Vice-Chancellor: Impact of Funding Cuts Exaggerated
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Fashionp16 -17 Featuresp15 News Interviewp6 Our llustrators Wld Blly Chldsh on Smon He er take to the the Brt Art, rock ‘n’ roll shares hs catwalk to capture and troubled pasts thoughts on couture’s latest the upcomng looks electon FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19TH 2010 THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NESPAPER SINCE 1947 ISSUE NO 714 | VARSITY.CO.UK ALASTAIR APPLETON Sharks once Vice-Chancellor: roamed Fens, tooth discovery impact of suggests funding cuts AOA OOOD A recent discovery of a shark tooth at an archaeological site near Cam- bridge has indicated that sharks may once have roamed the prehistoric exaggerated seas of Cambridgeshire. The tooth that was discovered is thought to have belonged to a higher education courses, particu- member of the Orthadocus family, an GA O larly to applicants whose school or extinct type of shark which lived in family do not have a history of pursu- the Cretaceous period approximately The Vice-Chancellor has publicly ing higher education. 100 million years ago. challenged the idea that anticipated Around 6,000 university places are The fi nd was made at Barrington cuts in higher education funding will expected to be cut for 2010-2011 to Quay by amateur geologist John damage universities’ ability to teach balance university budgets, as fi g- Drayton, 61, from Impington, and is an increasing number of students. ures released by UCAS show that the fi rst tooth of its kind to be exca- In an interview for the BBC’s university applications have risen by vated in Europe. Hardtalk programme, Professor more than one fi fth. The discovery of the shark tooth is Alison Richard claimed that the Professor Steve Smith, President expected to help enhance our under- furore surrounding funding cuts of Universities UK, warned that cuts standing of where and when sharks approaching £450 million was subject could damage the quality of educa- may have lived in the Fens. to “exaggerations and distortions”. tion that students receive. “In terms The newly-discovered Orthado- She told interviewer Stephen of university applications, we expect cus is not the only creature to have Sackur, “Is there a challenge? Yes to see a further increase in numbers traversed the waters of Cambridge there is. Are universities in this this year,” he said. “With the confi r- millions of years ago. The tooth was country incredibly imaginative and mation that student numbers will be actually unearthed just metres from entrepreneurial? By and large yes capped again this year, we are going the remnants of an Ichthyosaur, a they are. But to paint this as a land- to see even more pressure on places giant marine reptile which resembled scape of disaster is a mistake.” and the possibility of many well- a cross between a fi sh and a dolphin. The Vice-Chancellor’s comments qualifi ed students missing out. The Dr Preston Miracle, from the come amid a climate of uncertainty higher education sector is prepared Department of Archaeology at the surrounding university funding. The to take its share of the pain.” University of Cambridge, said, Universities Secretary, Lord Man- The Vice-Chancellor also spoke in “Clearly we need to be doing all we delson, has promised to cut public favour of an increase in student num- can to protect and preserve the UK’s spending on higher education by £950 bers, at university or in “some other cultural and natural heritage – and million over the next three years, form of further training” despite that is true for discoveries of things with £449 million worth of cuts to fall fi nancial pressures. that are millions of years old as well in the year 2010-2011. She said, “Country after country as others that may be only a few cen- The latest fi gures released by the is investing not simply in the qual- Lvngstone Unon hero turies old.” Higher Education Funding Coun- ity of its higher education but in the uesday evening saw ex-Mayor of London Ken Livingstone grace cil for England (HEFCE) show breadth of it, increasing places. What Tthe halls of the Cambridge Union. The much-anticipated speaker > that while funding for research will that is telling us is that as economies entertained a rapt audience with vehement pledges of allegiance to close Essayp11 7 increase by £32 million, recurrent mature you do need to have a work- friend, Hugo Chávez, contending that the Venezuelan Prime Minister 0 funding for teaching will fall in real force, and citizens, whose technical Vanessa is far from a dictator. Livingstone also declared his intention to run for 2 0 terms by nearly £76 million compared skills, training and education goes Hegge 0 offi ce again in 2012. Livingstone’s substantial term as Mayor of London 4 with 2009-2010. beyond that of school leavers. 