Issue 1080 10 09 04 relive the highlights of your summer... celebrate the launch of Rubix... distract yourself from study... ... all in your new fortnightly barefacts! contents 1 editorial 2 The new year brings some new developments... So... the first issue of barefacts this year. You may have noticed it’s changed rather since 6 Neil Christie summarizes the summer that was 2004 the last edition. Change for change’s sake is never a particularly good idea, and changing 9 Try something new this year... get volunteering the longstanding tradition of barefacts as a tabloid newspaper was a hard decision to 10 Another year, another bout of elections take. However, having spoken to many of you during campaigning it became clear that 13 Happy 2nd birthday DAVE barefacts needed a facelift of sorts. 15 Paul Canning reveals a new national phobia Its reduction to a fortnightly publication comes from the realisation that as a weekly paper, it 16 Ben Supper exposes the humble mortarboard not only demanded continuous attention and resources from the VP Comms but also left 20 Music reviews albums, singles and the festivals regular contributors with little time between editions to fully research features and news 25 Literature checks out some escapist fiction items. By going to print every other week, the opportunity exists not only for more extensive 26 Film reviews the holiday blockbusters journalistic reporting to be undertaken by the editorial team, but also for a wider 28 GU2 returns to the airwaves range of articles to be collated from different constituent members and the possibility for 30 Computers needn’t be all work, work, work more ambitious design formats, both in terms of editorial time available and also through 32 Amy Price introduces the Alumni Office the redistribution of budget resources. Such a proposal was put to all continuing members 33 Russ Clark helps stave off career panic of the editorial team, as well as a selection of other students from varying courses and 35 the barefacts crossword returns years, and met with almost unanimous 36 Sport gets ready for the year ahead approval. Radical change maybe, but a change that 37 barefacts bids farewell to a Union legend I feel confident will enable myself and the editorial team to ensure that barefacts remains an efficient communication tool for as many of you as possible in the years ahead. It will also enable me to strengthen the other existing Union media tools - namely the barefacts team the website (www.ussu.co.uk) and our award- winning radio station GU2 – to most effectively Editor-in-chief: Catherine Lee keep you informed of the latest news and Editor: Neil Christie developments both on campus and in the News Editor: position vacant local area. Sports Editor: Pete Nichols Music Editors: Jon Allen and Dina Mystris In order for me to best achieve this, I look Film Editor: Neil Boulton forward to hearing your opinions and welcome Literature Editor: Arvind Virdee all constructive feedback: either e-mail me at GU2 Press Officer: Jay Butcher [email protected] or pop in and see me in the Media Centre. Contributors: Matt Adams, Hash Alsaidi, Matt Badcock, Paul Canning, Russ Clark, Scott Farmer, David ‘Paintbrush’ Glossop, Sophie Ham- I wish you all a fantastic year monds, Piers Karsenbarg, Ben Lee, Carol Main, Folarin Oyeleye, Simon Pearson, Amy Price, Mark Richardson, Ben Supper, Peter Catherine Wigfield 2 news [email protected] 10 09 04 All change please, all change... Who are What have they they?? done?? Well I’ll tell you. We have finally done what our venue You may have noticed needed: given it a name. Now you might be saying to yourself what venue and what name. Well as a lot of you some new faces around know the Union building houses a very large nightclub the Union since you’ve that for years has always been referred to as the “Union” arrived back on campus by Surrey students. Now as you can imagine this has - it’s your new Sabbatical caused the Students’ Union some issues with how team! it markets itself and how it develops its membership services in the future. So through consultation with the After three weeks of staff at USSU, it was decided that the nightclub needed handover training, on Monday 28th June, the new Sabbatical its own name and its own logo and marketing. team at the Students’ Union took office. The new team comprises of the following students: Hashim Alsaidi (President), So that’s why we have done it but what did we call it? Catherine Lee (Vice-President Communications), Ewan Panter Well the process was long and exhaustive. It started (Vice-President Education and Welfare), Simon Nutbrown (Vice- with everyone running off and coming up with names. President Societies and Culture), David Glossop (Vice-President “The Stag” and the “Bomb Shelter” were not received Sports) and Rachel Appleyard (Vice-President Postgraduate well (which was upsetting as they were my particular Affairs). favourites...) but as we all know majority rules in our democratic society, so it was put to a vote. A long list Over the summer, the Officers have been busy laying foundations was drawn up of the best names proposed. The list was for projects they intend to carry out over the course of their emailed to all the staff and they selected the favourite tenure. High on the agenda are the development of a five-year five names. From this a short list was drawn up (I think strategic plan to ensure the continued prosperity of the Union in you see where this is going...). After a couple of weeks the years ahead, and the implementation of a Student Charter, of uncertainty and turmoil it came. The vote was in. The ensuring that Student Rights are recognised and upheld across name had been selected; a collective anticipation was all academic departments. Come along to the AGM on 1pm felt. The announcement came at 5:36pm on the 13th July onThursday 23rd September on the plaza and pick up the next 2004 the University of Surrey Students’ Union nightclub copy of barefacts for more detailed information on their vision for was to here by be called “RUBIX” winning the vote by a 2004/5. slender majority. The position of Vice-President Postgraduate Affairs promises Rubix came as a surprise but it has been received really to be particularly exciting. It is the first time the Students’ Union well. I for one really like it. Some of you might not, some has appointed a representative for postgraduates at this level. of you will always call the it the other name. But hey as Furthermore, as one of the first Students’ Unions in the UK to Shakespeare once wrote (showing my sensitive side employ an Officer specific to this field, the role highlights the here) “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by pioneering and progressive mindset of the Union here at Surrey. any other name would smell as sweet;” not that Rubix has ever really smelt that sweet. The thing is its our nightclub words: catherine lee and its what we make of it so lets enjoy it. Besides, the name change has given us the perfect excuse to have a launch party. Yeah that’s right we are going to have a big event before the Freshers get here. On Friday 17th September we launch Rubix, with all the tradition that [email protected] 10 09 04 letters 3 goes into a good launch party. So come and be entertained by All change please, all change... Shapeshifters and the rest of the Dear barefacts, line up as we celebrate our new arrival !! Welcome to Guildford!! A thousand students live in Park Barn and Now that that has been cleared Westborough Estates- that’s one in ten up you probably want to know residents. There is a community charity what else has been going since here called Community Works and we have you left us. Well we went on a hunt and did some thinking an appeal to make to students living on our and we now have three new major additions to the Union estates: even though you may only be with us Building (Rubix). for a couple of years please think of Park Barn as your home. We welcome the vibrancy and fun that In no particular order we have introduced :- students bring to an area. You, the students, are one of our most valuable resources. The computer shop has come to the Union building. Mr Moh has set up That means treating it like your home town or village shop in our building. You can’t miss though. There is so much potential for all for you to “Campus Computers” - they are help us transform our estate. Anyone who has read situated just a bit further up the hill or seen “The Motorcyle Diaries” will understand what from the Students’ Union entrance or I mean. This could be time for your to broaden your round the corner when you come in horizons, (and your c.v’s). through the Rubix entrance. Campus Computers can meet all your computer needs at great Please come and get involved: get to know your prices. Come in and see what he has offer. neighbours, recycle your waste, use the bus, but most of all GET INVOLVED SOCIALLY! Through Carol At last we have some Main at the USSU V-Project and through Community oriental food on campus! Works, you can help out with the local Youth Cafe, Young’s Kitchen is opening help us build a new local park, write or edit our local on the 13th September 2004 paper, work at the Day Centre or with Kids groups and and will serve Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Korean Cuisine.