Similar Policies, Familar Rhetoric and Little Student Interest?
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The Independent Cambridge Student Newspaper 4th March 2011 Issue No. 738 ESTD 1947 Three of a kind? OPINION Does CUSU matter? Varsity asks students what they think p7 GERARD TULLY ADAM BOOTH SAM WAKEFORD CULTURE Hidden gems from Masters’ lodges around More similar policies, familar rhetoric and little student interest? The three Cambridge candidates in the running for president gear up for the annual CUSU anticlimax p10 VARSITY NEWS Union Society in Lent and Easter of “applying pressure” on the NUS and electorate. 2010 as well as CUSU Secretary and “campaigning against the government’s In contrast, Tully’s manifesto claims: Nominations for the CUSU presiden- Undergraduate Development Officer disastrous fees policies”. “I will fight for students, not an ide- tial and sabbatical elections, the voting in 2009/10. With the exception of a planned ology.” He wants to concentrate on for which will begin on Monday 7th Sam Wakeford is running for his campaign “for hobs to be returned to being a “President dedicated to stu- March, have been announced. second sabbatical position; the Archae- student kitchens”, Wakeford’s emphasis dents above all else” which would Four of the six sabbatical positions ology and Anthropology student was seems to be upon what he has achieved, involve “streamlin[ing]” CUSU to are highly contested; most notably that this year’s CUSU Education Officer. rather than what he aims to achieve. provide better engagement with ordi- of the presidency, for which three can- He is campaigning on a joint ticket with Adam Booth is campaigning “for a nary students. Additional aims include didates are standing: Adam Booth from Morgan Wild, from Sidney Sussex, who fi ghting student union” which focuses increasing student safety by campaign- Robinson College, and Gerard Tully is running for the uncontested position on lowering living costs in Cambridge, ing for a greater police presence in and Sam Wakefi eld, both from Trinity of Education Officer. Their election pushing for greater investment in Uni- problem areas and, on a more light Hall. slogan is “re-elect experience and versity buildings and infrastructure hearted note, diversifying CUSU Booth is a PhD student at the ideas”. and, most importantly it seems, sus- ents and providing greater student Engineering Department and, in his The candidates’ manifestos reveal taining a student union that is able to discounts. manifesto, claims to “know about student overarching similarities in their policy “fi ght against fees”. Booth’s participa- Commenting on this year’s selec- life from all angles as an undergraduate, positions – all three unsurprisingly tion in Cambridge Defend Education tion of candidates, outgoing President SPORT a post-graduate, and a supervisor”. He promise to fight against cuts and is evident in his commitment to cam- Rahul Mansigani told Varsity: “I’m has been an active campaigner for sev- aspire to better access – though their paigning (for which he has a separate really glad to see the level of interest The Light Blues eral groups in Cambridge over the past approaches are considerably di erent. section in his manifesto), and linking in CUSU in this election: there are a six years, most recently in Cambridge Sam Wakeford, regarded by most with other groups around Cambridge range of very good candidates for all meet the Dark Defend Education. to be the establishment candidate, to address public sector cuts. positions. Next year is going to be very Blues on the Gerard Tully reads Archaeology as reiterates his claims to “experience” His a liation with the left – a fact challenging for CUSU, and the candi- an undergraduate, and advertises his throughout his manifesto. Having that he does not play down in his mani- dates all o er di erent visions of how basketball court “Right Experience, Bright Ideas”. He been involved in CUSU campaigns for festo – is likely to be a deciding factor in they will tackle this.” was vice president of the Cambridge nearly four years, he talks a great deal his appeal or otherwise with the student (continued on page 3) p15 Temperate Teetotaler or Wicked Wino? 09 > Take part in Varsity’s Alcohol Survey 9 771758 444002 www.varsity.co.uk/alcohol-survey Comments to make? [email protected] 4th March 2011 2 Old Examination Hall, Free School Lane, Cambridge, CB2 3RF Telephone 01223 337575 Fax 01223 760949 ESTD 1947 Issue No. 738 www.varsity.co.uk EDITORIAL DIGITAL DIGEST VULTURE OH MY GOSH IT’S A 2011 OS- he world has watched CARS LIVEBLOG bemused and amazed Tas riots have rippled through the Middle East over the Our intrepid blogger does an all- past few months. These events have nighter all in the name of