gair rhydd Monday September 27 2010 | freeword – Est. 1972 | Issue 929
FREE INSIDE: The pudding issue Quench satisfies your sweet tooth <<plus the latest film, music and culture Inside this week:
Trouble ahead? With the arrival of Freshers’ Week, tension rises as Cardiff residents raise concern over anti-social behaviour and waste management. News, page 4
And so it begins Our resident columnist offers his own insight into the debauchery of Freshers’ Week Columnist, page 10
Media blackout Opinion discusses the situation in Pakistan and analyses the reasons why the floods appear to have dropped off the media radar Opinion, page 8
American dream? After the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq Politics counts the cost of ‘victory’ and thinks about the future situation Politics, page 15
Student stereotype
Can’t get no satisfaction Pippa Lewis News Editor Medical students at Cardiff are the least satisfied with their course in the United Kingom, according to the findings of the National Student Survey (NSS). Only 58% of students are satisfied with the overall quality of their course compared to an average of 82% across the UK. While many are satisfied with the quality of teaching - 89% of students find the course intellectually challenging - satisfaction levels with feedback and assessment are worryingly low with just six percent of students claiming that feedback on assessment has been prompt and 12% claiming that the
feedback provided on work has help to clarify the things which students did not understand. The management and organization of the course has also come under fire in the recent survey, with just 20% of students feeling that the course is well managed and running smoothly. Laura Shapcott, a second year medical student at Cardiff University said: “As far as I’m concerned the course is well structured, the only thing which lets Cardiff down is the late, contradicting and sometimes complete lack of communication about what is expected of us for assignments, which leaves students confused and unsure of what to do and whose advice to follow.” Professor Paul Morgan, Dean, of the Cardiff School of Medicine has
expressed his disappointment in the satisfaction levels found in the survey and has said that it is his “fixed intention is to put Cardiff School of Medicine at the top of this and every other quality measure of medical education.” Sarah Ingram, Academic and University Affairs Officer said of the findings: “While it is obviously disappointing that final year Medicine students have not been satisfied with the course, these were the last group of students who have been directly affected by the merger [between Cardiff University and the University of Wales College of Medicine in 2004] and the shifts relating to that. Oliver Luton, the Healthcare Integration Officer has echoed this sentiment. He told gair rhydd: “It
is to be remembered that these students have been in the middle of the organisational re-shuffle and after the marking errors of last year’s examinations many students have a right to feel confused and have queries about the course.” The NSS results have however also revealed that 86% of final year undergraduates are satisfied with the quality of their course. This result is an increase on last year’s 85% and above the average of 82% for both Wales and the UK. Cardiff was rated the best in the UK for four subjects, dentistry, opthalmics, pharmacy and biomedical science. In all, approval rates of over 90% was scored in 22 subjects, covering the humanities, science, engineering, healthcare and the professions.
After the recent article published in The Guardian, Features delve through the evidence to get to the bottom of the ‘messy student’ stereotype Features, pages 18-19
What’s the idea? Our Science Editor introduces us to Nanotechnology and gives an insight into its future importance Science and Environment, page 20
The Word On... Sport give you The Word On the Commonwealth Games and whether any top British athletes will be competing Sport, page 27 And more, in Wales’ number one independent student newspaper