InQuire 15.7

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University of Kent Claudia Parker: Religion and me evacuates students in China in thick of ‘high risk’ Coronavirus Exclusive

By Iqra Ahsan News Sub-Editor Nationwide universities have come together to understand the coronavirus outbreak. First detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, the virus is now recorded to have spread to a global level, with the WHO to have classified the virus as a ‘high risk’ to the global population.

The University of Kent is aware of the ongoing epidemic and has advised all students and staff to postpone study, research, and work-related travel to the region.

There is an online page on the official website which is updated regularly to provide student and staff with information about the virus.

Posters describing methods in which students can lower the risk of contracting the virus or any illness have been placed in various places around the campus to raise awareness of the situation, including Templeman Library.

Additionally, the University has contacted students who were studying in China for their exchange programmes and requested their evacuation from the region. The University stressed the importance for the students to upkeep their hygiene and steer clear from Wuhan City.

Two third-year Kent Law students, studying at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, located in Chongqing, which is near Wuhan City were advised to return back to the UK. The student admitted that it was “hectic in the region” and is glad to be back home.

The University also suggested that the students refrain from going back to the host university for the rest of

the academic term.

Regarding disruptions in studies, the University recommended that the students complete the rest of their credits at Kent. Arrangements for this transition are currently being made.

“Your campus, your voice” Friday 14 Feburary 2020 15.7

Here is the real reason I left Mormonism

Chinese students victims of racist slurs and behaviours However, for international students from China that are currently situated in Canterbury, the story is different.

InQuire got in touch with a student who has been in contact with individuals of the University who have fallen victim to racist slurs and behaviour.

Chinese students are “worried about the situation”, apart from the virus they are more worried about how they are viewed in the city. The source claimed that they have several friends who faced discrimination in Canterbury simply for wearing a mask to protect themselves.

The assumption that Asians, specifically the ones who wear a mask in order to protect themselves, have contracted the Coronavirus is prevalent in Kent.

Moreover, the University has been eerily silent on the issue in regard to Chinese students returning from their home country. This silence has been noted by the Chinese students, especially in light of the Chinese New Year’s Gala held on 27 January.

The general consensus is that students feel that the University is not supporting Chinese students as much as they should ideally be doing so. A single email that was sent to all Kent students has failed to suffice the attention that the Chinese students feel this pressing issue needs, claims the student.

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Photo by Aslan Ntumba Ozer

“I felt as if my biggest acheivement in life would be getting married to a Mormon boy. I felt worthless and insecure.” Page 12

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Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

News Meet the team Committee Editor-in-Chief George Knight editor @inquiremedia.co.uk

Newspaper Editor Bill Bowkett newspaper.editor@inquiremedia.co.uk

Website Editor Caitlin Casey website.editor@inquiremedia.co.uk

Head of Photography Aslan Ntumba Ozer photography@inquiremedia.co.uk

Head of Design Syan Bateman design@inquiremedia.co.uk

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Editorial Jeanne Bigot Newspaper News Editor newspaper.news@inquiremedia.co.uk

Alejandro Javierre Website News Editor website.news@inquiremedia.co.uk

Lucy O’Brien Newspaper Opinion Editor newspaper.opinion@inqiremedia.co.uk

Josh West Website Opinion Editor website.opinion@inquiremedia.co.uk

Ellie Fielding Newspaper Features Editor features@inquiremedia.co.uk

Emily Reagan Website Features Editor website.fetures@inquiremedia.co.uk

Blue-Belle Kulpa Newspaper Lifestyle Editor newspaper.lifestyle@inquiremedia.co.uk

Sabrina Latchman Website Lifestyle Editor website.lifestyle@inquiremedia.co.uk

Rory Bathgate Newspaper Entertainment Editor newspaper.entertainment @inquiremedia.co.uk

Emily Webb-Mortimer Website Entertainment Editor website.entertainment @inquiremedia.co.uk

Timea Koppandi Newspaper Culture Editor newspaper.culture@inquiremedia.co.uk

Hal Kitchen Website Culture Editor website.culture@inquiremedia.co.uk

James Neil Science and Tech Editor science@inquiremedia.co.uk

Megan Warwick Newspaper Sport Editor & Social Secetary newspaper.sport@inquiremedia.co.uk

Casey Magloire Website Sports Editor website.sport@inquiremedia.co.uk

Joe Acklam Satire Editor

TENSE debate between sabbatical officers over future of Union and NUS

By Tarini Tiwari Writer

On 6 February, Kent Union held a debate to decide whether they should leave or remain in the National Union of Students (NUS).

Within the leave/remain narrative, the debate was riddled with allusions to Brexit and questions of whether leaving the NUS would bring about similar chaos to Kent that Brexit brought to the UK. The “remain” argument was made by Emily Window, Vice-President (Student Engagement). Her opening statement formed the centre of her argument.

She articulated that NUS allows for not just the student voice but the national voice to be heard.

When asked about whether it would be better to stay and reform the NUS or leave, Window replied by explaining that the NUS is currently undergoing a transitional period. They are merging the campaign and charity boards to form one cohesive voice, strengthening their board in the long run.

“There will be a way forward, but sacrifices have to be made,” she said in response to President Sasha Langeveldt asking about inclusivity after cuts were made to representatives.

She was then asked by InQuire’s Editor-in-Chief George Knight, who was moderating, if she thought the NUS provided effective leadership and representation to students, and replied by saying that she feels the NUS helps with issues such as mental health and Erasmus where Parliament needs to be involved, and the annual fee is a small price to pay.

Window found herself being questioned a lot more directly after this point

by Langeveldt. While unsure about what happens at NUS meetings, she said NUS should be trusted.

“If you don’t know as a full-time officer, how can the average student know?” Langeveldt asked, continuing, “If you don’t know what all the things NUS are doing are, how do you know that they’re doing it?”

Window was then asked about the politics of the NUS, answering:

Corrections We will report any inaccurate information published as soon as the error is discovered. Editorial corrections will be printed on this page. For more information, contact George Knight at editor@inquiremedia.co.uk

“I personally haven’t been to a NUS conference, but I have heard that it can be very factional and hostile to people with conflicting opinions.”

Her closing statement argued that without NUS, postgraduate loans would not be feasible, nor would railcards or discounts in town.

“We shouldn’t give that up for the sake of a kitchen,” a direct jab at Langeveldt’s proposition for what could be done with the NUS money.

Her closing statement was met with excited applause from the officers in the audience who had been nodding in

“Students shouldn’t have to ask for transparency, it should be a given.” agreement as she spoke throughout the hour.

Sasha Langeveldt, Students’ Union President, argued to leave the NUS. Her opening statement and the core of her argument was that Kent Union pays around £50,000 a year to the NUS and the student body is not getting its value for money.

She posited that, in staying in the NUS, Kent Union is funding them to “continue their crisis”.

Window’s comment about the debate resembling that of Brexit was met with a sharp retaliation from Langeveldt, telling her that tying herself to the Brexit Remain Campaign was “a cry for pity”.

The question of where the £50,000 would go if Kent Union was to leave was answered with a range of possibilities, from developing the zero-tolerance project to training staff in mental health

awareness or expanding common areas.

When asked about the cost of leaving, Langeveldt said there would be no cost beyond what has already been paid to NUS for the upcoming academic year, but Window rebutted with the argument that £1,200 would be lost on sales of totem cards.

This prompted a dispute as to whether the Totem card system is relevant anymore since students use other discount websites such as UniDays, but Window argued that UniDays collects students’ data and sells it to earn its revenue, making Totem cards a safer option.

“If you have Facebook, your data is being sold anyway,” Langeveldt replied.

Before the floor was opened for questions, Langeveldt was asked how the Union would represent students on a national level if it were to leave.

She cited the Southern Unions’ Conference could be turned into a national voice, and that students working on what they are passionate about would attract the press.

She said that the NUS do not come to campus enough and leaving would not mean any less representation than the University already receives.

This was refuted by an officer in the audience who claimed that she had benefited hugely from the training she received from NUS. Omolade Adedapo, Vice-President (Welfare and Community), asked Langeveldt how student community projects would be supported if not for NUS. Sasha responded by citing the privilege that officers have had by being close to NUS when working on projects such as sex work or equality gaps.

“The average student doesn’t have that privilege; they don’t hear from the NUS.” She was then asked if, rather than leaving, the Union should educate students on its benefits, but Langeveldt replied saying: “Yes, we can tell the average student what NUS does, but if a full-time officer [referring to Window] doesn’t know then how can we teach the students?”

Ms Langeveldt’s closing statement was that the NUS was nowhere to be seen when the University needed a national voice for the people’s vote and that they should have the freedom to use their funds as they please. She was cut off

Mail and Office: Student Media Centre, Above Venue, Kent Union, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NW Additional copies may be found online at issue.com/ inquirelive or on our website www.inquiremedia.co.uk Please report suspicious activity at our distribution racks by emailing marketing@inquiremedia.co.uk. © MMXIX InQuire Media Group, in partnership with the Canterbury Media Group. All rights reserved

“If you don’t know [what the NUS does] as a full-time officer, how can the average student know?” as her minute lapsed, and the applause was far sparser.

The debate was an hour of intense back-and-forth regarding finance, data privacy, Brexit, and transparency. An audience question about whether the £50,000 would be ring-fenced and how it is spent made explicit in the annual budget review was met with: “Yes, if that’s what the students want.”

However, the audience member replied saying “Students shouldn’t have to ask for transparency, it should be a given.”

A referendum on NUS membership will be held alongside Kent Union’s Leadership Elections from Monday 17 February to Friday 21 February.

Corrections •

An article in Lifestyle titled ‘2020: What to look forward to’ had Sara Bell as Fashion-Sub-Editor. Her role is actually Travel Sub-Editor.

•

On the front page of InQuire 15.6, a puff promoting Daneil Eason’s feature had the word Homelessness spelt incorrectly.

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InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

News

“The University is still the European University”

By Iqra Ahsan News Sub-Editor The UK officially left the European Union on 31 January 2020.

Just two weeks into this new era, Kent Union has stressed the importance of its European centres. They held a Solidarity March and filmed a documentary with KMTV highlighting the effects of Brexit and the Student Unions’ fight for a people’s vote.

The Union’s main concern at the moment is the effect this policy change will have on Kent Erasmus students. Vicky Saward-Read, Vice-President of Academic Experience, has confirmed that the status of the Erasmus students is “a conversation they are contributing to as it affects Kent Students more than most”.

The European Solidarity March, organised by Young Europeans and Four our Future’s Sake, was done in order to display unity amongst the affected European students and staff.

A comment from Saward-Read specified that the march was to show “how much European students mean not only to the Union, but to other students and staff too.”

In light of the previous People’s Vote held in 2018, Saward-Read stated that “our students voted for us to campaign for a People’s Vote and I think it is safe to say, we campaigned until the last possible moment”.

Following a successful ChangeIt petition two years ago, the Students’ Union

had been fighting for a People’s Vote.

With over 400 student votes and three demonstrations in London, the Union has tried its utmost best to represent the University at a national level.

Although the people’s vote was unsuccessful, the University is still working to make all students “feel at home”.

“The University still is the European University, and we will do everything we can to make our EU students feel at home here.”

The kuofficers Instagram account posted: “Our campuses are a home away from home. We encourage all European students to apply for a pre-settled and settled status.”

The University has posted on their official website that they will “continue to strive for international co-operation in Europe and around the globe for the enhancement of knowledge and the enrichment of the student experience” Professor Karen Cox, Vice-Chancellor and President, and Professor Jeremy Carrette, Dean for Europe, commented on the monumental political decision saying: “Europe is not the European Union…we will embrace our collaborations with our European partners.”

On the topic of travel and movement around Europe, for staff and students, the University pronounces that “until at least the 31 December 2020 – there will be no changes to your current status or freedom of movement.”

“Our campuses are a home away from home”

Image by Kent Union

Material found from group with ties to ‘white nationalism’ on campus

By Alejandro Javierre Website News Editor Material from a group with proported ties to ‘white supremacy and nationalism’ group has been found at the University of Kent.

The material, first reported by the student advocacy group UKC Student Solidarity in Action, is from a group called the Hundred Handers.

On Facebook, UKC Student Solidarity in Action said: “It’s clear the far-right feel emboldened to spread their hate in our University.

“This will certainly not be the last piece of Nazi propaganda we find in our community.”

The sticker appears to show a quote from socialist author Noam Chomsky about the ‘freedom to offend’.

UKC Student Solidarity in Action said: “The message in it is not in itself a problem, and would not have been cause for concern if it wasn’t presented with the name of the Hundred Handers.

“While students may agree with this

particular statement, it is coming from a neo-nazi organisation.”

In recent years, other racist material was found on campus, including a swastika spray-painted onto Eliot College in November 2018.

Last year it was also found that members of a political society on campus, Liberty Union, had made r a c i s t

remarks in a society group chat.

The Hundred Handers are a grassroots organisation styled like clandestine activism groups such as Anonymous.

The group was created in 2018 and gains its name from Greek mythology.

In a blog post to their website, Kent Union said: “Kent Union reiterates, we do not tolerate any behaviour that di-

rectly or indirectly condones racism and exclusionary behaviour.

“We can confirm this has been reported to campus security and will be dealt with accordingly.” InQuire Media has reached out for comment from Hundred Handers’ social media accountMore to follow.

The group’s material has previously been found in York, and has included stickers using the phrases “It’s okay to be white”, and “Western Civilisation is White Civilisation”, in reference to conspiracy theories that modern social justice erodes ‘white culture’.

The group, whose leadership is largely unknown, operates as a series of unconnected cells, each with limited contact with ‘The Head’, who regularly sends out inflammatory material that members are encouraged to put up in public spaces.

Image by UKC Student Solidarity in Action

EDITORIAL PAGE 8

Model UN Tokyo 2020 conference cancelled over Coronavirus ... Continued from front page.

Chinese students have decided to take matters into their own hands with posts on social media highlighting their reasons for wearing masks.

One student posted: “Please be respectful when you see somebody who wears a mask. Stop shouting at us [Asians] by saying something like bringing the Chinese fly to your country.”

Everyone should raise awareness of the issue of Wuhan Coronavirus as it is a global issue that can affect everyone.

MUN trip to Tokyo cancelled The highly anticipated Harvard WorldMUN trip to Tokyo has been cancelled. President of the Kent MUN Society, Michael Webb, released a statement on 10 February on behalf of the society explaining the safety hazards and the potential repercussions of going ahead with the trip in light of the coronavirus epidemic.

The Foreign Office has also highlight-

ed the increased level of risk associated with travelling to Japan as there has been an increase of 41 cases of the virus in just a day.

Apart from the University of Kent’s MUN society backing out from participating in the event, other UK universities, such as Kings College London and UCL, have also opted out of attending WorldMUN. The WorldMUN is already facing problems with attendance as delegates and chairs from around the world are pulling out. As compensation, the Society’s top priority is to refund the delegates airline fees. The total cost of the trip is estimated to cost £1,500 per delegate.

If reparation fails, a case-by-case basis will commence in which “reimbursement or partial reimbursement from the society” will ensue.

The Society strongly advises students against attending the Harvard WorldMUN.

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News

At a glance Beached whale blubber found The 50ft whale was found dead on a Saturday afternoon just off the coastline of Whitstable. The Canterbury City Council was approached by someone who noticed the whale-like blubber near the coast of the Seasalter beach. The Sperm whale, which was first observed on a Thursday afternoon in shallow waters, was shortly found floating upside down on the Sheppey coast at Elmley. Sperm whales are deep-sea creatures and medics confirmed that its chances of survival were below 1%. The Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme has been approached for more information LGBT History Month at Kent LGBT History Month at Kent is filled with an extensive list of programs.

From free events to see performer, writer, and theatre maker, Travis, to a self-defence workshop for people who identify as women, this month aims to bring the community and people from all backgrounds together. Keep up to date with the events that run through the rest of February on the University of Kent’s official website. editorial page 8 Canterbury restaurant hygiene issues Rated 3.5 on TripAdvisor, and with a plethora of mixed reviews, the Canterbury restaurant, Stag, has been given a hygiene rating of 2. The Food Standards Agency, who monitor hygiene and provide ratings for establishments, has now cautioned customers with this rating.

This is the lowest rating given since December 2019 to any Canterbury restaurant, café, or takeaway.

Controversial feminist author to give a talk at Kent Selina Todd, a controversial feminist professor, is set to give a talk at the University of Kent on 8 March 2020, entitled ‘Class’. Todd, professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford, has written on the topics of women, feminism, and working-class in modern Britain. Recently, Todd has been at the centre of controversies surrounding her views on gender and transgender rights.

Labelled TERF (‘trans-exclusionary radical feminist’) by LGBTQ+ activists, her invatation to Kent has sparked debates surrounding freedom of speech and what should be acceptable.

Change petition gathers almost 3,000 signatures A petition on change.org regarding strikes and student compensation has gathered almost 3,000 signatures so far.

The document, highlighting the urgency of the situation, the value for money lost for students at the University of Kent, and the support of signatories for striking staff, has been in circulation online since the first wave of strikes at the University in 2018. Addressed to Vice-Chancellor Karen Cox, the petition states that “the student body of the University of Kent demands compensation for hours of teaching time lost due to the strike.” One person commented on the online petition: “We pay a ridiculous amount to be missing lectures and seminars.”

Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

Hind El Hinnawy speaks on feminism in the Middle East

Disclaimer: This is a promotional article

Image by Islamic Society

“Believe and Do Good”: Campaigning on campus

By Alejandro Javierre Website News Editor The University of Kent welcomed feminist and Nottingham Trent University lecturer Hind El Hinnawy to campus.

The lecturer, who has written on women’s rights and criminal justice issues in Egypt and the Middle East, came to speak at a talk organised by the Contemporary Discussions Society.

Hind El-Hinnawy said: “The reaction I got after the talk and the many people who came to thank me for it before I left made me feel that it was really worth doing this talk.

“I do believe that what I revealed inspired the audience to think and reflect.”

The talk also included a speech by a third-year politics student, Aya Raphael.

The talk began with an overview of misogyny in the Middle East.

El-Hinnawy said: “Secular women like myself, uncovered, face two options: I can abide, conform, and live in whatever manner I want to live in, but in secret.

“The other option is to speak out, but you get terribly punished.”

She then described her own story.

El-Hinnawy made headlines in her home country of Egypt in 2005, when she decided to carry the child of a famous actor in the country and file a paternity suit against him.

She argued in court that the two had an Urfi Marriage, a Sunni Islamic practice that allows two people to be married in private.

Egypt has very strict conventions around virginity and sex before marriage, with heavy restrictions on women’s rights in the country.

Her case highlighted the need for progressive change in Egyptian civil rights and even created a legal precedent in the country to allow for the use of a DNA test in court to establish if the actor, 24-year-old Ahmed El-Fishawy, was the father.

Speaking to the New York Times, she said: “I’m trying to say to other people, not only girls, to try to have the courage to be responsible for what you do.”

Since then, she undertook a PhD in Criminal Justice at the University of Kent, which she completed last year.

Aya Raphael then gave a talk on her experiences studying and working with other women from the Middle East.

She focused on how misogyny has taken form in the Middle East in various ways through stories of people she knew.

The Kent Contemporary Discussions Society has two more lectures in the coming weeks on current affairs and politics, which can be found on their Facebook page.

