issue 189

Issue 189 – Februar

y 22, 2008 | w

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INSIDE

addictions uncovered - biffyclyro - festivals - redressfasion show - mitchell & kenyon - joe lean & the jing jang jong - 3d cine-ma - style iconsand much more

UniversityChallenge

Page 3

I N S I D E

Fairtrade

fortnight

Page 8+9

Views

on

thenews

Page 10+11

Latest

sportingaction

Page 13-16

UCLan masters student stabbed to death

Geeta Rao: 1964 - 2008

RAGED

Full

story

and

tributes PG

4

-5

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Contents

News 2News 4-5News 6-7Features 8-9Comment 10-11Alumni 13Societies 13Local sport 13Sport 14-16

Editor

Ed Walkersucommunications@uclan.ac.uk01772 89 4875

Deputy Editor

Rachel Shepherdplutodeputyeditor@uclan.ac.uk

News Editor

Dejla Kadhimplutonews@uclan.ac.uk

Deputy News Editor

Ben Hobson

Features Editor

Katy-Rose Meaneyplutofeatures@uclan.ac.uk

Deputy Features Editor

Emily Davies

Comment Editor

Lucy Witterpopinions@uclan.ac.uk

Sports Editor

John Hillplutosports@uclan.ac.uk

Deputy Sports Editor

Steve Nelmes

Graphics Editor

Andy Squireplutographics@uclan.ac.uk

Chief Sub Editor

Ken Pridhamplutosubbing@uclan.ac.uk

Sub Editors

Steven Cookson,JonathanSaunders and Kirsty Watkinson

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Disclaimer:

The views expressed in this publicationare not necessarily the views of theStudents’Union (SU) and the SU excludesresponsibility for the opinions expressed inarticles authored by students. Whilst PLUTO has used reasonableendeavours to ensure that the informationis accurate and up to date at the time of issue,it does not warrant that it is accurateor complete and reserves the right to makecorrections in future issues.© 2007 All content is the copyright of SUUCLAN unless otherwise stated.

Police figures show UCLanstudent are biggest victims

HALF of the petty crimethat takes place inPreston involves UCLanstudents,a local policeofficer has said.

Sergeant John Lovick,of the city’s NeighbourhoodPolicing team,raised con-cerns about the behaviour of students at a public meetingand described this year’suniversity intake as a “morelively bunch”.He said that students werebecoming increasinglyinvolved in low level crimeand public disorder.Out of 1,033 minor offences com-mitted in Preston city centrebetween January 2007 and January 2008,557 casesinvolved UCLan students.Sgt Lovick told theLancashire Evening Postrecently:“They are doingridiculous things like col-lecting plant pots,movingtraffic cones and generallyrowdy and disruptive behav-iour.Thousands make thepilgrimage from campus uptowards Church Streetevery weekend and they areareas that we focus on.”Many of the problems arebeing blamed on alcohol.UCLan’s Student Unionhas recently been accused of encouraging binge drinking.Chris Lowden,theStudent Union President,said:“Our goal is to makethe students part of thecommunity - that's what weare doing through the BigClean up and the Rag andBone.“We are doing everythingwe can to make Preston feellike home and treat it likehome.”The university has had todeal with its fair share of disruptive behaviour thisyear.A record 35 studentswere suspended fromUCLan last semester,with19 of these suspensions dueto poor behaviour.In onecase,a first year journalismstudent was beaten uncon-scious by a group of fellowstudents.As well as being increas-ingly responsible for pettycrimes,students are alsomore likely to become vic-tims.Thirteen of the 35 citycentre burglaries fromOctober to December lastyear targeted studenthomes.In a statement,aUniversity spokesman said:“The vast majority of ourstudents are hard workingand well behaved,they addgreatly to the cultural mix of the city,many are commu-nity volunteers and theirimpact on the local econo-my is massive.”However,the Universitypledges to work closely withthe police and the Councilto deal with the smallminority of badly behavedstudents.

By

ADAM

RAHMAN

Mugged student islatest in crime wave

STUDENTSare stillamong one of the highestrisk groups in crimessuch as burglary andpersonal theft,researchhas revealed.

This was reiterated whenyet another UCLan studentwas attacked on campusduring the early hours of Thursday February 14.Harry Cadwallader,a sec-ond year sports coachingstudent,was attacked out-side of the Unicorn pub onGarstang Road.He said:“I was walkinghome with my friend andtwo guys came over andasked me for a cigarette.Itold them that I didn’tsmoke and they disap-peared for a few seconds.“They then came upbehind me,head-butted meand punched me in theface.I pushed my friendout of the way to make surethey didn’t hit her as well.They went after me again,before stealing her hand-bag.”The 19 year-old was leftbruised and swollenalthough no serious injurywas caused.Cadwalladerrang the police straightaway to report the attack.According to research car-ried out by Steve Nelmes,apostgraduate student,crime in the city has risenover the past year withreported robbery up 20 percent and burglary up byover eight per cent.The area surrounding theuniversity is not as crimeridden as places likeRibbleton or Brookfield,which are statistically themost dangerous places. With students seen as easytargets,the campus contin-ues to have a problem withrobbery and personal theft.But it’s not always the stu-dents that are targeted oncampus.In October 2006,David Woods was murdered out-side of 53 degrees,when hewas mugged for £10. Woods,51,received over40 separate injuries byDenham Yates,18 andBobby Birmingham,17.This encouraged the uni-versity to spend an extra£150,000 on security.UCLan’s student welfareofficer Danny Weir said:“There are safety buses thatrun from the library whichruns from 6pm to 6am.“Alternatively there is atake me home scheme withrecognised taxi drivers.Inexchange for your librarycard,you can get a free lifthome and to redeem it,youpay the next day.”

