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? StudentS’ union nominationS are open the univerSity of ChiCheSter StudentS’ union magazine iSSue 8 | free aS alwayS! february 2011 NatioNal Demo RevieweD a preSidentS life life afteR the Su beatS have broken barrierS NatioNal StuDeNt SuRvey out of the Country, into eduCation ?

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University of Chichester Students' Union magazine

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Page 1: Exploded - Issue 8

?StudentS’unionnominationSare open

the univerSity of ChiCheSter StudentS’ union magazine

iSSue 8 | free aS alwayS!february 2011

NatioNal DemoRevieweDa preSidentS lifelife afteR the SubeatS havebroken barrierSNatioNal StuDeNtSuRveyout of the Country,into eduCation

?

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THIS ISSUE...

04 UNION NEWSEverything you need to know about your Union & Uni activity.06 NATIONAL DEMO REVIEWEDThree personal perspectives of the controversial NUS demo in November 2010.10 A PRESIDENTS LIFEBrendan McCarthy, your SU President, explains why he thinks he’s leaving the best job in the world.13 PRESIDENTS QUESTIONSAnybody interested in, or curious about what it is to be SU President should read this.16 STUDENTS’ UNION NOMINATIONS ARE OPENA full description of the available elected positions in your SU. Includes information about how to get nominated.20 LIFE AFTER THE SUFormer SU President Matt Gover tells us how he found life as president, and how it helped him in his career after his term ended.21 DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READA personal opinion piece by Jane Philpott about the current misuse of scientific findings in marketing.22 BEATS HAVE BROKEN BARRIERSCasper Beade, your SU Vice-President, explains what the Union’s new volunteering project is all about.24 NATIONAL STUDENT SURVEY (NSS)It’s that time of year again. The NSS is back, and as always, gives students the chance to better the University experience for the next generation of student.26 COALITION ROUND 2 REVIEWEDA quick look back at the Coalition Society’s November event which featured The Correspondents. By Ali Mans-Cornwell28 OUT OF THE COUNTRY, INTO EDUCATIONAs Fee’s increase at home Liz Lightfoot decides to take a closer look at what the continent has to offer.30 CHEESY BITESBrendan’s usual healthy serving of cheese. Apparently it’s now one of your five-a-day!31 DON’T LOSE YOUR RAG!The time is quickly approaching and Angela Gooderson, your RAG Officer, tells us all about the SU’s busiest event of the year.. RAG Race!!!

CONTENTS?

STUDENTS’UNIONNOMINATIONSARE OPEN

THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICHESTER STUDENTS’ UNION MAGAZINE

ISSUE 8 | FREE AS ALWAYS!FEBRUARY 2011

NATIONAL DEMOREVIEWEDA PRESIDENTS LIFELIFE AFTER THE SUBEATS HAVEBROKEN BARRIERSNATIONAL STUDENTSURVEYOUT OF THE COUNTRY,INTO EDUCATION

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REVIEWED

16

06

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ACADEMIC YEAR STRUCTURE TO REMAIN THE SAMEProposals to change the academic year structure where rejected at December’s Academic Board. The proposal designed to move the institution in line with other universities suggested some unpopular changes for students including moving exams and possibly assessments to late January after the Christmas break, scrapping a reading week and would have seen returning students come back a week later than new starters.

The SU was behind many student parents who raised concerns about child care responsibilities if the first reading week was moved and the later scrapped.

The proposal also failed to convince many members of teaching staff. The Board ultimately decided to scrap the idea completely. Thanks to all those who completed our survey and spoke to us about how the changes would affect them.

NATIONAL STUDENT SURVEYThe National Student Survey can now be accessed and completed by all final year students. The SU will be coming in to final year classes to reiterate the importance of the survey. The annual survey allows students to rate how satisfied they have been with their course during their time at the institution. For more info on N.S.S see page….

UNIONNEWSFEBRUARY2011

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FEES TO INCREASE IN 2012On Thursday 9th December MPs passed legislation to increase tuition fees by a majority of just 21 votes, thus allowing institutions to charge students who start in 2012 up to £9,000 per year for their University Education. Institutions that decide to charge in excess of £6,000 must demonstrate that they will invest large sums into Widening Participation, ensuring those students from poorer backgrounds can have the same opportunities as other students.

Students’ Union President Brendan McCarthy joined NUS colleagues on the day of the vote to lobby ministers, but a last minute attempt to persuade local Chichester MP Andrew Tyrie to vote against the proposal failed. McCarthy said “Although we didn’t win the campaign on tuition fees a new wave of student activism has surfaced and I believe that the government will end up paying for this decision at the next general election”. Universities are now looking at what they will be charging for the 2012/13 academic year. The SU will be working with the university to ensure the charges are as fair as possible. More government proposals on bursary and scholarship schemes are due to be announced in March. Demo Article see page…

UNIVERSITY APPOINTS NEW VICE-CHANCELLORProfessor Clive Behagg has been appointed as the University’s new Vice Chancellor. The Union has worked closely with Clive in his previous role as Acting Vice Chancellor. We would like to congratulate Clive on his appointment and hope that the positive working relationship between the Students’ Union and the University continues.

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REVIEWED

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Saturday March 31st, 1990, England witnessed one of the biggest rallies in recent decades. The Poll tax riots. An angered response at Thatcher leadership, and proposals to introduce a tax that would hit the most impoverished in the country. People from all over the country united together to conduct a serious of violent protests nationwide. The largest of which became named the battle of Trafalgar, when on the above date 180,000-250,000 people gathered in Central London and Trafalgar square to show their ever-growing disgust.

Compared to the Poll tax riots, the anarchy that took place on the 10th of November 2010, would appear pitiful in comparison. Extremists at the National Demo have witnessed a serious backlash as a result of their actions, after taking Tory HQ under occupation. Whether right or wrong, the frustrated voice of 50,000 students has been amplified by a few. These few who took a peaceful protest to new levels of anarchy

have created nationwide headlines, of vandalism and destruction, headlines that have now reached a global audience, with coverage on CNN, and other news broadcasting companies internationally. Furthermore, the French student population, have joined forces in protest, to show their equal disgust at proposed cuts and tuition fee rises to be put in place, within the Higher education system in England.

The whole world is now watching, and must be sharing our disgust at the Con-Dems’ plans to turn university into a playground for the rich. Excluding those of talent from less fortunate backgrounds. The country is bitter, and if not before, our government must now be able to hear our war cry.

Does violence really provoke change however? Or will it only suffice to weaken our fight? If history is anything to go by, maybe, just maybe some good can actually come from extreme protest.

After the madness of the Poll Tax riots, there was

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change. Whether because of fear, defeat, or personal reasons, Margaret Thatcher resigned from office mere months later. And the Poll Tax was implemented and then abandoned. Britain’s voice was most definitely heard.

With this in mind, although frowned upon, maybe the actions of those at the Demo early in November, may actually provide a result we want. Perhaps something beautiful is to be born, out of something, that momentarily appears quite ugly on the surface?

Some would argue, because of the anarchists, the Demo has amounted to become a waste, overshadowing the overall message of a larger student body. But this was only a minority of students who went beyond. And like 50,000 other students, they too have voiced their anger at a system that they believe is oppressing them. Only time will tell what the consequences will be?

