1 March 2002 The Student Newspaper for Imperial College Issue 1230 http://www.union.ic.ac.uk/felix/ Tjinder Sings. And this one isn't naked. Cornershop Rock! "WW- dxr (Page 8) Hahaha. (Page 18) J Last Chance to Vote Today The election race to decide next year's gency convention of the Union Executive, sabbatical team has been heating up all which took place near the bar. Regardless week and culminates today in Imperial of whether or not this meeting was valid, students' last chance to cast their vote. the Election Committee decided to over- The most prominent election events took rule Mr Francis' questioning strategy, place on Tuesday and Wednesday, when thus allowing questions from the floor. the candidates were quizzed by students After all this fun, the candidates for at hustings in both Wye and South President were put through their paces. Kensington. The traditional pints were downed At the Wye campus there was a good (though Mr Francis declined strong audi- turn-out, and the candidates for President ence requests to do so too) and issues and Felix Editor were particularly careful- from the NUS to the LEQ system and ly grilled. Wye's integration (or not) moti- funding were raised. vated most of the questions along with Questioning for the Clubs & Societies funding issues and, perhaps unpre- Deputy President and that of Education & dictably, fox hunting. David Francis: Returning Officer Welfare proved reasonably uneventful The second ordeal for candidates came and were followed by the hustings for on Wednesday in the Union building, but At this point, Tasha Newton, former Felix Editor, which were as colourful as was overshadowed by controversy about Union President and maybe not as much expected. these elections' returning officer, David of a College celebrity as Andy Heeps, The results from the elections will be Francis. unexpectedly took the stage to request announced in Felix early next week. The first candidates to take the stage that questions be taken from the audi- Alisdaii were those for Deputy President (Finance ence. The original intent had been to sub- & Services). All the candidates performed mit candidate questions through David similarly, usually agreeing both on their Francis, some of which he declined to manifestoes and answers to questions. pose, but she was backed up by an emer- "At the bottom, I followed the small hole, for the first time getting totally n .. ^ I!" college news Wine Stolen From Union 4- Thirty-two bottles of wine, in the hope of identifying Security, told Felix that stu- Issue 1230 worth over £200, were stolen those responsible. dents and staff alike should from the Union Dining Hall last The theft comes in the wake remain vigilant with respect to 1 March 2002 week in the latest of a series of of a series of similar incidents securing their personal prop- thefts and attempted thefts in on the first floor of the Union erty. He added that bags and Deputy Editor: Ali Wren the Union building. building. A student had their coats should never be left News: Alex Coby The consignment was bag stolen recently from unattended over the back of Reporter: John Stratford placed there at lunchtime in reception, and the handbag of chairs, for instance when in Books: Jon Matthews the libraries. Room doors advance of a wine tasting ses- Mandy Hurford, Union Arts: Jon Brenner should always be locked when sion by ABV - the RCSU club Manager, was taken from her Film: Darius Nikbin rooms are to be left unattend- formed by the merger of the office in a 'walk-in' theft. Sports: Vacant ed, even if it is only for two former wine-tasting, cocktail In addition, the office of Crossword: Dr. Hot Fudge minutes. Valuables should and real ale societies - but Dave Parry, Union Finance Comic: J was taken at some point dur- Manager, was involved in a never be left where they can be seen from outside, espe- ing the afternoon. ABV mem- similar incident a month ago. With Thanks To: cially in rooms in the base- bers are able to use the ses- It is thought that thieves Bobby ment or on the ground floor. sions to learn how to 'taste, entered and searched for valu- Similarly, windows should not sniff and slurp' wines under ables, but nothing was taken. Felix, Beit Quad, Prince be left open when rooms are the guidance of an expert. In view of the location of the Consort Road, London, unattended. The Union has conceded office, it is thought that the SW7 2BB joint responsibility for the perpetrators were likely to be ABV hopes to hold its intro- Tel: 020 7594 8072 wine having being left in the either students or staff, and ductory wine tasting session, Email: [email protected] unsecured room but has may have been scared off which had to be postponed Printed by: MCP Litho Limited agreed