It's Christmas time for the Mags

It’s Christmas time, is it time to be afraid? The dizzy heights that the Mags experienced during the first half of the season have declined to a mediocre seventh place. Injuries and suspensions have marred the side’s recent progress, and playing the big three back-to-back is never anyone’s cup of tea.

Despite the drop in the table, Demba Ba is still scoring them with what seems like limited effort, with his 20-yard free quick against West Brom looking more casual than anything else.

The question is, what is next for Pardew’s men. The January transfer window could be a very interesting spectacle in the North East. Newcastle will need someone to bolster their defense, while the omnipresent search for someone to occupy the #9 shit will be bubbling under the surface.  Modibo Maiga’s fitness test failure isn’t a good omen for what could be a time where some of Newcastle’s best players participate in another exodus. Tim Krul is rumored to be wanted by Spurs (these rumors being worryingly strong as a friend was on the same flight as him from London Heathrow a couple of weeks ago), and the likes of Coloccini, who is a prime reason for Newcastle’s early season dominance, will most definitely invite some interest from clubs such as Liverpool.

After the recent defeat by West Brom, rumors that Ajax’s £10m-rated striker Jan Vertonghen could be replacing Steven Taylor, and with the loss of Cheik Tiote and Demba Ba in January to the always controversial African Cup of Nations, top players will be needed to help try and rebuild squad momentum that has been lost in recent weeks.

Another promising sign was Haris Vuckic, whose long-range efforts produced a very uncomfortable looking Ben Foster in the opposing goal.

The Geordie faithful will have been under no illusion that second or third will have been where they ended up in May, but do we deserve to be higher than seventh, sandwiched between Liverpool and Stoke…only time (a long with injuries and transfers) will tell.

Ricky on the road to ruins

Proposed plans show that Richardson Road is to be demolished as part of accommodation strategy

Richardson Road houses over 900 students. Photography: Sam Tyson

The iconic Richardson Road halls of residence are to be demolished as part of a proposed University accommodation strategy.

The flats, that currently house over 900 students, will be knocked-down and rebuilt in three stages as part of large scale programme of improvement to Halls of Residence across campus.

With a reputation as one of the most lively and sociable student environments not only within Newcastle University, but across the country, the destruction of Richardson Road will come as a shock not just to current undergraduates, but past students dating back to it’s first residents in the 1970s.

The strategy will see the overhaul of the current design of Ricky Road, creating entirely en suite facilities.

This falls into larger plans across all the university halls of residence to make 50% of the Universities’ accommodation en suite.

The project projections suggest rent prices could increase by approximately £10 per week, increasing the yearly cost by around £380.

Further changes include the provision of at least one shower between every three residents and wash basins in even the most basic residences.

In an interview with The Courier, the point was raised to Newcastle University’s Housing Manager Paul Bandeen as to whether this was an operation in profit over student experience.

However, Bandeen suggested that the rise will still mean that Newcastle accommodation remains one of the cheapest: “We’re currently in the lower quartile of accommodation rent prices in the country and that’s the position we want to remain.”

The strategy also includes the demolition of a major part of Henderson Hall and the refurbishment of Old Hall, alongside investment into all of the other accommodation sites.

New student accommodation will also be built at Kensington and Park Terrace, which are currently occupied by University offices. This specific project, including the initial demolition of the current building, will cost the University around £9.5 million, and is set to be completed in 2014.

Explaining the reasoning behind the strategy, Bandeen stated that the halls, better known to students as Ricky Road, had “reached the end of its lifespan.

“Richardson Road is starting to fail in a number of ways, such as infrastructure, utilities and heating. All we will do now [if it is not demolished] is spend considerable amounts of money standing still, which we don’t see as a viable option.

“We can’t do anything within the flats themselves because of how it is constructed. “I now believe that the accommodation is not fit for a young person who wants to come away from home in the 21st century. We need to provide accommodation to tick all the boxes.

“This isn’t an exercise in trying to increase rental income, this is an exercise in trying to improve accommodation standards.”

