Catherine Meyer-Funnell

Giving you the insight into matters directly related to student life is the Pi Comment column, Spotlight: UCL, Universities and Young People, where our team of columnists the tackle issues affecting students today. With the government increasingly focusing on the importance of STEM subjects, Cathy Meyer-Funnell argues the case for the importance of Arts and Humanities in today’s increasingly technological world.  As students at one of the world’s most prestigious universities, most of us would hope that a degree from UCL would guarantee us relatively good job prospects once we graduate. Yet for many of us a spectre remains hanging over our academic success, something that prevents us from being able to step into the world of work with total confidence – was all the work actually worth it? As a humanities student, the recent government and industry emphasis on the importance of STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, maths) has left me feeling ...

Giving you the insight into matters directly related to student life is the Pi Comment column, Spotlight: UCL, Universities and Young People, where our team of columnists the tackle issues affecting students today. As Veganuary draws to a  close, Cathy Meyer-Funnel discusses the tactics used by proponents of veganism to promote a vegan lifestyle. When going to buy food in one of the uni cafes, the choice appears relatively varied – sandwiches, pasta, salads, curries – something to cater to almost every taste or dietary requirement. One trend that is now starting to break through is the growing enthusiasm for veganism, gradually filtering through our Instagram feeds and into our local high street. Even the infamous processed meat haven of Greggs has brought out a vegan sausage roll that has proved so popular it has sold out practically everywhere. At UCL, while our  Vegetarian and Vegan Society  laments the lack of substantial choice for vegans on campus, it has a ...

The UCL Students’ Union has taken a side in the national debate. Cathy Meyer-Funnell reports on the implications.  The UCL Students’ Union has announced that it will actively support a People’s Vote on the final Brexit deal, following a resolution passed at the All Student Meeting on the 15th November. An overwhelming majority were in favour of the decision, with 1026 votes in favour compared to just 123 against and 161 abstentions. The Union has already taken the step of writing to Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer – who, incidentally, is the MP for the constituency of which UCL occupies a large proportion – calling for his support of the Union’s People’s Vote campaign. As the Union is a regulated charity, it believes that nullifying the possible negative consequences of Brexit falls within its charitable objectives. As such, it has a duty to try and prevent a potentially life-changing policy, particularly for the 28% of the UCL student body that live in EU countries o...

iving you the insight into matters directly related to student life is the Pi Comment column, Spotlight: UCL, Universities and Young People, where our team of columnists tackle the issues affecting students today. The disaffiliation of UCL Men’s Rugby from Students’ Union UCL brings up wider questions surrounding the culture of sports teams at universities, and whether such a culture should still be tolerated. Unless you’ve been living under a rock during the past few weeks you will no doubt be aware that the UCL Men’s Rugby Team have recently been  disaffiliated from Students’ Union UCL , after attempting to hold a banned initiation involving the signing of non-disclosure agreements by freshers. The SU received a subsequent complaint and ,  although the exact nature of this complaint is still unknown, it was enough for the club to be banned from training on university pitches and competing in BUCS leagues – as well as having their funding withdrawn – for the next year...

Giving you the insight into matters directly related to student life is the Pi Comment column, Spotlight: UCL, Universities and Young People, where our team of columnists tackle the issues affecting students today. With many students taking full advantage of opportunities to go on gap years, or volunteering opportunities abroad, Cathy Meyer-Funnel argues that their good-willed intentions may not necessarily translate into positive outcomes for those living in their destination country.  Nowadays it seems travelling to far and exotic destinations has become part of the rite of passage into adulthood. Whether it be your standard ‘gap yah’ backpacking around Asia or South America, or interrailing around Europe for those on a slightly smaller budget, no CV or Instagram account would be complete without details of your incredible ‘life-changing’ exploits that ‘opened your eyes’ to a different way of life. (At this point I feel I should point out I am in no way bei...

Hundreds of scholars and students alike attended the conference, which focused on the need to “adapt” to climate change rather than prevent it. On Friday 16 th  November a packed Jeffery Hall gave host to UCL Climate Action Society’s flagship event, the Sustainability Symposium. The conference brought together speakers from a variety of fields, all with the shared aim of raising awareness of an impending climate catastrophe and discussing how to reduce the most harmful human impacts around the globe. President of the Climate Action Society, Aliza Ayaz, began proceedings addressing the need for an “intellectual approach”, in order to avoid the “frenzy” that has become associated with action on climate change. Her opening speech outlined how climate change affects both developed and developing countries, yet can be especially damaging to poor and vulnerable communities. She stated that “there can be no lasting peace without climate action,” and emphasised the need to focus effor...

Giving you the insight into matters directly related to student life is the Pi Comment column, Spotlight: UCL, Universities and Young People, where our team of columnists tackle the issues affecting students today. Cathy Meyer-Funnel makes the case for freedom of choice in the face of overbearing drug use measures in universities. Drug use on university campuses is, for many students, an accepted part of their experience, whether they are users or not. It has never been legal, yet particularly in large cities such as London it is hard to know how preventative measures would really be effective. Presumably this is why universities such as Manchester, Newcastle and Sussex have decided to take an alternative approach by offering drug testing kits to their students, enabling them to test the toxicity of their illegal substances and thereby make a more informed decision about what exactly they are putting in their bodies. According to NUS vice-president for welfare Eva Crossan Jory, “M...