FELIX January 26Th 1996 Biomedical Plans Delayed Again
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8f The student newspaper of Imperial College Issue 1047 FELIX January 26th 1996 Biomedical plans delayed again BY RACHEL WALTERS would be considered at Tuesday's Charing Cross and Westminster material at all.' Architects Norman Fosters' plan- planning officers' meeting and he medical schools have met Chris St Mary's President Sarah ning application for the Basic admitted that 'we're obviously Edwards, Dean of the new med- Edwards said that all the con- Medical Science (BMS) building getting somewhat concerned.' ical school, and Ronald Oxburgh, stituent colleges of Imperial were has again failed to be considered But he insisted that the building IC Rector to discuss future facil- working together to lobby for by Kensington and Chelsea coun- would still be on target if plan- ities on campus. They have improvement of student facilities cil. IC will now have to wait until ning was granted at the meeting agreed to set up a committee to across the campus. She has next month before their planning next month. The BMS centre is consider students' social space. entirely dismissed suggestions application can be considered. due to be completed by Easter ICU President Sarah White said that an attempt at blocking the Ian Caldwell, IC Estates 1998. that she was 'very pleased', planning application was being Director said that he 'was under The Students Union although she acknowledged that considered. the impression' that the proposal Presidents of St Mary's and 'they didn't promise us anything Letter, page 21 IC wins in funds competition BY NAT BARB cuts. The press release announc- A new Government funding pro- ing the initiative lists alternative ject for the purchase of equip- sources as industry, charities and ment will put science researchers government departments. It is under even more pressure to find clear, however, that the majority funding from private industry. of funds will come from indus- The Government has launched try. Those institutions which can an £18m fund for research exploit their relationship with equipment, but money will only industry will receive double be granted to applicants who money, those that cannot will have been able to secure an equal have no access to the funds. —< amount of funding from alterna- The new scheme increases tive sources. the already high pressure on ^11 This places research institu- research institutes and universi- PHOTO: WILLIAM LORENZ tions in a double jeopardy situa- ties to find funding from private The Chemical Engineering Society held their annual revue comedy tion from which Imperial is like- industry. Investors are unlikely night on monday, presenting sketches, songs and some liquid ly to benefit. But other universi- to be keen to provide money for refreshment for the department's students. The Head of ties less close to industry will suf- new equipment just to make Department, Bill Wakeham, is pictured here in a striped rugby shirt fer at yet another step by the good a shortfall in Government joining in on one of the sketches, proving that even chemical engi- Government to reduce research funding. Those who are most neers have talent. funding as a result of budget Continued on page 3 Security praise students i Aldwych attacks fees Holloway revenge The new Deputy Head of The Aldwych group of top uni- The Royal Holloway student Security, Kenneth Weir, has versities is stepping up its oppo- newspaper Orbital has admitted praised the vigilance of South- sition to November's higher edu- that last term's theft of the ICU side students. A suspect is await- cation budget cuts. The group doormat was an act of revenge ing charge after last Thursdays are particularly concerned about after IC students stole the un- attempted burgaries. page 4 threatened 'top-up' fees, page 3 ion's cuddly toy mascot, page 2 TWO . FELIX FRIDAY JANUARY 26TH 1996 News in brief BY ANDY SINHARAY approached for help, as well as ICU. "Tim Townend was repeat- BMS site in safety edly asked and has done noth- waste fear ing," he said. Ian Gillett, head of the College Austin said that they had Safety Unit, has been quelling lost the five parking spaces that fears over the possible discovery the club once used. He felt that of dangerous waste at the site of college "don't care about the the new BMS building, currently Motor Club" saying that they under construction next to the seemed to think "it's not their Chemistry Department. "As far problem." Neither Tim Townend as the building's concerned, nor Estates were available for there's been no toxic waste," he comment as Felix was going to said. He added that other routine press. waste, such as mercury