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Freshers edition, September 2016
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First Minister visits campus to announce new indy drive
Keenan plans ‘uni guarantor’ scheme for renters Dan Vevers Editor-in-Chief
U
Warren Hardie News Editor
F
irst Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called for a “new conversation” on Scottish independence at an event held last week at the University of Stirling. Sturgeon declared that the
Credit: George Vekic / University of Stirling
UK which has existed before the June 23rd vote to leave the EU, has “fundamentally changed”. “In Scotland, we face that prospect not just of being taken out of the EU against our will, but being taken out of the single market altogether,” she said. “I know that we are right to
keep our third option on the table, and that is the option of considering again, in these very different circumstances, if Scotland should become an independent country.” Immediately following the Brexit vote, Sturgeon made it clear that a second independence referendum was “on the table”.
The SNP had advocated for Scotland to remain in the EU. During the 2016 Scottish elections, the SNP manifesto stated that the SNP would argue for a second referendum if there was a “material change in circumstances” such as Britain’s exit from (cont’d on p.2)
nion President Dave Keenan has proposed a new scheme which would see the university act as a guarantor to help students into the private rented sector. Often letting agencies will require tenants to provide a ‘guarantor’ upon signing their lease – normally a parent or guardian – who is contractually obliged to cover any costs, such as unpaid rent or damages, the tenant may incur. If students are unable to provide a guarantor, they risk either being unable to rent with that agency or being made to pay six months’ rent in advance. It is a system Keenan says has particularly hindered international students, low-income students and care leavers from entering the private rented sector. The plans would enable students from these groups to use the univer-
sity itself as a guarantor, although the university has yet to agree to the scheme. Writing in his blog for the Student Union website, Keenan said: “One of the more prevalent issues which appeared through case work is – my favourite topic – accommodation, more specifically, acquiring a guarantor for renting accommodation within the privately rented sector. “International students, care leavers and students whose household income is less than £19,000 a year are unable to acquire a guarantor, meaning that they either have to pay up to six month’s rent to secure accommodation, or are completely (cont’d on p.3)
Credit: Stirling Students’ Union
News
2 Brig | September 2016
Students hit as parking permit price Comment on p.12 hiked by a third Ross Brannigan Deputy Editor
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tudents will be landed with a one-third hike in the price of a full-year parking permit at the University of Stirling, Brig has learned. The increase will see the price of a full-year permit jump from £150 to £200, whilst ‘pay as you go’ and standard parking charges will see no change. It follows the rise to £150 in 2014/15, which also saw the ‘pay as you go’ fee double from £1 to £2 for a day. The university has stated in the past the cost of maintaining parking facilities is in the region of £260,000 a year, which is one of the reasons for the increased fee. Students can purchase halfyear permits worth £100, lasting between September to February, and March to August. The university told Brig: “The increase in the … fulltime parking permit goes some considerable way to rebalancing the differential between the ‘pay as you go’ fee and the standard permit cost. “The increase also recognizes the annual incremental costs for supplies, maintenance and other resources, as well as meeting the costs
of administering the management and enforcement of parking.” Complaints have been raised in the past over limited parking at the university. Focus groups were established last semester to address the problem, but failed due to lack of interest. Despite the money raised from permits being put towards maintaining facilities, there are no plans to increase the number of spaces available to staff and students. The university said: “Planning conditions, and financial and aesthetic considerations restrict, ultimately, the number of additional spaces that the university might be able to or would wish to create.” The university is further limited due to being a designated Historic Garden and Designed Landscape space, restricting areas of construction. Stress was placed on “sustainable” modes of transport, with the university urging for students to car share, walk or cycle to classes. Despite this rise, students will not receive a designated parking spot, which are available on a first-come firstserved basis. Matt Adie, VP Education, responding to the rise, said: “Whilst [the Union] remain
disappointed that the university has taken such a decision, which will no doubt have a negative impact on both students and staff, we feel the changes coming through are significantly less damaging than what was initially proposed in May 2016. “The Union continues to work with Estates and Campus Services, and the university, to resolve issues surrounding car parking, and promote healthier and more sustainable travel options.” Initial proposals included limiting permit options available, but the Union were successful in scaling back the changes. Lucy Cran, third year sociology and criminology student, said the rise puts “strain on student funds”, and doubted the reasons for it. She added: “I understand [being environmentally friendly] is the image the university are required to maintain.
“But the ease and speed of using a car will always outweigh the environmental aspects, in my opinion, and I think a number of students would agree. I don’t think increasing it is necessary.” Other universities have parking arrangements. Herriot-Watt University in Edinburgh allows for free parking. Charges for full-year permits are found at Napier University (£48), Glasgow University (£120-170), and Dundee University (£372). The university said it “acknowledges that the increase of £50 to the standard permit charge appears relatively high when compared to the previous year’s charge. “However, students who opt to purchase either a standard full-year or single-semester permit will still be able to apply for a pro-rata refund for any unused portion of the amended full parking year for which their individual permit applies.”
Dan Vevers editor@brignews.com
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The National Survey will run until St Andrew’s Day on November 30th. Sturgeon stated that this debate over independence will not simply be a repeat of the 2014 referendum, and suggested that views among Scots regarding independence will have changed since then. “I suspect support for independence will be even higher if it becomes clear that it is the best or the only way to protect our interests.” Recent polling has suggested that support for independence is still at a minority among people in Scotland. Despite seeing a boom in support for independence immediately following the Brexit vote on June 23rd, that enthusiasm seems to have died down again. A new Yougov poll has support for Yes at 40% and No at 46%, with 50% of Scots opposing a new referendum before the UK officially leaves the European Union.
Editor’s Column
Brig Newspaper
Editor-in-Chief
the EU against the will of Scottish voters. 63% of Scots voted Remain in the EU referendum, with only 37% voting to Leave. As part of this new conversation on independence, the SNP have unveiled a new “listening exercise” on independence - ‘The National Survey’. The National Survey, a broad survey of political attitudes amongst Scots, asks how people voted in both the 2014 independence referendum and 2016’s EU referendum – and seeks to gauge how Scots feel about issues such as the economy, national identity and foreign policy. Pitched as a means of “forging a way forward”, Sturgeon implored all Scots, regardless of their political persuasions, to take part. “We want to know the concerns that people have and the questions that they want answered. We want to build, if we can, a consensus on the way forward”.
Comment on p.7
Credit: Hannah McNicol
The Robbins Centre University of Stirling Stirling FK9 4LA
Sturgeon in Stirling (cont’d from front)
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Freshers, returning students, international students, postgrads, lecturers, staff, and anyone else I’ve forgotten - we’d like to give you a warm Brig welcome (or welcome back) to this fine uni of ours. Brig has got plenty planned this year. Our website, brignews.com, is going from strength to strength. It’s had nearly 20,000 visitors this year and our traffic has nearly doubled on last year - and the year’s not over yet! We have plans to refine and expand our video offering and at some point to give our website a brand new look. But our 47-year-old newspaper has not been forgotten. We will run four editions a year this one, in time for our new Freshers arriving, another in November, a Refreshers edition to welcome students back in January, and finally a Union elections special in March. It’s a tough old world for newspapers at the moment and we had a difficult year financially
last term - which is why we’ve scaled back from the former monthly editions. But this issue - our first one back - may well be the biggest we’ve ever done (I can’t prove that but I’m going to say it anyway). At 36 pages long, we think this is our biggest ever paper, and we are delighted to do such a bumper edition for you all. Also witness our brilliant ‘Stranger Things’-themed Culture front page courtesy of our amazing features editor Stuart. Anyway, enough from me: please enjoy our paper and have a good year! Dan Vevers Editor in Chief
News
3 Brig | September 2016
Electrical fire leaves atrium and union in lockdown Ross Brannigan Deputy Editor
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tudents were evacuated on the evening of September 7 after a fire broke out in the Colin Bell building. Fire and rescue services were alerted after smoke was spotted in the atrium area at 4.58pm. Students inside the library, atrium and the Union had to be evacuated, with unconfirmed reports suggesting the smoke was emanating from Market
Street End. Firefighters arrived at the scene at 5.10pm, and entered the Colin Bell building wearing breathing apparatus at 5.26pm. Scottish Fire and Rescue said: “Fire and rescue services were alerted to smoke caused by a small fire in a refrigeration unit in the theatre area.” Rachel Gray, a fourth year politics student, said she had been in the library at the start of the fire, and that “you could smell something awful, a burning smell. At that moment you knew it was a fire.” Stirling University’s Twitter page said at 6.49pm: “Everyone back in and all sorted. Many thanks to @fire_scot and
everyone assisting on site.” Nobody was injured in the incident, and the fire and rescue service are to update their information in due course.
Essential maintenance works were carried out on the campus’s high voltage system between September 2 and 3, but it is not known whether this is connected to the incident.
Credit: All photography by Brig Newspaper
If in doubt, just get a UL Confusion reigns after First Bus timetable changes
Dan Vevers Editor-in-Chief
F
irst Bus has landed itself in hot water after being accused of leaving passengers “in the lurch” following timetable and service changes. The firm has brought in a raft of service alterations in the Stirling area, but was accused of being slow to update bus stops to show the new information.
In Brief
Stirling Council - who First said were responsible for updating signage - have now updated the information at stops to reflect the changes. But the initial confusion led to the city’s MP Steven Paterson commenting. He said: “Many of my constituents only found out that their regular bus service had been changed or cancelled when it didn’t turn up to the bus stop. “This is an appalling situation travelling to work or to access local services. “I have written to the managing director of First Bus
to raise these concerns, to request that these bus timetables be updated as a matter of priority, and to ask what measures will be taken in future so that First Bus customers are never left in the lurch like this again.” Paterson, along with local MSP Bruce Crawford, said they had been in talks with the company ahead of changes, and had been assured that “bus users would be kept up to date with the consultation process and any proposed changes”. A spokesman for First Bus said: “We are very concerned to hear about the problems
Credit: University of Stirling
some of our customers have faced following the introduction of these service changes. “There has clearly been an issue with the availability of information at bus stops, which is the responsibility of Stirling Council and outwith First Scotland East’s control.
Keep your finances close and Stirling students hit big with Big your friends closer Data placement
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ew research has found young people aged 18 to 25 are twice as likely to fall out over financial matters compared to the rest of the UK population. The study found 22% of young people fell out over money, whilst just
12% of the rest of the population had such feuds. Paying back was found to be a contentious issue, as 10% of 18 to 25s said it is “very difficult” to get friends to pay them back.
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wo Stirling students have been awarded a placement with prestigious technology company Nalanda. Both students are studying for an MSc in Big Data, and will be using the company’s data search and discovery
platform ‘Nalytics.’ David Rivett, cofounder of Nalanda, said the placement “is an ideal opportunity to prepare students for a career in data science, whilst allowing them to gain real experience working in a company.”
“We undertook a four-week period of consultation on service changes with key stakeholders including council officials, councillors, MP and MSPs.” The council said it had been delayed in updating the timetables because of the vol-
Union-Pres proposes UGS (from front) excluded from renting privately. “Paying large sums of money to a landlord upfront carries great risk to the tenant as the private rented sector is riddled with unscrupulous landlords and the termination of a tenancy would money. “This encouraged me to undertake research on guarantor schemes and I have since submitted a proposal to the university to introduce a University Guarantor Scheme here at Stirling. “The idea behind a UGS is that the university will act as a guarantor for a student who cannot acquire one. At the moment, the university and I are in discussion about the possibility of introducing such a scheme at Stirling.” The Union President added: “Its early days at the moment, but I’m hopeful of a favourable outcome. If we can agree to introduce the scheme, this would be a huge win for students, but also a huge win for the university.” ume of simultaneous service changes, but said they had all now been amended. Services to the university have been affected, coupled with the change in bus stop location for those travelling in from the city centre to opposite the train station. Fourth-year English student Ailsa said of getting into uni: “I had no clue what bus to get- I thought I had finally cracked the Stirling bus code as well!” The UL bus, which runs at regular 15-minute intervals during term between city centre and the uni via Causewayhead, will be back in service from Saturday September 10, it is understood.
Keith Brown wants your views
K
eith Brown MSP is inviting you to voice an opinion on the future welfare system of Scotland. Scotland will receive powers over some welfare benefits following the Smith Commission report.
The drop-in will be held on 23 September from 3pm to 5pm at The Gate in Alloa. Brown is MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane as well as cabinet secretary for economy, jobs and fair work.
4 Brig | September 2016
News
University clarifies goals of Strategic Plan Craig Paton News Editor
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he university’s Strategic Plan is focused on delivering the best experience for students, according to senior officials.
The plan, which was released at the end of last term, will come into effect this academic year. There are four main goals outlined: increasing the research profile at Stirling by 100%; breaking into the top 25 of UK universities; internationalisation and generating £50m of income over the next five years. The plan outlines the way in which these goals can be achieved. To generate the £50m target, the University is looking to increase its commercial activity, this includes using the facilities that are at the uni in a better way, such as the sports centre, or the Stirling Court Hotel. Deputy secretary Joanna Morrow stated: “If you get a big academic conference into the University, then that allows for collaboration, as well as filling the hotel, and giving us another stream of
income.” There are also plans to increase the number of international students by 65% over the next five years. When asked if this would cause overcrowding Vice Principal Leigh Sparks stated that a “big chunk” of the new 65% would actually be learning from partner universities across the world, using Stirling methods and materials, which would al-
low them to graduate with a degree from Stirling. There are also plans to move materials online, to allow for studying out with an institution. Then asked if there was an estimate of students who would arrive at Stirling from overseas, Morrow said: “That’s something that we’re working on with our academic faculties. “Some of the growth is
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tirling University has climbed the national table for student satisfaction, according to the latest National Student Survey. The University of Stirling has placed joint-third in Scotland for overall student satisfaction, according to the 2016 National Student Survey. Overall satisfaction among students is now at 89%, an increase of 3% from the previous year’s survey. Stirling is now joint-23rd in the UK for student satisfaction, excluding smaller and specialist organisations. This increase sees Stirling University placed above the national average of 86%. Stirling is top in Scotland for English, Journalism Studies, Media Studies and Sociology – as well as being joint-first for Finance.
just short of the maximum loan given by SAAS. Asked if this could cause an issue for students with a poor background, Morrow said: “We want to ensure that there are no barriers to students that want to come to the university. “We have done things like the rent support fund, which will be rolled out this year.” When asked if the fund could be increased in the coming years, Morrow stated that due to it being a new fund, the demand would have to be looked at. The document also
We have all sorts of ideas, whether it's rebuilding the atrium or building further accommodation.
Stirling’s Vice-Chancellor Gerry McCormac Credit: University of Stirling
Uni joint-third in Scotland for student satisfaction Warren Hardie News Editor
specifically at postgrad level, that will help to build our research profile, which will bring us more into line with institutions that we want to benchmark ourselves against.” The plan goes on to say that the Uni wants to attract “the brightest minds – regardless of background”. The cost of living at Stirling has been well documented, with three of the halls falling
The student union saw a ling’s new place in the na1% increase in satisfaction tional tables. from the previous year, in McCormac said: “As a year where many stu- you are aware, in April dent unions across the we launched our five year country saw a decrease. Strategic Plan with an Subjects such as Mathe- ambition to be one of the matics and Statistics, and top 25 universities in the Social Policy also received UK by 2021. Increasing a 100% satisfaction rat- student satisfaction and ing from students, plac- achieving a top-quartile ing them joint-first in the position in the NSS is one country. of our markers of success: There was a notable in- today’s excellent results crease in this year’s survey mark an important milein satisfaction over as- stone and demonstrate we sessment feedback. 67% are on the right course. He added: “I want to of students surveyed felt that the feedback on their thank colleagues in facassignments had been ulties and service direcprompt, a 6% increase on torates for their contrithe previous year. This re- bution to these excellent sult follows the introduc- results.” tion of the student union’s Feedback Friday initative, and places Stirling above the Scottish average for feedback and in line with the UK average. Vice Chancellor Gerry McCormac has called the results “fantastic” and placed emphasis on Stir- Credit: thestudentsurvey.com
mentioned there would be an increase in the amount of Scottish students who would be admitted, despite there being occasions in previous years where accommodation was full. Morrow said: “The £50m target will allow us to invest in staff, students and fa-
cilities. We have all sorts of ideas, whether it’s rebuilding the atrium or building further accommodation, there’s lots of possibilities we would like to invest in.” When asked if there may be a danger of overcrowding, Sparks stated: “We will not take a larger student population and dump them onto the current facilities. “You have to look at this as a whole. In terms of expanding the number of students, we have to expand, facilities and everything else along with it. Everything must move in step. That will give a better experience for the students. “We want a virtuous cycle.” When asked what they considered to be the most beneficial parts of the plan, Morrow said: “The top 25, that is a marker for giving the best student experience. It also allows us the reputation where graduates have the logo of this university on their certificate, which means something to employers.” And Sparks added, “If it works, there will be an enhanced experience for the students, which will enhance their opportunities.”
