fresh newspaper - may 2010

K nowing full well that we’d be sending this, our last issue of Fresh of the year, off to print on the evening of May 7th, we decided not to half-analyse whatever results fell to us overnight or by Friday morning, but instead recruit Becca Newton to

blog throughout the night….

Thursday 6th of May 2010Midnight in the Belfry and seats are as hard to find in here as in Westminster! So far some results have come through from Sunderland making them the first constituency to announce their count for the sixth year in a row. Rumour has it that the Green party have won their first seat down in Brighton.

1am - In Putney, Justine Greening has kept her seat for the Conservatives with 21,223 votes, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats trailing on 11,170 and 6,907 respectively.

1:30 am - Gordon Brown holds his seat in his home constituency of Kirkcaldy. News Just In: Up and down the country, predominantly in Sheffield; hundreds of voters have been turned away from the polls unable to vote due to understaffing. An influx of first time student voters from the universities are being blamed. NUS have issued a statement condemning polling stations, amid claims that in Sheffield, students were put in a separate queue from local ‘residents’.

2 am- In Exeter Labour lead with almost 20,000 votes. In Glasgow East Labour win with a landslide of 19,000 with the Tories gaining only 1,000 votes.

2:30 am - In Wales the overall turn out has been an impressive 69% with Conservatives winning a seat from the Liberal Democrats in Montgomeryshire. I’m slowly realizing I don’t know where half these places are on the map of Britain! Another Conservative win this time in Leicestershire.

2:55am - I’ve decided will power isn’t going to be enough and have just bought a very strong coffee!

3 am - The legend Gary Coates has just unfolded a sofa into a bed. Bed and Belfry at the same time! It’s every Digby student’s dream come true!

3:15 am - Cameron has retained his seat in his constituency.

3:30 am - Alistair Darling has been re-elected with 19,472 votes as Labour chancellor. Feeling a bit knackered now!

3:50 am - Wow Conservatives have just taken the lead for the first time with 101 seats.

3:55 am - Conservatives have jumped to 128 seats, Labour 112.

4:15 am - Last post before bed, Conservatives are on 174, Labour; 135. Looks like a hung parliament folks!

Friday 7th of May 2010. 12am - I’ve woken up to an unsurprising Conservative majority of 304 seats and a hung parliament. Not the best way to start a Friday! So what does this mean for the government?

A Hung Parliament: Is where no one party has the majority of seats; meaning that whichever party is in power will not be able to pas laws without the support of other parties within Parliament. A party needs a majority of 326 seats to win. Both David Cameron and Gordon Brown can attempt to set up a coalition government whereby the Liberal Democrats will be asked to work with and support either party. If the Conservative party form a coalition government and David Cameron becomes our next Prime Minister what will this mean for Roehampton and its Students?

The Conservative manifesto states that it’s government will:•Provide 10,000 extra university places in 2010;•Introduce an early repayment bonus on student loans which are repaid ahead of schedule;•Work to improve the way that universities are funded so that researchers get the funding they need;•Create an extra 100,000 apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships each year;•Give small and medium businesses a £2,000 bonus for every new apprentice they hire, and make it much easier for firms to run apprenticeships;•Provide an extra 100,000 college places over two years so unemployed young people can improve their skills;•Offer much better careers advice, including providing expert advice in every secondary school and college and setting up a new careers service for adults.•Delay the implementation of the new funding system for universities – the Research Excellence Framework – and work with academics to ensure that there is a robust and acceptable way of measuring the impact of all research.

If the Labour Party manage to form a coalition or establish a minority government what will this mean for Roehampton and its Students?

The Labour manifesto states that it’s government will: •In order to boost social mobility we will ask universities to consider the educational background of young people in deciding on admissions as a way of better assessing their aptitude and potential•We will promote a greater element of competition between universities that gives greater priority to programmes that meet the need for high level skills and we will urge business to be more engaged in the funding and design of programmes, sponsorship of students, and offering work placements.•We will strengthen the research capacity of our universities by promoting greater concentrations of world-class research, especially in the high cost scientific disciplines.

Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats, who have the deciding sway, have a manifesto which states to:

Ensure children get the individual attention they need by cutting class sizes (Pupil Premium). To •give every child a fair start in life, the Liberal Democrats will Spend an extra £2.5bn on schools•Scrap Tuition fees by phasing them out over a six year period•The Liberal Democrats are the only party which believes•university education should be free and admissions based on ability not bank balance.•The Liberal Democrats believe that all schools should be free from meddling politicians to work in •creative and interesting ways to make sure every child gets a fair start in life. We will slim down the curriculum and pass an Education Freedom Act banning politicians from getting involved in the day to day running of schools.

Whatever the outcome parties have positives and negatives in their plans for students. Whichever way, things are going to get alot tougher in order to combat the financial deficit in Britain and the global economic climate. All we can do is to put our trust in the MPs who signed the NUS pledge and continue to make our voices heard against Top-up fees(See NUS website: http://bit.ly/aXRkM9)

Becca Newton

Page 22

All you need to know on the back page

8

Campaigns: We look at the debate surroundingthe minimum pricing of Alcohol

Bored? Fill out our world Cup Quiz

Hung, Drawn and QuarteredPutney remains Tory as Parliament is hung.

This issue of Fresh was printed on recycled paper. Please make sure you re-use/recycle it too, or at least leave

it aside for someone else to read later. All content is available online at www.roehampton.ac.uk

FreshMay 2010 Free

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www.roehamptonstudent.com

So by this time next month it’ll all be over, for another year at least. This time next year we’ll know the winners of Frigby and Shitelands 2010, we’ll have witnessed Calvin Harris and co making a firm tent on Froebel Lawn and stained our ball suits or dresses (the girls will also be regretting those fashion-purposed heels), and we’ll have all have had that inevitable sob at the last Bop.

The good news? Well…it hasn’t happened just yet. It’s the last term of this year for most and the last term at Roehampton full stop for some of you. My advice? Don’t spend it pondering on memories, well…do that, but the important thing is that you invent some for yourselves too! Find out just how throughout this issue of Fresh, there are plenty of activities going on during Fun Times Fortnight to spoil you! Also, we’ve got the Roehampton Award coming up, as well as the brand spanking new Societies Achievement Ceremony which takes place on 24th May (Read up on page 26). Thanks for everyone who has been involved in this publication over the past year, I haven’t got enough fingers and toes to count you all but you’ve all been instrumental in getting it to where it is this year!

Good luck to anyone who has any exams or hand ins yet, and I hope to see you all before school’s out!

Anant x

EditorialAnant Naik, Editor in Chief & Production, VP Communications

Josh Paterson, Editor, Student Media Officer

Sam Kendall Kirby, Editor, Student Media Officer

Oh Roehampton! It’s finally the summer term and most of you are probably running around handing in work for the last few deadlines of the year! It has been a busy old time, but this term is all about making the most of your university life!

We have the Summer Ball in a few weeks, and what a cracking lineup with acts to suit everyones taste! The amazing Calvin Harris will blow everyone away with his dance anthems so I hope you have all got your tickets!

The Rsu have relocated over to Lawrence building in Froebel, and there are lots of changes taking place across the university so keep your eyes and ears peeled for all the latest news.

This is the last Fresh of the year, and what a year it has been! As one of the student media officer for the SU, I have has some great experiences! All I can say is make the most of the time you have here at Roehampton because it disappears so quickly!

So long, farewell, auf wiedershen goodbye!

Josh x

Fresh This issue of Fresh Newspaper was brought to you by:

Editor in Chief & Production - Anant Naik

Student Editors - Josh Paterson & Sam Kendall Kirby

With special thanks to: The Sabbs, RSU Staff, Harry Harris, Nikki Watson, Alex Murray, Tadashi Suzuki, Roehampton Press, NUS Press, Becca Newton, Dave Tinham, Jackie Christopher, Anna Faulkner, Jason Alexander Wain, The City of Chicago, Norma Navarro, Eddie Tunnah, Accomodation, Photog-raphy society, Baz Barrett, Luke Holliday, Alex Jennings, James Harris, Luke Springett, Shaun Hill, Richard Wil-liams, Banquet Records, Quiz Master Coates, Chris Davis, Mansha Haurdhan,Aman PathiaraWilliam Morris, Aman Pathiara, Rochelle Harvey, Sarah Colley and Ash Bennison!

WRITERS WANTED.Are you interested in writing for Fresh? Is there something you're not happy with and think you could improve on?

Send in any articles you would like published to either [email protected] or [email protected]

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RSU, Hirst Union Building, Digby Stuart College, Roehampton University, Roehampton Lane, London, SW15 5PH

Death by ready meals? Jason Wain investigates.

Page 13

Fresh Newspaper

NewsRoehampton hosts elections hustings on Whitelands campus The University played host is to a fiery pre-election debate where students, staff and the general public grilled candidates for the local constituency, Putney, Roehampton and Southfields.

Organised in conjunction with the Wandsworth Guardian, the debate featured the following candidates: Justine Greening MP (Conservative), Stuart King (Labour), Bruce Mackenzie (Green) and James Sandbach (Liberal Democrats).

The candidates were questioned on issues including education, health, and youth and employment, ahead of the general election on 6 May. Education was the leading topic, and it raised debate over the NUS pledge (which asks MP’s to oppose any rise in tuition fees), which Greening was the only candidate not to sign the pledge. One student, Becca Newton said of the topic: “Conservatives were entirely non-committal on the subject of Higher education - including the NUS Pledge as she said she “wasn’t willing to make a promise she couldn’t keep”, she has a point. These signatures will mean nothing if and when this infamous ‘review’ comes out and reveals that in fact tuition fees need to be increased.”

Anant Naik, RSU VP Communications who submitted the initial questions regarding deep education cuts and rising tuition fees comented “Sugarcoating aside, Justine dodged a bullet tonight over fees, she ducked my original question about how she would help the RSU combat any cuts to services on campus, and didnt approach the fees debate with any regard to how an increase in fees would marketise education and price students from lower socio-economic backgrounds out of Higher Education. She gave us the same fluff about ‘widening participation’ she did two months after we lobied Parliament in November. I was, and I think students will have been disapointed tonight.

The candidates also discussed other social issues such as local heath issues(GP waiting lists), the perception of children as ‘lazy’, voting age, jobs, disabilities, employment benefits, transport development, collaboration with local press.

The event was initially met with tension after the invitation to local BNP and UKIP candidates sparked a debate over No Platform Policy and whether or not the BNPcandidate in particular, should have been invited to attend the even on campus. Both candidates had declined their invites by the morning of the hustings.

We are sad to reveal that our SUC Chair, Dave Tinham stepped down as a result of the invite being sent. Dave said “Having thoroughly enjoyed my work with our student union as chair of the student union council for the last 15 months, it was with great regret that I felt I had to resign my position following the invitation that was extended to the local BNP candidate. Because of this invitation and considering BNP policy and - more importantly to my mind - practice, I no longer believe that this University can rightly justify our core value that ‘we promote equality, diversity, mutual respect and understanding’. Indeed, none of the above are congruent with promoting the BNP through giving them the chance to disseminate their politics of hate to our community. Furthermore, I believe that a union should promote solidarity, whereas to my mind a platform for the BNP promotes division. I understand that the union was put under some pressure to extend the invitation after receiving legal advice suggesting that all prospective candidates should be given a platform. However, I believe there are times when even the law should be trumped by core values. Unfortunately in this instance, these core values were put aside, and as a result it will take some time before I am able again to say that this is ‘my RU’.”

