Cardiff Our time
Contents 4-5. Chapter One A look at the early years 2009-10 6-7. Chapter Two Reflecting on the middle years 2010-11 8-9. Chapter Three Fond memories of the final days 2011-12 12-13. Chapter Four A timeline of world events 14-15. Chapter Five Cardiff in pictures 16-17. Chapter Six The Cardiff Campus Awards 2012 20-21. Chapter Seven The biggest names in Cardiff alumni & Some of your lasting memories 22-23. Chapter Eight Did you do? & The Honor Roll
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You made it! The road has been long, hard and unrelenting. There have probably been times when you’ve stared out of that library window, gazing into the abyss of looming examinations and deadlines. You might have even considered giving up. Well you didn’t, you made it, and you can now proudly boast to be a Cardiff University’ graduate and part of their esteemed alumni.
The Students’ Union has put this booklet together to offer one last surge of nostalgia, along with our final farewell. Whether it was your first night in halls, the memorable tutorial where you had neglected to do the work or those result night’s celebrations, we’ve all had some fond memories along the way. Hold on to these memories as they may aid you in the difficulties that the real world will throw up.
Have a cracking graduation, enjoy yourself and make the folks proud!
Sincerely, your friends at
Cardiff Students’ Union
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Chapter One: The early years 2009 - 2010
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ou may just remember the uproar in the rugby community after gair rhydd revealed what really goes on during their initiation ceremonies‌ The Engineering (ENGIN) rugby team came under fire in December 2009 after it was rumoured that some of their players had contracted food poisoning following their initiation ceremony. Despite ENGIN fiercely denying these accusations, a gair rhydd investigation uncovered photo evidence of various degrees of inappropriate behaviour. Some photos showed players licking milk from a muddy playing field, whilst others depicted food being inserted into the boys’ anuses. It was alleged that this food was then force-fed to Freshers. The outrage continued on gairrhydd.com, as members of the team staunchly defended their initiation antics. The team claimed that the alleged food poisoning came from a meal that some members had eaten in the Trevithick refectory, but further investigation from gair rhydd found that this was not the case. ENGIN rugby maintained their view that sports teams are entitled to do as they please, however, in the wake of the media attention on initiation ceremonies around the country (such as Northumbria below), the story called into question how far some teams are willing to go.
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Overcrowding in libraries became a big issue during the exam period. Students working in the Julian Hodge 24-hour computer room (the only 24-hour library at the time) complained of severe overcrowding during the exam period. Reports emerged of students having to queue throughout the day in order to have access to the library facilities, whilst others were forced to move out into the corridors and the Julian Hodge cafe to do their work due to the shortage of space and computers. More recently changes in library opening hours, which began with a trial but is now standard across University libraries, have increased the opening hours and reduced the overcroweding which was commonplace a few years ago.
The gair rhydd revealed the truth about how Sabbatical Officers’ spend the Union’s money. In November 2009, gair rhydd obtained the expenses list of the 2008/09 Sabbatical Team and found that several dubious claims were made during their period in office. It emerged that the Sabbatical Team had filed various questionable claims over the year, including spending an extortionate £7,507 of the Union’s budget on food and drink. Members of the Sabbatical Team were also given certain privileges which cost the Union money. These included guest tickets for various Union events and a VIP bar at the Summer Ball, at which guests enjoyed £97 worth of free drinks. This caused the following Sabbatical Team to launch a review into expenses, and at year end, they had managed to reduce their expenditure by 50% compared to the previous team, a figure which has continued to drop in recent years.
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Chapter Two: The middle years 2010 - 2011
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tudent tuition fees were a big issue during 2010, and were reported heavily by gair rhydd as the whole debate unfolded. Following the publishing of the Browne report a Students’ Union Emergency Members Meeting was called, where students voted to pass a motion to fight against increased tuition fees and cuts to higher education. What followed was a student movement of direct action in London and Cardiff to demonstrate against higher University tuition fees. Students travelled to London to take part in the NUS and UCU demo, and gair rhydd were able to provide a first-hand account of the violence that tainted the event. gair rhydd was also present when Cardiff students occupied a lecture theatre in the main University building as part of a national day of action against cuts. They were the only press allowed inside the occupied lecture theatre, and were able to provide in-depth analysis of the occupation through interviews, twitter and video coverage. Now as we stand on the brink of the introduction of higher fees the effects on university are still unclear and will likely take many years to be fully analysed. The Students’ Union have spent most of this year fighting for better facilities and resources for all students, many of whom will arrive next year paying £9,000-a-year for their degrees, rather than opposing the political changes directly. More direct action looks set to happen in 201213 as NUS start to plan action in London to maintain pressure on politicians and universities in the new fee system.
