The Ustinovian

THE EASTER 2015 ISSUE
The
Ustinovian
The Debate Over
Sky Sports, 6
Summer Events
Calendar, 15
Spring at Ustinov. (Photo: Martin Sherman)
Small Interiors,
Big Designs, 22

MASTHEAD
Editor
Rebecca Bouveng
Deputy Editor and Layout & Design
Michael Baker
Section Editors
Social: Alice Chadwick
Projects: Siobhan Harper
Features: Chris Kerr
Clubs & Societies: Jillian Maguire
Off the Hill: Yashodhara Trivedi
Contributors
Sherihan Al-Akhras, Cesare Aloisi,
Valentina Amuso, Jonathan Brown,
Victoria Burnham, Marie Conger,
Amelia Eichengreen, Cameron Fairweather,
Robert Fisher, Lucy Gardner,
Amirul Haqueem Abd Ghani, Jason
Haynes, Cat Hirst, Marc Owen Jones,
Stefan Kemp, Anna Kranz, Mika Laiho,
José Luis Mateos, Prof. Glenn McGregor,
Bridget McMahon, Libby Metz,
Kyle Murray, Steph Orswell, Jesper L.
Pedersen, Holly Flynn-Piercy, Kirstyn
Raitz, Miriah Reynolds, Ariadne Schulz,
Maggie Scollan, Anna Serke, Martin
Sherman, Andrew Titchmarsh, Daisy
Walker, Eddy Walter
Photos/Images
Michael Baker, Victoria Burnham,
Amelia Eichengreen, geograph.org.uk,
Siobhan Harper, Stefan Kemp, Anna
Kranz, Mika Laiho, Bridget McMahon,
Libby Metz, Kirstyn Raitz, Maggie
Scollan, Mahmoud Shalabi, Martin
Sherman, Newcastle Pride, Salsa Dance
Society, Samantha Tipper-Booth, Aman
Subzwari, Brian D. Taylor, Ustinov
Men’s Football Club, Ustinov Women’s
Football Club, Ustinov Jazz Band, Durham
University Voices
Contents
Editor’s Letter.............................................................................................. 3
Principal’s Letter......................................................................................... 3
GCR President Drops Mic........................................................................ 4
GCR Treasurer Drops Mic, Too............................................................... 5
Point Vs Counterpoint: Sky Sports At Ustinov ..................................... 6
Ustinovians Raise Funds for Nepal Crisis............................................... 7
GCR Ecology Representative’s Report..................................................... 8
GCR Welfare Officer’s Report................................................................... 8
Feeling The Warmth of Keenan House.................................................... 9
The GCR—What Is It, Really?................................................................ 10
First Annual Clubs & Societies Formal................................................. 12
Summer Preview...................................................................................... 13
What’s On In Durham?............................................................................ 15
What’s Next For Our Ustinovians? ........................................................ 17
An Interview With Debut Novelist Lauren Owen............................... 18
Fisher House Is Stage For General Election Debate ........................... 19
10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Moving To Ustinov..................... 20
Behind Closed Doors...Ustinovians Design Interiors......................... 22
50th Anniversary Programme................................................................ 24
Touring Near And Far............................................................................. 26
Ustinov Travel Award: New Orleans...................................................... 28
Norman Richardson Postgraduate Research Award............................ 29
Café Politique............................................................................................ 31
Ustinov Seminar....................................................................................... 30
Ustinov Volunteering............................................................................... 30
Race, Crime & Justice.............................................................................. 32
Café des Arts............................................................................................. 33
Ustinov Intercultural Forum (UIF)........................................................ 34
Ustinov Cricket Club............................................................................... 36
Singing With Durham University Voices.............................................. 39
Ustinov’s Annual Conference I............................................................... 39
#YourUstinov Instagram Competition Finalists.................................. 40
2
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

Editor’s Letter
Rebecca Bouveng
We have at last arrived at the 50th
Anniversary celebrations and the College
is a frenzy of activity. Meetings
are held each night to put the final
touches to a magnificent fortnight of
events. Wherever you are, we hope you
will join us at some point in the celebrations.
Even if you cannot be here
in person, we have invested (thanks
to generous alumni donations) in
professional video equipment, and
our media team will be sharing many
events online.
Thanks to our hard-working editorial
team, this issue of The Ustinovian
is richer than ever. We offer a comprehensive
events guide for all Ustinovians
who will spend the summer in
Durham, and tips on holiday destinations
near and far, from Wensleydale
to Chernobyl. Travel award winners
tell us of their journeys; current students
share the ‘10 things’ they wish
they had known before getting here.
We offer an inspiring interview with a
young author and Ustinovian, and in
‘What’s Next’ you find that Ustinovians
have a broad spectrum of plans for
the future. Then we transform into an
interior design magazine, as we visit
the quarters of current livers-in for
design tips that are stylish and innovative,
and extremely practical for those
seeking to make an ensuite room cosy
on a student budget.
Finally, this issue illustrates that
our cherished College motto ‘strength
in diversity’ becomes a reality only
through engagement with difference—difference
of opinion, difference
in backgrounds, and difference in
taste. Whether it is a Facebook thread
about the use of GCR funds on a Sky
Sports subscription, or a heads-on
election debate between Durham’s
parliamentary candidates, Ustinov is
the place where very different views
and strongly held opinions can be
voiced and debated: openly, fearlessly
and respectfully. Diversitate Valemus.
Principal’s Letter
Prof. Glenn McGregor
Ustinovians, hello there. I trust that all
goes well with you.
As we approach our celebration of
50 years of postgraduate community
at Durham University, I thought it
might be a good time to reflect upon
some of the things that make a vibrant
and harmonious postgraduate community.
For me these are captured in the
College’s Vision, Mission, and Values
(VMV) statement which can be found
on the College website.
Amongst the words that make up
the VMV statement are a few I have
listed below, ones that capture the sentiments
of what we aspire to achieve at
Ustinov in terms of a vibrant, rewarding,
and harmonious environment in
which to live, study and socialise.
My hope is that these aspirations
and values will become defining and
enduring characteristics
of Ustinov, and
not only enhance our
reputation as a place
for postgraduates but
become part of our
identity as Ustinovians.
So I sincerely
hope that you will
engage with these
in your daily lives at
Ustinov.
The enduring
characteristics are:
• Celebrating
the strength
that arises
from diversity
• Being a global
citizen
• Being always
willing to
grow intellectually
and
socially
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
• Collegiality
• Exercising the values of respect,
trust, responsibility, fairness,
integrity, humility, open-mindedness
and objectivity
Needless to say I would be happy
to discuss the above characteristics and
values with you so please don’t hesitate
to start a conversation when you next
see me in College—or, if you are an
alumni of Ustinov, to drop me a line
via email, describing your experience
of the vision and values of the College.
A gift from the Ustinov SCR (Photo: Michael Baker)
3

GCR President
Drops Mic
Marc Owen Jones
(Photo: Michael Baker)
Fellow comrades and Ustinovians.
This is the last time I shall be addressing
you as President of the GCR. I
hope to finish my PhD this year, so
my time at Ustinov, sadly, has come to
an end. It’s been a wonderful, eventful,
and rewarding experience. I want to
thank you all for teaching me so much
about everything, and for being kind,
interesting, and engaging.
I am particularly grateful to those
on the GCR committee, who have
worked tirelessly throughout the year
to help you all have an enjoyable time.
I couldn’t have asked to work with a
more committed or dedicated group
of colleagues, and I know the expe-
GCR NEWS
rience of those who will be staying
on will be an invaluable asset to the
incoming GCR committee. I hope,
too, that the current diversity will continue
on the committee. This year, we
have had a fifty-fifty split of male and
female members, with the majority
being international students—aptly
reflecting Ustinov’s diversity!
Our achievements this year have
been voluminous. We’ve got new
couches, drapes, a smart TV for Dryburn,
a shed, a redesigned bar wall, an
app, a new website, and an ATM for
the site (hopefully). We’ve had many
incredible events, from Induction
Week all the way to the 50th Anniversary
celebrations. We’ve also sought to
raise awareness about various issues,
from alcohol consumption to mental
health.
Spending is also back on track, and
we have explored a number of ways to
raise more money for the GCR. Our
eco team has also been working hard
to raise awareness about important
environmental and consumption concerns.
On top of that, constitutional
changes mean that information for
student-led parties is clearer. We have
also become a recognized Charitable
Incorporated Organization. This, of
course, only skims the surface of what
has been a great year.
Speaking of the GCR, I would
encourage everyone to consider running
for a position on the GCR committee
in July. There are a number of
roles, each of which would suit a different
skillset, from Welfare Officer,
to Social Secretary. It’s immensely
rewarding, and a great opportunity to
serve and foster Ustinov’s unique, special,
and diverse community.
Remember, do not feel intimidated
about running, it’s about serving your
community, not how much experience
you have. It would be great this year
to have an LGBT officer, and a larger
welfare team.
Although I talk of next year, I am
getting ahead of myself. Let’s not forget
that the Ball and the BBQ, two of
the GCR’s biggest events of the year,
are yet to happen. The BBQ is fun for
all the family; there’ll be live music,
bouncy castles, succulent foodstuffs,
crepes, games, and maybe even a Molly
(i.e., the cat). The Ball too is set to be
fantastic, with an amazing ‘Around the
World’ theme, and a buffet of activities,
not to mention a delicious threecourse
meal. It’ll be a mouth party
and an actual party, all rolled into one
larger party. Meta.
As if that wasn’t enough, we are also
ankle-deep in the 50th Anniversary
celebrations—soon to be waist high.
That’s right, we are celebrating 50
years of postgraduate community here
at Ustinov, and there will be a number
of GCR-led events to enjoy. Hopefully
it should be nicely nestled in the
period after exams and long before dissertation
deadlines. Check the website
or app for details!
4
For those leaving at the end of the
year, I really hope you have had a good
experience here at Ustinov. For those
staying on, good luck with the remainder
of your time here. To those about
to start, we look forward to your creative
juices filling the ventricles of the
Ustinov community.
Peace.
The Ustinov Bar wall has lost its red but gained a gallery. (Ustinovian photo)
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

GCR Treasurer
Drops Mic, Too
Jesper L. Pedersen
(Photo: Siobhan Harper)
As Nelly Furtado once sang, all good
things come to an end, and so this is
my last treasurer’s report before I step
down and let someone else take the
reins. It’s been an interesting and challenging
year, occasionally a little too
time-consuming, but definitely worth
all the effort.
It’s been an absolute joy working
with the warm, wonderful, and wickedly
talented committee members
we’ve had this year, and although I’m
looking forward to focusing 100 per
cent on finishing my PhD, I have no
doubt I’ll miss it as well.
If you get involved, you’ll love it
too! If you’re here next year, I really
encourage you to stand in the upcoming
elections in July, to make some
really cool events happen, boost your
CV, and help make 2015–16 another
great year to be a Ustinovian. (And of
course, if you’re reading this because
you’re joining us next year, please consider
joining the GCR committee in
the October elections.)
This term Keenan House asked
if we could help them get a new TV
for their common room. We were of
course happy to oblige, and together
with College we bought a 42-inch TV.
We’ve also just bought a shed for
the Howlands site, which will be used
to store sports equipment. At the
GCR NEWS
moment most of our clubs’ equipment
has to be stored either in the storage
room on the second floor of Cycas or
in the GCR office, to everyone’s great
annoyance. Having a dedicated sports
storage facility will make things easier
for everybody.
We’ve also approved funding for
our two signature events: £7,500 for
the Summer BBQ, and £4,500 for the
Summer Ball. (By the way, if you haven’t
got your Summer Ball ticket yet,
get it now! It’s going to be incredible.)
And finally, by the time this goes to
print there will also have been a final
round of clubs and societies funding
for this year.
As some of you will already be aware,
we’ve been asking questions about our
Sky Sports subscription in our survey
and on Facebook. [See related story this
issue—ed.] This is not because we hate
sports (in fact I’m regularly found in
the bar watching sports), but simply
because we’ve found that, over time,
inflation and changes in our funding
structure have caught up with us,
and to make sure the GCR is financially
viable over the coming years,
we need to
make some
decisions
about how
to spend and
raise money.
In many
areas the
GCR is by
far the most
affordable
student
union in
Durham:
our membership
fee
is only £30,
our Summer
BBQ is free
for everyone,
and
the Summer
Ball, at £40
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
for members, is by far the cheapest of
all the colleges. We want to keep it that
way, but unfortunately circumstances
dictate that something’s got to give:
either we get more money coming in
(by raising the levy, gym fees or pool
prices), we subside events less (making
formals, trips and the Ball more expensive),
or we cut back somewhere else.
Since our Sky Sports subscription
costs £657.60 per month, and thus
makes up a substantial portion of our
fixed expenditures (alongside insurance,
licenses, admin costs, etc.), this
seemed to us like a natural place to
start the discussion. But it’s important
to emphasise that we’re not looking
to force a decision. We simply want
to have the debate. It’s up to you, the
GCR members, to ultimately decide,
through the soon-to-be newly elected
committee.
That, incidentally, is another great
reason to consider running in the
GCR election. And if you’ve got
strong opinions about how the GCR
should spend its money, perhaps being
treasurer is just the job for you!
These are not UFOs, but money-saving ‘green’ lights in the café. (Ustinovian photo)
5

GCR FEATURE
6
Point Vs Counterpoint: Sky
Compiled by Jillian Maguire
The ever-increasing cost of subscribing to
Sky Sports offerings at the Ustinov Bar
has resulted in it consuming a larger
and larger portion of the GCR’s annual
budget. The Ustinovian decided to open
up the debate over how much is too much
to the Ustinov community. Here is an
edited account of the Facebook discourse.
Bart van Ark: All the JCRs, MCRs
and GCRs around the colleges in
Durham provide Sky and this is one of
the major reasons for having the common
rooms in the first place
(shocker, I know). […] If the
bar were to lose Sky Sports
I’d go elsewhere to watch my
sports.
Steph Orswell: I personally
feel like getting rid of Sky
Sports might be a mistake.
[…] It brings together people
who may not otherwise interact
while they root for their
team.
Emma Linney: Instead of getting
rid of it, flip the problem
around and find ways to make
even more use of it. Show
more different sports, more cultural
and entertainment live events, popular
TV shows, etc.
Jasmine Cross: The bar is a place to be
social. I feel the need to stress that. It
might come from making friends with
so many people who enjoy sport that
it’s rubbed off on me this year, but I’d
hate to come to the bar on say, a Saturday
afternoon and it be sad and empty
and not be showing some sporting
activity.
R. Devon McHardy: I think losing
Sky Sports would be a significant
loss to the bar and the Ustinov community.
That said, 27 per cent of the
annual budget is not something that
should be spent on casual watching
and suspected community building.
[…] 27 per cent is no small amount
and right now maybe only 20 per cent
of the residents watch the sport casts,
so the majority non-watchers will outvote
the watchers if there is not clear
proportional benefit for cost.
Karla Dayhoff: One thing I would
like to add is the fact that it was the
only place we could find that would
show American football games. When
we were missing hometown traditions
on Sunday evenings, we could gather
around the big screen and teach our
new friends the nuances of the sport.
Bart van Ark: Would it make sense to
see how the other colleges finance Sky
and if they struggle also with its cost?
If they do it might make sense to make
the university itself provide it. If they
can afford art in the Palatine Centre
I’m sure they can afford to negotiate a
university-wide Sky license and such a
license on the whole would be cheaper
than twenty-odd separate ones.
Philip H. Alexander: An argument
against Sky Sports monopoly and their
unfortunate price rises which simply
reflect demand (too bad!) sounds
almost like an activist argument. The
community non-monetary argument
is powerful I think! […] I’d certainly
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
go to JB or even to town.
Emma Linney: The idea of having
advertised (and varied) volume levels
was a great one. Make the bar a place
where people who don’t watch sport
can socialise when sport is on the TV
as well as when it’s not.
Bathing ecstatically in the iridescence of a UEFA Champions League match. (Ustinovian photo)
Miranda Hines: As a bar staff member
who hates showing football matches
every time I work, I think it would
irresponsible to get rid of Sky Sports.
And the way most colleges cover cost
is through increasing levies. We currently
just pay £30 a year. Most students
pay £60 per year for their levies.
Maybe increase them by £5. Don’t get
rid of Sky...no matter how much it
annoys me.
Thom Addinall-Biddulph: I can’t
give too much of an informed opinion
on this as I’m not at college very often
these days, but personally, as someone
who has about as much interest
in sport as I do in the mating cycle of
deep-sea algae, it seems like something
that should be kept—it’s the sort of
thing that shouldn’t be judged solely
on financial factors, as other people
have said. The suggestion about sound
levels is a very good one.

