New pullout Bodies… pages 8-9 section: Exclusive interview with Paul Rusesabagina, the hero of Busty revision Hotel Rwanda pages 6-7 in the library FREE No 1354 h ursday 1 June 2006 h e student newspaper of Imperial College felixonline.co.uk felix Jobs under threat College security fl aws Chris Miles & Vitali Lazurenko receptionist who also granted access Future of Biomedical Sciences Division left in the balance without confirmation of prior appoint- ments or identity. Security at the Faculty Building, hub Simon Davies, a first year physicist, of College academic management told Felix: “If College can’t keep the and workplace of the Rector, has been Rector secure, what hope is there for exposed as inadequate and ineffec- the student body?” tive in light of a Felix investigation. Samantha Perera, a second year Felix reporters were able to enter medical student, said: “Personally I the ‘restricted’ building on two sepa- think far too much money is spent rate occasions and were not chal- on security as Imperial College and lenged over their identity, whether the Rector are not high-risk terrorist they were in fact members of targets. The money could be better College or their purpose for entering spent on improving teaching facili- Imperial’s administrative headquar- ties.” ters. Concerned with such lapses in Entry to the building is usually con- College security, Felix also attempted trolled by swipe card entry gates to gain access to restricted areas in that allow access to a select group the Sir Alexander Fleming Building of College staff; these are adjacent (SAF) and Union offices. Once inside to a manned security desk at the the SAF, we were able to tailgate a entrance of the modern four-storey researcher into a restricted access building and are the main access area without being challenged. We points for all personnel entering and subsequently had open access to leaving the Faculty building. research labs, some of which con- Reporters were waved past the tained hazardous chemicals, as well desk on entry and left to roam freely as expensive microscopy equipment. around the floors coming within feet Similar breaches occurred in the of Sir Richard’s office and mixing Sabbatical offices, where no atten- with employees at a nearby coffee tion was paid as reporters passed bar. the Union reception and into the Empty offices with thousands of unlocked vacant office of Deputy pounds worth of equipment and President (Education and Welfare) confidential documents were all in Sarah Khatib. Various valuables were potential reach of the reporters. left unattended in the room, in direct After spending over 30 minutes in the contravention to advice issued at the building, Felix left and returned an hour later to be greeted by a different Continued, page 3 Photo: Vitali Lazurenko Photo: Vitali The Biomedical Sciences division, located at the heart of Imperial’s Sir Alexander Fleming Building. Staff working for the division are concerned about potential redundancies over the coming weeks. Chris Miles ment the early stages of their medi- improve its teaching in biomedical News Editor cal training. sciences and medicine and to under- A worried BMS research associ- take research at the highest level. ate working at the SAF told Felix: “There are no proposals to change The Division of Biomedical Sciences “More people here are worried about our medical undergraduate courses (BMS) is facing potential closure this their jobs than who’s going to teach and we are looking forward to intro- week, with expected job cuts and staff the medical students. The morale is ducing our new Biomedical Science relocation of teaching and support plummeting. course and subsequently graduate workers at the Sir Alexander Fleming “We used to be part of the Imperial entry medical course. Discussions Building (SAF). College School of Medicine (ICSM) are continuing and the College will Representatives from College but were moved into the Faculty of be communicating with staff again and members of the Association of Life Sciences. There was a £1.7 mil- shortly.” University Teachers (AUT) will be lion deficit and the ICSM would not He added: “It is important to note discussing the future of the BMS pay for teaching; who are they intend- that...student teaching and facilities division on Thursday 1 June at the ing to get to do it in the future?” will not be affected.” Academic Joint Staff Committee Sir Peter Knight, Faculty Principal, Felix spoke to Emma Smith, a meeting. previously told staff that the finan- second year medical student, who The Faculty of Natural Sciences cial state of the BMS division was said: “I’m really surprised that announced the instigation of a thor- unsustainable and their position was the Biomedical Science Division is ough review into the division in April, untenable. Deficits of over £507,000 being shut down in such a fashion. aiming to develop a long-term plan to were recorded for the financial By all accounts, the communication continue Imperial’s medical science year 2005/2006 and projections for between senior College figures and teaching. 