The strategy has also been branded as an attempt to provide a mixture of accommodation to meet the demands of different students.

According to Bandeen, the current trends in student demand also include a drop in the desire for catered accommodation, which from September 2012 will only be provided in Castle Leazes and ceased in Henderson Hall.

Further reasoning behind the strategy include the negative feedback Richardson Road receives on Open Days, as well as regular complaints in regards to room sizing and shapes of the rooms and noise levels from current students.

“Whether people like it or not, the feedback at open days is negative,” stated Bandeen. “When people are allocated to Richardson Road, they don’t want to live there.”

Many would agree that the aesthetics of Ricky Road are not appealing, however, it is questionable as to whether this is the major issue.

Third-year English Literature student Rachel Moon said: “After first visiting Ricky Road, I had decided that the flats were an awkward shape, the bathroom really needed a window and everything was too green.”

Consequently, I applied for Windsor Terrace and Victoria Halls and was less than excited when I received the news I would be living there instead. With hindsight, I am so grateful to whoever decided to randomly house me at Ricky Road. I loved the friendly atmosphere and would jump at the chance to return with my entire block.

“Experience far outweighed appearance, definitely the best halls to spend first year in. “

Newcastle’s University accommodation is one of the cheapest in the country, and according to the management it will stay the same after the strategy is complete. Leeds University is also undergoing a similar re-development, with Boddington Halls, a residence renowned also known for its social life, also being demolished, with new accommodation to be developed in its place.

“We have looked at the strategies of other universities and they have provided a lot of en-suites,” said Bandeen. “We, on the other hand, are looking to provide a balance at fifty-fifty as well in terms of prices. We are conscious that there are cost implications left, right and centre.”

Prior to the redevelopment, the country will see a rise in fees, and with the building of new, and potentially more expensive accommodation, students could be faced with an increasing financial burdens as a result.

Third-year Pharmacology student Clare Atkinson and previous Ricky Road resident said: “Richardson Road was such a great place to live for first year. It was really easy to meet people because everyone was really sociable and there were always events going on. It was also reasonably priced; personally I would have struggled to pay the higher rent prices at other halls. I would not have chosen to live anywhere else, it was an amazing experience.”

Questions have been raised as to whether the management are over-looking the importance of student experience and placing the priority on aesthetics.

Bandeen stated that, “People are making decisions on what they see.

They are telling us what they see and that provides and influence on us because we need to provide what they want as well.”

A testimony by third-year Sophie McCoid sums up her Ricky Road experience:

“I can safely say that 2009/2010 was the best year of my life. I was a fresher at Newcastle University, miles away from home and best of all I was living in the infamous Richardson Road.

The question, “what halls are you in?” when answered with “oh, Ricky Road” definitely got a wistful reaction from ex second year inhabitants who had had to be dragged kicking and screaming into houses in Jesmond.

Ricky Road has a reputation for being the party halls, and it lives up to this pretty well, in my year it did anyway.

“The camaraderie of sharing a bathroom and kitchen with six strangers quickly made sure that these people became your best friends, generally for the rest of Uni and beyond.

“The news that it’s going to be knocked down shocked and upset me.

For years those halls have stood as a testament to everything that your Freshers year is meant to be, fun filled and a bit basic.

To think that it’s going to be demolished is really upsetting and I feel incredibly sorry for those Freshers that wont get to experience the magic of it. “

Even though it is being knocked down, Bandeen stresses that some of the identity will remain and the good social environment will still be present: “It will still be called Richardson Road and the new accommodation will give people a better environment to enjoy themselves.”

Derby student gets head stuck in clothes horse

Fire service called to halls of residence to free trapped student

The student was from the University of Derby. Photography: Wikimedia Commons

A student at the University of Derby had to be cut free by firefighters after being trapped in a clothes horse for over an hour.

Danielle Morgan, who lives in Sir Peter Hilton Court hall of residence, said she was “mucking about” in her flat mate’s bedroom when the incident occurred. Friends and staff at the halls tried to free her initially before eventually calling the fire service.