and asbestos, was present at the site Rug in RH picture but was being dealt with safely. ICU's front doormat, pinched by IC's contractors, Schal, have Royal Holloway students in a brought in analysts to locate raid last term, was the subject of these substances so that they an article in Orbital, their college could be removed successfully. newspaper. The piece, accompa- He stressed the importance nied by a photo of the rug, of dealing with toxic substances offered some insight into the correctly: "If there is anything motives for the attack. One stu- there, I'd love to know about it." dent claimed that it could have Earlier this week, STOIC, been taken as a revenge attack IC's TV station, were asked to after IC students stole Royal PHOTO: WILLIAM LORENZ leave the site after attempting to Holloway "union's cuddly toy Students' chocolate cravings had to be resisted for a few days when film work on the project. mascot Collossus, burnt it and the newly installed snack machine promptly broke down on its first Kenneth Weir, the Deputy Head later returned its ashes as a prac- day at ICU. It was repaired on Wednesday, but broke again later of Security, said this was likely to tical joke". that evening. have been due to the safety The rug itself has been aspects of their presence. returned, though it is unclear Permission to photograph the how ICU responded to the stu- Mary's HIV prisoner development now has to be dent's suggestion that "We obtained from College's Estates should chop it up and send it freed from chains Department. back a piece at a time." BY DIPAK GHOSH Sunday, has triggered condemna- C&G's Hovercraft Finance Society A drug addict on remand at tion from health workers and In a separate development, the Penniless Holloway prison who was kept women's and human rights City & Guilds Union (C&GU) Felix has learned that IC's chained whilst receiving treat- groups. The 'cuffing and chain- Hoverclub were able to reclaim Finance Society has become ment at St Mary's Hospital has ing' policy failed to discriminate their hovercraft after it had been 'financially embarrassed'. On had her chains removed. She had between those who posed a secu- left in storage in a garage in the account of the poor state of their been kept handcuffed for nine rity risk and those who did not. chemistry building due to be balance book, they are no longer days while a patient at the spe- The decision to remove the demolished. According to a fore- permitted to incur any more cialist HIV unit. chains was reached after negotia- man at the site, Planning Officer debts until the situation The 34 year-old woman tions between St Mary's Hospital Brian Dennis arranged for the improves. patient, known only as 'Jane', is and Prison Service officials. vehicle to be moved to behind seriously ill with HIV related 'Jane' was said to delighted. She the RCS1 building on Rag Chair Apology complications. A massive public had been chained even when she Wednesday. Last week's Felix (1046) inaccu- outcry, instigated by the national went to the lavatory and when However, the students say rately reported that Rag Chair press, led to the chains being she slept. they are unhappy with the way Jon Lambert had "blamed the removed. The campaign forced Her lawyers are considering they have been treated. Austin weather" for the drop in Rag's ministers to soften the contro- whether to sue the Home Office Jones, Honorary Secretary of the takings from the beer festival this versial 'cuffing and chaining' pol- for damages. They are also con- C&GU Motor Club, said that year. In fact he had really blamed icy at Holloway, especially where sidering a judicial review of the they had been unable to move the fact that the sports teams pregnant or sick women were policy, which they claim breach- the hovercraft earlier because were playing away that day. Felix involved. es the Government's obligations they had no alternative storage would like to apologise to Jon Jane's case, which was high- under the Convention on Human space for it. He added that the Lambert for the misunderstand- lighted by the Independent on Rights. Estates Department had been ing. NEWS FELIX FRIDAY JANUARY 26TH 1996 . THREE Aldwych Group replies to budget BY MIKE INGRAM tern "should be... the mechanism tion by over 31%. The Russell to have one of the highest levels Attacks on the Government's we would like to have in place, group of top universities, which of student funding in the coun- policy on the funding of higher not rushed in because of a short- includes Imperial College, con- try, and the College will have dif- education have been stepped up term crisis." They predict that vened an emergency meeting in ficulty absorbing cuts of over £2 this week.