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The main stage: a chat with... Warpaint
University of Sussex celebrates its 50th
Former Sussex students enjoy ‘To The Common Room’. Photo: Jess Bayliss Imogen Adie News Editor While current Sussex students enjoyed their long summer break and freshers nervously awaited their all important results, the University of Sussex was alive with celebrations of the 50th anniversary of being granted its Royal Charter. A weekend-long celebration, from 9 to 11 August, brought together 2,500 former and current students and staff, for a wide variety of events, from talks to showcases
of new and old talents, and reminiscing over the last fifty years. The anniversary date, August 16, also kicked off twelve months of special events and activities to celebrate 50 years of the University of Sussex and recognise its past. The University of Sussex began as an idea not only to bring a university to the people of Brighton, but to expand opportunities in higher education for all. Sussex stands as one of the first ‘plate glass’ universities, formed in the 1960s in an attempt to break down social and economic barri-
ers, whilst creating and sharing knowledge at the cutting edge of disciplines, and applying this to real-world thinking. Sussex’s first Vice Chancellor, Lord Fulton, described Sussex as “making the future”, and Sussex has continually been a place not only of education, but social politics, protest and change. Sussex has always been a laboratory for challenging ideas and for forceful action, committed to internationalism, interdisciplinary studies, and always looking towards the future.
The anniversary of the university was marked by an extensive programme of events, designed to merge together the new and old, and celebrate every step of the University of Sussex’s story, allowing a nostalgic visit for Sussex’s alumni. Despite the rain on Saturday, guests were able to enjoy boundary tours and a wander around campus, visiting old haunts and seeing for themselves the huge structural changes since Sir Basil Spence’s original few buildings. These included the brand new
Northfields accommodation, and plans for the refurbishment of the Gardner Arts Centre, in honour of the anniversary. Guests were able to visit the Students’ Union’s own interactive exhibition in Falmer House (now relocated to the common room for current students, staff and visitors to view) to draw parallels between student activity over the past five decades, in an attempt to understand what the Sussex experience is really about. Continued on Page 4 >>
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Clockwise from top left: Asa Briggs shares fond memories of Sussex’s infancy, Past and present musical talent make the anniversary weekend one to remember, Sussex celebrates it’s 50th anniversary in style with 2,500 staff, students and alumni. Photos: Jess Bayliss
The Freshers Fair is a great success with a huge range of societies attracting new members. Bottom Right: Books left by last year’s students that new students can help themselves to, to save money and reduce landfill usage.
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Editors-in-chief Kieran Burn Inês Klinesmith Jessie Thompson
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New policy could axe social mobility
badger@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
News editors Imogen Adie Anna Gross Georgina Stevens Ellen Willis badger-news@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Features editors David Slack Harry Yeates badger-features@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Comment editor Katie O-Shea badger-opinion@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Letters editor Susanna Cairns badger-letters@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Arts editors Jack Dutton Samantha Graham Julia Kompe Sophie Moonshine Cai Trefor badger-artspages@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Science editor Natasha Agabalyan badger-science@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Photo editor Jess Bayliss
Sports editors Sam Jones Luke Pigeon badger-sport@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Students’ Union Communications Officer Ariel Cohen communications@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Come to The Badger’s weekly open writers’ meetings! Fridays, 1.30pm Falmer House, Room 126 (above the Union Shop) Corrections and clarifications: On page 8 in the issue dated 31.05.11, we accidentally referred to ‘the Student Life Centre’ instead of ‘the Student Support Unit’. This was a typo and we apologise for any upset it caused. Views expressed in the Badger are not representative of the views of the Students’ Union, the University of Sussex, or the Badger. Every effort has been made to contact the holders of copyright for any material used in this issue, and to ensure the accuracy of this week’s stories. Please contact the Communications Officer if you are aware of any omissions or errors.
One of the bilboards shown last year at the national walkout in London, 24 November Photo: lawadlibitum.blogspot.com Anna Gross News Editor In the past month there has been growing controversy surrounding the higher education policies adopted by the coalition government. One month ago, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) released a report criticising the government’s new university policies, outlined in the White Papers in June. In an interview on Radio 4, Bekhradnia, the head of the institute, said that figures had been miscalculated, asserting that “the cost to the government is going to be much higher than they anticipated”. He also said that the “government’s own advisors have told them it’s going to cost them half a billion more a year than they had thought”. Bekhradnia went on to call the government’s predictions overoptimistic, as the institute believed the government to have made calculations based on exaggerated figures. An example he cited was the predicted average graduate earning: £100,000 a year, in real terms. The HEPI report also said that, “most universities will be obliged if not immediately then within a year or two, to reduce their net fees to £7,500” in order to avoid losing students. Initially 47 out of 123 universities intended to raise their fees to
£9,000 but the HEPI report predicts that maintaining this high fee would cause the majority of universities to lose eight percent of their student body annually. The government has attempted to incentivise reduced fees, by giving universities that charge £7,500 or less a margin of 20,000 full-time undergraduates to bid for. Watchdog says that in light of this proposal, two universities have stated that they aim to reduce their fees substantially, while another ten are aiming to reduce theirs to below £7,500. However, many opposition members have criticised this policy, saying that it is likely to result in a hierarchical educational structure. Gareth Thomas, the shadow Universities Minister, has voiced fears about creating a system in which the top universities gain higher revenue from tuition but the same amount of governmental funding. He warns that these “poorer universities” will be less able to improve, resulting in a stagnant “two-tier system”. One of the government’s key policies, outlined in the white papers, is that there will be no cap on the number of students with AAB grades; a policy aimed at increasing competition across universities for the highest achievers. HEPI’s report warns that this will push universities to create financial incentives for these students, and that these incentives
will be “means blind”, resulting in scholarships and grants being offered to the more financially able students. Eric Thomas, the president of Universities UK, has also criticised the policy, saying that it is likely to result in adverse effects on “social mobility”. In response to these criticisms, Vince Cable has argued that this more flexible system would give universities more freedom and described the old policies as a “Stalinist system of number control”. An LSE study suggests that the changes to higher education will also have a substantial effect on enrolment, with seven and a half percent fewer male applicants and five percent fewer females. However, a spokeswoman for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills has argued that the government is doing more than ever to increase tuition loans and increase maintenance grants. She also drew attention to the progressive repayment system instituted by the government, which she believes should incentivise enrolment. The reforms have also been defended by key governmental figures. David Willets, the Minister of Universities, has argued that “the total income of universities for teaching could rise by ten percent between now and 2014-15”. This comes at a time when one in five universities are in deficit, and almost half the universities in the
UK are not meeting the target three percent budget surplus. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has released a report corroboraing Willets’ claim, stating that the “sector is in good financial health” and that “no institution is currently at risk of insolvency”. However, the Grant Thornton report on Higher Education Finance predicts that while the Russell Group and 1994 Group (of which Sussex is a member) will improve their financial situation, the ‘middle’ universities will suffer from an 11 percent cut in income by 2013-2014, which would result in a significant worsening of their deficit. The debate came to a head last week when opposition leader, Ed Miliband, announced that Labour’s manifesto would include a policy to cap university fees at £6,000. In his interview with ‘The Observer’, Miliband said that this reduction would be paid for by reversing tax cuts for banks and by asking high-earning graduates – those earning over £65,000 - to pay a higher rate of interest on their loans. He criticised Cameron and Clegg for “loading the costs of paying off the deficit onto our young people”. David Willets has attacked Labour’s pledge however, criticising Miliband for having made a U-turn in policy. Willets said: “it makes Labour’s vote last year against fee increases look completely cynical.”
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Farthing’s ‘sexist’ gaffe offends attendees << continued from page 1
On Saturday 10 September, guests were able to meet for lunch with old departmental friends, take part in a variety of sports from football to ultimate frisbee, and watch the 50th anniversary documentary film, produced by alumna Mary McMurray, class of 1967, (whose credits include ‘Coronation Street’ and the ‘Ruth Rendell Mysteries’). Evening entertainment began with a reception hosted by Michael Farthing, Vice Chancellor, bringing together guests to toast to the past and future of the University of Sussex. Unfortunately the event was somewhat marred for some attendees by a comment made by Michael Farthing. The Vice Chancellor said: “Harveys have their Anniversary Ale and I understand there’s quite a generous allocation for all of us who are here this evening, providing the women don’t drink too much.” Some guests who attended the event were shocked by his comment, believing Farthing to mean that the women were only at the anniversary
member of the Women’s Group said: “I was both shocked and appalled to hear Mr Farthing make this joke when I was at the champagne reception photographing the 50th anniversary proceedings. “He is obviously a very high-ranking official within the university and it is extremely inappropriate for him to have said such a thing. “I felt that the comment insinuated that women should only have been there for decoration, accompanying their husbands, and had no right to be there in their own capacity. His comment suggests that he expects women to be held to a higher standard than men, and that drinking alcohol is a pursuit that should be reserved for men. “People are sacked nowadays for making these kind of comments and I think that Mr Farthing owes it to the campus community to conduct himself a bit more respectfully: women students and staff members deserve better.” The Vice-Chancellor was however concerned to hear that someone might have misunderstood and been
I am very disappointed that the university’s ViceChancellor reduced himself to using this kind of language celebrations as an accompaniment to their husbands. Jess Bayliss, a representative from the LGBTQ committee and a
offended by his remark. He said: “At one of the many speeches I made over the whole 50th anniversary weekend, I thanked
Harveys of Lewes for the generous gift of special ale they had brewed for everyone at our celebrations and made a comment suggesting that the women present might drink more of it than the men. “While expressed in a light manner, what I actually had in mind was the quite significant and well-documented change in drinking habits over recent years. “I certainly did not intend to offend anybody and I am sorry if I did.” When told that Mr Farthing claimed he was referring to the population’s drinking habits, and the fact that the amount of alcohol drank by women in recent years has increased significantly, Jess replied: “So it still implies that women should be held to a higher standard then men. “It is sexist whichever way you look at it, and not remotely amusing. I am very disappointed that the university’s Vice-Chancellor reduced himself to using this kind of language.” Events continued throughout the evening as the University of Sussex Big Band warmed up people and live DJ sets in Falmer Back Bar (formally known by many alumni as the Hothouse or the Cube) allowed guests to celebrate into the small hours. Sussex welcomed back Alumnus, composer and musician John Altman, who brought Pink Floyd and The Who to Sussex in the 60s and 70s, as well as sixties Sussex legends, The Baskervilles, who reformed for a special anniversary gig. The next morning, Sussex awoke to a multi-faith service of thanksgiving for Sussex and its history, while specially acknowledging the tenth anniversary of 9/11. The afternoon was spent at the brand new £105 million pound AMEX Community Stadium, beginning with tours of the structure, and ending with a match between
Michael Farthing at the anniversary celebrations. Photo: Jess Bayliss Sussex Alumni and Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club. The University of Sussex were victorious, winning 2-1, matching the score line achieved by Sussex Alumni at the 25th anniversary celebrations at Goldstone in 1986. Twitter was alive with congratulatory tweets for Sussex’s 50th anniversary. Sussex alumnus, Martin tweeted afterwards that he thought “the #sussexuni50 Birthday Bash has been a great success! Lots to eat, drink & do - and plenty of old friends to do it with.” However, the celebrations are not over and continue for the next
twelve months, with lectures and exhibitions on both the history and future of Sussex. A series of ‘Sussex Conversation’ panel discussions have been designed to resonate with the University’s six major research themes. The events run from October 2011May 2012, on topics from citizenship and democratisation to the environment and health. An exhibition on Sir Basil Spence’s architecture allows students, staff and visitors to discover his vision for the campus, while ‘To The Common Room’ explores the Sussex experience, past and present.
NUS launches Financial Support Commission, as student costs soar Ellen Willis News Editor A recent National Union of Students (NUS) study has revealed that the difference between student expenditure and government funding has increased to £8,037 per student for the new academic year. The student finance shortfall has increased by 10 percent since 2010/2011, when it was £7,310. Costs of living have soared in the past year, making it impossible for students to afford basics such as rent, utility bills and food, without taking on paid work alongside their study.
As a result of this new information, NUS President Liam Burns, and Vice-President Pete Mercer, have launched a Student Financial Support Commission. The commission aims to analyse the costs faced by students in comparison with the financial support they receive, and find out if help is being offered to the students facing the most financial difficulty. The commission, convened by Burns and Mercer, will include eight current student officers and five student finance experts, who will be calling for evidence to prove that the current student loans are of a dissatisfactory
amount. The student officers are NUS representatives from Universities all over the country, including Loughborough, Oxford, Norwich, Sheffield and Cornwall. The names of the financial experts are yet to be announced. Outside London, the average cost of living for the 2011/12 academic year is £16,279. The average Government funding for these students, including repayable loans and “free” grants, is £8,242, covering just over half of living costs. In London, the deficit has also increased. A £7,548 difference between incomings and outgo-
ings indicates an 11 per cent rise in shortfall. The average student living in London spends £17,428 per year, and could potentially receive up to £9,880 in loans and grants. The Student Financial Support Commission will convene for the first time on 17 October 2011. Speaking of the financial shortfall students are currently facing, Burns says: “Not enough of the student support in the higher education system is getting in to the pockets of students and there is a real danger that the situation is getting worse. There has been a shocking leap in the gap between Government funding and the cost
of being a student. “The kinds of wages available to young people at the moment mean that many students without family support would have to work virtually full-time jobs or take on huge commercial debt whilst they study.” Burns remains positive about the Student Financial Support Commission, however, and says: “It is important that we get a full picture of where the failings are. “When this commission reports we will have some clear recommendations for the Government that they must listen to if we are to avoid rising numbers of students being unable to afford to study.”
