment, and undefined freedom.' (The Land, pp. 4-5) Places are imbued with meaning, meaning we create by structuring our lives in community, by supporting each other through all the twists and turns of life, and by being accountable to each another for the lives we lead. Yes, space is important, but only insofar as it is required for being in a place. Colleges are places, places of structure, support, and accountability, where students can lead meaning-full lives outside of their programmes of study. And that, at least in part, is what colleges are for.

The problem with having few contact hours on a programme of study is that structure, support, and accountability seem to be absent most of the time. A student’s timetable seems to be a vast stretch of space, as it were, punctuated by only a few places, where their 4-6 hours of lectures and seminars occur. While some space is helpful in a timetable, too much results in a

sense of undefined freedom, which cannot fulfil the basic human need for meaning in one’s life.

While more contact hours can, in some cases, supply the requisite structure, support, and accountability needed for meaning, they may not always do so. For example, having a lecturer sit silently in a room with students for hours upon hours would count as increasing the students’ contact hours, but it would not supply the structure, support, and accountability needed for meaning.

So, instead of asking, ‘Why don’t we have more contact hours?’, I suggest we ask, ‘How can more structure, support, and accountability be put into programmes of study where there are few contact hours?’.

And I think if we make progress on answering this latter question, we may make progress on helping students to have a meaning-full programme of study.

David Efird is Vanbrugh Provost, and a Philosophy lecturer at the University.

MOVIN' ON UP

very couple of months we have the traditional ritual of yet another national newspaper releasing a highly complicated league table telling us which university is better than another. Just last week we were told how York is now apparently the ninth best university in the country according to The Times.

Now I'm not normally someone who would disagree with such a highly esteemed newspaper, but I find it absurd that our universities can somehow be ranked according to some arbitrary criteria created by a group of almost inevitably Oxbridge-educated journalists sat in a tower block in the middle of London.

It seems to me bizarre that there can be one form of 'perfect' university. There are so many assorted reasons why people come to university in the first place it seems to undermine the results of a purely academic ranking system. We all hope to achieve something different from our time at university to other people. Some of us are here simply because we want the best academic learning environment, others specifically want to gain extra qualifications to enhance their employment prospects. Yet more students are obviously here to enjoy the social life and the nonacademic opportunities on offer, and consider university to be a place to make new friends, to try new activities, or to leave home and to gain a new sense of independence. The fact that

DO PRESS RANKINGS CONVEY AN ACCURATE IMAGE OF UNIVERSITIES? there are so many varied reasons why people decide to come to university in the first place means that it is simply wrong to create just one set of criteria by which it can be judged. This simply perpetuates a naïve view that everybody comes to university simply because they have an intrinsic desire to immerse themselves in academia.

Just speaking from a personal point of view I can assure you that that is certainly not the case.

So any university league table is essen-

As students we get out of university life what we put into it. tially pointless as it can never truly define what the 'best' university is as such a definition is completely subjective and changes from person to person as we are all looking to get different things out of our university experience. League tables such as those produced by The Times simply judge a university on its academic standards when in reality university is not just about developing academically, but also about developing

as a person.

Although we should always be trying to encourage universities to achieve the best results that they can and to continue to improve, university league tables promote an elitist approach to this process of improvement. The question has to be asked: how can a journalist who has in all probability never visited the vast majority of these universities decide which one is better than another? The quality of a university is defined by the people who make it up, not by the quality of the buildings or drop out rate.

As with all league tables, university rankings treat all students as the same and assume that we all have the same aims when we start university; failing to treat us as individuals. As students we get out of university life what we put into it. If we fail to get involved in university life and enjoy ourselves or fail to work hard academically then we will inevitably have a relatively poor university experience. Any university can give us a good experience, just as any of the same universities can give us a bad experience. The result will be derived from how we live our student years. We are all different people and all want to achieve different goals during our university lives.

Thus different universities will be best for different people dependent on what they want to achieve. To say that one specific university is 'best' takes a one-dimensional and simplistic approach to the issue.

JOIN THE DEBATE AT WWW.YORKVISION.CO.UK

COMMENT

YORK VISION Tuesday June 8th, 2010

YORK KEEPS A HOLD ON ITS UNI RANKINGS LEAD, BUT AN OLD FRIEND IS CATCHING UP FAST...

9

AS THE LAST DAYS OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR EDGE EVER CLOSER WE ASK...

DO EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES HELP STUDENTS POST-DEGREE? SCOTT BRYAN

I

do Politics. Why? It's knickers. What's the point learning about some tin miners' voting rights in the 1940s? How is that going to make you more employable?

I chose the subject at York because... well I have no idea. I turned up with no idea what I wanted to do, and to be frank with, what 'I' was about. If I had hidden away in a room reading about piffle for the last three years I wouldn't be in any better position now than where I was then. All I have is the extra-curricular activities to thank.

The activities that you can get involved with are fantastic when you come to think about it. You can do it for a thrill.

Or it's possible to have the 'big elite hat' on, aim for the top of a society only to realise that you have gained no prestige and responsibility at all. Still instead of lying around watching films from Blockbuster, you can go on a social when you really shouldn't, making an entrance back at home by falling over.

This is the stuff you remember, the stuff that makes life memorable. The stuff you read about in textbooks simply isn't. Okay you don't necessarily become more employable in something that can be written down, but you learn about

NO

YES people, about organising things with the belief that people will actually care, and most importantly you learn from the mistakes that you make along the way. These are skills that you never lose, so it must mean something.

And the best lesson I have learnt after three years at University? I have now decided that working within a highly structured environment in an office in Ipswich is not necessarily the way forward.

I've hyperventilated with energy in a radio studio, I've written a television review for Scene off-my-face during a night out. Ultimately I've been lucky to be in contact with some of the things that I want to keep doing for the rest of my life. Yes it will be hard. Yes the media is a competitive industry consisting of relatives who have all hired each other in the past, yes the future of media is going to be a man in a little room pulling levers up and down, and yes, I will be living with my parents down in Dorset for a very long time. But by being involved with the things that I have done here I now have target that I can work for. This is what I've learnt; now that I have some ambition because of this extra-curricular stuff, is simply priceless.

W

hen I came to York almost three years ago, I didn’t worry about getting involved in much. I didn’t worry about a career, because that was Future-Chris’ problem. Now, at the end of my degree, this has caught up with me.

Luckily, since first year, I’ve got involved in a lot more. Surely I now have a terrific bank of skills and qualities garnered from my strong list of extra-curricular activities to present to employers? Well, no, not really.

I used to write for Vision, a bit. I flatter myself that people enjoyed my columns.

Looking back, however, many of the subjects I wrote about, whilst entertaining, are pretty forgettable. Anyone remember that one about the scouts with guns? Or the York pillow-fight flash mob? Even the ideas seem ludicrous now. Presenting such work seriously to employers is going to require a lot of convincing. Sure, I laid up this very section a few times, but what is that going to mean to someone (like you, presumably) who has never heard of Adobe InDesign?

A friend of mine had an idea for a magazine last year. I went along with this, and now you can read a new issue of the Lemon Press every term. The magazine was recently shortlisted for Best Media at the NUS Awards. Prestigious, eh? But how many potential employers will be aware of

cHRIS burgess the awards? Many students don’t even know about them. I can, of course, explain that even being mentioned in the same sentence as the respectable, well-established newspapers like Cambridge Varsity is a big deal. But if I don’t tick specific boxes at an interview this means nothing.

Sports are good for this, I gather. I did ski a bit, back when it was YUSSC not YUsnow. But that was mainly about the après-ski, really. Plus, the only teamwork involved in my ski trip was being able to follow a group of people out of the way of the drunken skiers carrying burning torches down the darkened slope after a late night mountain-top meal.

How useful my extra-curricular activities have been to me can be summed up quite succinctly. As I sit here writing this, a friend of mine is at a job interview. He has never been part of a society. He has never been involved in anything particularly organised, unless trips to Gallery count. As a management student, with his honed vocational skills, he is simply better placed to get a job than I am. So don’t get involved people, it’s just not worth it. Study management instead.

WANT TO RESPOND? EMAIL VISION@YUSU.ORG

10 COMMENT will thorman

GET A SECOND LIFE JACK THE SAD REALITY BEHIND VIRTUAL GAMING

E

arlier this year it was reported that a South Korean couple had become so obsessed with raising a virtual daughter on the online role-playing game Prius that they allowed their own real, three monthold baby to starve to death. The mind boggles.

Warnings and stories of unhealthy addictions to video-gaming is nothing new but having stumbled across this sickening story just recently, I have become fascinated by the hugely popular existence of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games or MMORPGs. Essentially these games allow players to create another existence for themselves in a virtual world. For me, they demonstrate a very harmful disengagement from the real world, far from the harmless fun their upholders might have you believe. To their players, these sorts of games offer something valuable to many people who struggle to find the same enjoyment in reality.

Personally, the thought of leading a second, virtual life on the internet has absolutely zero appeal, and when I’m presented with stories of fatal obsession like the one above, I can’t help but feel incredibly unsettled by the vast number of people that would disagree. Please, don’t get me wrong, I am not under the impression that all players of MMORPGs are socially delinquent and capable of the same atrocities demonstrated by the South

LAURA CRESS

S

amuel Johnson would have us believe that “patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel”, and whilst it was likely that 'Mr Dictionary' was referring to false patriotism, there is something in his remark that still holds true today.

As the World Cup looms, patriotism in England seems like a carefully executed, yet artificial, plan made by marketing and advertising executives, with everybody on the television screen out waving their flags and crossing their fingers for our dear country, whilst everyone in reality is enjoying a game of football, not a piece of jingoistic nonsense.

World Cup fever has induced some people to hang flags on their cars and outside of their houses, but when it’s all over it’s unlikely that they’ll be staying up. Some would argue that events such as the World Cup are what patriotism means for England, but I do wonder why it has to be so temporary, as if hanging a flag for any longer than our 'allotted time' would seem too smug or sure of ourselves. Sadly there does seem to be a shame factor when it comes to that big ol’ flag of ours, and there’s no doubt that groups such as the BNP have confused the line between patriotism and negative nationalism. However, even before the BNP existed, England was one of the few countries where its national holiday was barely celebrated, if even remembered at all.

Korean couple. I am, however, concerned by the enormous number of people who have this blatant desire to evade the real world, albeit to varying degrees of severity. These games demand people to dedicate vast amounts of time and money to design and imagine a new fictional identity for themselves, and as the case of the South Korean couple shows, this virtual second life can take priority over

Too many people are becoming too preoccupied with a life that largely counts for nothing... real life which can have very damaging consequences.

Another story that caught my attention involved an affair between two fictional characters on the aptly named role-playing game Second Life.

This cyber affair actually led to a divorce in the real world. The wife of the cyber cheat caught him having online sex with his computer generated bit on the side. Have you ever heard of anything more tragic? Not only does this story illustrate my con-

cern that too many people are becoming too preoccupied with a life that largely counts for nothing but also that the dividing line between the real world and the virtual world is becoming blurred for many players.

How anyone can feel that an online fictional affair might provide some significance in their life is beyond me. The time and effort that has gone into such a pointless exploit would be much better spent on actually making a valuable contribution to society.

Perhaps though, I am being unfair and failing to take MMORPG addiction seriously enough. Type 'MMORPG addiction' into Google and a large number of websites will appear, all offering a list of important steps a player should take to overcome their addiciton. The very nature of these games demands serious time dedication and considering the massive sums of money that has been made by their developers in the last decade, limiting the addictiveness of these games is not high on the developer's list of priorities.

Essentially, the world of online role-playing gaming is completely alien to me. The more I try and understand its undeniable attraction across the globe, the more I want to dismiss it as a weird, very worrying, and obsessional activity that goes beyond a hobby. It’s a free world, but I would suggest that some people are in serious need of a reality check.

BLASÉ BRITAIN IS ENGLAND'S PATRIOTISM FLAGGING?

This apathy still remains, with a recent survey from The Telegraph finding England to be the least patriotic country in Europe, with just one in three British people aware of what date St George’s Day is (it’s 23rd April, in case you were unsure!) What seems

One reason given for the lack of patriotism is the fear of appearing racist even worse is that one reason given in the survey for the lack of patriotism is the fear of appearing racist. The fact that flying a simple symbol of our country could have connotations of racism indicates how confused the idea of patriotism has become; perhaps events such as the World Cup are the only times when people feel 'safe' to outwardly celebrate their Englishness.

Whilst it's obvious that education holds the key to helping people understand we can be proud of our country without having to be worried of racism, I'm not suggesting that patriotism should be forced upon people. The idea of having our school

children pledge allegiance to the flag, as in America, just wouldn’t work, as it would take patriotism once again to an uncomfortable extreme.

It may even be arguable that England has outgrown patriotism compared to its American cousins, and certainly some could see this as a positive - that we are able to see past the apparent naïvety of those who are loyal to their country no matter what.

Indeed, whilst speaking in perhaps rather general terms, England has always had a sense of detachedness and cynicism - it's something that is woven in the rich tapestry of our culture, so being proud of it unfortunately creates an awkward oxymoron.