Anant responded “As an individual, I do not regard the BNP as a respectable political party whatsoever, and that’s where the debate ends with me. However, this was not a personal decision. As a charity, RU was bound by law to invite all local candidates. We do stress again that

it was made after hours of thought and not just on a whim, and again the consensus was made that we did not feel that it was right to cancel the event based on one candidate, who may not(and did not) turn up. I think our next step as a students union is to bring up No Platform Policy at SUC once more, and look to adopt it. We already support NUS nationally with this policy; we need to support it locally. It’s unfortunate that Dave has decided to resign (as chair), I’ve been on council for the past three years and he has without question been the most productive and efficient chair we’ve had in that time.”

New Office - Official openingRSU are extremely proud of our new offices here at Lawrence Building(Froebel) and would like to thank project manager Judy Scillitoe and her team for all their efforts in ensuring a smooth transition from RSU Towers in Digby to our new home.

We invite all students to come and check them out for themselves as well as join us for our official opening celebration during ‘Funtimes Fortnight’ on Wednesday, June 2nd from 12.30pm, BBQ included!

Continued Rowing Sucess for Roehampton Sports Scholar Roehampton University Sports Scholar, Jamie Kirkwood, has been selected to represent Great Britain in a coxless four at the Duisburg International Regatta later this month, following final selection trials in Hazewinkel, Belgium, and subsequent crew formation trials at Caversham.

Success in Duisburg may well provide Jamie with the opportunity to represent British Rowing at the U23 World Championships in Belarus in July. However, there will be further crew selection challenges to face before then. Jamie is now celebrating further success with a Gold Medal in the PricewaterhouseCoopers British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Rowing Regatta. Jamie’s gold came in the Men’s Championship Lightweight Single Sculls category in Nottingham. The event, which is the biggest student rowing regatta in Europe, attracted some of the country’s best athletes. All races were held over the 2km course.

Jamie’s event had competitors from 15 Universities, with round one organised as three heats with five scullers in each. The winner of each heat was progressed directly to the final whilst remaining competitors had to fight it out in a subsequent knock out stage to see who else could compete in the final. Jamie won his first round comfortably in a time of 7mins 33.07 seconds and was far and away the fastest direct qualifier for the final. He won the final in a time of 7mins 9.88 secs. Jamie’s effort beat the winning time of the MC1X open weight final which was won by Oxford Brookes University in a time of 7mins 12.89 secs. Jamie was the fastest sculler of the day and was warmly congratulated on his success, following the medal presentation, by British Rowing’s Chief Coach-U23s/Juniors. Jamie is one of seven exceptional sporting students from six different disciplines and four different nations to have been awarded a Sport Scholarship at Roehampton.

Ian Pickup, Director of Sport and Wellbeing at Roehampton said: “Jamie’s continued success at a national level is testimony to the hard work that he puts in to his training on a daily basis and I am delighted that we are attracting athletes of Jamie’s calibre to study at Roehampton. Our proximity to the river makes us an ideal location for aspiring rowers and we look forward to welcoming more rowing scholars in the future.”


Any Other BusinessCancer Research UK Fundrasers over Summer Term Imagine your phone is ringing, you pick up the phone and it’s your best friend telling you a tumor, the size of a golf ball, was found and they start chemotherapy next week. Even though they were so young to be diagnosed with cancer, imagine that this could’ve been prevented.

Cancer Research UK is dedicated not only to finding preventions for cancers but also, to understand how to diagnose and treat it. My name is Jackie Christopher and I’m doing a Master’s in Education: Leadership and Management. The reason I wanted to work with this charity is because so many people I know can relate to cancer. Many friends and family I know have been affected. I already know 3 people whom died from different cancers and I just found out a year ago that my best friend, who was 21 at the time, had a lump in her breast which, thank goodness, wasn’t cancerous but it was still a scary thought!

I will be raising awareness and money for Cancer Research UK from the week of 1st June. We will be at Bands Night on the 3rd and at the Bop selling cakes on the 4th. If you’d like to help for a great cause that week, whether it’s donating your time or to bake a cake, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at [email protected].

Pret A Manger Founder Helps Open Cafe In Roehampton EstateA new café in the heart of the Roehampton estate has been opened with a little help from Sinclair Beecham, one of the founders of famous sandwich bar ‘prêt a manger’. The ‘Juice Bar’ on Portswood Place is another project launched by ‘Regenerate’, a charity that works in urban communities to empower people to make positive changes in their lives.

Sinclair made a visit to the café last week to offer his advice on how to run a successful food outlet. The famous chain ‘pret a manger’ started with just one shop in Victoria so the future employees of the Juice Bar listened intently as he gave hints and tips on how to get their business off the ground. ‘He even tried our coffee and a panini’ said David Baldwin, one of the team who will be running the café ‘we were all a bit nervous but he gave them the thumbs up’.

Regenerate founder Andy Smith said ‘we are delighted that Sinclair is supporting us in this new venture. The juice bar will not only provide positive employment to local residents but also a safe environment in which anyone can hang out and enjoy tasty food and a decent cup of coffee’.

Sinclair will continue to offer advice and support to the juice bar team over the coming months ,‘We may not have the 225 shops that prêt does’ said Andy ‘but we have a team that is brimming with enthusiasm and the best tuna melt this side of Putney’.

Roehampton Launches Creative FuturesThe University has celebrated the official launch of its Creative Futures programme. Responding to the government’s call for universities to “provide courses that address the ‘skills needs’ of the economy”, Roehampton University has initiated and developed a suite of high-quality non-accredited professional training courses.

Funded by HEFCE, through a successful Economic Challenge Investment Fund bid, the University has chosen to focus on and offer support to individuals working in the creative industries, an area of significant expertise and reputation at Roehampton.

Industry leaders including Sir David Bell and Mel Nichols from the publishing world, and participants from the course attended the launch.

In times of economic recession such as this, individuals employed within the creative industries are frequently early casualties and yet their skills are often needed once businesses begin to grow and develop following an economic upturn. This is particularly relevant for the south west of London, where Roehampton University is situated.

NUS NewsA round up from the national voice for students.

1500 candidates across 97% of constituencies sign pledge to oppose higher tuition fees

Almost 1500 candidates across 97% of constituencies in England, Wales and Scotland have signed the pledge – over 500 Liberal Democrat candidates and 260 Labour candidates have signed up. Just 16 Conservative candidates have signed up.

There is strong support from the nationalist parties with many SNP and Plaid Cymru candidates giving their support, along with those from UKIP, the Green Party and Respect.

Recent polling with Endsleigh showed that 75% of students intended to vote on polling day and that many were still undecided. Two-thirds said that their candidates’ positions on tuition fees will be an important factor in deciding how to vote.

Aaron Porter, NUS President-elect, said: “This election campaign has shown that students are not willing to settle for the status quo or put up with evasive answers from politicians on the future of university funding and fees.”

“A great many of those candidates who have come clean on fees and pledged to vote for students will be returned to Parliament. Together we will work together to voice the public’s overwheleming opposition to higher fees and to campaign for a fairer alternative.”

Votes at 16 coalition welcomes Labour support for voting age reform

The Votes at 16 Coalition has responded to the inclusion of a pledge on Votes at 16 in the Labour Party’s 2010 election manifesto. The Labour manifesto promises improved citizenship education for young people followed by a free vote in Parliament on reducing the voting age to 16.A Votes at 16 Spokesperson said: “We welcome the Labour party in joining other political parties, charities and young people themselves in support of votes at 16. “A majority of young people support lowering the voting age. Young people want to be heard, including at the ballot box. At a time when we need to rebuild trust in politics engaging young people is vital to achieving a vibrant democracy. “Over one million sixteen and seventeen year-olds are denied the vote in the forthcoming elections. We need immediate action from political parties early in the next Parliament to make votes a 16 a reality. “Young people involved in the Votes at 16 Coalition have been at the forefront of the debate on voting age reform. Their campaigning has been vital in securing wider political support for extending the franchise.”Susan Nash, NUS Vice President (Society and Citizenship), said: “Voting gives young people a stake in their communities, and a stake in our democracy. Whilst they can leave home, get a job, pay taxes, get married and join the army, 16 and 17 year olds cannot vote for the Government.“A majority of young people support votes at 16 and we are delighted that Labour will offer a vote on giving 16 and 17 year olds a greater stake in their communities. Other political parties must now follow their lead and demonstrate their faith in and respect for younger citizens by working to ensure that 16 and 17 year-olds are no longer unnecessarily denied a stake in their democracy.” Paul Monaghan Head of Social Goals and Sustainability at The Co-operative said: “This is a big boost for the campaign to get the voting age lowered. Sixteen year olds can already leave home, pay taxes, get married and join the armed forces but are unable to vote on decisions that affect them.”

Fresh Newspaper

BlogsPresident, Gary CoatesAnd so it comes to this… the last blog! I thought instead of going on about what’s coming up (which looks like it’s going to be fantastic by the way!), I would like to mention a couple of highlights in my 5 years (yes I know… let go Gary!) of being at Roehampton. Not many current students will remember me as a bright eyed, innocent 1st year moving into Lee House in Digby, not sure what this place was going to be like until I walked into the Belfry and discovered they sold Desperados, what more do you want! My years as a student were by far the best of my life and I will take that with me for the rest of my life, no question. I was and still and a proud Digby student and am grateful to all those in the college who voted for me to be their DP back in 2008 and to all the staff who supported me during my time there. The other colleges all hold really special memories , particularly Whitelands on a random Thursday night, after drunkenly slurring my way through ‘Home and Away’ at Acoustic Night and being confronted by 4 badgers, staring me down and genuinely scaring the hell out of me!

Then there’s my two years as President, where to start?! When you’re in this job, you always hear the same comments about “just hanging onto student life” and “not really doing much”, well I can assure you, I can look back at my two years in this post with great pride and satisfaction knowing that life at Roehampton has changed for the better thanks to the fantastic sabbs, students and staff I have worked with. In no other job will I be able to discuss the merits of Fair-trade hoodies one minute and then speak to local community members about how dogs are a nuisance the next.

At the risk of going on forever, I’ll stop there. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported, worked, shared a drink with or even cried on me over the past few years, without the amazing people who make this place tick over, Roehampton would be nothing. And on that note, Roehampton students and staff, stop being so down on yourselves, you’re an amazing, talented and inspiring bunch of people working and studying in an institution that is definitely going places… and no, I’m not just saying that! I can’t wait to come back in a couple of years and see this place stronger and more engaging than ever.

Best of luck to Alex, Becky, Anant and Tash and the Union team for the next year and beyond, you guys are diamonds and deserve every success.

Peace out… Gary Hasselhoff Mika Ferguson Bauer Coates.

VP Activities,

Natasha BlakeHi peeps, hope Easter treated you well and your ready for the last term, I sure am and yes I am going to keep it short and sweet for once, well sort of.

Over the break I have been working on a few different projects and activities, for you to all enjoy before we depart again for summer and I really think we have some great stuff coming up for you.

Here are some Key dates to pop in the diary, we have the Sport Roehampton dinner on the Saturday 8th May which looks to be a great event awarding and celebrating the success of our sports teams and individuals who prospered this year. Tickets are on sale from the RSU reception at £30 each! The first trip of the New Term is “Wicked” the Musical Thursday 13th May again Tickets can be bought from the RSU reception £35 each, only 15 spaces available!

We also have the SAC (Societies Achievement Ceremony )awarding Clubs and Societies that have succeeded and flourished this year on Monday 24th May which will be the first Ceremony of its kind at this university which Myself and Societies President Luke Springett will be hosting.

We also have the much anticipated Fun Times Fortnight Monday 31st May-Friday 11th June, which will be jam packed with a variety of activities for you to get involved with, from trips away to Thorpe Park and Avenue Q to rounder’s Tournaments and Street Wars Graffiti battles. Look out for Promo posters and updates via the Net for this. I’m excited and I hope you are too!

