The Global Poverty Project launched in Cambridge last night.
  
The Project, created in 2008 by Australian development business advocates Hugh Evans (below) and Simon Moss aims to work with other campaigns to end world poverty.

Avril Humphrey, a 2nd year Classicist at Newnham told The Tab why she was so keen to get involved with the project: “I think it’s truly exciting that we can rouse and channel the energy of those who are interested in ending extreme poverty.”

The aim of the Global Poverty Project is to create awareness and empower people to do all they can to make a difference.

Avril said: “We are not asking for money, what we want is for people to make this goal part of their lives in a realistic way and realize that we can and should affect change.”

Over a thousand people attended the launch at the Corn Exchange last night.

It was an exclusive opportunity to view the “1.4 Billion Reasons” presentation before the Global Poverty Project launches across the UK where they expect to reach and engage over 40,000 people.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1mp0t0qc80

This 90-minute presentation is designed to motivate and empower Cambridge students into action to help the 1.4 billion people who survive on less than £1 a day.

The Global Poverty Project has delivered this presentation to more than 20,000 people in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.
 
So far they have reached more than 15,000,000 people through media coverage in 3 countries.

The Master of St. Johns, Professor Dobson, also spoke, as well as a representative of The Co-operative, who talked about fair trade.

The event also boasted entertainment from John's Gents (above), free fair-trade chocolate and free entry into Cindies afterwards for all attendees.

The Global Povery Project will be holding a number of events at King's College before the end of term. See here to find out more.

Caius’ students have been voting for the past week on planned changes to their formal hall set up.

At the moment Caius’ students have to fork out for 43 dinners at £6.40 each which adds up to a whopping £275.20 a term.

Gonville and Caius’ Student Union (GCSU) carried out a survey last term which suggested that only 30% of Caius’ students used all of their tickets and in Lent term last year the number was as low as 23%.

1% of students used none of their tickets.

This level of waste and the fact that the college now plans to establish a booking system spurred the GCSU into action.

They have proposed to the college authorities that students should have to pay a kitchen fixed charge of £146 (like other colleges) as well as 30 formal dinners.

Pranav Khamar GCSU food officer said: “We believe the proposed changes will give Caius students a lot more choice.

We believe no one will be made worse-off by our system and our survey shows most students will also save a fair bit of money each term.”

If the plans go ahead then the 70% of students who don’t use all of their formal tickets will save £40 a term and the students that do will also save money as extra tickets will cost £3 rather than the current price of £6.40.

The college have told GCSU that the proposal seems feasible and will consider putting it in place if they are convinced that it has considerable student support.

Pranav estimates that 60% of the undergrads at Caius’ have now voted but they are keeping the polls open until tomorrow in the hope that they will meet their 80% target.

Caius is known for its relaxed attitude to drinking at formal, but its food has traditionally been considered the worst value for money in Cambridge. One disgusted drinking society swapper commented “I can’t believe they have to eat that food all the time, it’s rank!”

The Tab will keep you up to date with the results, which are expected tomorrow.

A Fresher from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, has been sent down for FAKING his grades on his UCAS form.

The student, as yet unnamed, won a place at Oxford claiming to have achieved at least 10 As at A-Level and forged documents to "prove" it. 

It wasn't until another college, Magdalen, noticed some discrepancies in his academic records that LMH investigated his references. 

The college contacted Janet Jamieson the deputy headmistress at his school Langley Grammar and she confirmed that his records were fabricated.

In a statement earlier this week Ms. Jamieson said, "He certainly did not achieve these A-Level grades nor did he achieve the GCSEs that he claimed from his previous school."

The student also faked a reference from a teacher at Langley Grammar who had left the school several years before.

This matter has raised serious questions about Lady Margaret Hall's admissions process.

Ms. Jamieson said, "The college should have checked it out from the start. It would have been impossible to get 13 A-Levels and this should have gained attention."

Rory Tierney, a third year PPE student said, "It's pretty remarkable that he got through the whole admissions process without anyone checking the facts."

The student got away with submitting fake documents by applying to university through UCAS as an independent candidate so his school did not have to verify any part of his application. 

