The Gender Equality Society of the University of Exeter has changed its name to Feminist Society. The decision was taken by a society vote and was passed by the Students’ Guild Societies Officer shortly thereafter.
Lucy Whitaker, President of Feminist Society, explained the reasons and process for the name change: “There are a couple of reasons we wanted to change the name. One is that no one in the society shies away from the word ‘feminism’ but our society name suggested otherwise. In fact, many people both in and out of the society criticised the name ‘Gender Equality’ for this reason. In descriptions of the society I have always referred to it as a feminist society so it made sense to change our name so that we did not have to explain that we were in fact feminists and proud to be so despite not being called Feminist Society. We’ve occasionally been met with hostility for changing the name but we took a vote as a society and an overwhelming majority were passionate about changing the name so we stand by our decision.
“The terms ‘Gender Equality’ and ‘Feminism’ should be interchangeable but the fact that we had to have this discussion proves that they are not. This could be because of hostility or fear of the word feminism or simply people not understanding that feminism is anything above equality for the genders. The fact that the York Feminist Society couldn’t get ratified by their union shows that fear of feminism, or at least the term feminism, still exists. The fact that we will be taking on the name shows our desire to educate people on what the term actually means, our pride to identify with the feminist movement and our solidarity with other feminists who may be experiencing hostility over their use of the word”.
Jak Curtis-Rendall, VP Participation and Campuses, told Exeposé: “Feminist Society chose to change its name to reflect the important principles and activities it has held since it was first affiliated. This name change brings the society into line with those nationally, and the change was unanimously approved by the Societies Executive”.
Megan Furborough, a third year English student, said: “It’s really encouraging to see that ‘Feminist’ is being celebrated by the society. Feminism is not a dirty word, and in order to achieve and improve rights for women, the first thing we need to do is more fully embrace and use the term”.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to spend endless amounts of time discussing matters of little to no importance, you’ll have been on a society committee at some point.
One of the very worst parts of being on a committee is the meetings. Oh, the meetings. Passive aggression never had such a platform and let’s not even get into what happens when voting is involved.
Here we list reasons why committee meetings are just the worst things ever…
Clement, Harry and Josef know a thing or two about difficult meetings Potsdam Conference 1945
1. Arranging the damn things. Doodle polls are great and all but only when people ACTUALLY FILL THEM IN. And then, what are you supposed to do when there is literally no time anyone can meet? Have a meeting at, like, 9 a.m.? Oh the travesty!
2. Someone is always late. And it’s usually you. You think they’ll understand but there’s an undercurrent of resentment that you can feel radiating from every, “Oh no, no. It’s fine. We’ve only been here for five minutes…”
3. The time split between ‘things that actually matter’ and ‘meaningless bluster’ is about 80/20. You would put up with your social sec’s endless need to pontificate if it didn’t mean listening to 20 minutes self-righteous ranting on why brownies really should not be included in the bake sale.
4.The answer to “Has anyone booked the [DJ/venue/seven dancing ponies?] is always no. The likelihood that people have actually gone ahead and done what they said they would last committee meeting is pretty much zilch. Unless you happen to be in a committee where things actually get done. In which case, it’s even more annoying when it turns out you’re the lazy one.
5. The general lack of snacks. On TV and apparently in much of the professional world, meetings mean tea, coffee and the possibility of pastries. At university, everyone is far too skint/in a hurry to bother with putting on a spread. If you’re lucky, it’s someone’s birthday or you’re in a committee with one of those beautiful people who “just love to bake!”. But mostly it’s a few dried apricots and a stolen swig of someone’s lukewarm water.
6. Anyone on a power trip. Facing down someone is hard enough in any situation but facing down someone in a committee meeting is downright dangerous. Things can easily spiral out of control until you find yourself in a shouting match with your president over whether or not the stash should be orange or magenta (obviously magenta)
And lastly…
7. Accidentally ending up in the meeting of a committee that’s not your own. If there’s one thing worse than sitting through your own committee meeting, it’s having the misfortune to be around someone else’s. Trapped in the Kitchen Café or, for more relaxed societies, The Ram, you sit frozen with anything from extreme social awkwardness to morbid fascination listening to the inner workings of another committee. Expect unfathomable in jokes, “hilarious” digressions and the excitement level of a badly attended wake.