Lower entry requirements for disadvantaged Scottish university hopefuls Craig Paton News Editor
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cottish universities have pledged to drop their entry requirements for disadvantaged students in a bid to increase the number of lower class students. The Commission on Widening Access has recommended in their final report that there be “adjusted offers”, which will act as a catalyst for students of a lower socio-economic background. The gap between the richest and poorest has decreased in the last few years, but is still extremely wide. 1,335 students went to University from the poorest 20% of households, whereas 5,520 from the richest 20% went into Higher Education. The Commission recommended that a separate admissions scheme
Credit: ©comedynose via Flickr
should be in place for students from disadvantaged backgrounds by 2019, and should reflect the minimum academic requirements for the completion of a degree. The Government plan is to have a 20% rise in the number of disadvantaged students attending university. University deputy
secretary Joanna Morrow told Brig: “The University operates a contextual admissions process which looks at the whole person in terms of their application. “We have been very successful in increasing the number of students from Scotland’s most deprived areas over the last three years.”
6 Brig | September
News
Union welcomes new mental health and wellbeing society Beatriz Tellez News Editor
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his year the Stirling Student Union welcomes the brand new Stirling University Mental Wellbeing Society.
Despite efforts to increase awareness and de-stigmatize mental illnesses at Stirling, sufferers still struggle to get the help and support they need. Criminology and Sociology student Rylee Binns, took it upon themselves to create a safe space for students struggling with mental health issues. “I decided to start SUMW because I know many people who have mental health
issues who have not received support whilst awaiting appointments with psychiatry/ psychology (this can be up to 12 months) therefore those who are struggling have no where to turn to” Binns, who suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder, understands how important it is for sufferers to have a strong support system. “The past year has been very difficult but I’ve had people around me who support me. I want the society to be a students support network,” she said. The society’s aim is to support those students who have mental health issues and to raise awareness about mental health. It also welcomes those who care about mental health and
wish to educate themselves. Union President Dave Keenan expressed his support for the society. He said: “Mental health issues are one of the biggest challenges which face students today. “One of my priorities for the year ahead is addressing mental health. I want students to start talking more openly about the issues they face be it to a friend or a professional. “Talking about our mental health is the first step to recovery, but so many people can’t make that first step. “That’s why I think its great that our students have set up a mental health and wellbeing society. “The society will be vital in kick-starting a serious discussion about mental health
and will hopefully encourage students to be more proactive about their health.” Binns, who also served as President for the LGBT+ Society thinks their experience with the Student Union will help run SUMW. “In terms of things I have learned, one in particular would be organising events and approaching outside agencies to come along and hold events for the society,” she said. “I also think that being the president its key to delegate tasks and the committee as a whole is vital to the running of a society.” SUMW is one of the three liberation societies which means membership is free. The society has a variety of events planned for the semester, including their “Destress
Sesh” Give it a Go on September 20. Other events include collaboration with the Disney Society for an origami night and a film screening of Find-
ing Nemo with a discussion afterwards as well as yoga and mindfulness sessions. Meetings will be held every Tuesday at 8pm in Cottrell 2B86.
The rising cost of student rent down the years Warren Hardie News Editor
I
n 2006, the most expensive halls at Stirling University cost just £64 a week.
Construction began in 2012 of new accommodation buildings on campus, starting with Willow Court. At the time of construction, Willow was seen as premium accommodation – a tier above the rest of the halls that Stirling University has to offer — with a premium price tag of almost £5000 a year to match. Today, the price of the university’ new accommodation buildings is £141 a week. However, the availability of affordable accommodation on campus is becoming more and more scarce. AKD halls were taken down in 2014 to make way for the new expenditures. And last year, the university demolished Geddes Court: the cheapest, and poorest, halls that Stirling had to offer. In the same year, construction finished on the university’s newest addition Juniper Court. Juniper and Beech Court have been constructed in the past two years, both costing £5358 a year - the equivalent of roughly 93% of a maximum SAAS loan. At the same time as these new halls were constructed, no affordable replacement for students was made available – as rent increases look to surpass student loans. The cheapest halls cur-
rently available to students are Muirhead and Donnelly at £3400 a year. A significant increase from 10 years ago, when the cheapest accommodation, John Forty’s Court, cost £2204 a year. Student rent will be frozen for the upcoming academic year as a result of the work of Union President Andrew Kinnell, whose Living Rent Campaign saw 2000 students sign a petition pressuring the university to provide students with fair accommodation prices. Kinnell reached a deal with the university to freeze the costs of most accommodation for the next academic year, but will still increase the cost of the newer buildings (Beech, Juniper and Willow Court) by 2.5% - which will bring the maximum cost of rent in Stirling University halls to £5350. “I think I managed to get a good deal”, Kinnell told Brig, “The Campaign for Fair Rent was one of the most engaging campaigns run by a union president in some years at Stirling. “In recent years, the amount of affordable accommodation has decreased while the number of more expensive residences has increased. That being said, the quality of accommodation has improved dramatically. I stayed in Geddes Court in first year and to be honest it was, as much as I did enjoy my time there, really quite grim. So making sure we have good quality accommodation is important, we just need to ensure there is a range of options with plenty of affordable choices so we can maintain and build on our excel-
lent accessibility record.” Kinnell also made note that the rent deal reached with the University will amount to £250,000 of savings for students, and that he feels the issue of accommodation prices is linked to “the continued marketization of higher education at both Scottish and UK-wide level”. A spokesperson for Stirling University also spoke to Brig recently regarding these rising costs: “A Rent Review Group, which comprises representatives from across the University and the Students’ Union, and which is chaired by a lay member of Court, reviews rent levels each year in line with operating and financing costs. “A key factor in this review process is a comprehensive analysis of rents being charged by other Scottish universities, campus-based universities across the UK and private sector landlords in the local area.” “Changes in accommodation costs between 2006 and 2016 vary across different types of student accommodation and represent a very slight increase in real terms, with more than 80 per cent
Juniper and Beech Court have been constructed in the past two years, both costing £5358 a year - the equivalent of roughly 93% of a maximum SAAS loan.
of existing rooms rising by less than £20 a week over the past ten years. During this time significant investment has been made in the provision of new accommodation to meet the needs of today’s students.” They also made note of a new ‘rent review fund’ which will provide £50,000 worth of funding for students who are struggling to pay the soaring rent prices. The increasing cost of rent is an issue which students care deeply about. This year’s union election featured three presidential candidates all pledging to tackle the cost of extortionate student rents. Dave Keenan, founder of activist group ‘Fair Rent Now!’, was elected President by a landslide, on a manifesto vowing to fight for affordable student rents. Keenan argued in his campaign that student rent should not exceed £475 a month, the minimum student loan payment. He hopes to make his own rent deal with the university during his presidency. Brig spoke to some students about their experiences with
halls. Rory, a fourth year politics student, has spent the past three years living in university accommodation. He said:“Socially, living in halls was one of the best experiences of my life. Every other aspect of it was horrible. “Having to deal with mould creeping through the windows and radiators not working in the dead of winter was terrible. “The worst thing was the room size. You essentially paid £439 for a box.” When asked about whether he felt halls were value for money, Rory told Brig: “The prices the university charge for rent is shocking, and frankly, I think it’s appalling that they can charge such an unreasonable amount of money knowing that some of their students have to live on £45 a month afterwards.” Rory has since moved out of university accommodation to a private flat. Craig Forsyth, who ran for union president last year on a promise of tackling student rents, also spoke to Brig on
Juniper Court under construction
his experience with student accommodation. Forsyth, who has since graduated, stayed in university accommodation for 3 of his 4 years at Stirling University. “Overall, I enjoyed halls. It felt safer and took a lot of stress out of figuring out where I was living every year to just say I was going back into halls,” he said. However, when asked if he felt he student accommodation was worth the price he paid for rent, he replied: “Absolutely not. When I lived in a private flat, I paid £340 a month for rent and all my bills in a good sized double room. The following year, I was spending £90 more per month for a much smaller single room and sharing facilities with more people. “As much as halls were an easy option, and I was very lucky in the flatmates I was allocated with, if circumstances had allowed me to take a private tenancy in fourth year, I definitely wouldn’t have gone back into halls.”
Credit: The University of Stirling
Politics
7 Brig | September 2016
Nicola Sturgeon comes to Stirling: A message for May, or a message for her supporters?
Dan Vevers Editor-in-Chief
I
n the wake of Britain’s vote to leave the EU, Nicola Sturgeon uncharacteristically put her foot right in it. She has always measured her words carefully, astutely, because she knows that words bind you – especially words made when all the eyes of the country are on you, as they were on the morning after Brexit. The First Minister said a second independence referendum was “highly likely” – her words. She is now bound to those words. She didn’t say “possible”, “probable” or
Credit: George Vekic / University of Stirling
even just “likely”. She said “highly likely”, and in politics, words matter. The public now expect – whether they favour it or not – a second plebiscite. Her supporters and her party expect it. The media expects it. All because she said so. She made her comments in the calculated gamble that the exposure of the UK’s democratic deficit – never better encapsulated than by the particulars of Brexit, which saw England and Wales override 62% support for Remain in Scotland, and majority support in every one of Scotland’s local au-
thorities – would produce an upswell of support for Scottish independence from the “soft Nos”. The soft Nos – people who were and are still deemed persuadable to the cause – were perceived to have, in the main, also voted to stay in Europe. Faced with the choice between a Brexiteering, immigrant-baiting, isolationist UK going through a self-induced economic shock, and a pro-European, outward-looking Scotland, SNP strategists backed Scots to plump for the latter. But it’s not been that
simple. Polls now look virtually unchanged from the 2014 result after a couple of heady numbers came out in the immediate wake of Brexit. Britain’s exit from the EU has highlighted the economic realities of making such a seismic change. Loath as I am to say it, the Tories have a point – Scotland’s biggest trading partner, by far, is not Europe but the rest of the UK. The First Minister addressed this up to a point in her appearance at Stirling University, where assembled journalists were promised a “major speech”. She pointed out senior Tories at a UK level had assured counterparts in Ireland that the common travel area – which is a key component of the intra-UK single market – would remain between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Sturgeon wryly noted that the same party change their tune when it comes to talking about free movement and trade with an independent Scotland. Yet it’s not just free movement that makes the UK such an easy trading partner for Scotland, but the single currency too. First, let’s dispense with the long-debunked notion that an independent Scotland would somehow be forced into the Euro. But we do know from the last independence campaign that
irrespective of the rights or wrongs of the policy, sharing Sterling isn’t going to fly with the general public. A Scottish pound, then, seems the most likely option. But a new currency would upend that second component of the UK’s free trade area. It’s not that it’s impossible, or not doable, to manage a trading bloc with the rest of the UK in such circumstances – but put simply, do we have any real proof that Scots want the bother? With all this in mind, what Sturgeon proposed in her “major speech” begins to make sense – a listening exercise. A national survey. But let’s not kid ourselves that it’s going to help us get to the bottom of what Scots really want. The First Minister set the ambitious target of 2 million respondents to the survey. Frankly, that is never going to happen. She’ll be lucky to get 200,000. A similar ballyhoo was made when the Scottish Government, under Alex Salmond, launched its public consultation exercise for what would eventually become the White Paper – Scotland’s Future, the huge tome published during the referendum campaign that aspired to lay out a detailed blueprint for an independent
Scotland. And how many responded to the consultation? There are few reasons to expect better numbers here. So what is this listening exercise, announced in this “major speech”? It was certainly billed and presented as something important – the speech was made in front of most of Scotland’s major political journalists, both state broadcasters, a significant number of SNP parliamentarians, and – of course – Brig. But that was because of the First Minister’s true audience – her own supporters, who desperately want to smell the whiff of action on the constitutional question. To get the sense that “this is not a drill”. A listening exercise is a drill, and that’s all it is. The promised summer independence campaign has waited til the Autumn to rear its head, and all it has come up with is a survey that the converted and the politically interested will fill out and which the vast majority of No voters – both soft and hard – and in fact, the vast majority of voters generally, won’t. Independence is on hold until Sturgeon can find a way to make the “highly likely” more feasible.
Society Soapbox: Stirling University Labour Society Lyndsay Clelland Stirling Uni Labour
I
come from a working class area in Lanarkshire, the birthplace of Keir Hardie and the Labour Party. I am a proud socialist, feminist, and trade
unionist. These values are intertwined with my political activism. To me, the Labour Party has always meant social justice, solidarity, and standing up for the 99%, not the 1%. I saw these values in action in my former Labour MP; he always promoted socialist values, always fought for the best for my community.
He helped individuals fight the Bedroom Tax, made sure that our community centres never closed, and secured housing for those in difficult situations. I wanted to help the way he did and that’s why I became involved in the Labour Party. We are the party of socialism, of solidarity, of workers rights, and of Society member Eireann McAuley speaks at Scottish Labour’s 2016 party conference
Society members campaigning in the Atrium Credit: www.facebook.com/Stirling-University-LabourSociety-816679611720597
Credit: www.bbc.co.uk We hold society debates the NHS. on important issues, and The Labour Party puts we hope to work with more their socialist values into societies throughout the action, not just political year to hold mental health rhetoric. training and workers rights Whenever I campaign for education events. Labour, I am campaigning If you’re anti-austerity, for a society which is better and want to get involved in for everyone. campaigning for a better, As a society, we’re socialist Scotland you can involved with campus and come and meet us at the national campaigns like the Clubs and Socs Fayre on Fair Rent campaign and Wednesday, like us on the Labour Campaign for Facebook ‘Stirling University Mental Health, and we’re Labour Society’, and follow us helping out in the local on Twitter @StirlingUniLab. community as well.
I am a proud socialist, feminist, and trade unionist. These values are intertwined with my political activism.
8 Brig | September 2016
PolSocWatch
Your monthly guide Dan Vevers Editor-in-Chief
S
o, another academic is year is upon us.
For political anoraks, activists and student party members, this is also the time that political campaigning kicks back into gear on campus – and Stirling has a reputation as a highly politically active campus to protect. What are all the political societies up to for Freshers season and beyond? First up, let’s deal with the colossus that is SUSNA (Stirling University Scottish Nationalist Association), who are of course part of that even bigger colossus, the SNP. For its Give It A Go, the society will be taking its
members and interested newbies into Stirling town for some romantic nationalist sightseeing. SUSNA president Christina Hendry said: “This year SUSNA has big things planned. “For our Give It A Go we’ll be ‘seeing the sights’ in the centre of Stirling. We’ll be meeting in the atrium at 7:30pm on Monday September 19, where we’ll then be split into teams before heading into town to complete various tasks. “Come along to experience the social side of the society, all welcome!” Christina is hoping for a busy and successful year, and told Brig the society would also be welcoming the SNP Students National Council in October. “We’ll be debating and discussing a range of topics with
Politics other students from around Scotland,” she said. “We’ll also be welcoming Councillors, MSPs and MPs to the university to take your questions and discuss issues that matter to you. “Come and visit our stall on the Wednesday of Freshers Fayre to meet some of the group and find out more about what we do and when we meet! Meanwhile, Stirling
University Labour Society have been grow-
ing in numbers and strength over the past year on campus, and are planning to hit the ground running with a Give It A Go event including speeches from Neil Findlay MSP and prominent socialist campaigner and writer Cat Boyd. The society’s event, called “What is 21st Century Socialism?”, will be on Tuesday September 20 at 7pm in Cottrell A5 lecture theatre. President Rachel Bradshaw said it would be “a
night of debate with speakers Neil Findlay and Cat Boyd and other MSPs and Trade Unionists, discussing a variety of topics about the stance of socialism in today’s society as well as where socialism’s place is in the future.” She added: “The event will also cover the challenges that socialists of the 21st century face today, and questions will also be taken from the audience at the end of the event. “This is an event to give students the chance to meet the society and see what we are planning to do this year. “We hope to see you there and at our weekly meetings, check our social media for more details!” Another society which has put themselves on the map in the past year is the University of Stirling Conservative Society – by simple virtue of the fact of its existence. Brig has yet to hear from the society as to its plans for the year or for Freshers – but
you can find its Facebook page easily enough if you’re a budding Tory. The Stirling University Greens will be hosting what has been dubbed a “Green Party Party”, which sounds wild. It will be kicking off in the atrium at 7pm on Tuesday September 20, which will probably be a problem for any Green-leaning but pro-Corbyn Labour entryists I keep hearing about, given that it directly clashes with Labour’s event. The Facebook page for the event says: “Stirling Uni Greens are a fun, active political society on campus who aim to promote the Scottish Green Party amongst students and the local community. “If issues like the environment, equality, radical democracy and peace are important to you then we might just be a good fit. “All are welcome to our first event of the semester, whether you are already a
Green Party member or are just curious. “There will be party games like pass the parcel and musical statues, time to get to know current members and the committee and some special guests. “We’d love to see you there!” Finally, yer actual PolSoc are having a mock Parliament event for its Give It A Go, starting at 7pm on Thursday September 22 (location as yet unknown) – and have generously allowed for some post-Brexit commiseration drinking in the Union. Facebook informs us: “After a brief introduction to the society and committee, you’ll split into small teams and work to create your very own political party, complete with coups, symbols, backstabbing and terrible puns - you May have been warned.” And that rounds up PolSocWatch for this month – see you for next month’s instalment at brignews.com!