Ms. Jamieson described the boy as "an enterprising young man, and very ambitious but he did not always fulfill his potential."

He was originally told not to apply to university as his grades were too poor.

This revelation has caused much controversy amongst the student body.

Some students feel he should have been busted sooner as he was always struggling with work.

One first year LMH student said, "With 13 A-levels we thought he'd be dealing a bit better with the workload."

Other students think the whole thing is "hilarious" but also unfair on the honest application whose place he stole.

One Oxford student commented,"Not surprised he got kicked out: Economics and Management at LMH? He was well over qualified."

As of last night Cambridge has its very own TV station and students are more than welcome to get involved.

CU:TV had its launch party at Ta Bouche yesterday.

This is a new venture for Cambridge. The President of CU:TV Alana Hutton-Shaw, a third year undergrad from Homerton, told the Tab:"Following the success of the TAB it was clear that Cambridge was ready to move into the 21st century in terms of media access."

"Loads of other universities have functioning TV stations,and with so many fascinating people coming in and out of the college doors, loads of talent performing on the Cambridge stages, and shed loads of other thing that need to be given film time CU:TV had to be the next step."

Alana's first step, with the help of her team, was to sort out the website as the station will be predominantly web-based and offer a wide range of on demand programmes like BBC iPlayer.

Professional TV Producer Julian Dismore has been on hand to help the CU:TV team to provide quality entertainment for Cambridge's student body.

Students will be able to battle their friends in the kitchen in Cambridge Come Dine With Me, win a veritable fortune in Who Wants to be a Hundredaire? and even see their favourite Cambridge sports' personalities on screen in a Question of Sport.

The website also promises a world exclusive of Cambridge based boy band Blueprint's new music video.

Switch on and get involved at www.CU-TV.co.uk!

The Tab can't help but wonder with the media storm surrounding Tab Totty whether we'll ever have Cambridge's answer to Babe Station? We can but dream.

After a particularly stressful week zero I decided to pop home for a bit of Trash TV and Sympathy this weekend. It was not a wasted trip.

I have had a reality TV shaped void in my life for some time now. Strictly and X-factor were both rubbish this year and I can't help but find So You Think You Can Dance a bit boring. I have never watched I'm a Celebrity or Dancing on Ice and the decision was made even easier when I found out Jordan and Heather Mills were involved. Awful.

So what could possibly fill this deficit I hear you cry? Well you probably know already because I mentioned it in the headline but let's pretend I didn't (cue crippling moment of suspense) POPSTAR TO OPERASTAR.

This programme does exactly what it is says on the tin. Popstars are made to sing opera. Excellent. Although my knowledge of opera is limited to "I recognise that song. Wasn't it in an advert selling dishwasher tablets" etc I can tell I am going to get addicted. In fact I think I already am. It has more potential to produce car-crash television than Dancing on Thin Ice, The Unprotected Sex-Factor and Strictly Come Base-Jumping.

So eight popstars have been roped into this programme. One can only assume that ITV has rude pictures of all of them because singing opera live when you're no Leona must be bloody terrifying.

Alan Titchmarsh and Myleene Klass present the programme and the celebrity contests are even more random but with Danny from Mcfly and Darius from Pop Idol involved one just can't complain.

The show's mentors are Katherine Jenkins (who has gone up in estimation since "that" scandal) and the suitably dotty opera singer Rolando Villazon. This duo also double up as judges along with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen (random I know but apparently he has a radio show on Classic FM) and Meatloaf. And so we reach the reason why I can tell this is going to be really excellent viewing. Meatloaf is as mad as a march hare and my official new favourite person (I'm sure Beyonce will get over her demotion in time).

So if you want to indulge in some Reality TV that you can pretend is cultural and cerebral then this is the show for you. I say pretend because the real reason to watch is to make yourself feel better by watching others fail. Schadenfreude lives on.

30 rowers from the boat club at the London University came to Cambridge on a tour dubbed “The Spy Who Ginned Me.”
The tour ended with the initiations of the fresher rowers.

In the early afternoon the freshers, male and female, were told to go skinny-dipping in the Cam to the shock of onlookers which, given the time of day, included families with children.