journalism proved, if ever we needed proof, - typing away in his boxers (so Carrie the overwhelming e ect of protest. Bradshaw), to bring you an The toppling of Mubarak, and the award-by-award breakdown of the increasingly tenuous position of Oscar ceremony that ‘mad dog of the Middle East’ Gaddafi , go a long way to show- EMAILS, LETTERS & TWEETS VERIFIED ing just why protest cannot and Strange but True should not be viewed as some sort GRADS’ DIGS either — perhaps she forgets that “you and of fashionable pastime. When used I could grab a camera right now and fi lm appropriately, it has the power to Dear Editors, whatever we want” was an analogy bounded This week in Strange but True: ice electrify a nation, or indeed nations. I thought this week’s article on rent prices on both ends by highly articulate commentary cream made of breast milk, Facebook Inevitably, the move from dicta- was excellent. You may be interested to note of the regulation of the porn industry. for babies, and high-fl ying foxes torship to democracy brings with that Durham University (also collegiate of The comment that “the real porn star it a toll of casualties and, from a course) has 100 per cent consistency between argued her case about the industry e ectively” gilded, Western perspective, it is price bands in colleges. However, my quip merely makes me curious. As I recall, there easy to look at the growing list and is that Anna only bothered to investigate 24 was a second “real” porn star speaking in dismiss it as an inevitable conse- ‘undergraduate’ Colleges. She should have proposition; one who talked on his experi- quence of a non-Western approach made an e ort to investigate ‘grad’ colleges as, ence on working within the industry with the to protesting. Of course, there is an despite the name, several have undergraduates eloquence expected of the most seasoned politi- VETEMENTS Fashion Week, Tweet Tweet understanding of the role it plays in who just happen to be 21 or over. cians, laying down clear cut arguments in upholding democracy which, after Let me ask you this: Why have the oppor- direct response to the motion. Was his stance It’s Fashion Week in London - and both all, comes etymologically from the tunities on o er to a 21-year-old fi rst-year simply too pro-porn for his inclusion in this those backstage and those who missed Greek for ‘the people’s rule’. mature undergraduate not been scrutinised, one-sided a air? out on a seat are wearing out their However it has now become so when the opportunities of a 22-year-old I do not ask that people walk away from smart phones #LFW ingrained in our political fabric, fourth-year natural sciences student have? a debate with a new world view and sense of that often it loses its impact; a Let’s be frank. None of the undergrads enlightenment, merely that they do not discard luxury as opposed to a necessity. know where St Edmund’s College is, and arguments which run contrary to their views. The vast majority of our apathetic almost none have heard of it, due in part Alas, perhaps my e ort in writing this is population are simply not con- to a lack of media exposure. These articles wasted. After all, how can I be expected to cerned to take part, fearing that as a exemplify and perpetuate the problem. Go on, be taken seriously by Ms Mayne when I fall VERIFIED tool, protest has become blunt. This ask around the o ce, ask fi rst-years. You’ll be into the category of “men” against which she Decoding Yemen attitude only bolsters the police’s amazed. seems to level such disdain? approach to protests. If they think I would be more than glad to provide you Angus Morrison While all the focus on Libya and the majority of us don’t care about with information on room pricing and please via email Gaddafi ’s latest quote/ensemble rages, it, then their response will also feel free to run a story about St Edmund’s our revolution correspondent looks to be an uncaring one. This was the entitled ‘new college found in Cambridge’ any VIOLENT PROBLEM the simmering state of a airs in Yemen case at last week’s peaceful protest. time soon... The contempt shown by the police As new college president I am doing my Dear Editors, towards students only serves to best to promote the college’s name around the I have done extensive research on porn and highlight their willingness to abuse university as I fully understand the main violence. The only research that I have found their power. responsibility for the College’s name recogni- that “proves” a connection between porn and With elections every fi ve years tion lies with its members. domestic violence is “feminist” research which how can we make ourselves Guy Forbat has both sampling error and methodological heard to the government unless CR President, St Edmund’s errors.