By Islamic Society As the Islamic Society at the University of Kent, our aim is to share the beauty of our faith with others. With regular guest speakers, sporting activities, socials, and knowledge circles, we endeavour to provide an alternative to the usual university experience.

The Islamic Society is incessantly raising awareness, encouraging the true teachings of Islam and welcoming anyone and everyone into a safe space. One of the ways that we do this is through our campaigns, in which we strive to unite others in our goal.

Unity is an essential element of our belief: “None of you will have faith until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” [al-Bukhari], and Islam shows us how much we can gain just by uniting in good.

Following our Charity Week campaign in October, ISoc at Kent managed to raise an amazing £14 500 for Islamic Relief. This fundraising total went to provide aid and support to needy children and orphans all around the world.

We could not have done this without the help and cooperation of Kent Un-

ion, the students and staff at UKC, and the community of Canterbury.

This year, ISoc is back with its annual Believe and Do Good campaign, which again focuses on unity, Islamic societies, youth groups, and local communities, in carrying out activities that are from the Quran and Sunnah.

In Islam, worship is not just limited to daily prayers and fasting; it also includes helping our neighbours and removing harm from our communities.

This led to a joint project between FOSIS (Foundation of Islamic Societies) and MABY (Youth Department of the Muslim Association of Britain) which is called Believe and Do Good.

At the core of the project is the intention to drive a positive change in society, by inspiring creative acts of good involving as many groups and people we can access as possible.

This means reaching out to other societies, other students, local communities in order to reach our goal.

Believe and Do Good provides us with this exact opportunity to come together and do something in which others can benefit from.

Consequently, we have come up with an extensive list of activities in which

we hope individuals and groups can contribute to and get involved in within the next couple of weeks – from 17 to 29 February.

This will include handing out food packages to bus drivers, blood donations, a clothing drive, street clean, food bank collection, and much more.

Please keep a lookout on our Instagram for the exact dates of these events. We really hope to reach out beyond our comfort zones in the hope that you might too, so we can unite together to help as many of those who are in less fortunate positions than us.

Through our campaign, we hope to portray a beautiful example of making the world a better place for all. We aim to demonstrate Islam as a holistic religion, that does not just give us religious principles and values, but also helps improve the world in general.

Please do not hesitate to get in contact with us through our Instagram: @Kentuniisoc, or email us at ah887@kent.ac.uk or ai318@kent.ac.uk. We would love to hear from you and if you would like to get involved.

VP Postgraduate candidate runs unopposed as Laura Carlin stands down

By Iqra Ahsan News Sub-Editor Current Vice President of Postgraduate Experience, Laura Carlin, has decided against re-running for the upcoming 2020 Kent Union elections. The announcement came two weeks before the announcement of candidates for Kent Union’s Leadership Election. Only one candidate, Patrick Stillman, has put himself forward for Carlin’s role.

In a blog post titled ‘From Student to Staff’ posted on the 15th of January, Carlin reflects on her transition from ‘student to staff’ and highlights her reasons for stepping back from re-running of the role she pioneered.

Carlin states that she will, in short, not be re-running in the elections ‘for the role’s benefit’.

Laura Carlin said: ‘‘Building a community for ourselves is a huge achievement,

that has happened through postgraduate taught (PGT) breaks, even though it’s only ten or twenty people who come in, that’s every week we have postgraduates coming in and they chat, get on, it’s amazing.

“You get people who come in by themselves and walk out with friends.”

She added: “It is really hard to fight for PhD students because I’ve never experienced it, even though I spoke to as many PGT students as I could.

“Building the trust between the Union and the postgraduate students was a priority.”

She also described a feeling of having ‘impostor syndrome.’

She said: “You feel like you’re not good enough, not worthy of a PhD, constantly trying to prove yourself and not taking breaks.”

According to Laura, not understanding what the students that she represented

were going through was a struggle at first, hence the significance of building a community and engaging with students.

She said: “I’ve done right by starting with community and engagement. My knowledge will only take me so far, but it will allow someone else to bring in something that I couldn’t with my background.”

When asked whether Carlin was content with her decision to step down, she said: “I think I always expected myself to re-run.

“Naturally you would want to go for one role and then eventually run for president – I don’t want to be president; I don’t want to go up.”

She concluded: “Someone else coming in and shaping the role will be really beneficial.”

PULLOUT PAGE 13

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InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

News

Fourteen additional days of strikes announced in Easter term amid national dispute

By Tarini Tiwari Writer The University and College Union (UCU) announced on 3 February that universities will strike in early 2020 for the second time in six months.

“I wish that the university could listen to their demands without it affecting the students who want to do well.”

According to the UCU website, the strikes “will start on Thursday 20 February and escalate each week, culminating with a week-long walkout from Monday 9 to Friday 13 March.”

Students at the University of Kent interviewed by InQuire worry what this will mean by way of their lectures, exams, and marking.

A student who requested to stay anonymous said: “It’s just frustrating. We pay over 9,000 pounds to the University, but we don’t get reimbursed for the hundreds of pounds lost during the strikes.”

“I want the staff to be paid well and have proper working conditions,” another anonymous student assured, “but I wish that the university could listen to their demands without it affecting the students who want to do well.”

Students noted that there was little communication after the strikes ended concerning the resolution or lack thereof of their disputes.

InQuire reached out to Roger Giner-Sorolla, Professor of Social Psychology, to find out more about the upcoming industrial action.

Professor Giner-Sorolla, when asked to explain the issues faced by staff to prompt the strikes last year, explained that “we are looking at a pay package that has not kept pace with inflation over ten years, that is further being eroded by increases in pension contributions, and that is poor compared to academic salaries in other countries.”

He also mentioned how the University has lost staff to private institutions that offered higher salaries. InQuire asked him to elaborate on the concept of “poor working conditions”.

He highlighted the two-year contracts that provide little long-term stability for staff, pay gaps between male and female staffers, salaries that have not been updated to keep up with inflation over the past decade, and over-40-hour work weeks resulting in occupational health referrals for stress skyrocketing at Kent over the past 5 years.

The UCU website states that UKC will not be protesting pensions at the upcoming strike, but this is merely due to the fact that votes fell short of the 50% participation threshold.

InQuire asked Professor Giner-Sorolla

to shed some light on what happened between December 2019 and now.

He stated the employers made “few meaningful concessions,” with no improvements to pay. “Recommendations” were made to institutions, with no mandatory enforcement of them.

He also clarified that the pay issue is a national one and the University cannot make a decision to raise salaries independently.

They can, however, follow in the footsteps of Bristol University to improve gender pay-gap issues.

Giner-Sorolla made clear that the Union is unhappy to be disrupting the students’ education.

“If we do not do this now, conditions in the sector will get worse and the effects will ultimately be felt by students, who will be worse taught, worse supported, and will have to rely on people working under a load of stress, as is happening now.”

He also advised students to voice their discontent to the University board, as otherwise, they will profit from two weeks of salaries being paid out. Both students and staff will continue to suf-

fer.

InQuire also spoke to an anonymous source within the School of English about why they were striking, and how they felt concerning the effects on the students.

They spoke about how difficult it is to reconcile with the impact the strikes will have on students, but also mentioned how students will be affected by similar issues in the future if they are not resolved now. “[The £9,250 fees] haven’t led to better conditions for staff and students at universities. They have led to overworked staff, which in turn has a detrimental effect on students. In choosing to go on strike, I am also fighting for the working conditions and fair pay in all sectors of work, which my students will go into upon graduation.”

They also mentioned 300 staffers being made redundant in addition to 250 “voluntary redundancies” over the next three years, a worrying prospect for students under the impression that a university qualification would provide better job stability.

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Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

Opinion

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of InQuire Media

Don’t vote? Don’t complain T

he Kent Union Leadership Elections are just around the corner and as many of us must vote as possible. The Union is an organisation that prides itself on being the “voice of all students”, and so it is down to our student body to ensure that this claim is as accurate as it can be.

Kent Union is made up of five full-time officers whose jobs involve campaigning in areas such as education, welfare, sports, and activities. All of these affect student lives. As many students as possible must have their say when it comes to who gets elected. The

Photo by Pixabay

Photo by

Union plays a bigger part in university life than many of us realise – not only are they there to improve the experience that students have during their time at Kent, they also run Job Shop and Advice Centre. The officers are there to be the connecting force between students and the University administration; this is only effective if they are chosen by as many students’ as possible, and thereby reflect student needs.

The more people that vote, the better democracy works and the fairer the outcome will be. Elections may not be in the same league as the general election or the Brexit referendum, but it is still significant that we exercise our right to vote.

In this election, it is guaranteed that all votes will make a difference, even if it is simply making the gap between the elected and the unelected a small one. The Union is all about students and there is no point in wasting a vote that directly affects you.

Ultimately, if you do not vote in the election then you

Ben Mott In light of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Awareness Week, Ben Mott considers the continued presence and mishandling of sexual assault cases within higher education instituions, and how universities must strive to create more open conversations and social awareness in student communities.

F

ebruary 3 marked the start of Sexual Abuse and Violence Awareness Week. On Twitter, #itsnotok took form as the supportive adopted slogan. Yet in reality, UK universities are implicitly sending out the opposite message.

There are serious inadequacies in universities’ approach to sexual abuse. The last 5 years alone have seen nearly 2,000 incidents of sexual abuse reported across higher education institutions. Not only is this an appalling figure, but it is also an underestimate.

Among the many shocking revelations brought by The Student Room and Revolt Sexual Assault’s National Consultation is that only 12% of experiences are reported to universities or police.

Universities’ mechanisms in place to help victims of abuse are simply not good enough. A third of victims who did not report abuse attributed their silence to not knowing how to do so. This is the most shocking figure of all: universities are failing students at the first hurdle, leaving them unsupported in their times of need.

Even when the formal routes for reporting incidents are used, stuUniversities’ dent satisfaction is nowhere near the level it mechanisms should be; of those subject to abuse, just 2% felt both able to report it to their university and were in place to satisfied with the response. It is easy to forget help victims are simply not that these figures represent real lives. They repgood enough resent course-mates, team-mates, flat-mates.

“

Olivia Warr Opinion Sub-Editor

Ahead of the upcoming Kent Union Elections, set to conclude with Results Night on 21 February, Olivia Warr reminds us of the importance of excercising our right to vote in an election that will inevitably have a huge impact on the student experience at Kent.

From halls to hell: Our universities are failing students on sexual abuse

r

k | Twitte

#itsnoto

cannot complain if things are not working out in your favour. Voting in the leadership elections is the best way to ensure that you see the type of change you want. If something happens which you disagree with, you can hold the officers to account. By taking the time to read manifestos before voting, you can see for yourself whether they are fulfilling what they promised they would do. Not participating in the vote means that you do not have a leg to stand on when it comes to complaining about the progress of the elected members. There have been times over the last year where the current Union has done things that have not been received well by students. If we do not want this to be a common occurrence over the next year then we need to vote for the candidates that have a positive effect on the University of Kent.

If you want to be represented in the best possible way, then read manifestos, listen to campaigns, and vote for who you think is best suited to represent the student body. If you want to have a say in where your money is being spent, what facilities need improving, and what can be put in place to make student life easier, then it is your responsibility to vote for your next set of Kent Union officers.

These statistics represent a sickening proportion of student victims, one that warrants an iron fist response. Eradicating these crimes requires a powerful, unwavering commitment to do so, which not enough universities are demonstrating. Of the 124 institutions that provided information to the BBC on incidents of abuse last year, just 33 used specialist investigators to interview students.

No one is expecting universities to wave a magic wand and put an end to sexual abuse. Ensuring students know how to report incidents and treating those reported with the severity and seriousness warranted is the barest minimum to expect. Last year’s Warwick ‘rape chat’ scandal provides a perfect example. The investigating of-

“

These last 5 years alone have seen nearly 2,000 incidents of sexual abuse reported across higher education institutions

ficer was also the university’s director of press – definitely no conflict of interest there. Of the five students charged, two had their 10-year bans reduced to only one year, with no explanation offered.

Across our universities, there is an almost apathetic attitude towards sexual abuse and assault from the agenda setters. This is due to a lack of real accountability. Admitting that sexual abuse is a regular occurrence, with over two-thirds of students experiencing some form of it, would be highly damaging to the reputation these institutions work so

“

hard to maintain. If only our universities would Making strong statements on put students before their own reputations.

Steeped in criminal hypocrisy, politics stu- sexual abuse is dents at Warwick were even subject to a com- admittence of its pulsory ‘bystander initiative’ programme. occurence, which universities are The girls affected reported fear at the prosafraid of pect of returning to university – their perpetrators could walk freely across campus.

University inaction renders the whole of campus unsafe, with more reported incidents of abuse occurring in halls than at social events.

Making strong statements on sexual abuse is an admittance of its occurrence, which universities are afraid of. How refreshing it would be to see, in the wake of sexual abuse awareness week, more universities taking heed of the University of Leicester’s approach. Towering flags erected across campus adorning the slogan #erasethegrey attempt to remove the deployed ambiguity defence. All our universities need to do so much more to send the message, explicitly, that sexual abuse and assault is not acceptable.

If you are feeling threatened and uncomfortable on a night out, ask the bartender for ‘Angela’. This indicates you believe yourself to be in danger, and staff can diffuse the situation.

7

InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

Opinion

The UCU strikes back... and we must join their cause Thamid Morshed

A

t the end of last year, there were a series of strikes initiated by the University and College Union (UCU) protesting pensions and pay conditions for staff working at UK universities. Staff at Kent voted to protest their pay conditions resulting in an 8-day partial shutdown. In the end, no real agreement was reached; the staff went on action short of a strike. This series of events have clearly shown one thing: the mishandling of this issue from leadership has failed the University, its staff, and its students.

Either out of greed, incompetence, or malice, the catastrophic collapse with the ‘negotiations’ shows symptoms of a greater problem. It can only be surmised as mismanagement. The staff were not asking for anything unreasonable. They just wanted to push against this half-measured employment so they could have stability within their situation.

Staff simply wanted liveable pay and the security that comes with proper employment. Is that really a difficult request?

British society is seeing a shift towards a culture of zero-hour employment within the gig economy.

Combined with the mass commercialisation of universities, a shift towards lecturers and other teaching staff being ‘employed’ through dubious means has increased. Now it is becoming increasingly apparent that lecturers are effectively temps. Pair this with stagnant wages following the recession and rising living costs, it is not surprising why staff should be paid more. Everyone deserves the right to more than merely existing in an unrewarding soulless grind.

Meanwhile, student and staff satisfaction are steadily decreasing despite the quality teaching and resources on offer. This is both shocking and not at the same time. Disruptions to education can lead to justifiable anger and mixed emotions from students.

But we must take a step back and look at the larger picture. Staff has to do extra preparation beyond what they are paid for. This is not logical at all. We as students in the UK already pay the highest tuition fees in the world and a fair amount of staff are not paid properly for their work, meaning staff can be had for cheap while wringing every last penny from the students for maximum profit. This is not

acceptable.

Maybe some of you think that overworking people is excellent and great for business.

Perfectly fair, if you are a heartless husk of a human being who feels the need to compulsively sacrifice objects to your shrine of Adam Smith and Ronald Reagan. But for the remainder of us, remember that the lecturers are humans like you and me. The circumstances are terrible, and it is a tad bit inconvenient, but it is something that has to be done to send a message. They need our support against unsupportive and toxic management.

However, what is done is done. We must look at what is happening now, and it is not pretty. The UCU has called for another fortnight of strikes. It shows the inefficiency of middle management in 74 different universities, and rightly so. Something has to change.

Photos by UCU and Jasper Gilardi

8

Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

Editorial Cartoon by Armaan Latif

Editorial Taking the ‘EU’ out of the UK’s ‘European University’ With the historic ‘Brexit Day’ on 31 January 2020 behind us, the UK now stands on the precipice of political, economic, and social change. Over the next 11-month transitional period, Britain will remain under EU regulation as it has since 1973 and negotiate the future of relations. Although this middle period may feel the same as before, the UK’s ‘European University’, faces substantial challenges. The Erasmus scheme faces considerable alteration. All 2020 courses remain funded and supported, however, the future of the scheme is in turmoil. The European Commission has proposed offering £26 billion to support Erasmus’ next seven-year cycle, but negotiation on this issue will not fit in the transition period, meaning that the University will have to find alternate methods to fund international study. The end of Erasmus will be devastating. Not only is Kent in the top 10 institutions in the UK for international study, but it also received around £1 million in funding from the scheme. Kent’s research capabilities are also in danger. Currently, 40% of the University’s staff are from overseas. Although the EU Settlement Scheme is there to support them domestically, their jobs may be under threat. Over the last five years, Kent staff amounted £16.1 million in vital European grants; the future of these contributions may be removed without EU membership.

The same can be said for Kent’s participation in the Horizon 2020 (€70 billion) and EU Partnership Fund which have offered invaluable resources for occupational research. The positive aspects for Kent, and for wider UK Higher Education are, as of now, unknown.

There is all the possibility that trade deals could sustain EU educational resources and open access to international opportunities, however that reality has yet to materialise. Brexit is not necessarily ended the ‘European University’, but it certainly is unpredictable as to how the University will survive in a non-EU Britain.

Election 2020: Shape your academic journey for the better

The Kent Union Leadership Elections are back. Annually, you, the student, have the opportunity to vote for someone who you think should be sworn into the officer roles and represent you. They will aim to work on issues that matter to all 20,000 students the most and bring about positive change – whether that is securing more study spaces or provide better services to look after your wellbeing.

We have a whole host of issues that need solving. Following consultation last term, the Union has set out several priorities that will shape the organisation next year; these include greater environmental sustainability, a review into the cost of sport and activities, and better financial support to those from lower economic backgrounds. All the candidates will do their most to reach out for support. However, every year in Canterbury and Medway, we are often reminded of the apathy many people feel. In 2019, around 9 out of 10 of us failed to bother turning up. Is that because the organisation is suffering from a democratic deficit and is falling short of fulfilling its basic duties? Are the channels for the Union to spread its messages effective enough? Whatever it may be, we see the Union as incredibly important and propose, throughout this newspaper (in Opinion, in our Election insert, and right here in our editorial) that you vote this year. During this period, there will also be a referendum on our membership of the National Union of Students – the UK confederation of unions – so there is even greater reason to cast your ballot. As a student, you make a fundamental contribution to life here at Kent. By participating between February 17-21, you are helping to shape your academic journey for the better and make your experience at University the best it could be. #KentVotes

Let LBGTQ+ History Month help enforce our own pride Did you know it is LGBTQ+ History Month? The whole month of February is dedicated to celebrating the history of this community and flying the rainbow flag in all its colours. Over the past two decades, there has been an immense change in legislation in the UK; civil partnerships were introduced in 2004, in 2008 it became illegal to encourage homophobia, and then same-sex marriage was legalised in 2013. Seven years later, Phillip Schofield came out on breakfast TV, and Starbucks have premiered their national advert highlighting transgender struggles in society. The media is doing their bit to show support, but we as students should be enforcing our own support and pride. Everybody now knows someone or has a friend of a friend who is part of the LGBTQ+ community, so do right to your friends and peers and find out what you can do. Right here on campus, there are events happening that you might not even realise. There is a Love Letters Exhibition to be seen in Keynes Teaching Foyer, you can read stories in the book list, go to lectures and screenings supporting activists and role models. You can even write your own Valentine’s Day Love Letters. Even if it means picking up a rainbow badge to support a friend, you can do more to spread the love this month for the community. Put on some bright colours to brighten up.