The barman at the Mill reported that the older members of the club left the stripped freshers stranded in the Cam as they scarpered with their clothes.

The raucous bunch then moved onto the Anchor, some of them still naked.

Staff at the Anchor claim that they caused such havoc in the pub that they couldn’t take any other customers for the two hours they were there.

Despite the managers attempts to avoid confrontation the group were eventually ejected and barred from the premises.

Evidently carnage was always the order of the weekend as the Freshers were told by the “Fresher Captains” to bring a bottle of gin each and reminded that they would be drinking it.

The Club’s Cambridge tour is annual event and considered a highlight of the social calender.

It seems that this year was no different as one member if the Boat Club posted on the Club’s message board: “Well done to all the freshers for both the rowing and some great banter.”

Other posts detail the weekend’s debauchery and includes a reference to going “King sized”.

One female med student wrote: “Do I need any vaccines before going South of the River?” with the reply: “No vaccines needed on your part but as you are ICSM i shall be forced to double bag… just in case.”

KCLBC Captain Tom Webb posted the following to KCLBC’s website: “Clearly, some of our number were spotted by the Spy Who Ginned Me.

“Although I was not in Cambridge on Sunday, I haven’t heard of any complaints during the tour, whether on the water or at the Anchor.

“I would hope that any misdemeanours be taken in good humour and that any transgressions of good grace be put in perspective.

“We hope to be back next year in finer fettle than ever. Needless to say, I apologise for any offence taken. None was intended.”

Cambridge University, long considered a hallowed hall of traditional British learning, has been given an injection of American teen spirit thanks to the University cheerleading squad, the Cougars.

The 45-strong squad of bombshells, set up just 3 years ago, are certainly an eye-catching bunch in their skimpy blue and white dresses.

Brainy beauty Alison Berner, 21, set up the squad when she arrived to study medicine at Jesus.

She said: ‘‘when I found out there wasn't a cheerleading squad at Cambridge I decided to do my own research and start up a team myself.”

The squad practices twice a week and is now common addition to Varsity matches.

They cheered the Rugby League team to victory in this year’s Varsity match as well as supporting the volleyball, basketball, football and hockey teams.

They have also performed at Cindies and at the 2008 Churchill College Spring Ball.

Studies have shown that cheerleading is America’s most dangerous sport for young women but the most serious injury a Cougar has ever sustained is a bruise.

The squad even competes in national competitions.

Berner said: “'At first I thought we would just perform at University games and Varsity matches, but I realized we had a chance at competing so we entered the British Cheerleading Association University contest in 2008.”

They went on to win the competition. This victory, along with their other successes, has spurred the team on to bigger and better things.

Vice President of the Cougars 21-year-old Tanya-Lucy Bell, in her final year reading Education with English at Homerton College, said:

''The competition we won at Easter was fantastic and we're hoping to move up to a higher level of difficulty next year.”

Despite this success the Cougars still face some difficulties.

It's difficult to recruit male members: at the moment they have just four boys who are essential for the more complicated, and heavy-duty, lifts.

Bell said: “There's a lot of stigma attached. It's seen as a girl thing.”

They are also unable to get university funding.

Bell commented: “It's a shame that we're not fully recognized by the university as cheerleading is not considered as a proper sport so we can't get our colours or get funding.

''But there have been bids to include cheerleading in the Olympics so hopefully that will change soon.”

Although the cheerleading squad’s main objective is to cheer on other Cambridge teams to victory they have their own varsity in mind.

Current President Cally Humphreys, a 23-year-old material science Ph. D student, said: "Oxford's cheerleading team have been around a lot longer than us.

"But we hope to catch up with them soon."

Whether supporting a Varsity match or competing in their own no doubt the Cougars will bring it on and show Oxford who’s boss.

Among the Cambridge girls hoping to beat Oxford are the seven pictured here:

Robin Best, 21, from Ilkley, West Yorkshire. Natural sciences student at Gonville and Caius. Ambition: Environmental work.

Cally Humphrey, 23, from Devon. Cougars president. Materials science PhD student at Corpus Christi College. Ambition: Scientist.

Sarah Reid, 20, from Oxford. Music student at Homerton, specialising in the flute. Ambition: Professional musician.