Miss Morgan, who is originally from North Wales fell off the bed when in her flat mate, Lisa Smith’s, room. The clothes horse then fell on her and the head went through the frame.

She had tried to move a quilt which had been drying on the horse.

Miss Morgan’s flat mate’s filmed and took photos of her while she was trapped and then while she was being released.

She said: “I phoned one of my friends from home when I was stuck in it and she just thought I was drunk.”

The 18-year-old was left with bruising on her neck and shoulder, but found the funny side of the accident.

“My friends just thought it was hilarious.

“I found it funny at first but after it got taken off I had a panic attack and the ambulance came out.”

Members of the Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service used cutting equipment to free Miss Morgan, including bolt croppers.

Her flat mate Miss Smith said: “I don’t think they quite believed it to begin with.”

Armstrong building used as WWI Hospital

News Editor Wills Robinson explores the historic past of the Armstrong Building

Workers completing upgrades on a campus building have unearthed evidence that it was used as a First World War hospital. A memo unearthed during renovation work on the Armstrong Building shed some light on its important role during the 1914-1918 conflict. Items such as a sword and a bayonet  were also recovered in the basement which dated back to the same period. The memo detailed the treatment of a Private Bird from the Durham Light Infantry in March 1916, with a pencilled list of soldiers who were also being treated on the reverse side.

Tyne and Wear museums were able to restore the documents in time for Remembrance Sunday, despite the extent of the damage to the document. Rachel Gill, an archivist from Tyne and Wear Museums said: “This is one of the few surviving patient records we have from when the Armstrong Building was being used as a hospital; the usual records were not kept, making this find even more special.“There was a paper shortage during the war and they have written the names of the men in pencil on the back of the ink memo because they are using every bit of paper they can get.”

Newcastle University has always been at the forefront of medicine in the country, and this finding shows that this reputation spans back nearly a century. Dr Martin Farr, senior lecturer in modern and contemporary British history, said: “During the war the government had enormous powers, including the commandeering of civilian and private property. Newcastle University was known for its medical excellence so it makes sense that they would set up a hospital in one of the buildings.

“The memo is a fascinating document which has survived for almost 100 years. It is just the sort of thing you hope for and I am very pleased it did not end up in a builder’s skip.”

The building, which dates back to the nineteenth century is now used by the history, classics and music departments to name but a few.

A PhD archaeology student has already begun research into the document and a University security officer, Colin Turnbull, brought photos from his grandfather into work that depict the unit in the building.

Newcastle University ninth in student drinking tables

Students drink over 20 alcoholic units a week on average according to an online survey

After the University of Liverpool, Newcastle is the red-brick university that drinks the most in the country Photography: Moises Bodrossian

A recent survey has shown students at Newcastle University are the ninth heaviest drinkers in the country.

The results released by the websitestudentbeans.com asked students at different universities how many units they drank in a week. Over 2,000 students from 68 different universities took part in the survey.

The survey shows that Newcastle students drink an average of 21.2 alcoholic units a week. This amounts to an average of seven and a half pints of lager, nine large glasses of white wine or eight trebles in a week.

Buckinghamshire New University were placed above with 21.5 units with De Montfront University below (21.0)

Students were also asked a variety of other questions. For example, 20% said that they would not be able to survive a term at university without alcohol and 53% missed a lecture or seminar because they had drunk too much the night before.

The results also showed that 59% experienced memory loss whilst drinking, 33% had been injured, 48% had walked home alone, 37% had not know how they had got home on a night out and 25% had experienced a ‘one night stand’.

Leeds Metropolitan University returned the highest average with students averaging 26.7 a week, followed by the University of Liverpool with 26.6.

At the bottom of the table is the University of Salford with an average of 5.9 units, closely followed by the University of Herefordshire (8.9 units). Wales featured prominently in the survey, with UWIC and the University of Glamorgan featuring in the top five, with both the University of Bath and Bath Spa University in the top ten.

Northumbria came in 31st, with an average of 18.4, with North-East counterparts Durham in 45th (16.5). In terms of the Oxbridge battle Cambridge came higher in 51st (14.7) with Oxford in 59th (13.8).

