Bare Facts and About
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ED971017 Issue 916.qxd 07/05/98 14:49 Page 1 (1,1) Issue 916 - Weekly Friday 17th October 1997 Student Representative Council: the dust settles ontroversy erupted last week racy within the Union. “We have at the the first Student Antonia Bayliss got to get ... the information to peo- CRepresentative Council. The pose and structure of this meeting ple that they need. But still be meeting, which is open to all stu- became less clear, leading to confu- democratic and to let people know dents and is the most powerful poli- sion as to what purpose the SRC last we are still accountable to them.” cy making body in the Students’ Thursday was for. Sally Kentfield, Union, was billed as the replace- a second year Computing and Hopefully a new format will avoid ment for the ‘General Meeting’ of Information Technology Student a meeting needlessly overrunning. previous years. The meeting was one person who voiced these Thursday’s SRC meeting had to be attracted over 100 people, but has concerns at the meeting. “I think the adjourned after 2 hours and did not stirred strong feelings among some SRC as it was put down in the orig- complete its agenda which included students, leaving certain issues still a discussion on accommodation to be resolved. inal motion would really help the Students Union this year. A lot of which is a topic important to many students. The aim was for the meet- The Student Representative Council people I spoke to after the meeting were happy with going to six meet- ing to provide views and opinions was met with mixed reactions. A which could be taken to the large number of people attended the ings a year rather than going to hun- dreds of GM’s. But what we actual- University Residential Committee meeting in Lecture Theatre D and being held the next day. brought with them a wide range of ly had at the SRC was not what was feelings and opinions. Dan Barrett, written down in the motion. I don’t the LGB Society Representative, think it worked as well as the origi- The way ahead... attended the meeting and felt it was nal idea.” a positive exercise “It was a pro- The SRC last week achieved some- ductive meeting that gave people an The concerns over this apparent overnight change in what had origi- thing that perhaps it didn’t set out to opportunity to ask questions and achieve. In perhaps an antagonistic nally been decided were taken on make points about Union policy. .... way it encouraged a lot of people to board by USSU president Nevin but the large number of people there realise that different people have ‘Bob’ Moledina, “We hadn’t Dean of Students held in shock attack could cause people could feel inhib- different reasons for attending researched enough the constitution- ited if they wanted to address the Union meetings. Specialisation of al amendment that had taken place meeting.” the meeting structure could reduce r John Hobrough, room. Members of last year. So the complaint that the problems of people feeling dis- Dean of Students, Sarah Gyles Rag who weren’t busy What purpose for arose was that we were not con- couraged to attend because the was abducted in a Deputy Editor restraining the prison- forming to that, which is true. I D the SRC? meeting is not addressing their own surprise attack by Rag on er forced the witness- don’t think this was going to hold personal agenda. As Sally put it Thursday morning. The band of es to part with their hard earned the Union back at all. It was bad that The changing of the meeting struc- “The SRC is a great forum for kidnappers penetrated Campus cash for the release of Mr ture of the students union, the poli- this complaint arose in the first putting forward motions, policies Security’s impregnable defence Hobrough. cy making mechanisms of the place...the complaint should have and doing union elections rather screen by walking unchallenged union, has not been as straight for- been made in writing. If someone than at a GM. So if you are inter- through the front door of Senate Mark Stewart, Vice-Chair, proceed- ward as could have been hoped. had brought it to our attention ested in that then you go to SRC and House and up to the top floor. ed to organise the chaos whilst the Last semester a motion was passed before then we would have worked if your interested in constitutional remainder of the Rag hit team by the Union to create a new meet- to resolve it”. amendments then you go to a GM. The crime took place in Committee releaved Senate House of their ing called the Student representative TheUunion is there for both sides.” Room 1 where the hostage was money. Strangely enough a number Council (SRC). This council was Using feedback from the meeting Moving forward seems to be very engrosed in a meeting unaware of of staff members were paying Rag much the aim of the USSU current- made up of all the Union Officials Bob is working towards an the fate that awaited him. As the to take the prisoner away and lose ly. Doing so with team work seems from the Students Union, all course improved structure for discussing clock struck 11.30am Rag forced him forever. imperative. As Sports Officer representatives, senior residents, and deciding future union policy. their way through the door to be Caroline Betteridge said last week, representatives from all student She hopes to do this by introducing greeted by a sea of stunned faces. The Ransom for John Hobrough “The Students’ Union is a sleeping union clubs and societies and any- a balance of meetings that not only After identifying the victim they came to a staggering £300 which giant, and with all this review of made a bee-line for the unsuspect- goes to the Rag charities. Thanks go one else who turned up. It was provide an opportunity to discuss union services, both commercial ing Dean. Amongst shouts of “keep to the whole of Senate House for hoped that this council would pro- issues in a very informal way but and non commercial, I can see us calm and no-one will get hurt” the paying up and especially John vide a better forum of representation also uphold the structure of the moving forwards.” Dean of Students was hauled from Hobrough for being such a good of student opinions. However over Union Constitution, the underlying his chair and dragged from the sport. the course of the summer the pur- aim of which is to maintain democ- News 1 n Features 3 n Letters 4 n Music 6 n Entertainments Guide 7 . Cinema and Arts 8 n Union News 9 n Notices & Personals 10 n Sports 11 . ED971017 Issue 916.qxd 07/05/98 14:49 Page 2 (1,1) 2 News Friday 17th October 1997 n Space. The final... Tuition fees: he latest probe (many NASA space James Buller parts built by Tprobe was Surrey firms) launched earlier this week starting will detach and land on Titan, one its mission to explore Saturn. of Saturn’s moons. Titan is unique Cassini-Huygens will take 7 years in the solar system because it is the where do we to reach Saturn. It will use the sling- only moon in the solar system to shot technique of gaining momen- have an atmosphere. Not only that tum off of the planet Venus, not but it is nitrogen rich like the once but twice. In 1999 it will pass Earth’s. Although too cold to sup- the Earth and fly off into the outer port life it’s similarity to Earth reaches of space. Then a flypast of could help explain how the Earth stand? Jupiter and finally into orbit around originally formed. NASA has come Saturn in the year 2000. From there in for strong criticism over the it will study Saturn’s rings and ‘dangerous’ launch of the satellite, he rapid increase in higher much will we pay? And will this atmosphere using experiments which is carrying 3lb of plutonium education participation in the cost increase each year? designed at Imperial College. in order to power its electrical sys- T1960s is the basis of the pre- The government also plans to In 2004 the European Huygens tems. sent system of student funding. replace the maintenance grants Since 1960 the number of full time entirely come academic year students publicly funded has 1999/20000 with income-related increase from 20,000 to 1.1 million loans to be repaid after graduation. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL? today. The increase has caused suc- In the future students will be facing GENERAL MEETING? cessive governments to look for a debt of up to £15,000 on gradua- WHAT’S GOING ON? ways of capping the percentage of tion. If you presently have an over- To all those who attended thank you for coming we hope you enjoyed it. public spending on higher educa- draft, loan or any other debts are A report will be arriving in your pigeon holes soon explaining the situa- tion. Tactics have included remov- you sure that these new measures tion. ing the minimum grant, removing are not going to effect you? A meeting will be held next Thursday Week 7 to sort it all out, watch out access to the vast majority of bene- If you are not sure where you stand for more details. fits and most recently the phased on this issue then you should attend Democracy needn’t be boring but usually is! (HA HA) reduction of grants and replacement the informed meeting: Tuition Fees Love Bob & Harriet with student loans.