Felix Issue 1045, 1996
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The student newspaper of Imperial College Issue 1055 FELIX May 3rd 1996 IC universally unchallenged White set to Imperial team win final convincingly head ULU BY ANDREW SMITH Sarah White, the current Imperial College Union President, has thrown her hat into the ring for the University of London Union (ULU) Presidential race. If successful, Sarah will follow that other well-known friend of Imperial College Union, Ghassan Karian, as London's Student Leader. With only Paul Crawford, Vice-President of the Royal Veterinary College Union, PHOTO: IVAN CHAN standing against her, Miss White "Beating the rest by more than two standard deviations": Nick Bradshaw, Mark Pallen, Jim Totty and stands every chance of success. Chris Morrison say they are unchanged by their University Challenge success. She has been supported by senior Student Union BY ANDREW SMITH from the event, merely a some- was very intensive with the first Sabbaticals at Kings College, Queen Mary and Westfield The Imperial College team what oversized trophy. The team round being filmed last June, and College, the Royal College of stormed to victory in this year's of Jim Totty, Nick Bradshaw, the following four shows being Music and University College University Challenge, beating the Mark Pallen (Captain) and Chris recorded on three consecutive London. London School of Economics in Morrison did manage to profit days in October. Such was the the Grand Final of the BBC2 out of the adventure though by concentration necessary for the Highlighting communica- quiz show. Recorded in October laying down their own money on questioning that the IC team tion, education funding and of last year, but not shown on a bet on themselves winning the invented their own version of the college mergers as the issues New Zealand rugby team's Haka, television until Wednesday this title. Before even starting the most important to ULU, Sarah in order to get their adrenalin believes that her track record is week, IC finally won by 375 first round they put down £40.00 pumping. They also engaged in evidence of her ability to repre- points to 220 after being chased that they would win at odds of psychological warfare with their sent the student body effec- all the way by LSE. 33-1, and are looking forward to opposition, leaving quiz books tively. The ICU President has Despite winning the presti- collecting their reward. Continued on page, four Continued on page two gious title no prize money comes Filming of the programmes If BMS 'progressing well' IC Radio Break-in First postgrad ceremony Demolition of the RCS II build- A break-in at the newly recon- The first ceremony specifically ing is due to be completed structed Southside disco, when to award postgraduate degrees today, enabling IC's contractors equipment worth £1200 was was held on Wednesday. Lewis Schal to begin preparations for stolen, has highlighted concerns Warpole was inaugurated as a the construction of the BMS about security on IC's building new Fellow of IC at the Albert building next week. page 3 sites. page 3 Hall presentation. page 4 TWO . FELIX FRIDAY MAY 3RD 1 996 NEWS continued from front page Imperial, Kings College, and emphasised her wish to 'improve University College London. communications' but has yet to Representatives of medical News in brief clarify how she intends to school student unions are achieve this. increasingly concerned that they On education funding Sarah are losing influence in the BY THE NEWS TEAM had one hour between 3am and asserts that it is 'vitally important restructuring of ULU. With 4am in which he was left alone. that we plan for the future' and many of London's medical Boat club to appeal As Felix went to press Green was that we 'safeguard the future of schools being merged in the next Imperial College boat club have revisiting the Hall for another Higher Education'. In a side few years, student leaders feel appealed against Wandsworth attempt. swipe at the current President that the strong traditions of the Borough Council's decision to Sarah emphasies the need to colleges will be lost. refuse planning permission for Med staff under threat consider the financial problems With Paul Crawford, an renovation and extension to their Cutting the number of medical of minority category students, influential member of ULU's Putney boathouse. school academic staff is one instead of 'concentrating simply Medical Group, as Sarah's only The club's original proposal option being considered by the on home undergraduates'. opposition, the contest looks set was rejected last November after vice-chancellor's medical comm- Speaking to Felix, Sarah to demonstrate the extent of the local residents, supported by ittee last week in order to meet said, "I'm not planning a career in split. Caroline Baker, President their MP David Mellor, Government cuts in funding. politics... but