The Great Brain Robbery W Sims E Ndr A
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Friday The Independent April 30, 2004 Cambridge Student Issue 600! Newspaper - www.varsity.co.uk for 600 issues CLASSICAL MUSIC BIRTHDAY MADNESS! OPINION Not Dead Yet 600 Today Why I voted for fees The future of grown-up tunes (Not years, obviously) Anne Campbell hits back Page 17 Page 6 Page 11 The Great Brain Robbery w Sims e ndr A Charlotte Forbes graphical work. This would also Cambridge loses this element of its Archie Bland mean that any work done using uni- attraction to academics, it could versity equipment, including, for potentially harm student interests. He instance, web-pages authored on a said that this would be a particular university-subsidised computer, issue for scientific departments, as A dispute over ‘greedy’ intellectual would no longer be the property of people would be more likely to take property regulations has placed the author. their research to universities with more Cambridge academics and universi- Academics have argued that this liberal IP regulations, such as ty authorities at loggerheads. New takes away one of their main fringe Stanford. This could conceivably leave university ownership proposals have benefits, as many rely on the sale of the department depleted of staff. The been castigated as amongst the their work to supplement their university, however, denies any harm “most repressive” of their kind in income, which can bring in an addi- will be caused to students and said that British universities. Report author Bill Cornish tional £5,000-£10,000 per year. Anderson may move on the measures are being considered A recently unveiled report, conduct- Concerns have been raised that this simply “to bring the university into ed by Prof. Bill Cornish, head of the departure would be another severe could pave the way for future taxes receive a third of the revenue. The line with others to ensure effective university’s Intellectual Property Unit, blow to the unversity’s reputation, on additional consulting income. lack of control over sale of work has commercialisation of research results”. has proposed an expansion in the uni- following a trend of academics mov- This follows precedents set by uni- raised some serious ethical issues, as They denied that the move was about versity’s hold on legal rights to ing abroad for improved pay. He also versities such as York and Glasgow academics would have no control over “seizing ideas or property”. Professor research findings, meaning that in told Varsity that the measures would whereby up to 50% of outside who bought their research. The pro- Cornish was unavailable for comment. future academics could lose their right “certainly be a factor” in other aca- income earned by academics is posals do suggest ‘consultation’ with These latest proposals are to be to patent or sell their inventions. demics’ decisions on where to con- handed over to the university. the individual concerned before discussed at a meeting in Regent Ross Anderson, Professor of duct their research. Intellectual The dispute began in 2001, but it rights are sold. This suggestion has House on the 11th May, which Security Engineering at the Property Rights (IPR) are generally was not until 2002 that further pro- been dismissed as “not strong Professor Anderson described as “the Computer Science Department, is most valuable in Anderson’s comput- posals, according to which all tenured enough” by Anderson, who points out latest battle in a long drawn-out war”. heading a campaign against the pro- er science department. As this is one academic staff would lose IPR, that one such consultation has already It is likely that the university will take posals. He told Varsity that the meas- of the university’s most profitable caused outrage within and beyond the ended in the relevant academic’s note of opinions raised at the meet- ures have made him consider his sectors, the potential consequences of academic community. Under such objections being ignored. ing, as it did in 2002 when a commit- future at Cambridge, and that the a ‘brain drain’ to universities with a reforms the university would be able This decision has led to predictions tee was established to investigate the likelihood of his departure has been more liberal IPR regime are grave. to assume full rights to staff ’s work, that the close and profitable relation- matter. But Anderson was not opti- “significantly increased”. Prof. Whilst the university has conced- thus preventing them from control- ship between the university and high- mistic about the prospects of compro- Anderson, who topped Varsity’s ed basic copyright to authors, aca- ling the use and sale of their inven- tech companies, otherwise known as mise: “They won’t stop at this,” he Cambridge Power100, is a leading demics stand to lose rights to trade- tions. For anything worth over ‘Silicon Fen’, is doomed. Professor said. “It’s not