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Brighton celebrates Black History Month Georgia Stephens News Editor “Despite the significant role that Africa and its diaspora have played in the world civilisation since the beginning of time, the contribution of Africans and people of African origin has been omitted or distorted in most history books.
That is the reasoning behind Black History Month”. These are the words of Black History Month website founder Mia Morris, and her intrinsic belief that “the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter” has focused a thoroughly post-colonial lens this month on the black past, present and future. With its wider origins linking back to 1926 when Carter G Woodson launched Negro History Week in the US, Black History Month today is celebrated every October in Britain and February in the United States. According to the Black History Month website, the main impetus behind the British movement lay within supplementary schools set up in the 1960s and 1970s by black parents who disagreed with their children being taught a Eurocentric version of history. Today, Black History Month represents more than the dissatisfaction of an ethnic group towards the dominant cultures of western societies, and instead is about the celebration of difference and crosscultural engagement. Its aims are to circulate the various and widespread successes and contributions of black individuals and other ethnic minorities throughout the world, and according to the Black History Month website most local authorities now consider it “a mark of pride” to sponsor Black History Month events.
Brighton itself will be following this line as in October there will be a number of themed events taking place. The University of Sussex Students’ Union (USSU) are hosting many events including welcoming back award-winning alumnus, poet and playwright Dean Atta on 6 October. Information about all USSU events during Black History Month can be found at www.sussexstudent. com/news. However, some critics dislike the idea of black history being confined to a single month – famous black actor Morgan Freeman in 2005 told the US television show ‘60 Minutes’ that he believed the idea of a Black History Month to be ludicrous – “You’re going to relegate my history to a month? “I don’t want a Black History Month, black history is American history”.
In response, Mia Morris highlights that this is not an ideal world. She said: “In an ideal world, the
month would not be necessary because educational establishments and the national curriculum would fully recognise and appreciate the contribution of black people throughout history.
“The black community uses the month as an opportunity to demonstrate pride in its creativity, respect for its intellectual prowess, and a celebration of its cultural identity which is far too often misrepresented when it is not being ignored in the mainstream”. Whilst Mia Morris herself supports the idea of black history being more than just one month in a year, she and others agree that in itself the celebratory month is useful. For more information about Brighton and Hove Black History Month events, please see www. brightonblackhistorymonth.org.uk.
Following a two-week trial for protesting against tax avoidance, notorious UKUncut protesters the Brighton Nine heard the outcome of their £100,000 case this week, which ‘The Argus’ has branded a “waste of money”. On 4 December last year, members of Brighton Uncut glued their hands to the inside windows of Topshop in response to Topshop boss Sir Philip Green’s supposed £285 million tax dodge, and to protest the link between tax evasion and greater public spending cuts. Sir Philip Green, whose retail empire includes the likes ofTopshop, Topman, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge and British Home Stores, is accused by UKUncut of channelling £1.2 billion into a number of offshore accounts, including accounts registered to his
Photo: Mike Kemp/In Pictures/Corbis Imogen Adie News Editor Brighton’s Palace Pier is up for sale for a rumoured £30 million.
Richard Baldwin, director of property agent GVA Humberts Leisure, says the pier is an “iconic, trophy asset”, attracting interest from investors domestically and abroad. The building is Grade II* listed, meaning any investor would be limited in what they can do with the structure.
The Noble Group has invested £35 million in renovating the pier since taking it over in 1984. During the summer months the pier attracts tourists from all over the country and beyond, and employs over 300 people at the height of the tourist season. The world renowned pleasure pier offers many attractions, including amusement arcades, funfair rides, bars, restaurants, and traditional British seaside food, like fish and chips.
Brighton welcomes new landmarks Imogen Adie & Ellen Willis News Editors
Dean Atta, playwright & poet. Photo: conversationsabouther.blogspot.com
Five of ‘Brighton Nine’ found guilty Georgia Stephens News Editor
Palace Pier could fetch £30m
wife in Monaco. In doing so, according to UKUncut, Sir Green managed to save £285 million, equivalent to the £9000 fees of 32,000 students or the salaries of 20,000 NHS nurses. Richard Murphy, director of Tax Research UK, agreed that UKUncut’s actions were justified. He told Channel 4 News “I do think there’s a problem. Large businesses are paying a smaller proportion of their income in tax than many individuals and small businesses in the UK and that’s unacceptable”. For the Brighton Nine, the culmination of the trial saw some cleared without charge, with five found guilty of accidentally damaging two mannequins which toppled over when they entered the window display. These five are required to pay fines of £200 each, which UKUncut is expecting to cover with voluntary donations from their supporters.
Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion who attended the trial, offered full support to the Brighton Nine on her Twitter page, tweeting that “people like Brighton Uncut put the ethics back into politics”. Protests by UKUncut have not been isolated to Brighton and its surrounding area, and protests have also taken place in Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester and Nottingham, and there have been further unscheduled protests at Vodafone shops. In response, many have noted the recent release of t-shirts in Green’s Topshop stores which seem to mock last winter’s spate of student and anti-cut protests. One, which states that “the students are revolting”, was dubbed by The Guardian’s Ellie Mae O’Hagan an “impotent rebuttal to the protests against [Philip Green’s] tax-avoiding empire”.
In May 2011, the Badger reported on the proposed ‘Brighton O’, a ferris wheel designed to give panoramic views of Brighton and the surrounding areas to around 250,000 tourists and residents per year. The site for the wheel was Madeira Drive seafront promenade, opposite the Sea Life Centre. Paramount Attractions, the company behind the wheel, had been seeking planning permission since September 2009. Brighton local newspaper ‘The Argus’ has reported extensively on the planned ‘O’ since the idea was conceived. In May 2011, ‘The Argus’ reported that the director of Paramount Attractions has previously owned three leisure companies, two of which went into liquidation,. The third, Coasta Ltd., opened Eastbourne attraction Treasue Island, which failed in March this year, owing Eastbourne Borough Coucil over £60,000. The Argus has also published public opinions on the proposed tourist attraction. In August this year, it was referred to by Madeira Drive resident, Geoffrey Cush, as “like something out of War of the Worlds” after a computer generated image was released to the public. The ‘O’ is also opposed by the developers of the i360, a 150-foot observation tower near to the remains of the Victorian West Pier. The i360, brought to the city by the team behind the London Eye,
will offer panoramic views of the South Downs National Park, coastline and surrounding areas. Although planners had hoped the tower would be in operation before the start of the Olympic Games next year, there still remains a deficit of £10 million pounds, required before construction can begin on the 21-month project. Unlike the ‘O’, planning for the i360 is backed by the West Pier Trust, which hopes that eventually a new pier may be built in place of the remains of the original, destroyed in a fire in 2003. Glynn Jones, chairman of the West Pier Trust said: “Our challenge was how to uphold the heritage of the pier and promote regeneration of the city seafront. “The answer is the i360, a brilliant solution… it resonates perfectly with the city’s landscape, cultural roots and aspirations for the future.” Research suggests that 750,000 people will visit the landmark every year, and that it will generate 160 new full-time jobs, significantly boosting the local economy. The i360 has been relatively well received. It will be both functional and attractive, according to its website, which states that the structure will also house “a shop and hospitality suite and a cafe/restaurant catering for up to 400 people” at the foot of its “a slender, elegant design.” Despite many setbacks, including opposition from local residents and theWest PierTrust, “the official launch [of the ‘O’] will take place around the end of September,” according to a press release by Murray Media.
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You’d be a lemon not to!
Despite increasing competition, The Big Lemon is still very much alive and kicking in Brighton.
Harry Yeates Features Editor I’m sat on the bus on my way to The Badger Office when a bemused looking fresher presents a lone lemon to the driver and asks ‘Is this how it works?’, clearly not yet au fait with the fruity currency. “Yep, for Fresher’s week it is…enjoy the ride” replies the driver, seemingly unfazed by the payment and happy to help. The exchange may have been brief, but we need only imagine the conversation in any other context to appreciate its wonder, and deduce that it could only mean one thing:Brighton’s ‘Big Lemon’ buses are back… and they won’t be compromising on their inimitable style! Diligent readers of The Badger may recall a news story published in March suggesting that the Big Lemon, a community interest company, risked closure in light of the decision of Brighton and Hove (B&H) Buses to lower their fares on student routes. However, the Lemon’s return to the road this autumn will allay fears that the eco-friendly service is to be driven out of business by its heavyweight rivals. While there has been no let up from B&H in spite of protestations from Conservative MP Mike Weatherley and our very own Students’ Union, The Big Lemon continues its defiant march towards all things great and good, powered solely by waste cooking oil. Managing director of the Big Lemon, Tom Druitt said: “Following some very tough competition on the university routes in the first half of the year, the service looked for a time as if it might not survive, but the strong support received from passengers and the local community, and the fighting spirit of The Big Lemon team, have enabled it to continue”. Part of the ‘local community’ that Druitt refers to, comprises of the University of Sussex Students’ Union. Becca Melhuish, the Union’s Operations Officer said: ‘We’re so lucky at Sussex to have the option of using the Big Lemon Bus to travel onto campus, and the Students’ Union is really keen to support the service as much as we can. It’s affordable, friendly, and runs on used vegetable oil from local businesses (including from our own bars!), so it makes a massive difference to students’ lives as well as reducing our carbon footprint. Also, it’s run as a Community Interest Company which means that it acts in the interests of the community rather than profit, and donates some of its surpluses back to local community projects.’ She went on to say “Last year a motion was passed by the Students’ Union’s council to support the Big Lemon’scampaignagainsttheBrighton & Hove Bus Company’s attempts to drive out the competition, as part of a wider long-term project lobbying for affordable and sustainable transport onto campus. We’ve been working with
the company closely during Freshers’ Week to make sure that all new students are aware of the service it offers, and we’ve just set up a new system in our Box Office so that students can buy their Lemon Bus membership passes on campus too. Last year was a really difficult year for the Big Lemon, so this year is especially important for helping to build the service’s customer base and improve and expand its services
brother state’, where else are you likely to find posters saying: ‘Smile you’re not on camera’ and ‘talk to strangers and make friends’. Alternatively, if you’re keen to avoid fellow strangers trying to befriend you, you can busy yourself with the conundrums and riddles that adorn the Lemon bus’s walls. Most things are different about the Big Lemon, a fact evident on the company’s website, which features
increasing pressure from Brighton and Hove Buses; or what staunch lemons refer to as “The Capitalist Bus Company”. It led Conservative MP for Hove Mike Weatherley to voice his concern and comment that: “It would appear… that Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company is running a very hostile campaign against an emerging competitor which, if left unchecked, could result in the loss of a much-loved
Brighton and Hove Bus’s decison to lower their fares on Lemon routes caused great controversy and conflict. even more!” Since their inception in 2007, the Lemon’s charming yellow buses have amassed an army of fans thanks largely to its environmentally friendly approach to public transport, and the general feeling of goodwill that permeate its services. One such fan of the Big Lemon is Emily Pilkington, a 3rd year student at the University of Sussex, who said: “I’m so glad to see the Lemon buses back. I was a member last year and I’ve renewed my membership this year as I like to support local environmentally-friendly businesses, but also because the service is quicker and much more friendly.The price has gone up this year but it’s still cheaper than the alternatives, and the service is much better. Yesterday I left my phone on the bus and when I phoned it later the driver answered it, and then met me en route to give it back.You don’t get that kind of service everywhere.” Indeed you don’t get many things anywhere else, for example, in what is increasingly being described as a ‘big
something bordering on a declaration of principles: “In the world of The Big Lemon, bus travel is fun, friendly, affordable and sustainable.In a nutshell, we aim to develop a bus service which people enjoy, look forward to, and above all, choose to use in preference to private motor transport. This way we can encourage the shift from cars
benevolent enterprise.” A petition was subsequently set-up to convince Brighton and Hove council of the need for fair competition between bus services and won the support of more than 1,750 signatory’s, making it the biggest petition of the last year. Among the terms of the petition were that “smaller operators were not at
It’s affordable, friendly, and runs on used vegetable oil from local businesses to shared transport and greatly reduce the negative effects of transport on our environment and on our health and well-being.” However, in safeguarding the interests of our environment and health, The Lemon came under
a disadvantage when applying for Council contracts due to the level of resources at their disposal” and that “all bus operators in the city compete in a fair and legal manner, and refer unfair or illegal competitive behaviour to the Office of Fair Trading.”
Tell us what you think.