Nevertheless, just as there are some people who appear to confuse patriotism with racism, there should be no need to confuse patriotism as a duty as is often the case in the USA - it just doesn't have to be that way.

It seems unlikely that people here will ever take to hanging flags outside of their houses all year round, but if they could find it possible to look past the rose-tinted glasses of the advertising world, and still see something to outwardly celebrate rather than hesitate over when the World Cup is done and dusted, then perhaps the need for a special day is an old-fashioned one – St George probably would have been rubbish at football anyway.

YORK VISION Tuesday June 8th, 2010

STANLEY

A GUILTY

CONSCIENCE

Hello guilt, my dear old friend

M

y old man is pretty old school; the tough love type. So with this context you can imagine how he laughed when I tried explaining to him how 'stressful' student life can be. Of course, according to him we're lazy; why would we be stressed out? Yet I don't think I was being overly sensitive for the sake of garning some useless sympathy. I'm quite sure I was making a valid point. Moreover I'm a history student who lives with physicists. They joke about how they do a 'proper' degree, and I often join in. I enjoy five ambitiously labelled 'contact' hours a week, that's plenty of time to relax, no?

That's right, no. What I've noticed is no matter how hard I try these days, the blissful embrace of relaxation no longer seems to be with me, in fact it's becoming quite stressful trying to relax at all.

At first I couldn't figure out why, but I'm beginning to have some ideas. One thing really stands out. I call it 'the Guilt', I'm sure we're all familiar with it. It comes with knowing that no matter what, I probably should be more productive, efficient or (braces for knock-out blow) responsible. In layman's terms I should probably be doing some reading. Well I tried this, I did what I was instructed to, I wasn't lazy, did my essay and I handed it in quite comfortably. It didn't work. Despite my crusade against the label of lazy the Guilt was still there, knocking on the door that represents my conscience. Reminding me to sort out the bills, or ring my long suffering grandmother to find out what happened two valleys down from our home in the Welsh sticks... Guilt.

Being the adult I am, I tried running away from this for a couple of hours. I tried having fun. At first I felt going out would help, change of scene, change of pace.

Wrong. I increased my stress levels by saying things that inhibition had previously prohibited, and was £30 worse off than I was before... Guilt. Even more than this I can't help but feeling that more stress is caused by the attempt to have fun. It often seems more important to be 'seen' as having fun than to actually relax and just enjoy yourself.

Yet I don't need to tell you this do I? I like listening to people, and from what I gather my experience is hardly unique. In fact it seems quite common, I hope that most people reading this recognise my point, yet I fear most of you are giving a knowing and familiar sigh. I try explaining that students will always pursue 'nice'. We buy nice food, nice clothes, nice DVDs, or nice booze. All in an attempt to relax, but it doesn't work. Because the Guilt is still there, you know you shouldn't have bought (insert needless luxury here), because you're a student. You can't justify it, especially as you edge ever closer to the point where your overdraft isn't an occasional safety net, it's become a dangerous lover.

I'm not sure why the Guilt is now a part of my life, it seemed to grasp my shoulders someday between now and last October and it's got a good grip. My fear is that this is the future. Frank Skinner recently hit upon this issue.

He talked about how being fifty didn't scare him. As he'd gotten older he felt more comfortable within himself. It wasn't that life getting easier, he concluded that it wasn't a lot of unnecessary effort anymore.

Perhaps this is far more to do with how hard it is to relax as a student. The daily proxy of being independent and adult gets in the way. We're in a pretty privileged position and I don't think we take that for granted, indeed I don't think most of us would consider ourselves lazy despite how we may joke about it. Perhaps it's because we realise that this can't go on forever; we worry if we're enjoying it to the best of our ability. Or if we're achieving the best we absolutely could. Because, if our mystical elders (parents) are correct, we won't have a time like this again. Well at least until we're fifty and no longer care.

SATIRE

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

11

THE SKETCH Hello Nature Fans! real d to hear it, but my You may be surprise the all time is actu-ally favourite animal of combetter known as the "Studinae jorvikus" d, as you probably do mon York student an ear interesting time of y know, this is a very of ts at different stages to observe the studen is mind and, to celmaturity. With this Stumy new book "York ebrate the launch of uin al Habitat: From Alc dents in Their Natur to Ziggy's", York a few allowed me to share Vision have kindly excerpts with you! l buy the book!

Here's hoping you al

STUD

ENT SPO TTIN wit G h

Bill Oddi

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Bill xx

STAGE

1

STAGE

Freshus Noworkia

2

Sickocrama Tiredus

Appearance: Can be spotted by the carefree grin on their face that only comes from a year of being able to hand in assignment after assignment that don't actually count for anything.

Appearance: A permanantly dazed expression from a lack of sleep along with a comfortable hoody or jumper so that any opportunity to have a quick nap can be snapped up with minimal fuss.

Area: This variety of studinae jorvikus do not tend to cross the boundaries of campus during the daytime and have even been known to spend whole days in their nests/rooms. Most only ever venture out at night but are commonly found filling out the bars of York city centre before heading off to a club for the fourth time that week.

Area: Frequently spotted fighting over past exam papers in the Library.

They can also be found hanging around outside the office of their respective dissertation supervisiors desperately looking for feedback on their notes and essay plans.

Diet: Efes scavenged on the way back from Gallery at 3am. Cheap alcohol - probably from Costcutter.

Notes: A largely nocturnal creature, the lifestyle of a Freshus Noworkia, is frequently the envy of other York Students. The only consolation for these other bitter species of students is that they know the Freshers have it all to come - and sooner than they may think!

Diet: Typical Sickocrama Tiredus behaviour includes loading up on simple carb heavy meals such as pasta or rice back at their off-campus den and then only living on basic snacking food such as chocolate bars from vending machines when they do venture onto campus.

Notes: In contrast to the Freshus Noworkia, this species of student does not have nearly the same amount of free time and therefore is less likely to be spotted than it's younger counterparts.

However eagle-eyed student spotters may well be able to find them popping into one of campus' many cafes for a quick coffee and a cake to keep both their morale and their energy up.

STAGE

3

Jobless Et Brokelis

Appearance: Very noticable worry lines around the face - caused by the stress of finally realising how few jobs there actually are out there compared to the amount of people applying for them.

drained their student loans, these students are often subjected to attempting to scavenge the remnants of other students meals from the bins round the back of the college porters lodge.

Area: Can be seen shuffling around campus looking for any job fair going . Pop in to pick up a few free pens and you're sure to find a specimen.

Notes: Whilst the Jobless Et Brokelis species has very little going for them they manage to keep themseves going by holding on to the desperate belief that someone somewhere must be in

Diet: Exceptionally basic. Having

need of their unique set of skills including those picked up during that one term as treasurer of Skateboarding Society.

12 FEATURES

YORK VISION Tuesday June 8th, 2010

>Features

HELLO MR PRESIDENT...

Vision chats to AARON PORTER, the new President of the NUS, about universities, fees and the evil ways of Vice Chancellors. ucation sector. "Budgets under threat...direct impact on the student experience...a real prospect fees will be increased."

Although over used you get the sense Porter is genuine throughout. And with this he

V

Not every VC cares about students and the student experience.

V

"They have no real regard for students and they will recommend higher fees. The committee’s inclination is towards the free market and they are keen on

They have no real regard for students and they will recommend higher fees.

+ Born 1985. om Univer+ Graduated fr r with a te sity of Leicesglish.

En in ee degr itor of the + Served as Ed aper - "The sp student new Ripple". years as a Sab+ Spent twoer and Trustee batical Officy of Leicester of Universitnion.

Students' U rms as NUS + Served two ttefor Higher Vice Presiden Education. ident of the +Elected Pres majority.

NUS with a 65%

students paying more."

Porter certainly sees fighting against fee increases as an integral facet of his presidency.

When asked what he wants to achieve during his term he reels off a list of plans - "no fee increases", "a better deal for part time students", "a fairer admissions system" and "I want the university timetable to be rejigged so you apply once you have your results." And there will certainly be a lot of people waiting to see what Porter can achieve.

The new NUS President is also happy to argue against those who dismiss the NUS as ineffectual or pointless. "We have the most democratic structure of any organisation in the world." However, Porter is keen to remember some of the problems of the recent past."The NUS has had some real successes over recent years.

But I do appreciate that up until a few years it was mismanaged and poorly directed."

His criticisms also happily wander onto the subject of the NUS itself. “We need to be better at

V

fires an attack on his next target - Vice Chancellors. "Many VCs, probably including Brian Cantor, are calling for fees to be increased."

Porter is not going to draw back or m i n c e w o r d s when dealing with what he seems to believe are some form of anti-Christ figurehead for all that he is campaign-

ing against. "They have received record pay; if they campaign for increased fees they should expect a backlash." With this he throws out what is probably his most stinging criticism - "Not every VC really cares about students and the student experience."

H o w e v e r, Porter is confident that his campaigns, particularly the NUS campaign against a rise in fees, will garner popular approval.

"Public support is on our side and there are not sufficient numbers of MPs supporting a rise in fees."

It remains to be seen whether the new NUS President will be able to translate this apparent support into successful government policy. The Browne Report (a government study into the possibility of raising tuition fees) is underway now and due to present its findings to those in charge by the Autumn. Porter sees this as the next big struggle.

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abour lackey" and "wannabe politician" are probably not the sort of responses you want when you have just been elected head of a union. But such is life for Aaron Porter, who was elected as the new President of the National Union of Students last April. But Porter takes it all in his stride, although with a slight tone of annoyance. "These accusations are just something you have to deal with. But I have a track record of independence and have criticised Labour before” says the paid up member of the Labour Party.

These criticisms were probably somewhat inevitable when you are attempting to lead an organisation that is inextricably linked to the Labour movement and has seen many of its former Presidents rubbing shoulders with Labour party glitterati.

Instead of focusing on this Aaron Porter likes to point to his own experiences as an undergraduate, a sabbatical officer at the University of Leicester and as Vice President of the NUS as putting him in the "strongest possible position." While he states that he "really enjoyed university and had a great experience" he is achingly hasty to acknowledge that some people don't have a good experience at university.

It is with this that Porter launches into what you feel must be a slightly over used tirade on the endless problems facing the higher ed-

r's

Aaron Porte CV

communicating with students. Most students don’t know what we do apart from the discount card. We need to get our message directly to students.” However, it is not with NUS that Porter seems to think the responsibility of communication lies but with universities. “We need access to students' email addresses; we need a visible presence on university campuses and should have web links on student union websites.”

Porter certainly shows a genuine vivacious appetite to get things done. He has campaigns spewing left, right and centre and enough criticisms to fill up a week’s worth of newspaper comment pieces. But students have been failed a few too many times for the new NUS President to have access to the trust some might have once taken for granted in the union. Add to this a report likely to recommend raising tuition fees and a government in its overdraft and it will remain to be seen where all Porter’s campaigns and criticisms will get him.

Jack Knight

YORK VISION

FEATURES

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

13

testing times on campus Paddy Harte explores the practice of animal testing on campus

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nimal Testing. It’s one of the most prominent ethical issues in our society and probably one of the most talked about scientific controversies in recent history. So why do I feel the need to add to this debate? Well, it was on a rainy Sunday morning that sifting through the Vision archives, I made the rather unsurprising revelation that animal testing actually takes place in our biology department. What’s more, this practice happens mere metres away from the philosophy department, which houses some of the UK’s most respected bioethicists. The reality is that debate on the issue of animal research seems confined to one department or the other, and it is this mire that I seek to bridge.

The Schistosomiasis parasite

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BIOETHICS

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Humans are able to give consent, animals are not.

The human race benefits from such research, the animals involved rarely do.

We should treat the philosophical debates as significant: they help us understand, develop and refine the procedures surrounding the practice of medical research. Such guidelines are already playing a huge role in animal testing, Coulson didn’t just acknowledge this she was passionate about some of the more nuanced philosophical viewpoints that have entered the scientific world. “When we conduct such research it is all about the animal, every aspect of its life of protected- we control the humidity, the sound, the temperature, the fire alarm is even different – all to suit the animal, because that’s the way it should be”. I was even told that animals were given time with one another to give them happier and more natural lives.

the 3 rS Both Coulson and Baldwin told me about the 3 Rs of animal testing increasingly coming to the fore. They include replacement (where if there is an alternative animals should never be used), reduction (where if reports or journals already exists, the use of more animals is rejected) refinement (where animals suffering is minimized as much as possible).

It’s funny really; I expected the whole ‘animal testing’ thing to be a much bigger issue, but actually what I found was a mutual understanding between biologists and philosophers.

Of course, sometimes, certain issues are given a lot more emphasis and treated with much more complexity in one department than the other, but this is only natural, there will always be a knowledge gap between the two departments. But if, on our campus, we could start a bit more debate and discussion between the two departments that would bring us, at least here in York, closer to that goal of mutual understanding.

