I attended the rally outside the University’s symbolic Senate House, as students activitists from CDE (Cambridge Defend Education) concluded their week of action in support of a reading week. I stayed for an hour, talking to students, organisers and participants in the week-long show of solidarity, as well as taking lots of photos.
Here’s the link to the photo-led article on Varsity:
My first article as News Editor for Varsity in Lent Term 2013, after contributing previously as a News Reporter. This term Varsity is online-only, at a time when students are getting ready for their exams. Our focus was to get the best news before our competition. This was out first big news story of the term – a motion of no-confidence called against GU President Arsalan Ghani.
Story link: http://www.varsity.co.uk/news/5865
So, for my final piece for Varsity this term, I’ve been asked to write on the lack of information putting students off from studying abroad. Particularly appropriate as I embark on a year abroad next year in Barcelona. Deadline is Wednesday morning, so I’ll post the link when it appears; the same for the previous two print articles.
In the final print edition of this term and of this academic year, two articles that I wrote were featured. You can find them below.
Link to Varsity website: http://www.varsity.co.uk/news/5802
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This Friday will be the last print edition of Varsity, and the end of my first time of writing for Varsity. Easter Term means that there won’t be any print editions, apart from a May Week special. I can’t wait to be involved in another term’s writing, despite only being online.
In the edition, you’ll find an article I wrote about whether UK universities should be working with Israel. I’ve been looking at recent events in UK universities which have a distinctly anti-Israel stance. This is despite a recommendation from the British ambassador to Israel that UK universities work more closely with Israel’s higher education system. It’s my longest piece yet, and one that required more research and a lot of e-mails!
I’m currently writing a piece about the recreation of an historic Cambridge prank, which in 1958 involved 12 students who hoisted an Austin 7 car on to the roof of Senate House. This is happening in June, although this time the car will be placed onto a platform replica of Senate House. I’ve been reading about this and other Cambridge pranks in a light-hearted piece, which definitely contrasts with the previous week’s article.
I’ll post links and pictures on Friday.
The latest fortnightly edition of Varsity featured two of my articles, which I was really pleased about.
The first was about data from the Sutton Trust, which the previous blog deals with. It was originally an online article, but it was obviously relevant and good enough to be included in print too.
The next article was one in which I felt I could be more myself, and write a bit more freely, certainly more than I have have done before when the news stories have followed the usual press release pattern. This article was more analytical, and it required a bit more research and contacting the University’s Communications Office. I feel it’s my best writing yet, and with a few things edited before its printing, it seems that my confidence with writing has certainly increased. Online here: http://www.varsity.co.uk/news/5705
An article written about the prevalence of misconduct, including plagiarism and falsification of data, among academics. A study has shown there is a concerning upwards trend of this among male academics. It’s worth mentioning that this data was collected within the confines of life sciences, and the fact that this is American data also.
Link to online Varsity article: http://www.varsity.co.uk/news/5570
After finally attending a news meeting and dipping my toe into Varsity, I decided to take up a piece on the uptake of Physics and the part of Brian Cox in the surge of applications to Manchester, and their A*A*A entry requirements.
Who knew that I would ever be interested in writing this sort of thing? It turns out that I really enjoyed writing the article, collating figures, a really great quote and a very clear three-point argument of the other reasons for Physics’ sort-of renaissance.
Here’s a link for the online version: http://www.varsity.co.uk/news/5475
Andrew Connell 