Volunteering Project Section A new section highighting university volunteers FREE Page Page 42 58-59 Ex-Bangor student and award winning Interview With Rory Farmer lmmaker February Issue 2019 Issue No. 275 seren.bangor.ac.uk @SerenBangor Y Bangor University Students’ Union English Language Newspaper Cuts Are Unavoidable, Says VC VICE-CHANCELLOR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW “We’re not in a desperate situation. But the issues are serious,” says Vice-Chancellor FULL by FINNIAN SHARDLOW “My job is to make sure that goes e feedback gained from A ected schools are believed to ahead and it will achieve the objectives consultation will be considered before include: Law, Music & Media, Business, INTERVIEW he Interim Vice-Chancellor it will need to.” nal plans for cuts are formulated and Languages Literature & Linguistics, has con rmed that some cuts Since being appointed, Upton has implemented. History Philosophy & Social Sciences, at Bangor University can’t be extended the consultation period twice. “We are listening and looking at the Education & Human Development, INSIDE Tavoided. In this time, a student protest against comments that are coming through. Medical Sciences, Sport Health & Prof. Graham Upton replaced the the proposed cuts was also held at Main ere are some cases where the original Exercise Sciences, and Health Sciences. previous Vice-Chancellor, John G. Arts on January 18th which included plan might go ahead, in others we may Seren also spoke to Graham Upton PAGE 4-5 Hughes, at the start of January. local Arfon MP Hywel Williams as a change plans based on the feedback,” about his start to the job, sta In an exclusive interview with Seren, speaker. said Interim Vice-Chancellor Prof. redundancy and nancial transparency. Upton said: “Clearly, a process of Upton also attended Q&A sessions Graham Upton. See more: Page 4-5. cutting costs has begun. I came in the in co-operation with Undeb Bangor to Cuts of £5m were announced in middle of that process, so I can’t just address students’ concerns surrounding October 2018 with 50 jobs expected to stop it. the impending cutbacks. be at risk. FREE FIBRE BROADBAND FOR ALL 12 MONTH CONTRACTS 2019/2020 IF YOU SIGN BEFORE THE 1ST MARCH 2019 STUDIOS, APARTMENTS AND HOUSES, FOM 1 TO 8 BEDROOMS BILLS INCLUDED! NO FEES! ONLY £250 DEPOSIT! SEE PAGE 2 07775998786 • 01248 354786 35 LL57 2EU Cfirstliontavcingbangor.comt us: firstlivi n g b a n g •o r . c o m • [email protected] [email protected] m • 01248 354786 H o •l y h e a d R 07775998786oad ` firstStudent Accommodationliving Quality houses at affordable prices firstliving ➢ SELF CONTAINED STUDIOS UP TO 8 BED HOUSES ➢ INCLUDING GAS, ELECTRIC, WATER & HEATING ➢ ALL DEPOSITS ARE ONLY £250 PER PERSON Contact us: firstlivingbangor.com • [email protected] 07775998786 • 01248 354786 35 Holyhead Road LL57 2EU SEREN | February Issue 2019 3 CONTENTS ` VC Interview 4-5 48 News 6-9 Politics 10-11 MP Opinion 12 FINNIAN Science 14-15 SHARDLOW Environment 16-17 EDITOR Comment 18-19 [email protected] Union 20 22 After our last issue in December Sabb Election 21 2018, a lot has happened. We’ve had a change of Vice-Chancellor, a Sabb Space 22 student protest took place at Main Arts, and the rst tirade of exams Campus Life 23 came to a thankful end. Photographic Society 24 I also had my rst ‘celebrity moment’ whilst delivering our last Travel 26-27 batch of papers on Ffriddoedd Site. Shout out to ‘Cefn y Coed’ who Food & Drink 28-29 dubiously decided to stick a cut-out of my face on their hall noticeboard. Lifestyle 30-31 I was originally startled but at least I know you’re opening the paper. Fashion 32-33 In this issue, you’ll nd an firstliving Arts & Culture 34-35 interview with our new Interim Vice- Student Accommodation Chancellor – Prof. Graham Upton. Quality houses at affordable prices International 36-37 It’s been a turbulent few months for our institution. We felt it was Social 39 16 52 in the student interest to go back to the Vice-Chancellor’s o ce for Film 40-42 more information regarding Bangor Super 80’s Party 44-45 University’s nancial situation. 