Any conflict of interests between the Big Lemon and Brighton and Hove Buses has for the time being at least, plateaued, but that isn’t to say they’ve kissed and made up. Roger French, Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company Managing Director said: “Competition is a good thing and the Big Lemon entered the lucrative student transport market charging prices they now accuse us of being uneconomic. This is not a logical position to take”. He continued, “We’re not a bus operator that creams off profits and then leaves students and staff high and dry with no bus services for 3 months in the summer. We’re committed to running an all year round service and have been for all 50 years of the University’s life.” Now safely back on the road, however, The Big Lemon have taken the thoughts of their customers on board and have made some changes, managing director Tom Druit said: “The service has been re-designed this year following feedback from last year’s members and passengers, and the new 42 timetable now has services every 15 minutes from 8 till 10am and every half hour from 10am till 4am the following morning, Monday to Friday with an extra bus and driver on standby to ensure service reliability. At weekends the 42 runs hourly, with the last bus from the city centre at 4am on Saturday nights and midnight on Sunday nights. The 44 runs Monday to Fridays, on a loop between Varley Halls and the Brighton University campuses at Moulsecoomb and Falmer during the day, and a shuttle between Varley Halls and the city centre in the evenings. All the buses run on locally-sourced recycled waste cooking oil from local restaurants, including East Slope and Falmer Bar.” While this may be so, one can’t help feeling that The Lemon will forever be affectionately perceived as the underdog. While waiting for a Lemon 42 (so-called because of Douglas Adam’s belief that 42 is the meaning of life) I passed up on the opportunity to board three B&H bus’s, going to the same place, charging the same amount. With some textbook eavesdropping, I was privy to a telling conversation between a group of students who were faced with both buses, as the lemon had pulled up just behind a B&H bus. The group came to the consensus that while the Lemon was ‘totally unique’ and ‘really friendly’, rarely did they see many people on it. However, there are still some die-hard lemons out there, some even go as far to call its rivals, B&H bus’s the ‘capitalist bus’ bus company and it is this loyalty that will save the lemon. But, for a final thought I quote another Lemon bus poster, in one sense it may seem like a non-sequitur, in another perfectly in keeping, with all that has gone before, so: ‘Canary, imbibe, icicle, dudgeon, forever? Which word comes next: fifteen, sixteen, seventeen or hundred?’ Amazing.
The Badger has a weekly comment section for which all students can write, as well as a letters page for shorter issues to be aired. So if something (it can be anything at all) has angered or enthralled you, irritated or irked you, please do let us know: Comment articles: badger-opinion@ussu.sussex.ac.uk Letters: badger-letters@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
response
Student Media Office Falmer House University of Sussex Brighton BN1 9QF
03.10.11
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Telephone: 01273 678875 Email: badger@ussu.sussex.ac.uk Advertising: BAM Agency vb@bamuk.com
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7
letters and emails
Library Issues
smoke to reach the library and will take note.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Yours etc
As a student returning to academic study after many years, may I say that I find the University Library SUPERB. It really is ‘the jewel in the crown’ of a very welcoming and friendly University. The depth of its selection of books is quite remarkable in a library only 50 years old. It is already a very comfortable welcoming place and this will be even more so once the refurbishment is complete. I have found the Library staff including the staff in Special Collections most helpful and appreciate that they must have had to endure more hours of noisy building work than the average student. The Library Cafe is a really nice airy place and the staff there are very pleasant.
Ashley Meyer MA student in History
There is a serious point about not smoking on the library steps There is, I suggest, a serious point about not smoking on the library steps. I used to work in a hospital where there was some resistance by patients and visitors to the restrictions on smoking near the hospital entrance when the anti-smoking legislation was introduced. When it was pointed out that someone with severe asthma should be kept right away from cigarette smoke, this problem disappeared. I am sure our library users will appreciate that it is highly desirable that asthmatic students should not have to walk through a wall of
Sussex V Exeter Dear Sir or Madam, As an Exeter University student I felt I had to respond to the grossly inaccurate portrayal of my university in Charles Whitehouse’s article (31.05.11). The article was a comment on Exeter and Sussex’s joint ranking of 11th in the Guardian league tables. Incidentally, the complete university guide puts Exeter at 15th, four places better than Sussex, and the Sunday Times at 17th, five places better. It is correctly stated that Sussex outscores Exeter on all but two categories, “Average entry tariff ”, and “Spend per student”; apparently “unimportant criteria” despite Cambridge (the number 1 overall) remaining top on only the “Average entry tariff ” category. After looking at the rankings, I would suggest that the categories are not weighted at all, as the article suggests, but Exeter is level with Sussex due to the amount that it outscores Sussex in these two categories. Exeter has a higher “Average Entry Tariff ” of 59. This is the difference between an A* and a C grade compared to the 1 percentage point differences in Sussex’s favour in many of the other categories. Despite the claims to the contrary, better A-level grades to tend to correlate with better universities. It is also incorrect in stating that “Cambridge have refused to use the A* as an entry criteria”. Cambridge in fact asks for all candidates applying to be predicted at least one A* grade.
In addition, let me elaborate as to why “even though they (Exeter students) have more money spent on them they’re less satisfied”. This is largely due to the Forum project, a £300m redevelopment of our campus, which has turned much of it into a building site. My main objection to the article however is the claim that “Sussex has better social, geographical and architectural qualities”. We’re quite glad we only have one Basil Spence building, the Physics building for anyone who has visited Exeter, as it is by a long way the ugliest building on our campus. The campus here at Sussex is very nice but Exeter’s is definitely better. If you don’t believe me then you can come and stay with me in Exeter, within walking distance of the university, and I’ll show you around. While you are undoubtedly a good 10 minutes closer to the beach Exeter’s at least has some sand and our campus may be on the top of a “bloody great hill” but we have put this added exercise to good use. A quick look shows Exeter at 8th in the BUCS overall table, forty places above Sussex. I’m sure Sussex is a great university but as all Exeter students know “Exeter is probably the best university in the world”. David Breakey
coalition was forming, it seemed that students had won the vote albeit until the introduction of the increase in the maximum tuition fees. All those hopes and promises
The voters have once again been lied to made by Mr.Clegg pre election meant nothing and the voters had once again been lied to. Now, as we all come to terms with these increases in fees, Ed Milliband has declared that Labour, if in power, would cap tuition fees at £6000. Surely this is just a ploy to hijack former Liberal Democrat voters and Mr.Clegg only has himself to blame as his once loyal supporters swiftly move across to the ‘New Labour’. Does this mean that if they were to be elected at the next general election in 2015 this would be implemented immediately? How would this affect the Universities and their funding?
League Tables
Anonymous
Dear Badger,
Work Experience
I read with interest the article in your freshers’ week special edition regarding the quality of this year’s freshers and the vast amount of applications which Sussex received [news, page 2]. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Clare Mackie attributed this to Sussex’s success in the league tables, etc. Call me a cynic, but could this perchance have anything to do with the fact that this academic year will be the last one whereby prospective students will be able to attend this university without having to pay tuition fees of £9K? The mind boggles.
Dear Sir or Madam,
Tuition Fees Dear Sir/Madam, It has been 18 months since we have had our so-called coalition in power. Now, this hasn’t been the best year and a half for neither current nor potential university students. Although I didn’t vote for Liberal Democrats, many students alike did, as a vote for them was seen as a vote for students. Then, whilst the
with jobs so scarce and applicants so plentiful, a CV that features relevant work experience is a CV more likely to be put forward for the position. I wonder, then, why the University does not promote and encourage work experience more. Going into a business and learning first hand what different roles involve is an experience like no other. Spending just one day in industry is worth a week and more of reading about a role from home. The information and insight gained from conversing with people face to face about their role, responsibilities, what they do and don’t enjoy, how they came to this position, and much more is priceless. Futhermore, spending time in a company that is of interest to you provides the opportunity not only for valuable networking; it can also act as a vital step to getting one foot in the door. There is no doubt that work experience is invaluable, yet help, advice and support towards this is meager.
This summer I completed short work experience placements at 3 different companies. As a second year having begun the holidays with no clue as to which career path I wished to follow, I am now a third year with a strong sense of direction. And I have work experience to thank for that. Yet, this was the first work experience I had conducted since the compulsory week we did at school in Year 11! In the current climate,
Anonymous
Morgan Waters
YOU SHOULD WRITE FOR US. Has something pissed you off? Anything at all? Then tell Susanna, our Letters Editor, at: badger-letters@ussu.sussex.ac.uk Want to write for another section? Then come to our open writers’ meetings at 1.30pm in Falmer House Room 126 to meet editors from all sections.
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comment and opinion
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badger | badger-opinion@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
The case for Palestinian statehood Anna Gross At the recent UN Security Council meeting, the Palestinians placed a bid to be recognised as a state. This is a remarkable moment in Palestinian history, and is a promising step towards actual fruition. To me, there is no debate or uncertainty about the legitimacy or judiciousness of the bid: Palestine has every right to be recognised as an independent state and should be treated as such by a body aimed at facilitating peace and international relations. Why then
Palestinian statehood could aid the progress of peace talks are Barack Obama and his cronies, as well as major American media organisations, condemning the bid? The answer is simple: they’re afraid. Obama is aware that he needs Jewish support in America to secure re-election next year, so backing the Israelis in their attempt to prevent Palestine’s
statehood is of fundamental political importance to him, particularly now as Obama has seen a significant drop in his popularity in Democratic, Jewish communities. The Wall Street Journal in America has claimed that the bid is “another tool in [the Palestinians’] perpetual campaign to harass, delegitimise and ultimately destroy Israel.” The Palestinians are not harassing or delegitimising Israel by asserting their own right to existence. The majority of us hoping for peace between Israel and Palestine look forward to the creation of a “two-state solution”. Why then, block a move clearly aimed at marking out both of the states? The Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas outlined what Palestinian statehood would mean for Israel during his address to the Security Council. The borders would be based broadly upon the 1967 agreement, which followed the Six Day War. The Israeli government has argued that “the only way to achieve a Palestinian state and peace is through direct negotiations” and, to no-one’s surprise, that is exactly the stance that Obama has taken. Why should Palestine gaining statehood prevent negotiations from going ahead? The acceptance of Palestine’s existence should not be conditional. Israel and the USA are effectively
attempting to give Palestine an ultimatum on a matter that should not be theirs to dictate. In any case, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has made no serious attempt to encourage negotiations in recent years. He has refused to accept that Jerusalem should be a shared capital and has also voiced concerns about territory being based upon the agreements made in 1967. This is not to say that the Israelis are more at fault than the
Palestinians, or that Abbas and his government have their peace-making attempts thwarted by Netanyahu. It is just that it does not seem that successful negotiations are just around the corner. It could also be argued that accepting Palestine as a state could actually aid the progress of peace talks. Extremist Palestinian groups, Hamas in particular, have perpetually denied Israel’s existence. By concretely adopting the 1967 settlement agreement the Pales-
tinian government would be implicitly accepting Israel’s existence and would be therefore, whether intentionally or not, progressing towards a two-state solution. I’m not blindly pro-Palestine and can certainly identify with the Israelis in terms of their concerns about Arab animosity. However, Palestine should be accepted as a state and I hope that the US’s choice to veto the bid will not obstruct the cause in too damaging a way.
Why I am glad that I was rejected from Oxford
Luke Labern Who hasn’t looked at the university league tables? For many, it’s the first port of call when choosing a university. It’s hard to escape looking at the top two of any guide: Oxford and Cambridge. Their status and prestige is undeniable. Many have no interest in going there; it wouldn’t suit them. But with more and more students achieving superlative grades, it’s no wonder that more potential undergraduates applied this year than ever before – necessitating the largest ever number of rejections. Where do people go to talk about universities? The Student Room forums: the number one place to talk about universities in Britain. And if you
spend any time browsing the threads, one word comes up over and over again: ‘prestige”. Indeed, upon Googling ‘university prestige’, the first result is a thread on TSR which features the blunt declaration ‘Let’s face it. Prestige is everything.’ Is this really the case? Let us briefly remind ourselves of the current situation: as a result of the increased tuition fees, every university in the country was so overwhelmed with applications for the ‘11/12 year that even UCAS itself crashed on the most important day of the year: the 18th of August, 2011. Results day. I saw so many stressed – and then mostly elated, but a few dejected – peers that I scarcely had time to think about my own results. I had made it into Sussex University to study Philosophy and English, but seeing close
friends burst into tears because of their exam results completely overshadowed my experience that day. The real climax of my journey had actually ended on a gloomy day a week before last Christmas when I got my Oxford rejection letter. The effects of applying to Oxford on a person are multi-faceted, but this fact sums it all up: everyone from my college who applied for Oxford and didn’t get in genuinely considered not going to university that year and applying the next year just for a chance to get in, regardless of the increased tuition fees. Illogical and depressing, this is the toxic nature of ‘prestige’. So why did I apply to Oxford in the first place? Because I wanted the best education possible. It was prescriptive, automatic, unthinking: if you want the best, you
apply to Oxbridge. I’d dreamt of it many times in a vague fashion, without really thinking what it would be like. And so, I was thrust into what I call ‘my Oxford debacle’, assured that it was the right thing to do, like taking a medicine: if you want to get better, you must. I took the ELAT (English Literature AdmissionsTest) on November 5th and passed with 67%: I had earned myself an interview. The elation I felt upon receiving that news is hard to express. But when I went to Oxford, whilst I was in awe of its history and importance, I didn’t feel comfortable there. The many times I’d dreamt about studying at Oxford didn’t prepare me for this philosophical nausea. My interviews reinforced this feeling.Whilst they didn’t go badly, I didn’t feel as though I expressed my personality at all; I was almost a shell of myself, unsure if I wanted to be there, as if I had a pill stuck to the back of my throat and didn’t know whether to swallow it or not. Lying in my room there, it felt like
somewhere that reflected my personality. I wasn’t surprised when I received a letter a few days before Christmas telling me that my application was unsuccessful. In reality, I wouldn’t have suited Oxford: I didn’t bond with anyone there and I felt uncomfortable. I felt that when I told my interviewers that I was an aspiring poet and writer that the atmosphere in the room darkened. I was never going to get in. But I cannot deny the impact that not getting into Oxford had on me; it was an existential crisis the likes of which I have never felt before. I won’t pretend I don’t wince every time I pick up a book by Oxford University Press, but Sussex has strengths that Oxford does not: a creative impetus not encouraged when I visited that great city, and a liberal mentality synonymous with Brighton. So is prestige really ‘everything’? I don’t think so. Oxford might top the league tables, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone – and this especially important to consider if you have been stung by rejection by that (or
The real climax of my journey had actually ended on a gloomy day a week before last Christmas when I got my Oxford rejection letter... a sort of prison. I knew that it would be good for me to attend Oxford, but I started dreaming about my other option: Sussex. It seemed like a beacon of hope,
any other) university. Prestige won’t take your exams for you. The important thing is what you bring to your studies.
