10 issue May 1999 1144 KEEP THE CAT FREE EST 1949 The Students' Newspaper at Imperial College Room Shortage for Future Students (cost: £1.1 million) begin, and then in The College will face a serious shortfall the summer of 2001 the five year Fve- In available bed spaces for freshers By David Roberts lyn Gardens rolling refurbishment com• within the next three years, which mences (cost: 12.5 million), which will threatens to throw the all-important take one hall out of action each year. guarantee of a hall room for every first Due to the College's policy that all year into doubt. non-academic areas (sports, resi• The problem arises due to the fact XXXXKKXW) 2000 XXMMMMXM dences, catering etc) must break-even, that the number of bed spaces this in turn requires that the College required will rise over the next few "realise other assets from the Resi• years from the present figure of 1686 -| qqq dences portfolio". In other words, the to over 2000 (due to ever-increasing bed spaces in Garden and Brabazon intake and the Wye merger) whilst the Halls will be sold off in summer 2001, number of rooms available will fall. 1600 and Montpelier and Olave Houses will The cause of the problem is the urgent disappear the following July. need to renovate practically every hall the College owns within the next five 1400 | Even greater problems will arise years, on Health & Safety grounds, in the availability of rooms for what the which in turn will bring about the sale -— 1 st Year bedspaces College describes as "priority students" of Montpelier, Garden, Brabazon and 1200 - ie Erasmus students, first year over• Olave halls by the summer of 2002. -0-88% of 1st year numbers seas postgrads, re-apps, sabbaticals Moreover, whilst the current Resi• etc. The sale of the halls already men• dences Plan promises that "the Col• 1000 August August August August August August tioned, coupled with a slight increase lege will continue with its...policy of 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 in student numbers means that within guaranteeing accommodation for first five years the College will be faced years", it does not suggest any way in with a short-fall of at least 200 beds which the current problem can be 88% as a result of the introduction of year. However, as soon as these addi• (even when the guarantee of a room solved, instead investing in the hope fees. tional beds come on line, the two year for all final year medical students is that the number of students taking up The programme will begin with phased renovation of Southside (cost: withdrawn). hall offers will fall from the present the £13 million Beit refurbishment next £14.5 million) and the Weeks project Housing Office Stands Firm Inside.. m Information provided by the College's looking to vet properties before they Private Housing Office has raised By David Roberts are put onto College lists, which will Letters - Ian Caldwell 4 doubts over last weeks story entitled bring to an end one of the most fre• "Accommodation's Adverse Advice". Office, confirming final valuations of quently cited problems with the. Editorial - Comment 5 The story alleged that a member of £75 a week for the smaller rooms and service. the office's staff had recommended a £80 a week for the medium rooms. The students concerned in the alle• Columns-Matt Salter 6 40% increase in rent, from £65 a week She also denied that she had had a gations were unavailable for comment to £90 a week, to the owner of a prop• conversation with any of the students this week, due to examinations. How• Science - The new sci-fi 8 erty in West Brompton. However, the in question, and demonstrated that ever, a further update will appear later Private Housing Officer, Catherine the property in question has never this term, which will hopefully pro• ArtS - Exhibition Roundup 10 John, has stated that "at no time did I been listed at £90 a week duce a consensus of opinion from the mention £90 a week" as an accept• Mrs John explained how she. two sides involved. Film - eXistenZ 12 able rent for the rooms in question. approaches the issue of offering Until then Felix would like to apol• She went on to say that she suggested advice on prices, "my remit has always ogise to any individuals who felt they MUS'IC - Ultrasound 14 to the landlady that "I can't see you been to look after the Imperial stu• were misrepresented. The photo fea• being able to achieve anything more dents and find them affordable accom• tured was of the accommodation CameS - Shadowman 16 than £80 a week for your larger rooms, modation...if someone asks me for a office, not the private housing office, but for the smaller rooms I would sug• professional opinion I will give my which is of course situated in the base• SpOrt - Netball Tour 20 gest £70-75". The current rental price opinion - it's not my advice, it's my ment of the building. was confirmed by a copy of a letter opinion of what can be achieved". She Competition -results 20 from the landlady to the Housing also explained that she is increasingly News in May 1999 Sports Centre Faces Opposition Plans for the development of the concerns were voiced. These included sports centre in Princes Gardens could By Gareth Morgan less light reaching buildings behind issue 1144 end up mired in planning problems the centre, and noise and light and objections from local res• pollution. 