The QH Issue 35

COUNCIL TAX TO RISE

SPRING LOOK BOOK

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WESTMINSTER AT LFW

FAB ON A BUDGET

NASA DISCOVERS NEW EARTHS

NO EQUALITY FOR STRAIGHT COUPLE

EXCLUSIVE: ROHAN RICKETTS

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PG 3

PG 5

TUESDAY 28TH FEBRUARY | ISSUE 35 | FREE

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ELECTION SPECIAL: NEW TEAM TAKES THE THRONE

MARYAM NAMAZIE AT WESTMINSTER

BY RITUJA RAO

FULL RESULTS INSIDE!

EIGHT P AGE INTERVIE S OF WS ANALYS & IS

• DAN, LUDO & FREYA RE-ELECTED

• NEWCOMERS JOSEPH & ETHEL JOIN OFFICER TEAM After much drama and disruption, on Tuesday 28th February the University of Westminster Students’ Union elected five new sabbatical officers for 2017/2018. Fifteen candidates ran overall for the positions of President, Vice President of Regents and Little Titchfield Street, Vice President of Marylebone, Vice President of Cavendish, and Vice President of Harrow.

The elected officers are President Freya Thompson, Vice President of Regents and Little Titchfield Street Ethel

Tambudzai, Vice President of Marylebone Joseph Ikebudu, Vice President of Cavendish Ludovica Sinichiscali Bernabo, and Vice President of Harrow Dan Seamarks.

The 2017 UWSU Elections has seen a big overall turnout yet, with 8672 people voting, despite various technical difficulties occurring throughout the week. The number could be based on the technical issues the Students’ Union had with missing and defective voter links.

The next officer to be

elected was the Vice President of Harrow. Current officer, Dan Seamarks, re-ran for the position unopposed, and received 1155 votes, with RON receiving 400 votes. He said, “I’m looking forward to next year and I think we’ve got alot left to do.”

The Vice President of Cavendish role was next, where current officer, Ludovica Sinichiscali Bernabo also re-ran unopposed, and received 1256 votes, with RON receiving 224 votes. She said “Thank you to everyone who

voted again and I’m looking forward to being here for a second year.”

The Marylebone campus saw five candidates campaign for the role of Vice President.

Joseph Ikebudu won with 522 votes, beating runner up Helsio Perestrelo who received 427 votes, while RON received 191 votes. The other candidates in the running were Bob Alimov, Darshan Bhudia, and Mahammed Tahir.

CONTINUED IN ELECTION PULLOUT...

Many students have raised concerns regarding Maryam Namazie speaking at an event at the University of Westminster on Friday, 24th February. The university’s second Let’s Get Critical workshop will host Maryam Namazie and Tariq Modood to discuss the notion of secularism and diversity, in a university context.

There have been concerns expressed by students and student bodies such as Islamic Society (ISOC) against Maryam Namazie speaking at the event and some have suggested for her to be uninvited. Maryam Namazie is an Iranian-born activist against religious laws.

She is also a spokesperson for One Law for All, a group that campaigns against sharia and other religious laws, and a member of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and the Worker communist party of Iran.

In the past, she has been blocked by Warwick University’s students’ union fearing that Namazie’s appearance could violate its external speaker policy and incite hatred on campus. In December 2015, protestors from Goldsmith University’s Islamic Society had disrupted Namazie’s speech verbally and physically, as seen on a video that surfaced on YouTube short after. They also condemned Namazie, referring to her as a ‘notorious islamophobe’.

A spokesperson for University of Westminster’s Student’s Union said, “Maryam Namazie has been invited by the university to speak at a University-run event.

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EDITORIAL LETTER

TEAM Rituja Rao Editor rituja.rao@smoke.media

Tooba Haq Deputy editor tooba.haq@smoke.media

Joshua Hackett Managing editor

j.hackett@su.westminster.ac.uk

Micaela Kolischer Production editor micaela.kolischer@smoke.media

BY RITUJA RAO

Lauren Waugh News editor lauren.waugh@smoke.media

Nicole El-Helou News editor

nicole.el-helou@smoke.media

Jack Cummings Features editor

jack.cummings@smoke.media

Aylin Paula Karansis Lifestyle editor

aylin.karansis@smoke.media

Damian Burchardt Sports editor

damian.burchardt@smoke.media

Reuben Pinder Delmar Gustav Alex Clement Peony Hirwani Felicity King Kieran Barnshaw Copy editors copyeditors@smoke.media

ABOUT THE QH The QUINTIN HOGG is produced monthly by a team of student volunteer editors and contributors.

All students can get involved. No experience is needed and full training is provided.

The QH published by the University of Westminster Students’ Union, but views presented do not necessarily mirror those of UWSU or the editorial team. If you would like to make a complaint or comment about our journalism, please contact the managing editor, Joshua Hackett, in the first instance.

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CRACK DOWN ON YOUR ESSAYTO-ORDER SITES ANNOUNCED

BY JACK CUMMINGS Universities minister Jo Johnson has announced plans to tackle on the so called ‘essay-mill’ industry.

According to Thomas Lancaster, associate dean of Staffordshire university, there is likely tens of millions of pounds going through these websites every year.

Essay-to-order sites often use social media as their primary line of advertising. It’s not unusual for Westminster students to see posts of this kind on their freshers, halls and student union pages.

Prices for these can range from less than £50, up to £6,750 for a PhD dissertation.

Part of the difficulty in dealing with these sites, is that it is not currently illegal for businesses to write and sell model essays. Furthermore, whilst, universities like Westminster employ advanced anti-plagiarism software to spot ‘copy-and-pasted’ work, there is no reliable way to spot an essay-to-order.

As a result of this, Jo Johnson is reaching out to institutions across the country for guidance in combating contract plagiarism – the umbrella term for purchased

essays.

Furthermore, the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) has recommended new laws, which would make it illegal

ESSAY-TO-ORDER SITES OFTEN USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS THEIR LINE OF ADVERTISING for students to “commit acts of academic dishonesty for financial gain”. This would be punishable with fines of up to £5000 – a sure put-off for any student tempted to buy an essay. Of course, this wouldn’t necessarily stop the activity of the websites themselves.

On this front, Lord Storey has proposed an amendment, which would make it illegal for sites to provide or advertise cheating services.

Such a policy has worked well in New Zealand, where the essay-mill industry has been mostly frozen. Fortunately for Westminster students, the University offers a wide variety of academic support – all of which is above the law.

Welcome to The QH, the only source of university news you need. The QH is proud to present the exclusive firstlook at your brand new SABB team. This issue contains an additional 8-page supplement which has all you need to know about the intense and happening elections this year.

While elections are the highlight this season, there’s a lot more you must know.

Maryam Namazie speaking at a university debate has raised an alarm for many. The QH brings you the insider story. We also exclusively interviewed Rohan

Ricketts, ace former Arsenal footballer- a little victory for us at The QH. With new spring arrivals, we have also compiled for you a trendy look book, which you cannot go wrong with. All using essay apps and services, beware, these sites migt be blocked soon. Also, we may not be alone after all, NASA has found a new solar system. What you hold is a read that will bring you up-todate with everything around you.

Edging towards the end of this year The QH is gearing up to invite its new editorial team, who will bring you the best, as always, next year. We will shortly open applications and would love to have your application. The best talent for a newspaper, are its readers, you. Until next time, keep listening and watching intently, as you might break the next big story. To write for The QH or to give us a potential lead, contact us on editor.qh@ smoke.media.

A WORD FROM YOUR SU PRESIDENT

BYFREYA THOMPSON Well, wasn’t elections stressful! A whirlwind of two weeks of campaigning and voting has passed and we know have a new team off SABBs who’ve taken the throne.

International Women’s Week is approaching!

Remember, you don’t have to identify as female to take part, you just have to want gender equality. We will celebrate females across the University of Westminster because #thisgirlcan!

MADfest hits on the 14th of March! We love the creative

minds of Harrow, so we want to showcase them even more!!

Come down to the Harrow Campus between 14-16th and brandish your paintbrushes.

Don your black and yellow for some incredible exhibitions of sport over the month of March. We have Boxing, Netball, Basketball and Football with a finale of Varsity where the red of West London take on the yellow of Westminster. More details to follow, but in the mean time, come visit me in my new office UG01!

This can be found on the upper ground floor of Regents, a lot more front facing for all your student needs.

Want more?

See more at

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WHAT’S ON?

THE DIFFERENCE FESTIVAL

27th February Regent Street University of Westminster is starting a series of events that will showcase the work of staff and students. The week long festival will include lunchtime programmes, taster sessions and evening talks each day which cover cultural, political and educational topics. The festival will open with the Chinese Experience in london: Depiction and Reality will be at the Regent Street Campus on the 27th of feb. The events range from academic debates, to cultural explorations and even includes a screening of the 1919 silent film, Broken Blossoms, shown in the Regent Street Cinema accompanied by a live organ.