Do you love or hate your committee meetings? Let us know on Facebook, twitter or in the comments below…
Continuing our Society Spotlight feature, Exeposé Books takes a look at what the Literary Society is all about…
‘So what’s the difference between LitSoc and the English Society?’ A question that most LitSoc members have fielded at least once. The answer? The English Society is an academic society for people who study the subject, whereas the Literary Society is a place for anyone and everyone who likes books.
In LitSoc we have everyone from engineers to historians, and of course, like every books-related society, a good number of English students as well. The one thing we all have in common is a love of books.
The aim of LitSoc is to get all these campus book-lovers together to meet like-minded people and have a good ol’ chinwag about books, whether this is over a pint or two (and a pizza) in the Old Firehouse, or at a tea party with ample amounts of cake.
We organise regular book nights where we chat about a work that has particularly interested us. We also hold book swaps – to expand our collection of reading material and finally get rid of those copies that we’re never actually going to read – and screenings of films that have been adapted from our favourite literature.
We enjoy going on trips; last term saw a visit to Bath to check out the Jane Austen museum and the renowned Christmas market. Later this term we will hopefully be travelling to Hay-on-Wye to browse its impressive collection of second hand bookshops.
We also enjoy a good literary-themed party. We’re already getting excited about our Ball on a Boat taking place at the end of term. This will be a party with a Death on the Nile theme on a boat making its way up the river Exe from Exmouth, to see out the LitSoc year in style!
Perhaps my favourite aspect of LitSoc is the sheer range of literary interests that it encompasses. Whether you’re a lifelong Sherlockian, a lover of poetry or someone who enjoys nothing more than a good bestseller, there will be people in LitSoc who share your interests.
However interesting the books on your course, we all need a chance to broaden our literary horizons and read for pure enjoyment. We all need an opportunity to chat about books in a context where we don’t always have to keep half a mind on thoughts of essays and exams. If you’re worried that university is in danger of taking your love of reading away – don’t be! LitSoc gives you the chance to enjoy talking about books for its own sake and rediscover your old literary loves.
Equally, if you feel that there’s no space to explore books within your chosen course, LitSoc can provide the perfect outlet for your reading impulses. What better antidote to heavy course textbooks than losing yourself in a discussion about your favourite author?
Ultimately, LitSoc is the place for people who love reading to get together and talk about it.
The Students’ Guild has clarified its policy on society membership fees after Exeposé made it aware of confusion regarding membership fees amongst Exeter’s political societies. The Guild have clarified their position on minimum society membership fees following a furore surrounding the ability to offer free membership.
Last year, the Liberal Democrat Society were allowed to be a free society at the Activities’ Fair. However, other political societies, who were unsure why they hadn’t been offered this option, were assured that this would not be the same this academic year. At the Activities’ Fair however, it was discovered that Lib Dem Soc weren’t charging a fee again this year.
For the past two years the Liberal Democrat Society has been a free society, as they are funded by the Liberal Youth movement. However, a Guild guide entitled ‘How to set up a society’ previously stated: “The Guild recommends societies charge a membership fee of £5, however societies must charge at least £3.50.”
The Lib Dem’s alleged bending of the rules perplexed other political societies. Daniel Richards, President of Labour Students, commented, “after launching a complaint, we were led to believe that the Guild would enforce the rules and this year, the Lib Dems would be a fee taking society. It is clear that this wasn’t the case. I feel the fault is with the Guild. I want a consistent stance on membership fee policy. The[y] have become like a poorly run political party, saying one thing and doing another and I am tired of trying to get a position out of them!”
Conservative Future’s President, Harry Chamberlain followed up with, “I don’t feel that many of those involved in political societies are particularly upset by the LDS being allowed to offer free membership, as cashflow is essential to all societies and our membership figures have not been affected as a result. However, perhaps in future the Guild would like to take a more consistent standpoint on whether or not to allow societies to offer free membership.”
After being made aware of the confusion by Exeposé, the Guild promptly created a new statement which will read, “The Guild recommends a society membership fee of £5, and strongly advises that societies do not charge less than £3.50 except in exceptional circumstances and we would always recommend a society talks to us first.”
