Concourse Issue One 2009/2010 by Keele University Students Union

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WELCOME

CONCOURSE

CONCOURSE M

Produced and Edited by Nick Heath Vice President Communication &

Issue One

Democracy

Any views expressed are not necessarily the views of

Keele University or Keele University Students’ Union.

Even if you donʼt believe in reincarnation this issue of Concourse does, please recycle me! One Day i want to be a paper cup!

No part of the this publication may be reproduced without the explicit permission of the editor

features

Hola! Welcome to the first issue of Concourse Magazine 2009/2010, firstly I would like to say hello to all our new readers, and welcome back to all our returning students. Over the summer this publication has undergone some major changes, hopefully for the best. My aim is to keep students informed about the day to day news of Keele, while at the same time highlighting local talent in the arts, sport, lifestyle and entertainment... and i’m sure a healthy amount of gossip and slander will appear through out the year as well! All summer the Sabbatical team has working in the interest of the students, with a focus on Union Square, accommodation issues, entertainments and so much more, not to mention doing everything we can to make the Students’ Union part of the ultimate student experience. But with the economy, and the national education policy up the duff, not to mention student debt spiraling out of control, many students are entering this year with a cloud of despair over their heads, and it’s KUSU’s aim to help every student navigate this treacherous period of uncertainty, and we will not rest till we know we have done our upmost. But on a lighter note, the beer is still cold and the students and staff are better than ever, so lets enjoy ourselves and make this academic year the best ever.

Hope you enjoy this first issue of Concourse Magazine, and if you have any comments or suggestions don't hesitate to contact me. Nick Heath Chief Editor / Vice President Democracy and Communications

03 Introducing the Team 10 Politik 12 Thailand - The Keele Connection 14 Societies Info 18 Keele Sex Lives

news

08 Welcome Back 09 Widening Participation 22 Vent

entertainment

16 Freshers’ Week Entertainments 24 Back 2 Uni Essentials 25 Movies 26 Found on Facebook 27 Games and Puzzles

sports

29 Introducing the AU Exec 30 Team News 32 Interhalls Comp

Editorial / Submissions Nick Heath VP Comms vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk 01782 733702

Advertising KUSU Marketing sta65@kusu.keele.ac.uk 01782 733712

Coming Soon! Website and Online Edition www.kusu.net/concourse

Do you want to write for Concourse?

Concourse is a student run magazine based on the top floor of Keele University Students’ Union, which aims to inform, inspire and entertain the student body of Keele University, this means anyone can submit articles, reviews, art work, or what every you feel students should know. We will have a stand at the Freshers’ Fair so if your interesting in writing for us, come sign up, or you can email vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk for more information!

Or join our group on Facebook : Search KUSU Concourse

FRESHERS' EDITION

Adam Mason - KUSU President

Hey hey! My job is to represent students at every level of the University, to local and National media and generally promote Keele in the world outside the ‘Bubble’. I oversee the operations of the Students’ Union and I’m the lead spokesperson for KUSU externally. Just like all the other Sabbaticals, I’m constantly ‘on the job’, so if you ever see me around and have a question or need some help, just say hi and I’ll try my best to help you out. This is my fifth year at Keele and my second year as a Sabbatical Officer; last year I was Vice President (Education & Welfare), together with Oli and Rich we were the first set of Sabbaticals to ever serve more than one year at Keele – history in the making! I’m a bit of a Facebook addict, so add me: facebook.com/keelesu, and feel free to contact me about anything Keele-esque, I’ll at least be able to point you in the right direction. I’m originally from North Wales, I came to Keele in 2005 to do Business Management & Law, but changed to Human Resource Management. My favourite food is tex-mex and my favourite drink is Koppaberg! Yum!

Nick Heath - Vice President Democracy & Communications

Hello, I’m Nick Heath VP Comms, I'm 24 and from Cambridge, but it now feels like I have permanently moved to Keele after the amount of time I have been here. I studied single honour politics when an undergrad... and I'm still trying to find a use for it!

I was never the biggest fan of being involved with Keele sport teams or societies, so i embraced the Keele bubble in a different way, that was by working in the Pig and Rat in Barnes for four years, it gave me the opportunity to meet countless students all from different background and expectations of what the university experience should be. So with this in mind I decided to go for a position as a Sabb. Here at KUSU I look after all the communications such as Concourse, while also ensuring that the KUSU’s representative bodies are running smoothly and effectively. So essentially it may job to make sure the students’ voice is heard. Please email or Facebook me if you have any questions or if you just want a chat pop up to the office and come and find me.

Oliver Cotterill - Vice President Finance & Activites

Heeeey! Firstly, may I say a warm welcome to you all. Keele is such a friendly place; it has kept me thoroughly entertained for the past 7 years…yep you did read that right…I have been here for that long! My role as your Vice President is to provide supervision and support for all KUSU Societies in addition to being responsible for the development of KUSU’s Commercial Services. I was previously elected to this position in 2007/2008 and I am really excited to be doing this job again. I am really looking forward to meeting you all at the start of term. If I can offer you one piece of advice, it would be to make as many friends as possible. Don’t be scared to start randomly talking to someone, we are all a friendly bunch hear in the Keele Bubble! If you have any questions or just fancy a chat feel free to call, email or just give me a prod when you see me around! Hope you have an awesome time! :-)

SABBS Rich Hill - Vice President Education & Welfare

Hi there newbie’s and oldies, I’m Rich and I will be your Ed & Welfare officer for this year. I will be taking care of all the things that affect you and your student experience in Keele. From accommodation to academic problems and personal welfare issues, I will be here to support and guide you in the right direction.I believe students deserve to have the best Keele experience and I will be there to ensure that happens. In addition I will also be organising events and campaigns around the union on issues that affect you, the student, which can include anything from student debt to sexual health! Please see on page…..for a list of the first semester campaigns. You will find me in and around the union getting to know you all and if that fails I’ll be in my office, top floor near the Independent Advice Unit.

Roger Weston - Vice President Sports & Fitness Hi, I’m Roger Weston, KUSU’s first ever Vice President (Sport and Fitness)! My role has been introduced to encourage Sport for all, with the aim of getting as many of the student population on campus as active as possible.

I am originally from Walsall in the West Midlands and arrived at Keele in 2005. When I arrived I joined Keele Rugby and progressed on to be Club Captain and then Athletic Union President in 2008/09. My other achievements in Keele include...not a lot! I have been heavily involved in representative sport and that inspired me to run for the position of VP Sport! I graduated in July with a BA in Criminology and Human Geography and have been here all summer (which isn’t very exciting!) preparing for the year ahead. I am looking forward to seeing you all representing your Hall of residence and participating is Sport on campus. I hope you all have a great year and if you ever need help, support or just want a chat you’ll find me on the top floor of the union, just pop in and see me!

Sabbatical Officer (Sabb) Here to represent your interests in the Students’ Union and beyond, they are elected every year, and are accountable to every student. You will see them roaming around campus most days usually from pub to pub but if don’t bump in to them, feel free to go to the top floor of the SU and grab their attention. Sabbs are here to both represent and solve problems you might not know how to, we are involved in every thing from ensuring your work is fairly marked and returned on time to reducing the price of Snakebite. Sabbs work for you, make sure they know what you want!

CONCOURSE

Union Committee

Campus Affairs Officer - Lauren Proctor

I’m your Campus Affairs Officer this year, It’s my job to represent the views of Campus students at Union General Meetings & Student Council, and to help you out with any comments, questions or complaints you have. A little bit about me…I’m just starting my third and final year of my Politics degree, but it feels just like yesterday that I was starting here. If want to find out more about your Union – pop along to a Student Council meeting or even better…a Union General Meeting, where you’ll get a free drink – just for turning up!

Entertainments Officer - Allie Coombs

Hi, I am your Entertainments Officer for this Athletic Union President - Sonia Douz year. Welcome Back! I am here to handle any enHello! I’m, your Athletic Union President this year, I’m in my third tertainments related queries, requests and needs year studying History and Sociology... so a big work load for me this you may have and I am also the person to contact year! Its my job to make sure the Athletic Union is running smoothly and that every student in Keele who wants to get involved in sport is if you want to be involved and help us provided able to. I started on the Women's Rugby team when I was a fresher, great nights at the union. If you’re a budding then became Deputy President for the AU last year... it has been an amazing time, and artist, photographer, DJ or if you generally just the best piece of advice i can offer is GET INVOLVED you can do anything you dream want to help out then get in touch. of here in Keele, oh and if you can keep thursday mornings free of lectures.

Interested in becoming a Part Time Officer? Elections Start October 21st Available Positions:

Off Campus Affairs Officer, Environmental Officer, Faculty of Natural Sciences Officer, Hospital Campus Officer, LGBT Officer, Male Gender Officer, Non Portfolio Officer, Health Faculty Representative, Racial Diversity Officer, Postgraduates’ Officer, Natural Sciences Representative Come grab a nomination form from Nick Heath VP Comms

I’m the International Students’ Officer, I’m 22 years old, and it’s now my fourth year in Keele. I am the one makes sure that international students have the best possible time in Keele. There is also a International Society that everyone can join: it is an amazing platform to meet other international students and socialize with people from other cultural backgrounds. We also host loads of the very exciting and huge events, with the pinnacle being ‘Showcase Showdown’,

Mature Students Officer Kate Lawrence

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Rep Laurence Mallows

Hello I’m your Hums and Social Sciences Rep for KUSU, its my job to sit with the highest levels of the university teaching faculty and represent your views, I'm currently in my third year and seen a lot of uni life, so if you have any questions of problems, just give me a shout and ill try and help!

