Vision 237

PAGE 4

THE UK’S MOST AWARDED STUDENT NEWSPAPER

YORK VISION Tuesday October 29, 2013

Issue 237

vision@yusu.org

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SPORT - BACK PAGE

FEATURE PAGE 17

FINANCE CRISIS PUSHES HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS TO THE BRINK

Scene

HALLOWEEN ISSUE

EXCLUSIVE: SURVEY REVEALS BASIC SAFETY STANDARDS NOT MET BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR

WITH 85% OF UNIVERSITY CURATED PRIVATE SECTOR HOMES RIDDLED WITH HAZARDS AND ONE QUARTER WITH POTENTIALLY FATAL FLAWS, YORK VISION ASKS:

HOW SAFE IS YOUR HOME?

POTENTIALLY FATAL health and safety violations are rife in accommodation on the University of York’s landlord accreditation scheme, a compliance study has

FEATURE: York’s Most Haunted (pg.18)

SCENE: Interview with Lizzie Clio (Scene pg.16)

revealed.

85% of the sampled houses had problems, with a quarter of homes containing a Category 1 hazard. Category 1 hazards included extreme temperatures, potentially fatal structural issues and failure to comply with basic safety requirements. [continued on page 5]

SPORT: Brown launches Key Contacts scheme (pg.26)

2 NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday October 29, 2013

YUSU ADVISE DERWENT JCRC TO DROP BIG-D AFTER EVENT MAKES £25000 LOSS

CANCEL-D VISION CAN exclusively reveal that YUSU have advised the Derwent JCRC to drop Big-D, due to massive losses over the last two years.

Big-D, widely recognised as Derwent’s flagship event, made a loss of £25,000 in 2013, rising from a loss of £17,000 the year before.

Chris Judge, DJCRC Vice Ents has told Vision: “Though last years Big-D underwent format changes, feedback about the event was overwhelmingly positive. Events are a cornerstone of Derwent’s identity and we are always trying to give our college the best experience possible year on year. As a JCR event for our students, this year’s event will take shape around the needs and requests of Derwenters and as always our JCRC will be at the forefront of this.”

YORKVISION

The UK’s most awarded student publication Editors: Joanna Barrow Patrick Greenfield

Deputy Editors: James Scott Tom Davies

Digital Editors: Morenike Adebayo

Managing Director: Patrick Greenfield

Scene Editors: Angus Quinn Karl Tomusk

Photo Editors: Oona Venermo Jack Western

News Editors: Leon Morris Jack Gevertz

Features Editors: Zena Jarjis Callum Shannon

Sports Editor: James Pascoe Dave Washington

Deputy News: Selina Pope Beth Child

Deputy Features: Barto Joly de Lotbiniere Goh Zi An Galvyn

Deputy Sports Editor: Ella Howman Dean Bennell

Comment Editors: Michael Cooper Lizzie Roberts

Lifestyle Editors: Helena Horton Maddi Howell

Chief Sub-Editor: Becky Boyle Karl Tomusk

Deputy Comment: Will McCurdy Joonsoo Yi

Deputy Lifestyle: Helena Schofield Bianca Marcu

Advertising Editors: Charlie Benson Olympia Shipley

Scene Editorial list in pullout

Front page photo: Jack Western

Opinions expressed in York Vision are not necessarily those of the Editors, senior editorial team, membership or advertisers. Every effort is made to ensure all articles are as factually correct as possible at the time of going to press, given the information available.

Copyright Vision Newspapers, 2013.

Printed by Mortons of Horncastle.

Photo credit: Jack Western

TUITION FEE RISE FUELS UNI PROFITS

Profits rise to £8.7 million, accounts confirm Research funding also behind substantial increase UNIVERSITY PROFITS have risen to £8.7 million, annual accounts have shown. A large rise in tuition fee revenue and a 7.3% increase in research funding drove gross turnover to a lofty £290 million.

Despite the rise, research funding has still not recovered to its pre-financial crisis levels.

Helena, a first year language student, commented: “For those of us paying £24,000 or even £36,000 for a degree, it is vital that the increase in profits is put back into the university for students. It should not be an added bonus but a compulsory procedure.”

The upturn in profits means that the university will gradually start making down payments on its outstanding debts.

The figures also reveal that staff numbers have increased by 66, boosting the number of university staff to 3,176. Approximately half of the new staff filled academic positions.

Josh Oldham, an outspoken socialist Maths student stressed the importance of paying new non-academic university staff

the living wage. “I think it’s outrageous that the university has not signed up to the scheme.”

While the University of York has not signed up to the Living Wage Commission, non-academic staff are currently paid more than the living wage.

In 2012, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Green Party leader Caroline Lucas and author Richard Wilkinson pledged support for York’s Living Wage campaign.

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday October 29, 2013

JAMES COLLEGE CHAIR MADE TO RESIGN

FORCED OUT Decision to force Dexter Clarke to resign may be unconstitutional James College JCRC left in limbo after ‘confusing’ decision JCRC Committee upset by University interference

Photo credit: Jack Western

OUSTED JAMES College Chair Dexter Clarke could be reinstated as soon as today after it emerged that his forced resignation due to a leave of absence may have been unconstitutional.

The JCRC Committee constitution stipulates that any student of James College can remain as College Chair as long as their absence does not exceed a year.

Kate Dodd, Academic Registrar of the University of York, took the decision to relieve Clarke of his du-

“Dexter has done some fantastic work as Chair of James College and it is unfair on him” ties on Thursday evening after it was revealed that Clarke would be taking a backdated leave of absence from June 2013.

The backdated nature of the leave of absence makes it longer than a calendar year; it is unclear whether the JCRC rule refers to an academic or a calender year.

It is common place for part-time YUSU officers to retain their posi-

tions during a leave of absence but the College rules have rarely been tested.

James College has a notoriously understaffed JCRC, with 12 unfilled positions out of a total of 23 currently vacant.

Ellie Lomas, Vice Welfare Chair

“What is really going on in James College JCR?” of James College, commented: “The very sudden news that Dexter has had to step down has caused a lot of confusion for the rest of the JCRC members. Dexter has done some fantastic work as Chair of James College and it is unfair on him and the rest of the JCRC to ask him to step down when there is only a short time of his term as chair remaining.”

College elections take place in December and Clarke’s time in office would not coincide with his time away from the university.

“We are all just as confused as everyone else at the moment,” Rory Mercer, Student Development ViceChair, added.

“We can’t understand why this is happening now with 5 weeks left until the end of term. We’re trying to get on with planning events, as well as overseeing some significant

changes to the committee for the future, which is increasingly difficult with all this going on. It’s really just come at the wrong time.”

Caitlin, a third year politics student, said “It’s obviously a huge breach of the James constitution.

However, you have to think about why we’re in this situation. What is really going on in James College JCRC?” “Clearly there are some outstanding concerns with how this whole process should be dealt with - and that’s concerning to the point of just how far the student voice actually goes.” Kallum Taylor, YUSU President, commented.

“Dexter’s well-being here comes

“Dexter’s well-being comes first. There needs to be absolute clarity on a student’s situation” first though, and I think there needs to be absolute clarity on a students’ situation should they enter leave of absence. The confusion here is embarrassing and hasn’t helped anyone at all.”

Kate Dodd was contacted by York Vision’s News Team but was unavaliable to commnet before going to print.

3

4 NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday October 29 2013

YORK VISION EXCLUSIVE

HEALTH SCIENCE CRIPPLING CASH CRISIS Student’s rent forces parents to re-mortgage home, another quits course because of debt burden Cash-strapped students resort to high interest loans to complete course Students complain over ‘stressful’ situation after university offers limited financial support

[continued from front page] One student has even had to quit the course because of the financial challenges. “My monthly income is lower than my travel expenses and thus I am having to quit my course despite being academically and vocationally capable. It’s very crushing to be told as a mature nursing student to find part-time work when my placement hours do not allow this.”

Worryingly, 42.6% of respondents reported spending over £200 a month on travel to and from placements. 10% of the students questioned spend over £350 each month on course related travel.

Even though some students can claim back travel costs, over 55% of respondents reported that they had to wait over 7 weeks to receive reimbursement.

“Myself and other students have had weeks where something has to give- food or travel. It’s not right that we should have to make that choice!” one angry trainee nurse explained.

“The problem needs tackling if we’re serious about our students’ wellbeing and, well, selfrespect” Many Health Science students also highlighted difficulties with public transport as bus and train schedules do not favourably coincide with the structure of the working day. A university run bus service has been suggested as one alternative, with more general support with travel being demanded. “[I] resent the fact that there is NO help whatsoever. We are just supposed to get there no matter the cost which for many of us is a very stressful position to be put in,” a desperate midwifery student commented.

A large percentage of those surveyed complained that means testing for travel expenses was inappropriate. “My parents have remortgaged their home in order to help me pay rent while I struggle on what little I get. It is presumed that if our parents earn over a particular amount that they will/ can support us. This is not always the case.”

Unlike many other courses

Health Science degrees run for 47 weeks per year and are both academic and vocational. Vocational placements last 12-15 weeks and students are expected to work the same shift patterns as full time NHS employees. Nurses and midwives are also expected to complete a day of theory at university while on placement.

“My parents have re-mortgaged their home in order to help me pay rent” Amy-Eleanor Bascombe, a third year mature student and a single mother, said “a simple apology is not longer acceptable. All we ask is that we are given every opportunity to get the most from our training and be supported to become the best nurses we can be.”

Bascombe, last year’s Course Rep of the Year, recently appeared on BBC Radio 4 to discuss the current failures of NHS bursaries in supporting Health Science students. In September 20th, thousands of students in the UK did not receive their bursary payment on time and several student struggled financially as a result.

“What NHS bursaries fail to comprehend is that even when payments are made on time students are struggling to pay rent and buy food and afford to get to placement. When the payments didn’t come many students were immediately in debt. Bank accounts overdrawn, bills not paid or late. Students having to use quick payout companies, credit cards. This also means that when the payment does eventually arrive the value of that money is decreased to cover the additional debt. A simple apology is no longer acceptable.“

“A simple apology is no longer acceptable” Bascombe continued: “Myself and my colleagues are proud to be student nurses, proud to be studying a degree and consider it an honour to be learning from lecturers and qualified nurses throughout our course. All we ask is that we are given every opportunity to get the most from our training and be supported to become the best nurses we can be. Surely that

Photo credit: Jack Western is what everyone should want for its future NHS workforce.”

Kallum Taylor recently met with MP Frank Dobson to discuss this issue and has been a loud voice in supporting the Health Science students.

“Here at York, these students clearly prop up the University’s (at best) acceptable figures on recruitment of students from poorer backgrounds. York can and should do more not just to help these students.”

“The problem needs tackling if we’re serious about our students’ wellbeing and, well, self-respect.

Taking on the ‘waiting game’ burden to expenses reimbursement would be a start – where the institution immediately reimburses the student, and then the institution places to claim with the NHS. Further, a meaningful change to the financial/hardship support on offer should be looked at for these students specifically.”

Taylor continued: “This should not be seen as a headache, but a massive opportunity to do a lot of good and avoid further silent crises amongst these students. The research we have backs up what everyone has been thinking for a while – and ‘understanding’ the problem is no longer enough.”

If you are interested in supporting Health Science students at York, sign Amy-Eleanor Bascombe’s petition “Introduce a fourth student loan payment for Health Sciences students” at change.org.

UP YORK

University scores highest ever NSS rating York-led bid for PhDs ahead of Oxbridge NATIONAL STUDENT Survey (NSS) 2013 results show that the University of York achieved one of the highest scores in the Russell Group.

The University scored its highest ever rating on ‘overall’ satisfaction with 89%, one of the highest scores in the elite university group.

The score for ‘teaching’ was above the national average with 90%. The University of York Senate also announced at the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) was 2% above the Russell Group average and 4% above the 1994 Group average,

with a rating of over 85% satisfied.

On quality and supervision York did particularly well.

In addition, an announcement by the Arts and Humanities Research Council reported that a York-led bid for PhD studentships was ranked ahead of Oxford, Cambridge and the London colleges, making it the highest in the UK. David Duncan, Registrar and Secretary, commented “We can make a strong claim that York is the best place in the UK to study for a PhD in the arts and humanities”.

The 25 teaching departments have been asked by the Vice Chancellor of teaching and learning to analyse their results and develop action plans where necessary.

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday October 29, 2013

5

YORK VISION EXCLUSIVE

HOUSING DEATH TRAP Health and safety violations risking lives of students in university approved accommodation University admits the situation is ‘disappointing’ in exclusive statement to Vision Proposed YUSU letting agency to replace fatal Private Sector List

[continued from front page] To appear on the favoured Private Sector List, landlords must confirm that their accommodation complies with the University’s Code of Practice. Figures obtained from City of York Council reveal that half of the sample failed to comply with the University’s Code of Practice.

“The house I lived in last year didn’t even have a fire alarm when I first visited,” a third year Politics student commented. “The landlord did change it as a condition of us living in it, but the fact the house was on the uni list, was being lived in by students at the time, and failed the most basic health and safety test in the book doesn’t say much for the Private Sector List.”

Megan Ollerhead, Chair of UoY Socialist Society and leader of the successful YUSU letting agency motion, condemned the findings: “By advertising these properties, the university has completely failed in its duty of care towards students. It’s disgusting that, whether knowingly or not, it offers housing options to students in which the overwhelming majority have problems.”

“During the campaign we spoke to over 800 students, most of whom had experienced some

kind of problem with their housing. This is a vindication of the necessity of the work we’ve done with the student letting agency proposal. The current university system cannot continue putting the well being, and even the lives, of its students at risk.”

The proposed YUSU letting agency would replace the flawed Private Sector List, aiming to reduce letting costs, guarantee better accommodation and only promote responsible landlords.

“I know one person in a uni accredited home that had been put in an attic room, and the access to that room was a ladder propped up on a landing,” said Jack, a History of Art student at York. “That meant that when it was checked, the room was literally boarded up and the person was moved into the living room.”

“The house I lived in last year didn’t even have a fire alarm” “Accommodation Services recognize that there are substantial issues with the Code of Best Practice,” George Offer, the YUSU Welfare Officer, commented. “Simply put, they do not have the capacity to check compliance amongst code properties and chase up landlords. Living in a code property with a Category 2 hazard myself, I’ve seen first hand the problems

this causes.”

YUSU, the University and the City of York Council are working together to produce a better ac-

“Accommodation Services recognise that there are substantial issues” creditation system. “This scheme would be more stringent and at least 10% of accredited properties would be randomly checked every year,” Offer continued. “We’re pleased that Accommodation Services also back it. For the moment, I encourage all students in code properties to complain and follow their complaint up to ensure compliance.”

In response to York Vision’s exclusive, the University stated: “Accommodation Services advertise more than 300 properties and carries out a number of compliance visits each year. While the number of properties which did not comply is disappointing, Accommodation Services, the Code Committee and YUSU are working hard to ensure landlords address areas of non-compliance. If a student resident has concerns about a Code property, they should contact Accommodation Services for advice. Accommodation Services will contact the landlord if student residents wish to make a complaint about a possible breach of the Code.

“The Code standards are higher than legal requirements.

The Code has been developed in partnership with City of York

Council, York higher education institutions, Student Unions, York Residential Landlords and independent student landlords.”

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH LEON MORRIS NEWS EDITOR

I

was shocked too when I heard about the survey’s findings.

But then I thought, am I really that surprised? The university risking fatal flaws in private student housing? Okay, that’s pretty serious, actually.

I’m glad the university has admitted to it’s failings in this matter - and we’re not even talking about private accommodation for once! To expect students to move out of their over-priced halls into private accommodation, admit it. There’s this idea that all of our problems will go away! Of course, there always will be problems with private housing, such as sorting out bills between one another and finding the money to pay for 12 months of a year.

But what we do not expect is a fatal Category 1 hazard in the home itself. The condition of most student housing in York is, quite frankly, shocking.

Let’s look at our options. It may come as a shock to you but I have never been a fan of a Student Union Letting Agency. The idea is ridiculously nonsensical, protectionist and doesn’t make economic sense. Even so, YUSU will be the judge of that.

We have the university which is a valuable, yet pointless option. They’re most likely going to continue sucking money out of our future bank accounts and spending it on things we really don’t care about.

There’s always the Council?

But, what exactly do you think about that?

My feeling is the Council will never really be that student friendly, considering we make up such a small proportion of a bustling city - we’ll always remain lesser to the overly conservative residents of York.

There are probably more options than this. The point is, we do have them available to us, we just don’t always think about what we deserve sometimes. Really, enough is enough. We really need housing that is fit for living in - and not just for lodging in temporarily.

6 NEWS TWEETS OF THE WEEK Mike Anstey @Mike_Anstey “How much longer is this phucking YUSU referendum going on for? I’m sick of seeing it everywhere FFS! Who cares!!!!”

ISA President

Witherleaks @Witherleaks “Mr Witherow on the Vision bucket list: [reads aloud] “Go home with a BNOC... Well I’ve gone home with myself”?”

Tom Witherow parody

Cass Brown @Cassandraa Brown “So glad I abandoned my career path in journalism in first year...”

York Sport President

THIS WEEK has been a good week for LGBTQ students, especially Trans students. Cass Brown, York Sport President, has been working with YUSU LGBTQ, NUS, BUCs and York Sport to implement safe spaces for Trans students in York Sport and gender neutral teams in sports. Officers have commented that Cass has done more for LGBTQ students in half a term than the previous Presidents did in a year.

GOOD WEEK BAD WEEK

THIS WEEK has been a bad week for brutalist architecture.

The University has announced that it will be demolishing most of the concrete buildings that give York its idiosyncratic feel.

Concerns have been raised about whether the new buildings will provide affordable accommodation for students.

YORK VISION

Tuesday October 29, 2013

CLIMATE OF FEAR

Violent assaults in City Centre carried out most in October

Student speaks with anguish after being ‘threatened with knife’ DATA RECEIVED through the Freedom of Information Act has shown that the largest number of cases of violent assault committed in York City Centre for the past two years occur in the months of October.

In the two-year period that this data covers from September 2011 to August 2013, a total of 1,511 cases of violent assault were committed in the surveyed area, whilst 1,042 arrests were made.

The findings come after York was ranked as the 49th most dangerous University in the UK in a survey by Amazing That earlier this year.

One second year Chemistry student, who asked to remain anonymous, told Vision their story: “The first time I was threatened with a knife, because apparently I ‘looked at him funny’ on a night out. ” “The second saw me pinned up against a wall by my neck and I had to kick him until he let go so I could run away, again as I was

Photo credit: Jack Western walking home on a night out. They were terrifying experiences, but fortunately, I was unharmed.

“The figures and my experiences are quite startling, as everyone thinks that York is a really safe place, but sadly it is not always.”

A particularly dangerous month appears to be October, and in October 2011, 84 crimes were committed under the sub-category of “Violence against the person” in the ward York City Centre and

East, whilst 56 arrests were made.

This number of crimes was the largest for any single month between September 2011 and August 2013.

Meanwhile in October 2012, 77 cases of violent assault were committed, and as a result, a further 70 arrests were made. Figures for October 2013 are unavailable.

October sees Freshers Week occur at the Universities of York and York St John, thus creating the po-

tential for more cases of civil unrest in the city centre, with clashes between locals and students. However, the data does not breakdown the number of these crimes that were committed by or against students.

YUSU’s Welfare and Community Officer George Offer told Vision: “Although there is a clear elevation in rates of violent crime during the month of October, which may or may not be due to the beginning of the new academic year, I think the figures are actually very reassuring with instances of violent crime during October falling between 2011 and 2012.”

“The suspect title of 49th most dangerous University according to the Complete University Guide puts us well into the safest half of the 83 Universities ranked in their list.”

