Researcher’s from Oxford University’s Experimental Psychology department have discovered that small electric pulses to the brain can improve memory, learning and mathematic ability.

The researchers, led by Dr Roi Cohen Kadosh, applied small electric currents to volunteers for just 20 minutes for 5 days. They found that after receiving the treatment, volunteer’s  vision, memory, decision-making, problem-solving, language and focusing skills were all improved, with the effects lasting for up to six months.

Dr Cohen Kadosh, who has been working on brain stimulation for the last 7 years, explained how the experiment works: ‘We place two electrodes on regions that we know are involved in maths processing. It is not a shock, it is a very subtle electrical current, which many do not even feel.

 ‘The brain is working on electricity, and I wanted to examine if changing the responsiveness of the brain by applying electricity to it in brain regions that are critical for maths could improve its function.

‘It seems that the brain works more efficiently when it is stimulated than when it is not, as evaluated by tools that assess blood oxygenation. But we still need to know the exact mechanisms’

He pointed out that the current research is not a treatment but an experiment. However he hoped the work could apply in real life situations. ‘If it will appear to be safe and successful, it could be used in different settings (e.g., tutorials for those with learning difficulties), until then I would not advice using this at home.’

The recent election of a new Keble JCR president has caused controversy as the Sean Ford, the winning candidate, received fewer first preference votes than his only competitor for the presidency.

Keble uses the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system to elect its president with JCR members ranking the candidates numerically, including the option to Re-Open Nominations (RON), according to their preferences.

Although Alex Connolly, a first-year historian at Keble, received one more first preference vote than Ford, his total of seventy eight votes left him just under the fifty per cent support required in order to become elected.

This meant that the three voters who chose RON as their first preference had their next preference votes counted in a second round. One of them chose no second preference and the other two selected Ford as their second choice, taking Ford’s total of votes up to seventy nine and winning him the presidency.

Sean Ford, winner of the election and a first-year PPEist at Keble, told Cherwell, “I was elected by the rules of the constitution. I do not see how the process can be more legitimate. The point of STV is that someone will be elected who has a majority of the JCR’s support.”

He added, “No matter what the system, if Alex and I had been as close as we were, then the result may seem controversial but at the end of it, we can only work with the method the constitution lays out.”

Ford also defended the importance of being able to vote for RON in JCR elections. He said, “Sometimes those nominated are not up to the standards of the JCR. It is important that we have the option to reject candidates.”

Alex Connolly, the losing candidate, told Cherwell, “The constitution is clear as to how the voting system works so I have no grounds for formal complaint, but having said this, it was a very, very unsatisfactory way to lose.”

James Newton, the outgoing JCR President, commented, “Keble JCR conducts its elections through Single Transferable Vote. This system has been in use for well over five years in Keble and its procedure is laid out clearly in Appendix A. Last week’s elections were carried out in full accordance with these procedures and each successful candidate was duly elected.”

A fresher studying PPE at Keble, said, “I think it must have been just about the closest run thing ever, as close as a Grand National photo finish. Which makes sense as both Sean and Alex would have done a fantastic job as President and they both had pretty strong fan bases.

She added, “People have said that it was unfair; maybe so, maybe not, but it is really great to have had an election where literally every vote and second vote counted. And if I’m honest, I am glad to see a PPEist back in a position of power.”

Students living in Brasenose College’s Frewin Annexe, which adjoins the Oxford Union, are soon to benefit from the installation of Wi-Fi due to the donation of £2,000 from a college alumnus.

The former student of Brasenose, who matriculated in 1999 and has since gone into IT, was contacted by second year James Johnson during a Telethon which took place in March.

The alumnus explained why he had decided to donate the money to Brasenose, saying, “I had always intended on ‘one day’ donating to Brasenose, and it so happened that I could afford to make a donation this year, so I decided that I would.

“I didn’t want to make a donation just for it to be added to a big pot of cash and disappear – I wanted to feel that by donating, I could make something happen that otherwise would not have happened.

“I was at Brasenose when ethernet was installed in student rooms, and I remember that when I went to Frewin in my second year, the ethernet rollout didn’t catch up until after Christmas. For me and friends, being able to have a fast, reliable internet connection made a huge difference to our university experience.”

James Johnson, who studies History and Politics, told Cherwell, “The installation of Wi-Fi in Frewin is a very exciting development from the College, and many Frewin residents are grateful to the alumnus and excited for its inception.

“It was fantastic to speak to the alumnus over the phone and I greatly enjoyed being a part of the Brasenose Telethon which, as well as other similar projects across the university, underpin such beneficial improvements to student and college life.”

