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FREE
DAS POP
Student station
defies ad ban
A Belfast student radio station has
defied a ban on the broadcast of a
government climate change advert.
Queen’s Radio, the student radio station
at Queen’s University Belfast, was the
only licensed broadcaster in Northern
Ireland to broadcast the advert, which
was censured by Northern Ireland’s
Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson.
Wilson, a noted climate change sceptic,
used his ministerial powers to block
the Act on CO2 adverts being shown on
television in the province, dismissing them
as “insidious New Labour propaganda”,
in a move which has caused widespread
outrage.
The Democratic Unionist Party minister
said the adverts attempted to tell people
that simple measures like changing their
light bulbs and turning off TVs from
stand-by mode could help prevent them
“wrecking the world”.
Although the adverts were not shown
on television in Northern Ireland, Queen’s
Radio decided to broadcast an audio
version of the advert throughout the week
of February 16.
Keith Anderson, a spokesman for Queen’s
Radio, said its decision to broadcast the
ads was not about arguments over climate
change.
Continued on page 8
Scandanavia’s new
music festival reviewed:
magazine
ASKING
FOR IT!
One in three students
believe that a woman is
responsible for being
raped if she is drunk
according to survey
One in three students
thinks that a woman is
responsible for being raped
if she is drunk, according
to research carried out for
the London Student.
The newspaper claims that
over a third of students believe
that a woman is totally or
partially responsible for being
raped if she has had to much to
drink and that nearly half say
she’s in some way responsible if
she’d failed to say ‘no’ clearly to
a man.
The survey carried out by
Opinionpanel Research aimed
to reveal students attitude to
rape as part of an edition of the
London Student focusing on
feminist issues.
Participants were given six
scenarios and asked whether
a woman would be totally
responsible, partially responsible
or not at all responsible for being
raped in each.
Some of the results show some
shocking attitudes towards rape.
In terms of a rape victim being
drunk 31% thought she is partly
responsible and a further 3%
state she is totally responsible
for being raped.
More at: thenationalstudent.co.uk
March 2009
27% thought that flirting
made a woman partially
responsible for being raped, with
2% believing that it made her
totally responsible.
Shockingly a staggering 44%
thought that not clearly saying
‘no’ to a man would make a rape
victim responsible, with 4%
stating that it made her totally
responsible.
5% of students believed a
woman was totally responsible
for being raped if she is alone
and walking in a dangerous or
deserted area.
However, the number of
students holding the woman
responsible for rape was lower
in the case of them wearing
revealing or sexy clothing or if
she had many sexual partners.
According to the findings male
students were on average more
likely to consider the woman in
some way responsible for being
raped, with the wearing of ‘sexy
or revealing clothes’ highlighting
the most obvious difference of
opinion.
26% of male students said
she’d be totally or partially
responsible for being raped in
that instance, compared to 14%
‘Pop Ambassadors’ Das Pop
in this month’s
magazine
of female students.
The survey also showed a lack
of awareness of rape figures –
50% of students did not know
how many women are raped in
the UK on average in a year,
and 15% thought the figure was
under 500.
The figure was even higher
for students from London
universities, with 19% putting
the figure at under 500.
The actual figure - according
to the Fawcett society, who
campaign for equality between
men and women - is over 47,000.
The Home Office recorded 11,648
incidents of ‘rape of a female’ in
2007//08.
Heather Harvey, Amnesty
International UK’s Stop Violence
Against Women Campaign
Manager told the London
Student:, “Amnesty is horrified
by the findings of London
Student’s survey of student
attitudes to rape.”
“A survey we commissioned
three years ago showed similar
results for people across the UK
as a whole. Since then there has
been a Government publicity
campaign aimed at younger
men, and police and court
commitments to better train
those who work with victims.”
“But these new findings still
show that even among younger
people the view that women ‘ask
for it’ is stubbornly held. Such
attitudes stop victims reporting
in the first place, and lead to a
low conviction rate when juries
hear cases. They also create a
climate of impunity where men
know they can get away with
rape as people blame women
instead of blaming the rapist.”
“It has been consistently
pointed out by campaigners like
members of the End Violence
Against Women campaign that
the Government has failed
to develop a programme of
prevention around violence
against women - they can do
seatbelts, smoking, obesity,
binge-drinking so why can’t
they start to tackle attitudes
like these which ignore violence
against women or worse still
blame women for it?”
Emmanuel Akpan-Inwang,
LSE Students Union’s Education
& Welfare Officer said: “I find the
results of this survey extremely
disturbing.”
Continued on page 9

2 NEWS
The National Student
welcomes contributions.
The National Student
works closely with
student publications
across the UK.
We are happy to accept
news, comment,
features, and reviews
on any subject.
Contact us at:
The National Student
PO Box 7731
Derby
DE1 0RW
or email:
editor@
thenationalstudent.co.uk
or phone:
0845 46 300 46
The National Student is
the independent, monthy
newspaper for higher
education students in
the UK.
Published by
Defender Newspapers,
PO Box 7731
Derby
DE1 0RW
© 2009
All content is the copyright
of Defender Newspapers
unless otherwise stated
thenationalstudent.co.uk
Making Whoopee
An acoustics professor
from the University of Salford
is asking the public to rate the
funniness of whoopee cushion
sounds in order to advance
human understanding of
faux flatulence and raise
money for Comic Relief.
Professor Trevor Cox has
designed a website which
features twenty whoopee
cushion sounds. Each visitor
hears six of these sounds,
and is asked to grade them
depending on how much they
make them laugh.
Visitors are encouraged to
donate to the appeal and can
watch short YouTube videos
revealing the secret science of
whoopee cushions.
According to Professor
Cox, who made worldwide
headlines in 2007 with his
horrible sounds research,
there are some solid scientific
principles behind why we
find different whoopee noises
funniest.
“For too long, acoustic
engineers have concentrate
on issues such as neighbour
noise and concert hall
acoustics, it is about time
we got to the bottom of some
more important fundamental
issues.”
“We’ve developed some
theories about why one
whoopee cushion sound is
funnier than another, and to
test these theories we need
thousands of people to cast
their votes on the site before
Red Nose Day.”
The National Student, March 2009
Foreign
student not
repaying
loans
As much as 70% of
students from the European
Union are failing repay the
student loans they took out
to study in the UK.
The Student Loans
Company (SLC) says 1,580
of the 2,240 who should
have started repayments
are not accounted for.
A Spanish student told
the BBC that she had heard
nothing since graduating
five years ago.
The Government says
the SLC is doing what it
can to track people down.
Take-up of the entitlement
is growing fast, with 46,000
In the past, Professor
now having borrowed
Cox has held the record for
£130m.
owning the world’s largest
Students from EU
whoopee cushion, as part
countries have been eligible
of his ambition to get more
for low interest loans from
people involved in science.
the British taxpayer to pay
“The whoopee cushion has
for their tuition fees since
much in common with the
2006.
human voice and how wind
David Willetts MP,
instruments work, so it is a
Shadow Secretary of State
memorable way of portraying
for Innovation, Universities
some important science.”
and Skills said that the
To take part in Prof
SLC is not doing enough to
Cox’s experiment go to
track students down once
soundsfunny.org/
they leave the country.
The National Student, March 2009

NEWS 3

Gradeguru is latest site questioned by press and academics over allegations of encouraging plagarism
Cherwell
editors
forced to
resign over
Note-share site under fire
The media has again institutions’ approach
satirical turned its attention to the
issue of students using
to plagiarism and work
with the same plagiarism

edition online resources to cheat

As The National
Student went to press it
emerged that the editors
of Oxford newspaper
Cherwell had resigned
following complaints
received over a satirical
edition that mocked the
Holocaust and compared
former editors to
paedophiles.
The satirical edition
called Lecher also
referred to black people
in racist terms and
had photographs of
students superimposed
on to porn images.
Sian Cox-Brooker
and Michael Bennett,
who took over as joint
editors of Cherwell in
January, were forced
to step down after
students and tutors
condemned the edition.
Despite only around
50 copies of the spoof,
being handed out to the
editorial team during
a social in November,
copies were leaked that
lead to complaints from
students and the issue
grabbing the attention
of the press.
On one website,
the Oxford Gossip, a
student described the
newspaper as ‘abusive’
and ‘horrific’. Another
said it contained ‘racist,
sexist, obscene banter’.
In a joint statement
Cox and Bennett said,
“We understand that
complaints have been
received about a spoof
newsletter, Lecher,
produced in November
2008.”
“The tone and content
of Lecher was clearly
intended to be satirical,
and was received as
such by its intended
recipients.”
on university work.
Student press such as
Oxford paper Cherwell
and national papers such
as the Daily Mail have
reported that students
are selling their notes for
money to GradeGuru.com,
a note sharing website,
where other students can
then download the notes
for free.
The site, supported
by education publishers
McGraw Hill, has
contributors from 281 UK
institutions and has so far
paid out a sum of £7,847 to
note-submitting ‘gurus’.
The site boasts
contributors from
institutions such as
Oxford, Nottingham and
Manchester with the top
contributing university
presently being Durham.
It describes itself as
“a platform for students
to help each other with
coursework” which will
encourage “all students
everywhere to achieve
their best and to inspire
others to academic
heights.”
By submitting work
to the site, contributors
accrue points which can
then be exchanged for
cash or rewards such as
restaurant and travel
vouchers.
GradeGuru founder
Emily Sawtell told The
National Student that the
site is, “A community of
students who can rely on
each other for academic
support - whether through
comments, feedback on
notes that they contribute
or the ability to download
other students’ notes for
free, we are setting out
to build a network where
students can collaborate
and learn online in a
way that is specific to
their course at their
university.”
She described the site
as ‘a collective knowledge
platform’ and ‘the web 2.0
version of a study group.’
Although the site states
it is a place where students
can find ‘course notes’,
searching the site it is
possible to find examples of
full essays including some
on William Shakespeare.
There are concerns
that as the material on
GradeGuru is free, there
is nothing to stop any
student taking an essay
and claiming it as their
own.
This makes it different
from other essay websites
such as Oxbridge Essays
and UK Essays who
charge students for
providing them with
written-to-order essays.
An undergraduate essay
from Oxbridge Essays can
cost around £1,000, and a
full PhD dissertation could
cost over £20,000.
GradeGuru provides
notes for free and in
theory rewards pro-active
scholars who help their
peers by providing notes
through the site.
But academics are
skeptical of the site. A
spokesperson from the
University of Oxford told
Cherwell that websites
like this are not helpful to
students in the long-run.
“If students simply
copy the work of others,
they are missing part of
the learning process and
may fare badly when
they come to sit formal
examinations,” she said.
Another source from the
university called the site
a ‘cheater’s charter’ and
stated that they ‘look upon
this very seriously.’
But GradeGuru states
that “GradeGuru stands
against plagiarism in all
its potential forms”.
Sawtell explained,
“We are an ethical site
trying to help students
help each other. I think
it is important that these
issues be raised and
addressed - it is critical to
our vision for GradeGuru
that we be recognised as
a legitimate educational
tool. GradeGuru is
about collaboration, not
collusion. It is about
offering alternative ideas,
not easy answers. As
you will see on the site
homepage and in our
community standards, we
do not tolerate plagiarism
of materials on our site.”
“With our strong stance
against plagiarism and
the tools to back-up
our position, we think
GradeGuru will is well
positioned to deter
unethical practices,” she
added.
But Sawtell
acknowledges that the site
can be used by students
looking to cheat on their
coursework.
“Not putting in the
effort and just relying on
someone else’s notes was
unfortunately happening
well before GradeGuru.
There will sadly probably
always be a minority of
students who try to game
the education system and
cheat themselves out of
a valuable education. In
fact, many academics
give out all of their notes
as handouts anyway. The
value of GradeGuru is not
in just getting someone
else’s notes as a substitute
for your own, the value is
in seeing how someone else
interpreted a discussion
and if their understanding
was different to yours.”
She added that the site
has ‘multiple ways’ to stop
students cheating.
“The deterrents include
our community standards
and the warning on our
homepage, but the policing
part really comes into force
through our partnership
with the anti-plagiarism
tool.”
“We offer students free
academic advice on the
issue to ensure there
can be no confusion, and
moreover, we are soon to
announce our relationship
with an anti-plagiarism
tool provider. In our
consultations with the
academic community,
it was clear we needed
to get on board with
deterrent tools they use
– so we are doing exactly
that. This partnership
will not only send a very
strong signal that we are
serious about academic
ethics, it will also give
the academic community
the peace of mind of
knowing that those very
few students who might
have considered trying to
pass other students’ work
off as their own will now
think twice, knowing they
will get caught out,” she
added.
GradeGuru have
now entered in to a
partnership with TurnItIn
the main anti-plagiarism
service used by academic
institutions. This move
sees the site taking a
massive step towards
curbing concerns about
plagiarism.
Katie Povejsil, of
TurnItIn, says “All
GradeGuru content will
now be continuously added
to the TurnItIn database
which reinforces the
community’s commitment
to preventing plagiarism.”
As a result, if students
submit materials from
GradeGuru as their own
for a course that uses
TurnItIn, that material
will be flagged as
unoriginal.”
Despite these moves
some students have
admitted that they still
plagiarise. One student
told Cherwell that essay
sharing websites were not
the only places a student
could take material from if
they wanted to cheat.
She said, “everyone has
their friends’ and other
peoples’ essays. I have
lots, especially from people
who have graduated who I
know got firsts.”
“I’m not against essay
sharing websites in
principle, I would just
worry about the quality
of the work that is being
uploaded”.