I feel it's time of Charing Cross and complained that the plans would Rising numbers of medical Imperial got more involved in the Westminster Medical School heighten disturbance in the area. students mean that more staff Union, and I feel ULU should Students' Union, which is one of Since the appeal is unlikely will be needed to teach them, move beyond Bloomsbury." the major constituents of the to be heard by the council until but the amount of money that Sarah believes that her new Imperial Medical School, November, the club have also the Government has assigned success in 'bringing together has nominated Mr Crawford. submitted a revised plan, taking medical schools over the next Imperial's current and future If successful Sarah would local residents' concerns into few years means that the extra constituent medical school become the first IC student since account.The boat club are hoping staff cannot be recruited. This unions' will be of benefit in her Trevor McDonald to become that it will be considered early has raised fears of a decline in the prospective role as ULU ULU President. It is unclear this summer. Peter Mee, standard of teaching and a subse- President. But the presidential whether Miss White will follow Imperial College's Registrar, said quently blight of bad doctors. race has highlighted the rift in Mr Phillips shoes to the extent "We think we have met local Sir Michael Thompson, between the smaller medical of running for NUS President residents objections as far as we chair of the committee, said that schools in London and the larger, next year, and possibly even can." academic training had already more powerful colleges, such becoming a presenter on ITN. As part of the appeal absorbed a 28% cut in funding, process, Wandsworth Borough yet the Government wanted Council have sent the discussion more doctors trained to meet a of the plans to a Public Inquiry, shortage in the National Health to be heard in November. Service. College authorities hope to avoid the costly legal fees this would Student debt rises entail by submitting the revised The level of debt that the average proposal. graduate carries with them when they leave university has leaped Ghostly Albert Hall to £3,000, according to a survey A series of spooky sightings at by Barclays Bank. This is a 31% the Royal Albert Hall has forced increase over last year's average. the management to seek help The survey found that more than froma professional ghost investi- three-quarters of last year's gradr gator. uates were in debt to the Frightened staff have been Student Loans Company, banks, reporting paranormal activity for parents and credit cards. several years, so Chief Executive Interestingly, graduates who Patrick Deuchar decided he had found full-time employment in no choice but to call in Andrew their chosen careers had larger Green, a civil servant and part debts than those graduates still time ghostbuster. Green spent unemployed, mainly due to large Monday night in the basement at purchases such as a car or the Royal Albert Hall along with clothes. Also, it was found that reporters and film crews from all men, with an average debt of over the world. £3,476, had a larger debt than Unfortunately Green did women who had an average of not spot any uninvited appari- £2,414. tions. He complained that he The findings are in line with could not walk across the room Government's policy of transfer- without a television camera crew ring the living costs of students following him and that he only onto the students themselves. NEWS FELIX FRIDAY MAY 3RD 1996 . THREE NUS overturns funding policy BY MARK BRIDGE and malcontent after last year's The National Union of Students NUS conference in Derby where has dropped its 16 year long calls for policy reform were commitment to campaign lor the previously dismissed. return of student grants to 1979 Countering the old-style levels. The policy, decision came calls for free education that have at Easter's Blackpool conference characterised past NUS confer- after a series of concentrated ences Karian insisted that "the efforts by various individuals and policy is unachievable and will groups to bringing about a more not address the problems we face realistic NUS education funding - of student hardship, the fall in policy. The impassioned annual quality and the need to increase conference attracted a record access." He marked the occasion 1500 delegates, a majority of out as being one of the most whom voted in the new policy. important student conferences During the preamble to the for decades. Blackpool conference both the However, the expedient Scottish and Welsh NUS confer- vehicle that was New Solutions is ences rejected radical policies now likely to disintegrate as its advocating 'demonstrations' and members leave to set up new 'occupying buildings to protest' NUS education funding-policy typifying the sea change toward discussion groups.