By Mitchell Callum Orriss

WE WILL MARCH!“F***k this I’m going to Hogwarts” was one of the placards that stood out most in my mind at the Student Demonstration on the 10/11. As far as I am aware, if Harry, Hermione and Ron had to pay for their education J.K Rowling’s books would have been considerably more boring(and shorter). Despite some of the amusing placards, there was a real sense of

anger and betrayal, much of the student fury aimed at Nick Clegg’s turn coat behaviour and of course at David Cameron (who I think was fairly sensible to get out of the country when he did…his feelings might have been hurt by some of the chants). There were so many people there (over 50,000 we found out later) that it was less of a march and more of an awkward shuffle but a rowdy one at that. Despite the cold and lack of space, there was a great sense of camaraderie. People were checking Facebook on their phones and announcing that we were number one on the BBC website (and that was even before the violence started), someone from Manchester who I had never met before in my life, helped me find our protest group when I got cut off, people who had never met before were joined as one, for a singular cause: “No if’s! No buts! No to education cuts!”

I think we made our point. Loud and clear…I’m pretty sure the windows were rattled at the Houses of Parliament, but, as always, someone has to take it a step too far. At the start of the day, a tiny part of me thought “Wouldn’t it be awesome to be arrested? To be a martyr to the cause?”

Then I saw HOW you get arrested: By being unbelievably stupid.

There was NO need to break into Tory HQ and injure police officers, the young people that started that riot, pretty much got us labelled as a bunch of yobs, while the press were saying “small minority starts a

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NOBUTS..NOCUTS!

violent riot” that was the headline. Not: “The student’s peaceful protest shows that spending money on higher education is worth it! These are the kind of people it produces: upright, intelligent members of society!” Instead, we get: “Why should we spend money on them if all they are going to do is throw tantrums like over grown violent toddlers?”

I am incredibly proud I went to that demonstration, that my voice, along with thousands of other student’s was heard, but what I REALLY want to know was did Clegg and Cameron listen?

By Alicia Howdle

NO IFS, NO BUTS, NO EDUCATION CUTS! Was just one of the many chants you could hear up at the Demo in November. There was fancy dress, there was drums, brilliant banners and witty chants. It was fantastic to see so many students from so many parts of the country come together as one to shout about the future for their siblings, other students and themselves! I really enjoyed the atmosphere I encountered it was friendly, and it was united! It truly was an enjoyable day. I feel incredibly proud of the Chi students, incredibly proud to come from Chi Uni and incredibly proud to have been there. NO IFS, NO BUTS, NO EDUCATION CUTS!

By Kat Link

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BY BRENDAN MCCARTHY It’s election time again and many of you will be thinking about running for a full time officer position. I have served my maximum two years as an officer so am unable to run again which sadly means my five year love affair with the university is almost over. The exciting thing is that you guys will have a brand new President and Vice President next year and that could be you. Many people will wonder if they are cut out for the role and honestly, I didn’t think I would be. In fact I always feel I can do better than I’m doing, but maybe that’s just part of my personality.

My involvement with the SU began in my first year back in 2006. In the dark days before Facebook, iPlayer and HDTV (How did we survive in halls?). Hollyoaks had already informed me that that the SU was the happening student bar where you could party the night away and make loads of cool friends and I won’t lie, that aspect certainly appealed to me.

In the first few weeks of my Media Studies course I decided to get involved as a Course Rep. I attended the meetings and was intrigued at how much you could influence your course content and raise general concerns. Election time soon came round and I became aware of other Union activities. There was a large campaign at the time to save St Richard’s Hospital, led by the then Vice-President Matt Gover (Read ‘Life after the Students’ Union’ on Page 20) and voting in that election was my first insight into the politics of the Union.

I’ve always had a great passion for music and had always wanted to get into DJ-ing. In the summer of 2007 I received a leaflet looking for bar staff. I didn’t fancy that but emailed the SU instead to ask about DJ-ing opportunities. I still remember coming in for my interview and the Venue Manager asking me what clubs I played in? I was like “Erm... I’ve done a few birthday gigs and have a lot of CDs,” but the great thing was that the SU gave me the opportunity to give it a try anyway. By the start of the next semester I was hosting Karaoke at the Mack Bar in Bognor and eventually became resident DJ on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

I began finding more out about how the Union works

HOW I ENDED UPWITH THE BESTJOB IN THE WORLD

and decided to run for a part time officer position. I wasn’t quite sure what to go for, I just wanted to get involved and make positive changes. I eventually ran for Equal Opportunities Officer in the 2008 SU elections, but only after no one else had ran for the position. I pondered for ages to run in the initial election but was too scared to do an election speech or talk to people about campaign issues. No one ran for Equal Opps that year maybe it was fate, who knows, but I eventually stood and won. In my role as equal opportunities officer I worked closely with the Liberation societies and got involved in some of the Union’s community work. My favourite moment was working with a youth group in Bognor on a project to challenge local residents on the negative stereotypes of young people.

By March 2009 elections were approaching fast again. I had pondered running for Vice- President a few times but wasn’t sure I could do it. I had a dissertation to write, two jobs and was looking into travelling abroad. An hour before nominations closed I got my form in. I was now in an election race to be the next Vice-President of UCSU. That moment has changed my life forever.

The Campaigning had begun. It was a very tough election and we had three strong candidates for both the Vice-President and President positions. I was by no means the favourite to win. I was running against other SU part time officers who were also well known individuals within the Union. I got myself some close friends together to form a campaign team and spent two weeks speaking to students about the issues that affected them and backing up my manifesto claims. Though I wasn’t always confident at it I did have a knack for public speaking and enjoyed the election Question Time where I got to deliver a two minute speech.

By results night I was overcome with nerves and had already had a few drinks to settle this. The first round of votes were announced and I’d scraped it by about thirty votes. This by no means had meant I had won. When the second round vote’s were announced I was so unsure if we had more rounds to go that I didn’t

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instantly know I had won. But it was still a very close eighty seven votes. The feeling was phenomenal. I finished my degree with a fairly decent grade and took up the role in July 2009.

I enjoyed my year as Vice-President. The role was very activities focused, working with societies and activities but luckily for me I also had responsibility for course reps (For the new president/VP job spec see page 17). I had always wanted to get into events organizing and that’s why I went for the role, but it didn’t take long to find I enjoyed the academic representation side of things more. Sitting in long meetings and writing training and reports for the university on the student experience may not be to every-one’s taste but I loved it.

With another round of elections fast approaching I needed to figure out the next step. Me and Casper had been friends for years and he had been working alongside me as President for a year, but what would I do next? Run for VP again? or could I run for president possibly against a friend. After much conversation we did something that we have not found evidence of anywhere else in the world of students’ unions. We ran for each other’s position agreeing we preferred the job roles of each others position anyway.

Re-Election was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I ran against some very good friends and candidates and knowing I was being judged on the work I had already done over the year, I knew it was

going to be tough. The fact that five others chose to run against me, and Casper was unopposed, was a struggle too but I always liked a challenge and got on with it. I can’t really remember much of results night 2010. Not because of any alcohol influence, but because I was just so nervous. By 10.30 I was informed I had won. If it felt good the first time it felt ten times as good now.

I have really enjoyed being President of the Students’ Union. It is probably the best job I will ever have. The best thing is knowing you can have a real impact on students’ lives. I am going to be sad to say goodbye to Chichester. I’ve had the most life changing experience and learnt a lot but I am looking forward to the challenges ahead. I have added so many skills to my C.V. I have run a million pound organisation, given presentations to influential boards and secured funding for SU projects. I’ve worked with a whole host of community organisations, charities and local councils.

My next step is Union work elsewhere supporting officers and students at other unions. A university on the south coast would be ideal but I haven’t ruled out moving further from home. Long term I’m still not done travelling but would really love the opportunity to work for a campaigning organisation such as Amnesty International and I know the work and experience I have gained from my last two years as an officer is a huge stepping stone towards that.

