Science Travel Brian May Lithu- back in the Mania big smoke page 18 page 6 page 22 e student newspaper of Imperial College No. 1,362 • Friday • 3 November 2006 • ffelixelix felixonline.co.uk Robert Winston: Ex-president Playing God? disregarded constitution Andy Sykes nor forbidden by the Union’s consti- menting on the threat to conduct Editor-in-chief tution. The proposal was rejected by closed session Exec business with- 6 votes to 5, and shortly afterwards out consulting the committee, Mr The previous President of the Un- another proposal was circulated Matthews said: “I’m not 100% sure ion, Sameena Misbahuddin, may after the final candidates’ meeting that anything was decided outside have “flagrantly disregarded” the with a very short deadline. Again, of Exec that should have been dis- Union’s constitution, claimed Jon the paper was discussed electroni- cussed.” He also hinted that he Matthews (Deputy President, Fi- cally, with most of the votes arriv- was being kept in the dark about nance & Services) at a meeting ing after the deadline. The proposal Miss Misbahuddin’s decisions: “I’m of the Executive Committee on was passed 6 to 5, but some Exec aware of a few things (I’m not going Tuesday. members were unhappy with the to be specific) that I wasn’t told at Mr Matthews’ comments were short deadlines, lack of discussion the time but would have expected made while introducing a pa- and apparently forcefulness of Miss to have been.” However, he said per submitted to the Committee, Misbahuddin and leaked the closed that he felt the threat of unilateral which accuses Miss Misbahuddin session emails. action was more of a “threat/loss of of breaching the consitution dur- On learning of the leak, Miss Mis- temper” than a serious move. ing her handling of the sabbatical bahuddin told Exec that she “no He was supportive of Miss Mis- elections last year. The allegations longer trusted them” with closed bahuddin’s attempts to get the centre around the post of Deputy session business, and that she proposal approved, calling it “well- President (Graduate Students), a would decide on such business by intentioned”. However, he was criti- post currently occupied by Shama herself, without consulting the com- cal of the handling of the second Rahman. Ms Rahman apparently mittee, which is unconstitutional. proposal: “Exec certainly had no put forwards a proposal to the Ex- The two proposals led to confusion time to consider it properly, and ecutive Committee, via Miss Misba- as the new sabbs arrived this year, there was a significant amount of huddin, that suggested she take up with the team being presented with pressure brought to bear to accept her position in September, rather the first, rejected proposal rather it. With hindsight... they should have than in July with the other sabbs. than the second, accepted propos- stuck to their original decision.” This was to allow Miss Rahman to al. The former said that the DPGS The reasons for the current sabb work on completing her MSc during would be absent for the whole of team bringing up this matter have July and August; refusal of the pro- August, when in fact she would be been questioned by a number of posal may have meant Miss Rah- absent for the last three weeks of hacks. Ostensibly, the paper was man would have to step down. August, and work two days a week brought to try to amend the consti- Miss Rahman claims to have spo- during July and the first week of tution to clarify the situation with ken to Miss Misbahuddin about the August. electronic meetings, and to recon- proposal while she was deliberat- This reporter was unable to con- sider the role of the DPGS. The ing over whether to stand for the tact Miss Misbahuddin, but spoke paper included several options for position. However, the first paper to the previous incumbent of the a future Graduate Students rep- put before Exec by Miss Misbahud- post of Deputy President (Clubs resentative, such as changing the Lord Robert Winston, took part in a special lecture entitled din was only a day before the final & Societies), Simon Matthews. Mr start date, making it part-time sab- ‘Playing God?’ on Tuesday evening inside the Great Hall. The IC candidates’ meeting that would Matthews said that he only knew batical position akin to a Faculty Professor of Fertility Studies spoke to a packed house about the allow the votes to be counted. As about Miss Rahman’s proposal 24 Union President, and renaming connections between faith, religion and science. There was one such, only 24 hours were allowed hours before the candidates’ meet- the position to GSA Chair. These especially amusing anecdote about the scientist who discovered for discussion of the paper, which ing, when it was brought to Exec, considerations will be investigated