So that rounds up the main activities and events I’ll be doing this year, but I’m still very interested in what you have to say especially in deciding and planning activities for the next academic year. So If you have any questions, or want to set up an activity for the last term get in contact with me at [email protected]

Have a great term everyone…Let’s get involved with Give it a go.

VP Communications, Anant NaikSo it’s been a busy month (again, I know…). With NUS Conference and getting prepped up for the up coming semester consuming a fair portion of our Easter, we hardly missed you.

But we’ve heard the stories about tour, and read the facebook statuses about exam stress, and hope we can claim flattery on the ones that spell out your longing to return to campus!

Okay, I’ll move on. It is the last term of the year for most and the last full stop for a few, but there is plenty to wet the appetite with. As per usual, it’s strewn all across the pages of this fine publication.

I want to use this space however to thank everyone that’s been involved with the communications department, from you helping us, to us helping us to people that have taken the time to read the media we put out. Thank you for a really strong year. I will keep it short and sweet this time. Thanks for an incredible year!

VP Welfare & Campaigns, Becky AstonSo here we are looking at the end of another fantastic year, with loads of things to look forward to such as Frigby, Shitelands and Summerball, as well as fun times fortnight! Over easter its been very chaotic in the welfare departmen, going to NUS conference in Newcastle, and preparing for the

General Election. I would like to say a massive thankyou to everyone who has supported all the efforts of the entire RSU in getting students to be more politically engaged and go out and vote in the General Election! We have already been told that local residents saw more students voting in this Election than ever before!

NUS conference brought up a number of interesting topics which will be major talking points over the next year in terms of welfare, non more so than the issue of minimum pricing on alcohol. For more information on this, please check out the article in the campaigns section of the paper.

I just want to say thank you to everyone for making this a brilliant year, i hope you enjoy whats left of it, and enjoy the summer break!

Becky x

Digby Stuart,

Harry Harris

Frigby, Summer Ball, and the End of The Belfry.

I’m sure you third years are enjoying our academic retirement, I know that I am. For many of us our Degree is over. There may be no more deadlines or presentations to worry about but our College lives here carry on. The RSU may have moved up to Froebel but Digby still has allot to be ruddy proud of. Having sat in on several meetings about the future of the College I know that the University hasn’t forgotten about us completely. We have plans already underway for an amazing new College Quad and square placed behind the current Cafe which promises to be something we can all enjoy and be proud of. I know that the future of our College bar is the main issue you guys are most concerned with and i promise you all that can be done is being done to make sure we get what we need. All I can say is that I and my successor are working hard to make sure we still have something to be proud of, where it will be however is something that is still up for discussion with the University Executives, as soon as i know, you guys will know.

I would like to say I have really enjoyed being your College DP for this year and I know that Luke will do a great job in continuing to work hard to make sure that Digby remains the best fun and most loved College on campus.

Harris Out (Fellas, that’s for you) x

Whitelands, Tadashi Suzuki

Hello again. Welcome back to the Whitelands blog! It’s been a real good year. Lately, I see lots of third year students struggling with their last essays (well, as we always say, we should have started earlier,,,,.) It’s been awesome to share the three years here with you guys. Let’s graduate! For second and first year students, good luck with next year. You guys are the future of Whitelands and I’m sure you’ll remain loving Uni life here.

One of the things that makes Whitelands a special college is the long tradition of May day. Coral Finch, May queen 09-10, has done fantastic job this year(together with her beauty and sense of humour). One of her fundraiser events, quiz night, was real fun as my team won the pub quiz and it was my first time winning in my whole life! Also, welcoming Natasha Jason, for coming May queen for next year. She has a magnificent characteristic and I would donate a bunch of money just for her to smile if I were around. Bring on, May day festival!

And the Shitelands are coming back soon! Ever since I have been here, Whitelands Badgers always has won. And this will continue this year too. What can I say, we got all the top players in Whitelands!

Fresh Newspaper

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Graduate study at Maastricht University:

without spiraling debtThe Times recently described studying at Maastricht University as ‘life amid the dreaming spires of Maastricht’ and rightly made the link to the famous UK universities that share this characteristic. At Maastricht University students can expect to follow Masters programmes which are excellent in terms of research and education and rated accordingly in various international publications. Indeed the University could be called a Ratings high fl ier rising as it did 60 places in just one year in the Times Higher Education Supplement of the top two hundred universities. The university leaped from 172nd position in 2006 to 116th in 2009. This year our School of Business and Economics was rated by the Financial Times as the 29th best Business School in Europe for the management programmes offered. The university is international in location and in terms of students and staff. It is situated in the heart of Europe and attracts students from all the surrounding countries and much further afi eld. Most of the Master courses are in English and take place in small groups following the innovative Problem Based Learning method of teaching which fosters teamwork and leadership skills. Employers value Maastricht students highly for their knowledge and ability to work together constructively in teams. Academic and Career prospects are excellent for our students. There are still places available at the university for a range of Master courses. This is expected to be a stark contrast to the UK where the economic crisis is leading to dramatic increases in postgraduate applications.

In addition to the high standard of our education and research the fees charged by the University are only a fraction of those charged by UK universities. The Dutch government sets the fee levels that universities can charge. Many Master courses in the area of fi nance and management in the UK cost between 8-18,000 pounds per year whereas they cost 1620 Euros at Maastricht. Students can expect proven research and educational quality at the university without the debt mountain that they would have after studying in the UK.

Simon John Burns, PhD student

“Prior to my arrival in the Netherlands, I had only ever come across the name ‘Maastricht’ whilst studying the EU as part and parcel of my undergraduate degree in Political Science. I had no idea it also played host to a University whose academic reputation was gaining in stature, year on year. The cities association with the infamous EU treaty played no small part in my decision to enroll on the European Studies Masters Programme; a course which thoroughly prepares students for the trials and tribulations life outside the classroom inevitably entails. Throughout my time here, I myself and my fellow students have been introduced to modules concerning law, economics, politics, sociology and history. This interdisciplinary approach to teaching ensures students are well versed in the process of producing written and oral work of a high standard, by the time preparation of an MA thesis begins in early May. This 15000 word piece of independent research allows the student to apply the analytical tools gained throughout the year and put them in to a practice, studying a topic which is of particular interest to them. I myself believe that the unique blend of both independent and group work practiced within courses here at Maastricht, provides students with a far more rounded educational experience than they may otherwise receive at Universities that do not pursue the innovative, ‘problem based learning approach’ of studying. The vast majority of Masters Courses here at the University are taught in English, and adopt the same philosophy with regards to how best prepare students for life after graduation as I myself have experienced within my own area of interest. Attending Maastricht University has without a doubt represented a fantastic venture for me, as I feel vindicated in my decision to think outside the box a little, and follow an educational route often avoided by my national compatriots. In light of my own experience, I encourage students to also embrace the array of opportunities available this side of the English channel!“


How to prepare for an exam!

How to prepare to the lead up to an exam Below we have compiled a simple list of things to consider in the lead up to any exams that you may be facing in the next month, you may think that some of these are simple things to remember but you would be surprised by the number of people that make mistakes or forget things when under exam stresses or pressure, the key to exams in preparation and time management. So have a quick read and make sure you are ready to battle through and do your best.

One day before the examinationBefore each exam, make sure you:• Get enough rest and sleep • Active brains need a balanced diet - eat sensibly, don’t skip meals or make do with snacks • Check on the starting time and allow plenty of time to get there • Check that you have everything you need. Make yourself a checklist.

10 minutes before the examMake sure you:• Turn off your mobile phone and get your student card and pens etc…out ready• Follow the invigilator’s instructions as to where to put it, and any bags • Check your pockets to make sure you don’t take forbidden items into the exam.

In the examEveryone gets nervous in exams. Take a deep breath before you go in and remember these basic guidelines:• Even though you may be nervous or worried, listen to what the invigilator in charge tells you to do. If it is a written exam, read the instructions on the question paper carefully before you start writing • If you think that something is wrong, if you feel unwell, or if something is distracting you, put up your hand until a supervisor arrives • Make sure you do not communicate with, or look at the work of, any other candidate. You can be disqualified if you break the exam rules in any way.

Tips for before you even start writing:• Read the instructions on the front of the paper carefully • Make sure you know how many questions you should be answering • Read the questions slowly, then read them again - it’s all too easy to misread when you are nervous • Answer the questions on the paper rather than the questions you were expecting • Choose the questions you think you can answer best, where there is a choice • Compare the marks allocated to each question and use this as a guide to the time you spend on each • Allow enough time to answer all the questions and to check back over your work• Try not to panic if you are unable to answer a question. Move on to the next question and come back to the difficult one later • Take care with your presentation- your answers need to be clear to the examiner.

Good luck from all of us at the RSU!

Academic Support

Fresh Newspaper

CompetitionThe Search is on for the First Ever UK Route 66 AmbassadorThe Chicago and Illinois Tourist office has launched a nationwide competition in search of the first ever Illinois Route 66 Ambassador. Having recently conducted a survey into the holiday habits of British tourists, research found that 86% sought more unique, experience-driven holidays that go beyond beach style vacations. Long-haul treks such as the Great Wall of China, thrill-seeking adventures like the climb to Everest Base Camp and iconic road trips such as Route 66, were top of the list.

To support this new insight, the Chicago and Illinois Tourist Office are recruiting the first ever Route 66 Ambassador from the UK. They will travel along legendary Route 66, experiencing everything it has to offer and then present their findings and recommendations to the British public via an online blog, consisting of photos and video snippets, housed on the www.gochicago.com website. This will let people see firsthand what’s on offer in a fun and engaging way, as well as the chance to learn everything they need to know about the route from a UK perspective. Perfect!

The winner will have the opportunity to travel to Chicago and Illinois for one week and experience a real slice of American pie. Often referred to as the “Mother Road,” the route includes an expansive mix of metropolitan chic from its start in Chicago, to vintage charm at attractions across the state, like Shea’s Gas Station Museum in Springfield and the Polk-a-Dot Drive diner in Braidwood.

So if you are a budding photographer, the next big thing in the world of presenting, a tourism guru or just enjoy the feeling of the wind and nothing but the open road in front of you, then this could be the start of something exciting.

Interested? Then all you have to do is log on to www.gochicago.com to nominate yourself. Nominations take place from 4th - 23rd May, then the general public will have three weeks to cast their votes as to who they think will make the best Illinois Route 66 Ambassador. So it’s up to you to drum up support from your friends, family and colleagues and get them to vote for you to be considered part of the final five who will make it through to the judging panel.

Hurry, start your adventure today!


BACKGROUND:From 13-15 April 2010, The Sage in NewcastleGateshead hosted NUS National Conference 2010 and a lot of things came out of it.

To hear the best news and views, read on...

NEWS:Aaron Porter elected at National President:Aaron Porter has been announced as the 54th President of the National Union of Students at the National Conference in NewcastleGateshead.

Aaron will succeed current NUS President Wes Streeting in June 2010 for an initial twelve month term having served for two years as NUS Vice President (Higher Education). He studied English Literature at the University of Leicester and served as a sabbatical officer at the students’ union.

He was elected with an overwhelming majority (65%) of the vote share in the first round of counting, defeating current NUS Black Students’ Officer, Bell Ribeiro-Addy (27%) and Chris Marks, Vice President (Education) of Hull University Students’ Union (4%).

NUS President-elect Aaron Porter said:“I am delighted to be leading NUS into what will be a crucial year for further and higher education, with a general election, fees review and cuts on the horizon. It is more vital now than ever that we come together to put our issues at the top of the agenda with a credible, representative student voice shaping the outcomes of these pivotal debates.”