The sheer neccessity of animal research seems a pretty obvious, and frankly overriding, justification

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To really understand this, I first need- able to cure the disease, but with access ed to explore the projects the Biology de- to healthcare sparse, people aren’t able to partment conducts when they perform walk miles and miles to the local health research on animals. When I met Dr Patri- centre; it’s unrealistic. A vaccine seems to cia S. Coulson, the Biology department’s be the only effective solution, but to have Home Office Liaison office, she explained this we need to test on animals.

It struck me that for Coulson, animal that much of the animal research conresearch was not just a scientific process, ducted in York concerns diseases such as Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Leishma- it was a lesser niasis, all parasitic infections that occur evil, a small but in some of the poorest parts of the world. crucial element The animal research comes into the fore in disease conCoulson when rodents are infected with one of the trol. was certainly diseases in order to track the parasites’ development inside a living organism, or very passionate in more technical language, “sequence about her role, the genome”. The results of these such and she seemed projects in York have been nothing short deeply affected of ground breaking and the results have by the extreme been published in some of the world’s objections that most prestigious scientific journals, lay- researches are ing the fundamental framework for poten- constantly exposed to. I did tial vaccines to be developed. find But animal research is not just about however scientific accolade. Coulson enlightened that this pasme on the need for such research: “I have sion could very occaworked with animals sionally cast a very one-minded for nearly 30 years, viewpoint. At one point I was and when I went out told that objections were gento Africa and saw the erally “light on facts and big people who were sufon rhetoric.” But I’m not sure fering from the disthat’s quite true. ease that we work on; I’m certainly not denying that really just puts it that there is a lot of rhetoric out into perspective.” there, I did actually get in conIt was certainly tact with campus animal testshocking to hear how ing activist about this issue, but parasitic diseases after I emailed her, explaining such as Schistosomiathat this would be an informasis manifest themtive feature, she seems to selves into the huA Ugandan child suffering the have gone of the radar. man body, “they awful effects of Schistosomiasis Could that mean she didn’t just jump out of the really have much to justify her views on? water and get into people’s blood stream, they travel around the body and multiply in organs such as the liver.” Although the disease is not generally lethal it is cripDr. Tom Baldwin of the philosophy depling and can damage the liver irreversibly. The heartbreaking truth about the partment however did speak to me about disease is that preventative strategies are some of the more educated philosophical almost impossible to put into place. “Sani- justifications. He explained good humanitation to stop the spread can be used, but tarian results, no matter how compasthe nearest toilet might be two miles away sionate the need, does not necessarily jus– what would you do? Walk two miles or tify animal research. We must get to the just urinate on the bush?” Additionally roots of what animal research is specifiCoulson explained, there are drugs avail- cally doing and the immediate suffering

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RESEARCH

it causes to animals; that objection, Baldwin added “is certainly not rhetoric”.

What makes this viewpoint especially disquieting is that there is an implicit assumption in the justification of animal research, that human suffering is much worse than animal suffering. Baldwin added, “animal research depends on the exploitation of non-humans for the benefit of humans”, a powerful point when you consider that the vast majority of animal research is not for the benefit of the animal species in question.

It stuck me that the intricacies of such philosophical points, do seem to be taken for granted by researchers such as Coulson who was puzzled by the proposal that animals could have greater rights than humans. “We cannot do [animal testing] on humans because to do that would simply be unethical” – but why? Humans are able to give consent, animals are not. The human race benefits from such research, the animals involved rarely do.

Ok. If we really look at the grand scale of things the sheer necessity of animal research seems a pretty obvious, and frankly overriding justification. As Coulson explained, “cultures and synthetics could perhaps be used, but they could never, ever replicate an animal organism”.

In addition Coulson made the very reasonable point that, if there were a new medicine not previously tested on animals and instead going straight for human trials, this would never work.

“Who would want to do that?” she exclaimed, and I cannot help but agree with her, I certainly wouldn’t want to be tested on.

It is fair to say that medical research is incredibly complicated, probably a lot more complicated than scientists like to make out. However, to me it appears that we can’t just abandon animal research- it seems the only practical option.

What’s more, and Baldwin also agrees with this, it is the only safe and reliable means to create vaccines.

14 FEATURES

YORK VISION

FEATURES

YORK VISION

STATUE OF LIBERTY Tuesday June 8th 2010

Tuesday June 8th 2010

15

Jack Knight speaks to SHAMI CHAKRABARTI, the Director of civil liberties pressure group Liberty on her career, her criticisms of New Labour and her views of the new coalition

"People like me are not usually associated with comedy; we are associated with tough issues. When I appear something unfortunate has happened."

Career

Chakrabarti is probably best remembered for her consistent and stinging criticisms of the Blair and Brown governments which earned her the somewhat clichéd epithet of “the thorn in the side of governments”.

However, while her reputation may be as a foghorn for the civil liberties movement she remains fair and balanced evaluating New Labour saying they have “a mixed record really.” On a positive note she says “The Human Rights Act was wonderful – it is a positive and consistent measure... and there were many aspects of equality that were good.”

But she does not shy away from laying down criticisms - “They gave up too much freedom and became associated with Bush and the War on Terror, they criminalised young people and they started to wrongly link asylum and crime.”

However, the idea that all the problems around civil liberties in the last decade can be pinpointed on one person or group is dismissed by Chakrabarti.

“Blair certainly had a big part to play and he was a central feature. But

The Burnham Affair

Although criticism and judgement may be part and parcel of Chakrabarti’s job she probably did n o t e x pect to be drawn i n t o f u l l s c a l e insults during the debate over plans to extend the custody period in the UK to 42 days.

Liberty

used all of its usual methods in an attempt to defeat the bill – lobbying the government, media appearances features in all outlets that would listen, campaigns involving as many MPs as possible, etc. And at the same time David Davis (the then Shadow Home Secretary) decided to resign his parliamentary seat in order to force a by-election debate on the issue of civil liberties.

This led MP A n d y B u r n ham to insinuate that Chakrab a r t i a n d D av i s

were having “late night, hand wringing, heart-melting phone calls.” The Secretary of State

apologise to me.”

Chakrabarti is not keen to earn political points or capital from the incident that you must feel she would rather forget. But she is forceful in pointing out “this highlights a wider issue about women in public life and how they are treated.”

"I don't attack people in a personal way. No one should ever feel guilty about talking up to power"

Coalition Government

In comparison to recent events these battles all seem like ancient history. There is a new Parliament, a new government, a new Prime Minister and new Secretaries of State in place. But will all these new facets of politics lead to change?

“It is only a couple of weeks old so we will see” states Chakrabarti. “On a positive note they are scrapping ID cards and I am happy with the announcement of an inquiry into extraordinary rendition. ..Most of all they have to make sure they work for everyone.”

O n whether the Lib Dems have done the right thing going into partnership with the Cons e r vat ive s she is pragmatic and straight forward. “I am not a party political animal. But I think they will be judged on what they achieve.”

One thing Chakrabarti is certain of is the usefulness of the "wonderful" Human Rights Act. “For an infant bill of rights it faced a lot of attacks. But it stood those attacks well. I think when you explain to people what it actually is and what it does it becomes a lot more popular.”

It remains to be seen whether Chakrabarti can convince media outlets, who have usually lumped the legislation together with “political correctness gone mad” and “elf and safety craziness”, of the uses of the legislation.

for Culture, Media and Sport’s slightly odd accusations are probably something of a sore point for Chakrabarti who dismisses them as “silly remarks which simply trivialised the issue.”

She will not be drawn into whether this affects Burnham’s suitability to lead the Labour Party – he is standing in the recently announced leadership battle triggered by Gordon Brown’s resignation – saying that it is “a matter for the Labour Party”. But she is quick t o point o u t t h at “he did

in her views labelling the “crucial issue” as “whenever there is any interference with free speech there should always be a rigorous debate.”

But the civil liberties campaigner does not maintain a rose-tinted view of a incorruptible world. Her ideology is one of high-minded ideals with a large dollop of realism and cynicism. “Sometimes we are our own worst enemies when dealing with our own privacy. The biggest questions is whether we believe in rights just for British citizens or for everyone in Britain.”

While almost everything in Westminster may be changing one thing remains nearly certain - Chakrabarti will maintain her position as the government's disgruntled mother-in-law, watching every naive plan, criticising every silly mistake and tut-tutting when it all goes wrong.

"The privacy debate is continuing. We are our own worst enemies when dealing with our privacy."

Ideology But Chakrabarti is not afraid to confront her critics and answer those who dismiss her, as her many appearances on Question Time, Any Questions and a host of other political programmes.

“I don’t attack in a personal way. And no one should ever feel guilty about talking up to power.” She remains stringent

Future Plans

Chakrabati seems more than happy in her job. Although she may describe her media performances as akin to the “Grim Reaper” her steely resolve and good humour are infectious and inject a sense of hope into what can often be a depressing subject.

Asked whether she would ever take a job in government she replies “I don’t think so, no.

I certainly haven’t been tempted so far. There is nothing wrong with it, but it is just not my thing.” So what are her future plans? “I have no idea. I love what I am doing at the moment; I count it as an enormous privilege.”

With this the mood becomes upbeat. But you can’t help but feel she represents a strict primary school teacher at the start of term in political metaphors.

For her a new government is like a new unruly class. And as soon as they put a foot out of line she will certainly be giving them one hell of a telling off.

We will certainly know when the first detention of the year is dished out when another politician has to sit through a grilling on national TV. If I was the producer of Question Time I would be emailing her an invite very soon.

"Late night, hand wringing , heart-melting phone calls" Andy Burnham's allegations.

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From being Liberty’s in-house counsel, Chakrabarti has risen up the ranks to lead one of the most widely known and well respected pressure groups, in an industry that doesn’t always wish to showcase it’s power or influence.

When I ask her about how her professional experiences helped her in Liberty she replies pithily – “You don’t have to be a lawyer to be a human rights’ campaigner, but it is very useful.”

Her career reached the point in 2005 where the Today programme listed her as one of the ten people who “may run Britain."

She takes this accolade in her stride. “I think whoever was compiling the list had a good sense of humour. I think it was just part of the context and atmosphere of the time with ID cards on the statute books and the War on Terror. But I take it as a compliment.”

This was followed in 2006 by being listed as the second “Most Inspiring Political Figure” by a popular vote, in Channel Four’s Political Awards.

With this award she beat wider known names such as Tony Blair, David Cameron, George Galloway and Bob Geldof, but was pipped to the post by Jamie Oliver.

New Labour

I think everyone had a part to play, especially those around Tony Blair.”

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Vision caught up with her on an average Wednesday morning in the office.

Well, not that average really. “My days aren’t average. They can range from campaigning in the courts, to lobbying politicians in Parli ament, to doing media appearances...my day could go in any number of directions.”

It is 9am and, I’ll be honest, I don’t see that many nine o’clocks in the same day. However, Chakrabarti is wide awake, witty, honest and on the ball.

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This straightforward style and dead pan delivery has come to characterise Chakrabarti’s media appearances. Although she may look angry during her media appearances she says she “enjoys doing it. I am not dazzled, spooked or scared anymore.

I am just addressing people.”

Average Day

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Media Style

However, the Director of Liberty has labelled herself as the “Grim Reaper” in a Daily Telegraph comment piece. Her justification for this? “People like me are not usually associated with comedy; we are associated with tough issues. When I appear in the media something unfortunate is usually happening.”

Now as a Director of one of the most prolific pressure groups in the UK for nearly a decade, Chakrabarti has had a phenomenal journey from Home Office lawyer and barrister to, what at points appeared to be, a lone voice for civil liberties in the UK.

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and the applause of the audience certainly showed she had succeeded. Now it was up to the former Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Honourable Geoff Hoon, to stage a rebuttal.

His dismissal of Chakrabarti’s statement as “emotional” didn’t get very far when she savaged him with the words “Yeah, I am emotional about torture, sir. I certainly am!”

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he studio audience sat all agog, the upwards of two million TV viewers were on the edge of their seats and the panel of political and journalistic heavyweights looked slightly uncomfortable with the emotional tirade on human rights being voiced by the Director of Liberty that in one fell swoop challenged accepted opinions, the arrogance of government and the comfortable ease of those in power.

Shami Chakrabarti was on Question Time again and definitely making her presence known.

This was February 2009 and the week of a court ruling on extraordinary rendition and an opportunity for the human rights campaigner to really earn her keep. The focus of her speech

Former Home Secretary David Davis resigned his Parliamentary seat to campaign against 42 day detention.

16FEATURES

YORK VISION Tuesday June 8th, 2010

TOP OF THE DROP OUTS

Josie Cridland investigates what happens when the stress of student life becomes too much to bear...

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rates coming from the 'new' universities set up to broaden access to degrees. It could be possible that the rising drop-out rates have been caused by a desire to increase the participation of those who do not necessarily have the ability to study or were encouraged by the government to undertake a degree they had no real desire to do. Yet to jump to these conclusions is to reduce the multitude of reasons students have for a leave of absence or quitting their studies, to lifeless statistics and political sniping.