Jeremy Corbyn: Momentum, but not much mass Conor Fitzpatrick
Y
ou know it’s a bad sign that when, from a Scottish perspective, the Labour leadership contest takes on the flavour of a foreign civil war.
Honestly I’d be more confident in giving you a breakdown of the eastern front in Syria than I would be in trying to explain what the hell is going on with Her Majesty’s Loyal(ish) Opposition. Now being honest, as a Nat so partisan I’ve honestly tried sourcing partisans, it was funny at first, but the grim reality of being stuck alone in a cage match with the post-Brexit Tory party has descended and, regardless of ones attitude toward the British state, it would be fairly convenient if the 5th largest economy in the world could once again have a functioning political system. On the surface the problem would appear to be the ludicrous leadership contest the heritors of Keir Hardie have inflicted upon themselves. Corbyn’s challenger Owen Smith has as much chance of winning as a troop of snow balls, recreating July’s Turkish coup attempt, in hell. Despite managing to pick up some impressive endorsements (including any recognizable Labour figure who hasn’t been held under police caution at some point) his main qualification seems to be that he isn’t Jeremy Cor-
byn and that he is otherwise indistinguishable from 35% of the male Anglo-Saxon population. Now this sets him up quite nicely for a job in the Special Branch, or marrying one of Corbyn’s direct blood relations, but it falls far short of the curricula vitae expected of the leader of major political party. Granted, there are some impressive Labour figures who could lead a more viable leadership challenge (Hillary Benn, Watson and even the Shadow Chancellor) but they are wisely keeping well away from the helm at the moment since the party is in a “retreat from Moscow” situation; even if you do a bang up job the best case scenario is you end up exiled to St. Helena. Metaphorically speaking. No, by far the deeper challenge facing Labour seems to be figuring out what precisely Corbyn’s leadership is going to mean once it has been dejectedly asserted and he can get on with the job of running the party. So far, two Corbyns are being sold by both his supporters. He is either the scrappy back-bencher who could easily unite the nation against #ToryAusterity if only those Iscariot Blairites would let him OR he’s the true believing, fellow traveling, Marxist Jesus as anointed by John the McDonnell who shall herald a militant Socialist revival delivering us unto the utopia of bread lines and col-
Owen Smith has as much chance of winning as a troop of snow balls, recreating July's Turkish coup attempt, in hell. lectivized shoes. Further complicating matters is that it’s quite evident he is neither of the above; while certainly an ideologue. He is also a softly-spoken intellectual who has spent the entirety of his parliamentary career representing the same London constituency of metropolitan progressives. The fact is he is too principled and dogmatic to compromise with the broad range of interests needed to gain a majority in parliament (or forge a working coalition with other parties), yet he is also too polite and professorial to be a true revolutionary. This does not necessarily render Corbyn’s leadership futile in and of itself yet I suspect that Corbyn’s most ardent supporters might prove to be his greatest liability and eventual undoing. Put succinctly, the left-wing reformation in Labour, nominally headed by Momentum, will in all likeliness secure Corbyn’s premiership but is unlikely to win over many voters.
Entryism, dragooning, strictly enforcing alleged consensus and an absolute intolerance to any external criticism or internal dissent are patently effective when trying to establish control of private entity like the Labour Party (with non-conformists either leaving or keeping quiet for the sake of the whole) but is unlikely to win over many voters. The electorate (and espe-
cially swing voters) are too numerous to be bullied, expect to be served by rather than serve political parties, and honestly don’t care if you call them a red Tory. Hell, for the majority that would be a pretty apt description. Not to delve too deeply into the electoral history of The Left™ in the UK (there’s far, far, too many acronyms and
it all smells faintly of damp rollies) but the last attempt to drag Labour to the hard left took place when we actually still had an industrial working class and it ended in the Thatcher administration. I doubt a second attempt in the 21st century, when the country is much more atomised and class-identities much looser, will prove any more successful.
Credit: By YouTube/RevolutionBahrainMC [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/
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11 Brig | September 2016
Politics
Uni can transform your political beliefs - it did for me Jamie Grant
T
hey say with age comes wisdom; that, somehow, the accumulation of life’s experiences will bestow upon you divine insight into the machinations of the universe.
I cannot speak for the 30s, since I’m just shy of 21 myself. What I can say about the university experience is, if done right, you will leave with the realisation of just how little you know. Moving into my fourth year of studying politics at Stirling, the mind becomes a tad reflective (or rather, dissertation procrastination has to get more creative), and you begin to feel a little jealousy creeping up against the fresh-faced first years. They’re only just starting their university journey: hearts, bank balances and livers intact. Entering university at 17, I had a firm grasp on who I was, what I believed in, where I was going. I believed David Cameron was going to sort out the scroungers, that Scotland was stupid to contemplate its constitutional future, and that SNP supporters were secret fascist freaks : “It literally says National Party in your name!” - 16 year-old Jamie to his SNP activist friends. One day, during a particularly
nasty hangover, I was asked the question that began to unravel what ultimately was a fragile ego: Why? And being at an academic institution surrounded by my peers, I took this to heart indeed. Why were my views the way they were? Did I believe what I believed? Did I even have the knowledge on which to base my beliefs? I’m glad to say that I’m no longer ignorant to the point I’ll sprout such views without first doing personal research into what I’m saying. Learning to make up your own mind, and the methods for doing so, is what life as a student is all about. Discovering the inefficiencies and shortcomings of the British
state led me to question my loyalty to it. In 2014 I campaigned vigorously for a Yes vote for Scotland to become an independent country, and have since remained a member of the Scottish National Party. When the chips were down, the Yes presence on campus was electric, full of ideas and solutions to help improve people’s lives, such as electoral reform, deeper social security policy, a different economic approach (those GERS figures though, yikes). It won me over with its energy and charm, in its belief that things could be done differently, and this was our chance to take the first step. Making friends from countries
who did things differently, the need for change in the system became glaringly obvious, as did the United Kingdom’s inability to adapt to the challenges it faced; economical, social and political tectonic plates were shifting, but the Westminster model remained at best oblivious, at worst ignorant to the reforms needed to improve the lives of their constituents. I’ve since strived to keep an open mind, and try to avoid the tribalism that afflicts Scottish politics and beyond. Our campus is a petri dish, a place to flesh out our understanding of the world and form the opinions and views that grow to define us. One of the worst kept secrets of university - one that I can almost hear the pitchforks sharp-
ening at - is the academic side of things matters very little compared to the life experiences you will gain along the way. The chance to completely reimagine your beliefs, to take an honest look at your thoughts and feelings, and then having that supportive environment to mould ideas into action is just one of the reasons coming to Stirling has changed my life. You’ll meet people from around the world, from different backgrounds, beliefs and environments. The opportunities will come flying at you from every angle: All different clubs and societies, fancies and friends, nights out and trips, classes and lectures. Decision paralysis is quite common - the fear of making the wrong choice, taking the wrong path, means you end up walking none. My honest advice to our incoming first years is to seize as many opportunities as you can, and not to be afraid of dropping something that isn’t working for you. Freshers is a unique time in which everyone is in the same boat as you - just as awed, just as curious and shy. Take advantage of this, meet some new people, join a few clubs, save money where you can and don’t be afraid to travel. Stirling uni? The best there is.
ICYMI - the 2016 summer of political madness Ross Brannigan Deputy Editor
S
ince semester ended in May, politics in the UK and the rest of the world has turned on its head.
The relatively docile Scottish elections had just finished, and the EU referendum was around the corner – but what happened next?
Brexit
It is hard to avoid the topic of Brexit. The UK voted 52-48 to leave the bloc of 28 countries, from which cascaded a host of political movements. David Cameron stepped down, and for a time it looked like an Andrea Leadsom versus Theresa May battle. However, after a few irreparable gaffes, Leadsom bowed out and May swept into office within a matter of hours.
After that, it was time for the new Cabinet: Osborne jumped ship, and Phillip Hammond took his place; Hammond’s move left Foreign Secretary open, and Boris Johnson landed the job; May’s long reign as Home Secretary was at an end, but Amber Rudd took the helm; Leadsom was given Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in a Cabinet with many more women than before. Some have said Theresa May to be Margaret Thatcher’s final horcrux, with her rhetoric of being a safe pair of hands. Yet, one has to hope for some stability going forward with Brexit talks.
‘ M e r i c a n Madness
Cold water was poured on those feeling the Bern in the US presidential election build-up, as Sanders fell to Clinton at the
last hurdle. Against all accepted wisdom, Trump officially secured the Republican nomination at a GOP conference marred by accusations of copyright after his wife repeated paragraphs of a speech given by Michelle Obama. Since then, Trump has assured Mexico will pay for “100%” of the wall between the two countries, and been accused of inciting violence against Hilary Clinton.
Leadership Ruckus
Blows have been exchanged in the latest bout in the Labour leadership contest. Angela Eagle bowed out of the race leaving Owen Smith and Corbyn to fight it out – Labour’s next leader will not be a woman. Eagle had received much abuse from Corbyn supporters, some-
thing the leader condemned strongly. As Smith and Corbyn battle it out, it appears anything the party throws at him simply bounces off in Baldr-like fashion. If anything is certain, it is the bookies favourite in this race is “absolutely nothing to change”: if Smith wins, he will alienate a vast swathe of emboldened and excited members who want to return the party to its working-class routes; if Corbyn wins, it is likely the PLP will split, leaving everyone unhappy. It is likely Corbyn will win, but perhaps everyone will moodily return to their old posts in another dismal, public, drawn-out coup. And we have not even got to the subject of #traingate.
Indyref 2
Immediately after Brexit, the SNP was waving the independ-
ence ticket again after Scotland voted 60% to remain in the EU. Since then, Sturgeon has launched her new bid for another referendum at the Stirling Court Hotel, this time looking for opinions from the public before they advance the cause further.
Dilma’s gone
Finally, after what people have described as a surprisingly successful Rio Olympic Games, the Brazilian president has been ousted in an impeachment. Dilma Rousseff leaves incoming President Michel Temer £54.5 billion of debt, in a country with 11% unemployment in two years of straight recession. It will be a challenge to cast aside allegations of corruption in Brazilian politics, and to tackle issues of crime, gang violence, drugs and poverty in the South American nation.
12 Brig | September 2016
Comment
Banning the burkini in France is oppressing people everywhere Amy Beveridge Comment Editor
W
hen you think of the summer, you think of carefree days on the beach spent relaxing with family and friends.
But this has not been the case this year if you’re a Muslim woman in France. In August the mayor of Cannes banned the wearing of burkinis – a modest whole-body swimsuit often worn by Muslim women - and since then a number of other French towns have followed suit. Incidents of women being fined, forced to undress, and verbally abused by members of the public have been widespread. In a country where the national motto includes ‘liberté’ – freedom – this act of public discrimina-
tion seems out of place in the 21st century. So what has led to this burkini ban and the growing unease amongst the French population? With terrorist attacks from groups such as IS almost becoming a regular occurrence in France, attitudes towards the growing Muslim population have soured in recent years. The far right political parties, such as the Front National, have jumped on this with their opposition to immigration, particularly Muslim immigration. France is a country that prides itself on its secularism of the state. However, the idea that this can extend into people’s personal lives through dictating what they can wear seems outrageous. But this is not just a problem for France and its people - this story has been making waves
around the globe. Some people agree with the actions of French mayors, saying that it is freeing women from what some people see as the restrictive rules of Islam.
gion they choose. Other people privately following their beliefs doesn’t affect the general population, so even if some disagree with it, these beliefs should still
Photo: qz.com
Others disagree by stating that it is the woman’s choice to wear what she wishes, and that it is within her rights to dress according to her religion. However, when it comes down to it, the opinions of others shouldn’t really matter. Everyone should be free to practice whatever reli-
be respected. But it gets trickier when others argue about their safety, or the importance of adapting to the society in which you live. Although these are valid points, arguments such as these tend to only impact the minority. And when the rights of minorities are limited,
this then threatens everyone’s freedoms. In our Western world, we assume that we are born with freedoms that allow us to live our lives as we wish. But laws such as the burkini ban are clearly restricting the actions of a minority. By banning a piece of clothing that many people see as religious, it may be a slippery slope that ends with nobody being allowed to express their religion in case it offends others. This would then exacerbate the fear and hatred towards certain groups in our society. This doesn’t sound like a very pleasant society to live in, but it is one to which we could be heading towards – sooner rather than later if laws such like the burkini ban become widespread. No matter what you
think of burkinis, one thing is clear – women are going to continue to make the choice to wear them. Banning the burkini won’t achieve anything except increase discrimination towards a group in society that needs our support the most. Surely we should be making our society a freer place for everyone, no matter your religion, race, or background? The fact that the burkini ban got so far without being questioned is the wake-up call that we needed. It is feared that this burkini ban will cause a chain reaction around the world, but this will only happen if we let it. By respecting each other’s beliefs, understanding others, and standing together as a community, we can end this discrimination that plights us in 2016.
On your bike! Pull the brakes on this rise Ross Brannigan Deputy Editor
P
arking charges at the university have made another leap, this time rocketing £50 from £150 to £200 for a full-year permit.
Before the evidently critical standpoint one can take at this announcement, it is worth considering the university’s position with relation to car parking. The number of cars on the road are increasing all the time, and with 1650 parking spaces the university is doing all it can to cope with the huge influx of vehicles on campus. To continue to increase capacity would be a perpetual endeavour, resulting in a complete stamping on the beautiful greenery we all enjoy as students of the Stirling University campus. Furthermore, the efforts of the university have been admirable: almost 2000 spaces is a huge number of spaces compared to other campuses, and the investment in sustainable
Credit: Hannah McNicol
transport is a very worthy cause indeed. And yet, there are questions to be asked. A rise of a third is an enormous step for any organisation, as if students who drive are made of money. To have a car is, yes, a luxury, but it’s also a massive drain on resources. Driving means paying
for insurance, tax, service, MOT, general maintenance and fuel. These do not come cheap for any student. One significant issue is the maths does not check out. For a half-year permit, one has to pay £100 from September to February, and then March to August. This seems fairly logical:
half of £200 is £100, and that pays for a six-month period of the year. However, it is a complete deception, because no driver pays to park in the summer months from June to August (depending on when semester ends). Thus, the £200 cost really includes three months when no one
pays to park, totalling £50 over the course of those three months. Secondly, availability. Finding a space at the university has always been an issue, and the fact the full- or halfyear permits do not include a guaranteed space makes the permit almost void. Furthermore, develop-
ments in the Cottrell car park have seen a diversion of traffic and an increase in the number of double yellow lines behind the Logie lecture theatre. Increasing the number of double yellows will do nothing to stop people parking there, because it has not done so in the past. In just one month in 2014, the university stuck parking notices (PPNs) on the windscreens of 839 unfortunate drivers’ cars. Assuming every driver paid within 14 days (when the fine rises from £30 to £60), the income would be £25,170. In just one month. Of course, Stirling remains good for campus parking among Scottish universities. However, it is an obscene rise for those with full-year permits; even a rise of £25 would be pushing it, but would still be far better. Either the university or the drivers must give way, but perhaps advancement of technology and sustainable methods of transport will allow the two to live in harmony.