The alumnus added, “It’s good to hear from current students, and I felt James did a good job of chatting about life around the college and what’s changed since I was there (and what’s stayed the same).

“The Telethon is intrusive, yes, but it’s not unexpected and if the students making contact are friendly and engaging, not just reading off a script, then it’s pleasant enough.”

Brasenose student and Frewin resident Frances Gosling said, “It’s great news, and as a Frewin resident I know it’ll have a really positive impact on academic and social life.”

The Frewin Annexe houses second, third and fourth year undergraduate students. The Wi-Fi is expected to be installed at some point in the next academic year.

Plans to renovate Corpus Christi’s New Building may have to be put on hold, amidst doubts as to whether the building is soon to be listed.

The college had planned to renovate the first-year accommodation in the Hilary Term of next year. However, recent developments mean this may change.

Writing in an email sent to Corpus’ students, JCR President Patricia Stephenson said, “I’ve recently been informed by College that the New Building plans may have to be postponed because it might become listed. The College are in the process of finding out if that’s going to happen.”

She added, “Don’t get your hopes up, because this isn’t a confirmed decision. I want to avoid any rumours getting out about what is happening by addressing this directly, that’s why I’m telling you now.”

The plans for New Building had been causing controversy amongst some Corpus students, who felt that the renovation of the building would cause disruption next Hilary, when some of them have exams.

The news that the New Building may become listed, then, has come as a welcome surprise for some as it may result in the postponement or cancelation of the building work.

What it results in for students at the moment is a suspension of the ballot for next year’s Hilary and Trinity accommodation, which had been separated from the ballot for Michaelmas accommodation ballot because of the planned renovation.

In response to the query that the planned work on the New Building may cause disruption to students with exams, Corpus’ JCR President Patricia Stephenson and the Accommodation Officer Vicki Halsall said, “It is unfortunate that the building works are happening during our time at Corpus due to the disruption of current years, but it is a necessity which will ultimately benefit future students at Corpus, and it is nice to see how accommodating the JCR are being.”

Christ Church’s annual search for Mr & Mrs Christ Church has been criticised by students after this year’s competition allegedly culminated in students chanting “get your tits out for the lads” and “get your minge out.”

The event was organised by Christ Church’s Entz reps, and took place last Friday. It usually consists of ten challenges, in which ten pairs of students participate.

A Christ Church student who spoke to Cherwell said, “There were tame [challenges], like introducing yourself, telling a joke, doing the worm, cross-dressing the guy; [it] got worse though – [the challanges included] enacting sex condoms on carrots.”

The student also said, “[The chants were] obscene stuff – ‘get your minge out’; the crowd was riotous though, like, super, super rowdy.”
‘“Get your tits out” did happen,” the same student confirmed.

The student also said, “The event spiralled out of control almost immediately and only one person got her boobs out – she was not naked otherwise – it was not a requirement that she did that, although misogyny from the crowd and intervention from older years led to that, plus extreme drunkenness on [the] participants’ and crowd’s part.”

Christopher Lewis, the Dean of Christ Church, who is the Head of the House, told Cherwell, “I understand that there was an event in the Undercroft student bar last Friday. Permission had been given for the event on the condition that it was to be in good taste.

“These conditions were not met and some of those involved are subject to disciplinary processes.”

One fresher told Cherwell, “Throughout my first year at Christ Church, I have been aware of a pervasive emphasis on lad culture amongst third years. I feel this was particularly evident during Mr & Mrs Christ Church, in which our female first year Entz reps were unable to maintain control in the face of chants and jeering from older male students.”

Other students have criticised the event. One undergraduate from New College commented, “I think it’s a shame that even at a university like Oxford, misogyny is still clearly alive and well.

“Though we ought to differentiate between submission to peer pressure whilst drunk, and free, willing consent. The idea that a woman’s body is an object to be leered at is de-humanising.”

Another fresher, not at Christ Church, commented, “I think this sort of behaviour is deplorable. It can be very hard to speak out against it when all your friends are participating, as you get labelled humourless and boring. It is easy to be pressured into doing things you aren’t comfortable with.”

They added, “I think the misogyny of lad culture is getting worse, as it is so often said to be harmless, when actually it is symptomatic of a general disrespectful attitude towards women.”

But one student, also not from Christ Church said, “I think this sort of behaviour should be encouraged. Girls should definitely take their tops off more often. In Britain we are too prudish; people pent it all up inside. If we were more used to going around naked, we wouldn’t have events like Mr & Mrs Christ Church happening.”

