CW: Graphic description of sexual harassment
1. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate the parking system here at the university, and why?
Zac (3rd year Politics): A two. Because like it exists, so that’s worth a two. It’s really hard for students to get parking spaces, and if they do get them they have to park at the other side of campus even if they don’t live there. It’s not a good system.
Sarah (3rd year Biological Sciences): Probably a six. It’s very very expensive this year, it’s gone up from £1 to £3 in that bottom car park. I get the permit thing for when you’re actually on campus, that’s fine, I think that works. But down in that car park it shouldn’t be £3. And they haven’t refurbished it or anything. They’ve filled in a couple of potholes, but it’s still awful.
2. In light of the recent Harvey Weinstein revelations regarding sexual misconduct, do you think that Lancaster has a sexual harassment problem?
Hannah (4th year Sociology and Gender Studies MA): In my experience with Lancaster I think it is more educated, because you go around the spine and you get given free condoms and they talk to us about consent. But then it also depends on the individual.
Zac (3rd year Politics): I think society in general has a sexual harassment problem, and I don’t know that Lancaster in particular is worse than anywhere else, but I don’t know enough about it to say really.
Kiera (4th year Advertising and Marketing Management): Not really, but when people go out and they start drinking then maybe they don’t know how to control how much they drink. And it’s normalised so like people don’t really say anything, so like if a guy touches your bum you might be like “whatever”, but you won’t act on it. So maybe a bit, but people are not really talking about it.
Sarah (3rd year Biological Sciences): I didn’t think so until Wednesday night. Like I’ve never had a problem in Lancaster, but on Wednesday night there were two issues: Me and my friend got followed around in the Sugarhouse for ages. It was bad. Then my other friend went to the bouncers and asked them to sort it out, and they said they had to go round to the head bouncer at the other side of Sugar. And in that time when she was walking round the guy had tried to put his hands down her trousers. But that’s the first issue I’ve ever had. In my three years of being here that’s the first time.
3. How do you think the university should respond to the letter from Tory MP, Chris Heaton- Harris, demanding details on all lectures regarding Brexit?
Zac (3rd year Politics): Just ignore it.
Will (2nd year Law): I think it’s an interesting one. I can understand how they don’t want like law students and politics students to be unduly swayed… on the other hand, I think the lecturers have the right to voice their opinions, and as students I think we can make up our own minds as long as they don’t go to far in trying to sway us… I think it’s not the worst thing that the Tories are interested in, but it’s also not really necessary.
Kiera (2nd year International management): I think that most of my teachers and professors are against Brexit. They talk a lot about it and from the Economics point of view, I can understand why they are against it. But in my lectures they only say like “this is the result of it”, they never give their own opinion.