GCR FEATURE
7
Irene Pasquinelli: I actually try not to
be in the bar when there are sports. I
prefer to stay at home or go to another
bar in these cases because the noise
annoys me, and people are often yell-
Sports At Ustinov Ustinovians
Libby Metz: I think that anything ing. Also, personally speaking, I have
that takes up more than a quarter of had lots of experience of people stopping
listening to conversation because
the GCR’s budget for the year should
be examined as to whether it should they are watching the sport without
take up that much of the budget, and really watching and I find it very
if it truly represents the members of annoying. Very anti-social. […] I saw
Ustinov. […] Personally I don’t watch the objection of this being ‘activism’,
Sky Sport, and I go to the bar to socialise
and participate in the quiz, movie […] I don’t think it would be wrong to
but what would be wrong if it was?
nights and other events. A few of my do it also for an idealistic reason about
friends are diehard sports fans and I how the monopoly of Sky affects our
know that they would miss Sky if it society.
was gone.
Stephan Wojtowytsch: I’ll happily
admit that I am on the other end of
the spectrum and do not appreciate it
when I walk into the bar and they are
showing sports for the third time in a
week and there are people yelling at
the TV. Personally, I find that annoying
enough to rather hinder a sociable
atmosphere and occasionally go to
Butler instead then. My arguments
certainly reflect my feelings about
sports in Fisher, but spending over a
quarter of the GCR’s yearly budget on
something that only provides casual
entertainment for a quarter of Ustinovians
or so (vague estimate, might
be way off) seems excessive. Increasing
the Levy just to provide Sky sports,
even more so.
Kelly Stockdale: The idea that gym
membership would increase to pay for
people to watch sport in a bar is crazy!
So I can’t afford to exercise but I can
watch people running around on TV
with a cheap beer?!
Aliya Khasseneyeva: I personally
wouldn’t vote for Sky Sports. Even
if I was interested in sports, it takes
too much time to get to Fisher from
Keenan House.
Marc Owen Jones: Currently we are
exploring other options, including:
• finding other suppliers of sports
• having college pitch in for it
• increasing the gym subscription
• increasing the levy
• trying to make more use of the
bar.
Obviously no one here is really against
sports. It’s great to be able to play
sports in the bar and have people come
in and enjoy it, socialise, etc. However,
people do need to consider how happy
they are with paying an exorbitant
amount of money to a company that
has a monopoly on showing sports,
especially one that increases its prices
drastically simply because it spent
£4.2 billion on securing Premiership
Rights. Jasmine mentions the fact that
the bar would be a bit sad and quiet on
a Saturday afternoon without sport.
Remember that college were considering
closing the bar on the weekends in
the afternoon due to takings being so
low, suggesting that regular weekend
games do not drive that much money
to the bar. It is hard to quantify the
amount of money going to the bar as a
result of Sky Sports, but it is insignificant
compared to the amount generated
at parties, etc. Either way, if Sky
keep increasing their price, the cost is
not sustainable.
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Raise Funds for
Nepal Crisis
Yashodhara Trivedi
Students at Ustinov College stepped
up to help Nepal after the country
was hit by a severe earthquake
that claimed the lives of over eight
thousand people and injured many
more.
The urgent need for financial aid
in this time of crisis gave DSU Liaison
Officer Aman Subzwari the initial
idea of approaching students to
raise money. A donation bucket was
accordingly set up in the café and
bar areas.
Aman Subzwari. (Photo: A. Subzwari)
People have been extremely generous,
with the GCR committee
raising £260 in just ten days. A
considerable portion of the funds
was collected on the second of May,
when a boxing match between
Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao
was being aired at the bar. The
proceeds have been given to British
Red Cross and will be used towards
relief efforts in Nepal.
Plans are underway for organizing
a second donation drive very
soon.

GCR Ecology
Representative’s
Report
GCR NEWS
nov will remember the hugely popular
Green Move Out Sale, which I am
hoping to revive for Induction Week
2015. The new move out sale may
not happen at Ustinov or possibly be
reduced in its offerings, but I’ll do my
best to mutually benefit the charity
and cash-strapped students.
GCR Welfare
Officer’s Report
8
Miriah Reynolds
Howdy, folks! As I write amidst the
pleasant leafy surrounds in the state
of aptly named Pennsylvania, I’m
reminded of two things. One is that
we have proper summers here and
second is that I can’t change English
weather to emulate roughly 28°C temperatures.
But we can always hope—and an environmentalist
must always have that
wellspring where hope springs eternal,
even if it cancels out summer and your
Eco Rep uses terrible puns. Moving
on…!
Thank you to those of you who
joined me on the latest Litter Pick on
the second of May! We did a knockout
job of cleaning up roads, riversides,
and the river itself with over eight bags
of rubbish collected.
I’m happy to announce our next
Litter Pick for Saturday, 11 July, at
10 a.m. We’ll meet in Fisher House
and walk down to the river via Potters
Bank. Keep in mind litter picks happen
in rain or sunshine, so dress appropriately!
Please confirm your attendance
by e-mailing eco.ustinovgcr@durham.
ac.uk.
As the current academic year ends, I
am negotiating with the recipient charity
for the Green Move Out scheme.
Some of the old-timers around Usti-
Additionally I am working closely
with another Ustinov student, Mika
Laiho, on establishing a student-led,
ethical co-op. (Mika and I hope you
enjoyed the Abundant Earth eggs—
they were quite tasty!) We are releasing
a survey to gain your feedback on the
ideal features of a Ustinov co-op. The
survey runs from early June and you
can earn a £5 voucher for being one of
the first 20 respondents!
During the latest Ustinov Environment
Meeting on 19 May, I addressed
student concerns regarding absent
University heating policies in accommodation
contracts.
While the latest contracts cannot be
amended, Ustinov College will lobby
the University to include these details
for 2016–17. I’m asking the GCR to
include this information in its annual
handbook, too. If you believe your
heating or hot water system is broken
or wasting energy, be sure to fill out a
maintenance report in the Reception
logbook or online.
Lastly, you noticed or will have
noticed the construction works in
Fisher House during the second week
of June. Ustinov won a funding bid
to install energy efficient lighting in
the café area. With the new lights in
place, we should save an estimated 2.7
tonnes of carbon.
While efficient facilities help tremendously,
please remember that
behavioural changes in energy consumption
can make or break College’s
carbon footprint. Keep an eye out for
a Green Move Out recycling event in
September where you can donate your
unwanted items; don’t forget to recycle
your paper notes, too!
Steph Orswell
Hi there, it’s Steph, your student welfare
officer here. Just wanted to update
you all on all the goings-on in the welfare
world!
From 21 to 24 April, as many of
you probably remember, we had a
whole week of raising alcohol awareness.
To kick it off we showed a movie
that highlighted the impact of alcohol
abuse, particularly towards the
end of the story. In the following days
there were unit-calorie calculators,
cups showing units measurements,
app cards, and breathalysers available.
Some of you even found a straw
in your drink, with a warning that it
could easily have been spiked.
We also showed a video of student
interviews, featuring their opinions
and stance on drinking (which is now
up on YouTube if you haven’t checked
it out but would like to!). I look back
on this week as a success, as I think
the message did get across to people
that, yes, while you might like the buzz
that alcohol gives you after you’ve had
enough, excessive drinking is probably
inadvisable. It’s all about moderation,
guys! Just be smart, stick with your
friends, and make sure you have a safe
way to get home after a night out on
the town.
We also had a week in mid-May
dedicated to mental health awareness,
where a few members of the GCR
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

committee either shared their story—
or shared information about different
mental health issues—to raise awareness
that mental illness is a major
factor in many people’s lives, impacting
every aspect of it, and should be
treated as any illness would.
I was happy to see such a strong
response, and was especially happy to
see the number of you who said that it
really made a personal impact. Mental
health is an important subject for me,
and I’m very glad I could share this
with all of you as we hopefully lessen
the stigma attached to mental illness,
and the problems associated with seeing
labels instead of people.
You may have seen two signs up
in Fisher House about how to stay
relaxed and healthy, as well as some
good study tips for around this time of
year, when a number of us have exams
that may cause us to stress a bit. Speaking
of stress, we provided two ‘puppy
rooms’ as part of this year’s ‘stress less’
campaign. Taking time to relax and
have a break is important, and what
better way than to spend some time
with friendly, fluffy animals? It was
pretty popular this year, so hopefully
this sort of thing will continue for
years to come!
That’s pretty much all for now! Just
one more reminder that if there is
anything weighing on your mind, feel
free to come talk to me and I will help
you to the best of my capacity, or if
appropriate, suggest you contact College
support staff. You can also contact
me by sending an email to welfare.
ustinovgcr@durham.ac.uk, or by submitting
a form anonymously on the
Ustinov GCR website.
The College student support officer,
Brenda Ryder, is there to help you out
if there are any issues you would like
support or advice for, especially if they
may affect your academic studies. Her
email address is ustinov.studentsupport@durham.ac.uk.
See you around!
GCR NEWS
Feeling The Warmth of Keenan House
Amirul Haqeem Abd Ghani
Warm and cosy: that’s Keenan House.
If you are familiar with Mr Freeze
(winter in Durham), then you will
appreciate the time you spend living in
Keenan house as a PhD student with a
family—especially if you have a baby
or toddler. When I arrived in Durham
to report for duty as a student, one of
my fellow Master’s students said to
me, ‘You know, Keenan House is the
warmest place in Durham’.
Keenan House is
also a very safe place;
the secure main door
is accessed with a
touch key, and windows
are also very
securely designed. On
a side note, you don’t
need to worry about
tracking down your
letters or parcels as we
have a really helpful
receptionist who will
receive them for you
while you are busy
with work.
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Living in Keenan House is like living
in a miniature globe. It is a very
international community where you
can and learn about new cultures and
make lots of friends with different
nationalities and backgrounds. It is a
‘one-stop shop’ for mixing with many
nationalities, with Japanese, Korean,
Bangladeshi, American, Iraqi, Palestinian,
Russian, Chinese, Kazakhstani,
Turkish, Algerian, European, Malaysian,
Indonesian, Laotian, Nigerian,
Israeli, Indian, Kenyan, Saudi Arabian,
and Pakistani students—and
many more.
Given the many activities at Keenan
House, you and your family will never
be bored. There is an English class for
your partner every Friday where they
can learn and practice their English
language skills, as well as make friends
and socialise. There are gym and Pilates
classes twice a week, and the International
Women’s Group (IWG) organises
activities every week as well. As
soon as school is over for the day, the
playground area becomes a hot spot.
You can hear children laughing as they
run around, playing on the slide and
swings while their parents chat.
The college, GCR, and IWG organise
trips to many interesting places
throughout the year. These opportunities
let residents experience the beauty
Yum! A Keenan House potluck (Photo: Samantha Tipper-Booth)
of nature as well as the rich history of
the UK.
Living in Keenan House also lets
you taste a wide variety of food from
all around the world; every year, two
or three times, we host an international
‘potluck’, where every resident
cooks a dish and shares it with others.
Keenan House is within walking distance
from the city centre, where you
Cont’d on page 17
9

GCR FEATURE
10
The GCR—What Is It, Really?
Chris Kerr
When I arrived at Ustinov in October
2014, in the blur of excitement caused
by meeting new people in induction
week, I didn’t stop to think about
who or what the GCR might be. By
the start of my third term at Ustinov,
I had a much better picture of the
GCR’s student-government role in
college life.
However, I was still determined to
get to the bottom of some of the more
confusing aspects of GCR jargon.
Why does Ustinov have a GCR when
other colleges have JCRs and MCRs?
What are hustings? And just who is
the mysterious figure who goes by the
name RON? With a little help from
some not-so-secret documents on the
college website, and a lot of help from
our hardworking GCR members, I got
to the bottom of things.
Glossary
Committee Positions—The GCR
Committee includes sub-committees,
most notably the Executive Committee
(see below), but also others,
including the Steering, Welfare and
Social Committees. Most non-Exec
positions, such as the Formal Secretary,
are elected shortly after Induction
Week. All GCR Committee positions
are voluntary and unpaid.
Executive Committee—The Executive
Committee, or Exec for short,
is responsible for the administration
and running of the GCR, and all
other committees report to the Exec.
The President, Vice President, Chair
and Treasurer sit on the Exec, among
others. Exec positions run from July to
July.
GCR—This stands for Graduate
Common Room. Ustinov's student
body is collectively known as
the GCR: it comprises around 1600
postgraduates from over 100 different
countries; everyone who lives in
at Ustinov is automatically a member,
and anyone who is part of Ustinov can
join. Ustinov is the only Durham College
to have a GCR. The GCR is distinct
from 'the College'.
GCR Affiliation—Clubs and societies
can apply to be 'affiliated' with
the GCR. This allows them to apply
for financial assistance from the GCR.
GCR Committee —The role of the
GCR is to promote and protect the
interests of its members and to this
end, the GCR has its own governing
body made up of elected members of
the student population. This body is
the GCR Committee. Confusingly, it’s
often referred to as the GCR for short.
GCR Constitution—This document
defines the rules and regulations
that govern the running of the GCR.
It can be found on the Ustinov GCR
website.
GCR Election Candidate Pro-
Forma—You’ll need to fill one of these
forms in if you’d like to run for a position.
Download one from the Ustinov
GCR website. Candidates must be
'proposed' and 'seconded', i.e., recommended
by two people.
GCR Levy—Every member of the
GCR who lives in automatically pays
the £30 levy, or membership fee, at
the beginning of the year; anyone who
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
lives out can choose to pay the £30.
This money goes towards funding for
clubs and societies, subsidies for parties
and events (to keep ticket prices
affordable for such things as the formal
dinners and Summer Ball), the GCR
Summer Barbecue, regular expenses
such as the subscription fee for satellite
television in the bar, facilities such as
the gym, the DVD library, the Common
Room and Pool Room in Fisher
House, and many more.
Hustings—A meeting at which
candidates running for positions
introduce themselves to voters.
JCR—Junior Common Room, the
name for the undergraduate student
government at other colleges.
Manifesto—A short statement provided
by candidates outlining what
they will do if elected and why students
should vote for them. It’s not as
scary as it sounds and you don’t have
to be Marx or Engels to write one.
MCR—Middle Common Room.
Other colleges’ equivalent of the GCR.
But not as good, obviously.
RON—When you see that RON
is running for all the GCR Committee
positions, you could be forgiven
for thinking that he’s a worryingly
keen guy. In fact, RON stands for
Re-Open Nominations. If none of the
candidates appeal to you, you can vote
RON, and if RON wins, there will be
another round of voting.
SCR—Senior Common Room.
Where alumni hang out, also composed
of certain university members
of staff, including academics, mentors,
and active members of the local community.
Further information is available on
the Ustinov GCR website: ustinovgcr.
com.