IMAGE: Peter, Flickr.com

SHOULD NAMAZIE SPEAK AT WESTMINSTER?

BY RITUJA RAO

SU spokesperson added, “A controversial speaker such as Namazie should have been properly reviewed – as would have happened for any union or society-run event.”

24 February, 6-8pm UG 05, Regent Campus The Let’s Get Critical will discuss the notion of secularism in a University context. Everyone in the Westminster community (students, staff and externals) are invited to join this debate and engage in a constructive dialogue.

Some questions are, how do we uphold equality and celebrate diversity in a multicultural and multifaith context? and how do we provide equal opportunities for all to thrive at Westminster regardless of background or culture?

The workshop aims to inspire young adults of global citizens, professional leaders, and lifelong learners, who believe in ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’ as a core part of their life.

“Our student leaders running events find the process frustrating and it is understandable that they are disappointed if they believe there are different rules for them, than for the University.”

University of Westminster’s Islamic Society (ISOC)

released acknowledging complaints from students and their frustration against Namazie speaking at the debate.

ISOC’s poster directed students to pose their concerns ‘properly’ to the

WESTMINSTER STUDENTS STUDY WITH PRISONERS

BY RITUJA RAO

LET’S GET CRITICAL, CRITICAL

IMAGE: Kane Reinholdt, Unsplash.com

university’s secular adviser, Isabel Miller.

A spokesperson for ISOC said, “At this point in time, the Islamic Society will refrain from commenting on the matter of Maryam Namazie.

We are currently working with our Student’s Union on this matter.”

In 2013, ISOC had invited the controversial anti-gay cleric Sheikh Haitham AlHaddad, to address over 300 students. The university’s LGBTI society had launched a petition at the time, which attracted nearly 2,500 signatures in 36 hours, in an attempt to block the visit.

Ahmed Mahfuz Talukdar, a second year Biomed student at the university, told The QH, “I feel many Muslims and non-Muslims, both voiced concerns regarding Maryam speaking, because many students, unaffiliated to any societies, think that Maryam intentionally goes out of her way to make inflammatory comments and be disrespectful.”

At press time, Isabel Miller, the university’s secular adviser did not reply to The QH’s request for comment. At the time of print, the event scheduled for 24th February, is due to go ahead as planned.

University’s undergraduate students studying Criminology had an opportunity to learn with inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Pentonville.

“My experience of studying in Pentonville prison can be summed up in one word, enlightening”, said Faizullah Muhammedali, a thirdyear student studying BA Criminology.

Dr. Andreas Aresti and Dr. Sacha Darke, lead the British Convict Criminology (BCC).

They undertook the project with Jose Aguiar, Education Consultant at HMP Pentonville.

This project ran for the first time as a pilot last year and this year, it is running from 25 January until 29 March, 2017.

15 inmate students from HMP Pentonville study once a week in the prison library with 15 Westminster students. This 10week programme on prison studies will end in a graduation ceremony for all the students.

The students on this programme are allowed to

learn and socialise with the inmates, designed to give them an insight into prison conditions and prisoner treatment. Faiz recalled, “It is a bit awkward at first as you don’t want to ask questions that may offend the prisoners. But the fact is that, the prisoners want to talk and are eager to tell you about their pasts and what led them to being imprisoned.”

He also said that the programme helped them learn many things that “are not often reflected in mainstream media”. He told The QH,” I believed that all the prisoners would be critical of the justice system and annoyed at their imprisonment. But a lot of them actually accept that they have done wrong and thus deserve to be imprisoned.”

HMP Pentonville, informally known as The Ville, is actually not in Pentonville but is located further north, on the Caledonian Road in north London. Faiz said, “Every person in that room has something to bring to the ‘learning’ table.”

IMAGE: Davide Cantellie, Unsplash.com

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COUNCIL TAX TO RISE WHILE SERVICES CUT, SAYS LGA

BY SONAKSHI SHARMA The Local Government Association or LGA that represents councils across the United Kingdom has said that deep cuts in essential services are expected in order to fund for adult social care.

Local authorities in the country are planning to rise the council tax by up to 4.99%, while libraries, bin collections and other services will still face funding gaps.

With rise in council tax the student sector of the country has been affected severely.

The students especially in the capital, London, are paying huge rents for housing at the university level.

The students staying alone are disturbed about this update as now they have to pay extra due to council tax increase as residents. “While students living in university dorms are exempt from the council tax, the others who are living in other places will be further in debt. As the rent in the capital is already high,” said

IMAGE: pixelbay

Lauren Coppin Campbell, BA Hons Journalism student.

Lord Porter, chairman of the LGA, said: Services supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities are at breaking point and many councils are increasingly unable to turn down the chance to raise desperately needed money for social care and other local services next year.”

“The council tax has created an extremely tough situation for post graduates as they will have to work in extra hours in order to pay their already soaring rents,” said Salvi Shahlaie, media student at the harrow campus.

It has already been recorded numerous times that landowners have to chase the students to pay their debts. This unexpected rise has made things worse than ever. The announcement of the spike in council tax has disturbed many students in the capital. They will be working overtime or taking up various activities to fulfil this added expense.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SHOWN BIAS DUE TO THEIR NAME

BY MICAELA KOLISCHER

A study published by the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology in the US, suggests that tutors are more inclined to respond to students with anglicised names.

The study carried out two experiments. In the first, an email was sent to 419 white tutors, asking to meet. This email was sent with the name of a Chinese student being changed from Xian to Alex.

In the second, an overseas graduate student sent 185 white undergraduate students a lecture recording, varying his name between Jian and John. Students were told that the university was selecting PhD candidates for a job. Their assessment would influence which of those graduates would get hired as a tutor. Students had to assess whether the lecturer was adapting well to American life and if their teaching was

difficult to understand.

The study, named Welcome to the US, but change your name?, showed that those emails with the anglicised name led to more replies and willingness to meet. It also showed that the Anglo name was favoured by most students.

‘‘PERSONALLY I DIDN’T FEEL THAT I WAS TREATED ANY DIFFERENTLY AT MY OWN UNIVERSITY’’ The QH asked some University of Westminster students about their experience.

Phoebe Thu Nguyen, a third-year Journalism student said: ‘’When I came to the UK, my new friends and teachers couldn’t pronounce my

Vietnamese name. So I decided to choose an English name.’’ ‘’I changed my name based on my Vietnamese name’s meaning. I found it easier in some ways But then, it also made my teachers confused when marking, since some didn’t know my Vietnamese name.”

Phoebe’s classmate, Shingirai Mupfupi said: ‘’It is true that having a foreign name affects how you are treated at work or in many institutions. Having said this, I want to say that personally I have never attempted to change my name to an English one, for two reasons: I feel that my name reveals my true identity, for that I am proud of; and secondly, I know it costs a lot of money.’’ ‘’Personally I didn’t feel that I was treated any differently at my own university, but outside, I have received comments like ‘what a weird name’ or ‘it’s a unique name’.’’

IMAGE: Pexels

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STUDENTS TOLD TO DITCH GOWN IN FEAR OF ATTACK

BY PEONY HIRWANI Last week a video was shared via Snapchat of Ronald Coyne, a member of the Conservative Party at the University of Cambridge, who was caught setting a twenty-pound note aflame in front of a homeless person, Following the incident, Mr Coyne, who is believed to be a distant relative of the Scottish First Minister Nicola Surgeon, was expelled

from Cambridge University Conservation Association. This episode prompted a notice for Cambridge University undergraduates to not wear their scholastic outfits in the downtown area, over feelings of dread they will be assaulted by local people.

An email was sent to students after one of their schoolmates was ambushed while he cycled crosswise over Silver Street Bridge in formal wear on Sunday morning.

“WE CAN CONFIRM THERE WAS AN INCIDENT ON SUNDAY MORNING THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO POLICE’’

A representative of Cambridge Police said: “The casualty reached us to state they were verbally and physically attacked by a man on Silver Street Bridge at around 9.15am on Sunday morning.

“He was cycling over the extension when the man, who is portrayed as tall, white and of a medium form with a facial hair, moved toward him and verbally manhandled him before striking him”.

This is not the first time that Cambridge tutees have

been warned not to wear their outfits around the local area.

In 2012, students were asked to ditch the gown and the tux if they go out drinking in case they get attacked by locals.

A University representative said: “We can confirm there was an incident on Sunday morning that has been reported to police. We cannot comment further while a police investigation is ongoing.”

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS CHOOSE TO LIVE HOME

BY RITUJA RAO According to a HESA study,more than 328,000 students in the UK chose to remain in their family home over the last year.

With average living costs on the rise and monthly London rent now at a whopping average £1,508 per month (according to HomeLet Rental Index), HESA figures are not very surprising.