Financial pressures worry the vast majority of students but they tend to be pushed towards the back of the mind... until we find ourselves in the middle of an incredibly unhealthy financial situation. Alternatively, we can interpret the universities with the highest drop-out rates as being those with the highest proportion of state school students, which would include those from low income households, with families unable to offer financial support to students struggling to cope. Moreover, these universities are some of the more financially overstretched. Bolton, with 99% of its students coming from a state school background, offer a maximum of £360 a year in bursaries compared to Oxford's £3,225; startling considering that just under half of Oxford's students come from private school.

Shouldn't questions be asked about the disproportionate level of funding available at different institutions rather than questioning the ability of financially constrained students?

Additionally, when I talked to students who have dropped or taken time out of our university, many of the reasons they gave for leaving focused on the emotional stresses affecting students.

Will* took a leave of absence after his first term; he told me: "quite simply I was not enjoying The University of Bolton (top) has a drop out rate of around 20%. University of York the university alk through V Bar any lunchtime, and you're guaranteed to overhear a few conversations about the stresses of student life. From everyday worries such as the 2000 word essay due in tomorrow (as yet unstarted) to the painfully stretched overdraft or a drunken argument with your new housemates in Freshers’ Week, all students undoubtedly face a good deal of pressure at university. For the unheard minority, the combination of the trivial and more serious worries, without the emotional support available from parents and childhood friends, can easily lead to the temporary or permanent abandonment of their studies.

While the drop-out rate at York is, according to the Guardian league tables, 3.5% (more than half the national average of 7.5%) the fact that any students are in a position in which leaving their studies, their friends and their life at university for good is either the only or the more attractive option, remains disturbing. However, with York comparing very favourably compared to establishments such as the UHI Millennium Institute (which has a drop-out rate of over 24%), one must ask why so many other

is half the national average at 3.5%.

students feel the need to leave their studies.

One explanation could be the sheer amount of people in higher education, and the Labour Party's continued target of 50% participation in higher education; critics of their policies and those who take an arguably more elitist view can easily point to high drop-out rates as conclusive evidence of the folly of Labour's vision.

At first glance the facts appear to show an obvious, if unfortunate story; the universities with the highest drop-out rates, including Bolton and Greenwich, are stuck right at the bottom of the league tables, with lower entry requirements and possibly less motivated students who are regrettably going to struggle more with their degrees and potentially drop out. Simple, right? Bolton University, with over a third of students leaving their studies or failing their course, is a good example of why the government has spent nearly £1 billion in the last 5 years attempting to prevent students from dropping out. But will this solve the problem?

Some people claim that many young adults are simply unsuited to university-level study, with the highest drop-out

I dropped out of university...

life I had been looking forward to all of sixth form. I didn't want to compromise on my experience, and despite having the best of friends around me and niversity is supposed to be the supporting me, I faced highlight of your young life. Who too many personal iscould fault the carefree days (and sues to really relish nights) of academic enlightenment, grafirst year both academtuitous alcohol consumption and the fanically and socially." tastic friends you make along the way?

Will maintains that Some people immediately embrace the history departthis new setting and all its freedoms, othment was excellent, ofers feel daunted by being thrust into a new fering all the support home, with new friends and a completely and advice he wished new way of life. It all looks very promisfor, a statement that ing on paper, yet nothing can prepare you explains the very low for that feeling of complete bewilderment drop-out rate within when you finally get there. the department. HowAnd yes, that feeling happens to us all ever, upon returning to at some stage in Fresher’s Week, but what York, he encountered happens if it doesn’t fade, like so many huge difficulties with say it should? That’s what happened to the accommodation me. I chose to go on a leave of absence office, being denied after Christmas of last year because I’d university accommofallen in love with York and didn’t want dation and offered a to leave it permanently, but didn’t feel room in a shared house like I was ready to take it all in just yet. instead, with those in Many people I knew had taken gap years charge assuming that and talked about the benefits of taking he would still enjoy a time out before starting university, and true Freshers’ experiI felt that rather than soldiering on with ence. How the univeruniversity when I wasn’t happy, I would sity thought it acceptreturn home and try again the following able to place a student, autumn. This approach proved to be perwho had already been fect for me; I’ve returned to university on forced to leave due to my own terms and feel much better about emotional issues, in the way things have panned out. a small shared house My advice to people feeling lost and with students in secconfused in their experience of universiond or third year, rety is this: talk to your supervisor. They’re moved from the camincredibly supportive and will help you pus bubble that shapes out in any way they possibly can. Perthe Freshers’ experihaps a leave of absence isn’t right for you; ence, is frankly mindthere are several options to explore and blowing. you might even find that the initial shock Meanwhile, the of university life fades over time. But if university website diyou’re unhappy, don’t suffer in silence. rects students thinkYour time at university is meant to be an ing of dropping out to enjoyable experience; don’t settle for anytheir academic superthing less. visor rather than to a centralised system of

welfare and cohesive support. This led to a situation in which the history department students do feel that university felt it necessary to get directly is the only option open to them, involved and plead Will's case and are forced into attending, with the accommodation office. where they struggle and lose If this was standard practice interest in their degree. Howinstead of a contingency plan, ever, specific universities need much stress could have been to take responsibility for the avoided. welfare of their students, from Questions need to be asked providing adequate financial about the way universities deal aid to making sure students are with students wishing to leave given cohesive, sympathetic and their studies. While it is com- accurate information and help pletely understandable that a to those who decide that the unismall percentage of students versity experience is simply not will choose to leave university, a for them. drop-out rate of more than 25% is frankly unacceptable. *names have been changed for It may be a matter of reduc- privacy purposes. ing the government and secondary school's expectation that half of school leavers attend university. Many sixth form

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Maria Kwok

YORK VISION

FEATURES

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

17

"What I’ve done all my life is solve problems, so just bring me another problem" Milana Knezevic speaks to Martin Atkins, producer, drummer, author and general industry insider about the future of music. listen.

Though he undoubtedly looks like an old punk he has got an air of professionalism and authority about him. He says that in one way or another, he’s been involved in the music industry all his life. However, he maintains that certain things haven’t changed.

“You still have the big business on the one end and the innovators doing the new shit on the other end.

Major labels versus indie labels; the D.I.Y. crowd versus the not D.I.Y. crowd. The differences have always been there, but now the D.I.Y. crowd has a distinct advantage, as the big oil tanker of the traditional business loses its way. It’s the small speedboats that can make quick turns. They can try one direction and if that’s no good, they can go back and try another one. The big oil tankers are committed to one direction and if that doesn’t work out than that’s it; they’re stuck, they can’t manoeuvre.

The advantage is with the small entrepreneurial thinkers.”

He does however recognize that technology represents big change and he praises the fact that the barriers to distribution have now disappeared. I wonder whether this increased accessibility to music has made it easier or harder to make your mark as an artist? “ We l l , for the D . I . Y . crowd, its just another day, another problem.

What I’ve done all my life is solve problems, so just bring me another problem. When I see people who want to change the rules and dial it backwards, that’s disappointing. The rules can only be changed by moving forward. People either get it and they do it and they’re not afraid of making mistakes.

They change the course and respond and learn from their mistakes or they sit in a room shaking with fear.”

With the changes in distribution Atkins believes that the era of supplying music through selling albums is over, but he does not believe that the physical format is dead. “The physical model is coming back, not as a way to mass market, but as an artefact.

It becomes art objects for people to own, rather than a form of distributing the music. Now vinyl is cool. People are worried about illegal downloading, but the same thing happened in the 70s through the black music market." With all his experience Atkins remains philosophical about major shifts – “When you’re as old as I am, you see this shit and its like ‘oh people are getting hysterical over nothing again'.”

Atkins doesn’t see illegal downloading as the big problem the industry perceives it to be. “It seems to me people are quite happy getting their music the way they’re getting it and bands are succeeding. What problem exactly are

they trying to solve? Are they trying to make money? Trying to insert themselves into the supply chain? This is middle managing and there’s a lot of that going on.”

Middle managing is something the business veteran is not fond of. In Tour:Smart he a d vises bands

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You see all this shit and its like - "Oh people are getting totally hysterical over nothing again!"

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he f*cking iPod and iPad: that’s the new Beatles!” This may sound like a strange statement to make, and it would be, if somebody other than Martin Atkins were making it. You may not be familiar with the name Martin Atkins. That’s okay; he’s not a celebrity. What he is, however, is a true music industry Jack-of-alltrades. In his decade spanning career, he’s played with bands such as Public Image Ltd., Killing Joke, Ministry and Nine Inch Nails. He’s the owner of record company Invisible Records, and has gone as far as Beijing’s underground scene to scout for new talent.

He’s currently teaching at the Madison Media Institute, with experience from teaching “The Business of Touring” at Columbia College Chicago. Recently he founded his own school- Revolution Number Three. He’s author of Tour:Smart, arguably the most definitive guide to touring available. The nearly 600 page mammoth details everything from booking your own show to constructing a guestlist. The contributors range from Henry Rollins to Chris Connelly to The Suicide Girls, with many other industry insiders.

Add to this already comprehensive list: producer, DJ, documentary filmmaker and columnist, and you’ve got one hell of an impressive CV. In short, when Martin Atkins talks music, you

to cut out the middle man and book shows themselves. Is there no room for that linking body?

“There is room. But anyone who can help a band could help 20 bands, and the business model is that if you can help 20 bands you should be trying to help 50. The more times you spin the wheel, the more likely you are to get the prize. The people who can help you don’t have the time to help you because they’re busy helping everybody a tiny little bit. So you have to do things yourself, make your own mistakes and keep a record of everything."

Atkins sees a future without major labels; he feels they have played out their part. He envisions a set of loose organisational alliances, whereby likeminded people use their leverage to help each other.

“Just think of all those millions of plays on MySpace, yet the bands themselves have no leverage over the MySpace machine. None of the bands have a voice within MySpace. But if say,

50 bands got together then they would suddenly have much more influence.”

With the arrival of services like MySpace, an unprecedented amount of music has become available. This means that the music industry is losing ground not only as a distributor but also as the main tastemaker. Atkins however, feels that the role of the tastemakers, in one form or another, is still important.

“The voice's role is so important, because we’re getting so swamped.

When somebody you respect and trust recommends something to you, you’ll go out and get that album. Instead of it being like, ‘here are a thousand records you should maybe listen to, maybe not’. That ends up being so overwhelming that you don’t listen to anything at all. It’s weird because if you think back at the 50,000 people seeing the Beatles at Shea stadium, that’s never gonna happen again. The total activity is the same, maybe more, but it’s meaningless because there are just thousands of bands. The model is just changing, it’s diluted.”

Ultimately, the times they are a-changing. Atkins believes music can no longer be marketed as a product. People are still able to have meaningful experiences with music on a personal level, but he does not see it crafting that collective bond for future generations. Something else entirely seems to have taken up that place.

“The market forces are still there and people want to worship something. It seems to me that it has just changed from people worshipping the Beatles and this band and that band to worshipping a product. Applications are the new hit singles.”

“Years ago, labels used to have fake promotional stories, like “Led Zeppelin have left the tapes to the new album in a taxi”.

Now, it’s “somebody left the new iPhone in a bar in San Francisco.” When I saw that story, I was like ‘wow, technology is the new music industry’.”

18 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

>Lifestyle SUMMER SPECIAL

SUMMERS SPENT IN YORK Maddy Potts dreams about the perfect Summer day in York...

"Holiday! Celebrate!" Madonna has never uttered a truer sentiment. Holidays are the time for fun and relaxation, perfectly designed to help you recover from the aftermath of summer term exam trauma. You may be off "on tour" with your friends to the classy destination of Ayia Napa (complete with matching T-shirts), taking a mini gap yarr in the depths of Burma or being dragged off avec mum and dad to a cottage in a remote part of France. There's an abundance of destinations out there!

The travel industry has taken a bit of a knock recently with the recession taking grip on purse strings everywhere, British airways striking every five minutes and a volcano erupting casting clouds on the minds of eager tourists everywhere. Less people are choosing to venture abroad, instead preferring to avoid the hold ups at Heathrow and stay at home.

However, being at university means that we have the luxury of long summers, while technically being adults. The extendable overdraft means that the world is practically our oyster. Obviously, it's not the most practical solution to financially cripple yourself before next term even begins. Yet, it's important to make the most of the last few summers we have before we all attempt to enter the scary world of work where holiday is sparse (career in teaching anyone?).

Although it's annoying that friends from home are finishing their summer

term now instead of July. It means that during September/October travel prices are much lower providing the perfect opportunity to travel when you're on a budget. You can save up to 80% on inter-railing passes by going off-peak out of school holiday season.

Eastern Europe tends to be much cheaper in terms of acc o m m o d at i o n but there's still sun, sea and sightseeing meaning it's the perfect inter railing destination.

If you are travelling like this remember to make a note of your expected arrival time at each stop and be aware of how to pronounce the name of your desired destination! Always pack toilet paper with you to make sure that you're never caught short on an overnight train!