Leeds sued over lizard poo

“We understand
There has been
that satire can be a dramatic rise
misconstrued, and as in applications
this term’s editors of for postgraduate
Leeds University lizard had disappeared his research in the total failure.” see that photographs
Cherwell we apologise courses as people
is being sued for from his desk. Philippines. “By the beginning of my daughter, my
for any offence which look to increase their
throwing out lizard Bennett spent five Bennett told of the third year of girlfriend and my
might have been qualifications for the
excrement collected years collecting samples the Times Higher my PhD, I knew more favourite lizards had
caused, and have now more competitive
by a PhD student for as part of his research Education: “The about lizard faeces been removed from the jobs market as the
resigned.”
his thesis. on the animal’s diet, Butaan is so reclusive than I had ever thought wall.” recession bites.
Daniel Bennett population size and that all attempts to possible.” “My personal effects Students are
was shocked when behaviour. He then study it using methods “Returning to Leeds had been carefully putting off applying
Full report online at
he returned from a won a scholarship at that have proved from fieldwork, I was stowed in boxes, but for jobs and are
thenationalstudent.
trip to find his 5st 7lb Leeds University and suitable for the Komodo surprised to find my there was no sign of looking to continue
co.uk studying to sit out the
collection of excrement spent two more years dragon and other large desk space occupied by my 35kg bag of lizard
from the rare Butaan being paid to continue lizards have ended in another student and to shit.” financial crisis.

4 NEWS
Union attacked in charity profits scandal
The Oxford Union
Society has come under fire
for misleading members
about the profits received
from charity events held on
the premises.
“Charities and Cocktails”
was held on February 10
in the Oxford Union, in
connection with Oxford Hub.
The advertisement for the
event in the Union term-card
told members to “add a dash
of fellow-feeling and a pinch
of generosity” and to “top up
with Charity.”
But none of the money
from this term’s event went
to charity. The proceeds
instead merely covered the
costs incurred by the cheap
drinks deals and aimed to
raise awareness for charities
represented.
The Union have also
claimed that any profits that
had been made would have
gone to the Oxford Hub, an
organisation that facilitates
charity work in Oxford,
who organised the event in
collaboration with the Union.
Union Secretary Anna
Williams said, “the profit of
the event goes to OxHub,
the society we are doing the
event in collaboration with.”
The Union’s costs were
estimated at £20-30.
However, a budget for the
event shows instead a 50/50
split in the income, estimated
at £260, between the Union
and the Oxford Hub.
Union President Charlie
Holt said, “the Union’s half
will go towards covering
costs... We can only ever
guess how much we need to
take out. In this case, 50%
seemed reasonable. What you
Banker stole £50K to pay student loan
A bank worker stole
£50,000 to pay off his
student loan by setting up
fake bank accounts, a court
heard last month.
Greig Smith opened 66
fake student accounts at the
Bank of Scotland branch in
Edinburgh where he was
assistant manager over a
nine month period in 2006
and 2007.
He pled guilty to fraud at
Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
Sentence was deferred.
Smith set up overdrafts on
the accounts and withdrew
up to £1,000 from each.
are basing the £130 on is the
budget which was presented,
not the account which gives
an accurate reflection of how
much we took - this will be
published on Monday.”
He denied that advertising
had been misleading, “the
whole point of the event was
to raise awareness of the
charities that OxHub support
- it was never implied that
we would give money from
ticket sales to charity.”
Students have attacked
the way that the event was
marketed, stating that
advertisements and publicity
circulated mislead members
into thinking profit from
their purchases would go to
charity.
One member said, “I’m
shocked to learn that the
ticket money isn’t going to
charity. I didn’t attend the
event but saw the advert in
the term card... I’d be really
angry if I’d bought a ticket to
the event.”
Another first year student
said, “This just makes the
Union look really bad. It
really annoys me that they’ve
managed to get away with
doing this.”
Union press officer Rebecca
Molyneux defended this
term’s event, saying, “I don’t
think it was misleading at
all. In a way it was giving to
charity. Raising awareness
could be considered giving to
charity.”
She confirmed that last
term’s event did not donate
any money to charity either.
She said, “it was purely an
awareness-raising event.
The money went towards the
unlimited punch.”
He mixed up the names
and addresses of existing
customers to take advantage
of a student account offer.
But his scam was discovered
when the bank carried out
a routine audit and found
Smith’s computer access
code had been used an
unusually high amount of
times.
An investigation was
carried out and Smith was
dismissed from the bank. He
admitted the offences when
police interviewed him.
Fiscal depute John Kirk,
prosecuting, explained
The National Student, March 2009
by Marta Szczerba
Union President Charlie
Holt said, “the main point
was to raise awareness and
I think that was made quite
clear.” Union Secretary Anna
Williams said that “the point
of the evening is to not only
make money for charity but Newport student Daryl Wood dressed
also to engage students with as Batgirl to take part in a fun run from
the member organisations of Caerleon to Cardiff as part of the Uni-
OxHub such as Jacari and versity’s rag week.
KEEN in order that they Wood has so far raised over £400 in
may give up some of their sponsorship for her chosen charity, the
Beatrice Tate School for Children with
time to help them.”
Cerebral Palsy.
The events coordinator
Newport Student’s Union has set a
for OxHub, Laura Higgins,
target of £6,000 for all rag week ac-
stated that OxHub would tivities to beat the amount raised at the
not be receiving any profit last rag week.
from the event, claiming
that the event was not “a
profit-making venture, but
merely concerned with cost-
recovery.”
She said the aim of the
event had been simply
to “raise awareness of
our member charities...to
encourage more students to
become involved in charitable
activities during their time
at university.”
She explained that the
Union would take a proportion
of the ticket price to cover
“costs they have incurred
publicising and organizing
the event from their end,”
and that the “Oxford Hub
portion equally goes to
cover the costs incurred in
running a sustainable events
programme.”
She confirmed that profits
from the bar would go to
Thirst Lodge who provided
the drinks at a discounted
price.
that no customers had lost
money as the accounts were
fictitious.
Defense solicitor
Alexander Lafferty, said that
Smith had left university
with large student loans
and had been “living beyond
his means” when he carried
out the fraud. Smith is now
unemployed and claiming
job seekers allowance while
living with his mother and
has since been declared
bankrupt, the lawyer
added.
Smith will be sentenced
this month.
The National Student, March 2009

NEWS 5

Religious societies
have always had a prominent

British Humanist Association/Andrew West

position on campus with
groups for everyone from
Christians to Jedi Knights.
Now non-religious
students will have an
organisation to promote their
view-point with the launch
of the National Federation
of Atheist, Humanist and
Secular Student Societies.
The federation, which
launched on February 19,
aims to fight for the voices
of what it believes to be
the majority of students,
on campus and in wider
society.
Chloe Clifford-Frith, a
recent Oxford graduate
and press officer for the
Federation explained,
“[We aim to] promote non-
religious viewpoints in
universities by uniting
students, encouraging
the foundation of student
societies and helping them
with their work - including
helping them deal with
discrimination by student
unions.”

New national voice

“Also to increase the AHS President Norman Ralph with delighted members of his own Leeds Atheist Society and Richard Dawkins
amount of debating going
on between religious and
non-religious students. We
want to create a culture
of openness and enquiry,
encouraging students to take

for ‘anti-God squad’

an interest in how religion
pervades society and affects
the world. We also work to
improve understanding of
scientific and ethical issues
and ensure that the views of
non-religious students can
be heard nationally through
our campaigns,” she said.
The federation is
planning campaigns and
events across the country
to protest against religious
privilege and promote the
understanding of science.
The launch came four
months after a campaign
with 30 London buses
parading the slogan:
“There’s probably no God.
Now stop worrying and
enjoy your life.”
Clifford-Frith said,
“Dangerous views,
religiously motivated,
have gained power in the
last decade, and yet at the
moment there is a mood in
society that it is wrong to
question or criticise religious
New federation aims to represent the views of atheist, humanist and secular students in the UK
beliefs. This often springs
from well-meaning ideas of
inclusiveness for people of
all backgrounds.”
“While the AHS believes
that everyone has the right
to believe what they want,
their opinions should not
automatically gain respect.
People deserve respect, but
what they believe is their
choice. If their beliefs involve
the subjugation of women or
persecution of homosexuals
for example, we must stand
up and say that this is
outrageous. If they believe
the earth is 6,000 years old
(which is more common in
UK University Christian
Unions than you’d think)
then we should be entitled to
say ‘don’t be ridiculous, there
are mountains of evidence to
the contrary’ without being
accused of being ‘militant’
or behaving indecently. This
lean towards protecting and
privileging religious opinion,
regardless of what it may be,
is quite recent and we wish
to counter it.”
“If you want examples of
the harm religion can cause,
they are endless. See my
quote in the press release,
and also more examples:
faith schools segregating
communities, interference
with the embryology bill.
Prop 8 and the banning of
abortion in various states in
the USA. Sectarian violence.
You name it,” she added.
The group has the support
of some of the country’s
leading critics of religion: the
scientist Richard Dawkins,
the philosopher AC Grayling,
and the Guardian columnist
Polly Toynbee.
Professor Richard
Dawkins said public
statements of non-belief were
treated as “threatening” and
an “affront to the religious”.
“Beliefs that are
unsupported, bigoted or
demand special privileges
should always be challenged.
No opinion should be
protected from criticism
simply by virtue of being
religiously held,” he said.
The new federation is
affiliated to the British
Humanist Association.
Pod Bhogal, head of
communications at the
Universities and Colleges
Christian Fellowship
(UCCF), said, “Universities
are a marketplace of ideas
where concepts can be
exchanged. Anything that
encourages intelligent and
meaningful discussion we
see as positive. We are
thankful for the atheist bus
campaign because it raised
awareness of spiritual
things and put God on the
agenda.”
Clifford-Frith added,
“We hope to increase the
profile of secular, atheist
and humanist issues in
a number of ways in our
universities and beyond. We
want more students to start
‘coming out’ as atheists as
we believe that atheists and
agnostics make up the silent
majority.”
“We want to change the
attitude to atheists and
to religious beliefs in this
country by working with
students and in the national
and international press.”