With tuition fees on the rise and living costs at their peak, is ‘traditional university lifestyle’ becoming a privilege only some can afford?

Alicia Wilson Fraser, a final year TV Production student told QH, “I stayed home with my parents in first year and I can definitely say it was better finance wise. But the the journey would take up to two hours to Harrow campus, affecting my sleep.”

Commute is one of the problems faced by students to elect to live in their family home. Tommy Chung, a third year business student at the university said, “Travel is quite tedious and can be expensive.”

“Total travel to mine and back takes 2 hours and I still have to pay for a monthly train ticket, which is over £150. Also going out is quite a trek and getting home at 4 AM is very hard.”

Going out ‘the university style’ is another comfort that students compromise on.

Delmar Terblanche, second year BA Journalism student said, “It is almost if my life is on a different timetable altogether. When out with my mates, I am the only one who needs to head back. And waiting for trains becomes a full time activity.”

Others are more positive about living at home, Arjun

Reddy, a third-year computer engineering student said, “Unlike some of my friends, I don’t need to be working hard part-time to save money for rent and food.”

Tommy added, “I don’t have to worry about doing laundry or cooking for myself everyday. I save a lot of money that I can easily spend on other things.” Alicia further added, “I was more focused on my studies when I lived with my parents.”

Lucy Cranfield, whose family home is in southwest London has chosen to live away from home and at student accommodation, she said, “I feel that everyone should live away from home to fully immerse themselves in the university experience, however the cost of my independence is too high and sometimes unjustifiable.”

IMAGE: Pexels.

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MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES RISE IN STUDENTS

BY BISHAKA DUTTA New research has revealed that more than 50% of students are suffering from mental health issues, largely due to the enormous debts accumulated during university years.

A survey conducted by Intelligent Environments found that more than 75 per cent of students receiving maintenance loans feel stressed by the amount of debt accumulated. Over a third admitted to not being able to afford weekly food shopping, while a quarter had missed rent payments.

Estelle Clarke, advisory board member of Intelligent Environments, said to the Independent that there is “an undisputed negative relationship between debt and mental ill health”. Many students are not only unable to pay their bills, but also miss out on socialising events which

leave them feeling lonely and depressed.

This not only affects their mental health but also that of academics. Many have to choose between working as much as 30 hours extra per week to earn additional money.

Experts in the industry have blamed this on the higher education system becoming increasingly unaffordable. The NUS is concerned that this has in particular affected the working-class students looking to pursue higher education.

Shelly Asquith, National Union of Students (NUS) vice president raised her concern over the situation saying that it forms a major factor in the increase in the number of students experiencing mental health issues.

Meanwhile, a significant proportion of students taking out maintenance loans have to rely on other sources of

incomes like overdrafts, credit cards, payday loans and borrowing money from relatives to get through the terms.

The government’s plan to sell off billions of pounds of student debt to private companies may also be a cause for concern. Students or graduates who have taken out loans before 2012 could find themselves making repayments to private companies.

Universities Minister Jo Johnson told the Independent that the Government promises that there will be no impact on those with student loans and “is committed to bringing public finances under control”.

However, union leaders have attacked the decisions, with NUS delegates accusing government of pulling an “ugly move” on students.

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WESTMINSTER IMPRESSES AT FASHION WEEK

BY IOANA OBULU London Fashion Week, one of the “Big Four” fashion weeks, will be held this month between 17th and 21st. The show will enclose the most appreciated fashion designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Burberry or Alexander McQueen, who revitalise every year’s fashion with their collections. This year, we can admire on the catwalk the work of fashion designers who graduated from University of Westminster.

Kate Ann McGuigan, who graduated in 2016, as a winner of the Fashion Merit Award, will be able to present her runway collection at LFW on Saturday, 18th of February.

She succeeded in traversing the path, from being a common entrant among hundreds to becoming the winner of the Fashion Scout Merit Award. Her runway collection will centre her unique large-scale geometric prints appeared, highlighting the contemporaneous graphic silhouettes.

Like Kate Ann, another Westminster graduate who will have the opportunity to show off her fashion skills within the LFW show is Roberta Einer. The extravagance and refinement of her womenswear has immediately drawn the attention of the public for its

creative utilization of couture strategies, with an accentuation on adornment and handweaving. So far, her work was integrated in publications such as American Vogue, Teen Vogue, Dazed & Confused and i-D Magazine.

Another young fashion designer, bringing balance between tradition and contemporaneous and mixing the lines between the latest style and creativity is David Ferreira.

Other individual who will represent University of Westminster in the LFW show is Ashley Williams. Ashley seems to be on her highway to success, as her label can be found now in Selfridges in London, Colette in Paris and Joyce in Hong Kong.

Along her runway collection, Christopher Bailey will have the opportunity to present Burberry’s latest ‘see now, buy now’ collection, on Monday 20 February, which is expected to stand out with its high, luxury fashion on the most popular models and in front of a front row occupied only by stars.

“I’m incredibly excited to see Katie’s debut collection later this week and it’s exciting that every year another Westminster graduate joins a growing list of alumni showing at London Fashion Week.“ said Andrew Groves, Course Director of the Fashion Design BA Honours course.

IMAGE: Minki exhibition at LFW .

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NASA DISCOVERS SEVEN EARTH-SIZED WORLDS MINAL MAUGI & RITUJA RAO NASA has unveiled the discovery of a new solar system just 39 light years from earth with no less than seven Earthsized worlds, in a major news conference in Washington D.C. Of these, at least three are said to be capable of having oceans, increasing the likelihood of life. Orbiting around the dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, the six inner planets lie in a temperature zone where

surface temperatures could range from zero to 100 degree celsius.

At this time, no other star system is known to contain such a large number of Earthsized and probably rocky planets.

Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, said “This gives us a hint that finding a second earth is not just a matter of if, but when.’

Among rumours about i

“IT COULD VERY EASILY PROVIDE US WITH NEW SETTINGS FOR MANY FUTURE WORKS OF SCIENCE FICTION”

if and what the planets will be named, Michael Gillon, astronomer at the University of Liege said that the team had discussed naming them after Belgian beers, but that he wasn’t hopeful this would be officially endorsed.

As the US space agency had previously chosen to remain secretive with the details of this press release, it caused a major stir and reactions from people.

The US tech publication CNET, who claims to be aware

of the new discoveries, prior to the press conference, said: “it could very easily provide us with new settings for many future works of science fiction.”

NASA officials had also announced that a Reddit Ask Me Anything session will be held after the conference which will enable the public to ask questions and they will also be able to raise questions during the conference using the hashtag #AskNasa.

LONDON NAMED BEST UNIVERSITY CITY IN THE WORLD

BY SONAKSHI SHARMA The capital of the United Kingdom has recently been named the best city for university life.

Recent QS rankings has made it official that London is ranked best or its education with a total of four top universities in the world – Imperial College London, University College London, London School of Economics and Political Science and Kings College London.

The city faced tough competition from places including Seoul in South Korea and Melbourne in Australia, Paris in France and New York in USA for the 2017 list. The recent rankings this year are based on five

criteria namely- affordability, university rankings, employer activity, student mix and desirability.

“London is the perfect combination of studying and nightlife, making it an excellent choice for students, especially international ones,” said Harry Lye, BA Journalism student.

London has always been known for its diversity in universities and healthy atmosphere for students.

Other reasons for its top ranking are affordability which reflects the post-Brexit weakening of pound against the dollar, note the rankings.

Adam Kirkman, a media student at the Harrow campus said, “It is great to study in

UK as the education is great however, the rankings do not take into account the student satisfaction.”

On the flip side, previous global QS rankings, in which universities are judged by global reputation, showed that UK fell dramatically, with just 18 British institutions making the top 100 table.

Commenting on this, Phil Baty from Times Higher Education said, “Most of the towns named as being top university cities are huge global metropolises, and where you get a high concentration of people, you are bound to get great universities – after all, it’s the people within colleges that make them the great institutions that they are’’.

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IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FILMMAKER EXPLORES THE WORLD OF FILM AS A STUDENT...

T

he stereotype of a third year student often revolves around one word: dissertation. Whilst it’s true that most are hidden away in dark rooms, pondering over dry academia, there’s another side to their university pursuits.

Final year projects come in all forms, but share a similar theme. They’re the ultimate showcase of a student’s course-led skills, and the last they’ll ever do at Westminster.

For Chloe Chapman — a third year journalism student with the dream of being a wildlife filmmaker — this led her to Brownsea Island. It’s a mile-long nature reserve is situated in Poole harbor, and is teeming with dozens of rare species, from red squirrels to exotic migratory birds.

According to Chloe, the challenges with filming on the island are outweighed by her drive to achieve her goals.

“THE SAFE OPTION MIGHT BE TO STAY IN LONDON AND CAPTURE THE WILDLIFE IN LONDON’S PARKS, BUT I WANTED TO PUSH MYSELF’’

“The safe option might be to stay in London and capture the wildlife in London’s parks, but I wanted to push myself in this final project.”

