Varsity (Cambridge)
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ISSN 1758-4442 | | |
Website | www.varsity.co.uk |
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Varsity is the oldest of
Varsity has received recognition at the now defunct
History
Varsity is one of Britain's oldest student newspapers.[3] Its first edition was published on 17 January 1931, as Varsity: the Cambridge University Illustrated[4] (later The Varsity Weekly, and then the Cambridge Varsity Post.[citation needed] However, the first few years saw Varsity get off to a shaky start. In 1932, a controversy about some of its stories resulted in the editor being challenged to a duel,[citation needed] and the following year the paper went bankrupt (having lost £100).[citation needed]
Revival
A variety of attempts to revive Varsity led to the paper resurfacing periodically over the following decade,[citation needed] but it was not until 1947 that the paper was re-established permanently in its current form. Harry Newman Jr (1921–2001), a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Business School, then studying for a postgraduate degree at St John's College, Cambridge, decided that Cambridge needed a proper American-style campus newspaper modelled on The Harvard Crimson.[5] With the post-war rationing of newsprint, only publications that had existed before the War could be allocated paper, and so the obsolete publication name Varsity was used.[citation needed]
In a letter published in Varsity at the end of the year 1971–1972, Harry Newman wrote,
Varsity's headquarters in 1947 was above the Scotch Hoose, "a restaurant at the corner of the Market and Market Street".[
1950s–1960s
In the 1950s, Varsity's offices were in a former shop in
In 1956, the staff, worried about debts, questioned Varsity's legal status. Solicitors were consulted, who advised that any debts arising from its considerable turnover (advertising income, printing costs etc.) or damages awarded for libel etc. would be the personal responsibility of the current editor. Varsity was promptly converted into a
1970s–1980s
In the mid-1970s, Varsity merged with the radical campaigning student paper Stop Press. Thereafter, it was known as Stop Press with Varsity for several years, before reverting to its original title in the late 1980s.[citation needed]
1990s–present
Varsity moved back to being a weekly publication in Michaelmas 2015, after having been a fortnightly publication since Michaelmas 2012.[citation needed] Varsity is published every Friday during the University of Cambridge's term time, so there are 21 issues a year.
The Lent term editor also edits a single edition at the start of Easter term, and a separate editor controls a special edition May Week issue (or, in some years, daily May Week issues) at the end of the academic year.[citation needed]
Famous contributions
Notable contributors
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 former
The paper has also launched the careers of many news journalists, including in recent times former
Some notable editors of the Varsity include Andrew Rawnsley (1983-4), Archie Bland (Michaelmas 2004), Amol Rajan (Lent 2005), Laura-Jane Foley (Lent 2004), and James Dacre (Michaelmas 2005).
Recent Editors[9]
Year | Term | Editor(s) |
---|---|---|
2024 | Easter | Alice Mainwood & Felix Armstrong |
2024 | Lent | Daniel Hilton & Michael Hennessey |
2023 | Michaelmas | Isabel Dempsey & Taneesha Datta |
2023 | Easter | Hannah Gillott & Erik Olsson |
2023 | Lent | Megan Byrom & Famke Veenstra-Ashmore |
2022 | Michaelmas | Fergal Jeffreys & Jacob Freedland |
2022 | Easter | Juliette Guéron-Gabrielle & Lotte Brundle |
2022 | Lent | Emaan Ullah & Bethan Moss |
2021 | Michaelmas | Nick Bartlett & Isabel Sebode |
2021 | Easter | Meike Leonard & Elizabeth Hagh |
2021 | Lent | Gaby Vides & Georgina Buckle |
2020 | Michaelmas | Rich Bartlett |
2020 | Easter | Caterina Bragoli & Gabriel Humphreys |
2020 | Lent | Lottie Reeder & Jess Ma |
2019 | Michaelmas | Maia Wyn Davies & Stephanie Stacey |
2019 | Easter | Isobel Bickersteth |
2019 | Lent | Vivienne Hopley-Jones & Catherine Lally |
2018 | Michaelmas | Noella Chye |
2018 | Easter | Anna Jennings |
2018 | Lent | Daniel Gayne |
2017 | Michaelmas | Elizabeth Howcroft & Patrick Wernham |
2017 | Easter | Patrick Wernham |
2017 | Lent | Millie Brierley |
2016 | Michaelmas | Louis Ashworth & Callum Hale-Thomson |
2016 | Easter | Eleanor Deeley |
2016 | Lent | James Sutton |
2015 | Michaelmas | Tom Freeman |
2015 | Lent | Talia Zybutz |
2014 | Michaelmas | Amy Hawkins |
2014 | Lent | Emily Chan |
2013 | Michaelmas | Alice Udale-Smith |
2013 | Lent | Salome Wagaine & Aliya Ram |
2012 | Michaelmas | Charlotte Keith |
2012 | Lent | Louise Benson & Madeleine Morley |
2011 | Michaelmas | Rhys Treharne & Laurie Martin |
2011 | Lent | Alice Hancock & Lara Prendergast |
2010 | Michaelmas | Joe Pitt-Rashid |
2010 | Lent | Emma Mustich & Laurie Tuffrey |
2009 | Michaelmas | Robert Peal & Anna Trench |
2009 | Lent | Hugo Gye & Michael Stothard |
2008 | Michaelmas | Patrick Kingsley |
2008 | Lent | Tom Bird & George Grist |
2007 | Michaelmas | Lizzie Mitchell & Elliot Ross |
2007 | Lent | Joseph Gosden & Hermione Buckland-Hoby (Issue 1), Joseph Gosden & Natalie Woolman (Issue 2–9) |
2006 | Michaelmas | Emily Stokes (Issues 1–2), Mary Bowers & Jonny Ensall (Issue 3–9) |
2006 | Lent | Jon Swaine & Amy Goodwin |
2005 | Michaelmas | James Dacre |
2005 | Lent | Amol Rajan |
2004 | Michaelmas | Archie Bland |
2004 | Lent | Reji Vettasseri & Laura-Jane Foley |
2003 | Michaelmas | Tom Ebbutt |
2003 | Lent | Oliver Duff & Luke Layfield |
2002 | Michaelmas | Katy Long |
2002 | Lent | Rob Sharp |
2001 | Michaelmas | Adam Joseph & Julian Blake |
2001 | Lent | Tom Royston & Sarah Brealey |
2000 | Michaelmas | Ed Hall |
2000 | Lent | Jonti Small |
1999 | Michaelmas | David Peter |
