www.thecourieronline.co.uk Monday 18 November 2013 Issue 1280 Free
DOUBLE TROUBLE Charming chat from sectarian violence to sausage rolls p.12
The Independent Voice of Newcastle Students
WHICH DOCTOR? p.28
Est 1948
CATCHING FIRE p.29
Fresh Meat taste success
By Sabine Kucher Deputy News Editor Voter turnout rose to record levels at last week’s NUSU elections with nearly 7600 votes cast, more than doubling last year’s figure of 2,899. In total 11.6% of students chose their favourites for 6 different positions. NUSU’s President Calum Mackenzie commented: “It’s been such a great turnout this year, an improvement on last year.” “It’s really important that people vote. It’s one of two opportunities in the year to have your say in how the Union’s run.” With the closing of the polls students had elected 4 new part-time officers and 5 delegates to represent Newcastle at the upcoming NUS Conference in Liverpool. They also voted a new team of Freshers’ Week Organisers in - only 2 months after the last teams ran the most successful Freshers’ Week at NUS. The Junior Returning Officer Lindsey Lockey opened what would be a night of celebration for the winners by announcing the results for all the uncontested races. Karan Wadhwani was elected as Com-
munity Officer, Jack Burton as Convenor of Debates and Varunkumar Virani will be addressing racism Racial Equality Officer. Defying expectations, the previously vacant position of Postgraduate Officer was the most hotly contested race with four candidates competing for the post. A clear winner only emerged after the 3rd round of eliminations which see the weakest can“There have didate knocked been a lot out and their votof sleepless ers’ second and nights this third preferences week when reallocated. Speaking to we were out e Courier dicampaigning, Th after the but now it feels rectly an n ou n c e m e nt like all that Postgraduate Ofhard work has ficer-elect Achint Soni said: “I’m paid off” really glad that I won and I hope to be there for all the postgrads this year.” He already has concrete plans, too, and when asked which policy he wanted to make reality first, he stated: “Definitely trying to get a jobs fair for the smaller
companies in the north east because I don’t think they get their voice heard at the University.” The candidates for NUS Delegate went head to head in the race with three of them tied for first place after the first round. Luckily, there were 5 positions to represent Newcastle at the annual NUS Conference and Emily Horswill, Jocelyn Hickey, Joel Cave, Joshua Arad, and Luke Neal were elected. The race that attracted the most interest and saw the highest number of votes cast and some very creative campaigns was announced last to keep the audience on their feet. The Freshers’ Week Organisers for 2014 are going to be Fresh Meat, who were overjoyed and fell into each other’s arms. Emil Franchi spoke for the entire team when he thanked their supporters and said: “There have been a lot of sleepless nights this week when we were out campaigning, but now it feels like all that hard work has paid off. “We really want to make Freshers’ Week more appealing to international students and others who have not been as involved in the past and really, we want to make it the best one yet.”
Police try student union infiltration By Anna Templeton News Editor
Police have attempted to spy on the political activities of students at Cambridge University by attempting to recruit an informer. A political activist in his 20s was approached by police and asked to inform on his fellow students in exchange for money. In order to expose the surveillance of students, the activist wore a hidden camera to the meeting to record the officer asking him about the political activities of undergraduates and other students. The officer asked the student to name other who were planning protests, to list the vehicles they were travelling to demonstrations in, and to identify leaders of the protests. He also asked the activist to look on Facebook and search for plans
for the latest protests. The activist asked whether a group known as Cambridge Defend Education, which has protested against tuition fees and education cuts, would be of interest. The officer replied: “That’s the sort of thing that we would be looking for. Again, basic sort of stuff. It’s all the internet. “When they have meetings and they are discussing what they are going to do, that’s when we’ll say: ‘Will you go along?’” The student believes he was asked because he had been an active member of environmental and anti-nuclear groups. He had also been arrested three times on demonstrations, although never charged. The officer, whilst attempting to persuade the activist, advised him not to “think too deeply” about informing on his fellow campaigners as he might “tie himself up in knots.”