It’s a push that may well have paid off for Chloe, as she managed to capture footage of the elusive red squirrel. These aren’t split-second shots either — they’re a rich capture of two squirrels bouncing across fallen trees and foraging in the undergrowth.

“Those are the fulfilling moments a wildlife filmmaker waits for,” Chloe explained. “I’ve spent two full days on the island, but it all came down to those 10 minutes.”

Westminster’s wide variety of courses mean that there’s an unimaginable spectrum of final year projects taking place right now. From awardaiming films, to molecular studies at the forefront of modern science, third year students are nothing short of a showcase of talent. It’s easy to miss this in the hustle and bustle of university life, so next time you catch wind of a final year exhibition, music show or screening — make sure you head along.

RESULTS INSIDE: CAVENDISH MARYLEBONE HARROW REGENTS & LTS

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FREYA PRESIDENT Freya Thompson was elected as your SU president. She ran against Mike Williams, Francis Ekwealor, Bekeowei Okoro, and RON, which is Re-Open Nominations...

How are you feeling right now?

Amazing and relieved, massively relieved. It’s like a weight off your shoulders, I’m here I can do what I need to do and I’m really excited.

Who’s been your biggest support?

The netball team. The girls from the netball team have been second to none. They have been on me everyday asking what are you doing, helping me campaign and hand out flyers for me.

They have been incredible. And they’re here supporting me today. My fellow officers have been so supportive because they are the people who know all the hard work I’ve put in, so having them remind me every day to keep going is really nice.

What is the first project you’re going to start?

I have no idea! Probably my induction freshers thing, I want to rebrand the first two weeks of uni because I think freshers isn’t very inclusive to postgraduate students and international students. We’re the only country that say Freshers, there’s so many universities across the country that just got rid of it and just made it welcome week instead.

That is the sort of thing I want to get rid of, I want to make it more inclusive and get more people involved in the SU. Especially postgraduate students because they’ve done Freshers before, so that’s what i’m probably going to get started on straight away.

Is there any advice you’d give someone who may run next year?

I’m going to write an advice booklet for candidates so hopefully that will go through the years. I know from the candidates this year and when I ran, there’s not many tips you can get, like where to buy flyers, posters, and what’s

a good campaign strategy. No one tells you because they feel like they’re helping you, whereas what they should be doing is saying this is a good idea, go with this. So this is what I will do for next years candidates and this will help them for their campaign.

Re-elected SU president, Freya Thompson with opponent Bekeowei.

Why do you think you won?

I think I won because people saw how hard I was working and that I was doing good things for students at Westminster and that’s why I won.

“ELECTIONS ARE THE MOST DRAINING THING I COULD EVER DO.” Is there anything you’d like to say to your competition?

Congrats, you all ran great campaigns. Beks, you’re sick. Mike was everywhere, all of him was everywhere!

I just want to say a massive congrats to all of them because running in elections is hard enough and it takes a really strong person to run in an election and go through with a really hard.

It’s the most draining thing I could ever do, it’s hard to explain. Good luck to them and I hope to keep in touch and see what they do in the future because they’re great guys.

What would you like to say to those who voted for you?

Oh my God, thank you! You made the right choice, thank you to those who voted. I’m going to do what I said and I’m going to do you proud.

MIKE

266 VOTES

FREYA 764 VOTES

BEKOWEI 408 VOTES

Freya Thompson was reelected as UWSU President.

She won with a total of 764 votes. The total votes was 1535. RON was knocked out in the first round after receiving only 68 votes.

Francis was knocked out in round 2 with 189 votes.

Mike was knocked out in round two with 226 votes and runner up was Bekeowei who received 408 votes. 5 candidates ran for this position.This will be Freya’s second term in the role of president.

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ELECTIONS

ETHEL

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VP REGENTS & LTS

ETHEL TAMBUDZAI WAS ELECTED AS YOUR VICE PRESIDENT OF REGENTS AND LITTLE TITCHFIELD STREET. SHE RAN AGAINST ZURRIA QURESHI, BILLY HARLING-WATTERS, JOE GRIFFITHS, FAIZULLAH MUHAMMEDALI, AND RON...

HOW ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW? Oh my gosh! I could run a marathon right now. There so much adrenaline, literally, I wanted to cry.

WHO’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORT? I’d say my friends, like I’ve had every single member of my campaign team have been told they’re a campaign manager in their own right. If they think there’s something I’m doing wrong, they have the right to tell me off. If there is something you think we should be doing, say it. You have the right to tell everyone else to go and do it. My friends, mainly. Women’s rugby, Isoc, I don’t know, you’re all amazing!

WHAT IS THE FIRST PROJECT YOU’RE GOING TO START? Accessibility and safety across campus and making sure students can get into university safely and easily.

Making sure students feel safe on campus, camera’s etc. Making sure toilets are safe for everybody.

IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU’D GIVE SOMEONE WHO MAY RUN NEXT YEAR? Believe in yourself and don’t feel shy for asking for help. Reach out to every single person you know, because the worst they can say is no, or if they say they already know who they’re voting for ask them to vote for you second.

WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WON? I think it’s largely because of my engagement across the last three years that I’ve been at uni. Through sports, I’m currently vice-captain for Women’s Rugby. I’ve also been involved with Christian Union and Debating Society.

I’ve just been wide-reaching and trying to speak to as many people as well as being women’s officer and speaking to as many people as I know through that role as well.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO SAY TO YOUR COMPETITION? Well done. I know at one point we all nearly gave up, but well done guys. My win is your win. We did this together, cause without you this wouldn’t be a win.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO THOSE WHO VOTED FOR YOU? Thank you so much for believing in me. Thank you so much!

‘‘WE DID THIS TOGETHER, BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU THIS WOULDN’T BE A WIN’’

Your new Regents & LTS VP Ethel Tambudzai.

Ethel Tambudzai won the role of VP Regents and LTS. This will be Ethel’s first term on the role.

RON was eliminated in the first round after 363 VOTES receiving 118 votes. In the second round Billy was eliminated with 174 votes. Joe was knocked out next after receiving 257 votes. In the third round Zurria was knocked out with 306 votes and 306 VOTES Faizullah was the runner-up with 321 votes. 6 candidates stood for this role and Ethel will begin her role in July 2016.

FAIZULLAH

ETHEL 607 VOTES

Nominees Zurria Qureshi and Ethel Tambudzai.

ZURRIA

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JOSEPH VP MARYLEBONE

JOSEPH IKEBUDU WAS ELECTED AS YOUR VICE PRESIDENT OF MARYLEBONE. HE RAN AGAINST HELSIO PERESTRELO, BOB ALIMOV, DARSHAN BHUDIA, MAHAMMAD TAHIR, AND RON...

HOW ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW? I’m excited, because I can’t believe it.

I just want to thank everyone who voted and everyone that did a job. I promise I’m going to do whatever I promised in my manifesto.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORT? I think my biggest supporter has to be God.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO DO FIRST IN YOUR ROLE? I have an idea to interpret my initiative. I am going to work with the

enterprise society, to make sure people think outside the box. To also make sure they can start their own business in their lives, in terms of supporting them technically and financially.

ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE RUNNING NEXT YEAR? Just do your best, leave the rest for your friends and God. WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WON? I’m not I’m best candidate but what’s meant to be will be.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU SAY TO YOUR COMPETITION? Just a thank you.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR YOU? A big big thank you. T H A N K Y O U!

‘‘I CAN’T BELIEVE IT. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO VOTED AND EVERYONE WHO HELPED ME’’ Your new Marylebone VP Joseph.

HELSIO 427 VOTES

JOSEPH 522 VOTES

Joseph Ikebudu, Helsio Perestrelo, and Bob Alimov.

DARSHAN 351 VOTES

Joseph Ikebudu was elected as VP Marylebone. He received a total of 522 votes to be elected. There was a total of 1637 votes in this election and 6 candidates standing for this position. In the first round Mahammed was eliminated with 186 votes. In the second RON 191 was knocked out. Bob was eliminated in round three with 235 votes.

In the fourth round Darshan was knocked out with 351 votes and runner up was Helsio with 427 votes.

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ELECTIONS

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LUDOVICA

VP CAVENDISH

LUDOVICA SINISCHALI BERNABO WAS RE-ELECTED AS YOUR VICE PRESIDENT OF CAVENDISH. SHE RAN AGAINST RON, WHICH IS REOPEN NOMINATIONS...

WHO’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORT? My team. We’ve been there for each other, we’ve all been very stressed and if they weren’t there it wouldn’t have been so easy so definitely thanks to them. And my mum and my dad, who were not really sure what my job means after all this time, but they’re still there supporting me in every way regardless.

