he Independent Student Newspaper Issue 802 Friday 22nd January 2016 Published in Cambridge since 1947 www.varsity.co.uk 5 News: CUSU referendum 7 News: Daniel Zeichner 18 Culture: Women in art 27 heatre: he Forest Grimm Tab and May SIMON LOCK Ball Presidents GU faces in reviews row Varsity News Team he Tab Cambridge has emailed the presidents of Cambridge’s May Balls saying that with the exception of Trin- judgement day ity and St John’s, they “will not be giv- ing any free publicity to May Balls this year in the form of reviews.” In an email seen by Varsity, the pa- per’s editors James Wells and Xavier University reviews future of services for graduate students Bisits claim that “perks like free or discounted tickets are one of the only ways we can incentivise our authors”. Presidents were roundly critical of the move, with Derek Chan, Chair of the May Ball Presidents’ Committee (MBPC) for 2015-16, condemning he Tab’s “non-negotiable request” as “par- ticularly irregular and heavy-handed”. Currently, the MBPC maintains a policy of not issuing free or discounted tickets in exchange for reviews. Chan indicated that the committee-wide policy would stand, and all presidents Varsity spoke to concurred. “he MBPC does not agree that the inancial burden of incentivis- ing Tab writers should rest with our event committees,” Chan told Varsity. “Unlike Tab Media Ltd., the running of balls and June events is not for proit.” he President of Emmanuel College’s June Event echoed the sentiment, argu- ing that “given that May Balls and June Louis Ashworth be best represented”. the review is chaired by Professor he Graduate Union has had a events do not make a proit … and that Senior igures referenced problems Graham Virgo, Pro-Vice-Chancellor troubled recent history. Last year’s our income comes directly from ticket Senior Investigations Editor with the organisation of the GU, with for Education. election for GU position, branded sales... giving away free tickets consti- minutes saying that “removal of the he review’s inal report is due to be “irresponsible” by one candidate for tutes a material expenditure”. he survival of the Graduate Union GU from the Charity Commission’s presented to the University Council president, was invalidated after a vote “I have to think of every pound (GU) may be at stake as the university register of charities earlier in 2015 on 15th February. It has been con- “miscount”. he GU lost its charitable spent in terms of value to our guests, review its services. was one of the more recent examples ducted “with a view to making a rec- status with the Charity Commission and I do not believe that reviews are According to an internal document of a series of problems that had beset ommendation to the Regent House” in February 2015 after failing to ile its the most efective way to spend that leaked exclusively to Varsity, the the GU in recent years”. by the end of Lent term. annual accounts. money,” she said. University of Cambridge is undertak- he review is due to focus on “the he Graduate Union’s website Meanwhile, CUSU have formally If the MBPC does not change its ing a review focusing on “whether the question of whether the GU or CUSU states that it “takes concerns” raised announced their intention to seek to policy and ofer free or discounted university should continue to recog- should be recognised as the body to by its members to a “wide range of bring graduate services under their tickets, he Tab editors note that “the nise the GU as the body represent- represent graduate students in the of university committees”, pursues banner. In their Strategic Plan for the only reviews [he Tab] will be doing ing the university’s graduate students future”, according to the document. campaigns, and acts as the “voice” for years 2014-17... are John’s, Trinity and any colleges... and, if not, how graduate students can he working group that is producing graduate and mature students. Continued on page 4 Continued on page 5 INSIDE: ACADEMICS THREATENED, STEPHEN HAWKING, DANIEL ZEICHNER 2 Editorial Friday 22nd January 2016 ‘Change’ or ‘progress’? For most of us, term is well and truly un- wave of fi nger-pointing. e then presi- news but a series of reports describ- entrench certain ways of thinking. Hang derway. e IN pile is rapidly outgrowing dent of the GU, Arsalan Ghani, faced a ing ever-shifting events? Attitudes and on then, whatever happened to change? the OUT pile, and this is only Week 2! petition with more than 200 signatories ideas, too, are constantly changing. e old, seemingly unchanging rhythm calling for his resignation. To top it all Even simply saying something like “ e While ‘progress’ is often so slow as to be of Cambridge life has returned. off , the GU was deregistered as a charity news this week that the Tate Modern imperceptible, it is only when we reach last year as concerns mounted. has announced its fi rst female director a milestone that we realise how far we