Dangerous travel adaptors given away to students

The Electrical Safety
Council is warning students
and recent graduates to
look out for potentially
lethal travel adaptors,
distributed at recruitment
fairs.
Of particular concern is a
type of travel adaptor often
described as a compact all-in-
one ‘universal travel adaptor’
for worldwide use, and will
look the same or similar
to the example illustrated.
The adaptor is available
in a range of colours and
may have the branding of a
particular institution on it.
This type of travel adaptor
is dangerous and poses a
real threat of causing serious
injury and could even kill.
The Universal Travel
Adaptor has three different
sets of plug pins, which can
be moved in or out of the body
of the adaptor independently
of each other and locked into
position to make products
compatible for use with UK,
European and most other
international plug sockets.
However, investigations by
the ESC have found that live
parts can easily be exposed
which could cause electric
shock or electrocution. In
addition, the adaptors are
not suitable for use with
electrical appliances that
require an earth connection,
despite claims made to the
contrary on packaging.
Steve Curtler, Campaign
Manager at the ESC said;
“We ask anyone who thinks
that they may be using a
Universal Travel Adaptor
or who has seen one that
matches this description in
a friend’s room to stop using
it immediately and dispose
of it safely. Alternatively,
contact your local Trading
Standards for advice on the
most appropriate course of
action to take.”
“There are multiple
problems with these
adaptors and they do pose
a very real threat of serious
injury and may even be
lethal. It’s important when
disconnectingtheseadaptors,
prior to disposing of them,
that people remember how
dangerous they are and so
handle them carefully.”
The Electrical Safety
Council operates a telephone
and email helpline (tel:
0870 040 0561 or email
enquiries@esc.org.uk) for
anyone concerned about this
or any other electrical safety
issue.

6 NEWS
Making waves in the workplace
A group of media students
in Cornwall have come
together with a vision for a
globalisation of grass roots
media training and support
for emerging talent from UK
universities.
This concept has been
transformed into an innovative
student media organisation
called Crossfire Media, based
at and supported by University
College Falmouth.
The founder isBAjournalism
student Chris Green.
Green tells of his ambition
to assist other students,
“Crossfire was founded
to create educationally
interesting and motivation
driven content to my own
studies, and as soon as I
realised how effective it was in
providing services to industry
I developed this concept in to
a structure which could help
others.”
Crossfire Media has
generated a network of
businesses, charities and
supporting organisations that
provide students involved with
live project briefs, commercial
filming, design, photography
and copy writing.
The organisation has an
impressive client list including
the Royal National Lifeboat
Institution, the Maritime and
Coast Guard Agency, Musto
Ltd, Cornwall and Devon
Media Ltd and M&C Saatchi
Sports and Entertainment.
Green says, “The
opportunities we can present
in the UK provide a real chance
for students to attract the eyes
of potential employers whilst
still studying at university.”
The team have also
attracted support from
foreign correspondents, news
producers, design agencies
and business forums in its
desire to assist UK students
understand the complexities of
a modern working existence.
Crossfire has developed
a support mechanism for
young media professionals
The National Student, March 2009
structure and development
goals of the agency were found
to be a good fit against the
development goals within UK
university courses.
Image: Crossfire Media Ltd
The Supporting Voices
team from Crossfire Media
visited Iraq last autumn.
They engaged in research and
evaluation of the immediate
grass roots needs of the agency
and produced a development
plan that would utilise the
abilities of UK media and
design students at all levels to
assist the Iraqi team.
“When we first landed in
Iraq the team were reserved
about what we as students
could achieve in offering
our help, with the support
of professionals in Iraq. Our
first night was spent gathered
around a table in a safe house
and students in immediate introducing ourselves and our
post conflict countries. All of visions to the young editors
the work carried out by the and reporters. That night
organisation in the UK directly we met a reporter called Ali
contributes to this mechanism. from the city of Mosul. Ali
In September 2008 the had reported for the New
Supporting Voices program York Times during the severe
was launched following a fighting between US soldiers
6-month consultation and and insurgents and had been
research effort led by Green. the target of assassination
The program partnered with attempts and constant death
a young non-political news threats for writing the truth.
agency in northern Iraq. This His stories and the equally
agency is called Aswat al-Iraq disturbing stories of other
or The Voices of Iraq. young journalists that night
The agency was chosen cemented our motivation to
as an appropriate partner help the agency as much as we
due to its founding by the could.”
United Nations Development Green continued, “What we,
Program Iraq in 2004. The found was a family spirit at
the agency. A sense of a desire
to learn and self develop and a
lust for support from the wider
media world. The agency
is self-developing as best it
can and refuses assistance
from politically motivated
organisations or funds. We
formatted our development
plan with the agencies
founder Zuhair al-Jezairy
and his young team and have
committed ourselves to a
long term program of mutual
support and training.”
Since this visit the team
at Crossfire have produced a
media brochure in English,
Arabic and Kurdish along with
a news marketing film shot on
location in Northern Iraq.
Crossfire is now appealing
for support from students,
lecturers and organisations
to make this program a long-
term support mechanism and
a basis for the development
of both overseas and UK
students.
Green, would like to
install a Crossfire Media
team at every UK university,
providing work experience,
student fundraising initiatives
and direct support initiatives
for the Supporting Voices
program.
All those interested in the
project to contact the Crossfire
Media team:
svprogram@crossfiremedia.org.
uk
crossfiremedia.org.uk
falmouth.ac.uk
The National Student, March 2009
NEWS
Uni applications rise
Latest university
application figures show
that the number of people
applying to study is up by
7.3%.
The number of students
due to start university in the
autumn has hit a new high,
with more than 375,000
having won a degree place.
NUS appealed to
the Government and
universities not to become
complacent, saying progress
was still painfully slow.
Wes Streeting, the
president of the NUS, said:
“We welcome the overall rise
in people entering higher
education. However, the
incremental increase in the
number of poorer students
accepting university places
is not good enough.”
It seems this year
universities have
experienced a sharp rise
in applications as school-
leavers choose higher
education rather than
fighting for jobs during the
recession.
At the University of
Central Lancashire (UCLan)
applications for 2009 entry
have soared by 15%.
Commenting on the
news UCLan’s Deputy Vice
Chancellor, Professor Patrick
McGhee, said: “Places are
still available on some of our
combined honours courses
but we fully expect to meet
our recruitment targets once
students start arriving in
Jewish students targetted at Manchester
Protests at the
University of Manchester
against Israel’s recent
military campaign in Gaza
have taken a turn for the
worse with Student Direct
reporting several cases of
alleged ‘anti-Semitism’ on
campus since the start of
the new semester.
University of Manchester
Students’ Union General
Secretary Rob Pinfold, a Jew
and Zionist, has received
several emails questioning
his support of Israel’s
aggression in Gaza. One
email read, “You support
the continued bombing
of innocent civilians in
Gaza. Nearly 1,000 people
dead and almost 10,000
wounded… Why would you
encourage the continuation
of this massacre?”
Student Direct reported
that the email sent by
student Mabrouka Fagi-
Hassan, went on to caution
Pinfold, “We wouldn’t want
to have the wrong person
sacked now would we.”
Pinfold was also advised
by police to keep his office
locked after stickers reading
‘Kill Israel’ we stuck to the
door in his absence.
by Laura Wild
September.
“Higher education still
represents excellent value
for money. At UCLan
we have an attractive
portfolio of courses, world-
leading and internationally
recognised research together
with superb facilities and
a graduate employment
record which is amongst the
best in the UK.
“The University is
strengthening its position
as a catalyst for wealth
creation and jobs, and in
economically challenging
times these new figures are
great news.”
This late surge in
university applicants is said
to be putting extra pressure
on sixth formers to achieve
top grades in their exams.
Wes Streeting, president
of the National Students
Union, said: “It is hugely
encouraging to see a
record-breaking number
of applications to Britain’s
universities, but we remain
concerned about the
number of places available
as a result of the cap on
numbers imposed by the
Government.”
“While some had
speculated that demand
would fall, applicants of all
ages are clearly making the
correct assessment that it is
better to invest now in their
education and training.”
The Students’ Union
is also said to have
received documents from
an anonymous sender
advocating a “fight against
international Jewry”,
describing US President
Obama as a “Jewish puppet”
and accusing the Jews of
“butcher[ing] 195 children
and shell[ing] schools in
Gaza”.
UMSU Anti-Racism
Secretary Oliver Worth
is convinced that he has
suffered discrimination
because he is Jewish and
claims he was spat at during
a pro-Palestine occupation
on campus.
He told Student Direct,
“It’s a real cause for concern
that political feelings on
this campus are manifesting
themselves in intimidation
and violence,” he said.
“I-Soc and Action Palestine
show no regard for the
anti-Semitism that often
results from their actions
on campus.”
But students posting
comments on the Student
Direct website questioned
whether the action against
SU officials was anti-Semitic
or politically motivated.
Nazi initiators suspended
Students at
the University of
Gloucestershire have
been suspended after an
investigation into a ‘Nazi-
style’ initiation ceremony.
The university has not
named the students, nor
confirmed how many have
been suspended.
As The National Student
reported in October, a
video came to light showing
victims paraded around,
with carrier bags on their
heads, by a student dressed
in a Nazi-style uniform.
The ‘Nazi officer’ walks
up and down the line while
students are encouraged to
drink and many are seen
vomiting.
In a statement University
of Gloucestershire
spokesman Paul Drake
stated, “The university has
concluded its investigation
into initiation ceremonies.”
“A number of students
have been subject to
university disciplinary
procedures and the matter
is now closed,” he added.
The University suffered
further embarrassment in
Comment on the latest news at thenationalstudent.co.uk
Students and academics across the UK have joined protests against Israel’s military
campaign in Gaza
Jake Whiteson posted the
comment, “The incidents
described in this report are
not anti-Semitic, because
the “victims” were not
targeted because they were
Jewish but because they
rabidly support Israel.”
“Pinfold supports the war
on Gaza. He danced around
Albert Square last month in
support of the war. So how
is emailing him to criticise
him for this an anti-Semitic
attack?”
“Many Jewish speakers
have attended the pro-
December when a second
alcohol-fueled initiation
ceremony was exposed.
A student vomited
over himself and on
the floor of a bus after
a rugby club initiation
ceremony. Passengers
were forced to leave the
Palestinian occupation and
have not been spat on, as
they oppose Israel’s racist
treatment of Palestinians.
Minutes before Worth
was spat on he gave an
impassioned speech in
Academy 1 against adopting
the motion criticising Israel.
He should not have been
spat on for this, no one
should face that for their
political views. But don’t
say he was spat on because
he is Jewish! He was spat
on because he supports
Israel; he also happens
bus in Churchdown while
the driver cleaned up the
mess.
‘Disciplinary action’ was
taken after the incident
explained Drake, but the
University confirmed that
no students had been
expelled.
to be Jewish, but the two
are not the same thing. As
mentioned above, many
Jews recognise that Israel
is an apartheid state. If
Worth was a Christian,
Muslim or atheist, and held
such a racist stance towards
the Palestinian people, he
would still have been spat
on,” he added.
In response Pinfold
submitted a motion entitled
“Anti-Semitism on Campus”
at a Union Council meeting
on February 3 resolving
to adopt the European
7
A student who wished to
remain anonymous said:
“Of course they are still
going on, they’re an awful
experience and many get
out of control, the thing
is they are just now a lot
more underground than
before.”
Monitoring Committee’s
working definition of anti-
Semitism, which defines
acts such as “claiming that
the existence of a State of
Israel is a racist endeavour”
and “drawing comparisons
of contemporary Israeli
policy to that of the Nazis”
as anti-Semitic.
Members of student
society Action Palestine
expressed their disapproval
for the motion by e-mailing
Council members and
holding a silent protest
outside the Students’ Union
on the day the motion was
to be discussed.
Talking to Student Direct
Sarah Lashley, a third-year
Criminology student, said:
“The motion adopted a new
definition of anti-Semitism
that does nothing practical
on campus, it is basically
rhetoric. It locks out the
opinion of non-Jews on what
anti-Semitism is, whereas
we wouldn’t lock ourselves
out of, for example,
a discussion on what
homophobic oppression in
Iran is.”
After a heated debate
the motion passed with an
overwhelming majority.
 The National Student, March 2009