WHAT IS THE FIRST PROJECT YOU’RE GOING TO START? I’m going to start on all of the things I’ve promised from tomorrow so I’m going to have to plan the whole. I think it’s about continuing the things I’ve already started. Definitely that and we’ll figure it out from tomorrow on.

IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU’D GIVE

SOMEONE WHO MAY RUN NEXT YEAR? Yes! I think one year in this job is probably not enough so plan for two years, and also come into this job by being absolutely open minded because you have no idea what’s going to happen to you next year. It’s the most exciting experience that you’re going to have in your life.

WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WON? I don’t know, I like think that people think that I’m doing a good job so that’s why and I am going to continue with that, so they’re not going to regret it.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO SAY TO YOUR COMPETITION? Fuck you RON! WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO THOSE WHO VOTED FOR YOU? Honestly I don’t even know, it was so many people and it means a lot, it means so much you have no idea.

‘‘IT’S THE MOST EXCITING EXPERIENCE THAT YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE IN LIFE’’

Re-elected Cavendish VP Ludovica Siniscalchi Bernabo.

LUDO 1256 VOTES

Ludovica Siniscalchi Bernabo was re-elected as VP Cavendish. She beat RON by a huge amount of 1256 against 224 votes for RON. 1480 people voted for this role making the quota to be elected 741 votes. 2 candidates stood for this role, including RON. This will be Ludo’s second term in this role, which she will begin in July 2017.

While being clearly emotional, 224 VOTES Ludo kept it together to thank the crowd.

RON

Ludovica and Jen Kimber-Pride, SU graphic designer.

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VP HARROW DAN SEAMARKS WAS REELECTED AS YOUR VICE PRESIDENT OF HARROW. HE RAN AGAINST RON, WHICH IS RE-OPEN NOMINATIONS. HOW ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW? Great. I mean we’ve got another year to get the things done that need to be done between the university and the union. How much better could you feel?

WHO’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORT? I mean in general you get support from everywhere, from your family, from your friends, from your work colleagues. You know if you have a good support network you can get through things like this.

WHAT IS THE FIRST PROJECT YOU’RE GOING TO START? The first thing I’m going to start on is

IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU’D GIVE SOMEONE WHO MAY RUN NEXT YEAR? Do it! Even if you’re worried about it, Do it!

WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WON? Because I feel like people still have faith and trust in us as an officer team.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO SAY TO YOUR COMPETITION? Thanks Ron. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO THOSE WHO VOTED FOR YOU? Thank you everyone! I’ll see you tomorrow at work!

‘‘THANK YOU EVERYONE! I’LL SEE YOU TOMORROW AT WORK!’’

Re-elected Harrow VP Dan Seamarks.

Dan Seamarks was re-elected as VP Harrow. He beat RON with 1155 votes to RON’s 400. The Quota to be elected was 779, so Dan won in the first round of election. RON was knocked out as only 2 candidates stood for this role. He was clearly excited to continue his work started this year.

This will be Dan’s second term in the role starting in July 2017.

accessibility and social spaces because I think this year so many students have said to me that they have fallen out of love with the campus and we really need to get that moving before summer realistically.

DAN

1155 VOTES

RON

400 VOTES

Andy Morwood and Dan Seamarks.

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ELECTIONS

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DISABILITY OFFICER ELECTED, FINALLY

ELECTIONS TEAM Smoke Media’s SU election coverage relies on so many people we couldn’t possibly thank them all, but nonetheless, here are a few of the people responsible...

Broadcast Producer Alicia Wilson-Fraser Assistant Produer Callum Dennings Director/ Vision Mixer Ben Wilson Technical co-ordinator Joshua Hackett

BY LAUREN WAUGH

Lighting co-ordinattor James Larvin CG/VT operator Vahag Hakobyan Camera operators Amy Avent Arjun Chaganti Pundits Lucy Tonge Stephen Small Fay Cross Andrew Morwood presents on Results Night.

Deputy Editor Tooba Haq News Editors Lauren Waugh Nicole El-Helou Production Editor Micaela Kolischer Live Twitter Peony Hirwani Live blogger Sonakshi Sharma And with special thanks to all the candidates, volunteers and SU staff who helped make our coverage possible.

@The_QH

WHAT HAPPENED AT RESULTS NIGHT?

BY NICOLE EL-HELOU CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE...

The position for Regents and Little Titchfield Street campus also saw five candidates battle it out for the role. The new Vice President is Ethel Tambudzai, who won with 607 votes, beating runner up Faizullah Muhammedali, who received 363 votes.

“THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVED I COULD DO THIS” RON received 118 votes.

Their fellow candidates were Joe Griffith, Zurria Qureshi, Billy Hartling-Watters. She

said “Thank you to everyone who believed I could do this.”

Finally, the new President of the Students Union was announced. Freya Thompson won with 764 votes against runner up Bekeowei Okoro with 408, and RON received 68 votes. Thompson beat other candidates Francis Ekwealor, and Mike Williams.

The new President said “There’s a lot of things I still want to do and my competitors were sick. I really enjoyed this campaign but it was hard, mentally hard.”

All the new officers looked extremely happy as they posed for their first office photographs as a new Sabbatical team. They will begin training and start work in July, ready for the onset of the new academic year, and new and returning students.

On tuesday the 28th of Feburary, Becca-Grace Shrader was elected disabilities officer with 80 votes. This was a huge win against her competitor RON who only scored 19 votes.

Becca was elected via byelection after no-one stood for the election in November.

She told Smoke Radio she was an hour late with her nomination for the original

winter elections, showing her preparation for her campaign.

In an interviewed by The QH during results night, Becca said “I hope I do a good job.” When asked about her first project Becca said, “I will create a form to find out what disabled students really want and need on campus.” She also was excited but also nervous running against RON. The Quota to win was 51 votes, which was broken by Becca in the first round. Becca will join the new liberation officer team consisting of Naila Ali as BAME Officer, Ashleigh Agjei-Agekyum as women’s Officer, Edward Clayton as LGBTI Officer and Simran Tiwari who was elected as International Student Officer.

The team will come into office in July 2017 with the new sabbatical team.

WHERE THEM GIRLS AT?

BY SONAKSHI SHARMA Only four women are running as candidates in this years UWSU Elections, two re-running sabbatical officers: current Student Union President Freya Thompson, and current Vice President of Cavendish Ludovica Siniscalchi Bernabo, and two new candidates: Zurria Qureshi, and Ethel Tambudzai.

Qureshi and Tambudzai are running for Vice President of Regents and Little Titchfield Street, meaning there are no female candidates running for Vice President of Marylebone.

The position of Vice President of Marylebone has been held by Salsabil Sila for two consecutive years.

This year, five male

candidates are running for this role: Mahammed Tahir, Bob Alimov, Helsio Perestrelo, Joseph Ikebudu and Darshan Bhudia. When asked why they had no female opposition, Darshan said “We have a larger population of women in Marylebone campus, than other campuses, being a business related campus.”

Bob, another fellow Marylebone candidate, said “Maybe this is just coincidence that this year there weren’t any females.”

Being one of the four female candidates, Freya Thompson said, “The election candidates vary from year to year. You could ask, why are there not more LGBTI candidates running, more disabled, more women. It varies on who puts themselves forward.”

“We have Liberation Officers to represent these groups when there may not be candidates from them running. What pleases me is that there are more candidates running from last year (16 this year, 13 last year), which is an improvement, and more BAME candidates than before.”

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Presidential candiadate Mike Williams.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE BARES ALL

BY LAUREN WAUGH Mike Williams, who is currently running for the role of UWSU President, released nude images of himself as part

of his campaign last night.

The photo, as a promotion for greater Union transparency, displays Williams in nothing but a crown, covering some of himself with a Union jack

flag. He also has a cigar in his mouth.

The image was shared via his facebook page ‘Mike 2017’ which currently stands at 101 likes. The image received

46 likes when this article went to print and 6 shares, highlighting some support for the candidate.

Williams has already sparked controversy in students by

NO VOTES FOR WEAK LINKS

BY NICOLE EL-HELOU AND AMY AVENT The Students’ Union have delayed the results of this year’s officer elections due to technical issues which led to hundreds of students being unable to cast their vote. The results were to be announced from 7pm on Friday 24th February. However, due to a string of technical difficulties, this has been postponed until Tuesday 28th.

“WE SUSPENDED THE ELECTION TEMPORARILY WHILE OUR SUPPLIER INVESTIGATED A TECHNICAL ISSUE’’ The problems began on Monday when Presidential candidate Francis Ekwealor was not included on the ballot sheet for some voters. In

response, the SU reset all votes cast for president and extended the voting to 7pm on the 24th, rather than the planned 2pm for all other roles.

Ekwealor said: “I do not think this will affect me or the results of the election in any way, as the issue was only for a few hours.”

“Yes there was a minor mistake but it was quickly resolved. I spoke to the Deputy Returning Officer about it and she reassured me that it was a technical issue and this has been fixed. So it is completely fine.”

