Thursday 12 February 2004 Published by the USSU Communications Office issue number 1074 free www.ussu.co.uk THE UNIVERSITY OF SURREY STUDENTS’ NEWSPAPER IN THIS WEEK ’ S PAPER COMMUNICATIONS THE BIG VOTE On Monday 16th February barefacts gives you the low COMMENT | Simon Peasley on Thunder, GU2 hite the FM airwaves down on the Big Vote 2004, with thunder, thunder, thundercats! | page 5 for a whole month. details of all the candidates in the UNION | Carol Main on more exciting barefacts brings you more opportunities with ‘V’ | page 8 Sabbatical elections, and how to on everything GU2... SPORT | Federal Sports Day, and more from vote by post... GU2 | page 7 the USSU Sports Clubs | pages 23 & 24 News | Below The Big Vote is here BY SARAH BUTTERWORTH The 15 NUS Conference candidates range EDITOR IN CHIEF from first years to current Sabbatical Officers. At the NUS National Conference ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6th nominations the winning delegates will play a part in closed for this year’s ‘Big Vote’, the deciding NUS policy for the future, as well Sabbatical Elections 2004. After years of as electing in the NUS Executive Officers waning interest in the Sabbatical positions, for the coming year, including the new NUS many were shocked and pleased by the President announcement that there are 22 students Campaigning starts on Monday 16th contesting the positions this year. There are February at 10am, when candidates will be also 15 students running in the election for allowed to start canvassing in person, putting delegates to the NUS National Conference, up their posters and banners and answering which is held in Blackpool at the end of questions from students at Question Time, March. and on the Union Bulletin Board. Question The most hotly contested position is that Time takes place on Thursday 19th February, of Vice President Education and Welfare, and is an opportunity for students to hear the with five candidates running, as well as the Sabbatical candidates talk in person about option of Re-Open Nominations, an option their thoughts, ideas and plans for the next which appears in every election. Over the year. Candidates will also be around campus past three years there have been only four and the Union during the two weeks of candidates for the position, with it being campaigning to talk to students and answer deputy returning officer scott farmer brief sabbatical & NUS candidates on friday | photo: chris hunter uncontested apart from RON in 2001 and any questions. 2002, so the number of candidates this year The all important voting week takes place is particularly impressive. from Monday 23rd February at 10am to For the position of President of the Friday 27th February at noon. There will Students’ Union there are four real life be polling stations around campus from Sabbatical Candidates 2004 candidates, a twofold increase on last year’s 10am until 4pm, located in the Lecture elections. For the newly altered position Theatre Concourse, Library entrance and President Vice President Education & Welfare of Vice President Communications, the the Students’ Union reception, as well as Richard Benson Lynnette Atkins Sabbatical position with the responsibility various other locations in the evenings. This Oliver Harmer Jane Birch for all Union media, including barefacts, is your chance to have your say in who will Hashim Alsaidi Zoe Kilb there are four candidates, all coming from run the Union next year – The Sabbaticals James Butcher Hayley James the realms of barefacts or GU2. coordinate everything, from barefacts to Re-Open Nominations Ewan Panter Vice President Societies and Culture, a Societies to events to representing you Re-Open Nominations position which was uncontested other than on high up University Committees. The Vice President Communications RON last year, has drawn four candidates, winners will have a real impact on the lives Neil Boulton Vice President Societies & Culture all of whom have been involved in various of students at the University of Surrey, so Hasan Akil Simon Nutbrown different societies in recent years. After a make the most of your vote, and use it Chris Ward Samantha Stevens late withdrawal, there are three candidates wisely. Catherine Lee Martin Stylski for the position of Vice President Sports. You will be able to see candidates’ Re-Open Nominations Andrew Gough The new job of Vice President Postgraduate manifestos, showing their ideas and plans Re-Open Nominations Affairs, which was created after Union for the future, online at www.ussu.co.uk Council in December has drawn two from Monday 16th February, and in next Vice President Sports candidates from the Undergraduate and week’s Elections Special issue of barefacts. Sarah Taylor Vice President Postgraduate Affairs Postgraduate communities. The winner If you are away on placement, or not in Stephanie