Try our new board game On the reverse of the centrefold Issue No 672 Friday Feb 15 2008 varsity.co.uk e Independent Cambridge Student Newspaper since 1947 Who do you think they are? STEVE FORREST 42%of students recognised 12 %of students recognised 23%of students recognised CUSU President, Mark Fletcher President of the Union, Lu Wei Vice-Chancellor, Alison Richard MP for Cambridge Mr David and Ann Widdecombe. One stu- levels”, he added. pick out the President, they do Isabel Shapiro Howarth and one particularly fa- dent chose to remain on the fence CUSU president Mark Fletcher associate us with important is- News Editor mous Cambridge alumnus, Jimmy about the Vice-Chancellor’s iden- was signifi cantly better known, sues like welfare support, our Carr. Despite no offi cial affi liation tity. “She just looks really nice” he with his photo recognised by 42% green campaign and the access to the University itself, these in- said. But is the Vice-Chancellor of the students asked. However, work we do”. Cambridge University’s most im- dividuals were much better known concerned that such a high pro- several students are obviously still The recently elected President of portant fi gures are unrecognisable among students; while the people portion of students have no idea unaware of the work that Fletcher the Cambridge Union Society was to most students, according to a who really infl uence students’ lives who she is? does at the Students’ Union: one the least known face of the six includ- Varsity survey. in Cambridge were largely uniden- “In general undergraduates na- suggested he was “a wannabe Tory ed in the survey, with only 24 of the Over 200 undergraduates were tifi ed, 95% of the students were tionwide do not tend to come into MP”, while another thought he was 200 students asked able to recognise shown pictures of six ‘Cambridge able to recognise the popular come- regular contact with their universi- a model for Specsavers. him. Of the 88% of students who neg- Celebrities’ and asked to put a name dian Jimmy Carr. ties’ vice-chancellors and particu- Fletcher was amused by the atively identifi ed him, one thought or a role to the faces. But more Alison Richard, who became the larly so at Cambridge where the results. “I am slightly surprised he was a Cambridge chess champion than three-quarters of respond- fi rst female Vice-Chancellor in 2003, collegiate system’s genius of scale that that many people recognised and another, clearly up on the latest ents were unable to identify the acts as the principal academic and means a student’s immediate needs me, and I’m considering a brief University news if not the recent Vice-Chancellor, Alison Richard, administrative offi cer of the Uni- and pastoral care are provided at stint in rehab to further raise my Union election result, suggested he and less than half could name the versity, yet only 23% of students that level”, explained a spokesper- profile”, he said. On a more seri- might be the person pretending to CUSU President, Mark Fletcher. could correctly identify her. son for Alison Richard. “Professor ous note, he added, “CUSU is be a student at Trinity College. One Still fewer could identify Lu Wei, Of the 77% who were unable to Alison Richard provides Cambridge constantly trying to promote the student, who works as a barwoman the newly elected President of the identify the Vice Chancellor, sev- with outstanding leadership and in- work that we do and advertising at the Union, was particularly em- Union, who had an identifi cation eral came up with some interest- spiration and is a highly effective how we can help students. I think barrassed by her failure to recognise rate of only 12%. ing alternatives. Guesses ranged ambassador for the University to most students are aware on some the Cambridge Union President. Also included in the six were from Head Bedder, Librarian or a the outside world at very senior level of CUSU as an entity. While Footlights President Sam Sword, Dinner Lady, to Hyacinth Bucket people aren’t necessarily able to CONTINUES ON PAGE 2 Debate Face Off Interview Should Sharia be incorporated Will Queens’ give Pembroke Jack Black on Michel Gondry, into British law? a royal thrashing? his new lm and eating Coco Pops » Page 9 » Page 14 » Page 23 News Editors: Clementine Dowley, Richard Power Sayeed, and Isabel Shapiro Friday February 15 2008 2 NEWS [email protected] varsity.co.uk/news In Brief CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE President of the Footlights, Sam Sword When his identity was revealed, International she responded with shock: “Lu Wei? No way!” State school visit In response to the findings of the survey, Wei said “I look for- students opt for UK State school pupils from