The Student Newspaper of Imperial College 1 JJ U 1 11 21 May 1993 Issue 967 WISE women visit IC by Andrew Tseng Last Friday saw the illustrious Dr Mary Archer, Visiting Professor to Biochemistry and wife of Lord Jeffrey Archer, chair the Women in Science, Engineering and Medicine question time. Her panel consisted of Ms Kate Bellingham (Presenter on BBCl's Tomorrow's World), Dr Anna Kessling (St Mary's Hospital Medical School), Dr Nancy Lane (Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge), Dr Susan Parry (Centre for Analytical Research in the Enviroment) and Mrs Jean Venables (Consulting Engineer, IC Alumna). Questions from the floor ranged from 'What can you do if you are the subject of sexual discrirnination?' to 'Should going to a single sex school be encouraged or discouraged?'. Dr Mary Archer and Kate Bellingham of BBC's Tomorrow's World. Shock horror in Southside halls By our News Staff wall'. The incident was has since arisen due to Mr discuss matters like this, and Alarms were raised this week over immediately reported to Richard Comeaux's subsequent denial that produced a copy of the 'IC safety arrangements in Falmouth Owen, a subwarden, who covered the incident ever occurred, and Dangerous Occurrences Report Keogh Hall following allegations of the offending junctions with posters Professor New has added to this. Form (not causing injury)' that an incident last Sunday, where a and informed the warden, Professor Questioned on Tuesday by Imperial should be submitted by any student resident was reportedly exposed to Geoffrey New. An immediate College News Network (iCNN) experiencing such an incident. The faulty electrical circuits, leaving investigation was begun, with STOIC, Professor New said he had form should be filled in to report sources worried that College was college electricians spending been informed of an incident any dangerous incidents occurring taking a cavalier approach to the Monday and Tuesday covering involving a student's accident with around the campus, but evidence safety of students living in halls. blocks in Falmouth Keogh Hall, but exposed electrical currents, but that acquired by iCNN suggests that Mr Clinton Comeaux asserts that not upstairs in Tizard Hall on this allegation had since been knowledge of the existence of this he was speaking on the telephone staircase one. withdrawn. Subsequent attempts document is very scarce. This when he touched a bare, live Felix understands that when the made by iCNN to gather 'After the Fact' approach to junction block and experienced a incident was reported, some information have drawn a blank, potential hazards within halls of mild electric shock. 'As the wires considerable time after its suggesting that the 'incident' is residence has been condemned as touched the back plate, sparks flew occurrence to Messrs Leach and merely wild speculation intended to 'foolhardy', as it is implicit that the across the corridor', he said Guirey of Estates Management, fuel an outbreak of mass hysteria in extent of faults must be appraised yesterday. An eyewitness reports they were rather shocked, and Southside Halls. in terms of risks or injuries arising hearing an audible cry as the lights claimed that they were not When iCNN spoke to Estates from those faults, before any action went out, while another says that previously aware of Mr Comeaux's Management, they said that a Safety is taken to rectify them. Mr Comeaux 'reeled back from the electrocution. Further controversy Committee sits every term to 6 8 12/13 16-21 Restructure College Out with the Reviews Rage Lifts... Dalai Lama Galore N ews 21 May 1993 Felix 967 More voting Film triumph by Jonty Beavan Before rerunning the contest, Mr Election fever has again hit Imperial Dominic Wilkinson, current Hon College as the race for the new post Sec (Events) has changed his of Deputy President (Clubs and position's job description. As part Societies), hots up. of the general restructuring of At the time of writing, only one Imperial College Union, the Hon candidate, Charles Leary, has put Sec (Events) post is to become himself forward. Mr Leary, a final solely responsible for student Clubs year Biology student, is proposed and Societies. by Grahame Hey and almost If no further candidates announce completely seconded. In the themselves by 5 pm this evening, previous set of Sabbatical elections, Mr Leary will only be opposed by during March, Mr Leary stood for New Election. Hustings for the post the post of Honourary Secretary will be held on Thursday 3rd June (Events), but withdrew for reasons in the Union, with voting taking that were never made clear. Due to place on Monday 7th and Tuesday an inconclusive result, another 8th June. election has to held for the post. Oxford women win by Andrew Tseng equal opportunities debate. The and Declan Curry Association of