Female Gender Officer - Rasha Touqan

I’m a third year, studying International Relations and Media, Communications and Culture. I’m from Jordan, even though everyone thinks I’m American due to my strong accent. I’ve lived all over the place and did study abroad in America I’ve always had interest in women’s studies and issues. I intend to fulfill my role of maintaining gender equality at Keele. I’m planning a couple of campaigns, which I hope to possibly work on with the newly formed Women’s society. If anyone has any complaints, suggestions or problems, please feel free to approach me.

International Student Officer Amanda Gross

Hi everyone, I’m the Mature Students’ Officer for KUSU 2009/10. I’m a third year studying Politics and Sociology. It is my job to represent all mature students on any issues they may be facing whilst at university. So if you’re just starting your degree and you are over the age of 21 or a parent then I’m your officer! If you have any issues, no matter how big or how small, menial or trivial, I’m here to listen and try and help you with anything you may be stressing or worrying about. Don’t forget to join the Facebook group by searching Mature Students @ Keele. I look forward to seeing and working with you all this year!

Disabled Studentsʼ Officer Charlie Bailey

Hey everyone! I am your returning Disabled Students’ Officer. I am here to listen and help with any disability related problems you might be having. I am always available for students, if you want to help on a campaign, vent your problems to an understanding ear, need help getting adjustments put into place, or info on things like DSA. I am also the support officer for KUDOS (Keele University Disability Organisation for Students)

Union Committee : Part time Officers here to represent your interests at the Union

Representation : KUSU’s Reason for Being

Keele University Students’ Union (KUSU) is more than just a place on campus to go for a piss up or grab a sandwich, the core reason for its existence is to represent the students interests to the the University and beyond.

FRESHERS' EDITION

Your:Union

Since Keele was established 60 years ago, the Students’ Union has provided a plinth for every student to have their voice heard and ensure issues that impact their daily lives are raised. Over the first few weeks of term, you will probably only see the representative side of the Union through the Sabbatical officers, their profiles are on the previous page if you want to find out who is who. The Sabbs each have their own portfolios but they all work in the same overall direction in the interest of students, feel free to approach them and ask anything about Keele that you have not quite got your head around yet. Beyond that there is also Union Committee this is a group of part time student officers with their own titles and portfolios focusing on particular issues such International Students, Mature Students, Campus Affairs etc. All of the Sabbs and Part Time Officers are elected on an annual basis and each are accountable for their actions, so if you don't like the way they are representing the union, just say! If your interested in becoming a Union officer take a look on the opposite page for the available positions and election dates, its an amazing opportunity to see how the Union really works and how you can change it to better suit students.

While there are particular officers representing the students to the best of their ability the highest power at KUSU is the Union General Meeting (UGM) this is an event which is held four times a year in which any student can have their say, and any motion can be brought to the floor. This is also the key body for bringing about Constitutional change, or a shift in focus for the union. Or if you provide enough of a reason for all Sabbs to dress as pirate for the rest of the year you can also do this, (please don’t) remeber anything is possible at a UGM, and everyone is equal.

Beyond the Officers and UGM, there are other levels of representation which any student can get involved with if they want, such as Student Council which meets seven times a year and is simular to UGM but only smaller, with up to 50 students representing different parts of the University. It exists to review the standing orders of the Union and allows an open forum for highlighting any major issues which the student representatives have an problem with. Student Councillors are also elected annually but in a much simpler fashion than the officers, so if your interested come up to the Sabb corridor in the Union and grab a form. Don’t forget that KUSU is also a member of the NUS which is another platform for student’s voice to be heard, don't forget to look out for the NUS stand at Freshers’ Fair to get your NUS Extra card.

Dates for you Calendar

Union General Meeting Dates for 2009/2010 Tuesday 20th October Thursday 10th December Tuesday 2nd February Tuesday 8th June

Student Council Dates for 2009/2010 Tuesday 13th October Tuesday 1st December Tuesday 26th January Tuesday 9th February Tuesday 23rd March Tuesday 3rd June

CONCOURSE

NEWS

Welcome Back to Keele…now what’s changed? Nick Heath

Roll up! Roll up! Keelites new and old, Welcome Back! This summer the staff from both the Students’ Union and the University have been running around like headless chickens trying to get Keele back together, you can imagine after a year of wear and tear by 10 000 students there is a lot to be sorted out.

Every year the Union lobbies the University to improve or introduce particular services, upgrade accommodation etc etc, and it seems that last years Sabb team were very successful, for this summer we have seen the enlargement and tarmacing of the Horwood carpark, the construction (finally!) of Hollycross launderettes and the introduction of a new free shuttle bus around campus to try and relive on campus traffic, something which the freshers in Hawthrons are sure the enjoy! Also while it does not belong to the Union I think it would be difficult to ignore the opening of the new takeaway on campus, ST5’s…. interesting name choice, so be sure not to get this mixed up with the similarly name institution based in Hanley. The Union has also undergone a few improvements, including new lighting in the lounge and most of the venues getting a lick of paint and furniture just to keep them looking up to scratch, the big changes are

still to come though. The Sabbs spent the summer tackling the infamous Union Square problem, after being closed for over a year and a half now it was decided immediate action was needed, so the guys started by asking the students what they wanted via an online survey and sat down with the University to try and work out funding and architectural plans. So keep you eyes pealed to find out what the design is going to be later this year.

There have also been big plans for the Outback with the Union looking in to building an outdoor big screen projector which would allow students to sit outside and still catch the big games, with a big focus on the South Africa 2010 World Cup, Rugby World Cup in 2011 and the London Olympics. While there has been a lot of work on the building side of the University and Union there has also been a few admin changes, Roger Weston is our new Sports Sabbatical Officer, here to promote a sport and fitness on campus, so look out for his interhalls competitions and health lifestyle campaigns. Hope this has kept you up to date, and make sure to look out for the new issues of Concourse out every fortnight as your essential point for news for everything Keele.

Attention Off Campus Students! Rich Hill - Vice President Education and Welfare

It's boring but there are a lot of things that you can do now which will save you time and money at the end of your tenancy. Take photos of the condition of the property, remember to include a newspaper with a large headline in the picture, to verify the date it was taken (dates on cameras can be changed). Make a list (inventory) of all the items in the house and a note of the condition. Send copies of the photos and the inventory to your landlord/lady/agency. Use our checklist to make a full record of the condition of the property. You also need to take meter readings from the day you move in (take photos, as above). The easiest way of making sure everyone pays their share of the bills, is to make sure everyone's name is on the bill, send copy of the contract to utility company. Check your contract: are you supposed to pay water bills? What about leaving the property empty? What happens in an emergency. who should you contact? Can you use blu-tak? Read manuals for equipment supplied in the property and report any faults or malfunctions immediately. Do you have to clean the windows, do the garden? Both the landlord and the tenant have obligations to keep the property in a good state of repair, check what yours are. Any questions about disrepair? Contact the IAU. Has your landlord provided you with copies of gas and electricity safety certificates? Do you need more than one television licence for the house? Check www.tvlicensing.co.uk. Insurance: make sure you sort out contents insurance as soon as possible, check if you are already covered on existing policies (also, what happens if you are leaving the property empty over holidays). Ask your landlord to tell you which Tenancy Deposit Scheme your deposit is being paid into. Contact the Unit if they won't tell you (there's legal issues with this). Get any extras / promises / verbal additions from your landlord in writing! You can check if your property complies with current standards and whether your landlord sticks to management regulations by contact the IAU for further information, or contacting Newcastle Borough Council Housing Standards Officer. www.newcastle_staffs.gov.uk or 717717. Above are only hint and tips, the rules and regulations about renting in the private sector are very detailed, and we cannot list them all here. For more info visit the IAU webpages and if you have any issues while renting in the private sector. Safety Bus The Safety Bus is a free service provided by Keele University Students' Union. Funding secured by KUSU's sabbatical officers runs the minibus and provides it as a free service to Keele Students. The Safety Bus is intended to help students of Keele return home safely (both on or off campus), with the more vulnerable students taking priority.

Letters to the Editor,

Seen something you like? Or just want to have your voice heard? Send an email to vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk and your message could get published, also keep an eye out for our new Concourse website with open forums open to every article.

UK slides in university league, says OECD With Permission from Graeme Paton

NEWS

FRESHERS' EDI-

The UK now produces fewer university graduates than the Slovak Republic and Poland as the country plummets down a major international league table, according to the OECD. Only 39 per cent of school leavers went on to gain a degree in 2007 – placing the UK 14th out 26 developed nations. The number of people being awarded university qualifications has marginally increased since 2000 when it was joint-third in rankings compiled by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Analysts warned that England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland “hadn’t been as dynamic” as other nations. The UK also had more teenagers classed as “Neet” – not in education, employment or training – than most other countries. It comes despite conclusions from the OECD that men graduating from university across the western world earn £113,000 more over a lifetime than those leaving education at 16. Women earn £81,000 more, even though there has been a slight "decrease in the earnings premiums” in the UK recently. A university degree also makes graduates healthier and less vulnerable to being unemployed in the long-term. The comments come amid controversy over university places this summer. Some 600,000 people applied to higher education – an increase of 60,000 – but only 13,000 extra places were made available. The scramble was fuelled by record numbers of mature students returning to education in the recession. Andreas Schleicher, senior analyst at the OECD, said the UK was still “doing reasonably well” but had been passed by other countries. He said that it was vital that university places were expanded during the economic downturn, suggesting the UK may be worse placed to recover. “You can clearly see for the majority of OECD countries that it does make sense… to create enough places,” he said. “You can always say ‘well, shouldn't we wait until the crisis is over and then do it then?’ No, the moment of the financial crisis is when the opportunity costs are low. People have nowhere else to go. “So countries who want to position themselves well after the crisis that is probably the best moment to provide enough places for people.”