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In October gair rhydd for the first time revealed the shocking losses made by the 2010 Summer Ball prompting the Students’ Union to evaluate the event. They were able to exclusively reveal that the initial plans for the 2011 Summer Ball were cancelled due to the previous year’s event making record losses of £58,775. Following this announcement, the Students’ Union then began planning for a new end of term event, which came in the form of the May Ball. This was a jointly organised event by the Students’ Union and the University. However, much controversy surrounded the date of the event: placed on the eve of the spring examination period. In June, gair rhydd was given access to the figures from the May Ball event, and reported on a second year of losses amounting to £30,000. The concept of the Summer Ball was scrapped and a new event was built from the ground up for the future known as the Dusk Til Dawn Ball, it’s intention merely to break even, but in fact managed to turn a modest profit.
A shocking story from last year were the reports of students being charged for extra tuition in the Business School (CarBS). A gair rhydd investigation revealed that two tutors were advertising their services online, promising to give students inside knowledge of how exam papers were marked. The Business School was led to re-think their policy on extra tuition for CarBS students following the response to the article which in gair rhydd and the subsequent debate on gairrhydd. com.
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Chapter Three: The final years 2010 - 2011
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his is the final year for our current Vice-Chancellor (VC), Dr David Grant, who will soon be leaving Cardiff University. This did not, however, hold him above criticism, as gair rhydd managed to reveal that the University were paying a shocking £18,000 on a painting of the departing VC. This, on the back of a new £765,000 house purchased for the incoming VC Professor Colin Riordan, makes it a very expensive changing of the guard.
Many of you may still have fond memories of your first year accommodation, whether you were in Talybont or Senghennydd Court. The landscape of University halls are always changing and this year saw significant developments at Talybont with the refurbishment of Talybont Social with its new social space, and the planned development of the new Talybont Gate hall of accommodation to be built at the furthest end of the Talybont site next year. However not all the changes were positive, residents at University Halls saw the closure of their bar and the continuing decay of sports facilities at the site. Following a gair rhydd exposé of residents who came to University Halls based on the facilities that it was advertised to include (a bar and sports facilities), the University held a consultation period which concluded with plans to knock down the current bar and redevelop it into a new social space for students next year.
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The year ended in sporting success as Cardiff took a double-win at Varsity, by not only winning the shield but also by beating Swansea in the rugby for the first time in three years. Some 15,662 Cardiff and Swansea students crowded into the Millennium Stadium to see the thrilling rugby conclusion of the day, making it the biggest Varsity ever. With Varsity planned to remain in Cardiff for the next two years, the annual event looks only to continue growing in size and competition with Swansea.
With previous end of year events having lost some £90,000 in two years, the pressure for a profitable (or break even!) end of year event was higher than ever this year. Following a brief flirt with the concept of the May Ball and subsequent unsuccessful one-day sale for the event, plans were scrapped and a new event was built. The Dusk Til Dawn Ball took the shape of an all-night event held at the Students’ Union complete with breakfast for those who could make it through till the morning. An undoubted success as the sell-out event saw tickets fetching upwards of £40 for resale on Facebook in the days leading up to the event. These developments have surely seen a fresh start for end of year events at Cardiff University, and hopefully a night that students will see as a befitting sign-off from Cardiff.