A GCR Q&A
Did you have any idea what the
GCR was when you first arrived at
Ustinov?
Alex Papadopolous, Bar Steward
and Video Master, expected the GCR
to be much more secretive: ‘I had
very little idea of what the GCR was
and expected it to be run by students
behind closed doors, when in actual
fact the GCR is very much 'seen' by
all college students, mainly through
the college Facebook group.’
Marie Conger, the Clubs and Societies
Officer, wasn’t sure what the GCR
was when she arrived: ‘As an international
student I was quite unfamiliar
with the concept but once I got here
I quickly realised that the GCR is an
integral part of Ustinov.’
Alice Chadwick, the Social Secretary
admitted that: ‘If I hadn't made
friends with people who were on the
committee that year it would probably
have taken me a while to work it out to
be honest!’ That said, if you’re thinking
of running for a position, don’t
be deterred if you feel like you don’t
know the right people.
What made you decide to run for a
position on the GCR?
Marie confessed ‘I arrived a bit
late to the party—I wasn't elected as
the Clubs and Societies officer until
March. I decided to run because I've
had such a great time at Ustinov,
mainly because of the efforts of the
GCR, and wanted to give back in
some way.’
Alex, never one to be late for anything,
got stuck right in and ran for
Video Master, with responsibility for
GCR film nights. As if that wasn’t
enough, Alex told me that ‘After I got
used to the role I decided that a role
within the GCR exec like Bar Steward
would be very rewarding and I could
be more involved in how the college is
run and therefore give something back
to the community.’
GCR FEATURE
Why does the GCR matter?
Siobhan Harper, the Vice President,
had an emphatic response to
this existential question for the GCR:
‘The GCR committee matters because
without it there'd be no student representation
to college, no formals or
parties, no clubs or societies, no free
welfare supplies, no DVD library, no
pool tables, no Xbox, no Summer Barbecue
or Ball, no film nights or quiz
nights, no anything. The GCR is the
student body—without that, we haven't
got a college!’
When it’s put like that, I imagine
Ustinov without a GCR would be a
very grey place. Alex identified a link
between the college’s values and the
role of the GCR, which helps make
‘an inherently compact community a
more enjoyable and respectful one.’
What’s been the most challenging
aspect of your role?
Andrew Messenger, the Chair of
the Executive Committee, stressed the
following: ‘Time management—who
knew doing a PhD would be time
consuming? Also making myself heard
at general meetings can be pretty difficult.’
Alex told me that striking a compromise
on difficult decisions was
tricky: ‘However, that is the price to
pay when you have a role as a public
official—you can't please everybody.’
The life of a public official isn’t all
glamour and intrigue however. One
other thing Siobhan finds trying about
the role is ‘Keeping the GCR office
tidy.’
What about the most rewarding or
unexpected aspect?
Steph Orswell, the Welfare Officer,
didn’t anticipate some aspects of her
role: ‘I didn’t expect to be communicating
as much as I have with the
student support officer because of the
different incidents that have occurred,
but it showed me how important having
a member of college staff as well
as a peer to talk to if something was
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
bothersome.’
As Alex pointed out, GCR work
isn’t just rewarding, it makes you
famous too. Sort of: ‘You are like a
mini-celebrity around college, which
is always a nice ego boost.’
Alice commented that ‘Maybe just
how many people aren't really sure
of what the GCR do is quite surprising;
so we've been trying hard all year
to make sure that we reach out to as
many people as possible.’ That’s also
what this article is here for.
What would you say to a Master’s
student thinking of running for a
position on the exec?
As a Master’s student, Steph was
initially reluctant to stand: ‘I figured
that it was something for PhD students
to do since they’ll be here for at
least three years. I didn’t run for anything
during the first round of nominations,
but between then and the
second round, I became friendly with
people already on the committee and
was “strongly encouraged” to run for
a position.’
Andrew helpfully highlighted the
distinction between Exec and Committee
positions: ‘Most of the exec
positions typically run July to July
and so it is easier for PhD students.
The rest of the committee are elected
shortly after induction week. The only
requirement for running for any position
is being around in Durham to
perform the duties of that position,
and of course passion for the position!’
I’ll leave the last word to Alex: ‘As a
Masters student myself all I can say to
someone else is to give it a go and get
stuck in—what do you seriously have
to lose?’
So there you have it. If you’d like to
stand, keep an eye out for upcoming
elections and, of course, don’t hesitate
to ask a friendly member of the GCR
if you have any questions. Election
Candidate forms are available on the
Ustinov GCR website.
11

First Annual
Clubs &
Societies Formal
Marie Conger
Friday, 8 May, saw Ustinov hosting its
very first Clubs and Societies Formal.
This had been planned even before I
joined the GCR Executive Committee
in March, so when I was voted in as
Clubs and Societies Officer and the
responsibility of planning this formal
fell to me, I had the chance to hit the
ground running!
The idea for the Clubs and Societies
Formal first arose because the
GCR Exec Committee recognised
that although Ustinov’s societies are
an integral part of college life, until
this year they hadn’t been properly celebrated.
The formal was created as a
night to bring everyone together, celebrate
their achievements, recognise
the club captains and presidents for all
their hard work, and to show just how
valuable our clubs and societies are to
the college community.
The evening started off with an
opening speech from Principal Glenn
McGregor, thanking everyone for
their efforts throughout the year and
recognising the clubs and societies
that were present at the formal (even
if he did confuse the basketball team
for a baseball team, good-humouredly
apologising for the gaffe later on).
The food was great, as always. I was
so nervous about the night going well
that I didn’t pay as much attention to
THE SOCIAL LIFE
what I was eating, but I do remember
that everything tasted exceptional.
After the main course was cleared
away, we took a pause from eating to
have a brief awards ceremony. All of
the club captains and presidents were
invited to come up and give a brief
speech about their accomplishments
that year, and to present an award to a
member of their team who had stood
out in some way over the last season.
Represented that night were many of
Ustinov’s various sports teams: football,
basketball, Ultimate frisbee,
cricket, pool and darts, along with the
jazz society. Some of the speeches were
humorous, some were heartfelt, and
they all demonstrated the fun and the
friendships gained by everyone who
has become part of a club or society
within Ustinov. The GCR supplied
bottles of Prosecco (or a non-alcoholic
alternative) to the winners, and as a
surprise at the end of the awards ceremony,
we handed out the remaining
bottles.
This was followed by a delicious
dessert, over which many toasts were
made and many laughs shared. After
dinner was finished and the last of
the Prosecco had disappeared, everyone
headed over to Fisher House for
a night of karaoke—giving teams that
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
otherwise wouldn’t be playing opposite
each other the chance to have a
sing-off! In the spirit of karaoke, there
were some truly terrible singers (I
won’t mention names, you know who
you are!) but also some wonderful
surprises—Ustinov Jazz Society’s very
own Bruno Dias in particular comes
to mind, who took everyone’s breath
away with a fantastic rendition of
Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’.
It was an incredible night, and I
want to thank Ustinov College, the
GCR, and everyone involved in the
planning of this event. It was such a
rewarding experience as the Clubs and
Societies Officer to see everyone come
together to recognise such an important
part of our college community.
The best news of all is that the Clubs
and Societies Formal will now be an
annual event, so we can continue to
celebrate Ustinov’s club and societies
next year, and for many years to come!
‘You get an award! And you get an award!’ (Photos: Brian Davison)
12

Summer Preview
Alice Chadwick
Summer Ball
On Sunday, 5 July, Ustinov GCR
will be presenting our annual Summer
Ball—with the theme of ‘Around
the World’, loosely based on the Jules
Verne novel Around the World in Eighty
Days—this year held at the stunningly
beautiful Beamish Hall. Since the Ball
is still a few weeks off at the time of
The Ustinovian going to print for this
term, we’re instead going to give you
a preview of what’s in store for the
lucky Ustinovians with a ticket in their
pocket.
Beamish Hall is a gorgeous country
hotel, set in stunning grounds. Ustinovians
will be transported to Beamish
Hall by coach from Fisher House, and
upon their arrival will be greeted with
a reception of sparkling wine, and the
opportunity to explore the beautiful
gardens (bathed in the warm glow
of an afternoon summer sun, touch
wood). To really kick off the evening,
guests will be able to try their hand at
archery in the gardens as well—Robin
Hood hats provided! There will be
plenty of time to enjoy the grounds,
and a professional photographer will
be roaming around capturing it all for
you.
As the sun sets, dinner will be
served in the delightful Winter Gardens
room, which will be draped
in exotic finery—each table depicting
a different section of the journey
Around the World, with an abundance
THE SOCIAL LIFE
of decorations to match. A true feast
will be laid on, courtesy of the fantastic
chefs at Beamish Hall: a starter of
chicken, almond and liver parfait with
red onion marmalade, and a trio of
melon served with champagne sorbet
for vegetarians lead the way. Tempting
you into the main course will be a
roast sirloin of border beef, with Yorkshire
pudding, vegetables and gravy,
or a pan fried vegetable galette with
tomato sauce; and finally, a hot apple
pie with cinnamon ice cream (I’m hungry
just reading this—ed.).
Once dinner is over, the evening
will really step up a notch, as the entertainment
will begin! In Shafto Hall, all
manner of delights will transport you
all around the world (but in less than
eighty days). Strike a pose in the photo
booth, dare to let the caricaturist take
your likeness(?), and try out different
games! A real palm reader will see if
your fortunes are about to take you
further afield; and more sweet treats
will try to tempt you even if you’re
completely stuffed from the delicious
dinner.
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Meanwhile, the dining room will
be swiftly transformed into the party
room, where a DJ will be playing a
wide range of music from all over the
world to really get your toes tapping
and dancing the night away. Later on
in the evening, you might spy some
spectacular fire dancing displays out
in the dusky gardens. Keep your eyes
peeled, Ustinovians, there are treats
around every corner!
Coaches will transport everyone
back at one a.m. However, if, like
Cinderella, you need to leave by the
stroke of twelve (or would just like to
get back a little earlier in case you have
labs or work the next morning), there
will also be a bus returning to Durham
at midnight. It looks set to be the most
spectacular and magical evening of the
year!
If you haven’t yet got yours, tickets
are available from the GCR office during
normal office hours: £40 for GCR
members and £50 for non-GCR members.
This is one of the most affordable
college balls in Durham, and definitely
not to be missed!
Cont’d next page
Wikipedia says ‘Beamish’ comes from the French phrase ‘bew-mys’, or ‘beautiful mansion’.
(Photo: geograph.org.uk/Creative Commons)
13

Cont’d from previous page
Summer Barbecue
The Ustinov GCR Summer Barbecue
has been a fantastically popular annual
fixture in the college calendar for a
number of years now. It is the GCR
committee’s way of saying a huge
THANK YOU! to everyone in college
for a fantastic year of meeting new
people, making friends, having fun,
and living in such a wonderful place.
It is also open to the rest of the University
for everyone to join, as Ustinov is
at its heart a welcoming, inclusive and
dynamic community, and we love to
put on a good knees-up!
This year is no exception—on Sunday,
28 June, the grounds of Ustinov
will be transformed for the barbecue,
with the traditional (mini-) music festival
and lots of other fantastic entertainment.
Musical acts will include
such home-grown talent as the beautiful
vocals of Rose Simnett and Sam
Jackson, and the fantastic Chameleology
(otherwise known as the Ustinov
Jazz Band). We’ll also be playing host
to a brilliant band from last year, the
George Lansbury Project (they’ve also
featured at Jam by the Lake), and a partially
Ustinov-founded band—Negative
8—with several more besides!
As for the other entertainment, it’s a
THE SOCIAL LIFE
wonder how it will all fit in. Sideshow
games, a bouncy castle for adults, teacup
rides, face painting, and an exotic
animals petting corner will be turning
Ustinov grounds into our own summer
fair! There will also be a children’s
corner, with a magician putting on
shows throughout the afternoon, a
children-only bouncy castle, and lots
of exciting games to get stuck into.
Besides the abundance of free barbecued
food available, you might also
be tempted by an ice cream stand,
summery beverages from the outdoor
bar, and new for this year—delicious
crepes (both savoury and sweet),
which will be available to those getting
hungry later on in the afternoon.
As the sun begins to set, the music
will start to switch it up: the fantastically
popular musical talents of former
Durham student DJ Tom Metcalfe
will be making a reappearance on
stage, before we move indoors to continue
the partying into the evening.
All in all, the barbecue is a wonderful
fun-filled day for everyone to enjoy,
and an unforgettable send-off to the
academic year, giving you a brilliant
opportunity to spend some quality
time with all of the great friends you’ve
made at Ustinov over the last year or
more. We can’t wait to join you!
14
What’s On
Durham Regatta (Photo: Michael Baker)
Durham Miners Gala (Photo: Michael Baker)
The Ustinov Summer BBQ 2014: proof that if you give the people what they want they won’t hurt you.
(Ustinovian photo)
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Lumiere’s fish in a phone booth
(Photo: Michael Baker)