going to go away.” computer security expert and his marks, sound recordings and typo- £100,000, academics only stand to Anderson told Varsity that if The region’s best guide to what’s on – see next Thursday’s Cambridge Evening News 02 NEWS April 30, 2004 www.varsity.co.uk Corpus Christi set for major makeover Master praises generosity of Old Members and sets ambitious target for project completion Sarah Marsh construction project within Corpus Bursar revealed that the project Room and Media Centre are envisaged, now the “£5m fund raising campaign Cambridge city centre. will be “the largest and most important where students can work either individ- for the new Student Library is close to Corpus Christi is one of the oldest development the College has undertak- ually or in groups. The new Student completion, due to the exceptional gen- Major developments are soon to and smallest colleges in the University. en within its old site for many decades”. Library will be accessible from the cur- erosity of Old Members. The architects change the face of Corpus Christi, Situated in the heart of medieval The last major developments were the rently neglected Hostel Yard, provision- are now working with the college to modernising and enhancing student Cambridge, it has occupied the same construction of New Court in the 1820s ally renamed as the Library Court. complete the designs. Building will start facilities. Costing in excess of £5 mil- buildings since the 1380s. Next year, a and the Butler Library in the 1920s. Within the Library Court and adjacent in March 2005 and, if all goes well, we lion and depicted in extensive plans massive project will begin to build a stu- The new library for Corpus’ 400 buildings, a new Student Centre will be will open the library in October 2006 in on the college website, the planned dent centre, library court, conservation students and its fellows will be located created. time for the Michaelmas Term.” The construction is bigger than any other centre and state-of-the-art library. The in the reclaimed stately Victorian Social facilities at Corpus have long various constructions will be coordinat- building, which currently houses been a subject of controversy between ed in order to minimise disruption to Natwest bank. Current plans for this the Fellows and students. In particular, academic life. spacious property include the replace- the college bar hours have continuously Two other projects are simultane- ment of the existing entrance door to been reduced due its awkward location ously ongoing: the refurbishment of the bank from King’s Parade with a in the centre of College and subsequent the Parker Library and the creation of bold stained-glass window. complaints of noise disturbance. The a Conservation Centre, which will The Bursar, Dr Nigel Yandell, admit- blank space following the caption “The benefit from this surge of develop- ew Gillespie ted to Varsity, “although the current Next 10 events” on the Corpus JCR ment. The Parker Library will expand Butler Library has served the college webpage is telling. But the planned into space currently housing the Andr well, providing a much appreciated makeover proposes to create an expand- Butler Library and part of the ground atmosphere for students to work in, it is ed College Bar and other rooms cater- floor will be developed into a secure also one of the smallest libraries in ing for various events and student par- vault and office space for the library Cambridge, and we are simply out- ties, whilst the ground floor will provide staff. The ultimate goal is to increase growing the space.”The new library will space for the new JCR. A first year lin- public access to this internationally be about twice the size of the Butler guist at Corpus enthused: “it will be renowned library. The increased Library, spread over three floors. fantastic to have separate areas in which number of exhibitions demonstrates The book stock will eventually to eat, read and chat. Perhaps our bar this, since the appointment of a new increase from 28,000 to 60,000 books, will change from being the village pub librarian. The conservation centre but the real revolution will be the to a more functional student space” will be built within the grounds of the change from a traditional studying The project has been waiting for sev- Master’s Lodge, dedicated to preserv- environment to state-of-the-art e- eral years, and funding has been a con- ing Corpus’ valuable collection of learning opportunities, and a wireless troversial issue. But the Master, medieval manuscripts, and early Corpus’ historic front door will survive the proposed redevelopment network provision. Both a Project Professor Haroon Ahmed, says that printed books. Supervison report brings mixed results CUSU survey reveals differences across ethnic backgrounds, gender and subject Aisleigh Sawyer indicate that some students do expe- needed to survey the identified mendations.