8 NEWS
Queen’s boosts wave power research Wii Fit research to help
balance in the elderly
The search for large The team from Aquamarine by Jonathan Kennedy
scale energy generation will model several devices
from wave power has in the state-of-the-art wave
been given an important tanks in the university’s said: “I am delighted to
boost by academics from Civil Engineering announce Aquamarine’s by Kevin Guyan
Queen’s University Belfast. Department and at the continuing relationship with
Queen’s has agreed a Marine Biology Centre at Queens University’s world-
new five-year partnership Portaferry, Co Down. leading team. Professor is suitable for use by elderly
with Aquamarine Power, The Portaferry facility on Whittaker and his group people wishing to improve
a leading marine energy Strangford Lough will allow have tested and deployed their balance. The Wii Fit,
company, and will work the team to test groups of more devices in their time a balance board attachment
with the company to wave power devices that than any other research for the Wii gaming console,
develop the next generation can be deployed in large facility in the world. is several thousand pounds
hydro-electric wave power numbers to form off-shore This agreement creates cheaper than professional
converter. power stations. a fantastic opportunity alternatives and offers a
Already the partnership Professor Trevor on two fronts. Firstly it selection of gentle balancing
has created the Oyster Whittaker, head of the Wave provides Aquamarine with exercises.
hydro-electric wave power Power Research Group at access to world-class wave The problem of falling
device, which is designed Queen’s, said he was very power test facilities, and can be devastating for many
to capture the energy found pleased to strengthen ties it gives us access to the elderly people, with around
in amplified surge forces in with Aquamarine. brightest PhD students in Students from (physiology), and Mark 30% of those over the age of
nearshore waves. The first “It provides focus for this field.” Aberdeen University are Lawson, studying for a 65 believed to have fallen
prototype will be launched the work of our research The partnership will also hoping to improve the BSc in Sport and Exercise over the past year, with 6%
at sea for the first time this students, giving them an provide Aquamarine with balance of elderly people, Science. Both students of falls resulting in broken
summer off the coast of opportunity to participate access to a second, larger through gentle exercise were selected after tough bones.
Orkney. in cutting edge research wave tank due to open at on the latest gaming competition amongst the Dr Marie Fraser,
The latest partnership that will benefit society and the Portaferry facility. The technology. student body to be involved Specialist Registrar
will see Aquamarine the environment for current tank is being part-funded Aberdeen University and in the project. at Woodend Hospital,
work alongside the and future generations.” through the university’s NHS Grampian plan to Dr Alison Jenkinson, Aberdeen, highlighted the
Environmental Engineering Martin McAdam, chief Institute for a Sustainable conduct experiments into their University supervisor, impact of falling: “Falls
Research Centre at Queen’s. executive of Aquamarine World initiative. the benefits of exercise on said: “Our students are cause real problems both
the Nintendo Wii Fit in really looking forward to for the individual and for
But here’s a nation battered and bruised, on its arse only two years relation to the problem of helping with this study. our population as a whole.
poor balance amongst some Mark and Estelle will run As well as causing injury,
ago and now, with a bit of international scaffolding, back on the they can lead to loss of
elderly people. the Wii sessions which will
mend. What a great time to see it, before the tourists and sozzled The study, which will include a warm up and then confidence, a fear of falling,
backpackers arrive and turn it into another Costa Dell Vomito. The take place over a 12-week up to 30 minutes of simple reduced quality of life and
only thing that gets you now are the UN vehicles buzzing around period, will see a group of balance games, although even early death. They also
people over the age of 70 volunteers can do less if have a healthcare cost.”
with their sirens on - PAGE 15 undertaking weekly 30- they choose.” “However, NHS
minute exercise sessions “Participants will be Grampian’s Department
on the Wii. It is hoped trained by our students of Medicine for the
that gentle exercise on in the gentle moves that Elderly is working closely
the technology will help are required during their with colleagues at the
improve general balance sessions on the balance University of Aberdeen
and boost confidence in board. The pair will also be to explore and develop
their abilities, whilst on hand to help immediately innovative approaches to
reducing fears associated if any of our volunteers feel improving balance. We are
with falling. unsteady,” she explained. evaluating the efficacy of
The trial will be assisted It is hoped the study, computer-assisted exercise
by Aberdeen University funded by the British programmes to see if these
students Estelle Lowry, Geriatrics Society, will show are suitable and acceptable
studying for a BSc in whether popular computer- to the elderly population,”
Biomedical Sciences assisted exercise technology she added.