Change, however, does seem to be afoot, in Frances Morris is welcome” (page have already come. at is as true of after a week which has seen the revela- What will become of the GU remains 18) seems entirely natural now because milestones, such as the stark realisation tion that the future of the Graduate Un- to be seen, although the timing of the we’ve internalised that way of think- of a historic change like the possible clo- ion is in doubt. e GU’s complex his- working group’s reconsideration of its ing. is is despite the fact that an era sure of the GU as it is for far more posi- tory is worth re-examining. Founded in future is not insignifi cant given the plans in which such a baldly progressive state- tive milestones (see, I’m at it too now) 1954 by the wife of the then Master of for the redevelopment of the Mill Lane ment would have seemed odd or radical like another crack in the glass ceiling. Peterhouse College, in the face of con- site where the GU is currently housed. It is by no means beyond the limits of liv- siderable oppositon from the university, would seem that the university is looking ing memory for some. However, if we decide that it’s a good the GU took its current name and form, to shake things up. thing, change is by no means guaran- after a series of changes, in 1981. Since Reading the news (and moderating our teed. Fresh blood and fresh ideas are then, the ride has rarely been smooth. Shaking things up probably isn’t some- reactions to it) is not wholly instinctive. sometimes necessary if we want to shake thing which springs to mind when we Instead, our thoughts and impressions things up, to stop things from getting en- In 2013, the GU’s constitution was sus- think of Cambridge, an institution which are shaped (for better or worse) not only trenched. at thought may seem to be pended when a subcommittee of the has been dominated by a certain demo- by what we read, but also by the trends at odds with the sort of steady ‘progress’ University Council discovered that it graphic for over 800 years. and patterns we observe in others’ be- we often have in mind. Perhaps the sort had been operating with too few trus- liefs. As readers become writers – a of change we want isn’t so radical after tees. Around the same time, £1000 went Of course, change is what we pick up transition upon which publications such all, and perhaps that’s not a bad thing to EDITORIAL missing from the GU’s safe, prompting a a newspaper to read about; what is the as this are reliant – a feedback loop can realise. Self-Care group ‘disaffi liated’ amid drugs row “ is group is not a place for wom- Varsty News Team en to get medication. e author has MATTZA isolated specifi c posts (which aren’t that prevalent) and accused members CUSU’s Women’s Campaign have “of- of facilitating a dangerous situation.” fi cially disaffi liated” a Facebook group, While possession of prescription after it was revealed by e Tab that drugs is not a criminal off ence unless it had been used to share prescription they are specifi cally classifi ed under drugs, among them anti-depressants, the Misuse of Drugs Act, the sale of acne medication and conceptive pills. prescription drugs is limited to those Formerly known as the “CUSU with a prescription from an appropri- WomCam Self-Care Tips” group, it ate practitioner. is used by self-defi ning women and Taking medication for which you do non-binary students to off er advice not personally have a prescription has and share experiences in order to help been branded as dangerous, as many members in terms of self-care – in- drugs come with all manner of grave cluding dealing with mental health possible side-eff ects. Professor Steve issues. However, the group appears Field, chairman of the Royal College of to have also been used to exchange General Practitioners, has previously prescription drugs such as citalopram condemned the sharing of prescrip- and fl uoxetine without a prescription. tion medications, describing how “ e While some have voiced their sharing of drugs in this way is inher- alarm at this revelation, a member ently dangerous because neither the of the group speaking to Varsity at- patient who was fi rst prescribed the tested to the group being “a beautiful medication nor the person now tak- place full of love, support and self- ing them will understand the drug or appreciation.” its side eff ects.” He added that “ ose In the group’s description, its ad- taking them are putting themselves at ministrators requested student jour- risk of harm or even death.” Prescription medications are thought to have been exchanged online nalists not to “write publicly about anything in the group”, stressing that seems dangerous, but members only they would be working with WomCam funding, CUSU has no infl uence over “the group is *not* a public space and ask for a dose of medication in emer- to “ensure the wellbeing of Cambridge the workings and communications of shouldn’t be treated as such”.