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WE NEED ANEW PRESIDENTAND IT COULD BE YOU..Student Union elections are just around the corner and this year UCSU finds itself in a very unique position. We are having a clear-out and that means both our full time officers have to go.This means we need someone like you to fill mine and Casper’s shoes and run the union from this July. So now I’m sure you will be asking a number of questions. What’s happening? What does the President even do? Could I be President? Do I have to do it for free? Or I couldn’t possibly do that! Well take a closer look below.....To get a more personal account read Brendan’s ‘Best Job in the World’ story on page….

What is UCSU?UCSU stands for the University of Chichester Students’ Union. The Union exists to represent students and defend, extend and promote their rights. The Union is separate from the University and is completely independent. The University gives UCSU a grant every year which we invest on activities, training, campaigns etc.It is likely many of you use our services regularly without thinking about it. Whether you’re partying at Skint on a Monday night, playing for the Thunder basketball team or attending Programme Board meetings as a course rep, you are participating in Union activities or services run by UCSU. The most important thing we do is academic representation. This means ensuring students get the best experience whilst at University. UCSU works with the university to ensure courses respond to students needs.

So what does the President do?The President is the head of the Students’ Union. They are the most senior figure in the organisation and will monitor the day-to-day running of the Union such as keeping its finances in check and steering the direction of the organisation. They are the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Union and accountable for the Unions actions.The President sits on the Board of Governors, the most senior board in the university and sits on all the Academic Boards which look at course reviews, appoint external examiners, receive reports from quality assurance agencies and explores institutional best practice.Within the Union the President is responsible for two of the Union’s Zones, the Academic Zone and the Community and Volunteering Zone.

What is the Academic Zone?The Academic Zone is responsible for ensuring courses meet the needs of students. The Academic Zone Committee work with the President, analysing data and statistics from tools such as the National Student Survey and Annual Monitoring and liaise with and put pressure on the University to improve course quality and student satisfaction.The Zone also works with course reps, writing training programmes and communicating with them to find out the burning issues within the institution. It is also the President’s role to work on academic campaigns such as the assessment and feedback campaign that we ran last year, which has resulted in the university committing to online feedback from September 2011.

What is the Community and Volunteering Zone?Within the Community and Volunteering Zone the president acts a community spokesperson. This means having regular contact with the local press, sitting on Council Boards and working with local residents to promote community cohesion.The President will also work with staff on developing volunteer projects such as Beatz Break Barriers (See page 22)

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Sounds scary, I don’t think I’m qualified to do that.Don’t panic. On paper it can look daunting but you are not alone. The Union has experienced full time staff members who will support you 100%. These staff include; the General Manager who will oversee the operational, legal and health and safety side of things for you day to day; a finance team who ensure the accounts are accurate and keep up to date with all financial transactions; a marketing team who help promote campaigns and a Representation and Democracy Co-ordinator who knows and understands the Unions’ structure, democratic processes and everything academic based, he is also a former SU president himself. The trading side of things is supported by a cracking Bars and Shop Team who look after the Union’s Commercial Services.These staff members are here to support you, so do not think you will be thrown into the deep end. The great thing about it all, is that you are their employer.You will also attend training courses in the summer where you get to network with other SU officers from other unions, which helps build an external support network as well as support from the NUS (National Union of Students) regional manager.

OK, Sounds like a lot of work. How am I going to manage this whilst studying?That’s the beauty of it. You don’t. The President is a full time position. You will have the opportunity to defer your course. Say for example you are a second year English student and you choose to run and you are elected. You would become president next year (2011/12) and have the opportunity to go back to finish your third year in 2012/13. Think of it like a sandwich year or even a work placement.Alternatively you could do what many previous President’s have done and run in their final year meaning you become president at the end of your course.

Hmmm... still sounds like a lot of work. Am I going to be doing this for free?No. The president gets paid a salary of approximately £14,500 for the year. That means after tax you are taking home just under £1,000 every month.

Are the hours long?You are expected to work 37 hours week, but most of the time you can find yourself working more. There are busy times such as fresher’s week and the start of semesters where you can find you work a lot more hours.

Sounds like a lot of effort!It is hard work but the rewards are huge! The job is so varied that you never have a typical day. There are few if any jobs where you can have so much power, lead an organisation whilst influencing a huge organisation like the University at such a young age.The amount of training and transferable skills you will receive makes the role hugely rewarding.

Wow sounds great. How do I apply?The exciting thing about being a sabbatical officer is that there is no interview and any student can run regardless of their skill set.

Run? Run where?Ok so you don’t literally run. It is not a race, at least not a physical one. The role of President is an elected position. Those wishing to be the next President take part in an election process in March and it is up to students to decide whether you are a credible candidate.

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Tell me more about elections.Firstly you will need to pick up a nomination form from the SU offices before Friday 4th March. Before you return this you will need to get five students to nominate you as a candidate (This is 5 signatures on a piece of paper). You will also be required to write a manifesto. This is a document that will present your ideas to your voters, it may be that you want to improve the course rep structure or fight for a 24 hour library.What about the current President/Vice-President. Will I have to run against them?No that is the beauty of this election. For the first time in a very long time this year’s sabbatical officers are unable to stand for election meaning the Union has to have two brand new officers.

I like the idea of this, but would like to wait until next year’s elections or the end of my course?That’s great. You still have an ideal opportunity to get involved now. We have part time officer positions

you can run for alongside your studies. Most sabbatical officers have started out this way. Start by getting yourself out there. Join societies, sports clubs, become a course rep these will all benefit you when you decide that you do want to become President in a few years.

Great I’m going to do it. Shall I go and tell my friends on Facebook to get voting for me?Well... Hold fire for a minute. We have two weeks in March dedicated to campaigning. This ensures that every candidate running for the position has a fair go at it. Campaigning will not start until Monday 7th March but once campaigning begins you can start putting up posters, setting up online campaign groups and encouraging students to vote for you.

So my nomination form is in. Shall I sit and wait until campaigning begins?Though you can’t actively tell people to vote for you just yet there is nothing wrong with going out and speaking to students to find out what the big issues are.It would actually be beneficial to your manifesto to do this as you are likely to get increased support if you have spoken to a lot of students about a particular problem and then

highlighted it in your manifesto. You may be unhappy with library fines for example but do other student’s feel the same?

Get out there and find out... You will need to be doing it every day as president so get out there now.

What else do I need to know about elections?To find out more about voting and the election process email [email protected] or come

into the SU offices (above Zee Bar) to talk to us about it.

Okay, so what happens if I’m Elected. Do I start straight away?You start mid-June and officially take up your position on July 1st and will be expected to come in for

some training throughout June. We will encourage you to meet at least once a fortnight the current sabbatical officers to help ease you in. This will be flexible though.

How long will I be President for?Your term lasts a full year. If you have done one year you can run for election

the following year but you cannot be a full time paid officer for more than two full years. This is why Brendan and Casper are unable to run again as they have both served two full terms.