Continued from front page themselves is an atrocious Research was conducted by

“I am shocked and
appalled that so many
students will lay the blame
for such a horrendous act
at the feet of a woman. The
concept that women ask
for it to happen and that
men somehow cannot help
gross misrepresentation of
the facts.”
“Government policy has
continuously failed victims of
rape and sexual assault and
they now need to address
the scale of public ignorance
as well as appallingly low
conviction
Opinionpanel Ltd between
February 11 and 12. The
sample consisted of 1,046
interviews with students at
119 Higher Education (HE)
institutions representative
of the UK HE population in
terms of gender, year group
and university type.
The National Student, March 2009
NEWS
Continued from front page
“The real issue here is free
speech and the right of viewers
and listeners in Northern
Ireland to see and hear these
ads. We are not taking a stand
either way on the manmade
climate change debate,” he
said.
Queen’s student Emmy
Quinn set up a Facebook group
calling for Wilson to resign as
Environment Minister. The
group currently has over 2,000
members.
The minister, who has
earned a no-confidence vote
from the Northern Ireland
Assembly’s Environment
Committee, is on record as
being a sceptic of the theory of
manmade climate change.
In an interview with
the Belfast Telegraph last
December he said: “I think
in 20 years’ time we will look
back at this whole climate
change debate and ask
ourselves how on earth were
we ever conned into spending
the billions of pounds which
are going into this without any
kind of rigorous examination
of the background, the
science, the implications of
it all. Because there is now
a degree of hysteria about it,
fairly unformed hysteria I’ve
got to say.”
Steven Agnew, a Queen’s
graduate and the Green
Party’s candidate for the
European elections later this
year, said, “He has always
said he will support measures
which will encourage energy
efficiency and these adverts
are all about people supporting
measures which can help
energy efficiency — whether
you agree with climate change
or not. So Sammy is now
contradicting himself.”
by Jonathan Kennedy
Meltwater Group, one of
Europe’s fastest growing IT
companies is calling all Compu-
ter Sciences students for a
Technical Teaching Fellow-
ship at the the Meltwater Entre-
preneurial School of Technology
(MEST), a non-profit school,
based in Accra, Ghana.
The program educates
Ghanaian students to become
technologically skilled entrepre-
neurs, with the ability to start
new software companies and
generate wealth locally.
Top computer science students
from the US and Europe will
support MEST faculty and men-
tor Trainees for one academic
under the Fellowship program.
INTERESTED? Deadline
13/04/2009 to start in August
2009. Go to meltwater.org
Third data blunder at Manchester
The University of
Manchester has come
under fire after the
personal details from over
1,300 students leaked in
January.
This is the third time
since October that the
university has accidentally
released students’ details
reported Student Direct.
The blunder saw an
email containing detailed
information on students’
disabilities, ethnicity and
studies sent to residents
of a Manchester Halls of
Residence on January 26.
Instead of the intended
news bulletin on safety
and recent problems, the
attached spreadsheet
contained detailed
information on 1,332
students, including
which houses they live
in and their Aexact room
numbers, as well as their
email addresses.
This leak has
raised concerns that
students might be put
at an increased risk of
In defiance of official
NUS policy students from
20 universities marched
on London as part of an
international day of action
demanding free education
last month.
Organisers have
criticised the NUS stance
that abolishing tuition
fees is unfeasible.
Gathering at the School
of Oriental and African
Studies (SOAS) protestors
marched to the Vice
Chancellors organisation
(Universities UK) and
then onwards to the head
of Universities UK at
Kings College.
Protestors called for the
cap on top-up fees not to
be raised and the abolition
of all fees in higher and
further education. They
also demanded a living
grant for every student
over 16 of at least £150
per week, and a living
wage for nursing and other
students who have to work
as part of their course.
Students from
universities, colleges and
schools across Britain are
joining to protest against
tuition fees of more than
£3,000 a year.
The action was led by a
coalition of campaigners
and renegade student
unions at from across the
country and is the first
national demonstration of
this nature organised by
students in ten years.
Student unions
from 20 universities
harassment.
A second email
informing the recipients
of the mistake and asking
them to delete it was sent
two hours later. However
as the email was sent
to personal emails, the
university was not able
to recall it by removing
it from the system and
cannot guarantee all
recipients deleted the
email when requested.
A spokesperson for
the University said: “We
apologise to students
affected by this recent
case, which occurred
when a member of staff
inadvertently sent an
incorrect attachment
to fellow students at
Whitworth Park.”
Talking to Student
Direct a student whose
name appeared on the
list but wished to remain
anonymous said, “It’s
happened three times
now, and they still haven’t
sorted the problem out.”
“This just shows the
Fees march
hits London
including Bradford,
SOAS, Cambridge and
Goldsmiths are supporting
the campaign.
Rosie Isaac, a fourth-
year medical student at
Southampton University
and one of the march
organisers, told the
Guardian: “Tuition fees
rule out the possibility
of seriously expanding
access to universities,
force most students who
do get to university into
debt and push many into
exploitative low-paid
work.”
Tom Wills, a second-year
international relations
student at Sussex
University and one of the
leaders of the campaign,
Uni’s incompetence in
looking after students’
data. Students give
this information up in
the faith that it will be
treated confidentially,
but the University doesn’t
seem to have any regard
for that.”
said: “This is a grass roots
student movement that
we hope will be the start
of a bigger campaign.”
“As an immediate aim
we would be happy if we
prevent the raising of the
cap. The NUS’s policy is
flawed logic – you don’t win
concessions by trying to
appease the government,
you need to put pressure
on them.”
“With the march, we
want to put this on the
agenda and make sure
free education is talked
about on every campus,
especially next term as
the review raises the
temperature on the debate
around tuition fees. We
need to make fees an
The University said
it was aware of the
problem: “Following a
number of incidents both
at the University and at
organisations across the
country, the University
has already launched
a project looking at IT
Image: Fil Kaler
election issue,” he said.
He added that it was
‘inspiring’ that student’s
protesting the recent
Israeli military action in
Gaza had some of their
demands met.
Ed Maltby, a final year
student from Cambridge
University and national
secretary of the education
not for sale campaign,
said: “For as long as
you’ve got fees, the logic
of the system is to move to
a market. Merely asking
government to keep the
cap isn’t a solution.”
“Higher education is a
social good. A degree is not
a matter of an individual
ticket to a better-paid job.
Society should pay through
9
systems, improving
security and the
responsible use of data.”
“As part of the project,
we plan to provide
training and guidance for
our staff in order to reduce
the risk of these incidents
occurring.”
progressive taxation on
the rich and big business
not ordinary working class
people.”
“The NUS has abdicated
its responsibility to
members by giving up on
mass campaigning,” he
added.
Defending the union’s
stance Wes Streeting said,
“The NUS is standing
alongside several other
trade unions today to
protest against 1.5 million
cuts in adult education
places.”
“If the student movement
gets campaigning tactics
(over fees) wrong in 2009
there will be no chance of
stopping the lifting of the
cap. Some people say we
have small ambitions but a
fundamental overhauling
of the way the system is
funded isn’t small.”
“We’ve made a bold and
brave decision to focus on
how graduates contribute
and eliminating the
market rather than
getting rid of fees, which
is unfeasible,” he said.
He argued that it is
unrealistic to push for the
abolition of tuition fees
in the current financial
climate.
“It looks like cloud
cuckoo land. The fight
has got to be to ensure
the market in fees doesn’t
go further and to defend
investment in universities
and colleges. That’s a
campaign we can win,” he
said.
 The National Student, March 2009
FEATURE
A Framework of Fear
Jane Westward
reflects on a recent
trip to Israel and her
new perspective on
the Middle East
conflict
W
hat would you say
if, out of the blue,
someone offered
you an all-expenses-
paid trip to Israel? Back
in December, London’s
Union of Jewish Students
did just that, and last
month I flew to Tel Aviv
with seven students from
across Britain for a trip
described, in rather poor
taste, as an ‘election/
post-war special.’ Having
never been offered a free
trip in my life, my initial
reaction to the invitation
was one of suspicion, and
I immediately started
searching for a hidden
agenda, wondering what
line I might be expected to
buy on a visit to a country
with such notoriously bad
PR.
The recent campaign
by the Israeli Defence
Force in Gaza, which left
between 900 and 1,300
Palestinians dead, has
led to worldwide protests,
student campaigns and
calls for a boycott, leaving
many Israelis feeling
frustrated at what they
see at Europeans’ failure
to understand their need
to defend their state.
Despite my reservations
about going, however, I
decided that seeing one
side, however potentially
biased, was better than
seeing neither. I reassured
myself that I would take
everything presented to
me with a healthy dose of
scepticism, whilst vowing
to keep an open mind.
I’m not sure what I
was expecting, but after
arriving in Israel I quickly
found myself caught off
guard. Yes, I met the
caricature of the gung-ho
IDF man, full of bravado
and machismo, and the
cynical civil servant, tired
of European liberals who
like to ‘play utopia.’ But
I was also exposed to a
series of thoughtful, liberal
voices who presented a
compelling narrative of the
Jewish struggle to break
free from their history
of exclusion, persecution
and permanent minority
status. A visit to Yad
Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust
museum, as well as
meetings with a range of
academics, journalists and
civil servants conveyed
a powerful sense - real,
imagined, or somewhere
in between - that the Jews
are not only a victimised
people, but also one that
has been let down time
and again by governments,
regimes and individuals
that failed to protect
them. There is a deep
need to prove the country’s
strength, and to never
allow the Jewish people to
become victims again.
This, I discovered, is the
crux of the Israeli psyche.
It is within this framework
of fear that Israelis view
Sderot - the town 1km
to the north of Gaza,
battered by rockets for the
past eight years, and the
second intifada - the five-
year Palestinian uprising
that began after the
breakdown of peace talks
in 2000 . The residents
of Jerusalem lived in
constant fear of suicide
bombers who targeted
buses, cafes and bars. This
sense of insecurity was
apparent in the run up to
elections, in which right-
winger Avigdor Lieberman
saw his popularity
swell on the basis of a
campaign that described
the country’s Arab citizens
as an ‘internal terror
threat.’ Demands that
Arabs prove their loyalty
to the country in order to
retain their citizenship
struck a chord with voters,
and Lieberman’s Yisrael
Beiteinu party achieved an
unprecedented 15 seats in
Israel’s new parliament.
The Hebrew University’s
Dr Gideon Rahat rejects
these ultra-nationalist
politics, describing
Lieberman a ‘threat to
Israeli society’ for ‘turning
Israeli Arabs against
the state of Israel.’ So
too, do many others,
but this last month’s
elections nevertheless
saw Israeli politics take a
step to the right, in what
most analysts see as a
disillusionment with the
peace process. But Israel’s
20% Arab population, too,
feels disillusioned, with
most simply shrugging
their shoulders when I
asked how they’d use their
vote.
We were scheduled to
meet three Palestinians
While rockets are fired
and walls are built, it is
ignorance and fear that
reign supreme
but, tellingly, two of them
were unable to make it due
to problems with permits
and border crossings. On
election day we visited
the controversial West
Bank wall, designed to
prevent suicide bombers
but condemned by many
as an exercise in land-
grabbing. There were no
Palestinians at the usually
busy crossing point -
that day the West Bank
was closed, its residents
forbidden from entering
Israel - but during the five
minutes we stood there we
watched an Israeli settler
speed across the boundary
in his car.
I found it strange that
the trip, which placed
so much emphasis
on the importance of
understanding the Israeli
side of the Middle East
conflict, failed to present
any detailed analysis of
the other side of the story
- that of the Palestinians.
The anguish of losing
their land and their
homes, the humiliation
of years of occupation
and the desperation of
poverty were given little
consideration, and it would
have been easy to have
come away feeling that the
Palestinians are entirely
to blame for their plight.
It is for this reason that,
for me, the most inspiring
voice of the trip was that
of Robi Damelin, who
is a member of Parents’
Circle, a group that brings
together Israelis and
Palestinians whose family
members have been killed
in the course of the conflict.
She usually works in a pair
with Ali Abu Awwad, a
Palestinian whose brother
was shot dead by an Israeli
settler, but he had unable
to cross into the West Bank
from Jordan. Damelin’s
son, David, a Master’s
student who was active
in the peace movement,
was called up by the IDF
as a reservist in 2002,
and soon after was killed
by a Palestinian sniper.
She now tours schools in
Israel and the Occupied
Territories, and gives talks
across the world, in order
to share her story. She
tells how, during a talk in
the West Bank, a schoolgirl
once told her that her son
deserved to die. ‘She came
from a bereaved family,’
says Damelin. ‘I talked to
her about it. I asked her
what colours her tears
were. She got up in front of
the whole class and came
up and apologised. That
took a lot of courage.’
Sceptical of those who
promote ‘hummus and
hugs’, Damelin has used
her and Abu Awwad’s
shared pain as a starting
point for an exploration of
the nitty-gritty of politics,
war and peace, and she
now believes that ‘you have
to talk to everyone; even
Hamas.’ This sentiment
was echoed by Khaled Abu
Alia, the one Palestinian
we did manage to meet,
who argues that Israel’s
refusal to recognise the
democratically-elected
group ‘made them into
heroes.’ But those who
support such views are
in the minority, as the
declared aim of Hamas’
charter - the destruction
of the state of Israel -
currently makes dialogue
out of the question for
most.
I came away from the
trip with the feeling that
I had, as expected, been
shown just one side of
the story, but rather than
any anticipated crude
propaganda, I was offered
an intelligent, nuanced
exploration of the Israeli
national consciousness, and
the fears and insecurities
of its citizens. I’ve come
11
to understand that
many liberal Israelis are
uncomfortable with their
country’s actions, but that
they are also scared for the
safety of their children. It’s
a story that I’m incredibly
glad I’ve heard. But I also
left feeling uncomfortable
at not even having visited
an Arab-Israeli village,
let alone the West Bank,
because it was deemed too
‘unsafe’ by the organisers.
That is surely the point.
It’s all very well for
Israel’s liberals to covet
peace, but until both sides
are forced to confront not
only their own feelings of
insecurity and fear, but
also those of their ‘enemy’,
there can be little hope of
the understanding that is
needed for peace.
In a country where every
house has an in-built bomb
shelter, where Palestinians
face the humiliation of
daily checkpoint searches,
and where Jewish and
Muslim children attend
different schools, it
remains too easy for Arabs
and Israelis to dehumanise
the threatening ‘other’,
blocking out their suffering
and justifying actions
taken against them.
Fear is a powerful
force, and despite projects
that try to bring the
two sides together, most
Israelis have never met
a Palestinian, and vice
versa. ‘Peace is possible
when we allow ourselves
to be vulnerable,’ declares
a letter from Desmond
Tutu on the Parents’ Circle
homepage. But, for the
time being, while rockets
are fired and walls are
built, it is ignorance and
fear that reign supreme.

12
Oxford paper
Cherwell provides
an intimate
account of meeting
the stateless
residents of
Campsfield House,
Oxford’s local
immigration
removal centre
C
ampsfield House
Immigration
Removal Centre
is an imposing concrete
building. Situated in
Kidlington, just outside
Oxford City, it is
surrounded by electrified
gates and rabbit-proof,
20-foot-high fences
surmounted by barbed
wire. The 216 men inside
are victims of relentless
UK legislation that is
systematically stripping
them of human rights,
while hiding behind the
facade of immigration
control.
Campsfield House
opened in 1993 and
serves as a waiting room
for persons who have
been refused asylum
in this country. UK
Border Control alleges
that detention provides
care for people while
they wait to be deported
or removed. Since its
creation, however, the
treatment of those inside
Campsfield has led to
numerous hunger strikes
and suicide attempts -
some successful.
Within 15 minutes of
being inside Campsfield,
after being photographed,
fingerprinted and searched
I am approached by an
African man who lifts his
shirt and takes off his
shoes to show me a body
which has been punctured
enough times to render
50 cent a cry baby. It is
men like this who bear the
scars and sometimes even
the documents to prove
that they are not safe in
their homeland, and are
The National Student, March 2009
FEATURE
still being dismissed as
liars and criminals that
pose a danger to British
society. The Government
plays a very manipulative
game with these men;
imprisoning them not
only physically, but with
inflammatory jargon
which states that because
a person made the mistake
of coming to this country
without the correct
documents, or worked
once they got here, they
do not have the right to be
listened to, or to be treated
as human beings. I intend
to explain what I have
discovered since speaking
to these men and those
who have dedicated their
lives to helping them.
The majority of the men
in Campsfield and other
detention centres have
fled from persecution.
Many are forced to travel
to England without a citizen of the country they money as well as being times, until the detainee time to settle and flourish.
passport, and come by have left, either through a waste of innocent life. is moved to a different Except these people are
the misguided belief that lack of documentation Considering that the detention centre in a not bacteria and they are
the UK is a safe place for or for political reasons. ‘crime’ most of these new city, where they not hurting anybody.
those in desperate need. Statelessness is a major men have committed is must start from scratch Bail for Immigration
The standard sentence reason for detention lasting that they have worked again, building trust and Detainees (BID) provides
for someone arriving increasingly long and it illegally, there is surely a relationships with people a light at the end of the
in England without a has devastating effects on cheaper more effective and on the outside who are tunnel for thousands
passport or someone who the physical and mental less dehumanising way to willing to help. This sets of detainees. BID is an
is found to be working well being of the afflicted. deal with the problem at their chances back for independent charity
despite not being granted Essentially it means that hand. Some detainees are weeks, sometimes months that exists to challenge
asylum or refugee status people are subjected to a allowed to work inside and hardly helps with the immigration detention
is 15 months. This is often never-ending limbo, not Campsfield. They are paid depression. This detention in the UK. They work
not the case, however, knowing when they will be £5 for a 6 hour shift and centre ethos of ‘if they get with asylum seekers and
and many men who have able to leave, where they the waiting list is huge, too needy, move them migrants, in removal
acknowledged their will go, when they will giving you an insight into on’ demonstrates clearly centers and prisons to
crimes and served their see their families again or how mind-numbing life the disregard for these secure their release from
sentences find themselves even if their families are at Campsfield is. Money peoples’ quality of life. detention. This happens
incarcerated indefinitely. managing to survive. which should be being Sickeningly it seems in the form of ‘bail
‘Stateless’ is a term It costs the taxpayer spent on the men’s physical they have adopted the applications’. If bail is
used to describe a person on average, £1000 per and mental needs isn’t, NHS scheme of shuffling granted to an individual,
who has not been granted person per week to detain with it being commonplace equipment in order to they are allowed to live
status in the UK and is these ‘foreign criminals’. for psychiatric reviews to combat the superbug so outside of detention,
also not recognised as a Detention is a waste of be postponed countless bacteria does not have the having to report back
 The National Student, March 2009