York was rated the third safest University city in the UK by a separate Complete University Guide study this year.

Report any emergency crime you fall victim to by calling 999. The non-emergency number is 101.

DIRTY OLD BROWNS UNI FUNDING BOOST Browns given ‘worst possible’ rating FSA: Urgent improvement required

LOCAL SANDWICH shop and favourite student haunt Browns of Heslington is the not so proud owner of a 0 out of 5 Food Hygiene rating, Vision can reveal.

The rating, awarded by the Food Safety Division of the City of York Council on the 13th May 2013 is the worst possible which can be awarded under Food Standards Agency system and signifies that “urgent improvement is required” in the business’s food hygiene standards.”

The system was launched in November 2010 by the FSA in a bid to help give consumers “an idea of what’s going on in the kitchen or behind the scenes.”

“I’d rather get Salmonella than venture to Alcuin” Meanwhile, YUSU is preparing to open its latest campus café facility, The Kitchen on November 11th leading to speculation that the Union may be attempting to directly compete with the ever popular Brown’s.

Certainly, The Kitchen will be filling a similar market to Brown’s, serving sandwiches and other snack based or lunch related foods.

It seems that this news will do little to dissuade at least one student from frequenting Browns.

One second year Sociology Student, Bethany Payne told Vision, “I’d rather get salmonella than venture across the University Road to Alcuin.”

Development Fund soars by £400k New app among initiatives included THE UNIVERSITY has increased the Student Development Fund budget by £400,000 to £2.4 million.

The spending hike will help to expand and continue the winter internships for recent graduates of the university and upgrade and improve the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

It will also help to extend the digital recording of lectures to more lecture theatres.

Registrar David Duncan commented: “Students tell us this [digital recordings] is something they find really useful, and would like us to prioritise.”

An app will also be developed, helping students with iPad tablets and mobile devices.

Additionally, access to WiFi coverage, which Duncan hopes will mean students don’t have to roam “to access the internet”, will also be accelerated.

Lucy Harling, a first year applied social science student, said: “These are great ideas. I have a memory like a fish so the digital re-

cording of lectures in lecture theatres will be useful.”

Aisha Hussain, a computer science and maths student told Vision, “I think it’s great the University are providing resources for students who happen to miss a lecture or two, so they won’t feel at a disadvantage or feel they’ve missed out.”

“Students tell us this is something they find really useful” The fund, which provides the university with additional income to “enhance” the student experience, was used in 2012-13 to ensure 24-hour opening of the library, night-time staffing and the abolition of charges for college sport.

Meanwhile, other on-campus investments include a £400 million injection into a Heslington West upgrade.

Money will be pumped into the science department, new accommodation blocks, and new state-of-theart teaching facilities.

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday October 29, 2013

DERWENT DEMOLITION

Colleges sent to scrapheap in £400 million Heslington West redevelopment University warned not to ‘cut corners’ in bid to speed up project VISION CAN exclusively reveal university plans to demolish the bulk of Derwent college and parts of Vanbrugh and Wentworth as part of a £400 million redevelopment scheme on Heslington West campus, aimed at making York one of the best campuses in the UK. The university plans to retain student accommodation on the West campus as parts of the redevelopment process, but standalone accommodation blocks are likely to be demolished and replaced with new accommodation.

‘CLASP’ buildings, the concrete panelled buildings which make up the bulk of Derwent and Vanbrugh, are widely considered to be environmentally unfriendly.

Nucleus buildings will be refurbished or demolished, depending on their condition.

Thomas Ron, YUSU’s Disabili-

ties Officer “welcomes the redevelopment of Hes West.”

“Some areas are an embarrassment,” he told Vision. “This is an important area of the university; it needs to be refurbished and the fact that the uni is taking this in hand is important” “However, the university must make sure they can implement these changes in a timely manner and that they do not cut corners, especially with accessibility, as that will disadvantage students and end up costing everyone more money.”

“However, if done properly, this could be a major improvement, as many areas of the older buildings are completely unaccessible.”

Fred Weld, first year Economics and Finance student, told Vision, “It’s one of the most ugly buildings I’ve ever seen in my life, but because it’s so grotty, that’s what makes it Derwent. I’ll be sad to see it go.”

Vanbrugh Chair, Joshua Trea-

cy, gave Vision his mixed reaction to the development.

“A bit of student consultation wouldn’t go amiss” “I do hope that something will remain of the (perhaps misplaced) optimism of the late sixties/early seventies that is evident in the bizarre layout of the campus. Nonetheless, the Hes West architecture is in desperate need of modernisation.”

“The college-nucleus layout in Hes East seems to work well. It will be interesting to see if that is replicated.”

“My main hope is that there are plans for new ‘economy’ accommodation to take the place of the current cheap-and-cheerful CLASP halls.”

“What we don’t need is a University where you can’t find a

room for less than £120 per week.”

“There should be less focus on producing shiny rooms for conference goers and more on offering better choice to the already strapped-for-cash student.”

“A bit of student consultation would not go amiss.”

Councillor for Heslington Ward, David Levene told Vision, “Given how much students are now paying for their degrees, it’s right that the University are looking to improve the quality of accommodation on offer. However, this is currently some of the cheapest accommodation on campus and the University should take care that living on campus remains affordable and that they are not pricing anyone out.”

The university also plans to build a new state-of-the-art teaching facility in the heart of the campus (near the Berwick Saul building) and the library will receive a further extension towards the end of the decade.

TFTV SUCCESS NO CASH FOR YU Students attain national awards Higson: “tremendous success”

NATIONAL ATTENTION has been directed to York’s Department of Theatre, Film and Television (TFT) as the first Bill Vinten Guild of Television Cameramen University Award.

Ed Gammie, was also awarded best Camera Operator, while his fellow York student Oliver HadlowMartin was one of two runners up.

The Award is presented to the university that exhibits cinematographic excellence in both content and craft skills, and is judged on a single portfolio of film or video in at least three different genres.

Ed Gammie, said: “It was a fantastic evening.”

“Just to be invited to an event celebrating camera work with so many experienced industry members was a privilege, but to actually win exceeded all expectations. It is a credit to the Department of Theatre, Film and Television at York, not only for providing students with superb facilities and equipment, but also continuous support from the professionals on the staff throughout.”

“It is a real platform for talented and creative individuals to meet

and develop ideas, without which, none of this would have been possible.”

Professor Andrew Higson, Head of the University’s Department of Theatre, Film and Television, told Vision: “This is a tremendous success, with the University of York practically sweeping the board, and it underlines just how good our students, our teaching staff and our facilities are.

“Having top flight industry professionals on our staff has enabled us to set - and achieve - very high standards.”

David Hickman, who leads the cinematography teaching in the Department, also gave his comments: “There was some very strong competition from other universities, but these terrific awards to Ed and Ollie were no real surprise because their work was superlative.”

Other recent successes include Rosy Deacon winning the Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award for her TV drama Shards, which she developed on the Individual Project: Scriptwriting module. Rosy, who graduated from the course with a First, will be going to New York for the International Emmy World Television Festival to collect her award and $2,500 prize.

YUSU funding low in Russell Group Duncan: ‘YUSU is well supported’

YORK UNIVERSITY Students’ Union (YUSU) Trustee Reports reveal that YUSU is the third least funded Students’ Union in the Russell Group.

The report states that “the block grant provided to us is the third lowest of all Russell Group institutions on both a per capita and net total basis.”

Kallum Taylor, YUSU President, tells Vision: “The entire YUSU Trustee Board agree that if we’re not better supported financially, we won’t be able to pursue the extra provisions our members demand.”

“One clear case is with our welfare provision. Case work has shot up over the last year or two, but we’ve been unable to expand in order to meet that.

“If the University actually started to recognise us as a selling point, they’d see and reap the benefits of a properly funded Union. We have so many student-led activities and events going here, more per head than any other SU in the UK.” He adds, “One staff member in this area, for 17,000 students, in a Russell Group University that

wants to be going places, is a disgrace.”

However, David Duncan, Registrar and Secretary for the university, disagrees with YUSU and comments: “The comparison with other Russell Group universities doesn’t take into account the fact that York has a separate (and separately funded) association to represent graduate students (GSA), or that funding is provided to committees at college level.”

“Also, YUSU does not pay rent on its main offices, whereas many student unions in other universities do.”

On the nature of YUSU’s commercial acumen, David Duncan states: “It [YUSU] has also built up substantial reserves, which run to several hundred thousand pounds, which it carries over from one year to the next. Overall, therefore, all the evidence is that YUSU is well funded and well supported.”

Changes may also be made to the way colleges are funded under the new College Student Association model. The university told Vision: “we would not rush into changes without full consultation with all parties - especially to structures which have endured for the last 50 years”.

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e Which Part-Tim look to id sa is er fic Of n’s own like one of Visio rs? ito Ed es ur at Fe

Which College Chair had a tiff with one of their Vice-Cha irs outside of Willow ?

e Which Part-Tim to Officer referred of a YUSU as “a bit joke”?

Which sporting BNOC went home with someone he defin itely shouldn’t have after Salvo last week ?

Which Nouse eir editor broke th to g in nc da e kl an Bootylicious in Willow?

7

8 NEWS

YORK VISION

STRIKE SET TO HALT UNI

Tuesday October 29, 2013

Vision's James Scott looks at the wicked nature of storms, the beauty of travel lodges and a surprise encounter with skinned pheasants in a communal kitchen.

Staff to stage walkout on 31st October in row over pay Students left in limbo after uni unable to forecast disruption

Student Press Its stormy times across the UK University press this week as Universities from Southampton to Cambridge (basically just those in the South really) hunkered down for the worst weather since 1987/2006/last year.

“STORMAGGEDON”, screams the Southampton Tab while Oxford’s Cherwell actually set up a live blog to cover in real time the end of society as we know it. Well if you’re reading this the University is still standing, so yippee for that.

Moving on, as fresher’s across the country settle down into the banal drudgery of University life, student media outlets have been largely moved away from the traditional ‘fresher’s week woes’ stories.

Yet inevitably the hangover from that infamous week inevitably still lingers

"

Stormy times across the UK University press

THE UNIVERSITY is braced for a strike on the 31st of October with management admitting that they are unable to accurately forecast the level of disruption and which lectures will be cancelled.

The national strike has been called by the University and College Union Union (UCU) representing lecturers, and the Unison and Unite unions representing non-academic staff.

The unions rejected a 1% annual pay rise offered by the Universities and College Employers Association (UCEA) arguing that they have already suffered a realterms fall in income over the last four years of 13%, while UK Universities continue to enjoy an operating surplus of £1 billion.

As a result of the dispute, the University sent out an email to all students warning them of potential disruption.

However, as the unions have advised their members not to inform the University if they are striking, and staff are under no obligation to do so, the University has admitted that it is currently

"

on, especially when it comes to that age old problem of accommodation. We might complain about accommodation in York, but we have nothing on the unfortunate students of Anglia Ruskin University (that’s the other University in Cambridge by the way) whom TCS reports, with just a little schadenfreude perhaps, have had to move some students to the local Travelodge due to an accommodation shortage. Yet even this has its perks as these unlucky students are recieving treatment that most York students could only dream of. Their room are cleaned once a day and they also receiving a daily bowl of fruit.

Being a member of a ‘second’ University doesn’t prevent you from living the high life.

Student newspapers across the country have been agog at the news that four Oxford Brookes fresher’s have been cautioned by the university warden for plucking the feathers of 17 partridges they had hunted in broad daylight outside of their block, creating a terrible mess, before hanging them upside down in their communal kitchens and bedrooms. The tweed jacket wearing quartet insisted the University, had overreacted and that they had broken no rules, but one wonders whether they had forgotten which University they were actually attending.

unable to accurately forecast what the level of strike action is likely to be and which lectures are likely to be affected.

However Vision understands that some striking lecturers have ignored these instructions and have already informed students that their lectures will be cancelled.

One lecturer and tutor who didn’t want to be named told Vision that he hoped an agreement could be made and the strike called off and he would try to ensure that his students’ studies were not disadvantaged yet he could not stand by while his pay and conditions were eroded.

“What I want is my employer to stop eroding my pay” “What I want is my employer to stop eroding my pay by awarding below inflation pay increases.”

“At the same time me and my colleagues are noticing an increase in our workload. Result: we are working harder for signifi-

MAKE MY THREE HOUR SEMINARS HISTORY

3-hour History seminars met with anger Reintroduced following 10-year absence

THREE HOUR seminars for third-year History students have been met with outrage following their reintroduction in a bid to combat low contact time.

The group discussion period, which rises from two hours, was criticised by the Daily Mail in May for making up less than 8 per cent of the course.

Several undergraduates have contacted Vision with concerns that the one-hour increase means the seminars are now difficult to “engage” in.

“It’s too long. It’s more difficult to stay engaged for three hours,” Rosie Litterick, an angry thirdyear history student, commented.

“We get breaks but some tutors give us ten minutes whilst others give us half an hour.”

Another student said that they were struggling to keep a discussion going for such a ”long period of time.”

The History Department is currently in contact with students about these issues, and has taken

the complaints on board.

Mark Roodhouse, a lecturer in Modern History, commented: “We are monitoring the reintroduction of the three-hour seminar for third-year special subjects. I have received one complaint to date from a cohort of approximately 270 students.”

In response, Rosie said: “The department got back to me very swiftly and has been very fair.

They have done all the right things.”

Course representatives, students and their tutors will be involved in the reintroduction process with a staff-student open meeting being run to allow students to raise concerns directly.

“I’ve invited the student who complained to do so [attend the meeting]. I will be meeting with newly elected course reps this Tuesday and will seek the views of third year reps on this very issue,” Mr. Roodhouse added.

The department says a reason for their reintroduction is responding to “student calls for more contact time”.

Three-hour seminars were originally dropped in 2003.

cantly less money while senior university managers award themselves inflation-busting pay raises and gold-plated pension deals.”

The University remains confident that disruption will be kept to a minimum, University registrar David Duncan told Vision “in past strikes less than 10% of staff have informed us that they participated, we have no reason to assume that this year will be any different. We encourage both sides to get around the table and agree a way forward that avoids future disruption.

“We will withhold pay from staff who participate in the strike.

All withheld pay will be contribut-

ed to the student hardship fund”.

This proposed strike has a mixed response amongst students, some of whom are not disrupted while others who welcome the disruption. Mark James a third year Chemistry students told Vision “I’m not affected at all, no-one is going to be striking, there may be some technicians on strike who much up the labs, but that won’t affect me as I don’t have any labwork that week.”

Tom Woofenden a third year politics and English student was even more relaxed about the prospect of a strike “Well all I can say is my 9am seminar is cancelled, so I’m looking forward to the lie in!”

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday October 29, 2013

DON’T WALK OUT ON-US

Students in three-year vote on NUS membership NUS President calls on York to back membership after three unis cut ties

YORK UNIVERSITY Student Union’s membership to the National Union of Students will be up for debate in Term 3, York Vision can confirm.

The membership is debated every 3 years and all York students will have the opportunity to vote on the motion.

The affiliation was last reviewed in May 2011 when 751 voted to stick with the NUS and 263 voted to leave. Students Unions at Imperial College London, the University of Southampton and St Andrews are the most notable institutions that have chosen to disaffiliate.

Toni Pearce, President of the NUS, commented on a recent visit to the University of York: “I think that York should stay as part of the NUS because it is more relevant than it has ever been to students. A lot of that’s about a realisation that you have

to give different people different things. We have to focus on what it is that students want, not just the students that shout the loudest. We only have that power if we have 600 student union members and 7 million student members.”

Tom, a second year Politics student, disagrees with Pearce and thinks YUSU should disaffiliate. “I don’t see why YUSU cannot adequately represent the students of this university without retaining membership of an increasingly politicised and out of touch NUS. Why should the students of York continue to support what has essentially become a training academy for the Labour Party?”

Pearce, a member of the Labour Party, asserted that the NUS’ financial benefits are becoming increasingly important to students.

“I know that students, whether they are in York or anywhere else in the country, are worried about the cost of living whilst

Toni Pearce on a recent visit to York

Photo: Oona Venermo

they’re at university and if they’re going to get a job when they leave. Those are the things we should be concentrating on so those are the things we are concentrating on. We are making massive changes.”

Gender Accessible Politics

Society (GAP) are also expected to propose a motion that would balance YUSU’s NUS delegation to at least 2 out of 5 officers are female.

The exact dates of the Summer Referendum will be announced shortly.

NOT PUTIN UP WITH IT GOLD STAR FOR FIRMS Students urged to ditch Russian vodka Pressure placed on YUSU club nights

Scheme aimed at integrating students Taylor: Could be a win-win for members

of LGBTQ people anywhere in the world is not acceptable and should not go unchallenged,” Alex Wright said.

“The boycott of Russian vodka is a symbolic move and part of an international movement to show a united stance against the appalling treatment of LGBTQ individuals in Russia.”

On-campus YUSU bars, including D-Bar and V-Bar, have confirmed that they do not sell Russian vodka.

Up until the launch, a number of on-campus events will also be held, including a photoshoot in week 5 and banner making in week 6.

For more information, and to sign-up to help the campaign, you can see the Facebook event by visiting the #ForRussiaWithLove page.

the Student Living Wage.

Taylor further comments: “Essentially it [the scheme] will save students money, give more opportunities for students to make money, make life easier for local businesses whilst also celebrating those who fully embrace our members.”

YUSU will also be putting pressure on student-friendly business to limit the number of hours a student can work to a maximum of 16, unless “it suits a student at a particular time of the year”.

Each case will be assessed individually, and businesses will be ranked on a bronze, silver, or gold status.

The implementation of a ‘Student Skills Exchange’ will consist of a database of students who want to put their own skills and expertise on the market.

The database will be advertised on either the YUSU Website or the UoY Careers website but YUSU has admitted it “may need to be set up by a separate company” to host these students.

YUSU hope that the business scheme will also entice business owners to work closer with student entrepreneurs.

In their plans, YUSU hopes business owners will “offer advice and guidance” to York’s student entrepreneurs whilst also stocking their goods and co-promoting services.

A BOYCOTT of Russian vodka has been encouraged by members of the LGBTQ community at YUSU club nights.

Campaigners Daisy Hale and Alex Wright want the Students Union to encourage Kuda, Tokyo, Club Salvation and Vodka Revolution to discontinue sale of the alcoholic beverage after the Russian Parliament voted to pass a law imposing heavy fines on information given about homosexuality to under-18s.

The movement, which officially launches on Sunday of week 7, aims to ‘raise awareness of human rights violations’ against the LGBTQ community in Russia.“Our aim is to show that violating the rights

York University Students’ Union (YUSU) have announced their first ever “Student Friendly Business Scheme.”

The scheme, broadly separated into two parts, will aim to integrate students into the city and community of York.

The scheme, which consists of both focusing on creating Student Friendly Businesses and implementing a Student Skills Exchange, will be the first of its kind in York.

Kallum Taylor, commenting on his manifesto pledge, tells Vision “If done in the right way, it really could be a win-win situation for our members and also local businesses. It has the potential to transform how York interacts with students for the better, and will take our current Student Community Partnership Strategy onto a whole new level.”

The focus on Student Friendly Businesses is described by YUSU as “a celebration of businesses which do things which are ‘student friendly’”. These include being located in “safe spots” and providing special offers to students.

YUSU hopes that businesses will give students priority over part-time job openings, when available, whilst paying students

?

YUSU YUSU Insider Insider

9

ALL RIGHT HOMIES, YUSU Insider is BACK. I’ve been working really hard for you all, getting all of the juiciest and the most utterly riveting gossip. I don’t have much, to be fair - not compared to the last edition.

Anyway, let’s get to work and tease the i’s and muck the t’s, as it were. Not sure if you’ve noticed (of course you haven’t), but there have been a number of motions put forward to referendum two weeks ago.