Some 37 per cent of school-leavers in the UK went on to university and gained a degree in 2000. Numbers have since increased to 38.7 per cent. According to the OECD the UK in line with the international average. In Iceland, almost two-thirds of people gain a degree. Poland, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Portugal have also overtaken the UK. The Slovak Republic has seen the proportion of graduates increase from 23 per cent in 2002 to 38.9 per cent in 2007, meaning it overtakes the UK. The study warned that the imposition of higher university tuition fees for foreign students in the UK may be driving them away. “In choosing between similar educational opportunities, cost considerations may play a role, especially for students originating from developing countries,” said the study. David Lammy, the Higher Education Minister, said: “Enabling people to learn and develop their skills through higher and further education is vital for individuals and the UK at large which is why we have invested record levels of funding in our universities and colleges. “There are currently more students than ever before at UK universities and our support has helped more than 2.8 million people to gain basic skills qualifications since 2001. As this latest OECD report shows, the proportion of adults in the UK holding a degree is above average with them enjoying a better return on their qualifications than most comparable countries. Our universities attract the highest number of foreign students after the United States while the amount we spend per student has risen strongly.”

Widening Participation at Keele

Last summer, I, like many other would-be graduates at Keele, I went on a mental journey, wondering what had brought me to this stage of my life: awaiting results of a course that had taken me from studying near Moscow for five weeks, to silently cursing the person who has just taken that book I needed from the library 15 seconds before I got there. How the hell have I got here? Why are some of my mates either out of work, got poorly paid jobs and some even spending time in Her Majesties finest?

Well, here’s why, I concluded: along the way people have inspired me, people have believed in me and people have assured me that I could achieve. Some of these people were Keele student mentors, showing us, a moody bunch, around the Campus when we were 14, and telling us, ‘hey, guess what fellas, this is uni, no red bricks, no ultra posh accents, and no caps and gowns’. When I was 19 and started at Keele, I became one of those Student Mentors, and so the process, in a kind of Elton-John-singing-in-The-Lion-King type of way, started again.

And now, I am here putting a plea out to you - you can be the people to inspire the next generation. Here at Widening Participation, we work in various ways aiming to break down barriers that young people see between themselves and Higher Education, whether it be campus based events for 10 – 18 year olds, to placements - going out into local schools and directly working with the youngsters, to E- mentoring – working with young people via e mail, as well as many more roles for Keele students, just like you. Many of the contracts that we offer are casual, so that you can fit the work in around your studies, and you can earn up £8 per hour, whilst making new friends and adding valuable experience to your CV. So come on, check out our website for a full list and description of the roles we are currently offering, and put an on line application through to us now. Help others, Help yourself, Help us! There are plenty of jobs and opportunities available so check out our website, just search online: widening participation keele Antony Sutcliffe, Events Assistant, Widening Participation, Keele Hall

CONCOURSE

Politik

Politik is a new section which aims to highlight the political issues which effect students day to day, it will showcase all the major student political parties and their views on one particular topic, but unfortunately because there are no students around during the summer when I was writing this, I have decided to use these pages to highlight a few items which you might not of know about local and student politics.

The Year Ahead.............. Matthew Davies - Political Editor

I would first of all like to welcome all the Fresher’s to Keele who have arrived recently and wish them a happy and successful stay at the university. I would also like to welcome back all of the other students hoping that you have all enjoyed your summers and are ready and eager for another year of exciting essays, exams and plenty of fun in between!

The 2009/10 academic year at Keele will be one of the most exciting and interesting years politically for a long time (even though last year was quite an interesting year in politics for several reasons that have all seemed to have slipped my mind. I remember something about ducks and houses and ministers wanting to ‘rock the boat’, but apart from that my memory fails me)! This year will be very exciting for local politics because around May or June next year (unless Gordon knows something I don’t!), Newcastle under Lyme will again have the chance to select its Member of Parliament.

For all those history lovers out there Newcastle under Lyme has been electing MPs since 1354 when it elected two MPs (the first contest for the seat came much later in 1624), however since the boundary review of 1885 the borough has instead only elected one MP.

Every student living on campus will be automatically eligible to vote and those living off campus will be able to apply to vote. Throughout the course of the year Concourse will aim to keep students updated with the goings on in local politics, bringing you interviews from the current MP, the candidates for the parliamentary election as well as local councillors.

Although the local politics of the region will be the main priority this year Concourse will also keep you updated with any student and national politics that are of interest to Keele students.

As for getting directly involved with politics, new students and also those returning this year, should be aware that there will be stalls for our campus political societies at Fresher’s Fair as well as for Keele Politics Society for those of you who would rather hear views from across the political spectrum.

Throughout the year, Concourse will be interested in what students have to say about politics generally and anyone can submit articles for publication and will also be able to comment on-line about their views on different subjects. More details will appear in the next issue. Have a good first couple of weeks settling in and Concourse hopes to hear from you soon.

Keep the Cap on Tuition Fees

Freshers Edition

Politik

Paul Farrelly MP for Newcastle under Lyme

Summer’s over. FRESHERS'’ week’s started. And so now has the countdown to the general election proper. This time six years ago, just before parliament’s recall, I was plotting the next stage of the campaign to ‘improve’ the government’s plans for students. In the spring, after intense backbench pressure, it had capped tuition fees at £3,000, ending elitist vice chancellors’ hopes of a US-style free market in higher education. A new Secretary of State (Charles Clarke) now wanted to have the legislation done and dusted by Christmas. Some of us thought otherwise. There were more concessions, we thought, to be wrung. So, on the day of the Queen’s Speech, I tabled a parliamentary motion, calling for a rethink. With 100 Labour names on it for starters, including five former Cabinet ministers, it forced another pause for thought. The result was tangible: compulsory bursary schemes, student grants to be made more widely available and an independent review (underway now) three years after the new system finally started in 2006.

Perhaps most important was the concession not felt in your pocket. In the future, no administrative diktat, no mere flourish of a minister’s pen could lift the cap. By law, there has to be a full vote in the House of Commons first. And this is where your vote, most likely next May, really counts, too. Right now, universities are pressing for fees to go to £5,000 or £7,000 a year. The NUS, of course, is against that. Hundreds of Keele students have supported the petition. And in the Commons my latest parliamentary motion, backing the campaign, now has 132 signatures from MPs. You have my commitment. But next year, wherever you vote – here or at home – ask your parliamentary candidates one thing. Will you just tow your party line? Or would you rebel, if necessary, to support the student line? Just tell them: ‘how you’d use your vote will certainly influence how I cast mine’. Paul Farrelly MP – www.paulfarrelly.com

Higher Education: Funding Crisis Adam Mason - KUSU President

You’re reading this article because you are one of the fortunate ones. Tens of thousands of students, just like you, missed out on a place at University this year. One article in the Guardian claims that over 60,000 properly-qualified potential students will miss their place at University, in a climate where more students than ever are getting good enough grades to go into Higher Education. In lieu of all this, I worry for the price of education in the future. The student movement has long believed that education is not a luxury and should not be open to marketisation, but with funding for Universities scarce enough for ministers to call for a cap on the number of home undergraduate students that Universities can recruit (this year, Keele’s cap was around 1700 students), I worry more and more about the price of education in the future. I should be worried, of course, because in the space of just over 10 years, we have gone from free education to a climate where the National Union of Students is fighting to keep the cap lower than £5,000 per year. We can all be grateful that we got into University and have just enough money to get by while we’re here, but the future is dark for higher education funding – the system in place at the moment is broken. Soon, students will not be able to afford the skyrocketing fees levied on what should, morally, be free. I can say with some degree of certainty that if things continue the way they are going, I won’t be able to afford for my children to go to University. That is tragic.

Volunteer Experience Thailand

Concourse

Overseas Challenge 2009 is a unique volunteer program set up by VE @ Keele in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University student volunteering project CoMMUni and charity Volunteers for Educational Support & Learning (VESL). The aim of Overseas Challenge is to deliver English conversational skills to primary school age children in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Volunteers were also able to draw on their individual skills and interests, such as art & crafts or sports.

Massive thanks to Keele Key Fund, who helped to make Overseas Challenge 2009 possible by providing the essential funds needed to cover additional project costs.