When asked which celebrity students would most like to have a drink with, the majority said Stephen Fry and Charlie Sheen in second and third 

Former Courier writer wins Guardian Reporter of the Year

Former Courier News Editor takes home coveted Guardian Reporter of the Year award after already being awarded NUS Student Journalist of the Year

Simon Murphy receiving his Guardian Student Reporter of the Year Award Photography: The Guardian

Former News Editor of The Courier Simon Murphy was named ‘Reporter of the Year’ at the 2011 Guardian Student Media Awards last week.

Murphy, who is now studying an MA in Journalism, was a sub-editor for two years and wrote from his first year till he graduated.

Some of his pieces last year included exposes on University expenses and Honorary Degrees.

On winning the award, he said: “I’m hugely honoured to win this award, but I couldn’t have done it without help and support of everyone I’ve worked with on The Courier. I will always count my time on the paper as some of my best experiences at university – I miss it already.

“The articles I wrote were about holding the University to account – as far as I’m concerned, that’s what journalism is about. I know The Courier will continue doing that because it’s full of good people with bags of enthusiasm who are willing to sacrifice sleep and essay deadlines every week to keep it all going.”

Last year, Murphy also took home the NUS ‘Student Journalist of the Year’ after his investigation into excessive expenses claims on behalf of the university management, totaling almost £150,000. By exposing the University management to account, it gave students evidence that they could ultimately use to hold the administration to account.

NUS President Liam Burns commented: “As News Editor of The Courier, Simon has not only produced high-quality, compelling content but has used his outstanding journalistic skills to uncover exclusive stories, tackling important student issues.”

There were 648 entries across nine categories, with a panel including Channel 4’s Jon Snow and The Times’ digital editorial director Tom Whitehall.

York University’s newspaper York Vision took home the coveted publication of the year with Redbrick being named website of the year, following its dedicated live online coverage of the riots over the summer.

Guardian editor-in-chief, Alan Rusbridger, championed the 2011 winners as producing “brave and amazing and important” journalism.

Online editor of Redbrick Christopher Hutchinson said, “I feel ecstatic; the whole team does. It’s amazing. We’ve had three years of fantastic ideas and fantastic work from everyone and this year’s been just as good.” He also said that the coverage of the riots attracted 186,000 online views in just two days.

Rusbridger, when introducing the award, said the Leveson inquiry and phone-hacking saga had shone a light on “journalism at its worst” and that it was “very easy to get depressed” about the British press.

York sports club under fire after abusive emails

The University of York Cricket Club has come under heavy scrutiny after circulating emails with elements of sexism and homophobia.

An anonymous source contacted the Universities’ paper Nouse and said, “Their emails are always offensive, and, as someone who likes a joke, I can’t believe how rude they are.”

YUSU Sports President Sam Asfahani condemned the club for their actions by saying, “What has been written in the UYCC emails is plain unacceptable.

“Certain clubs need to realise that they not only have a social responsibility for their members but also reputational [sic] responsibility for our university.

We will now follow the regular disciplinary procedure with it first going to the York Sport Committee for suggested punishments.”

A spokesperson from the Cricket Club responded by saying, “I feel it would be unfair to use the incident as a representation of our club.

“Though what was said was inappropriate on reflection, no offence was ever intended to be caused to any member. The emails were sent carelessly, with little forethought, and appropriate action will be taken, both by our club and York Sport itself.”

The paper’s source felt the society deserved condemnation after the latest email appeared to make light of Gary Speed’s recent suicide. The source commented by saying, “I still find it incredibly offensive that they would seek to make light of a situation in which someone has committed suicide.”

The club responded by stating, “As a society, we obviously do not condone offensive inappropriate emails. The email subject, though seemingly a reference to Gary Speed’s death, was actually a quote from ‘Knocked Up’, however the timing was very poor and the writer showed bad judgement.”