If you're venturing to one of the party hotspots with your friends on one of the many Greek islands; remember to respect the fact that locals in Greece don't usually enjoy the binge drinking culture that some Brits employ. They're not always sympathetic to drunken Teens abroad. Therefore, it's wise to try and stay within your limits of consciousness on a night out to get the maximum enjoyment from your holiday. Avoid getting into any tricky situations by sticking with the people you know and trust. it's also an idea to learn a few local words and phrases which might

be useful in an emergency. If you're really fair-skinned, make sure you pack a high factor sun cream to guarantee that you don't get burnt rather than acquiring that all-over red glow by allowing yourself to frazzle.

Hopefully, by the time the holidays are here, the volcanic ash cloud will be a distant memory, but if not there's always the ever reliable Eurostar...

Even if you're not travelling abroad this year, there are plenty of beaches to head off to here in Britain.

Scarborough is really lovely and has become quite a hotspot from inexperienced surfing virgins to competant wave veterans. You can lie back and relax in y o u r bodycon wetsuit without having to fork out a bomb to travel to a more exotic location. You may not be guaranteed weather like you are on the Costa Del Sol but at least there is plenty to do inside if the heavens open.

Newquay in cornwall is also the perfect destination for getting your beach fix. With an impressive coastline and a array of bays, it's ideal for indulging in some sunbathing and waterports.

Whatever you do over the summer, make sure you make the most of the long, sunny days (please). Relax and chill out with friends before we're back to uni in

HOORAY! HOORAY! IT'S A HOLI-HOLIDAY!

Zoe Pinder talks travel tips to get you into the summer spirit...

"Holiday! Celebrate!" Madonna has never uttered a truer sentiment. Holidays are the time for fun and relaxation, perfectly designed to help you recover from the aftermath of summer term exam trauma. You may be off "on tour" with your friends to the classy destination of Ayia Napa (complete with matching T-shirts), taking a mini gap yarr in the depths of Burma or being dragged off avec mum and dad to a cottage in a remote part of France. There's an abundance of destinations out there!

The travel industry has taken a bit of a knock recently with the recession taking grip on purse strings everywhere, British airways striking every five minutes and a volcano erupting casting clouds on the minds of eager tourists everywhere. Less people are choosing to venture abroad, instead preferring to avoid the hold ups at Heathrow and stay at home.

However, being at university means that we have the luxury of long summers, while technically being adults. The extendable overdraft means that the world is practically our oyster. Obviously, it's not the most practical solution to financially cripple yourself before next term even begins. Yet, it's important to make the most of the last few summers we have before we all attempt to enter the scary world of work where holiday is sparse (career in teaching anyone?).

Although it's annoying that friends from home are finishing their summer term now instead of July. It means that during September/October travel prices are much lower providing the perfect opportunity to travel when you're on a budget. You can save up to 80% on inter-railing passes by going off-peak out of school holiday season.

Eastern Europe tends to be much cheaper in terms of

accommodation but there's still sun, sea and sightseeing meaning it's the perfect inter railing destination. If you are travelling like this remember to make a note of your expected arrival time at each stop and be aware of how to pronounce the name of your desired destination! Always pack toilet paper with you to make sure that you're never caught short on an overnight train!

If you're venturing to one of the party hotspots with your friends on one of the many Greek islands; remember to respect the fact that locals in Greece don't usually enjoy the binge drinking culture that some Brits employ. They're not always sympathetic to drunken Teens abroad. Therefore, it's wise to try and stay within your limits of consciousness on a night out to get the maximum enjoyment from your holiday. Avoid getting into any tricky situations by sticking with the people you know and trust. it's also an idea to learn a few local words and phrases which might be useful in an emergency. If you're really fairskinned, make sure you pack a high factor sun cream to guarantee that you don't get burnt rather than acquiring that all-over red glow by allowing yourself to frazzle.

Hopefully, by the time the holidays are here, the volcanic ash cloud will be a distant memory, but if not there's always the ever reliable Eurostar...

Even if you're not travelling abroad this year, there are plenty of beaches to head off to here in Britain.

Scarborough is really lovely and has become quite a hotspot from inexperienced surfing virgins to competant wave veterans. You can lie back and relax in your bodycon wetsuit without having to fork out a bomb to travel to a more exotic location. You may not be guaranteed weather like you are on the Costa Del Sol but at

least there is plenty to do inside if the heavens open.

Newquay in cornwall is also the perfect destination for getting your beach fix. With an impressive coastline and a array of bays, it's ideal for indulging in some sunbathing and waterports.

Whatever you do over the summer, make sure you make the most of the long, sunny days (please). Relax and chill out with friends before we're back to uni in October, tan fading, wrapped up in our winter coats.

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YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

HOLIDAYS UNCOVERED Katy Roberts and Andy Nichols compare antics on a girls' get-away to Turkey and lads on the lash in Karaoke Kavos...

M

armaris, Turkey. That’s where we decided we would go, after much deliberation obviously. There had been other suggestions, Ibiza? – nah, too expensive, Zante? – nah, our whole town was going, Wales again? – nah, we wanted some sun, we wanted the sea (to be warm), we wanted cocktails and maybe amidst the dancing and the sunbathing we fancied a teeny splash of culture, and so we landed on Turkey. I’d like to say it was random but it wasn’t; it’s my favourite country and the girls were probably rail roaded into it. However, we found a hotel that we agreed on, booked a swell ten days in Marmaris and off we jetted, June 2009.

We settled in, taking the amazing Dolmus bus into Marmaris town day and night, relaxing by the beach and frequenting the numerous bars that scatter the front. We smoked shisha, guzzled 2-4-1 cocktails and danced till dawn.

We played volleyball in the sea with some random Turkish waiters from a nearby bar- though harmless fun turned nasty when one friend made out with a particularly vile man, skip, he becomes a creepy stalker, skip, we avoid the bar for the rest of the holiday.

We were asked whether we wished to participate in any excursions and, full of liberation and anticipation we signed up to mud baths, Turkish baths (heavenly) and a 5am start that was a trip to Turkish historical site, Pamukkale, meaning ‘cotton castles’ in Turkish. We were crazy, I know, and the whole day was a disaster, most of it spent either on a coach, traipsing round a carpet factory or watching a man in a shed blow glass…

O u r hotel was also turning out to be a nightmare with calls to the room occurring at 3 or 4am telling us we had to vacate our rooms and come to reception if we wanted to see our passports again and asking us whether we wanted to ‘take it up the bottom’ until we politely told the phantom callers (the reception staff) to kindly f**k off ! Further faith was lost when our fan erratically began spurting water all over our beds, prompting us to complain to the reception.

Assured someone would come to fix it we waited until a man arrived in jeans and a t-shirt alone with no tools. Standing on the beds, he reached up, revealing a hand gun in his back pocket, we took a picture, as you would in the situation and hastily fled the room!

Otherwise the holiday was a success, we befriended local boys and not so local boys and whilst some of us kept our distance, others were keen to get close, resulting in free banana boats (from which one friend kneed herself and had a black eye all holiday ha ha), jet skis and places in the DJ booth of one of the biggest clubs in Europe, I guess the canoodling benefited us all – although some in more promiscuous ways than others!

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B

ritain has a talent for binge drinking, and when you have a talent it is only right that you try your best to share that talent w i t h the world. Across Europe numerous resorts have become s y n onymous with invading hoards of young, alcohol soaked, casual-sex seeking Brits. Never one to passup a clichéd rite of passage, my friends and I ventured to the island delights of Kavos.

Arriving at the resort was very much like arriving in a post-apocalyptic hedonistic nightmare, in which bars had been assembled using only corrugated iron and a seemingly endless amount of neon, female underwear was considered a superfluous luxury and the only surviving music was karaoke classics of the 70's-90's and Umbrella by Rhianna. However, luckily, this post-apocalyptic frontier town had copious amounts of dangerously cheap alcohol and 35-degree heat all-day, every-day so, it was bearable.

Having worked 9-5 in a call-centre for several months prior to the holiday, it was a welcome respite to be able to lie in the sun, meet new people and escape the dull grind of mind numbing minimum-wage work.

Even though it often felt we were judged, not on the strength of your character or your ability to wear nonstreet brand, but on the size of our biceps; speaking to those baking and bingeing around me, it became obvious that amidst the g-stars and the g-strings there were people more than capable of holding humorous, engaging conversations, people who were simply happy to spend time with their friends, and release pressures built up through 48 weeks of work a year.

Despite this, after several nights of enduring Kavos' collection of Karaoke bars, exploiting 'all you can drink' offers and being tempted by scantily clad PR girls into predominately male clubs, we decided we needed to add a bit of culture to our Lads holiday.

The closest thing we could find to 'culture' was a day trip to Albania. Bleary eyed, and with our enthusiasm waning rapidly, we underwent an hour's coach journey and two hour boat ride, before we could enjoy the cultural experience of being sold cheap cigarettes by small children on a much worse beach than we had left in Kavos. Knowing I would never have to visit Albania again, the return journey was much more enjoyable.

It seemed Kavos was not the place for cultural experiences, however that is not what a holiday with friends is about. It is about providing a backdrop that encourages good times and for that Kavos had all the ingredients. As long as you like karaoke!

19

The new Topshop make up range!

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20 LIFESTYLE

DANIEL'S MIDDLE Maddy Potts nears mental breakdown in Hollister...

EASTERN ODYSSEY J

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Daniel Goddard adventures through the holy land...

aving spent six weeks in the same country, I decided a change of scenery was mandatory. Plus, the hotel I was staying at in Gaziantep, deep in south-east Turkey, was starting to freak me out. I saw no other travellers there and confusingly, only local old men and younger, surprisingly under dressed women would occupy the lobby area all day long. My Turkish was dodgy at best but I was convinced the sign at the reception was advertising room rates by the hour. Needless to say, I had a sneaking suspicion I was staying in a glorified brothel (my suspicion being confirmed by a taxi driver a few days later). Anyway, seeing as I was in the region, next on the agenda was finding some terrorists; my current dilemma was where to go next.

One option was to cross the border and visit Kurdistan (Northern Iraq). Admittedly, I was more attracted by the prospect of an Iraqi stamp in my passport and a photo next to a “Welcome to Iraq” sign, and the man points that would entail, more than anything else. I settled for Syria instead, which was still an exciting prospect, having been on the US’ infamous Axis of Evil back in George Bush’s heyday. Yet you wouldn’t think it based on how friendly most people were. The taxi drivers were quite lairy though and would sporadically engage in arguments with people on the street in indecipherable Arabic. Unfortunately my attempts to come in to contact with extremists was faltering, so off to Lebanon, home of Hezbollah I continued...

Post Beiruti hedonism and a few days in Jordan, 'Occupied Palestine' (the correct term as per many Arab visa application forms) was next on my itinerary. Having a British passport and a Jewish surname, I could not wait to be welcomed into Israel with open arms, kosher bagels and none of the suspicious looks I’d been getting at other Middle Eastern border points. To my shock, our supposed Western ally gave me the most grief while trying to enter the country. “Why are you coming here if you have no family?” “Why did you go to Syria and Lebanon?” “Are you going to visit the West Bank?” were just some of a myriad of questions I was asked during my interrogation at the border. The process took the best part of eight hours, although it may have taken less long if I had not initially tried to flirt with the border officer. You see in Israel, conscription is compulsory for both men and women. Nevertheless, while the males go and become soldiers, most girls end up doing military related administrative work. Which is why the majority of people working at every border point are female, in their early twenties and (for reasons still foreign to me) incredibly attractive. They may have been wielding AK47s, but they were also donning oversized designer sunglasses, and I just couldn't take them seriously.

After the delights of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, the West Bank was calling me. Despite promises to the lovely border girl and my mother, who had started to watch BBC news more frequently now, I took the bus to Palestine. It was surprisingly easy considering the controversy and political situation surrounding the territory. Shortly after crossing the threshold, I met Ahmed, a friendly taxi driver/tour guide who claimed to be an ex-bodyguard for Yasser Arafat, the late Palestinian leader. Judging by his 50 inch chest, I was inclined to believe him...

Ahmed was great and showed me around places I would never have seen and introduced me to locals who I would never have met if I was not with him. We visited a refugee camp near Bethlehem which had now developed into a makeshift town. I also got to speak to a few gentlemen who can be easiest described, using the Fox News label, as 'terrorists'. One of these chaps was apparently very adept at making bombs in order to blow up Israeli soldiers. Indeed, several comments gave me the overall impression that Palestinian freedom fighters were not too keen on the Jewish state. I was just glad I wasn’t wearing my “America, don't worry, Israel is behind you” T-shirt, which I had purchased in jest only the day before in Jerusalem’s Old Town. I also thought it best not to mention my half-Jewishness...

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th, 2010

CALIFORNIA SCREAMING

haps the role of the greeters on the door (as they appear to, as yet, have none) should be to hand out complimentary maps and compasses, as without cartographical aid it is near impossible to navigate one’s way around.

To further disorientate the confused shopper, Hollister eschew the tradition of lighting a shop brightly enough for the customer to actually view the product, and opt instead for what can only be described as gloom.