University Teachers Oxford University was found to be has pointed out that women guilty of sex discrimination and professors are paid on average hypocrisy over its equal £1500 less than their male opportunities policy this week. counterparts. A much higher Dons voted 182 to 37 in favour proportion of women than men of rejecting the appointment of 15 professors are in the under £34000 professorships at Congregation, the per annum pay bracket. Less than University's parliament. The 20 per cent of men professors fall £100,000 pounds will go instead into this category. towards lower level promotions, as The decision can still be upturned currently 20 per cent of lecturers at if the university's senior executive the University are women. This body, Council, decides that the compares to 4 women professors, proposals should go to a postal less than 5.1 per cent, of the ballot. In the event of this University's senior academic happening, equal opportunities community. campaigners are confident that the The University's commitment to 66 per cent majority of this week's The New Imperial College Union Cinema opened last Thursday, with its equal opportunities policy has vote is an indication of the ultimate unprecedented success writes Jonty Beavan. been questioned after revelations outcome of any university wide An audience of over seventy people, watched the film 'Singles' in the that it had turned down the advice ballot. Union Concert Hall. This was the first showing of any film by Imperial of its equal opportunities In an interview with iCNN College Unions Film Society in its new location. Until before Easter the committee. The committee had Imperial College Radio, Emma Society's showings were located in Mech Eng 220. Mr Laugharne, one urged the university to create Westcot, the Women's Officer at of the projectionists, said he was 'amazed, we never expected so many readerships. Oxford University said that, 'This people'. Yesterday's showing of 'Scent of a Woman' was expected to be The high profile proposals at decision will encourage women just as well attended. Oxford have fuelled the national looking for a career in academia.' Improvements will continue to the ICU Cinema over summer: Two 35 millimetre projectors are to be bought and a projection gallery installed at the rear of the Concert Hall. It is hoped that all the changes will be Barber plans for ICU completed for the beginning of the next academic year. by our man in the toilet expansion into part of the games Plans are afoot within ICU to move room. STOIC getting bigger the games machines from the Suggestions have been mooted Games room, currently next door that while the lavatory update is in to Da Vinci's in the Union Building, progress, the Games room will also by Jonty n' Donny present STOIC studio on the highest and use the room for another, as yet undergo a complete facelift. STOIC, Imperial College's very floor of the Union Building. unspecified, purpose. Current proposals imply that a own television station, is planning The plans have yet to confirmed, The reason for the movement of Barbers or Hairdresser salon could to expand from its base on the third but will meet their final testing at games machines is to enable a be installed in the remaining space. floor of the Union Building. the next meeting of House restructuring of the toilets situated Where the games machines would STOIC (Student Television of committee. House committee is a behind the Games Room, to allow be moved to, if this proposal went Imperial College) plots to overflow student body responsible for for their use by disabled people. through, has yet to be considered. into the Clubs Committee room. fixtures and furnishing of the This refurbishment will involve an This extra space sits next to the Imperial College Union building. Page 2 Opinion Felix 967 21 May 1993 problem; the situation must be their work and do very little else. to at all. Editorial sorted out very quickly. Money It hardly seems worthwhile to Credits Allow me the indulgence of your cannot go pouring down the drain, indulge the egos of a few oversized News: Andrew Tseng, Declan imagination for a few minutes. but time must be set aside to teenagers in affairs like this. Curry, Monsieur Crotaz. Suppose you are the manager of a convince members of staff of any Besides, in a few years they will be Feature: Sonia, Harry, Geoff large business. Let's take it a little rearrangments. It does not do to gone. It seems like they have no Maxwell, Reviews: Donny, Phil, closer to home; imagine you are the steamroller any alteration over concern anyway. After all how Tintin, Laura, Flossie, Marcus head of a College of the University staff. Imperial College had a vivid many voices of student outrage Alexander, Patrick Wood, Choc, reminder of that during the were raised when Sir Eric Ash of London.