Wadham students found themselves locked in – and out of – the college library on Wednesday night. The card-activated door broke at around 8pm, leaving some trapped amid the tomes, with no access to a toilet. A group of finalists outside were for half an hour denied access to the 43,000 books, tantalisingly visible through the large library windows.

Conscientious students were unwilling to admit defeat however. Jamie Kenna, a third year engineer, told Cherwell, “After returning from a short break, we found a crowd gathered outside the library, claiming the door was broken. A porter came to help out, but failed and went looking for someone in works to look at it.”

The Wadhamite finalists then coordinated with a library inmate, whom they asked to open a window, and gained access by clambering through.
Kenna told Cherwell that once inside his friend “gloated our success to the others still stuck outside while I went to inspect the broken
door.”

He then found a “secret cupboard to the left of the door and, using my skills as an Engineer, was able to restore power to door control system, thereby allowing others to safely return to work for finals.”

Hundreds of students from colleges across the university tuned in to the Eurovision Song Contest last Saturday, joining an estimated 125 million viewers around the world who watched the contest broadcast live from Malmö, Sweden.

The show enjoyed unprecedented popularity in Oxford this year with more than a dozen Eurovision parties being held in JCRs, college bars and even the Union. Colleges known to have hosted either an official or unofficial Eurovision party include St Hugh’s, Exeter, Jesus, Hertford, Balliol, Lincoln and Keble, amongst others. Emmelie de Forest representing Denmark ended the night at the top of the scoreboard with her song ‘Only Teardrops’. The UK, represented by 80s pop-star Bonnie Tyler, came in 19th with only 23 points.

Harry Davies, who organised this year’s party at Exeter, said, “Exeter turned out in force for Eurovision this year, about 50 people came to the JCR throughout the night. The room was covered with European bunting and giant flags. Most people were given a mini-flag of their chosen country to wave, crayons so they could show their allegiance facially, and also a score-sheet, so they could rank the performances in categories such as ‘The Likeability Factor’ and ‘General Amazingness’. 26 daring students entered a sweepstake and it became pretty vocal and competitive during the scoring, but it was brilliant to see so many people get involved with what really is the greatest three-and-a-half hours of television mankind has ever created.”

An Exeter first year also praised the work of their JCR, commenting, “It was a great success…We passed a motion earlier this term to pay for food and drink as well as decorations and it acted as a great pre-party to the bop we had later that evening.” Adam Ward added “Despite the Eurovision rule of not being able to vote for yourself, Exeter definitely deserved douze points for its Eurovision party.”

A first year from St Hugh’s said, “Nearly every seat in the JCR was full, and in my experience the JCR hasn’t been as full at any point this year so far…A number of finalists empathised with the sentiments expressed in Greece’s entry ‘Alcohol is Free’. “

The UK’s low position on the scoreboard has once again raised questions about whether Britain’s continued participation in the competition is worth it. One second-year Jesus medic said, “It’s impossible to dislike Eurovision, even though we keep losing. Of course it’s a shame about Bonnie, until you remember that it’s not 1983 anymore and nobody really cares.”

A former kitchen porter who worked at Wolfson College has been jailed for two years for dealing cocaine and heroin. Twenty year old Oluwatosin Omoniyi was sentenced on Friday 17th May at Oxford Crown Court.

He pleaded guilty of possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin. He was sentenced to two years for each offence, which will run concurrently.

According to the Oxford Mail, Omoniyi was arrested on 13th January by officers patrolling in an unmarked car on Marlborough Road. He
was seen discarding items at the scene, which were later found to be wraps of a Class A drug.

Officers are said to have found just under five grams of heroin and around nine grams of crack cocaine, as well as £140 in cash.

Speaking to Cherwell, Wolfson’s College Bursar said, “We know nothing about the event or his activities and feel disappointed to be reported
as his employer, as he was provided by an agency on a casual basis.”

Speaking to the Mail, Omoniyi’s defence barrister, Lucy French, said Omoniyi received a housing benefit of just £50 a week, which could
not possibly cover his outgoings. She states, “He was approached by others to be a runner for them in terms of selling drugs.

“He entered into that with a clear head, determined to make money from it. He was constantly promised money but received no profits apart from some trainers worth £60.”

Judge Patrick Eccles said, “You are a responsible young man, perfectly capable of making responsible decisions, but you chose not to in
this instance.”

Cherwell has contacted students at the college but none claimed to know about the situation.