Aaron Porter added:“This is a time to continue pressurising politicians not to increase the cap on fees and we will be publicly shaming those that refuse to sign our Vote for Students pledge, which has already been signed by more than 700 candidates. Students, families and the wider public overhwelmingly oppose higher fees and I will fight to ensure that politicians listen to them.”

Current NUS President Wes Streeting said:“Aaron’s election vindicates the long journey NUS has taken to reform our democratic structures and our higher education funding policy. We have fought the battle to become a credible voice and Aaron is the right person to deal with the challenges students face in the coming year. I have every confidence that he will utilise his skills and experience in leading from the front in what will be a crucial year for students in further and higher education. I wish him great success as National President.”

Students will not pay more for less, or more for the same”, says NUS PresidentNUS President Wes Streeting told National Conference that it’s vital for the future of Britain that education funding is protected in the face of cuts as the election approaches, warning that students will not pay more for less, or more for the same.

iswarningcameasNUSNationalConference2010openedinNewcastleGatesheadwithover1000studentsandstudentrepresentativesjoiningforcestoelectanewnationalpresidentanddecidepolicyforthecomingyear.WesStreetingopenedConferencewithnewsthatover700parliamentarycandidateshavesignedtheNUSVoteforStudentspledge,sayingtheywillnotvoteforanyriseinstudentfeesinthenextparliament,includingnearly200Labourcandidates,morethan300LiberalDemocratcandidatesand10Conservativeparliamentarycandidates.Wesalsosaidthat“Whenpeoplearestrugglingtomakeendsmeet,itisatravestythattheyfacesuchrapidlyincreasingcoststoparticipateineducation,especiallyinareaslikeaccommodationandhiddencoursecosts.Weneedtochallengeinstitutionsonvalueformoneyandsticktoourtoughlinethatstudentsinthefuturesimplywillnotpaymoreforless,ormoreforthesame.”

“Wearedeterminedtoholdparliamentarycandidatestoaccount,andhelpstudentsineveryconstituencytounderstandwhichofthosecandidatesispreparedtobackstudentinterestsontherecord,andonaclearpromise.”OnthelownumberofConservativeparliamentarycandidatesthathavesignedthepledge,Wessaid“Forapartywithhopesofformingthenextgovernment,thisisarealletdown,andstudentsshouldrightlydrawtheconclusionthataConservativegovernmentisideologicallydisposedtohikingupfeesandrepresentsasignificantthreattothemillionsofstudentswhoarelookingforrealchangethroughafairerfundingsystem.”

SABBS VERDICT ON NATIONAL CONFERENCE:

Becky Aston, VP Welfare:“NUS conference enabled hundreds of delagtes to come together and really look at a whole range of issues that student unions are facing, campiagning for, and fighting for on your behalf. The conference was chance for everyone to catch up with delagates that we had met last summer, as well as the various officers on the National Executive Committee and see how we can continue to work together over the upcoming year to make sure that you are getting the most from your RSU. Conference was very informative, and really provided a good basis on work in each of the relevant departments, and really explored a number of topics which were applicable to many different areas of Roehampton.”

Natasha Blake, VP Activities:“This year’s National Union of Students Conference 2010 was held in Newcastle Gates head and I must say it was very exciting to be amongst students and representatives from various institutions. The First day started f with a bang and we were thrust into agendas, motions and votes. There were some really intelligent candidates running in the NUS election very similar to the style of general student elections, Manifestos flying everywhere, campaign teams out and about with stickers and t-shirts. The hustle and bustle of it all was eye-catching to say the least. When it came to the experience of being in one space that provided so much information to students and representatives it made me proud to be a part of the NUS and the Student Union in Roehampton. We have to power and the voices to change are futures and make an impact on the structure of our institutions. The conference opened up a variety of channels and allowed us to challenge each other in a constructive way. We also got to meet new people and make friends from all over the country and beyond. I look forward to Next year’s Conference and the chance to make a change again.

What happened at NUS conference..?

Fresh Newspaper

CommentDegree Or No Degree - That Is The Question.At this very moment many students anticipate the typical forthcoming rituals of graduation; the end of term parties, solemn goodbyes and the eagerness of returning home to see their families. Not to mention an obvious feeling of relief after a long haul of student life. During this time students may well be thinking; what will become of the alumni after this complex process of work and grading? Was it all worth it? Will graduates find that dream job they all yearn for? It suddenly comes to mind, what really does come next? Some of these questions have always been in student’s minds as they approach graduation; however for the class of 2010 these questions seem a lot more critical.

Since the 1990’s the number of students heading off to university has doubled whilst student fees have trebled. As a result of this it seems as if every year students find themselves in more of a struggle to cope with finances during their studies and after they graduate. The system within higher education in Britain is proving to challenge what students can cope with, making student life that little bit more daunting. This has been mainly because of student fees increasing, the high volume of university applicants and recession. Most students move away from home and deal with first hand life experiences, juggle a part time job and endless amounts of course work. Needless to say, student life is a unique and fun experience of course, but this strenuous situation gives the impression that maybe getting a degree isn’t worth the hassle, especially after the down fall of the economy having had effects on graduate job prospects. It seems that because of this many graduates go on to join a work environment that’s not related to their degree, the degree that many have worked so hard for. Universities in England acknowledge how hard they have been hit by higher education funding cuts and students have been concerned with increasing costs just to get through their degree. Not to mention additional pressure on students as loan companies have had to deal with an endless amount of applicants. The Student Loans Company has acknowledged it receives 5,000 applications for student finance which can lead to a backlog of applications to be processed. This has caused confusion within student life as many did not receive their maintenance loans in time this year. Some may have only collected half way through the term; this is yet another issue students have had to deal with.

In 2003 the AGR (Association of Graduate Recruiters) reports said that while competition for jobs had intensified, those who were finding work were earning more, with an average starting salary breaking the £20,000 barrier, this was still the case in 2009. However if these AGR reports are questioned they can actually appear to be misleading because this mainly applies to students that graduate from some of the best universities in the country such as Oxford, Durham and Cambridge. The AGR is known as the voice of graduate recruitment in the UK and its bi-annual survey provides the most extensive and detailed insight into the state of the graduate blue-chip jobs market. The AGR report informs graduates of a negative state that the job market is in yet they are still giving graduates hope towards their situation creating the thought that they can casually secure a good job earning a reasonable wage. Students may have been walking into jobs straight after university but the current reality states that only blue chip firms employ graduates from prestigious universities such as the ones mentioned; most graduates from new universities join small/medium-sized companies and work for educational businesses or for the local government who are not in the AGR. It seems that this struggle is only really being felt within the new universities. So where does that leave the rest of the graduates? Sharon Graham, a 24 year old psychology graduate left Roehampton in 2009 with a 2.1, she says, ‘I found my experience at uni to be memorable and lots of fun, however it’s almost a year since I graduated and I’m still searching for a job where I can truly apply my skills, I am currently working at a leisure centre but would prefer to work as a psychologist’. Whilst Natasha Akbar, a 21 year old student at Roehampton graduating this year says, ‘I’m trying to find a work placement but it’s too difficult so hopefully I can find one then get a job there. It is worth going to uni but u have to be fully motivated and a hundred percent sure that this is what you want. Yes, redundancies have increased as well as unemployment but if experienced people can’t find jobs what chance do undergraduates have?’Due to the competitive job hunt, the AGR stated in 2003 and once again in 2009 that employers urge struggling graduates to research jobs and prepare for interviews more thoroughly than ever as competition intensifies and graduate salaries are frozen for the first time. There were also further reports from the AGR in 2009 confirming the worrying situation for the graduate’s jobs market. This report recommended graduates not to automatically consider returning to university or taking a year out as the first alternative when the job search got tough, unless graduates believed it would add to their employability. Most graduates at this point said that taking temporary paid work was preferable, after all this is better than no income at all. Nonetheless, employers were predicted a 5.4% decrease in vacancies for 2009 in sharp contrast to 2008’s predicted increase of 11.7%. The last time vacancy numbers decreased was in 2003 when the market saw a 6.5% drop. Also, 46% of organisations expected to hire fewer graduates in 2009 whilst 34.7% said this was a direct result of the economic climate. Last of all 29.7% said their decision had been indirectly affected by recession. The last recession in the early 1990’s mainly impacted on the working class more from industrial communities; this was caused by the old industries

dissolving. It seems as if this time recession is mainly

coming down harshly on graduates, so companies who used to take on graduates are now being more cautious intensifying competition, resulting in graduates having to work much harder to get a good paying job and waiting a lot longer to get there. Elisha Augustin is one of many who has struggled since finishing university in 2007. She is a 26 year old graduate from the University of Manchester and left with a first in economics; she has been unemployed for two years and after moving back home she emerged herself into an intense job hunt. Following this Elisha was sure her efforts were going to waste, she wasn’t getting lucky with any of her applications, not even as a part time admin secretary near her home in North London. Elisha was clever enough to have taken a year out before her studies to save up some money so she took up travelling for a while. However once back in London she still struggled to get her life together. Today she is working as a personal assistant for Islington Social Services and as a freelance Research Consultant. She says ‘I didn’t think it was going to be this hard, I know I am a very competent person and studied hard to be able to put my degree to good use’. Elisha expressed her time at university as one that she will never forget and does not regret her experience. However, she does portray the hardship that students have had to go through after the complications within higher education started. She explained her financial difficulties and said ‘I had to take a year out before my final year to get myself out of some debt I had built up... this was hard for me because I wanted to be able to graduate with my class mates’. It’s heartbreaking to see that many young people have to go through this and although the AGR survey shows high graduate salaries, in reality graduates are more likely to start with a salary of £14-17K. Tamara Crossdale is a 25 year old criminology and psychology Graduate from Brunel and left with a 2.1, she says, ‘I don’t regret going to uni, I loved my time there but I do wish I could be working in another field, I’m working as a receptionist at the Hilton hotel.’ So what hope does this leave for up and coming university students? Teenagers who leave school and acquire vocational qualifications go straight into work with apprenticeships and obtain a ‘hands on’ approach where they can get used to their future job and get stuck in. They are trained directly for a specific trade or business only, this seems like such an easy step to take. Could it be that some graduates may even be tempted to go back to a simpler way of education? Perhaps seeking simpler vocational college qualifications to be able to integrate within the work force easily? This seems disheartening for graduates as many other students feel they have a lot more to give, they invest in themselves by going on to higher education and eventually get themselves into debt hoping to go on to a lead a better lifestyle than they did at university. By talking to many of these students it is disheartening to hear that many of them already feel the burn of the state that higher education finds itself in.

Anna Gherman, a 21 year old photography student at Roehampton states that, ‘the recession has affected every financial aspect of our lives and jobs are still hard to get and graduates have suffered as companies would hire professionals and wouldn’t spend money on training.’However, even though students may be feeling the consequences of recession and the high volume of applicants and universities fee cuts some graduates still demonstrate a hopeful a start. Abbie Taylor, a 24 year old graduate from Surrey University left with a 2.1 in graphic design, she has gone through much difficulty in trying to get onto the salary she wants but is where she wants to be and is happy with her position. She is one of the lucky graduates that seem content with her current job. She says ‘It was hard to get into a job where I could be creative but I am truly happy, I get up in the morning and think that it was all worth it, I work for an advertising company and love the people I work with too. Getting to this point is difficult but eventually you do get here.’ Students will still have to deal with debt and a very competitive job market where many may not be as lucky as others. None of the students mentioned have said that they regret their university experience and are thankful for what they have learnt and many graduates are still optimistic. This complex process of grading and work will turn students into skilful individuals that will be prepared for the nine to five job hustle, some will work hard to achieve goals and will wait patiently until they get that chance to demonstrate them.