Jak Curtis-Rendall, Students’ Guild Vice President Participation & Campuses says, “Some conflicting information regarding the fees that societies charge their members has been corrected and I am pleased that we have had the opportunity to clarify our guidance to societies on this issue. The Students’ Guild seeks to support all our student societies to maintain strong memberships and provide enriching experiences for their members. I feel it is important that societies consider the potential consequences of altering their membership charges and encourage society presidents and committees to approach the Activities & Volunteering Unit for advice.”
Delays to the summer works to Cornwall House have resulted in disruptions to student society activities. The works that were initially scheduled for completion on 31st August are now set to be finally handed over on 11th October, due to “unforeseen problems.”
Dance society, Kung Fu and Music societies are all known to have registered their concerns with the Guild about activities being disrupted or cancelled due to the construction work.
Liz Moore of Kung Fu Society, said: “It has become very clear that communications between the University and the Guild have been insufficient.”
Ian Millar, Head of Buildings stated in response to the delays: “This is very disappointing as we had hoped to wow Freshers and returning students alike with the finished building from the start of term. However we have worked very hard with Guild staff to mitigate the effects of the delay and ensure that all events can go ahead as planned.”
The project had three objectives, namely improving energy efficiency and structural maintenance, the relocation of Music from Knightley and the construction of a new Marketplace and Fresh Ideas office. These were funded by separate budgets totalling £1.7 million including VAT and fees. A £1 million loan was won from a HEFCE energy efficiency initiative to part fund the project, which is currently on course to be successfully delivered within budget.
Ian Millar also stated; “Estate Development Service (EDS) are delighted that we will shortly be taking the wraps off the new-look Cornwall House. On completion it will look clean and crisp, a building that the University and the Guild can be proud of.
The completed building will hope to boast greater soundproofing internally and externally, will have reduced energy usage and a reduction in carbon consumption of 185 tonnes a year.
“We consulted very widely with all levels of the Guild, students and Campus Services to develop the proposals and have worked closely with Guild staff on site all summer, to ensure that any inconvenience and disruption is minimised.”
Jak Curtis-Rendall, VP Participation and Campuses, commented “I am disappointed that the University’s external contractors remain behind in the scheduled improvements to Cornwall House, particularly now term has begun. This affected a small number of Freshers’ Week events and continues to impact on our student groups who require this vital space. While these delays are outside our control, the Students’ Guild is working hard to mitigate the effects on student activities as work continues.”
Emma Holifield, a third year member of BodySoc, told Exeposé: “Members often turn up to classes only to find the location has been suddenly changed. With several hundred members attending classes, this can be a huge problem which can turn people off coming back to classes, particularly in the first few weeks of term.”
The University have stated that Campus Services will be monitoring energy usage and carrying out occupancy feedback exercises for the next 12 months and would be very glad to receive any feedback on the building.
Fresher’s Week 2013 culminated today on Sunday in the Activities and Volunteering Fair, from 10:00-16:00. As a long-standing occasion for University societies to promote themselves to prospective members and enroll students, the fair has always attracted a large amount of interest from students in all years. Apart from the online system, it is the main portal for students to join societies, allowing them to talk to the society committees and learn more before signing up.
In recent years the University has suffered from several sign up issues. Until three years ago, sign-ups were processed through cash and cheque. In 2011, the bar code system replaced this, which enabled students to collect bar codes which could then be scanned and paid for at a central point. There have been issues over the past two years with this infrastructure due to the often startlingly busy turnout of the Activities Fair. Since the renovation of the guild website, it is possible to buy membership for any society through the website. However, this infrastructure experienced some issues last year; students were unable to purchase society membership if, in their registration on My Exeter, they declined to share information (such as disabilities) with Exeter Guild.
With students required to buy compulsory gym membership alongside their sports society membership, it is unclear how this will affect AU membership this year.
“I anticipate a lot of hard work from the Guild staff, a lot of queues especially at the midday times, a lot of anger from students and societies alike because of the inevitable technical system problems; hopefully, if students persevere and are patient through all of this, the sign up process will go smoothly,” advises Olwen Hills, a third year student.
Students found society stands across Streatham campus, but despite the simpler cash sign-up system there were still issues caused by sheer weight of numbers, with Santander’s ATM running out of cash.