13 Brig | September 2016
Comment
Joining Brig was the Double Trouble? best decision I made Stereotyping twins in the media at university Amy Beveridge Comment Editor
Amy Beveridge Comment Editor
I
I
n 1996, the world was blessed with the birth of my twin sister Kirsten and I.
t doesn’t seem like two years since it was my freshers week.
In September 2014 I sat in my room in halls thinking the same thoughts as every other new student. Was I going to cope living away from home? Would I enjoy my course? Would I make friends? I had planned on joining Brig ever since I confirmed my place at the University of Stirling. I was going to study journalism, so it was a nobrainer. This way I could practice my writing skills, and meet like-minded people. But really I was scared - I had no idea of what it would be like. Maybe it would be too formal, and not really for me. Or it could be too cliquey, and I’d find it hard to fit in. I went along to the Give-It-A-Go with these thoughts at the forefront of my mind. How wrong I was. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, and they explained what they were all about. I quickly realised that this was the society for me. I did find the first few weeks of university hard. Everything was new and scary and exciting. But Brig was a constant
Photo: Warren Hardie
that kept me grounded as I found myself in a new place. Being part of a society helped me to focus on things outside of my uni work. And nothing could beat the thrill of having my own articles published in print! It got even better in second year when I was elected onto the committee. I discovered the work that goes into creating the newspaper and the decisions that are essential in any society. It was at this point that I really felt I was a part of the team – nothing brings people together like working towards a deadline. Now I am going into third year, with the committee positions of Comment Editor and Head of Proofreading. I really can’t imagine my university life without
Brig being a part of it. I have grown so much more confident, both as a person and in my writing. But the society isn’t just about the newspaper – I have met so many amazing people in my time there, and I am so proud of all that we have achieved. So if you’re debating whether to join a society, club, or sports team this year, remember that it will open doors to meeting people you would otherwise have never met, or doing things you never thought possible. New things always seem scary at first, but I promise it will be worth it. Making the most of your time at university is important, and joining a society will ensure that you make friends, have fun, and really experience university life.
In the nearly twenty years since then we’ve pretty much heard it all. Here’s a taste: “You’re identical? Are you sure? You don’t look the same.” “I’m not even going to attempt to tell you two apart.” “Can you read each other’s minds?” “Who is the good and evil twin?” And it goes on. Whenever both of us
Credit: hitfix.com
meet someone new, they already have a barrage of questions, and some strange presumptions. More often than not we disappoint them with answers about our relatively normal, boring lives. Twins aren’t all that uncommon – 863 sets of twins were born in Scotland in 2012 – but for some reason people treat us oddly when they find out. It’s a bizarre phenomenon that has only increased as we’ve grown older. I blame Mary-Kate and Ashley. I blame Jedward and the twins in The Shining. The media seems to treat twins as a novelty – to the public, nothing is more fascinating that two
different people who look exactly the same. Famous twins have often been divided into two categories – cute and creepy. Whenever twins are classed as one or the other depends on their ages, their physical similarity and how closely their lives are entangled. Dylan and Cole Sprouse, child stars of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, are definitely cute thanks to their Disney Channel beginnings and squeaky clean image. However, in contrast Sherri and Terri, the twins from The Simpsons, are clearly creepy – the two are duplicates of each other, and even occasionally
Unfortunately, this isn’t helped by twins in the public eye hyping this for up attention, dressing in matching outfits and never leaving each other’s sides. This gives people expectations that most twins just laugh at. But these stereotypes remain. Real life is never like this – well, except for some exceptional and quite frankly unhealthy cases. Being a twin is not like being one half of a whole, incomplete without the other – it’s like being a sibling. We laugh together, and we fight sometimes, but when it comes down to it
speak in their own twin language. These are two extremes that all ‘real’ twins will fall between, but that doesn’t stop these stereotypes from filtering out into the actual world. But these myths are not the worst misconception about twins. One feature that nearly all famous twins have – real and fictional alike – is that they are almost completely indistinguishable from each other. They are lumped together as one ‘character’. There can never be one without the other, and they aren’t given the luxury of separate personalities. Their only defining feature appears to be their ‘twinness’.
we have our own lives. What a lot of people think is that two people who look similar must act similarly too. Me and my sister are obviously going to have some similarities – we have the same family, and have shared a lot of our experiences. But this has not resulted in us having exactly the same personality - that is impossible. Everyone is different, even those who happen to look exactly the same. So if you’re ever tempted to ask a twin “Have you ever pretended to be each other?” remember that real life isn’t like The Parent Trap.
14 Brig | September 2016
Comment
Learning Left, Right and Centre: A Student’s Plea to Students Scott M. Patterson
A
n ancient Greek philosopher – or dead old white man – once mused that “it is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it”.
Students, get used to digging for such quotes and shoving them haphazard into myriad essays. This one could serve as a great target for where your studies take you, just as another draws the starting line: “the only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing”. Such perspective feels desperately needed these days. Yeats would have you believe we’re in an eternally spinning gyre as history repeats itself over and over, a variant of Nietszche’s similarly supernatural flat circle. Really it’s just people being people and getting slightly better at it over time, but only just. Be careful that as you keep your eyes and ears left, right and centre, you put education front, right and centre. Understanding our world and its whys is the only way to bring meaning to some pretty heavy business. Beware, also, what said business makes of us in turn. On 6 March this year, Stirling University’s Politics Society hosted an Israeli diplomat, an impressive coup and an invaluable experience for those present, who gained invaluable insight and the chance to directly interrogate her country’s policies on Palestine. The protestors outside the meeting certainly did, but amidst the principled expression of ethical and moral outrage there was the familiar presence of personal indignation. Many of the most vocal were not expressing dismay at the situation in Palestine, but were condemning the event’s very existence. Rather than seeing a chance to have a face of Israel’s government
represent its actions, too many simply couldn’t tolerate the idea of the diplomat being given the chance to speak. There was talk of it “normalising” and even “legitimising” the deplorable state of affairs in Gaza, while another leap saw some suggest that their personal abjection be privileged over the rights of others to speak and hear. The trouble with this approach is that it would by logical extension suggest that a person’s day in court shouldn’t be granted less it “normalise” the murder they committed, and speaks of a refusal to extend to those we disa-
Credit: Ross Brannigan
gree with the same rights we cherish when granted to ourselves. The irony that such an exemption occurred in relation to a part of the world where such wise and enlightened principles are but a dream to pass nights of gunfire went mostly unnoticed. While this was one incident, it is indicative of a growing trend. In this time, areas of life pertaining so prominently to our young culture are defined by such conflicts. There is controversy over YouTube reserving their right to de-monetise certain video content they view as being ad-unfriendly, naturally leading to accusations of political bias. Barely a week goes by
where there isn’t a story of Twitter suspending, banning and deleting based on the finer points of their guidelines, so often leading to an ambiguous reading. And while the rate at which guest speakers have their campus gigs cancelled or hijacked doesn’t match the United States, it is still demoralising. Jargon is utilised instead of justification, intellectual rhetoric creating the illusory sense of reasoned analysis, masking the blunt fact that one’s opinion has been allowed to win out over another’s within our liberal and free society. We ban, lest we tolerate.
resentative than ever, and there is no doubting that too many people become more trenchant in their view when challenged on it. The hunt for a narrative to validate the need for clarity means we all seem to think we’re the good guy, and that anybody who challenges our core values is the next Anjem Choudary. This is a well-defined and recognisable trend, and denying it is as blinkered as it is regressive. When it comes to education, seeking out discourse should be an aim, even if it’s less Socratic and more Sun Tzu. The profound shouldn’t
issue a plea, to ask you to not to fulfil the abhorrent stereotype of the modern student. Instead, perhaps entertain these tantalising possibilities: the person supporting trigger warnings isn’t some hypersensitive cuck-agent of a conspiracy to snuff out your individualism; the one who disliked the Ghostbusters remake isn’t a misogynistic cat’s paw of patriarchal oppression; the 52% of British people who voted to leave the EU aren’t a malignant racist cabal; the media isn’t a giant totalitarian left wing monster; post-modernism isn’t a network of secret tunnels for ambushing sleeper
"Rather than seeing a chance to have a face of Israel's government represent its actions, too many protesters simply couldn't tolerate the idea of the d i p l o m a t being given the chance to speak. " We’re at a chaotic ideological spaghetti junction, where the alt-Right champion the virtues of liberal idealism while the progressive Left embrace conservative prioritisation of security over liberty and stamp out dissent through dehumanising, retributive collectivism. It would be absurd obfuscation to suggest that the overwhelming voices of social media in some way misrepresent society when the net is more rep-
be sacrificed to buttress a character already seen as complete, just as the principles fostered and nurtured by the enlightenment shouldn’t be abandoned when there’s seldom a right or wrong answer. Just ask the poor soul marking your essays. Despite the protestations of one infamous YouTube sensation, the campus can be both a home and an intellectual space. All this writer can do is
bigots; science isn’t a league table dictating who is superior; shouting buzzwords and catchphrases to shame people only makes you the bad guy you couldn’t be; a conversation with somebody you disagree with could open up your mind more than reading Socrates, or Aristotle, or Laurie Penny, or Peter Hitchens. Thus the value in learning from every word shared in written or verbal form is as much a part of this journey you’re on as the textbook in front of you, and we’re hoping said travails won’t turn ugly. So to you all, we bid good learning and good luck. Remember to use those quotes. But don’t worry, you won’t necessarily have to agree with them either.
H a v e you got opinions that you would like to share? Join the Fa c e b o o k page ‘Brig 16/17’ and drop us a message, or send an email to comment@ brignews. com
We would l o v e to hear from you on topics w o r t h ta l k i n g about!
17 Brig | September 2016
Features
Five experiences you will definitely have during Freshers Stuart Graham Features Editor For a lot of us, university freshers is our first taste of higher education life. Yes, this is meant to be the beginning of us bettering ourselves through education. However, what comes hand in hand with the lectures and the seminars and the hours spent trying to navigate the Portal (ahhhh Portal!) is the chaotic university social life. And boy, there is nothing quite like it! But this all begins with one week of free stuff, harassment by every society and sports club you can think of, and a lot (like a hell of a lot) of alcohol - or, at least, that is how it was for me. But the alcohol isn’t what makes it an incredible week, oh no! What makes freshers so special is the amazing people you will meet, and the entirely random experiences you will find yourself having. Here is my list of five experiences you will definitely have during freshers.
1.The 4am Dominos Overload
One of the first things you will learn as a budding young fresher, even before you learn your student number or any of your lecturers’ names, is the fact Dominos in Stirling is open for deliveries until 5am. No, that is not a typo, I did in fact just say five — in the morning. Despite the fact earlier in the day you will have done around eight to ten laps around the atrium just to collect enough free slices of pizza to create your very own whole pizza (when really you weren’t that hungry, you were just excited by the prospect of an entire free pizza) you still get in at 2.15am from a Venue event filled with youthful optimism, neon face paint and other people’s sweat and decide that what you really need in that moment is a Dominos. And not just your bog -standard Dominos, oh no! Because your student loan has just been dropped into your account and it’s a 50%off deal when you spend over god-knows-how-much you feel like splashing out, treat yourself eh! After half an hour of passing one person’s phone around your “living area” (because to call it a living room would be
generous), you review the order to find out you and your flatmates have managed to work up a hefty £150 order from Dominos (remembering this is with 50% off). You hit “Place Order” and wait. With every other freshers’ flat having had the same idea, and having got home from Venue at the same time, you wind up waiting an hour and 45 minutes for your order; by which time you have already worked your way through all of your emergency tube of Pringles that you promised yourself you were only going to “have a few then put them away”. So you then dive into your large stuffed-crust pizza, two large sides and tub of Ben and Jerry’s you thought would be a nice refreshing pallet cleanser for your feast. In this moment, all that pretence you had put on in front of your new flatmates until this point in the night (trying to convince them you are both fun and classy at the same time) falls away, and you see each other as you really are. No matter if you are from lower England, Germany or even the occult Raploch, something magical happens at this moment to make everyone equal as we witness one another consume a kilogram of food with all the grace that an alligator has eating a buffalo in an Attenborough documentary. You then find yourself lying across those who were strangers in your life a week ago, all being thankful for each other’s presence so you don’t have to face this great struggle of digestion alone. Which leads us nicely on to the next experience you WILL have during freshers :
2. The 5am Deep Chat
Now you are at the point where the night has wound down to a group of people in a circle in a room, either with some mellow acoustic music playing in the background, or the sound of the flat above you still going hard with Avicii’s 2013 album on full blast. Most of you are now at the point where alcohol is out of your system enough that you can hold a conversation but still has enough of a hold on you that you can’t help but share every opinion you’ve ever had about the nature of life, love and “our contemporary society”. This is when you learn which people are “your people”. You will find the people that you could talk to for hours on end without there being a
fourth rendition of “we like to drink with [person] cause [person] is….” you have picked it up quite easily. You then go to a second party later in the night and are now joining in with the “in the know” side of the room while laughing at the innocence of the other half not knowing the words… let’s not mention that you were one of them two hours prior.
5. The Birth of the Flat In-Jokes moment of awkward silence, and the people whose door you can appear at at 4am holding a DVD and a bag of popcorn, and know no words need to be said. Not all of these conversations you will remember, and not all of these nights will stick out to you as particularly special, but what you will never forget is the feeling of possibility that is never stronger than during freshers week at 3am. Apologies for the soppiness, I put it down to the sad fact that as you new faces arrive I am no longer a fresher and never will be again - anyway I will try to keep that to a minimum from now on. Onwards with the list!
3. The “Best Before” Epiphany
Unlike other universities, Stirling does not offer a catered accommodation option to any of its students. This meaning that us busy students have to shop, cook and serve food for ourselves while juggling this huge undertaking with our busy busy studies, how very absurd a thing to be asked of us. I am, of course, being ironic to self-consciously laugh at the easy life student have. However despite this doddle of a life we are given in our first year, we still manage to waste more food than any other member of society. It is the first week and you know you are going to need enough food to see you through seven hangovers. Luckily your parents final act before they drove off into your past was to take you to the Tesco in town and fill up your cupboards with lots of fresh vegetables, bread, and dairy products (all things that aren’t exactly known for their long shelf life). But as mentioned before, the first month’s student loan is double the normal amount, and has us feeling a bit loosehanded with our cash. You’ve worked damn hard to get here: You worked your ass off in high school for the
grades, and, hell, you just spent a summer working fulltime hours to pay for your accommodation so fuck it! You’re aloud to splash out on eating Dominos, chippys, the Union’s curly cries and mac and cheese, and the Union’s cheap pizzas - I maybe lost my train of thought. But all this time that you’ve spent treating yourself cause “hey, you deserve it!” you forgot and neglected that cupboard full of fresh food and now, nine days after arriving with this shopping, you learn that what is in your cupboard is no longer fresh, and in some cases is no longer food. Some food you never thought able to grow hair is now rocking a full mullet and other food has turned colours you don’t even think B&Q have invented a name for - maybe “disappointment purple” or “might-vomit magenta”. So all that “fresh food” that was lovingly put in the cupboard by mummy and daddy on the day one now exits the cupboard for the first time and goes straight to the bin, then the bin is tied up and disposed of; this immediately being followed by two showers But showers can’t wash the memory of that hairy blue panini from your eyes no matter how long you stand under the hot water. So it is this moment we vow to never, ever do a full family-sized Tesco shop again while at university.