Letters

Window responds to free first-year sports membership criticism Dear InQuire, A couple of things regarding your article titled ‘Free gym memberships for first year students on campus’ (24 January 2020).

I’ve heard lots of comments about the new gym membership structure, and wanted to clear up some misconceptions around what will be happening for next year.

In December 2018 I launched the #FitForPurpose Survey, which saw 2,501 students input on their views on Kent Sport faciltities and membership structure. The three overwhelming verbatim comments were: 1. Wanting a facility-only/gym-only option. 2. The memberships were all too expensive and 3.

Monthly payments For this academic year we were able to implement Phase 1 of the review, which introduced a facility-only and gym-only option for the first time. The prices did not increase, but Kent Sport did not run their early-bird offer which meant that the Premium Plus option was priced at £245 instead of £225.

Phase 2 will commence in September, which will see all first years (on and off campus), returning students, and postgrads who live on campus have a free Kent Sport Premium Plus Membership. In addition to this, the memberships will go down in price for everyone. The Premium Plus will be priced at £170-180, giving a reduction of up to £75.

I am now looking in to monthly payments with the University which will form Phase 3 of the review. With this third phase, we will have successfully implemented the three most important changes that students wanted to see – flexibility in the types of memberships, price reductions, and monthly payments. Furthermore, we can now look into investing in facilities, spaces, and programmes which will enhance the activities offer at Kent. This includes VR classes, which can be held in multiple languages, and a new Give it a Go programme which was part of my manifesto.

This has been a project that I have been championing for almost two years now, and can’t begin to thank everyone who has helped me along the way. If you have any comments, queries or concerns please feel free to get in touch with me at ecw@kent.ac.uk – I’d love to hear from you!

Emily Window Vice-President (Student Engagement)

Photo of the week

by Syan Bateman (Head of Design)

Valentine’s

9

InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

How to: Sex-periment this Valentine’s

A

n article published in 2013 which discusses the results of a British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles argues that “people have sex for various reasons, but mostly because it is pleasurable,” and this is very true indeed. Especially for us students who need a bit of stress relieving ‘exercise’ every now and then. In celebration of this fact and the social construct of love – which is what Valentine’s is all about - here are some sex positions for you to possibly try out (or read with blushing interest).

69 I think this position is great because you can choose who is on top, switch it up, or even both lie on your side. It is such an underrated position, and perfect if you are feeling a little lazy on a Sunday morning, but want to achieve complete satisfaction.

Doggy A classic and the favourite for many. Encompassing the best things about sex; deep penetration, and it lets you keep a desired pace with little discomfort.

Cowgirl

GWh iz

If you are someone who likes to be in control, then this position (and all the variations of it) is for you.

The control of pace is up

to you, and you can ask your partner to lift their hips for deeper penetration.

Flatiron Possibly less well-known, flatiron is an amazingly simple and effective position. Slightly difficult to get into, it is recommended to start in doggy, have your partner penetrate, then together slowly slide down until you are both flat on your fronts, with your legs together and between theirs. With the control no longer your own, this position is great if you are submissive or are experimenting with the concept. Lie down and try to relax and allow your partner to navigate the pace (or listen to your demands).

Champagne room/ Fairy With multiple names, this position is most easily explained as having your partner sitting on the edge of a bed or chair, with you on top, facing away as if sitting on their lap. This position can be quite demanding, depending on the strength in your legs, however, it tends to be extremely pleasurable for your partner, and very rewarding for you too.

Butterfly This position is slightly more advanced, which may be difficult to achieve first time round. You lie on a low table or bed, with your partner lifting your legs first to penetrate you, then placing them over their shoulders. One UKC student said: “I like this position because I love the eye-contact, it’s intimate yet really sexy.”

Lifestyle

Flatiron

Designs by Armaan Latif & Jessie Menezes

And now some UKC student favourites:

The G-Whiz Speaking of the g-spot, this position is appropriately named. With your legs over both your partner’s shoulders, this position is a deeply penetrative one, targeting the g-spot, and in some cases, as a UKC fan of the position said, ‘I like the position because it makes me squirt’.

Doggy

Face-off Contrary to its name, this position is quite a romantic one as described by a UKC student: “Sitting on top of a couch or chair…all wrapped together. It feels really cute.” A position that provides intimacy and allows for great marathon sex.

Laid-back Reverse Cowgirl This final position is pretty self-explanatory, but it can still be difficult to imagine. A UKC student, who favours this position, gave the tip; “start off spooning, then roll with your partner until you both are on your backs with you on top. Whilst he’s holding on to your hips… your back gets bent in half but it’s peng.”

After reading this article there is the chance that some readers may find that they already know they do not like some of the positions aforementioned, and this is to be expected. It may be good to keep in mind that - “Every two people fit together differently,” (as said by Sandra Leiblum, a sex therapist and the director of psychological services at the New Jersey Center for Sexual Wellness in Bedminster). And remember, whatever position you try, new or old, one thing which always spices up your sex life is taking control and just physically. It is good to be more vocal with what you want and what you think feels good. Try out some new positions and if you find you do not like them then that is fine. The end result will at the least be good communication made. Always wear protection and have safe sex.

DrEd ran a survey with 2,000 people across the UK and US found that 19.9 percent of both genders listed “tabletop sex [as] the most desirable” sex position to try.

Butterfly

By Katinka Pim, Writer

10

Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

Lifestyle

Valentines

Hook-up horror stories

“It was a cute first date”

I

f you are feeling rubbish about being single on Valentine’s day, count your blessings that you have never had to sit through any of these disastrous dating experiences.Here are a few of UKC’s funniest and cringiest dating stories.

Monologue man It was unsurprisingly a Tinder tragedy. Sophie was initially impressed that Richard was an academic with his own business, and over text, his winky faces and sarcasm suggested he had a good sense of humour. She failed to realise that in person this would translate to patronisingly contradicting everything she said within each 20-minute topic rant. Richard hates travelling, he hates the effort of visiting home, he hates students, he is not a fan of eating. He says he has two outfits: a hoodie, and a blazer-shirt combo and he is irritated by vegetarians. Sophie ordered some Quorn nuggets to take the edge off and inadvertently sparked his rage against vegetarians. She tried to lighten the mood by sharing some of her vegetarian recipes, to prove that it is not all ‘bad.’ Richard responded with disgust that there was no beef in it, and then had the audacity to rant about it, after saying that he was too lazy to cook, and just heated up Tesco’s soup in the microwave. As a vegetarian, undergraduate, travel-enthusiast, you can imagine that Sophie was thrilled to hear this. She listened to him rant for over half of the two-hour date and quite literally ran for the bus to get home. She has now added vegetarian to her Tinder bio to weed out the haters. Worst. Date. Ever.

Mary the mood killer Anna met Ian at the beginning of her second year, he was on her course. There was something about him that attracted her, but she still does not know what it was. The mutual attraction was immediately apparent to both of them and they started flirting, meeting in the library to “talk about seminars”. This eventually led to them going

for a drink to celebrate the end of a week full of deadlines. It was a great, casual first not-a-datedate. Even though Ian’s house was in the opposite direction to Anna, he walked her home and kissed her, in the rain. The flirting in seminars continued. It was all going really well until their third date. Ian cooked Anna dinner at his house and they went to see Murder on the Orient Express at the cinema. It all started going wrong with dinner.

It was not that he was a terrible cook, he was fine.

The problem was Anna is an amazing cook and loves doing it. She felt herself judging him and cringing every time he tried to show off his ‘skills’, which were lacking. The food was mediocre and tasted of raw garlic, not the romantic mood Ian was trying to create.

Then he gave her an awkward tour of his house. That is when she saw it. In his bedroom, opposite his bed was a picture of the Virgin Mary. Just staring down at the bed with a cool, hard, judging glare.

She has nothing against Catholics, it was just the idea of the Virgin Mary staring at them made her never want to get in Ian’s bed. Ever. They made their way to the cinema. The film was the highlight of Anna’s evening. Anna did not feel like she could turn down Ian’s invitation to go back to his again, so she went. He put on White Chicks. One of the biggest cinematic mood killers in existence. And then it got worse. Ian started kissing her, it was not great, but it was not awful either. Then, he burped in her face. Another five minutes passed before Anna said it was late and she should head home. Ian awkwardly invited her to stay, she declined, but he insisted on walking her home.

She had officially caught the ick. Anna began making excuses not to see him, stopped flirting in seminars and eventually he got the message.

They are still friends, but she still thinks about their ill-fated first date when she sees him in their seminar rooms.

By Chloe Robb Writer

I

How to: Casual sex

t is a nightmare situation, right? You have a great friend with benefits situation, but then one of you catches feelings and the whole thing is ruined. The friendship is over, you have lost satisfying, regular sex and there is nothing you can do to get it back. I have spoken to the experts and ‘sexperts’ in my life to put together these top tips for making friends with benefits work for you while minimising the risk of catching feelings.

The first step to doing this properly is choosing the right person. For a start, you should not choose someone who is actually your friend. A friend of a friend is a safe bet; you probably have less in common and may not have many common interests. But they are not a complete stranger.

It is helpful to pick someone who irritates you every time they open their mouth. Maybe they are super boring or really full of themselves. After all, what you want to do with them does not require much talking.

This person should be someone you will not see every day. This minimises any awkward run-ins which necessitate small talk and lead to real conversations. Worst still, it can then lead to feelings developing. This is not a relationship; you do not need that drama. If you only see them at Vensday, that is perfect; they are someone you can go home with every week without the awkward fumbling of a one-night stand or the cringey morning-after. (It is a bonus if they have a car as you may not have to do the walk of shame.)

Drowning in embarrassment Over the summer, Lucy was dating a guy called Jake who she met on Tinder. Jake played the saxophone and was ripped, so of course, she was very excited to go to her favourite pub with him. It was a cute first date; they had pool competitions and giggled about silly things most of the evening.

She was excited to see him again. On their second date, she thought it would be a great idea to go to a swimming pool. The terrible idea came from an inside joke (the fact that she nearly drowned every time she tried to swim) and his reaction to the stories associated with that, so she thought that this date would be a cute idea. And he was some kind of super swimmer athlete, and she thought it was a good opportunity to see him with his top off. She had not thought about the fact that she would need to wear goggles in the pool, nor about how unattractive she would appear choking on water. She geared herself up, and with eyeballs popping out from the suction of the goggles and chlorine blurring her vision she managed to lose sight of Jake, but once she had she ‘swam’ towards him. She held onto him, and she accidentally and embarrassingly kneed him in the dick. Safe to say, she is never going swimming on a date again.

“The mutual attraction was immediately apparent to both of them”

By Chloe Robb, Writer & Sara Bell, Travel Sub-Editor

The case of the mistaken Mike Before Rosie started university, she met her brother’s friend Mike. Mike was older and cool; he was a bartender at The Pound in Canterbury.

He added her on Facebook and Snapchat and messaged her a couple of days after they had met, saying that Rosie’s brother would kill him if he knew. But Mike could not help himself. They were messaging constantly until Rosie started university, where she met her first boyfriend and ended

Once you have got your partner sorted you need to agree on some terms for the two of you to follow. Are you going to have rules about sleeping with other people? I personally would not recommend any rules about who you can or cannot sleep with. It is not healthy for this situation but being completely honest about who you are sleeping with is. You should not feel the need to hide anything from one another in this situation and hiding things create unnecessary issues.

I also recommend having a routine. In relationships, routine can become boring. In an FWB situation it is necessary. And see your friends and get your assignments done for the rest of the week without stressing about it or feeling like you are being needy. Do not overdo it though, seeing them too often could lead to you getting attached.

The most important piece of advice I have for you is do not put up with bad, average, or disappointing sex. It is time to be honest. Tell them what you like. Tell them if they are doing something wrong. Faking it does not help you, them, or their next partner. The point of this whole arrangement is satisfaction, if you are not getting that, change it or move on.

Answers If you answered yes to more than five of the questions, I would not recommend this person as your FWB, but that does not mean you will not find someone else. The most important thing to remember is that you are doing this for you and your pleasure, do what feels right.

“Kneed him in the d**k”

things with Mike.

She was with her boyfriend for nine months and when they broke up, Rosie downloaded Tinder and matched with Mike. The messaging started again, but something had changed. Mike hated students and made this very clear to Rosie.

That was strange since he still wanted to take her on a date. Rosie thought it would be best to talk to other people, so she turned to Tinder where she stumbled across a different Mike from sixth form.

They started chatting and added each other on Snapchat – his name appeared simply as Mike. He was funny and really seemed to care about what she had to say. One night when Rosie was drunk, Mike messaged her on Snapchat. They started chatting and flirting. He asked if he could come over. She said she would think about it and they continued chatting. Then she realised she was not talking to Mike from sixth form like she thought, she was actually talking to the other Mike who worked at The Pound. He asked again if he could come over, Rosie said yes without even thinking about it. He borrowed £5 for a cab home. A week later she found out through a mutual friend that Mike, Pound Mike, had a long-term girlfriend who he was moving in with. She messaged him, outraged. He said her reaction was immature and that it was none of her business. He started sending her nasty messages until she threatened to tell her older brother exactly what he had done. She now has them saved in her phone as Sixth Form Mike and Pound Mike. She never got her fiver back.

“Had a long-term girlfriend who he was moving in with”

Quiz Time Are you attracted to them?

YES / NO YES / NO

5

Are you excited when you know you are going to see them?

Could you see yourself in a relationship with them?

Is your friendship with them important to you?

Do you see them regularly and frequently?

6

Are they your usual type?

YES / NO

7

Do you want to spend more time with them? YES / NO

1 2 3 4

Would you be jealous if you saw them with someone else?

Would sleeping with them stop you from 9 dating other people?

10 Are either of you looking for a serious relationship?

8

YES / NO YES / NO YES / NO

YES / NO YES / NO YES / NO

11

InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

Lifestyle

Valentines

Easy pizza & chocolate treats Photo by Merve Aydin

Pizza Serves two. Time: 30 minutes. Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients: • Ready-made pizza base (frozen or refrigerated doughs are preferable) • 50ml Tomato sauce • 1 tbsp. olive oil • 2 garlic cloves • Dried basil • 1 can of tomatoes • 1 tsp. of tomato paste • Salt & pepper • Your choice of toppings

paste, basil, and salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and let the mix simmer until it reaches a thick consistency. This should be between 10 – 15 minutes.

4) Grease the surface of the tray before you put the pizza onto it, to add a Valentine’s touch why not make your pizza love heart-shaped?

Homemade Truffles Makes 30-40 truffles. Time: 3hrs.

Difficulty: Easy

3) To roll them into balls, put a teaspoon

5) Put the pizza in the preheated oven. Depending on

Ingredients:

6) Once the pizza crust looks golden brown and the

• 300g to 400g OREO® or Bourbon biscuits • 200g to 250g plain soft cream cheese • About 350g-450g Cocoa powder

or tablespoons worth (depending on how big you want the balls to be) of the mix in the palm of one hand and then roll it gently with your other palm in circular motions until the mix forms a clean circular shape.

(If the mix of cream and biscuit crumbs is good then they should form smooth firm balls that do not stick too much to you.)

Equipment:

4) Put these balls on a baking tray or

the toppings the pizza will take between 10– 15 minutes to cook. toppings look cooked take the pizza out, let it stand for 1 minute before cutting and then enjoy!

• Blender or freezer bags and a rolling pin • Tray • Greaseproof paper • 2x Big Bowls • (Optional) Presentation Plate/bowl to put them into when they are finished

Equipment: • Pizza tray/ baking tray • Stovetop pan • Knife and chopping board • Pizza cutter • (Optional) Serving plates

Method:

Method:

h

s la

1) Preheat the oven to 200C / 180fan.

p ns

by | U to ay o Ph dhy pa lU

2) Finely chop the garlic and fry in a pot the olive oil over medium heat.

3) After a few minutes add the tomatoes, tomato

| Unsplash

u

ah

R

1) Crush the biscuits in a freezer bag,

bit by bit, with a rolling pin (or a similar instrument) or blend them in a blender for a smoother texture.

2) Then mix this with the cream cheese in a big bowl until smooth and well mixed.

something similar (that is preferably lined with greaseproof paper) and into the fridge for 1-2hours.

5) Once the balls have set and are firm

take them out. Put the cocoa powder in a big bowl, and individually dip/roll the balls in the powder until they are completely covered. Once all are covered, they are ready to be put onto the presentation bowl/ plate and enjoyed!

By Krishna Rohan, Food Sub-Editor

12

Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

Feature

Why I left Mormonism Untill the age of 18, Claudia Parker lived her life as a Mormon in a small town in the South West. For the first time ever, Claudia reveals the intimate truths of her life pre-university as a strict Mormon, and how the religion affected her reality.

E

very young girl dreams of her wedding day; the Cinderella dress, the big party, and the groom.

They make endless Pinterest boards on colour schemes and mull over the length of a veil. Not all girls go to church every Sunday and are told that marriage is essential. Or that you need to get married to be allowed into heaven. Marriage is what you are aiming for.

This was the reality of my childhood to when I turned eighteen. As a member of the Mormon church, I felt as if my biggest achievement in life would be getting married to a Mormon boy and living happily ever after.

Mormonism is essentially Christianity, but with an extra set of beliefs that are founded from The Book of Mormon; a scripture written about Jesus by men in the Americas. Mormons believe that the Bible and The Book of Mormon go hand in hand, helping people to understand God and his teachings.

Mormonism has always been a patriarchal religion focused on marriage. Previously condoning polygamy, male members have had control over women and marriage since the beginning. Only men can receive the priesthood, the power, and authority of God, meaning men have to lead the congregation. Although polygamy is no longer permitted, the traditional principles remain.

I left Mormonism for many reasons, but the most significant issue I had was the way it made me feel.

I grew up believing that my goal in life was to marry and be ‘sealed’ for eternity in the temple. Sealing is a ritual that married couples complete in order to be bound together forever, even after death.

This idea of marriage being vital was ingrained in me when I was eleven, attending my first youth activity. A youth activity is a chance for Mormon girls and boys, ages twelve to eighteen, to socialise.

Usually, the boys and girls are split up into Young Women and Young Men and take part in different activities each week. In my experience, the boy’s activities always revolved around sport, whereas the girl’s activities were usually sewing, baking, or arts and crafts.

The youth leaders decided I could attend my first activity as it was a few months until my twelfth birthday. I had never rushed out of the door faster. I had butterflies in my stomach from a mix of excitement and nerves. I was so happy that I was finally able to join my older friends in the Young Women’s and be considered just that – a young woman.

When I arrived at church, ten wedding dresses varying in style were laid elegantly on the floor. It was as if I had walked into a bridal shop. The dresses had been lent by married women from the church for us to try on and take photographs in as if we were actually getting married.

I was ecstatic. Eleven-year-old me could not have thought of a better first activity. All the girls took turns getting their hair curled and their makeup done, and we jumped into the dresses as if we really did have a Mormon groom waiting for us.

I remember choosing what I thought was the prettiest dress I had ever seen. It was the purest ivory colour with a huge ruffled skirt that flowed out behind.

I grabbed it and put it on before any of the other girls could take it. Wearing it, made me feel like a princess. I kept it on an entire night, not letting anyone else have a chance in my dress.

The dress had no sleeves. It had been worn previously by a woman who married in it before she converted to Mormonism. With my shoulders out it was deemed immodest. I was told I had to wear a vest underneath and a cardigan over the top so that there was no chance of my shoulders being shown; a

By Adobe Stock| respectful, virtuous Mormon girl

would never display her shoulders, especially on her wedding day.