Dannee McGuire, News Team and Liam Trim, Online Editor
As of 13:01 today, the Santander ATM upstairs in Devonshire House stopped dispensing cash. A Santander spokesperson told Exeposé that £180,000 was put in the machine on Thursday. The machine will not be refilled today. Third-year English student, Beth Wright said that the machine displayed a “no cash” message.
The Activities and Volunteering Fair is currently underway with societies requiring cash-in-hand sign-ups. Over 200 societies are present at the Fair, representing a wide range of Exeter student interests.
The alternative is to sign up online via the Students’ Guild website using a bank card. However, this method means students are often unable to receive any merchandise a society may be offering on their stall.
There are currently over 100 students queuing at the NatWest cash machines in the Forum. With four working cash machines currently available, waiting time is judged at approximately 15 minutes.
Vice-President for Participation and Campuses, Jak Curtis-Rendall said: “Today has been a great success; we’ve had a great turn out. We put out various messages before the Fair to tell students to get out money before they came. We spoke to Santander and NatWest about filling the cash machines before the Fair. You can sign up online at any point today with your card.”
Let us know what your experience of the A&V Fair has been viafacebook or twitter.
A fresh batch of eager student volunteers braved the intense rain showers covering Streatham campus on Tuesday to find out more about some of Exeter’s charitable societies.
The afternoon-tea event in Queen’s Building, organised by Jodie Dewberry, brought together a range of student groups. Despite terrible weather throughout the day the gathering attracted a steady stream of students, old and new.
Whilst attendees did enjoy free refreshments, from cake to sausage rolls, the interest in supporting good causes amongst the student community was clear. Societies such as STAR (Student Action for Refugees), Oxfam, Mind Your Head, Gender Equality, Amnesty International, Friends of Palestine and Bollocks to Poverty all attracted curious newcomers to Exeter.
Jodie told Exeposé that several of the societies were planning a joint social in a few weeks time to build on the success of the afternoon-tea.
All of Exeter’s student volunteer societies will be at the Freshers’ Fair on Sunday the 22nd if you wish to sign-up, and you can also do so online via the Guild Website.
President of the Classics Society Ronnie Henderson explains just how important it is to get involved in any and all aspects of the university experience at Exeter, starting with the vast range of introductory activities happening this week.
Freshers’ week 2013. For those arriving in Exeter for the first time, it’s a week of new places, new parties, new people. For those returning, it’s a week of freedom before a term of panic, procrastination and, of course, a little partying. But what is obvious to the fresher and the finalist alike is the sheer volume of things going on. Societies that you didn’t even realise existed are hosting a full week of activities. From Clay shooting taster sessions to Community Action’s bouncy castle on campus, there is an incredible number and range of events available. All this can seem very daunting, especially when you are getting to know your new flatmates, recover from the night before and grapple with the Da Vinci code that is an Exeter University timetable. And so it is perhaps easy to forgo trying out a new society amidst everything else that is going on in this busy week. Yet dragging yourself out of your halls to attend that taster session in Freshers’ week could be the start of a new activity that really defines your time here. Exeter is not just an excellent academic institution; it’s a sports club, it’s a theatre group, it’s an orchestra – it’s a chance to discover what you love.
“Exeter is not just an excellent academic institution; it’s a sports club, it’s a theatre group, it’s an orchestra – it’s a chance to discover what you love.” Photo Credit: Lori Greig via Compfightcc
In Freshers’ week of September 2011, feeling suitably overwhelmed by all that Exeter had to offer, I rocked up to the Classics Society’s pub quiz, not really knowing what to expect, apart from an opportunity to show off my wealth of useless facts (which are still vast and entirely useless). Two years on and I am lucky enough to be the President of Classics for 2013/14, having been on a number of brilliant socials, acted in plays, played terribly in numerous games of netball, whilst meeting some of my best friends in the process. A social in freshers’ week is the ideal opportunity to meet people with similar interests to you in a very informal and fun way. For example, one of the highlights in Classics’ calendar is the Toga social – the perfect chance to get to know your coursemates whilst dancing in Arena dressed in your perfectly folded classical garb. It’s also the ideal to meet friendly committee members and see what the society has to offer.