In Durham?
Compiled by Alice Chadwick
The Ustinovian is about to go into
hibernation for the summer vacation,
while the editors frolic in the sunshine,
and returning Ustinovians go
hither and thither on their travels, or
stay on in Durham to continue their
studies over the summer.
But, we hear you cry, how will we
know about forthcoming cultural
excitement; from where shall we get
our fix of local knowledge and wisdom?!
Well, we may have a partial
solution for you.
The Ustinovian proudly presents:
a what’s what/where/when of some
events in Durham and the North East
over the next few months, a handy
heads-up of fun things to see and do!
June
Durham Festival of Arts
30 May–15 June
www.facebook.com
Or, community.dur.ac.uk/arts.fest
The inaugural Durham Festival of
the Arts aims to engage the city and
university in a wide range of arts
events, including theatre, comedy,
musical performances and film projects—there’s
also lots to get involved
with, including workshops, dance,
masterclasses and film. Performances
of popular musicals Spring Awakening
and Rent will be going on throughout
the two weeks, as will a photography
exhibition on Palace Green—and
there are even comedy shows on both
Sundays! I’m personally eyeing up the
Big Summer Gig by the DU Big Band
on 6 June at the riverside bar. Do
check out the Facebook page for more
details about the programme, this is
definitely worth going to.
THE SOCIAL LIFE
Jesterval
5–14 June
www.jesterval.co.uk
This is the third year running for
the North East’s premier comedy festival,
to be located at Baltic Square
in Gateshead Quays! There is a topnotch
lineup, including many famous
faces as well as fantastic local talent,
all at very reasonable prices—and
only a stone’s throw away from Durham!
Acts will include Ed Byrne, Sara
Pascoe, Andrew Maxwell, Paul Foot,
Mick Ferry, and The Boy With Tape
On His Face.
NDA Comic-con
7 June
whatsoninthenortheast.co.uk/
NDA comic-con is a community
movie and comic-con style event for
North Durham held at North Durham
Academy, Stanley. There’ll be a
full size Jabba the Hutt, Transformers,
and a replica K.I.T.T from Knight
Rider, plus gaming demos for all the
fans out there! 2 pounds entry, pay on
the door.
Durham Regatta
13–14 June
www.durham-regatta.org.uk
The boat clubs of Durham and
the surrounding area compete in lots
of races over a fantastic weekend of
sporting entertainment down by the
river. The Regatta is held here every
year, with stunning views of the city,
castle and the cathedral as the backdrop.
Racing takes place over both
days, so go and cheer on the crews!
There will also be a wide variety of
stalls, catering for a range of culinary
tastes, and entertainment including
local brass bands and a Classic Car
rally. There’s a small charge to enter
the Racecourse, but lots to see and do
with a fantastic atmosphere, so well
worth it!
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Durham Blues Festival
20 June
www.durhambluesfestival.co.uk
Durham Gala presents twelve acts
on two stages across a whole day of
great blues music! The Gala also has
lots of other great things happening,
including comedy (Sara Pascoe, Paul
Merton and his impure chums) as well
as opera (Carmen, 1 July; The Phantom
of the Opera, 28 July–1 August),
a screening of The Merchant of Venice
live from Stratford-upon-Avon (22
July), and the quintessentially British
whodunnit play, Agatha Christie’s
Mousetrap (14–19 September). Do
check it out!
July
Durham Miners Gala
11 July
www.durhamminers.org/Gala.html
The Durham Miners Gala is held
every year in honour of the thriving
coal industry that Durham used to be
home to. Even though the last coalfield
was closed and destroyed long
ago, the Miners Gala is still thriving
as one of the biggest and most colorful
celebrations of trade union and
community spirit in England. Colliery
bands March through their villages
in the early morning and form
processions into Durham city centre,
converging on the Market Place—it’s
a major event in Durham, and many
come from miles around to see the
processions and the festivities!
Yves Saint Lauren—Style is Eternal
exhibition at the Bowes Museum,
Barnard Castle
11 July–25 October
www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk
As if you needed a further excuse to
visit the beautiful Barnard Castle and
Bowes Museum, they have a fantastic
schedule of events on this summer
including this exhibition on fashion.
There will also be an exhibition on
prehistoric people from 2 May to 27
September.
Cont’d next page
15

Cont’d from previous page
Newcastle Pride
17–19 July
www.northern-pride.com
Newcastle Pride returns for its
eighth year with an extended event
over three days, including lots of great
entertainment, a dance tent, and a
market. Free to go, but donations
encouraged.
August
Edinburgh Fringe
7–31 August
www.edfringe.com
The world-famous Edinburgh
fringe returns, of course, this August—
while not strictly in Durham or the
North East, it’s only a short train ride
away, and well worth the trip. It’s the
comedy event of the year, with many
award-winning comedians taking
their shows to Edinburgh, as well as
lots of up-and-comers—plus lots of
theatre and arts, and many street-performers.
It’s a riot of arts and culture,
a fantastic atmosphere, and lots of
entertainment is free to attend as well!
Hardwick Live
22 August
hardwicklive.co.uk
A glorious day out with live entertainment
for a friendly crowd! Lots
of great music at the lovely Hardwick
Hall just outside central Durham,
in beautiful grounds. The lineup
includes Razorlight, 10cc, Embrace,
Meadowlark, and many more—what
more could you ask for, so close to
your doorstep?!
September
Wolsingham and Wear Valley
Agricultural Show
5–6 September
www.wolsinghamshow.co.uk
THE SOCIAL LIFE
country. Attractions include racing,
falconry, alpacas, brass bands, donkey
rides, dog agility shows, Diggerland,
vintage cars, clay pigeon shooting,
a stunt show, and many side shows.
Very Northern indeed.
And much more....
Beamish Events
www.beamish.org.uk/
The lovely Beamish open-air
museum always has lots going on,
and is well worth a visit even if there
aren’t ‘special-occasion’ attractions!
However, these do happen frequently
throughout the summer, and will
include a festival of ’50s Cinema on
Friday, 26 June, cricket every Sunday
through July and August, and a Festival
of Agriculture from 3–6 September.
Pick Your Own Fruit at Brocksbushes
Farm
www.brocksbushes.co.uk
Very close to the city of Durham,
Brocksbushes Farm has a pick-yourown-fruit
season from June-September.
What better way to spend a
sunny afternoon than leisurely picking
berries in lush green fields? The
season tends to be open from June–
September, with different fruits ripening
throughout the summer and into
autumn. Entry 1 pound per person—
and they also have a very lovely tea
room.
Magna Carta 800th celebrations,
Durham Cathedral
magnacarta800th.com/
Lots of exhibitions and events will
be going on for the international
commemoration of The Great Charter,
from June right through to September—this
is a rare opportunity to
see these ‘in the flesh’ as it were.
Guided Cycle Tours of Newcastle
www.newcastlecycletours.co.uk
Explore Newcastle on a bicycle
made for...you! A bike and helmet are
both provided, and a local guide will
regale you stories behind the world
famous landmarks and hidden gems
of canny Newcastle.
A little further ahead...
Lumiere
14–17 November
www.lumiere-festival.com/durham
Four dazzling winter evenings,
transforming Durham into a citywide
celebration of light. Many light
installations and projects illuminate
locations right across the city of Durham,
produced by local and international
artists, and community groups.
In previous years there has been a
phone box filled with real fish, a giant
globe, a Christmas tree made out of
plastic bags, and the world’s biggest
helium balloon. Not to be missed, but
it will be quite hard to miss since it
will be everywhere you go in Durham!
16
You couldn’t come to the North
East and not attend a good old-fashioned
country show now, could you?
This is the North East’s premier agricultural
show, and is the oldest in the
A visit to the cathedral is always...illuminating. (Photo: Michael Baker)
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

What’s Next For
Our Ustinovians?
Alice Chadwick
The sun is finally starting to make an
appearance up here in the cold, cold
North (touch wood that it won’t disappear
by the time this has gone to print),
and it looks like summer is on its way.
For many people, this means their time
at Ustinov—and Durham—is nearly at
an end, and those of us staying on will
wave our hankies sadly when bidding
them farewell.
But what are our students hoping to
do after they’ve flown the Ustinov nest,
and where might they go next? We asked
a few students about their ideas for the
future.
Steph Orswell: My plans for next
year (as of now) are pretty basic: heading
home, hopefully finding a job
in the field of psychology, and then
hopefully taking the GRE so that I
can apply for Clinical Psychology programmes.
Aimee Chuang: I’m currently looking
for a job in the UK as I’d really like
to work in England for a few years to
gain experience in my field—or perhaps
even longer if I really enjoy it! I
study Management, which will hopefully
allow me to try out many different
fields and get a feel for what they
are like. I won’t be too picky as this
will be my first job!
Feeling the Warmth, cont’d
can shop for groceries and household
items. If you find you need groceries
when the usual stores are closed, there
is a Sainsbury’s Local in the nearby village
Framwellgate Moor, also within
walking distance. But the best way is
to order groceries online from Tesco or
another supermarket, and have your
order delivered to your door.
There are a few things I wish I had
known before I arrived at Keenan
THE SOCIAL LIFE
Alex Papadopoulos: To be completely
honest, I have no idea what
I want to do next year! I’m planning
to apply for a PhD the year after, as
I’ve missed the deadline this year (I
only recently decided that I’d like to
try applying for further postgraduate
education)—but I’m first of all planning
a holiday. I’m sure Miranda will
be happy to hear about my possible
return! (I totally understand that feeling,
Alex. It’s fine not to know what’s coming
next! Just go with the flow—Ed. Alice.)
Devon McHardy: I’ll be moving to
either Kuwait to the UAE. I currently
have some job prospects in Kuwait and
am looking for more in both countries,
but regardless of the job situation, I
will be moving abroad. I’d like to get
some practical job-related work in the
Middle East (I’m currently doing my
MA in International Relations in the
Middle East.)
Lara Velho: To be honest, I have no
idea...but in the sense that I have so
many ideas I just can’t decide what I
want to do first! We’ll see what happens.
Of course, not everyone is leaving! We
also asked a few students who are continuing
their studies next year in Durham
if they had any plans for the coming year.
Mike Appels: I’m going into my
second year of my PhD in Durham
(having done my Masters’ and undergraduate
degrees here, too), and would
really like to try out the free-falling
society! Any takers? (Crikey, now that’s
brave!—ed.)
House: I wish I’d
learned my flat number
in advance, as
well as the way to the
library and the business
school. And because
Keenan House is quite
far away from the business
school, I wish I
had known about the
student bus service
from the start.
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Siobhan Harper: I’d really like
to go and explore some more of the
surrounding area in the North East;
places that aren’t as accessible by public
transport: little villages on the moors,
Northumberland, that sort of thing.
I’d love to get to know the area while
I’ve got such a great opportunity!
Miranda Hines: While I have
been to visit Prague, Austria, Poland,
Edinburgh (four times), Glasgow, and
York… I still haven’t been to visit London!
Maybe the worst tourist ever?
I’ve even been to Great Yarmouth
twice. London is definitely next on my
to-visit list, with Paris a close second.
I’ll probably even visit Great Yarmouth
another time before I go...is that sad?
Laura Smith: Definitely want to
see the brass festival again next year,
and would love to go and see Holy
Island. I also haven’t been rowing on
the river in Durham yet, so that’s one
to tick off the list. The Miners’ Gala
is also a spectacle that should not be
missed.
Ingrid Medby: We’re in Durham,
a truly beautiful historic city, and it
has more than one claim to fame...for
instance, it’s home to the worst club
in Europe. I have to go to Klute while
we’re still here! I’d also really like to go
to more formal dinners, perhaps in
other colleges too.
Hopefully that gives our returners
some ideas for what they might like to
do in the coming year; if you need some
more inspiration for the summer, check
out the calendar in this edition!
Two of our littlest Ustinovians celebrating global diversity
(Photo: Brian Davison)
17

Yashodhara Trivedi
Durham University’s Lauren Owen is
not only a PhD candidate and the newly
published author of The Quick, but also
a proud Ustinovian. She recently took
some time out of her grueling academic
schedule to deliver a quick presentation
at college on the enduring appeal of vampires.
I caught up with her afterwards
for a brief chat about her new book, the
writing process, and bloodthirsty monsters.
Besides your clear interest
in vampires, was there
anything in particular that
inspired The Quick?
In some ways, the novel
was prompted by the place
where I grew up—a girls’
boarding school in the
countryside. It used to
belong to the local gentry,
and as a child I was fascinated
by how old and
grand it seemed—there
were all these beautiful features
like the marble pillars
in the library, it was very
easy to imagine people living there
in times gone by. I used to be in the
school quite a bit during the holidays,
and like most empty schools, it had a
strange, hushed atmosphere. My dad
used to joke that there was a creepy
creature lurking in the corridors. He
would never describe this abomination
in any detail, and so I was inspired to
create my own big, spooky house with
a dark secret.
How did you
juggle writing
a novel
with your
academic
work?
FEATURES
An Interview With Debut Novelist Lauren Owen
It was a
bit difficult
to combine
the two during
the editing process—eventually
I had to be quite strict with myself
about clocking in enough hours on
both. What helped me the most was
remembering that other people combine
academic study with jobs, and
even young children—if they can be
organized, so should I!
How difficult was it to find a publisher
in the UK?
It can be a real challenge to find
a publisher. I was fortunate in that I
Lauren Owen, left, with Sherihan Al-Akhras and Anum Dada
(Photo: Michael Baker)
had an agent who pitched the book to
publishers on my behalf, and acted as
my guide throughout the whole process.
What was the biggest challenge you
faced while writing this story?
I love the nineteenth century, and
researching the era was a treat, but it
was also difficult to know when to stop.
When you’re writing about the past,
it’s hard to ever feel that you’ve made
enough notes—surely there must be
more things to find out! Sometimes I
found myself researching just to put
off writing something tricky.
What is your favourite section from
The Quick?
I’m rather fond of the last chapter. I
really enjoyed writing about James and
Charlotte as children, and the chapter
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
from Porlock’s point of view.
How do you pick the names of your
characters?
With some it’s easy—the character’s
personality invariably suggests a particular
name. I tend to squirrel away
names I like for later use too. And in
The Quick, a number of names have
symbolic or literary connotations.
Do you plan to have reading tours
around the UK?
I’m lucky to have participated
in a number of
library events as part of
New Writing North’s Read
Regional 2015—it’s a campaign
to introduce local
writers from the North
East and Yorkshire with
local readers. I have four
more events to go, and will
be very sad to finish—the
experience has been fantastic!
Can we expect a second
novel?
I’m currently playing
with a number of ideas on similar
themes—I’d like to widen my scope
a little in terms of monsters, and also
write something set nearer the present
day. I’m working on something set in
York at the moment, which should
be a lot of fun, as it’s the city where I
spent most of my childhood and teens.
What are your top three pieces of
advice to aspiring writers?
One, read widely and adventurously.
Two, talk to people and listen to
the stories they tell you. Everyone tells
stories—I think it’s one of the most
lovable things about human beings.
Three, be flexible. Maybe you’ll need
to rewrite or restructure, or change
something major like a point of view.
You won’t necessarily get things right
first time—and that’s perfectly okay.
18