What happens afterwards and what are the job prospects like?Whether you want to work for a charitable organisation, do advice

work or get into management there are a whole host of skills. Many ex-Presidents/Vice-Presidents have gone into student union work as full time staff members elsewhere (Lanie Al-Ayoubi, VP 2008-9) or gone on to work for NUS (Dave Gilmore, President

2003-2004).Read life after presidency by Matt Gover (President 2007/2008) on page 20

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STUDENTS UNION ELECTIONSDemocracy at UCSU is changing, last year the Union engaged in a thorough review of its democracy and decided that more needed to be done to involve students in leading the organisation. A new structure was designed and put to the students at last years Annual General Meeting where it was overwhelmingly endorsed. Following the meeting the new structure’s details were fleshed out and will take effect on the upcoming elections. The most important new feature of the Union’s new engagement structure is the Student Senate. The Student Senate will be the most powerful body in the Students Union consisting of 30 elected students they will make the big decisions in the Students Union, direct the work of the President and Vice President and most importantly act as the voice of the students.Now is your chance to get involved in this exciting new opportunity, the election process is just starting and we need students with a passion for change to put themselves forward for election. The Student Senate has a huge range of positions each with different responsibilities, a description of each position follows and you can download the full job details at www.chisu.orgSo if you fancy doing something new and different or think you could run the SU better than it is now, download a nomination form at www.chisu.org/yourunion/elections_2011-2012

PRESIDENTA full time paid position, you would either take a year out of your studies or if you’re in your final year, stay on for one more year at the SU. The President is the leader of the Students’ Union and the principal voice for students, to the University, the media, and the local community. They sit on the University Board of Governors. The President also has responsibility for overseeing the Union’s Academic Zone and Community and Volunteering Zone, working closely with the Part Time Officers in this area. A unique opportunity to be head of an organisation with a budget in the £100,000s, this job will look fantastic on your CV and allow you to develop a huge range of skills.

VICE-PRESIDENTAlso a paid position, the number 2 job in the Union, the Vice President has responsibility for the Welfare Zone and the Activities & Events zone, overseeing the Union’s bars and entertainments as well as working with Part Time Officers to improve the social side of University as well as working on welfare issues such as student finance, and housing. The Vice President deputises and leads the Union if the President is absent, another fantastic opportunity for a year out of your studies or a job straight after Uni.

CHAIR OF STUDENT SENATEThe Chair of the Student Senate is a very important position, acting very much like the Speaker in the House of Commons or the Judge in a court. Their role is to preside impartially at meetings of Student Senate, keeping order, calling on people to speak, and enforcing the rules of Senate to make sure the meeting runs effectively. If you’ve got a head for rules, think you’re good at keeping people under control and can be detached and fair-minded, we need you for Chair of Student Senate.

FACULTY REPRESENTATIVES (2 PLACES)A great position for anyone interested in improving the educational experience at the University, particularly for Course Reps. Faculty Representatives can be thought of as senior Course Reps. Instead of seeking to improve just one course, they will work on academic issues that affect the whole University. They will sit on high level University decision-making bodies such as the Teaching and Learning Committee. Their role in the Student Senate will be to propose policies on Academic issues.

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POST GRADUATE STUDENTS OFFICER;Post Graduates are a vital part of the University community, yet all too often the Union is seen as something primarily for undergraduates. Therefore, the Union has a reserved place on the Student Senate for a Post Graduate Students Officer. The role of the Post Graduate Officer is to be the voice of all Post Grad Students both to the University and on the Student Senate, proposing policies and ideas that will benefit Post Grads, holding the Executive to account and ensuring that Post Grads are never forgotten about.

PART TIME AND MATURE STUDENTS OFFICER;The demographic of students is changing, the days of students being almost entirely 18-25 year old full timers is over, and there are ever increasing numbers of Mature and Part Time Students, who have their own unique needs and concerns that the Union is keen to address. This position will provide representation to those students. If you’re a Mature or Part Time Student and feel the Union should be doing more for you, then why not get involved and make things happen? In this role you would speak at the Student Senate on behalf of all Mature and Part Time Students and ensure the Union and the University are accessible at all times to people of all ages and study mode.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OFFICER;Disability comes in many different forms, and many disabilities are invisible. Disabled students are consistently underrepresented at every political level, including student politics. To address this on the Student Senate there will be a Disabled Students Officer. Their role will be to raise issues and put forward ideas to ensure students have an equal education regardless of disability. So if you’re disabled and passionate about equality why not become Students with Disabilities Officer?

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICER;International Students are a vital part of the University community but they also have unique concerns, facing higher tuition fees, potential language barriers and the stress of being a very long way from home. The International Students Officer will sit on the Student Senate to provide the unique perspective of International Students. They will propose policy on issues of concern to international students and will ensure that the Union’s activities are available to all nationalities.

WELFARE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES OFFICER;The Student Union isn’t just here to provide academic representation; we also look after the students’ well-being. The Welfare and Equal Opportunities Officer will be responsible for running campaigns promoting students’ welfare or against any type of discrimination on campus. They will also direct the Union’s provision of welfare services and ensure the Union is doing enough to look after students and stand up for their welfare needs.

CAMPUS OFFICERS (1 BOGNOR REGIS 1 CHICHESTER);UCSU is a Union of two campuses and it’s vital that the University and Union provide their services to students on both. The Campus Officers will be responsible for ensuring the provision of Union services on their Campus. In addition the Bognor Campus officer will be the Union’s representative in Bognor. They will speak up in Student Senate on issues relating to facilities and the concerns of students on their campus.

MEDIA OFFICERAre you a student interested in media? Or perhaps you fancy yourself as the next Rupert Murdoch? Why not run for Media Officer an important and exciting position that’s bound to look good on the CV. The Media Officer oversees the production of this very magazine, written by students for students. They also strive to increase, improve and evolve the way we, as a Union, communicate with students. If you want to run your own magazine or have a message you think students want to hear, become our next Media Officer.

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SPORTS FEDERATION PRESIDENTIf you’ve ever played in a Union sports team or even just been around the SU or sports centre on a Wednesday afternoon, you’ll know how important the Sports Federation is... Well you could be running it! The Sports Federation President directs the Union’s provision of Sports both recreational and competitive, decides how its resources are directed and organises tours. They also Chair the Sports Federation Executive Committee and are a member of the SU’s Executive Committee and Student Senate.

SOCIETIES FEDERATION PRESIDENTEver felt Societies are left out in favour of sports? Now is your chance to change that! With the new position of Societies Federation President, Societies will now have their own representative on the Executive Committee and Student Senate. They will also be responsible for helping new societies be created and increasing the support offered by the Union to societies, fill out your CV and have some fun as well with this exciting new position.

RAG OFFICERUnions aren’t just about students doing things for themselves; we also have an outstanding record of supporting charitable causes. As well as organising exciting events such as RagFest and the RAG Race, and recommending on the charity that the Union will support for the year, the RAG officer will also sit on the Executive Committee and the Student Senate. RAG is already a big part of student life, but if you want to make a difference then why not become RAG officer and make it even bigger?

VOLUNTEERS OFFICERVolunteering has long been an important part of the Union but now students will have a chance to lead this vital area themselves. The Volunteers Officer will be responsible for organising a variety of volunteering projects for students to take part in. They will manage the Union’s volunteering on behalf of the Executive Committee and will sit on the Student Senate.

EVENTS OFFICERThe Union puts on a whole range of events throughout the year, from Fresher’s week, Refresher’s fair, Grad ball, to alcohol-free socials. A good student event is one led and organised by students, so if you think you know how to show students a good time, or if there’s any type of event you don’t see enough of, run for Events Officer and take charge yourself. This officer sits on the Executive Committee and Student Senate.

OPEN PORTFOLIO OFFICERSPerhaps you like the idea of sitting on Student Senate, taking part in debates, voting on key decisions, and leading the Union, but you don’t want to confine yourself to one narrow portfolio job role, or you just want to get involved but you’re not sure how. 3 ‘Open Portfolio Officer’ positions are available. These officers will sit on the Student Senate and vote just like the other officers but have no specific remit given to them, rather they will focus on the issues that they think are important and have campaigned for in the election. Improve your CV and take part in the exciting world of Student Senate; run for Open Portfolio Officer.

