Felix Issue 1103, 1998
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Issue December 1129 1998 KEEP THE CAT FREE EST 1949 The Students' Newspaper at Imperial College Fight Closes Tamil Night Friday 27 November was an evening of off in thc other. Ken Weir explained eastern enlightenment, which By Andrew Ofori once the youths realised "they were descended into a night of gang war• on a hiding to nothing" they left peace• fare. Weeks of arduous organisation Building became a battleground as two doors was shattered as one brawler fully. and preparation were unceremoniously groups standing either sides of the wildly brandished a bottle. Security decided to summon thc upstaged by delinquents searching for staits clashed and fists flew. As the groups withdrew one unfor• Police in order to ensure the rabble a venue to stage their latest brawl. The non-IC groups were described tunate emerged clutching his eye, Shef• made a tranquil exodus from college As the Tamils' show continued by some elements of the Union as "mil• field security led the individual to the premises. This calm seemed unlikely to within the Great Hall, trouble was brew• itant" Tamil gangs who had clearly cho• ground floor where he revealed his last as cars packed full of people were ing outside. At approximately midnight sen Ihe ICU Tamil night as an bloodied face. Security duly attended parking along Exhibition Road and con• the show's doormen began to argue appropriate meeting place The gate• to the wound until an ambulance sorting with the ousted revellers. with a strangely insistent group of crashers were spotted earlier on in the arrived. Mr. Weir was keen to empha• Tamil society were anxious to high• youths, who wished to gain entry with• evening, congregating on thc walkway sise "We have no control over external light "the people involved in the inci• out tickets. Sherfield security became and many appeared inebriated. influences" but judged that "the level of dent were not IC students" and went on involved, separating the groups and Members of Sherficld security security must have been adequate for to "thank thc IC security for their help seemingly defusing the situation, requested urgent back up and sealed the needs." in dealing with thc matter". unaware of the continuing animosity. A off the stairs as the brawl ensued on the As a result of the melee thc show senior member of security ironically first floor, as is "standard practice- was ended and the 'after show grind described thc state of affairs as "a storm according to security chief Ken Weir. At session' cancelled. The unsuspecting Review of the ICU Tamil Society's annual in a teacup". Seconds after the com• some stage during thc night's distur• audience were led away in one direc• cultural event on page 2 ment thc first floor of the Sherfield bance, a window in one of thc walkway tion and the troublemakers ushered Nicholaou to stand unopposed Inside..m One of the two candidates for Deputy By Ed Sexton and the Union's best interests" that Letters 6 President (Clubs & Societies), Tim he stand down. Trailot, has withdrawn from thc cam• Marie Nicholaou has expressed Editorial 7 paign. Marie Nicholaou is still standing regret over Mr Trailor's decision, and is for the post, against the ever-present now the only Teal' candidate left for Columns 8 New Election, and now seems the election. In fact she is thc last can• favourite to win when Impetial stu• didate for the post for this year, as it Science 10 dents go to the polls in thc last week has been annouccd that if New Elec• of term. tion wins this round no more elec• IC Radio 11 In a letter to Eclix and Imperial tions for DP(C&S) will be held this year College Union, reproduced in full on (see Manifestoes on page twelve). Manifestoes 12 page six, Mr Trailor stated his principle Hustings take place this week at reason for withdrawing as being finan• South Kensington and St Mary's. There Games 14 cial. Apparently his local education will be no hustings at Charing Cross, as authority have refused to fund his medical union representatives feel that Film 16 degree for the first term of next year, they are not useful or well attended. as he has already completed the '. '.'