Whilst hysterically boring (I hear eight people turned up to the debate), there are a few sneaky problems with them. Firstly, colleges are essentially being abolished (well, Derwent is being knocked down - didn’t you hear?). YUSU are replacing JCRCs with things called “Student Associations”.

What this actually means is that everything that a college committee decides on now will be pointless - utterly pointless. Why? Because we’re looking at commandeering and appropriating everything colleges do of course!

Yes, yes I know we’ve let you have a college referendum, but we don’t really care to be honest. Your apathy can easily be remedied by some clever governance trickery, a little bit of duplication and some legal changes...

Okay, so what do I actually mean?

Well, I’m talking about events. It’s going to be great for us (YUSU). Haven’t you already noticed what we’re doing? Did you forget that we kept changing pretty much all of your events during Freshers Week to match up with our utterly terrible Live and Loud “gig” this year?

Why? Trust me, I’ve seen the colleges finances. I mean, we need to look after ourselves as well, you know. Have you not wondered why the sponsorship deals have been so interesting this year? Sports Presidents - did you not think about the sponsorship deals you were signing?!

Anyway, on another tangent - the Campaigns Officer has been under a little pressure recently, eh? We’re basically getting rid of him (didn’t you hear he was a terrible LGBT Officer?). He gave us a feeble bark (I heard he was “ill” again), but we’re glad this blight on “democracy” is running off to fulfil his CV elsewhere.

Also, it turns out some college chairs aren’t happy with us either - especially with our own KT, our beloved leader.

Not sure if this is because they’re just looking to appear as mavericks ready for their ascension to the throne (YUSU Pres of course), but I’d imagine it’s because we’re taking away power from their colleges and bringing it to YUSU - finally! These people are power crazy anyway.

We’ve also got college events in our sights. If we have our way, Big D will be reduced to a lighthearted picnic with casual street performers and a Welfare approved conga. I can’t wait to see the look on their faces. Ms Dynamite tee hee hee hee!

Okay, I guess I must finish for now but on one last note, taxis! They’ve been a little bit of a nightmare for us recently. I mean, seriously guys? Can’t you all just ring 659659 to make our lives that little bit easier? It’s not as if we have an *exclusive* contract to fulfil or anything! Sort it out York.

10

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday October 29, 2013

YORK VISION EXCLUSIVE

CONSTANTINE COLLEGE PLANS REVEALED

Image Credit: Evans Property Group and leedsstudio

VISION CAN exclusively reveal the plans for Constantine College nucleus, due to open October 2014 next year.

Constantine College, the third college to join the Heslington East campus development, is set to accommodate 621 students.

Vision has been informed that Constantine College’s JCRC and Second and Third Year Contact (STYC) system will be open to all university members.

Tom Clark, a second year History student, gave his view on the new JCRC system: “It looks like this will not only enable and encourage more students to get involved in JCRCs, but will result in Constantine being run by the best people the University has to offer - hopefully ensuring its first year is a successful one!”

The move to open up the college committee and STYC positions has been received with a mixed reaction from Langwith College Chair, Sam Maguire.

“In many ways, I am excited by Constantine College. It will add a lot to the Heslington East campus in terms of making it even busier and the facilities that are to be built around it.”

“However, the university has to realise that college spirit isn’t an instant thing - it develops over time. I am unsure how good the support will be for new students.”

“STYCs are there to ensure peo-

ple have a safe freshers week, but also to integrate new students into college life. How can the university expect that to happen in a brand new college?”

“College spirit isn’t an instant thing - it develops over time” On his recommendations to the university, Maguire told Vision, “I hope the university will finally see, when they try to make freshers week work in a brand new college, the value of the service that volunteers in colleges put on with little or no support from the University.”

The University is still undertaking discussions to build shops and a medical centre on the Heslington East campus.

The discussions come following an announcement by Sainsbury’s earlier this month that a new supermarket is set to replace DIY store B&Q on Hull Road.

It will mean that the inhabitants of Langwith and Goodricke who do not currently have access to groceries as easily as their counterparts on Heslington West, will.

Sainsbury’s head of town planning Brian Moore expressed delight at the opportunity of opening a new store when speaking to the York Press.

DIAL-M-A

Derwent M Block crippling under maintenance crisis Student complains over rain ‘leaking’ onto her face A STRING of malfunctions and breakdowns have left the residents of Derwent M Block forced to call out maintenance on a regular basis.

In one case, Philosophy and Linguistics student Joe Williams was suprised to discover on his arrival in M block an incomplete room which didn’t contain either a desk or a chair. “It was rectified quickly, but to be honest, it really shouldn’t have been an issue in the first place,” he said.

Other complaints include one student who was awoken early in the morning by rain falling onto her face, which was leaking in from her ceiling. In another case, one floor had to run all kitchen appliances from one plug socket after the kitchen’s electricity supply cut out for four days, which created significant difficulties as catering facilities were closed for the weekend. The power outage also disabled the kitchen door alarm.

The block also had Internet connectivity issues. Several Der-

Photo credit: Jack Western went students students found that their Ethernet connections were faulty. Jon Barrow, a PPE student, did not have an Ethernet connection for the first three weeks: “I had one square foot of wireless connection. Considering I share my room and I’m 6 foot 6, my roommate and I couldn’t both fit in it!”

Another PPE student, Hugo Thompson told Vision how his

room was full of wasps: “There was often four at once! I did report the problem, and it seems to have stopped now, thank goodness.”

Derwent College is the oldest accommodation complex on campus. A number of blocks have undergone a partial renovation in the last two years; however, M block is yet to see such renovation work.

11 COMMENT

YORK VISION

COMMENT

Tuesday October 29, 2013

www.yorkvision.co.uk/comment comment@yorkvision.co.uk

A RESPONSE TO RACISM IN YORK HOW SHOULD WE REACT WHEN WE ENCOUNTER BIGOTRY?

CALLUM SHANNON @YorkVision

H

ow should we respond to racism?

Even in the socially liberal 21st century, some people still seem unable to get past the fact that not everybody is (in appearance at least) the same and people still seem ignorant of other cultures. When faced with people like this, with extremely dated and ill-informed views, what is our reaction? Well, mine surprised me.

When I moved to York I barely travelled 30 minutes down the road. However I’ve been exposed to more cultures in a few weeks than I have the rest of my life since I arrived, coming from Pickering, a small town in rural North Yorkshire, one of the least ethnically diverse counties in the country. And I’ve loved every minute of it.

I’ve found meeting people from all walks of life a real eye-opening and interesting experience and some of my new best friends are foreign students.

However, it doesn’t take long to learn that not everybody is comfortable with the multicultural mosaic that modern York is.

Whilst shopping with a friend in town, I got my first taste of racism. In a local shop, my

friend (who is Korean-American) was asked if he was Chinese by an employee and even after explaining that he was American, the shop assistant proceeded to talk to him as if he spoke no English, even going as far as offering to buy his phone for £5 and when he declined this offer, they increased it to “500 shiny pennies”.

I was totally shocked by the encounter.

Who was this person to treat somebody (let

Despite usually being very outspoken, I was stunned into silence alone a potential customer!) in this way?

But what shocked me the most about it was my reaction. Despite being very outspoken and usually having no qualms about telling people what I think of them, I was stunned into silence.

We promptly left the shop but I’ve felt extremely guilty ever since about not saying something to the shop assistant. It also shook my faith in my home county somewhat, whatever happened to Yorkshire

hospitality? (My friend later told me it was probably the most racist encounter of his life and he’s from a deeply conservative part of the USA) and this made me feel even worse about my lack of clout.

I’m a firm believer in the idea that the world’s problems don’t go away if we ignore them, so why did I react the way I did?

Well, I blame it on the fact that I’ve never witnessed first-hand racism before and therefore had no idea how to respond - like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

In future I will tackle such people’s views head on, but it got me thinking just why do we respond like this?

After speaking about the issue with a few people, I began to notice three main reasons why people say they do not respond to racism. Firstly, like myself, some people simply didn’t know what to do. Secondly, some think that what they say won’t make a difference. Thirdly, and most dishearteningly of all, some people simply think that it isn’t their problem.

In response to this, here are my thoughts on the best ways to tackle racism. First off, racism is very much your problem and if you think otherwise, just think how easily it could be you on the receiving end of some xenophobic nonsense and how you’d like other people to react.

Remember that in a functioning society one person’s problem is everybody’s problem. Not acting out of mere apathy is unacceptable.

FURRY FRIENDS

LIVING WITH “VERMIN” ON CAMPUS IS CHARACTER BUILDING

PATRICK GREENFIELD

I

@Greenfpa

will never forget the day I listened to my father batter a rat to death with a spade.

The loud squeaks, the desperate scrambling and my poor father’s sunken face still stick with me. The rat in question had been harassing my aged rabbit, Sniffles, and he had to go. Sniffles passed away in 2006 and it was a turning point in my attitude to cohabitation with other animals. I really, really hate vermin - especially rats.

Excluding the standard university pests, I now live alongside a colony of slugs, an occasional mouse and my neighbour’s arrogant cat. Yes, the cat is vermin and it deserves the same level of persecution as the nocturnal slugs that interrupt my housemate’s visits to the toilet.

This edition’s Freedom of Information request about vermin at the University of York (page 17) has revealed that our campus is as infested as Sniffles’s rabbit hutch.

Unfortunately, my father does not have the time to take a spade to every rodent that is guilty of chewing through the IT Department’s fibre optic cables.

But maybe I am wrong about vermin. I have always been fascinated by television programmes about devoutly religious Hindu men who share their food with street rats in India. Despite not viewing rodents as my ancestors, anticoagulants, hypercalcemia and rats do not necessarily have to mix. The Hindu gentleman on the Discovery Channel had a point.

After all, we are the alien invaders on campus. Every time we complain about goose attacks, hungry rats, silverfish and ants; it’s not really their fault. The university is a nature reserve and we really should just get over it.

tic bee to fly down my throat. I panicked, fell off my bike and nearly got hit by a car. I am still not open to reconciliation.

Even so, we do not have to worry about them for now. With autumn, once cocky bugs are enveloped by the inevitable cold and York’s student body can finally roam the campus at ease.

No longer are we plagued by hormonal mother goose and her devilspawn; the wasps and bees have buzzed off for another year. All we have now are sleeping ducks, the rabbits in Alcuin and the odd bat. Autumn is the least animal-intensive term of the year. Nonetheless, we have to remem-

Secondly, don’t underestimate the impact you can have. If we don’t act upon small cases, the offenders will carry and may even spread their bigoted views. Saying something WILL accomplish more than saying nothing.

Also, it is obvious to us and any rational person that racist views are misguided. If we can see this, why not them? You’ll be surprised the impact questioning their views will have.

Saying something WILL accomplish more than saying nothing Finally, we must look at exactly how to respond to racism, so that if you are forced to react, you will not be as unprepared as I was.

I’ve thought it over and I’ve concluded the secret is to be firm in your criticism, but not confrontational. That way you’ll cause them to rethink their views without things turning nasty, which won’t help anyone. As for what you actually say, in my opinion it doesn’t really matter as long as you get the point across: what they said or did was unacceptable.

ence and while I would rather not see students sharing their dinner with the various geese and rodents that surround their accommodation, please do make an effort with them.

Finally, in case you’ve got this far and you’re worried about my father’s aforementioned antics, please don’t. I doubt he’ll read this but if he does, he is the best person I know, made better by his uncompromising paternal protection of Sniffles.

After all, we are the alien invaders on campus. Every time we complain about goose attacks, hungry rats, silverfish and ants; it’s not really their fault.

Saying that, insects are undoubtedly an exception. I think bees are the only nice insects and even they have wronged me. I doubt even those Indian men hang out with bumblebees. When I was 9, I was cycling through the Norfolk countryside singing to my heart’s content, only for an opportunis-

ber that even in the spring, angry mother animals mean that we get cute goslings and bunny rabbits.

This winter we must all try and be more accommodating to the animals with whom we share our campus (apart from insects).

They’re an integral part of the York experi-

Cartoon: Theodora Burden

12 COMMENT

YORK VISION Tuesday October 29, 2013

KEEP MY TWEETS OUT OF IT

THE VOICE OF

YORK VISION

STAND UP FOR YORK’S HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS

T

he NHS and its tireless staff are a vital part of Britain, and the University of York’s Department of Health Sciences produces some of its finest staff.

The midwives and nurses that study at York go on to deliver thousands of babies, save countless lives and allow the elderly to die with dignity. Their plight should unite us all. It is unacceptable that hardworking, capable students have to choose between food and placement costs, with some even leaving the university because of the unsustainable financial burden.

Amy-Eleanor Bascombe’s work detailing the failures of the NHS bursary system is truly impressive and her appearance on Radio 4 last fortnight highlighted many of the hurdles Health Science students have to overcome just to complete their course.

Nursing and midwifery placements are scattered around North Yorkshire. Travelling between York and Scarborough for weeks while completely gruelling shifts is no mean feat. The average student has no grasp of the emotional, academic and logistical demands of these courses and it is time they were shown more respect.

No student should have to decide whether to pay bills or eat because travel costs are so high. The majority of Health Science students spend over £200 a month on trips between their placement, university and home, with little financial support provided by the university. This must change.

Health Science students are vital to the University’s diversity statistics, improving the white, middle class reality of many parts of campus. Put simply, they allow University management to paint a far rosier picture to anyone who will listen.

A regular, coordinated bus service to and from major hospitals, with more flexibility about the location of the placement must be a priority. YUSU President Kallum Taylor brought the issues to MP Frank Dobson last week. It is a problem that must be solved nationally.

YUSU INSIDER: AN APOLOGY

L

ast issue’s YUSU Insider gossip column provoked lots of complaints and we would like to apologise to all York students for printing the article. We got it wrong. York Vision is a very diverse, accepting newspaper but we did not fully appreciate the consequences of speculating about an individual’s sexuality.

We fully support the work of YUSU’s LGBTQ Network and two members of our editorial team attended a meeting to discuss the article and resolve the issue. We have made the appropriate changes to our editorial process and we will discuss the mistake with the YUSU team that review our work before publication to make sure this never happens again.

OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILE SHOULD NOT BE AN ALTERNATIVE CV

TOM A-C

@IamTomAC

A

t what point did our private lives become of interest to the general public? “Anybody in York got any draw?”

This was a status I saw on Facebook the other day, and I did not think anything of it; until someone commented “Your political career is literally over.” Now this made me think a lot about people’s memories – the worst thing about the internet is the fact that once you’ve written or searched for something, it is there for good. Our private lives are becoming public in the modern

Your Facebook and Twitter are alternative CVs so to speak era, and this has become problematic for when we apply for jobs; all of our secrets are out somewhere in the depths of cyberspace.

In this day and age of unemployment and metro liberal society, we shouldn’t give potential employers a reason to choose someone else. Your Facebook and Twitter are alternative CVs so to speak; employers are now free to have a little gander to make sure you’re not part of the KKK or a Holocaust denier group.

This, in my eyes, poses various problems.

Firstly, is it anybody’s business whether you believe the Holocaust happened or not? If you are applying for a job as an IT technician in Nottingham, will it really affect your ability to fix computers if you think that six million Jews were simply hiding away in attics as part of some vast tax avoidance scheme? In my eyes, this won’t affect it in the slightest. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t agree with those views any more than you do, hopefully.

However, as long as they don’t impede on your work or your colleagues work, is it really any of your employer’s business?

We have seen a fair amount of this in the media recently, with MPs feeling the blow worst of all. From David Blunkett’s affair with The Spectator publisher in the early noughties, to Liberal Democrats Home Affairs spokesman Mark Oaten and his resignation after it was revealed he paid rent boys to perform sexual favours for him. I may be the only one who thinks this but who really cares if you’re getting a cheeky HJ in exchange for a few quid?

If someone is good at their job (for the record I am not saying either Blunkett or Oaten were good) then it shouldn’t matter if they like to get tied up in a gimp costume and get whipped by dwarfs in Newcastle United football kits in a basement in South London. As long as they turn up on time and do a good job, surely their private life is their private life, regardless of their position in government or society.

The second problem is that we are not allowed a second chance. Take first impressions at university for example – they stick in people’s heads. If you make

some off-key joke about cancer victims (or something equally ‘rude’) then people will always remember you as that guy who made the sick joke. The internet is the same, you may have posted a status years ago or joined a group called ‘there aint no black in the union jack’, but it was how you felt at the time, if you do not believe it now, then does it matter what you once thought? I used to think – in my younger naïve days – that we shouldn’t allow immigrants into England, but now I don’t even believe in borders. Should I really be remembered for my once ridiculous beliefs?

I suppose having worked in kitchens concreted these views deep in my head. I

As long as they turn up on time and do a good job, surely their private life is their private life, regardless of their position in society have worked with reprobates, but my god they can cook. They turn up, having had no sleep still high as a kite off cocaine and whiskey, slurring and smelling like George Orwell in 1920s Paris, but as soon as a rail full of orders come in they smash it out like nobody’s business. Maybe that is the point; as long as someone can do a job, regardless of what that is, let their private life be private. We have to respect this or what will become of society and the world?

MO MONEY MO PROBLEMS THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND IS RIGHT: ECONOMICS MUST CHANGE

mICHAEL COOPER

@MichaelCooper09

T

he debate on the structure of the energy market has taken a new turn as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby has recently spoken out against energy companies. The Archbishop has told The Daily Mail that the companies have a responsibility to customers as people do not have a choice about whether or not they buy energy. This whole debate was originally sparked when Ed Miliband announced at his party conference that if his party were elected in 2015 he would put an 18 month freeze on gas and electricity prices.

Of course, as soon as this policy was announced numerous voices from the neoliberal establishment spoke out about how this won’t make ‘economic sense’ and those who support these proposals clearly do not understand economics. This made me wonder – what is economic sense? To me it seems to be the kind of logic that endorses a system whereby millions of people are permanently unemployed, thousands are paid a wage that they cannot live on or work in jobs that seem to have little or no noticeable purpose in society. Is this what they have in mind when they say economic sense?

The Archbishop seems to have spoken out because it has become increasingly clear that in this day and age morality

seems to have no place in our politics. If something does not make ‘economic sense’ then the idea is simply ignored, even if – as in this case – the living standards and sometimes lives of many of the most vulnerable in our society hang in the balance.

Ed Miliband has said himself that this market does not work, and why is that?

It is not that it does not work on a moral level; it also does not work on an economic level either. If energy prices increase to

Don’t believe that there is one ideal type of capitalism we need to conform to - there isn’t the point where no one can actually heat their homes, regardless of energy being an essential as the Archbishop pointed out, then how does the market expect to make money without any customers?

It is revealing at this point to remember that economics is not a science in any objective sense. It is based on a few assumptions surrounding human nature – in all probability these assumptions could be false and where would that leave the neoliberal fundamentalists then? We do not need to believe them when they tell us what does and does not make economic sense; an economic is not like an atom, there is more than one way to construct one.

To paraphrase the great internet philosopher and technologist Jaron Lanier, don’t believe that there is one ideal type of capitalism we need to conform to – there isn’t.

By speaking out against the Energy companies on this matter, Justin Welby has brought to the forefront one of the most interesting questions in modern politics today; how is economics going to re-engage with the politics of morality?

As we delve deeper into another decade of neo-liberal economic fundamentalism we really need to ask ourselves - is this the society we wish to live in? Is this the best we can do for our country? This is by no means an endorsement of Ed Miliband - he has failed in the past to dissociate himself with the Thatcherism that made up most of new labour’s economic policy. However, it is true to say that he has certainly identified a very significant problem in our society and touched a nerve in the process; many people may be beginning to wonder whether our current economy structure is really adequately set up to meet the needs of themselves and their families.