FEATURES
Fisher House Is Stage For General Election Debate
Chris Kerr
On Thursday, 30 April, just a week
before the 2015 UK General Election,
Ustinov College played host to
a debate between the Durham City
candidates.
For those of you not familiar with
the UK electoral system, the election
on Thursday, 7 May (elections always
are held on Thursdays in the UK),
might have seemed a little
baffling. But it’s really
quite simple.
The Prime Minister
is not directly elected.
Instead, people vote for
their local MP, or Member
of Parliament. By
convention, the Prime
Minister is the MP most
likely to be able to command
the authority of
the House of Commons.
The House of Commons
is the lower of the two
Houses of Parliament,
the other being the House of Lords,
which is completely unelected. (Don’t
worry, not all of the positions in the
Lords are passed from father to son,
just some!). Most of the time, but
not always, the Prime Minister is the
leader of the largest party in the House
of Commons.
In practice, this means that most
people vote both with local issues in
mind and with one eye on the party
they’d like to form the government.
The country is divided up into areas
called constituencies, which each elect
one MP. Ustinov College falls into the
City of Durham constituency. Like
many constituencies in the North
East, it’s considered a ‘safe’ Labour
seat, meaning Labour, historically the
main left-wing party in the UK, has a
comfortable majority. That aside, only
the most hardened, cynical voter could
have failed to appreciate the lively and
robust debate when the candidates
came to Fisher House.
The 90-minute debate started with
each of the candidates making an introductory
statement, before going on to
discuss topics prompted by questions
from the audience, including local
planning issues, student accommodation,
tuition fees, Europe, the North/
South divide, the environment, and
human rights. The five candidates at
the debate were John Marshall (Independent),
Jonathan Elmer (Green
Party), Craig Martin (Liberal Democrats),
Rebecca Coulson (Conservative
Party) and Roberta Blackman-Woods
(Labour Party).
On funding for higher education,
Rebecca Coulson argued that ‘tuition
fees aren’t some kind of ideological
cruelty, they’re to pay for this stuff,
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
and record numbers are applying,
particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds’.
The Independent and Liberal Democrat
candidates had different perspectives
on the North/South divide
in England. John Marshall asserted
that ‘we’ve been a backwater, we’ve
been neglected, we get less money
than Scotland, we’ve got much greater
disadvantages than other parts of the
UK’. Craig Martin, for the Liberal
Democrats, focused on the advantages
of living in the North, to humorous
effect: ‘We have a better quality of living,
cheaper house prices, and cheaper
pints of beer and I know a lot of my
friends who’ve moved down to London
wish they could move back up
here’.
There was also disagreement over
how to combat climate change. Jonathan
Elmer of the Green
Party called for a radical
change in the way we
think as a society, noting
‘we always want the latest
product, we throw the
latest one away before
it’s worn out, we’re not
incentivised to repair
things and keep things
going. None of that
happens in our economy.’
Roberta Blackman-Woods,
the Labour
incumbent, countered
by stating that ‘Labour
wants to set a legally
binding target to get carbon off our
energy supply by 2030’.
One week later, many students
stayed up into the early hours of the
morning in Fisher House to watch the
results come in across the country. In
the end, Roberta Blackman-Woods
was comfortably re-elected, increasing
Labour’s majority to 11,439 from
3,067 in 2010.
Cont’d on p. 21
19

FEATURES
10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Moving To Ustinov
Compiled by Siobhan Harper
1. WHEN YOU ARRIVE
‘There are starter kits with towels,
bedsheets, and a blanket when you
move in, so you don’t have to worry
about packing those items when coming
from overseas.’ Bridget McMahon
‘If anything is wrong when you
move in, be that with your room,
your kitchen, your course, or you’re
homesick or can’t settle in, there are
so many people you can speak to. The
porters, the college staff, and of course
the GCR committee. Everyone will do
their best to help you with whatever
the problem is.’ Siobhan Harper
2. YOUR ROOM
‘The door of your room locks
by pulling up the handle!’ Irene
Pasquinelli
‘The room size is small, so don’t
bring too much stuff with you. You
will get to like it, though!’ Mahmoud
Shalabi
The fire alarm is tested weekly at
a reasonable time, but a fire drill will
be carried out in the first term early in
the morning and: ‘It will be freezing,
so prepare yourself for a shocking
encounter!’ Mahmoud Shalabi
‘Bring something to decorate your
room—some photos, cards, a poster—
anything to make it feel more like
home. You’ll really appreciate having
something familiar to come back to
while you’re still settling in, and it’s
amazing what a difference these little
things can make.’ Siobhan Harper
3. FACILITIES
Pay attention to the instructions on
how to use the washing machines and
the laundry credit dispenser (which is
in Fisher House, not the laundry room),
and ask to be shown this when you first
move in. If anything goes wrong, speak
to the porters. ‘Sometimes the washing
machines take money out even if you
don’t activate them. I was told this, but
I know people who have lost money
like that!’ Irene Pasquinelli
‘There’s no ATM or major food
shop nearby. But everything delivers.’
Devon McHardy
Ustinov Bar offers cashback, and both
the bar and café take card payments.
Online delivery to college is available for
supermarkets.
4. CLOTHING
‘The wardrobes in the newer buildings
are quite small—don’t bring too
many clothes! And bring some “formal”
wear, such as suits or a cocktail
dress.’ Anna Kranz
‘If you’re from a big city where you
tend to dress up everyday, don’t even
try to bring any of those clothes with
you. They will literally sit ignored in
your closet for the entire time you’re
here and you will live in sneakers,
jeans, and hoodies.’ Kirstyn Raitz
5. ELECTRONICS
‘I would not have spent $100 on
two universal electrical adapter sets
before checking to see that most of
my electrical equipment was ready for
both 110/220V and all I needed was
a £2 adapter from Wilko.’ Michael
Baker
Wilko (full name Wilkinsons) is a
shop at which you can buy basically anything
very cheaply!
6. MONEY
‘For U.S. students, you get your
first student loan disbursement about
a week after classes start, and then it
takes another full week for your bank
to make your money available to you,
so bring plenty to live on.’ Michael
Baker
This is good advice for all new students,
not just those from the U.S.
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
7. KEEPING YOUR KITCHEN
CLEAN
There will be set regulations from
college about kitchen cleanliness, but
make some house rules when you
move in with your flatmates and make
sure these are stuck to throughout the
year. Keeping the joint kitchen space
clean and tidy makes a massive difference
to everyone’s day. Many people!
‘The kitchen is the one shared space
in your flat—make the effort to keep it
clean by wiping down surfaces, doing
your washing-up quickly, and cleaning
up mess. Think of how you’d feel if
you went into the kitchen to cook and
it was a mess.’ Siobhan Harper
8. BRITAIN GENERALLY
‘Make sure your jacket has a hood.
Invest in one good pair of boots for
winter, as well as gloves, hat, and scarf.’
Lara Velho
‘Buy an umbrella and just keep it in
your bag—trust me!’ Siobhan Harper
9. THINGS TO GET
‘You need a National Insurance
Number to get a job, and that takes
forever to arrive so start the process
quickly! And railcards are invaluable
money-savers, so ask about getting one
when you get to Ustinov.’ Lara Velho
10. USTINOV IS A WONDERFUL
PLACE TO BE
‘Friends are so so so easy to make—
and for those coming back to school
after working for a few years: when
you’re a student, those 9 p.m. starts
for events won’t seem as late as they
seemed when you signed up to come
over here!’ Libby Metz
‘Despite all its potential flaws, Ustinov
is by far the best choice for any
prospective postgraduate to be a member
of. This is not simply me expressing
my opinion, but reiterating a general
feeling among my other postgraduate
non-Ustinovian friends!’ Mike Appels
20

10 Things For Partners
Of Students To Know
Abby Adams, Heather Rector,
Devon McHardy
1. Partners are entitled to NHS access
just the same as students. Make sure
you register as soon as you get to Durham.
2. Apply for your National Insurance
Number right away. You’ll have to
have one if you’re interested in getting
a job or opening a bank account.
3. Take advantage of Induction Week.
You’ll be living with the same people as
your partner, so Induction Week is the
perfect time to make friends.
4. Don’t feel like you don’t have a voice
in the college, if you have something
that needs to be addressed speak up
and get it solved—you live here, too!
5. You won’t be alone. As a postgraduate
college, Ustinov has loads of students
in committed relationships so
that means there are other people like
you, maybe in the building next door
or just upstairs.
6. If you’re not sure whether you are
welcomed at an event or activity, ask
someone from the GCR Committee.
Chances are you’re welcome and if you
don’t ask you’ll never know!
7. Your partner may be working a lot
on their coursework so don’t be afraid
to venture out on your own—hang
out in the bar or café, join in picking
up litter, or go on that trip with the
GCR.
8. Join the Ustinov Facebook group
and engage in the conversation. You’ll
feel more connected to the community
where you’ll be living.
9. Most of the University societies and
student groups are open to people outside
of students, so if you’re interested
in getting involved in something, go
ahead and ask about it.
10. Be prepared to be a part of a
diverse, fun, and caring community
FEATURES
happy that you, as well as your partner,
are at Ustinov.
A Porter’s FAQ
Speaking of what people wish they
would have known, there is one group
of people at Ustinov with all the
answers: the porters. We asked Jonathan
Brown for his personal porter’s
FAQ, though as you’ll see, some of
aren’t answers so much as commiseration.
• ‘It’s not my fault the weather is
lousy, i.e., four seasons in one day.’
• ‘The offside rule in Rugby Union
is just as puzzling to me.’
• ‘Take your keys with you every
time you leave your room.’
• ‘The library is only half a mile
away—hardly a route march.’
This one is not so much a question
as a firm request:
• ‘If borrowing tools to mend bikes
or assemble Ikea chests of drawers—bring
them back!’
On a more serious note, this one
comes up a lot:
• What are bank holidays and why
doesn’t anyone in the office work
on them?
But for a really detailed discussion,
you can’t beat:
• The joy of explaining the laws of
cricket to Eastern Europeans.
Cont’d from p. 19
Behind The Lens
Answerman Jonathan Brown (Ustinovian photo) (Ustinovian photo)
Chris Kerr
Filming the debate for the college
gave me a unique perspective on the
discussion. It was challenging to film
the long panel of five speakers and two
chairs, but while I certainly didn’t have
multiple cameras and other features of
the average TV studio at my disposal I
was using some impressive kit.
The debate was a great opportunity
to use the college’s new digital
camcorder, microphone and professional
lights. As the debate progressed,
I decided to keep two candidates in
frame at a time, because one of them
(naming no names) was providing
some particularly dramatic reactions.
The debate was one of a number of
events that have been filmed for the
college and uploaded to YouTube, so
look out for more. When, after the
debate, one of the candidates came up
to me and said they were keen to use
the debate as part of their campaign, it
was a proud moment, as was receiving
approval from University Marketing
for the video to be published in time
for the election.
I urge anyone who’s ever daydreamed
about being a camera operator
or director to have a go. If you’re
interested in joining the media team,
contact Rebecca Bouveng: rebecca.
bouveng@durham.ac.uk.
21
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

FEATURES
Behind Closed Doors...
22
Mika Laiho
I’m a liver-in, and have lived in
Oak for a while now. Nothing made
me happier last year than when my
mother, who’d recently moved back
to the UK from Finland, brought my
trailer-load of personal belongings
with her.
These photos show a bit of my
character: lover of Pink Floyd, Iittala
(Finnish
architecture/interior design),
fair trade artwork and trainers!
What best represents my
room and my personality, however,
is the collection of things
on my windowsill: a colourful
onyx stone ‘jemel’ (Arabic for
‘camel’) from Dubai’s World
Village, ‘friend the monster’
(incarnated from my childhood,
invisible imaginary friend who
terrorised my little brother no
end), three or four colourful
plastic figurines from goodness-knows-where,
another
childhood relic which is a ‘family
of turtles’ made of shells to keep me
company (now as old as many resident
Ustinovians!), and a contemporary
art piece by Crushed Chilli
that symbolises the transient beauty
of my PhD years at Durham—and
Heimlich, who I’ve had since I visited
Disneyland Paris, aged thirteen.
Thanks for letting me share with
you!
(Photos: Mika Laiho)
Anna Kranz
(Photo: Victoria Burnham)
A small room is more work than
one would expect. It gets messy so
easily, especially if I don’t tidy up
every day. I wanted my room to be a
bit more homey and less impersonal:
unfortunately, we’re not allowed to put
up pictures on the walls with pins and
the like—so I researched non-permanent
wall decorations and came across
Washi tape.
It’s a Japanese tape which leaves no
marks when put up on walls and furniture.
It took me a while to locate a
store selling Washi tape in Durham
(The Works in the town centre sells
it, otherwise online shopping it is!)
but when I finally got my hands on
it, I managed to put up some abstract
art in my room, which made it much
more personal.
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

Victoria Burnham
I grew up with a very artistic and
creative mother. She instilled in
me the idea that ‘home is where
the heart is’, decorating our home
with her blend of ‘elegant and
earthy’: warm colors with various
rooms accented with fresh flowers,
herbs, and plants.
By the time I left home for university,
I knew I wanted to create my
home, no matter how temporary or
not, with the same refined taste—
except adding a touch of my own style.
Having a student budget, I was
able to change my room into a little
home away from home with a little
wallpaper from Wilko, some wood
picture frames, and fairy lights (of
course!). Throwing in a British mint
plant would make Mom’s love of herbs
proud—so I did that, too!
Just a few simple and economical
decorations turned the room into a
quaint little space that I love going
FEATURES
Ustinovians Design Interiors
(Photos: Victoria Burnham)
back to after a long day, and even
studying in—imagine that!
23
(Photos: Anna Kranz)
‘I love charity-shop
treasure hunting; it’s
where I got all of the
brass candlesticks
which now decorate my
room.
‘I also bought a
sausage-shaped pillow
to keep the draft out of
my room, which makes
it much more warm and
homey.’
(Photos: Anna Kranz)
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

50TH ANNIVERSARY
24
50 th Anniversary
Friday 12 June
Wednesday 17 June
Formal 50th Anniversary Dinner
7 p.m.
Our fortnight of 50th Anniversary celebrations
begins in style with a traditional
GCR Formal in the company of honoured
guests. A delicious three-course meal will
be served in themed surroundings, followed
by a GCR party.
Saturday 13 June
Ustinov Seminar: ‘Is Global
Citizenship Possible?’
10:30 a.m.
The notion of global citizenship underpins
the college’s ethos, but it is also a topic
open to debate. A panel of notable speakers
considers the ramifications and feasibility
of global citizenship.
Sunday 14 June
College History Walk
9 a.m.
Walk through time on this tour of current
and former Graduate Society and College
sites. Start off at the Howlands Farm campus,
walk through the woods to visit Shincliffe
Hall before heading back to Howlands
for a hearty brunch.
GCR Brunch
11 a.m.
The history walk concludes with a GCRhosted
brunch, a perfect cure following
the 50th Anniversary Formal and an
invigorating excursion. Pastries, fruit, and
hot beverages accompany socialising with
other guests.
Monday 15 June
GCR Film Night: Sir Peter
Double-Feature
7:30 p.m.
This week’s GCR Film Night showcases
none other than Sir Peter Ustinov himself
showing Death on the Nile and Topkapi.
The first is one of Peter Ustinov’s most
famous roles and the second he won the
1965 Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Tuesday 16 June
Mentor Dinner: 50 Years of the
North East
6 p.m.
The College Mentors present a night in
celebration of the culture, food, and history
of the North East, featuring a guest
performance by Spennymoor Brass Band,
which can trace its history back to the
19th century.
Kids Film Night at Keenan House:
Robin Hood
6 p.m.
Everyone, including those who are children
at heart, are invited to a truly ‘animated’
film night, in which Sir Peter Ustinov
stars as both the wicked Prince John
and the good King Richard, in the Disney
classic Robin Hood (1973). Popcorn and
sweets provided!
Thursday 18 June
Café des Arts presents:
Reflections: A Sufi Night / Jazz Noir
5 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.
Experience an hour of Sufi poetry and
music, while enjoying Arabic tea, delights
and sweets; and a dance performance by
Tara Lee. Then the Ustinov Jazz Band presents
music inspired by the film noir style.
To add to the drama and excitement, an
improvised comedy in the film-noir style
will be performed by Durham University
students.
Friday 19 June
College Honours Party & Ustinov Live!
6 p.m.
An awards ceremony celebrating the
achievements of Ustinovians: College
Honours, Norman Richardson and the
50th photo competition award winners
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