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the big debate
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badger | badger-opinion@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Do the Tories have a place at Pride? LGBTory felt unwelcome at this summer’s Brighton Pride, but some say they’ve only themselves to blame
Some gay people are Tories - get over it?
Never forget Section 28; Never trust a Tory
Victor Stepien
Jess Bayliss
During the last national campaign, New Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters across campus tried to give the impression that the Tories were not as enlightened about same-sex attractions as they claimed to be. They pointed to an interview with David Cameron when he had been badly prepped, and was not as agile as he should have been. Yet the Tory track record shows that the Conservatives in power have not only talked the talk, but also walked the walk. Last month, the Gay Pride parade included gay and lesbian British subjects who happen to vote for and stand by conservative values. While openly gay, they also support individual freedom and personal responsibility, a strong national defence, and a commitment to free-market capitalism as a positive good. Created in 2006, LGBTory is the main organization for gay and lesbian Conservatives across the UK. Alternatively, the Conservative Society at Sussex, endearingly referred to as TorySoc, was created in 2009, and we have many LGBT members. It was a pleasure to see LGBTory march with some of our TorySoc members in the parade last August. To top it off, we had invited Mike Weatherly, MP for Hove & Portslade.This was a golden opportunity for reconciliation between gays and lesbians of various political affiliations. Yet somehow, Labour supporters, who followed the LGBTory float in the march, decided to strike a radical hate-
filled note by giving away ‘Never Kissed A Tory’ stickers. Suddenly, those of us who had been touched to feel embraced by the parade regardless of our political leanings were shamed. Silenced. Put back in the closet. In talking to friends after the parade, we agreed this was a failed attempt by Labour to be have a sense of humour. Yet it was also an insidious jab whose bruise is difficult to massage away. Clearly, we were made to feel unwelcome. Although this was our parade too, we were somehow told we were not on the list. Some on the Right believe that local Conservatives are radical in their support of the LGBT community. For instance, Mike Weatherly’s recent claim that statesponsored civil unions as opposed to church-sanctioned marriages are discriminatory is laudable, though arguably unbiblical. To be sure, some of it is political game-plan. Yet truthfully, what drives the Conservatives under the leadership of David Cameron is a belief that all individuals, regardless of yet informed by their own idiosyncrasies, have a fundamental right to liberty.
It’s always great to see people of all political persuasions, including Tories, take pride in their sexuality and take part in Pride marches across Britain. Let’s hope more Conservatives are of this persuasion. Boris Johnson for example kicked off London Pride 2010 with an expression of support for gay marriage, well done Boris! Yes, that is the same Boris Johnson that supported the infamous Section 28, the effects of which cannot be emphasised enough. Theresa May on the other hand, has been appointed minister for Equality by Tory leader David Cameron, but wait a minute, didn’t she vote against equalising the age of consent, and against the repeal of Section 28? Did she not also vote against gay couples jointly adopting children and in favour of a bill demanding a male role-model for all IVF treatments? Oh, and to add Trans insult to LGB injury, she didn’t attend Parliament for any of the four votes securing the Gender Recognition Act. Individuals aside,this trend of betrayal clearly pervades recent economic policy, in its most obviously form - the cuts. It is obvious that a number of sections of society feel cheated or betrayed by recent economic policy and the nature of austerity measures, which are only really austere for those who rely on the services that are being cut. That is basically the most vulnerable members of our society, and that certainly includes LGBT people. These are just a few examples of where Conservative choices and prejudices have hugely let down and damaged members of the LGBT community, including their voters. How can we believe in a new, liberal version of the Conservative party under David
Cameron, when it has been pieced together with the same individuals that have attacked our rights again and again? Not only does it include them, but in the case of Theresa May, it puts our rights in their hands! I’m sure we all prefer it so far to what happened the last time the Conservatives were in power, but does anyone really believe that if they had remained in power, they would have put their efforts into repealing Section 28, legalising gay adoption, introducing civil partnerships, or reducing the age of consent? Am I the only one who feels an uncomfortable sense of foreboding when a party that lends its very name to the maintenance of traditional institutions and lack of change, is handling my welfare and ‘equality’ as part of a political strategy to appear refreshed, when its individuals have a track-record of being, well, conservative - at best. Pride is not, by any means, an exclusive event, but I cannot blame people for expressing their distrust in the Conservative Party, and from perhaps trying to dissuade LGBT youth from placing their trust in the people who, in my opinion, have clearly expressed a complete lack of concern with LGBT issues and rights with their choices and policies. While the members of LGBTory who heartily took part in Pride may share visionary values of ‘a fundamental right to liberty’, I do not believe that is the Government we are currently dealing with. In fact, I think they have proven that this is not high on their agenda with the ideological nature of their chosen cuts. Pride began as a protest against LGBT oppression. The Conservative Party watched over this for many years and were rightly the target of this protest; can we blame people now for being suspicious and unforgiving?
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students’ union
Three reasons for liberation The Students’ Union encourages liberation through supporting and facilitating students in creating and running liberation groups. There are currently three liberation groups at Sussex.
Womens’ Group By Izzie Young The Women’s Group is for all self- identified women. It meets every Wednesday from 2-4pm in the Women’s Room at the top of Falmer House. This is a safe space that is always open for women students to use and features a small library, comfy chairs and sanitary products for your convenience. Women’s Group has been involved in several campaigns and prides itself on helping to raise awareness about women’s issues both on campus and nationally. For instance, in 2010 we attended the Reclaim the Night march in London, which stands up against gendered sexual violence. In 2011 we held a campus wide event to celebrate International Women’s Day which included a vagina tree, film screening and public talk on women’s struggle.This year amongst many things, we will be continuing work with our sister group, Students Against Sexual Harassment (SASH), to combat sexual harassment on campus and provide support to those who have experienced it. In the first few weeks of term, we will be holding a workshop in collaboration with Survivor’s Network to improve education on sexual harassment and discover how to proactively combat the issue. Our weekly discussion topics are both varied and exciting due to the complex notion of ‘women’ and our multifaceted experiences. In the coming weeks, we will be discussing issues ranging from ‘Women and the Cuts’ to ‘Feminism and Everyday Life’ and ‘Pornography’.We welcome a variety of opinions and enjoy holding interesting and lively debates. This year, discussions will be followed by creative activity sessions such as knitting, banner making and a clothes swap; allowing for both social time and skill sharing. One of the most frequent questions we get asked is ‘why have a women-only space?’ to which there are numerous answers. For many of us, a safe space in which to express ourselves without fear or judgement can take on several forms whether it is a seminar room, at work or just
walking down the street. We are of the firm opinion that the patriarchal nature of our society makes it harder for women to utilise these spaces and we therefore feel passionate about providing Sussex’s female students with a supportive environment. It is not a room shut off to men because of any negative ideological feelings towards them, but a space that celebrates women and encourages their self-development and expression. Whatever your stance, we believe that as long as women continue to struggle and there is a demand for a women-only space, then we have an obligation to provide one. In order to reflect on this issue, we encourage you to join us in Week One where we will be exploring the arguments for and against. Whilst women are not a minority on campus or internationally, we still make up only nineteen percent of MPs, only ten percent of executive directors in the FTSE 100 and the gender pay gap remains at seventeen percent. For this reason amongst many, we feel it is imperative that societies such as Women’s Group exist, and we strongly believe in working alongside the other liberation groups to tackle the inequalities which pervade in our society. Finally, we are very proud to be unveiling the new and improved Women’s Room and we welcome all women students to help us decorate it during our meeting in Week One!
LGBTQ By Kieran Burn The LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer) group is one of the Students’ Union’s liberation groups. Some people continue to question the need for a LGBTQ group. However, despite the fact that lots of legislation has been passed in the last few years, legal and social inequality still exists in many ways. In addition, homophobic hate crime is rising, homophobic bullying is reaching endemic proportions in schools, and LGBT students still face difficulties gaining funding for higher education if they are thrown out of home by their parents. That is why the LGBTQ is here for the benefit of all L, G, B,T, Q or questioning students in various different ways. Firstly, it provides a safe, social space for all LGBTQ students to come and meet one another in a place in which they can feel at ease about their sexuality and/or gender identity. We organise weekly meetings to suit all tastes (film screenings, coffee mornings, debates, games, quizzes and more), to which everyone is welcome to attend. We usually organise these for Tuesday evenings at 6pm and meet in the LGBTQ Room, situated on the top floor of Falmer House, although there are often other events during the course of the week. The best way to find out about our socials is via Facebook, just search “Sussex LGBTQ” and join to receive updates.
LGBTQ at Freshers Fair
Alternatively, you can check our website, www.sussexlgbtq.com and the www.sussexstudent.com event pages. We also have welfare officers who hold weekly drop-in sessions in the LGBTQ Room throughout the course of the year (drop-in times for Autumn term will be announced towards the start of the term). The Welfare Officers are here to support and advise you if you have any personal problems that you need help with. You can contact Eve via email at: sussexlgbtqwelfare@gmail.com or call or text Ben: 07961700286. You can also message them in advance of our meetings if you’d like someone to go along with. Sussex LGBTQ is passionate about campaigning too, and in the past we have co-ordinated campaigns against the Blood Ban and against the proposed death penalty for LGBT people in Uganda. We’re always looking for more campaigns to sink our teeth into, so if you have any ideas, feel free to run them past us either via email (sussexlgbtq@gmail. com) or contact us on Facebook. As a liberation group, the LGBTQ also has representation on the Students’ Union council, its policy-making body. As incumbent LGBTQ Representative Officer, I have been responsible for looking after the interests of LGBTQ students within the Union. This means listening to your concerns and talking them to Union council for consideration and dealing with relevant equality and diversity issues within the Union. Unlike the rest of LGBTQ committee, the Representative Officer position is elected by a cross-campus ballot. The rest of committee is elected at our annual members’ meetings in November each year. All LGBTQ students are entitled to attend and stand for election onto committee: all you have to do is turn up and put yourself forward, or you can contact us in advance to inform us of your interest in standing. And that’s the LGBTQ in a nutshell! If you want any more details, feel free to contact us and our current Chair, Kelly McBride, Comms Officer, Susie Coleman or another committee member will get back to you in no time!
PA FA By Taz Brookes PAFA (Positive Action For All) is a new addition to the Students’ Union which was launched at the Fresher’s Fair on Monday 26th September 2011. We are a society which will provide additional support to Students with Disabilities across campus. Any student with a disability or impairment is able to join the society and its committee regardless of whether they are a mature student, international student, undergradu-
ate or postgraduate and regardless of sexual orientation or gender. We will hopefully be working with other societies in the future too improve disability awareness as well as improving and increasing links with outside organisations. We plan to carry out a series of social events, mentoring, talks and campaigns to raise the importance of disability awareness across campus and will include mental health issues (E.g. stress and depression), hidden disabilities (E.g. Asperger’s Syndrome and Dyslexia) and physical disabilities and impairments. We are also here to sign post students to relevant organisations or on campus departments which may be able to support them as well as act as an alternative information point
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Students’ Union statement on the Stu- Union bars license under threat dent Support Unit Last year the Badger published an article that contained criticism an individual within the Student Support Unit who was inadvertantly identified and was not offered a right of reply. This, therefore, contraveined the Students’ Union’s SLA with the University. The Badger is a Union publication but it is editorially independent. The position set forth in the article does not represent an official Union stance. The Students’ Union recognises and values the work done by the Student Support Unit. It provides a vital service for
our members and would encourage students who need to use the service to do so. The Students’ Union takes the welfare of its members very seriously and would like to advise all students who have a complaint to make regarding a University service or staff member to contact our Advice and Representation Centre in Falmer House where you will recieve free, confidential and independant advice from the Welfare Officer, Indi Hicks, or from one of our trained advisors who can guide you through the complaints proce-
dures. If there is a complaint to be made regarding the Badger, this can be facilitated through the Union’s official complaints procedure.