Cultural Moment: Great Britain’s not-so-quiet riots

Photography: hughepaul (wikimedia)

The world turned its attention to a few of the UK’s urban centres in August as the ‘youth and unemployed’ of Britain took to the streets for what have become infamous riots.

Every newspaper and television channel reported looting, theft and violence alongside pictures of burning city centres and armies of riot police. The UK came to a standstill, London and Birmingham became designated warzones and people didn’t leave their homes in fear of their own safety.

Even sporting events were disrupted, as football matches were postponed and uncertainty was placed over the playing of the test match between England and India. Tourists even pondered over the thought of not travelling to the UK because of the situation.

Some would say it was the release of months, even years of built up tension from the countries youth and their economic situation. Others would see it as unreasonable, mob-like behavior that  would never previously had been characterized as part of this countries culture.

All in all, it the British summer was marred by these days in August and truly revealed the potential of some of this country to fight back with a vengeance. The riots really were a sobering and potent wake up call as to how dire the economic climate and social attitudes are in this country.

Should the government control executive pay?

This country has always seen a disparity between socio-economic groups. Under Thatcher, the problem got worse with the creation of the under-class, and with the onset of New Labour and its arguable continuation under David Cameron, the gap between the countries richest and poorest is getting bigger.

A mere 1.5% of the country earn over £100,000 a year, showing that the majority of the wealth in the UK is concentrated with a select few. The pay of boardroom executives has been a prevalent topic of conversation ever since the start of the recession. It’s an issue that has only been prodded and poked and yet not fully dealt with.

The millions that are reportedly taken home by the country’s financial elite is sometimes ridiculous. The fact that some of these individuals are key players in the economic problems in this country proves it hypocritical that they are still reaping financial benefits. Whilst they are gallivanting around the south of France in their yachts, a far larger number of Brits are struggling to find a job and pay their bills. This image alone suggests that the government need to do all they can to end the bonus culture that has dominated this country so much in the past twenty-or-so years.

The words of Nick Clegg can’t just be rhetoric, as politics seems to be these days; it needs to be cemented on paper. There may be a backlash from the businesses that form a key part of the political machine in this country but it is a side effect that should be taken with a pinch of salt.

If we are to achieve more financial equality and shrink the wealth gap then major steps need to be taken. Especially now, a lot of the bigger companies have gone into public ownership, which means that the boardroom salaries, or at least some of them, are coming out of the pockets of the tax-paying citizens.

At the end of the day, the fat cats need to be made thinner and this will only happen if some of their golden parachutes are shrunk.

Lecturers’ stress levels on the rise according to UCU

Three quarters of staff say deadlines were unachievable causing academics to feel increasingly stressed

Photography: hwaterman (Flickr)

Research has suggested that heavy workloads and a lack of time are making academics more stressed on the job.

Around four-fifths (81%) of those working at UK universities found the job too stressful in 2010, according to a study by the University and College Union (UCU). This has increased from 74% in 2008.

This research comes amidst a series of demonstrations amongst senior academics against pension cuts.

The main reasons the research found for these increased stress levels was the lack of time lecturers had to conduct research, excessive workloads and unreasonable expectations from students and the institution itself.

It has also been suggested that the gap created by the gradual influx in students and the decline in the number of lecturers is to blame. The difference has been on the increase for the past ten years as UCAS applications reached their peak. However, application figures so far this year could close the gap.

Around 73% of university lecturers said that they were given unachievable deadlines on some occasions, while 89% said they end up neglecting some tasks because they have too much work to do.

Around two-thirds said they were unable to take enough breaks some of the time or on occasions the entire time, whilst just under a quarter said they were never pressured into working longer hours to meet demands.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt stated that it was unacceptable that the majority of staff found their jobs stressful. “Universities are getting a reputation as stressful places to work and this report reveals that the problem is getting worse.

“As we enter uncertain and challenging times in higher education we need universities to start taking the problem seriously.

“We hope institutions will engage with the UCU…with a view to tackling the issues raised in the report”.

This problem could be averted by the decrease in the number of students applying under the new tuition fees; a rare positive to come out of the changes set for next year.