E 2010 G N E L L passionHA C S Are you ? A d n E a il ! a S g h T t of a OVER of something amazin chools in rk as par s o y w r a o t im r be in p able - Be part

teer could arter, to volun enge 2010 , self-st s ll e le a k ib a h t x C le it s f Oversea got what ndraise, a yes, then ng to fu f Have you li il I w ? e , c s r n othe le experie t helping ha forgettab n u ate abou n & live wit a r ls o o f o h g c in s k o primary team & lo lunteer in vo l ployail d. ! w u o u your em for y ly, yo e provide e b u s J a l e il r in w c i a in t ngo or gR chance t rt of a lo g & supp to Chian a e in g p h in in t e a ll r b u T ve o o a . t y r s T g hailand & o 6 week y offerin for up t ools in T portunit p h y o il c s e m g a n in f a ls ch host uage skil ltural ex lish lang g astic cu n t E n a f f o a nt This is evelopme ort the d p p u s , ls ering an bility skil oject. ess, off c c inable pr rs a u t s s t u a s gre voluntee term 7 MMU 09 was a d 0 n 2 a e g l le n a e e e e r Chall e for 4 K o make a Overseas experienc rtunity t g o p ersonal in p p g n o f a e o h ense uniqu life-c s a d r n e d a t e a g c e n r in , g amaz experie e in poor veloped a they have ing of lif thers, de d o n a f t o s r e in which s nd live ined an u e to the ity and ga r differenc u t a m ility & work nd. responsib in Thaila essential , s e ie c it n n e u id f ngmm con rural co ill be a lo ter selfw a e e r p g o d h e p over ain we to develo rs also g on what e e e g u t in n in ll t lu o n r o o V c ll eele can et the ba t VE @ K a ills and s k h t s e e f m li two and ogram team of is a inable pr h a t d t e s t in a u t c s r o pa term . l was all ls took ing years h schoo y schoo c r a a E im . r e p m i the com ). r am Tha voluntee ing progr In all, 6 d oMMUni er teach c e t a n supporte d lu n a vo a VE rs were f e e o exciting t n p u lu e 9, vo rs, (mad enge 200 evoluntee as Chall e s r ravelled b t ve O s of , who k ll e e e d r r w a o 2 W s first r, Becky ny issue For the t with a ct Leade is je s o r s a P , s le r e ee Ke et volunt by VE @ s. ts to me c g activitie je o in r r e p e t n lu tween rd vo and reco ore info. concerns le for m

Kee at VE @ y k c e B t Contac

WANT MORE THAN A DEGREE? - VOLUNTEER WITH VE @ KEELE With the new semester just beginning, VE @ Keele is looking forward to another busy & exciting year working with students to volunteer their time both on and off campus! Working with over 150 voluntary & non-profit organisations, we can support students to find a volunteer placement, develop essential work skills, integrate into the local community, meet new people, have fun and make a positive difference to the lives of others, whilst also enhancing their student experience at Keele.

How to contact us: VE @ Keele Top Floor : KUSU Email: volunteering@kusu.keele.ac.uk Website: www.kusu.net/ve Tel: 01782 733626

Keele Has Seoul

Freshers Edition

Brendan Rodgers

This summer, seven of us Keelites were whisked away to the other side of the world! Samantha Shepard, Samira Mohamud, Nikki Cooper, Rebecca Crickmore, Hannah Blackwell, Craig Hallam and I all flew to South Korea to take part in Dongguk University’s Summer School programme. As you can imagine, we saw some amazing sights! A lot was accomplished during our month! We visited the film sets of the movie “J.S.A: Joint Security Area”, I spent a weekend in the De-militarised Zone – which is where the border of North and South Korea lies, and the other six enjoyed an exhausting but enlightening overnight stay at a real Buddhist temple. We visited many parts of Seoul (South Korea’s Captial), such as Insadong – a veritable Camden Town, a beautiful Palace named Changdeokgung- which is one of the Five Grand Palaces of Seoul, the Seoul Grand Park, the World Cup Stadium and Nandaemun Market. We also experienced many new foods including, Nettle leaves, octopus soup, squid tentacles, though we avoided the dog meat curries…Chilli’s for breakfast was an interesting experience – not all of us appreciated it though! We’ve learnt that all in all, us British students have it a lot easier than those in Korea- in more ways than one. Britain is considerably more liberal, and Students have an easier study schedule. South Korea is however, a wonderful place and a city that I would recommend to everyone.

Armageddon, as Keele makes a Deep Impact in Florida James Humphreys – KUAS President

Over the summer members of the AstroSoc went on a expedition to the States on a spacethemed trip to Florida, to see the sights of Cape Canaveral, catch a Space Shuttle launch and generally have a good time! Our trip was a busy one – the first couple of days following our nine-hour flight being spent at a water park called Wet’n’Wild and meeting up with Dr. Ron Maddison, the man who originally set up the observatory here at Keele. He took us out on a trip where we saw their observatory and planetarium facilities and got our first introduction to the summer heat that Florida has to offer – air conditioning has never felt so good! We spent the next few days at the Kennedy Space Centre, where we looked around the various exhibitions, toured the Air Force Space and Missile Museum & old launchpads on Missile Row, visited the Space Shuttle Discovery on launchpad 39A, including the enormous Vehicle Assembly Building and the astronaut crew quarters.We also took the time to look at some future components of the International Space Station and meet some of the people wandering around the Cape, including two Space Shuttle astronauts and two Apollo engineers, and took in a couple of IMAX films!

The evening of 28 August, where we found ourselves back on the Cape, seeing not only an armadillo, but also the start of the 37th flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery, launching into a pitch-black sky at midnight and lighting the place up like it was dawn – with the shuttle remaining visible right up until she dipped below the horizon, with the roar of the engines having long since blown us away. An awesome and beautiful sight! The launch proved to be the icing on top of a fantastic cake – the whole trip was a brilliant experience, with everyone enjoying the time spent sampling the American culture (and cheap food). Given how much of a success the expedition proved, the AstroSoc is planning on running another trip next year, which we hope will go just as well!

Keele University Astronomical Society meets weekly at 8pm on Tuesday nights up at Keele Observatory. Membership is £3.50, and everyone is welcome! - Why not come along one night and join us?

CONCOURSE

Societies

Society Sign-Up 2009 Oli Cotterill VP (Finance & Activities)

KRAP

info@kraprock.co.uk

What do you like doing in your spare time? How would you fancy the chance to meet loads of like-minded students, go to numerous social events, have bucket loads of fun and spend your time doing a hobby that you really enjoy??? Well, if you like the sound of that, with over forty societies on display, come and see what they have to offer at Freshers’ Fair.

Keele Gam

info@keelegamer uk

Labour

Regardless of your interests, hobbies or musical tastes, there is bound to be one or two societies to share them with. You might even find something new, or discover a hidden talent! If you’ve ever fancied the idea of producing your own radio show, opening your mind to different languages and cultures, DJing, doing some martial arts, or voicing your political views in a relaxed environment, now is the time to try it all out! There are even some societies that can offer you academic and personal support, as well as faith-oriented and cultural societies to share your beliefs with. It’s a fantastic way to get to know other students, even if at the end of the day you only come out with a handful of leaflets and a bit of inspiration!

Students

keelelabourstudents @gmail.com

KUD

kudos.ku lema

Conservative Future

You can sign up to any society at the KUSU Society Sign-Up Fair on Monexecutive.nkcf@googleday 28th and Tuesday 29th September between 10am-4pm in the Ballroom. When mail.com you come into the venue you will be given a form, please fill in your name and keele card number and then when you want to join a society they will give you a sticky label which you can stick to your form. Societies charge a small annual membership fee of between £2.50-£5.00 and you can pay either on the day or you have sampled what the society has to offer. Look forward to seeDancesport ing you on Monday or Tuesday and hope you all have a nice first keeledancesweek back at Keele! port.@googlemail.com

info@kuberadio.com

Psychiatry

LGBT

keelelgbt@gmail.com

Drama

keele.dramasoc@googlemail.com

Surgical Society

keelesurgicalsociety@live.co.uk

Revelation Rock Gospel Choir

Foosball

Economics & kefs@live.co.uk

keelenightline@hotmail.com

keelenetwork@googlemail.com

Musicians

keeleshowchoir@hotmail.co .uk

Keele Pagan

Socialist

& Occult

Students

Socitey

ISOC

keeleisoc@gmail.com

Show Choir

u9a43@sta.keele .ac.uk

Keele

keelech

Finance

Nightline

u6l95@ugl.keele.ac.uk

Pyrate Network

KUBE

Huma

Resou

Managem

Sikh

ku_sikhsoc@hotmail.co.uk

FRESHERS EDITION

ActiVE

International Keele Writing

Keele

BAR

Students (KISS) Philharmonic

keeleinternational@gmail.com Orchestra

ming

rbase.co.

Afro-Caribbean Dance Music keeledancemusic @hotmail.co.uk

Society

keele_acs@hotmail.co.uk

Cathsoc Law

keelelawsociety@ho tmail.com

DOS

usu@goog ail.com

Chess

Biomedical

Concert Band

Poker

chair@keeleconcertband.co.uk

keeleunipokersoc@g ooglemail.com

u7l42@keele.students.ac.uk

keelechess@hotmail.co.uk

Jewish

Psychology

keelepsychsociety@hotmail.co.uk

Dance

president@keeledancesoc.co.uk

Critical Legal Group

keeleclg@hotmail.co.uk

Taekwondo

Philharmonic

keele_jsoc@hotmail.co.uk

Roleplay

Choir

hoir@hotmail.com

keeleunirpassociation@gmail.com

Pre Hospital Care

Women's

keele_Women's_society@hotmail.co.uk

keeleprehospitalcaresociety@googlemail.com

Motorsport

urce

Amnesty

ment

Astrosoc

International Science Fiction & Fantasy

ksffsoc@googlemail.com

Darts Society

keeleamnestysociety@hotmail.co.uk

Sociology & Criminology

Keele Welsh

keelewelsh@hotmail.co.uk

Stich & Bitch keelestitchandbitch@yahoo.com

Unreal Paintball

Geosoc

keele.geosoc@go oglemail.com

Keele Liberal Youth

Whats On! Wednesday Night Project

A new night in the Ents calendar where we give you a different style every week. Weʼve got monthly live indie bands in K2 brought to you by uDisco, as well as the addition of a monthly dance night. Monthly urban DJs in the lounge to shake your booty to and on the remaining week weʼve got sports stage games brought to you by VP Sports & Fitness Roger Weston so expect some mayhem in the Ballroom on that night. We welcome to K2

The Secret Record Club

A bunch of groovy folk that like to provide their patrons with a special party vibe experience. Taking you on a cosmic musical journey through decades of underground disco, soul, leftfield, indie, acoustic and all things electronica from around the world. It's a place for open minded music lovers to gather and dance to all kinds of records surrounded by beautiful lights, decor, vintage selling stalls and other lovely people.