This issue was quickly followed by students not receiving their unique link to vote, which under the Student Union by-laws, is the only way students can vote.

“We proactively suspended the presidential election temporarily while our supplier investigated a technical issue.”

“The error involved a candidate not displaying on certain types of iPhones. Our main focus is on fairness for the election process.”

As a result all students had their voting links sent to them again in an attempt to rectify the problem. The SU also said, “For this reason, we will be

sending staff on campus on Monday 27th February and Tuesday 28th February to be on hand to manually add these students, and ensure they can vote.

Election results where delayed.

“We are extending the voting period for all students until Tuesday 28th February 12pm, with President Vote extended until Tuesday 28th February at 5pm to honour

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releasing a manifesto which pulls jokes from that of American President, Donald Trump. These includes points such as #Buildthebar derived from Trump’s ‘Build the Wall’ campaign, and replicating Trump’s slogan with ‘Make Westminster Great Again’.

His manifesto inspiration has led some students to believe Mike is running as a joke candidate, but other students have taken to social media to back Williams.

One student said; “Oh good lord it’s satire ” about William’s campaign When asked about the image William’s campaign team said “Do people want an interesting candidate for their Student Union, or do they want the same old boring SU they’re suffering now? Do people want Westminster to be great agai” Williams is running against current President Freya Thompson, as well as Bekeowei Okoro, Francis Ekwealor, and Haneef Isaac. All candidates will be questioned during Friday’s Big Debate starting at 6pm in the Deep End and livestreamed via Smoke TV.

the previous ruling from the Returning Officer. The results night will be on Tuesday 28th February 2017.”

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ELECTIONS

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

TOP ROW: Billy Harling-Walters and Zurria Qureshi applaud Ethel’s win, Pundits during Smoke’s election debate, Andrew Morwood presenting during Results Night.

MIDDLE ROW: Sophia-Rose Chatir and new disability officer Becca-Grace Shrader, view from the production gallery during the Smoke election debates.

BOTTOM ROW: Re-elected Dan Seamarks with Andrew Morwood, audience at Results Night

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POSTGRADUATE STUDY: FRIEND OR FOE?

BY CHRYS SALTER

E

Image: Pixelbay

ntering your third university year is an odd process. On one hand, you have been in education for nearly eighteen years, and graduation seems like a ticket to freedom. On the other hand, education is all you know, so why stop? I decided to do just that — and applying for a Masters was a lot simpler than I expected.

Having finished my ‘outstanding’ at a Secondary School in Worcestershire with 14 GCSE’s A*-C and four A Levels, I felt confident that I now had the qualifications banked for any future endeavour I decided to do. Yet, every application form I filled out for Masters courses did not require any other information about my education than a predicted degree grade. All those hours cramming for A2 history, the stress of learning and understanding Shakespearian texts for English Literature, and worrying about exam performance time and time again - It was all irrelevant. Quite simply, it was what I had spent the last three out of eighteen years doing which mattered to City, University of London.I was lucky enough to have received an offer to study an MA in International Relations with Politics, following on from my BA in Journalism at the University of Westminster. Naturally I was thrilled, but it was not

until I actually started researching funding methods that I quickly realised doing a masters would be a struggle financially. The UK government will give home students up to £10,000 in tuition fee loans, which work exactly the same for undergraduate students. The problem however, is that there are no government aided loans or grants available for living costs or accommodation. You could go down the private loan pathway of course, if you don’t mind paying ridiculous interests.

So my point is this; If you want to use your BA degree to take you off into the world of work, then go ahead. Chances are that you will have a better skillset and knowledge than competing applicants if you have studied on one of Westminster’s betterknown courses. But if you are like me and want to spend that one more year moving up the ladder of academia, then be prepared for a challenge — unless your parents have cash to burn. Personally however, I see it as an investment, so if that means working day and night to pay for my tiny studio apartment for a year whilst studying a Masters degree, then I’ll do it.

Let’s just hope that will be enough and I won’t be told by future employers “PHD grads only”.

NO EQUAL TREATMENT FOR HETEROSEXUAL COUPLE

BY MICHEAL WARD

I

take you, to be my lawfully civil partner. A heterosexual couple have been denied the right to enter into a civil partnership by the Court of Appeal. Rebecca Steinfeld, 35, and Charles Kiedan, 40, brought legal proceedings to the Court of Appeal to challenge a ruling which stated that, as a man and a woman, they did not meet the criteria to enter a civil partnership. The couple intend to take the case to the Supreme Court, stating to the BBC that they have “everything to fight for”.

In Britain, a civil partnership offers same sex couples all the financial protection of marriage, without the history and unequal treatment.

But why, when they have the luxury of marriage, would this couple want a civil partnership?

A civil partnership can be seen as a more modern way of approaching a partnership between two people, an advantage straight couples do not have.

The battle for civil partnerships overcame the prejudice and legal stigma against gay people within the religious community to the celebration of same sex couples across the UK. It allowed them to bypass the institutions who didn’t want to accept them.

75,000 people have signed the petition to open civil partnerships as some feel that marriage is not for them. Should they be allowed to infiltrate

a system that was designed to empower a group of people who had previously been forbidden from wedding? Winning the fight for civil partnerships and then same sex marriage for gay people was a major achievement, by claiming civil partnerships for all couples, does this not take back what was fought so hard to obtain?

Marriage is a religious ritual, and carries a notion of the husband and the wife, the bride and the groom, man before woman. Even today in the household, inequality is assumed. Cultures around the world still fail to recognise the relationship between anything other than a dominate man and his subordinate wedded wife.

Despite the ruling against Ms Steinfeld and Mr Kiedan, high court officials made it clear to the couple that this “status quo cannot continue” and that “the government should now recognise the benefits of opening civil partnerships to mixed-sex couples.

The measure is fair, good for families and children, and long overdue.”

Understandably, granting all couples the same legal right to a civil partnership would promote equality for all, and that is no bad thing, but there must be a realisation that civil partnerships were introduced for gay couples to overcome the animosity and discrimination they still face throughout the religious community and legal system.

Image: Pixelbay

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HOW TO KEEP A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AT UNIVERSITY?

BY AYLIN PAULA KARANIS

Do people comment on how you nap all the time? Challenge you with statements such as “you can’t live on takeaway forever?” Or are amazed by how you are still alive with the way you treat your lungs and liver?

I understand, living by yourself, having responsibilities, having to take care of yourself and “adulting” is exhausting and you never really signed up for it. However, now you are here you just have to deal with it because that’s what adults do (or at least should do).

These are a few ways to change your unhealthy habits; Get more sleep I know Messy Mondays are inevitable and binge watching TV shows is unavoidable, but your body and mind needs to rest. Getting at least seven hours of sleep everyday is necessary for your health.

Drink more water No, jagerbombs do not count, nor does your hangover thirst. Get yourself a bottle of water and keep it with you all day. I know it’s not pleasant having to go to the bathroom all the time but it is vital that you keep hydrated. Even when not thirsty, just have a few sips of your water will help. Not only will it make you feel more energetic but

you will also see the difference it makes on your skin and body. If you like you can add chia seeds or lemon to give it a subtle taste.

Get more exercise I know the “new year, new me” resolutions have passed but it’s not too late to join the gym or start having an exercise routine. Not only does this help your physical health, it also helps your mental health too. Now the weather is getting better you don’t even have to join the gym, you could simply go for a run or do some exercise outdoors.

Or you could try doing other forms of exercise such as yoga, playing a sport, horse-riding, dancing or cheerleading etc.

Eat healthy Start cooking healthy meals and change your snacks to dried or fresh fruits. Trust me, not only do they taste better; they will make you feel better as well.

I know these are all easier said than done; however if you start arranging your time more wisely, everything will start falling into place. To achieve this you can make yourself a timetable. I know I sound like your high school teacher, but having some kind of a routine will make you more organised and have a healthier lifestyle.

IMAGE: PEXELS

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS ON A BUDGET

BY AMELIA WALKER-HALL Although we are known for enjoying cheap booze and chicken shops, sometimes even us students feel like dabbling in a bit of sophisticated luxury.

I am a firm believer that decadence does not always have to come attached to a fat price tag so follow these tips for the dinner party of your overdraft’s dreams…

In order for your guests to feel as though they are at a fancy event, it is paramount you work from the outside in.

Firstly, decorating the table is a must so head to shops such as Wilkos and Tiger to buy pillar candles, napkins, fairy lights and crafty bits to make name places for each guest. The name places add that personal yet high-end touch and if thoughtfully placed, there will be no awkward silences at your ‘do.

In addition, in case there are any quieter moments having music on in the background can ease the situation.

Spotify have many ‘dinner party playlists’ to hand, so have a scroll through and pick your fave. Perhaps play the music and set the table with the desired cutlery, glasses and napkins before your guests arrive…this will add

IMAGE: PEXELS

to the aura of elegance when they walk in.