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A Timeline of world events
2009
January 3rd – Israeli-Palestinian conflict (After more than a week of intense air strikes, Israeli troops crossed the border into Gaza, launching a ground war against the militant Palestinian group) June 25th – Michael Jackson dies (lifelong musician, pop singer, and superstar, dies at age 50 before he can start his ‘This Is It’ tour) November 24th – Opening of the Chilcot Enquiry (Enquiry begins to establish the nature of the UK’s involvement in Iraq and the grounds for doing so) Winter 2009 – Coldest winter for 31 years (snow sweeps the nation as temperatures drop to -22.3C in places.) April 14th – Ash cloud halts Europe (Ash from eruptions beneath Eyjafjallajökull disrupt flights across Europe) October 13th – Chilean miners rescued! (33 miners trapped for more than 2 months in Chile rescued, all are safe)
April 26th – Swine flu epidemic (by this point over 103 people dead in Mexico as world prepares for much worse) August 16th – Susan Boyle appears on X-Factor (Susan Boyle does her famous X-Factor audition of ‘Les Miserables,’ launching her into worldwide fame) December 18th – Avatar released (‘Avatar’ by James Cameron of ‘Titanic’ fame is released and becomes the biggest grossing film in history making over $2 billion world wide)
2010 April – Apple Launches the iPad (A new generation of tablet computer, by the end of 2010 14.8 million have been sold, representing 75% of the tablet computer market) November 10th – 52,000 students march (Student from across the country march in London to protest fee increases and university budget cuts. Media focus their attention on the occupation of Milbank Tower, which is damaged by the protestors. 352 Cardiff students attended) December 9th – £9000 fees (the Coalition government votes to raise the maximum tuition fee threshold to £9000 for 2012-13, 323 votes to 302)
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January 14th – Beginning of the ‘Arab Spring’ (Tunisian government falls after months of protests, demonstrating to other countries and notably Egypt that they can do the same)
2011
February 11th – The Egyptian Revolution succeeds! (Arab spring sweeps into Egypt and after huge demonstrations in Tahrir square, President Hosni Mubarak resigns) April 29th – A Royal Celebration (an estimated 2 billion people tune in for the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton) October 5th – Steve Jobs dies (The Co-founder and former Chief Executive of Apple who brought us the iPod, iPhone, iPad and so much more succumbs to pancreatic cancer, fans and supporters around the world hold vigils at Apple stores around the world)
March 11th – A Dark day for Japan (A 9.1-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit the east of Japan, killing over 15,000 and leaving another 8,000 missing) May 1st – Osama bin Laden killed (President Obama announces that the head of Al-Qaeda has been killed during a military operation, many suspect the ‘kill order’ was given)
2012
February 11th - Whitney Houston dies aged 48 (Substance abuse put an end to one of the greatest musicians of all time)
May 18th - Facebook floats on the US stock market (The social networking site with over 900 million users floated at $100 bn. Share valuations however dropped upon floatation, with many critics stating the valuation had been over-optimistic)
June 2nd - 5th - The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II (A historic event which marked 60 years of the Queens reign) July 4th - God particle found? (Scientists state they are 99.999% sure that they have captured the elusive ‘God particle’ that gives matter mass and holds the physical fabric of the universe together)
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The Cardiff Campus Awards ‘12 We break down the winners of the coveted campus awards, rating the very best student places in Cardiff.
Best late night food This was perhaps the most fiercely contested category. Many of you will have changed allegiances over the years, whether it was Family Fish bar or a stint with T&As, however our true love has been and will always be Mama Mia’s chicken house. Meal Deal 3: 5 chicken strips, chips & a drink – what more could you ever want?
Best hangover haunt Easy. Cafe 37. It’s nearly impossible to get a seat in there on a Sunday morning, it’s that popular. With a cafe 37 breakfast you feel that you’re getting the filthy fry-up that your body so desperately needs, but without the uber grease of a Ramones.
Best sandwich house Cathays is littered with these things, and is one of the key reasons for our ever dwindling student loans. We’re torn here because most of us have remained loyal to one throughout our time. Having collected feedback however, no account rivals that of Kappacuino’s moist brownies, superb double filled baguettes and salad bowls filled to the brim. Everyone has their own sandwich haunt, but Kappacuino’s has done the students of Cardiff proud.
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Best Pub
I know I know, we work in the SU and the Taf is in the SU, but we’re going to have to give this award to the Taf. The place was struggling last year, however the introduction of £1.49 pints, 3D-TV, live music and club incentives has sparked the most successful year the Taf has ever seen.
Best date venue
Having researched this thoroughly we can quite honestly say that you fellas don’t really bother with dates do you? And the ones that do, stop taking girls to curry houses! The winner of this category in a slightly quirky fashion is that of Milgi Lounge over on City Road due to its cracking cocktails and the chance to converse in a yurt.
Best road to live on
A mere drunken stumble back from town, with kebab central on your doorstep. Salisbury Road offers amenities for all walks of life whether you’re a fresh-faced second year or a hardened PHd veteran.
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Joining the Alumni As you will shortly be joining the long list of Cardiff Alumni we look back at some of the big names who you will be joining. Huw Edwards – BAFTA awardwinning journalist, presenter and newsreader. Huw graduated with a First-Class honours degree in French from University College, Cardiff, in 1983.