all over ward to having a higher profile the country came to Cambridge once this article is out.” pleting a three year BA at the Uni- last weekend to take part in the Surprisingly, the Footlights Laura Coleman versity as an international student to first of three residential shadow- President Sam Sword was con- be in excess of £50,000. With no full ing sessions organised by Cam- siderably better known than the scholarships on offer combined with bridge University Students Un- three leading University figures. The UK’s popularity as a destination active discouragement of students ion (CUSU) which will take place Although one student thought he for international students is begin- taking on employment during term over the coming month. The was the man who sells the Big Is- ning to challenge that of the USA, a time, international students can find CUSU shadowing scheme, now in sue outside Sainsbury’s, a signifi- recent study has shown. the financial burden of studying at its eighth year, is targeted spe- cant 56% of the students asked 56% The study, which was carried out Cambridge overwhelming. cifically at high-achieving pupils knew who he was. by ‘I-group’, has found that 95 per American universities provide from families with little history of In response to his newly con- Comedian and alumnus, Jimmy Carr cent of those surveyed believed more financial assistance than their higher education and from schools firmed celebrity status, Sword that the UK was either an “attrac- UK counterparts. Chairman of that have made few Cambridge ap- said “I should get an award. The tive or very attractive” place to CUSU International Carl Göbel said, plications in the past. The scheme others are probably more modest; study, compared with the USA’s 93 “Students from outside the EU are allows year 12 students to shadow I just get my big goggly eyes eve- per cent rating. not getting good value for money. a current Cambridge undergradu- rywhere because I’m always on The UK currently has 99,000 inter- Whilst the reputation of Cambridge ate, attending lectures and semi- stage.” national students, a number which and the collegiate system will always nars, staying in College and get- David Howarth, Liberal Demo- appears to be on the rise. attract international students, Cam- ting a real-life taste of Cambridge. crat MP for Cambridge, while not Patterns at Cambridge confirm One visiting pupil commented: "I quite beating the CUSU presi- the trend. Levels of international thought everyone would be pomp- dent in the celebrity stakes, was students have rocketed in the past ous snobs but everyone was all also well known, with 36% of stu- twenty years from a number as low The UK has 99,000 right. I will definitely be applying dents able to name him. Despite as 282 in 1980 to the current figure of international to Cambridge. not being identified by the major- 5,379. Currently, most of the Univer- Clementine Dowley ity, Howarth’s face was familiar to sity’s international students hail from students most of the students asked, “I’m China, with 702 foreign students sure I’ve seen him cycling about, 95% originating from the country. Ameri- Key-hole surgery or in a big BMW somewhere,” can representation is also high, with said one student. MP for Cambridge, David Howarth 648 students from the US presently bridge cannot match American uni- A British student swallowed his The striking disparity between studying at Cambridge. versities for the funding on offer to in- door key to prevent friends from these results calls in to question Some suggest that the high pres- ternational students.” Göbel also told forcing him to go home because whether leading members of the ence of international students at Varsity that Cambridge has failed to he was drunk. Chris Foster, stud- University make sufficient efforts Cambridge is the result of a widely address many other problems faced ying computer design at Bourne- to promote themselves within the held perception that the UK is a by international students, including mouth University in southern student population. But it also safer place to study. Students are where to store their belongings over England, had drunk six beers as suggests widespread student igno- also attracted to the UK because the holiday periods. well as vodka and whisky when rance as to the people who repre- they believe that it is easier to get Some researchers have questioned his friends decided he should go sent them at a higher level, or at a visa for the UK than to gain an the study’s findings. They suggest home and sleep it off. But the least a lack of awareness about the entry permit into the US. that the results demonstrate the suc- 18-year-old wanted to keep par- organizations they head.