$ r EXCLUSIVE EXPLAINED Interview with Dearing and all All the best Mark Lard that Jazz music Hanging Garden Part of the ornamental 'dental course' that decorates the top of the crumbling Garden Hall par- tially collapsed in late August. A piece of stucco fell from House nine, hitting the railing and shatter- ing into smaller pieces before land- ing on the pavement. It was about half a metre in length but fortu- nately did not hit anyone or do any serious damage. The Estates divi- sion of Imperial cleared the debris away and cordoned off the area, putting a "Beware Falling Masonry" sign up on a post. Scaffolding was erected quickly, after the local council was notified, to protect pedestrians and the children that attend the nursery below. It con- Garden Hall - 'not falling apart' Photo: Richard sists of "a full-height scaffold with an access level and netting. There causing the bond to deteriorate to acceptable, safe condition. is a fan running under the access the extent that it could no longer The rooms inside the Hall level, at the first floor level, to catch hold the plaster up against gravity. appear to be deteriorating rapidly any other falling debris." The pro- After inspection by a consultant according to several students who tective fan runs from house eight to engineer, the rest of the House 9 lived there during the summer. ten as the dental course on those plaster was removed and the face However, although paint is peeling houses could also collapse. of that part of the block is current- and cracks are growing on ceilings, it has been revealed that poor ly in the process of being repaired. the Estates Department are confi- workmanship, completed some A structural engineer completed a dent that the building is not 'falling time ago, on the balcony of house survey of the whole Garden house apart'. There are plans to develop nine led to damp setting into the block but found that the problem and refurbish the block, inside and surrounding stonework. The stucco was only in the local area of the out, but nothing is expected to was bonded to the building and the damaged plaster and pronounced happen for at least six months as moisture weakened the stonework, the rest of the block to be in an funds and permission are organ- ised, although a contact in the finance department told Felix that the maintenance fund currently has IC accommodation an unspent surplus of over £2million. Phyz at crisis point The W?MW3M%WM >::-::.:..,:,,.. Students' The record has been set straight dents had been forced to stay at Newspaper on a rumour circulating Imperial home. One student said that he College that concerns a signifi- would have to commute to at Imperial cant overcrowding problem in London every day from Worthing College Halls of Residence. Despite an on the South Coast until a room extra 200 places being made could be found for him in Halls. • I available to most Universities, According to Sharine Brown, liBllllSlilliiSBlIBisl Imperial College admitted a fur- the Domestic Manager of Imperial ther 200 freshers over that limit College and one of the senior Issue this year, and many were not allo- members of staff dealing with the 1093 cated a place in Halls due to an housing problem, only 88 first year insufficient space. Speculation students still do not have a place 10 over those students' whereabouts in the South Kensington Halls. The included bed and breakfasts and guarantee in the Imperial College WSitliSifSuM$i§ October small hotels around the West Undergraduate Prospectus 1 997 London area, or that London stu- continues on page three £:/: ^: NEWS 10 October 1997 ICU Plans News in Brief.. take shape CLAYPONDS EQUIPMENT The Union's desperate need for Felix, STOIC, IC Radio and the Print THEFTS RESTART increased space was addressed by Unit as well as new amenities the Eric Allsop on Tuesday in a presen- Union does not have at present The desktop part of a computer Although the Freshers' Ball was tation to the Union Executive such as a laundry room. and a hi-fi system were stolen enjoyed by many of those who Committee. The presentation, Substantial changes and reloca- from a student's room in attended the first big party of the created for the Beit Development tions within the present Union Clayponds on Sunday night. The year, it was marred by the theft of Committee, describes pressures on Building were also proposed, student's room was on the a tape deck and graphic equaliser existing facilities and possible solu- including a new lounge and can- ground floor and the victim had from one of the rooms being used tions.The greatest pressure points teen on the first floor and a mezza- only used a small domestic lock for dancing and music in the were highlighted and the President nine level in the gym to house the to fasten the window shut. Extra Union. The items belogned to the noted that "expansion of social and offices. The project aims to locks have been added to all the Dramatic Society and were worth recreational space within the col- improve the and rationalise the windows of Clayponds' ground an estimated £ 1,500. The thieves lege has not kept pace with stu- building for administration, clubs, floor rooms as the domestic lock removed numerous screws to dent numbers since 1960". Next meeting space and ents. Eric supplied with the windows are release the units from the racking year the opening of the BMS build- Allsop said that dBs was always not sufficient to prevent thieves and stole the equipment at ing and the resultant increase in the intended to extend into the space from gaining direct access to per- around 4am as the Ball was wind- student population of nearly 25% occupied by Felix and the Print Unit sonal possessions. It is believed ing down and the Union Staff will worsen these pressures. and this is a great necessity. When that the culprit comes from a were closing up. However, the The impending removal of the comparing it with similar student nearby council estate. equipment reappeared in an Biology department from Beit unions "dBs holds 250... the aver- This is the third incident to occur unmarked box at Beit Security Quad to the new Biomedical age size of a venue is over 850". in as many weeks involving some- Office at around 7.30pm the next Centre in 1998 will vacate much of It is unlikely that the College one with no affiliation with day. the space in the Beit building. Most will provide money for develop- Imperial College being able to get of this is due to be converted to ments in the current space and the in to Halls of Residence. This rais- new student rooms, but there are time to complete the renovations es the question of whether the NEW AGENTS some areas, particularly the base- was estimated at about 5 years. new dog patrols and increased ments, which are unsuitable for The expansion of dBs into the Felix security measures are having an The Imperial College Union accommodation. It was recom- and Print Unit is provisionally effect on criminal activity at all. Newsagents on the Sherfield mended by the Rector's Working planned for summer 1998. However, students are being Walkway has just received a Party on Social and Recreational The presentation will be given urged to be vigilant and lock win- complete overhaul. The small Space that the Union expand into again at the Union Council (the dows and doors securely when shop was poorly designed and this available area, a move which large student committee that gov- they leave their rooms. run-down, but the new layout College has all but guaranteed. erms the Union) on Tuesday 14 should allow for better circula- The suggestions made in the October at 6.00pm in the Union tion and improved stock dis- presentation for the use of the Dining Hall. Council is open to POLICE DIFFUSE plays. Although the newsagents basement include changing and everyone at Imperial College. is open, the work will not be shower facilities, storage facilities, Mahlina FAIR TROUBLE completed until next week. The militant Islamic group, Hizb-ut-Tahrir visited Imperial BLOW FOR College Freshers' Fair once again this year, despite the ban. BELEAGUERED Setting up their stand just out- side the entrance to Beit Quad, BOOKSTORE three men from the radical group handed out booklets and News has just reached Felix that papers telling of the Koran and the college-run Southside Shop, "The Massacres of Algeria to located below the Southside hall Slaughter Islam as an Ideology of residence, has begun selling and a System". They appeared stationary products. This is in at the start of the Fair and were direct competion with the IC only told to leave by security at Union shop on the walkway, pre- around 5.00pm after a com- viously known as the Bookstore. plaint from the Biology depart- In a controversial move last year, ment. Two police constables college administration awarded were called in to give an extra the tender for the new bookshop emphasis and the group, made in the library to Waterstone's. It up of graduates from LSE, UCL then forced ICU to halt book sell- and Westminster Universities, ing, removing their stock by com- disappeared swiftly. pulsory purchase. The store had i Ents & catering been bringing in about £70,000 profit annually, all of which was Eric Allsop's proposal for the Union Building invested in the Union.