Once we were all dressed in white with our hair in braided buns, we had a photo shoot. The photographer, instead of asking us to say ‘cheese,’ told us to say what temple we wanted to get married in. Most girls shouted out “Salt Lake City!”

A temple located in Salt Lake City, Utah, known for being the largest

other girls sounded so sure about what they wanted, but I had never thought of it before.

As I reflect on that day now, I realise how damaging it is to encourage young girls to only strive towards marriage. Many girls plan out imaginary weddings when they are young, but for me it was different.

Due to the church and the adults who guided me within it, I grew up believing that I would not be good enough unless I got married as soon as possible.

As a teenager, this led me to fixate on male opinions of myself and whether they liked me enough to want to be with me.

My self-esteem was rooted in men.

I only felt validated and worthy of God’s love if I knew that there was a boy who wanted me.

By being taught that God’s plan was for me to marry and churn out as many children I could, I made it my agenda to search for someone who could give me this. Since most Mormons get married young, I felt my time was limited.

Sixteen is the appropriate age to start dating, according to Mormon

“I felt as if my biggest acheivement in life would be getting married to a Mormon boy”

“I was fixated on male opinions. My self-esteem was rooted in men”

Rachaphak

Mormon temple in the world.

I remember the parents and youth leaders laughing when I told the photographer to wait one second so I could think about which temple. I did not have an answer. The adults saw it as endearing that I had no clue, but I found it confusing. The

INQUIRE LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS PULLOUT

KENT UNION’S NEXT GENERATION Voting open 17 - 21 February kentunion.co.uk/vote

DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately, Sarah Adama* was unavailable to figure in the above photo of candidates for Students’ Union President.

Read her manifesto inside.

Candidate manifestos | Manifesto analysis | How to vote | Medway | Editorial Dear reader, your vote matters

Students’ Union President

Aarish Hyder

• Promoting university culture bringing a sense of togetherness • A sustainable environment - what is a world to live in if there’s no world?

• Employability - no more dropping down the league table…

Students’ Union President

Daniel Symonds

Vote Symonds for free beer.

Student unions used to pride themselves on pulling affordable pints. Now, Woody’s and Venue are extorting us out of our hardearned loans. If elected president, I would stop the frivolous and wasteful spending of your money, and instead focus on the things that matter to students, like beer.

In 2018, Kent Union spent...

• £66,393 on ‘marketing and market research’.

• £1,100,000 on ‘campaigning and representing students’.

• £29,380 on ‘media and publications’.

• £248,008 on ‘service charges’ from the University of Greenwich.

Instead, this money could have been spent on something useful, like giving away 481,260 pints of beer.

Liberté, égalité, bière.

Vice-President Welfare and Community

Aisha Dosanjh

• Wellbeing & support - Permanent nap rooms on campus - Remove attendance grades • Sexual health - Increased awareness of sexual health and access to free testing • Accessibility & facilities - More baby changing facilities across campus - Wheelchair access across campus

Vice-President Welfare and Community

Ming Tan

• Sense of belonging - Provide support to students from marginalised groups such as BAME, LGBTQ+, QTIPOC and international students by engaging with them to tackle existing issues.

• Create networks in Medway such as Commuting Students, Activities, BAME to be able to focus on providing support for students in Medway.

Students’ Union President

Ethan Basso • Reduce mental health service wait times - Mental health is a huge issue, not just at Kent but globally, so I will work with the VicePresident Welfare/Community to reduce the wait time for mental health services and better support students, by securing funding from the university for additional staff.

• Review union student staff pay - Is it fair that one staff member can be paid up to £1.90 per hour more than their coworkers for doing the exact same job because they’re older? I’ll conduct a review of the system to make it fairer for all our student staff.

• Make campus safer - I’ll work with the university and student groups to make campus a safer place, by actions such as increasing physical security presence, strengthening and pushing existing measures like Safezone, increasing the provision for sexual assault counselling, and running more workshops on domestic violence and abuse.

Vice-President Welfare and Community

Muhammad Abdullah

• Launch a “Wellness App” which also has podcasts on mental health issues • To campaign for “reducing accommodation prices.”

• Improve the service of Food bank and to launch a “Food Bank in Medway.”

• Mental wealth - Expand on existing mental health services: increase free counselling sessions from five every year to five every term.

Meet your candidates 2020 Read their top 3 manifesto points

Students’ Union President

Joshua Frost

• Safety and Support - Providing free spike test kits for use on and off campus, Organised scheduled walking wardens, safe storage areas on campus and mainstreaming Kent Inform to remove hate crime/harassment.

• Facilities and Wellbeing - Secure free access to mental health apps, full time therapy dog, more councillors and a simplified process to get help. Developing more inclusive campus menus to meet more religious dietary needs.

Students’ Union President

*Sarah Adama

• Ensure clarity of services the university offers and an easily accessible system, accommodating potential cultural barriers.

• Frequent online communications between students and tutors to keep academic progress in check • Create safe channels for students to report hate crime and sexual violence and staff training on responding to claims

• Accessibility and Community Develop an engaging monthly outline of Union activities, create regular questioning opportunities of KU practices to students, Optimising existing KU social media presence for contemporary requirements.

Vice-President Academic Experience

Andrea Cavallini

• Diversify assessments assessments are usually confined to the world of academia and theory, but why not trying to make an impact in the community and explore creative assignments? introducing the university as a living lab.

• Foster a feeling of community between staff and students - do you feel connected with your lecturers? if the answer is no, possible solutions include: development of ‘common rooms’ conferences,school wide events • Signpost available resources if i say myfolio, employability points, slas, academic advisor, student rep, change it, progress profiles, peer mentoring, jobshop, studyplus, value... do you know what i’m talking about?

Full manifestos at kentunion.co.uk/candidates

Vice-President Academic Experience

Gavin Knight

• Looking at personal academic support I would want to ensure that all academic advisers firstly introduce themselves to their new students, and that they then keep in a reasonable amount of contact throughout the year. This was something that wasn’t great through my own time at uni.

• I would also look to see how much academic societies can help provide some support in a more informal setting, as this is something we have done in my time on the Anthropology Society committee over the last two years.

It seems to be very appreciated especially among first year students.

• In terms of student wellbeing I would just like to make sure the uni informs students fully as to what support services are available. I would also like the Union itself to look at conducting more of their own wellbeing and support events.

Vice-President Postgraduate Experience

Vice-President Student Engagement

• Internationalisation – Inclusiveness doesn’t cut it; Kent Union should be a truly outward facing body that involves all of its student members, from Medway to Athens. As Postgrad VP, I want to run events and conferences that reflect Kent’s international reputation and connects with our overseas campuses.

• UCU Strike Compensation - We’ve collectively sacrificed millions with no end in sight. It has gotten difficult to support our staff when we are also feeling the ill effects.

Various national universities are distributing reparations and with another strike on the horizon we must get what we are owed to a suitable capacity.

• Support - I want to ensure that Kent Union is a place postgrads know they can turn to for support, by working to establish a PG support and advice scheme for both PGs and UGs looking to continue their studies at Kent

• Inclusivity across Campus - By developing new spaces that cater to basic dietary needs we can increase inclusivity across campus.

Furthermore, by fuelling various collaborative movements we offer opportunities for self-expression, freedom as well as the chance to hone talents, skills, passions and potential prospects.

Patrick Stillman

• Innovative Teaching – For postgrads that are being given seminar groups to lead, I want to ensure that KU either provides workshops and training days for post-grads to build skills and gain confidence for leading seminars or works with the schools to provide this.

Vice-President Academic Experience

Vicky Saward-Read

• Continue embedding Sustainability in the Curriculum • Create a consistent approach to Office Hours • Better support the collaboration between Student Reps and Academic Societies

Aldo Manella

• Auxilium Open forum - This serves to reinforce communication between student’s, committees, and the union by means of an open forum that’ll fuel campaigns, collaborations and innovations across both Canterbury and Medway campuses.

Vice-President Student Engagement

Catherine Reeve

• Finances - Implement the finance dashboard on the Kent Union website to allow treasurers to keep better track of finances, allowing more autonomy of finances for student groups through online banking to circumvent the need to visit the SAC and reduce unnecessary paper usage.

• Committees - More support for committees and more recognition for the work they do, such as reward schemes for hours logged, including streamlining communication with the coordinators in the SAC and better enforcing the ability to speak to staff during specified drop ins.

• Student Group Prospects Encourage symbiosis between the academic and extracurricular activities on campus to promote employability and post-university prospects. This would be achieved by implementing schemes to acknowledge the skills built in both academics and student groups, culminating in workshops for CV writing and related work placements.

Vice-President Student Engagement

Alfoncina Matungamire

• As the Vice-President of Student Engagement I pledge to commit to defending the rights of all University of Kent students.

How you might ask? Well I plan to always take the necessary steps such as sharing my ideas in board meetings, leading in the development of societies and being a voice for every student who feels voiceless.

• I am not just passionate about diversity and inclusivity. I want every student to feel like they’ve at least gotten the chance to express themselves within the university community! I will host the necessary campaigns and fight for the necessary changes. I want to make more spaces where women are more comfortable to express their opinions, where people of different races and cultural backgrounds can coexist!

Vice-President Student Engagement

Alicia Roberts

• Start taster sessions for sports and activities – allowing for less experienced or complete novices to trial a sport without having to commit money or large amounts of time. I believe that everyone should be able to try a new sport or hobby that would otherwise be inaccessible to them.

• Have a representative from each society be present in a large discussion group to discuss how to manage issues that the Union and the societies face, particularly in the communication between Union and societies.

• Create an online leader board to represent and acknowledge the achievements of all societies, and creating a team and community feeling within the sports community. This could also be used to attract more members into niche sports and activities.

• If you want a candidate who cares about each and every student then I’m the right person for you to vote for. Let’s make a change together!

Vice-President Student Engagement

Heather Furnish

Vice-President Student Engagement

Megan Warwick

• Communication platform Introduce a platform to improve communication between Kent Union, student groups and new students. Allowing students to meet each other, browse student groups, advertise events and contact KU more effectively.

• Gym Expansion - Expand the gym with a bookable weights room, a greater variety of machines, and a workout room with blue mats.

Offer more gym classes, such as self-defence training, to improve safety. Add storage facilities such as lockers for society equipment.

• Sustainability & terracycle Introduce TerraCycle bins across campus, improving on Kent’s promises on sustainability and the environment; whilst lobbying the University to change their practices to be more ecoconscious.

• Communication - Launch weekly updates in the form of a newsletter published on social media platforms and emailed to all presidents of clubs/societies.

Introduce a message board for students to talk to Kent Union staff on weekends, when Mandela is closed.

• Mental health services - Expand on current initiatives, enrolling more committee members on training and securing more funding for mental health services allowing for quicker, more effective help.

Vice-President Student Engagement

Carolina VE

• Mental health - Introduce The Good Lad Initiative - check out their website! - in order to promote positive masculinity and encourage men to become agents of positive change around campus. I also want to ensure that all societies, and sports clubs, have a trained welfare officer so that all members are adequately supported.

• Engagement - Fix the problem of clashing taster sessions by introducing speed dating taster sessions where students can try out various different sports without the fear of missing out.

Increase support for committees by holding regular KU & student led committee training on specific matters such as event management, and finance.

• Finance - Develop a monthly gym membership to make the gym more accessible, restructure the development fund application forms to make the process more transparent and make sponsorships for student groups more visible and accessible.

Ensure the extra money going into Kent Sport is being reinvested in the facilities that students want.

Vice-President Student Engagement

Sneha Chawla

• Increase collaboration between Canterbury and Medway campuses with conjoint events #MedwayMatters • Work closely with the international network chair to bring more events/support throughout the year to develop a homely international community • Host more networking events for Societies and Sports to engage and enhance each other’s student experience

• Medway Activities Centre - Lobby to develop a multiplex building containing gym equipment, café and hireable rooms.

A brief note from the InQuire editorial team: Each candidate was asked to submit the top 3 manifesto points. These statements appear as they were received and any grammatical or spelling errors are not due to InQuire editorial. InQuire do not endorse any of the candidates.

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of InQuire

INQUIRE’S MANIF

Kent Union’s Leadership Elections are well underway, and set to take place from Monday 17 February to Friday 21 February.

Candidates have been announced, and their manifesto released. InQuire’s Elections Team reviews the twenty candidates’ manifestos and give their predictions as to who could come out on top.

VP STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

By Jos Websit

Candidates: Sneha Taro Chawla, Aldo Manella, Alicia Roberts, Carolina VE, Catherine Reeve, Heather Furnish, Megan Warwick, Afoncina Matungamire.

By Casey Magloire Website Sports Editor

With such an international community, Sneha Taro Chawla, an international student, would undoubtedly help to address the issues of our very diverse society, especially as she is the only one to explicitly highlight this group. Her manifesto rightly gives a feel for her as a person; however, there appears to be lack of forward-thinking. This is only the opening stages and I am sure that as time goes, we might see why she is passionate about the causes she is pushing (and how exactly she will go about bringing change). Her manifesto seems at times a little generic; it would have been nice for her to introduce new, innovative ideas.

For the lack of passion and enthusiasm Sneha has in her manifesto, Aldo Manella makes up for this by the bucket load. He immediately tackles some of the hard-hitting issues, such as strikes and gym memberships, which will inevitably gain him much support among the student body. The running theme throughout his manifesto appears to be ‘communication’ and ‘unity’. He seems invested in bringing students closer to those in power with committees and increased opportunities for discussion.

Notably, his stance on upgrading KU’s social media and communication strategy is intriguing. As he is linked with the popular Templeman Memes Instagram account, it will be interesting to see how he can apply his skills and humour during this period of time.

Alicia Roberts’ manifesto is dominated with reconciling issues that predominantly impact the sport community. However, she does also mention her intentions to promote a more collaborative relationship with Medway, as well as raising awareness for LGBTQ+ and Black History Months. Yet, I would be inclined to question the proposal of taster sessions. In previous years, I have been aware of societies providing such sessions. So, one may only assume that she intends to make this a more universal approach. The highlight of her manifesto is the suggestion that there should be a discussion group made up of representatives from each society. In theory, this would be a great idea. However, I am aware of how frustrated many societies are with Kent Union. I can imagine that these discussions may turn into a scheduled session for students to vent about why we do not like Kent Union.

Carolina VE is probably one of the clearest when stating what her proposals are and how she would approach them. Every problem is met with an equally reasonable solution which is impressive. She has a clear plan, focus and ideas on how she would tackle issues. I admire the fact that she has not simply stated what’s wrong but provided means of correcting this. Honestly, there is very little to critique when reading her manifesto.

The two overwhelming reaction I had when reading Catherine Reeve’s manifesto was, firstly, that the implementation of finance dashboard is a good idea but will

never be implemented. The second was that I love the ideas she has for committees.

Yes, Kent Union have several awards available for societies, but the winner-takes-all system ignores how much work goes into being on a committee. This was definitely a stand-out proposal in my eyes, and one that may sway a few others. However, is this issue relevant to enough people to get her across the finish line?

I suspect many will have a similar reaction to Heather Furnish’s manifesto as Sneha Taro Chawla. Neither introduced innovative ideas in ways that others clearly displayed.

Again, this comes across as lack of passion on paper which may be completely wrong when meeting them in person. However, her slogan “time to reFurnish Kent Union” is without a doubt one of the best of all the manifestos. It is certain that this will gain her significant support from those who appreciate a good pun. It is unfortunate that this type of creativity was not conveyed throughout the rest of the manifesto. However, her experience will prove to be a valuable asset and one that should be maximised to the fullest extent.

Megan Warwick, another candidate with a great pun; #MoreWithMeg. It is certainly true when considering she has been a part of (what seems like) every possible society on campus. This perspective will be valuable when needing to address the wide-ranging concerns as VPSE. There are several stand out policies, but perhaps the most ambitious policy for Medway as she intends on lobby-

ing for a “multiplex”. Overall, this manifesto has a similar feel to Carolina VE; grounded in reality whilst still presenting exciting and ambitious ideas.

Alfoncina Matungamire’s manifesto reads like a politician’s leadership pledge, and there are positive and negatives to this. It is polished and concise, yet the use of phrases that do not really say that much makes her appear detached from the student body.

This is a shame as her pledge to be “a voice for every student who feels voiceless” is most likely sincere. This also lacks the pragmatic means of how she will go about this, beyond bringing up concerns in meetings.

Unfortunately, Alfoncina’s passion is lost as she makes sweeping statements, such as “fight for the necessary changes”. I am certain there are number of people who would be very interested to know what these changes may be, why she supports them, and how. Although I believe that she cares about “every student”, I would be more convinced if she explained why and what she will do for them.

Overall, judging from the manifesto alone, there are some stand out candidates. These are the people who were passionate, yet realistic and pragmatic. But, more importantly, they appear innovative. If the manifestos are anything to go by, the race looks to be close contest between Carolina VE, Aldo Manella, Catherine Reeve, and Meg Warwick. However, it is still too soon to assume this will be the case, but it will be interesting to see how all the candidates continue from here.

VP WELFARE AND COMMUNITY Candidates: Muhammad Abdullah, Ming Tan, Aisha Dosanjh.

By Alex Charilaou Writer This year there are three candidates standing for the position of Vice-President (Welfare and Community). The incumbent, Omalade Adedapo, is not running again this year after seeing off her two terms in office.

Though similar issues crop up in all three of these manifestos, each offers different solutions. The primary concerns of the manifestos this year are mental health, accessibility, and the University community.

The first candidate, Muhammad Abdullah, puts forward five policies in his manifesto. On mental health, he promises to introduce a “wellness app” and regular self-care workshops. He also focuses heavily on financial accessibility, including setting up food banks on Medway campus and initiating a “hobbies fund” to help

students fund extracurricular activity. Muhammad also promises to reduce accommodation prices, a policy that will likely prove his most popular.

Though much of Muhammad’s manifesto will undoubtedly prove popular, it’s hard to get away from the fact that a lot of it is too expensive to be practicable. While he is right to focus on financial accessibility, and policies like a Medway campus food bank are effective, there is a sense that he has over-promised. InQuire has contacted Muhammad asking for a plan for how these policies would be implemented and budgeted.

The second candidate, Ming Tan, has six policies in her manifesto. On mental health, she commits to increasing the number of free counselling sessions for students from five-a-year to five-a-term, as well as raising awareness of the dangers of social media. On community,

Ming focuses on supporting marginalised groups, introducing networks on the Medway campus and opening more student spaces. On accessibility, she promises to introduce a zero-tolerance policy on violence and discrimination.

The biggest problem with Ming’s manifesto is that some of the policies lack substance. For instance, “supporting marginalised groups” is a great principle, but a manifesto is for putting forward a plan of action – no plan is obvious in Ming’s manifesto. Her point on “raising awareness of social media” has similar problems. What methods will be used, and is it worth spending money on? However, the spirit of the manifesto is incredibly positive, even if the policies are sometimes on the thin side.

The third candidate, Aisha Dosanjh, also has six policies. On mental health, Aisha promises to install permanent nap rooms

on the campuses, as well as scrapping student attendance grades, a big source of stress for many students. Aisha’s manifesto also includes a section on accessibility, promising to put more baby change facilities on the campuses as well as ensuring wheelchair access across the University.

