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ISSUE 748 4 OCT 2023 exepose.com @Exepose
THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987
Students launch climate campaign calling for plant-based catering on campus Image: Plant-Based University Exeter
XMedia announces NewsBite project Page 4
Livvy Mason-Myhill Editor-in-Chief
O New CUE1 device trialled to ease Parkinson’s symptoms Page 29
N Tuesday 26th September at 1pm, students on the Streatham Campus of the University of Exeter launched the ‘Plant-Based Universities’ Campaign by dropping a 10ft banner from the Forum. At the universities of Kent, Southampton, Bristol, Gloucestershire, and Falmouth this week, the same action occurred. In order to reduce their impact on the climate and ecological crises and set an example for institutional climate solutions, universities should switch to 100% plant-
-based catering, according to the national student campaign Plant-Based Universities. The campaign is run by students on more than 50 university campuses in the UK and is founded on scientific research coming from some of the most esteemed academic institutions in the world. Students studying medicine, mathematics, and politics are among those organising the campaign at Exeter. Evie Marshall, a 22-year-old Environmental Sustainability Student and PlantBased Universities Exeter campaigner, emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts: “We are so grateful for the community of students and academics across
the country also calling for this key climate solution.” Marshall went on to state that “the University of Exeter catering team are already doing some great work to promote more plant-based options and we look forward to working with them further, to instigate the more systemic shift needed to address climate breakdown.” Marshall then explained the banner drop was done to increase support for, and awareness of, food system reform. The campaign would freely invite students on campus to recognise the difficulty in the subject that may consist of varying viewpoints. She added that the campaign will “look for-
ward to co-creating an even better food system with our university community.” At the core of this initiative is the recognition that addressing climate change necessitates systemic shifts, and the campaigners are eager to engage in constructive dialogues with the campus community. The University of Exeter’s 2030 strategy underscores its commitment to creating a sustainable future. Plant-Based Universities Exeter believes that transitioning to plant-based catering aligns with this vision. Their cause is supported by 20 academics at the University, emphasising the importance of this shift. Continued on page 4
“Time consuming, expensive” and “complicated”: the study abroad experience Charlie Gershinson Deputy Editor
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Images (top to bottom): Leny Ruban, Harry Craig, Wallpaper Flare, Flickr
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NIVERSITY of Exeter students who choose to study abroad have spoken of having their plans derailed due to a range of factors beyond their control, an investigation by Exeposé has found. Speaking exclusively to Exeposé, multiple students due to be studying abroad in Italy and other destinations during the 2023-24 academic year have come forward to report a range of disruptions which have, at worst, delayed their plans to study abroad for several weeks or have forced them to scrap their plans altogether. One student — Macy — was forced
to return to Exeter to complete her third year of study, cancelling her year studying abroad entirely, after a delay in obtaining accommodation for the year, opening her up to fraudulent housing offers. The normal process of applying for a visa and accommodation thereafter was delayed by multiple months due to the University and College Union’s Marking and Assessment Boycott. Because of this, the required grade over her second-year studies needed for the opportunity to study abroad was only awarded in mid-August, when most student accommodation in Rome had already been booked. The University has said that: “The Marking and Assessment Boycott produced a new challenge for students
travelling abroad in September 2023 and the Global Opportunities Team worked hard to communicate to students impacted and liaise with colleagues across the University of Exeter to ensure the disruption was kept to a minimum.” After arriving in Rome, Macy found a house with multiple other students she did not know and had only contacted via WhatsApp, who appeared genuine, even going so far as to give her a video tour of the house. However, upon arriving in Rome, she found that the address of the house she was due to be living in over the next year belonged instead to a garage and that she was scammed out of €2500 after paying a deposit and multiple months’ rent upfront.
After exhaustive further attempts to find accommodation, including multiple calls with the University seeking advice, Macy was unable to find any accommodation by the time her induction commenced, and in fact fell victim to another accommodation scam which cost her another €1600 — which she was able to recover. After spending approximately €10,000 over the course of a week between fraudulent accommodation, lastminute hotel stays and other expenses, she realised there was little to no hope of obtaining permanent, sustainable accommodation and returned to Exeter to begin her third year of study. Continued on page 6