BrassiC

A new addition to the Ents programme , BrassiC is a night for those crazy cats who want to extend the weekend into next week . Cheap as chips drinks offers and an anything goes music policy.. minus the cheese... because we all know cheese before bedtime gives you nightmares!

Meet the Ents Team Allie Coombs Ents Offier

Jayne Winstanley Assistant Ents Manager Kenny Walker Venue Manager

Dave Melville Technical Manager

Welcome to KUSU Entertainments Hi Everyone! My name is Allie Coombs and I am your Entertainments Officer for 09/10. I wanna start by saying a massive hello to all new students and a big welcome back to you all; I hope you’re all as excited as I am to be back! My role as Ents Officer is to work with the Ents Department to get you guys what you want on a night out. I am here to listen to your ideas and pass them on to the people that can make them happen. I will make my best efforts to deliver the things you want in your union, however it is important to remember that if you do not ask, then you will not get and the best way to ask, is through the Ents Forum.

This year the Ents Forum is going to be bigger and better than ever and will be a space where any of you can attend on a regular basis and be part of the team or just a one off to share a few ideas you may have. We will meet weekly to share ideas, discuss the week’s events and plan our décor. We will also discuss new ways we can inject excitement into our union! We are also looking for new student DJ’s, Photographers and Graphic Designers so if you have a passion or a flare for any of those and want to get involved then get in contact. If you are interested then please come and see me at the fresher’s fair on Monday 28th Sept in the SU Ballroom and attend the first Ents Forum on Monday 5th October at 1pm in K2 That’s all for now. I hope you all enjoy Fresher’s Week Much Love Allie x

Are you in these photoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s? If so your on the Guest List for our new Wednesday Night Project just go up to the ents office to get you name down!

Get Funked Vs uDisco Freshers Par ty!! Michael Jackson meets Nu Rave! To celebrate your 1st week at

Keele we've got an amazing night of enter tainment for you! Get Funked presents a Boogie Wonderland in the Ballroom and will play host to a Michael Jackson meets Motown themed night with special guests Signature (Britains got Talent winners '08), a Motown tribute band & free MJ themed green screened photography. So don your white glove, fedora & lets do some moonwalking or if thats not your bag then pull out your far out Flares & groovy 70's gear and boogie on down to the SU. For those of you wanting something completely different K2 will be transfor med into a UV ravers paradise for the ar rival of Hadouken who will be perfor ming live, the night will also feature two other bands and indie, electro & dance DJs to help you rave the night away. The Lounge Bar will feature our fi fin nest resident Urban DJs and the Outback will have special guest DJ set from Kelvin Andrews, taking a break from his hectic schedule producing Robbie Williams new album to come and play an eclectic mix for us. There will be free UV facepainting and loads of giveaways as well as this the event will be fillmed by Faces in Places TV...there will be something for ever yone to fi enjoy at this event and you would be mad to miss this one!

Keele Sex Lives ....Not So Black and White Nick Heath

SEXUAL PARTNERS

Over the Summer I was pondering over what my first feature for Concourse would be, the first issue had to be something gripping, interesting and most importantly informative... which narrowed it down to sex, drugs or rock and roll, clearly I went for the first. There is an endless amount of faceless surveys asking what students sex lives are like, not to mention a million and one pieces of information about sexual health. But where does Keele fall in to this, we have always been a bit different in on way or another, but would this reflect in our sex lives? I went about asking around 200 students what their experiences were both before and whilst studying at Keele, the following is both surprising and enlightening

I asked how many sexual partners have you had before arriving at Keele? None 1-3 4-7 8 - 10 11+

26% 45% 16% 7% 6%

What about how many sexual partners have you had whilst at Keele? None 1-3 4-7 8 - 10 11+

10% 18% 47% 17% 8%

VIRGINITY How old were you when you lost your virginity?

Not Yet Under 16

10% 21%

16 - 17 18 - 19 20 - 22 23 +

44% 21% 3% 1%

Which of the following were true when you lost your virginity? It was a fling It was a one night stand I was in a relationship

18% 12% 70%

I was drunk I was very drunk!!

18% 6%

Drugs were involved

SAFE SEX When you first had sex, did you use protection? We used Condoms We didn't use Condoms We used contraception but not Condoms

75% 19% 6%

How often do you use contraception? All the time I try, but sometimes I forget Never! n/a

55% 30% 5% 10%

..JUS

STI

YOU

Have you ever had an STI test? Yes 57% No 43%

T FO R FU NIA ANY L SO INTE AS RES TING KED I Y OU SEX HAV UAL E EV E XPE SAI ER H RIEN AD D S H E SC C ES REA

I ONC

If so was it positive or negative? Yes 13% No 87%

WHIL

M ED

OUT ‘ HO D URIN EH TC AD G R SE X A PA ...NO OSSED BU NIC ATT RMA NS A FE ACK ’ L? MAL A FTE E PA RB RTN EING ER , TIED TRA UMA TO THE TIC TIME B ED S.. BY

ST H AVIN ... GM GIRL Y WAY SD OG. ,IW HE O AS LICK BVIO WRO ED USL ON NG Y FE T HOLE H E BU LT L ! EFT MB YA OUT , DO DOG , NO , ES T HE SEX NOT C OUN IN T THE T AS HE G I RL PIG A AT THER . THE H N E REE DR Randomly, I asked which halls of residence WER S EM A O T TO ME ? ANY would could consider the most sexually acM OR ILET E, B S , UT I ON tive, for your self or others? DON AK ' T TH ISS INK I SH NIGH OUL T... DP Horwood 12% RINT UNIO T HE Hawthorns 32% M, A N SK

JUST CURIOUS

Barnes Lindsay The Oaks Hollycross All about Off Campus

29% 13% 1% 10% 3%

Continued on next page ------->

ABO

UT I F YO US EE M E

IN T HE

Under the Covers, what Keele’s sex life is really like... When I first did this survey I thought it would live up to the expectations of students being sex mad alcohol driven slags, and while the odd person has lived up to that, it seems that the vast majority of Keelites are relatively well behaved, especially compared to some 18-25’s whom migrate to the spanish resort of Shagaluf every summer. The majority of students’ had sexual experiences before arriving at Keele, with 70% being in a relationship when they lost their virginity, something which I was quite surprised with. Whilst at Uni the almost 50% of students have had 4-7 sexual partners, with only 8% leading the field with over eleven partners. Proving that while some students are living up to expectations the majority still see sex as something which isn’t just thrown about. (contrary to the perceived perceptions of the perentals) What ever your sexual interest or perceptions there is one issue which is consistent with in student life, that is the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, I know my fair share of students at Keele that have woken up after a night out with no idea of what the person lying them is called let alone what they did with them, or if they used protection. While some got away scott free, other have not been so lucky. Remember when ever you sleep with some one unprotected your also sleeping with every person that has slept with that person before you, I don’t know about you, but that creeps the hell out of me! Getting back to the results though, most students used protection when they first had sex, but only 55% said they always used protection after that, and with the national statistic of 12% of students having chlamydia or gonorrhea its basically russian roulette when you have sex with some unprotected. Keele reflected the national statistics too with 13% of those that took a STI test finding the results positive, but only 57% of those whom have had sex have taken one, a disappointing figure considering a) its free b) its better to know what you have than not c) you can do it on campus! So, black and white? No. Keele’s sex life is diverse and complicated just as I expected, but I was impressed by how mature the majority of students approached their sexual health, especially in the daunting period of your life that is Uni. On a lighter note while I can praise the student body for being responsible, remember sex is different for every person, some people are comfortable with sleeping with a different people each night, others believe sex is something to treasure in a loving relationship, and while both are extreamly different, both are also right as long as both (or more)people know what your getting in to. But what ever your belief just be safe, and remember to take the simplest of precautions so that you don’t ruin the rest of you life, but more importantly someone else's. Oh and after looking at the results, congratulations Hawthorns, your at the pinnacle of sexual experience and performance, its either something in the water or all the first years going at it like rabbits. ( I imagine its the latter)

Telling it like it is…

Rich Hill - Vice President Education & Welfare Hello again! Inline with the Nick’s survey I thought it rather obvious to take this opportunity to raise the issue of sexual awareness in brief. As you can see from the above, sex can be a rather interesting activity and more importantly fun. However, I’m here to tell you like it is and although sex can be fun there are many times where the consequence of your actions will be far from that. I don’t have to tell you at length of all the things that could go wrong (I’ll save that for in a couple of weeks) but please just be aware that these things do happen regardless of where you are and Keele is no different. If you are going to have sex be sure that you are ready, always be prepared and never do anything you will regret the next morning…or possibly for a lifetime.

Super Sperm!

Sexual Health Week is coming up soon (Monday 19th October to Friday 23rd October 2009) so be sure to keep your eyes open for some essential information, hopefully presented in a rather new and innovative way.Alongside all the vital information to be dispersed there will also be thousands (yes thousands) of free Durex condoms available with lube and sweets for all. Another thing I am pioneering is a queue jump system for anyone turning up to the Union with a condom (not used though please) on the big nights of Sexual Health Week (see kusu.net for t&c’s). Be-Clear will also be out and about throughout the Wednesday and Friday of Sexual Health Week, day and night, to offer their free Chlamydia testing. Also, the rumour mill tells me that we may see the revival of that Mr. Supersperm that you may remember from last year. The question is who will be hosting the infamous costume? If you do need any more info in the meantime please click your mouse to http://kusu.net/contraception.html or www.bclear.org.uk/index.php Enjoy Fresher’s Week, be safe and I shall see you all soon!