She is the only candidate to address sexual health in her manifesto, promising to “raise awareness” as well as introducing free sexual health tests. Her policy of promoting a reward scheme for recycling is particularly radical.

Of the three, Aisha’s manifesto is the most promising. It seems more realistic than Muhammad’s and more concrete than Ming’s. Aisha’s policies are well thought through and doable. As Aisha said herself to me when I contacted her, students are “overworked, overstressed and overtired” and these policies go a long way in addressing this.

As the astrous Patrick Vice-Pr gardles should Pat’s sound Kent U for tho teach u schools only he and ski underg

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By Tari Writer

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FESTO ANALYSIS VP POSTGRADUATE EXPERIENCE Candidates: Patrick Stillman.

sh West te Opinion Editor

e only candidate, unless something dissly happens and R.O.N gains a majority, k ‘Pat’ Stillman will become the second resident (Postgraduate Experience), ress of his manifesto. But that only means we analyse it more thoroughly. financial and teaching agenda is quite and easily achievable. He aims to make Union provide training and workshop days ose postgraduates about to lead and undergraduate seminars, or work with the s to provide them. This scheme would not elp postgraduate teachers with confidence ills needed for such positions, but also the graduates they will be teaching, who are of-

ten left with PhD students with abundant knowledge but no skills to implement it. Pat also calls for Kent Union to stand beside the University and College Union and back postgraduate teachers in their fight for better pay, hours, and conditions.

This is especially important given the current climate; postgraduate teaching staff are not able or cannot afford to strike with other lecturers.

Some of Pat’s other plans, however, are problematic or even fantastical. Foremost amongst them is his plan to run events and conferences which connect Kent with its international campuses (Paris, Athens, Rome, and Brussels) and “reflect Kent’s international status”. This is problematic for numerous reasons; the planning would be considerable and ideally handled by a team of people which he probably will not have, the cost would be immense and certainly beyond Kent

STUDENTS’ UNION PRESIDENT

didates: Aarish Hyder, Daniel Symonds, Ethan Basso, Joshua Frost, Sarah Adama.

ini Tiwari

Hyder is in his third year readw and accounting and finance. He o be the International Students and prides himself on having ved the tedious visa laws. His sto aims to, among other things, ve employability, offer special rt to EU, International, and BAME unities, and continue with Sasha veldt’s sustainability campaign.

Hyder running, international stumay wish to feel better repred than they already are. A lack of on on his manifesto points can e noted. el Symonds is a student who ran use my friend bet me £5 to do owever, he felt the Union does ave a strong enough influence udent life, “especially considere Union boasts about spending 000 on ‘representing students’ ir website”. His manifesto breaks the Union’s 2018 spending, dethat he will use that money to way 481,260 pints of beer. He ome across as a Lord Bucketesque candidate, but he prombe open to students’ requests, and complaints by sitting outhe Venue for an hour a week. At me time, this can start a trend of nts voting in the ‘gimmicky’ candimaking Kent Union as an organiwholly redundant. n Basso is UKC Photography ent, Sciences Faculty Representand Academic Network Chair. He e feels he knows how the Uniand Union operate and would, ore, be qualified to “bring lasting e in an effective way”. His mani-

festo is very detailed, but the predominant focus is on reducing mental health services wait times, reviewing Union student staff pay, making campuses safer, and improving sustainability by declaring a climate emergency. He also wants to “empower Medway”. Basso is a highly experienced candidate with a diverse manifesto. His focus on safety is very important considering the history the University has with assault. He does not focus much on diversity and inclusivity, but we will wait and see what he has to say on the subject at the debate.

Joshua Frost says he is running “out of a sense of obligation to the students who have been continuously let down by the Union”. He wants to fight the status quo and overhaul the system. His manifesto includes promoting safety, mental health, transparency at Kent Union, establishing a Medway officer, and making the Co-op cheaper. Although he does not detail the financial means by which he would make some of these changes (and how he would make the prices at Co-op cheaper, given that it is an independently run company), Frost’s manifesto is diverse and detailed.

Sarah Adama is a first-year law student. She is an active debater and has worked in numerous NGOs and government offices. Her manifesto focuses mainly on integration and inclusivity, and more specifically accommodating cultural barriers, improving digital communication between staff and students, safer channels to report hate crimes and sexual violence, and stronger support for the Medway campus. Adama’s manifesto is strong in that it focuses on the issue of diversity, but the fact that she is a first-year student means she could have less grasp on how the University and Union operate.

Union’s budget, the logistics of getting students from all over Europe to attend would also be a herculean task – not forgetting that Brexit will come into full effect halfway through his tenure and we ARE yet to see how that will affect European students.

The plan to create a PG support and advice scheme to help both postgraduate students and undergraduates considering remaining at Kent is an old and well-worn initiative. The Student Learning Advisory Service already provides this, not to mention the Careers and Employability Service; and University staff are happy to advise undergraduates thinking of moving to postgraduate study. Collaborating with the Vice-President (Student Engagement) to run events for postgraduates to get more active or involved in student groups also seems fruitless. Involvement in

campus societies is ultimately the choice of the postgraduate themselves; they often do not have the time to commit to a society and more often just do not want to, nothing is stopping them now from joining any activity or society they wish.

Compared to the broad Medway initiatives proposed by last year’s candidates, Pat’s seems unfairly exclusive to a chosen few. He proposes facilitating a closer relationship with the sports science scholars and researchers at Medway, giving them “the opportunity to work with the top end of their field”. Perhaps this is to be expected of the current President of Kent Fencing, but it seems manifestly unfair to prioritise that group above others. Do they not deserve the opportunity to work with the top end of their field too?

VP ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE Candidates: Andrea Cavallini, Gavin Knight, Vicky Saward-Read.

By Jeanne Bigot Newspaper News Editor This year, three candidates have submitted themselves to become Vice-President (Academic Experience). Incumbent Vicky Saward-Read has decided to run again, while the other two candidates are newcomers to Kent Union.

Andrea Cavallini is a third-year social anthropology student. His time as a Student Representative for his course could give him an advantage – given that he has already worked as a representative for academic experience in the School of Social Anthropology, and has experience working alongside the University of Kent to represent students’ interests. His manifesto contains interesting points but remains largely vague when it comes to how he will implement these policies.

Cavallini’s first manifesto point is on diversifying assessments. He campaigns for introducing more “creative assessments”. While the idea certainly seems innovative, his manifesto fails to specify what this would look like, beyond what he vaguely calls a “Living Lab”.

He also wants to introduce a new feeling of community between students and staff, through propositions such as common rooms, conferences, and schoolwide events. These already exist in most schools, and Cavallini remains vague about how he would implement his ideas. He also mentions wanting to “put Medway back on the map”, but as it happens too often with candidates, his propositions for Medway are not specified beyond “creating greater cohesion between the two campuses”. His fifth point – creating a more sustainable curriculum – seems attractive and in line with the times, but lacks explanation, apart from a reference to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Gavin Knight is an MSc student in forensic osteology and field recovery methods.

The first pledge on his manifesto is to improve contact between academic advisors and students, by increasing contact throughout the year. This seems like an interesting point – personally, I never met my academic advisor during my time at Kent. Personal academic support was also listed first as students’ priorities for academic experience, as surveyed by Kent Union.

In conversation with InQuire, Knight mentioned that sustainability was one of the main points on his manifesto. He wishes to continue Sasha Langeveldt’s work on sustainability and wants to reduce the amount of food waste, as well as pushing for the University to officially declare a climate emergency. While important in the current political climate, it seems unclear how these points directly relate to someone’s work as VP (Academic Experience).

One of the most attractive points in his manifesto relates to providing information on financial aids to students and making sure that the University provides a comprehensive list of financial aids available to students in the Welcome Pack. This seems important, given that financial support was stated second in students’ priorities for wellbeing and community in a recent Union survey. On Medway, Knight proposes to increase the amount of cross-communal academic events between the two main campuses. This seems like a decent proposal and goes beyond just stating that community feel needs to be reinforced.

As stated, Saward-Read has decided to re-run for her own role. Her manifesto can be interpreted as vague, but it is worth reading into her mid-term review (available on the Kent Union website) to assess her current work. She mentions her work promoting student wellbeing – especially during the strikes – and puts an emphasis on the fact that academic societies were made free and updated with rolling memberships under her term.

Her manifesto mainly consists of continuing her on-going work with Kent Union. She states that she wants to continue embedding sustainability within the curriculum. Saward-Read wants to create a more consistent approach to office hours, support collaboration between student reps and academic societies, and improve the online personal academic support for commuting students. While interesting points, nowhere in her manifesto does she state exactly how she will implement these policies if re-elected, which makes it hard for individual voters to trust the process in which she will conduct these changes.

In a conversation with InQuire, Saward-Read did specify her manifesto point on office hours, highlighting that some students cannot make use of some lecturers’ office hours because they have other classes and commitments during those hours, and this is why she wants to make it more comprehensive. However, given the number of students and academics, this seems like a daunting task to take on. Her idea of lobbying for an increase in computer-based assessment seems attractive and inclusive of all students who might have issues with in-class examinations, but again, is not even close to being detailed enough to be comprehensible.

In my opinion, Gavin Knight seems to have the most detailed and comprehensive manifesto. However, it sometimes lacks solid attachment to his potential role as VP (Academic Experience), often drifting into other roles and jurisdictions, such as Vice-President (Welfare and Community).

Design by Syan Bateman Words by Jeanne Bigot

SINGLE TRANSFERRABLE VOTE

Design by Syan Bateman Words by Jeanne Bigot

Priorities for 2020/2021 Student Union as chosen

by Kent students

At the January 2020 Big Fair, Kent Union polled over 400 students at the University regarding what full-time officers’ priorities should be regarding students. Issues surrounding support seem to matter the most to students, whether it be academic or mental health support. Finances also seem to rank high on the list, with the first priority for the students’ union being listed as value for money in campus outlets, and the second priority for wellbeing and community being financial support.

FOCUS ON: THE IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR MEDWAY STUDENTS

By Kayleigh Osborne Website Developer The University of Kent at Medway is comprised of a close-knit community of students. It is difficult to cross the campus without being recognised.

Canterbury is more of a campus in the proper sense of the term; it has a number of outlets and shops and a variety of events run throughout the term.

Medway is a lot more urban. A smaller and quieter location contrasts the hustle and bustle of the city of Canterbury. Gillingham lacks desirable the assets that Canterbury has such as an array of shops and diverse nightlife.

Sharing a campus with The University of Greenwich and Canterbury Christ Church comes with a number of advantages and disadvantages.

As a student on the Medway campus, you are a member of GK Union, a combined partnership between Kent and Greenwich universities. This gives you access to services provided by both Kent and GK Unions, but it is very easy to feel underrepresented when studying in Medway.

Due to joint funding, Drill Hall Library is perfectly equipped for the average stu-

dent. Facilities such as The Deep End and Café No.1 provide spaces to socialise.

The services provided by GK Unions are sufficient and functional, but there is most definitely room for improvement. It is not difficult to get an appointment with the Union services, such as wellbeing, due to the smaller student population.

However, this is where the support seems to end. Not a lot of students here know about the work of the Union, unless we actively seek it out.

Over the last few years, the focus of officers has been on improving the student experience in Canterbury. This is unsurprising; Canterbury is the main, better-established campus. It is where the higher percentage of the student body live and study.

While there have been promises to improve the student experience in Medway, no real efforts have been made.

Everything seems more limited, from societies to job opportunities. It is almost impossible to find employment on campus due to the lack of outlets, that has caused a number of people to experience financial difficulties. Hospitality and Kent Union do not overtly promote job openings over here as the commute to Canterbury is not ideal.

The societies available to us on the Med-

way campus are very limited. Finding friends with common interests is easy – getting involved in Union life, not so much.

It would be great if a wider collection of societies were established and, most importantly, promoted. Did we even have a Welcome Fair? If we did, it went unheard of.

As the campus is small, it is difficult to find spaces to relax away from the classroom environment. The café closes at 3pm, which leaves only the shared bar to socialise in.

The routine of sitting in the bar between lectures can get old, even providing an alternative space for students to unwind would be a welcome change.

There are no study hubs or other social spaces, which is frustrating. Postgraduates and undergraduates share these areas and while this is not a major issue, it would be nice to have a separate postgraduate space, like the Senate in Canterbury.

Events in Medway are few and far between. Whereas it seems that there are talks and workshops in Canterbury designed to inspire and engage students, nothing seems to go on here.

The Campus shuttle is available and conveniently free, but the commute is tiring. It would help to improve student satisfaction if there were some intriguing talks or events

2018-2019: WHAT HAS KENT UNION DONE?

happening in Medway.

The Canterbury campus also seems safer.

We have 24-hour security, but innovations such as the ‘walking taxi’ have yet to be implemented. The ‘SafeZone’ app is available to us but is not well promoted.

Overall, the ideal candidate should make an effort to engage with Medway students.

They should listen to our concerns and ideas and be proactive in improving the overall experience of those studying here.

It is difficult to perceive what life is like in Medway. The campuses are vastly different. Communication between students and candidates is extremely important.

Efforts to improve student engagement need to be made. A wider community feel needs to be established for Kent students.

Change is needed and would be greatly welcomed by all those at The University of Kent’s Medway campus.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of InQuire.

DEAR READER: YOUR VOTE MATTERS

By Jeanne Bigot, Newspaper News Editor & Alejandro Javierre Website News Editor

By Emily Regan Website Features Editor Kent Union has seen many achievements in the past year.

Firstly, Kent Union saw its first all-female officer team, with them being elected on International Women’s Day in 2019.

With the University and its students being stated as the main focus of their goals, the officers have a long list of achievements.

After over 2,000 students responded to the ‘Fit for Purpose’ survey, Emily Window, current Vice-President (Student Engagement), inputted a new Kent Sport membership with a different payment structure. Sports membership was also made free for all first-year students living on campus for next year.

Working together Kent Union and the Templeman Library increased the study space with an extra 50 seats.

Hot food was also introduced at the Library Café.

Kent Union introduced indoor water fountains across campus, as a part of its sustainable initiative to decrease the use of plastic bottles. The UN Sustainability Goals were approved by Kent Union’s board of trustees, and the 2020-2025 Environmental Strategy was launched. Kent Union is also working with the DeCO2lonize the Climate Movement to address inequality in environmentalism.

This year also saw a transformation of the shops on campus. Teaming up with the Co-operative, two stores were opened on the Canterbury campus, one in central campus and the other in Parkwood, both replacing the SU Shop.

This aimed at offering students a better range of products. After receiving feedback that SU Shop was

too expensive, Kent Union decided on opening the Coop to address the problem.

The branch in Canterbury is only the second franchise that Co-op has opened on a university campus nationwide.

Despite Co-op being a large company, the stores are still run by Kent Union and continue to employ students.

Another building introduced this year is the Mandela Student Centre. All of the Kent Union services are now located in one building. This is where the Job Shop, Advice Centre and full-time officers are located. This is also the home for Volunteering, Sports and Societies.

This helps students to easily find any services they may need.

Keeping students in mind, Kent Union has also included spaces in the building specifically for students such as a social space, toilet facilities, and a student kitchen.

In other developments, the Union: - - -

Filled 1,674 job vacancies on campus; Trained 182 Students Reps; Was only one of five students’ union to be listed for the 10th year in a row in the ‘Sun day Times Best Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For’ list.

Inset (above): Sabbatical officers 2019-2020. From left to right, Omolade Adedapo, VP Welfare and Community; Sasha Langeveldt, Students’ Union President; Vicky Saward-Read, VP Academic Experience; Emily Window, VP Student Engagement; Laura Carlin, VP Postgraduate Experience.

Photo by Emily Heath.

It is that time of the year again.

This year, like others before, Leadership Elections will mobilise candidates and try to get students involved. Even without being directly involved in the process, one could hardly miss the events taking place at the moment.

Campaigning, candidates standing around on campus to hand out flyers, manifestos being shared around on social media; election season usually takes up a lot of University public life.

Students are lambasted with coverage and promises spewing out of the election proceedings, and yet, last year saw one of Kent Union’s lowest election turnout – only 14% of students voted.

Voting is a right, and it is a choice.

Deciding not to vote is a choice as well.

It can signal a protest against the candidates, the representation system, or even the political system as a whole – only turning up on polling day can give you the right to not vote, instead choosing to re-open nominations.

However, the worst thing you can do it pay it no attention.

The past academic year has been marked by political turmoil, both nationally and within the walls of the University of Kent itself.

Recently, the Washington Post changed its motto to reflect what it believed was the most divisive time in recent history to ‘Democracy Dies in Darkness’.

Shine a light on your rights in

democracy – whatever form or aspect of life it may encompass.

In 2018/2019, Kent Union had a budget of £12,802,683. It was spent, for example, on the new Co-op shops, refurbishing the Mandela building, employing 620 students on various outlets across campus.

In Canterbury, to a greater extent than the University’s satellite campuses, Kent Union exists to represent students and aim to improve all aspects of the student experience.

Put simply: whether or not you agree with Kent Union’s actions, the organisation exists for students and students only.

The elections season provides an avenue for students to make Kent Union what it is, and where any student can learn about their Student Union and put their own views into the melting pot; whether as a candidate or as part of the rank and file electorate.

Our role at InQuire is to get you involved. These Leadership Elections are no different.

In this edition’s pull-out and on our website, we hope to convince you to use the democratic platforms available to you. Voting matters. When someone fails to make use of their right to vote, democracy steps back into the darkness just a little bit: legitimacy falls, and accountability fades.

Our generation is going through crucial times.

This year saw, perhaps even more than previous ones, young people taking back their right to express themselves and the University of Kent is not an exception to this phenomenon.

This year, we encourage you to mobilise the same energy.

The chance to express yourself is only a click away.

No-one cares about elections Prove us wrong Shape Your Students’ Union

Vote 17-21 Feb 2020 The Venue polling station 10am - 5pm Monday - Thursday 10am - 2pm Friday Library Café polling station 12pm - 2pm Monday - Friday Woody’s polling station 11am - 5pm Monday - Thursday 11am - 2pm Friday

The Student Hub polling station, Medway 11am - 2pm Monday - Friday Dockyard polling station, Medway 12pm - 2pm Monday - Friday Vote online kentunion.co.uk/vote

21

InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

teaching. Even then, you should only group date rather than be alone with the opposite sex. When I turned sixteen, I imagined being asked out immediately because I was finally available.

Yet, nobody did ask me.

I felt worthless and insecure. Was something wrong with me? How was I supposed to marry and get into heaven when nobody would even ask me out on a date? To this day, I remember those feelings of hopelessness. I think of how ridiculous it was that I felt unworthy because I could not get a date at sixteen.

Before attending a weeklong, teenage convention called For the Strength of Youth (FSY), my family and friends from church told me that FSY might be the place where I find my future husband.

As a seventeen-year-old, who had been on one date, I was full of hope that I would find someone to be my eternal companion.

I was ready to be worthy in God’s eyes to return to heaven.

I had a crush on one boy the full week.

Most people would call their crush their COW (Crush of the Week) because the romance would only last for that week.

Nonetheless, I believed my crush would last forever. I thought my situation was different from others because I had been praying every night to God, begging him to help me get him.

As I knelt and prayed, I would ask God: “Please send me someone who would love me.” This would usually evoke high emotions and I would cry about how lonely and insecure I felt. All I wanted was to be loved.

I felt this way because I did not love myself.

I believed this void could be filled by a man because that meant I had completed God’s plan; which meant I had received an abundance of blessings and happiness.

