The student newspaper of Imperial College H F Issue 1062 ELIX June 26th 1996 LIVE MUSI SHOWGIRLS A live hard house from JAMESHOCKLEY ROOM 1 Poodle Chaos CHA with live percussion from doh! featuring DJ Cosy Slippers, SOUND SYSTEM J-Trance (New Decade) ;StT: The Bard (Starfish),Billy McCIimenes ROOM & tarot card reader 3 CHILL-OUT ROOM 1 COLOUR LASER & COCKTAIL BAR ROOM 4 TREE ! Glass of Archers S- Lemonade MEGA BUFFET & BARBECUE CLUB DECOR THROUGHOUT STRING QUARTET, JUGGLERS ETC FRI JUNE 28TH 9 - 3am £5/ £4 (ENTSCARDS) mm (mora on door) ZSk ROAR siywo/tTeo *»V.ST>» T-w>nvci_ rmsr*»Eftt>\.L college re.-.a. • orzf sat Tickets on sale NOW ! from ICU office & DaVinci's Bar CONTENTS FELIX WEDNESDAY 26TH JUNE 1996 . THREE NEWS Ghassan Karrian resigns • Commemoration Day postponed • Physics technician goes around the world on a tandem 6 THE YEAR IN REVIEW The outs and ins of 1 995-1996 • Sir Ronald Oxburgh, Rector of IC looks back on the year 10 THE STATE OF THE UNION This year's Sabbatical team consider the future prospects of ICU • Alex Feakes looks forward to next year's Felix 14 So Now WHAT? Nooman Haque considers the prospects of today's graduate 16 Fii: ARTS, SCIENCE & COMMENT Claes Oldenberg at the Hayward Gallery • A butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazon: Ben Wilkins talks to Netspedition • Simon Baker reviews the year • Films: Kingpin, Back of Beyond, Beyond the Clouds, Beautiful Thing, Jack and Sarah • Theatre: Who shall be happy? • Music: The Blue Nile, 808 State, Sleeper, Longpigs, Porno for Pyros, Placebo, Dissident Prophet 24 So LONG... The staff on the Editor • An Editor's last stand * Letters & Editorial • Credits • The Felix 95-96 Team > is .5:5 * : vv.; Mi:W^?'V77mmw p Mm Mm. mZM:M^ M M l;M:.: 'M. ?M •• • '• Pictures, left-right and top-bottom: Alex Feakes, News Editor this year and Felix Editor next year • Nooman Haque, prolific Feature writer • Ben Wilkins, Science Editor • Jeremy Thomson, Arts Editor • Vik Bansal, Music Editor and Wei Lee, Film & Video Editor FOUR. FELIX WEDNESDAY JUNE 26TH 1996 NEWS Commemoration Day "blunder" BY ALEX FEAKES a pop group booked into the Hall Imperial College's 1996 for the week before were unable Commemoration Day celebra- to move. Questions remain, tions were salvaged from disaster though, as to why three weeks last week when they were went by after the blunder's dis- rescheduled for the 31st covery before Registry notified October, instead of the 24th. anybody of their mistake. The Registry Division responsible The Rector was told last for the ceremony had overlooked Wednesday, and apparently a mistake in the booking of the unimpressed by the situation Albert Hall in what was declared that "those who [made described by the Rector, Sir the mistake] would have to sort it Ronald Oxburgh, as a "gross blun- out." Sarah White, ICU presi- der. " dent, described the affair as "very Commemoration Day, when unfortunate" and said that it was graduating students receive their "lucky that it happened in time degrees, is traditionally held on for the students that were leav- the closest Thursday to the 25th ing," though it was too late for of October, which allows the PHOTO: WILLIAM LORENZ overseas students. Albert Hall to be booked for the Proud parents photographing their son at this year's post-graduate ICU sources put the cost of event years in advance. However, ceremony. October's Commemoration Day for undergraduates has the Commemoration Ball in the this year the graduation ceremo- been the victim of a "gross blunder," nearly scuppering the event. region of £15,000, which is nor- ny is pencilled in for the 31st mally covered by the double tick- October instead of the 24th, a have had to move the £90 a pair Registry to solve the problem, et price of £90. However, it is fact that nobody in Registry dis- Commemoration Ball forward a but they were unable to move the now doubtful whether or not the covered until recently, when week. ICU narrowly avoiding a date to the 24th October. Speak- overheads of the Ball will be met preparations for the ceremony repeat of the May Post-graduate ing to Felix, Vernon Mclure, head from ticket sales alone. Sarah and the Ball following it were Ball debacle in which they of the Registry Division since the White, incredulous that the well under way. incurred a penalty for cancella- beginning of May, confirmed that Registry had made yet another In particular, invitations to tion at short notice due to anoth- they had made efforts to "sort it mistake, suggested that some of the event had already been sent er Registry mistake. out," but plans to move the event the cost of the Ball may be passed out, and Imperial College Union Efforts were made by the