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.
The University of York has changed forever: on Friday the government gave the green-light for the one hundred hectare expansion into Heslington East to go ahead.
In just two years time the university will have a 25m swimming pool, a new university transport system, a Department of Law and a Department of Theatre, Film and Television. The arts stand to gain the most: Heslington East will also include a performing arts venue and a public square. That’s not it – York is also getting another lake and some wetlands.
It has been on this environmental impact that the enquiry into Heslington East has hinged over the past six months. In January, Dr. Richard Finn, lecturer in Biology said that lake was neither needed nor sustainable. But now Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has given the go ahead despite the project not being taken to the university’s Environment Performance Working Group.
Last week however, Vice-Chancellor Brian Cantor welcomed the decision, arguing that £500 million expansion could benefit York and the UK. He said: “York is one of the best universities in Britain and it needs to grow in order to maintain this position. We welcome today’s decision, particularly as it will enable the University to play an important role in the future prosperity of York and the UK as a whole.”
One of the losers from the decision is Chris Hawkswell, who holds the tenancy for Lime Tree Farm on Heslington East. The new campus is about to take over three-quarters of the land farmed by him and his family for half a century. He told The York Evening Press that the university was being “irresponsible” in choosing Heslington East for its development, when other sites were available.
On campus, People and Planet are also concerned about the impact of Heslington East. Today a Union General Motion has gone to vote which aims to put the YUSU president under mandate to pressure the university for a “sustainable Heslington East”. The mandate will mean that Rich Croker, YUSU president and Anne-Marie, president-elect, must fight for “energy efficient building design” and “sustainable energy sources” throughout Heslington East. The results of the UGM will be made available on the yorker tomorrow.
York is one of the best universities in Britain and it needs to grow in order to maintain this position.
Katie Evans, Chair of People and Planet said: “Our UGM Motion is to make sure that the University keeps their promises on issues such as recycling, the student venue and infrastructure for cyclists. Also, we’ve found that many first years didn’t know what Hes East was, but it is important and it is the University’s money that is going into it, so they should know.”
The decision by the university on who to contract for the design of the first buildings will occur in June, although information regarding possible architects will be released this week.
