Union Card Confusion
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On the air Bottled of f stage New tricks Imperial and the arts Student television at Imperial Was this year’s Reading Festival Felix Film reviews the Making the College College, page 11 the worst ever? Page 13 macabre Oldboy, page 18 look interesting, page 17 The student newspaper of Imperial College ● Established 1949 ● Issue 1300 ● Thursday 7 October 2004 ● www.felixonline.co.uk Funding changes The Secretary of State has A fine start to Freshers Week proposed changes to the Union card university funding system in order to preserve science departments that might oth- erwise close. uNEWS page 2 confusion Science candidate By Dave Edwards The confusion appears Scientific issues are proving Editor to have been caused by the to be some of the most divi- short timescale in which the sive in this year’s US presi- Imperial College Union cards decision was taken – it only dential elections. are no longer being issued to became clear during the sum- uSCIENCE page 4 students, but a large propor- mer that the Registry would tion of freshers and return- have the required infor- Doughnuts ing students were unaware of mation. The decision was “Quality is surely more the change when arriving at taken in the absence of the important than quantity. To College this week. President, and without the that end, the dairy cream Swipe cards will now take input of the Union’s Executive filled chocolate coated dough- over all the functions of the Committee. The change was nuts at Miss Ellie’s in South old Union cards, with new not mentioned in the Union Kensington station come electronic card readers being handbook or publicised at all highly recommended.” installed where necessary. until a late stage approaching uCOMMENT page 6 In the past, the cards were the beginning of term. issued so that the Union Mr Arif continued: “It’s ben- New section could collect essential infor- eficial to students if they don’t Felix introduces a fortnightly mation about its members. have to have a separate Union Careers section, providing a They were also seen as a card. But if it looks like a last range of information and fea- good marketing tool, attract- minute rush job that hasn’t tures to help you into the big ing students to come to the wide world after Imperial. Union and also giving them u CAREERS page 8 the chance to obtain certain “It’s beneficial student discounts. to students if New Zealand However, printing several A full report on Imperial thousand Union cards each they don’t need College Union Rugby Football year can become an expen- Club’s summer tour. sive operation, and it is incon- a separate uSPORT page 20 venient for students to have to queue for long periods to Union card” obtain one. Now, with the introduction been done in the most rigor- of a new computer system, ous manner, that’s probably the College Registry is able because it is.” He added that to provide the Union with the he is in the process of setting data it needs, and the market- up a working group within ing issue was thought to have the College to consider the been dealt with by an agree- issue of student identification The Rugby Club in New ment to put the Union logo further. Zealand onto College swipe cards. Nightline, the charity pro- Mustafa Arif, President of viding a confidential listen- Imperial College Union, told ing service for students, has THIS WEEK Felix: “The idea of a joint had its logo removed from the News page 2 College and Union card has back of all new swipe cards. Business page 3 been floated for a long time, Sam Rorke, Imperial College Science page 4 and I think most people would Union’s Deputy President Comment page 6 agree that it is sensible.” (Education and Welfare), Careers page 8 However, College Communi- said: “It was handy to have What’s on page 9 cations have since refused to the details on the back of the put the Union logo onto swipe swipe card, because it provid- Music page 12 cards, saying that they need ed a quick and easy reference Nightlife page 14 more time to consider the so that those in distress could Arts page 17 implications of such a change. get help quickly.” Books page 18 It is thought that other organ- Imperial students will not Film page 18 isations or groups might obtain University of London Crossword page 19 wish to follow suit, leaving Union (ULU) cards either. Another Imperial year begins: students move into Linstead hall (top), BBC 1Xtra’s Ollie the swipe cards covered with Again, the College swipe card Sport page 20 and Jason play at The Mingle on Saturday night (middle), the dBs crowd enjoy some several different logos. will be acceptable instead. breakdancing (left) and three freshers smile for the camera in Beit Quad (right) Felix 2 www.felixonline.co.uk Thursday 7 October 2004 NEWS [email protected] Government Issue 1300 Wye students join hunt Editor intervenes Dave Edwards in university Business Editor protest outside Commons Numaan Chaudhry science Science Editor By Dave Edwards Darius Nikbin Editor funding Music Editor As the Hunting Bill was Andrew Sykes being debated in the House By Emily Gwyer of Commons last month, a Nightlife Editor number of past and present The Secretary of State for Simon Clark Imperial College students Education and Skills, Charles Arts Editor were involved in the protests Clarke, this week proposed Paola Smith outside. changes to the current sys- The Wye Beagles (formerly tem of university funding in Books Editor the Wye College Beagles) are order to preserve the teach- Martin Smith an amateur and young per- ing of science in departments Film Editor sons’ pack with close links to that might otherwise close. Alan Ng the Wye campus and the stu- The last ten years have dents’ union. Six of the cur- seen a dramatic drop in the Careers Editors rent hunt staff and committee number of students enrolled Gabriella Silvestri are either current Imperial on science courses in Britain, Cassandra Aldrich students or graduates of the particularly the physical sci- College. ences, and the market-led Felix Kirsty Massey, joint mas- approach to university fund- Beit Quad ter of the Beagles and about ing has meant that several Prince Consort Road to start a Masters course at departments, such as the London SW7 2BB Wye, told Felix why she took Kings College chemistry part in the rally in Parliament department, have had to Telephone: 020 7594 8072 Square: “We need to show close. Email: [email protected] people opposed to hunting Mr Clarke believes that Web: www.felixonline.co.uk that we have not given up producing science under- and will not take a ban lying graduates is of significant Registered newspaper down.” importance to the economy ISSN 1040-0711 Henry Walker, a former stu- and has therefore proposed dent master and huntsman, new changes to the funding Copyright © Felix 2004 expressed his fondness for system whereby new subsi- hunting and his frustration at dies are levied or tuition fees Printed by Sharman and the ban: “The first time I saw House of disorder: there were chaotic scenes both inside and outside the Commons as the waived. Company, Peterborough the Wye College pack was on Hunting Bill was debated last month The news has been wel- a rainy day during Freshers comed by the scientific com- Week. From that point on, I fought with police outside. Beagles are not ready to However, other students munity, which has been lob- was hooked. Everyone was Some invaded the House admit defeat on an issue and societies at Imperial are bying Mr Clarke over the very friendly and what struck of Commons, prompting about which so many of their likely to support the hunting matter, but his plans will me was that everyone had a calls for drastic changes to members feel so strongly. ban. require the agreement of genuine love for the country- Parliamentary security meas- Coincidentally, several sen- vice-chancellors, who may side.” Mr Walker continued: ures. ior Imperial College Union see Government intervention “I have been to every London The Bill was passed by “What will we officers were inside Portcullis as unwelcome. The process, rally and hunt protest for the 356 votes to 166. It is now House at the time, and were bound to be long and tortur- last six years. What will we almost certain to become have to do asked whether or not they ous, has only just begun, but have to do before they listen law through the Parliament before they supported the Bill. Most we wait with interest to see to us?” Act, with an official ban set to replied “no”, citing the exist- if Britain’s future science As the Bill was being begin in summer 2006. listen to us?” ence of the Wye Beagles as students are rewarded with debated, hunt supporters Unsurprisingly, the Wye the main reason why. extra money. Fears of new measles epidemic in London By Emily Gwyer of the Royal Free Hospital from 92% before the press published an article in The conference to the current low Fears were raised this week Lancet discussing bowel dis- of 68%, despite many other of a new epidemic of measles ease and autism. In the press studies failing to repeat the in London, as government sci- conference for the article, Dr findings of Dr Wakefield. This entists warned parents about Wakefield went further and was followed by ten of the the extremely low take-up of suggested a link between paper’s co-authors retracting the MMR vaccine.