FOR MORE INFO AND NOMINATION FORMS GO TO..

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I left the Union in 2008, after being a student for 3 years studying English and Creative Writing I won Vice-President by 61 votes against one of my best friends.

This opened me up to a whole new perspective of how the Union could work. I was responsible for working with clubs and societies and student welfare, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It struck me as a very ‘on the ground’ role working with academic appeals and student reps.

After this experience I decided to run for President, as I believed the Union was capable of greater things. I knew that the Union was more than just a night out and that we needed to look at campaigns, the community and charity.

Fortunately with my Surname Gover I had a great tag line ‘It Aint over, til it’s Gover’ during this campaign for the Presidency I realised from talking to students on both campuses that the Union needed to get back to basics and remember what it stood for. I focussed on issues that affected students and based my manifesto on those issues.

Talk to students on different courses, off campus students, mature students, and international students. This is the best way to understand the University in terms of provision and the differences in neighbouring Universities or even FE colleges. A good example of this was exploring the provision of childcare for students (which are catered for at Chichester College) and trying to establish a link for University staff and students to access this.

I built a good relationship with the then Chichester College SU President and we were able to paint a picture of the Chichester learning experience.

LIFEAFTERTHESTUDENTS’UNION

POST-PRESIDENCYMy best advice to any sabbatical officer is to network. This worked in my case after winning seats on the Local Strategic Partnership at Chichester District Council.

This was the first time that students had interacted with the local authority on such a strategic basis looking at issues such as housing, safety, representation, community involvement and graduate retention. By meeting influential people in this way I was able to keep in contact with various professionals and maintain a profile. Using all this exposure and experience, when it comes to applying for jobs, helps a great deal.

Using examples of skills in an interview greatly enhances your chances of making an impression. When I started applying for jobs I tried to research the organisations I applied to as much as possible. It’s absolutely key to know the latest issues or policies your new organisation are working towards. Offer your perspective on what you can bring to the table to help them enhance their goals.

I am fortunate to have a fantastic manager and a great boss that have allowed me to bring innovation to my job, I would advise any applicant, post sabbatical position, to go into the interview with the view ‘look what I have achieved already, look how I can enhance your organisation’ this has to be a fine line with confidence.

Know your research and present them with the idea that by hiring you today you can hit the ground running.

By Matt GoverUCSU President 2007/8UCSU Vice President 2006/7

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Many of us have heard the age old phrase that children will believe anything they hear. Yet, recent scientific research has proven that even young children have the ability to detect false information using certain clues such as context and speaker. Still there seems to be an enduring trend in our society for people to simply accept what they read and hear. Some of these myths prove harmless, like the one about the bearded, sherry drinking, old man who barges into your house while you are sleeping every December 25th. Yet, others can be both dangerous to our own personal development and the progress of society.

Let me tell you a story, it may be one you’ve heard before on various television and magazine campaigns, it’s the one about those tiny little miracle workers called antioxidants. These wondrous things will extend your life and protect you from terrible things like cancer. Still, does any of us really know what they are, let alone how they work? Antioxidants, in fact, target Free Radicals in the body, which, when they become unstable or oxidized can lead to aging and other diseases. However, Free Radicals are natural atoms that help to boost the immune system amongst other things. By taking too many antioxidants and neutralising these Free Radicals you can in fact be damaging the body when trying to prevent damage in the first place. Yet millions of pounds are shelled out every year by people adhering to this scientific ‘fact’.

Science is not the only slave to fall under miss-

informed selling campaigns and that terrible illusion of ‘common sense’. How many years has it been since everyone knew that women had to be kept out of education ‘for their own health’, or the dreaded Bell Curve Study ‘proved’ that black men where less intelligent than white men? Was it not ‘common sense’ that Jews were lazy and had to be made to work in camps and who doubted the ‘facts’ of shock therapy to treat the mentally ill?

Most people nowadays would not only think how ridiculous these ‘facts’ seem but also how dangerous they could be for society’s peace and well-being. Yet, still most of these views persist today and go unquestioned in the populous. Yes, they may use different words or target different people, but still they are present. How many times do we pick up a newspaper and read of another terrorist attack and how many Europeans it has killed, while air strikes by our own pilots simply result in unnamed, uncounted ‘collateral damage’. Why is it still shocking headline news if a politician, musician or actor admits to being gay?

What is ‘true’ and ‘factual’ to us has not always been so to our predecessors and may not be so in the future. Science has proven to us that the ability to question what we are told is one we are capable of from early childhood; let us not neglect it as adults.

By Jane Philpott

DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHINGYOU READ

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UNIVERSITY OF CHICHESTER STUDENTS’ UNIONBEATZ BREAK BARRIERS (BBB)COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERINGThe University of Chichester Students’ Union is actively engaging with the community to improve the opportunities available for the youth within the local areas. The SU realises that its members have the skills and professional services that could benefit and enhance the community. By working with our members we have identified that by offering a ten week workshop programme in physical dance, a variety of music genres, how to be a DJ and eventually music production would lead to an increased opportunity and stronger community engagement.

THE AIMS OF THIS PROJECT ARE:• To provide a variety of creative learning opportunities for the youth to meet the demand that is not otherwise available.• To allow the youth the opportunity to work towards receiving UCAS points from the ‘Arts Award’ and learn about the opportunities available at University.• To provide volunteering opportunities for students at the University of Chichester so that they are able to use their skills in a way that will lead to professional and personal development.• To promote health and wellbeing activities to students and the community.• To raise awareness within the youth that that there are creative avenues into education

through the creative industries such as dance, music performance and production, not just the academic courses such as English, maths and science.• The project is unique in that it does not provide projects that the youth have no interest in but provides opportunities in the type of subjects that they are already into, such as music and street dance, guaranteeing a commitment by both partners, as well as embedding and providing transitional skills and knowledge applications.

WHERE WE AREThe Students’ Union is planning its first run of workshops. These are being run in partnership with Hyde Martlet, a local Housing Association. Hyde Martlet have granted £30,000 to run the project for their young residents over the next 3 years. By working more with the community we will be in a better position to promote this further, increase the awareness of the opportunity as well as expand the number of classes and where they are located.

IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTUREThe first session is now set to be rolled out and will involve a taster session on Saturday 12th February on how to DJ, MC and dance. The Students’ Union is also working towards becoming an Arts Award Assessment Centre for the area where our students can become formal assessors and the young participants can achieve a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Arts Award from their participation and engagement, which also attracts up to 35 UCAS points to assist

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those who have left, or are likely to leave, school with few or no qualifications. By the SU taking this active leadership role in the project it ensures there is definite direction and longevity.

IN THE LONG TERMOne of the long-term plans for this project is to identify a physical base that supports this project and that allows the youth to have drop-in sessions with the volunteers. A physical base is required so that a suitable recording studio and rehearsal space can be established. We would also like to establish classes all over the city which can then come together to perform in a large show case allowing the youth to receive the recognition they deserve. This would be working with schools and established youth projects which have identified the need for further support and engagement with their youth.

THE NEEDS OF THE PROJECTThe project has begun but to ensure its growth we are looking to identify new contacts where opportunities to reach more of the local community can be established. Additionally to support the growth of this project new funding methods need to be identified, including local funding as well as making bids to national schemes. The funding would be used for purchasing equipment, paying for the physical space, expenses and marketing. In its early days the UCSU would also like support and advice from established youth project schemes on how to improve the volunteering opportunity to best meet the needs of the local youth.