4 (2000-8) saw many notable achievements, including a successful bid for The dope 4 The tuition funding shortfall is “If you cast that more broadly and the 2012 Olympics in London and the establishment of the fi rst register 8 5 likely to have its greatest impact on say, ‘Do we need to build, expand on drug 7 for civil partnerships in the UK. Visit varsitv.co.uk to see a two-minute 1 student numbers, at a time when and multiply the opportunities for 7 interview with the Labour politician, and see next week’s issue of Var- testng 7 universities face pressure from the tertiary education?’ I would say abso- 9 sity for an extended interview. AVANTIKA CHILKOTI Government to widen access to lutely, ‘Yes.’” 2 Friday February 19th 2010 News Team Ma hew Symngton, Helen Mackreath and Osama Sddqu NES wwwvarstycouk news@varstycouk Chip and Pin not crime- Rose Crescent: Britain’s Voters at Kings vote proof, warn Cambridge most fashionable street? to keep Hammer and On varstycouk ths week researchers Sickle COENT Researchers at the University of Rose Crescent has been nominated Students at King’s have voted to Check out the archves of all of our bloggers, Cambridge’s Computer Laboratory as one of the Best Fashion streets in leave the controversial Hammer ncludng Rob Peal’s ‘The World Outsde’, plus Jame have uncovered vulnerabilities in the country in a competition being & Sickle, the insignia of the Soviet Pollock urges us to consder the context of Kng’s the chip and PIN system. They have run by Google. The Union, hanging in JCR’s Hammer & Sckle debate found that it is possible to use credit Google Street View their College Bar. and debit cards without knowing the Awards celebrate After 48 hours of correct PIN number, by exploiting “Britain’s best- voting, results the way the remote reader contacts loved streets”. show that 203 ENTERTAINMENT the main shop terminal. Professor Glamour Magazine students wanted Alastar Beddow extols the vrtues of Rado 3 whle Anderson described how criminals editor Jo Elvin and the symbol to Sco Wh aker has an ‘Aural Epphany’ about with little technical expertise could TV personality Brix remain where it Madvllan buy a pre-confi gured ‘kit’, which Smith Start, who is, 111 wanted would send a signal to the main are both members it replaced with terminal, telling it that the correct of the judging panel, something else, PIN had been entered. Particularly nominated Rose and only 55 FASHION worrying is the fact that banks would Crescent, citing its high numbers of wanted it removed outright. The Argyro Ncolaou celebrates Lady Gaga’s style not be able to tell when independent shops as a reason controversial symbol has been hung revoluton and The Two Orphans a empt to track such fraud has for its consideration. Rose in the College bar since 2004 after down some proper Cambrdge bluestockngs occurred - Crescent is compet- repeated cases of vandals paint- the receipt ing against ten ing the symbol on the bar walls. still says other streets The fl ag has attracted fi erce debate ‘verified by in locations from many who fi nd the image to be VARSITV PIN’ and, as including Bath, objectionable and offensive.Speak- Check out our new two-mnute a result, victims York, Leeds and ing after the vote, KCSU President ntervews wth Chef Rabb Jonathan would struggle Nottingham. The winner Juan Zober de Francisco predicted Sacks and former London Mayor Ken to reclaim their will be decided by the public; people that “probably in less than fi ve years Lvngstone money. As yet there are no have until Sunday February 28th time - there will be another debate known instances of such an attack to vote. about the fl ag”. occurring. DUNCAN EVANS HELEN MACKREATH HUGO SCHMIDT 800th anniversary fund reaches £940 million Donatons rased for the annversary campagn wll be used to secure the future of the Unversty the University by 2012. raised will be immediately set aside with support from the Wolfson a ‘culture of giving’ has taken root ICAD OO £139 million was raised by the to add to the University’s endow- Foundation. among our alumni”– analogous to the campaign in 2008-09, according to the ment, an investment fund which An endowed professorship in alumni-based system of university The total amount donated to the report. Nearly half of this sum was provides a steady stream of income. Metallurgy has been established, funding which is already prevalent in University of Cambridge’s 800th given in the form of gifts to individ- Some of the donations, however, thanks to a donation from Tata Steel, the United States of America. Anniversary Campaign reached £940 ual colleges, such as the £30 million are already being used to fund new and a professorship in Sustainable Cambridge’s fundraising campaign million in 2008-09, according to a given to Murray Edwards College by projects within the University.