A group of York students has won the opportunity to have their very own I-phone application developed after winning The App Challenge final, held at the Ron Cooke Hub on Wednesday, January 18.
YUSU Welfare officer Bob Hughes has warned students to be vigilant after a student loans phishing scam has been revealed.
Her Majesty the Queen will be visiting York on Maundy Thursday, 5th April, as part of the 800th anniversary of York’s Charter for the traditional “Royal Maundy” ceremony.
A flood caused by a heating system “failure” forced the university IT services to shut down many essential systems on Sunday night, causing problems for many students on the eve of their exams and assignment due-dates.
Students have welcomed the opening of the 500-seat Harry Fairhurst building at the University library — but pressure for study space remains intense at this crucial time of year.
The new space, previously occupied by the Computer Science Department, more than doubles the capacity of the JB Morrell library. As well as over a hundred computer stations, the building features beanbags, soft-furnished individual ‘pods’ and ‘collaborative spaces’ for group study.
Students have given mostly positive reviews to the new building. “It’s amazing”, said Caroline Lloyd, a second-year History student, “it’s lovely, I really like it. They could have done more with the space though. It’s a really big space and they definitely could have put more desks in it”.
Ben Humphrys, YUSU Academic Affairs Officer, welcomed the new building’s opening. “We need to keep up the pressure to complete the Hes West study spaces as well as make sure there's enough on Hes East”, Humphries told The Yorker, “but we're definitely heading in the right direction.”
The Fairhurst building is part of the University’s three-year, £20 million renovation project at the library, the first in over 20 years.
Current facilities have struggled to cope with rising student numbers. Before the extension opened, the library provided just 437 study spaces — one for every 32 students.
Overcrowding has been a major issue at the library throughout its refurbishment, with large areas frequently closed for weeks at a time. Noisy building work has also caused disruption.
Work at the library is projected to continue until 2012; many current students will have spent the majority of their time at the university with the library under construction. “I’m excited — but I won’t get to enjoy it”, said one second-year English student. “The people who’ve put up with [the disruption] won’t get the benefit”, added another.
“With the opening of the Fairhurst, the Library now provides more study spaces than it did before the refurbishment project started”, said Elizabeth Harbord of the JB Morrell library. The newly-renamed Brian Blessed Centre for Quiet Study, which opened last year, also provides 130 study spaces close to campus.
But students have reported continued pressure for space in the extended library throughout last week, an important exam period for most courses. Harbord, Assistant Director of Information (Services) at the library, refused to be drawn on whether additional space will be provided to meet demand, if required.
The University was criticised last week after it closed the library for three days over Easter, just before exams began. Alternative study areas were made available after lobbying from YUSU, but Humphries admitted that the Union had found out about the closures only at the last minute.
Refurbishments at the library will continue throughout the summer, with the revamped first floor due to be completed in September.
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