FEATURE 13

determination to make new detention centre in opposite someone who

life better for others still Bicester which will be the had endured so much and
disappointed after so much largest one in Europe. was displaying all of the
work was overwhelming The Campaign to Close symptoms of being abused
and terrifying. Who will Campsfield holds a protest at the hands of the UK

Oxford’s
carry on fighting for these
forgotten people? And
where will they find such
strength to do so?
Student Action for
Refugees (STAR) have
geared their campaign
towards raising awareness
about Campsfield and
outside Campsfield on the
last Saturday of every
month. The mood at the
last one was focused
towards targeting the
Government and reversing
the proposed building
of Oxford’s second
Immigration Removal
Government. “No talking
can cure my problem”
he said with depressed
agitation, “my problem is
freedom. What have I done
that’s so wrong? These
people are wasting my life.
I’d rather take it myself
then let it be wasted any

Prison
visit regularly conducting
drama and poetry
workshops. Eleanor
Mortimer, president of
STAR said, “the idea of
detention without a trial
is a threat to our human
rights, too. It’s too close
to home. That’s why I’m
Centre. Bill MacKeith,
a loyal supporter of
Close Campsfield said,
“you never win a battle
unless you fight it - and
this one can be won. We
are fighting against the
barbaric anti-asylum
policies manifested by
more”. All this, and only a
30 minute bus ride away
from my room.
I wish Campsfield was
as bad as it gets but it’s
just the tip of the only
ice-berg that doesn’t
seem to be melting. In
other places, children are

for the
It costs the taxpayer on average,
£1000 per person per week to detain
these ‘foreign criminals’. Detention
is a waste of money as well as being

Innocent
to the Home Office and
have their bail renewed
regularly. However, they
are not granted the right
to work and live on food
vouchers. BID aids people
in detention through the
bail application process,
helping them to understand
the legal system and find
legal representatives,
though most represent
themselves. They provide
detainees with a life-line
via their help in filling out
bail related forms such
as ‘Reasons for Leaving’,
a paragraph sized box
allocated to detainees as
their only opportunity
personal statements were
hard). Where most will
feel inclined to appeal on a
humanitarian level in this
space, it is BID’s job to
help detainees recognise
where their rights have
been abused and use the
space to clarify where
the law finds itself in
contravention of its own
rules.
It is not uncommon for
detainees to be refused bail
10 times in a row despite
fresh evidence from
charities such as Medical
Justice who work to expose
and challenge medical
abuse in immigration
who has worked for BID
since the opening of the
Oxford office in 2001. She
is 73 and has spent much
of her retirement helping
immigrants abused by
our system. It quickly
became clear to me that
not only does she provide
information and advice for
detainees, she provides
them with support, care
and hope that they will
find nowhere else. When
I ask her how much
longer she will work for
BID she says, “I don’t
know how much longer
I can do it. It’s difficult
seeing things being
a waste of innocent life. Considering
that the ‘crime’ most of these men
have committed is that they have
worked illegally, there is surely a
cheaper more effective and less
dehumanising way to deal with the
problem at hand
so passionate about star, the UK Government”. detained under exactly
we need to fight for these The protesters sang ‘If I the same conditions,
people who are from our had a Hammer’ with faith causing unimaginable
generation, clever people and passion as they have trauma. But Guantanamo
who understand politics, done for many months. is closing and there we
who understand justice They peered through the have hope.
and have fought for those fences surrounding the There is no time to
things. That’s why they’re imprisoned immigrants, breathe a sigh of relief
going mad. They’re so shouting ‘freedom’ and for we have our own dirty
far from being allowed ‘migration is not a crime, secrets lurking literally in
to reach their potential.” close Campsfield’. A call our back garden. It is only
STAR is planning poster of ‘SOS’ echoed across the our continued pressure
and street-theatre tarmac in reply. and refusal to forget these
campaigns as well as a As a privileged person, I people that will instigate
rally planned outside the feel a duty to be aware of change.
Sheldonian on February those who haven’t had my It’s nothing radical, just
to raise awareness luck. I have spent so many the prospect of treating
about Campsfield hours trying to understand all humans with dignity
among students and and empathise with the regardless of where
the local community. lonely desperation felt by they were born. As one
Unfortunately, raising those who aren’t allowed detainee puts it “we are
awareness about the most basic human not asking you to love us
Campsfield is not the only rights. like your children but we
objective as they are also Still, during my visit are simply asking you to
campaigning against the to Campsfield I was give us at least half the
proposed building of a unprepared when sitting care you give your dogs.”
Read more news and features from
Cherwell at:

to appeal directly to the
judge at the Asylum and
Immigration Tribunal
(and we thought our
detention and will support
immigrant claims of
torture in their homeland.
I spoke with Gill Baden,
cherwell.org
made so much harder for
these people. It’s getting
worse.” To see a woman
with Gill’s strength and
 The National Student, March 2009

14 FEATURE
Rach Kirk - St Vincent College

I’m Rach Kirk (18), I did the 21 day Southern Sun

trek last summer which was awesome! Washington
and Las Vegas were definitely my best cities, amaz-
ing to be in. However I did love going off the beaten
track as well, hitting route 66 and horse riding at a
ranch, but I reckon the best experience by far had to
be the Grand Canyon Helicopter ride!
Still can’t believe those views. Josh our tour leader
certainly made it a memorable time…providing many
a laughs and conversation on the drives.

Angela Park – Robert Gordan University,

Aberdeen

Travelling
What to expect on the 21 day Cross Country BLT!
......The most amazing nightlife ever in New Orleans;
Monument Valley will deffo be a highlight too! Stayin’
in the middle of the desert was amazing, and danc-
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fun! Sipping Champagne in a limo heading down
the strip in Vegas is pretty cool too!
San Diego has amazing beaches and is great for
a bit of surfing! And when at the Grand Canyon be

‘Trek Style’
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I’m Sian, aged 20 and I went on a 35 day Transconti-
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favourite place, but some of the highlights would
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was spent in Key West which was crazy, so many
fireworks, and I spotted Paris Hilton in Macy’s Las
Vegas!
I loved every second of it -the road, the places, the
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spend my summer, and I want to go again this year.
My name is Dee, I’m 21, and I went on a Trek
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because there were two groups leaving on the
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and the helicopter trip was amazing!

YOUR PAPER NEEDS YOU!

