Varsity (Cambridge)
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Varsity is the older of Cambridge University's main student newspapers (The Cambridge Student is the other, younger, one).
History
Varsity has one of the longest histories of British student newspapers. Founded in 1931, the paper went bankrupt the following year with losses of £100. It was re-established in 1947. In the mid-1970s, it merged with the radical campaigning student paper Stop Press.
Many of those who wrote for the paper during their student days have since gone on to achieve distinction in later life. Famous ex-editors include the BBC's Jeremy Paxman, film director Michael Winner, historian Jonathan Spence, the late television presenter Richard Whiteley, Financial Times editor Andrew Gowers, and novelist Robert Harris.
Some of Sylvia Plath's earliest poems and J G Ballard's first published story were written for the paper. Meanwhile, legendary comic Peter Cook met his first wife while posing for a Varsity May Ball photoshoot. Naturally, the paper has also launched the careers of many journalists, including in recent times Guardian music reviewer Alex Petridis and Independent columnist Johann Hari. Controversial BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan, famed for a row with Downing Street, was once a news editor. Other notable contributors who have had later success in other fields include Michael Frayn, Germaine Greer, Clive James and even the Prince of Wales.
Advertising in Varsity has traditionally been seen as highly useful by graduate recruiters hoping to attract Cambridge students. As a result the newspaper is able to distribute free copies to members of the university without relying on student union funding and it was the first student newspaper in the UK to produce a colour section. In 2005, Varsity became the first student newspaper to publish entirely in full-colour. Varsity's management and funding structure means that it is independent from both the University and Cambridge University Students' Union. In this respect it is unlike the vast majority of similar publications in other UK universities. The only other student newspapers to operate similarly are Oxford's Cherwell, on whose model Varsity was founded, and The Saint of the University of St Andrews.
Stories first revealed in Varsity have often gone on to receive coverage in the UK's national press. In recent years reports to capture wider attention have included the leak of the name of the Cambridge's latest vice-Chancellor, news about student protests concerning higher education funding, and a host of lighter reports about undergraduate excesses.
Other stories have had a more significance. In May 1953, Varsity may have been the first newspaper in the world to carry a report on James Watson and Francis Crick's discovery of the structure of DNA. [1]
Organisation
Varsity is published by Varsity Publications, a not-for-profit company and a registered charity. The company also produces a number of other student publications such as [BlueSci] - a student science magazine - and the The Mays - a collection of short stories and poems by Cambridge and Oxford students. The "Mays" have been published annually since 1992 and are most famous for launching the career of novelist Zadie Smith. She was first noticed by literary agencies after her short story Private Tutor appeared in the 1997 collection.
Awards
The paper was successful in the 2004 Guardian student media awards where it won the prize for best columnist (Archie Bland) and came runner-up in best sports writer category (Sam Richardson). In 2005 Varsity writer Sam Richardson won the Guardian's Student Diversity Writer of the Year award.
Recent editors
The editor for Michaelmas 2006 is Emily Stokes.
- Lent 2006: Jon Swaine and Amy Goodwin
- Michaelmas 2005: James Dacre
- Lent 2005: Amol Rajan
- Michaelmas 2004: Archie Bland
- Lent 2003: Reggie Vettasseri and Laura-Jane Foley
- Michaelmas 2003: Tom Ebbutt
- Lent 2002: Oliver Duff and Luke Layfield
- Michaelmas 2001: Katy Long
- Lent 2001: Rob Sharp
- Michaelmas 2000: Adam Joseph and Julian Blake
Staff
Though Varsity's editors are not paid, they are supported by a full-time Business Manager (in charge of sourcing advertising to fund the publications, and running the office on a day-to-day basis) and a part-time Company Secretary (in charge of finance, accounts, tax and administration).
The 2006-7 Business Manager is Adam Edelshain. The Company Secretary is Pat Dalby.
Recent Business Managers:
- 2005-6: Chris Adams
- 2004-5: Eve Williams
- 2003-4: Sam Gallagher
- 2002-3: Tim Nixon
New Premises
Varsity moves from its 16-year 'temporary' home to new offices on the University's New Museums site in 2007.
References
- 1
External links
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