Picking one’s way through the murk, dodging inconveniently placed potted palms, staggering occasionally into a blinding spotlight and subsequently falling backwards into a display of brightly coloured hot pants, the feeling of having accidentally stumbled across the set of a low rent porn film grows discomfortingly. Except that the shop attendants are impossibly attractive, convincingly windswept young things, rather than washed up aging actors.

Don’t get me wrong – Hollister clothes are good quality and well priced, and I didn’t leave the store empty handed (though for a while I thought I wouldn’t leave the store at all).

However now that I’ve Been There, Done That and Bought the T-shirt, I won’t be returning. Avoiding the hot, dark, uncomfortable and confusing experience (which I can only imagine is similar to being given birth to) that is shopping in Hollister. The twenty pounds online delivery charge is well worth it.

SoCal? SoWhat?

ohn M. Hollister had an unquenchable thirst for adventure. A Yale graduate, he spent his summers amidst the surf off the coast of Maine, and dodged the Manhattan establishment expected of him by his conservative father, choosing instead to sail the South Pacific in a fifty foot schooner. In 1922, he settled on the West coast, and after the birth of his first son to the beautiful daughter of a Dutch business man, he founded Hollister Co. as a dedication to his new-found, beloved California.

None of that is true. Hollister Co was, in fact, established in 2000, as a ‘child brand’ of Abercombie & Fitch, but this is the pseudo-history created by the company to give it that ‘vintage feel.’ Weird? I thought so. But if you find the invention of a clichéd back-story mildly disturbing, you are not yet familiar with the full extent of how unsettling an experience shopping in Hollister can be.

Hollister shops are designed to replicate vintage surf huts. Perhaps this works in California, where the shop front faces on to lapping tides (and where people know what a vintage surf hut actually is), but under the strip lights of a Newcastle shopping centre it looks more like a shed.

At the doorway you are greeted by a pair of topless male models flanking the entrance like majestic stone lions.

Only the stone lions by the entrance aren’t greased up. Now I appreciate the finely honed male form as much as the next person, but I don’t expect to have my clothes stained with body oil as I attempt to edge past it. Inside, the shop is made up of numerous small rooms, where the clothes are organised seemingly without heed to garment, colour or even gender. Per-

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YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday June 8th , 2010

SUMMER SLUMP

Mika Bhatia explains how the sunniest season of the year ironically makes us the most apathetic...

S

ummer holidays are a fantastic time of the year. They mean having a lie-in every day, going on exotic trips, and never needing to worry about exams and papers. Once the holidays come around, life is a walk in the park.

Most unfortunately, actually making it to this point is easier said than done.

Why, you might ask? With the arrival of summer season comes what I like to call ‘summer slump’. Symptoms of the slump include: a lack of motivation to study, a perpetual longing to sit outside and soak up the sun, and, a lack of motivation to study (did I mention this already?).

The slump made its annual presence in my life a few weeks ago, when the weather decided to bless the British Isles with an unusual amount of sunshine. I recall my intense excitement of finally being able to toss my jeans back into the closet and pull on a pair of shorts. Every day that week consisted of a similar routine: wake up, begrudgingly attend lecture/seminar, and most importantly, spend about six hours sitting outside on the James College quad whilst playing cards, reading magazines, and sipping on a cool drink.

And while I did attempt to crack open the textbooks, this quickly

proved unfruitful; it is quite the challenge to sit quietly at one’s desk in the knowledge that everyone else is outside working on their tan!

Of course, it being England, the sunshine didn’t last very long.

But though the glorious weather may have disappeared, its effects have deeply taken root in many of us. It is not uncommon for me to walk out of my room and hear someone complaining about how unmotivated he or she is to work. When this happens, the usual course of action is for us to take a walk to Hes Hall and laugh at the geese charging at one another with outstretched necks. The problem is, we all have loads of work to do and exams looming around the corner, but knowing that there are only a few weeks left in the university year we just can’t seem to get ourselves to do it.

So how to put an end to this slump?

I’m not quite sure if there’s a solution.

In fact, I’m not quite sure I want there to be a solution. While those of us suffering from the slump might be cursing ourselves come assessment time, I doubt any of us would deny we’ve been enjoying ourselves. Like I say every summer, we can figure it out in the Fall.

21

PIMMS O'CLOCK Siobhan Ward-Farrell offers you a tasty tipple

A

t long last the sun is shining, winter clothes have been shed and the BBQ season has begun. So, inspired by the recent release of Sex and The City 2, Vision offers you a scrumptious beverage to accompany the burnt offerings certain to be served up by your well meaning flatmates. Transport yourself from York to NYC with these three student friendly cocktail recipes.

WATERMELON GIN SPRITZER Serves: 8 Cost Per Cocktail: Approx 90p Two limes Gin 100G Watermelon Tonic Water

SEA BREEZE Serves: 14 Cost per cocktail: Approx £1.09 Vodka Cranberry Juice Grapefruit juice Ice 3 Limes for wedges

1. Cut the limes into 16 pieces.

2. Squeeze 2 pieces of lime into each of the 8 glasses, then drop in the squeezed flesh.

3.Chop the watermelon and divide among the glasses, add ice.

4. Pour two measures of gin over each and top up with chilled tonic water.

1. Pour 2 measures of Vodka into a glass, over ice.

2. Add 2 measures of chilled Grapefruit juice and 4 measures of Cranberry juice.

3. Top with a wedge of lime.

PIMMS Serves:12-14 Cost per Cocktail: Approx £1.50 Pimms Lemonade 6 Oranges Cucumber Strawberries Cut fresh Mint Ice 1. Slice the oranges, cucumber and strawberries.

2. Place some fruit in each glass along with a sprig of mint.

3. Pour two measures of chilled Pimms into each glass.

4. Add ice and top up with lemonade.

22

YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday June 8th 2010

>Style

beach out ooh Cheeky Sarah Woods shows us how to alternate our summer holiday wardrobe...

S

ummer is a wonderful time of year for most of us, especially when exams are over and we can enjoy time off and lots of lazy (and hopefully!) sunny days. For a lucky few of us, we may even get a nice holiday; no doubt this will mean a dip in the pool or even the sea. Bikinis can sometimes cause a bit of a panic in most girls, the thought of baring all on a beach full of people can be quite daunting.

However, don’t despair if you’ve not kept yourself in the best shape, there’s no need to panic when you think of that up-coming holiday on the beach with the thought of stripping down to that tiny bikini. This summer, embrace the other options available.

Cover up with a Maxi Dress. Great for sunny days and nights out too! There’s plenty on the high street that come in many bright summery colours. They’re loose fitting and are made with light materials - so no need to worry about getting too hot!

Forget kaftans and opt for a pretty play-

suit! If you want to cover up while you’re not in the pool, just simply pick up a playsuit. A lot more stylish and bang on trend - a playsuit is a great summer staple.

The swimsuit. Gone are the days of the boring swimming costume. No longer must you feel as though the only stylish swimwear option is the bikini as this season’s swimsuit has reinvented itself. With fun designs such as cut-out sides to create heavenly hourglass silhouettes, you can look even more stylish.

The guys aren’t blessed with as wide a range as us girls are however; the board short is always a better look than the infamous Speedo. Not only can you wear them in the sea and pool, but they also look great for everyday wear. Stand out with a bright and individual pair; Hollister has an eyecatching range of shorts with lots of different patterns and designs.

With so many outfit options you better get booking your holiday! Or just plan a trip to the seaside…

Y A D I L O H E H T T E g LOOK...

Hibiscus Printed Playsuit £45 Topshop Maxi Dress £65 Monsoon

cheeky!!

Helen O'Brien tells us to kiss and make-up this summer...

A

s we head into June, summer is (supposedly) fast approaching; however living in Britain we can’t rely on the sun to brighten up our days.

Luckily, summer make-up bags are set to be packed with an eye-catching, moodlifting array of colours to help bring a hint of holiday to what is sure to be a typically mild British summertime.

The look for lips this summer is superbright and super-fun. Whilst lovers of lipstick may usually go for a sophisticated red, this summer the only shade to be seen in is pink – and the brighter the better!

Having been seen all over the catwalks and the red carpet it’s now time for the rest of us to embrace the pink pout. MAC has released their seasonal “to the beach” lipgloss which comes in a number of perfect pink tones as well as suitably summery packaging, or if you prefer a matte look then a simple slick of lipstick such as L’Oreal Colour Riche will do the trick.

For nails, candy shades are a must, from mint green to bubblegum pink.

Chanel has just released a whole new range of on trend summer shades although, on a student budget, it’s easy to get brilliant imitations from ranges such as Bourjois and Collection 2000.

Barry M’s new collection of ice cream nail paints is the perfect way to keep on top of this trend and your budget! Keep your nails in a squoval shape to main-

tain strength and look ultimately stylish.

The love for a sugar sweet palate also crosses over into the land of eyeshadows with colourful pastel shades being an essential addition to your summer shopping. Soft lilacs and lavenders are the big shades to wear but shops are also filled with baby pinks and sky blues. To really emphasise your tan, blend ivory and white shades with your chosen colour.

Of course, keeping up to date with the latest trends and styles is wasted if you fail to get the basics right. Now that a smidgen of heat has hit the UK, many of us are slapping on the bronzer. Always remember to apply sparingly and to where the sun naturally hits your face; on the forehead, the nose and the chin. Bronzers range from light shimmery golden tones to warmer dark browns, always make sure you get the right shade for your skin tone to avoid the oompa-loompa look.

17 Candy Collection Eyeshadow Trio

Vision'sag make up b

Bobbi Brown Lip Glo ss Compact £14 bobbibrown.co.uk

Board shorts £34 Hollister Bourjois Little Roun d Pot Blusher £6.99

Barry M Lip Paint £4.25 Superdrug

Tinted Lipglass £12 MacCosmetics.co .uk

YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday June 8th 2010

>Style

23

THE BOYS OF SUMMER

Helen Turnbull gives the boys a lesson in summer styling...

T

he weather heats up, and its standard progallery (at www.topman.com) for cedure for you boys to don your pinstripe outfit inspiration before taking shorts, leather deck shoes and some hidethe big plunge. Top it all off ously tight tank top. It is common knowledge with a statemate pair of Nike amongst the female population that summer is dunks, the harsher the colour a struggle to dress appropriately, never mind clash, the better: the pair from stylishly, especially in this country. NonetheUrban Outfitter's fit the bill less, you have no excuse. Standard is boring nicely with their mildly ofand the nautical trend whilst inarguably a fensive pink and orange trim. timeless classic is becoming Male rebellion is most mundane and repetitive. controversial in the leg-wear

Summer 2010 is department: get it wrong the perfect time to live up and you risk a stint in the to the long-standing, steredoghouse....OK, it may go otypes of masculine dressunnoticed with the lads, but ing. Topman dares you your female associates will c i r to be different with not let it drop. The one salient t e Geomater, Top their latest trend commandment to abide by; swe , £26 alert, coined ‘Todon’t go too short. man kyo Surf ’ for the The carrot top cut is the braver ‘boyos’. newest reincarnation of the skinny/slim/ Hawaii meets spray-on jean that have been dominating men ers, Traien@ Tokyo with a and women's wardrobes since I can remember. Worn Nik anoutfit mix of brights, on the hip and loose around the thigh, they gently taper Urb , £70 pastels, Maoriinto a skinny fit. Check out Topman for this fusion of a ters effect prints and summer staple; the short, with classic colourings gives dip-dye techniques. Gingthe item the versatility to be dressed up or down. ham blazers work together with tie-dye tees and If you're not quite accustomed to the British sumpatchwork shorts for easy beach style. Mixing Tokyo mer temperatures just yet, don’t assume shorts are street style with traditional beach-wear cool equates the only option for summer style status. Chinos have to a trend that blends style, function and individuality. accumulated a tasteful eminence. Greet the sunshine I would play it safe and check out their online trend in style with vintage washes, pleating details and/or

slim fits. For the audacious, coloured chinos provide an alternative take on the standard beige washes. Again, Topman comes up trumps, but Sarah Coggle’s range is also worth a look for an investment pair.

So you no longer need to be nostalgic of the sixties beach house trend when it comes to summer dressing.

Be the epitome of masculinity by embracing the unconventional and standing out in the crowd As a British designer once famously said; “A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forgotten all about them.”

Confidence should not be an accessory but the founda tion on which Chi style is built.

Fr no Ma anklis, The braver .

Sa rsh n a . . the bet£95rah Call@ nd ogg ter.

les,

CORSAGES AND CRAVATS Emily Brunwin explores alternative options for Summer Ball chic.

T

he Summer Grecian or opt for jewel like shades evoca- Accessory-wise, fascinaBall, whether tive of Hollywood glamour. For a versatile tors, once the preserve of Ascotyou're attendlook, choose a seventies style piece with a goers and slightly uncomfortable ing the campus-wide swirling print, perfect to dress down with looking summer-wedding guests, extravaganza or one of sandals during the day. The stunning piece are enjoying a bit of a renaisthe smaller College ofby Kate Moss for Topshop s o m e h o w sance. Topshop have a huge ferings, provides the manages to tick all the above selection of extravagant, beYork University student boxes whilst still remainfeathered headbands, mostly with one of few opporing elegant - an ethereal fabric, all under ten pounds. Or, for tunities to get properly glamorous cut and subtle, vintage something special, return dressed up without fear of inspired print make it a sure win. to Asos.com. My being drenched in sweat, Asos.com is also a good bet, with pick of their extensmeared with blue face 179 different styles available on sive collection is this paint by some random my last, very recent, check.

