Scheduled gas works to be carried out throughout York will cause disruption along University Road throughout September and possibly the start of October.

The work, which is to be carried out by United Utilities, will mean that University Road is closed between Innovation Way Roundabout and Wentworth Roundabout. The road will be closed on September 1st and could be closed for as long as six weeks, well into the start of the academic year.

The stretch of road includes the main entrance to the University and Vanbrugh College, along Vanbrugh Way, and to Langwith College and The Courtyard, along Harewood Way. The road also provides access to one of the main car parks on campus. Without access to these routes first year students arriving in October will not easily be able to access Vanbrugh or Langwith colleges.

It is currently unclear what will happen to the First bus service, which normally uses the stretch of road to reach bus stops near Vanbrugh, Derwent, Langwith and Halifax colleges.

The work will follow six weeks of closure on Hull Road, one of the main routes between the University and the town centre.

The Halifax College Students’ Association has criticised campus Security Services for the poor provision of porters to Halifax College.

The college was left without a porter between 22:00 and 7:00 on both the 15th and 17th of June, which students were informed was due to “staff shortages.”

HCSA President Roberto Powell has criticised the University for what he describes as an “ill-thought move” and a highly “damaging and potentially harmful” course of action, especially considering Halifax’s isolation from the rest of the University.

Powell also draws attention to security problems around the college, arguing that the move was particularly dangerous considering the “current circumstances with the large number of incidents in and around Halifax this year.”
Nouse has reported on six separate incidents of assault, three of which took place on the same night, around the college this year.

Powell argues that the portering failure reveals how “York spends less per student than other comparable institutions and this is compromising both student welfare and safety for the sake of cost.”

The HCSA is particularly shocked by the decision having recently prepared a paper for the University outlining security problems. Powell argues that the failure is “undoing any progress we have made with the security and lighting report if we can’t even guarantee night time portering.”

University Press Officer David Garner stated that the problem arose as the “result of an unavoidable staff absence. Cover was provided by University security staff.”

Garner also refuted the?HCSA security fears, stating “there has been one incident of alleged assault reported in the Halifax College area this year.”

Jim Bulley talks to photographer Li Wei about the use of visual trickery in his images.

Since leaving behind his career as a street performer, Chinese Photographer Li Wei has achieved international recognition for the unique style of his images. Using mirrors and his own physical abilities, Wei produces photographs which use very little editing or manipulation.

Wei’s work concentrates on the ideals of instability and danger: “The background I chose is our living place, no matter if it’s modern or natural.” Most important, however, is that his work always relates to his street performance experiences, “I hope to break through the boundary of gravity. My own experience is still the most important factor of my work, that’s what remains from my performance art days,” Wei explains. Many of his projects show him using his performance skills to suspend himself in seemingly impossible situations. An image is a way of recording a performance. “I think the process of making art is the most important thing to me,” explains Wei. “Each of my photographs contains the high altitude experience, that’s very subjective and personal. Feeling and expression are the core of my art.”

Wei does not believe that his work rejects modern photography techniques. He argues: “Modern technology doesn’t take the art out of photography, it is just not the art in my photography.” He is not “nostalgic for the old things”, he just does not feel that computer effects are needed in his work; “these technologies play a different part in a different artwork, it depends what artwork you’re making.”

Based in Beijing, Wei’s work is largely centered around the modern areas of the city, high-rise flats and skyscrapers. His use of tall structures encapsulates Wei’s love of falling, which is prevalent throughout his work. Some of his most famous images show him seemingly being pushed or thrown out of high-rise building, whilst another set of images show him hitting the ground. “You can see I’m like a meteorite falling into a car or a river. The experience of high places is important to me. I use my body as a piece of art.”

Not all of Wei’s work is achieved without any technical assistance however. The more recent projects showing a weightless Wei suspended in mid-air have been more difficult to stage. These images have taken considerably longer to plan and execute, “for these images the shot is really complicated to construct. I use a big crane to lift me up for images where I’m suspended upside down or lifted in mid-air. This year I have had to cooperate with a technical support team to help me organise wires and safety. These things need to be executed exactly to ensure the original idea of the photograph.” This is the only instance where Wei uses Photoshop to remove the wires from these images.

Wei’s work has been exhibited internationally, particularly in America and Europe, but his most famous exhibitions are in China, where he often performs alongside the exhibition. Wei has been the cover artist for ten arts magazines. He has also received two awards: the Macau Art Museum Overseas Communicate prize and the Getty award, entitled ‘31 photographers with the most creative world’.