For information regarding the advice and representation centre visit www. sussexstudent.com/advice To contact the Welfare Officer email welfare@ussu.sussex.ac.uk To make an official complaint against the Badger email communications@ ussu.sussex.ac.uk
The Students’ Union bars (Falmer Bar and East Slope Bar) have been experiencing problems over the past week with an unusually high number of students attempting to bring their own alcohol into the bars. Due to licensing laws, this could potentially cause some very serious issues for the bars as they could be instantly shut down if a licensing inspector or police were to find alcohol being consumed on the premises which has not sold by the bar. This would seriously impact on the Students’ Union as a whole. The Union is pleased that
everyone enjoys using the bars and we like them to be a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. Therefore, to ensure that we can keep them this way, we would like to remind our members not to bring alcohol bought elsewhere into the bars. Unfortunately the seriousness of the situation means, for the time being, that we are having to enforce a strict policy on the door and will ask any one found drinking alcohol bought elsewhere within the bar to leave and may refuse entry to those individual for at least a week.
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point (E.G. training providers and assistive technology). With a strong link to the NUS Disability Campaign Committee and the society’s growth over time we have high hopes for the future. As a society we pride ourselves on our belief in equality and so, even though we are here for disabled students, we would like to get non disabled students involved too. This could be through possible volunteering opportunities, attending talks or meetings or simply following us on Facebook and keeping up to date with what is going on and spreading the word. We have leaflets that are held by both the Student Support Unit and the Student Life Centre as well as in the meeting house and we are on the Students’ Union website. We are also shown support by local organisations such as ASSERT for adults with Asperger’s syndrome, The Federation for Disabled People and the NHS Mental Health Support Centre, Buckingham Road, who also hold our information. If you would like to get involved or would like further information regarding Positive Action For All (PAFA), we would love to hear from you!
the
students’ union
Meet your Full-Time Elected Officers The Full-Time Elected Officers are students who have been elected in a cross campus election to represent all Sussex students and to direct the Union in its day to day running. Each officer has a different role. They are there for you, so don’t hesitate to get in contact with them:
Email regarding Union shops and bars and about our ethical and environmental sustainability - operations@ussu. sussex.ac.uk
Email if you have any non academic issues you need advice on (e.g. housing, finances) - welfare@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Every student is a member of the Union email me about anything - president@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Please contact us: Society President: Taz Brookes tib20@sussex.ac.uk Communications Officer: Ricky Blair, rickyblair2@gmail.com Or alternatively contact us at: pafa@ ussu.sussex.ac.co.uk and www.facebook.com/groups/16849755989932/
The Badger is recruiting The Badger has opened applications for the position of Science Editor, Design Editor and Web Editor. As design editor you would be tasked with managing and improving the look of the news paper in order to inject originality and flair. As Science editor you would be coming up with ideas dfor stories, finding writers for it and editing it. As Web editor, you would be charged with updating, maintaining and developing www. thebadgeronline.com. If you would like to get involved, learn the tricks of the trade, get experience and give back to the campus community and you think you’ve got the chops to do it, send an email to the Communications Officer, Ariel Cohen communications@ussu.sussex. ac.uk to apply. Good luck!
Email me if you have questions about student media. - communications@ussu. sussex.ac.uk
Email me if tou have any education related issues - education@ussu.sussex. ac.uk
Email me to find out about Clubs, Societies and Volunteering - activities@ussu. sussex.ac.uk
Join SMuTS to help with By Tom Butcher For many Sussex students, being part of a society means so much more than just occasionally meeting up at the pub to discuss a shared interest. It becomes a defining part of their uni experience. This applies to no society more than SMuTS (Sussex Musical Theatre Society) celebrating its 20th this year, and with what could be its most ambitious yet. The showpiece annual event of the society, which is one of the largest and most active at the University, is the performance of a musical each February at the 200seater Sallis Benney Theatre in town. Since its formation in 1991, productions have included Cabaret, Little Shop of Horrors,West Side Story, and last year’s overwhelmingly successful Guys and Dolls though the society is by no means a one trick pony, with a whole host of other events that take place throughout the academic year. These include the Christmas and summer cabaret showcase performances, where members are invited to perform anything they fancy related to the vast genre of musical theatre; organized West End theatre trips; and countless socials and fundraisers,
including the end-of-year Smoscars awards ceremony. There are also plans this year to run campus-based open mic and comedy nights; run theatre workshops in local schools and youth groups; and the exciting prospect of putting on a show for the Brighton Fringe Festival in May. All this, combined with SMuTS close connections with other societies like Big Band, SUDS, and Show Choir, ensure that 2011/12 will be a year to remember. SMuTS ‘showpiece event’ for this year: the much-loved rock opera ‘Rent’. And who better to fill us in on the play than director and thirdyear English and Drama student Jess Barton, who explained that the show “genuinely breaks away from the traditional conventions of musical theatre, to portray a story that’s not only emotionally gripping but also hopeful and filled with passion. It’s one of those shows that cuts through all the happy-go-lucky clichés of musical theatre and lays the storyline out straight for the audience”. The play, which will run for five performances from 15th to 18th February, takes place in early nineties NewYork,
tackling a plethora of hard-hitting issues that occur in the everyday lives of those living the bohemian lifestyle, most notably surrounding HIV. She adds that “We’re looking to get as involved as possible with the local community, to bring in inspirational speakers and hold focus groups in order to obtain as much understanding of people to whom these ‘topics’ are actually a part of life. And it’s this message and spirit I hope to convey and promote in our production - that these issues aren’t taboo, aren’t something that should be left in a corner and cautiously tiptoed around, but something that is in fact a way of life for many people”. For Jess, who worked backstage on 2010’s West Side Story before going onto perform in last year’s Guys and Dolls, the best part of SMuTS is the way it “entices you with the promise of jazz hands and 4-part harmonies, and then despite taking over your life, is such a joy to be a part of that you actually can’t remember why you weren’t always involved!” And this passion is clearly shared by the rest of the Rent team, she adds, ‘It’s
safe to say I haven’t (as of yet) met any group of people quite as obsessed with the show as those of us on the Production Team.” The auditions for the show will take place on Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th October – but who can audition? “Everyone!” exclaims our director with characteristic enthusiasm. “No really, we’re looking for everyone and anyone who has a love for musical theatre, has musical talent, or just feels like trying something new”. And, just as importantly, she adds “Although we can technically only offer 26 cast roles, there are so many other ways people can get involved as well! We need backstage crew, make-up and costume people, tech teams, coffee runners... I joke. But really - the list is endless! If you want to be involved there is no doubt that there’ll be a job for you”. So, evidently, ‘Rent’ is one of a whole host of fantastic reasons to want to be involved with SMuTS this year. Auditions are in Falmer
House, from 2-8 on the 3rd, and 5-10 on the 4th, October.
The union pages are edited weekly by the Communications Officer of the Students’ Union. If you would like to have your individual, spor ts club’s or society’s activities published on these pages please email: communications@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
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The main event
A chat with: Warpaint
The Badger talks to Warpaint about their success, summer and upcoming album
ON THE BIG SCREEN ON THE SMALL SCREEN Page 14 CAREERS ADVICE BOOK REVIEW CENTRE STAGE VISUAL ARTS Page 15
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WHAT’S ON...? Page 16
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Warpaint members (clockwise from top left): Stella Mozgawa, Emily Kokal, Jenny Lee Lindberg, Theresa Wayman Photo: Mia Kirby Inês Klinesmith Editor-in-Chief Formed in 2004 in Los Angeles by Theresa (guitar/vocals), Emily (vocals/guitar) and Jenny Lee (bass/ vocals), Warpaint was graced with the drummer Stella during the late stages of their first album ‘The Fool’. Now, this very special quartet have been touring the world, collecting fans and making the music scene more exciting. Warpaint have played twice at Glastonbury and other major festival like Reading, Leed, Coachella and Primavera. They were nominated for the BBC Sound Poll 2011. Spin magazine gave ‘The Fool’ an 8 out of 10 rating and the band has been elected one of the BBC’s ‘15 Most Promising Artists of 2011’. Last week, on Monday 26 September, Warpaint celebrated their well deserved success by releasing a deluxe set, which brings to their fans both their EP ‘ Exquisite Corpse’ and their critically acclaimed first album. After seeing them perform live at one of the sunniest European summer festivals, The Badger had the chance to talk to Theresa Wayman and get to know them a bit more. What do you do after a gig to defuse tension? Theresa: I don’t feel tense after a gig, quite the opposite. Relaxed, happy
energized. We end up laughing a lot. You were in Brighton for The Great Escape Festival. Any exciting memories of the festival, public or town itself? Theresa: The first year we played (not this one but the year before) we played out on the pier at Horacios. That was a great night…we were new to touring the UK at that point and it was our first festival, so it was extra exciting. Some fans were really sad that we didn’t play Billie Holiday in the set so we gave them a private show after by the water and played Billie. It was a special moment. What are the highlights of your summer so far? Theresa: Playing Fuji Rock in Japan… The people there are so warm and kind. We did a signing after our gig and each person wanted to shake our hands to say thanks and have a moment… connecting.
They unabashedly expressed everything they were feeling during the show and it just made us play that much better, amazing! Your music talent is indisputable. Do you have any other (hidden) skills? Theresa: Sewing, cooking, making chocolate! I could be a great housewife! We’re all pretty artistic in many ways drawing& photography mainly. In your teen years (or now!) what was your most rebellious moment? Theresa: I became dramatically rebellious when I was 15-16 for about a year. I freaked my mother out entirely. I went from being a goody two shoes to drinking and sneaking out, skipping school. I had some great times but it was pretty dark as well. I’m happy it didn’t last long. I suppose I was rebelling against feeling like I had to be good all the time.
Which festival would you pick as your favourite?
What has been the funniest situation you’ve encountered with the public/fans?
Theresa: Flow Festival in Finland was great!!! We also had the best time in Portugal – Paredes De Coura Festival – we played to about 8000 people – maybe more and they were so into it.
Theresa: It’s strange when people try to get close and lure you in with a gift or something really nice like that which you would never say “no” to, they act like there’s no strings
attached and then after you’ve talked for a moment they ask for your phone number…. YEAH RIGHT!!! That’s no way to meet anyone! It seems presumptuous, dishonest and a little creepy. We see lots of stories of how fame affects artists, most of them in a pejorative way. You seem quite down to earth. What keeps you most grounded? Theresa: Real life. Home. Doing everyday things and just loving music for music’s sake not fame or popularity. That kind of perspective is just built in – either you have it or not. Have there been any moments where you’ve felt like you wanted to give up? Theresa:Yes…and no. It’s been a long road, especially when we kept having line-up changes and needing to constantly re-work our sound. But that has always been the best creative outlet I’ve had and I have never wanted to quit!! Ever! What can we expect from you after the tour is finished/in the New Year? Theresa: A new fantabluous Warpaint album!! I can’t wait to start putting it together… It’s going to be so much fun!!!
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Gig review
End of the Rainbow 3rd-8th October Theatre Royal Brighton Tracie Bennett’s performance as Judy Garland in‘End of the Rainbow’ took the West End by storm and resulted in the production receiving four Olivier Award nominations. Friends of Dorothy will be excited to hear that this magnificent show will visit the Theatre Royal Brighton from 3rd -8th October, giving the opportunity to see this production on our very doorstep. The show visits Garland in 1968 as she is preparing to another comeback, determined to reclaim her former glory despite a turbulent series of failed marriages and a struggle with drugs and alcohol addiction. Some of Garland’s songs feature, as well as a six piece onstage band, so grab the chance to see a production that sold out its London run while you can. The Kitchen 6th October Duke of York’s Picturehouse
Razorlight, headliners of the first Shakedown Festival Photo: coveralia.com Molly Taylor Shakedown Festival Stanmer Park Saturday 17th September Shakedown Festival began and developed much in the same way as Bambi; legs wobbling to start with, but gathering strength as time went on. On first entrance, the welcoming scene was largely one of the loud and drunk youth of Brighton donning neon sunglasses and trying to smuggle bottles of Lambrini onto the site down their trouser legs. For this, no one can really blame them, but the overwhelming feeling was that the rave tent, situated at the entrance, had started somewhat prematurely, creating a hazy, slurred atmosphere that didn’t belong in the early afternoon sunshine. Perhaps more strange however, was the way in which the festival decidedly split in half, with students and families sitting sipping
cider near the main stage and those with a seemingly endless amount of energy jumping up and down to Kissy Sell Out on the other side of the field. It was clear that as a new festival, Shakedown didn’t really know what it was about yet. This distinct separateness began to fade with the day, however, on the appearance of Ed Sheeran. For a relatively new artist, Sheeran was bubbling over with confidence and a desire to get the crowd excited and involved. Hits ‘The A Team’ and ‘You Need Me I Don’t Need You’ were received with elation by those who had spent much of the day waiting for the big acts to arrive, Close friend of Sheeran, Example, came to the stage next, armed with an almost aggressive demand that the audience ‘jump and scream’. To that they complied, and with the sunset and a multitude of his hits that were incredibly well received, the atmosphere of Shakedown really settled into itself. The rave tent came
into its own too, more appropriate in the darkness, framed by fairground rides and headed by like likes of Zane Lowe and 2manyDJs.The small crowd that gathered there held an energy almost paramount to the much larger one recieving Example’s commands at the main stage. Perhaps as a female who spent much of her youth swooning over rockstars in tight jeans, it would be bias of me to say that headliners Razorlight really stole the show. Sure, it had started raining, the crowd thinned out a little and there were many a pair of tired legs, but the excitement of seeing a band you once believed passionately were some sort of demi-gods was somewhat overwhelming. Borrell and co smashed out hit after hit with unfaltering energy and humility, and the crowd took it for what it was - an unashamedly proud recital of their greatest hits. We realised as the day went on that Shakedown was, all in all, actually all it promised to be - the party to ‘end the
summer’. It catered well for all walks of life in Brighton, something that as a student it is easy to forget exists.When something is not specifically aimed at the bubble that is the student lifestyle, it is easy to feel that the event is confused. But actually, you could see the genuine enjoyment on the faces of those who worked all week and looked forward to this as a highlight of their summer; those who remembered with delight the sweaty crowds and relentless energy of those being powered by dance music; and of course, girls like me who sang vehemently in the rain to songs I hadn’t heard since I was 15. The transport that was put on to take everyone back into town was fast and efficient, and carried us and all others home, lethargic but decidedly content. Let’s hope that with a few tweaks, Shakedown can grow to become something that knows itself, knows the community and is always ready to deliver a burst of entertainment to close the summer.