.: . Hustings at South Kensington will take Arts 19 Autumn tetm this year. Even if college llllll place today at 6pm in the Union Build• agreed to cancel fees for the Autumn ing, while at St Mary's they will occur Music 20 Term, Mr Trailor would still be unable • ;lt? on Wednesday evening al a similar to get a grant. Although some Union ii::]mMi}W*WmMWimm-- time. Voting takes place next Monday Clubscene 24 sources have said that it is possible the and Tuesday (14 and 15 December) in Union would pay his grant for the all departments, on all campuses, with Sport 27 Autumn Term, the resolution of the the result being announced sometime problem is by no means certain. Mr Tuesday evening in the Union Building Diversions 27 Trailor felt that this situation would be at South Kensington. "very damaging to my studies and Crossword 28 accomodation plans for next year", Photo: David Standing alone: and that it was therefore in "both my Marie Nicholaou 2 News 7 December 1998 STA to be Superceeded Through a variety of closed-door meet• By David Roberts the Union reserved the right of veto, on ings and despite a number of financial the grounds they had a financial interest. KEEP lilt. CAT FREE H EST. 1949 questions that remain unanswered, the whereby the College could take academic The Union Manager was once again College has chosen not to renew the travel income from the Union, allowing asked to sit on the selection panel. Yet the issue 1129 contract for STA Academic Travel. Instead ICU to keep student travel.. However, committee did not contact her about the shop, which is primarily aimed at this offer was refused, and a straight meetings until the last minute, and then 30 November 1998 staff, has been awarded to a new com• 70/30 split was agreed. Consequently, did not allow her to ask questions or see pany, who will re-open with a new image the Union retained the right to assist in any of the financial paperwork. I his atti• Editor; Ed Sexton in the new year. the tender process for both companies. tude has profoundly affected Mr I leeps: News Editors: Andrew Ofori Crucially, the Union seems to have When the tender for the student "I am.ashamed to think that I respected Photographic Editor: William Lorenz been given no say in the process, despite travel shop went out last May, College (in members of College staff last year. Most Music Editors: Jason Ramanathan the fact that it receives a large chunk of the form of the Estates Manager) argued have shown themselves to be two-faced and Dennis Patrickson the revenue that the tender generates. that the Union couldn't possibly tender and no better than schoolchildren, lying Him Editor: David Roberts This all stems from an arrangement properly, and refused to meet the sab• to the student body in the short term to Sports Editor: Gus Paul formed last year, whereby the College baticals, on the grounds that "they're only get their own way". Arts Editor: Helena Cocheme forced the Union to share the income students". Thus, the Union Manager was Eventually, a new firm was picked to Games Editor: Gary Smith generated by the two travel agencies on asked to deal with the tender process, run the agency, with the result that STA Clubsccnc: Giles Morrison the Walkway (STA Academic & STA Stu• and secured a very valuable deal for the Academic Travel on the Walkway will Photo Editing: Joel Lewis dent Travel) in lieu of the cost of the JCR Union. In the summer, however, the close down on December 18, with the Delivery Last Issue: Andrew Ofori refurbishment. Although then President Union learnt that College had put the aca• new outlet opening in time for the new Andy Heeps offered, as a concession to demic travel shop out to tender, without year. Note: Next Issue is on 16 December the Rector, a seemingly more logical deal consultation. Mr Heeps demanded that Tamil Show Sells Out IC inspires Thai Campus In contrast to the By Andrew Ofori tion for the entire audi• The newly-formed By Sunil Rao nology) and in Busi• unsightly scenes that ence. The QMWthes- Asian University of ness Management took place Friday 27th November saw pians gave an excellent account of Science and Technology (Asian UST - leading to BEng, BSc and BBA degrees scenes of a much happier nature in the themselves in the light-hearted drama 'It founded in 1997) in Thailand has just respectively. Masters' degrees are also night's sell-out show, staged in the Great could be you!' A fairly dry plot was invig• commenced its academic programmes conferred. Hall. It was the showpiece of ICU Tamil orated by the talented players, much of for new students. The university has With nearly seventy-five percent of society; with all proceeds being donated the Tamil-speaking elements of the audi• strong links with Imperial College, which academic staff being expatriates and the to the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation. ence being particularly impressed with provides academic support. This follows university's curriculum being based on Entitle gal' the event set out the elderly matriarch of the family. Imperial's existing links with Mahanakorn and closely following that of IC (with the University where staff from IC direct post• successful tutorial model being adopted graduate courses (as well as setting and as well), Asian UST promises to usher in marking examination papers) of the a new infusion of science and technol• same standard and quality as Imperial's ogy training to Thailand.