VICTIM:

Harry Cadwallader at the exact spot the attack took place

Referendum results are a vote for change

CHANGEwas in the air asUCLan students voted over-whelmingly for a change in theStudents’Union constitution.

Six-hundred and sixty studentsvoted yes on February 14 and 15,with eight dissenting voices.Students have voted for a changein the Union structure that willsee a Board of Trustees created tomake top-level decisions.The Board of Trustees will bemade up of five elected sabbaticalofficers,two appointed studenttrustees and three appointedexternal trustees.The number of sabbatical offi-cers has been cut to five,with thefull-time welfare and equal-oppor-tunities roles combining to createa campaigns officer.Students’Union president,ChrisLowden,was happy with theresult.He said:“I’m pleased that stu-dents have voted to pass thischange in the rules of the Union.“The changes will allow us tomake the Union a better organisa-tion that will have even more focuson making life better for stu-dents.”The changes are expected to bepassed on March 14.

By

ED

WALKERBy

HOLLY

ATKINSONand

KAREN

ASBURY

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Are you smart enough?

IT’S THAT time of year again… calling allstudents for the University Challenge!

Last year for the very first time UCLan made it tothe BBC televised stage,becoming one of the top30 teams in the country.The UK quiz game show which has been runningsince 1962 consists of teams of four players.The show,which is presented by Jeremy Paxman,is calling more women to get involved to equal thebalance of gender participation.Mr Paxman said:“No all-women team has everbeen series champion,although we very often seeoutstanding women players.”The producers of the event said:“I’m sure theaudience likes teams which contain both sexes andwe do ask for teams to be representative of theinstitution concerned.“It’d be great to see more women though.”Play-offs will take place at the beginning of March with buzzers and lights for authenticity.Closing date to apply is the end of February.For more information contact Peta in theStudent’s Union,at SUEducation@uclan.ac.uk or(01772) 894855.

By

LAUREN

OLDLAND

RECYCLING a tin of baked beans won oneUCLan student a laptopin a competition set upfor students by PrestonCity Council.

The competition was partof a two year initiativeaimed at encouraging stu-dents to recycle.Thousandsof baked bean tins weregiven away in Fresher’sweek and those who recy-cled their tin were enteredinto a prize draw.The scheme increasedrecycling by 10 per cent inthe Plungington area andwon Preston City Council aNational Recycling Award.The winner,KarenSmart,a first year InteriorDesign student,said shewas very excited as she“never wins anything.”She said:“The laptop willbe very useful as my oldone was on the blink.It’squite freaky because I hadjust said to my friend that Iwas thinking of asking for anew one for my birthday.”Councillor KeithSedgewick,who attendedthe prize giving,said:“Students make up a largepart of Preston’s communi-ty and it is great for ascheme like this to be inclu-sive of them.”

PRIZE:

Students were given recycling information in a can of beans

By

ADAM

RAHMANBRAINS:

The UCLan team made it through to the televised rounds last year

Laptop for beans

Students like to talk

INTERACTION withother students and tutorsis an important a part of university life,studentleaders have said.

Pamela Taylor,principal of Newman University Collegein Birmingham,said that stu-dents are increasingly seek-ing out universities that valueface-to-face interaction andencourage questioning of ethical values.Mrs Taylor was speakingahead of the GuardianHigher Education summit inLondon.The summit fea-tured a debate on studentexperience and satisfaction.She said:“Although thegovernment’s policies arepushing for institutions toimprove students’employa-bility,I think that is not theonly thing that students areseeking.“While it is true that theyare going to want to gain agood job,there is evidencethat students are nowbecoming more interested intheir own personal develop-ment.”Forty-two per cent of respondents to the 2007Future Leaders Survey saidthat they would like toreceive more informationabout their chosen universi-ty’s social policies and per-formance than they currentlydo.A more holistic approach tohigher education was sup-ported by Gemma Tumelty,President of the NationalUnion of Students,who tookpart in the debate at thesummit.She said:“Student life isabout far more than just tak-ing exams,and it is crucialthat the importance of thestudent experience is recog-nised.The 2009 review of tuition fees will be critical indetermining what highereducation is for as well ashow it is funded.”

By

RICHARDBLACKLEDGE

Casino royale ball

STUDENTS from allover the North-West will be heading for Bolton forUCLan’s Casino Royale ball,writes JaselynMelling.

A group of UCLan PublicRelations students,CubeCommunications,will hosta Casino Royale themedstudent ball on March 7.Guests will be arriving fromLiverpool,Manchester,Leeds,Cumbria,Bolton,Edge Hill and CentralLancashire universities.Live entertainment,casinotables,a three-course mealand a free vodka martinireception are among themany attractions that ticketholders will be enjoying.Students will also be giventhe chance to have their pic-ture taken with a special 007guest.Second year PublicRelations student JadeMorris said:“We are aimingto make this one of thebiggest events of the year,the Casino Royale theme isdifferent from anything elsethat is going on.”The event will be held inthe Premier Suite at theReebok Stadium.The dresscode for the guys is suits,like James Bond,andevening wear for the ladies.The men will be given aspecial code with their tick-ets to get a discount on suitsin Slater Menswear.Tickets cost £27.Studentscan also get a return coachticket from their universityfor four pounds.