The Students’ Union has received confirmation that £30,000 funding has been secured over the next 3 years for their Beatz Break Barriers project.

The funding is being granted by the Hyde Matrix Charitable Foundation to enable workshops in Street Dance, MCing, DJing, Beatbox, and live performance opportunities, to be offered to young people from housing estates managed by the Housing Association group Hyde. Chichester student volunteers will be imparting their knowledge and skills to teach and facilitate the youths who will end each project with a performance showcase and we hope that this will inspire the young people, who may not traditionally engage with education, and encourage them to consider further and higher education in the creative arts if they have struggled with traditional academic subjects, or the education system generally, and to enhance their self esteem and personal expectations.

The pilot project will take place this coming February, with the intention that we offer three projects every year, each of around 5 weeks duration (c60 hours) with around 20 young people participating in each.

The project hopes to expand into other areas

such as fine art, music, music production, event management and media, enabling the young people to take ownership and responsibility for all aspects of the project behind the scenes and expanding options to cover all strengths and interests. The Students’ Union is working with the University in order to offer the volunteering roles as course placements as well as extra curricular, personal development opportunities - this interaction with courses should also assist sustainability of the project going forwards.

A longer term aim of the project is to work with other Students’ Unions on the south coast, covering other Hyde housing areas, and to roll this project out across the south, promoting alternative opportunities from traditional academic routes to young people disengaged with the secondary education system, and introducing them to the creative arts route as an option and ultimately, to the expanding creative industries as a career option.

Any students interested in volunteering or finding out more, or staff wanting to get involved or to support the project in any way, please contact Casper ([email protected]) or Chloe Woodward ([email protected]).

Thank you to the staff of the University who have supported and assisted us with the project to date, we look forward to working with you further to implement and develop this exciting new venture.

CURRENT PARTNERS AND ORGANISATIONS THAT WE ARE WORKING WITHThe Students’ Union identifies that we are in the early stages of creating a well established project, however we are already working with a variety of leading organisations. These include ones such as Chichester District Council, Hyde Martlet/Hyde Plus, Arts Award, I am Joy, Outset Youth Action, Parklands Youth Forum, Roots Around the World and the West Sussex County Council, the University of Chichester has also now started to incorporate the project proposed into some of their courses. These are Musical Theatre, Dance in the Community as well as a whole course strand within Music. The support we have received has been fantastic and demonstrates the potential that this project has. We were also identified as a contributor to the ‘UK City of Culture 2013 Bid’ for the Chichester region which only reinforces how seriously the local community are taking this volunteering opportunity.

We would like to encourage anyone who would like to be involved to get in contact with the SU President on [email protected] or 01243 816 390.

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www.thestudentsurvey.c

omTake part in the National Student Survey

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SPEAK UPTHE NATIONAL STUDENT SURVEY 2011Monday 7 February sees the launch of the National Student Survey (NSS) 2011 at the University of Chichester. Entering its seventh year, the NSS is your opportunity to give your opinions on what you liked about your time at Chichester, as well as things that you felt could have been improved.

WHAT IS THE NSS?The NSS is an annual survey of mostly final year undergraduates in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and some institutions in Scotland. The survey is part of a Higher Education quality assurance system to generate more detailed public information about teaching quality. The NSS is commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Ipsos MORI, an independent research company, conducts the survey.

The questions allow you to provide feedback on a range of topics, including what you thought about the Academic Support you received during your studies and how you felt about the Organisation and Management of your course. There is also space at the end for any positive and/or negative comments you have about your experience. Were you satisfied with the way cancelled lectures were communicated? What were your thoughts on the advice and support available through your course? Write it down and let the University and Students’ Union know!

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?You are eligible for the NSS if you are a final year undergraduate or are on a flexible part-time programme. If your final year cannot easily be predicted, you will be surveyed during your fourth year of study. If you were due to be in your fourth final year in 2011 but have withdrawn or are repeating your penultimate year, you are also eligible to take part.

HOW ARE THE RESULTS USED?The results are made available at Unistats.com to help prospective students make informed decisions of where and what to study. Institutions and students’ unions also use the anonymised data to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses to help effect change and bring about enhancements to improve the student experience for future generations of students. Chichester has been participating in the NSS for a number of years and as a result of listening to what

former students had to say, changes have been implemented across all subject areas and on the two campuses.

The National Union of Students (NUS) fully supports the NSS and sees it as an opportunity for students to shape the future of higher education. Aaron Porter, NUS President (HE) said "The National Student Survey gives final year students a unique opportunity to inform future students about the quality of their student experience. Prospective students will be able to compare standards in a number of institutions giving them valuable information, which can help in making choices about their Higher Education. It also provides students' unions and institutions with the kind of feedback they need to effect changes and improvement to the student experience. I hope that finalists will take a few minutes to share their experience with the next generation of students."

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?From Monday 7 February, eligible students will be sent an invitation email to complete the survey by Ipsos MORI. Later non-respondents may be contacted by post or ultimately by telephone. You can also go to www.thestudentsurvey.com to complete the survey. You may opt out of the survey at any point during the fieldwork.

The success of the NSS depends on your feedback so please set aside a few minutes to get involved. To encourage you to complete the survey, the University is offering two prizes of £50 Amazon vouchers to be awarded randomly if you complete it before the closing date of 29 April.

Your responses are anonymised so your answers can reflect your genuine perceptions of your experience. Plus there’s no need to worry about your contact details being passed on because they will only be used for the purposes of the NSS and are destroyed shortly after.

To find out more visit www.thestudentsurvey.com or contact the National Student Survey team at Ipsos MORI directly at [email protected]

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Aesthetically and musically, this band is not what you’d expect. Comprised of lead vocalist and MC “Mr Bruce” and DJ “Mr Chuckles”, The Correspondents act as a bizarre blend of swing style jazz, hip-hop, drum and bass and jungle, unleashing a unique fusion of unrelenting sound. This duo could quite easily have been a train wreck of noise, as the flamboyantly attired frontman recklessly parades about the stage to Chuckles’ gigantic productions. However, The Correspondents are less of a train wreck and more of an orchestrated structure of tuneful delights equalling to an experience that has to be considered as strangely compelling.

Rewind an hour and we are graced with the resident Coalition DJs, each providing the crowd with a variety of urban music splendour warming up for tonight’s proceedings. The relaxed atmosphere is tuned perfectly into the four walls of the dimly lit bar, and as the alcohol slowly seeps down through the gullets of everyone in attendance, the music becomes the focal point of everyone’s excitement for the night ahead. Everything from drum and bass to reggae, dubstep to hip hop fills the room as we await the night’s headliner to emerge. And emerge they do, where they are met with a ravenous applause. The duo assembles on stage as the ever-growing collective of bemused onlookers absorb the sight of this odd collaboration.

Yet, it works. With basslines as fat as your Gran’s knickers, the crowd seemingly conducts the sonic electricity, turning it into a spectacle of appreciation for this bizarre, Moulen Rouge-esque performance. The opening song “I Wanna Be Like You” kick starts the night with a beat orientated version of the Jungle Book’s classic sing along, followed by the melodic swing grooves of “Washington Square” and the electro-hop of “What Happened To Soho” where a rapturous obviation is ensued. The tempo quickly picks up again as we are head driven into the hard pounding drum and bass number “Rio De Hackney” allowing for a sudden surge of skanking which ultimately fills the dance floor with passionate urgency, pushing the night to a climactic end. As the crowd screams for more, Resident MC and Vice President (formally known to most as Casper) jumps up on stage to accompany them for the impromptu jungle

COALITION ROUND 226/11/10REVIEWED

laden encore that tears the small confines of the SU a new brown pocket. There is nothing else in sight apart from the dust that settles on the floor below and smiles beaming from ear to ear.