What is the IAU? - The IAU is a Confidential Service provided by the SU for every student at Keele

Found on the top floor of the Students’ Union the Unit offers in dependent idvice on academic matters, University Regulations and processes. Advisors are able to represent students at University hear ings. We work closely with the Vice President Education & Welfare, who all provides representation on behalf of Keele Students. The Independent Advice Unit is committed to providing a confidential advice service to its users.

The IAU believes its users deserve the right to confidentiality to protect their interests and safeguard Unit’s services.

The Advice Unit offers a confidential service - nothing you tell us will be shared with any other organisation or individual without your expressed permission.

If you would prefer not to say what it is you need advice about at Reception, please tell the person at reception who will arrange for you to see an advisor either in ‘drop-in’ or at an appointment

Vent

CONCOURSE

Vent is an opportunity for students to have a rant, it can be about anything you want, from Student Fees to the new Topshop clothes line, all the articles will be posted on Facebook on the KUSU Concourse Group waiting for your rebuttal. Remember, this is one persons opinion, not Concourse, KUSU’s or the University, it’s here to inspire debate!!

BOYCOTT : What happened next?

Boye Cott

Towards the end of last year members of staff from Templar and the Pig and Rat Bars had enough, all over campus ‘Boycott’ signs started appearing, talk of dissent was ripe and students started chanting ‘when I say boy.... you say cott,’ it was a collective upheaval driven on by a couple of students with a bit of spare time and the intention of showing how the Students’ Union had wasted it opportunity in providing entertainments. The belief was the Union, the largest entertainment venue on campus had lost the creativity and originality which so many students had loved years before. The Union was stagnating... and the students had noticed. The boycott promoters managed to organize one of the best if not crowded parties Keele has ever seen, Templar Bar had students falling out every gap available, the beer was cheap and the music was loud. While a raging success in providing a good piss up; how successful was boycott at making the Union notice that students where no longer interested? So did anything change for the better and if so was it Boycott that did it?

Boycott managed to divide campus in to two clearly different sects, those who wanted have a good night full of debauchery and were lured in by the promise of cheap beer and alternative music, while the rest, recognized the Union as being a huge organization which was unable to put a night on like this because they are accountable to student safety and welfare while also providers of non commercial services such as the IAU. Basically the Union has responsibility and constraints, halls bars do too, but nowhere near to the Union.

So a battle followed, the Union mobilized its staff to go leafletting while also providing free shots for anyone who hands in a Boycott flyer, while Boycott started their guerrilla advertising schemes of plastering campus with posters and logo’s and utilized online media such as Facebook. Yet when the big night came, both venues where full.... both made money...both put on quality nights. Anything change though? No. Halls bars are still halls bars, they provide cheap booze and some of the most amazing nights you will ever have, not to mention a friendly face when your hung over the next morning; and for the Union, there is still nothing like it... 1800 students in one building.... cant beat it. Of course the drinks are going to be a bit more expensive, can you imagine the amount of people and hours it takes to put on just one night?!? When I said nothing had changed... I lied, the whole event pumped Keele full of an energy which I have not seen here in years, everyone was talking about it, the union was kicked in to shape and re evaluating their entertainments and promotions, while the Halls bars realized that they could up their game and get even more punters in. In my mind, Boycott was a great thing, it made the Union realize that competition is closer than they think, and competition generates innovation, and only with that will the student experience get better year on year. Warm Ale and a pipe no longer satisfy students, they want more... I want more. One thing which did get keep going through my mind during the reign of terror that boycott managed to build up, was why none of these issues been raised before, the guys organizing boycott went to the Union more than anyone else I ever knew whilst being at Keele, but they had never heard of the Ents forums, or an Ents Officer. But then to be honest nor had any of their other students, the average student does not attend a UGM, does not know who their Union committee representatives are, the average student just sees the Union as a place for a pint and a dance. That is where the Union has failed, and for a long time now. Initially I put it down to the apathetic nature of today's youth, but every other successful bar/company/political party has over come this issue, so why can’t the union. Well, the Union is changing, everyone from the Bar Staff, Ents Team to the Sabbs have been brain storming all summer to work out what the students want, but with out the average student raising their hand and saying ‘No, these nights are not what I want!’ the Union can’t change, after all it is your Union, in a way every student in Keele is actually in charge of the Union.

Boycott was not just about entertainments, it was a challenge to the establishment (I apologies for the cliché there) It was a time for students to stand up and say ‘Fuck it, lets not be PC, lets not sit quietly.... lets do something’ and for the Boycott guys that was organizing a piss up. and good on them! Yeah they annoyed a lot of people but at least they did something. I love Keele, I Love the Union, and I Love the halls bars and to be honest I think a little out of the box thinking and passion is what makes me love this place, and I can only hope that Keele over this next year sees more action like this, for the best way to get things changed is to stand up and fight for it.

Car Parking on Campus still Driving me Crazy!

Anonymous Another day, another £25 fine. The situation at Keele is getting absolutely ridiculous. I think I speak for every student out there who owns a car when I say I’m sick and tired of it. We pay thousands of pounds every year to study at Keele, but we aren’t even given a place to park; so when we’re forced to park outside of a marked bay (still being careful not to block a road, etc), we get a £25 for our troubles – just so we could get to that 10am lecture we paid for! I was shocked and appalled when I spoke to one of my lecturers – who coincidentally was also mighty peeved at the situation – who told me that Keele used to do the parking fines themselves and were more reasonable when car parks were full or someone appealed with good reason. This new company, ‘the Car Parking Partnership’, just want your money and don’t care how there were no other spaces on campus, or your passenger had a broken leg, or any of the other reasonable excuses for parking where they say you shouldn’t. This is a higher education institution – a place for learning – not for profiteering. I read some posts online about the ‘marketisation of higher education’ and they couldn’t be more right, even with a cap on the tuition fees we pay, Keele manages to squeeze as much money out of us as it can through these stealth fines on already broke students!

Don’t get me started on the amount of times I’ve seen a ‘Security’ van parked in a disabled bay!

Welcome Freshers, and welcome back to all returning students! KUBE radio is Keele University’s online student radio station. We are always looking for new members and new shows: whatever genre and style. Even if presenting is not really your thing, KUBE also has many roles behind the scenes. If you are interested in joining KUBE, drop us an email, or come along to our next meeting, or find us at the Freshers’ Fair.

Freshers’ Edition

KUBE Radio

Recent News

KUBE hits Love Music Hate Racism May 2009, Brittania Stadium, Stoke-On-Trent

Vinesh Patel - Social Secretary

The stage was set, the stadium began to fill with crowds in their thousands and a glittering array of artists were set to take the stage for the first Love Music Hate Racism Festival to come to Stoke. After hearing of such a huge event taking place on our doorstep, I knew that it was an opportunity that KUBE could not miss out on. Not only did I perform my own material on the second stage, but later mingled with the real stars of the show backstage whilst grabbing some amazing content for KUBE. I was accompanied by fellow members Adrian Daniels and Mikey Aveline.

We were treated to a fantastic buffet lunch amongst celebrities including the legendary comedian Eddie Izzard, who KUBE was fortunate enough to grab shots with. His passion for the issues of the day were strongly evident. Whilst it was easy to become caught up in the excitement of being given such tremendous access to the famous, we had forgotten that the events message was aimed at the BNP to mark a stamp against racism. Throughout the day we continued to mingle with the stars and grabs idents for the station with the likes of Wiley, Stoke City striker Ricardo Fuller and Big Brother twins Sam & Amanda. However the bigger opportunities came when we were given some time of our own to lay questions to rapper Ironik in what was a good interview. We also found similar opportunities with the likes of rap supergroup Roll Deep and renowned rapper Kano. Whilst roaming around backstage we also bumped into The Clash legend Mick Jones, who also recorded some promos for KUBE.

The music was brilliant as KUBE watched the event from the executive boxes: the likes of The Beautiful South and Kid British had the crowd in full festival swing. VV Brown was another highlight and certainly a name to watch out for in future. Her reggae take on her own hit single "Crying Blood" was fantastic and introduced an almost carnival feel to the event. Sam Duckworth and his band Get Cape Wear Cape Fly were also another highlight as teens sung along in their thousands to the addictive melodies. Crowd favorites were DJ Ironik and Chipmunk: the pair clearly enjoyed the crowd affection with the echo of screaming girls reaching all four corners of the stadium. Apart from the access KUBE was granted to artists that matched that of BBC Radio Stoke and Radio 1, KUBE was also treated to a pass that allowed access to the front of the stage to take photographers alongside the professionals. I was fortunate enough to stand inches away from headliners Pete Doherty and Kelly Rowland. The day was full of highlights and the experience was fantastic. The chance to get the same access as renowned media names and to get our name out at a national level was brilliant and a clear sign that KUBE can strive at a national level.

BBC Television Centre tour Tuesday 4th August saw KUBE ‘jet-off’ to London. Firstly, we headed over to the world-famous BBC Television Centre for a tour. Not only were we able to view the studios, including that of ‘Mock the Week’ but KUBE members also got to have a look at the dressing rooms and view the day-to-day working of the BBC offices. Our very own Tim Palmer was given the opportunity to star in an amateur weather report in front of a blue screen, before TC Balmer fought for KUBE’s honour in a round of ‘The Weakest Link’.