Environmental issues were at the centre of the final Union General Meeting for this academic year, alongside the Annual Constitutional ‘tidy up’.

The final UGM, which took place on Thursday evening, was centred around environmental issues with three motions proposed by YUSU Environment and Ethics Officer David Clarke and YUSU Campaigns Officer Jason Rose.

Rose proposed two of the motions; to mandate the Union to lobby the University to improve the ethics of its Gas and Electricity, and to mandate the Union to make ethical alternatives available in all campus outlets. Clarke seconded both these motions.

The final motion, to mandate the Union to reduce free carrier bag usage by stores on campus was proposed by Clarke and seconded by Rose and YUSU RAG Officer Helen Fry.

The Annual Constitutional ‘tidy up’ was proposed by YUSU Services and Finance Officer Matt Burton and seconded by YUSU President Tom Scott. The amendment solidifies the position of the 21 Plus Officer and 21 Plus Committee in the Union, positions that had been overlooked in previous amendments.

The amendment also included a rewrite of the section of the constitution outlining the job of the LGBT Officers and their role in the LGBT Committee and the Union. The amendment also outlines some changes to the LGBT Committee, specifically relating to how candidates for certain positions must self define.

Voting opens at www.yusu.org/union/vote on Monday at noon, specific information on each motion is available whilst voting

Nouse was last night victorious in the NUS Awards, taking home two of the three awards York was shortlisted for.

Nouse won the award for ‘Best Student Media’, despite competition from Forge Media at Sheffield and Student Direct at Manchester. YUM Chair and Nouse Video Editor Anna Bucks took home the award for ‘Best Broadcaster’, beating the other finalist Mike Tighe from Manchester.

Nouse Editor Henry James Foy was highly commended in the category of ‘Student Journalist of the Year’.

York was the only University to have nominees shortlisted in all three media awards.

The BNP have won a seat in the European Parliament representing Yorkshire, to the disgust of a strong anti-fascist movement on campus.

The Hope Not Hate campaign, which called on students to vote against the BNP in the European Elections, have reacted in disgust to election results. David Levene, head of the campaign on campus, reassured students that “we will keep fighting to expose these people for who they really are, violent fascists.”

“ [I] personally believe this is the thin end of the wedge. The BNP will now have access to £3,000,000 per term for communications and allowances, giving them increased credibility and publicity. As of today the BNP are no longer a fringe party,” Levene added.

The newly elected MEP, Andrew Brons, is one of six for Yorkshire and the Humber and is the first BNP official elected in a major election.

The results of a Nouse exit poll showed Labour and the Greens leading campus voting with 24% of the vote each. National victors, the Conservatives, followed on campus with 21% of the vote.

No BNP votes were revealed in the exit polls.

The Liberal Democrats achieved 19% of the vote, roughly 5% more than the national result. According to the poll UKIP only received 7% of the campus vote.

The remaining 5% of the campus vote was split between Libertas, Jury and the English Democrats with Libertas claiming 2%, Jury 1% and the English Democrasts 1%. The remaining 1% of those polls claimed to have deliberately spoilt their ballot paper.

“Anybody who chose to stay in bed, lie in the sun or go to a barbecue, anybody who chose to do anything else, rather than help us campaign now needs to get involved,” Levene urged.

YUSU Academic and Welfare Officer Charlie Leyland commented: “Perhaps now the campaigns against the BNP will sophisticate and concentrate on educating people about how they may wish to reconsider their beliefs and alignments with the BNP, rather than the constant and unhelpful ‘Anti BNP, Stop the BNP’.”

“These ferocious and monotonous campaigns, I believe, may have alientated as many as they have recruited,” she added.
Levene finally stated that “I hope that this is as far as it goes, but it is reliant on other people, everybody needs to help. I would like to personally thank everybody who did come out and did work so hard before the elections, but we must continue this work now.”

Three finalists will represent York at the NUS Awards this weekend.

All three finalists are in the media categories, with Nouse shortlisted for the Best Student Media award. Nouse Editor Henry James Foy has been shortlisted for the Student Journalist of the Year award and recently elected York University Media Committee Chair and Nouse Video Editor Anna Bucks has been nominated for the Student Broadcaster of the Year award.

Nouse and Foy each face competition from two other finalists, whilst Bucks will only face one. The results will be announced at the ceremony in London on Friday night.