So, am I telling you to join Classics Society? No, not if it doesn’t interest you. But this is my experience of one of hundreds of societies here at Exeter, which started from attending one of over 700 events put on in freshers’ week. So my message is quite simple – get involved! With such a wealth of societies available, there really will be something, or several things, for everyone. Why not see freshers’ week as an opportunity to try out a sport or hobby you’ve never had the chance to before – most societies have some form of taster session, and there’s no obligation to join up if you don’t think it’s your scene. Plus, you can always join a society later on in the term, not just at the Freshers’ fair – just go to the Guild website and sign up online. While studying at Exeter, you’ll realise why we’re probably the best university in the world. When you get involved at Exeter, you’ll realise why we are the best university in the world.
Ronnie Henderson
Are you getting enough opportunity as a fresher to access the societies you’re interested in? As a returning student, how much did the sessions you attended in freshers’ week affect your involvement with societies now? Leave a comment below or write to the Comment team at the Exeposé Comment Facebook Group or on Twitter @CommentExepose.
Exeposé Online Sport Editor Matthew Bugler spoke to the Exeter Darts Society President Katrina Wolfe about what her club has to offer and her plans for the year ahead.
Photo: Wikipedia
Darts Society is still relatively new to the uni. How do you feel the club has developed since 2010?
Although the society is new, we have come a long way since our foundation in 2010. Our membership has diversified; we are growing as well as welcoming more girls and people from different degree backgrounds to the game. We are building up a national reputation for the Exeter Darts Society after taking part in the annual University Cup Championship and performing consistently well.
The progress we have made as a society is encouraging, yet we are still clear in our aims of providing a friendly atmosphere of both casual and more competitive darts. The society focuses on its members and we now provide more opportunities to become involved in competitions, as well as organising more social events which we will continue this year.
What sort of levels do you cater for? Will beginners be able to quickly pick it up and will experienced players have a healthy level of competition?
At the darts society, we welcome all abilities. Last year we had some new joiners who had never picked up a dart before and now they are some of the most eager in the club. We ensure we cater for all abilities by providing two different sessions a week; one more competitive, the other more social.
However, both sessions are populated with both experienced and new players so there is a diverse mixture of skills. Furthermore, our inter-University competitions aim to challenge the players at the top of their game, whilst giving other members something to aspire to. Finally, for anyone very passionate about darts we submit a team in the local pub league. This league is more of a challenge but the team put up a good fight.
Whatever way members choose to participate in darts, the society pulls together in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere- just like throwing a few darts at the pub with friends. We offer opportunities for members to meet new challenges but these are never forced and always occur with the support of our friendly team. There is no need to be good at maths either so come along whatever your degree, skill level and experience!
What’s your relationship with other universities? How often do you have inter-uni matches?
Not every university has a darts team; however, they are growing and becoming ever more common throughout the country. Exeter Darts Society takes part in national darts competitions and were even lucky enough to win the University Plate Championship in 2012. Our team continues to strive to uphold our strong darts reputation and we were runners up this year.
We have very close relationships with the universities within the region, for example we are currently in the process of setting up some friendly matches at the start of term with the University of West England and hopefully Oxford and Kent. Usually we have 3 inter-university matches a year, including a friendly, regional and national stage in the University Cup Championship.
Do you hope for darts to be recognised as a BUCS sport? On a wider level, do you think it should become an Olympic sport?
Although darts is not yet a commonly played sport at university, it is a highly viewed national sport and this doesn’t look to change in the near future. In fact, the profile of darts is increasing with more publicity and the diversification of the game. The main appeal of darts is its fun nature; there are few, if any other sports that can be played with a drink in one hand and a small arrow in the other!
As much as I and the rest of the darts society would like to see it become a sport in the Olympics, I am not sure this is the most appropriate arena to show the game at its best. It can never be viewed as a sport on par with traditional Olympic or BUCS events, but it definitely deserves a place on the national and University stage.
In Exeter the support we receive from the Guild and our members is great; however I would like to see more funding go to darts and other societies which are on the periphery of the AU. For example we take part in a national university darts competition which we have so far failed to receive funding for from Exeter Guild, despite having great success in these championships in the past. If the profile of darts can be raised, through more publicity and more interest from a range of people we will be more likely to receive the financial support we need.