Secondly, enforce a dress code so everyone is feeling their best. This could be as simple as writing ‘wear your glad rags’ on the invite (aka Facebook event page) or more specified, for example, ‘1920s dress code’.

In terms of the menu it is difficult for just one person to cook a three course dinner for a group of people, especially when dietary requirements would need to be considered. Also dividing the costs just becomes a hassle so suggest that one person does the starter, another cooks the main, a third person makes the pudding and all of the remaining guests supply the alcohol. Also having a menu created by a combination of people of varying cultures and ethnicities will result in a good variety of flavours and dishes.

On the other hand, if all of you live off supernoodles and none of you are really feeling the actual cooking part of a dinner party then there is no harm

in all of you chipping in for a takeaway and following a BYOB (bring your own bottle) rule. Takeaways are classy and practically homemade if removed from containers and eaten off a plate… fact.

For apps such as Ubereats and Deliveroo there are often voucher codes to get a discount, therefore the meal won’t work out too dear at all.

With all of this being said and done, a night of pure class and grandeur is at your fingertips for a minimal cost. Plus, food, friends and getting fantangled is any student’s favourite triple threat so you’re onto a winner before you’ve even begun.

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SPRING LO

GIVES US TIP

S

pring is coming and so are the new trends.

The world’s most significant designers impressed and inspired with their fresh suggestions for the upcoming season, presented on the Fashion Week catwalks.

Here are some more ideas on how to be this spring’s most stylish and yet within the budget. Especially for you.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BEING ELEEGANT IN AN EXTRAORDINARY WAY

Dare to try new things look

THINK PINK Yes. This is the new black, ever since we saw it in almost every big designer’s collection at both New York and London Fashion Week. It could be layered in various styles – gowns, dresses, shirts, shoes or just a simple detail, such as a scarf. And from baby pink to deep cherry, there is nothing you can go wrong with. So feel free to go on a therapeutic shopping spree and choose your perfect fit, among all the variations, available in any brand’s collection – from Primark and all the way to Valentino.

And still, no matter how inspiring the high fashion designs are, pink is just not my colour.

And I believe there are more people out there, who feel the same way. Maybe you are not a pink lover either?

However, I decided to still try the new “musthave”, by choosing the finest shade of pink.

Driven by more recent trends, for my outfit I decided on a midi metallic (accordion) skirt from Missguided. I put it together with a white Ted Baker top, but it would also look stunning with a slightly loose shirt, again inside the skirt.

This kind of outfit could be worn with both flats and elegant heels. But I, personally, recommend the latter for people like me, who are not so tall.

And in case you do choose to wear heels, dare to try them with a pair of (frilly) ankle socks, as seen in one of the latest Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger collections. As those and other designers showed us recently, there is nothing wrong being elegant in an extraordinary way. I tried it and loved it and bet you will as well.

Think Pink look

GROW SOME FLOWERS IN YOUR CLOSET Because nothing says ‘spring’ better than some stunning floral patterns.

But in contrast to the past years, in 2017 designers, such as Alexander McQueen and Coach, have given special attention to flowers.

They have put them all over pretty clothing, inspired by the 70s.

As you can see, I chose to follow this trend with my black Stradivarius trousers. And to put the emphasis on their nice floral pattern, I held on to black for the rest of the outfit. After all, this will always be the ultimate colour - no matter the year or the season. With simple, suede shoes from New Look and a fine Zara top, I achieved a more elegant, yet smart-casual look. But you could keep it even more casual. Simply put a slogan T-Shirt and flatforms on, following another two SS17 styles. Then add a spring (leather) jacket or a blazer and you are ready to go. And when it comes to the bag, you better not plan on getting more than your card, phone, keys and lipstick. Because this spring handbags are tiny – not so functional, but definitely cute.

There are some really nice models in River Island and Topshop, which you might want to check out.

Grow some flowers in your closet look

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LIFESTYLE

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OOK BOOK

PS ABOUT THIS SEASONS FASHION STYLES...

KEEP COOL WHEN IT’S COLD

DARE TO TRY NEW THINGS

Spring and summer are the seasons during which we wear less and go out more. But there are still some days which call for warmer clothing - especially here, in the UK. But no matter the weather, we always have to impress with style.

So here is my tip for the colder, windy days – dress for spring, but grab a coat. And according to the latest trends, the longer the better. If you don’t have one, another SS17 trend comes in use - the 1970s sleeveless sweater (as seen on Gucci’s and Prada’s catwalks). One of those you can wear over a shirt. It could be either plain or with a pattern, but in both cases it will keep you warm and at the same time, stylish.

For the outfit, which I put together for you, I choose a coat with wider, oversized shoulders, to honour the 80s style, seen in Balengiaga’s SS17 collection. Under it I have my Kookai top and a pair of Elizabetta Franchi low-rise jeans, which have a dark brown detail to compliment the coat. This way I am not wearing too much but still have something to keep me warm when it’s windy. And whenever I feel hot, I could just take if off. However, the brown is not the most appropriate colour for spring, so I gave my look the shine it needs by adding a pair of silver Pull & Bear flatforms with silver jewellery to complement them.

This season there are many styles that not everyone would feel secure to wear. But my advice is - experiment! This way you can not only rediscover, but also further develop your individual style. One of the things to try is underwear. That is right. It started with the socks and now it is about bralets. As we can see from the Kenzo, Alexander McQueen and Prada’s catwalk models this season, bras go over shirts, T-shirts and dresses. Moreover, you could have also spotted this way of wearing a bralet in Kendall Jenner’s photos on social media. It looks like the new trend is among the top model’s favourites.

This spring, it’s also worth trying everything extraordinary. Deconstructed shirts, kitten heels, ruffles, stripes and all kind of extravagant sleeves, would all look stunning, for both casual and more formal outfits. There are a plenty of variations to try and a bit of something for everyone’s own style.

I, personally, chose to get out of my comfort zone, by putting together some items from my wardrobe, which go with the recent trends. I mixed the simplicity of a black panel skirt and a white slogan T-shirt, with this eye-catching, metallic leather jacket and a pair of round, silver glasses, both of which I bought from Zara. As for footwear I had my Stradivarius’ shoes, the details of which I adore. To finish the look, I added a pair of ankle socks – some more underwear as outerwear.

Keep it cool when it is cold look

Image: London Scout, Unspalsh.com

There is a lot to be inspired from, when it comes to fashion. Every season the world’s most popular designers create breath-taking designs to prove their talent. Meanwhile new stars are rising, showing the people that they are worthy of being the next trend setters. But still, no matter what and whose styles are considered as this season’s trends, don’t be a fashion slave.

Instead of that, use all these trends to try on some various looks, and in doing so develop an individual style, that suits you best.

As Ralf Adelberg said, “Fashion is just another accessory for someone with a great style”. So consider the trends, but keep your originality and don’t forget to enjoy it.

Think Pink Look

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THE ROHAN RICKETT’S STORY: MEETING

FROM CLAPHAM TO QUEVEDO, FROM TOTTENHAM TO TOR SITS DOWN

H

e’s played in three different continents, he’s moved from Arsenal to Tottenham, and he’s been a victim of English football’s fetish for physique over flair. His journey has taken the 34-year-old around the world, and it’s clear from our meeting that he has returned to these shores bursting with confidence.

As we enter South American restaurant, Faktory in Elephant and Castle, Ricketts is instantly glued to the Manchester City-Swansea game being shown, it’s evident his love for football has never wavered. He’s keen to chat about the issues at the top of the game from whether Pep Guardiola will be successful at City to a potential role for Arsene Wenger at the FA, but not before he’s ordered his meal, in perfect Spanish, of course. The QH can instantly tell that this isn’t your average exfootballer from East London.

It all started when he was part of Arsenal’s all conquering twotime FA Youth C u p winning side of 2000

and 2001, also featuring the likes of Moritz Volz, Steve Sidwell and the precociously talented Jermaine Pennant.

“There was a lot of emphasis on repetition,” he tells The QH. “It was very disciplined, and we had a fixed way of playing, we were very quick on how we wanted to circulate the ball.”

After just one appearance for the first team in a cup match at Old Trafford, Ricketts felt the need to leave Highbury in search of first team opportunities, a fate that ultimately fell upon all of that successful youth team. “The great Don Howe was knocking on Wenger’s door all the time, trying to find out if there was actually going to be an opportunity for these kids to play.” But whilst clearly frustrated, Ricketts bears no grudges, “ We n g e r didn’t give me an explanation, nor did I seek one, the explanation w a s

Rohan Ricketts on a steak with The QH

right in front of me, his name was Patrick Vieira.”

His next step was an unusual one, as in 2002, Rohan Ricketts became just the fourth player to transfer from Arsenal to Tottenham, just a year after Sol Campbell had gone the other way.