I told myself repeatedly that the only reason I had not found someone was because God was saving me for someone special.

I hate that I had to reassure myself when it was normal not to be dating at the age I was. Besides this lack of self-worth, I also felt conscious about my body and sexuality.

I was taught to always dress modestly; do not show your shoulders, your knees, your stomach, or any part of your body that could be interpreted as ‘sexual’.

Luckily, I did not have strict parents who made me wear turtlenecks and skirts down to my ankles. However, I was not allowed to wear anything too low-cut or high above the knee. I felt uneasy when I did wear immodest clothing because showing my skin was wrong.

Alongside this, the Sunday School classes about intercourse taught me that having sex before marriage is a serious sin; if you do you are impure and unworthy of heaven. I was told that the reason for abstaining from sex was because the purpose of sex was for procreation.

However, as I got older, I wondered how I was supposed to form a meaningful relationship when I was taught not be alone with the same boy frequently or put myself in any situation that may lead to temptation.

My understanding of dating came from a guidebook called ‘For the Strength of Youth’. It advises young Mormons on what they can and cannot do regarding topics like sexual purity and dating, amongst others. I was fearful of disobeying the guidelines that said even acts like masturbation were sinful.

This meant that I was afraid to explore my own body, but also to be intimate with others. I saw it as dirty and I looked down upon people that had premarital sex, viewing them as unclean and lesser than someone pure.

Mormonism preaches that your body is a temple that should be kept away from worldly things like alcohol, drugs, and sex;

Feature but they forget that your body is your body.

I can do whatever I want with it; it is not something that belongs to God. The activities I choose to partake in are not to be dictated by men who have created these rules for me to follow.

I felt uncomfortable in my body because I did not understand it. I was taught not to explore it, so I avoided it completely. This led to a lack of understanding of how my body works.

When I came to university and I was exposed to relationships and sex, I struggled with the guilt of wanting to do something I had been taught my whole life was a sin.

I was afraid of intimacy because it was taboo, so I was anxious in situations it would arise in.

The guilt I would feel in the first few months post-Mormonism made me more bitter towards the religion. I hated that I felt condemned for doing normal things like drinking alcohol, swearing, and even drinking tea. I was afraid of the judgement I would face from church members when they realised, I was not coming back to church. I was scared I would be labelled a ‘sinner’.

Mormonism teaches free agency, the ability to make your own decisions, but it also teaches that there are consequences to every choice you make. I was wary of these consequences, believing that by having one sip of alcohol I would be struck down by lightning.

I was confused by why I was so afraid of God punishing me when I had been told my entire life that God is loving and kind. If God loved all his children, as Mormonism teaches, then surely, he still loves me now?

However, it is hard to feel someone’s love when you are burdened with the guilt that you have disappointed them. Additionally, you are taught that repentance does not count unless you genuinely feel bad.

Every day the guilt lessens when I participate in activities, I once considered a sin, but I still battle with the teachings that were implanted in me from childhood. It is difficult to forget what you were raised to believe and to disregard a religion that was your youth. I continue to respect the religion as many of my family members still follow it and I have not erased the good memories I had with friends and family in church settings.

Regardless, coming to university has given me independence, allowing me to exercise an opinion that is, and will always be, my own. I began to think for myself and I was able to express who I was without the restraints of religion holding me back from my true desires.

From educating myself, meeting new people, and becoming influenced by my new freedom, I have realised that the Mormon lifestyle was not for me. I disagreed with many of the teachings of the church and no longer wanted to associate myself with it. I wanted to be free to make my own choices without the feeling of guilt. I wanted to feel comfortable in my body and be content with the fact that I was not going to be married by twenty-one.

When I look back on my Mormon life, it feels like a distant memory. I know, however, that religion will always be a part of my identity. For eighteen years of my life, I went to church every Sunday and believed in something that turned out to be something I opposed.

I am happy that eleven-year-old me was content with wearing a wedding dress that looked like a cake topper, but I am happier that she grew up to become someone who decided for herself what was right. I hope I can continue to form my own beliefs and live a life I want to lead, not as a ‘young woman’, wife, or mother, but as a human being.

Photo by Aslan Ntumba Ozer

22

Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

Entertainment

Film

Richard Stanley talks Lovecraft, Cage, and capturing the Color out of Space Photo by RLJE Films

Richard Stanley is the man of the hour in horror circles. Returning to the industry after decades, he has chosen to tackle his dream project: adapting the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Emily Webb-Mortimer and Rory Bathgate spoke to him about his inspirations, set experiences, and the state of modern horror filmmaking.

Rory: You’ve been quoted as saying Color Out of Space has always been part of your psychological makeup, so would you consider this a passion project you’ve been working towards?

Stanley: Well Lovecraft’s always been one of my favourite authors, so I think he has probably informed my worldview since I was a child, and it was probably high time that I paid homage to him

“There’s clearly some reason why H.P. Lovecraft is finally having his day” and also set the record right.

Rory: Yes, I think there’s no better time because the popularity of cosmic horror has definitely seen a resurgence in recent years.

Stanley: It’s weird, yeah. I mean Lovecraft is more popular now than ever before. I think he’s the single most popular horror writer in the world now, over a hundred years after his death, so there’s clearly some reason why H.P. Lovecraft is finally having his day.

Rory: Does the prospect of similar projects in the future excite you?

Stanley: Well… yeah and it’s also terrifying because I feel like I’m working for the Great Old Ones, those old Lovecraft deities, but providing I do what the Old Ones want, it all seems to go very well for me. We’re now just starting prep work on the follow up to this one. Color is now going to be a trilogy, the powers that be have basically done well on a deal, so they want more and we’re going

to do two more Lovecraft movies.

Rory: That’s fantastic. The Great Old Ones will be happy.

Stanley: Yeah, I figure we’re going to go after the core canon and take the opportunity to try and do faithful adaptations of three of the most important stories. So, since we’ve done Color the next one is going to be Dunwich Horror. I’m up to my eyeballs in Miskatonic University library designs. An opportunity to finally bring on the Necronomicon and do that properly. I’m very grateful I’m going to be the one to do this.

Rory: I think while watching, Emily and I were both hoping for more films.

Stanley: Yeah, it worked out that I was kind of leaning that way as well. I can’t tell you what the third one’s going to be yet; I think it’s all going to depend on how well we do with Dunwich.

Emily: You are known as quite a unique voice in cinema, as is Nic Cage, can you tell us what it was like to work with someone renowned for his uniqueness?

Stanley: Well, Nic and I have been wanting to work together for some time, I think [since] the early nineties. Nic was an absolute joy to work with, I mean, coming after [Island of Dr] Moreau, it was great to have a star on board who brought so much energy and so much imagination to the movie. It was as though I’d used up all of my bad luck coupons on Moreau. The difference could not be more striking. I think [on Moreau] it was something like forty shooting days lost due to cast not coming out of their trailers and refusing to appear, whereas in Color, we finished one day ahead of schedule. Nic was always there with incredible energy for the take and generally, when he was there, we got the take in usually take two or three at worst, which I think is a testimony to his professionalism.

“I feel like I’m working for the Great Old Ones, those old Lovecraft deities” Rory: Absolutely. Similarly, what was it like getting Tommy Chong on board?

Stanley: Also a total delight, again someone I’d been wanting to work with and meet for years, and I thought Tommy hasn’t been in enough movies lately. He’s a tremendous guy, and an absolute walking poster for substance abuse, but still in his eighties and still fully lucid and full of tremendous energy.

Rory: Colin Stetson’s soundtrack is pivotal to the film. How closely did you work with Colin on the score, and did you always have him in mind?

Stanley: Colin was quite a late addition to Color, so I didn’t actually have him in mind from the off.

We were in a situation where we were in a bit of a disagreement – me and the production team – as

to who would be doing the score and didn’t end up doing it with either of the people we thought we were going to use, thus Colin. He’d bought this ancient farmhouse in Vermont and had turned the attic into a recording studio within a few miles of ancient woodland and I thought “this is going to work”. He uses an awful lot of nature sounds in his work, some of the primary weird sounds in Color were things like distorted elk calls.

Emily: We were both very interested in your choice to use both VFX and practical effects. Was there a particular thought process behind it?

Stanley: I think it always helps. We always tried to do it so that we only fell back on the VFX if we had to. There’s a world in which both should work together very seamlessly. It occurs to me that VFX gives us the opportunity to perfect what we were doing in the past, like if Willis H. O’Brien had access to VFX, he would’ve motion-blurred [King] Kong and got rid of the strobing that afflicted the stop motion animation.

Review: Cosmic chaos in Color Out of Space Rory Bathgate explains just what makes Stanley’s technicolor nightmare so groundbreaking.

H.P. Lovecraft’s name long ago entered the literary canon as a synonym for truly good horror. From the humblest fan of the genre to greats like Stephen King, all recognise the most disturbing stories, and terrifying cosmic concepts as in some way ‘Lovecraftian’. Yet despite his fame (and infamy), Lovecraft’s works have consistently failed to translate to cinema.

This is partly due to the author’s less than stellar reputation. It is fair to say that Lovecraft has fallen out of favour with modern audiences, and for good reason: although his contribution to horror is rightly celebrated, he was outwardly racist for his whole life.

Additionally, the content of his work Photo by RLJE Films is no

easy task to adapt, with most of his stories centred around cosmic horror, ideas of extra-dimensional gods and mind-bending entities too abstract to translate to any visual medium. So who, one might ask, would attempt to tackle such a tricky project? The only man for the job is Richard Stanley, who after years out of the limelight has burst back onto the scene with his rendition of some of horror’s hardest and most bizarre ideas.

Color Out of Space follows the events surrounding a meteorite crashing into the farm of Nathan Gardner (Nic Cage) and his family, and their terrifying struggle to maintain their lives and sanity in spite of the alien entities that came with it. Fans of Nic Cage need not

worry; the cult actor definitely goes ‘full Cage’ here, leaning completely into his character’s insanity with trademark exuberance (ever wanted to hear him scream ‘alpacas’?). The rest of the cast is not as strong as they might be – Cage is the highlight here – but they do a suitably good job at seeming truly terrified of the events around them.

Elliot Knight is particularly well-cast as Ward, a hydrologist surveying the area surrounding the Gardner farm.

All of Lovecraft’s stories were told by a first-hand witness of events, be that through narration, rumour, or diary entries. Ward fills that role in Color Out of Space – it is with his narration that the film begins and ends, and for much of it he acts as the hapless audience insert, very reluctantly there to experience the story’s eldritch events first-hand.

Colin Stetson’s transcendent soundtrack might be the star of the show. Fresh off the success of 2018’s Hereditary, the composer has already secured a name for himself as one of the most exciting composers in the industry, using his trademark blend of woodwind and brass to weave uniquely vivid, unnerving auditory experienc-

Photo by RLJE Films

es. The sense of dread created by the soundtrack throughout really cannot be understated. Stetson’s otherworldly sense for balancing frenetic, atonal peaks and otherworldly, expansive lulls results in a menacingly ethereal backing to the film.

The visuals largely complement this, Stanley’s blend of CGI particles and practical, animatronic monstrosities doing a good job of bring some of Lovecraft’s frightful apparitions to the big screen. Somewhat disappointingly, the film does fall back onto some horror clichés. Jump scares abound and one or two scenes rely more on gross-out horror than intelligently disturbing concepts. Nevertheless, there is no

failure to generate fear here, and the occasionally weak special effects do little to distract from the genuinely creepy tone the film manages to strike.

Importantly, one never loses the feeling that the production was born out of a deep respect for the source material. A creative blast, its shortcomings are far outweighed by what a joyous, hammy victory it is for all involved.

Overall, Color Out of Space is a lovably creepy foray into the cosmic horror genre. With the announcement of two more such films from Stanley, it hopefully marks the start of a wave of future cult classics.

Color Out of Space is showing at Bluewater shopping centre.

23

InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

Television

Entertainment

The Good Place goes full circle for its finale

nately, not even the afterlife can last forever.

One by one the Soul Squad, now content with everything they have seen or done in the Good Place, enter the archway to the next phase of their existence. Not even the all-knowing Janet (D’Arcy Carden) has any idea what lies beyond, only that it will be peaceful once they enter. Each character has a poignant ending to their arcs, their story finally coming full circle. Jason (Manny Jacinto) is the first to leave after successfully completing a game of ‘Madden’ with his estranged father. Tahani (Jameela Jamil), who spent her time on Earth helping others for her own

the arch. “The true joy is in the mystery,” she concludes, before walking through. And in the show’s final moments, we do see what happens, but maybe it is better that I leave it for yourself to find out. I will say it is a poignant, satisfying way to end a kind-spirited series about life, death, and morality. Throughout this entire episode, the series’ message has never been clearer: everything will be fine, even when everything ends.

The Good Place is available to stream on Netflix.

BC

moral absolutism had inadvertently sentenced thousands of would-be Good Placers to have their penises flattened in the Bad Place.

The penultimate episode saw the Soul Squad finally earn their spot in the Good Place after figuring out a new and fair system that would let others earn their spots as well. And after some retooling of the heavenly afterlife, the series finale, ‘Whenever You’re Ready,’ lets us see what our band of misfits are up to thousands of Bearimys into the future. This includes reunions with friends and family, quaint parties (with panda bear waiters!), and a romantic getaway across the globe. But unfortu-

some Buddhist spiritual wisdom about the waves, the ocean, creation, and eternity. The next morning, Chidi, who was once so indecisive it landed him in the Bad Place, makes the ultimate decision to enter the archway.

Then we are left with the woman that started it all – Eleanor, who is looking for a reason to move on. It is only when she helps Michael find his own inner peace is, she able to leave. Whilst sipping on margaritas one last time, Eleanor explains to Janet that it is okay not knowing what is on the other side of

N

As the reformed demon Michael (Ted Danson), once put it: “What matters isn’t if people are good or bad. What matters is if they’re trying to be better today than they were yesterday.”

Now, with this new moral philosophy in mind, The Good Place’s fourth and final series saw our Soul Squad come together to fix a broken system that meant no one has been able to enter the Good Place for hundreds of years. This revelation came about when Michael discovered that because human lives are so complicated, even the kindest act has unforeseen consequences. In other words,

Photo by NBC

self-gratification, gets a solid farewell too. Having spent most of her afterlife learning to help others for the sake of helping, she decides to become a Good Place architect, realising that her hard work will be worthwhile in the end.

But cue the tears, because the next one is a real gut-puncher.

661.7 Jeremy Bearimy’s later, Chidi (William Jackson Harper) decides it is his time to go. Eleanor (Kristen Bell) concocts a plan that includes a whirlwind-travel round Athens and Paris to convince him to stay. Bell and Harper have always had great chemistry, but the scene wherein Chidi tells his soulmate he has to leave is a whole new level of amazing. Explaining how she has felt alone her whole life, Eleanor is briefly able to convince Chidi to stay, before realising that despite the millions of possibilities the Good Place has to offer, she can never find the justification to keep him there.

They spend one last night together, where Chidi comforts Eleanor with

Ph o

When Michael Schur first pitched The Good Place, he set out to explore what it means to be a good person. But as the show continued, the moral message of The Good Place began to change; by the third series, Schur concluded that being good is not so much about doing, as it is trying.

Jake Yates-Hart journeys to the comedy afterlife one last time.

by to

Photo by NBC

24

Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

Culture

Theatre

Behind the scenes of On Your Feet

I

By Tímea Koppándi, Newspaper Culture Editor & Yoan Dzhugdanov, Film & TV Sub-Editor

nQuire had the opportunity to have a talk with Kent local Philippa Stefani (Gloria Estefan) and Francesca Lara Gordon (Rebecca Estefan), from the fantastic musical ‘On your feet’.

InQuire: Do you guys have any particular favourites to perform each night?

PS: Mine changes like every couple of days. For me, I think it’s the opening, just to hear that band, the set up before the drop falls and you are introduced to the show and that music. When it kicks in, it’s like BAM! Here we go! Here we go!

Hadn’t felt that in a while.

FLG: I loved the mega-mix last night.

Before this performance, we hadn’t done the show for 8 weeks, so this was like our rebirth. I just found myself loving that part so much. Usually, it’s sometimes the emotional bits for me, sometimes it’s the party atmosphere. You find yourself feeding off the audience, particularly when you haven’t had that for some time.

InQuire: Were there any elements of the show where you found yourself facing particular difficulties?

PS: For me actually, it happened to be a brand-new thing getting used to using a handheld [microphone]. Usually, we just have a mic on the forehead or around the face. So, to get used to using a handheld and performing with that, finding a way to articulate with it. I kept on saying: ‘I don’t want this in my hand’ (laughs).

However, it’s an essential component of conveying the moments when Gloria is out on her world tour.

FLG: I would say that with this show specifically, there are a lot of costume changes. I’m playing a sister, but I’m also involved in the ensemble, so I have many costume changes. I’m floating from being a member of the family to then playing completely different roles. The speed of these costume and wig changes have meant that I’ve had to learn how to switch between everything quickly. Having done this for a while now, it’s helped me grapple with the speed of the show. In terms of any methods I use, it’s all about controlling my breathing otherwise my whole body tenses up. I try to reset and trust the words, not thinking about it too much on stage.

InQuire: From your Twitter post, we have seen that you have met Gloria herself. How was that?

PS: From the get-go she just puts you completely at ease which takes the weight off. So, you are then enabled to do your thing and not be too pressured by her presence. She was just so giving, and I’ll always remember her saying: “I don’t want you to be me. I just want you to do you but as long as you tell the story. As long as you do that honestly – job done.”

So that in itself was great and allowed me to do my own interpretation of the story.

This isn’t a tribute show, so it was very humbling and very grounding to meet an icon because they are that honest, real and genuine. It was a beautiful experience.

InQuire: What excites you about touring and taking this show on

Photos by The Marlowe Theatre

the road?

PS: This is my first ‘big’ tour and I’ve had the luxury of being in the West End for most of my career. Canterbury is my hometown, I’m from Whitstable but I’m born and bred here. That in itself, to bring a show to my hometown is just amazing! To take this and show it to a plethora of people that are the UK is just an absolute honour and a joy. Different areas have different vibes, audiences are different but it’s nice to witness and engage in that. Just seeing the audience’s reaction every night in different towns is extraordinary.

FLG: I think it brings you closer as a company when you are on tour. I haven’t had tons of experience in the West End but I have toured previously. There is a routine to it all that exists for our own sanity- we have to have our own time.

On tour, you are spending more time with the company, and I think there’s something quite nice about that because it’s more cohesive. Having those relationships and having fun outside work all transfers onto the stage. Particularly for this show, if the cast doesn’t have chemistry then it doesn’t work. We’re also able to let the show breathe a bit more by rehearsing bits and bobs occasionally, whereas in London, it was all about perfection.

InQuire: What advice would you give to those students and young aspiring artists who are unsure about what to do next?

PS: Trust in your talent. Trust in your choices. Do everything that you can, work hard because no one’s going to do it for you. If you want to do this career then you need to get an agent, you need to be seen, you need to write those letters and emails, make those phone calls. No one’s going to do it but yourself. Also, make friends with rejection because you will get it all day long. It’s a tough game and it’ll become clear whether you can withstand it or not. I teach a lot of students and this question comes up a lot, so I say trust in what you bring to the table, trust in what you have as an individual because no one else is going to be and have what you have.

Audition-wise, just do your thing but to get to that place, you just need to graft and make friends with rejection. You’ll either be able to do that or you won’t.