No one said it would be easy to get that dream job and it is clear to see there are many obstacles in the way that will make graduates think twice. However, whilst talking to students there is a true feeling of determination within the class of 2010 that roots a feeling of admiration and self-belief. Even though it is a tough battle all is not lost. It is hard and there will be bad times, but memories of unforgettable times are to be imprinted and the complex grading and hard work will have paid off in order for students to walk away with new skills and knowledge, it is worth it and certainly a unique experience.

Norma Navarro


FoodDeath by Ready Meals (or not...)Jamie Oliver would have you believe that ready meals are the bane of man-kind. He would have you believe that it was a ready meal that the Americans dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. He may even tell you that ready meals are to blame for appointing Gordon Brown as Prime Minister in 2007, and that they also are the soul reason of under-age alcohol abuse today.

But I’m not convinced. Admit-tedly, the previous paragraph may contain a few healthy spoonfuls of hyperbole, but I’m not so sure that they are all that bad. Whilst at Sainsbury’s a short while ago, I picked up a Sainsbury’s Basics Meat Lasa-gne ready meal for seventy one pence. Obviously it only served one, but that was all I needed and it was a bargain.

Anyone who cares about their health will at this point be cring-ing, their brains calculating a formula similar to ‘BASICS + MEAT + CHEAP + READY MEAL = FATALY DIRE IN-GRDIENTS, AVOID AT ALL COSTS’. But no. Unbelievably, as I warily examined the box, my inner-Oliver screaming at me to put it down, I could find nothing wrong with it. The colour wheel was all greens and oranges. There were no added artificial flavourings or colours. There wasn’t even a trace of any E numbers. So I told my inner-Oliver to shut it, and put the ready meal in my trolley - admittedly slightly apprehensive of how it might taste.

And I am delighted to inform you that it didn’t taste bad. Obviously, it wasn’t the tastiest Lasagne I have ever eaten, but there was nothing particu-larly wrong with it. Served with a heap of crispy salad it made for a pretty nice meal, with (almost) zero preparation required.

I think I should make it clear that I am in no way pro-ready meals. They are never as healthy, tasty, and rewarding as home cooking, and they never will be. I am in no way trying to encourage you to eat them. Also, I have no in-tentions of undoing the hard work of Mr. Oliver’s tireless campaigning. It’s just that every once in a while, when you’re too busy to cook, a little ready meal won’t hurt. Just don’t drop it on Hiroshima.

Jason Alexander Wain

Speedy Smoked Salmon Spaghetti

Submitted by Jason Alexander Wain

That great thing about this dish is that it’s quick, easy, cheap, only uses one dish and is healthy (apart from the cream!). Also when it comes to things like adding the cheese, salt & pepper etc., you can just experiment, add as much as you like and tailor it your taste. Be creative. I’ve put the quanti-ties for two portions in so you can simply fridge half and eat it the following night.

Time: 30minsPrice (approx): £1.01 p/portion (excl. white wine)Serves: 2

Ingredients120g pack Smoked Salmon Trimmings• 200g Spaghetti (or tagliatelle or macaroni)• 150ml Single Cream• Lemon Juice of ½ a lemon• Salt & Pepper• Grated cheese of your choice• a little White Wine (optional) •

Method:Put a large pan of salted water on the boil.• Once boiling add your spaghetti and boil for about 10 minutes, or till • done.Once cooked, drain, and replace on hob on a low heat.• Add cream, white wine (sparingly, if using), cheese, lemon juice, salm-• on, salt and pepper.Mix it all together.• Serve with a heap of crispy salad. •

RECIPE

Basics Lasagne: Main offender or wallet mender?

Fresh Newspaper

Fresh Newspaper

Graduating This Summer?Graduating this summer?Congratulations on completing your course at Roehampton. Leaving university can be a daunting experience, and we want to remind you that the Employment and Careers Service is here to help.

Despite what you hear in the media there are jobs out there! We would encourage you to be proactive and start using job search strategies and planning sooner rather than later. Alternatively you may be considering further study, either here at Roehampton or elsewhere.

Whichever option you are considering our friendly team is here to help you with the transition from university to the world of work. We provide support in a number of ways:•Practical 1-1 support through our drop-in service – daily during term times (12.45-2.45), Tuesdays and Wednesday s (12.45-2.45) in July and August.•A range of on-line resources including e-guidance at www.roehampton.ac.uk/careers•JobShop. We operate an online system advertising student and graduate vacancies which have been sent to us by employers looking to attract Roehampton students and graduates. To register and start viewing all our vacancies please go to www.roehampton.ac.uk/jobshop. You should also take the time to look at our ‘guidelines for students’ web page where there is some general advice we recommend you use. We are always adding new vacancies so do please check the system regularly once you are registered. • The Employment and Careers Service offers you support for upto 3 years after you graduate.

We will be contacting you again at the end of the year to find out what you have gone on to do. This is part of the annual Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey, and is an activity conducted by all UK universities. We use the information from the survey to guide current and prospective students in their future careers, so please do take the time to respond.

LocationWe are currently based in the Student Advice Centre, Lawrence building on Froebel campus, but we will be moving to the Richardson building, Digby Stuart College, in August. Please visit our website to check our location before coming in!

We wish you all the best for the future.Employment & Careers Service team

Looking for off campus accommodation? The following information may help you understand what will be required of you in terms of deposits and in return what the landlords obligations are to you.

Tenancy DepositsThere are two main reasons why landlords take deposits: •A Holding Deposit - to hold the tenancy for a short period prior to the contact being signed. •A Security Deposit (sometimes referred to as a Damage Deposit, Rental Deposit or Bond) – to give the landlord a reserve fund in case of problems. All of these need to be placed in appropriate rent deposit guarantee scheme and the landlord needs to notify you under law within 14 days of which scheme they are using.

The Holding DepositThe holding deposit shows good faith on the part of a prospective tenant, enabling the landlord to take further action in the confident knowledge that the applicant is committed to the property. The landlord can: •cancel any advertising for the letting •tell other applicants that the tenancy has been taken •prepare a letting agreement •take up references •Carry out credit checks (some landlords make a charge for this, an administration fee, and letting agents almost always do).

The holding deposit is particularly appropriate where there is good demand for the property or tenants can be unreliable. The landlord may lose other prospective tenants if the applicant causes unnecessary delays or declines the tenancy at the last minute. In the event of the tenancy agreement falling through the landlord may well decide to keep the holding deposit as recompense for the inconvenience and cost caused, but this should be pointed out and stated in writing to any prospective tenant at the outset. Along with a written receipt for the deposit held you need a holding deposit agreement – see http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/agreements.htm The amount of any holding deposit should therefore reflect the reasonable or approximate amount of the landlord’s loss in the event of non-completion of the agreement. As a general rule landlords on StudentPad ask for about £150 per person or some ask for month’s rent.

Once the tenancy agreement is signed the holding deposit would normally then form a part of the security deposit, to be held by the landlord or the agent throughout the term of the tenancy. If a landlord decided not to take a security deposit the holding deposit should be returned.If a holding deposit is taken the landlord or agent should provide a written document or contract which explains what the holding deposit is for and any terms and conditions. This is very important. Landlords are not allowed to use unfair contract terms such as a statement that says that all of the holding deposit will be forfeited if the prospective tenant decides not to accept the tenancy.

•You should avoid paying a holding deposit with cash - credit card or cheque is preferable. The landlord should provide a receipt, regardless of the payment method used. •If you have paid a holding deposit and subsequently decide not to take on the tenancy, the landlord is likely to try to retain your holding deposit to offset costs and losses. In most cases however, landlords can only legally retain an amount that is equivalent to the reasonable cost of re-advertising the property. Landlords cannot retain your holding deposit to offset rent loss whilst the property is empty. •If the landlord subsequently decides not to let the property to you for whatever reason then all of the holding deposit must be returned. •If the landlord has failed to get you to sign a contract which outlines the terms and conditions of the holding deposit, then there are no grounds for the retention of the holding deposit if either party changes their mind. •If the landlord changes any of the terms and conditions of the offer of tenancy after the holding deposit has been paid and you decline the tenancy in view of these changes, all of the holding deposit must be returned.

The Security or Damage DepositThe taking of security deposits has come to be accepted by landlords, tenants and the courts as normal practice in residential lettings in the UK and has to be protected by a recognised rent deposit scheme www.depositprotection.com.

What exactly should the deposit secure? The usual items listed below, all of which should be referred to in the letting agreement. •Damage to the property, landlords fixtures, fittings and furniture - beyond normal wear and tear.•Cleaning - for example, a cooker or carpet cleaning. •Rubbish removal - tenants may leave unwanted items of their own such as furniture or general rubbish both inside and outside the property. •Unpaid rent. •Any unpaid account which vendors may attempt to recover from the landlord - generally speaking this does not apply as the contract for the supply of goods or services is usually between the vendor and the tenant. •Replacement keys/locks when keys are lost or not returned. If keys are not returned it is a landlord’s duty to change the locks.

The letting agreement should state what can be deducted from the security deposit and under what circumstances. For example, if damage occurs during the period of the tenancy then the repair may be funded from the deposit and the tenant would then be required to make the deposit amount up again to its full amount.

Tenants often fail to realise just how much things cost. If a landlord brings in someone to clean a cooker or remove rubbish the charge is often much higher than the average tenant would realise or is generally willing to pay, so please be prepared, if properties are left in poor condition.

The landlord or agent should provide a written document or contract which explains what the holding deposit is for and any terms and conditions as appropriate. Landlords are not allowed to use unfair contract terms, such as a statement that says that all of the holding deposit will be forfeited if the prospective tenant decides not to accept the tenancy. •You should avoid paying a holding deposit with cash - credit card or cheque is preferable. The landlord should provide a receipt, regardless of the payment method used. •If you have paid a holding deposit and subsequently decide not to take on the tenancy, the landlord is likely to try to retain your holding deposit to offset costs and losses. In most cases however, landlords can only legally retain an amount that is equivalent to the reasonable cost of re-advertising the property. Landlords cannot retain your holding deposit to offset rent loss whilst the property is empty. •If the landlord subsequently decides not to let the property to you for whatever reason the all of the holding deposit must be returned. •If the landlord has failed to get you to sign a contract which outlines the terms and conditions of the holding deposit, then there are no grounds for the retention of the holding deposit if either party changes their mind.

Accommodation Department

Messages From RU

Fresh Newspaper

Minimum Pricing...What’s The Deal?NUS announces plans to campaign for alcohol prices to be raised in a bid to cut binge drinking.

Minimum pricing is something that has been a big welfare issue with NUS, especially in relation to how it can help reduce some of the alcohol related issues that occur across University campuses nationwide.

Dangers of drinking“Students’ unions work hard to inform their members of the dangers of excessive drinking. But more can be done. ‘All you can drink’ and ‘three for the price of one’ offers encourage students to drink to dangerous levels, and should have no place in our students’ union bars,” said NUS President Wes Streeting. “NUS will now work with our commercial arm, NUS Services, and student officers so that we can recommend a minimum price on alcohol in students’ unions.”