50TH ANNIVERSARY
25
Programme
will be announced, a commemorative artwork
unveiled, and a cream tea for guests
with a glass of Pimm’s or sparkling wine.
The evening opens and closes with music:
a performance from the Ustinov Choir to
start celebrations, and the GCR’s Ustinov
Live to end, showcasing some of our best
musical talent.
Saturday 20 June
Family Fête
1 p.m.
The Ustinov Senior Common Room, the
Volunteering team and the Ustinov Intercultural
Forum invite you to our Family
Fête! It’s an afternoon packed full of traditional
fun activities—from three-legged
races to games from around the world—
giving the whole family a unique opportunity
to learn about other cultures. A raffle
concludes the day with a selection of fantastic
prizes to be won!
Sunday 21 June
Ustinov Sports Day
1 p.m.
A sports tournament, led by the GCR and
a number of GCR Sports Clubs and Societies,
including football, basketball, cricket,
and Ultimate Frisbee. Enter with teams
of your friends and compete in a series of
fun sports challenges. At the end of the
day there will be an awards ceremony with
prizes for top three teams, best individual
athlete for each sport and best fancy
dress—the theme is, of course, sports!
To sign up, just email Marie Conger on
cs.ustinovgcr@durham.ac.uk or sign up at
the GCR office from 1 June 2015.
Monday 22 June
GCR Film Night: ‘The Value of Ustinov
Values’
7:30 p.m.
GCR Film Night gets taken over once
more, this time by a documentary and a
film expressing Ustinov’s values. Showing
Wadjda: its themes fit in with our ethos,
it’s international, and it’s the first feature-length
film made by a female Saudi
director. For the documentary, which will
go before the film, we will be showing Life
in a Day.
Tuesday 23 June
Cafe Scientifique
6 p.m.
Communication is key to science. Ensuring
that research is accessible and interesting
to all, Café Scientifique hosts a number
of talks on some of the most cutting
edge research currently happening in Durham.
Explore new horizons at this final
Café Scientifique of the year!
Thursday 25 June
Graduands Reception
5:30 p.m.
Celebrate their academic success with
Ustinov’s graduating students—and
chat about where their research is taking
them—over a glass of wine and nibbles.
Friday 26 June
Cafe Politique and Race, Crime &
Justice Conversations
5 p.m.
Come along to informal discussion groups,
hosted jointly by Café Politique and Race,
Crime & Justice, where we consider Britain
after the election and the challenges
facing the new government; and look at
Chinese discrimination and its relevance
in current times.
Sunday 28 June
GCR Summer BBQ
12 p.m.
The highlight of the GCR calendar closes
our 50th Anniversary celebration. Live
music, copious amounts of grilled food,
two bars, fairground rides, bouncy castles,
and much, much more, all bathed in
beautiful June sunshine (we hope!) and
followed by a party that lasts into the early
hours. This summer’s day out for students,
families, and children makes the perfect
culmination of this fortnight of festivities.
We would be delighted to welcome you
to the College during the celebrations—
please email ustinov.association@durham.
ac.uk for more details. All alumni members
are warmly welcome to book for
events on the Alumni Events Pages: www.
dunelm.org.uk/events/.
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

Touring Near
And Far
Compiled by Chris Kerr
Intrepid Ustinov students have been off
exploring this year, both near and far. So
whether you’re looking for inspiration for
a holiday, travel grant destination or are
just keen to escape the Durham bubble
on a budget and explore the North East
of England, there’s plenty to inspire you
here.
Near
WHITLEY BAY
(Photo: Bridget McMahon)
What: a small seaside town in the
North East
Where: on the coast, east of Newcastle
Distance from Durham: 24 miles
How to get there: take the train from
Durham to Newcastle, then the Newcastle
Metro from the Central Station
to Whitley Bay
In the midst of papers and exams, I
needed a break to the seaside to relax.
I didn’t want to travel far and Whitley
Bay is only a train to Newcastle and a
short metro ride away from Durham.
The waves crashed along the stone-ridden
seashore and the rain that day
could not stop me from walking two
miles down the beach to St. Mary’s
Island. The open sea is calming and
it’s hard to believe you’re by a major
metropolis. If the sea calls you, go on
an adventure to Whitley Bay. Bridget
McMahon
OFF THE HILL
WHITE SCAR CAVES
What: A show cave, first explored in
1923, approximately 6km/3.7mi long
Where: The west end of Yorkshire,
next to a town called Ingleton, quite
close to the North West
Distance from Durham: Approx. 70
miles
How to get there: Car ideally. Public
transport is also available though, travelling
by train to the nearest town and
then walking 30 minutes to the caves
themselves–but through the beautiful
Yorkshire countryside, that’s no chore!
The White Scar Caves were fascinating:
it’s amazing to see the geological
features of the caves and walk through
them (sometimes almost crawling!)
until you reach an enormous cavern,
twinkling with stalactites in purple
UV light. The guides know almost
everything there is to know about the
caves, and can answer any question
thrown at them. Siobhan Harper
WENSLEYDALE
(Photo: Siobhan Harper)
What: A dale in the Yorkshire Dales in
North Yorkshire, the next county over
from Durham, famous for Wensleydale
Cheese
Where: Hawes, a town in the middle
of the dale
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Distance from Durham: Approx. 55
miles
How to get there: Car ideally. Public
transport is available, travelling by
train to the nearest town and then
catching a bus.
One of the main attractions in
Hawes, in Wensleydale, is the famous
Wensleydale creamery, which makes
the even-more-famous Wensleydale
cheese, and the creamery is open for
visitors. The museum is very interesting,
with an information video
detailing the rise of the cheese from
the medieval period, plus there’s a
children’s activity station that offers
colouring while Wallace & Gromit
clips play on a television–my idea of
heaven! As if that weren’t enough,
the visitor’s centre has a cheese-tasting
room, where you get to sample
all the cheese that the creamery has to
offer—and then buy blocks of it for
yourself! Although we didn’t have time
to explore the area, there are plenty of
walks and things to do in the town and
the dales. A Grand Day Out indeed!
Siobhan Harper
LINDISFARNE
What: a tidal island
(Photo: Siobhan Harper)
Where: off the northeast coast of England
Distance from Durham: 78 miles
How to get there: Car ideally, but also
public transport. If you’re driving, be
sure to check the tidal timetable as
the island is separated from the mainland
by a tidal causeway. You can also
take the train from Durham to Berk-
26

wick-upon-Tweed, then take a bus or
taxi to the island.
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
hangs off the northeast coast and has
a recorded history as early as the sixth
century. With only a few hours to
spend there before high tide, we chose
to visit the main attraction—Lindisfarne
Castle. After being rennovated in
the early twentieth century, the interior
was transformed into a quaint,
cosy family living space. The stunning
views of the ocean from the castle combined
with the gorgeous weather made
for some great photo opportunities. Be
aware that you can only move to and
from Lindisfarne during low tide and
you will enjoy it! Kirstyn Raitz
Far
ICELAND
(Photo: Kirstyn Raitz)
A bathing suit might not be the first
thing on your packing list when traveling
to the northernmost capital of the
world, but if you’re planning a few days
in or around Reykjavik, don’t leave
home without one! After exploring the
moonscape of lava fields, and cascades
of geysers and waterfalls, it’s easy to
find a town pool or steaming spring
OFF THE HILL
for some well-deserved relaxing. Pack
a picnic and hike from Hveragerði (30
minutes outside of Reykjavik) to the
beautiful Reykjadalur (‘steam valley’),
where you can lounge in a hot stream
and enjoy the cool mountain air. For
a snack, try Skyr, a creamy Icelandic
yoghurt, and for something more satisfying,
Minke whale looks like steak,
but tastes even better! [Holy cats, no, it
does not!—ed.] Maggie Scollan
EGYPT
(Photo: Maggie Scollan)
On my trip to Egypt this spring
I saw the Pyramids at Giza, the old
Islamic area of Cairo with all of the
beautiful mosques and the ancient city
of Alexandria. I will never forget the
kindness and generosity of the people
there. Most Egyptians are quite poor
and yet they will give you the
shirts off their own backs. I
lived in a rural village for most
of my trip and seeing the conditions
that people live in every
day really helped reinforce just
how fortunate we are living in
the ‘Western’ world. The food,
sights, sounds, and smells generally
fall into the extreme categories
of either very nice or
absolutely horrible (mostly the
smells lie on the negative end of
the spectrum). If you are looking
for an adventure and you don’t
mind some discomforts or lack of
amenities then I would suggest making
your way to Egypt. You really can’t
beat catching that first glimpse of the
pyramids as they stick out over the top
of the Cairo skyline. Martin Sherman
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
CHERNOBYL
(Photo: Libby Metz)
(Photo: Martin Sherman)
After assuring my usually unfazed
mother that I wasn’t going to die of
radiation poisoning by visiting Chernobyl
(you receive as much radiation
on the full day tour as you do during
one hour of the flight there), I was
off to the Ukraine. Our tour guide
in the Chernobyl exclusion zone was
the hilariously deadpan Igor, who
demonstrated the removal of contaminated
material by brushing it off on
the ground. The checkpoint guards
laughed at the beards of the English
men on our tour. On the two-hour
drive from Kyiv to Chernobyl, we had
been bombarded with documentaries
about how the accident had occurred,
and what the fallout had been. However,
once we entered the exclusion
zone, I found the area was teeming
with (perfectly normal) wildlife and
was strikingly beautiful under freshfallen
snow. We saw wild horses and
foxes, and it was interesting to think
about what life would be life on Earth
without human influence. Libby Metz
27

ACADEMIC TRAVEL AWARDS
Ustinov Travel Award: New Orleans
Jesper Pedersen
28
In February this year, thanks in part to
a generous travel bursary from the Ustinov
Travel Fund, I flew to the International
Studies Association’s annual
convention, held in New Orleans, to
present a paper titled ‘Colonialism,
Reparations, and Duties of Development
Assistance’. Presenting at one
of the largest political science conferences
in the world was an incredible
opportunity to get invaluable feedback
on my paper as I’m working on getting
it to a publishable standard.
The ISA’s annual convention boasts
a staggering 4,000 delegates and hundreds
of panels across four days. It
covers every possible topic within politics,
drawing people from all over the
world—including many from Durham
and Newcastle, and a few old
fellow PhD students and members of
staff who have since left Durham. It
was great to catch up with them again.
But considering the size of the conference,
it was a bit strange to walk into
a nearly empty conference room for
my presentation on Thursday morning.
Granted, I had been assigned a
punishing 8:15 a.m. slot (Americans
seem obsessed with starting at silly
hours of the morning). My panel,
consisting of four presenters and a discussant,
was only just outnumbered by
the audience of six people.
I was later told the panel had done
quite well, as audiences of one or two
people aren’t unheard off. Nonetheless,
the experience did
prove very useful for my
work. Getting feedback
from the discussant and
answering perceptive
questions from the other
panellists and members
of the audience has
helped me a lot in sharpening
my argument in
later edits of the paper.
Of course, another great thing
about the conference was being able to
go to the other panels—with hundreds
to choose from, you’re guaranteed to
find something to pique your interest
at any time. The how-to-get-published
Q&A session with journal editors was
particularly fascinating.
Another highlight was the Game of
Thrones-themed panel (which, unlike
my own panel, was packed) where
presenters dressed in costume looked
at topics through the lens of the popular
books and TV show: are the White
Walkers a metaphor for global warming?
Is Putin more like Tywin Lannister
or Khal Drogo?
Of course I didn’t spend all my time
cocooned indoors at the conference.
By lucky coincidence the conference
started the day after Mardi Gras, and
there was no way
I would miss the
opportunity to get
involved.
Mardi Gras truly is
an experience unlike
anything else. The
whole festival takes
two weeks, and culminates
on Fat Tuesday
(17 February this
year) when the biggest
and most spectacular parades take
place and tens of thousands of people
line the streets to catch the Mardi Gras
beads and other trinkets they throw
from the floats. While there are actually
dozens of ‘krewes’, each with their
own parade, the two biggest and most
famous are the Zulu and Rex krewes,
which were the headline acts of the
final day. Their parades of 50 or more
beautifully decorated floats made their
way through the streets from early in
the morning to late in the afternoon.
A game of podiums, starring ‘Cersei’
(Photo: Jesper Pedersen)
In the evening the city turned into
a giant street party. I quickly decided
to give Bourbon Street a miss, though,
as I discovered to my great disappoint-
Cont’d bottom next page
A Zulu krewe float, floating over a background of Bourbon Street revellers
(Photos: Jesper Pedersen)
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

ACADEMIC TRAVEL AWARDS
Norman Richardson Postgraduate Research Award
Amelia Eichengreen
29
Over a year ago, while preparing for
a presentation on the Theatre of Dionysus
in Athens, I noticed something
peculiar: no research had been done
on its form during the Roman period.
Our only knowledge of this period is
that the old Greek theatre was completely
reconstructed into a new theatre
during the Roman period.
As the first Greek theatre, it is a
very important archaeological site, yet
there is no understanding of what the
Roman-era theatre looked like or how
it was used. (Roman Greece has often
been overlooked in favour of the previous
Greek periods, and this is particularly
true for many theatre studies.) As
a student of Roman archaeology, the
prospect of doing original research at
the theatre was extremely enticing to
me, and I knew I wanted to study the
theatre for my Master’s research.
I had to research from the foundations,
which literally are the architectural
foundations. My specific goal
is to identify if the theatre was roofed.
A roof would be significant since only
Roman theatres had roofs, and one on
the Theatre of Dionysus, originally
a Greek theatre, would highlight a
transformation from Greek to Roman
architecture. A wooden roof would no
longer remain, but the stone foundations
will indicate whether the theatre
was roofed or not.
Amelia demonstrating an archeologist’s knee-bend warm-up (Photo courtesy author)
This called for archaeological fieldwork
to test the durability of the stones
to determine if they would have been
strong enough to support a roof; this
in combination with an examination
of the building technique will indicate
if there was a roof. Eventually, I hope
to produce a reconstruction for what
the theatre would have looked like.
What followed was a long process to
apply for a permit to the Greek Ministry
of Culture to perform a geological
investigation on the foundations. Several
months later, I am happy to report
that the permit was approved!
Showing up at the theatre in Athens
with an official permit and a Greek
ID stating that I am an archaeologist
has probably been the highlight of my
studies thus far. Additionally, it has
been a once in a lifetime opportunity
to access to the off-limits areas and get
up close and personal with the Acropolis.
Often while at the theatre I had to
stop and soak everything in. Greece
attracts over 22 million tourists per
year, many of whom come to see the
famous archaeological sites. It’s a privilege
to be one of the few who have the
opportunity to work at and research
these ancient sites. I am extremely
grateful to Ustinov College, which
provided me with the Norman Richardson
Postgraduate Research Award
and funded my research.
Cont’d from previous page
ment that it’s become a bit of a tourist
trap.
Instead, my guidebook recommended
Frenchmen Street in Faubourg
Marigny, filled with live music venues,
brass bands playing in the street, and
great street food. I ended up going
back to Frenchmen Street most nights
I was there. Outside of Mardi Gras,
New Orleans is an incredibly beautiful
and lively place to visit, from Uptown
with its grand 19th-century architecture,
the French Quarter with great
gumbo and music playing on every
street corner, and its landmarks and
sights such as the Saint Louis Cathedral
or the excellent National World
War II Museum.
I would like to thank Ustinov
College for giving me this grant and
helping me make this experience
possible. I don’t know when, but
I’m definitely going back to New
Orleans at some point.
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Ain’t no party like a Rex krewe party on a float.
(Photo: Jesper Pedersen)