National Theatre continues to bring its shows to the masses through the innovative NT Live broadcasts. This time, experience Arnold Wesker’s 1950’s tale of the kitchen of a West End restaurant, a place where staff from across Europe flirt and fight amongst the clamour of The Kitchen. The play premiered at the Royal Court in 1959 and has since been performed in over 30 countries, so if you were unable to get your hands on a ticket then make sure you take advantage of this unique screening. Andrea Levy in Conversation 9th October The Old Market As part of the City Reads Festival in Brighton, people have been encouraged to read Booker nominated ‘The Long Song’ by Andrea Levy. Events have taken place across the city, including a free screening of ‘Small Island’, a TV adaptation of one of her previous novels.To round off the experience, Andrea Levy will be discussing her novel, giving readers a chance to ask her their burning questions about a book that has brought people together across the city.
The big question: What was the best festival of the summer? BESTIVAL “Music, food, costumes and booze, Bestival 2011 had something for everyone. Attendees this year had plenty of chances to reminisce with the likes of Fatboy Slim, The Cure and Bjork, whilst the younger lot got to enjoy more mediocre performances from Kelis and Katy B (who at one point failed to remember the lyrics to her dub-pop hit, singing “something, something” for a cringing 20 seconds). Although the festival was hit by gale force winds, Bestival had enough weirdness, theatrics and glitter to make up for waking up soaking wet every morning.” Scarlet McNally GLASTONBURY “Walking around Shangri La at 3am on Sunday morning after seeing Pulp, I was exclaiming how catchy their
songs were to my friends. I mentioned how their songs were ringing clearly in my head; moments later as I was walking toward Club Dada I realised it wasnt just a song stuck in my head but actually an impromptu live performance by Jarvis Cocker! He was belting out songs to about 500 adoring fans.” Cai Trefor OUTLOOK “While Drum & Bass, Dubstep and Electronica aren’t my usual choice of music, Outlook was a brilliant festival. Days were filled with beach raves, sunbathing and boat parties, while the nights were spent exploring the old fort of Pula. With its incredible beach atmosphere and beautiful sunsets, I felt that my money was well spent.” Sophie Moonshine
LATITUDE “In it’s 6th year, Latitude festival was in full swing on the grounds of the beautiful Henham Park estate this summer. I’ve celebrated GCSE and A Level results here and have had unforgettable weekends there over the last 6 years. The line up this year, though, was some what of a let down. The major headliners were The National, Paolo Nutini and Suede - a selection that felt like a step down from other acts including Franz Ferdinand, Belle and Sebastian and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds headlining previous years. As always, the festival presented a glittering line up of poetry, literature and film acts, something that seems a unique quality to Latitude. Highlights for me were Foals who played a relaxed but enthralling set in the Word arena, Dylan Moran who did his best to mock the English in his
stand up in the comedy tent.” Martha Woodward WILDERNESS “Picture the most idyllic of English national parks, complete with its own lake and tribe of stags, juxtaposed with a modest but varied selection of musical entertainers and activities for people of all ages; my favourite festival of the summer – Wilderness. Set in Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire, the location ticked all the boxes. By respectfully and appropriately building an ethereal nether realm into the landscape, the organisers ensured that just waking up in the morning was a magical experience. Despite lacking in standard ‘hippy fest’ Hare Krishna free food, the Michelin star banquets certainly pleased those with a few more pennies than us mere students. The rope swing into the
lake was also a particular favourite for many, only heightened for us by the stunning view of three slightly confused stags silhouetted a few hundred metres from the water. But for me, what really made Wilderness my favourite festival of 2011, was the sea of friendly faces whose glee when jigging to Toots and the Maytals was later cemented in a collective contentment as Laura Marling performed and gave us a gorgeously uncharacteristic rock hand.” Jessica Forsyth NEXT WEEK... To kick off what will undoubtedly be a productive term full of academic frolics (!): What is the best thing you have studied? To rave about a book, symphony, film, or even a mathematical equation, email: badger-artspages@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
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Photo: scannain.com
On the big screen
Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender in ‘Jane Eyre’ Photo: boulderbookstore.blogspot.com Maxine Ross Jane Eyre Cary Fukunaga UK/USA, 120 mins, PG, 2011 It seems we can’t get enough of period dramas around this time of year. As soon as the first browned leaf hits the ground, our screens are swamped with an influx of bonneted females and brooding men gazing adoringly over hills and the like. Last year saw the release of ITV’s ‘Downton Abbey’, the year before that a TV serial of Wuthering Heights, and it looks like this year is set to follow suit. This time it’s Charlotte Brontë’s ‘Jane Eyre’ being
given the Hollywood treatment, directed by director Cary Fukunaga and starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender as the two leads. Taking on such a classic is a demanding feat, and though there are bonnets and brooding aplenty in this beautifully shot adaptation, the film just doesnt quite have the spark it needs. The film revolves around the plight of the plain yet strong-willed Jane, following her in all the pivotal moments of her life, from the pain of her childhood, to the tragic love she experiences as the governess to a man with a dark secret. To retell such a well-known tale (this adaptation is one of almost thirty versions)
is an undoubtedly daunting task for a director unused to this genre. Yet Fukunaga, who is most commonly known for the thriller ‘Sin Nombre’, steps up to the mark. The cast’s performances appear effortless throughout, with Fassbender’s Rochester demonstrating the perfect amount of Byronic charm, while the warmth of Judi Dench’s Mrs Fairfax makes the sinister secrets of the castle appear all the more chilling in comparison. But it is Alice in Wonderland’s Wasikowska who particularly stands out. This is perhaps the only adaptation of the novel in which the title character is performed with the kind of vulnerability and strength that the Jane
of this allure. Following the life of the Crawley family, an English aristocratic dynasty, upper class English values, manners and codes of dress are on display set to the luxurious background of their country house: Downton Abbey (Highclere Castle). Yet perhaps part of what makes Downton appealing is that there is also a simpler, harder life existing below the dining room. Life at Downton is also not a forgotten era. With the production set just after the turn of the twentieth century there is something familiar about it that viewers can relate to. Modernisation has begun: the ‘New woman’ is emerging, the class system is on the verge of breaking down, new technologies are appearing and the world is at war. Downton’s storytelling also feels contemporary. With scandal both upstairs and down, bitter rivalries, secrets, death, unrequited love, and the typical ‘will they, won’t they’ storyline, there is a touch of the dramatic soap opera about Downton which makes it seem a modern not a period drama. For whatever reason we love Downton, as it moves into its second series it remains a success. As the second series begins we rejoin the Crawley family, their servants and their circle during the horror of the First World War in 1916. The love story at the heart of the drama continues. Matthew Crawley (heir to Downton Abbey) is an Army captain on the front line
and after Mary Crawley’s hesitation (Eldest daughter of Earl Grantham), has a fiancé. Mary, who does love Matthew, only hesitated because she possesses a scandalous secret past: a Turkish aristocrat died in her bedroom. Mary must now accept Matthew’s friendship, while she has a new suitor - namely newspaper magnate Richard Carlisle. From the first two episodes it seems life at Downton is changing: Lady Sibyl joins the war effort, Downton Abbey becomes a convalescent home for the war wounded and with his footmen off to war Butler Carson is plagued by changes to his stringent rota which threaten his high standards. However one thing has remained delightfully unaltered: the dry humour from Dowager Countess of Grantham (Dame Maggie Smith). Looking to the future it seems that Downton won’t be the only period drama on our screens. Julian Fellowes, writer of Downton Abbey and the Oscar winning creator of Gosford Park (2002), will continue to interweave the lives of those ‘upstairs’ and ‘downstairs’ in another costume drama for ITV based upon the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. With another remake of Jane Eyre, with the return of a revitalised Upstairs Downstairs (BBC) to appear next year and with these two mini-series under production: costume dramas, to the delight of the masses, won’t be far from our screens in the near future.
of the book is so well-loved for. However, the film is not quite as perfect as it seems. This version is far removed from the grit and intensity that is so crucial to the novel. The romance of the two leading characters is believable on screen, but there lacks a passion that those familiar with the book will be disappointed not to find. The emotions are there, but are not anywhere near as tragic, desperate, or extreme as they are in the original. The film glides over some of the darker elements of the novel, completely omitting the horrific loss of Rochester’s hand in favour of a less heartbreaking, more family-friendly ending. Rochester
loses his sight, but regains his love - a much pleasanter conclusion to appeal to a wider audience. And if this is the kind of film Fukunaga was aiming for, then it works. It is a beautiful, moving film that will undoubtedly convert a new generation to the world of the Brontës. It is family-friendly, dramatic, gothic, and emotional, but never stretching to the full darkness and intensity of the original. But while you may be left wanting more, there is no doubt that this is an enjoyable, cosy film to fight those autumn blues with, and it will almost certainly have you reaching for your own copy of the classic. After all, you can never have too much Brontë.
On the small screen Rachel O’Brien Downton Abbey Sundays, 9pm, ITV1 With the return of ITV’s ‘Downton Abbey,’ it seems that the British love for costume dramas has not faded. The first episode of the much anticipated second series, broadcast on ITV 1 on Sunday 18th September at 9pm, saw ratings peak over 9million. In the battle for television ratings ‘Downton Abbey’ triumphed: the last series of Spooks, BBC’s fast paced action drama about the British secret service, drew one of its lowest ratings. Downton’s success has not stopped there: on the same night the second series was aired the period drama scooped four prizes at the 63rd Primetime Emmy awards ceremony in Los Angeles including Outstanding mini- series or movie. So why do costume dramas, such as Downton, remain so popular with modern audiences? According to Jonathan Bates in ‘The Song of the Earth’ (2000), the cynical reason Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy remain highly popular among modern readers can be summed up as ‘smocks and frocks’: they depict a ‘Golden era’ that we imagine was somehow better for its values of etiquette and elegance (Austen) or its simple, un-urbanized culture (Hardy) which nostalgically we crave. Downton does possess some
‘Downton Abbey’ photo: shawnlunn2002.blogspot.com
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Careers Advice
Sophie Hannah sophiehannah.com Sophie Hannah is the author of six psychological crime novels, as well as being a poet and a children’s author. Her novels have been published in twenty different languages and also adapted for television.
What are the most rewarding aspects of your job? And the pitfalls? It’s creative and exciting, and
incredibly satisfying when you write something you know works well. It’s so wonderful to sit back and think, ‘Wow, look what I’ve created.’ If I wasn’t a writer by profession I would write anyway, just for fun. I love writing and can’t imagine living without it. The pitfall is that it’s very high risk and if you fail, your failure is very visible. If I write a great novel and 200,000 people read it and love it, that’s brilliant. But if I write a terrible novel and 200,000 people read it and all get on Goodreads.com to tell each other how rubbish it is, that’s a very visible failure. Newspaper reviewers write sneery reviews saying you’re past your best, your sales decline, your publishers don’t pay you as much... I should point out, this hasn’t actually happened to me! But it’s something to be scared of! Why did you want to become a novelist and what would you rec-
ommend as the best entry route into the profession? Firstly, I would discourage anyone from regarding novel-writing as a profession. I’m lucky - I make a good living from it, but the large majority even of published novelists do not. My advice would be write because you love it, and try to write good novels and get them published. At the same time, get yourself a day job that pays the bills. If you ever earn enough from your writing to be able to give up your job, great. If not, you can still be a writer. Many of the best writers that ever lived didn’t earn enough from their writing to live on, so you’d be in good company! What advice would you give to any budding novelists? Make sure your idea for a novel is gripping and compelling. Everything else can be fixed, but there’s nothing you can do about a boring story.