Further Support for minimum alcohol pricingResearch from the University of Sheffield provides further evidence that increasing alcohol prices could reduce illnesses, premature deaths and healthcare costs. Dr Robin Purshouse and colleagues from Sheffield University’s School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) and Department of Economics modelled the effect of alcohol pricing and promotion policy options for England, including –

•Across-the-board price increases•Policies setting a minimum price per unit between 20p and 70p•Policies restricting price-based promotions in the off-licensed trade sector, ranging from prohibiting large discounts only, through a complete ban

Population subgroups such as hazardous drinkers aged 18-24 years, harmful drinkers, and moderate drinkers were analysed and the researchers found that, if a minimum cost of 50p per unit were introduced, this could result in –

•2,900 less premature deaths per year within 10 years•41,000 fewer cases of chronic illness•8,000 fewer injuries each year•92,000 fewer hospital admissions per year•A saving to the healthcare system in England of £270 million each year

For a minimum unit cost of 40p, the estimated effects are projected as –

•1,200 less premature deaths per year within 10 years•17,000 less chronic and 3,000 less acute cases of illness•38,000 fewer hospital admissions•A healthcare system saving in England of £110 million

The authors found that harmful drinkers are affected considerably more than moderate drinkers by minimum price policies. For a 50p minimum price, a harmful drinker will spend on average and extra £163 per year whilst the equivalent spending increase for a moderate drinker is £12. This targeted effect arises because harmful drinkers purchase more of the cheap alcohol that is affected by a minimum price policy.

A 50p minimum price would prevent 49,000 cases of illness within 10 years, about 30,000 of which would be in men. Most of the harm reductions arise in chronic disorders in people aged 45 years and older, including diseases of the circulatory system, alcoholic disorders and alcohol-related acute outcomes, including road traffic accidents and falls.

The research also identified patterns of purchasing. Purchasing preferences vary across the population, with women purchasing a higher proportion of their alcohol from off-trade outlets (supermarkets and off-licenses) than men, and people aged 18-24 years purchasing alcohol mainly in the on-trade sector (pubs, bars and clubs). Beverage preferences vary; beer and wine comprise about three fifths of the alcohol consumed by men and women respectively, and adult consumption of ready to drink beverages (alcopops) is low, peaking at 20% of total consumption for women aged 18-24 years.

Consumption patterns also vary. Moderate male drinkers (excluding abstainers) consume on average about 8 units per week and only a small proportion engage in heavy episodic drinking, whereas harmful male drinkers consume on average 80 units and 7 in 10 are heavy episodic drinkers. Male harmful drinkers incur the largest proportion of alcohol-attributable mortality, ill health, alcohol attributable admissions, and healthcare costs.

Of the other pricing policies considered, the authors say, “Prohibition of large discounts (for example buy-one-get-one-free offers) alone has little effect, but tight restrictions or total bans on off-trade discounting could have effects similar to in scale to minimum price thresholds of 30p-40p. For young adults, and especially for those aged 18-24 years, who are hazardous drinkers, policies that raise the price of cheaper alcohol in the on-trade sector (pubs and clubs) are most effective for achievement of harm reductions.”

The authors concluded: “General price increases are effective for reduction of consumption, healthcare costs, and health-related quality of life losses in all population subgroups. Minimum pricing policies can maintain this level of effectiveness for harmful drinkers while reducing effects on consumer spending for moderate drinkers. Total bans of supermarket and off-license discounting are effective but banning only large discounts has little effect. Young adult drinkers aged 18-24 years are especially affected by policies that raise prices in pubs and bars. Minimum pricing policies and discounting restrictions might warrant further consideration because both strategies are estimated to reduce alcohol consumption, and related health harms and costs, with drinking spending increases targeting those who incur most harm.

Is failure to introduce minimum alcohol price the governments “biggest health failing”?The Governments rejection of the idea of setting a minimum price for a unit of alcohol was described as the ‘biggest disappointment’ of Sir Liam Donaldson’s term of office as the Governments Chief Medical Officer.

Sir Liam made the comment in an interview reported in the Daily Telegraph ahead of the publication of his final annual report in the state of public health. In his previous annual report he had said that supermarkets and shops should not be allowed to sell alcohol for less than 50 pence per unit. Gordon Brown, however, rejected the proposal immediately, saying a “sensible majority” of moderate drinkers should not be punished for the excesses of binge drinkers.

Sir Liam’s proposal has the backing of most of the public health field and alcohol misuse agencies. The House of Commons Health Select Committee also supported the Chief Medical Officer against the Government, and the Scottish Government has been trying to introduce minimum pricing north of the border.

Sir Liam said the rejection of his proposal had been his greatest disappointment during his 12 years in post. The majority of his most important recommendations – including a ban in smoking in workplaces, allowing embryonic stem cell research, and changes to the way doctors are regulated – have been introduced.

Asked about recommendations where action had not been taken, and which of those he was most concerned about, Sir Liam said that on the public health front it would have to be minimum alcohol pricing. He added that, while he still hoped it would come in at some point, he had little hope of either of the main political parties changing their views on the matter in the short term, saying, “I think we have to wait until after the election – there’s a lot of momentum building in the public health community.”

Campaigns

Fresh Newspaper

HARRY HARRIS, DIGBY DP

So Frigby is upon us again. The annual varsity game between Digby and Froebel

is the culmination of the college rivalries that are bred at Roehampton and is

an event that we all look forward to with baited breath. Digby and Froebel face

off against each other in a winner takes all contest to see who will have the

bragging rights for the next year. Digby have won the last two Frigby matches

and speaking for all Digby students I am sure that we can do the Hat trick and

grind the Froebel spirit well and truly into the ground. I remember my first

Frigby (one where I myself bared all for my college) and I remember it being

one of the best days of my University career, one where we all unite and show

the rest of Roehampton what Digby Stuart College is made of; whether that

be clothed of not. The banter, thewaterpistols and the rivalry culminate in 90

minutes of fiercely contested football and this year I am sure there will be only one winner. Having

just won their Cup competition and come second in their league(beating Froebel 3-0 in the process)

the team are looking in great shape and I know that Jennings, Brennan, Hollingsworth and co will

bring it home once again; we wish them the best of luck.

For me Frigby isn’t just about football, it doesn’t just take place on the pitch but also on the terraces.

I love it because it’s a day that we can all show how proud we are to be Digby students and our

chants and cheers shape the day just as much the goals. In a year when the college is losing so much

to Froebel it will be a great feat to stuff them for the third time in a row in this clash of the Titans.

So get on it and buy your ticket for the big day, make sure you get out and buy your water pistol and

be prepared for one of the messiest days of University; trust me it’s going to be mental.

Frigby 2010 Preview

A MESSAGE FROM THE DIGBY CAPTAIN. ALEX JENNINGSDigby Campus,This will be some of your first experiences of Frigby, and if its anything like the past 2 years, its going to be a day to remember. The Lions are chasing the Frigby title for a third consecutive season and Froebel will do anything to stop that from happening, making Frigby 2010 a great spectacle.Some may not like football or some may not understand the banter and rivalry between us and Froebel, which is understandable. But frigby is a massive day for both Digby and Froebel and the people associated with the campuses.

To a lot of the 2nd and 3rd years and most of all to the players, this isn’t just a football match, its much more than that. Its a day in which no one wants to be on the losing side, a day in which all the people from each campus come together and act as one, and a day in which you can be sure that those playing in yellow shirts, will give everything to win! After an amazing season, The Lions achieved something that no other college team at Roehampton University has managed, to bring the university some silverware. On the road to success, we overcome one of the best sporting Universities in the country, Brunel.. Twice! Which shows the quality our team possesses!After being crowned Sessa Cup champions 2010, the lions have turned their attentions to Frigby, to add to a great season.

We have played Froebel earlier in the season, and overcome them 3-0. However, we are aware that it won’t be as straightforward (as they are bringing in some old faces to try and help them). Therefore, we will need as much support from the fans as possible, because if we win, we ALL win. And the Frigby Bop can be amazing and like last year, Froebel campus will be swarming be jubilant Digby supporters!

The team would like to say a massive thank you to all those who have supported us throughout this year with events and their continued support, and a special mention to Harry, our DP who has done a pretty good job to be fair! We hope the first years enjoy their first taste of Frigby, and the 2nd and 3rd years get to see us bringthe cup back to the Belfry for one last time before it closes. Show your support, have a good day, and see you at the game.COME ON YOU LIONS!!!!

Summer is in the air at Roehampton folks which means only one thing. Frigby 2010! For those of you who don’t know Frigby is Roehampton’s biggest event on the University college calendar. It’s the Wimbledon of British Tennis, The Superbowl of American Football. Some say it’s the biggest event since the industrial revolution. Personally I think it’s an awesome day out on or off the pitch.

It falls between two colossal campuses, Froebel and Digby. Every year students show why they are where they are and are very passionate about their campus. This passion is usually measured in volume of water or noise!

It is held at Sutton United football ground which is a short journey down the road. Water fights, drinks and a game of quality football. If you leave with a lost voice box...you’ve done very well. If not, sing louder. Afterwards is the Frigby BOP. Win or lose...on the booze. Not to be missed.

May 15th 2010. Book this date in you diary. It’s certainly one to tell the grandkids.

- Tom ‘Baz’ Barrett , Froebel CP-Elect

Frigby is a great reason to cover yourselves in paint, get wet and scream your lungs out for your college. This year Digby will successfully defend the Frigby Cup! C’mon the Lions! – Luke Holliday, Digby CP - Elect

The difference in feeling between winning and losing is

bigger than any sporting event I have been involved in.

Decisions you make will either be lauded or laughed at

for the next 12 months.

- James Harris, Froebel’s Frigby Veteran

Fresh Newspaper

Just for fun


The Futureheads - The Chaos(Nul Recordings)

Sunderland pop-rockers The Futureheads are back with their fourth album ‘The Choas’, but those hoping for a return to form after 2008’s lukewarm ‘This is Not the World’ may well be disappointed.

“5,4,3,2,1, let’s go!” begins the opening track with a bluster, but while there’s no shortage of energy or conviction, it soon becomes clear the boys are treading well worn territory once again. Their trademark angular guitars and group harmonies are still as precise as ever, but it all just seems a bit too familiar. Lead single ‘Heartbeat Song’ is an infectious two and half minutes and ‘Struck Dumb’ is a catchy stomper, but there’s nothing here to rival their biggest hits ‘Hounds of Love’, ‘Decent Days and Nights’ or ‘Beginning of a Twist’, with too many tracks featuring tired riffs and vocal hooks that fail to hit the mark even after repeated listens. ‘I Can Do That’ may well have the least inspired chorus ever, while ‘Sun Goes Down’ possesses none of the lyrical wit or vitality of the Artic Monkeys track of the same name. There’s even an unnecessary Orville impression (“I wish I could fly right up to the sky but I can’t”) and a terrible Queen pastiche intro to ‘Jupiter’ thrown in for good measure.

The record certainly isn’t without its merits, with its relentless pace and nicely understated production, it ticks all the right boxes for die-hard fans. Ultimately though, for an album entitled ‘The Chaos’ it all just seems a bit safe, with every song sounding very similar to the last, which in turn could fit on any of their previous albums. Like fellow Tyne-siders Maximo Park, they seem unwilling to expand or develop their sound at all, just to keep things interesting, in the same way The Maccabees did so successfully with ‘Wall of Arms’.

Richard Williams

Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History(Kitsuné Music)

‘Tourist History’ is the debut album from Northern Ireland’s much hyped Two Door Cinema Club. Often compared to Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand and fellow countrymen Ash, their shiny guitar-pop is also reminiscent, to my ears, of indie also-rans Goodbooks and Mummra – only time will tell which way they go.

Well, opening with the dreamy ‘Cigarettes in the Theatre’, stand out tracks ‘Something Good Can Work’, ‘Undercover Martyn’ and ‘What You Know’ are as captivating as anything you’ll hear all year, and while current single ‘I Can Talk’ is perhaps slightly irritating, you can’t deny it’s ability to get lodged in your head for days on end. Singer Alex Trinder’s voice is remarkably assured for someone so young, however lyrically it’s all a bit bland and vague, with too many of the album tracks blurring into one solid, but un-spectacular, mush. There’s also precious little originality or invention on display, with the album serving not so much as a ‘Tourist History’, as a history of guitar music since 2003.