These are serious issues that need to be addressed but there does not seem to be the political will to follow through.

All the main parties have accepted the Thatcherite dogma and I can see little political space in which a new philosophy that can challenge these assumptions can grow but it is obvious by this debate that we are in serious need of a rethink in the way we structure our economy and how it works for the majority of the people.

YORK VISION

COMMENT

Tuesday October 29, 2013

KNOW YOUR LIMITS!

SHOULD WE ALLOW SLANG IN ACADEMIC WRITING?

LEON MORRIS

YES

@ LAMorris91

T

his is hilarious. We heard the other day that an academy school in London has banned their students from using slang to improve standards of English – words like “innit” and “bare” are a few that have been deemed inappropriate in an academic setting.

I fully understand why a number of people may be a little put off by the fact that young people are speaking in weird and wonderful ways, but isn’t that the beauty of language? Slang is just the natural progression of a language’s development. Think about it – our “Queen’s” English may be repulsive to that of a Hanoverian King, or whatever.

I do think that there could be an issue with job interviews or in a professional environment, but think about the purpose of language. Indeed, we do have correct and incorrect ways of spelling things – but isn’t that just a social construct?

Shouldn’t language be used simply to express yourself ?

Actually, I think it’s perhaps a fear of the unknown. You hear people say “speak properly darling, you don’t want to appear to be a scruff ” or whatever they

HELENA HORTON

say, but let’s think about this.

What are they actually saying?

Like, really saying?

Personally, I come from a bit of a background where slang is so normal for me. I dip in and out of that whenever I’m around people I grew up with. I love slang, I speak with slang. It doesn’t bother me, and I find it quite comforting to tell you the truth. In fact, I don’t see a problem with it at all. I am no saint, however, and I have discouraged people from speaking in a typical “York” slangy way. You know, words such as “YOLO”, “Yorkward”, “hip”, etc. I wondered for a while why I felt uncomfortable with these words and I came to the conclusion that perhaps it’s the class war.

No, no – I’m not going to talk about THAT, I really don’t have enough of a word count. I’ll be here all day talking about the repression of the working class.

But I wonder if that’s why people feel so uncomfortable with slang in academia – the fear that speaking in a “slangy” way may entrench a “new” language that is out of touch with those who have left academia, and will eventually be left behind.

NO

@YorkVision

S

lang or non-standard English certainly has its advocates – after all, Shakespeare used slang and George Eliot described Standard English as the language of “those who study history and prigs”.

I don’t say that slang has no place within the world of English; but rather that it doesn’t have a place within the academic classroom.

The fact is that there are thousands of words in English and not all of them mean the exact same thing, though we may use one as a synonym for another, it will still retain subtle difference in its meaning or urgency.

As such, we need thousands of accepted words in order to adequately capture the human experience.

If we only use slang words, of which there are fewer, experiences can begin to sound uniform and within an academic setting, do not allow us the same kind of scope in order to describe and evaluate.

Equally, if we acquire more academic, longer or different words, we can often find they can better encapsulate some-

REFERENDUH...

thing in less time which saves us on word counts!

If we stick to the same words we always use, rather than acquiring new and challenging expressions, we’re not really challenging ourselves to learn anything.

It’s akin to learning new languages in secondary school, few can deny the first time they managed to express a sentence was a little bit of a triumph even if they’ve not since been interested in that language at all.

Equally, that chunk of money we are paying is to have something to show employers that we are smart, erudite and capable.

If we are unwilling to dispense with slang, we can’t show that we are willing to communicate and that we respect someone enough to deal with them on their own level, to talk to business clients articulately about their wants, to go further into academia and acquire new knowledge or that we are learned enough to problem solve within our field to clients.

Allow that, bruv, we is paying for education to like get us jobs and that, you get me?

Yeah?

WHY ARE WE SO APATHETIC ABOUT OUR STUDENT UNION?

@helenashead

D

BETH FORREST

id you vote on the referendum this time around? Judging by the student apathy and poor turnout even with the controversial motions of the previous term, it’s unlikely that you, dear reader, cast your vote and struck an important blow for democracy. There was barely a 7.5% turnout and we don’t have the numbers on how many of them were just YUSU’s pals! Why exactly do we not seem to care about what goes on in our Union? Is it the stereotypical student apathy that we are always told that we embody? Do we care more about Willow and our Sports and Media societies than the politics that surround us, or do the problems run deeper?

Let’s talk about how the Union promotes its referenda. If any of you can explain to me or anyone else what the Democratic Reform will entail, please let me know, because all we have to go on is an 140 character tweet from KalTay and an obtuse 6 page document referring to another 30 page article in the back end of the YUSU website, referring to other obtuse documents which take hours to find and trawl through. For more information, refer to sub-section B2 on motion 5349.

Is it ‘democratic’ to urge students to vote on a ‘Democratic Reform’, when not informing

the public what the ‘reform’ entails? Ironically, part of the reform will involve getting rid of referendums, because they are ‘inefficient’ and not enough students vote in them.

Perhaps this is because, rather than students not caring, they are not being informed sufficiently, and how can someone care about something if they are not informed about what it is? The democratic reform motion highlights this – walk around campus and ask people if they know exactly what it is – hell, walk into YUSU and ask someone there who is being paid to care about it and I doubt anyone apart from Kallum or perhaps

Ironically, part of the reform will involve getting rid of referendums, because they are ‘inefficient’ and not enough students vote in them.

Dan Whitmore would be able to shed light on the matter.

In the same way, with the vacuous ‘Ye5’ campaign, it’s doubtful whether people will be voting based on their feelings towards the issue, or on the separate motions. The posters don’t even say what the motions are on them, they just say ‘vote yes to the five motions’, with the exception of the separate Housing YES Campaign. We were urged to vote based on a gut reaction to five complete-

ly different motions, some of which weren’t even explained to us, just because our officers told us to.

If we aren’t inspired to care about what we vote for, how is it surprising that we are apathetic? Perhaps it could be the fault of the campaigning behind the motions in the referendum that causes low turnouts, and the fact that the debate was only advertised the day on which it was happening, rather than referendums themselves. If the admins behind the YUSU website and social media cared less about making money and promoting club nights, and more about student engagement, it would be more likely for us to have better turnouts both in person and in terms of voting.

It’s too late now to vote, but referendums are too valuable to lose based on turnout, when this turnout could be improved by YUSU changing the way in which they try to engage students. In future they could actually explain what the issues that they want students to care about are, and they could tell us the reasons why they want us to vote, rather than just that they want us to. We don’t want empty phrases about ‘changing the Union’, we want specifics. Empty phrases breed apathy, which is exactly the problem YUSU is apparently trying to combat.

It might be easier not to care. But these issues do affect us – although despite extensive research I’m not exactly sure how. Our YUSU officers should be trying to get us to care rather than taking away the way in which we can express our views.

13

LIZZY ROBERTS

@LizzyRoberts93

E

arlier this month, a man was shot.

I know what you’re thinking: shocker. This barely ever happens.

Well actually this particular incident was a little different; the attacker wielded his gun on a packed train in San Francisco, spent time carefully choosing his victim, aimed and then fired. What was more obscure was that not a single commuter noticed until the shot was fired.

Why? They were playing all playing Candy Crush Saga of course! CCTV shows that every commuter on the carriage was distracted by some form of technology, be it an ipad, Kindle, a smartphone or just their mobile.

It got me thinking about how obsessed the world is becoming with technology.

We seem to have gotten so lost in technology that we are no longer aware of anything that is going on around us. Whilst this is a freak example of a fatal incident which could have potentially been prevented if someone had paused their game of Fruit Ninja and taken a look at the real world, it’s still something to consider. Are we becoming addicted to technology and is this a bad thing?

Without wanting to sound like the sort of woman who may represent many mothers and (dare I say) grandmothers telling people to “take your headphones out and just listen for a second!” I do think there is something to be said for this sort of attitude. I’m willing to bet that you’ve at least once in your life, texted someone in the same house (or even room!) as yourself rather than call over to them. It’s convenient right? But stop and consider for a moment the sheer amount of human contact we miss out on just from simply texting friends rather than going to have a chat with them.

Dark memories of my fourteen year old self loom at the back of my mind. Days spent on MSN sending sparkly emoticons and discussing how great it’d be to go meet up in the park and hang out on swings (yes, I was extremely cool, thanks)only to realise that it was now 6pm, I was still in my pyjamas, my favourite skinny jeans and striped Punkyfish top still nowhere to be found and my mother insisting that a 6:30pm curfew was perfectly reasonable.

Ok, perhaps that was an extreme, and perhaps embarrassing example of how useless and anti-social I used to be as a result of a technology trend.

I’m not saying that we should all go get National Trust memberships, ditch our iPods and stamp on our PSPs and become best buddies with the guy opposite us on the train - as a Londoner, I cannot think of anything more alien, trust me. When there are those inevitable awkward silences during predrinks, you’ll probably still check your phones to text each other “Omg this is so awkward”, and so will I. Just make sure you don’t miss out on the bigger things, whether that’s having a great get-together with someone or recognising a serious situation.

Know when to stop a game to start a conversation, when to take an earphone out to listen and when to close your laptop lid and open up. Users of technology... know your limits!

14 COMMENT

YORK VISION Tuesday October 29, 2013

VUDU LOUNGE HALLOWEEN PARTY

PARTY STARTS AT 10:00PM £2 GUEST LIST £3 ON THE NIGHT 2-4-1 COCKTAILS £1 HALLOWEEN SHOTS £2 BEER BOTTLES

IPOD RAFFLE FOR ALL BOTTLE OF MOET FOR BEST DRESSED PERSON For reservations call 01904 627627 or 07746 185777 vudulounge@hotmail.co.uk 39 Swinegate, York , YO1 8AZ https://www.facebook.com/Vudulounge @VuduYork

15

FEATURES

YORK VISION Tuesday October 29, 2013

FEATURES

www.yorkvision.co.uk/features features@yorkvision.co.uk

Interview: dascha polanco ZENA JARJIS talks exclusively to Orange Is The New Black actress Dascha Polanco...

O

range Is The New Black has been hugely successful since it was first released on Netflix in April 2013. Based on a true story, the American comedydrama follows Piper Chapman, a soap-making university graduate who is sent to Litchfield Penitentiary ten years after she carries drug money for her ex-girlfriend, who runs an international drug cartel.

Also incarcerated at Litchfield is Daya Diaz, played by Dascha Polanco. Daya is a young woman whose mother, with whom Daya has strained relations, is also doing time at the prison. Daya is slapped by her mother upon arrival at the prison and is excluded from Litchfield's Latin American clique.. Daya’s flashbacks, which Dascha says were her favourite scenes to shoot, reveal the reason behind the character’s tension with her mother (spoiler alert!): after her mother is imprisoned, Daya beomes involved with her drug-dealing boyfriend.

The show has been praised for its strong characterisation, with other Litchfield inmates including Claudette, a woman imprisoned for slave trafficking, Sophia, a

transgender woman, ‘Crazy Eyes’, an insane woman who thinks Piper is her wife, and ‘Porn Stash’, a corrupt C.O. The characters’ lives before prison are shown through flashbacks, and Dascha says of these flashbacks: “I think that the most interesting is Sophia’s back story and the most compelling is Miss Claudette’s.”

Orange Is The New Black was Dascha Polanco's big break, and she has become a fan favourite on the show. Her role on the show has led to interest from other projects, like Gimme Shelter, a drama film set for release in December.

The Brooklyn-born actress was working for a medical centre and studying nursing when she landed a part on the OITNB, which is one of the first shows to be shown exclusively on on-demand streaming website Netflix. When asked how her experience as an actress differs from that of an actress on a show airing on television, Dascha said: “It seems that your work is recognized very suddenly. Many viewers consume the whole season in a shorter period causing them to become very familiar with the actors.”

The show has received great re-

views and, along with House of Cards, is one of the first onlineexclusive series to receive this much critical attention. Dascha says that this is because “Jenji Kohan and the team of writers have done such a great job with using “stereotypes” yet totally exceeding expectations. You will not be able to predict what’s in store for the characters. They make comedy out of truth and the sense of humor goes so well with what we do in daily life.”

When asked which television show, cancelled or still on air, she would star in if she had the choice, Dascha said either Being Human, because “the writing is amazing”, Will and Grace so that she could work with Megan Mullally, Heroes “for the superpowers”, or Sex and the City, for fashion and dating. However, Dascha says that Orange Is The New Black is different from other shows set in prison, like Prison Break and Oz, becuase “OITNB has many layers from the characters to the prison politics. This is based on a memoir on Piper Kerman and her experience in prison. There is more focus on the emotional experience in jail. It shows how to deal with the consequence of being incarcerated, creating these jail families in order to belong and support one another.”

Dascha told the New York Daily News that she took the part because she was intrigued by the idea of starring in a show on Netflix, and she was also a fan of the show's creator, Jenji Kohan, who also created Emmy Award-winning comedy-drama Weeds.

Kohan worked with Piper Kerman, the real life Piper Chapman, on the show. Kerman laundered money for her ex-girlfriend’s drug cartel, and as a result served 13

months of a 15 month sentence at FCI Danbury, a Conneticut prison. Kerman wrote a book entitled Orange Is The New Black based on her experience, and the Netflix series was in turn based on the book. Dascha says of Kerman’s involvement in the show: “I am not too sure of all details but she may have been a major point of reference - most likely used as a consultant. I did see her a couple of time on set, however, I am not involved in production and the decisions they make.”

Since Orange Is The New Black went online, prison reform is back on the political agenda and The American Prospect has described it as “no longer politically toxic”.

Dascha says of the show’s impact on the debate: “I think that the approach in which was used to bring to light this issue was genius entertainment. It catches the attention of many and once the buzz starts spreading people are willing to voice and listen.”

Dascha’s character receives some criticism from the other inmates from not knowing how to

speak Spanish. I asked Dascha how important she feels it is for Latin Americans living in the United States to speak Spanish, and she said: “It has been something instilled in me by my parents, I believe it’s essential to learn a second language. Now as a Latina culturally your language is part of it. It distinguishes your origin from another and I am fluent in Spanish in real life.”

Orange Is The New Black has been commended for its depictions of racial issues, with one critic saying that: “it is a text with a degree of cultural relevance in our current pop culture moment that undoubtedly connects” with the issue of race. Dascha comments: “the show covers and will probably continue to expand when it comes to covering all depictions of racial issues. Unlike other shoes the diversity includes all - bottom line. There is no signaling out.”

The first season of Orange Is The New Black is currently available on Netflix. Dascha is returning for the second season of the show in 2014.

16 FEATURES

YORK VISION Tuesday October 29, 2013

Celebrity philosophies Following on from the new David Beckham-inspired school of thought, Becksistentialism, we put on our philosophy caps at the Vision office and mused about other celebrity inspired branches of philosophy. Here’s what CALLUM SHANNON, ZENA JARJIS, HELENA HORTON and JAMES SCOTT came up with...

Everyone else may think he’s delusional, but Yeezus refuses to believe that what he thinks is only his fantasy. At the much-hyped 2013 Philosophy Awards, Kanye was spotted taking the microphone out of Locke’s hands during his acceptance speech, shouting “Yo John, I’m really happy for you and I’mma let you finish, but Kant had the greatest philosophy of all time! Of all time!” His recent episode on Radio 1 may have damaged his reputation, but it was in fact a subtle Critique of Poor Reason.

Hannah Montaoism Miley and Hannah have finally found a way to truly experience the best of both worlds! Miley Cyrus and her split personality will from now on be living in harmony with the Tao. The twerk queen has decided that the opposing forces in the her life, blonde and brunette- are manifestations of yin and yang. She will be following the Taoistic principle of naturalness and is ditching the yellow horn donut things on her head in favour of her brown wavy locks. It may seem a bit out there, but it’s her philosophy, she can do what she wants!

The famed singer has decided not only that she doesn’t need a man (Single Lady!) but that she does not need any possessions either. Reportedly outside her mansion is a skip filled with gold lycra and diamonds after her drastic change of heart.

This may also explain why she has recently abandoned her weave.

She’s also decided that true happiness depends on self-sufficiency, saying “Me, myself and I, that’s all I got in the end!” Is anyone else having Deja Vu? Join Beyonce and learn how to enjoy natural pleasures instead of revelling in the joys of the synthetic. So if you like it... don’t put a ring on it.

Beyoncynicism

Seintology Comedian Jerry Seinfeld has changed the tone of his stand-up. Instead of being ‘about nothing’, Seinfeld’s comedy routine will now focus on the greatness of the Church of Seintology. Sample material: “have you ever noticed how human beings (and talking bees) are immortal spirits who have forgotten their true nature?”

Masturbation is strictly forbidden in the Church of Seintology, so Jerry will continue to be the master of his domain. Larry David has also joined the Church of Seintology, and he tells Vision that he thinks this new religion is “pretty, pretty, pretty good.” The official dress code of the Church of Seintology is a puffy shirt.

Kantye West Returning to his socialist routes, Andrew has decided to stop interviewing the Prime Minister and other mainstream politicians in place of the likes of Arthur Scargill and has banned all newspapers except the Socialist Worker from his show. He sticks to his promises of equality by being equally dismissive of every capitalist he encounters. In the name of collective industry, Andrew has melted down his famous covetable and obtained a 1970s Lada, which he drives to the BBC studio in accompanied by the tune of “The Red Flag” played on saxophone. The revolution will be televised!

(By the BBC on Sunday mornings).

Andrew Marr-xism Thomism Finding solidarity with Aquinas- as they are both hated and derided by members of their respected fields- Thom Yorke decided to follow Aquinas’ example and find God. He can now be seen skipping around the street, and his band, Radiohead have undergone a drastic transition, becoming a happy Christian rock band. He is also rumoured to have swapped his vegetarianism for celibacy- abstaining from bodily pleasures which distract the mind from the Moral Good.

17

YORK VISION

FEATURES

Tuesday October 29 2013

WHAT’S DIED IN YOUR HALLS?* Vision has got its hands on an exclusive dossier** that details the terrifying creatures that stalk the campus and invade our homes, classrooms and places of work. Read below to find out more about the dastardly bugs, bunnies and beetles below..

Subject one: athletic antS

TED!

A C I D ERA

Subject two: Bumped off bunny

Location:SPORTS CENTRE Details: Flying Ant ‘infestation’ far left hand corner of Squash Court one.

Notes: Ants do not have membership and can’t play squash - please eradicate.

Location: Sally Baldwin Buildings, Block B Details: Please come and collect dead rabbit from back reception office.

Subject THREE: MYSTERIOUS BIRDS Location:ALCUIN COLLEGE BLOCK B Details: Small dazed bird found in office - despite door locked and windows closed.

Notes: Bird released. No holes found.

Subject four: monarchist bees Location: FAIRFAX HOUSE Details: Swarm of bees around the front door Notes: They think the queen is inside!

Subject six: bye bye birdy live piductwood turned the some loose

!

S U ICIO

SUSP

Notes: Job cancelled. No one came to collect rabbit.

UNSOLVED!

aggressive!

Location: CHEMISTRY BLOCK B Details: Possibly dead pigeon (or egon if it survived) in fume hood B39. Engineer heard it move as he fan on, then observed a noise and feathers in the hood.

Notes: Could be messy!

abandoned!

Location: GENESIS 1/2 Details: There seems to be a squirrel living in the ceiling!

Request to have the varmint humanely shifted and the building squirrel-proofed?

Notes: Treated on 17th. Return 31st to call out smell in roof.

Dead squirrel.

SQUISH

Location: Wentworth B Block Details: Kitchen reports of a suspicious looking beetle.

Subject SEVEN: CREEPY CRAWLIES

Subject five: trapped squirrels

ED!