44 Also in this issue, a spread for TV 46-47 our upcoming fancy dress party in Academi – Super 80’s Party. Music 48-49 Alongside that, more info about the SABB Elections, a review of BEDS’ Books 50-51 ‘Under Milk Wood’ and an interview with your VP Sport – Louise Fell. Games 52-53 This month, Seren breaks a record. firstliving We’re bringing you the second 64 Creative Corner 54-55 page paper of the academic year. Societies 56-57 This is the rst time in Seren’s history that two 64 page tabloid issues have Volunteering 58-59 been produced in one academic year. Sport 61-64 It’s a cracker of an achievement. It doesn’t come from nowhere. Without our committed team of 55 sub-Editors and hugely passionate writers, photographers and proof-readers – it wouldn’t have happened. I’d say I owe them all a pint, but that would take me into my overdraft substantially. This year, Seren has been on the pulse of the student body, covering more events and highlighting your TEAMMark Barrow Arron Williams Owen J Hurcum Editor - Finnian Shardlow voice more than ever. Our work is all Deputy Editor - Jack Hollinshead Hywel Williams Charlotte Thomson RDA voluntary, all free, and, essentially, News - Darby Higgins Muhammad Firdaus Stephen Owen Sbectrwn all for you. On that note, the Society Politics - Oliver Hewson Fergus Elliot Niamh O’Connell Headway Gwynedd & Volunteering Awards are coming up. Make a grumpy Masters student Comment - Simran Prasad Jordan McEvoy Jolyene Leow Write For Any Rory Farmer happy and vote for us as ‘Society Science - Charlotte Bilsby Section! Graham Upton Melissa Kagen Louise Fell Of The Year’ at undebbangor.com/ Environment - Anna Ray Natasha Groves Will Keeley nominations. ➢ SELF CONTAINED STUDIOS UP TO 8 BED HOUSES Travel - Sophie James Grace Worsley Megan Robertson Food & Drink - Paige Brook Head to our Liz Shepard Eben Muse Peace. Love. Oh, and third years Lifestyle - Courtney McHugh Be A – probably about time to start that Ryan Stephen Wright Fashion - Isabella Timpany website for sub- Heaven Kyriacou Contributor! dissertation. Arts & Culture - Laura Pätäri Editor contact Matthew Foster Emma Richards Anda Nitu Daphne Genatio ➢ INCLUDING GAS, ELECTRIC, WATER & HEATING International - Libby Shaw ----- Social - Abi Rose Robinson details Cove Bangor Anna Monnereau Contact: Film - Jordan King Rory Formstone Rob- Hannah Grimston The views presented hereinafter do not represent the views of Seren TV - Ciaran Gri ths Sian Billington www.seren. erts editor@seren. Bangor, Bangor Students’ Union or Music - Vicky Wilkes Jamie King Michael Tilley Bangor University. Books - Beth Smith bangor.ac.uk bangor.ac.uk ➢ ALL DEPOSITS ARE ONLY £250 PER PERSON BEDS ArtSoc Games - Sinclair Davis Georgia Morris Salma ElDamarawy ----- Creative Corner - Alec Tudor Andy Thornton Bazil Shahriman Contact us: firstlivingbangor.com • [email protected] 07775998786 • 01248 354786 35 Holyhead Road LL57 2EU EDITORS Sport - Corie Allan CONTRIBUTORS Seren is printed by Mortons. 4 SEREN | February Issue 2019 VC INTERVIEW INTERVIEW: Professor Graham Upton, Interim Vice-Chancellor Amid a tumultuous few months for our institution - the state of play has changed. We felt it was best go to back to the Vice-Chancellor’s o ce to get answers surrounding Bangor’s nancial situation. by FINNIAN SHARDLOW the issues and problems for a moment. for sta and students. e nancial Beyond that, we’ll be looking at our terms of transparency? We start with an institution that is a problems aren’t the worst I’ve seen. systems and making sure that they are Absolutely. I’m totally committed to You’ve come to Bangor as really good institution. An institution I’ve been in institutions where the e ective and e cient going forward transparency. Many universities use Interim Vice-Chancellor. Despite that is absolutely committed to high nancial situation was in a much direr so that the University is ran in a a devolved budgeting system where a being a temporary tenure, how quality learning, teaching and research. position. But what we’ve got are serious business-like way. We’re looking at our Head of School should be able to clearly important is it for you to do a e evidence is there, from the NSS problems. planning processes, a newer approach see how much money from fees they good job here? scores to the TEF Gold Award – we’re to resource allocation so that Dean’s are getting and what their costs are. Well, I was on the Council here for a good place. Academically, we’re a What have you been doing to try and Head of School’s know how much We currently don’t have a system like two years. Whilst Council members vibrant and strong community. and tackle this situation? money they’ve got to spend. It’s crucial that. at makes it harder to share that won’t get to know all the details about Admittedly, we’ve got some problems. is is the 5th University I’ve been that, particularly, we modernise our information. So, we’ve got to modernise the university, we are still heavily ey’re primarily nancial. e rest Vice-Chancellor at now. So I’ve got a nancial management processes to our system so that people can see what’s involved in the university – so I haven’t of the university is going well. But pretty good background in running a make sure that we’re a step ahead of the happening.