FLG: When I’m auditioning, I’m being seen. The more difficult times happen to be when I’m not being seen. It’s tough because as you progress in your career, there will be particular things you won’t want to do anymore; and that will mean waiting longer for other things. You need to be aware that even if you do get lucky straight away, there are going to be times where you might not be acting for a while. You have to be able to handle that, and for me, those have been some of the most amazing times of my life because I’ve learned so much. Just because I’ve valued other things in life, that doesn’t mean that my passion has been belittled at all. You have to look at the long game and think about whether you can make those sacrifices. It’s the best job in the world but it’s also a sacrifice, a struggle every day. You’re under pressure to deliver, which in itself comes with experience.

On Your Feet

Punches a hole through the roof

By Yoan Dzhugdanov, Film & TV Sub-Editor

A

dapted from a book by Alexander Dinelaris, directed by two-time Tony award-winner Jerry Mitchell, and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet tells the true love story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, charting their journey from its humble origins in Cuba to the streets of Miami where they soon achieve international stardom. The show is essentially a run-of-the-mill ‘rags to riches’ story that is intelligently steeped in socio-political significance through its exploration of immigration and cultural assimilation.

The show breezes through Gloria’s upbringing in Cuba during the revolution where we are introduced to her ever so slightly dysfunctional but overly charismatic family, namely her extremely supportive Grandmother, eccentrically portrayed

by Karen Mann. Gloria’s (Philippa Stefani) meeting of Emilio (played on the night by Sharif Afifi) is also whizzed through, as the pair’s instant chemistry and shared passion for music and fame see them speed off to the US to form Miami Sound Machine. The performance depicts their battle against American record labels who insist on stripping away their identity, follows their rapid international success and eventually showcases the near-death bus crash experience that left Gloria prospectively paralysed. However, the show maintains a fast pace to such an extent that one cannot help but feel that the script could have given more time to accommodate certain moments of exposition that felt rather under-developed. Some moments feel rushed and fall flat for the sake of allowing a slew of musical numbers to be performed instead, with the show becoming perhaps too indulged in churning out Estefan’s greatest hits.

Despite these minor flaws, the musical numbers and choreography are sheer moments of power and energy. Trujillo’s choreography is so full of vitality, athleticism, vibrancy and never faltering in pace. This is all brilliantly complimented by the nuanced and dazzling lighting, alongside the extremely tight live band who effortlessly sustain the flawless sound and vibe of Miami Sound Machine throughout.

Last, but certainly not least, the cast of On Your Feet has delivered one of the most energetic and charismatic performances. Phillipa Stefani shines as Gloria Estefan. The Kent local devours every moment, delivering an outstanding and varied performance in moments of comedic light-heartedness, romantic intimacy, and even tragedy. She handles each musical number with flawless energy and technical precision. The chemistry between her and Sharif Afifi, makes the entirety of the show feels incredibly alive and genuine. The work that the cast has done is very noticeable in the way they act, dance, and sing. They become one homogenous group that has performed incredibly well, like a well-oiled sound machine.

This show has delivered one of the most refreshing performances, filled with contagious energy and joy.

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InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

Culture

Photo by Flavio Obradovich

Photo by UKC Erasmus

The UK’s European University no more?

A conversation with UKC Erasmus

F

By Morgan Rodway-Wing, Arts Sub-Editor ollowing the government’s recent refusal to confirm the continuation of the Erasmus+ programme post-Brexit, I felt compelled to delve further into how Brexit could affect the students of UKC in a cultural sense. Erasmus+ is a European Union programme that enables students to travel to other European countries for the purpose of developing, strengthening, and modernising their education.

Photos by InQuire

The programme is at the core of the cultural vibrancy and vastness exhibited at UKC, with record numbers of international students choosing to come and study here. Jack Barton, President of the UKC Erasmus Society, and Mario Torella, Vice-President, explained that it was the “best time” of their lives. Torella boldly stated that he “grew up on [his] year abroad” and “would’ve happily stayed out there” which was particularly refreshing to hear, given how difficult it was for them adapting to a new culture and country.

Photo by Flavio Obradovich

Barton and Torella were keen to bring the level of community and integration they experienced in Italy and Austria back to Kent and redeveloped the UKC Erasmus Society. Originally set up

by Erasmus+ students as a support system for coping with moving to a new country, the society is now an “open space where people can come and enjoy themselves” no matter who they are, where they are from or what they study. Instead of creating a society exclusively for Erasmus+ students, their primary focus is integration, with non-Erasmus+ students being encouraged to join too!

They made it perfectly clear that they want everyone to be able to experience new cultures and often run events and trips in order for this to happen. A buddy scheme is even being talked about in the near future which will see international students being paired up with non-international students to encourage integration even further. However, this scheme may never be given the chance to become a reality because Brexit has threatened to tear the society to shreds.

While Barton and Torella were adamant that UKC deserves to be called the “UK’s European University” due to its international connections, it is undeniable that the discontinuation of Erasmus+ would strip it of this title. Barton called it “heart-wrenching” and admitted that it “screams of disregard for young people”. They even questioned the future of Modern Foreign Language degrees because not being able to spend a significant amount of time living in the country whose language you are studying would “nullify the degree”. It is not an overstatement to suggest that if the government discontinues Erasmus+, the University will very much lose its credibility.

Even more upsetting for Barton and Torella is the pressure that this puts on the society to become politically involved. UKC Erasmus “tries to avoid being political” because they want to build communities based on “friendship” as opposed to politics. With a society as culturally vast as this one, it would be impossible to find a political stance that suits every single member of the society, and therefore they decide to remain impartial, stating that “we don’t just live in the UK, we live in an international society”. However, the aftereffects of Brexit risk dismantling one of the least politically motivated societies which would be a devastating blow to student morale given how crucial UKC Erasmus is to student integration and well-being.

Despite the positivity and cultural excellence that the Erasmus+ programme brings to the University, one thing remains clear; if the political climate remains as toxic, hostile, and uncertain as it is currently is, then it looks as though UKC may need to find a new slogan.

Photos by Ainy Shiyam, Marianne Martin and Preena Dodhia

26

Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

Culture

Making early modern drama accessible: The Paper Stage

By Morgan Rodway-Wing, Arts Sub-Editor

C

anterbury is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the UK, with significant ties to key literary figures such as Christopher Marlowe. Unfortunately, this is often overlooked by students because of the stigma surrounding Early Modern drama which sees students shy away from studying playwrights such as Marlowe due to the complex language.

Luckily, the University of Kent’s very own L. Drysdale is on hand to attempt to break the stigma and take the fear out of studying Early Modern drama.

The Paper Stage was originally a reading group designed to assist English Literature students studying stage two modules. However, noticing the number of people who struggled to understand and engage with Early Modern drama, Drysdale decided that it needed a complete reinvention and took over the reading group in September 2019. In doing so, they have single-handedly transformed it into an astonishingly effective 2-hour support session, and it is my belief that anyone who attends is better off. The best part about it is that everyone is encouraged to come along, whether they study English or not.

Attending the first session of the term, I was apprehensive and concerned that I might have to read something aloud or, even worse, act a scene out. However, Drysdale was clear to

‘The Paper Stage has undoubtedly adapted the way I perceive and approach Early Modern drama, and I believe that it will do the same for anyone who attends.’

Photos by The Royal Shakespeare Company

set the record straight that it is “not a drama club” and went on to explain that no one is ever forced to read anything aloud if they do not wish to. Talking about the name, Drysdale explained that “the reason that this is called The Paper Stage is that we construct a version of the plays that live but isn’t necessarily on a stage”.

They then went on to state that “theatre isn’t designed to stay on paper” which led me to believe that this reading group was not going to be an ordinary group, but an amalgamation of reading, performing, learning, and laughing – I could not have been more spot-on if I had tried.

The witty nature of Drysdale created several moments of hilarity, particularly when they announced that the title for that evening’s session was going to be ‘Where are we, what’s going on and how the f**k did we get here?’ which left me chuckling to myself. The humour continued with their use of props during the reading group, notably a copy of the painting ‘The Ugly Duchess’. Drysdale’s use of humour created a relaxed environment and encouraged students to open up in order to allow themselves to indulge in the worlds of Shakespeare, Marlowe, and Dekker.

There is absolutely no denying that early modern drama carries a stigma with it, with many students preferring to study more modern time periods. However, The Paper Stage has undoubtedly adapted the way I perceive and approach Early Modern drama, and I believe that it will do the same for anyone who attends.

The Paper Stage runs on alternating Monday evenings.

27

InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

What’s on...

South by South East Festival: Friday Pass 14 February 2020 1917 14 February 2020 Funny Rabbit Comedy Club: Raymond and Mr Timpkins & Josh Pugh 14 February 2020 Theatre Temoin: Feed 14 February 2020 Culture Declares Emergency Family Day 15 February 2020 Family Film: Wall-E 15 February 2020 Sam Lee: “Old Wow” Tour 2020 15 February 2020 Kent Enlightens Nepal (KEN) 16 February 2020 A Hidden Life 19 February 2020 NT Live: Cyrano de Bergerac (live) 20 February 2020 Half Life 21-22 February 2020 University of Kent Cecilian Choir: Alice in Wonderland 21 February 2020 Accessible Film Club: Jumanji: The Next Level 22 February 2020 Canterbury Music Club: Ensemble Mirage 23 February 2020

Prices Full - £8.70 GulbCard Member - £6.70 Senior - £7.70 Registered Disabled - £7.70 Student - £6.00 Student GulbCard Member £5.00 Unemployed - £7.70

Photos by The Gulbenkian

Danai Paraskevopoulou reviews two shows recently performed at the Gulbenkian

A Little Space Everyone needs a little space, but what happens when we get isolated?

On 29 November, we saw ‘A Little Space’ at the Gulbenkian theatre, a collaboration brought by Mind the Gap and Gecko.

The performance was about escaping the real world and isolating yourself in a ‘little space’. Homes can be a safe and silent place to escape from reality, but what happens when voices whisper you worst fears? The show brings forward stories of different people trying to escape from reality and getting trapped in supernatural events. It was an expressive, innovative, honest, and contemporary theatre performance which made the audience think of what happens when they are in their own little worlds and their thoughts start “eating” their minds.

The stage design by Rhys Jarman was absolutely fantastic and gave the actors a chance to use the stage in different ways. One feature was a house which was built by metal piping with small lights on the top, creating the aura of being trapped in one’s own home. The actors used it by hitting the metal piping in order to make a sound to alert the cast of changing the situation. The backdrop music by Mark Melville was also a very interesting

element which was perfectly matched with the movement of the actors. The actors replaced the need for dialogue with communication through their excellent movement. The combination of stage and sound made the audience travel to a supernatural world, where monsters are inside the floor

Parakeet

and voices are coming out from the furniture.

The collaboration of the two companies displayed great work and highlighted their innovative ideas of self-reflection. The two theatre companies also worked amazingly with the actors involved.

Photo by Gulbenkian

Photo by Gulbenkian How can we change the world?

This was the question addressed by Boundless Theatre and Boom Shakalaka productions, who were at the Gulbenkian theatre on 5 December 2019 with their performance, Parakeet.

The story of Parakeet is about a teenage girl who has just moved to Margate and feels isolated from the world.

She is in love with the exotic birds, the parakeets, and she goes every day to her special tree to observe them.

There, she meets two new friends and together they make a band named after the birds. They work together to find their voices and use their punk songs to start their own revolution.

With great energy, the actors took their audience with them as they travelled in the world making justice, defending themselves, and talking about what they believe in.

Before the performance started, the writer, Brigitte Aphrodite, gave the audience markers and suggested that we draw onto our skin whatever we feel during the performance, as well as anything we believe causes injustice

in the world, in order to feel free and express ourselves through the drawings. Immediately, I felt very close to her and observed how this exercise brought the audience together because we started talking to each other about what we wanted to draw.

We all have things that bother us, and this show highlighted that we have to be open to talk about them.

The actors had great humour and their songs made me feel like I wanted to get up and dance with them. The stage was simple, which helped the actors make quick changes through the different scenes.

Although it was a simple stage, it made it easier for the audience to keep up and understand clearly what was happening, which was one of the things I liked most about the performance. The show was about expressing oneself and finding one’s identity in this weird world. It also implicitly addressed feminist issues and discussed how as women, we have to stick together and be faithful to what we believe in.

28

Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

Science and Technology

Striking twice: Fifty years of Apollo 12

By Dominic Jordan Writer The second manned moon landing, a mere four months after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s iconic first trip, was perhaps inevitably going to be one of history’s anti-climaxes. It is all relative, however, and regardless of how many people were watching it on television, the fact remains that in November 1969, astronauts Charles “Pete” Conrad, Jr., Richard Gordon, Jr., and Alan Bean, were able to look upon planet Earth from a porthole on a tin can travelling at about 2,000 mph, before frolicking for a while on our nearest celestial neigh-

far more complex in terms of objective.

Upon landing on the lunar surface, Conrad and Bean were to rendezvous with the unmanned probe Surveyor 3, which had been sent to the moon more than two years earlier.

On 14 November, at 11:22am EST, Apollo 12 launched from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. High winds of 151.7 knots (174.6mph) were recorded, and it was raining hard. Thirty-six seconds after lift-off, the titanic Saturn V rocket was struck by lightning, briefly taking the fuel cells offline. About fifteen seconds later, the rocket was struck again, further disrupting data streams to Mission Control in Houston. Both Photo by NASA | Unsplash

bour.

The crew was considered the most closely-knit at NASA Astronaut Corps.

Pete Conrad was the commander of the mission, and Dick Gordon was to pilot the command module, Yankee Clipper.

Alan Bean was brought in as pilot of the Lunar Module, Intrepid, at Conrad’s request. He replaced C.C. Williams, Jr., who had been killed in an aircraft accident after being selected for the mission – this is why there are four stars on the mission patch, rather than three. It was to be Pete Conrad’s third space mission, having flown Gemini 5 in 1965. Three years prior to Apollo 12, Conrad and Gordon had also flown together on the Gemini 11 mission, during which they successfully docked the Gemini spacecraft with sister ship the Agena, 1,373 km above Earth.

There was noticeably less media fanfare surrounding Apollo 12 compared to the global sensation of its immediate predecessor, although it proved to be

bolts of lightning travelled all the way down the rocket’s exhaust plume to the launchpad. For most people, being struck by lightning twice within a minute of the start of the mission would probably warrant pressing the abort switch, but Apollo 12 pressed on after the recovery of its power supply. There was considerable worry at Mission Control that the lightning could have caused the explosive bolts that trigger the spacecraft’s parachutes to fire prematurely. They chose not to share their speculations with the crew, as the loss of the parachutes would have meant a safe return and splashdown would be impossible.

Five days later, the Lunar Module, landed in “Pete’s Parking Lot”, located on the so-called “Ocean of Storms” – about 183 metres away from the Surveyor 3 probe. Meanwhile, the Yankee Clipper, piloted by Dick Gordon, remained in lunar orbit, awaiting the return of Pete Conrad and Alan Bean.

Upon taking his first step from the ladder onto the lunar surface, Pete Conrad proclaimed “Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that’s a long one for me!” Conrad had won his five-hundred-dollar bet with a journalist 240,000 miles away that he would say that, though sadly he never got to collect the money.

In an attempt to take higher quality footage of the moonwalk than Apollo 11, the crew had been given a colour TV camera to record their activities. Unfortunately, Alan “Mister” Bean pointed the camera directly at the sun, destroying it instantly. Live TV coverage was immediately pulled.

Aside from that little hiccup, Apollo 12 proved to be a fruitful mission. The two moonwalkers noticed that their checklists had been tampered with by the backup crew, and they were greeted by several pages of amusingly captioned Playboy Playmate images – “SEEN ANY INTERESTING HILLS AND VALLEYS?” While examining the lens on the Surveyor 3 probe, it was determined that a bacterium that had presumably contaminated the probe before launch had managed to survive for the two and a half years spent on the moon. Personally, I never like to rule out aliens in situations such as this.

Conrad and Bean spent thirty-oneand-a-half hours on the surface of the moon, before reuniting with the lonely Yankee Clipper in orbit and returning home. On the way back, the crew witnessed a solar eclipse – the Earth obscuring the Sun. What a treat that must have been.

On 24 November 1969, the Yankee Clipper command module landed in the Pacific Ocean. Thankfully, the parachutes did deploy. During splashdown, a heavy camera fell from a shelf onto Alan Bean’s head, giving him a concussion. It seemed to be quite an eventful trip for him. The crew then spent a further four days in quarantine, in case of nasty space diseases.

Commander Pete Conrad went on to work on the Skylab space station among other things and died on 8 July 1999 after a motorcycle accident. He was known for saying “when you can’t be good, be colourful”.

Lunar Module pilot Alan Bean also worked on Skylab, retiring from NASA in 1981. He dedicated the rest of his life to painting, attempting to capture his experiences during Apollo 12. He died on 26 May 2018.

Command Module Pilot Dick Gordon became vice-president of a football team after leaving NASA and worked in engineering. He was assigned to walk on the moon on the Apollo 18 mission, but it was cancelled due to budget cuts. He died on 6 November 2017.

Starlink: Sci-Fi revolution or end of stars?

By James Neil Website Science & Technology Editor

2020 is looking to be a year of peculiar science stories. To start off the month of January, we heard about Japanese fashion mogul, Yusaku Maezawa, looking for a date to take on a trip around the moon. (You know it’s going to be a weird one if this is how we start off the year.)

Our main story is following a plan that started back in May of last year.

Everyone’s favourite scientist and philanthropist, Elon Musk, ran into controversy with astronomers. Musk’s project named Starlink aims to put a ‘constellation’ of satellites in orbit of the earth with the aim of providing Wi-Fi around the world by 2021 including areas in which coverage is sparse or unprofitable to do so.

With these satellites being the first spacecraft boasting a krypton gas ion engine, the whole prospect seems far too science fiction to believe. Then again, Musk is no stranger to the realms of sci-fi; from his falcon heavy rocket’s that can land and be reused, to sending a Telsa car into orbit back in 2018.

Indeed, last year his plan worked, with him claiming to have sent a tweet via Starlink in late October.

However, the problem with this revolutionary plan is that some astronomers have found that the satellites are affecting their observations. Last May, these satellites could be seen trailing across the sky like ducklings following their mother. There are currently 180 of these satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), at approximately 550 km. Musk aims to have 1,200 more in orbit by the end of the year, sending them up in groups of 60, and double that number proposed for the future. With only a fraction of the planned number of satellites in orbit, their presence has begun to interfere with the work of ground-based astronomers.

I asked Kent student Niall Miller about his thoughts on Starlink and how it has affected his research on variations of stars over long term observation. He told me that the Starlink satellites have rendered some of his research data useless by blocking out the light from the stars he is observing from the beacon observatory out in Park Wood. In addition, it has led him, along with many other astronomers, not trusting their research as he found that variations he had been detecting for months were caused by one of the satellites. This is a massive problem, if astronomers cannot trust their data sets they cannot make any advancements in the field. He informed me that the ISST in Chile, when built, predicts that if Musk’s plan goes ahead, they will see at least one satellite in each image they take.

He also talked about some of the astronomers’ concerns for the future.