Book Review Jessie Thompson Editor-in-Chief Lasting Damage, the sixth in Sophie Hannah’s series of gripping psychological crime thrillers, is not a book to pick up when there are things to be done. The trouble with Hannah’s novels is that once you have begun reading, you won’t be going anywhere until you’ve turned the final page, and Lasting Damage is no different. Telling the story of Connie Bowskill, a lonely and paranoid wife who is trapped simultaneously by an overbearing family and a husband who may be playing away, the book taps into our fear that, one day, the glut of modern technology that bears heavily on our lives may throw up something frightening and uncanny. Connie logs
onto a property website in the early hours of the morning, clicks on the virtual tour option, and is met with the sight of a woman lying face down in blood in the living room. Some might find this an unlikely tactic for success in the property market, but the dreaded sight is lost by the time Connie tells her husband and the police, and she is forced to question her own sanity. It is fascinating for the reader to see into the mind of a woman being torn apart by doubt and fear, and we question Connie’s reliability as much as she does. In alternate chapters we also get to see the investigation from the point of view of the police detective team, including Charlie Zailer and Simon Waterhouse, characters that readers of the series will feel a
cosy familiarity with, having watched them grow from their first awkward tangles in ‘Little Face’, to now what can only be described as possibly the most awkward honeymoon of all time. Thanks to Hannah’s poetic background, her prose never fails to shine amongst the gasps and shudders that her enthralling plots inflict, and her ability to get to grips with the inner psychology of her characters suggests she could run an adept line in counselling distressed women. However, the joy of page turning, nerve shredding ‘Lasting Damage’ suggests Hannah’s writing will not require her to take up a second profession – just make sure you don’t pick up the book before going to work, since you won’t be moving for a while once you do.
Lasting Damage sophiehannah.com
Centre Stage
Members of Shambush! Photo: shambush.wordpress.com Sophie Bishop It’s a tough old world out there for everyone at the moment, but spare a thought for the poor arts community. Funding is elusive for new projects and so performers must look to new methods to gain
a platform to showcase their work. A new idea has been brought forward by Brighton based troupe of performers, Shambush!. The troupe specialise in creating immersive, theatrical encounters, performance spaces and nonsensical events. They claim,
“from taking over quirky, unused areas to creating a full theme park experience in just 2 minutes we’ll create an intimate and nonsensical experience for all those who encounter Shambush!”. For the Brighton Festival White Night the troupe has been commissioned to take over the foyer bar (and beyond) of the Dome to create a Utopia Game Show. Annie, one of the three primary members of Shambush! discusses their plans “I’d like to spend a significant amount on glitter (if I could it would be the whole budget) - hopefully about £100 if I get my way. As for lametta, sparkly curtains there will be more than any 70’s game show could ever have possibly used.” They describe their concept as featuring numerous skewed game shows with copious glitter, prizes and a chance to win a trip to Utopia itself. The money from the venue will cover sets, costumes and props, but Shambush! feel that those that contribute should be compensated, and unpaid internships have become too integral to the arts world. Imi from Shambush! says “the arts world is full of goodwill and there are so many talented young,
and not so young, performers out there who will give up their time and share their creativity... surely they should be rewarded?”. In order to realize a mission statement of paying performers what they are worth, Shambush! have looked to the website IndieGoGo to set up a scheme named ‘Adopt a Performer’. IndieGoGo is the worlds leading international funding platform. Shambush! are not alone in looking to the internet for a helping hand funding projects. IndieGoGo hosts funding for documentary film, community projects and theatre. In Shambush’s case the premise is simple: donate what you can afford and you will get something in return. There are different options to suit different pocket sizes from ‘Making a Performer Smile’ for £3 to ‘Taking Your Performer Home’ for £60. Other benefits include free entry to events, starring roles in their shows and tea and cake with the Shambush! ladies. New funding alternatives need to be realized as economic forecasting is grows increasingly bleaker and as Shambush! muse, ‘The arts are important and at a time of crisis like this, when do people need entertaining more?’
Instagram App Photo: sexysocialmedia.com
What does a day in the life of a novelist involve? I’m afraid I’m a tidiness freak (like that guy in Sleeping With the Enemy - though, in my defence, I would point out that I have never tried to kill Julia Roberts.) I can’t concentrate on writing unless the house is spotless, so I tend to tidy up between 8.15 and 10. Then I do emails and admin from 10 till 11. I then have a very early big lunch (often I haven’t had breakfast - I know, skipping breakfast is bad and unhealthy!) at about 11. At 12, I start writing and write until about 6.30 pm, when I stop to say hello to my family and cook dinner. Oh, all right, then, I don’t actually cook - we eat out a lot and get takeaway a lot too. I write the first drafts of my books between November and end of May every year.
Samantha Graham Arts Editor As with fashion, we are always looking back for inspiration. This year has been no different, with the arrival of retro-esque photographs. They are instantly recognisable around Facebook by their faded, cross-processed look (remember your parents’ old photos from the 60, 70s and 80s?!) and their square shape with a vintage frame. This retro trend in photography has seen a rise in the popularity of cheap and technically obsolete analogue cameras, as well as Smartphone software that emulate such cameras, to create different effects. It seems we are in a mobile photography movement where applications are making it quicker and easier for us to create artistic photographs, without having to spend a fortune on editing programmes. One app called ‘Instagram’, a free photo sharing application for iPhone, allows users to create retro-style photos by applying different effects or filters. In homage to both the Kodak Instamatic and the good old Polaroid, it reformats photos into a square shape. Photos can then be shared through social networking sites and there are worldwide ‘InstaMeets’ where app users can gather to exchange tips. The Vaccines are even asking people to tweet their Instagram festival pictures so they can use them in their music video for ‘Wetsuit’.This app’s success has been huge. As of September 2011 it had acquired almost ten million users with a team of just six employees. Another iPhone app called ‘Hipstamatic’ recreates the experience of using the original Hipstamatic 100 camera, for a small price. Using the iPhone’s camera to shoot square photographs, it applies a number of filters to make the images look as though they were taken with an antique film camera. The Hipstamatic brings back the look, feel, unpredictable beauty, and fun of plastic toy cameras of the past. It keeps the quirks of shooting old school but gives the ability to swap lenses, film, and flash settings all with the swipe of a finger.The founders of the original of the camera would be very proud to know that they have influenced a new generation of people that love to capture moments in time and pay tribute to what they wanted to do 25 years ago. Will this see the end of digital cameras and editing software? One thing is for certain, digital photography really has never looked so analogue.
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What’s On...?
| badger-artspages@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
If you want to see your event on these pages, contact the Badger Arts team with the venue, date and time of your event, a short description, and any relevant images. Send your request to badgerartspages@ussu.sussex.ac.uk by the Tuesday of the week before your event is happening at the very latest.
Monday Societies
Film
Theatre
Club Night
Open Auditions for ‘RENT’ SMuTs will be holding open auditions for this year’s musical, ‘Rent’, so come along and give those vocal chords a public airing.
Melancholia Check out the new film by Lars von Trier, backdropped by the end of the world, starring Kirsten Dunst who won Best Actress at Cannes for her performance.
End of the Rainbow Tracie Bennett puts in a moving performance as Judy Garland in this Olivier award nominated show, telling the tale of her struggle to reclaim her former glory.
Fat Poppadaddy’s at Lola Lo Award winning DJs play an absolutely massive selection of indie, 60s, hip hop, funk, 80s, dub step and reggae, mash it all up and keep the dancefloor packed full.
Mandela Hall, Falmer House
Duke of York’s Picturehouse
Theatre Royal Brighton
Lola Lo
2-8pm
3pm, 5,30pm
7.45pm, From £17.50
10pm-3am, £1 before 11.30pm
Music
Societies
students union
Tuesday Market
Societies
Library Square Market Come down and get locally sourced organic vegetables to fill your cupboards, or purchase second hand books that aren’t actually on your reading list.
What is Anarchism? Talks by anarcho-syndicalist organisation Solidarity Federation, Sussex students and academics, and the Squatters Network of Brighton, today.
Library Square
Fulton 104
Pavilion Theatre
Fulton A
9am-5pm
5pm
7.30pm, £4
6pm, £Free
Source New Music Brighton Dome’s new bands nights put the spotlight on some of the biggest names on the city’s vibrant music scene.
Film Appreciation Society’s First Screening! Come along and have your mind boggled by critically acclaimed film ‘Memento’ at this free screening.
Wednesday Societies
Open Mic
Club Night
Club Night
Show Choir Hear the mellifluous beauty of Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass coming together in Show Choir’s first rehearsal.
.Open Mic Night at The Marlborough
Poundance Does what it says on the tin - £1 drinks, £1 entry, every Wednesday at Digital.
Fuzzy Logic ‘It’s not right but it’s okay’ - it is certainly okay to experience Oceana’s biggest night for students, although you will certainly feel ‘Fuzzy’ the next day.
Falmer House Common Room
The Marlborough
Digital
Oceana
6pm
8.30-11pm
Open stage for you and your instrument, or story/poetry/act. Drink deals all night for performers
11pm-3.30am, £1
Thursday
9pm- 3am, £3.50/£2.50 Sports Teams brighton university, grand parade, room
204
7pm
Worship
History
Gig
Gig
Theatre
Students at St Peter’s Worship, friends, food and goodie bags with Matt Redman and Martin Smith - all totally free!
Poetry workshop - Black History Month Sussex alumnus, Dean Atta, had two goals: to write and to work with young people. He is now an award winning poet/playwright and is very excited to be returning to Sussex. Free
Ed Sheeran His hair is very ginger and his songs are very nice: newcomer Ed Sheeran comes to one of Brighton’s best live music venues for one night only.
The Horn The Hunt The Horn The Hunt’s influences run the gamut, from the shadowy drama of Kate Bush and David Lynch, to the jagged snarl of Rammstein.
The Kitchen National Theatre is broadcast live around the country, giving us the chance to experience Arnold Wesker’s 1950s drama in the comfort of our local cinema.
St Peter’s Church
Debating Chamber
Concorde 2
The Hope
Duke of York’s Picturehouse
7.30pm, £Free
6pm, £Free
7pm, £10
8pm-11pm, £4
7pm
societies
Gaming
Comedy
Music
The Badger writers’ meetings Want to write for the Badger? Come down and meet our friendly editors every Friday to pick up a story or share your ideas.
Fifa 12 in Falmer Bar Gaming pods will be set up in Falmer back bar from 10am - 5pm, come along to win goodies and have a go on the game
Comedy Festival Gala The Opening Night Gala will be kicking off the Comedy Festival in style - hosted by the amazing Jo Brand with comedy legend Jack Dee heading up the spectacular line up.
The Who Tribute WHO tribute Who’s Who, return to Komedia to perform the Who’s greatest hits, Pinball Wizard, 5.15. I Can See For Miles, My Generation Substitute and many more.
Friday
the
badger
falmer house
Falmer Back Bar
Brighton Dome Concert Hall
Komedia
1.30pm
10am-5pm, £Free
8pm, £25
7.30pm, £12.50
Film
Music
club night
Gig
Saturday theatre
Tyrannosaur Paddy Considine’s directorial debut takes an unflinching look at one man’s submission to rage and violence - emotions that threaten to consume him.
Birthday Celebrations Celebrating 50 years of Amnesty International and 30 years of Wateraid: featuring Dr Bluegrass and the Illbilly 8, The Beautiful Word and Qukulele.
Life’s A Gas A brand new club night featuring ‘70s glam, glitter, beat, bubblegum power pop and punk
Terrorvision You might remember the hit song ‘Tequila’. Here’s the chance to hear it in live, surround sound glory as Terrorvision play prior to the release of their new album.
pavillion gardens
Duke of York’s Picturehouse
The Hope
Komedia
Concorde 2
12pm, 2.30pm & 5pm, free
4pm, 9pm
7.30pm- Late, £6
11pm-3am, £5
7pm, £15
Societies
Music
Art
Music
LGBTQ Roast & Cabaret What Sunday would be complete without a roast dinner and a bit of cabaret? LGBTQ Society heads into town to eat good food and sing sweet music.
Polish Party Marysia Band Live Polish music, free, at one of Brighton’s friendliest venues!
Art Deco Fair For those of you artistically inclined, come along and sample the pretty delights on offer at the Art Deco Fair.
Substance Underground Krater Comedy Club Electronic music with tribal drumming - sounds Eat, drink and laugh with some of the funlike an interesting combination. niest guys and girls in town, at the hottest venue for stand up comedy in Brighton.