Next, KUBE hopped over to Hammersmith Studios for the filming of Channel Four’s topical entertainment show, ‘TNT’ with Jack Whitehall and Holly Walsh. We sat to the right of the stage and had an awesome view of the filming, which was aired the next Thursday. The day not only gave us an insider’s view one of the most important media hubs in Europe, but also let us see what a working media office looks like and how the recording of a television programme with a live audience works. Here’s to more of these KUBE trips to come in the future!

www.kuberadio.com

s l a i t n e s s E i Back to Un KUSU

should at every students th ts bi y ch te w A fe rm for the start of te try and get hold of

BEST B

NAVMAN Spirit 300 £129-00 The perfect companion for any new student – it can help you explore more in your new university town, showing you all the city highlights from university campus to landmarks, cash points, petrol stations, restaurants and of course pubs.

Nikon CoolPix S230 £129-00 Slim, compact and stylish, the Nikon COOLPIX S230 is the perfect accessory for capturing your university memories. From moving into halls or your first night out, all the way through to graduation. You can impress everyone with the 3 inch touch-screen, so taking pictures and adjusting settings are only few taps away, and it has an array of advanced functions to help you get the best pictures of your friends, such as the new Blink Proof, Quick Retouch, Scene Auto Selector and Scene Mode. The COOLPIX S230 makes taking photographs great fun and incredibly easy. The perfect addition to your university kit.

Olympus DS55 Voice Recorder £110-00 This digital dictaphone with over a thousand hours recording time will be very useful during any lecture, but its high price and the fact it has been surpassed by every mobile phone on the market, means we could not recommend this product to you, but the remote activation might interest the wanna be James Bonds / Stalkers out there

Blackberry PayOnce £179-00 The unique ‘Pay Once’ deal that for the first time makes a BlackBerry the ideal gift to give somebody starting out or returning to university this autumn. It’s the perfect present to help students balance a busy social and work life and stay connected wherever they are, either via email, on I'm, through Facebook. Even better, you can save money on calls and texts by emailing and with unlimited email and internet there is no nasty bill shock at the end of each month. Students only need to top-up their credit if they want to make calls and send texts and picture messages. A perfect way to budget your spending.

Up & Coming Campaigns to Look out for this Month!

Drinks Awarness - Spiked! Watch Your Drink! 24

September Saturday 26th - October Friday 2nd

Keeloscope A r i e s , March 21- April 20

Mars works in harmony with the moon to keep you confident and calm... Avoid the squirrels, they will eat your cheesy chips

.... like a horoscope but better...,

Virgo, August 24 The moon is in your sixth September 22

Sagittarius, Nov 23 Dec 21

Action planet Mars puts you in a tougher, more decisive mood. Whisky or Malibu, Coors or Grolsh...big decisions

Jupiter contacts Mars and you have the right mix of luck and determination to sort out finances and education plans... Congratulations, you will of spunked your entire student loan by the end of this week

You can communicate well so instead of underestimating yourself, trust your talents - and get a great reaction from other people... Drink only Snakebite, avoid white t-shirts

Leo, July 23 - Aug 23

sense chart so you understand the important people in your life on a deeper level... Sounds too deep, avoid stoner conversations this month

Gemini, May 22 - June 21

Taurus, April 21 - May 21

Jupiter and Mars work well for you, putting luck on your side when you focus on projects you truly believe in.. Start playing the gamblers

* '7.'

3 26'

Capricorn, Dec 22 - January 20

You have a relaxed, friendly approach to relationships and it works better than asking too many questions... If you forget their name the next morning, don’t worry about...their probably more annoyed about you vomiting in their closet last night.

Film Reviews

Cancer, June 22 - July 22 A family or group of friends make such a good team and everyone is committed to making a project work... Watch out for the creepy kid at the end of your corridor

Libra, Sept 23 - Oct 23 Scorpio, Oct 24 - Nov 22

As caring Venus lights your community chart, it should be easier to get the funds together for good causes... 6* Good Cause? Birthday Vodka Fund..

Aquarius, Jan 21 - Feb 18

As Mercury is reversing, someone you thought was out of reach could be close and caring again.... Parents making a surprise arrival this weekend, FREE FOOD!

You can pick up extra skills fast and even if a job is different from what you expected, it brings out the best in you...Looks like this whole Uni thing could work out for you!

Pisces, Feb 19 - March 20

You have a mix of creative ideas and the true grit it takes to turn them into action...Time to cook for your block, they will love you for it!

Is your birthday between October 14th and Nov 4th? Email vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk with one good reason why you should be highlighted in the Keeloscope section and you could get free entry for you an a mate to the Union on your Birthday and get your face in Concourse!

by Frederike Dammé

“My preciouuus”......if you hear

these words you know it's time for Lord of Rings. Frodo's watering eyes when he gets possessed with the ring not to mention the many battle scenes are definitely great moments in film history. Let's be honest. If you see what the little hobbit and his fellows have to go through to destroy a piece of metal, the headache from the three shots of Tequilla last night make the pain seem quite bearable.

If you are still feeling sorry for

yourself then don’t forget it could of you probably feel re- be worse, The Hangover will put pulsed at the thought of guys in your pounding headache and tight pants. That aside Billy Elliot is parched mouth in perspective. The the film to leave rohypnol fueled rollercoaster ride these prejudices that is one mans stag night which behind. Little slowly reveals its self through out Billy shows us all the film; a must see if your still questhat you can tioning what happened last night make it happen. and why Mike Tyson's tiger is in His solution to your blocks shower. dance all the problems aways was exactly what you did last night. Billy gets into Dance school with his Flashdance like performance at the end of the movie, you only made it on Facebook.

2.Most

it' s FRESHERS WEEK! You just waved Mum & Dad goodbye and the next thing you know you' re in the Union having one, two, three ah well just too many drinks. But there is always the morning after. as I' m in the mood for a good deed, here are the top movies to watch when you are HANGOVER:

4.Action movies are always great

if you're in for mindless entertainment. Important: never watch an action movie if the people you're watching it with are not in the mood for one. Otherwise you will hear “no way, that's like so unrealistic” every five minutes. Whatever! You were unrealistically drunk last night. I can't decide on one so just watch Die Hard, Underworld, Transporter or anything you can be bothered to reach for.

Do you agree? Check Out our KUSU Concourse Group on Facebook, and Tell Us which Films You Feel Compliment Your Freshers’ Hangover

N O D N FOU

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CAPTION COMPETITION $ ! &! ! " Come up with the best caption for this photo and email : vp.comms@ kusu.keele.ac.uk

GAMES & PUZZLES

FRESHERS EDITION

T he wo rd " n e rd" wa s f ir st coined by D r. S e u s s i n " I f I R a n t he Zoo."

T he re a re 19 6 m i l l i o n goats in China

+8 <496 ,') + .+6 +

T he p e o p l e m o st o f te n killed during b a n k ro b b e r i e s a re t he the robber s

A r a t c a n s u r vi ve l o n g er than a came l w i t ho u t wa te r

I t â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s e st i m a te d t ha t 0 . 7 % of the wo r l ds p o p u l a t i o n i s dr unk at any time

NIKIPEDIA

CROSSWORD 3

21 25 27

Your source of random knowledge T he L i o n c o st u m e i n T he Wizard of at Keele University O z wa s m a de o f re a l l i o ns

14 22

18 24

11 16

26 28

Across 1. To think over (6) 4. Fielding position in cricket (5) 8. To be in possession of a weapon (5) 9. To give up (7) 10. All important element, the very being (7) 11. Purveyor of fine foods (abbrv.) (4) 12. Earth's most important star (3) 14. Wight for example (4)

KUSU SUDOKU

Across Continued 15. Measurement of land area (4) 18. To rule in the sub-continent (3) 21. Monetary unit of SA (4) 23. Eloquence (7) 25. Foreboding of bad news, threatening (7) 26. In addition to (5) 27. Poetry (5) 28. The main group of singers, esp. in opera (6) Down 1. Act of thanks to God (6) 2. Arch-rival (7) 4. To participate (4) 5. Type of popular modern music (5) 6. Popular racket sport (6) 7. Sport of Kings, inf. (5) 13. Homeland of Jesus Christ (8) 16. Male domestic fowl. US (7) 17. Protective clothing loved by knights (6) 19. Challenge undertaken by knights on horseback (5) 20. Road to divert busy traffic (6) 22. Clamorous (5) 24. Word difficult to define, (see 6 down) it means nothing!? (4)

6 1

4 7 9 4

6 7 1 5 3

4 9

I to ld y o u n o t t o f u ck wi th m e .

amazingsuperpowers.com

THIRTY SECOND INTERVIEW

I asked: Name a few things that every fresher should know about Keele Fadi Dada 3rd Year

Marketing, Media, Communications and Culture

‘Get to know the ladies in the union shop, this can lead to some massive perks in return.... likewise Carmen in the Postroom’

Trish Hunt 3rd Year

Marketing & English

Go Explore Campus, you don’t need a passport to find Keele Hall or Hawthorns Play Safe : Party Hard!

Hall of Fame

Helen Kennedy

T. K.

2nd Year

Biomedical Science

Masters Student

‘Get a job, just don’t work Wednesday & Friday nights... or Thursday & Saturday mornings.. take monday night off as well ..... and Sunday’

‘Take your umbrella everywhere! Funky wellies are a must... I swear Keele has its own weather system!’

Theo Izzard

Zac Mead

3rd Year

Masters Students

International Relations

International Relations ‘Befriend your academic school, as they can help you when you fuck up! -- Always bare in mind that your first year doesn't count towards your final grade -- Fire alarms in rooms are heat sensitive, corridors are smoke sensitive.....’