sperm cells, only to be afraid of his own small wriggling gametes, was done by “electronic meeting”, and added that he felt “it [the deci- over the next few weeks by the sabb thinking he had some strange disease. something that is neither allowed sion] was definitely rushed”. Com- team. 2 felix Friday 3 November 2006 NEWS [email protected] Turnstiles to come? Elections complete College closes reception desks around South Kensington campus This year’s Council elections are lix editor, who was elected as Non- complete, with results being an- Faculty Counsellor, a rather odd nounced at Thursday lunchtime, position that represents less than College has unveiled plans to but not without the usual share of 100 students in the College, includ- change the access to the campus, silliness, farce, and mistakes. ing those in the Tanaka Business with reception desks within build- Despite being announced as “the School and the sabbs themselves. ings being phased out in favour of most successful Council Elections Despite heavy email campaign- swipe card turnstiles. turn-out ever”, the average turn- ing by John Collins, the Union Through the summer, the Col- out was only 7.2%. This is likely at- President, some positions remain lege has been consulting with tributable to the lack of campaign- unfilled, and will have to be elected staff around the campus in order ing of most candidates, as most of at the next Council meeting. An ‘ad- to decide how best to “restructure them were standing unopposed by ministrative error’ lead to the Wel- reception services”. The initial anyone but Re-Open Nominations fare Campaigns Officer not being plans, which were the subject of (RON). The highest turn-out was in included on the website form for discussion amongst College Secu- the Faculty of Medicine, with 12.3% voting or standing, leaving prospec- rity and receptionists, involved the of undergraduates coming out to tive officers confused. This position closure of twelve out of the fifteen vote for their counsellors. will also by elected at Council. reception desks around campus, Notable victors from the elections As reported two weeks ago, hus- with two more being converted into were: Ashley Brown, the editor of tings in the JCR proved as farci- ‘concierge positions’. In the build- Live! (CGCU online newspaper, cal as usual, with most students ings where reception desks were live.cgcu.net), who was elected as only paying attention when RON to be removed, turnstiles activated Postgraduate Engineering Coun- (Stephen Brown) took to the stage. by swipe cards were to be installed, sellor; Alex Guite, the leader of the Nonetheless, any increase in vot- similar to the ones in the newly NUS Yes campaign, who was elect- er turn-out for what is often seen completed Chemistry entrance. ed as Postgraduate Natural Science as the “hacks’ elections” is to be This meant that visitors to one of counsellor; and Andy Sykes, the Fe- commended. the buildings with turnstiles would be directed to a central desk in the Sherfield Building where a member of staff from the desk or the desti- The magnetic strip turnstiles in the new Chemistry entrance nation department would take the Student’s death in Beit Hall visitor to the correct building and give them access. ice”. Couriers will also be directed would depend on what the man- The revised plans are somewhat to new drop-off points, varying with agers of the building wanted, and similar, with seven desks remain- department. that despite the buildings being on ing: the College Main Entrance, Felix has learned that plans to in- swipe-controlled access 24 hours a the Chemistry & Biochemistry stall more of the swipe card access day, College Security has no prob- building, the Blackett Lab (Phys- turnstiles in buildings are under lem allowing all students and staff ics entrance), the Faculty Building, consideration. The turnstiles are access to all the buildings. the Huxley Building, the Skemp- monitored with CCTV, and only al- Though Mr Davis has promised ton Building and the Sir Alexander low access to students and staff proximity readers for turnstiles, Fleming Building. The external who work inside that particular the ones in the Chemistry Entrance facing entrances will be swipe card building. Jumping the gates should are magnetic strip only, and have access only; these are the Royal trigger alarms, and Security can proved somewhat problematic, School of Mines entrance, the Hux- locate the jumper by viewing the being slow to reset on occassion. ley entrance at 180 Queens Gate, CCTV footage. Turnstiles are likely However, the concierge position al- and the Aeronautical Engineering to be added to the Queen’s Gate and lows congestion to be bypassed by Beit Hall, where the student was found dead in his room entrance.