! ts n i m var

! ister n si

Location: ALCUIN Q BLOCK Details: Buzzing inside walls Notes: Call out cancelled as informed that this is, in fact, vibrations from the toilet.

Subject EIGHT: peculiar noises

* Ok so, we thought it would be morbid to do an entire feature on that. Rest assured, it’s mostly just rats! **Dossier is actually a Freedom of Information Act request, all of the above are genuine incidents reported verbatim.

18 FEATURES

YORK VISION

YORK’S MOST HAUNTED

Tuesday October 29, 2013

TOM DAVIES spends a night alone in The Golden Fleece, York’s self-proclaimed most haunted pub...

“H

a! You’re going to get killed by Ghosts!”

This ominous prediction was what my housemate said to me on informing him that I had, in a moment of madness, agreed to spend the night in The Golden Fleece, the most haunted pub in York. The things I do for a free dinner and a full page byline.

The first thing I did on being pressganged into this caper by the Vision Features Team was call my mother. Mother, god bless her (or Chulhu, or whoever it is she’s into this week) is a self-described spiritualist and enthusiast for all things paranormal. Thus, she could barely contain her excitement at the news that I would be spending the night in a establishment which had featured on TV’s Most Haunted.

I, by contrast, share little of her enthusiasm for the Supernatural, expressing a healthy scepticism regarding such things as go bump in the night. Of course, being a cynic is all rather easy when you don’t have to spend the night in a reported hotspot of ghostly activity, alone.

So it was on Thursday 24th October 2013 that our merry band of three tabloid hacks set out to the Fleece to enjoy the aforementioned complimentary grub, and encounter a few spirits; Rum, Vodka, that sort of thing. Upon arrival we were greeted by the good humoured bartender Guy, who gave me a brief tour of the two rooms I had to choose from.

The first, Lady Peckett’s Room, was pleasant enough, but I opted for the Minster Suite on the top floor, complete with its own living space, spacious bathroom and resplendent gothic four poster bed.

I asked Guy if he had any background information regarding peculiar goings on in the room, to which he replied with a recurring story by largely female guests of a man who sits on the end of the bed, sometimes watching, sometimes attempting to choke them whilst they are completely paralysed.

After he departed, my housemate, who had largely just come along for the ride, attempted to rubbish

these stories by embarking on a detailed explanation of his experiences with the phenomenon of Sleep Paralysis, but somehow this did little to comfort me about the prospect of the night ahead.

Whatever debate exists about the validity of paranormal experiences, the food at The Golden Fleece is indisputably corporeal, and delicious to boot. Whilst my companions enjoyed the delights of The Golden Fleece Burger, I opted for the Yorkshire Pudding, four sausages and mash. Despite having spent just over a year now in God’s own country, I felt like I had yet to truly experience a proper Yorkshire Pudding. That all changed at the Fleece, whose gargantuan puds are roughly the size of a baking tray and serve as a sort of makeshift bowl for the mountain of fluffy mashed potato, quality sausages and delectably rich gravy.

Enough about the food though, you want to hear about ghosts.

After dinner and a few glasses of Merlot, my nerves steadied to some degree. I was finally left alone, and it was then that a creeping sense of dread started to seep into my previously calm, happygo-lucky demeanour. I realised at that point that I was actually going to have to go through with this, all night, and why in god’s name did I pick this terrifying, enormous room.

With my courage quickly beginning to falter, I resorted to curling up on the sofa and watching E4, all whilst receiving regular texts from the Editor, including this particular gem: “Don’t be scared of the monsters, just look for them. Look to your left, to your right, under your bed, behind your dresser, in your closet, but never look up, he hates being seen.”

I tried to laugh it off, but I checked anyway. There was nothing on the ceiling.

I was interrupted from this by a knock at the door. It was John Yates, The Golden Fleece’s proprietor, here to welcome me personally to his establishment.

Our conversation quickly drifted

The most haunted location in the city...right next to Greggs

Photo credit: Jack Western Tom had the ever so slight inkling that he was being watched...but that might have been the wine off the topic of the Fleece when he announced himself as a fellow Gloucestershireian, beginning a fifteen minute conversation on the relative merits of the good old country. He was also keen to bring up the long list of celebrity guests who had frequented the place over the years. Bringing out his iPhone to show me a picture of Rory Bremner posing with the Fleece’s skeletal mascot Saul Goodfellow, known for propping up the bar of an evening with a glass of the strong stuff. Bremner notably featured the pub in his travel series Rory Bremner’s Great British Views. Other celebrity guests included Harry Hill and Craig Charles, who reportedly “always pops in for a drink” when he’s in town. John was also keen for me to inform you all of the regular acoustic music on at the Fleece, which as a fan of acoustic live music myself I can certainly get behind.

So with that Mr Yates left me to it, but not before informing me that he would be shortly sending up a man named Marcus to give me some more detailed information about the specific hauntings at the Fleece, and so I waited with baited breath for his arrival.

Marcus turned up about ten minutes later, and was by all accounts an affable and loquacious chap. He sat down, pint of ale in hand, introduced himself as a Pagan Druid and began to calmly inform me that, the room I was in was probably the least haunted in the Fleece, the Lady Peckett’s

on the other hand, which astute readers will remember was my other choice of room, was inhabited by a demonic entity of some power, which manifested itself as a wisened old man. This expanded on what John had told me earlier about Lady Peckett’s room only recently being rediscovered during refurbishments a few years ago, having been bricked up and wiped

find myself face to face with my deceased former business partner, who informed me that I was going to be visited by three spirits, with the aim of forcing me to see the error of my wicked, rakish ways.

This may sound like an interesting turn of events, but frankly, it seems to have become something of a weekly occurrence for me and I was eventually able to drift back

“He assured me if I heard any stomping in the night, it was just the Demon” from the blueprints at an unknown time. This is based around a particularly unsettling story which is perhaps best left untouched upon in our famously family-friendly publication, but rest assured, I can see why a demonic entity of some power would choose to make the room his regular haunt.

I enjoyed my chat with Marcus, and whilst he did assuage some of my fears about the room, he ominously added “of course, maybe I just don’t interact with anything in here, you might have a different experience” and assured me that if I heard any stomping in the night, it was just the Demon.

I’ll be honest, I’ve slept better. What basically happened was I read The Angry Island by A.A. Gill, an exceptionally funny book which I’d brought along to lighten my mood, until it fell out of my hand and I passed out. A slightly tedious interlude was had when I woke up a couple of hours later to

off to sleep.

In the end, my night at The Golden Fleece proved to be an interesting experience, and it really is a lovely place although having to stay there alone meant I wasn’t able to fully enjoy myself. Did I see a Ghost? Experience anything Supernatural? Well, no, not really.

But of course, if I had, if something had happened, would you believe me? Probably not. Were I unfortunate enough to have actually seen something in my night’s stay in The Minster Suite, not save myself the ridicule by wanly smiling and proclaiming that I hadn’t seen anything, that ghosts and phantoms and all other manner of spooky ghoulies were nothing but poppycock and superstitious balderdash? Would I not keep what really happened, what I really experienced, to myself, never again to speak of it until my dying day?

Wouldn’t that be what you would do? Sleep well.

YORK VISION

Page 19- Welcome to the 60s & Hot to Not LIFESTYLE Page 20 - The Stripper & The Sugar Baby Page 21 - Juice Diet and Freshers’ Health Page 22- Blind Date & Tom Davies’ Diary Page 23- A Different Lifestyle...Namaste!

Page 24- The Tinder Takeover & York Restaurants

Tuesday October, 29th 2013

HOT!

WELCOME TO THE sixties

Winter’s creeping up on us, bringing with it chapped lips, shaking limbs and red noses. We need a bit of glamour in these dark days, and who better to teach how to achieve this than the icons of the Sixties? Edie Sedgwick and Twiggy knew how to wear a fur coat with style, so we’ve stolen Twiggy’s miniskirt and Edie’s signature chandelier earrings to put together a Sixties inspired look for you. If you’re feeling a little minxy, wear this outfit with seamed tights and a smear of red lipstick.

David Bowie has just been crowned the best dressed Briton in history. No ch-ch-changes there, then. He is and always has been a style icon. Move over Kate Moss.

Coat: £89 Miss Selfridge

WHAT?!

We see some strange things at London Fashion Week but none so odd, this time, as this guy who dressed as a blow-up doll and made it onto the front row of loads of shows, Weird. She (he?) has great hair though.

Earrings: £6 ASOS Hat: £22 Accessorise

Dress: £10 Topshop Sale

19

Shoes: £17.99 New Look

NOT! Lipstick: £8 Topshop

Helena Horton

Earlier this month there was a fire in a factory in Bangladesh, killing nine people and injuring 46 others. The factory reportedly makes clothes for multiple high street stores, including H&M.

20LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Anonymous Confessions...

Tuesday October 29 2013

A second year spills the beans about life behind the scenes at a strip club...

High heels but no handjobs: Behind the scenes in a York strip club I

believe that most people would agree that university is a time for following dreams and trying new things, like writing for a newspaper or playing for a winning sports team. Things take a slightly more controversial turn however, when the dream in question is dancing in a strip club.

I think I must have been 14 or 15 when I came to the conclusion that I would like stripping; I probably have a diary entry somewhere pinpointing the time of realisation that it would be something that I would be well suited for. It could have been one passing thought, the kind quickly dismissed by most, but I have always had a tendency to act on my ideas when I have an opportunity, no matter how long it takes for that opportunity to come along.

I looked up the contact details for the local club almost as soon as I arrived in York, but it took until February of my first year to actually get in touch. When I finally got a job as a dancer, it didn’t feel real. I’d seen the films but in the real world, girls don’t become strippers, strippers just are. I can’t help but feel that way. A strip club is like fantasy fiction and the girls in them are just characters. I can put on my false eyelashes, lacy lingerie and make it so that the girl who steps into the club is not shy and rather unremarkable me, but everyone’s dream girl; whatever it is they need.

It isn’t always easy to keep the real world out of the illusion of giggles and debauchery, especially when it’s half two in the morning and I’ve been balancing on six

inch heels that are just a little too tight, pretending not to find the punters’ comments offensive and patronising. That’s the point at which I make use of my free drink, or, if I’ve already had that and haven’t yet earned enough to justify buying a drink at strip club prices, I get on the pole.

I love dancing on the stage. I get to dance exactly how I want to and not get bossed around by the men who are paying me to do things their way. My favourite part about

“I love dancing on the stage, I get to dance exactly how I want to without being bossed around by the men and when they introduce me, it’s like being famous”

dancing on the stage is getting introduced to the audience. It’s like being famous and, for me, that is the part where everything returns to fantasy and I become a fictional character again. Someone who is not too tired to flirt and dance and take my clothes off for strangers.

The situation is a little worse when it’s the punters bringing the real world in.

Most lewd remarks are easy to brush aside and flirt away, some can even be taken as misguided compliments. However, others are more than just socially unacceptable and sometimes, they are accompanied by unwanted physical contact and requests for

sexual favours.

I am a very open-minded person and if someone wants to be paid for sex then that’s fine for them. But I find being touched by most strangers, and even some people I know and like, very uncomfortable. It isn’t my job to give sneaky handjobs or let them touch me and it is very irritating when they act like I have done them a great injustice when I refuse.

So stripping isn’t always an easy job to do, but it’s a much harder job to leave. And when someone like me who comes away with £180-£200 a night and is considered a low earner, it’s not hard to see why I can’t walk away. This, coupled with the easy going nature of the job and the fun you can have whilst dancing. Stripping becomes something that you can really miss if you take too long of a break from it. I know girls who have ‘retired’ three or four times. It’s a very easy job to come back to. In fact, dancers can come and go as they please.

When in the real world however, sometimes the fact that I am a stripper hits me and it’s terrifying. Sometimes I feel like I just can’t go back, like I should just put it all behind me. But then I find myself with less money than I would like, so I go back and it’s amazing. It makes me feel different from what anything else makes me feel and I love it. I don’t think I want to dance forever, but I do dream of dancing in Paris. So you never know. Maybe I’ll be wearing Dior by day and taking off fancy lingerie by night for years.

Maybe you’ll hear about me.

I regret dating older men...

Whenever my ex-boyfriend and I walked about town, more often than not we attracted funny looks from everyone. You see, we were an interesting pair - I’m a philosophy student here at York and he was, well, he was a forty year old hedge fund manager.

The first time I started dating much older men was when I was 18, he was a teacher at a neighbouring school, and although I had left my own, some of my friends had been taught by him for their GCSEs - discovering that made for an interesting night at the pub! We had a brief tempestuous affair, it was a far cry from the adolescent dating experiences my friends were going through - I was thrown head first into the world of

dinner parties full of smug married couples and adult discussions about, well, taxes mostly. His friends were all very welcoming but I can only imagine the concerned conversations they were having about him behind his back!

He had this bizarre hang up about sex, he didn’t want to corrupt me, so while he’d let me go down on him on a golf course, he’d never actually have sex with me. I liked pushing his boundaries, so one day, I called him ‘sir’ in bed, and he told me off at once, even though he admitted later that he’d liked it.

The smug feeling of superiority soon faded, and the shine of having a teacher - so off limits! - boyfriend wore thin when I found myself interceding in fights on his behalf as his drinking habits worsened. He ended up being more adolescent than even the most childish of my college friends. I ended it when I left for my gap year, determined to finally find someone as mature as I was.

I’ve dated many older men since then, but it was my latest that really put things into perspective. It’s immensely flattering to the ego to have an older man hang on your every word, and that’s exactly what this hedge fund manager did. He was enamoured of me and treated me like an absolute

princess. He would pick me up to go to dinner in his Audi and splash out on five course meals. He’d take me shopping and and lavish me with gifts - and in return I’d be a perfect attentive girlfriend.

Older men seek something different from their younger girlfriends. They want someone to listen to them, to flatter them with attention and admiration and to revive them with their own youthfulness. It’s easy to fall for this kind of relationship, but it’s not an even balance of power - and it’s definitely not an honest one.

When you’re a younger girl, it’s very easy to think that you’re different, that older men go for you because you’re exceptionally mature or because you’re enchanting and witty and scintillating. The longer you spend with these older men though, the more you realise what kind of man seeks comfort in the arms of a younger woman, and more often it’s because they themselves haven’t grown up yet. It certainly shattered my preconceptions about the world of adult dating. My hedge fund manager ex and I eventually broke up because I had begun dating older men for a touch of sophistication, while he had wanted me to revive his inner youth.

The two ideals clashed with him, as they did with every older man I’ve been with. I wouldn’t recommend it.

Got a confession?

Email lifestyle@yorkvision.co.uk

“I wouldn’t seek out an older man, but I wouldn’t let age get in the way either. Nelly is 38...and he’s still got it.”

Zena Jarjis, Features Editor

YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday October 29 2013

21

Megan Dent and Pippa Driver give their tips on how to stay healthy in your first year

FRESH as

a

Daisy

From Willow to the Great Yorkshire Outdoors (or at least to the Quiet Place!)

Now you might be sitting smugly, congratulating yourself for getting through your first term. You beat off that Freshers’ flu with Berocca and multi-vits, but you know deep down, you can’t keep this up. As well as trying to avoid putting on that dreaded freshers’ stone, eating healthily can help you to maintain your energy levels as the work piles up - although we can’t promise it will get you to the dreaded 9 o’clock lectures.

Sunshine (and Frostbite) Dr Christian Jessen (that hunky guy off the telly) is always going on about ditching public transport in favour of your own steam. But to be honest, he actually has a point. Cycling and walking are cheap ways of keeping fit and ultimately it will save you a lot of money. Don’t underestimate the value of getting a bit of fresh air and sun, and no we don’t mean that 10 minute wait at Oki’s when you have just stumbled out of Willow.

Balance They say that in your time at university, you can only pick two out of work, sleep and social life. However, keeping yourself fit and well can help you to make the most out of every aspect of your time as a student. This cliche of really busy students who get no sleep and have perpetual hangovers may be true of a few of us, but there is a way to balance your studies and your sleep and manage to get a few trips to Willow in. You’ll hear time and time again that this year doesn’t count, and it’s true - Freshers’ year is all about acclimatising to the university experience and seeing which societies you like, finding friends and your feet in a new place. Having plenty of sleep and a balanced diet will help lower your stress levels and have more energy to party later on. Don’t be like that Langwithian last year who ended up getting scurvy. Grim.

Vitamin D

Happiness

It’s now common knowledge that Vitamin D is vital for your health and happiness.

As little as 10 minutes of sunlight a day gives you all you need, but let’s be honest, this is the grim North. Even if you aren’t rushing to lectures, get yourself outside.

It’s a form of procrastination if nothing else. Go for a walk in the fields, get your friends together and take a trip to the Moors. In summer - though that seems a long way off ! - take a trip to the beach. Yes, we are near a beach, as weird as that may seem as we shiver across Vanbrugh Bridge.

Times of quiet reflection, outside, or even a nice little jog, can do wonders for your mental health and wellbeing. It’s repeated in student media time and time again but the fact is that exercise is one of the most effective ways of tackling depression - and students unfortunately have a surprisingly high rate of mental health issues.

Talk to a friend, or Nightline, go on a walk or a jog or just sit on a bench in a quad and watch the world go by, or go to a beer garden somewhere and enjoy the beautiful place in which we live!

Lifestyle Tip: If the Yorkshire moors are a step too far and you’re feeling oppressed by concrete walls, head to Rowntree Park or try one of York’s best beer gardens. We recommend the Lamb and Lion or The Habit on Goodramgate, a roof terrace which boasts stunning views of the city.

Beyond Baked Beans Simple solutions to help you put down the student staples We know, takeaways and fast food are a quick solution to those hangover hunger pangs, but convenience food doesn’t have to be unhealthy. So we’ve come up with a few modifications that satisfy your cravings without expanding your waistline.

1

2 3

Replace white bread with brown, and white pasta with wholewheat – sounds like old news but to make your bap white the flour is bleached with chemicals which, if swallowed whole, can actually kill you!

Swap those chicken breasts for turkey – not only is it considerably cheaper but turkey is also leaner, containing 1/5 of the fat of its slightly more attractive counterpart.

Ditch tinned soup in favour of cartons – the tins may last longer but the preservatives that make that happen aren’t very good for you.

GET OFF THE SAUCE: Juice Diet Bex Liu writes about how she fared on the juice diet

E

ssay-writing and exam revision are stressful. Long, endless hours in the library are punctuated by the numerous visits to the vending machines and late-night coffee fixes.

During a particularly unproductive, muffin-fuelled day of ‘work’, my friend and I decided it was time to take drastic action and get healthy, or at the very least avoid having to throw away all of our cut-out dresses and crop tops reserved for Revs. We’d considered all the fads workout DVDs and fruitarianism - before we settled on the Shambles Kitchen’s (formerly named Xing) ‘7lbs in 7 days Juice Detox’.

Promising radiant skin, improved concentration, high energy levels, and not to mention, the benefits of shedding half a stone in a week, it also seemed eminently doable and if lasting, worth the money. So we signed up and headed to YO1 for one final night of indulgence…

By Monday morning, the future seemed bleak. After a rough start, we found that the sunny weather made things lot easier and soon we were enjoying the delicious fruity juices.

After a week of putting up with the unsympathetic jokes and the sudden desire our friends had to eat at nice restaurants and cook nice meals, Sunday finally loomed before us. There were stringent rules for what we should eat when we reintroduced solid food. Like baby birds, we had to be very tentative and had salmon salad and soup respectively for our first meals, finding that our appetites had diminished significantly.

We both agreed that our energy levels were sky-high and even some formerly sceptical friends conceded that there was definitely a noticeable difference.

Though we have both definitely slipped up since (gluten, dairy and alcohol are all contraband) we’ve found it very helpful in re-evaluating our diet and have found that it has had a lasting effect on our energy, concentration and diets.