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We are always looking for contributors to write news, views, features and reviews.
To get involved email
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 The National Student, March 2009
FEATURE
A Traveller’s Tale
Continuing his epic (and crazy) journey
across the world on a postie bike Nathan
Millward fills us in on his tumultuous time
in East Timor
W
hat a month. I
expected to be in
and out of East
Timor within a day. Fly in,
pick up Dot Cotton and get
the hell out of there before
someone used a machete
to open up my coconut.
Except it didn’t work like
that. From putting Dot
on the boat in Darwin to
her arriving in the East
Timorese capital of Dili
would take 6 days. In an
ideal world I would have
waited on Priscilla’s pink
bus and flown in to East
Timor at the very last
minute. Only I couldn’t do
that because my Aussie
visa was up. I had no choice
but to wait in the warzone.
When I landed at the
airport I was petrified. I
had laptops and cameras
swinging off both shoulders
which meant the minute
I hit the arrivals lounge
I was given the willies by
all the taxi touts grinning
and jeering for me to get in
their passenger door. I sat
for five minutes, swatting
them off like flies while I
tried to fathom what the
fuck I was doing here.
Sydney to London on a
moped. That was it.
Finally an Aussie lady
called Jill rescued me from
my nightmare and took to
the town’s only backpacker
joint. The Dili Smokehouse
was on the main street
into town, past the caged
chickens and wooden
shacks, beyond the grotty
food stalls and teenagers
sat on kerbsides earning a
living selling sim cards and
just around the corner from
the dock where Dot would
finally arrive by boat.
The hostel was guarded
by barb-wire and a huge
padlocked gate. It was a
fortress. At reception a
tiny local lady called Rita
showed me to an eight bed
dorm decorated by decay
and painted a putrid pink.
Welcome to hell I thought
as I abandoned my bags and
went out to meet the hostels
other guests. David, a old
walrus-looking Australian
full of bullshit, Eddy, a
shaking Irishman part-
pickled by all the alcohol
he’d sank while working
at sea, Matthew, a beard-
scratching yank doing
research on local tribes
and Ian, a backpacker from
Manchester with a big
shabby head of hair and a
simpleness that suggested
he was stupid but when
you spoke to him he clearly
wasn’t.
In the afternoon David
and Eddy took me to the
Indonesia embassy to
arrange a tourist visa.
The man on the counter
said I wouldn’t be able to
take a bike into his county.
I panicked and said ‘no
sweat.’ What I really
meant was ‘yeah we’ll see
about that buddy.’ Later,
armed with a penknife,
I finally plucked up the
courage to fly solo out of
the hostel’s front gate.
What greeted me was
chaos; just hectic, traffic
flowing, horn-beeping,
men-shouting, chaos. I
clung to the shadows and
the reassurance of the UN
vehicles streaming past
and wandered. First along
the waterfront where
dirty wooden drink stalls
were watched over by men
whose job it was to sit in
the sun and sell Coke,
and then into town where
the fire-bombed buildings
and piles of rubble hint
at the destruction that’s
been caused by the various
invaders over in the town’s
past.
The Portuguese were the
first in the 1500s. Then,
when they pulled out in
1974, the Indonesians, who
over the course of the next
25 years killed a quarter of
the one million population.
It’d be nice to be neutral,
but it does sound like the
Indonesians were nasty
bastards, just wanting
East Timor for the sake of
it. Australia stood by and
watched, so did the rest
of the world, then, in 1999
a new Indonesian prime
minister came to power
and offered the people of
East Timor a referendum
on their independence.
Marvelous, or so it seemed.
To make sure they voted the
other way - to stay part of
Indonesia - the Indonesians
sponsored militia tried
to rape, butcher and
brake the spirit of the
voters. They failed and in
1999 East Timor won its
independence.
Indonesia was extremely
pissed off by this and
murdered a few more
thousand and ransacked
the place before the UN
finally stepped in and
said sod off. In the years
since there’s been trouble,
both in 2002 and 2006.
Everyone seems to have a
different explanation for
why, but my take on it is
that the army was by now
full soldiers from both
sides - the pro-independent
and pro-Indonesian. They
didn’t like each other very
much and instead of sitting
down and talking about it
they shot each other.
Now though the city’s
calm, and the more I
walked around it’s ruined
walls the more I realised
that someone’s been having
us on. “Continual threat
of tension and violence,”
say our Government on its
travel advisory website.
“Don’t go,” they conclude.
And it’s bullshit. People
look and wonder what
you’re doing; they’re
curious, but they don’t
bother you and when they
do it’s only to sell you a
shonky tourist cap or a
bunch of bananas. But it’s
expensive here, much more
so than the rest of Asia.
The hostel is $10 a night,
a meal $5, an hour on the
internet $6 and a lady this
evening tried to scam me
$2 for a tomato. No way
lady.
But here’s a nation
battered and bruised, on
its arse only two years
ago and now, with a bit of
international scaffolding,
back on the mend. What
a great time to see it,
before the tourists and
sozzled backpackers arrive
and turn it into another
Costa Dell Vomito. The
only thing that gets you
now are the UN vehicles
buzzing around with their
sirens on. There must
be hundreds of them, all
bright-white four-wheel
drivers going somewhere,
doing something. But what
that is nobody really knows.
They pull out next year so
we’ll see what happens.
Probably the expensive
restaurants will make less
money and Toyota will do
less trade but other than
that you can’t see the place
going belly-up.
But enough of those
arseholes, because the
country’s stunning. The
other day a few of the
guys from the hostel hired
scooters for an adventure
to Bacau, the country’s
second city up the coast.
Dot Cotton had finally
arrived and after much
palaver at the dock we
blazed a trail out of Dili
where the scenery was like
nothing I’d seen before.
Epic coastal roads with
not another soul insight,
then across low-lying scrub
and on to dry dusty plains
that reminded us all of
Africa. Then finally, just
before Bacau, lush tropical
rainforest with all these
gorgeous wooden shacks
kept dry under big flapping
green leaves.
But that’s no bad thing
because my man boobs
are back from all the rice
and noodles and I really
need to get back in the
saddle and ride if I’m not
to break Dot Cotton’s back.
All I’m waiting for is a
package from my parents.
Understandably worried
about their son astride a
moped in the middle of
nowhere, they’ve bought
15
and posted a GPS tracker.
The only thing is the post
office here can’t track the
tracker, so while they look
I can do nothing but wait…
and wait… and wait. And
while I do that I meet more
backpackers who remind
me just how far out of
my depth I am. They’re
all confident and stout
chested. I on the other
hand am twitchy and on-
edge. If I was holding a gun
I would have blasted off
my own foot before I even
got it out the holster. It’s
just that I’ve never been so
far out of my comfort zone.
And the more I realise how
much further I have to ride
out of it the more I think ‘O
bugger.’
But deep breath and
chill out. It’ll be fine. Once
the package arrives we’re
just going to cross into
Indonesia, hop over to
Singapore, saunter up to
Thailand and then dither
all the way through central
Asia before finally arriving
on my mother’s doorstep
with a big bag of dirty
laundry and a beard that’s
still not grown properly.
But until that point who
knows what might happen.
But as long as there’s fuel
in the tank and tread on
my Converse we’ll keep on
riding. All I’ve got to hope
is they let me and Dot over
the Indonesian boarder.
Fingers Crossed….
The National Student, March 2009
SPORT
James Davies interviews the man in charge of organising the London games
L
ord Sebastian Coe
will be remembered
as one of the finest
athletes to represent
Great Britain, after
winning four Olympic
medals and setting an
astounding eight world
records in middle-
distance running.
Coe who studied
economics and social
history at Loughborough
University, began his
running career at the
age of 12 after joining
Sheffield’s Hallamshire
Harriers, and it was here,
between studies, that a
teenage Coe trained and
began to win county and
school championships at
3,000m, 1,500m and cross
country. His father Peter,
who was also his coach,
recognised his son’s
potential and furthered
the young Coe’s training
with a lot of technical
and weights work. The
extra work paid off, with
Coe winning his first race
in 1977, during an 800m
event at the European
Indoor Championships,
in the aptly named, San
Sebastian, Spain, setting
the pace for the rest of
his career.
Now, as chairman
of the 2012 organising
committee, Lord Coe is
once again the man at
the centre of the world’s
greatest sporting event.
Upon meeting Coe at the
17
Coe prepared to
go the distance
to achieve glory
in 2012
launch of John Keddie’s along the way. You’re was rated third behind history with them. “The quality of our policing
book Running the Race, also glad it’s over for the Madrid and favourites Olympics are the greatest or armed services. And
I was surprised to find moment, although you Paris. sporting event there is” yet we sometimes enter
him to be surprisingly soon get back into the But with the timing he said. Eliciting each a tunnel of despair
reserved and a man who, mindset of wanting to be that he showed so often question with a short about it, which few other
at this time, seemed a better runner next time in his illustrious running speech, he continued, countries actually do.”
happy to sit down and round.” career, Coe helped “They transcend sport. The newspaper
maintain a low profile. But it is not just on London produce the late There is no other non- headlines were inevitable
Despite his willingness the track that Lord Coe charge that was required political gathering that after Britain’s Olympic
to keep himself to has excelled. In 1992 he to pip the French rivals. brings people together in success. ‘It’s great to be
himself, there was a became a Conservative His combination of such profusion and with British!’; ‘Britannia rules
certain air of authority MP, working alongside world record-holding such a wonderful vision. the Games!’ And who can
and unquestionable William Hague, and now pedigree, political It’s not the panacea for blame them? It was, after
confidence that only the holds the prestigious experience, and his all human ills, but it all, a terrific summer full
most successful athletes position of Chairman general affability played sure goes a long way to of success for Team G.B,
possess. of the 2012 organising an undeniable part in the driving all sorts of values. with Great Britain firmly
Back in his running committee, where bid’s success, giving it an Just look at the values of sat in fourth place in the
days he was one of arguably he won his air of authority that was both the Olympics and medals table. Coe proudly
athletics’ greatest middle greatest ever race by hard to ignore. It seemed Paralympics. The values boasts, “We’ve got a very
distance runners. Not bringing the Olympic somewhat fitting that of respect, friendship, good funding programme
only has he won two games to London. he played such a pivotal courage, determination at elite level now with
Olympic Gold medals, The London bid was role in persuading the and sheer will to more money going into
but in 1979 he was voted overcome adversity. This elite level sport than ever
BBC Sports Personality is something only sport before.
of the Year after breaking can manage.” Although money is
three world records, in Despite Beijing’s important it’s not the sole
just forty-one days. meteoric success Lord part of the story. You need
When asked about Coe, assures me he is athletes with hunger and
his accomplishments he not suffering sleepless commitment, as well as
replied with enthusiasm, nights over the awesome world class coaching and
“I trained and raced for responsibility. great administration to
12 years before I made “I’ve broken 13 world win gold medals.”
an Olympic Games, records in my time. I Despite his obvious
so for me winning an don’t intend to break a confidence about success
Olympic gold was the fourteenth and be the both in the medals table
culmination of hundreds first organiser of an and in the running of the
of thousands of miles of Olympics to bring them 2012 games, Lord Coe
running, weight sessions in late. Of course we will certainly has a lot of work
and coaching paying off. have a fantastic Games. to do over the next three
But I suppose the first We have a wonderful years as Chairman of the
thing you feel finishing propensity in this country organising committee.
an event with a great to doubt our ability. We However, considering
result is relief, because initially way off the International Olympic have fantastic examples the achievements of his
you don’t feel you’ve pace and when the five Committee (IOC) to award of excellence at every career to date, he seems
let down all the people candidate cities were London the 2012 Games level, whether it’s in like the perfect man for
who’ve been helping you shortlisted, London as he has a wonderful the arts, sciences, in the the job.