4. The Pre-Determined Chant Agreement
So if you live on campus, in halls of residence, as I’m sure many of you budding freshers are, it is almost guaranteed that you will either host or attend a flat party during your first week. The flat will be tiny, everywhere will be crowded, you will get unbelievably hot and the music will be undoubtedly shit. Despite all this you will love every second of it because this isn’t like high school par-
ties that you need be home at a certain hour, nor is this like a group holiday in Ibiza or Malia that has a time limit on how many amazing nights like this you will have. No, this party represents the social life you are going to have over the next four years of your life, it is unrestricted and so very full of optimism. However these parties won’t be without their awkward embarrassing moments. It will reach a point in the evening where it will be unanimously decided that a drinking game shall be played. Someone will bring out a set of cards they received in their freshers bundes (possibly even an empty pint glass). A circle will take form and someone will explain the oddly complex rules of a game that essentially needs to get people to drink at an average rate of a swig a minute. However the game will escalate and you will reach a point where it is of course compulsory that someone must down a whole drink, because… y’know uni. So it will reach the moment where all discussions and protests about said downing of drink subside and one poor person has to raise a drink stronger than any alcoholic beverage should ever be to their mouth and it is at this moment the room devises. Half the room will begin to stand and watch; then will be entirely shocked when the other half of the room burst into a chant that uses rhyming to encourage a speedier downing of a drink - because aren’t we an impatient bunch? It is in these embarrassing moments that you will possibly feel more unprepared for uni than anything your lectures will throw at you. This half of the room that seem to know every word of every chant that comes up throughout the night make it seem like this night is your first alcoholic beverage outside quaint family parties. However on the third or
Within the first few days you will have made bonds with people you never thought possible in such a small amount of time and will already have things that set you guys apart from every other flat. So much time will be spent lazing around and getting each other through some pretty rough hangovers that, as of course it would, jokes begin to be made over and over again and items in the flat slowly begin to represent more than just their primary function. By the end of freshers week these things will have shifted from little jokes to being iconic for your entire first year and the people you shared it with. Whether it be a broken wooden spoon that convinces visitors your flat is a spiritualist cult, an A4 pizza brochure reading “stuff it in” that gets blue tacked to someone’s door when they have an evening visitor, or even a knocking pattern only you and your wall buddy (someone whose bed is on the other side of the wall your bed is up against) understand. Over the course of the year these little things will build up to make your uni flat so unique and forge bonds that you will take with you for your next three years. Your first year will fly so quickly you will barely have time to enjoy all these little things that make it so special. Before you know it you will be moving out of halls for summer and have chosen your second year modules and it will quickly be dawning on you that the passage of time in these years is going to be merciless so you have to enjoy every little bit of it, whether it be a trip to Dusk when you are far too sober or even an eccentric lecturer running around to explain a camera technique. Cherish it all and don’t take any moment for granted.
Features
18 Brig | September 2016
Stuart Cormack: 1993 - 2016 Dan Vevers Editor-in-Chief
O
n July 6, around 6.10pm, on the day before his 23rd birthday, the world was deprived of one Stuart Cormack. He died after a short battle with cancer.
Stuart, a 2015 University of Stirling graduate, was amazing, and it’s important that all of our new and returning students who never got to meet him know that. He was tall too — a big lanky tree — and funny, to the point of being able to leave people in tears of laughter. He had a big brain, nurtured at this university, and was passionately knowledgeable about history (especially Russian), about literature and drama, comic books (we’ll return to that later) and more. But I’m not really doing him justice. Stuart and I grew up in the same town – North Berwick – and went to the same school, and would later study at the same university, but the truth is I knew him nowhere near as well as I would have liked to – or maybe, in hindsight, should have. Being four years his senior, it was actually my two younger brothers who truly knew him, both among his best friends and who both spent a lot of time with Stuart in his final weeks. A lot of the affection and admiration for Stuart I personally feel is, I suppose, imbibed through them – through their stories about him, the stories that live on and help us remember people. For my part, Stuart is among a select few people I prize for one very simple reason: I’m a mature student who came to Stirling in 2013, at the age of 24, in a second attempt at uni. I didn’t stay in halls, I didn’t live with fellow students in my first year,
"Stuart wasn't one of my best friends. Honestly, I've only spoken to him and laughed with him less than a handful of times. I couldn't place why this was all hitting me so hard... and then it hit me. Every one of those short moments I spent with him were some of the most genuine, the most pure, and just the most unintentionally funny times I have experienced with someone I've known so little. The more I learn about him, the more I know that this is just... the most unfair bullshit to have ever happened." Ismay Hutton, Film & Media graduate
and in short, I barely knew anyone. I was, for around a year, ‘Dan Nae-Pals’. He was one of a tiny circle of people who I actually knew who studied at Stirling, and – Stuart being Stuart – he never failed to stop for a friendly chat, to make me feel welcome and known, I suppose, in a place where, for a while, I felt very alone. It’s not much, I know. It’s nothing on the outpouring of incredible, hilarious, poignant anecdotes that flooded Stuart’s timeline in the wake of his passing – all of which confirmed everything everyone already knew, and which hopefully you too are beginning to understand.
This man was amazing, and he has left such a huge hole in so many lives, by virtue of being gentle, funny and memorably energetic. His loss was felt keenly by the members of SUDS (Stiring University Drama Society), who had been treated to his comic genius, kindness and infectious spirit for years. It was felt keener still by his partner of four years and fellow Stirling graduate Isla – who also got to spend the final fortnight of Stuart’s life as his wife, following an impromptu engagement and wedding. It was felt keenly by the many guests, young and old,
family and friends, who attended his funeral in Edinburgh. For me it was an oddly dream-like affair, as a neverbefore-seen cross-section of people I knew from North Berwick and from Stirling Uni came together to celebrate Stuart’s life. We heard at the funeral about all the little quirks that make someone human. His interminably messy room. His ability to make people smile. His passion for acting and improv comedy – indeed, how he co-founded an improv group while at uni, the Improveteers, which went on to play at the Edinburgh Fringe. We heard about Stuart’s unfulfilled dreams – like his enduring wish to travel on the
TransSiberian express. I also know through my brother that one uncrossed item on his bucket list was simply to go for a drink with his mates one more time. We heard about his incredible sketching and plans for a science-fiction graphic novel, and how artist friends had taken his notes and storyboards, put them all together, coloured them in and furnished him with a draft version of it on the day before he died. We heard how it made him smile. It’s so impossibly sad, unjust and cruel that someone of such warmth, joy and talent should be taken away so young, and yet the brilliant have a habit of leaving us before it feels like their time. I only saw Stuart once at the hospice before he died. He was very thin and sick, clearly in a lot of pain and discomfort, and was obviously exhausted. But he took the time to sit up in bed and talk to us – my mum, my brother and I. He still felt the need to play the host. He told us a bizarre story about a black preacher who had somehow stolen into his room at the hospice to pray with him. It was exactly one week later that he died. This university should be incredibly proud to count such a brave, kind man among its alumni and, as students here, we should take the time to remember him from time to time. To remember not only that he was amazing, but that life is fleeting, and to remind ourselves to be thankful. Stuart’s widow Isla is trying to raise money for the hospice that cared for Stuart by making things made out of felt for charity. You can donate – and get something made of felt - at justgiving. com/fundraising/IslaWillMakeYouStuffOutOfFeltStColumba. Or else, just search ‘Isla Will Make You Stuff Out Of Felt’ on Facebook.
"My fondest memories of Stuart are from when we were in The Cherry Orchard together. Throughout the rehearsals and the show he was an absolute joy to work with, he was easily the funniest cast member there (althought the rest of the cast were also a great laugh) and completely nailed the character of Gayev. However, the best moment would be when we finished a rehearsal and Stuart wanted to educate us on the Russian period we were portraying. So he got this painting on the screen which is imprinted in my memory, a huge steel ship being pulled through the river on a rope by loads of serfs on the shore. And he gave us a mini lecture on Russian art and history right there and then! Normally after a rehearsal you finish up and everyone wants to go to the pub but we were totally enamoured by Stuart's knowledge and passion for the subject. I've met few people with such a captivating presence but Stuart Cormack is one of them." Jonathan Wilson, fourth year English with Film & Media
"The thing is with Stuart is he was a man that oozed energy. Even with his dissertation and everything - he would come into rehearsals and we'd have mini ninja fights that you do air actions to and everything. He always went along with a bit and it was just his presence. Normally, people just say these things about people but Stuart was different. He was the character, he was the energy that people were attracted to. If ever you were down, he wouldn't even have to talk to you to cheer you up. In the play, The Cherry Orchard, he played my uncle. From the rehearsals we had a chemistry that was so brother and sister that they casted us together. I think if he wasn't there I wouldn't have been put in just because when you play opposite him you always want to strive to be the best because he was in that play. The thing was, it wasn't just that. He was laced with knowledge up to that big tall head of his to his toes and he even gave us a history lesson in rehearsals because he was so passionate. You could see it in his eyes." Bronwyn O’Neill Film & Media graduate
Taken from the front cover of Stuart’s science fiction graphic novel, Sert & Sweeper.
20 Brig | September 2016
Music
Ten Minutes with twin atlantic ing to the ear, whereas this time we’ve wanted to use more discorded sounds and what got us excited about the angst of rock music from when we were younger. It’s just rawer and has a bit more grip to it. We have had a lot of experiences and have learned a lot about song writing and now we’ve managed to find a way to use that to make something that we would truly listen to ourselves. “The band had ran its course trying to be pop (...) I think this is more of a homecoming for us”
PHOTO: CHUFF MEDIA
Amy Pollock
B
rig’s new Music Editor quickly caught up with Twin Atlantic’s Ross McNae to chat all things GLA, touring, and some Scottish favourites. Q: It’s not long until your fourth album is released, compared to your previous albums, what can your fans expect from ‘GLA’? A: It kind of goes back to where we were when we
started the band, where the music we were listening to was slightly more angular and heavier and I think that blends into this new album. The band had kind of ran its course trying to be ‘pop’ if you like, and we got further and further towards that through the last few albums but I think this is more of a homecoming to what got us excited about music in the beginning when we were in our late teens. The last album wasn’t a pop album but it was influenced by pop structures and trying things that sound pleas-
Q: You’ve gone from producing with people who have previously worked alongside Funeral for a Friend and Kids in Glass Houses to working with Jacknife Lee who’s produced with Taylor Swift and One Direction — over the years did you notice your sound change significantly with switching producers? A: We were really firm (about our ideas for this album) but I think there has been a big shift. The guy who we worked on this record made ‘Heart and Soul’ and ‘Brothers and Sisters’ with us, and it was tinged with that pop sound, but this time I think the reaction from ourselves and him to what we did with those two songs was that we wanted to get back to what excited us. He
also comes from playing in bands that were more angular before he was a producer, so I suppose because we did make those last two songs with him and the band had become known by more people that gave us the opportunity to do something different but still have people there to listen to it when it came out. Q: In December you’re playing three nights in a row at Glasgow Barrowlands, is there any difference that you see between the Scottish crowd vs the rest of your national and international crowds? A: We’re actually quite lucky, our fans are a lot like us and are just music fans for the most part, I know that when I was going to shows it’s just a way of escaping and getting a release from your daily lives ,and I think that kind of happens to us no matter where we are in the world. Obviously a homecoming show in Glasgow has that slight edge over other places but apart from that, people are pretty similar wherever we go. There’s definitely an edge in Scotland though, people are so patriotic and love to get behind people of their own country, all Scottish bands that start to do well will always do better in Scotland. Q: Where is your top favourite place to play in Scotland?
WHAT’S ON A: I would probably say the Barrowlands or there’s a venue in Inverness called the Ironworks - we’ve had so many good shows there ,and I don’t know what it is about the venue or if it’s the people further north. I’d say the Highland people are pretty crazy but maybe that’s why they have that slight edge, they’re always up for a party when we play there. Q: What has been your personal peak moment throughout Twin Atlantic’s music career? A: Well, we never really take the time to look backwards because we’re pretty driven to try and do more with the band – but the first time we played Glastonbury three years ago felt like a special moment, because that is the festival to end all festivals and to be asked to play and have a full tent of people who wanted to see you just felt like you were doing something right and gave you a little kick-on to remember why you were doing this. I suppose that probably had a lot to do with the writing of this new album, to have that experience made us realise you can do whatever you want and as long as you’re doing whatever excites you then that’s okay. Twin Atlantic’s new album ‘GLA’ will be available from 9th September.
Album Review: ‘Wild World’ by Bastille
W
i l d World, Bastille’s second studio album, is very experimental, with influences from dance to rock to pop. Everything is very cinematic from the album artwork to the monologues peppered throughout and (occasionally very dark) lyrics. It opens with lead single ‘Good Grief’, one of the most clear cut pop songs on the album with an in-
fectious chorus that will be stuck in your head for ages. While some bands may have gone down a one-note route following the same formula as the opening song, the joy of this album is that it then goes off on a tangent. ‘The Currents’ follows it with brass and string instruments, which recur in other tracks including ‘Glory’. Other tracks, such as ‘Warmth’ and ‘Power’, seem to have more of a guitar-based influence. The latter felt very reminiscent of The XX during its opening riff. Bastille’s trademark bold lyrical style is here in full force the whole way through the album but, lyrically anyway, two tracks
bare great similarity. ‘Two Evils’ and ‘Four Walls (The Ballad of Perry Smith)’ both feel slightly spectral, like Florence and The Machine’s sophomore album. In terms of production, though, the two tracks sound very different with the former being more nuanced while the latter has a more electronic sound. A stand-out track on the album is ‘Send Them Off!’, with its hip-hop influences and big brass bombast which contrast with lyrics inspired by The Exorcist and Othello detailing irrational relationship jealousy. Many tracks have choruses to chant along with, including ‘Blame’ and ‘An Act of Kindness’, complete with stomping bass lines to clap
along to. Songs such as these give a sense that they’ve been orchestrated for barn-storming live
shows. Lyrics throughout are tinged with sadness and heartache as singer/songwriter Dan Smith questions
PHOTO: CHUFF MEDIA
Jamie Harris
Mick Hargan 09-Sept-16 @ Glasgow King Tut’s The Ranzas 10-Sept-16 @ Glasgow King Tut’s Josh Kelley 12-Sept-16 @ Glasgow Òran Mór July Talk 13-Sept-16 @ Glasgow King Tut’s Haley Reinhart 15-Sept-16 @ Glasgow Òran Mór The View 16-Sept-16 @ Glasgow Barrowlands The Sherlocks 17-Sept-16 @ O2 ABC Glasgow McFly 16, 17 & 18-Sept-16 @ O2 Academy Glasgow Ratboy 19-Sept-16 @ O2 ABC Glasgow Pretty Vicious 19-Sept-16 @ Glasgow King Tut’s Red Sky July 21-Sept-16 @ Edinburgh Caves Against the Current 22-Sept-16 @ The Garage Glasgow Sigala & Imani Williams 24-Sept-16 @ Glasgow QMU Catholic Action 25-Sept-16 @ Glasgow King Tut’s Jodie Abacus 26-Sept-16 @ Glasgow King Tut’s Feeder 28-Sept-16 @ O2 ABC Glasgow
the world, but they are so catchy and the production so polished that it’s hard not to resist singing along. Case in point, a lyric repeated frequently throughout ‘Winter of our Youth’ is “I’m pedalling backwards, even if I’m pedalling alone”. With such varying styles and influences, this album shouldn’t work but Smith’s vocals and song writing style keeps it from losing its way. Full of crowd-pleasing anthems, this is an album that has something to say about the state of the world we live in whilst still keeping spirits high. Rating: 4 out of 5 ‘Wild World’ will be released on 9th September.
Music
21 Brig | September 2016
YOUR STIRLING MUSIC SCENE SORTED By Kenny Bates @ Tolbooth
batesk@stirling. gov.uk
S
tirling is a big place.
I mean when you try and drive say from Glasgow to Aberdeen or something, you literally can’t seemtogetawayfrom‘Welcome to Stirling’ signs along the way. You begin to think you’re just circling the perimeter. However, despite its relative size, Stirlingshire isn’t necessarily one of the names which come to mind when you think ‘bustling new music scene’. In that sense it’s more like a sleepy hometown at times. But like every sleepy hometown, you can bet your favourite bones that there’s a whole whack of stuff bubbling away under the surface. Stirling is no different, and is in fact sort of punching above its weight in the grand scheme
of things. Allow me to elaborate. There’s a Vast Array of Venues Stirling has a wide range of places to see live music. From the big ones like the Albert Halls, the Tolbooth and Macrobert where you can see household and international names; mid-level spaces which are favourites for the DIY dance promoters like Fubar, Mediterranea and Queens Hotel; through to the tiny spaces quite literally bursting at the seams with indie, acoustic and DJ nights – such as The Settle Inn, Nicky Tams, Allanwater Brewhouse and Kilted Kangaroo. In all these spaces you can put on your own events, have a beer checking out the vast array of open mic and spoken word performers, or see some of the biggest names in indie, alt, electronic, folk, traditional music and jazz in the country and from
distant shores. It’s pretty incredible stuff really; just keep an eye on the venues’ websites and social media. They’re all keen to have you there. Have you Heard of Stirling’s Hidden Talents? Like new wave and grunge? Check out Crashing Jets. Biting post-punk? Go for Stock Manager. Freak folk/indie song writing? December ’91. Electro pop at its finest see The Insomniac Project. If pop/punk is your thing, Science Made Us Robots are your guys. There’s the soulful indie songstress Emme Woods. Or even the confessional and dramatic spoken word/ songwriter crossover of The Narcissists Cookbook. This is just a taste. But the general message is that you don’t have to look to other bigger cities to find a diverse and, crucially, quality range of emerging acts. And it’s important
you join in too. The chance to perform and get involved with the local scene is wide open. Dive in pals. There’s Plenty of Ways to Listen Stirling has its own independent radio station – Stirling City Radio. It also has its own open group of budding gig-goers and arts enthusiasts who document and promote local independent music via printed zine and online blog – Stirling DIY Press Collective (these guys also host secret pop-up shows in folks flats, shops and gardens). A new music night and annual festival at the Tolbooth called Strange Behaviours, which has brought through the likes of Admiral Fallow, Stanley Odd, Hector Bizerk, PAWS, Honeyblood, The Phantom Band and Loki amongst many more in the past two years. There’s an open mic or acoustic night on virtually
every night of the week with a range of talented songwriters and covers acts. And there’s the university’s really great and forward-thinking Live Music Society who have a rehearsal space and regular live nights to get involved with. Including every other Wednesday night at the Allanwater Brewhouse, and every Thursday night at the Union where the Live PHOTO: Kenny Bates
Music Society has their open mic and jamming sessions welcoming everyone and anyone. So there you have it. If you’re the type who likes to get in on the ground level with tomorrow’s most exciting artists while they’re still fresh, vibrant and vital, or if you’re keen to get playing yourself: you can. Dae it.
ones to watch
brig music recommends declan mckenna & Kweku Collins AS MUSICIANS OF THE MOMENT Amy Pollock
D
eclan McKenna is unlike any other 17-year-old musician you’ve heard of.