to fully reimburse ABV before they were able to take following the theft, in the near Felix is a registered for the loss. Security are cur- anything. future. newspaper: ISSN 1040 - 0711 rently checking CCTV footage Ken Weir, head of College John S Copyright © Felix 2002 RAG Week Success More than £9000 was raised The C&G Slave Auction took for the Shooting Star place on Thursday, and IC Childrens' Hospice Appeal Radio's 'Ben and Jerry' broad- during this year's RAG week. cast the event live from the The eight-day extravaganza JCR. The Hit Squad were also culminated in last Friday's out and available for hire to 'School Uniform Day', in which attack any student or staff students took the opportunity member with 'custard pies'. to turn up in the apparel of Other events included a their alma mater in return for a night of Jazz at the Union and small charitable donation. abseiling down the Chelsea Money was also collected on The long road home: Parachutists head to ICU Design Centre. In a fundrais- the day by a pair of RAG ing event not connected with kissagrams, and several hun- shop quartet had toured the streets of the capital with a set RAG, a group of students also dred balloons were released campus to deliver serenades of challenges to complete on took part in a 'Sponsored from the Queen's Lawn in the and roses to unsuspecting Wednesday in the London Naked Kamikaze Parachute RAG Balloon Race. Collectors sweethearts. Many volunteers Raid. IC Radio acquired a life- Jump", and ran from Harrods also hassled money from busi- armed with collecting tins size cut out of a man and to the Union building sans nessmen and women in were out in force at the gates woman locked in somewhat clothing. Canary Wharf before heading of College early on Friday more than an embrace and For more details about what back to Friday night's RAG morning and the International managed to obtain the sup- went on during the biggest party at the Union. Pub Crawl raised yet more port of Radio l's Mark and week of the ICU calendar, see The week of fundraising had money for the appeal the fol- Lard. Other fundraisers took 'Helen Arney's Diary' on begun on Valentine's Day, just lowing day. part in a game of tiddlywinks pages 8-11. over a week earlier. A barber- RAG fundraisers took to the along Oxford Street. John S feature politics NUS - Your Choice On the 14th and 15th of March, the stu- determining key policy areas. Conference NUS Affiliation dents of Imperial College will be asked the has a number of sub committees including Every Constituent Member union of NUS question whether they want to join the Elections Committee, Steering Committee pays an annual subscription fee. This is National Union of Students. To make an and National Executive Committee. calculated by a number of means, depend- informed choice it is important to under- ing on the number of full and part time stand the NUS and how it works. National Council students who are members of the union National Council, along with Regional and the amount of money the union What is the NUS? Conferences aims to hold the NEC receives from their college. The funds NUS is a membership organisation com- accountable for their work and responsibil- raised from fees are used to fund the cam- prising a confederation of local student ities. The Council meets at least three paigns, activities and administration of the representative organisations in colleges times a year and reports to Annual National Union. The affiliation fee for and universities throughout the United Conference. Imperial College Union will be £35,000 per Kingdom and Northern Ireland which have National Council directs the work of the year, with a reduced fee for the first year. chosen to affiliate and which pay a mem- NEC within union policy; makes recom- bership fee. mendations to Conference regarding the NUS Services Limited (NUSSL) NUS represents the interests of about accounts and estimates. National Council Being a member of the NUS allows you to three million students in further and high- guides and generates ideas for the NEC on join NUSSL (although you do not have to er education throughout the United their campaigns. National Council may join it). NUSSL is a limited company oper- Kingdom. NUS aims to provide research, also pass policy, in exceptional circum- ating as a purchasing consortium that pro- representation, training and advice for stances. cures deals for commercial services individual students and students' unions. (including beer, stationery etc). Imperial Regional Conferences College Union is already a member of a dif- Annual Conference The eight English regions are known as ferent consortium and it is vital to compare The sovereign body of the National Union 'Ordinary Regions'.