Good afternoon,
Today’s Digestive was a bit later than usual (apologies), but we have a good excuse. Reporters from The Cheese Grater made the arduous trek to UCL East this morning to witness cabinet minister (and vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel) Pat McFadden give a press conference on how “disrupters” are needed to reform the Civil Service… whatever that means.
In other news, the scammers have been at it again this week, with reports of a UCL student being targeted by tailored AI phone calls aiming to extort recipients. The phone call claimed to have kidnapped the unfortunate receiver’s partner, and comes just weeks after the University’s cyber security chief warned of a “significant increase” in phone and internet scams.
The Cheese Grater this week also exposed the University’s failure to pay Turing Grants to students on their years abroad in a timely manner, pushing many into debt whilst in foreign countries without the means to work.
Another investigation by The Cheese Grater over the past seven days revealed that universities across England, including UCL, were admitting students with poor English proficiency, drawing criticism from academics and trade union leaders.
Along with our more serious endeavours, in this issue of the Digestive you’ll also find Isadora Gramicelli’s satirical insight into the true ongoings of the basement floors of the Student Centre during deadline season, even featuring a name drop of UCL’s very own Jeremy Bentham.
A new, sinister, scam targeting unsuspected students with highly tailored AI phone calls has been uncovered in an investigation by The Cheese Grater, writes Sophia Marmion.
Academics and trade union leaders warn that universities across the UK are admitting students without the level of English needed to engage with their studies, Lucy Reade reports.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was in UCL East earlier today fending off claims that the Government is picking fights with civil servants, Nick Miao reports from Stratford.
An investigation by Lola Davies reveals that students in their years abroad were forced into debt after the University failed to pay Turing Grants on time.
Isadora Gramicelli gives an insight into what truly goes on in the Student Centre during an overnight stay as deadline season approaches.
📻 Grater Insight
Last week Interim Editor-in-Chief Robert Delaney interviewed Ben Scanlan, The Student Union’s Housing and Accommodation Officer, during the latest episode of our brand-new radio show Grater Insight, which is up on our website now.
Robert and Ben spoke about the state of student housing in both the private rental market and in UCL’s very own halls of residence, covering topics ranging from collapsing ceilings at John Dodgson House and break-ins at Astor College to the seemingly arbitrary rent rises levied by the University on its own students.
You can tune into Grater Insight on UCL’s very own Rare FM every Friday from 8pm!
Picture of the week