Dame Mary Lesley Perkins – Co-founder of Specsavers and was reported in 2011 to be worth £1.15 billion. Nathan Cleverly – Welsh professional boxer and current WBO light heavyweight world champion. He graduated with a BSc in Mathematics from Cardiff University in 2010. Adrian Chiles – British television and radio presenter who currently works for ITV presenting football coverage. Chiles studied journalism at Cardiff.
Ricky Martin – recent winner of The Apprentice 2012, Ricky landed the prestigious prize of a partnership with Lord Alan Sugar along with an investment of up to £250,000. - 18 -
General Sir David Julian Richards – Having graduated from University College, Cardiff, in 1974 with a degree in International relations, Sir David is the current Chief of Defence staff, the professional head of the British armed forces.
Cardiff: Your lasting memory?
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Celebrating my 21st birthday in Cardiff with all of my friends from uni and reading their cards and realising what amazing people I have met whilst being at Cardiff - Flick Rew
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Standing side by side with Cardiff fans in the Millennium stadium on Varsity match day, cheering the rugby team on and reminding Swansea fans that they are the best of the clearing students! - Kieran Gandhi
My fondest memories just come from the people I met during my time at Cardiff, whether they’re now close friends or people I met once, as they all contributed to the memories I’ll take away with me and the person I have become at the end of it all. - Charlie Taylor
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Drunken night walks with housemates to feed the swans at Roath lake after nights at the pub! - Cath Mackintosh
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Being part of the American Football team that went to the National championships in Leeds and beat Hull 20-0 in the final. It was a great feeling of achievement for a well established but niche sport - James Fooks - 19 -
Did you do? Cardiff is a great city and three years isn’t really enough time to enjoy all it has to offer, so here are our top 6 things to come back to Cardiff for. 1. Winter Wonderland Cardiff at it’s most beautiful. Lit up with glowing blue lights, the sounds of ice skating in the air and groups huddled round drinking mulled wine. 2. Millenium Stadium Named the seventh sporting wonder of the world, the Millenium Stadium certainly holds its title well. With a capacity of nearly 75,000 it doesn’t matter if you’re watching Varsity or the Cardiff Blues, surely this is the venue you want to be at. 3. Cardiff Castle A place best visited during one of the many events run throughout the year. While on any normal day the Castle is somewhat sparse in its offerings, come to the Great British Cheese Festival or one of the many reenactments they perform and find a Castle transformed. 4. Cardiff Bay A stunning vista with a number of fine dinning establishments. However venture beyond the confines of the touristy hub of restaurants and you will discover the circular walk around the barrage. Certainly a considerable walk (around 6 miles in total), however along the way you will not only see parts of the bay you’ve never seen before, but you will also learn about Captain Scott of the Terra Nova who in 1910 set off from Cardiff Bay on his ill-fated journey to the South Pole. 5. Castell Coch Best enjoyed by foot (or bike) along the Taf Trail. Take a leisurly walk down the river until you arrive at a picturesque Castle on the hillside. 6. Roath Lake Unless you lived at University Halls you may have never come across Roath Park and its Lake, but it truely is a gem to behold. Hire a rowing boat for a very reasonable price and go scare some swans for the day.
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The Honor Roll 2012 The Honour Roll 2012 has been awarded to Rachel Egan. The Students’ Union Honour Roll is a unique award that recognises one student who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution throughout their time at University, to enhancing the lives of other Cardiff students and members of the local community whilst overcoming significant challenges in order to do so. There were a number of nominations of very a high calibre, which shows the dedication that many Cardiff students have to their extracurricular activities. The nominees were shortlisted by a panel comprised of elected officers of the Students’ Union and then the eventual winner was selected by an independent external trustee of the Union. It was a very tough decision, but Rachel’s work in student welfare has been outstanding. She is the founder of ‘Student-Run Self-Help (SRSH) Cardiff’ and has also been the coordinator of the Cardiff Mental Wealth Society. She has worked tirelessly, whilst overcoming significant personal challenges, to put on events, such as, amongst others, ‘Self-Harm Awareness Day’ and ‘Eating Disorder Awareness Week’ in order to improve the wellbeing of Cardiff students. Her dedication and passion for improving the lives of students and those in the community is obvious to anyone who meets her.
Cardiff Students’ Union
Edited by Oliver Smith Photography by Nick Matthew With thanks to Nick and Sarah Halpin A Cardiff Student Media Publication. - 23 -