Unfortunately the remainder of the night serves as a blurry reminder of the beer consumed throughout the night, however upon speaking to all those who attended that night only one word commonly crept into every sentence: “Love”.

By Ali “Baggy” Mans-Cornwell

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When I arrived back in England in shorts and flip-flops the reality of what I had achieved dawned on me. I had travelled, filmed and stayed in the beating heart of Argentina, Buenos Aires, not once but twice.

The story begins in London, at the Imperial College, where I auditioned to partake in the BBC game-show Total Wipeout. I have never been one shy of performing to audiences, but I cannot begin to express how nerves began to envelop me. I have been singing in my reggae band Bigtopp for over five years now. We have performed over two-hundred shows and at some major festivals, touring all over the U.K. However, as I discovered, it is one thing to play on stage, but another in front of cameras. The eye of the lens seemed to peer through me and unravel my confidence. However, be it luck, or fortune, or simple blagging, I passed through one stage of the auditions, rendering me surprised, the second, stunned, and when I had reached the third and final stage of the interview, speechless.

A month passed and my mind had begun to forget about it. I had convinced myself that the directors would not pick me. Why should they? Auditions took place in five separate locations in England and Scotland. I was informed that over 8000 applications for the latest series of the prestigious game show had been submitted. In total, approximately 140 contestants were taken to South America. The probabilities that I would be among them seemed too slim.

The phone rang and my flight was booked. Hotel arrangements were made, full cost supplemented by the gracious BBC. But the ‘reality of the bizarre’ never fully reaches your feet until you’re jumping Big Red Balls in South American sunshine; and it almost jumps out of your mouth when you’re spinning as a “Dizzy Dummy.”

If you have watched or are watching the latest series, you will see my mug twice. I managed to come second in my heat and resigned with a glorious fifth place on the “Champion of Champions show”. If you want to ask me anything about my experience please email me and I will be happy to reply back.

James [email protected]

TOTAL WIPEOUT

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Imagine being debt free on graduation day and heading off for a Master’s degree costing just £1,400. Think of studying in a small university town with historic buildings, a river and cobbled streets.

Too good to be true? It is at least as far as the UK is concerned. But such bargains are waiting at universities on the Continent, and you don’t even have to speak a foreign language.

Universities in The Netherlands and several other European countries are offering bachelor and Master’s degrees conducted in English. UK students as EU citizens must be treated as home students under European law. They pay a fraction of the cost of fees to international students from outside the EU.

Incredible as it may seem here in the UK, undergraduate and Master’s fees for Dutch domiciled students in the Netherlands are €1,672 or £1,407 a year. PhD students are considered members of the research staff and paid a salary. Undergraduate fees in Germany are £870 a year and France charges a token £157 a year for a bachelor’s degree at its state-funded universities.

British students are known for their reluctance to leave the shores of Blighty – around 500,000 international students come to the UK each year while less than 20,000 flow the other way, many on language courses, according to the British Council.

But studying abroad is likely to become more attractive in coming years as swathes of state subsidy are removed from higher education in the UK. The Government’s decision to reduce the number of places alongside a surge in applications led to around 200,000 prospective undergraduates being turned away last summer. Applications for 2011 are at a record high as students apply to get in before the huge fee rises planned for 2012.

As the cost of a university degree is switched from the state to the individual, students could be facing debts on graduation of between £30,000 and £80,000 depending on the nature and length of the course, all of which will have a knock on effect on recruitment to post-graduate courses.

Even under the present system, students such as Callum Biggens often think twice about a Master’s degree in this country and its associated costs. For Callum, who graduated from the University of York with a degree in economics and history, the London School of Economics was the first choice - until he discovered the fees for the year-long MSc in international relations were a staggering £15,000, even for home students.

“One night one of my housemates at York and I decided to look into Europe. To this day I do not

know how this happened. I somehow came across Maastricht University,” he said.

Callum, who started the course in September 2010, says a bonus for him was the broad racial and cultural mix at Maastricht.

Settling down and making friends is no harder than it is as a fresher in the UK, and perhaps easier because nearly everyone is having to adapt to a new country.

“Initially I was placed on the outskirts of the city, right on the border with Belgium. The first week was not so much tough as lonely. On the welcome day I met other people and ended up sharing their accommodation closer to the city centre.”

The “problem based learning” system across the university encourages friendships because students work together in groups of around 10 to explore solutions to questions and challenges set by their tutors.

Generally students are said to work harder and play less in the Netherlands than they do in the UK despite the thriving social scene in Maastricht with its huge selection of bars, cafes and restaurants.

The lower cost of living also helps. Monthly rents are between £250 and £330 and there are plenty of cheap food shops.

Study abroad has another big advantage – it is popular with employers. Luc Daveney, 29, the European policy manager for Facebook, originally from Hull, chose Maastricht over UK universities for his undergraduate degree in European Studies. When hiring, he looks positively on studying abroad: “A university degree probably means that applicants can read and write but it is the extra things that people do that distinguish them from the crowd. Taking the bold decision to uproot and study in another country will at least get them noticed.”

By Liz Lightfoot

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STUDENTS:DON’T PAY TOO MUCH TAXCalling all students: have you got a Christmas holiday job? If so, make sure you hang on to your hard-earned cash and don’t pay too much tax this holiday season.

HOLIDAY JOBS.If you have a holiday job, you won’t have to pay tax if

your total earnings for the tax year are less than £6,475. This figure is known as the “personal allowance” and everybody’s allowed to earn this much before they start paying tax.

To make sure you don’t pay tax, however, you need to fill in a form P38(S). This confirms to your employer – and the tax authorities – that you are a student and only working during the holidays. You can download the form from the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/p38s.pdf.

If you have a holiday job and you don’t fill in a form P38(S) to confirm you’re a student, you may have to pay tax, but if you do, you’ll be able to claim it back later.

TERM-TIME JOBSIf you work during term time, your wages will be taxed

in the same way as everybody else in the UK. But if your weekly wages are less than £125 a week and you don’t earn more than £6,475 in the current tax year (from 6 April 2010 to 5 April 2011), you are not liable to tax as everyone can earn up to the personal allowance before they start paying tax.

If you work during term time and earn more than £125 a week, you have to pay tax and National Insurance Contributions, which everybody in the UK has to pay. But if you stop working and you earn less than the £6,475 personal allowance for the tax year, you can claim a tax refund.

CLAIMING TAX BACKTo claim a tax refund, you’ll need to fill in a form

P50, which you can download at www.hmrc.gov.uk/pdfs/p50.pdf. Send your completed form to HMRC, Government Buildings, Ty-glas, Llanishen, Cardiff, CF14 5YA.

If you need help filling in the form, contact your local tax office, which you can find at www.hmrc.gov.uk/index.htm – select “Contact us” at the top, then “Find your Tax Office” on the bottom left.

NOT SURE IF YOU’VE PAID TOO MUCH TAX?If you want to check whether you’ve paid too much

tax and are due a refund, you can use the student tax checker at www.hmrc.gov.uk/calcs/stc.htm.