Stories broken
Early years
Stories first revealed in Varsity have often gone on to receive coverage in the UK's national press. In May 1953, Varsity was only the third newspaper in the world to carry a report on
Recent years
In recent years, reports to capture wider attention have included the leak of the name of Cambridge's latest vice-Chancellor, news about student protests concerning higher education funding, and a host of lighter reports about undergraduate excesses. In 2014 Varsity collaborated with
In July 2021, Varsity broke a national story regarding the university's proposed £400m deal with the United Arab Emirates.[14] Varsity journalists were then credited when the story was covered by The Times.[15] The news was later broken that the deal had been called off following revelations around the UAE's links to Pegasus spyware through an interview with Vice-Chancellor Stephen Toope.[16] The story appeared on the front cover of The Guardian,[17] with Varsity journalists receiving writing credits.
Current organisation
Varsity is published by Varsity Publications Ltd, a not-for-profit company which directly funds The Varsity Trust,
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),[
Unlike most student newspapers, the design of the newspaper is allowed to change radically with the arrival of new student editors.[citation needed]
Awards
20th century
For several consecutive years in the 1950s and 1960s the paper won the award for Britain's best student newspaper. (In the mid-1950s it was temporarily banned from entering for the award on grounds that it was "too professional" and other publications should be given a chance to win.)
21st century
In the 2001 Guardian Student Media Awards it was shortlisted in two categories for best feature writer (Rend Shakir) and best student critic (Alex Marshall) It 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).[23] In 2005 Varsity writer Sam Richardson won the Guardian's Student Diversity Writer of the Year award.[24]
In 2006, Sophie Pickford was the runner-up for best sports writer of the year.[25]
In 2007, Varsity won the Guardian Student Media Awards' Student Publication Design of the Year.[26]
Varsity won six prizes at the
Current board and staff
Varsity has a board of directors made up of university academics, long-term associates of the newspaper, and student members.[citation needed] As of March 2022, the chairman is Mike Franklin.[18]
Varsity's editors are not paid, but their work is supported by a full-time business manager and company secretary (responsible for sourcing advertising to fund the publications, running the office on a day-to-day basis, finance, accounts, tax and administration). The current business manager and company secretary is Mark Curtis.
Varsity is now based at the Old Examination Hall on the New Museums Site in the former Godwin Laboratory. Previously, Varsity was based at 11–12 Trumpington Street. The newspaper's move from this "temporary" home, to the new offices, occurred in August 2007, after a 16-year tenancy.
References
- ^ Varsity Staff (24 March 2017). "About Varsity". varsity.co.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ Freddy Mayhew (2010). "Guardian cancels student media awards to save costs". Press Gazette.
- ^ "About Varsity | Varsity". Varsity Online. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
- ^ Hooke Library Staff (2010). "Bibliographic record for Varsity". Cambridge University Library.
- S2CID 159824444.
- ^ Newman, Harry (1972). "[Title unknown]". Varsity (Spring).
- ^ "Somebody Else's Cambridge". Varsity Online.
- ^ "Varsity, March 2004" (PDF). Varsity. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ "About Varsity | Varsity". Varsity Online. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ Elwell, Martha & Wilkinson, Hannah (25 April 2014). "88% of Sexual Assaults Unreported". Varsity.co.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Sanghani, Radhika (28 April 2014). "One in six Cambridge University students groped, but they're too 'ashamed' to report it, study finds". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ Hurst, Greg (17 May 2014). "Half Cambridge's female students sexually harassed". thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ Page, Libby; Young-Powell, Abby (2 May 2014). "Sexual harassment: the campus issue that won't go away". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ "Documents reveal proposed £400 million collaboration between University of Cambridge and United Arab Emirates".
- ^ "University of Cambridge in talks over UAE tie-up".
- ^ "'It's a privilege to be at the helm of an institution so important': An exclusive interview with Vice-Chancellor Stephen Toope".
- TheGuardian.com. 14 October 2021.
- ^ a b Varsity Trust Staff (24 March 2017). "The Varsity Trust". VarsityTrust.org.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ Wales, The Charity Commission for England and. "About Charities". charity-commission.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,1560999,00.html "Learning Curve," The Guardian, 3 September 2005
- ^ "AP Watt". Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
- ^ "The Mays XIX: Guest Editors". Archived from the original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
- ^ Harris, Rob (15 November 2004). "Student Media Awards 2004". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ Guardian Staff (2 November 2005). "Student Media Awards 2005". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ Guardian Staff (9 November 2006). "Student Media Awards 2006". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ Guardian Staff (26 November 2007). "Student Media Awards 2007". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ Guardian Staff (26 November 2009). "Guardian Student Media Awards, 2009: Winners". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 May 2010.