The production of Eliot James is crisp throughout - synths fizz, guitars chime, beats and bleeps in all the right places and soaring harmonies, but at times it’s all a little too clinical for its own good. As a result, it lacks a little personality and charisma. Overall, it’s an album full of promise and energy, but the sound of a young band still searching for its own identity amongst all the fuss heaped on them.

Richard Williams

LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening(DFA Records)

‘Sound of Silver’ appeared on several top ten lists at the end of 2007 and generally it was number one, so to have to follow on from that is one hell of a task. If there was one man who could take that task on its multi-talented James Murphy and his motley crew that make up LCD Soundsystem.

‘This Is Happening’ begins with somewhat of anti climax when it comes to LCD Soundsystem songs with ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ and after an incredible but at the same time slow build up it really kicks in at three minutes and for the next six glorious minutes you are in for a James Murphy sized treat.‘Drunk Girls’ is very much the single that you expect from the album, it is catchy and at times pretty lo-fi but it would not look out of place on ‘Sound of Silver’. It’s further on the record that you get the really LCD Soundsystem that not only match ‘Someone Great’ and ‘All My Friends’ but completely blow them out of the water. ‘All I Want’ is quite easily the best song that LCD Soundsystem has ever produced; it is what is absolutely perfect about music. Lyrically it is Murphy on form and musically it is just an irresistible wall of noise. “And all I want is your pity; oh all I want are your bitter tears”, James Murphy writes the perfect seven minute love song, again.

‘Pow Pow’, ‘You Wanted A Hit’ and ‘One Touch’ are more proof that this is an incredible record worthy of ending up in any top ten list. But it’s in tracks like ‘Home’ and ‘I Can Change’ that you real see the beauty

of LCD Soundsystem’s work. “I can change, I can change, I can change, if it helps you fall in love”, yet another love song from Mr. Murphy. ‘Home’ ends the album on absolute high; it’s the perfect album closer.

The biggest disappointed is that this will be the last we see of the LCD Soundsystem moniker.

Shaun Hill

MGMT - Congratulations(Columbia)

Brooklyn duo MGMT are back with the hotly anticipated follow up to 2008’s smash hit ‘Oracular Spectacular’. But can they recapture the exquisite pop charm of their debut? Well, the first things you’ll notice about ‘Congratulations’ is it’s horrendous artwork, but don’t judge a book by it’s cover and all that – lets concentrate on the music within. Featuring heavily reverbed vocals, their trademark organs, sweeping strings and booming percussion throughout, this is a psychedelic and at times whimsical record. Opener ‘It’s Working’ sounds like a modern day Beach Boys, ‘Someone’s Missing’ swells with melancholy beauty, and lead single‘Flash Delirium’ delightfully wrong-foots the listener. At times, it’s hard work though, and nowhere near as accessible as their debut, something acknowledged by the band themselves, who claimed they wanted to make an album to be listened to as a complete body of work, without any radio singles or stand out tracks – an incredibly brave, or foolish decision depending on which way you look at it, one that’s epitomised by the 12 minute centre-piece ‘Siberian Breaks’.

Commercially, ‘Congratulations’ won’t do as well as their debut, but this is a 43 minute musical journey that is sure to feature on plenty of critic’s end of year lists. Sound-wise, it’s an album one no other current band would be capable of making, and reveals more of itself with every listen. But for all it’s wonder and wackiness, it just doesn’t quite compare to the magic you felt the first time you heard ‘Time to Pretend’ on the radio, or ‘Kids’ kick in on the dance floor.

Richard Williams

The National – High Violet(4AD)

May 10th sees Brooklyn-based band The National realise their fifth album ‘High Violet’ on the back of the critical and commercial success of two previous albums, ‘Alligator’ and ‘Boxer’. Considering the sheer quality of those two records it was always going to be a very difficult task to repeat or even beat those incredible records.

But if anyone band are capable of doing it, it is The National. Just over ten years on from their formation they appear to be growing stronger and stronger as a band, and it is not an overstatement to suggest that this is quite easily their best work yet. Opening track and the first single ‘Terrible Love’ is pretty much where the band left off with ‘Boxer’, it is a strong first single. ‘Sorrow’ comes next and this is when you begin to see The National really take it up a notch from the previous album, both musically and lyrically. Lead singer Matt Berninger sings, “Sorrow found me when I was young. Sorrow waited, sorrow won.” He ends the same song with the lyrics, “I don’t wanna’ get over you.” A true love song sang straight from the heart of Berninger.

The theme of love continues with ‘Anyone’s Ghost’ which on first listen was the stand out track and even now sounds better and better with each listen. You get the sense that this record is about heartbreak as, “Say you stay at home, alone with the flu. Find out from friends, that wasn’t true” suggests. Nearer to the end of the record The National show just why they are one of the most critically and commercially acclaimed bands around with, ‘Conversation 16’. Which shows once again the raw emotion from Berninger and his quite wonderful voice along with the haunting backing vocals near the end of the song make this song one of the stand out tracks of 2010.

Other songs such as ‘England’, ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’, ‘Afraid of Everyone’ and ‘Lemonworld’ confirm the absolute brilliance of this record.

Shaun Hill

Music

Top Artists: 1. Radiohead2. Modest Mouse3. The Temper Trap 4. Phoenix5. Bon Iver6. Bombay Bicycle Club

7. Foals8. The Smiths9. Gorillaz10. Battles

Top Tracks:1. Phoenix - 19012. Modest Mouse - Float On3. Foals - Black Gold4. The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition5. Noah And The Whale - Jocasta6. Laura Marling Apha Shallows7. Why? - These Few Presidents8. Harlem - Stripper Sunset9. The xx - Intro10. Toots & the Maytals – 54-46 Was My...

Toots: Recently confirmed for Glastonbury!

6

8

7

9

9

Jon’s Record...The Futureheads - The Chaos

Mike’s Record...Ty - Special Kind Of Fool

Dave’s Record...The Menziners - Chamberlain Waits

Jane’s Record...65 Days Of Static - We Are Exploding Away

Tom’s Record...Cancer Bats - Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones

Ollie’s Record...Caribou - Swim

Adam B’s Record...Teenagers In Tokyo - Sacrifice

Adam’s Record... Plan B - The Defamation Of Strickland Banks

Harry’s Record...MGMT - Congratulations

Pier’s Record...V/A - Sick Music 2

Aaron’s Record...SBTRKT - Soundboy Shift

Milly’s Record...Foals - Spanish Sahara

In every issue, we pair up with Banquet Records in Kingston to bring you their favourite albums of the month gone by, according to their in house staff! Here’s how April looked...

Fresh Newspaper

Clash Of The Titans(2010, Louis Leterrier)

Clash of the Titans is a traditional Greek story tightly based on Greek mythology of the battle between the Titans, a race of powerful deities. The film portrays the action-packed adventures of Perseus in his quest to defeat the Kraken and save the beautiful Princess Andromeda from being sacrificed and the Kingston of Argos.

The new Clash of the Titans is a remake of the 1981 film of the same name; however the main story line differs between the films. The original Clash of the Titans is a classic film in all essence- the quality of the film, the special effects, the use of still-imaging filming and many more. The 2010 version includes many of the 21st Century cinematic technology, including green- screening, special effects and provides a 3D cinematic experience; but which version is the best?

In both films Perseus; son of Zeus; the Greek God of the Heavens, and of Danaë, the wife of Acrisius; the former King of Argos, does not know he is a demi-God until he leaves his family. After finding out he receives heavenly gifts from his father Zeus, including a magically sword and Pegasus, the flying horse, to use in his quest.

In the 1981 version, Perseus lays victim to Thetis jealousy of Zeus favouring Perseus over her son, Calibos. Calibos is the son of Thetis; patron goddess of the sea, and is promised to Princess Andromeda from birth. However due to his mothers spoiling and indulgence of him since his birth, he committed unforgivable crimes in the eyes of Zeus the great god of Olympus. Zeus gave him the wells of the moon in his care but Calibos instead hunted trapped and killed every living creature including Zeus’ herd of sacred flying horses all except the one remaining horse Pegasus. As punishment for his shameful mark of vile cruelty, Zeus transformed him into becoming abhorrent to human sight, becoming a mortal mockery and thus being shunned and forced to live as an outcast in the swamps and marshes.

Thetis initiates Perseus adventure by placing him in the city of Joppa, where he meets his future wife. He sees Andromeda’s spirit has been cursed by Calibos’ fury that she no longer wants him as her husband due to his severe deformity and Perseus fights to break this curse. However, Cassiopeia’s folly of insulting Thetis in her temple of worship causes the Goddess to threaten the release of the Kraken upon Joppa unless Andromeda is sacrificed, repenting for the plight of her son. Perseus obligation to overcome his future wife’s plight are then revealed and embarks on his journey to the three witches and later in search for Medusa’s head to triumph the Kraken. The main storyline of the 2010 Clash of the Titans is that Perseus seeks to live his life as a human and not as a demi-God. The film loosely follows the original storyline in the 1981 version where Perseus is on a mission to triumph over the Kraken, in order to save Princess Andromeda and the Kingdom of Argos.

The main difference between the films is that Persesus falls in love with Io, a female who has been cursed with agelessness by a God for not allowing him to make advances on her, who has watched over Perseus from birth. Also the film shows Acrisius, the husband of Persesus’ mother, Danaë; turning into an evil creature called Calibos because he cast out his wife and Persesus to sea after Zeus impregnated her in spite of Acrisius. Here Calibos plays the same role in both films, as a wretched creature heartbroken by the hands of Zeus.

Furthermore, the 2010 version includes Hades in the storyline of Persesus’ life. Hedes is shown as Zeus’ brother, who was tricked by his brother and became the God of the Underworld where his strength feeds off human fears. The Kraken is shown to be the son of Hedes rather than the son of Poisedon which is presented in the 1981 version. Hedes encourages Zeus to foolishly release the Kraken in the hope to cause humans to believe in the Gods once more, however Hedes had a hidden agenda to feed of the growing human fear of the Gods and allow his to grow stronger.

In both however, good triumphs over evil and Hedes and Calibos are brought to justice and Perseus lives out his days with his love. For the traditionalists in us, the original version may cater more to our desires of the film, providing with the old-school cinematic quality of the film; however to the hard-core action-packed drama fanatics among us the newer version provides much rawer images of pain and grief and the special effects live up to the expectations of the film, however the 3D experience does not, as it is very poor background 3D. The storyline f both films relate loosely to that of the Geek myth of Perseus and thus provide an overall outline of his life and adventures. Neither storyline is better than the other and both having a satisfying ending and filled with passion throughout.

Mansha Haurdhan

FilmsOLD

Vs.NEW


Metroid: Other M (Wii)

There have been some solid titles on the PS3 lately, so many that I’m finding myself having to catch up with the flow. This has meant that apart from the odd multiplayer session, my Wii has mostly remained off. However, I have huge hopes for Nintendo in 2010 to bring out some belters to match their console company counterparts. One game which has got me particularly revved up after the disappointment of 2009 is the result of the surprise collaboration of Nintendo with Team Ninja – Metroid: Other M.

Traditionally a side-scrolling shooter, Metroid has been one of Nintendo’s flagship franchises, one that can be seen as more ‘grown-up’ than franchises such as Mario or Pokemon. The protagonist of the game, Samus Aran, shocked the world back in the original Metroid when the person inside the Master Chief-esque suit was revealed to be a woman; Samus has even been credited for blasting the way forward for female protagonists such as Lara Croft to star in their own games. The idea is simple: Samus is a bounty hunter who collects various pick-ups to upgrade her powers, working towards the aim of that game’s story, and despite its simplicity and now generic formula, it’s worked surprisingly well. 2D titles such as Super Metroid on the SNES remain inspirations for newer titles, while the more recent 3D first-person Metroid Prime Trilogy has cemented itself as a modern classic.