Would you say Darts Soc is one of the more sociable sports clubs? Is there a clear distinction between competition and social play?
Although I am not a member of other sports clubs in Exeter, darts is naturally a very social game, encouraging players to have fun and relax. Exeter Darts aims to incorporate this atmosphere into the heart of the society by ensuring all of our sessions are fun and we welcome all abilities, after all, darts is mainly just practice – even the top players sometimes stutter at the oche!
By providing a distinction between our two weekly sessions we hope to cater for all members, though we encourage everyone to attend both. Wednesdays at Rileys are our competition sessions where we play for points, but there is no pressure for any player to be competitive. Many of our members come on a Wednesday for fun and to have more involvement in the society.
In addition, our social evening is on a Thursday, from 8pm at Centre Spot (the bar in St James’ Park). This session is very laid back with drinks, chats and games. Often we organise socials afterwards and these are not to be missed!
Overall, the darts society provides as many different opportunities for members to get involved as possible. We are a friendly group and always eager to welcome a new face. Anyone of any darts ability will find their place within our society.
As a young female darts president, do you feel you subvert expectations of the stereotypical player? Is there a range of age & gender etc in the society?
When I arrived at Exeter as a Fresher in 2011 I was already involved in darts at home, as it had been part of our family tradition for a while. However, despite being aware of the darts society in Exeter, I did not immediately join because I was apprehensive about the level of skill I would need to be included and the type of people who would be involved.
When I plucked up the courage later in the year to join, I realised that my initial misgivings had been massively misplaced and instead I was in one of the most welcoming and fun forums I had found since arriving at university. Looking from the inside out, I am now keen to reassure anyone who might be in the position I was once in, the expectations people have might not necessarily be true – that’s why you should come along and try darts out.
The membership of our society is very diverse and continues to grow. We have increasing sign ups from girls who integrate well into the society as well as members from all sorts of degree backgrounds. Many people are involved in other societies and have varying interests, yet we bond because of our fondness for darts and the friendliness of the society.
I am very proud to be the president of such a brilliant society, yet I know if I wasn’t there are plenty of fantastic members on my committee and in the wider group who would promote and lead the society wonderfully. Being a female president of the society should not be the reason students look to darts with interest, but I am hopeful that my role, as well as the work of the committee team, encourages as many people to challenge their expectations and consider joining darts like I did.
How much are you hoping to increase publicity this year? How much use do you make of social media to connect with current and prospective members?
This year we have made a massive push to increase our publicity, especially online. We have a website as well as a Facebook pagewhich we hope will make the Darts Society more accessible. Social media has become the best and easiest way to connect with people so we, along with many other groups at Exeter, will optimise these networks.
Our new publicity officer, Alex, is working hard to develop new and innovative ways of encouraging people to get involved. We will have a big drive to encourage the society and its members (both new and old) back together in Welcome Week as we have organised two taster sessions, both at Rileys in Sidwell Street from 2pm on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th of September. The society will of course be at the Squash for sign ups.
On top of this we have produced a leaflet for new and prospective members with all the information about the society so look for those around campus or head to our website to read the digital version. The darts society exists for its members so our main focus is their involvement before anything else. Any questions can be directed through the Guild or directly on our website or Facebook. We are happy to answer any queries and will hope to see many new and old faces in Welcome Week.
What are your plans for the upcoming year as President and for the society as a whole?
I am keen to develop the society further, whilst maintaining the friendly forum that darts was founded on. For the society I am keen to increase our involvement with other universities by boosting our opportunities to take part in friendly competitions nationwide.
We also have many plans already in place to improve the organisation of more formal socials which we began developing last year and will be continued. These will include a Bullseye fundraising evening, our Christmas social and Alumni reunion as well as our trip to experience live Premier League Darts.
On a more individual level I want to provide new members with the best support, from opportunities to take tips from our top players to giving each new member a free set of Exeter University Darts Flights as a memento for the year. As President my main focus is my members and the unity of the society.
With the help of our fantastic committee I hope to encourage more people to try the society and join in with the fun, as well as helping other players increase their potential, whatever their skill, and boosting the social opportunities for all members.
exeposedev 