Rebecca Grant, 19, from Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire. Medicine student at Trinity. Ambition: Doctor.

Tanya-Lucy Bell, 21, from Holywood, Belfast. English with education student at Homerton. Ambition: Primary school teacher.

Marielouise Lercher, 20, born in Austria, lives in Germany. Natural sciences at Peterhouse. Ambition: Surgeon.

Catherine Vincent, 20, from Woodford Green, North-East London. Classics student at Trinity. Ambition: Primary school teacher.

Even though 90 per cent of PhD students go on to do a fourth year the council claimed that this ‘write-up’ stage of a doctorate didn’t count as full-time education.

This decision sparked major outrage among the graduate community.

Eleanor Green of the Faculty of Earth Studies commented “it seems grossly unfair if writing up doesn’t count as part of the PhD, given that one can’t get a degree without doing it.”

A force of students attended a 22nd of October council meeting to register their disgust at the council’s actions.

The move to tax the students has been met with fury not only because it seems unfair but also because there are serious doubts whether university lodgings are even applicable for taxation.

Despite the fact that the cancellation of the demands is a victory for University officials, members of the Grad Union and members of CUSU following their high profile negotiations with the Council these organisations have also come under fire.

Former CUSU welfare officer Andrea Walko claimed that a lack of clear communication with the graduate students led to confusion about whether or not they should pay.

In fact this whole affair is tainted with inconsistency, inaccuracy and inactivity.

King’s College students were told to pay the bill while some other students were urged to apply for benefits in order to ensure exemption.

The Graduate Union’s official advice was to present a certificate from the University to the Council proving their student status.

However it is understood that up until recently the Council rejected these as proof and refused to cancel the bills.

Despite this dud advice the Grad Union did not update there website on the matter for two weeks, leaving students in the dark.

Students have now been told to ring the Council if they receive any more bills and seek a refund if they have already coughed up.

Average students are worrying about how they are going to make their student loan last the term (if it ever comes through), however the Tories seem to think that this is not the case for Cambridge freshers.

The Cambridge University Conservative Association (CUCA), whose president is former Tory leader Michael Howard, has been slammed for offering tips on where to buy the best champagne and how to tie a bow tie.

The Conservatives released this “essential” advice to new students in their annual free glossy magazine this week.

Other guidelines included appropriate dress and etiquette at formal dinners.

The Bright Blue Freshers’ Guide also included headlines such as “Save water, drink champagne”.

Undergraduates have ridiculed the magazine as a “snob’s guide” while George Owers, chair of the University Labour Club feels it may have more serious repercussions.

He commented: "Cambridge University has real problems when it comes to getting working-class children to consider Cambridge.

“We're trying to dispel the idea that Cambridge is all about wearing white ties and dinner jackets and going punting – this guide, which has been published in the middle of recession, just perpetuates it,”

He went on to say, "this booklet shows their obsession with snobbish etiquette, expensive luxury and the supposedly superior social class of their members. They have squarely positioned themselves as a glorified social club for wannabe toffs, social climbers and minor aristocrats.

Owers even compared the young Tories to the infamous Oxford University Bullingdon Club where David Cameron and Boris Johnson were members.

Hugh Burling, who edited the Bright Blue Freshers' Guide, denied the charge of elitism and described the magazine as "just a bit of fun".

He said: “The magazine provided useful information in an entertaining manner.”

However Mr Burling did go on to attack David Cameron, the Tory leader, who was pictured quaffing champagne at his party conference this week just as shadow chancellor George Osborne gave his speech advising that Britain should aim to cut spending.

He added: “Cameron's behaviour at the conference was foolish.”

Scandal of this sort is not unique to Cambridge.

In September of this year the Oxford University Conservative Association  (OUCA) were banned from using the University’s name and from recruiting new members following a race row.

Members of the OUCA were instructed to tell the most offensive joke they knew at hustings.

One told a sick gag about a black man and a tree whilst a second was cut short by officials.

University chiefs forbade the OUCA, whose patron is Margaret Thatcher, to link itself to Oxford until they improved conduct.

David Cameron saw fit to suspend two members.

Time will only tell whether the same thing will happen in Cambridge.