to the 24th were scotched when on to the Registry. Athletic Clubs Committee LSE moves to top-up fees Colour Awards BY ALEX FEAKES Claire Lowrie, LSESU's In a move marked as a "sad day treasurer, commented that The following people have been Social- E. Wratten, R. Curran, S. for students," the London School "Tuition fees should be an option awarded colours for their sport- Baron, B. Arnold, S. Chaturvedi of Economics' academic board of the very last resort," and sug- ing achievement. Rugby: Full- T. Oldham, J. Pert voted to recommend the princi- gested that poorer students and Half- B. Maddison, A. Mayes, ple of top-up fees to its governing those from less privileged back- Boat: Full- A. Kershaw, J. Jean-Phillipe Oesterle, S. Fuller body as a way to reduce a pre- grounds would be put off coming Purnell, A. Trickey, T. Gale, M. Social- S. Hall, J. Evans, D. Lee, dicted £3.7 million deficit. to university. However, the Mesenholler, A. Hindley, R. T. Salter If implemented, the LSE Director of LSE, John Ashworth, Lucas, K. Jourdan, S. Ic Miere, S. Ladies Rugby: Half- L. Hewitt, would become the first universit- said that "as [LSE] are an inter- Dennis, A. McDonald, N. Tan, Adel Kirkman Social- E. Friel ty in the UK to charge top-up nationally renowned centre of A. Warnock, S. Frackowiak, P. Football: Half- R. Herris, M. tuition fees for EU students. The excellence, we must not let our Wilson, A. Smith Farina, M. Jarvis Social- P. vote, 43 for and 12 against, reputation be damaged by the Cricket: Half- S. Trussel, G. Siverns, N. Hemsley reverses an earlier decision not to reduction of state funding." Parry Social- J. Isherwood, M. Ladies Football: Half- E. Bern- support the fee. Imperial College officials Dawkins rud Social- H. Brindley, T. Locks Estimates for the size of the have consistently denied that IC Ne.tball: Full- J. Dallimore, S. Cross-Coimtry: Full- A. Over- fee have ranged from a prelimi- would begin to charge top up Godleman, A. Dyre Half- M. end, L. Kipling, E. Collins Half- nary figure of £850 to a £3500 fees. However, it remains to be Ataw C. Fishlock, G. Johnson, K. charge which would recover the seen whether the London School Swimming: Full- J. Fox Half- M. MacDonald Social- C. Burge School's budget deficit. Other, of Economics' move will start a Yung, C. Davies Fencing: Full- N. Manton, Yuen short term measures had also domino effect of high-flying uni- Hockey: Full- K. Jabbour, I. Kai Chan, E. Rysdale, S. Saba, R. been agreed by the academic versities succumbing to top-up Crampsie Half- M. Roberton, S. Kalam, C. Cooper, A. Davies board, including raising the fees fees, and whether or not Imperial McTavish, S. Thomas, C. Bryan, Orienteering: Full- M. Halligey for overseas students and reduc- College will be able to resist J. Groenendaal, G. Thompson Half- D. R. Nutt ing staffing costs by 4%. these pressures. NEWS FELIX WEDNESDAY 26TH JUNE 1996 . FIVE Karian resigned to no confidence ULU President quits to preempt QMW motion BY ROBIN RILEY In retaliation, QMW students In Ghassan Karian's absence, still had to be discussed at the The University of London Union voted to ban Mr Karian from ULU Vice-President Tara GUC meeting even though president Ghassan Karian ten- their Union premises. Jefferson has stepped in as acting Ghassan's resignation rendered dered his resignation in a letter to Speaking to Felix, QMW president until the end of July, in the result entirely academic. the University of London Union sabbatical Anthony Hume ques- a brief interview with Felix, Ms Ironically, the motion was defeat- General Union Council on tioned Ghassan's motives in Jefferson was downbeat and ed by the narrow margin of two Tuesday, pre-empting a vote of pushing through both 'New expressed her frustration at the votes, so Mr Karian would have no confidence in his presidency. Solutions' and the new ULU con- course of events, claiming "It was remained ULU president had he Mr Karian had partially with- stitution, in light of his new posi- brilliant when he was doing the not resigned. However, Anthony drawn from the presidency much tion. He also expressed anger at work and not getting paid... We Hume, the motion's original pro- earlier, on May 17th, when he Mr Karian's lack of accountability were getting maximum value out poser, claims that if this had been accepted the offer of a position as to the students he represented, of Ghassan." Ms Jefferson went the case, stronger arguments for West London elections cam- who had been paying his wages on to express her dismay at Mr sacking Ghassan would have been paigns co-ordinator for the for at least the majority of the Karian's forced resignation, and put forward and the result would Labour Party.