Film Science Devil Physics and Wears 13 Feminism Prada 5 12 e student newspaper of Imperial College No. 1,358 • ursday • 5 October 2006 • ffelixelix felixonline.co.uk A free student press? Andy Sykes The changes were pushed Editor-in-Chief through by the previous holder of the Vice President of Communica- Recent events have thrown the po- tions post, Sneha Solanki, and the sition of London’s student newspa- ex-President, Daryn McCombe, pers into doubt, with some raising along with several other unnamed doubts over whether there will still members of the Union’s execu- be a free student press in the city. tive, and announced suddenly to Two student newspapers, including the Roar staff in June. All but one Europe’s largest, London Student, of the eight members of the Roar are facing threats from their unions editorial team have questioned the with regards to their freedom and rationale behind the changes, one continued existence. complaining that it would result in The student newspaper of Kings “utter, utter chaos”. College London, Roar, has had a Ed Drummond, the new VP Com- number of changes enacted upon munications, has accepted that it over the summer by the previous the changes may not have been year’s executive, with what the Roar necessary, but that they prevented team have referred to as “minimal Roar from becoming “stale”. Felix consultation”. Prior to the summer contacted Mr Drummond with a vacation, Roar was printed every number of questions; a reply came three weeks during term time; the too late to make it into this issue. new Roar team will only be produc- However, on the KCLSU website, ing four issues a year. The make-up Mr Drummond has posted in the of staff has also been modified; the sabbatical’s blogging area, asking editorial team no longer have their people to make comments about own individual sections to edit. The the future of Roar on a KCLSU ‘managing editors’, full-time stu- message board – to date, there dents who run the paper on a day- have been a total of 8 replies. One to-day basis, no longer exist. It is comment read: “Maybe the offic- The closure of London Student would leave Felix as the only independent student newspaper in London not clear how the paper will be run ers/staff/Roar editorial team could in future without the work of these figure out exactly what Roar is for, ULU’s college grant at a time when experienced volunteers. and exactly what kind of students it many other ULU services have The removal of the editorial team is aimed at. Maybe then the content been disestablished. The options Freshers’ Fair Success is reportedly the result of 64 stu- would become obvious.” Mr Mc- offered in the presentation were ALEX ANTONOV dents signing up at Freshers’ Fair, Combe has refused to comment on financial independence, becom- with none going on to contribute the changes or the reasons behind ing “SU focussed”, or shut down to the paper, though no facts have them, leaving the staff to guess completely, with the money being emerged related to how many of what the purpose was. channelled into other ULU cam- the 64 simply chose not to write. In London Student have also faced paigns and projects. The original comparison, Felix has in past years the threat of closure, or at least presentation stated that no dras- had more than three hundred peo- damage to their printing numbers tic changes would take place until ple sign up to write for the paper, and frequency. ULU, London Stu- 2008, with a period of consultation and has often only added five or six dent’s publisher and part-funder, with London Student contributors permanent volunteers to its edito- has recently completed a huge Con- before proposals were made to rial team. The outgoing managing sultation Project on ULU’s serv- ULU Council. These stipulations editor, Lauren Thompson, in com- ices, involving officers from student were removed by Vicki Slater, the ments made to London Student, unions across the city. London Stu- new ULU President, in a later revi- stated that “KCLSU are trying to dent received a mixed response; sion of the document. gag their student press”, and sug- out of fifteen unions surveyed, only Asked why she removed these gested that the removal of the edi- five unions were positive about conditions, Ms. Slater responded torial team was in fact linked to the the newspaper, whereas four were that there was no particular reason. poor relationship between the sab- fiercely critical of it. Imperial Col- In a comment to London Student, batical officers and the newspaper’s lege Union were one of the five that she said: “I don’t really know why I editors. There have also been alle- rated London Student positively. took it out to be honest, I did it about gations that the Kings College man- A presentation by one senior ULU midnight”. She reassured the paper