2006/2007 show a deficit of over £1.4 the research associates is unsatisfac- Closure of the division was believed million on a turnover of £1.6 million. tory to say the least. I hope this is to have a direct impact upon first Felix took these points to a College resolved satisfactory.” Photo: Vitali Lazurenko and second year medical students, spokesman, who responded: “The Felix accessed Imperial’s administrative and management building with- who rely on such teaching to comple- College’s duty is to strengthen and Leader, page 11 out being questioned by staff or asked to produce College identity. felix 2 www.felixonline.co.uk Thursday 1 June 2006 felix 1,354 NEWS [email protected] DPFS election result announced Thursday 01.06.06 erable challenges to come, it’s going Chris Miles to be an interesting year. “At the risk of this sounding like an The result for the remaining Union Oscars speech, I'd like to express my Swimming and Water Polo Sabbatical position, Deputy President thanks to both other candidates for (Finance and Services), was making it such a hotly contested but Swimming and Water Polo at Imperial announced last week after the post fair election, especially to Edmund College is undergoing something of went unfilled following last term’s for coming so close and acting in such a revival. The club’s fortunes have spring elections. a sportsman-like manner through- changed a great deal since the start Over 800 students cast votes, a out.” of the year. record turnout compared to previous Mr Matthews states in his mani- summers. A close-run race resulted festo: “I will be directly accountable Back page u in Jonathan Matthews winning the and ensure I am available to you, not election by 14 votes. Edmund Hunt, in just hidden in an office.” He will also second place, achieved 302, and third- “correct the unacceptable increases place candidate Daniel Chowdhury in bar and events prices”. took 116. RON (Re-open Nominations) Current ICU President Sameena came last with 91 votes. Misbahuddin told Felix that she Jonathan Matthews will join ICU was delighted with election turnout, President elect John Collins and pleased to see passionately fought future Deputy Presidents Ben Harris, campaigns and wished Mr Matthews Jonathan Matthews: Future DPFS Eric Lai and Shama Rahman, as well the best of luck for next year. as Felix Editor elect Andrew Sykes in The positions of City and Guilds James Fok said: “The faculty union next year’s team. College Union President, Council presidency will be a big post to fill Enron fraudsters found Speaking to Felix, Jonathan Chair, CAG Chair and RAG Chair after the previous leaderships of John guilty Matthews said: “Obviously I’m abso- were also elected, with candidates and Sid. I look forward to improv- lutely thrilled to have been elected, James Fok, Daniel McGuiness, Radha ing the unity of the engineers in the The largest scandal in American cor- especially in such a close result and Gadhok and Stephen Brown winning upcoming college centenary with bet- porate history concluded on Thursday very much look forward to the consid- respectively. ter communications and events.” 25th May. A climax was reached with former Enron bosses Kenneth Lay and Jeff Skilling convicted for con- spiracy and fraud. Welsh Society launched at Imperial Page 4 u Meurig Thomas came from a most unlikely source: Imperial’s Welsh contingent. each year, Marie Curie’s Cancer A member of the society said, “I This Week Relief launch their daffodil appeal on think this is a great idea and paves Imperial College Union has recently St David’s Day, and the founders took the way forward for future Scottish News 1-3 Comment 10 approved the formation of a Welsh inspiration and informally discussed and Irish societies, hopefully bringing Business 4 Leader 11 Society. The society unofficially plans for an official Union society. with them the accompanying whisky formed on 1 March, St David’s Day, a This was seen as a great opportu- and Guinness!” Science 6-7 Sport 15-16 symbolic date in the Welsh Calendar. nity to support a worthy cause. The Although part of the UK, Wales Although the proposal to form group received official confirmation very much has its own culture and the society had been in the pipeline at the beginning of the month and Welsh Society aims to provide a social SSudokuudoku NNoo 11,354,354 for months, the idea to coincide the have since organised several events group for Welsh Students. Gabrielle Complete the grid so launch with the beginning of March and recruited a sizable proportion of Thomas, President of the Welsh that every row, every 2 9 Society told Felix: “I'm delighted that column and every 3x3 we have been able to form such a square contains the 8 6 4 society at Imperial College.