Charles Street
Ouch! Bar
Hove Town Hall
Audio
Komedia
2pm
7.30pm, £Free
10am-4pm, £3
10pm, £3/Free
8pm, £5 Student Special
Sunday Comedy
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| badger-science@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
Faster than light Neutrinos: fact or theory? Matt Malloy This week, the international physics organisation known as CERN published revelatory claims that a sub-atomic particle broke physical laws first solidly established by Einstein by travelling faster than the speed of light. The particle, known as a neutrino, was accelerated from a CERN installation in Geneva to another in Italy, but was picked up by the detector there 60 nanoseconds faster than would be expected if it was travelling at the speed of light. Such a discovery would be remarkable if it were to be proved correct, with potentiallyenormousconsequencesfor the way we currently interpret physics at the most fundamental level. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity dictates that the speed of light is a value which no particle can possibly exceed, with mass and energy becoming interchangeable values as the speed of a body begins to become equal to lightspeed. It was from this incredible insight that the famous expression E = MC2 was derived. For years, this theory has been one of the cornerstones of modern scien-
tific research and theorising. From speculations on the possibility of time travel to simple energy calculations, almost every field of science references or builds on from Einstein’s work in some way. The theory has remained almost unchanged for all this time. Recently, with the introduction of quantum physics (a branch of physics that Einstein, as a classical physicist, did not embrace) the Theory of Relativity has already been found to become less and less applicable when used in the context of very small particles. At the furthest boundaries of quantum science, particles exhibit unusual behaviour that cannot yet be satisfactorily explained. The idea of a sub-atomic particle being able to achieve faster-than-light (or FTL) velocities is not necessarily a new idea. “Tachyons” were first proposed in the 1960’s by physicists as a theoretical expression of this exact property. However, specific tests to find these particles have always returned no conclusive result; until now, perhaps. As with every discovery in science, no hasty conclusions can be adopted. CERN will most likely be analysing every aspect of the experiment for a
long time and communicating with labs across the world in an effort to make such an unusual and groundbreaking result reproducible. Any amount of different factors could come into the reading obtained. Neutrinos are notoriously difficult to detect and the machinery needed to accelerate particles to such huge velocities and then record the results so accurately is vastly complex.This leads to a significant number of potential errors that must first be ruled out. The question still remains: what if the findings are accurate? We must be careful not to simply discount Einstein’s theory as “wrong”. Theories are, by definition, simply the best way of expressing a concept logically as according to our understanding. They are designed to be adapted and improved upon as fluidly as possible and in fact encourage revision and development rather than permanent conformation. If correct, the discovery of FTL neutrinos would not be the demolition of everything Einstein’s theory represents, but instead the natural and exciting progression of it into something ever more fascinating.
these ideas are being challenged by animals and researchers all the time. In the last two decades, Sue SavageRumbaugh - a primatologist - has been working with a particular group of Bonobo Chimps investigating their ability to learn language. Two fascinating Bonobos named Kanzi and Panabanisha have shocked the world with how readily they have acquired language and they continue to amaze with their understanding of language and their desire to communicate with humans. Kanzi initially attended lessons with his mother, Matata, who was being
taught to use a lexigram. A lexigram is a special kind of keyboard containing pictures of objects and concepts. Kanzi’s mother Matata showed little interest in the lessons. However to the great surprise of the researchers, Kanzi acquired the skills without being taught, merely by observing his mother. This made Kanzi the first ape ever to learn language naturalistically and not through direct training. Overtime with the aid of Kanzi, Panabanisha - Kanzi’s adopted sister - was also able to learn to communicate using the lexigram. They now have a vocabulary of a few thousand words and have continued to astonish those around them with their ability to communicate and understand. Kanzi in particular has a great understanding of humans and a genuine desire to communicate with them and this may be the driving force behind his incredible intelligence. In one instance, when walking through the woods, Kanzi stopped, turned to Sue and pointed at the symbols for ‘fire’, ‘stick’ and ‘marshmallow’ in his lexigram showing his love of human traditions and marshmallows! Not only does Kanzi understand many of the things that humans do but he also seems to have acquired the ability to appreciate the emotions associated with words as they are communicated. A visiting journalist showed Kanzi her hand which was missing one finger and explained this to the Bonobo, this prompted Kanzi to point to his symbol for ’hurt’. Though this seems like an obvious link to make,
Could we have proven him wrong? Photo: anengineersaspect.blogspot.com
Talking chimpanzees?
Hamish MacDougall Language is the pinnacle of evolution; it has allowed humans to communicate with each other and to build a complex network of interactions which has resulted in the world we live in today. For as long as language has existed, so has the idea that it is an entirely human concept. Many philosophers such as Descartes believed it to be what separates us from animals. Pet owners may have sat at home on many occasions willing their pets to speak and however ridiculous it may seem,
Who’s teaching who? Photo: aidforafrica.org
to infer the mental state of another through language is a sign of great intelligence and very few animals are thought to have this ability. Though Kanzi’s ability to communicate using the lexigram is truly remarkable it is not quite as complex as vocal communication. Though animals often use sound to communicate, it is not thought to have semantic meaning. In the past apes have been taught to use sign language, but what makes these particular chimps special? As mentioned earlier Kanzi had an adopted sister named Panabanisha who also had learnt to communicate using the lexi-
pointed to a picture of yoghurt on her lexigram! This was remarkable; it was a clear sign that there was some actual meaning in the vocalisations of the chimpanzees! However don’t get too excited: this does not mean that Kanzi will ever be able to speak English, the differences in the sizes of our vocal tracts would never allow it. But if Kanzi and Panabanisha may speak to each other with meaning, what about other Bonobos? The question now is whether they learnt to speak to each other because of learning the language of the lexigram, or whether we are simply beginning to understand
They now have a vocabulory of a few thousand words gram. In a cunning experiment they were separated into two rooms where they were not able to see each other. A microphone was placed in Kanzi’s room and a speaker in Panabanisha and the sound was piped from one to the other. Kanzi was shown a picture of yoghurt and after his vocalisations were played to Panabanisha, incredibly with no other cues other than Kanzi’s vocalisations, Panabanisha
their language with the aid of Kanzi and Panabanisha who have the ability to both communicate with chimps and humans. Whatever the answer, there is no doubting the truly remarkable abilities of both Kanzi and Panabanisha and the exciting new possibilities of discovering other animals that are able to communicate using language.
Electric Einstein? Roving Rutherford? Fancy writing for the Badger science page? Write a 500-1000 word article on whatever excites and inspires you in the world of science and email it to badger-science@ussu.sussex.ac.uk.
sport
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Promotion imminent! Luke Pidgeon Sports editor The long suffering fans of Brighton and Hove Albion seem to have finally turned a corner on what has been a perilous number of seasons in both the lower leagues and at the grotesque Withdean tadium, but it’s not just football fans who are celebrating. With the opening of the Amex Stadium coinciding with Sussex’s fiftieth anniversary, there isn’t a better time for students to go out and get involved with their local team. As ground capacity has increased from the meagre 8,850 at the old Withdean ground to Falmer stadiums impressive 22,000, so too have the opportunities for work. Brighton and Hove Albion are currently employing match day stewards in the general, parking and hospitality positions. Students could do a lot worse than secure a job that pays a respectable £7.30 an hour whilst also offering guaranteed yet flexible shifts at an award winning venue (the Stadium was recently honoured at this year’s structural steel design awards). Sussex second year student Sola Ogunsola began working at the stadium in August and whilst not the biggest football fan, described his work as being; “really good, you meet a lot of different people and the drunk fans are hilarious. Also the work schedule’s quite flexible so I won’t have to balance my degree with my job”. Students are advised to apply online at Brighton and Hove Albion FC website, www.seagulls.com/page/ jobs.
The Amex Stadium Photo: Anex Stadium Website
Sussex Sport Facts No. 1: “You do not have to choose between sport and study!” All union sports matches take place on Wednesday afternoon. This is an afternoon kept free from lectures and seminars by the university to allow you to take part without sacrificing your studies.
Focus on ... women’s basketball
Sussex Sport Facts No.2: “There is a club membership price freeze!” Before 6pm on Friday 14 October (the end of the second week of term) you’ll pay £50 for full sports club membership or £35 for outdoor pursuits membership. After this date, the prices will go up so hurry up!
Focus on .... Canoe club Luke Pidgeon Sports editor We, at the Sussex Canoe Club are a white water kayaking club welcome to
on the weekend 21 – 23 October. We arrange the trips to be progressively harder for everyone to learn at the ideal pace, but are still challenging enough for any level of paddler
Charlotte Dalton Team Captain We’re one of the university’s most successful teams; winning the gold medal of the BUCS trophy competition in the 09/10 season and being quarter-finalists in 10/11. We train twice a week; Tuesday 6.30-8pm and Friday 5-7pm and play our fixtures on Wednesdays. This year we’re looking to win the league and push for promotion and are looking for players who can help us achieve this. But don’t worry if you’re not ready for competitive basketball, our Friday training sessions are open to players of all skill and ability. You can try the sport, improve your fitness and skill level, and meet some great friends! We go out for team meals once a month, and also go on nights out in between. After training on Fridays, we head to Falmer Bar with the Men’s Team for dinner and a chat. If you’e interested in playing Women’s Basketball at Sussex, come along to a training session or email Charlotte at cd226@sussex. ac.uk or Steph at sn222@sussex. ac.uk for more info!
Pool sessions take place every Monday, and we meet at the car park in front of York House at 7.45pm
Women’s Basketball Team form a huddle Photo: USSU Activities Website
all levels of paddlers from complete beginners to experts. We are perhaps, the most popular and the most diverse paddling club you can find in Sussex! As a club, our aim is to provide, to everyone who joins, good training in control techniques to allow everyone in the club to enjoy safe white-water paddling. It is not a problem for anyone who has never paddled before to join the club, as we teach in a swimming pool to develop control and confidence in a nice and warm environment. We organise three trips a term, usually to either Wales or Devon and usually, at the end of the university year, we head to the rivers in the Alps. Our first Canoe trip of the year will be surfing at the Gower (South Wales)
to enjoy. The club can provide most necessary equipment and all safety equipment required. We do not just paddle on the term trips! Recently, over the summer 18 of us travelled around Europe camping through Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. A few members of our club have also frequented the new Lea Valley White Water Centre at Waltham Cross. We also have the opportunity to go on training weekends for white water qualifications. We arrange the kit and the transport, so you just need to bring yourselves, four pounds, and a swimming costume! For more information, head to www.sussecanoe.co.uk
October is
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
With support from the University of Sussex & Brighton & Hove Black History
THURSDAY 6TH OCTOBER POETRY WORKSHOP 6pm. Debating Chamber, Falmer House, Sussex Uni Campus - FREE STUDENTS’ UNION RECOMMENDS: VOODOO FUNK 8pm - late, the Brunswick Pub, Hove £5 FRIDAY 7TH OCTOBER BRIGHTON & HOVE BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT: WRITING OUR LEGACY 7pm - 10:30pm, Unitarian Church, Brighton £6/£5 TUESDAY 11TH OCTOBER FILM SCREENING: DO THE RIGHT THING 6pm, Fulton A, Sussex Uni Campus - FREE
THURSDAY 13TH OCTOBER STUDENTS’ UNION RECOMMENDS: FISH FRY 11pm -3am, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar, Brighton - £3 FRIDAY 14TH OCTOBER BRIGHTON & HOVE BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT: UNITY DANCE & COUNTDOWN SOCIAL CLUB 8pm - 4am, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar, Brighton - £5 TUESDAY 18TH OCTOBER LECTURE: ‘THE CRISES OF MULTICULTURALISM: RACISM IN A NEOLIBERAL AGE’ ALANA LENTIN 1pm - 2pm, Arts A5, Sussex Uni Campus FREE FILM SCREENING: MALCOLM X 7pm, Arts A103, Sussex Uni Campus - FREE
THURSDAY 20TH OCTOBER LECTURE: ‘THE ANC IN OPPOSITION AND IN GOVERNMENT’ SAUL DUBOW 1pm - 2am, Fulton 103, Sussex Uni Campus FREE
FRIDAY 21ST OCTOBER STUDENTS’ UNION RECOMMENDS: YE YE FEVER 11pm - 4am, Green Door Store, Brighton - FREE SUNDAY 23RD OCTOBER BRIGHTON & HOVE BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT: INDIA GATEWAY CEREMONY 2pm - 2:30pm, India Gate, Pavilion, Brighton - FREE TUESDAY 25TH OCTOBER FILM SCREENING: INJUSTICE 6pm, Fulton A, Sussex Uni Campus - FREE
WEDNESDAY 26TH OCTOBER BLACK HISTORY MONTH SHOWCASE 6pm - 8pm, Falmer back bar, Falmer House, Sussex Uni Campus £1/£2 THURSDAY 27TH OCTOBER LECTURE: ‘AN INCLUSIVE HISTORY OF BRITAIN? LINDA BELLOS 6pm - 7:30pm, Arts A2, Sussex Uni Campus- FREE FRIDAY 28TH OCTOBER DIWALI Venue TBC - PRICE TBC SATURDAY 29TH OCTOBER BRIGHTON & HOVE BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT: LEGACY FILM FESTIVAL The Old Courtroom, Brighton - VARIOUS £ SUNDAY 30TH OCTOBER BRIGHTON & HOVE BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT: FAMILY FESTIVAL 1pm - 10pm, Hove Town Hall, Norton Road - FREE
W A K E U P. B R U S H Y O U R T E E T H . E AT B R E A K F A S T. D O THE DISHES. GO TO THE GYM. GO TO A SEMINAR. GO TO W O R K . N O M I N AT E Y O U R S E L F. M A K E LUNCH. PICK UP T H E K I D S . TA K E THE RECYCLING. DO COURSEWORK . B R U S H Y O U R TEETH.GO TO BED. There are positions open for; Representative Officers, Student Reps (in partnership with the University), Union Councilors & Union Trustees. Make a difference to the Sussex community and nominate yourself today. For more information visit www.sussexstudent.om/elections or come along at 15:00, 5th October for an open meeting in Fulton 101