To get the nod from the industry “ truly means the world. “How Sam Smith became the man of the moment >> M17 Spring Term Week Six Tuesday 11 February 2014 www.nouse.co.uk Est. 1964 NOUSE Sponsored by Society heads slam YUSU management Sabbs respond to claims of poor organisation Anwen Baker Gary Holland other ways. “The Lib Dems’ society mem- STUDENT SOCIETIES have hit bership is up this year thanks to our out at YUSU, branding the Fresh- hard work, but I wouldn’t be sur- er’s and Refresher’s fairs as poorly prised if society membership gener- managaged, while figures reveal ally has fallen because of barcodes. a marked decrease in their total YUSU should be helping societies membership. grow, not hindering their develop- This year’s Freshers’ Fair saw ment with this terrible system.” the introduction of a bar code In fact YUSU data shows a de- scheme, designed to simplify crease in total society membership membership payments by allow- of nearly 3000 since last year, from ing students to scan the bar codes 18,942 in June 2013 to 16,019 cur- of different societies and then pay rently. This is despite an increase membership fees online. in student numbers from 14,918 to Chris West, the 2012-2013 15,253. These figures include both YUSU Activities Officer, imple- paid and unpaid membership. mented the system and was hope- Kingsbury also criticised the ful for a “10 to 20 per cent increase YUSU Refreshers’ Fair, which was in society memberships” as a result held in Week 2 of this term. He told of the scheme and said that he felt Nouse: “The event itself was an ut- “confident in the new system”. ter waste of time. The publicity was Many societies were unhap- almost nonexistent, and hardly any- py with the scheme, with Charlie one turned up. Kingsbury, Chair of the University “Even when YUSU did get of York Liberal Democrats describ- around to publicising it with a sign Nine candidates for YUSU President 2014/15 ing it as a “total nightmare”. outside, a room full of politics isn’t He said: “We had to spend a exactly everyone’s cup of tea. Seg- Meet the eleven candidates running for the other Full-Time lot of time signing people up who regating political societies from the hadn’t paid on the day, either be- Officer positions >> Page 3 cause they’d forgotten or the pay Continued on page 2 points were too busy, which is time we could’ve spent developing in LEADER >> Page 14 NEWS COMMENT POLITICS Q&A ARTS Sexposed. Results from Harry Potter. JK Scarlett Johansson. Alastair Campbell. Ballet Boyz. the recent survey reveal Rowling’s recent plot We discuss her The political aide Banter with the York’s intimate habits. twist leaves Ron loveless. resignation from Oxfam. confesses his all-male dance ketchup phobia. company. >> Page 4 >> Page 12 >> Page 21 >> M3 >> M9 NOUSE: THE UNIVERSITY OF YORK STUDENT NEWSPAPER www.nouse.co.uk Tuesday 11 February 2014 2 www.ey.com/uk/careers News >> Continued from front ganised, at least by YUSU.” swer. It is not.” the recent criticisms of the Union: rest will never work.” Many societies have had com- McGivern and Kallum Taylor, “YUSU have more societies per York In William Hornett, Chair of munication problems with YUSU YUSU President, both also cited the head than pretty much any other the Socialist Society, echoed these outside of Freshers’ and Refreshers’ breakdown of a University server SU in the UK - and this is a great Brief views, saying “The Refreshers’ Fair Fairs, with the History Society fac- as one of the reasons for the recent thing which we should celebrate was awfully organised. There was ing issues when confirming finance lack of communication. This has more. However, it does bring with it effectively zero publicity for any for their trip to Sofia. prevented the YUSU weekly infor- incredibly large demands on funds, YuCycle event Chair Elli Hatherell comment- mation email from being sent. staff and officer time, and space. launched The political ed on Twitter, “The past week has McGivern defended the bar “The Refreshers’ Fair and week made me completely lose faith in code system, saying: “From my could have worked better and clearly A new YuCycle event was launched “societies fair @yorkunisu- serious transparency point of view, Chris’ idea makes a we need to address this by involving for the University and City last was an and effectiveness issues need to be lot of sense. Moving to online pay- as many stakeholders as possible - if week. The event, backed by Profes- addressed!” ments for societies is something lots a review of it doesn’t involve those sor Koen Lamberts, the University embarrassment” Hornett also told Nouse, “in of SUs have already done. The issues who were actively in it then it’s a re- of York’s Vice Chancellor, will take general getting a hold of YUSU fig- I found to come out of the Freshers’ view simply not worth doing. It’s al- place on 22 June. Riders will be able Kallum Taylor YUSU President ures is difficult”. Fair feedback that I recorded was ways going to be a harder ‘sell’ than to choose from a 25km, 50km or Anna McGivern, YUSU Activi- that there was too little information the autumn freshers fair though, to 100km route, all of which will start Refreshers’ Fair events and no in- ties Officer, recently acknowledged too late. I completely agree and put students, and the commercial part- at the York Sport Centre and con- formation about which societies these complaints in a blog post on this down to planning being across ners we get to come along with all tinue through the Yorkshire coun- were around on which days. the YUSU website saying “I know the summer.” their freebies. tryside. Free training sessions will “As well as the total lack of last term I got pretty slow on the She also defended the contro- “One thing that stands out as a be offered to all participants as well publicity, the separation of politi- emails”. versial decision to leave all pre-ex- sore point in my mind was the part- as on-ride support. The aim of the cal, sports and other societies into “This job is demanding, and I isting societies out of the Refresh- time officer and political societies event is to raise money to support different days was extremely det- love that and as I’ve already said a ers’ Fair: “The Refreshers Fair on fair, which was an embarrassment. the Achieving Excellence Bursary rimental to political societies es- few times now I’m sorry about last Friday of Week 2 went really well for You can’t just have people sat at Appeal. pecially. I’m pretty sure in the four term or if I drop the ball on any- new societies. tables in the Your Space common hours I was at the stall, I only saw thing.” “Telling everyone the plan to room and just expect it to work. two people walk into the room in However, she also added: “A give refreshers fair over to new soci- “We’ve recently made some Chinese New Year interest. little reminder to the very small eties should have been done sooner. structural and staff changes to “The conjunction of these number of you who think that be- However when I did email societies YUSU and we hope that this should celebrated at Central two problems meant the Refresh- cause you’ve not heard from me or the consensus I got back was that see provide the much needed im- Hall ers’ Fair was probably one of the because you don’t like what you’ve this was a good move.” provement in the service level given worst events I’ve ever seen or- heard that being rude is the an- Taylor also commented on to our societies.” On Monday the York Chinese Stu- dents and Scholars Association with help from YUSU, the International Arts: Illusions of the body In this Students’ Association, and York St M7 John University, held an event to celebrate Chinese New Year at Cen- edition tral Hall. This Chinese New Year Gala featured traditional Chinese musical instruments, a calligraphy show and ‘crosstalk’, a form of Chi- News 1-11 nese comedy. This new year marks the end of the Year of the Snake and Comment 12-17 the start of the Year of the Horse. Politics 18-21 Letting agency Business 22-23 approved by York Science 24-25 St. John Sport 26-32 York St. John University have ap- proved the feasibility study for a YUSU owned letting agency. The study was developed after the referendum. An Muse overwhelming majority of students voted in favour of the Union letting agency which will rival other York Ballet Boyz letting agencies such as Sinclair and M9 Adam Bennett. To be able to do this it needed the agreement of both York University Unions. The aim of the The Shoot agency is to provide better quality ac- M12 commodation and reduce costs. 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