10 May 1999 idents. The architects have A meeting of the Kens• taken pains to ensure that Editor: Ed Sexton ington Association last month, the new buildings will not \ssistanl I ditor & I ilms Da\ id Roberts where plans were shown lo be out of character with the News team: Andy Ofori, Gareth various interested parties, area. Despite this, refer• Morgan, Mansoor Choudhury gave the impression that res• ences to Imperial's less than Music Editors: Dennis Patrickson idents of Montrose Court in glowing architectural record Sjason Ramanathan particular are unhappy with were made. One speaker Arts & Books Editor: Helena Cocheme the proposals. claimed that £20 million Games Editor: Gary Smith The scheme involves needed to be spent on "the Sports Editor: Gus Paul building on top of the existing Southside monstrosity", and Photographic Editors: Jonas Lindsay & sports centre, up to the level suggested that the Estates Rachel Urwin of the terraces next door. This department offices should would provide three floors of be converted into a sports Tea Maker: Imogen Lucas recreational space, and two centre. Cigarette Provider: Tim Wrighl floors of residencies - ear• With the level of oppo• Political Commentator: lain marked for visiting academics. sition evident at the meet• McNaught A large sports hall is planned ing, developments seem Inopportune interruption & Distrac• for the back of the building. doomed to become delayed tion provided by: Dave Hcllard Although those present at by negotiations, revisions Massive Lxam Stress provided by: Sir the meeting expressed relief The South Kensington Campus prepares to expand upwards and consultations. The Ronald Oxburgh kBL that there would be no stu• Photo: Archive future of the sports centre is Stimulants & Relaxants courtesy of dent accommodation, several still far from decided. the Caravan of Love, Brixton Hope on the Horizon Clayponds Subwarden An enthusiastic applicant is sought for the post of Sub Warden at Clayponds Village, from mid May 1999. Clayponds is a com- for AIDS Sufferers munity of 309+ students (PG&UG) living in self-catering flats and houses and is situated in Ealing. Duties will include assist- An significant step vaccinated monkeys ing the Warden in the pastoral care of students, promoting forward in the war By Mansoor Choudhury were then tested social life and good order in the village and some general against AIDS has with large doses of administration. been made by Dr Harriet Robinson of HIV. The blood samples of these ani• the Yerkes Regional Primate Research mals were later found to be totally The post is open to substantive members of College and would Centre (part of Emory University) in free of any traces of the virus while the suit someone with experience of pastoral care and a desire to Atlanta, Georgia. unvaccinated control monkeys were live in a student community. If successful, the applicant will Dr Robinson, the chief of the found to have up to a billion live in a rent-free studio flat in the village and will normally be Microbiology and Immunology viruses. resident in Clayponds throughout the year. research division, has developed a Up till now, AIDS sufferers have new vaccine which is reportedly very had to rely on a combination of drugs Application letters should state why you want the post and the effective in the treatment of HIV- to combat the effects of the ever- relevant qualities or experience you can bring to the team. infected monkeys. If the scheduled mutating virus. The treatment, Two referees should be given (including email addresses). tests on humans prove successful, a although generally effective in pro• vaccine proficient in halting AIDS longing life, is prohibitively expensive This should be sent to Dr Mark Tyrer, Department of Materials, transmission could not be too far from for the vast majority of AIDS-sufferers Royal School of Mines as soon as possible. coming. who live in the Third World. If an effec• Informal inquiries to: The vaccine itself was made from tive and cheap vaccine is developed, harmless fragments of both HIV and the number of people being infected Dr Mark Tyrer, Warden the simian version of the virus, SIV.