Instead of pulling a Shawn Mendes and whinging about his first heartbreak, in 2015 Hertfordshire-born Declan’s first self-released
PHOTO: CHUFF MEDIA
Mark Cruikshank
P
aving his own way in the hip-hop scene, Kweku Collins will soon become your favourite indie artist. Growing up in a family of musicians saw Collins focus all of his energy into
a career in music from the age of 15 - after also being inspired by Kanye West to take up rapping. Four years later he has a few EPs under his belt and has recently released a self-produced project titled ‘Nat Love’, which gives a nod to his local Illinois hip-hop scene. Collins matches a slow tempo with a relaxed style of rap in a way that not many other artists can. His obvious understanding of music is evidenced
in his track ‘Stupid Roses’, in which he is not afraid to use unusual patterns in both the backing track and his vocals to create a dreamy work of art. He is pegged by many to cause quite a stir in the music scene very soon and if his latest project is anything to go by, then his future work could really put him on the music map. ‘Nat Love’ is available to listen for free on Spotify
song ‘Brazil’ took a completely different approach in tackling the FIFA corruption. He has since continued to astound eager listeners with his mature lyricism by commenting on further intense topics and encouraging them to become vital talking points - including the media’s misrepresentation of transgender teenagers in ‘Paracetamol’ and also touching on his thoughts of religion and war in ‘Bethleand Soundcloud, or to purchase for £5.99 on iTunes.
PHOTO: MASS APPEAL
hem’. Once Declan won the Glastonbury Festival’s ‘Emerging Talent Competition’ last year after the release of ‘Brazil’, there was no mistaking this kid for a one-hit-wonder. His new single ‘Isambard’ comes just weeks before heading out on an eleven-day UK tour alongside Blossoms at the end of September. Declan explains: “The idea of Isambard is basically about this right-wing Fox News-
type TV presenter trying to justify things like police brutality and xenophobia, and using cases for backwards political gains, but completely fumbling over his words and not really knowing what he’s talking about.” Excuse me while I go find a ‘Vote for Declan’ t-shirt ASAP. Declan will be supporting Blossoms @ Glasgow’s 02 ABC on 1st October.
Film & TV
22 Brig | September 2016
Top 10... soundtracks By Jamie Harris
T
his summer saw the release of Suicide Squad, which has a killer soundtrack (if you pardon the pun). Therefore it seemed fitting to count down the best soundtracks in film and television as the next instalment in our top 10 feature.
10. Game of Thrones
The score played over the first scenes in the season six finale is enough on its own to justify this soundtrack being on this list. Then there’s the classic theme tune (albeit I can’t listen to it without singing “death and boobies” to the tune (thanks, Maisie Williams).!
9. Straight Outta Compton
With the classic album of the same title providing the basis of the soundtrack, it is bolstered even further with the inclusion of tracks by the likes of Eazy E, Ice Cube, and Snoop Dogg. This is rap with real bite and makes the film as good as it is. Without it this would’ve just been another generic rags to riches Hollywood movie.
8. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
It would be a crime not to include this soundtrack when it includes classic songs like the ‘Time Warp’, which is still played at family discos to this day, and ‘Touch-a, Toucha, Touch-a, Touch Me’. The film itself would have just been rather grubby and revolting without such catchy and memorable songs to splice some fun into it.
7. Stranger Things
This Netflix original series has taken the world by storm this summer, and deservedly so. The soundtrack adds to the 80s throwback vibes with classic songs, such as ‘Africa’ by TOTO and ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ by The Clash, as well as a synth score by the US band S U R V I V E.
6. Guardians of the Galaxy
The Awesome Mix vol. 1 is a soundtrack and a half! It is full of old school disco and rock anthems including ‘Spirit in the Sky’, ‘Escape (The Pina Colada Song)’, and ‘Hooked on a Feeling’. Most of these songs are used rather inventively throughout one of the best Marvel movies to date thanks to the mixtape itself playing an integral part in the plot. Those are 10-6 in our countdown. To see what soundtracks made it into our top 5, find out at www.brignews.com
Why DC Studios Should Just Stop Stuart Graham SPOILER ALERT: This article WILL contain spoilers for both Batman Vs Superman: Justice Assemble…. (wait, no… my bad, I mean Dawn of Justice) and Minor Villains: Assemble (oh no, wait, I mean Suicide Squad; yes, I just used the same gag twice, but let’s be honest: They of used the same
premise twice). However, despite the use of the word spoiler, these details about the film’s plots won’t actual spoil the film for you; Warner Brothers managed the spoiling all by themselves (maybe in an effort to cut out the middle man, who knows). Okay, so I know from this title alone that all you psuedo-nerds reading this are already thinking of a long abusive mes-
Credit: comicvine.gamespot.com
sage to send me detailing how wrong I am and how I have no clue what I’m talking about when it comes to a “true comic book adaptation”. But before you tell me that I wouldn’t know a good comic book film if it came up to me in red and blue pants and hit me with a baseball bat (you are very welcome for that reference), please just consider my argument before branding me with a Twat
Symbol (another beautiful reference, you are, again, very welcome, these will continue throughout). Before getting on to my proposal that DC “just stop”, first I would like to take a minute to poke holes in the argument that several of you comic book loyals are sure to throw at me next time we have a human encounter outside of the lovely virtual world we all like to be very aggressive on.
“But Stuart!” you will say, “These films are so true to the source material, you can’t criticise these films as bad comic book films without having read the comics yourself! Have you read the comics, Stuart, have you? HAVE YOU?!” No, I have not read the comics which these films are inspired by but that doesn’t take away my entitlement to have an opinion on them as films, and comic book films, for that matter. Instead of judging them against the pictures and text on glossy paper, I can instead judge them against other films of the same genre that have been critically and commercially successful. You don’t often see people running round telling people that they can’t judge films that are “based on true events” as they did not live through the events which function as the source material for these films. That would be, quite frankly, ridiculous and slowly films about both
World Wars and anything pre-1950s would cease to exist as no one would be around to tell everyone that these films are or are not honest to the source material. So to all you comic book loyalists, I hope you now feel as though your attempt at an argument has had its head exploded within its first first few minutes on screen before it has amounted to any real depth (that reference was a bit more laboured, I apologise). Now onto my main point. DC films have spent the last few years desperately trying to play catch up with the immense commercial success that is the ever expanding Marvel Universe. Also having looked into future productions coming from the DC (Wonder Woman, 2017; Justice League, 2017; The Flash, 2018; Aquaman, 2018; a mysterious Batfleck solo film and the list goes on) it seems like they are going to continue to try play catch up with Marvel’s mind boggling multi-storyline universe. Mainly by spitting out independant superhero
23 Brig | September 2016
Film & TV
Reboots: Hollywood aren’t the only culprits! By Jamie Harris
I
t no longer looks like it is just Hollywood that is jumping on the reboot bandwagon. Over the past couple of years it has been seeping into television too. It seemed to start off in America with the network TV versions of the films Limitless and Rush Hour which, let’s face it, weren’t exactly classics in the first place. Then Netflix joined in and brought back long-dormant series such as Arrested Development and Full House. Now though, the BBC and ITV are in on the game. A couple of years ago ITV brought back the comedy series Birds of a Feather, sadly, to great success and it has snowballed from there. Now the BBC has launched its ‘Sitcom Season’, rebooting many of its classic comedy shows such as Porridge, Are You Being Served and Good-
night Sweetheart.
When launching this comedy season the BBC stated that “This Landmark Sitcom Season is a celebration of the craft of comedy writing”. Doubtful! It seems more like the BBC launching a series of comedy pilots under the guise of one-off specials, much like what they did when Still Open All Hours first started. This is at a time when stand-up comedy and panel shows seem to have overtaken the traditional sitcom and some
of the only sitcoms still shown on British primetime TV are repeats of Dad’s Army (which, funnily enough, had a film reboot earlier this year) and *shudders* Mrs Brown’s Boys. Sadly, this shows a lack of faith and investment in fresh, up and coming comedy voices. Yes, there are still new comedy series being produced but they seem to largely be shunted to the new BBC Three online service rather than being put on primetime TV to have the opportunity to find a larger audience. So, is this BBC sitcom season simply a lazy case of schedule-filling with unoriginal ideas or a faithful one-off tribute to some of the best comedy of all time? Only time will tell.
Coming This Month In cinema, TV and online Cinema: Sausage Party - September 2 Captain Fantastic - September 9 Blair Witch - September 15 Bridget Jones’ Baby - September 16 The Magnificent Seven - September 23 The Girl with All the Gifts - September 23 Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children - September 30 The Girl on the Train - October 7 War Dogs (Macrobert) - September 9-14 Wiener-Dog (Macrobert) - September 11-14 Cafe Society (Macrobert) - September 16-22 Ice Age: Collision Course (Macrobert) - September 17-October 6
TV: Our Girl (Season 2) - September 7 movies (possibly an origin story cause don’t we bloody love a good retelling of parents dying, or an early life trauma) that will eventually serve as set-up for an ensemble-team movie that will never quite come close to living up to Guardians of the Galaxy or The Avengers Team. So while DC try to string together one superteam. Marvel are now leaps ahead of the game and are now assembling a team of different established teams (consisting of aliens, superheroes, inhumans and gods. Oh, and a guy with a bow an arrow). My question to DC is Why even try? Why try fight a loosing battle that you will always be 10 steps behind on. Why try make a live action blockbuster that is both appealing to children in its use of spectacle and exciting for adults with its dark and socially relevant themes when Marvel has already got the formula perfect (See Captain America:Civil War as example). Instead, why don’t DC try something different. Try focusing their funds
Credit: ptimm.deviantart.com
Mock the Week (Season 15) - September 9 American Horror Story (Season 6) - September 16 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy (Season 3) - September 28
Netflix: From Dusk Till Dawn (Season 3) - September 7 Flushed Away - September 15 The Big Short - September 23 Once Upon A Time (Season 6) - September 26 and efforts, something not yet done before, or something not already being done three times a year to a far greater quality. Even Marvel branched out their speciality in 2014 with the Disney/Marvel production Big Hero 6 (which for the record was better than both Avengers films combined, if you disagree then go try tell Mr J his gold teeth made him look silly and stick around for his reaction). DC should try be creative and find a new way of telling their heros’ (or villains’, for that matter) stories in a way that doesn’t include a live-action flick
putting mainly white actors in colourful costumes in a CGI enhanced CGI destroyed famous American city. They should also try avoiding having the threat of the world ending, which no one really feels fearful of given the trailer shown before the movie began was for another film in the universe that takes place ON FRICKING EARTH! (That one was a stab at both Marvel and DC live action films, not you Guardians, I still love you). Whether this be venturing back to the cartoons and giving them a more
modern twist (obviously looking at The Killing Joke first to learn what NOT to do) or even coming up with sometime entirely new that doesn’t rely on A-list actors and CGI. Marvel seemed to have this genre so perfected that no matter how much money or big names DC throw at their films, they will always be playing second banana to the real grown ups. I don’t know what lies in the future for this universe but I hope and I pray that they take the criticisms in their stride and start making drastic changes.
Marvel’s Luke Cage (Season 1) - September 30
Amazon instant video: Westworld - September 8 Room - September 9 End of Watch - September 22 Mad Max - September 22 Transparent (Season 3) - September 23 Crisis in Six Scenes (Season 1) - September 30 Spotlight - September 30 Trumbo - September 30
Food
24 Brig | September 2016
The Freshers 15 Isn’t Always A Bad Thing - And We Don’t Need To Make It One By Ailsa Galashan
L
et’s be frank, we all gain a few during Freshers, whether it’s the alcohol, free pizza or midnight chips, it’s hard to leave the first week of uni without a little extra stodge.
Every year I would be angry with myself - convinced that if I’d put on too many pounds then I wouldn’t fit into my skinny jeans, I would instantly become unattractive and spotty and hate my life. I would go around Tescos, making sure I had everything as low fat as possible, and burnt of the hangover on the treadmill the next day while my friends ate leftover pizza and watched Gilmore Girls reruns.
I measured out the amount of pasta I put on my plateterrified that I put too much on and everything would go wrong. In my life, in my health, in my everything. But then, this year, I’ve had a thought.
Let’s just stop this. It’s easy to get consumed into the world of dieting, watching our figures over summer, after summer, before Christmas, after Christmas.
I think eventually it gets to the stage where it doesn’t matter what the number is on the scale or on your jeans size. If you are happy, then your body will be too.
You Are A Beautiful Person, I Promise..
Embracing the stodge... Going into my final offering to you is goyear of Freshers, I’m ing to make you drop down dead with a ready for the stodge. heart attack. Stodge is okay. Whether you want it to keep you warm during the Scottish winter, or you just don’t want to be too hard on yourself - remember sometimes there is more to life than what size jeans you wear- and even that can change on a daily basis.
ing to embrace the fresher’s fifteen, and enjoy it. I’m going to wear whatever I want to wear, I’m University can be going to be dancing stressful enough with- in dusk and strolling out worrying about around thr Atrium how many calories with a slice of pizza in you are consum- one hand and a ring ing (and if you are binder in the other. anything like me and don’t stop moving un- And I am 100% okay til you’re in your bed with that. at night, then you for sure don’t need to be And believe me, you worrying about those). should be too.
Have curly fries from Have a fab Freshers, There’s no point the union, jeez, you you beautiful scrounging yourself, only live once. convinced that the bag person. So, this year, I’m goof chips your friend is
EXCLUSIVE CARDHOLDER DEALS!
s c o s & s b u l c r u got yo ? P I H S R E B M E M N or SPORTS UNIO MONDAY - studio burger & pint £5 tuesday - studio free side of chips/salad with 12” pizza
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friday - studio Free tea/ coffee with breakfast hot roll
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26 Brig | September 2016
Lifestyle
A practical guide to saving money this semester By Beatriz Tellez Money. A topic we all worry about at some point or another. Whether you are a Fresher handling your own finances for the first time, or a fourth year getting ready for post-university life, all of us could use some tips on how to save a coin or two. Some of these might sound cliché or obvious, however making small but consistent changes to your lifestyle is the key.
Keep your receipts
Not only will you become more aware of how much you are shopping and spending by keeping and going over your receipts (keeping a shopping journal is also a good way to keep track), but you will also have the option of returning any impulse purchases you might have made.
Explore your options
It might sound boring but going to different stores and browsing prices online before deciding where to buy something is a smart idea. Even if the difference isn’t huge, if you make it a habit your savings will add up.
The more the merrier!
Buying in bulk is one of the easiest ways to get the best deals. Whether it is hand soap, shampoo, water, and yes cigarettes, when you buy larger quantities everythinis more affordable.
Save money on food and drink
Yes, we have all tried packing our lunch at least once. And yes maybe that cup of instant coffee you make at home doesn’t taste as good as a good ol’ Costa before a lecture. But the reality is the money that you spend on coffee, sandwiches and bottled water in a week could buy you groceries for a whole month! Invest on a cafetiere and a travel mug. If you’re not a fan of packing lunch or cooking, schedule your meals so you can eat at home as much as possible.