Ustinov Seminar
Holly Flynn-Piercy
‘Africa:
Interdisciplinary
Conversations and
Experiences’
The seminars for this term got off to
a very good start, as on the first Saturday
back, 25 April, we welcomed
four excellent speakers from departments
across the university. Although
not initially clear from their titles, as
the seminar progressed it became clear
there was a uniting topic among the
presentations: violence. The audience
were treated to a thought-provoking
discussion, which included a range of
theoretical, empirical, and personal
insights on different African countries
in different time periods using different
methodologies.
COLLEGE PROJECTS
Our first speaker, Dr Jutta Bakonyi
from the School of Government and
International Affairs (SGIA), provided
a theoretical overview of the relationship
between development and violence
across the continent as a whole.
We then moved from theory to practice
as our next speaker, Mina Asakura,
a second year PhD candidate also from
SGIA, discussed Community Policing
in Uganda, in which she offered some
reflections on her experiences and the
challenges she had faced while conducting
her fieldwork in three Ugandan
cities as well as giving some preliminary
conclusions on the potential
success of community policing and the
collaboration beginning to take place
between the Ugandan police force
and those in its neighbouring country,
South Sudan.
Following a break for the audience
and speakers to refill their coffee cups,
our third speaker, Adeniyi Olayode,
a third year PhD candidate from the
Law School, took us back in time with
a discussion of the impact of colonialism
on the use of restorative justice in
contemporary Nigerian prisons. The
presentation clearly showed that prisons
and the justice system continue
to face many challenges that are still
caught up in the colonial legacy.
Building on this research, our final
speaker, Matthew Benson, an MA
student from the History Department,
delivered a presentation on the
methodological approaches and concerns
associated with researching taxation
practices in South Sudan, which
based on his fieldwork experiences,
combined both the historical and the
contemporary. Matthew brought us
back to theory and so we ended where
we began, and with a greater understanding
of why theory is important
in explaining empirical questions. A
lively discussion followed as participants
recharged their batteries with a
light lunch and of course—more coffee!
Ustinov
Volunteering
Anna Serke
Lucy Gardner
The last term was a busy one for the
Volunteering team: we have had a couple
of events and all of them have been
a great success, thanks to the amazing
volunteers we have here at Ustinov!
We started off with another RT
Project Day, so people who didn’t get
a chance to volunteer first time round
could experience how rewarding and
fun spending the day with RT Projects
was! If you read the Epiphany issue of
The Ustinovian carefully, you might
remember that RT Projects is a local
charity which believes that creativity
and social activity are fundamental to
a fulfilled life and contribute towards
good mental health.
You might also remember that we
were working on a mosaic for the
Lumley Junior School near Chester-
30
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

Le-Street, which was started by the
children who designed it. This time we
were able to finish it and it will be put
up at the entrance of the school!
Our second event of the term was
the RSPB challenge at Saltholme
Nature Reserve. RSPB (the Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds) is
a charity that promotes the conservation
and protection of birds throughout
the UK. Indeed, Saltholme is a
very special place as it lies in the middle
of an industrial area surrounded
by chimneys, oil refineries and even a
nuclear power station. It’s a remarkable
contrast, captured vividly by Miriah
Reynolds:
‘This was my first experience on
a RSPB nature reserve. As an
American, I admittedly associate
the concept of a reserve with vast
national parks relatively free of human
encroachment. However, the UK
must conserve its flora and fauna on
a completely different developmental
time scale.
‘Saltholme built itself in tandem
with the needs and heritage of
industry. Factories and smokestacks
dominate the better part
of the visual horizon from any point in
the reserve, giving the place an almost
dystopian feel. But it reminds me that
the RSPB must be at the forefront
of creatively maximizing habitats for
wildlife while negotiating the effects
of intensive land use at their doorstep.
For that reason, I was happy to swing
a mattock for a better part of the afternoon!’
COLLEGE PROJECTS
It is worth adding that this was
a hands on physical task. We helped
re-landscape the banks of a waterbody,
so the public could get a good view of
the wading birds and ducks from the
nearby bird hide. You can’t imagine
how different the banks looked when
we left, and we’d like to take the opportunity
to say thank you to everyone
who contributed to this success! Especially
because it was our first outdoor
event, and guess what—it was raining,
of course!
Our last two events of the term
were a networking event jointly hosted
with the Principal of Ustinov College,
Professor Glenn McGregor, as well as a
focus group on the Ustinov vision and
mission statement. For the networking
event, Barbara Gubbins, Chief Executive
of County Durham Community
Foundation explained the importance
of networking and provided the attentive
audience with some practical
guidance on how to ‘work a room’.
The focus group was a productive session
and with the help of some keen
Ustinovians we were able to provide
college with some valuable feedback
on how the statement could become
a reality.
Preview: Family Fête,
Saturday, 20 June, 1
p.m.
Anna Serke, Lucy Gardner
(Volunteering), and Cesare Aloisi
(UIF)
The Volunteering team, the Ustinov
Intercultural Forum, and
Ustinov Senior Common
Room invite you to our Family
Fête! These groups are all
for promoting tolerance and
the goals of global citizenship:
what better way than to start
in the playground!
It’s an afternoon packed full
of traditional fun activities—
from three-legged races to
games from around the world—giving
the whole family (big kids included!)
a unique opportunity to learn about
other cultures, whilst also having lots
of fun. Come along and play, teaching
what you know or simply come and
enjoy watching a fierce game of tug of
war between bold children and scared
adults!
There will also be a ‘Bake Off’-style
competition, the theme of which will
be ‘Cupcakes and Cookies’ (but you
can interpret this as loosely as you
like!), so bring along a plate of delicious
baked goods for the chance to
win some great prizes! Finally, a raffle
will conclude the day with even more
fantastic prizes to be won, including a
signed football from Sunderland FC,
and Ustinov and Durham University
Stash!
Many volunteers have already
joined our ranks, but new recruits are
always welcome, so if you think you
have what it takes, please email ustinov.uif@durham.ac.uk
or ustinov.volunteering@durham.ac.uk.
Café Politique
‘Divestment at
Durham’
Holly Flynn-Piercy
This ecologically-minded Café Politique
event, primarily organised by
Mika Laiho, a second-year PhD student
in the Geography Department,
included short presentations given by
three invited guest speakers on energy
security, economics and climate
change.
Cont’d next page
31
Anna, busy digging herself in deeper (Photo: Michael Baker)
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Mika Laiho (Photo: Mahmoud Shalabi)

Cont’d from previous page
Given the weight of divesting from
fossil fuels, politically, economically
and socially for the university and
the wider region, this topic was an
important theme for members of Ustinov
College, especially those who are
interested in safeguarding the planet
for future generations. The main aim
of the discussion was to pose the question
whether divestment from fossil
fuels is necessary to combat climate
change and, if so, whether it can be
achieved at Durham University.
The speakers tackled this question
from a number of different perspectives.
The first speaker, Professor Jon
Gluyas, the current Head of Department
in Earth Sciences at Durham,
presented the case against divestment
and indicated the utility of fossil fuel
companies as well as suggesting that
for divestment to work, individuals
had to be made aware of the things
they can to do to reduce their carbon
footprint.
The second speaker, James Leaton,
a Durham alum and Research Director
at the Carbon Tracker Initiative
provided the numbers that clearly
showed the difficulties of achieving
effective divestment, while the final
speaker, Professor Michael Northcott
from Edinburgh University offered a
The ultimate conclusion seemed
to be that divestment is more com-
COLLEGE PROJECTS
plex than is often realised and there
are many more actors, not only the
global energy companies, who need to
be involved in and committed to the
process if divestment is going to reach
its potential relative to the social and
environmental costs.
In the run up to the next major
conference on a legally binding
international climate change agreement,
this event was both timely and
thought-provoking, and definitely left
some of the audience with food for
thought the next time they turn on a
light switch!
‘UK General Election
2015: Meet the
Candidates’
Holly Flynn-Piercy
Ustinov had the privilege of hosting
the parliamentary candidates representing
the main parties for the City
of Durham, alongside Independent
candidate, John Marshall—only Liam
Clark of UKIP was unable to attend.
Jointly organised by Café Politique
and the Ustinov Senior Common
Room (SCR), this event was one of
the most successful of the year. [See
feature story in this issue.]
job of ensuring the candidates kept
to time; ably assisted by members of
the SCR who were called upon to ask
some challenging questions of the candidates.
Race, Crime &
Justice
‘Is racial
discrimination still an
issue we should be
fighting against? Or
do we live in a postracial
society?’
Jason Haynes
32
There’s nothing funny about democracy: the Durham City candidates. (Ustinovian Photo)
discussion of the relationship between
divestment and climate change in the
context of the North East region.
Bringing together students, faculty
and members of the local community,
the topics primarily concentrated on
issues related to the university. The
debate was effectively managed by
Robert Fisher, who did an admirable
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Valentina Amuso
This seminar sought to engage critically
with leading experts in various
fields on problematic aspects of race
in Britain. Our speakers, Rosie Lewis
(MA Candidate in English Studies,
Durham University), Dr William

Ackah (Lecturer, Birbeck, University
of London), and Dr Daniel Kilvington
(Lecturer, University of Sunderland)
discussed questions regarding race in
literature, the under-representation of
black and minority ethnic people in
academia in Britain, as well as the vexing
question of racism in professional
sports (in particular, football). To no
one’s surprise, the mythical post-racial
moment is not yet.
Preview: ‘The Chinese
Diaspora: Historical
Perspectives and
the Contemporary
Challenge of
Discrimination’,
Friday, 26 June
Valentina Amuso
The idea to organise an event on the
Chinese diaspora emerged after the
publication of the report ‘The Chinese
population in the North East
Region’, by the Race, Crime and
Justice Regional Research Network,
which involves five universities in the
region (Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria,
Sunderland and Teesside),
and with which the Race, Crime and
Justice project at Ustinov College
works closely.
Considerations regarding the complexity
of the world surrounding us
and the idea of living in a material
COLLEGE PROJECTS
space characterised by increased connections
and population movements
in the UK and around the globe have
given rise to the necessity for critical
discussion.
As part of the Global Citizenship
programme at Ustinov College, which
challenges us to develop our understanding
of a cosmopolitan reality and
engage in a discourse on sensitive, but
often marginalised themes, an event
of this kind is fitting for the 50th
Anniversary celebrations. Discussion
regarding the social and economic
issues facing the Chinese population
within the region will be central to the
event.
Professor Maggie O’Neill, from the
School of Applied Social Sciences at
Durham University and former Principal
at Ustinov College, who also
worked on the report cited above with
Dr. Zhifeng Tong and Professor Gary
Craig, will participate as a speaker.
She will illuminate the scope of her
research and subsequent findings, the
diversity of the Chinese population
taken into consideration, the main
challenges faced by it, and the economic
contributions of the Chinese
population to the region.
Professor Qian Jun, Chair of Chinese
Studies at School of Modern Languages
at Newcastle University and
Director of the Confucius Institute,
has been invited as speaker as well.
He will offer a broader perspective on
Chinese population in historical and
global terms. Both contributions will
help illuminate the complex issues surrounding
this topic.
We would also like to invite personal
contributions and engage the audience
in a profitable productive debate over:
The Chinese population, past and current
aspects, what has changed what is
new, what are the challenges, what we
need to talk about, and how the event
will improve our perception of ourselves
as citizens of the world. Contact
us at ustinov.rcj@durham.ac.uk with
questions for the panelists.
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Café des Arts
Sherihan Al-Akhras
Chris Kerr
Ariadne Schulz
We’ve been up to a bit of mischief
in the past month, and we have a bit
yet to look forward to. Café des Arts
hosted a gothic night titled ‘Tales of
the Supernatural’ and an international
poetry event ‘Words Escape Me,’ and
we will shortly be doing a very exciting
café with Race, Crime and Justice.
We’ve also got some amazing things
planned for the college’s 50th Anniversary
celebrations!
Cont’d next page
33

Cont’d from previous page
Chris and Sherihan co-organised
‘Tales of the Supernatural,’ where they
had three main speakers delivering
harrowing literary tales, ranging with
genres, time-period and thematic resonance.
Anum Dada, Sherihan, and
Lauren Owen (author of The Quick),
contributed to the event through their
chosen tales that have covered topics
from different cultures including older
European and Middle-Eastern myths
and legends. The event ended with a
talk by Lauren Owen discussing the
fascination with the gothic, and focusing
on vampire depiction in film and
novels.
The ‘Words Escape Me’ event came
about because Sherihan and Chris had
discussed putting on a poetry event
of some kind earlier in the year. They
decided that a reading including international
poetry would be a great way
to represent the cultural diversity of
Ustinov’s community through poetry.
Sherihan knew a poet called Amir
Darwish who had appeared in an
anthology with other Teeside poets;
Sherihan and Chris met with these
poets and discussed whether introducing
a competitive element and making
the night a ‘poetry slam’ might be a
good idea.
It became clear that three out of the
four guest poets would be British, so,
to preserve the international focus of
the event, they decided to invite some
students to read international poems.
After talking to the guest poets and
considering how to make the event as
open and welcoming as possible for
the student readers, Chris and Sherihan
decided to remove the competitive
element in favour of an inclusive,
non-judgmental poetry reading.
Chris also started work on an
event exploring the work of the African-American
author Toni Morrison.
It was not possible to put this event on
due to lack of speaker availability, but
this obstacle became an opportunity
to work with the Race, Crime and Justice
Project on a more ambitious event
COLLEGE PROJECTS
exploring racial discrimination in academia
and sport as well as literature.
50th Anniversary
Preview: Sufi Dance
and Jazz Noir
Café des Arts wanted to come up with
something amazing for the 50th Anniversary
celebrations at Ustinov. A lot
of ideas were thrown at the board—
something we have always wanted to
do was a dance competition. Unfortunately,
due to insurance and finals
and so forth, that was met with all the
excitement of water dripping in a subterranean
pool at midnight.
Then came the suggestion to feature
Chameleology, the Ustinov Jazz
Band—but we did not simply want
them to give a standard set: this had
to be special. So like a phoenix from
the ashes came the idea for a film noir
event.
Improvisational actors will perform
a semi-scripted spoof on the film noir
style accompanied and accentuated
by the smooth stylings of Ustinov’s
very own jazz band. Replete with plot
twists and surprises, it should be a
matinée to remember. As a lead up we
will feature several student musicians
in a mini-concert.
The day will finish with a very special
guest dancer who is coming all the
way from London to perform a unique
Sufi dance. Tara Lee, the only woman
to hold a Guinness World Record for
the most Sufi rotations in one hour,
will give a brief talk about Sufi music
and dance followed by a much-anticipated
performance.
Free traditional Arabic tea, delights
and sweets will be served. We cannot
wait for the events taking place on the
18 June! We hope to see you there and
at future events.
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
Ustinov
Intercultural
Forum (UIF)
Cesare Aloisi
And so the UIF has had another busy
term! After the previous term closed
with the incredibly popular international
party, it was difficult to live
up to the expectations, but we tried!
On 20 March, we celebrated Newroz
with the Durham Kurdish Society, and
it was an evening filled with cultural
insights, dances, good auspices, and
traditional food.
A careers event was organised in
April in collaboration with the University’s
Careers and Employment Service,
designed for those international
students wishing to work in the UK,
to help them gain a better knowledge
of career development. Thanks to a
very efficient networking activity (and
to a good dose of free muffins!), four
speakers shared their knowledge on
the job application process, the operation
of sponsorship by British companies,
and work experience in the UK.
The university’s careers adviser,
Peter Fox, provided the clearest picture
of the British job market and the
general recruitment process. Fiona
O’Carroll, who is the deputy director
of the International Office, gave a talk
on how international students adapt
to university life, new styles of living,
and British culture, and how they
34