“When Sol Campbell moved obviously he was a star, I wasn’t,” Ricketts admits before revealing, “I got a little bit of hate mail but not a lot, I didn’t really care.”

Despite making the switch, Wenger’s lessons stuck with the young midfielder, as he reveals one of the Frenchman’s unusual anecdotes, “With Fabregas and Gilberto Silva he said, if a man has boxers on you don’t take his boxers off, you give him trousers.” But as he crossed the divide, Ricketts struck up an instant rapport with his new manager, “In life you meet someone that believes in you, training every day, you’ve got to be on it, you can’t have off days, you need

that someone that believes in you, Glenn Hoddle was that person for me.”

Whilst he didn’t immediately get into Tottenham’s first team, Ricketts’ talent in training didn’t go unnoticed, “Jamie Redknapp was the skipper, he took special care of me, Robbie Keane as well, they went up to the gaffer when we were on tour in South Africa and told him that Rohan Ricketts needs to play.”

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G ENGLISH FOOTBALL’S GLOBETROTTER

RONTO. ROHAN RICKETTS HAS BEEN ON QUITE A JOURNEY. N WITH THE MAN HIMSELF...

The 2003-04 season was a breakthrough year for Ricketts, making 24 Premiership appearances for Spurs, but it wasn’t to last, as his mentor Hoddle was sacked, replaced by David Pleat. “I thanked Glenn for giving me an opportunity in life, he said you worked for it, you deserved it,” but a warning was to follow, “he told me be careful, for whatever reason Pleat doesn’t like you.”

Despite having won Tottenham’s player of the month award two months running, under Pleat Ricketts soon found his first team opportunities dwindle. When the opportunity came to link back up with Hoddle at Championship side Wolves, he took it, “I went on loan

as I wasn’t playing at Spurs under Jacques Santini, it was a fantastic time, they offered me a two/three-year deal and I jumped at the chance.”

Again however, Hoddle was sacked and Ricketts found himself playing under Mick McCarthy, a manager with a very different philosophy and things began to deteriorate.

“It’s crazy I was on the edge of the England squad under Glenn, playing really well, Glenn gets sacked and before I knew it I was on the verge of playing in League 2, just two and half years after playing well against big teams in the Prem and getting plaudits from the likes of Gerrard.”

But his career was about to take a very different turn

after a short stint at Barnsley, “I wasn’t playing and I got a phone call, I could have gone to Switzerland, or Spain with Deportivo La Coruña, then I got the offer from Toronto FC and thought yeah, why not?”

After a good spell in the MLS, his then coach John Carver told Ricketts he was in the best shape of his life, and to get himself back to England.

But after struggling to find a club willing to take a gamble on him, a very difficult period of his career began, as he signed for Diosgyori VTK in Hungary, “It was a nightmare, disgraceful, a terrible set up, badly run club, an absolute nightmare.”

Amidst contract disputes, Ricketts then found himself

playing in Moldova and the lower reaches of German football. On the suggestion that he became English football’s globetrotter, he simply responded, “It wasn’t something I planned…it’s fucked really.”

However better spells followed, as he got to play in the Europa League with Shamrock Rovers, which included a return to White Hart Lane, something he reveals, was very special. “It was amazing, the whole stadium stood up like I was an all-time legend, even though I wasn’t, I had a nice rapport with the Spurs fans,” he said, before smiling as he tells The QH, “There’s a lady there with Ricketts tattooed on her arm, I’m still looking

for her! To be appreciated by the Spurs fans like that after so many years was unbelievable, such a nice moment.”

Following his European exploits with Shamrock Rovers, as well as having various spells in Asia, Ricketts played in South America with Ecuadorian side Deportivo Quevedo, citing it as the highlight of his football ‘globetrotting’ “I danced salsa, learnt Spanish, met some funny people, I absolutely loved it.”

When asked what’s next, Ricketts is passionate and unequivocal, “I want to be a fantastic coach, a manager, and I want to keep writing.”

WHERE HAS ROHAN BEEN?

SHAMROCK ROVERS TORONTO FC

EXETER CITY

SV WILHELMSHAVEN

DIÓSGYŐRI VTK

DACIA CHISINĂU

ABAHANI LIMITED DHAKA

EASTERN SPORTS CLUB

DEMPO PTT RAYONG

QUEVEDO

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DRAGONS’ CORNER This month we sit down with Polly Rosier, women’s 1st netball team captain.

The QH: We’ve just entered the second part of the season. How is the team feeling so far?

PR: The team is feeling really good, we have had a few training sessions since the break and we’re getting back into it. Fitness is a big thing we are focusing now.

The QH: There was a walkover awarded to the opponents earlier this season.

What happened?

PR: It was really disappointing for us as a team; and set us back in the league table.

This is why our team is supporting the SU’s petition to keep Wednesdays free. We just couldn’t get a team together because of lectures, which is a problem for away games. When travelling, we often have to leave in the morning.

The QH: Last year the netball team won the UWSU team of the year award. How huge was that for the team?

PR: It was a massive honour to be named the team of the year, we really weren’t expecting it. When our name was read out everyone was so excited. There are a lot of great teams in the Dragons community, so we are not expecting to win it again. Let the best Dragons win!

The QH: Your ex-player, Freya, is now working for the SU. What does it mean for the team to have an exteammate on such a high position?

PR: We are so proud of Freya and what she’s achieved for the SU in such a short space of time. She’s done so much for the Dragons community.

She works so hard and really deserves to be president.

The QH: What will be the result this year at Varsity?

PR: Varsity always has a great atmosphere, it’s a day when all the Dragons come together and support each other. We are going to win!

Tom Brady and Bill Belichik celebrating their 5th Super Bowl title

ALL THEY DO IS WIN

BY OMAR SALVI

S

uper Bowl 51 has been labelled the best of all times. Rightfully so. After trailing 25 points and being annihilated for three quarters, the New England Patriots turned the tides against the odds; and were triumphant

after the largest comeback in the game’s history.

Atlanta was dominating, leading 21-3 at halftime. New England couldn’t get anything going, giving the ball away to the other team twice and struggling to stop the Falcons’ tenacious running game, as well as the extremely talented wide receiver Julio Jones.

Everyone thought the game was over. Pats fans wanted to throw themselves off a roof just like Lady Gaga during the halftime show. Falcons supporters were celebrating early and others were yawning to a blowout.

Eugenie Bouchard, a tennis star, even made a seemingly easy bet with a random Twitter user

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that the Falcons will get hold of the Vince Lombardi Trophy, and going for a date was at stake. But, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were not giving up on a fifth ring.

After starting the fourth quarter 28-9, they tied the game with a few seconds of the game left; and forced the very first overtime in Super Bowl history. That’s not all, though.

Brady threw for 426 yards, another Super Bowl record.

Not only records were broken, but laws of physics too. Julian Edelman, the New England wide receiver, made the wildest catch NFL history at a pivotal time. Covered by three defenders, the ball bounced on one of their feet.

His focused hand-to-eye coordination allowed him to catch it before it touched the ground. That surely wasn’t just luck.

The Patriots scored 31 unanswered points, as their offence went from ‘0 to 100’ and the defensive line stepped up. Bear in mind, all of this happened without the team’s best receiver, tight end Rob Gronkowski.

In Any Given Sunday, Al Pacino gave the team a speech that led to an epic victory. Just like in Hollywood movies, the Pats proved that if you really want it, anything can happen.

BY DAMIAN BURCHARDT

U

niversity of Westminster is ‘getting ready to rumble’ as on the 3rd of March a boxing showcase, featuring UWSU Dragons, West London College boxers and fighters from Hammersmith boxing club, will take place in the Forum of the Harrow campus. Dragons’ stars Alex Zendra and Kwame Boateng are expected to participate in the show, which is said to consist of 15 contests in total.

The pair recently represented England in a collegiate tournament against the US in Miami. With help from Alex and Kwame, who beat their opponents on points, English Universities won 6-2. Prior to the night, the University of Westminster’s students had a chance of training alongside Luke Campbell, a British Olympic gold medallist from London, and also met the former boxing world champion David Haye.

Alex has expressed his confidence before the upcoming March event. “We have a decent team this year.

We’ve all been pushed to their limits; easy to say but a bar has been raised at trainings.”

“We’re all excited for this event as for some it’s their first

Alex and Kwame meeting with David Haye at the famous 5th Street Gym in Miami

PUNCHES TO BE THROWN AT HARROW contest,” he adds.

A Students’ Union representative said that the event, which will be the second edition of the UWSU Exhibition Games, is a great chance for the Dragons boxing club to attract more attention

from the university’s society.

“It’s to showcase our boxing club, show awareness, and promote the club on campus; as they train off campus and are not one of the more visible teams of all the UWSU Dragons”.

The admission to the event is free, however the space for spectators will be limited. The matches begins at 7pm.