Have strong willpower
Make sure you really need whatever it is that you are about to purchase and learn to discipline yourself by saying ‘no’. If you feel guilty that’s probably a red flag. I find it helpful to step out of the shop and think about it elsewhere. If you have second thoughts you can always go back to the store.
Use coupons and advantage cards
Most advantage cards are free and easy to use. My personal favourites are Tesco’s Clubcard and Boots Advantage Card. These are places where you are probably going to shop a lot and their points and coupons can save you a few pounds every once in a while. Also ask about student discounts!
Credit: The University of Coventry
How To Feel Fresh For Freshers Week- Even If You Don’t By Ailsa Galashan Try New Things
Whether you like it or not, September is fast approaching and with that comes the ever so fantastic Fresher’s week.
Make yourself known at the Freshers fair this year (it’s not just for first years). Whether you’re into sport, media and pretty much everything in between there will be a club for you. Freshers fair is made to make you aware of all the stuff going on in the uni, along with the sport’s fair too. Sometimes trying something new could be the best thing you do to make this year even better than the last, so what are you afraid of?
Whether you’re planning on spending time chilling it up in the union catching up with your friends after the super quick summer, or partying every night (hard) in Dusk because it’s your last ever Freshers and you are feeling totes emosh about it all *cough, me, cough* you want to be feeling as fresh as is student-humanly possible (at least on the Monday).
Reorganise Your Room
If you are moving back into your old student flat, or setting up fresh, you probably want to have a few little changes in your room to make it a little different from the last year. Set up a few candles, a few cards from your fam and friends back home, and maybe even finally change the batteries in your fairy lights. If you want a little more spendy way to alter the theme, maybe buy some new bedding or a fluffy blanket (this is the winter semester) to keep you cosy at night. If you want to stay cheap, maybe find some of your fave quotes that make you happy and write them on colourful pieces of card to decorate your walls with. It is the little things.
Stay On Top (of yo’ life)
Make A Change
Maybe you want to change your hair colour, or clear out your wardrobe? Even if these options seem a little scary, they might make you feel brand new and ready to go check out the fresher delights. Going shopping does not have to be expensive thoughwhy not try charity shopping? The perfect excuse to purchase some items before SAAS comes through. If making too much of a change seems a little scary, then maybe just take some time out of your schedule to chill, take a bath and relax before the craziness begins.
One the best ways to start Freshers week stress free is to try and make it stress free. Get online and buy the books you need for the new semester, have them all sitting pretty in your bedroom before the agro starts. If you are feeling very student-y maybe even have a read. Being organised can be the best way to begin anything, so starting before the uni craziness can be the answer to any dilemmas. Freshers week can be stressful, but the most important thing is to ENJOY it. Remember all the fantastic things that you enjoy about uni, and try to make this year the best you’ve had yet. Stay safe and have fun.
Arts
27 Brig | September 2016
Theatre review: Democracy @ the macrobert Hayley Burrell arts Editor
W
ho can y o u trust? That’s the question on everyone’s lips in Michael Faryn’s political thriller Democracy. Based on true events during the Cold War, the play is about the relationship between East German Stasi spy Günter Guillaume and West German Chancellor Willy Brandt and how the infiltration aids Brandt’s downfall after four years in a land-slide elected office. As the web of lies grows deeper, and the two become closer, Guillaume questions his loyalties between Brandt and his informant for spy ring-leader Markus Wolf. Arno Kretschmann who could be perceived as the
Devil on Guillaume’s shoulder in a series of conversations behind frozen tableaus and soul-searching soliloquies. Democracy has a rich British television drama cast including Liverpudlian Neil Caple (Brookside and The Bill) who is the protagonist Günter Guillaume, River City regulars including Sean Scanlan, Colin McCredie, and Stewart Porter and The Bill’s Michael Moreland as Arno. The play was not penned nor performed until 2003, approximately a decade after Brandt and Guillaume’s deaths in the early 1990s. It first opened at the National Theatre in London but my own insider information tells me that the Rapture Theatre group are the first company perform the play north of the border during its 27 date tour of the Scottish main-
Credit: The Macrobert / James Couttes
land. The plot itself took a short while to pick up, and only when Guillaume was thrown in the thick of the action, torn between two sides and watching him talk his way out of Brandt’s advisor’s suspicions, was suspense roused, and by the second half I was
Glasgow girls coming to campus this september for two nights Dan vevers
C
elebrated musical Glasgow Girls is coming to the Macrobert this month.
On September 15 and September 16 the production will hit the Stirling stage fresh of the back of a
run at the Edinburgh Fringe. The politically-charged story follows a group of seven teenage girls who launch a campaign on behalf of a school friend after she is forcibly deported from the country along with her asylum-seeking family. It is based on true events.
Credit: The Macrobert
There is a school performance in the morning on Thursday September 15, then performances open to everyone that evening and then on Friday morning and evening. Tickets cost just £5.50 for students and can be booked on the Macrobert art centre’s website.
gripped with political intrigue. I have to also applaud the Rapture Theatre’s visual effects. The first time the 10 characters were introduced there is a privateeye style black and white picture which flashes above the screen which until looking closely, I had
mistaken for real pictures of the character’s counterparts. There were also some haunting real-life pictures of post-World War Two disused concentration camps that made my skin prickle with uncomfortable reverence. When I first read the plot
summary and the thoughts which were maintained in my mind throughout, were the similarities between this play and Channel 4’s drama Deutschland ’83 which was aired earlier this year. Perhaps without seeing and enjoying Deutschland ‘83, as a taster to Cold War spy thrillers, Democracy would not have gauged my interest as much as it did. However, the difference between the mediums was that the betrayal in Democracy had the theatrical air of Shakespearean political drama. And after nearly 27 years since the fall of the Berlin wall is Democracy still relevant? Yes, argues director Michael Emans in the programme notes, especially as we are experiencing political unease in light of Brexit. I would recommend Democracy to anyone interested in history, politics past or present, or just up for a good spy thriller.
Booker prize winning novelist coming to the uni
B
ooker Prizewinning novelist Ben Okri is to visit the university for a special literary event. The celebrated author will appear at the Logie lecture theatre on October 11, where he will read extracts from his Booker-winning book The Famished Road and hold a Q & A. Okri won the prize for The Famished Road in 1991, which was his third novel. The event is part of The Booker Prize Foundation’s Universities Initiative, an international programme which aims to encourage students to read more contemporary fiction. The book will be handed out to all attendees for free, in a funding collaboration between the foundation and the university. The novel tells the story of Azaro, a spirit child who, in the Yoruba tradi-
Credit: The University of Stirling
tion of Nigeria, exists between life and death. Born in Nigeria, Okri grew up in London before returning to homeland, until a grant from the Nigerian government allowed him to return to the UK to study comparative literature at Essex. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
in 1987, and was awarded honorary doctorates from the universities of Westminster in 1997 and Essex in 2002. Okri was also awarded an OBE in 2001. The event starts at 7pm and is free to enter, although you need to book a place in advance through the university website.
Arts
28 Brig | September 2016
Street performers make a spectacle on the Royal Mile.
FUN, FROLICS AND FRIVOLITY IN EDINBURGH FRINGE: A DAY AT THE FRINGE
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Hayley Burrell arts Editor
he month of August always has a bittersweetness to it. Summer is almost over, there is a rush to try to finish all those projects you said you’d do but never got around to and before you know it, you are entering new module codes into the time-table generator and audible groans can be heard at the discovery of a nine o’clock lecture.
So the three weeks of the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival (celebrating its
70th birthday next year) could be seen as a student’s last hurrah before hitting the books.
During my time at the fringe, my most highly anticipated show was rockstar turned spoken word guru Henry Rollins. Formally front man of 80s punk band Black Flag, Rollins has turned actor taking bit parts in films, TV shows and documentary voice-overs but not for love of the buck ladies and gents. No, Rollins
describes himself as ‘being unable to sit still’ and using his hard-earned cash, commitment-free life to travel to the most remote, wartorn, and wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot-barge-pole places on earth and regales a captive audience of his experiences there. As a devout vegan, Rollins passionately cares about animals and the environment, so in 2015 he travelled to Antarctica to find out more about climate change and the eco system where he revealed that even penguins recognised it was getting warmer and moved
Stirling amateur orchestra makes cut for bbc4 show after fending off competition from 250 challengers Dan vevers
A
Stirling amateur orchestra has made it to the final of a classical musical competition show being broadcast on BBC. Stirling Orchestra is the only one of the five finalists who will battle on BBC4’s new show, All Together Now: The Great Orchestra Challenge, to hail from Scotland. The new four-part series is on a mission to find the
UK's best amateur orchestra, with the winner to perform at BBC Proms in the Park in London’s Hyde Park. Stirling Orchestra beat off competition from around 250 orchestras to make the cut after entering the contest by submitting a video. The musicians will be taking on the People's Orchestra from Birmingham, the London Gay Symphony Orchestra, the Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra
and North Devon Sinfonia for the coveted gig. Stirling Orchestra is comprised of amateur musicians from around central Scotland and practises weekly at Wallace High School. The group also performs a few concerts a year in the Albert Halls. The series is being presented by Katie Derham from the BBC Proms. The show began airing on BBC4 on August 30.
away from places they had previously resided. Closer to home he explains how he is sometimes accosted by hard-up Black Flag fans for being a ‘sell-out’ taking cameo roles in films such as family film Jack Frost (1998) or having hairy biker dude fall at his feet weeping because that was his departed wife’s favourite Christmas film. Not to mention the embarrassment of being outed ‘as the best neo-Nazi ever’ at an LA coffee shop when an over-zealous Sons of Anarchy fan confused his private persona with his character AJ Weston. I found out about the next show when a Facebook picture of a friend photographed with iconic TV pre-
“When my childhood hero tv presenter Dave Benson Philips appeared on stage, I was transported back to after school telly and funfilled frivolity, with a blue team and yellow team competing in a series of silly tasks to avoid getting gunged.”
senter Dave Benson Phillips popped up on my time-line. Into its second year running, Anton Benson Productions recreate an amateur version of 90s kid’s gunge game show Get Your Own Back. At a mid-week showing, in a small Edinburgh Uni lecture theatre with less than 50 people and a stage with a hanging gunge tank, I felt oddly conspicuous. However, when Dave appeared on stage, I was transported back to after school telly and fun-filled frivolity took over for the next hour with a blue team and yellow team competing in a series of silly tasks such as catching paper plates with tongs, a scavenger hunt collecting random objects from the audience and the winners avoid getting gunged. While I was waiting in line for Get Your Own Back, I was recommended that Danish comedian Sofie Hagen was worth a visit. The name rang a bell and I remember seeing her on Russell Howard’s Standard Up Central and laughed heartily at her light self-depreciating style and admiration/confusion over British culture and when I went to see her, I was expecting more of the same especially as she won the Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2015 for best newcomer
for her Fringe show Bubblewrapped; however, her new show was humorous but slightly sombre in tone as it tackled mental health issues. I was gutted to have missed Scottish film and theatre actor Alan Cumming at the Fringe this year as by the time I had found out he was playing, tickets had been sold out for the remaining nights. I saw him at the Fringe in 2009 where he was performing showtune-style songs from his album I bought a Blue Car Today with songs such as Mein Herr from his famed stint in the musical Caberet and moved close to tears as he performed a mash-up of Wig in a Box and Wicked Little Town from the rock-musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch - something from which until seeing an amateur production of the show at the Fringe last year, I had never heard live before. After the show, Cumming hosted exclusive after-parties and his pop-up nightclub Club Cumming at Edinburgh’s prestigious The Hub venue. Sadly this writer missed out on all the Cumming fun at the Fringe; however, Alan is due to be perform his concert Alan Sings Sappy Songs at Newcastle’s auditorium The Sage next month so watch this space for future coverage.
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31 Brig | September 2016
Features
Say ‘hello’ to the who are we?
The Relief Cafe aims to tackle mental health awareness in two key areas: Approachability and Accessibility.
Approachability: We worked hard in our first year with various campaigns to try and make people feel more comfortable talking about their mental health. From spoken word nights to pledging with a polaroid we like to come up with creative ways to lesson stigma. Accessibility:
As the next step we aim to make the act of connecting with a therapist more accessible, we are talking with professionals, finding easier to ways to connect to them. Our ambition is to allow for people to connect with their therapist for the first time in their local cafe. Hence the name!
some of our work...
want to get involved? The Relief Cafe are looking for students to become part of the team and add a creative flare to expressing mental health; whether it be photography, blogging, video work, or taking on your digital campaign please send us a message. Get involved by sending a brief bio on your interests and skills to hello@reliefcafe.com. Find us on our website and social media:
/TheReliefCafe @reliefcafe
thereliefcafe
@thereliefcafe
Ismay: Creative Director
Sebastian: Founder/Managing Director Jacky: Creative Co-ordinator
www. reliefcafe. com
32 Brig | September 2016
Sport
Jess Morris: “I’m not sure the other sabbs see me as senior!” Sports editor Craig Wright catches up wth Stirling’s sports president as she begins her second year in office.
are the people that make it all happen! Hopefully club committees feel like they can come in and chat to us anytime or ask for help whenever they need it – they’re the ones on the ground, running the clubs so their feedback and expertise is very important.
How does this summer compare to last summer? It’s been very different actually! Obviously the job is pretty much the same, but some aspects that were quite overwhelming last summer when I’d first started are a lot easier and have become almost second nature now, which I guess can only be a good thing! You’re the “senior sabb” now – how has that been as an experience? I’m not sure the other sabbs see me as “senior” - I’m pretty sure they’d tell you I’m very much the child of the office, although there is a considerable age difference! It’s great to work with a new group of sabbs though. It’s already very different from last year, and I’m confident it will be another great team. How good is it for the university to have had four swimmers representing their country in Rio? It’s incredible! To have Stirling Uni students representing us on a global stage is absolutely amaz-
ing. It really raises the profile of our sporting programme and hopefully encourages more people to come to Stirling for the sporting opportunities. Stirling had an extremely successful year last year, winning BUCS Most Improved University at BUCS Awards. What do you think is in store this year? I hope it’ll be more of the same! Last year was great, with championship wins from Golf and Women’s Tennis and league wins from so many of our teams including American Football, Swimming, Men’s Rugby, Men’s Football 3’s and 4’s, Ladies Hockey and Men’s Volleyball, I’m sure this season will bring even more successes! It was a massive honour for our teams to be recognised by BUCS for all of their hard work – moving up ten places in the league table within the top 30 is an incredible achievement! Which other sports
SPORTING SNAPSHOTS
teams should we be keeping an eye on this year in terms of success? Futsal (both men’s and women’s) are definitely teams to watch! We are introducing a third men’s team and the women’s teams will be onto their second year after an incredible first season so hopefully this year will bring more success for the sport all round! A number of our clubs were promoted into BUCS Tier 1A (Volleyball, Hockey, Men’s Rugby) so it will be great to see how they get on playing at a higher level. What are the main things you’ll be looking to achieve in your second term as Sports President? A huge focus of mine this year is building Sports Union alumni relations. The University is coming up to its 50th Anniversary in 2017 and so it seems like the perfect opportunity to invite alumni back to celebrate 50 years
worth of Stirling Sport. The idea is to hold a huge event in June, a Sports Union Alumni Ball, to remember and acknowledge the Stirling successes over the years and the people who have made them possible. It will also remind students past and present that they are part of something more than just the four or so years they study at Stirling – they are contributing to a strong and proud history of sport at the University. How important is it that you have a good working relationship with the new sports committees? Have you had any discussions with students wanting to set up new sports teams? If so, what sort of sports can we look forward to seeing this year? It is obviously very important to have a great working relationship with the committees – they are our main point of contact with the rest of our Sports Union members and ultimately they
In terms of new sports teams, we’ve had an interest in Korfball, Dodgeball and Baseball this year – the last two of which will be established as societies initially to gauge interest, so look out for them! We are also introducing a Women’s Table Tennis team who will compete in BUCS competitions so hopefully this year will be a successful one for them too! Which sport that you haven’t previously tried that you’d want to have a go at during GIAG week? I love GIAG Week! It’s the best chance to dip in and out of a few sports and try your hand at ones you
never thought you would! This year I’m keen (as always) to go to as many as possible, but I’m particularly keen for pool sports and actually very keen for rowing! I’ve always wanted to be a rower so this may be my year! What would you say to new students that are unsure as to whether they should join a sports team? I would say that from my personal experience, it was the sports that I took part in that really made my time at uni what it was. I loved my course, but it was the friends that I made through sport and the opportunities and experiences it gave me that made my time at Stirling the best four years of my life! I would encourage everyone to find something that they enjoy, whether that’s a sports team or one of our many clubs and societies, because that’s the part of uni that you’ll really remember and there really is something for everyone so there’s no reason not to!
