2 News ^f/fff The summer was a time of sadness at Imperial College. The sorrow for the loss of a department head to another institution was Dirtmade yworse Trick s by the suicide of a MSc student. Fortunately, that was the BY ANDREW TSENG the President as unconstitutional only tragic death, though Imperial's Youth HostelAND MARK SIMMON AssociationS (By-Law s 14). did write off an ICU minibus. Ron Oxburgh joined the family Even under the new constitution of Imperial as Rector. Allegations of deception and the third UGM would be deemed restricted information have surfaced unconstitutional (clause 5.8). e mont amid concern over Mr Wensley's However, Mr Wensley allowed it f\pfr%l\pY ^ h of October was governedhandlin byg ofish,f Imperia l College to take place. freshers and falls, yet the bubblyUnion's flowed(ICU) constitutiona l In an interview prior to the freely. Free was also what Austen Donnellanprocess. of King's UGM, Mr Wensley admitted it was College could be described as, though inDifficultie the firsts withi weekn ICU ar ea unconstitutional but said: 'Since fresher almost was not after failing to knockalleged to out stem mainl17 ymembers from the only reports are on the agenda of College. The smell of failure was the itemactions o leastf Mr Wensley on, in theparticula mindr there' s nothing to worry about. I over the his introduction of the new agree there have been problems of John Patten, however, as he pressed ICaheadU constitution with. The thenew const reform- this term. ' The President, however, of student unions. itution was first passed in the final failed to mention a tabled motion. m Union General Meeting (UGM) of The new constitution document the 1992-93 academic year. Under also places the onus on Executive the previous constitution it had to members to make their activities pass through a second, confir- known to both the Executive and matory UGM. A motion to act as if the UGMs. This would make the the new constitution was in force first job of the President an over the summer vacation was also announcement that the new passed. constitution had been granted Following the second UGM, the authority by the Governing Body first of the current College year, the of Imperial College. It would also new constitution was passed. Still mean that any discussion about the under the old constitution, the new constitutional process would be document should have been brought up at an Executive Felix 973 William Waldegrave announces the winners of his presented to the Governing Body of meeting. competition to describe the Higgs Boson. Professor Kibble, Imperial College at their next Whether or not the new meeting where, if passed, it would constitution had been affirmed by who discovered it, wins one of five bottles of champagne. gain 'force of law'. the Governing Body, one would Fish odour syndrome is found by researchers at St Mary's to What actually occurred is expect Mr Wensley to discuss any be inherited. currently unclear. It is thought, by progress with the Executive. some, that Mr Wensley gave the Sources close to the President Felix 974 Imperial College Radio (part of the Imperial document to Peter Mee, Senior suggest that even his fellow College Registrar, to present on Mr sabbaticals are not being kept up to College News Network), is shortlisted for two categories in Wensley's behalf, at the Governing date. It is becoming increasingly the Guardian / NUS Student Media Awards. John Patten, Body's next meeting. However, evident that the President has not Secretary of State for Education, reaffirms his commitment to Felix has found that Mr Mee replied acted in accordance with either student union reform. His department takes a look at a super- to him explaining in a detailed constitution. A grade for A-Levels. manner that he would not present Talking to Felix after discussion the new constitution. His reasons with other CCU Presidents, Ms ran from simple typographical Picton, President of the Royal Felix 975 Adetola Oshinaike attempts to take the record for errors to major flaws in the College of Science Union, said, "I the shortest academic career. After assaulting several people document. It is known that the believe we are in error in not and threatening staff and students he is suspended for a year. constitution has not yet been reporting the constitutional Imperial College mourns another death, I- Cheung Lee, a presented to the Governing Body. problems we have detected". On Mr Wensley has not reported such Mr Wensley's elision of the events second year mathematics student, dies from a severe, an exchange, as he would be surrounding the new constitution in spontaneous brain haemorrhage. required to do under the new the UGM and Executive meetings, constitution. she continued: "As the CCUs are Felix 976 Austen Donnellan, of King's College, is acquitted Presently, Mr Wensley has not part of ICU, we attempted to find a of rape. King's disciplinary procedures come under intense announced whether the new reason for this deception, before criticism causing other institutions to examine their own constitution has been granted 'force making it public." of law' by the Governing Body She concluded: "This can bring procedures. Averil Mansfield is appointed Professor of which itself suggests the new into question the ICU Executive. Vascular Surgery at St Mary's. She becomes the first female constitution has not been passed. That there is no communication is surgical professor to head an academic department in the UK. When asked to explain to Felix his evident. The position of Communi- actions thus far, he prevaricated. cations Officer is vital and must be Felix 977 A fresher falls out of a third floor window in In the event that the old filled by a competent person. If constitution is still in force, the you care about anything you do in Southwell. Excessive alcohol consumption is blamed, President should have called two College then you should support causing the unions to examine institutionalised drinking. Council meetings this term (ICU ICU by attending its meetings, Imperial College Union finally gets its new constitution By-Laws 6a) with published because currently it is the students' passed. The Constituent College Unions show their strength agendas. Also, the third UGM this voice which commands ICU - the by block voting their Presidents back onto the Executive term was not publicised for long Government might change this enough and was not cancelled by Committee. News 3 The words unions, unity and university Bart's Backlash Novemberstole the limelight during November. Following the end of the student union reform consultation BY SHAUN JOYNSON not made public the full amount of period, the NUS pre-empted the Government by announcing AND MARK SIMMONS the award, but hinted that the Government would rescue the that it was to split. Separation was also the topic of Health Secretary Virginia hospital again in the future if conversation for the University of London. Unity became the Bottomley has secured the future of required, saying: "I am ruling out focus when the University of London Senate voted not to University College Hospital the long-term closure of the separate but come to compromise. John Smith joined the fray (UCH), by granting the teaching hospital." by stressing unity in science. He also spoke of the equal hospital special funding following The funds will be given to the importance of pure and applied science. its loss of more than £20m worth of Islington and Camden Local Health contracts. Authority who will spend it on the The special cash award to UCH hospital once the Government has was made at the expense of the approved it's expenditure plans. historic St Bartholomew's Hospital Granting UCH extra funds is seen (Bart's) in the City. Bart's is to lose by many health experts as an its accident and emergency admission of failure by Govern- department in October next year, ment, and a reversal of the policy reinforcing fears that the historic of encouraging the NHS internal hospital could close permanently. market. Mrs Bottomley made it clear In the same document Mrs II that Bart's cancer, day surgery and Bottomley announced nearly £15m 3 f III V; AIDS work would continue for the for London's Ambulance Service forseeable future. It has been and £25m for capital development W7 widely reported that a group of City at Homerton Hospital. companies have approached the David Blunkett MP, Shadow Felix 978 NUS announces that it is to become a charity. Corporation of London with an Health Secretary, responded: "Mrs Student affairs would be handled hy the charity, whilst offer of money to keep Bart's Bottomley's announcement on campaigning would be in a separate arm of the NUS. casualty department open. UCH, while welcome, is an Imperial College becomes the first academic institution in the The current proposals could admission that Government reduce Bart's to a 'minor injuries changes to the NHS have failed. United Kingdom to have a student branch of the IEEE. clinic' open only during the day. She should suspend the operation Security thwart an attempt at smash and grab theft. The private funding would aim to of the internal market system which maintain Bart's capacity to handle originally threatened UCH, which Felix 979 Fears grow over the future of the University of serious injuries. This possibility even Sir Bernard Tomlinson London. Queen Mary and Westfield College announces that it shows the depth of concern workers recognised had a vital role in in the City feel over losing the London's future health provision." will seek permission to award its own degrees.