e-integrate when they return to their
home country.
Jing Pang, who is a Durham University
alumnus, talked about his studies
and his working experience in the
UK: his speech was so inspiring that
the audience was stimulated to design
their own possible career development
in the UK. Ustinov College mentor
Anna Claudia Morgavi offered an
opportunity for reflection by discussing
the areas for improvement in terms
of academic skills and chosen career
path. The audience was engaged and
committed to the workshop, and all
participants provided positive feedback.
See you in October for the next
appointment!
At the moment we are working
hard on two fronts: A social evening of
dance and poetry for the mentors and
their mentees (although everyone is
welcome) on 30 June, and the Family
Fête to be held 20 June as part of the
50th Anniversary celebrations.
The second project on 30 June,
‘Good Music, Good Friends’ will feature
a performance of a cantata composed
and performed by one of the
mentors, the Reverend Joseph Harper.
Good Music, Good Friends
An evening of musical and dance entertainment at Ustinov College
30 th June, 6.00 – 8.00 pm
Fisher Café, Ustinov College
COLLEGE PROJECTS
Organisation is going well but organising
the events is causing a few grey
hairs, since everyone is busy with their
exam preparation. Stay tuned though,
as there could be the comedic sight of
one of the organisers trying to wrestle
a grand piano through Fisher House!
One group that we are pleased to say
has also signed up is Ngoma Vuma
Uropa, an amazing group that performs
traditional music from all over
Africa and will perform a rousing
finale to the evening for us.
You are warmly welcome to an evening of entertainment, relaxation and
refreshments. First on the menu is a lively salsa performance, setting the
tempo for the evening. Then College Mentor Rev Dr Joseph Harper
offers a newly composed cantata on the theme of Celebration,
Thanksgiving and Guidance, accompanied by the Ustinov College Choir.
The evening concludes with a performance of the acclaimed Durham
choir Ngoma Vuma Uropa. Come along for an enjoyable night to catch
up with friends, mentors and mentees before the summer holidays.
Presenters enjoy Principal McGregor’s New Zealand grilling. (Photo: Mahmoud Shalabi)
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
How to Participate in
a Ustinov Seminar or
Café
The Ustinov Seminars; Volunteering;
Race, Crime & Justice; and
Café Politique, Café Scientifique,
and Café des Arts projects are all
designed to give Ustinov members
the opportunity to present (and perform)
in a public environment, frequently
with colleagues more established
in their disciplines.
Organisers are always willing to
hear ideas and themes for presentations
(although they do try to plan
a term in advance). You can contact
them at the emails below:
• ustinov.seminar@durham.
ac.uk
• ustinov.cafesci@durham.ac.uk
• ustinov.cafedesarts@durham.
ac.uk
• ustinov.cafepol@durham.ac.uk
• ustinov.rcj@durham.ac.uk
• ustinov.volunteering@durham.
ac.uk
• ustinov.uif@durham.ac.uk
Cont’d next page
35

Ustinov Cricket
Club
José Luis Mateos
Despite a rather unsteady start in the
intercollegiate T20 tournament, the
Ustinov Cricket Club has positioned
itself as a challenging player. It owes
this position to a core feature of any
Ustinov society: diversity. With members
coming from almost every corner
of the globe —India, Pakistan, the
West Indies, Denmark, Spain, and
Gibraltar—the team is an amalgamation
of styles that makes outcomes
unpredictable and challenges opponents.
The Ustinov Cricket Club kicked
off the T20 tournament with a loss
against St John’s. However, we must
not overlook the massive amount of
effort put in by Ustinov’s players, who
demonstrated, in the
next match against Durham
University Staff,
their first-class cricket
skills that awarded the
team its first victory.
In the following weeks
the team has more games
scheduled. However,
due to the recent bad
weather, the final schedule
still needs to be confirmed.
We will keep you
informed, using our common social
media platforms, when and where we
are going to be playing. We invite you
to support the team (we need it in this
CLUBS & SOCIETIES
very promising season). Feel free to
sing and shout in our matches in your
own language, for sure someone in the
team will understand you!
We’re always looking for new
players, and anyone is welcome. So
whether you used to open the batting
for England or you’ve never hit a ball
with a stick and run between some
other sticks before, we’d love to hear
from you. This term we’re training
every Friday at 5 p.m. in Maiden Castle.
Men’s Football
Eddy Walter
Ustinov College AFC has had another
successful term rounding off a good
year overall.
The A team finished a respectable
sixth in Division 1 and completed the
Take a knee, gentlemen. (Photo courtesy Men’s Football Club)
season with a 5-3 victory against Staff
A in an end-of-season friendly. The B
team has also had a successful term
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
with a number of good results, the
highlights of which were comfortable
4-1 and 4-2 victories over Staff B.
Off the field this term, Ustinov College
AFC has had a number of socials
including a charity shop social and the
Ustinov sports formal, where the club
was well represented with 22 members
of the team in attendance. The A
and B team player of the year awards
were announced over the course of
the evening. Top scorer Dan Conway
picked up A team player of the year,
while midfielder Nury Moreira was
awarded B team player of the season.
We are always looking for new players
of all abilities, and as a club we will
be having a number of training sessions
and friendlies over the summer
months. If you are interested in playing
please search and ‘like’ Ustinov
College AFC on Facebook, or get in
touch by email.
Women’s
Football
Cat Hirst
Ustinov Women’s Football Club has
had mixed fortunes over the 2014–
15 season, but ultimately our final
league position has guaranteed yet
another season of top flight football.
Back in September we were allocated
Amelia Pereira as our new
coach; she arrived just in time to
prepare us for the start of the season.
Amelia, an integral part of Durham
36

Women FC and the University 1st
XI, has coached us well throughout
the season and has helped us all to
improve our game in this time.
The season began with a promising
1-1 draw against a top quality Collingwood
team. It was clear from the outset
that these guys were aiming for the
top, so a draw was a very positive result
for us.
From this point on we suffered
from inconsistency due to losing players
through injury, illness, or just bad
timing, meaning we had to wait until
December for our first league win
(a 6-0 victory, which was worth the
wait). This theme of mixed fortunes
continued throughout the season, but
what was very positive to see was the
number of different people we had
play for us.
At Ustinov we welcome all abilities
and we like to give anyone who wants
to play the chance to get involved in a
game. No previous experience of playing
football is required as this is something
we are happy to teach as we go
along.
Training is held on Thursday evenings,
6 to 7 p.m. at Maiden Castle,
and all are welcome to attend. If you
want to come along to a training session,
or if you want more information
about the team, just email Cat at
c.m.hirst@durham.ac.uk .
Coaching session in progress (Photo courtesy Women’s Football Club)
Salsa Dance
Society
Cameron Fairweather
I would thoroughly recommend joining
salsa class to anyone! I joined after
much persuasion by Sheri, our Salsa
instructor, and I must confess before
the first lesson I had reservations.
CLUBS & SOCIETIES 37
However, I enjoyed that first lesson
so much that I attended every lesson
that followed, which provided a variety
of Latin dances, including Salsa,
Bachata, Kizomba, and Merengue.
We had a variety of professional and
very talented teachers, such as Chris
Storey, Richard Asquith, Alex Webb,
and Nury Moreira—along with Sheri,
who organised and co-taught the
classes. We were first shown the basic
steps, and practiced this for several
minutes before we partnered up.
We swapped partners every five
minutes or so, which was good because
if you were good and ended up with a
weak partner it wasn’t for long, and if
you were bad you felt like you weren’t
a burden to the same person for too
long.
Furthermore, it offered an opportunity
to meet, mix, and socialise with
lots of different people. The instructors
we had each week created a very
fun and relaxed environment, in
which we felt absolutely no pressure
or embarrassment. Finally I would say
that actually concentrating on doing
salsa is very therapeutic, provides a
nice break from academic work, and,
of course, is really fun.
For more information get in touch
with us on s.s.al-akhras@dur.ac.uk or
add our group on Facebook: Salsadictos
- Durham University Salsa Team:
Past and Present Members.
Salsa dancers like it picante! (Photo courtesy Salsa Dance Society)
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

Jazz Band
Kyle Murray
I’ve always loved music—loved playing
it ever since picking up my first
instrument when I was seven (a long
time ago)—but I’d always tried my
best to stay away from jazz because,
quite frankly, it scared the be-jazz-us
out of me; it looked and sounded difficult
to play, and lots of the jazz musicians
I came across were...how can I
put this?...a bit snobby really.
But all that was before I joined Ustinov’s
jazz band Chameleology. Back in
October, band leader and saxophonist
Tom encouraged me to come along
to one of the rehearsals, and I’ve been
back every week. The musicians in the
group are some of the best I’ve had the
pleasure to play with. All of us have
different musical styles and quirks,
which makes something a bit different
when we put them together.
CLUBS & SOCIETIES
What’s more, they’re not the least
bit snobbish. It’s just a group of musicians
doing what they love, playing
music, and having a load of fun while
doing it. I felt very welcome from day
one and, as well as having a great time
every week and in our live performances,
I’ve learned a lot.
Since I joined we’ve been working
on a mixture of jazz standards—some
you’ll have definitely heard many
times before (I’m talking Nat King
Cole, Nina Simone, Herbie Hancock
and much more)—as well as some
more contemporary things (you ain’t
heard nothin’ ’til you’ve heard our offthe-cuff
take on Hot Chocolate’s You
Sexy Thing).
Whatever we do we try to give it
our own spin and have fun with it.
It’s been quite a busy time for the
band too: several Ustinov Live! performances,
providing entertainment
for the Ustinov Christmas Formal
after-party, and our Christmas gig at
Durham’s Empty Shop HQ. These
all seemed to go down well, and were
great fun to play (bossa ‘White Christmas’,
anyone?).
We’ve got more excitement coming
up, too. As I write, we’re preparing
for performances as part of the 50th
Anniversary Celebrations, and for a
showing at the Summer BBQ. We’re
looking forward to seeing you all
there! You can keep up to date with
our gigs and events via our Facebook
page: www.facebook.com/ustinovjazz.
They seem nice, but they play that jazz like the devil. (Photo courtesy Ustinov Jazz Band)
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015
We’re always on the lookout for
new musicians, so if you play an
instrument come and give jazz a try!
All instruments are welcome. Whatever
your level or experience with
jazz, if playing and performing great
music with a bunch of fellow musicfans
sounds good to you, come along
to one of our rehearsals (Tuesdays, 8
p.m., Howlands Music Room), get in
touch via the page, or have a chat with
us at one of our gigs.
Darts Team
Andrew Titchmarsh
This year has been the most successful
year in the history of Ustinov darts.
We finished third in our league and
are currently in the quarterfinals of the
cup competition. We have also raised
over £1000 for local charities through
playing matches against other teams
across the county.
Playing darts is a great way of meeting
new people and seeing the other
colleges across Durham. We take on
players of all abilities; with practice
sessions in the college, you get to know
everybody. So, if you fancy yourself as
the next Michael Van Gerwin then
come along and see us at freshers’ fair
in the autumn, we’d love to have you
join us.
Darts meets every Monday in the
pool room at 8 p.m. for matches and
practice. The best contact for new players
is the email of next year’s captain,
Kevin Chambers (kevchambers17@
hotmail.com).
38

Singing With
Durham University Voices
Daisy Walker
When I started university, I was determined
to actively participate in life at
Durham, and so decided to try Durham
University Voices (DUV). I have
been in a school choir in the past, but
only because they gave us half a day off
for the performance.
DUV really appealed to me as they
don’t require an audition to join,
and everyone is welcome. At my first
rehearsal, the group started straight
away on the ‘Rivers of Babylon’. I have
continued to attend ever since, and
LAST NOTES
have performed in two concerts so
far, one at Christmas, and the other in
February.
Both experiences were great fun—
it’s one of the best feelings in the world
when the choir is perfectly in sync,
with all the different voices coming
together as one, led by the
conductor.
Some of my favourite pieces
have been the Christmas carols,
and arrangements of ‘The Sound
of Silence’ and ‘Sway’ by our conductor,
Sarah. Both she and the
other conductor, Tom, are incredibly
enthusiastic, with an open and
relaxed teaching style. Throughout
the year, the rehearsals have been
one of the highlights of my week, often
leaving me singing all the way home,
including at Tesco. I have also felt my
voice improve and grow stronger.
So, if anyone enjoys singing but
is afraid of not being good enough, I
encourage them to give it a go. As they
say, singing is good for the soul.
Are you a tenor? All choirs could use more tenors. (Photo courtesy Durham University Voices)
Ustinov’s Annual
Conference I
At its first annual conference, Ustinov
College asks, ‘What makes interdisciplinarity
work?’, with the subtitle
‘Crossing academic boundaries in real
life’ promising a pragmatic approach
to the topic.
We plan to use Durham Cathedral as bait.
(Photo: Martin Sherman)
The conference is set for Friday
and Saturday, 10 and 11 July 2015,
and brings together research students
and established practitioners to share
knowledge and insights on interdisciplinary
projects.
The keynote address will be delivered
by Durham’s Angela Woods, who
will speak on ‘Working Knowledge:
Notes on the production and performance
of interdisciplinary research’.
Early presenters will take on the task of
defining interdisciplinarity, a category
whose capacious scope is indicated by
subsequent talks taking up neuroimaging,
medieval heretics, energy use, and
economics, to name just a few topics.
Registration is £15.00 and includes
breakfast, lunch, and drinks reception.
The online registration form (www.
dur.ac.uk/conference.booking/) offers
options to book accommodation and
conference dinner. For more information,
contact ustinov.conference@
durham.ac.uk or visit www.dur.ac.uk/
ustinov.college/scholarly.activity/
annualconference.
39
The Ustinovian Easter Term 2015

#YourUstinov Instagram
Competition Finalists
As part of Ustinov’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, we
asked you to tag photos on Instagram that captured
what Ustinov meant to you. Now it’s time to announce
the finalists! The winners will be awarded at the College
Honours Party on Friday, 19 June. And remember you
can follow us on Instagram: @the_ustinovian.
‘home away from home’ / shizukaho
‘#deer outside my bedroom window’ / ingridagnete
‘Food.friends.home’ / raine_sunandsand
‘Proud to be #ustinovians’ / tiikairawan
‘Pooh’ / happy_from_kz
The Ustinovian is published termly, three times per year. It
is produced by the students of Ustinov College. Questions,
and suggestions for stories and photography may be sent
to ustinov.publication@durham.ac.uk.