‘Simple... KPA sandwiches... killer! Also join a sports team or society, its the quickest, easiest way of making friends’

Hand picked gems from the best procrastination site on the planet

Where the Hell is Matt (2008)

14 Months, 42 countries, 1 dance. Matt Harding a computer games designer from Connecticut - started dancing in 2005 as a innovative way of showing friends and family where he had travelled. This third production is a beautiful and universally appealing video which everyone should sit down and appreciate. If the breathtaking visual don't impress you then the backing music is sure to take your breath away. A KUSU must see!

Best of the Rest

Kiwi!

A kiwi bird aspires to fly, thats funny.....right?

LED Sheep Art

Must see combination of sheep, Samsung and classical music!

White and Nerdy

Weird Al Yankovic parodies Chamillionairsʼ Ridinʼ Dirty

Introducing your Athletic Union Executive

TEAM : KEELE

Athletic Union President - Sonia Douz

A big hello to you all from Team: Keele. My name is Sonia but you will generally hear me being called Douz. I'm the Athletic Union President for 09-10 which means I'm here to get you involved in competitive sports! My job not only involves supporting students getting involved in competitive sports, I'm here to represent the student voice within sports. From the minor issue to the major Im here for you! I with my committee ensure that all members of Team: Keele are looked after. With over 35 sports clubs our primary aim is to ensure all clubs are achieving their goals and are successfully growing. We have a well established tradition of Sports at Keele with a great team of volunteers who continue to run and organise each club and team. So what is Team: Keele? Here at Keele we see ourselves as one big family! Team: Keele is just that! We compete on Wednesdays in the British Universities Colleges and Sports leagues (BUCS) representing Keele University on a regional and national stage. We train hard play hard and get results! We have had many success stories and are continually proving ourselves to other Universities. Simply Team: Keele is a force to be reckoned with! Not only is it my job to run and look after the AU it is my job to look at ways to improve what we have. This year Im going to focus on recognising the time and effort all volunteers in the AU have given, making sure they have something to show to employers. I will also be focusing on encouraging students to do coaching qualifications by working closely with Club Captains to find available courses and funding.

Deputy President - Scott Little Hi, I’m Scott Little, and i'm a 3rd year History and Politics student. My sport is Lacrosse, and i was the Club Captain of the Lacrosse Club last year. My job in the AU next year is the role of Deputy President, and my aim for Team:Keele this year is to push back up the BUCS points table, and to ensure that Keele is more widely recognised within University Sport. I also want to help continue to push to get Wednesdays free for Sport at Keele, and also help increase student participation in Sport at Keele University. If you have any Questions to ask me about sport at Keele, drop me an e-mail at AU_deputy_president@hotmail.co.uk I hope you enjoy the next year in Sport!

AU Secretary - Rachel Mobberley

Hello! I’m Rachel, I’m going into my 3rd year, studying history and sociology. I am this year’s secretary of the Athletic Union and as well as taking the minutes for various meetings and trying to keep everyone in check, I will be working with the rest of the committee and all the clubs and students at Keele in order to help Team:Keele reach its true potential. Ultimately this means getting us higher up the BUCS table and making Team:Keele a force to be reckoned with! I am also the first team netball captain for this year, so you will often find me loitering around the sports centre somewhere, please feel free to speak to me about anything/feed me.and I hope to see everyone giving sport a go this year!

AU Treasurer - Steven Johns My name is Stephen Johns and I am the AU Treasurer for 09/10. I am from Pontypridd in South Wales and currently in my 3rd year studying Law and HRM. As AU Treasurer my role is to be responsible for all AU clubs’ finances and to make sure no club spends its money wildly on junk! Also I am responsible for the finances of the AU in general so any financial issue, come and see me. Lacrosse is my Team Keele sport and I am looking forward to the upcoming season and the challenges my role in the AU will bring me.

Keele University Motorsport A new year and a new start for the Keele University Motorsport Society. After two years, the President Mike Fryatt has stepped aside due to Motorsport health issues and new President Christina Samy takes his place for the 300 words + 2009/2010 Season. This year sees a complete re-launch of the society with photo new faces and new ideas and we want you to be involved. If you have a passion for motorsport, a passing interest or a need for speed we want to hear from you. In 2008 we competed in the British Universities Karting Championship (BUKC) and would love to make a return to this series so we’re looking for serious people to get involved with this venture so we can put forward a strong team. If you’re not interested in competing against other universities, you just want to have a laugh doing some karting, track days or just watching racing, we’d love to have you onboard. All students of any experience (even if that’s none) are welcome. We have guys within the society from all aspects of motorsport, photographer’s, karters, professional racing drivers and just good old fans. With this total re-launch it also means that some of the committee positions are currently vacant. If you feel like getting involved or would like to apply for a committee position, contact: keeleuniversitymotorsport@homail.co.uk or join the Keele University Motorsport 2009/2010 facebook group.

Keele University Fencing Club

If you have ever thought about trying a completely different sport then now, at the start of the new academic year, is the time. Keele University Fencing Club welcomes new members of all different skill levels. If you have never fenced before then don’t worry, every year we teach dozens of new members how to play what is actually a very interesting and fun sport. And what could be more fun than running around with swords stabbing your friends in the chest? (It doesn’t hurt!). All the equipment that you need to give the sport a go is provided by the club, and the first few training nights you come along to are free, so there is nothing lost by giving fencing a go. As well as competing nationally within BUCS we also plan great socials for our members and run competition nights, so if you are interested then drop by and say hello. Training nights are in the gym from: Tuesday 8-10, Thursday 8.30-10 and Sunday 2-4

Mens Football

Keele University Football Club is the biggest of the Athletics Union and offers a great chance to make lifelong friends and enrich your university experience.

We have 5 teams: so there is a place for everyone whether you’re looking for a bit of fun or if you take your football more seriously. We compete in BUCS every Wednesday and new to this year we now have a 1st and a reserve team competing in the Staffordshire County Senior League on a Saturday and a 3rd team in the City Traders League on a Sunday. Socials run bi-weekly after games on a Wednesday and from the ideas that are being pinged about at the moment, seems like they will be better than ever! Anyone interested in joining or any questions about membership, training, trials etc. get down to the sports fair and introduce your self. James Bennett Club Captain 09/10

Womens Rugby

TEAM : KEELE

Charity Speed Dating

Keele University Netball and Fottball club presents...

‘3 minutes that could be the start of a lifelong friendship’

October 14th 7pm til late (first bell rings 7.25pm)

Join facebook event "Keele University Netball and Football Club presents...Charity Speed Dating"

Only £3 Entry

(all proceeds go to the Donna Louise Trust)

Women’s rugby is a fun, friendly and diverse bunch of girls, who like to work hard and play hard. Women’s rugby is ideal for those looking for a new sport and something new and fun to try. We welcome all girls with no experience necessary; whether you want to play competitively or just train for exercise.

Socials are held every Wednesday without a doubt, as well as other random get togethers; if you fancy coming to meet the team in a friendly social setting this is the place to be. On top of this we attend the AU balls twice yearly and like to organise charity fundraising events. We are very much a close-knit team and all get on well, integrating new girls every year.

Its going to be an exciting year for women’s rugby, playing in BUCS league 2a, the league has now been increased so we are able to get more experience and game time for all. This year we hope to get to the top of our league and win varsity at the end of the year. If you are interested in joining the team we will be at the AU fair in the leisure centre Sunday 27th-Tuesday 29th, 10pm-4pm. Alternatively some of us will be around on campus those days, noticeably in our kit, just grab one of us and have a chat. We will be holding taster sessions on Thursday 1st and Monday 5th October, come along and check it out for a laugh; you never know you may end up deciding this is the team for you..We look forward to meeting you all!

TEAM : KEELE Interhalls Competitions -

tion, because living off campus certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t get involved in the Inter-Halls competitions!

Over the Summer I have been working on developing competitions and activities for when you guys return, and I have created the first Keele Sunday Leagues in Football and Netball. These competitions are recreational leagues, but with a competitive edge. Over my time at Keele I have come to appreciate that football and netball are hugely over-subscribed at trials and there are great numbers of people who don’t get the opportunity to play the sport they love, so here is an extended opportunity! To get information on how to enter a team into either of these competitions go to www.kususport.net/sunday_league

There is plenty more planned, so keep up with all of my activities at www.kususport.net or add me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/keele.sport.

A bit like the houses in Harry Potter, with less Quidditch

Roger Weston Sports & Fitness Sabb

On top of this there is the Inter-Halls competition, which involves 10 sports over the year, with the overall winners being crowned the Keele Halls champions for 2009/10. The Sports are 5 a-side Football, Netball, Squash, Volleyball, Dodgeball, Badminton, Basketball, Touch Rugby, Rounders and Athletics. The dates are available at www.kususport.net/inter_halls. If anybody is interested in captaining their Hall of Residence please get in touch for a great opportunity! I for one am really excited about the prospects of the Inter-halls competitions, it should create a real sense of belonging within halls and some real banter between the halls. Off-Campus have been considered a hall of residence for this competi-

I am (and already have been) blogging throughout my year in office to keep you guys as “in the loop” as I can. If you have any comments, suggestions or ideas don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. I’m 100% here for students and want to be putting on events which are relevant and enjoyable for the student body.

I look forward to you all getting you training gear on during the year and take advantage of this fantastic new role that has been created at KUSU to enhance your student experience!!

Athletic Union : Freshers’ Fair 27th 28th & 29th @The Sports Center

Whether you’re Football mad or an Athletic Novice the AU Freshers’ Fair will have something for you, with over 30 teams competing for your interests and free inductions why stay away? So if you just want to get some new hobbies, or sure on getting on to the first team, make sure you get down to sign up and join Team:Keele