Millington Diane Carter of this election will have an exciting and Guildford on Thursday 19th February, you David Glossop Rachel Appleyard challenging year, being the first Vice will also be able to watch the webcast of Re-Open Nominations Re-Open Nominations President Postgraduate Affairs in the UK. Question Time online at www.ussu.co.uk. The Vice Chancellor | page 3 Letters | page 4 Big Fish | page 14 Interactive | page 20 2 NEWS 12 February 2004 One Labour Rebel on Fees Committee EDITORIAL TEAM 2003-4 BY PHILIP HOWARD is a pity that it does not refl ect he feelings on the variable fees part of the bill, hoping to Editor in Chief NEWS EDITOR the fl oor. The government does not want to remove them at the report stage. Mandy Sarah Butterworth concede too much at the committee stage.” Telford, president of the NUS, was still comms THE GOVERNMENT HAS announced the group @ussu.co.uk Among the Labour MPs are two education unfazed: “we remain confi dent that the of MPs who will constitute the committee ministers, Alan Johnson and Ivan Lewis. Mr deep-rooted opposition to parts of this to assess and report on the Higher Education Willis commented on some of the absent bill will stop variable top-up fees bring Editor Bill, passed at it’s second reading to much names: “It is a shame that Gibson and introduced despite the government’s best Chris Ward consternation. Farrelly are not there. They have brought a efforts to the contrary.” cs21cw Among the members of the committee are great deal to the debate and Paul [Farrelly] @surrey.ac.uk 17 labour MPs, of whom just one is a labour has been denied an opportunity to speak on rebel, voting against the bill at its second the fl oor of the house.” He is pleased to see Deputy Editor reading. The committee will be chired by certain names on the list, however: “I am Neil Christie Labour MP Jimmy Hood and Conservative pleased that Mudie and Campbell are there, ms33nc MP Roger Gale. Hood is an old labour and Time Boswell because he brings a great @surrey.ac.uk leftwinger, and Gale is vice-chairman of the deal of experience and a sane and calm Conservative Party. voice to the committee. But I could not say Deputy Editor The government has received a lot of that this is a balanced committee.” Ben Berryman criticism for the bias shown in the choice The bill next goes to the committee stage, ma91bb of committee members - despite 72 labour where the committee debates the issues in @surrey.ac.uk MPs rebelling, only one of them has been the bill and reports to parliament before picked. The balance of members (excluding the third reading in the Commons. The Music Editor the chairs) will be 16 Labour MPs, 6 committee is widely expected to focus on Matt Badcock Conservative, 1 member of the Welsh Plaid the issues of the students’ adjudicator and ms01mb Cymru party and 2 Lib Dems. the setting up of Offa, rather than top-up @surrey.ac.uk Soon-to-be member Phil Willis, Lib Dem fees. MP, told education.guardian.co.uk: “They Instead, rumours are growing that there Music Editor are stuffi ng [the committee] with loyalists. It will be a new all-party alliance opposing Jon Allen bs21ja @surrey.ac.uk Poorer Applicants Favoured Channie’s Live Film Editor Government Higher Education admissions review shows that some Universities Neil Boulton CHANCELLORS NOW BOASTS a live open-mic favour ‘disadvantaged’ students, over those from higher income backgrounds. night on Sundays. The event has so far cs21nb @surrey.ac.uk been a total success, bringing in many more BY CHRIS WARD Levels. Oxbridge immediately dismissed numbers than the usual Chancellor’s Sunday EDITOR the proposals. Schwartz is heading the night punter population. The start of the Theatre Editor government taskforce on university term saw acoustic bands such as Alchemy Daisy Clay A GOVERNMENT REVIEW of higher education admissions. and Yellow Car. Last week, the open-mic ps21dc admissions has exposed that a large majority 71% of higher education institutions stated night was introduced. Hosted by MaD @surrey.ac.uk of higher education institutions agree with that it was “fair” to give students an offer Soc’s resident nutter Chris “Rael” Jones, offering places to poorer students from based on lower grades if they originate from many students got involved and provided Literature Editor “disadvantaged” backgrounds on the a disadvantaged background, whereas 25% Chancellors with excellent performances Jennifer Walker basis of lower grades. According to the disagreed. 65% thought that other factors and an enjoyable atmosphere. ph21jw report, these universities support the bias should be taken into account, such as the Due to the success of the events, the Sunday @surrey.ac.uk towards students from poorer schools, as size of the classes at the school the pupil acoustic nights are set to continue with gigs they argue they are taking into account the comes from.