M12064B6832 w " ISSUE 1152 MONDAY 9TH JULY 2007 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF NEWCASTLE STUDENTS Bridge Building BY GEMMA DAVJES EDITOR PLANS have recently been unveiled for regeneration at Barras Bridge, as the University aims to create a 'front door' for visitors to the campus. The centrepiece would be a five- storey, glass-fronted Student and Administrative Services Building, on the site of the car park opposite the Culture Lab and Campus Coffee. The building would incorporate student services including the Careers Service, Accommodation Service, Student Welfare Service and Student Progress Service in order to give Newcastle students facilities likening a 'one stop shop' arrangement. A number of environmentally- friendly features have been designed into the new building. It would generate about 10 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources and further reduce its carbon footprint by virtue of highly efficient building fabric, glazing, heating, lighting and IT facilities and a design that makes an air conditioning system unnecessary. The total cost of the project is expected to be £35m, of which £2m improving realm features around tni building,, to make the campus more accessible to pedestrians via the Barras Bridge entrance to King's Walk. Work is expected to start Spring 2008 and be completed in Autumn 2009. Signing Off BY JENNIE GUNDILL OUT-GOING EDITOR VICE CHANCELLOR Preofessor Christopher Edwards retires at the BY GEMMA DAVIES end of July.' EDITOR Professor Edwards leaves Newcastle after five years at the THIS week final year students of Newcastle institution. University will graduate in ceremonies in King's During his time here the University Hall. has flourished and seen may The years of hard work and effort are now at an end changes. He has instigated the plans as we mark this occasion by collecting our well-earned for Science City, the upcomin degree parchments in front of our proud family and Barras Bridge Buliding, ana revise friends. the structure of academic schooling Your time here will inevitably have involved highs into three faculties. and lows but this week symbolises the hard work Professor Edwards will be replaced paying off. by Chris Brink from Stellenbosch Eor what could be your very last time, your walk University, Cape Town, South through the Quadrangle could well bring a tear to Africa. your eye, but this is very much a time for celebration The Courier would like to wish of our academic achievements. Congratulations to you Professor Edwards good luck in his all! forthcoming endeavours. in association with nigel wright NIGEL W RIGHT^ www. mgel w right. com SHwiiiS -RECRUITME n3 2thecourier Stories of the Year Monday 9th July 2007 [email protected] Editor's Newcastle: What’s in name? for comment on why the decision Comment BY BEN WOODWARD was made, but seemingly the main reason was to market the University BY GEMMA DAVIES IN OCTOBER students continued more effectively to potential to express their disappointment students, particularly those who may with the change made over the have been put off by the introduction "I NEVER want this to end..." summer to tne name of our of top-up fees this year. Ah, the memories of being in your university. For some current students, the first year. The non-stop partying, The University of Newcastle upon change is too minor to care about, the power walk past the Ridley Tyne has now become "Newcastle but some are annoyed at the Building after rolling out of bed University" in a bid to establish its seemingly dismissive behaviour of fifteen minutes before your lecture "Corporate Visual Identity". Though the University. Key stakeholders AGAIN, when going to Solution the lion and shield logo has who should be consulted are named seemed like a compulsory activity remained very similar, the shorter in the proposal, but out of the ten (well, things never change for some name has now been adopted for the identified, current and potential people). University's everyday business and students rank 7th in priority. In And it all seems like yesterday. advertising. addition, the consultation appears to For me, and for many others I After lengthy discussions and have been badly publicised, with few would imagine, the last three years consideration, the "re-branding" was students acknowledging having (or maybe more in some cases) formally proposed in November taken part in it. have flown by. 2004, at an estimated cost of "I didn't know until I was told, and I always imagined my graduation £100,000-150,000. The proposal at I'm quite annoyed that this has been to be miles away; some sacred day the time stated that, "Tnere is sprung on us out of nowhere," said far in the future but now it's upon considerable evidence that the Jenny Butler, a second-year English me and with it my student days University's current brand is not Literature student. "The old name have come to an abrupt and slightly particularly coherent or well- had a quite classy, traditional sound poignant end. defined, and that the key messages to it, but the new one makes us There are so many options and and purpose, vision and values sound like some polytechnic rather paths that lie ahead of us now. For which underlie the brand have not than a respected university. It me, I'll be the first person to admit been sufficiently clearly identified or certainly wouldn't make me more that the opportunity to stay in articulated." likely to come here if I was looking ‘ Newcastle, editing the student To students, who are directly around." Indeed, former polytechnic newspaper which has played such affected by the name change, that Northumbria University made a an integral part of my student life, could seem like nothing more than similar decision four years ago in was an opportunity that was just business jargon. Though the change changing their former name from too good to pass up. is supposed to give 'Coherence" to "The University of Northumbria at Whatever we choose to do I know the University's business image, it Newcastle" to their current one. that we can all look back at our seems to have done the opposite. Whether the new name helps years here with fond memories and Officially the name still remains .the cultivate a more positive image for hopefully, our time will be same: in legal contracts, on certain the University or even makes a represented through friends that memorabilia and even on degree significant impact on potential we will keep for life. Facebook certificates. To make matters even students has yet to be seen. In all means there's no excuses! more confusing, a notice on the likelihood, even those who - have I'd like to wish you all the best of University weosite claims that actually noticed a change and luck in whatever path you may "where the new name is used on complained will soon make their choose to follow. This applies none official documents, it will always be peace with the decision. However, more so than to those special accompanied by an explanatory students may take some time to fully friends that have made my phrase: The University of Newcastle understand the reasons behind it Newcastle experience so enjoyable upon Tyne trading as Newcastle until it is explained by the and one I know I'll treasure forever. University." University. Goodbye and good luck. Those involved were unavailable THIS special edition of The Courier looks back at the best, BY ALEX MATCHETT "Moving Politics to Claremont funniest and weirdest stories from Bridge has been part of the School of 2006/07. Geography, Politics & Sociology's As my first edition and my IN NOVEMBER a proposal by the plans for some time. Wherever predecessor Jennie Gundills University to relocate the Politics possible we are trying to locate the swansong, I'd like to take this department met with considerable constituent parts of each School in opportunity to thank her on behalf controversy. the same building." of everyone involved with The Politics students and lecturers However, it is clear that while the Courier this year. alike were both confused and University deems such measures She's been a wonderful editor annoyed at what was seen as an necessary, others - staff as well as having gone through so many great over-complicated proposed to move students - feel compromised by highs and lows, but I personally the entire department from its such decisions. Politics lecturer Dr. wouldn't be sat writing this today current residence on Great North Thom Brooks said, "It's difficult to without her. She's a great Road to Claremont Bridge. see this as a positive development, inspiration and I wish her all the Various students spoke to The no one would like having a smellier luck in the world for after she Courier about their disappointment office; there simply isn't room." leaves me all on my own! with the situation. Tony McCarthy, Professor Andy Gillespie, a Politics and Economics student, explained that the unsuitable state was quick to state his view, asking, of the Porter-Cowen building had "Is there enough space? Will there provided a catalyst for the move. He be enough facilities?" was also keen to emphasise that gag Newcastle Questions from students remained when the proposed move takes University unanswered, but concerns about place, it will he done with the facilities appeared to have a minimum of inconvenience to foundation, with one student students: "It would be after the reporting that he was unable even to exam period, there would be no obtain a Politics style guide from the disruption to students.