The juice diet was kindly sponsored by The Shambles Kitchen. Prices start at £91, and there’s a special 10% discount for all York

22 LIFESTYLE @TomDavies111

Davies’ Diaries With the term now well under way, and the general Freshers’ circus fast disappearing into the rear-view mirror for another year, I’ve had some time for a spot of reflection.

When I arrived at university last year, I had already read countless articles telling me what to expect. This didn’t slow upon turning up, with seemingly anyone who’d ever sported a Willow stamp wasting no time in implanting their sage advice into my clueless fresher noodle. A year on and I realise that I have now even become a part of this endless cycle, not just through that exercise in human sheep herding they call STYCing, but also by my contributions, to this year’s vast sea of Freshers’ content that we in the campus media do love so much.

Advice and information aren’t at all difficult to come upon as a first year university student, and there isn’t anything wrong with that. But having finally now settled into the altogether different kettle of fish that is second year, I’m starting to feel not just faintly aggrieved at the lack of information available on what I should expect this year, but also painfully aware of the irony of having spent the last few weeks impersonating a guru on all things university, now finding myself being sideswiped by life in a 4-bedroom semi in Osbaldwick.

For example, nobody, not even those acquaintances of mine who had experienced second year already, felt the need to inform me that all of my house furniture would essentially fall apart over the course of the year, having been purchased from some sort of Ikea equivalency located in a Nicaraguan shanty town. Nor that first year, where nothing is ever more than ten minute walk away, makes you lazier than Paul Gascoigne living in a meat pie factory with a year’s supply of Carling, making you feel like Ernie Shackleton every time you complete the routine journey from house to campus.

On the upside, being second year does give you a certain gravitas, and the opportunity to see university from the other side of the fence. Wearing the STYC t-shirt instead of the Fresher one, sitting on the chairs behind the desks at Freshers’ Fair and welcoming the latest batch of newcomers into your societies, in which you’ll probably never be more important or influential than this year, due to the apparently unavoidable side effect of third year forcing you to move into a tent pitched outside JB Morrell.

But ultimately, it doesn’t get you much. I had some sort of cockamamie dream last year that my student media writing would eventually get me recognised in the street, cause women to throw themselves at me and presumably ask me to autograph their cleavage in the Willow queue.

In truth, every rung I climb gives me more of one thing, work. In terms of name recognition, I’m convinced there are people in this newspaper who still don’t know who I am, and in terms of impressing women with my achievements, I’d have more luck trying to convince them I’m the man who invented the pencil sharpener, and they’d probably be more impressed.

Blind Date

YORK VISION

Tuesday October 29 2013

This week York Vision carved a thoroughfare to love for haughty single young things Dan Ashcroft and Caitlin O’Kelley. Will the committed James JCRC member manage to forge a bond with the mercurial left-leaning feminist, or will the pair find themselves alone? Again. Have a read to see what happens when Catholics collide...

Dan on Caitlin

Caitlin on Dan

What were you hoping for?

A good laugh. Good food. A good night.

The main thing was talking and having nice food.

First impressions?

A bit awkward getting there before the match maker, but conversation flowed from the beginning. He is quite tall.

I recognised her. Which was nice.

What did you talk about?

Course, travelling, future plans, vegetarianism. A fair bit of common ground.

Climbing Kilimanjaro, me going to India, football - I’m not that interested. How we got roped into going on the date. Patrick (Editor) mentioned it and I said yes as a joke. I found out the next day I’d been signed up.

Any awkward moments?

A couple.

Knowing Jamie (the waiter and kind host). Rose petals on the table.

What did you eat?

I had some veggie mousse thing which I would recommend. Tofu steak for main which was okay. Had some falafels and called them fal-a-falls. Had a sticky toffee pudding. It didn’t have eggs in.

I love El Piano. I’m a vegetarian so I go there alot. I had hummus, chili cincinnati, croquetas and the chocolate brownie.

It was amazing.

Best thing?

Falafels.

The brownie. It had an amazing orange sauce.

What did she wear?

Oh my god (mumbles inaudibly for several seconds.) A red dress.

Maybe a jacket.

A blue and white plaid shirt, jeans and a comfortable-looking hoody.

Most interesting thing you learned That her parents had a yacht which is pretty cool. We don’t have many yachts in Liverpool.

It takes six days to climb Kilimanjaro. He only has male siblings.

Did you go on anywhere?

We went to the bar next door.

We went for a couple of cocktails around the corner at 1331. We left at about 10.30.

Did you kiss?

No. I think we might be one for the friend zone.

No. Settled for the awkward hug.

what would you change about the evening?

Go somewhere that doesn’t just do veggie food. Good if you’re a vegetarian I guess.

It was raining pretty horrendously.

Do you think they'd make a good lover?

I think we’d be better as mates.

Marks out of 10?

7/10

I don’t know. He had a soft voice. That said, I am a Catholic.

Marks out of 10?

8/10

Dating Update: Last edition saw George Offer swoon in the presence of Caitlin Graham following a steamy couple of hours at The Whippet Inn. Catching up with the pair, George tells me that they “bumped into each other a couple of times in freshers as she was STYC-ing outside Kuda when I was sorting some drunk freshers out with a taxi. Sadly,” George laments, “nothing more juicy.” Perhaps in some way a cause of this parched state of affairs, Caitlin is more guarded: “He messaged me once and then came into my lecture to do a speech about this voting thing that’s going on. That’s it.” When pressed about the emotions invoked by said speech, Caitlin declined to comment.

For more of York Vision’s match-making misadventures visit: www.yorkvision.co.uk/lifestyle Blind Date is sponsored by El Piano.

Dan and Caitlin highly recommend the falafels and chocolate brownie.

YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday October 29 2013

23

Maddi Howell interviews Yoga Soc about life as a student yogi

A different Lifestyle...

Once the sole reserve of hippies, yoga has infiltrated our society and become a way of life for many students. Get your mat from Amazon or Tesco, or splash out on the eco-kit from Sweaty Betty and meditate…

In the last edition we spoke to Stephen Harper about his life of sobriety within the student community. This time we interview Laura Goldthorpe, the Social Secretary of our very own Yoga Society at York and Matthew Rahtz, last year’s President. We discuss the burgeoning population of yogis on campus. Is it any wonder many students are choosing to place academic, financial and social pressures aside in favour of some peaceful posing time?

Why did you take up Yoga?

Laura: My mum got me into it. The style she practises a branch of hatha - is very different to the Ashtanga and Dynamic Balance offered by uni yoga which has more of a focus on the step along the path to meditation. It helped me find a focus when I was wondering what to do with my life.

Matthew: Having been a bit of a computer addict in teenage years, I had pretty awful posture. Doing yoga, things are gradually improving.

Namaste!

Matthew: Downward-dog. The stretch through the upper back is wonderful.

do what a typical session takes you through, you’re much more willing to believe you can adapt to other challenges.

Is there a spiritual element or does it focus on the body?

Is Yoga a sport?

Laura: It can be. Most of the serious yogis I’ve known have been vegetarian and although I love meat I’ve got a sinking feeling I’m going to be one one day too because for me yoga is about balance, and vegetarianism fits with that a lot more than meat eating. Anyway that’s off topic but yes, it is. Yoga actually means something like ‘union with the divine’ and originated as a way to find peace and stillness.

Laura: For me there is definitely a spiritual element, as my beginnings in yoga were spent viewing it as a step along the path to meditation. Yoga in its origin was about finding peace and stillness more than exercise. But the sessions we hold are also a good workout, and it’s fine to just see it as that. Surfing and yoga go really well together - the muscles you need to arch your back in surfing are developed really well and used in pretty much no other activity. I know some surfers who practise yoga solely for that reason!

Matthew: Depends on the person. With Ashtanga in particular, I think the focus on the body actually forces a very strong focus with the mind - it’s the only way you stop yourself from collapsing, panting on the floor.

Where is the strangest place that you’ve ever practiced Yoga?

Why do you think that Yoga Soc is so popular at York?

Laura: In a circular clearing by Lake Atitlan in Guatemala - there were just two of us and the teacher - and it felt like we were the only 3 people for miles around even though just beyond the trees there was a whole bustling town.

Matthew: On a kayak, in the middle of Scarborough bay.

(Didn’t go well - looking upside at the sea while trying to balance isn’t a good idea.)

Laura: A lot of people tell me they’re hooked after one class on the wellbeing rush and a sense of peace you feel afterwards.

Do you see it as a lifestyle choice?

Are there different types of Yoga?

Matthew: A lot of different kinds! Some place importance on absolutely correct posture, holding each one for 5 minutes in perfect alignment. There are even some you do in a room heated to 40 C!

Can you describe a typical session at Yoga Soc? Laura: Well Ashtanga Vinyasa sessions involve a lot of movement, and they’re typically very sweaty. Dynamic Balance is a lot more about core strength, but again, fairly sweaty. The best part of a session is when you’re lying down on your mat at the end and you feel all the good energy you’ve just made flowing through your body.

What’s your favourite position?

Laura: Headstand! My mum always told me it was good for you to be upside down and have the flow of your blood reversed but I’m not sure how scientifically accurate that is..

“One who practices headstand three hours daily, conquers time.” - Yoga Tattwa Upanishad. I like doing all kinds of inversions though and a personal goal of mine is the scorpion pose.

What benefits does it give to students in particular?

Laura: Mental focus and physical relaxation. I guess it reminds me that uni is not the be all and end all. It’s very good for stress.

Matthew: It sounds cheesy, but I think it’s a great way to bring a bit of rhythm and calm to the otherwise crazy experience that is student life. Knowing you’ve got yoga to look forward to every week and feel fantastic and get better helps you stay sane.

Can Yoga help with other challenges in different parts of your life?

Laura: For me, definitely. I always feel better after practicing and find it helps me focus mentally. One teacher I yogged with in Morocco always used to say: “feel your body thanking you for the practice” and that combines with my mum’s yoga teacher who always finishes sessions saying: “feel the positive energy you’ve created in your body. This is yours to keep, to take with you into the day and coming week.” I think both of them are so true! Taking yoga seriously helps you develop a mental attitude that lets you take things in your stride more, problems are problems and you’ll deal with them.

Matthew: On a psychological level, it makes a big difference to your confidence in yourself. Knowing that you can

Laura: Yoga isn’t competitive, it’s personal and about what you can achieve for yourself rather than anyone else.

Rob is constantly telling us not to look around the class.

It’s not about who can contort themselves into the most interesting shape, it’s about the feeling and mental state you create for yourself after a session.

Does the Yoga Society run socials?

Laura: Yes! We aim for 3 a term, we do a lot of group meals to interesting restaurants around York (El Piano, Krakatoa and Ambiente in the past), pot luck dinners, etc.

Would you ever visit an Ashram Eat Pray Love style?

Laura: If I had the time and money I’d like to go to an Ashram. Might give me a chance to try out vegetarianism!

Matthew: I haven’t read the book, but I think in general people place too much importance on where they are. Even if you go to an Ashram in the middle of the Indian mountains, completely changing the place, that in itself isn’t going to change you. Sometimes it can help to be surrounded by people with similar motivations, but isn’t that the easy way? The challenge is integrating it into a normal life.

Lifestyle Tip: Doing Yoga at University is much less expensive than doing a class at the gym! Anyone walking past James Dining hall will see your downward dog though!

24 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday October 29 2013

THE TINDER TAKEOVER

Off the beaten track:

Patrick Greenfield took one for the Lifestyle team and tried out the controversial sex app...

York’s independent restaurants

Y

ork’s casual sex scene has been revolutionised. Lonely iPhone wankers, Willow clichés and sports hunks alike are now just two swipes away from an evening of tragic flirting and awkward sex.

For those who have never heard of Tinder, it’s the latest brainchild of an American tech firm that connects users who “like” each other’s profile on the app. The lethal combination of locality, anonymity and usability means that users can chat, flirt and sleep with somebody they find attractive and most importantly, finds them attractive too.

However, experienced users of Tinder will have realised that the application is far less simple than the creators intended it to be. I initially found the application to be a confusing minefield of nymphomaniacs, casual sex workers and women who think Kate Moss is staring back at them every time they look into a mirror. Nevertheless, upon returning to university, my Tinder experienced changed as students swiped away and eventually matched themselves with willing suitors.

I have still not worked out what to say when I am matched with someone I know. A pathetic ‘hi’ certainly isn’t doing the trick.

What’s more, women seem to have privately agreed to disparagingly say “haha, I’m just trying this out because my friends told me I should do it” at the start of every conversation. You’re all liars.

Even so, success stories are not hard to come by. Those who remain prudish about internet dating should bite the bullet and join the party. Tinder removes nagging insecurities from the equation and allows users to break the ice far more efficiently than the drunken ‘lean in and hope’ method that many students still rely on.

Success aside, there have been some low points too. My worst Tinder experience occurred on a short break in Madrid this summer. As I swiped through the Spanish capital’s many beautiful women, the app matched me with the lovely Carmen, a stunning 22 year old from South Madrid.

My luck was in - boring year 12 Spanish lessons had been worth it after all. Unlike many British women, Carmen was chatty and keen to know more about me. It was going fantastically. But then she sent me a link to her cam site.

Don’t let my humiliation put you off.

As long as you don’t study History of Art, quote Marilyn Monroe like she’s Plato, or loiter in the background of group photos hoping someone will mistake you for your more attractive friend, there is somebody out there for you.

J

Jim Dee recommends you try out the great independent restaurants in York instead of sticking with familiar chains

eff Baker was the king of the York culinary scene, and I bet half of you have never heard of him.

While you flocked to Jamie’s Italian for bland pasta and Wagamama for oversized bowls of average noodles, a creative genius was slaving in his kitchen over truly interesting and exciting dishes.

When I visited, it was £25 for three courses, one of the best value restaurants I’ve eaten in. 2 courses at Jamie’s will set you back £20+, and what do you get for your money? A bland rip-off meat platter balanced on some canned tomatoes and a bowl of lacklustre pasta. Jeff offered so much more, and now that he’s sadly shut up shop, York will miss out. I went with my girlfriend (vegan!) and she was looked after extremely well. The Vegan chocolate pudding was a particular highlight, but the variety of choices she was presented at each course showed real care towards customers and none of the typical snobbery many chefs would be expected to serve up.

At The Blue Bicycle for example, she couldn’t eat the bread; her starter was a green salad with questionable dressing and the main event a rather bland vegetable curry, despite us giving them two weeks notice of her dietary requirements.

Starters at J Baker’s were fantastic: unctuous potted duck with pickles was particularly good.

The cod roe pâté served with the bread was a much more interesting way to start a meal than just salted butter.

Jeff played with bitterness and acidity

throughout the meal, finding interesting ways to balance the stronger flavours together, so that the dishes were never overwhelming. The rib of beef, filo wrapped egg yolk and burnt leeks with 25 year old balsamic was excellent.

The complexity from the bitterness of the leeks and the sweet acidity of the vinegar worked perfectly.

The aforementioned vegan chocolate dessert was great and my cheese board was well thought out, and carefully presented.

I realise a restaurant review for somewhere that has recently shut down isn’t going to help any of you find somewhere new to frequent. Instead, this review is written as a plea to expand your food horizons in York.

Always seek out original, inventive

cooking from one-off restaurants.

The problem with Jamie’s Italian is that there’s no Jamie in it, and hardly any Italian, so find somewhere authentic instead. Spend a little more a little less often.

Good quality restaurant cooking takes hard work - upwards of 15 hours a day in a hot kitchen, and we should be rewarding chefs’ efforts with regular business and admiration instead of flocking to a generic poster boy’s money maker.

Look for a kitchen filled with exhausted, miserable-looking men and women skulking and smoking round the back, and the food will probably be amazing.

Sadly J Baker’s isn’t open anymore, so don’t go too far off the beaten track and try and eat there.

Vision Recommends...

El Piano

Ambiente Tapas

Yes, we plug El Piano all the time but they do the best vegan food in York amazing hot chocolate and ‘mathematical’ root veg chips. If you don’t have time for a sit-down dinner, their short takeaway menu packs enough flavour as any full restaurant menu into just three dishes.

Go here for a mixture of traditional tapas, such as patatas bravas, and fusion dishes. It has an ample wine list and a good atmosphere. We recommend the Morcilla (spanish black pudding) and the Pulpo (little octopus balls.)

House of Trembling Madness

Feel like being a Viking? Have a massive plate of meat here accompanied by a yard of ale. You know you want to. The selection of beers is amazing, and you can buy your favourites from the shop downstairs.

Photo credit: Oona Venermo

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday October 29, 2013

sport A FRESH APPROACH

25

Web: www.yorkvision.co.uk/sport Email: sport@yorkvision.co.uk Twitter: @YorkVisionSport

SO AS we all know White Rose Varsity has gone, disappeared from our calendar, and been replaced by a new tournament in the shape of a College Varsity against Durham. Of course as College Sport Officer at the University I’m going to suggest that this is a positive development, but I believe that such an assertion is by all means justified.

Sadly last year’s Varsity was a failure, partly due to the organisational deficiencies of Hull, which resulted in a series of serious problems occurring across the course of the day, culminating in the farcical situation which resulted in there being no winner at the end of the original competition. However, it would be wrong to absolve ourselves of all blame, as it would be fair to say that many societies and a large number of people simply weren’t interested in the event, and had other priorities.

As a result the event was always destined to struggle, and it was inevitable that it would be compared to the magnificent, atmospheric weekend that is Roses. Quite simply White Rose Varsity never really stood a chance of developing into a tourna-

ment of the same stature and prestige, with Roses always destined to take priority. Now by no means do I expect this new College Varsity to immediately become a colossal event such as Roses which engrosses the whole of campus, but there is undoubtedly the potential for it to become an overwhelming success.

One of the biggest advantages is that unlike White Rose Varsity, this tournament will be completely different to Roses, will appeal to a different sub-section of sportsmen and women, and should see very few if any comparisons drawn between the two.

The most striking difference is that it will be college teams participating in the event rather than the University sides who are busy concentrating on their BUCS campaigns and preparation for Roses.

Of course the standard of sport therefore won’t be as high, but there is no reason that an excellent atmosphere and a general buzz can’t be created as at Roses. For a whole tournament to be dedicated to college sport says a lot about the system in place here at York, and with 16 sports, 19 leagues and over 3,000 people engaged in our intermural programme there are few institutions that can rival or better us.

The one however that undoubtedly does

Photo: Philip Mourjdis

Photo: Zoe Bennell

is Durham, and their model is one that we can learn a lot from to help to push forward our own system. In that respect it is a great privilege to be able to compete against the institution that sets the benchmark for collegiate sport, and reiterates the fact that we are near the very top for college sport.

Hopefully a sense of excitement and anticipation will be generated in the months leading up to the event, and that the University community will embrace the tournament and help it to succeed. Like everything it is reliant on receiving student support, and with the backing of the student population an atmosphere akin to Roses can be created, providing a once in a lifetime opportunity for those representing their University in one of their college sport teams.

Many college sports players will never get the opportunity to be involved in Roses, but now they have the opportunity to focus on working towards appearing in a major event such as this, which should inspire people to want to represent their college.

In a way this is a type of end goal, an event that everyone should desire to be involved

in, and one which will hopefully serve as a target for all those people who regularly engage with college sport.

In the long term it can only have a positive impact on college sport, helping to improve participation rates, by providing an extra incentive to get involved and raising the profile of the sporting system as a whole. And as a result of that, the standard of college sport should be enhanced as well, with the long term vision of working towards a more professional and engaging inter-mural programme, which still offers the opportunity for everyone to get involved.

Undoubtedly I’m biased, but I thoroughly believe that this is a proactive and positive development, which has seen an old, tired and largely defunct tournament replaced by a new and potentially absorbing event which will engage a different group of people, and provide another exciting angle to sport here at York. In truth though it isn’t my opinion that matters, it’s yours.