33 Brig | September 2016
Sport
Men’s Hockey look to the Hannah McNicol future Sports Editor
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ast year, Owen Auskerry, a former member of the club, suffered a serious brain aneurysm whilst travelling in Thailand. Between bucket fundraising, a pub quiz and joint ‘slave auction’ with rugby, they raised over £1000 to help bring him home and pay off the medical bills incurred. In addition to this, two years ago they suggested the introduction of rainbow laces during Gay Pride Week, which has gone on to be a roaring success
What struck me as I sat talking to this year’s President, Calum Brown, was the recognition of the fact that mistakes had been made and the quiet determination to ensure a positive future for the club. The financial debts suffered last year have been fixed and, whilst they are not flush with funds, they refuse to put up their entry fees, determined to put their charity fundraising before their own account balance. When pushed on this, Calum stated, “No matter who you are, there is always someone less fortunate.” The weekend before semester started, they held a six-a-side tournament that drew teams from Edinburgh and Strathclyde Universities, along with Kinross, with a family presence as well. What is more impres-
sive is that, even before the official return to university, the hockey team is already in training, with gym, pitch and classroom sessions all planned out. Some members have returned to Stirling a week before they can access their accommodation and are sleeping on friends’ sofas.
This year, they have some clear aims. In competition, the first team are aiming to make it past the semi-finals of their division in BUCS and ultimately become the Scottish BUCS champions. In terms of the National League in which they compete, they want to avoid finishing bottom of the division. The seconds need to start challenging in the National League and continue their progress in the division. The third team are to start making progress through the ranks and will look to continue their development. As a team, hockey will continue with their ‘uniform’ of ties and jeans. “If you look like a team, you play better as a team” was how it was put by Brown.
In terms of charity events, the team already have fundraisers planned but they are yet to decide on a specific charity. They will be ‘attempting’ Movember once again. Emphasis on the word ‘attempting’.
They are also focusing on their coaching opportunities. Members of the team will be helping out with the coaching of the women’s hockey team at the university this year, whilst there are opportunities to coach and umpire for both the men’s and women’s teams at the local private school, Beaconhurst. Their Give-It-A-Go will be on the 15th down at the university’s hockey pitches. It will be a traditional training session that allows you to experience what Hockey is like. They will also be at the Sports’ Bazaar if you wish to ask any questions. You don’t need to have played before, or even have held a stick. There is something for everyone!
Sporting Profiles Sen-No-Kai
I
f martial arts are your kind of thing, Sen-No-Kai karate club may just be the place for you. Mixing different techniques, the club focuses on the harmony between the individual and one or more opponents in combat.
Instead of muscular or physical strength, the main theme is that of mental strength, strength through movement, distance, timing and harmony. The form is not so much a battle against an opponent, as a joint act of harmonic achievement. Sen-No-Kai, as with any martial art, can be very dangerous, and it is taught that the power gained comes with the responsibility inherent in teaching and practicing those techniques. This is perhaps never more apparent than when using the two weapons in the sport – the jo and the bokken. These staff variations are there to help your hand and body movement and to ensure the weapon moves with you.
Their dojo is the Gannochy Studio on a Monday from 8-10pm, and the Gannochy Sports Hall at the same time on Thursdays.
Andrew Henderson takes a look at some U n d e r wa t e r of our lesserknown teams Hockey
There aren’t many sports out there that requires its participants to hold their breath while competing, but Underwater Hockey (also sometimes known as “Octopush”) does just that. It is broadly similar to field hockey; goals are scored by putting the puck into the three metre tray at the opposition’s side of the pool.
Teams are made up of ten players, of which four are substitutes, who wear a diving mask, snorkel, fins and carry a short stick to play the puck with. The puck itself is weighted so that it sinks to the bottom of the pool, where it remains. There are multiple referees, placed in and out of the water, calling fouls including having an excessive number of players in play and failing to start a point from the end of the playing area. If a foul is serious enough, a player may be ejected by the referee for a period of time, or until the end of the game. A supreme test of fitness, equipment is provided by the club for beginners. Training takes place on Monday morning, Wednesday afternoon and Sunday evening.
Fencing
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to give fencing a go, you can wield a sword at Stirling University. The three disciplines of sabre, foil and epee are all covered, each with their own subtleties. Sabre is the quickest of the three, and differs in that it is possible to score points with the edge of the blade. In foil, points can only be scored with the tip of the blade. Epee does not use the right-of-way system like the other two disciplines, and uses the entire
body as the target area. Stirling University’s fencing club both enter competitions and run them. Their annual “Stirling Sword” held in the Gannochy is one of the biggest events in the country, and is growing every year. Competitors travel from all over the world to compete in each of the three disciplines, and it’s fair to say competition is fierce. The club offers specialised coaching dedicated to improving technique on Wednesday evenings, general practice on Friday evenings, and some fitness coaching followed by more fencing practice on Sunday evenings.
Sport
34 Brig | September 2016
Table tennis looking to build
Stirling golfers a cut above the competition
Matthew Moffatt
Brig sports editor Harry McArthur reports on a successful summer for the university golf
Following on from a hugely successful couple of seasons, Stirling’s table tennis club now have their sights set on making 2016/17 an historic year. This summer, the club secured a sponsorship deal with everybody’s favourite vice, Fubar. The deal is monumental for the club, and will be paramount in achieving success this year. Aiming for a record number of members and winning the BUCS title are just two ambitionsfor the year ahead. Alongside this, the club aim to have their first ever ball at the end of the year, as well as hosting their annual ceilidh in November. The sponsorship deal is the first of its kind in recent times for table tennis. This boost in funds will help to cover the cost of travel to BUCS events, a coaching fee and new equipment for the club. The achievement of securing a sponsorship deal also confirms table tennis’ long term goal of being a fully-fledged sports club, with serious intent and desire to compete at the highest level.
With increasing numbers over the last three years, club President Leon Healy has confidently stated that he “fully expects to break the previous membership record”. Although this won’t be known for definite until next month, it shows the thriving popularity of a once small club.
Most important, however, is the upcoming BUCS league. After an improved showing last season they are hoping to again progress and challenge for the BUCS title. The club have been boosted with the arrival of Scottish national team member, Jason Fleming. Described as having “the best forehand I’ve ever seen” by Healy, he brings quality and composure to the team. Coupling this with the extra weekly training sessions and the appointment of a coach, the club has every right to be going into the new season brimming with confidence. Speaking to Brig, Healy said: “The club has now become a family. We all have such a good relationship and plenty of banter together.” This year, the club is targeting a packed social calendar, with monthly themed socials, a Ceilidh fundraiser, Christmas party and their very first ball at the end of the year. These events will help to put the club firmly on the map and attract new members and can only surely increase team spirit. This is sure to be the most exciting year yet for Stirling table tennis, both competitively and socially. The club now have all the attributes to become a huge success and a real force within BUCS. If you are interested in being a part of this, Table Tennis will have a stall at the sports fayre and all information is online on the Student Union website. All abilities are welcome, so why not stop by their stall and give it a go?
SPORTING SNAPSHOTS A selection of the best of the action from last year, courtesy of Hannah McNicol
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ast year, both Stirling’s men’s and women’s golf teams came up trumps and took home the gold at the European University Games. There was a lot of expectation lying on Stirling shoulders heading into this year’s competition in Croatia; and neither team disappointed.
The Stirling outfit travelled to Zagreb for the 2016 tournament. Each team’s competition would be played across four days, on Ladanjski Klub’s 18 hole golf course, a par 72 course, with humid and windy conditions. The men representing Stirling were Laird Sheppard, Andrew Davidson, Chris MacLean, Sean Walter and Alasdair Wilson. The men played magnificently and again clinched the gold medal. After a relatively slow start to the competition the team grew stronger with each passing day. The first day ended with the team nine strokes off the pace and sitting in fifth place. After the second day’s events the team had leapfrogged into fourth place, ahead of the Serbian University of Novi Sad. However, they still found themselves eight strokes behind and not yet holding a podium position. At the end of the third day the team still sat in fourth position, but the gap between the Stirling
Members of the golf team celebrate their success in the Croatian capital. Credit: Jess Morris Sports-Pres (Facebook)
men and the leader was down to just 4 strokes, behind the hosts, the University of Zagreb. The hosts struggled on the last day however, meaning that the University of Ulster was the main threat to Stirling’s hopes of retaining the gold. The final day is where champions are made in golf. It is where the whole team needs to be at the top of their game. The team stepped up on the final day and particularly impressed on the last nine holes, with the team maintaining their composure, swinging excellently and managing to topple their Irish rivals by three strokes. Two of the stars from this team, Laird Sheppard and Chris MacLean, both earned individual bronze medals for their efforts in the Men’s Individual competition. A story with the same outcome but a very different process to the men saw the women (the terrific trio of Gemma Batty, Jennifer Saxton and Sinead Sexton) lead the pack and maintain pole position for the entire tournament. returning home to Scotland
after being crowned European Champions for the second year running. Despite all three women playing terrific golf, the one who stole the spotlight was the marvellous Gemma Batty, who was a step ahead of the competition. She played all four days at the peak of her form, and only one day saw Batty bested by a fellow competitor. This stupendous effort, combined with the consistency of golf put in from her two teammates, left the opposing universities in the wake of Stirling’s Women’s team. It appeared on paper to be a narrow victory, a mere three strokes separating Stirling from Scottish rivals St Andrews, but it was in actual fact just a brave effort on day four from the St Andrews team, as nobody was going to catch Stirling when they were in this type of form. The acclaimed Batty did not stop her high levels of performance in the group events; she went on to earn a second gold medal of the University Games in the Women’s Individual Golf, meaning she had earned two European Championship Gold medals in the space of a week.
For the second year in a row, it has been a standout year for Stirling’s incredibly talented golfing team, extraordinarily recording their second consecutive gold medal in both the men’s and women’s events. Topping it off with an individual gold, from Gemma Batty and a joint bronze medal from Laird Sheppard and Chris MacLean, it was another memorable year. The players have competed in numerous tournaments since and have momentum swinging in their favour for the Stirling International Tournament, which is the last competition they will compete in before returning and resuming their studies at the university.
The final day is where champions are made in golf. It is where the whole team needs to be at the top of their game.
Sport
35 Brig | September 2016
Former Stirling student eyes Rio after Wimbledon double
Andrew Baxter
G
ordon Reid has had a fantastic couple of years. With success in both
Credit: rio.paralympics.org.uk
the wheelchair singles and wheelchair doubles, he is forging his legacy in tennis history.
There are few better players in the world right now than Reid. His world
ranking of number two in the singles is accompanied by his number one doubles ranking. This dominance across both formats of the game has seen him rack up Grand
Slam victory after Grand Slam victory. In the doubles, Reid hasn’t failed to qualify for a Grand Slam final since Wimbledon 2014. During that time, he has picked
up two French Open titles, a US Open title, and of course the Wimbledon title this year. Partnered with Alfie Hewett, they beat the French pairing of Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Piefer 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, to round off a sensational summer for British tennis. In the singles, Reid has reached the final of all three Grand Slams so far. A victory in the Australian Open final was followed up by a narrow defeat in the French Open, but his memorable Wimbledon win saw him win the first ever wheelchair singles championship at SW19. Reid didn’t drop a set throughout the entire tournament, and beat Sweden’s Stefan Olsson in straight sets to carry on this dominance. Reid will now travel to Rio for the Paralympics, and a chance to get his first Paralympic gold medal. He missed out at London 2012, losing to the Dutch player Maikel Scheffers,
but with four years more experience under his belt, there is no reason to suggest that Reid won’t leave the Games without a medal. At just 24 years of age, too, Reid has a long career still ahead of him, and in his current vein of form there is every suggestion that he may become the most decorated British tennis player in history. His story is another example of the success that Scottish tennis is enjoying at the minute. Andy Murray is the poster-boy for this success, clinching his second Wimbledon title this summer, but the likes of Jamie Murray have also been successful in recent years. After a successful Olympics for Stirling University, Reid – a former student at Scotland’s university for sporting excellence – will be looking to continue that trend into the Paralympics this September.
What will the Rio 2016 legacy be? Sophie Middleton
S
candal, political difficulties and fake robbery claims all threatened to overshadow the magnificent sporting spectacle taking place in Rio this year. . When, in 2009, it was announced that Brazil would be hosting the Olympics, there was
an element of worldwide uncertainty. With all the troubles the country has faced following the announcement, the question remains; what will the legacy be following Rio 2016?
Only three days into the Olympic games and scandal hit with the Namibian flag bearer being arrested on sexual assault claims. To add insult to injury, ticket sales were low fol-
lowing the political unrest and recession into which the country fell shortly after being awarded the Olympics. Transport being impossible to navigate and the athletes village being uninhabitable added to the farce that was this year’s Olympics. With more medals for Team GB than ever before, in more events than ever before, it was proclaimed as a triumph by British news outlets. Can we really attribute
the medals to the Rio atmosphere or is this still a triumph of the London Olympics and the ability for our athletes to ‘inspire a generation?’ With athletes such as sixteen-yearold, Amy Tinkler winning medals for their country, it is possible that the feats they were able to witness just four years ago inspired them. With Paralympic athletes being told they will be affected by the lack of money remaining after
the Olympics went over budget, leaving many athletes from being able to travel to compete, there is a distinct threat to the Paralympic legacy. Ticket sales for Paralympic events are at a worrying low, with only 12% having been sold to date. With two million tickets available for around £2.35 each, this is an unprecedented failure by the organisers. When you compare this to the London Paralympics, with 2.7 million tickets
sold breaking Paralympic records, it’s clear the problems lie with both spectators and organisers.
Sport Scotland's sporting excellence shines at Rio Olympics Craig Wright Sports Editor
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tirling University lived up to its reputation as Scotland’s university for sporting excellence this summer, with four of its students representing their country at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Duncan Scott led the way for the university’s Olympians. In his debut Olympics, the 19-year-old from Glasgow was one of the breakout stars of Great Britain’s swimming team. An outstanding performance in the 100m freestyle saw him take a wellearned fifth position, but it was in the relays where Scott enjoyed his greatest success. In a race where the field was wide-open, Scott anchored the British 4x100m medley relay squad to a silver medal behind the USA and the great Michael Phelps in what was a magnificent team effort. It was the 4x200m freestyle relay that provided perhaps the highlight of the Games for Stirling University. Along with Scott, Robbie Renwick and Stephen Milne made it three Stirling swimmers on the podium as they helped their team take second place behind the USA once again, making
Four Stirling Swimmers Credit: Stirling Observer
it a silver-tinted Games for the university’s swimmers. Ross Murdoch was unfortunately unable to match his club-mates’ feats, narrowly missing out on the final of the 100m breaststroke. However, he can be pleased with his showing at his debut Olympics, before turning his attention to Tokyo in four years’ time. A brace of Andys also provided the local area with reason to cheer. Flag-bearer at the opening ceremony, Andy Murray was in Rio to defend his Olympic title and nothing else would suffice in the mind of the Wimbledon champion. In one of the all-time great Olympic tennis finals, Murray produced an epic display to overcome the challenge of Juan Martin del Potro, the big Argentine’s forehand – and vocal support – not enough to deny Murray a second gold medal of his career. Meanwhile, Andrew Butchart gave us a tantalising glimpse of what might
Credit: www.mirror.co.uk
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lie ahead in his career. The Central Athletics Club member had already exceeded expectations by qualifying for the 5,000m final, where many observers expected him to be overshadowed by his illustrious team-mate Mo Farah. However, Butchart ran the race of his life. Whilst unable to keep in touch with Farah, Ethiopia’s Hegos Gebrihewet and Bernard Lagat of the USA when it came to deciding the medal positions, a fourth place finish is a remarkable achievement for the 24-year-old Butchart, and hints at a bright future. It will be for the feats of Scott, Renwick, Milne and Murdoch that Rio 2016 will be remembered to Stirling’s swimming team, however. And with eyes now turning to Tokyo, who knows what lies in store over the next four years?
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