20's inspired piece. 'smurf,' and/or touched Sticking with the And for guys . inappropriately by a traditional cocktail . . accessories charming local. At number? While the are the best least for the first, high street is awash way to add extremely civilized, with cute dresses personality to two and half hours perfect for a suma rented suit. Unbefore The Willow mer occasion, it fortunately, the 'clasCravat, beckons. So let's may be worthwhile sic' converse sneakers ShopCurious.com, £29 make the most of it. hunting for someand suit combo is no

Unless you've thing a little more longer witty and irreverbeen hiding under a unusual. After all, nothing's ent after year 11. It's time to invest in a decent pair of rock/ have day-to-day worse than spending half a day getting shoes; brogues are ideal and will last for years. While Vintage Dress, ready only to turn up and find some bitch concerns that transcend the traditional penguin suit and bow tie is a safe opthe reading of fashion eBay, £38 wearing your dress. A quick browse tion, well chosen accents can give your look individual blogs and magazines, you on eBay, keywords 'Vinflair. Vintage cravats are easy to find and often Fascinator, 2Adorn @ rather beautiful - go for a paisley print in rich, will be aware that Maxi tage Prom Dress,' unearthed a mulDresses are making a come- titude of one-off beauties: from dark tones. Maybe even hunt out a complimenAsos, £45 Maxi Dress, Kate Moss back. Take inspiration from glitzy 80's body-con pieces, to extary waistcoat while you're at it and boom: vinfor Topshop, £120 Chloe's collection and go travagant, full skirted, 50's dresses. tage, formal (admittedly a little dandy-esque) chic.

24 SPORT

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th 2010

>Sport

HOCKEY CLUB PAYS THE PRICE AS UNPROFESSIONAL INITIATION COMES TO YUSU'S ATTENTION

REVOLTING

OPPOSITION The reaction around campus has been one of shock, with one student commenting: “I’m astonished that they would do that over here. You only hear of that stuff in fraternities in America.” Another student added: “I didn’t realise that they had these sorts of initiations in York, and I just wonder how willing the students were who took part.”

Both students know members of the hockey club, and wished to remain anonymous.

Reflecting on his time as a member of UYHC, exhockey President Newton has stated: “Of all the things that I'm going to miss about my time in the hockey club

" G N I OCK

"SH

Photo: Facebook

The hundreds of photos show how a disgusting concoction of dog food, anchovies, gold fish and raw eggs were all blended together into drinks that students were forced to down as quickly as possible.

In the two-minute long video, now removed from Facebook, students are seen downing these drinks in front of a frenzied crowd cheering them on, despite their visible physical discomfort. When one student, bowed down and hands on knees, throws up after his drink he is greeted by shouts of “Man Up!”. Another student,

unable to stomach finishing his drink, is met with repeated screams of “Eat it! Eat it!”, before eventually pouring the drink over his head.

over the last three years, these 'rituals' are not amongst them.” He went on to claim that despite last weekend “attitudes are changing” in the Hockey Club.

DEFENCE Meanwhile embattled President Mark Inman was keen to stress that UYHC is inclusive and welcoming, saying: “All socials and any aspects of them are entirely optional and alcohol is never an integral part. This has always been made clear.

The welfare of our members is extremely important to us and I believe UYHC to be one of the most socially inclusive clubs on campus. There are numerous members of the club, past and present, who have not participated in anything of this nature and are revered players of teams throughout the club.

This is not, and never will be, a requirement.”

Inman’s assurances will do little for the damaged reputation of

UYHC though, in a week in which the image of the university's sports clubs took a severe hit.

"DISGU

STING"

Photo: F

CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

The new UYHC president has come out fighting though, saying: “As far as I am concerned, we have complied with all aspects of the YUSU Social Policy. We do much better than most other clubs on every single point mentioned.”

Those who have seen the video and photos posted last week on Facebook may not be so quick to agree with Inman’s defence of the weekend’s event though.

WORLD CUP FEVER

VISION'S ROGER BAXTER GETS CAUGHT UP IN AN APPROACHING WORLD CUP OF GARY LINEKER, VUVUZELAS AND THE ITALIAN SIMON COWELL...

Ah, the World Cup. A time when international friendship and goodwill melt under the heat of fervid and increasingly desperate patriotism; a time for the fulfilment of every stereotype. A time for a world where Germans are meticulous and efficient and stony-jawed, Argentines dastardly and underhanded, the Portuguese arrogant and fond of too many stepovers, Frenchmen fleet of foot and brilliant of hand-to-eye co-ordination, Brazilian defences excitable and only playing in between sips of their afternoon caipirinhas, and Englishmen proud and brave and ready to win it for the sake of our gracious Queen and the glory of the Three Lions (albeit ready to miss a penalty or lash out at a Carvalho or Simeone at a moment’s notice).

So we feel slightly miffed when we discover that the Brazilian back line is actually pretty mean this year, and might even pay attention. The erstwhile nippy French now have all the pace of a dying sloth, and our own English selves are managed not by a doughty Harry Redknapp-type, but in-

stead by Italy’s answer to Simon Cowell (and a damn good job he’s doing, too.) It ain’t going to be your usual World Cup, although the private lives of the French forward line do at least smack of the reassuringly familiar.

For starters, it’s the first World Cup in Africa. Pele predicted that an African country would win the tournament before 2000; that didn’t happen, and probably won’t for a while, which is a great pity, not least because your reporter drew Cameroon in his block’s sweepstake. They may well get through a reasonably easy group, but the two best hopes for African chances, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, have been dealt very tough hands, the latter in particular. We may see two or even three African countries in the quarter-finals, we may see none at all; the second is much more likely, although who could rule out a newly-fit South Africa (having shed themselves

of the extra tonnage of Benni McCarthy) making a fan-fuelled tilt at the knockout stages, to the tune of a million vuvuzelas?

It ain’t going to be your usual World Cup. There’s another thing; the vuvuzelas.

They’re long, they’re loud, they’re beloved of the home fans and they’re hated by the commentators, coaches, players, and the rest for one simple reason – they invariably sound like a moderately apoplectic bull elephant. Only time will tell as to how much they impact upon the tournament, but several European broadcasters were worried enough about how it might affect their commentaries to petition FIFA to ban them; they didn’t succeed. So we may not even hear the seemingly ubiquitous England brass band over the thunder of the local equivalent. It ain’t going to be your usual World Cup. And where are England

in all of this? Rustenburg, apparently, (I hadn’t heard of it either), which, judging by the lack of WAG hunting packs, has to be football’s version of a Shaolin monastery. It might be better the Babylon that was Baden-Baden in 2006; it certainly has the best facilities in South Africa. We may even have some rough, Blackburn-esque weather to contend with for the first time in a World Cup in a generation, it being winter in the southern hemisphere. Just what’s going on? Is nothing normal about this World Cup? Actually, scratch that.

“Three Lions” will be played over and over. Crusader costumes will be worn in their thousands. Gary Lineker will undoubtedly say something mildly amusing. It will be your usual World Cup – just hopefully not on the pitch, because our whole “plucky loser” stance has been going on for fortyfour years, and I’d rather it didn’t go on for another forty-four. So all together...Eng-er-land, Eng-erland, Eng-er-land...

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday June 8th 2010

YORK SPORTS AWARDS SHORTLIST

25

STEPHEN HOLCROFT DISCUSSES THIS YEAR'S YORK SPORT AWARDS, AND WHO IS IN THE RUNNING FOR THE PRIZES...

A campaign of York Sport is once again nearing its end and the stage is set to see whether the chosen few nominees shortlisted for the sport awards have satisfied enough to stake their category. On the 25th June, at the York Sport Dinner, Emily Scott will confirm the results for the seven categories available. Nominations may be closed, but fortunately, the talking is not.

Sportswoman of the Year

Most Improved Team of the Year Along with their glamour and glitz, the York Hornets also possess an array of dancing skills, evident in their winning the BCA Midlands title. It represented a great step forward from their previous year's 4th placed finish, and the Hornets will justifiably be hopeful of the honour of 'Most Improved Team'. Similarly, recognized for claiming silverware at the BUCS Cup and gaining promotion, the Hockey Men's 1sts are contenders for this award. UYHC Presidents Laura Pepper and Mark Inman have stated that the success of the Men's 1sts could ''make the Hockey Club the best club on campus.'' But, perhaps the award should go to Canoe Polo-the underdogs in many respects. Less than a year ago, the club's future was in jeopardy with only two paid members and a seemingly forgotten budget; however , such is their success, they now have nearly 30 members, and are financially capable of hiring pools on a regular basis.

From fencing to YUSnow, the 'Sportswoman of the Year' category' is fascinating. Over the past year, Women's Fencing have had a number of admirable performers in their ranks, and so lead the way with two nominations in this category. Following promotion to the Premier League, both Louise Highton and Katharine Gracey are up for the gong. After helping lead her side to promotion in hockey, Charlie Bartlett also gets her reward with a nomination. With success earlier in the year at the Indoor Snow Sports Championships, captain Marlies Neuner has done YUSnow proud. Alex Reilly commented: ''Marlies was once again consistently a top Club of the Year three performer in national competitions.'' Meanwhile, Netball captain Sarah Fisher inspired her side from the Five clubs make the cut in arguably the most lucradangerous depths of relegation to recovery, and Emma tive of categories - the 'Club of the Year'. After amassHodgson provided the Rugby 1sts with another accom- ing over 100 points for two successive seasons and repplished campaign to make up the final two nominations. resenting almost one sixth of the universities' BUCS points , unsurprisingly, the pool and snooker club are Sportsman of the Year shortlisted. Also deserving of a mention is the Men's Rugby, who prevailed under Alex Redshaw's leaderWith an abundance of talent carrying through to na- ship, only to miss out on top spot in the final Northern tional level, the 'Sportsman of the Year'' category will Conference game. Having won the Midlands Classic be a difficult choice. Ian Mckellow has thrown himself title, the York Hornets squad can rightly be acknowlinto contention following his selection for the northern edged as not just one of the most improved squads, but football universities team. UYAFC President Sam Clit- also potentially the Club of the Year. heroe stated that, ''in terms of stand-out perfromers, I have to mention Mckellow.''. Fresher Dave Tee proved Team of the Year he was more than a lightweight, bringing further success for YUSnow, finishing first at the championships.

Turning the focus to 'Team of the Year', this repreHowever it is perhaps Michael Walsh, squad man- sents an opportunity for Women's Fencing to prove ager and captain of the England universities snooker their success is based not just on starring individual squad, whose acheivements thorughout the year merit roles, but also teamwork. The Women''s Fencing 1sts, his winning the award. Guiding a club to 100 often underrated for their achievements, are my pick points in one BUCS season is a feat in it- for the award, but with success aplenty in the Men's self, but managing it successively takes Rugby and Lacrosse, as well as the Pool, this award some doing. could go either way.

Service to Sport The 'Service of Sport' award, shortlisted with seven nominees, will see Sam Asfahani aim to round off his individually successful year in style, as he aim's to fight off competition from the likes of Alex Muntus and netball 1sts captain, Hannah Barwick Walters, not forgetting, ahem, Nouse sports editor, Adam Shergold.

YORK SPORT NOMINEES IN FULL Sportswoman of the Year

Sportsman of the Year

Charlie Bartlett - Hockey Sarah Fisher - Netball Katharine Gracey - Fencing Louise Highton - Fencing Emma Hodgson - Rugby Marlies Neuner - YUSnow

Stephen Braid - American Football Will Felgate - Rugby & Cricket Ian Mckellow - Football Dave Tee - YUsnow Michael Walsh - Pool & Snooker

Team of the Year

Club of the Year

Fencing Womens 1sts Lacrosse Mens 1sts Pool 1sts Rugby Mens 1sts

Netball Pool and Snooker Men's Rugby York Hornets Cheerleading YUSnow

Roses team of the Year College Football Winners Cricket Mens 1sts Sailing 1sts Volleyball Mixed

Roses Team of the Year And finally, but most certainly not least, we come to the 'Roses Team of the Year' award, which sees colleges trying to prove their worth in the College Cup, aiming to stave off competition from the Men's Cricket 1sts, as well as the Sailing 1sts as they vye to become the only college to take an award. Also in the frame is the Mixed Volleyball team, with Women's Volleyball captain Alexa Mitterhuber claiming their success is down to ''extremely good team spirit as well as increasing interest in the club''.