agement leant on the Union to re- manager stated: “The situation that all parties involved will be con- Freshers’ Fair this year was a success largely as a result of the move the editorial team, after what with London Student cannot con- sulted prior to changes being made. hard work of Eric Lai, Deputy President (Clubs & Societies). the management felt were factual tinue in my view”, referring to the See more pictures from the day on page 10. inaccuracies in several articles. fact that newspaper receives 5% of Continued on page 2 2 felix Thursday 5 October 2006 NEWS [email protected] Threat to London’s free Chinese Soc goes on student press by unions Matty Hoban Emily Chow did not contact Fe- remain suspended until the matter Continued from page 1 other newspapers. At the moment, lix directly but got her solicitors, is resolved. the newspaper receives almost After last week’s cover story on the Rochman Landau, to send a short It appears, from the solicitors’ let- In a rather furious statement to £30,000 from ULU, which is just 3% suspension of Chinese Soc there email to say that they she was not ters, that Miss Chow has entirely Felix, John Kenchington, the Lon- of the Union’s £1m available grant. have been a mixed bag of updates prepared to make a comment. This dropped any threat of legal action don Student editor, said: “ROAR Mr. Kenchington questioned the on the matter. The society have had email was not read until after Felix against the Union or the individual should be seen as a shining ex- logic of the cutting of this expense, their accounts frozen because they was sent an e-mail on September sabbaticals involved in the disci- ample of what not to do to student saying: “It is astonishing that that sold multi-year membership which 29 from the same solicitors to con- plinary proceedings against ICCS. journalism. We want to make sure it [the cost] is being targeted so is illegal, and as yet, the missing firm that the Chinese Society would The letters refer to reaching an that London Student does not go strongly”. money from the memberships has have a stall at the Freshers’ Fair. amicable agreement with the Un- the same way as ROAR; our edito- Felix costs the Union about not been recovered. The accounts This was a day after the last issue’s ion. Felix hopes this farcical situa- rial independence should be seen £7,000, not including the sabbatical of the society are still suspended, print date. The reason for the first tion will be resolved soon. as paramount.” Commenting on editor’s salary, which brings the this means they cannot trade or or- email not being read is because it the somewhat odd behaviour of cost up to around £28,000. Howev- ganise any events that will require was seen as junk mail, as it had a the removal of clauses from the er, it made nearly £50,000 last year money being transferred to or from file attachment that appeared to be presentation by Vicki Slater, Mr. in advertising, with print costs be- their account. We reported that they similar to a virus attachment. Kenchington said: “It is nothing ing around this amount. Because would not have a stall at Freshers’ The matter of the money for mul- short of scandalous that Slater told of the highly targeted nature of the Fair. This was overturned by the ti-membership being missing has us she didn’t know why she made newspaper’s readership, Felix is Union and they had a stall, though not yet been resolved. At the time the changes”, adding that this re- able to charge substantial sums for it was however closely monitored in Felix went to press, the solicitors moval from a document tailored by advertising to corporate entities. case they sold membership. The so- for Emily Chow have not met with Ms. Slater for ULU management London Student, with a far larger ciety’s stall was also monitored for the Deputy Presidents for Clubs & “does not bode well”. distribution and readership, is the selling of membership via wire- Societies and Finance & Services Felix also caught up with Chief likely to be able to command even less internet connections, as were to discuss any action to be taken. Subeditor of London Student, Jer- greater fees than this. other stalls at the Freshers’ Fair. The society’s accounts are likely to The solicitors’ letter to Felix emy Harris, at Freshers’ Fair. Mr. In comparison with ROAR, the Harris said that financial inde- Union has received far more com- pendence seemed to no longer be plaints from the College authori- on the table with regards to Lon- ties about Felix in the previous don Student’s future, and was very year, though no threats have been pessimistic at the chance of it not made by the Sabbs to close the pa- NUS protest stunt at Fair being closed in December, when per down, or neuter it in a similar ULU Council will meet to discuss way to the KCLSU newspaper.