Nevertheless I hope you embrace the tournament, strive to get involved, and most of all give it a chance.

SHOULD WE BOYCOTT THE RUSSIA WORLD CUP? James pASCOE

YES

WELL, WE’VE tried everything else. I initially disliked the idea of boycotting in principle as much as the next fellow, but what choice do we have left?

We are going backwards in the fight against intolerance, not only in sport, but arguably in other areas of society – particularly in Russia.

New anti-gay laws are a throwback to the bad old days. And how can we possibly stage the most popular sporting event in the world in a country that consistently causes great upset to ethnic minority players during football matches, most recently Yaya

Toure in a CSKA Moscow match against Manchester City.

Of course, it is important not to make Russia a scapegoat – racial intolerance remains prevalent across other European nations. It would be both hypocritical and incorrect to suggest that we are rid of the scourge of racism in British sport.

But somewhere along the line, we have to make these offenders get the message.

Fining culprit clubs have not proved an effective deterrent. Sport’s governing bodies rarely follow through on their threats to confine matches to being played behind closed doors.

And when clubs flat out deny the occurrence of racist chanting, like CSKA did last week, then we get an idea of how serious the problems are.

Is boycotting the World Cup the only solution? By no means. But is it time to start considering this threat as a possible course of action? Absolutely.

JAMES SCOTT

NO

THROUGHOUT SPORTING history boycotts have always been a sure fire failure. The Olympic boycott of 1980 was a complete failure that simply made the US look reactionary and did nothing to change Soviet policy in Afghanistan. In fact it probably hardened their position, and ultimately the only people who lost out were the athletes and the fans.

We have to accept that there are some countries that do not hold the same liberal world outlook that we do. It shouldn’t be up to us to impose our subjective world views on countries that have very different

political, social and cultural stages of development, particularly when our houses are by no-means squeaky clean. Even if we boycott the Winter Olympics and World Cup we would be in the minority, and any effect would be largely forgotten once the sporting action is underway.

In many ways, such sporting events are huge opportunities to open host countries up to different peoples, cultures and ideas that these sporting events bring.

The opening up of host countries to the global village may in fact help them to liberalise and make social reforms, as no one wants to be seen as the host of a terrible World Cup or Olympics rife with homophobia and racism, thus embarassing their country on the world stage.

This in itself is a great incentive to make changes. When politics and sport collide there is only one winner, it’s the thing people actually want to watch, please keep politics out of sport.

26 SPORT

YORK VISION

THE TIPSTER

STUDENT LOANS ARE FINALLY IN, IT’S TIME TO HIT THE BOOKIES

THIS TIME of the year really does separate the boys from the men (or the girls from the women if any feminists are reading), but more importantly it also has a certain sense of “I’ve seen it all before” about it.

Lectures and university workers are already cracking under pressure and going on strike; Premier League, League Cup and European fixtures come thick and fast; university work starts to pick up with seminar leaders demanding ‘essay plans’ for essays which don’t even exist, and Tottenham make their annual trip to a country that no one’s ever heard of, to play a team that only the football hipsters know about.

Here at York Vision we show no signs of slowing down and if we don’t succeed at first, we don’t take the easy option and go on strike, we try and try again until we get it right.

The main focus this weekend is obviously Arsenal vs. Liverpool. I went to this fixture at the Emirates a few years back when it finished 0-0 after 90 minutes and 1-1 after 112 minutes. Bizarre game.

I expect Arsenal to win simply because Liverpool lack the hunger and desire to win these sorts of games at the top level.

Yes, they got lucky against Man Utd but Langwith 3rds would beat them at the moment, and that’s being kind to United.

To finish up I want to tell you a little story from this past week. I lost my wallet.

It had no money in it and was handed in to the Ron Cooke Hub the next day.

I would like to thank the person who handed it in; I take it they didn’t realise PSG beat Anderlecht by at least 2 goals and Ibrahimovic was the first goal scorer. £5 at 45/1. Not bad.

DIAMOND OF THE DAY Man City to win to nil 8/11.

Only conceded 2 goals at home this whole season.

ODDS:

8/11

DUCK OF THE DAY Man Utd 9/1 to win the Premiership. It’s not happening, get over it, might as well be 100/1. #DavidMoyesWeWantYouToStay

ODDS:

9/1

TIPSTER TREBLE Man Utd, Chelsea and West Brom to win pays 7/2.

Worth a few pennies.

ODDS:

7/2

SHOUT-OUT OF THE WEEK Massive thanks to all those striking this Thursday. It means I can miss my horrible 9am Political Enquiry lecture, which is a major result. Can we do this every Thursday, please?

Be sure to follow Miles on twitter and Instagram @Milesk99 for more betting tips, bet slip pics and sports info.

All odds correct at time of writing.

Gamble responsibly: visit gambleaware.co.uk or phone 0808 8020 133

Tuesday October 29, 2013

KEY CONTACTS SCHEME VISION CAN announce that York Sport President Cassandra Brown is set to launch her Key Contacts Scheme tonight, starting with a workshop on the aims and plans of the brand new project.

The scheme, which is one of Brown’s most prominent policies for the year ahead, will create a set of volunteers from within York’s sport clubs, who will act as important contacts for students looking to join the respective club.

Speaking to Vision, Brown said: “Following loads of great research by ourselves and by the NUS, we know that to improve participation in sport amongst groups such as disabled or LGBTQ students, we need to ensure that sporting opportunities are fully inclusive and accessible.

“We must also make a really positive commitment to fight negative perceptions about sport amongst groups currently feeling excluded, and show that our teams are working hard to make sure everyone can be involved and feel part of a team.

“The Key Contacts pilot is a chance for a small number of clubs to demonstrate really clearly their commitment to making sure their clubs are welcoming and accessible to all students.

“They provide a friendly face for all those who want to try out a new sport or find out more about the club whatever their background. The key contacts will get loads of training and engage with all sorts of different groups of students to find out how they can make their clubs as accessible and as inclusive as possible.”

A series of events including improving assertiveness and brainstorming ways to

aid the development of disability sport will be run throughout the year for the scheme, which will teach volunteers integral skills to help them to deal with important situations.

As well as this the volunteers will learn how to deal with any issues of confidentiality and develop their role in the University community, whilst also improving their listening and communication skills.

Different areas of sport at the University such as Disability Sport and LGBTQ involvement within the York Sport Union should be improved by her scheme.

In turn, sports clubs at the University should benefit from this by enjoying an increased diversity within their club, which will help them to attract more members

UYRUFC WINGER Conan Osborne has been selected to represent the Jamaican international team.

The 20-year-old Politics student will play for the Caribbean island in the Stepping Stones North American & Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Rugby Sevens tournament. The series will act as a qualifier for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the CASCO Games in Mexico and the HSBC World Sevens Series.

Conan, who has never trained, let alone played, for the Caribbean outfit, will fly out to Grand Cayman to meet the squad, just one day before the tournament begins.

Kent-born Conan said: “The whole thing still seems quite surreal as it’s happened quite suddenly. It’s really good to get international honours and I’m very excited about flying out to Grand Cayman.

“While the rest of the Jamaican team know each other and have been training together, it was too expensive for me to join them. Instead, the head coach has been sending me videos of set plays and kept me updated about the focus of training.

“I wasn’t sure I would be able to make

it to the Cayman Islands and there was talk of me joining the team at the Commonwealth Games stage. However, sponsorship from the University of York and Tactical Enterprise Ltd, providers of VIP protection, has made it possible to join the team now, which is fantastic.”

Conan qualifies to play for Jamaica through his grandparents on his father’s side, though he admits that he has only visited the island once before.

The Jamaican national team, ranked 82nd in the latest IRB World Rankings, are hoping to qualify by being the strongest Caribbean side, a feat they achieved last year, although they will face stiff competition from the USA, Canada and Mexico to win the NACRA series.

Conan, who scored a brace against Lancaster in last season’s Roses curtain-raiser at the Huntington Stadium, also plays for the Marauders Academy on the Elite Sevens circuit, and has previously turned down the opportunity to play on a semiprofessional basis.

The Politics with International Relations undergraduate plans to go into banking once he has completed his studies, although a year out playing rugby in Australia may also be on the cards.

Photo: Dave Washington

CONAN THE JAMAICAN

and promote events within their society to a wider structure of people.

So who’s involved?

Fencing - George Watkins - fencing@yusu.org Boat - Patrick Somerville-Large - boat@yusu. org Women’s football - Amy Johnson womensfootball@yusu.org Rugby - Tomasz Chadwick - rugby@yusu.org Women’s cricket - Ella Caine - womenscricket@yusu.org Kendo - Benjamin Dalby - kendo@yusu.org Octopush - Lucy Brown - octopush@yusu.org Trampolining - Rachel Bates - trampolining@yusu.org Women’s Rugby - Mollie Staples - womensrugby@yusu.org

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday October 29, 2013

27

ANOTHER BUSY WEEK!

BUCS ACTION continues tomorrow, as a number of York’s top teams look to record victories which will benefit York’s aim to break into the Top 40.

After promotion last year, it has been a challenging start to the year for one of York’s premiere sides, the Men’s 1sts rugby team. Tom Chadwick’s side have completed three games, and been desperately unlucky to suffer three narrow defeats, the latest being an agonising 18-15 defeat against Edinburgh 1sts last Wednesday.

Heading into tomorrow’s contest against Loughborough 2nds, which will commence at 14:00 on 22 Acres, the side sit at the foot of the table with a meagre three bonus points. However, there have been a number of positives to take from this year’s performances, and the side will seek to record the vital first win as they look to establish themselves after promotion.

In pre-season, York succumbed to defeat against this Loughborough side, but after weeks of training and intense preparation they should be in better shape to beat their opponents, who sit two points and two places above the White Rose.

Meanwhile the Men’s Football 1sts will be looking to continue their fine start to the season when they make the trip to play Leeds Trinity 1sts. Despite suffering a point deduction for an administrative error, the side sit top of Northern 3B after winning their first two games against Sunderland and Teeside.

Their female counterparts will also be looking to extend their unbeaten start to the campaign, as they host Northumbria 2nds. The side have responded admirably to their promotion, and quickly adapted to life in a higher division, currently sitting third in the table.

Another side who have enjoyed a promising start to the year are the Netball 1sts, as Bronwen Dalley-Smith’s team have recorded two victories in their opening games. The side will be expected to extend their winning streak as they travel to play bottom side Teeside 1sts who have suffered two colossal defeats, leaving them with an abysmal goal difference of -91.

Phil Blackburn’s Men’s 1sts Hockey side will also be venturing up North tomor-

row, as they make the trip to play Durham 3rds. A late goal denied the team victory last week, but it was an improvement on their opening day defeat, and they will be looking to kick-start their season with victory over York’s new Varsity rivals.

Some of the most anticipated action of the day will be on the 3G, as York’s leading lacrosse teams look to continue their fabulous starts to the season. The Women’s 1sts sit top of Northern 2B after recording two convincing victories, and this week will be looking to dispose of their latest opponents Sheffield Hallam 1sts.

Meanwhile the Men’s 1sts have been in dominant form, only conceding one goal in their first two matches, which included a 20-0 win over their 2nd team. They will be looking to continue their goalscoring exploits, which saw them put 39 goals past Durham 3rds last week, when they host Sheffield Hallam 2nds at 3pm. The 2nds meanwhile will be looking to bounce back from their initial defeat, when they face Hull 1sts who prevailed in their opening encounter.

York Sport President Cassandra Brown’s club will also be in action, as the Badminton sides look to bounce back from difficult results last week. The Men’s 1sts suffered their first defeat of the season away to Hull 1sts last Wednesday, and will be looking to return to winning ways when they host table-topping Durham 1sts.

The Women’s 1sts meanwhile were held to a 4-4 draw by York St John’s last week, but still sit in third place in Northern 2B, and will be looking to continue their unbeaten start to the year against Durham 2nds.

The Men’s Fencing 1sts will also be in action in Northern 1A, as they look to replicate the terrific success of the Women last year. George Watkins’s squad bounced back from an opening defeat against Roses rivals Lancaster 1sts to record victory last week, and they will host Northumbria 1sts tomorrow as they look to move up from fifth place.

Numerous other teams will be in action at home including the Women’s Basketball 1sts and Men’s Volleyball 1sts, whilst York’s Men’s Futsal 1sts will be hosting a number of key BUCS fixtures on Sunday as they look to embark on another successful season.

WE CAN SUCCEED! BELIEVE! WE HAVE the ability to succeed! Often that’s forgotten, and the fact that we finished outside of the BUCS Top 40 last year was considered a failure by many parties, after the large emphasis placed on the goal.

The truth is though that it shouldn’t be, and the last 12 months have underlined the potential that is present within the York Sport Union. Sometimes we have a tendency to measure success in the wrong way, and forget that in reality we are making great strides forward.

A number of our teams have enjoyed momentous successes, and that serves to show that we truly can compete with some of the leading institutions in the country.

We’d be foolish to think that we will all of a sudden become a sporting heavyweight, but the signs are there that we are making progress, and through clubs such as futsal, rugby and fencing we have professional models that we can look to replicate throughout the wide repertoire of sports on offer at York.

There appears to be an increasing sense of professionalism developing at York, with rugby providing the most vivid depiction of such a notion. The club may have suffered three consecutive narrow defeats to date this year, but no one can criticise their attitude or commitment.

The club train up to five times a week, and eventually they will surely be rewarded for their effort.

The highlight of last year was the brilliant success of the Futsal club, as they

produced a series of sublime displays to progress through to the semi-finals of the BUCS National Championships, before representing their country in this summer’s European Championships.

Futsal may not be the most high profile of sports, but regardless it shows the progress that York is making, and that through a large measure of commitment and dedication we can compete with the very best. The same goes for fencing, a sport that York has developed a reputation for excelling in, and the fact that we attract international standard athletes demonstrates the potential on offer.

And the most exciting part has to be the new facilities on offer at the University.

For years, York was held back by its substandard and decidedly shoddy facilities, but under the stewardship of Keith Mor-

Photo: Philip Mourjdis

ris, the University has made significant developments over recent years in creating exceptional facilities.

The York Sport Village is something we can be proud of, whilst the improvements to the gym in the sports centre have further boosted what we can offer to prospective students. Add on the plans for a new tennis dome, county standard athletics track and new astroturf, and you have the recipe for success over coming years.

Of course we might still finish outside the Top 40 this year, but that really isn’t the end of the world. Sometimes we focus on facts, figures and stats too much, and as a result miss the wider picture. Whatever people say we’re making progress, and exciting times lie ahead. We can succeed, be positive! And if all else fails, I’m sure we’ll still win Roses.

28 SPORT

Langwith succumb to Josephine-Butler WITH COLLEGE Varsity looming next term, Langwith enjoyed a sporting competition of their own last Saturday, as they competed against Durham college Josephine-Butler for the first time.

At the end of the day the visiting Durham college returned home with the spoils, after showing their skills in a range of disciplines, but the event was still viewed as a success.

A series of sporting events took place throughout the day, from football and basketball to squash and darts, whilst other activities such as baking and a FIFA tournament were also on the agenda.

Langwith Chair Sam Maguire, was delighted with the event, and told Vision: “It was great to have Josephine-Butler down and everyone who took part really enjoyed the day.

“We have been invited up to Durham in the summer term and we are trying to develop a working relationship to share best practise of all aspects of college life with them.

“We also hope that it will be a real boost to participation in collegiate sport and activities in Langwith.”

James college will also soon be taking part in their annual event against Collingwood college, as York and Durham continue to strengthen links between their college systems.

A Marathon Achievement

YORK VISION

Tuesday October 29, 2013

“NEW AND EXCITING”

[continued from back page] IF SUCH a system is implemented, then it is possible that this will help to generate more interest in College Sport over the months leading up to the event.

York Sport President Cassandra Brown told Vision: “I’m thrilled there’s finally a competitive tournament for college level players here at York. As the second best institution for participation level sport in the UK, the weekend will demonstrate just how far York’s college sport programme has come, particularly in recent years.

“The beauty of it and its difference to Roses, is that it will showcase the talent of our fantastic college sport players rather that our university players. And one of the most exciting things about it, is that it will grow year on year.”

The tournament is set to become a regular feature of the York Sport calendar, with the venue to be alternated from one year to the next in the same manner as Roses.

College Sport Officer Dave Washington added: “I thoroughly believe that this exciting development will help to push forward College Sport over the coming years, and should be a successful, innovative and groundbreaking tournament.

“Hopefully everyone will embrace the event, which will provide the opportunity for college sports players to represent their University. This is new and exciting!”

“All in all I’m delighted that this is happening, and it will provide us with the perfect chance to showcase our excellent col-

Photo: Jack Western

lege sport system against the powerhouses of Durham.”

Durham is renowned as the leading University for college sport in the North of England, and has been ranked as having the highest participation rates in collegiate sport.

Over recent years York has established relations with the reputable institution through the creation of events such as the James-Collingwood tournament, which is set to take place in week 6, and most recently this weekend’s competition between Langwith and Josephine-Butler.

It was announced over the summer

break that White Rose Varsity would be cancelled indefinitely, after the problems endured at last year’s event, which was hosted

by Hull for the first time.

A series of organisational failures and farcical developments undermined the tournament, most notably the fact that the eventual winner was not decided after the initial day of competition.

Planning for this new tournament is still in the early stages, but more details are set to be released over the coming weeks, as plans are put in place to create another successful sporting event at the University of York to work alongside Roses.

SPOTLIGHT: FENCING ANGUS QUINN AND HELENA HORTON TRY THEIR HAND AT FENCING

A GROUP of students from the University of York enjoyed a marathon success two weeks ago when they completed the Amsterdam Marathon.

Simon Varley, Kieron Hazell, Ben Leatham, Adam Highland, Joshua Clewes, Samuel Davies and Lucy Winship took to the streets of Amsterdam to run, jog and stagger 26.2miles raising over £8000 for the Association of International Cancer Research.

Simon Varley told Vision: “Doing the Amsterdam marathon felt amazing.

“Every step really is an achievement but the crowd, trance music, confetti cannons and the thoughts of finishing in an Olympic Stadium pushes you forward. Finishing at all gives you the biggest high you can ever experience” Fellow runner Lucy Winship added: “It was the single most rewarding experience of my life, absolutely unforgettable.

“It was so amazing, the atmosphere was overwhelming and the support I received before, during and after made me realize just how much everyone appreciates what we are doing for the charity.

“I would highly recommend it for everyone, you don’t have to be a top athlete to do it, I’m certainly not, you just have to be determined and doing it in a team helps you finish as well.”

The group are now planning to run the Barcelona Marathon in March, and are hoping to take a group of 20-30 students to tackle the marathon challenge.

All of the money raised will benefit AICR, and a briefing meeting will be held in Your Space on Thursday 31st October at 6pm for anyone interested.

Photo: Jack Western

ONE OF York’s most successful clubs in recent times, the University of York Fencing club have a large membership and five sessions a week. Last week Vision duo Helena Horton and Angus Quinn made the trip to the tent to try their hand at the sport.

Helena Horton: After a week of sweating in the Vision office and slaving over essays, I was looking for some form of release, an emotional output. Having a duel to the death with one of my fellow editors seemed like a fantastic idea, though since decapitation is frowned upon on campus, we went to try fencing instead.

Angus Quinn: Having narrowly avoided ending up in a terrifying boxing class, we finally found our way to the surprisingly gentle members of the fencing club.

Staggeringly, neither me nor Helena actually had a pair of trainers between us, and consequently wore deck shoes and Doc Martins for the entire hour-long session.

This seemed fine, before we were presented with the prospect of a jog, something that caused asthmatic Helena to wheeze and hack like a severely wounded steam train.