With many titles in the 90s and even into the Game Boy Advance era whoring the side-scrolling genre, Nintendo collaborated with Retro Studios in the early 2000s to develop Metroid Prime with view to a change. Prime took the series in a new direction, offering large scale environments, more in-depth exploration and a more diverse variety of enemy by

taking the franchise into 3D. With the change in perspective came a strict rule: the new style of Metroid was not an FPS but rather, a ‘first-person adventure’.

The shift to ‘first-person adventure’ was deemed successful critically, but I wasn’t particularly enthralled by it all; it seemed natural to compare the new style to established shooters at the time, and Prime seemed to come off worse in comparison, even if it wasn’t the most fair thing for me to do. Furthermore, the game seemed to overemphasise the impact of enemies jumping at the screen, having to use the exploration-optimised controls to attempt to move out of the way. While solid games in their own right, I pined for the return of my favoured 2D style.

Team Ninja appear to have taken over collaboration duty from Retro Studios for Other M, and with this, comes the shift back to side-scrolling action, with which, comes the return of the Metroid-happy version of me. What will this mean? A return to side-scrolling action, albeit with some elements of the 3D Prime series, will speed up the gameplay significantly; fast-paced shooting, emphasising the use of speed-based upgrades, providing the liberating feeling you can only get when you plough through about 12 enemies at once. The navigation will become less frustrating, as back-tracking will be less of a hassle when you aren’t going back through HUGE rooms with enemies that respawn when you enter the room, and generally, the game will flow when the player has minimal controls to worry about. The game will be played with the remote on its side, with the Wii pointer being used for first-person aiming when the player is stationary. A criticism of the upcoming game is that Samus should, in terms of story, start with all of her crazy spacey upgrades intact as the previous game saw her end the game with them, which is a common criticism of the franchise. This issue has apparently been avoided by the claim that Samus’ commander will simply forbid the use of certain items and upgrades till appropriate points in the game; while this seems kind of

lame, it at least shows Nintendo’s willingness to put a different spin on things rather than providing no adequate explanation.

The game also marks the return to the original Metroid storyline, based around the story of a bounty hunter charged with the task of eliminating the Metroids, an energy-sucking race being cloned for universal domination. The series uses the fact that the protagonist is a female to explore more ‘motherly’ issues, offering a different side to the typical male-dominated space shooter narrative, and it is this story, untouched by Prime, that forms the backbone of the series. Team Ninja, known for the extravagant cinematics in titles such as Ninja Gaiden, have brought this story to the current generation, with a particularly memorable scene from SNES’ Super Metroid, which encapsulates the themes explored by the franchise, being recreated in glorious 3D. On top of this, Other M will be the first Metroid title to give the protagonist proper voice acting, breaking away from Nintendo’s usual policy of not providing their heroes with dialogue (Mario’s “It’s-a me” doesn’t count), which allows

even further exploration of Samus Aran’s compelling storyline. Ordinarily, a dialogue-light franchise, it will be interesting to see how the voice acting affects the story.

Taking all this into account, Other M looks like an exciting addition to a franchise which has adapted to keep fans happy over the years; being placed chronologically between two existing Metroid games means that the game will remain relevant to what the gamers know and love. Restoring some form of the old perspective will take the game back to its roots, and the release of the title will hopefully mark the successful continuation of a very influential franchise.

Aman Pathiara

Books by Chris Davis

If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable ThingsJon McGregor, 2002

‘Silence drops down from the night, into the city, the briefest of silences, like a falter between heart-beats, like a darkness between blinks.’ Jon McGregor’s debut novel is an unpretentious and subtle reflection of everyday life in an estate. Students, pensioners and outcasts surround the narrator, all dealing with the pains and pleasures of daily life, noisy children, messy gardens and cups of tea. The narrator, an office worker who has grown apart from her friends and life after leaving university goes through the cycles of sex, death and loneliness. McGregor upholds his poetic prose (see above) for the entire novel; the ordinary is painted with delicate language to make it spectacular. The pacing reflects this, McGregor never raising his voice past a paragraph before a shift in character, setting or chapter. A novel that truly shows the everyday Britain for what it is, exposed motorways, children clattering on bikes in the street, lovers drinking tea, expressed in the same rhythmic beauty as those tender moments appear in life.

Liked this? Try… ‘Does My Head Look Big in This?’ by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Bear Vs Shark Chris Bachelder, 2002

This is not a simply battle of nature as the title suggests, (my editions has the two represented by American football style logos) but more a reflection on American society. Media is the real enemy, interrupting communication, disrupting the family unit, sedating the nation, baffling the mind and creates desire when there is none. The novel follows the Normans, an average family with all the merchandise of suburban living, S.U.V, vibrating pillows, computer games etc. The youngest son Curtis has one an essay competition and four tickets to see ‘Bear V Shark 2’. The family drive across country to Las Vegas for the big show. Here Bachelder starts to unravel the relationship this family have to both themselves and the media. Father and husband Larry, begins to feel an uneasiness, he recalls the past, his love for his wife that has now subsided and been replaced by a routine technology reliance and debates on who will be the winner. The Norman’s journey is interrupted, like their conversations, by constant news reports. Various hosts are joined by Freudians, scholars, historians, experts on fin-ology, certified bear commentators. The question is on the whole of America’s minds and lips. Bachelder cameos himself in a hilarious and self-deprecating way. The novel has a sinister undertone; it questions human existence in a modern age. There is no uniqueness or intelligence, it is demolished and individuals are rebuilt as consumers, you are pro-bear, or pro shark, nothing more. This novel is ridiculous in it’s concept and humour, and aims his stylistic paws against American mass media hysteria, and sinks his teeth into the heart of consumerism’s futility.

Liked this? Try… ‘U.S!’ by Chris Bachelder

Gaming

“With many titles in the 90s and even into the Game Boy Advance era whoring the side-scrolling genre, Nintendo collaborated with Retro Studios in the early 2000s to develop Metroid Prime with view to a change. Prime took the series in a new direction, offering large scale environments, more in depth exploration and a more diverse variety of enemy bytaking the franchise into 3D”

Fresh Newspaper

SocietiesRSU Set To Celebrate A Great Year for RSU Societies!Well, what a year it’s been. We’ve had a lovely sunny fresher’s week, one of the coldest winters for about sixty years and we’re now fast approaching summer again! Where has the time gone?

I started this year in the role of Societies President, a position that hasn’t existed before in the student union and over the past year I’ve learnt a lot. I would once again like to thank you for re-electing me as your Societies President for next year, as I know everything I’ve learnt this past year will only add to what we can in the future!

I would also like to thank all of you. Societies couldn’t exist without all the hard work that so many people put into them. Amazing events have happened all throughout this past year, with hundreds of people being involved and having a good time! I’m not going to list these events now because I don’t think mentioning a few in fresh is really going to do them justice. That’s why I’d like to talk to you about the first ever Societies Achievement Ceremony. The idea behind it is that there should be some sort of recognition for all the hard work societies have put in over the past year, and the recognition shouldn’t just be from the RSU, there should be a celebration for everyone.

First Ever Societies Achievement Ceremony(SAC) Announced:The SAC (Societies Achievement Ceremony), is going to be on the Monday May 24th at a location to be confirmed nearer the date, it’ll be somewhere on campus and it’s going to be a fairly informal event (unlike the Sport Roehampton Black tie).

I hope that everyone who’s been active and involved with societies will come down, have a laugh, have some drinks and maybe even win a few awards. It’ll be a great way for friends and societies to get to celebrate all the hard work and achievements societies have made this year.

Some advice to all those people currently in societies, this last term is when you should be really working on handing everything over to the next group of students who are going to run the society. Whether it is through a formal AGM or an informal meeting with all your members, please, please, PLEASE remember to get in contact with either me or Natasha Blake with any new contact details you might have so we can get to organizing fresher’s fair next year.

I hope everyone has a really amazing summer and that I see you all at the first ever SAC!

Luke SpringettSocieties President

Societies Of The Year...Natasha Blake (VP Activities) highlights the work of our most sucessful societies from the past academic year...

People & Planet/AllotmentFor their continuing hard work and joint efforts to expand on the sucess of Roehampton’s anual Go Green Week.

Pole Dancing Society:For building on membership numbers , and not only being a sucessful new society, but acting as a benchmark for any new society.

Roehampton Players:It was always going to be a tough year for the Players. But we appreciate the sucession in their performances and socials and their ‘never say die’ attitude.

Photo Of The Year: ACS entertain

during Black History Week 2009.


Verdict: Roehampton “Bossed” Sports TourHappy Summer!!

Well what we’ve seen so far! This term has been somewhat interesting, we’ve seen Tennis go from strength to strength winning their cups, amazing!

Over the easter holidays a load of us descended to Salou, Spain, which ive no doubt many of you have probably read about in the newspapers because of the antics of the first week, usual tour if you ask me!

After stern warnings from Ian Pickup Hockey, Football, Tennis, Netball, cheerleading, rowing our three badminton players and of course Harry Apicella set of to what was going to be for many of us, our last tour (well... maybe!) carnage of course was the word of tour, there were megaphones, pass the ice games, everyone saying chunder and Michael Walker passing out everywhere... good times!

Nearly everyone went to their sport the first day, everyone doing brilliantly then the second day... not so much... the first night was definately the best!!! I’ve got to say though tour is always one to remember and this certainly wasn’t an exception! as usual ROEY BOSSED TOUR!!!!! Until next time! See ya!

Rochelle Harvey,AU President

Memoirs from...Womens Football: “Just a quick word from a first time tour-goer...Saloufest ’10 promised so much, and delivered so much more! The sun was shining, the Sangria flowing, the good times rolling, and then Roehampton arrived! I’ve gotta say, I think Roey absolutely stormed it this year and there was a great vibe from all the teams.

But, as a football girl, I have to highlight RUWFC’s individual success, coming runners up overall after battling through with raging hangovers, grumpy coach drivers and luminous sunburn (ahem, Molloy). Receiving the trophy at Pacha was a good moment for all of us. Also, a special mention to Shortbread and Daisy, Captain and Manager, cheers for the goodtimes girls. And also, following her frankly astonishing performance in the frog suit (a froggy hat-trick, yeah baby!), Laura Henry, you owe us all a round of drinks!So, well done Roe, a great tour all round, looking forward to the next!” - Sarah Colley

Mens Hockey

For those that don’t know hockey is played with 11 a side, at one point I counted 47 people on pitch and this kind of set the tone for hockey tour! True to form we didn’t win any of the matches we

played but that didn’t really matter - Aber, Sunderland and Dundee became good friends but I have to make a special mention Oxford

Brookes - the self proclaimed banter sponges. So we didn’t do to well on the pitch but lets be honest, hockey bossed on tour; it

became pretty obvious that hockey girls are ladies of the night and hockey boys just love it. Salou has an awesome night

life fully exploited by funky monkeys, naked dinner ladies, helicopters and mustard on hot dogs! The best part of tour

is the fact it brings teams together and hockey is proud to be bffs with tennis and the rowing rejects. Quote from

the captain; “Overall it was cracking laugh.”- Ash Bennison

Sport Roehampton

What we’ll never forget about 2009/10:

The Male Rugby Team’s Naked Calendar.

fresh newspaper - may 2010

Documents

conservative party

majority of seats

whichever party

green party

labour chancellor

coalition government

liberal democrats

exeter labour lead