Firstly, he talked about how Space X’s project will lead to a slippery slope effect where other companies start to have similar projects. Facebook has been toying with the idea of launching satellites they call Athena and Amazon. He continued his argument saying that this could lead to a problem called Kessler syndrome. This is where LEO is overpopulated and as such satellites smash into each over like bumper cars, resulting in a layer of debris in low Earth orbit that would make leaving the planet’s atmosphere even harder than it already is, a problem that could potentially stop any of Musk’s plans for space travel if it was to occur (in-spite of the satellites 5-year lifespan).

With Starlink aiming to have 1,200 satellites in orbit by the end of the year and Musk promise to coat future satellites in a matt black paint to reduce their brightness, only time will tell if they cause the trouble that some astronomers claim they will cause.

Photo by Official SpaceX Photos | Flickr

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InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

Science and Technology

Recovery of the whales

By Steven Allain Writer

Many readers are likely aware are of the international ban on whaling, first introduced in the mid-1980s. During the last century nearly three million whales were hunted, with the majority of these being within the Southern hemisphere. Rapid advances in technology, such as the explosive harpoon and the introduction of factory ships, as well as soaring demand, saw the number of whales removed from the oceans increase exponentially.

A consequence of all of this hunting was plummeting populations. Whales had already taken a beating during the 19th Century with things stepping into overdrive in the 20th Century. They were targeted for their oil, which was used to produce

lamp oil, soaps, perfume, candles, and cosmetics among others.

Nowadays we have a readily available alternative, sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), derived from palm oil. The environmental impacts are arguably worse but it has relieved pressure being placed on whales. The introduction of synthetic oils during the Second World War also helped to reduce hunting pressures.

The oceans must have looked very different with lots of whales happily swimming around. Some areas may have looked like a ‘whale soup’ due to the population density in productive feeding grounds.

Thankfully whale populations have started to recover, despite the industrial slaughter seen before 1986. Whilst some nations still hunt whales, the pressure today is nowhere near

Photo by Amy Humphries | Unsplash

The University of Kent and the night sky

By James Neil Website Science & Technology Editor

aims to observe young stars from 20 nearby young clusters, to study the unusual variations between them, and learn about how they and their planeWe have all looked up at the night sky, maybe even tary systems formed. picked out a couple of constellations. The stars This is not the Universities only foray into space. have always captured our imagination, and as such One Master’s student, Alejandra Traspas, is curthis has led to many explorations of the story unrently working as part of a network of physicists folding above us with perhaps the most fato explore the results of an Israeli rocket mous being the Apollo Moon landnamed Beresheet that crashed on the ings in 1969. moon in May of this year. OnWithin the School of Physiboard were micro-animals cal Sciences at Kent, there known as tardigrades are various projects that that can survive the oxexamine the night sky. ygen-starved environThey in part use our ment on the moon. own telescope, the What is unknown is Beacon Observaif the tardigrades tory, putting us in could survive the a great position to crash. Experiments explore this world involve flash freezabove. ing and firing the One major protardigrades at high ject, led by Dr Dirk velocities at various Froebrich, published materials to see if a survey of the night they survive. By simusky in August last year. lating the environments This survey was part of an of the crash, we can gain Photo by Beacon ongoing joint effort between an idea about whether they Observatory | Facebook the astrophysicists working at survived. the University of Kent’s Beacon ObIf all this talk of space has piqued servatory, and approximately 60 amateur your interest, then perhaps you might be astronomers from 11 different countries as part interested in what you can get involved with. The of the HOYS-CAPS (Hunting Outbursting Young University has a space society that uses the teleStars with the Centre of Astrophysics and Planescopes, and check out the Facebook group for the tary Science) citizen science project. This project Beacon observatory.

what it used to be.

A recent study shows that the population of South Atlantic humpback whales has recovered to about 90% of its historic population. Not only is this good news for the whales, but it also demonstrates how legislation and international cooperation can help an endangered species recover from the brink of extinction. In a world where it seems like everything is doomed, it is always nice to hear about a success story. Whales are long-lived species that have long gestation periods, only giving birth to a single calf at a time. The hunting of whales for their oil or meat was never sustainable.

Whales are not out of the woods yet. Therefore, species like the sei and blue whale remain endangered despite efforts to conserve them. Their enormous size and low breeding rates

mean that it will take multiple generations for their populations to recover. Thankfully the needed protection is in place to ensure that they can continue to live and breed in peace. However, ship-strike is a leading cause of death in whales around the world.

Other causes of death include starvation due to overfishing and the consumption of plastic.

Whales are finding themselves in a changing ocean with very different pressures to those their ancestors were facing a century ago. If we really want to help the whales recover to their pre-industrial levels, we need to do more to clean up the oceans and take wildlife into consideration when fishing. As we move closer to the coming century, we should act with a more holistic approach to their conservation, thereby protecting the seas for humans and wildlife alike.

30

Friday 14 Feburary 2020 InQuire

Sport

Claudia Parker

Do I not like football because of my gender?

Growing up, I was the only girl amongst three brothers, all of whom loved football. I, however, could not care less for the sport. It is only with age that I have begun to question why, despite being raised in the same football-focused family, that my brothers remain fascinated by the sport and I am not. After all, I was surrounded by the same talk about football – “Who do you think is going to win the Premier League?” and “I heard *insert famous footballer name* is transferring to *insert top football team*”.

I lived around the buzz and excitement of a final match and listened to the screams of my brothers when one of their teams scored a goal. Yet, I could not think of anything worse than having to watch eleven sweaty men kick a ball around for 90 minutes. When I think about my lack of passion for the sport compared to my football-obsessed brothers, I have thought it could be a general dislike. However, the first reason that comes to my mind as to why I am not interested in sports is because of my gender.

Let me clarify that, in modern times, I do not think football is an exclusively male sport. As shown by the recent Women’s World Cup, which was viewed by a combined 1.12 billion viewers throughout the tournament according to a FIFA report, football is universal and is becoming increasingly popular among young girls. However, back in the 2000s when I was growing up, football in my experience was stereotyped and restricted from girls. For example, when my younger brother was growing up, I remember him always being gifted a football for Christmas

and birthdays. He was also asked, when he was old enough to understand, which team he would support. I do not recall ever being asked which football team I would support; I was never even considered as someone who should be interested in the sport.

I do not think my younger self saw football as an option, simply because I only ever saw men playing and watching it. Why would a girl want to be a part of something that only focused on men? This was not helped by my secondary school’s curriculum, which reserved football only for male pupils. Instead, we were left to play the ‘girl’ classed sports such as netball and hockey. To me, football was a man’s territory; space I was excluded from because I was a girl.

I wonder if someone had told me it was okay for girls to play football whether that may have changed my mindset.

Even today, I feel left out as my three brothers watch football together. I do not understand the game because I was not welcomed to be a part of it growing up. Although it is not an individual’s fault for my dislike, I do believe that outdated societal views have influenced school curriculums and made young girls believe that their gender defines what they can and cannot do. However, I am glad that today, football is becoming more common amongst girls.

Everyone should be given the opportunity to feel included so that we can demonstrate to future generations that football, and other sports alike, is open to all.

Cricket intercollege: A new University sport league open to all

By Millie Carpenter Writer Cricket has started a new way of competing in an intercollege sport. Usually, various sports, including Men’s Football, compete for their campus college which is based off of first-year accommodation. These include Turing, Keynes, Parkwood, Darwin, Rutherford, Woolf, and Eliot. However, after moving off-campus, students often do not affiliate with the college they were placed into during their Freshman year. This year Cricket has created their own version of intercollege, whereby everyone can feel involved.

The idea of Cricket intercollege was based on the Indian Premier League franchise, consisting of six different teams playing indoor cricket every Saturday. One member highlighted how “the games take place right before training so there is little excuse not to turn up and support your fellow cricketers. It is useful to warm up and build morale as a club by watching members play and compete against each other. Even those who don’t have matches that week still come and watch the two entertaining games”.

One of the most interesting parts of the process is the draft. Cricket held a social event in Tokyo Tea Rooms where each manager bid for players with 100 million hypothetical VKs. There was a slight concern that some players, particularly those who were new to the club or had little experience playing cricket, would feel disappointed if bought for a lower amount. However, the captains ensured that new members felt wanted by bidding for them and ensuring that each team had a variety of cricketers. Another key rule is that each team needs a minimum of two female players and if a team has less than two women playing a match, then one over is lost per woman. Women’s Captain, Lauren Perkins, mentioned how intercollege is particularly useful for women as they can “face different types of bowlers and different styles of games”, allowing them to improve their skills.

Intercollege is aimed at those who do not get a

chance to represent the University at BUCS competitions or Varsity, so those on the first team are unable to play fixtures. But it does not mean they cannot participate by supporting fellow members by cheering them on from the sidelines. The idea is that members can practice with people of different abilities in a safe environment to build their confidence and skill, whilst preparing them for the outdoor season.

Cricket’s new version of intercollege increases inclusivity as a club and ensures that people of all abilities get the opportunity to compete. It is an innovative way to meet new members, socialise without having to drink and enjoying a game of cricket. Once a week, Cricket Chairman Sam Street and a 1st team player create an entertaining video report of the previous week’s match results just in case any willing spectators missed out.

Cricket have attempted to ensure that every single member feels involved as well as having the opportunity to improve and compete. I encourage other sports to create their own intercollege league; not only will it help your players develop their skills, but it will unite your club as a whole.

31

InQuire Friday 14 Feburary 2020

Sport

Are free gym memberships for those living on campus a step in the right direction?

By Casey Magloire Website Sport Editor

P

ossibly one of the biggest shake-ups in the sporting world of Kent was Emily Window’s (Vice President Student Engagement)) Christmas Day announcement on the issue of gym memberships. Gym membership prices and structures have long been a point of contention for many students, especially for anyone wanting to be a part of the sports team. This academic year saw the introduction of the ‘facilities only’ memberships, which was met with mixed reactions. Many were frustrated with the idea that sports players would not want discounted entry. Afia Kurfuor, a netball player, commented:

“It is backward, it doesn’t make sense. It makes Kent Sport seem ‘money motivated’” Whilst the facilities membership was not an ideal solution for everyone, it does appear as though Kent Union is actively trying to push for more change. The most recent developments regarding gym memberships do seem promising. The new changes includes: free membership for all first-year students, extended to those living on campus regardless of what year you are in. These are substantial changes, which are likely to have a significant impact on the number of people currently attending the gym. Undoubtably this will serve as a powerful incentive to get more students to focus on their health and fitness in a way we have not seen at Kent before.

In response to a comment on Facebook, Emily Window’s highlighted that:

“The other gym membership offers are going down in price in September. To around £170-180 for a premium plus. That ishat’s a maximum of a £75 saving. If you work that out across a 9-month academic year, it’s around £20 a month.

Pretty cheap or at least comparative to a lot of commercial gyms” These are substantial changes, which are likely to have a significant impact on the number of people now attending the gym.

This will serve as a powerful incentive to get more students to focus on their health and fitness in a way we have not seen at Kent before.

Financial barriers are often sighted as a key reason as to why an individual may not participate in a sport or attend the gym. In an article published by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Professor Anne Powers’ research for the charity Street Games found that “cost is the biggest barrier for over schoolage young people”. Kent Union currently works to alleviate the consequences of this through the “access to activities fund”. It is advertised as a means of supporting students who “cannot afford the core activity costs associated with joining a student group”. Yet, it is still questionable how under publicised this fund is, and how many people are aware of the fact that financial aid is available for those looking for additional funds.

However, by allowing a large proportion of students to have free access to the gym, optimists may be right in assuming that will create an opportunity for someone who may not have considered the gym before to get more involved in sport. Professor Powers’ research also highlighted that “leaving school is a cliff edge for sport”; this seems like a step in the right direction in combating this.

These changes are welcomed, yet it cannot be ignored that more changes are needed in order to gain the full support of the students at Kent. In addition, these new changes may come with additional problems. Firstly, for any gym goers who hate the sudden influx of people trying to get in shape, because of their “new year, new me” body transformation motivation, be prepared to fight for a treadmill. Over 5,000 people currently live on campus. It would be irrational to assume that all 5,000 people would suddenly turn up to the gym but it is only logical to suggest that more people will be inclined to use the facilities. As regular visitors to the sports centre around 6 o’clock on a weekday knows, the university gym is not the biggest in the world. It is currently unclear how Kent Sport intends on accommodating a significantly higher number of students wanting to use the sports centre facilities.

It is also clear that the new changes clearly benefit one group more than another. More specifically, students who live off-campus appear to be at a disadvantage. Unfortunately, many people who may have hoped to see change may be forced to see others reap the rewards of years of promises. In addition, they may be asked to pay for a membership, whereas their friend receives it for free, purely based on their address. Concerningly, although the pricing for campus accommodation ranges widely, it is still cheaper to find your own accommodation off-campus. Inadvertently, this may benefit those who can afford to spend three years on campus, as opposed to those who look to find more affordable accommodation elsewhere.

Arguably, removing the barriers may not be advantageous for those who initially set out to help.

Some may argue that those off campus should simply find an alternative gym. For some this may be ideal. There are several options that are cheaper and offer better facilities. However, this does not solve the issue for those who live off campus and want to represent the University as part of a sports team. They would be required to pay, yet again, in order to promote sport for the University of Kent and Kent Union. As it currently stands, you may have players on the same team paying vastly differing amounts to play the same game. Do people living off campus have the same incentive to join a sports team now? This appears to have unintentionally made the

situation far more complex and unequal than what Kent Union may have anticipated.

Whilst offering free things to students will always be met with appreciation, it is worth asking if an overall drop in fees would have benefited more people. Sports players living off-campus find themselves in a very similar position yet again, but perhaps this is the sacrifice needed to get more people into the gym and into sports teams. Given the sudden drop in prices for many students, it is still worth questioning: why were they so high in the first place?

This issue regularly appears as a manifesto point for those seeking election for positions within Kent Union and has consistently been noted as an issue for many sports players and gym-goers. It would be interesting to get further insight into what required Kent Sport to increase prices in the past and what the extra money was used for.

As an increase in gym visitors looking increasingly likely, perhaps funding an expansion of the facilities should have been considered prior to make changes of this magnitude.

Overall, it would be unfair to suggest that these changes are anything less than remarkable. For years, students have been frustrated with the lack of progress on this issue. Whether you agree with the changes or not, something has finally been done. Something will always be better than nothing, and this ‘something’ is impressive considering so many others have struggled to bring about similar results.

The work done by Ms Window and Kent Union should be commended. Whilst, this is impressive, I remain optimistic that this is the start to a system which will hopefully promote sport at Kent and incentivise future students to get more involved. My optimism stems from finally seeing a start to something I did not expect to see whilst still a student at the University of Kent. Not everyone will be happy, but this is possibly one of the most substantial examples of Kent Union actively working to combat issues brought to them by sports players and students. More changes are needed, but in the meantime, these implementations are welcomed.

Current prices for gym memberships Membership type Annual Price Premium Plus Premium Plus Pay to Play

Family Membership

£177 £140 £129 £5 annual fee. £4.50 per activity £354 - Two adult Premium Plus members with up to two children free of charge**

Sport www.inquiremedia.co.uk/sport

Are free gym memberships for those living on campus a step in the right direction?

Page 31

InQuire

Falcons flying into Varsity Vi ol by

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Quick Crossword

Just over halfway through their season, Kent Falcons find themselves at 2-4 after a bruising loss at home to the Brunel Burners. In a hotly contested 1A South East Conference the Falcons currently sit third with four points, behind joint second Essex Blades and Queen Mary Vipers on six points each and Brunel toping the table on ten points.

Team Captain Tom Cox said of the season so far, “we had a great start of the season and, despite a couple of bumps along the way, the commitment and effort I’m seeing now gives me hope we’ll finish the season as well as we started it.”

The season began with two home victories for Kent. First an easy 42-14 win against Imperial Immortals which saw

Kent’s defence suffocate Imperials offence and the Falcons offence feast off the back of it. QB Julien Cary balled out, passing for six touchdowns, four caught by game MVP Tom Goddard. The second win came in a hard-fought defensive struggle between the Falcons and the Essex Blades which had no scoring till the 4th Quarter in which a last-minute touchdown and a two-point conversion brought the nail bitter to an end and a victory for Kent. The third game of the season was an offensive firefight between the Falcons and the Queen Mary Vipers. There’s a growing rivalry between the two sides and that was reflected in the score as Queen Mary only won by 1 point in the 38-39 point match up. This marks the first time the Falcons have lost at home in the regular season in years.

Just before Christmas the Falcons went on the road to face the Imperial Immortals

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and fought through tough conditions that resulted in shock loss. The offence didn’t live up to its full potential with multiple dropped catches. DB Lewis Amaira, who broke his collar bone in the game, said of the loss, “Footballs a mental and physical game of four quarters, we came into the second half overconfident”.

The second half of the season began with perhaps the Falcons most painful loss to date. In the 15-0 shut out the Falcons offence couldn’t get the ball downfield. Missing key players really hurt the team as there were limited targets for QB Julien Cary who was well protected by his offensive line throughout the game. As Head Coach Greg Chapman said to the team at the end of play, the loss came from little mistakes. The first touchdown came after a long throw that caught the Falcons secondary napping and put Brunel right in the red zone who scored on the next play. After kicking for the extra point, the game was 7-0. Midway through the 4th quarter the Falcons were punting again after another three and out when a muffed punt in the endzone gave Brunel their second touchdown. What followed was one of the little mistakes Chapman was talking about. As Brunel lined up for their extra point attempt Kent weren’t set, missing players that allowed Brunel to walked it in for two. With two minutes of the game clock left there was a last gasp of air by the Falcons who managed to drive it downfield aided by a big catch from WR Lewis Moir. However, stumbling in the red zone the Falcons didn’t score and another painful home loss transpired. One positive for the Falcons to take away from the game was its defence which played brilliantly, with a particularly stand out performance from DB Maurice Kyere. The defensive line also had pressure on the Burners QB throughout, sacking him multiple times and causing a loss.

The Falcons now sit at 2-4 after the loss to Brunel as per league rules, that game counted for two losses for Kent, due to them having to cancel their first matchup. Kent now go on the road back to back weeks to face Queen Mary and Essex. Kent will need to win both these games and have Queen Mary and Essex lose to Brunel if they are to secure a place in the playoffs.

Kent Falcons vs. CCCU Chargers American Football Varsity will take place on 16 Feburary, 5pm, Pavillion.

Across 1 3 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 17 18 19 20 21

Retail (4) Lost for words (4) Rebellion (6) Cheered up (6) Scheme (4) Type of coffee (8) Ill repute (6) Satisfy (6) Thin Mexican cake (8) Mythical monster (4) Collision (6) Difficult (6) Obligation (4) Sign of a future event (4)

Down 1 2 4 5 6 7 13 14 16 17

Yell (5) Game of chance (7) (Hawaiian) guitar (7) Method of swimming (12) Cultured (4-8) Pant (4) Lure (7) Ghost (7) Behind time (4) Pungent edible bulb (5)

Compiled by Matthew Sapsed Across: 1 Sell, 3 Dumb (Seldom), 8 Revolt, 9 Amused, 10 Plot, 11 Espresso, 12 Infamy, 14 Please, 15 Tortilla, 17 Ogre, 18 Impact, 19 Tricky, 20 Duty, 21 Omen. Down: 1 Shout, 2 Lottery, 4 Ukulele, 5 Breaststroke, 6 Well-informed, 7 Gasp, 13 Attract, 14 Phantom, 16 Late, 17 Onion.

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In the run up to the first Varsity match of the season with Kent Falcons, Jaden Shepherd reflects upon their season so far