After a few stretches, some of which pulled muscles I wasn’t entirely aware I posessed, we got underway.

HH: Angus and I were terrified of the prospect of doing an actual sport, seeing as the only exercise we regularly partake in is sharking in Willow. Luckily for us, there was a lot of lunging involved and the En Gaurde position Five, where we were told to dip it low, suited us to the core. The leader of the session was very patient with us, especially as I seem to have no idea where my legs end and my feet begin, and possess

all of the grace of Bambi on rollerskates.

We got there in the end though, and we prepared to learn how to decapitate (well, poke in the left nipple) one another.

AQ: Since I’d been expecting to be twirling my saber at Helena each hour, the prospect of facing off against actually experienced Fencers wasn’t something I relished and I was immediately rebuked for my inexperience with several short, sharp stabs to my nipples. Fortunately I managed to get my own back, and once I had my arms under control and coordinated, things went quite well, to the point were I felt confident to actually lunge at my opponent and start chasing them across the court like a bonafide fencing aficianado.

HH: After practising with the pros, Angus and I were set on each other. I’d been looking for an excuse to hit him for ages, so this was great. However, he cheated his way to the top by poking me in a place where a woman should never be poked. We had a right laugh and though we didn’t get many fancy moves in, the fencing team were impressed at seeing their knaves blossom into veritable knights. Or they could have been just laughing at how bad we were; we couldn’t tell.

AQ: First things first, I didn’t cheat, Helena was just rubbish. Having dealt with that glaring error, we had an amazing time letting off some steam whacking one another with swords for an hour and the guys running the show were so lovely and patient, considering our complete ineptitude and massive lack of coordination.

Assuming we don’t spend the money on tequila and sambuca, we might be tempted to invest in a pair of trainers and come again.

SPORT

YORK VISION

Tuesday October 29, 2013

JAMES REACH SUMMIT

JAMES STORMED to victory this morning in the opening match of today’s college hockey fixtures.

An excellent display saw them claim a hard-fought 4-1 victory over a determined Halifax side, who were weakened by a lack of girls, which meant they were essentially two players down.

Despite the eventual defeat, it was Halifax who took an early lead, as Isaac Barker’s ball into the D was turned home from close range, past the despairing reach of Ollie McGaw. James though have not been defeated in the league since they lost 1-0 to Halifax over two years ago, and once more showed their resilience as they launched a superb comeback to overpower Halifax.

Chris Butterworth equalised 20 minutes into the contest, and a minute later they were ahead, as Jambo Talbot slotted home from close range.

Halifax almost equalised on the stroke of half-time as Alex Francis was just unable to touch a ball home, but after the break James made their man advantage count, as they played some flowing hockey.

The victory though was only sealed with five minutes left, as Declan Hall’s shot hit a foot on the line, resulting in the award of a penalty goal. And two minutes later the lead was extended to 4-1, as Talbot added his second of the game from the

left side of the area.

James McNeill fired wide for Halifax in the closing stages, but the James victory was sealed as they moved to yet another victory and cemented their place at the top of the table.

In the day’s other match, Goodricke recorded their first win of the season, as they beat 4-3 Derwent to move up to second in the standings.

A close fought encounter could easily have gone either way, but eventually the side from Heslington East prevailed to claim a hard fought victory. The dramatic contest saw Derwent almost claim a point, but their last minute equaliser was disallowed.

Both Halifax and James were supposed to have further games against Vanbrugh and Langwith respectively, but the clashes will be rearranged after player shortages.

Alcuin meanwhile had the week off and enjoyed a bye.

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

James

2

2

0

0

6

6

Goodricke

3

1

1

1

-2

4

Derwent

2

1

0

1

+5

3

Alcuin

2

1

0

1

-1

3

Langwith

1

0

1

0

0

1

Halifax

1

0

0

1

-3

0

Vanbrugh

1

0

0

1

-5

0

THOSE OLD DODGERS WENTWORTH WON the first competitive one-day tournament of the year, as the postgraduate college ducked and dived their way to success in Sunday’s College Dodgeball tournament.

An experienced team defeated their closest rivals Derwent by two ends to one in an absorbing and tense final. Amid tension and at times confrontation, Derwent claimed the first end by a narrow margin, but Wentworth fought back to claim victory by using their experience to overwhelm their spirited opponents.

The postgraduate college remained unbeaten throughout the whole tournament, breezing past Goodricke and Derwent in their group, before convincingly disposing of Vanbrugh in the semi-final.

Derwent meanwhile were forced to work hard to secure their place in the final, firstly by progressing through their group at the expense of a spirited, but slightly depleted, Goodricke team.

In the semi-final they then met an Alcuin team who had topped Group B after

Alcuin back to their best with win AN ENTHRALLING afternoon of college netball in the tent saw Alcuin, Halifax and Goodricke all claim valuable victories.

Alcuin dominated in their contest against Vanbrugh, eventually comfortably prevailing 23-5. Though Vanbrugh’s attacking play improved in the second half they couldn’t maintain this, and failed to catch up to the strong lead Alcuin had already established.

Meanwhile Derwent and Halifax provided a game of tight play as Derwent quickly turned a Halifax centre and made a short lead. Though it wasn’t long until Halifax pulled back to take the lead towards the end of the first half.

Halifax came out with much stronger attacking play in the second half and took the game to Derwent. Throughout the quarter they extended their lead, and with Derwent missing a number of shots, Halifax had the game in their hands and easily won by the end of the game 14-7.

In the final game of the day Goodricke held off a spirited James side to win 1613. After taking an early lead Goodricke maintained this despite the James shooters putting in some impressive finishes.

The Goodricke central play was strong and James struggled in this area, despite a strong performance from their centre. Although James pulled back to within three goals, Goodricke managed to hold on to claim an important win.

Photo: Jack Western

narrowly overcoming Vanbrugh in an exciting contest, which was decided in the final end. The first end resulted in an Alcuin victory after a close fought encounter, and the two teams were inseparable as the second end resulted in a tie.

Derwent fought back to remain in the contest by breezing to victory in the third end, before demonstrating their resilience by overpowering Alcuin in the deciding contest.

Alcuin then finished third in the enjoyable event after a walkover victory over Vanbrugh in the third placed playoff, whilst Goodricke deservedly claimed fifth spot after some valiant performances.

The most disappointing aspect was the absence of teams from James and Langwith, whilst Halifax were left with a severely depleted contingent of players, preventing any meaningful involvement on their part.

The dodgeball victory temporarily moves Wentworth to the top of the college standings, and emphasises the progress that they appear to be making to date this year, with participation levels up on previous years.

29

James storm to victory over Alcuin JAMES STARTED their season in style on 22 Acres on Sunday, with a convincing 33-0 win over a depleted Alcuin side that was severely hampered by a number of injuries.

Nevertheless, Alcuin were unable to match the physical prowess of their opponents, who played some flowing rugby in the pleasant autumn conditions, and deserved their victory.

However they were outscored by Derwent, who unsurprisingly appear to be the team to beat again once more, as they look to continue their remarkable college rugby record.

On Saturday afternoon Derwent annihilated the combined Goodricke-Langwith team 66-0, and were in dominant and ruthless fashion, as they simply proved too strong for their rivals from Heslington East.

The Goodwith team displayed promise and showed great enthusiasm and commitment, but were ultimately unable to match the physical prowess of their experienced rivals.

Halifax also begun their year with a win on Wednesday, as they overcame Vanbrugh in an exciting encounter, to record victory in their opening contest of the season.

Due to the absence of Wentworth and the merger of Langwith and Goodricke in college rugby, there are only six teams competing this term, and last week’s fixtures were the first of the year.

Dominant in recent years, the odds are on Derwent to reign supreme again this year, but they may be challenged by a strong James team.

30 SPORT

MASSACRE

Langwith 0 Wentworth 6

ON A blustery morning at 22 Acres, Langwith found themselves on the end of a heavy 6-0 defeat against a strong Wentworth side.

A goal either side of half time from Rob Sellers, and then captain Wayne Paes in the 50th minute caused Langwith heads to drop.

Goals from Chris Papoui, Andy Cox, Mutlu Cukurova and a second for Paes completed a solid morning’s work for Wentworth.

It was Wentworth who started the match in the ascendancy. Good work down their favoured left flank from Ben Keane and Papoui gave Mutlu Cukurova a chance to get his shot away, only to find it well blocked by Langwith centre-back Matt Jones.

Langwith had the majority of possession in the last 25 minutes of the half, with left-back Tom Benney combining well with winger Mark Morton on numerous occassions. In spite of their possession, Langwith’s permeable defence was increasingly exposed. Paes enjoyed a wealth of success in clipping passes over the Langwith defenders for the tireless Sotos to burst onto, but he could only sky a shot over the bar when one-on-one with Cheshire.

Langwith’s failure to make their pressure tell came back to haunt them in first half stoppage time when Rob Sellers rose majestically to meet a corner and angle a header down past Kris Cheshire and into the corner of the net. The postgrads nearly found themselves cursing the old adage of being vulnerable after a goal, as Andy Hutt immediately raced through, but his sidefoot shot squirmed wide of Cook’s right post.

After the break, Wentworth started brightly, keen to maintain intensity and put last week’s lethargic 3-0 defeat to Vanbrugh behind them. Less than five minutes of the half had elapsed when Wayne Paes found himself stroking the ball into an empty net for his second goal of the game, as Kris Cheshire palmed a speculative effort from distance out to Paes.

Langwith’s heads clearly dropped, and gallingly Wentworth’s third came courtesy of a howitzer from Chris Papoui, an effort good enough to beat any keeper.

More poor marking from an- other corner in the 7 3 r d minute permitted a free header for Andy Cox on a late run into the box to make it 4-0.

A fifth came just four minutes later, as Cukurova capitalised on dallying from the dejected Langwith defenders to slot home. Wentworth were in no mood to sympathise, and when Sotos turned provider to part the Langwith defence for a final time, Wayne Paes was on hand to convert his side’s sixth to seal the deal.

YORK VISION Tuesday October 29, 2013

TOUCH OF CLASS

OSCAR PEARSON REPORTS AS A WONDERFUL JAMIE TRANT VOLLEY HELPS DERWENT TO VICTORY OVER HALIFAX

DERWENT Gwinnett (16), Trant (21, 80)

HALIFAX

30 2

Heath (65, 89) JAMIE TRANT’S spectacular volley further aided Derwent’s title assault and left Halifax devastated on the 22 acres, as they finally succumbed to a 3-2 defeat on Sunday.

Ryan Gwinnett put Derwent ahead before Trant rifled home to double his side’s lead. Garo Heath reduced the deficit for Halifax after the break from a tight angle.

Trant grabbed his second – and his side’s third – ten minutes from time to secure the victory, although another Heath strike late on made for a nervy ending.

Derwent were forced to line up without many of those who performed excellently in last week’s 10-0 demolition of Alcuin, but began brightly. Jonny Sim was forced into a number of solid stops and the commanding Dave Belshaw was creating openings early on.

Halifax’s Connor McCoy eased into the game and proved dangerous down the left wing, yet it was Derwent who struck first.

A perfectly-weighted ball over the top left Ryan Gwinnett in acres of space to tap home a terrific driven cross.

And ‘Fax failed to deal with an inswinging corner minutes later, as the ball hit Belshaw and dropped at the edge of the penalty area. Trant, in front of his father

Photo: Zoe Bennell

who watched from the sideline, let leash a left-foot volley which screamed into Sim’s top corner to make it 2-0.

Derwent fully deserved the half time lead but began the second period sloppily.

Fresher Tom Sherbourne, playing out of his natural position at centre-back, was forced to make a goal-saving block as Halifax pressed for a way back into the encounter.

They found one when Garo Heath converted a whipped-in cross at an angle, and things looked positive for Halifax when Derwent’s Mashahi Nozaki failed to restore his side’s two goal advantage, missing when it looked easier to score.

Connor Meckin, who scored in Halifax’s 2013 College Cup triumph, was surprisingly

quiet but ‘fax deserved a leveller with McCoy and Matt Seed sharp, fast and alert on the pitch.

It wasn’t to be, however, when Nozaki’s delicate cross was guided home by Jamie Trant’s left boot to put Derwent 3-1 ahead.

Johnny Sim, though excellent throughout the contest, was unable to keep out Trant’s second flawless strike of the afternoon, as Derwent extended their lead to a near-on unassailable margin.

Despite a very late individual goal from Garo Heath, who weaved through a messy defence before slotting under the goalkeeper, Derwent were able to hold on, and claim another victory to benefit their chances of claiming this term’s title.

Alcuin 2 - 3 Vanbrugh

James Scott reports as Vanbrugh resist Alcuin’s comeback to seal victory

Photo: Zoe Bennell

ALCUIN STAGED a thrilling comeback from 3-0 down in what was a game of two halves, but it wasn’t enough to beat a well-drilled Vanbrugh side.

The two sides began steadily, with the opening few minutes passing off relatively quietly with both sides evenly matched.

As the half developed Vanbrugh steadily gained control, dominating possession and making forays into the Alcuin half.

Alcuin keeper Ben Bugeja fumbled the ball; Kyle Picknell picked it up, and instead of going for individual glory, he unselfishly laid it out to Johnny Grout who coolly slotted it home for Vanbrugh’s first.

After this, Vanbrugh were very much on top for the remainder of the half. Alcuin scored highly in the application department, but they were unable to offer little in the way of penetration. Vanbrugh continued to have chances and it wasn’t long before a beautiful second goal came from Elliot Ross to make it 2-0.

Vanbrugh remained on top as the halftime whistle approached; although Alcuin had their chances, Danny Matthews having his shot blocked by some last ditch Vanbrugh defending.

Alcuin started the second half brightly, and it seemed that they had established a foothold in the game. These hopes ap-

peared to have been dashed however, when Elliot Ross scored a thundering header for Vanbrugh, off a John Sanderson corner.

However, to Alcuin’s credit they didn’t give up, and they were rewarded soon after when out of nowhere Sean Perera smashed the ball home. With the score 3-1, the odds were still stacked against Alcuin, but as the game opened up, and with Vanbrugh looking a shadow of their first half selves a comeback was on the cards.

As the final whistle neared Alcuin were awarded a corner, which was fumbled by the Vanbrugh ‘keeper. What can best be described as a melee then ensued before the ball dribbled over the line. With hardly any time left Alcuin kicked on and right at the death Matthews had a good chance to complete an unlikely comeback, but his shot flew narrowly over the bar.

Alcuin captain Greg Fearn was disappointed with the result, but pleased with the second half performance, and said: “We came off at half-time and I was really annoyed to be honest. To come back and win the second half 2-1 means a lot to me.”

His opposite number Joe Lund told Vision: “We had a good first half; we played well with good football. We were scrappy to let them back into it, but I think we deserved the three points.”

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday October 29, 2013

Goodricke 0 - 7 James

31

Ferrao inspires sublime James to resounding victory

SEVEN STAR SHOW

Photos: Jack Western

JAMES 1STS leapfrogged opponents Goodricke to the top of the College Football table as they swept their opponents aside in a ruthless attacking display on 22 acres.

In a game billed as one of the biggest fixtures of the season so far, Ralph Gill’s side made a mockery of the pre-match hype, as they turned in a performance of clinical finishing and terrifying efficiency.

In spite of the final score-line, the game started out evenly, with the two sides vying for space in a cagey opening.

It was James who created the first meaningful chance, as striker Matt Singleton got on the end of a free kick, only to see his effort saved by ‘keeper Tom Neill.

In truth it was a first twenty characterised by strong tackles and resolute defence.

Goodricke’s attack found themselves feeding off scraps, but they had a great chance as James’s centre-halves failed to deal with a goal kick. Striker Simon Hurst was unable to apply a finish, however, as James keeper Andy Balzan gathered with ease.

Goodricke were made to pay for their profligacy as James made the breakthrough midway through the first period.

A surging run from Freddie Ferrao gave James Briars space to shoot, and with ‘keeper Neill off his line, the Goodricke defence were unable to stop it from trickling in after an attempted clearance only helped the ball on its way.

James doubled their lead soon after.

The blistering pace of Ferrao saw him one-on-one with Neill, and the winger calmly nestled the ball in the bottom corner for a 2-0 lead.

Rattled, Goodricke pressed forward in an attempt to get back in the game, leaving huge gaps for James to exploit. A quick counter-attack saw James go into halftime with a comfortable 3-0 advantage.

Goodricke captain Jonathan Gilbanks had to rally his team, and they improved

markedly after the interval. Some enterprising running from Joe Mann signalled their intent, but they squandered two chances in quick succession, as the inform Balzan gathered several crosses.

Despite the greater attacking threat offered by Goodricke after half-time, James’s defence were unnerved, with Mandeep Sangah impressing.

And it was the right-back who started the attack for James’s fourth goal, as he quickly distributed the ball upfield. An inviting cross from Dan Haresnape was superbly finished by the unmarked Ferrao at the back post.

With the result beyond question, James captain Gill was able to send on Mike Austin into midfield. The substitute was immediately involved in the next James attack, laying the ball off for a powerful shot from Spurling from the edge of the area which Neill did well to hold.

Goodricke, who started the game at the top of the table, desperately threw men forward as they searched for something to show for their endeavours, but were unable to breach James’s sterling defence.

Another run from the superb Ferrao resulted in the ball cannoning into the net off Goodricke’s Joel Fagan, leaving the score-line at an eye-popping 5-0.

But James were not finished, as Spurling’s brilliant curled effort made it six goals without reply. By now, it was a case of damage limitation for Goodricke.

Striker Matt Singleton was hauled to the ground in the closing minutes as he surged into the box, and he duly added a seventh from the resulting spot kick.

At last, the referee blew the final whistle to put Goodricke out of their misery.

James captain Gill was understandably buoyant, as he told Vision: “It was an unbelievable performance, I’m delighted to go top of the league after that.

“Andy Balzan made some superb saves to keep us in the game, it’s a great to a clean sheet. Goodricke have some good players, and we wanted to keep them quiet, which thankfully we did today.”

MATCH STATISTICS

CURRENT STANDINGS

Shots 17

7

Shots on Target 4

10

Fouls 3

6

Offsides 0

0

Corners 2

4

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

James

3

3

0

0

+10

9

Derwent

3

2

0

1

+10

6

Goodricke

3

2

0

1

+1

6

Vanbrugh

3

2

0

1

+1

6

Wentworth

3

1

1

1

+3

4

Halifax

3

1

0

2

+1

3

Alcuin

3

0

1

2

-11

1

Langwith

3

0

0

3

-15

0

SPORT

V

BUCS PREVIEWS

GOODRICKE 1sts 0 JAMES 1sts 7

P31

SPOTLIGHT: FENCING

P27

YORK VISION EXCLUSIVE

P28

NEW COLLEGE VARSITY Photo: Jack Western

Photo: Elise Grimm

VISION CAN exclusively announce that a new College Varsity tournament against Durham is set to be introduced this year to replace the defunct White Rose Varsity against Hull.

The event, which will be held in either February or early March, will see a number of York’s top college teams represent the University against their Dur-

ham counterparts in a range of sports.

Roughly eight or nine sports are expected to be involved, including the most popular college sports such as football, rugby, hockey and netball, with either one or two fixtures to be played in each sport.

The exact manner in which teams will be picked to represent York is yet to be confirmed. However, it has been suggested that the prestigious slots will be determined by playoff matches between the leading teams from the first term.

Continued on page 28, Comment p26

Photo: Valeria Photo: Jack Vallone Western

> BRAND NEW COLLEGE VARSITY TOURNAMENT TO RUN NEXT TERM > EVENT TO ACT AS REPLACEMENT FOR AXED WHITE ROSE VARSITY

Issue 237

Tuesday October 29, 2013

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