CHICHESTER CHAMBER CALLSFOR STUDENT ASSOCIATESChichester Chamber of Commerce & Industry is offering an Associate Membership to students who are keen to get ahead in the commercial world.The Chichester Chamber works closely with the University of Chichester and has been an enthusiastic supporter of the recent initiatives to help students and recent graduates into work experience and employment. An Associate Membership will allow you to start building your network of business contacts as soon as possible in your working career, as well as improving your commercial awareness of local business opportunities.To be eligible for a Student membership you must be at least 18 years old and a current student or recent graduate at the University. Student subscriptions are £10 per year, which entitles you to enjoy free monthly social meetings, 6 issues of the Chichester Business News, as well as the monthly supplements in Business Matters. With subsidised training and a wider social diary on offer, Chichester Chamber of Commerce and Industry Associate Membership offer a good combination of fun and business!For more information please contact Chichester Chamber of Commerce 01243 531765 or visit www.chichestercci.org.uk/join

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CHEESY BITESHappy New Year, its 2011 and I still don't have a clue what decade were in. Is it the teenties? The teens? The 2010's? Anyway it's also the start of a new semester and a chance to make those New Year resolutions.

I didn't make any this year as I never actually stick to them but I know that many of you do. The Zee Bar patio is full of pale faced people right now shaking whilst trying to breathe in a bit of someone else's faggy breath after giving up the cigarettes. Many of you will be on a diet and curse the moment you spot me yet again eating dominoes pizza in the bar. Maybe you’re trying the latest celeb resolution. Rhianna wants’ to have more sex, though she should probably try remembering her own name first. Paris Hilton wants to 'get healthy' so will need to ditch the fake tan she swallows everyday and Will Ferrell wants’ to sleep at least 13 hours every night. Maybe I have found a resolution I like after all. Whatever your resolution is good luck but the chances are if you’re weak like me it won't last.

CHEESE FACTCheese consumption predates recorded history, with scholars believing it began as early as 8000 BC, when sheep were first domesticated. It is believed to have been discovered in the Middle East or by nomadic Turkic tribes in Central Asia, where foodstuffs were commonly stored in animal hides or organs for transport. Milk stored in animal stomachs would have separated into curds and whey by movement and the rennet and bacteria naturally present.

FASCINATING FACTIf you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days, you

would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. If you fart consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.

AND FINALLY...A gang of dim-witted robbers in Florida have snorted the cremated remains of a man and two dogs after mistakenly thinking the ashes were cocaine. It was soon discovered that the suspects snorted some of the ashes believing they were snorting cocaine. The gang are said to have ransacked the home in Silver Springs, making off with a collection of valuables and the cremated ashes of the homeowner’s father and her two Great Danes.

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So, it’s that time of year again when the SU’s most anticipated charity event rolls around. I hope you’re all excited? For those of you who have been involved in the best day in our social calendar before, you know the drill.... those who haven’t; this is what it’s all about.

On the morning of Saturday 26th March 2011 the students of Chichester Uni will get dressed up in costumes of all shapes and designs, (many would have been working on theirs months before hand!!) and descend on the town of Bognor Regis. But we don’t just wander around looking silly, oh no! When you get to The Mack on the Bognor campus, you will be given a map of the specified route, that shows the pubs, bars, clubs and food places who have donated money to be included on our big day and that you should visit. After spending some time in each place throughout the day (or the ones you can squeeze into anyway!), most people will regroup back at The Mack or Club Vision to finish the night out in style.

The RAG Race is an event which started many years ago to help us raise money for our chosen charity of the year, which is currently L.A.R.K (Linking Arms with Rescued Kids). The charity has set up a rescue centre for street children in Eldoret, Kenya, for those who are orphaned, abandoned or have run away from an abusive situation. The Centre aims to rehabilitate and educate the kids with the vital skills they need to get them back into the local community, into education and if possible reunited with family members. Along with the money raised so far this year, we hope to raise at least £10,000 for a specific project to build a women and daughter’s unit at the rescue centre. In the past we have raised money for such charities as Breast Cancer, British Heart Foundation, Moving Forward and Dreams Come True, with great results.

For your peace of mind on the day, the Students’ Union have liaised with Arun District Council, the local

police force, West Sussex Highway’s and our own University’s Student Support Services, ensuring that all students have a safe and enjoyable experience. We want you to have a fantastic day, so please remember to pace yourselves and eat some lunch as it is a long, long day! Finally, keep up to date by visiting the RAG Race 2011 OFFICIAL EVENT PAGE on Facebook and look out for posters around both campuses and of course start working on your costumes! See you there!

AngelaUCSU RAG Officer

DON’TLOSEYOURRAG!

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TREESBY ROBERT HEAD

Two trees grew together at the side of the road, trunks wrapped around each other, branches and leaves mixed as if one tree.

“Are we one tree?” the first tree sighed into the wind, “Or are we two? Are we twins, from one seed or two?”“I don’t know,” the second tree replied with a gentle rustling of its leaves, “Let’s search through the roots for

the heart we grew from, and see what we can find.”So they searched deep into the cool, damp earth that pressed down, packed tightly over their wide, en-

twined roots. But though they could feel the water travelling up the roots, the worms crawling slowly past, the tangle of each other, they could feel nothing that said for sure if they were joined together, and yet nothing that assured them that they were separate trees.

“Maybe we’re just two unrelated trees who grew too close together?” the boughs of the second tree seemed to suggest

The first tree thought sadly of that, feeling the second was too close to it for them to say they were unrelated, even if they’d come from different nuts. Still something told it that they were still siblings, whatever their search had failed to tell them. And so it clung on tighter, wrapping their branches together as men came to cut them down to make room for a widening of the road.

The trees were ripped apart, bark tearing and wet, peeled away as they were sawed into manageable chunks, two great trees piled on top of each other to be taken away to be turned into planks, the wood so strong the men couldn’t bear to throw them away for pulping and bark chips and ply board.

Drugged with varnish, choked from lack of roots, blind from lack of leaves, a desk sits in a classroom, feeling the sun warming it through the layers of gloss painted over its raw insides. Beside it stands the new batch of easels for the art room, already splattered with paint from their first few outings.

Slowly the desk thinks, “Did we once know each other?”

Get involved in the creation of this magazine. Show your interest and join our collective at:

chisu.org/clubs/exploded_magazine

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THEME NIGHTS CALENDARS

MondayAt Zee Bar

Monday 14th FebruaryValentine’s Traffic Light Party

Monday 21st FebruaryREADING WEEK

Monday 28th FebruaryArmy Night

Monday 7th MarchBad Taste Party

Monday 14th MarchSt Patrick’s Day Party

Monday 21st MarchStudents’ Choice*:

FAMELetter S

Cops & Robbers

Monday 28th MarchAngels & Demons

Monday 4th AprilEaster Party

11th April – 22nd AprilEASTER BREAK

Monday 25th AprilBay Watch

Monday 2nd MayPJ Party

Monday 9th MaySchool Disco

SKINTTuesday

At The MackTuesday 15th February

Valentine’s Traffic Light Party

Tuesday 22nd FebruaryREADING WEEK

Tuesday 1st MarchWild West

Tuesday 8th MarchBay Watch

Tuesday 15th MarchSt Patrick’s Day Party

Tuesday 22nd MarchStudent Choice*:

Super Hero’sLetter B

Swinging Sixties

Tuesday 29th MarchArmy Night

Tuesday 5th AprilCops and Robbers

11th April – 22nd AprilEASTER BREAK

Tuesday 26th AprilFAME

Tuesday 3rd MaySchool Disco

Tuesday 10th MayBeach Party

Broke

*Vote for Students’ Choice Theme via our website: www.chisu.org

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