Most Improved team of the Year

Canoe Polo Open Cricket Mens 1sts Hockey Mens 1sts York Hornets Competition Squad

Service to Sport

Sam Asfahani Hannah Barwick Walters Thomas Chatain Isobelle Miller Alex Muntus Adam Shergold Matt Thomas

SQUASH AROUND THE CLOCK

BY EDWARD HARTWELL GOOSE

HOW MANY games of squash do you think you could play in a weekend? 10? 20? How about 50? That's the challenge some of the members of Squash club have set themselves for their annual 24 hour event.

The rules are simple. Start playing squash at 9am on Saturday morning and play continuously until 9am Sunday morning, pausing only to swap players. Badminton club are also joining in, playing from 9pm on Saturday evening until Sunday morning.

Squash club veteran, Will Wainewright compared the event to Jack Bauer in an episode of 24. Although, "unlike Jack Bauer, a regular supply of takeaways and booze means we will be well fed and watered, and more than one hundred breaks permitted. Comparison with the invincible Bauer stands up, however, in terms of the immense feat of physical endurance required by our elite band of

squash-playing athletes to finish the task."

The event is all in aid of RAG, hoping to raise as much money as possible for this years' charities, including Water Aid and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Last year, Squash club alone raised over ÂŁ200 and both clubs are aiming to top this. Alanna Burchett, Badminton fund-raising officer, added that "we'll be having a raffle too, plus mini-challenges like sit-down badminton and an aiming challenge, all in aid of raising more for RAG. The University Squash team also commented, saying "It's a great endurance challenge both individually and as a whole club. Plus it's great for beginners to play alongside the team, regardless of ability. We're really looking forward to it!"

If you'd like to join Squash or Badminton club this weekend (or just donate to a worthy cause), head to the

sports centre anytime between 9am Saturday morning and 9am Sunday morning. Badminton club will be there from 9pm on Saturday night.

Photo by Edward Hartwell Goose

26 SPORT COLLEGE CUP IN NUMBERS

42 0 8 4 6 16 120

Goalless Draws

Games Played

Clean Sheets In Four Games For Goodricke 1sts

Goals Scored in One Game By Halifax

Hat Tricks

Goals Conceded In Three Games

By Goodricke 3rds

Goals Scored Overall

THE TABLES

GROUP A TEAM

Goodricke 1sts Wentworth 1sts Derwent 2nds Alcuin 2nds James 3rds

GROUP B TEAM

Vanbrugh 1sts Halifax 1sts James 2nds Langwith 2nds Goodricke 3rds

P 4 4 4 4 4

P 3 4 3 3 3

W 4 3 2 1 0

W 3 3 1 1 0

D 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 1 2 3 4

GD Pt 12 4 0 -3 -13

12 9 6 3 0

D

L

GD Pt

0 0 0 0 0

0 1 2 2 3

15 13 -2 -10 -16

9 7* 3 3 0

* Halifax 1sts docked 2 points.

YORK VISION

Tuesday June 8th 2010

COLLEGE CUP

YORK VISION PROVIDES THE DEFINITIVE RUN DOWN

BY JOSH MANGHAM IT'S BEEN four weeks since College Cup 2010 began, and in a tournament of thrills, goalkeeping spills and some astonishing goals, fans have not been left disappointed.

The group stage of the tournament draws to a close this week, and although the eight quarter final berths all look likely to be taken by the Firsts teams, this year’s Cup hasn’t been short on surprises.

SURPRISE FRONTRUNNERS Vanbrugh’s stunning 3-0 win over Halifax in Week 5 shocked many observers, yours truly included. It shouldn't have. Last year Vanbrugh were criticised in some corners for a less than attractive style of play, despite reaching the final. This year has been different.

The competition’s joint top scorers with sixteen goals scored and only one conceded in three matches, Vanbrugh have been the tournament’s outstanding team: stoic in defence, confident on the ball, and with a deadly strike force of Liam Regan and Ali Prince, they have been a joy to watch. On top of this Vanbrugh are a tight-knit

team of players, as shown in their spirit and commitment when defeating Halifax.

Vanbrugh are on course to meet a Wentworth team in the quarter finals that has nothing to lose. This is something that is always a dangerous proposition for any team. However despite hammering James Thirds 4-0 last week, Wentworth were beaten without much difficulty by their rivals in Group A, Goodricke Firsts. With the exception of their striker Dom Green, Wentworth do not provide a great amount of attacking threat, with physicality rather than skill the best chance they have of success against Vanbrugh. Yet hope springs eternal, and Wentworth will be lifted by the knowledge that they have nothing to lose against the tournament's in-form team. Vanbrugh will take some beating though, and with each match they look more and more like College Cup champions.

STEADY HOLDERS Alcuin might have something to say about that. Thrown into a "group of death" containing one of the pre-tournament favourites, Derwent, and a strong Vanbrugh Seconds team, last year’s winners have done enough to suggest this could be their year again. With players like Christy Cormac and

Joe Cooper this team has pace in abundance, and a formidable defence consisting of Jake Delaney, captain Miles McDermott and full-back Jack Crane has managed to shield goalkeeper Michael Wynd well, whilst offering an added attacking threat. Their dispatching of Derwent early on in the Cup was impressive, and although the feeling remains that Alcuin haven’t quite hit first gear yet, they remain a strong bet to reach the final.

James are Alcuin's likely opponents in the quarters, and after their second half collapse against a Bruce Starkey-inspired Langwith side the black and whites are the clear underdogs for this game.

James have do have an ace in the pack however, despite the fact that they possess a defence that is susceptible to pace, as Starkey pointed out so ruthlessly a couple of weeks ago. If Mark Johnson can recapture the scintillating form that brought him four goals in two games, before so abruptly deserting him against Langwith, they stand a chance.

STRUGGLING FAVOURITES Whilst Vanbrugh and Alcuin have shone, Halifax have been disappointing. Tipped as the most likely champions of the three pre-tournament favourites of themselves, Alcuin and Derwent, Vanbrugh’s victims haven’t lived up to expectations.

Although winning their first two matches by rugby scores, those

GROUP C TEAM

P

W

D

L

GD Pt

P

W

D

L

GD Pt

Alcuin 1sts 3 Derwent 1sts 3 Vanbrugh 2nds 4 Wentworth 2nds 3 Vanbrugh 3rds 3

3 2 1 1 0

0 0 1 0 1

0 1 2 2 2

7 2 -2 -4 -3

9 6 4 3 1

GROUP D TEAM

Langwith 1sts Goodricke 2nds James 1sts Halifax 2nds Derwent 3rds

3 4 3 3 3

3 2 2 1 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 2 1 2 3

6 4 3 -3 -10

9 6 6 3 0

Photo by Marcus Roby

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday June 8th 2010

THE

TIPSTER

REVIEW 2010

NOF THE COMPETITION'S CONTENDERS games against minnows of the competition couldn’t be seen as true tests of their potential. The Fax choked when faced with their first real challenge of the competition against Vanbrugh, and the resulting hangover from that defeat carried on into their final match, an unconvincing 2-0 win against James Seconds. The controversial docking of two points for illegally fielding player Jake Mundy can’t have helped morale either.

Halifax have cause to be optimistic though. Captain Mark Lund has arguably the most talented squad in the competition, and if he can manage to mould his collection of brilliant individuals into a coherent team unit, then Halifax will be a truly fearsome proposition for any team. Despite their stuttering form, Halifax will still be confident of reaching the semi-finals, where it looks likely they will come up against Alcuin in what looks likely to be the Cup’s signature match.

POTENTIAL UPSETS Before that though, Halifax are set to face Goodricke in the first of next week’s quarter-finals, and what may have seemed a free pass to the next round a month ago is now no certainty. Goodricke, although topping a relatively easy group, have been consistent throughout, and will take confidence from a defence that has yet to concede.

Halifax haven’t been the only

pre-tournament favourites to have had a tough start to this year’s College Cup. Derwent were far from impressive in their first two games, and although they showed more fluidity in their final group match, a 3-0 defeat of Vanbrugh Seconds, they know they will need to up their game if they are to reach the final stages of the competition.

Langwith, Derwent's opponents in the quarters, have shone in the group stages, especially in the way they fought back in the second half against James Firsts when defeat had seemed inevitable. Langwith are a limited team though, and the feeling remains that they rely too heavily on talismanic striker Bruce Starkey to really make an impact in this competition. With possession football not their strength, defending well will be key for Langwith, especially if they are to unleash the kind of rapier quick counter-attacks that destroyed James in the group stages. However with Starkey in bullying form, and the psychological bonus of knowing that few expect them to win, Langwith can be carefully optimistic about the prospect of facing Derwent in the quarter-finals.

The group stages have ensured the College Cup has lived up to the pre-tournament hype, whilst giving fans a tantalising taste of what's to come. With the serious business of the knockout stages just around the corner the excitement of College Cup 2010 shows no sign of letting up.

DECK CHAIR AT THE READY, THE TIPSTER TAKES A LOOK AT THIS SUMMER'S SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS

TOURNAMENT TOP SCORERS

Bruce Starkey (Langwith) Ali Prince (Vanbrugh) Phil Taylor (Vanbrugh) Nick Dheir (Goodricke) Tom Ragan (Halifax) Mark Johnson (James) Dave Worsley (Wentworth)

27

5 5 5 4 4 4 4

SURE THING ENGLAND CRICKET TEAM TO BEAT BANGLADESH IT'S BEEN only a few days since Bangladesh received a clinical beating at the hands of England: it was a result that had been set in stone before the first ball was bowled.

Bangladesh is an awful team; short on both height and talent. The Tigers face a constant battle to retain their Test status having lost an appalling 57 of their 68 matches. This isn’t going to change anytime soon. Next month when they revisit England to play in a set of three one-day internationals put your money on a 3-0 whitewashing: it’s safer than a bank!

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

4/5

LONG SHOT ENGLAND TO WIN THE WORLD CUP CONTRARY TO the plethora of patriotic adverts gracing the small screen I’m somewhat less optimistic about the chances of England getting their hands on the Jules Rimet Trophy.

Given the past form of England as the epitome of underachievement, coupled with the recent and devastating loss of Rio Ferdinand, it’s becoming increasing difficult to believe that the forty-four years of hurt are going to be ending anytime soon.

A quick glance at some of our potential opponents does nothing to dispel my worries: whether it’s the strength and technical quality of the Brazil squad; the skill, flair and creativity of the Spaniards or the grit and efficiency of the Germans we can hardly call our boys the tournament favourites.

I’m not writing the lads off completely, I could never do that, it’s just going to take a little bit of luck to see them progress through the oppressive knockout jungle of South Africa 2010.

Photo by Marcus Roby

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

8/1

ABSOLUTE MADNESS ANDY MURRAY TO WIN WIMBLEDON PERHAPS IN another era Andy Murray may have shone. Unfortunately for the grumpy Scot while Raphael Nadal and Roger Federer continue to do battle over the top spot his search for Grand Slam silverware is going to continue unfulfilled.

Although it’s difficult to predict exactly who will emerge triumphant it’s a fair bet that it’s going to be either Nadal or Federer: the unbeatable giants of the game. Regrettably, despite holding the hopes of our nation on his skinny shoulders, Murray lacks both the strength and technique to pose any serious threat to supremacy of top two seeds and will probably leave Wimbledon with his hands empty.

Photo by Marcus Roby

Photo by Daniel Gilks

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

30 / 1

Tuesday June 8th 2010

Issue 207

WORLD CUP BUILD UP

YOUR #1 SOURCE FOR ALL UNI SPORT

P25 YORK SPORT AWARDS: VISION'S GUIDE TO THE CHOSEN FEW

P24

HARD TO STOMACH YORKSPORT SLAM HOCKEY CLUB AFTER DISGUSTING INITIATIONS

P26-27 COLLEGE CUP GROUP STAGES REVIEW

THE UNIVERSITY of York Hockey Club (UYHC) has been slammed with a £200 fine by YUSU after hosting a vomit-filled initiation ceremony.

A Vision investigation, following an anonymous tip off, uncovered evidence of the gruesome initiation, in which students were made to down drinks mixed with dog food and goldfish. Many of the photos discovered were deemed to be too shocking to be printed in this paper.

A video of the initiation, and the majority of the photos of the event that surfaced on the Internet, have now been hastily removed.

The repercussions though have been severe for new UYHC presidents Mark Inman and Laura Pepper, who have found themselves in the middle of a storm of controversy only weeks into their presidency.

In addition to this, ex-UYHC President Rob Newton has angrily described his club as “full of non-professional people”, before going on to say that whilst he takes some of the blame for the incident the new presidents “were responsible for the afternoon’s activities”.

In spite of this Mark Inman has defended the ceremony, which took place on Saturday May 29th, after York Sport President Emily Scott condemned the BYuse of “peer pressure upon individuals in any situation”.

After Vision made Scott aware of the existence of the video last Friday the York Sport President was quick to act, calling a York Sport Committee meeting and swiftly releasing a statement on the YUSU website. The statement denounced the UYHC event and announcing that the club had been fined.

Continued on Page 24

Photo: Facebook

BY JOSH MANGHAM

VISION SPORT: YOUR #1 SOURCE FOR ALL UNI SPORT