18
Epic clash sees Birmingham
edge past Edinburgh
BIRMINGHAM men’s
football 1st XI has had
what some would see as
a disappointing season.
They finished third in the
BUCS Northern Premier
League, after winning the
title last year and have
experienced humbling
defeats to Loughborough
and Leeds Met along the
way.
However, two games
in the BUCS cup appear
to have turned their
season around. After a
highly impressive and
somewhat surprising
4-1 win away at Bath,
the track pitch and its
spectators witnessed
an almighty battle
between two strong and
competitive teams.
After 120 minutes
of blood, sweat and an
abundance of abusive
language, Birmingham
triumphed and sealed a
place in the semi-finals
where they will face
Loughborough.
As is often the case
with games in a knockout
competition, the opening
exchanges were a tight
and cagey affair. The
only moment of any
interest was the injury to
midfielder Rich Powell,
who had to limp off after a
series of tough challenges
which are slowly
becoming a trademark
of his game. The home
side were forced into a
change of line-up after
just twenty minutes but
they maintained their
shape and composure.
Indeed, solidarity all the
way through their team
is a feature of their play
which opposition find
difficult to combat.
Despite their tough
tackling nature,
Birmingham were
arguably guilty of being
too neat and fancy around
the opposing penalty
area. This pass happy
play contributed to a lack
of attempts on goal in the
thenationalstudent.co.uk/sport
The National Student, March 2009
SPORT
opening half hour, but
a penetrating ball from
Miles Hunter and some
aggressive attacking from
Nick Williams earned a
crucial corner.
Dan Henton curled the
ball high into the heart
of the Edinburgh box
and defensive midfielder
Alex Deeming rose
majestically to head the
ball into the top corner.
The home side had
dominated possession,
Image: Jonny Price
shown a far greater
desire to win and now
they had their reward.
Edinburgh were an
imposing and physical
side but the common
brutal response to going
Macpherson heading just Birmingham were more shot towards goal but saw a flurry of yellow cards.
behind was lacking from
over from a dangerous than up for the fight. his shot smartly saved by This game had it all. We
the restart. They posed
corner. Winger Sammy Ross Edinburgh stopper Mark were into the second half
Birmingham many
Home Coach Chris optimised much of the Tait, who impressed all in a flash of red and green
problems when the sides
Wright had an easy half hosts fighting spirit with afternoon. and as both benches set
met last year in this very
time team talk, keep it relentless running and an This attack was their watches, we were
competition but this year
up boys, would surely impressive willingness in followed by the most only fifteen minutes from
the away side lacked
have gotten the message the tackle, whilst upfront incredible goal mouth the agony of penalties.
a certain cutting edge
across, but what he did Hunter was finding more scramble. Williams found The teams were finally
going forward. Instead
not want to see is exactly and more space in which space on the edge of the tiring but with five
of an attacking retort,
what happened after the to unleash his lightening box and saw his shot minutes to go Hunter
it was Birmingham
kick off for the second pace. saved, but the rebound found one final burst of
who went back on the
half. Edinburgh finally span towards Hunter pace and won his side a
attack, Williams finding
A needless free- found a way behind who could only head free kick. Henton stood
a pocket of space to scuff
kick was conceded on the Birmingham back straight at the keeper, composed over the ball
a shot which deflected off
the left wing and was four but winger Dennis the ball falling at the feet before whipping in a
an Edinburgh defender
promptly rocketed into Antons slashed his shot of Ross whose shot was cross which the likes of
and landed at the feet
the Birmingham penalty wide. Brum bounced cleared off the line and Ashley Young would have
of Hunter. With the
area. Rather than back thanks to the fell to Williams again been proud of. The ball
Edinburgh defence and
clearing the ball, the increasingly influential who saw his shot blocked ballooned agonisingly off
bench screaming for
home defence appeared Hunter, who found space and cleared for a corner. the head of Edinburgh
offside, Birmingham’s
to watch the ball go on the left of the penalty Cries of ‘unbelievable’ defender MacPherson
number 10 span and
right across the box only area and fizzed a left from the visitors bench and looped into the net.
shot in one typically
to see it loop back over footed shot inches wide made me check Alan Birmingham had done
rapid movement, only
goalkeeper Chris Gray of the post. Hanson hadn’t arrived to it. Victory, in a truly
to see his effort spin
for Edinburgh winger Birmingham needed witness this epic battle monumental cup clash.
off the shoulder of the
Michael Dick to rise a catalyst to help them but thankfully he was Coach Wright was
onrushing goalkeeper
highest and power home take control of the game, still at Morrisons. Just understandably delighted
before being cleared off
the equaliser. Game on. and it came in the form of as Birmingham sensed a praising his players
the line. Hunter should
The goal gave the Jay Cordell. After giving last minute victory, the fitness and commitment
have made it 2-0.
visitors a much needed the ball away deep in full time whistle blew and before adding ‘I don’t
The hosts were on
boost and unsurprisingly the opposition half, the we all prepared ourselves mind who we play now;
top and in control with
served to deflate the right winger pursued for extra-time. the last few weeks I’ve
even the Edinburgh
Birmingham bubble of his tackler and won back Things quickly became fancied our chances
coaches and supporters
optimism. The home team the ball with a superbly very heated. Late and so we’re ready for the
commentating on
now had to dig in and timed tackle which high challenges were semis’. This confidence
Birmingham’s impressive
battle to stop the team brought cheers from the flying, substitutes were will be needed when
commitment. Yet
from Scotland taking Brum support- cheers on the pitch willing Birmingham face the
moments before the half
control of the game. The which continued as the their team-mates on and footballing might of
time whistle came the
game had moved back to ball was cleared and the Edinburgh coach Loughborough in March.
warning that the away
the midfield dominated found Hunter on the edge was complaining at the It promises to be brilliant
team weren’t beaten
battle it had been in of the box. The forward referee suffering from match.
yet, centre half Stuart
the opening stages, but spun his man and fired a amnesia as he handed out Report by Tom Clarke
More sport news, reports and interviews at
The National Student, March 2009
SPORT
Check out next month’s sport section to read our ringside report on Matt Skelton’s Commen-
wealth title fight against Martin Rogan at the NIA in Birmingham. We will also have exclusive
interviews with Olympic Gold medallist James Degale and we’ll be asking the latest Boxing
wonderboy, Frankie Gavin, about his Olympic heartache and his hopes now he has turned
professional.
Students earn place
at Rugby League club
For many students,
University and College
sport marks the end of
a long journey playing
the sport of their choice.
As degree work and the
battle to get a job take
over, playing sport has
to be put to one side. For
two students at Doncaster
sports College however,
higher education marked
the beginning of what will
hopefully be a long career
in professional sport.
Aaron Rodwell and Alex
Palmer are the students
who are breaking the
mould and they have been
snapped up by Doncaster
Dons Rugby League Club.
The duo have signed
for the Co-operative
Championship club
after impressing in the
College’s Rugby Academy
programme, launched
last year in conjunction
with the Dons.
Rodwell is currently
studying the BTEC
National Certificate in
Sport while Palmer is
currently studying on the
BTEC National Diploma
Sport and Exercise
Science course. They
signed for the club on the
pitch during the Dons’
recent home game with
Featherstone Rovers at
the Keepmoat Stadium.
Glenn Hazelhurst,
the College’s Director
of Community Sports
Growing popularity sees
Korfball hit Sheffield
The upcoming BUCS
Finals Weekend in Sheffield
is an important weekend
for many university sports
teams but it will bear special
importance for players of
Korfball. Originated in
Holland and now Britain’s
fastest growing sport,
Korfball is the world’s only
codified mixed sex sport
and combines elements
of basketball, netball and
handball to form an exciting
and dynamic alternative to
mainsteam sport.
The inclusion of Korfball
at only the second ever
designated BUCS Finals
event marks a great boost
for a sport which, though
popular in universities
across the country, remains
something of an enigma to
the majority of students. The
British Students Korfball
Assocation hope that the
publicity gained from
competing in Sheffield will
aid the spread of Korfball to
non-playing universities and
will increase the standard of
professionalism that already
exists within the universities
which already play.
Matt Warren, the BSKA
Chairman, said: “These
are exciting times for
korfball. With a reported
3,000 spectators expected
to attend, the tournament
provides a great opportunity
for not only students but the
general public to gain an
understanding of what is a
great sport.”
Qualification for the
finals occurred at the end
Brunel face Bath as they prepare to fight for play-off spot
At time of going to press
the Brunel Hurricanes were
facing their biggest challenge
Partnerships, said: “We partnership with ‘The college have given
of the season as prepared to
are extremely proud of Doncaster Dons enables the club great support battle it out with Team Bath
both Aaron and Alex. It is the young players to and are working with us at the Guildford Spectrum
a good indication of what further develop their to achieve our aims. Alex stadium on the February 28.
can be achieved when sporting skills alongside and Aaron have both Bath top the Co-operative
young people are given their chosen educational shown great promise and Netball Superleague and
sporting opportunities and training needs. We have great attitudes and remain unbeaten and
to progress and develop wish them and the club work rates. They’ll now Brunel’s recent slip ups
their talents.” the very best of success have an opportunity to against Glasgow Wildcats
Hazelhurst was keen to for the future.” challenge themselves at and Team Northumbria
mean that have no option
stress how the college’s Dave Marshall, Dons this level.’
but to go all out for a win in
scheme enables students Chief Executive, backed Rodwell and Palmer are
order to make the playoffs.
to continue pursuing a up many of Hazelhurst‘s not the first success of
Brunel’s recent
serious and competitive sentiments; “We’re the Academy programme disappointments and Bath’s
interest in professional working hard to develop and they join fellow impressive form mean that
sport whilst also keeping local players and links College sports student the fight for the fourth and
up with their studies; such as this with the Scott Jones in the Dons final playoff place in the
“Our collaborative rugby College are a key part of squad after he broke into league could go down to
league development this.’ the first team last year. the wire. The Hurricanes
19
of November last year and
saw Nottingham, inspired by
England youth international
Joe Bedford, come out as
surprise winners of the
Northern half of the draw
whilst, in the Southern
section, Oxford and
Cambridge battled it out for
Varsity pride only for the
Cambridge to secure a top
seed spot as they edged out
their counterparts in a close
deciding match.
The groups for the
Nationals sees Oxford, last
years runners up, come up
against defending champions
Sheffield Hallam in a tough
opening group with the
physical St Andrews and the
improving Kent. Nottingham
are forced to contend with
UEA, who came fourth in the
Southerns, and Manchester
whilst Birmingham, who
finished fourth in last
year’s finals, face the ever-
dangerous Leeds, Lancaster
and Bristol. The fourth group
is something of a ‘Group
of Death’ with Cambridge,
four time winners Sheffield,
Cardiff and Edinburgh all
having a strong chance of
qualifying for the second
round.
The tournament will
compromise of two days
of competition over the
weekend of March 14-15 and
will be held in the Graves
Tennis Centre just outside
the Sheffield city centre.
Check out next months
National Student for a full
report on the tournament.
need to win their remaining
two matches against Team
Bath and Loughborough
Lightning to be sure of a
place in the play-offs but
they could also still qualify
if they win just one match
or Leeds Carnegie who
lie in fifth place lose their
remaining fixtures.
Team Northumbria and
Northern Thunder are
still technically not out of
contention either depending
on other team’s results,
however Northumbria
still have yet to face
Loughborough Lightning
and Mavericks this side of
the season and Thunder
would need Brunel, Leeds
& Northumbria to lose all
their remaining games.
SPORT
Williamson has upper hand in
BUCS battle of the breaknecks
The big story in British
athletics at the moment
may well surround Dwain
Chambers’ return to the
team but it is the sub-
plot evolving between two
university undergraduates
which has got most people
talking.
Simeon Williamson of
Middlesex University and
Bath undergraduate Craig
Pickering both booked their
place on the three man
British sprint team alongside
Chambers for the European
Indoor team championships
in Turin this month and thus
look set to continue the most
intriguing track battle since
Sebastian Coe and Steve
Cram.
Williamson and Pickering
contested their latest battle
in the 60m sprint last month
at the NIA in Birmingham,
which the Islington born
Williamson won. The
prestigious AVIVA Grand
Prix meet, which also saw
University of Birmingham
middle distance runners
Hannah England and Ed
Aston run well, turned out to
be a successful day for Sports
Science student Williamson,
who ran two personal bests
and produced a mature and
powerful final performance
of 6.53 seconds which
Craig Pickering
bodes well for the World
Championships in August in
Berlin.
Pickering, meanwhile,
could only come fifth in
the final despite good form
which had seen him clock
an impressive 6.57 seconds
in the AVIVA International
in Glasgow at the end of
January. Pickering’s reaction
to his performance in the final
said much for the fierceness
of the rivalry between him
and Williamson. “This is
just one race but it never
helps when people you’re
running against like Simeon
gets a great time”, he said
afterwards. “Fair play to
him but he’s a rival. When
he runs well and I run badly
it multiplies the anger and
disappointment.”
Over the past five years,
Williamson and Pickering
have gone head to head on the
world stage on a staggering
number of occasions. In 2005,
Crawley born Pickering
pipped Williamson in a one-
two at the European Under
20 Indoor Championships
in Lithuania, where the
margin was just 0.01
seconds. Recently though,
Williamson has assumed the
upper hand, starting when
he won the 100m crown at
the World University Games
Football: Epic clash sees
Birmingham edge past Edinburgh
Simeon Williamson
in Bangkok, one of just two
British golds in any discipline
in the past decade. They also
traded medals at the BUCS
Championships in Bedford
in 2007 as Williamson won
the 60m to which Pickering
responded by taking the
100 metres gold and the
Championship record in
10.29 seconds.
Pickering soon followed
this up with a new personal
best of 10.14 seconds at
the 2007 European Under
23 Championships in
Debrecen, Hungary but it
was only enough for silver
as Williamson again just
beat the Biomechanics
Bath brush opponents aside on way to victory
University of Bath
were celebrating success
on the tennis courts in
February after their
tennis players completed
a clean sweep of titles as
the Barclays BUCS tennis
challenge returned to the
Sports Training Village.
Kat Baker and Matt
Leahy both retained
their singles titles, while
Baker partnered Kate
Rodger to victory in the
women’s doubles and
Leahy also teamed up
with Jamie Whiteford
in a triumphant men’s
doubles partnership.
Baker, a sports
performance student,
- page 18
student. Such form led the
powerfully built Williamson,
seen as their heir to Marlon
Devonish, to be chosen
before Pickering by the
British Olympic Association
for a spot at Beijing in the
summer. In the end, both
athletes’ Games ended in
ignominy after Williamson
crashed out in the second
round whilst Pickering made
a mistake in the British
relay baton change, causing
the team to be disqualified.
Now 23-years-old and in
form, Williamson is being
touted as the man to lead the
charge in 2012.
Putting aside the rivalry,
was top seed in the
women’s singles, and
secured the title in
impressive fashion,
without dropping a set.
Having worked her way
trough to Sunday’s final,
she overcame the number
two seed, University of
Bath Modern Languages
and European Studies
student Rodger 6-1, 6-2
to retain her title.
The Bath pair then
teamed up to win the
round-robin women’s
doubles competition.
Fellow University of Bath
pairing Steffi Colyer
(Sport and Exercise
Science) and Lara
SPORT REPORTERS
WANTED
sport@thenationalstudent.co.uk
the success of both athletes
is testament to the important
flexibility that university life
gives to top class athletes
willing to study and train
simultaneously. Previous
Olympics have demonstrated
the chance that university
gives top class athletes to
train regularly and progress.
In Athens in 2004, for
example, seven of the gold
medallists were current
university students or
graduates and thus had
benefited from the spare
time that university allowed.
Beijing too saw an increase
on the number of students
and graduates in the team,
Crouch (Coach Education
& Sports Development)
came second, helping
to firmly establish
Bath superiority at the
tournament.
Leahy won last year’s
men’s singles title
when he was a student
at Exeter University,
but is now training at
the University of Bath.
Installed as top seed, he
also retained his title
without dropping a set.
Victory was not as easy
as it may sound as he was
pushed closes by number
three seed Josh Miller
from Loughborough in the
final, eventually winning
email:
with over half of those
competing being students
or graduates, including all
nineteen members of the
women’s rowing squad.
University, it seems could
be the key to nurturing the
best talent in time for 2012,
something that Simeon
Williamson and Craig
Pickering are testament to.
They may be rivals on the
track when competing for
their respective universities
but together they arguably
represent the future of
British athletics.
by Ben Whitelaw
both sets, 7-5, 7-5.
Leahy also met Miller
in the men’s doubles final
but this match was far
more straightforward.
Leahy and Jamie
Whiteford, a student at
Ralph Allen School who
trains at the University,
were top seeds with
Loughborough’s Miller
and Stuart Searle seeded
second. Both pairs
reached the final without
encountering too many
problems, where the
University of Bath pair
secured an emphatic 6-1,
6-1 victory completing a
triumphant weekend for
Bath.