cone re ISSVE TWELVE
UEA's INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
IT()() Ta7il PLACES TO . SHOP . AND PLACES TO BE SEEN IN
OCTOBER
28, 1992
PHOTOS FROM BOSNIA: UEA STUDENT THE MINERS' REPORTS FROM THE FRONT LINE- Page 9 DEMO IN LONDON
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our ONLY EIGHTY first years have given their support to the Rent Strike, despite the publicity campaign by the Student Union. After the UGM, door drops and a stand in UH, the Union has not received the amount of support that they had hoped for the Strike. The Union defends the lack of numbers by saying that the letter sent to Freshers in the Welcome Pack made the soon·to-
By Heidi Bulcock and Gill Fenwick be-students pay up out of fear and confusion. Chris Hollingworth, Union Finance Officer said, "One thousand people had paid their rents in advance" and so the number of supporting students was expected to be a minority. But Michael Benson, UEA's Public Relations Officer, branded the rent strike as "an attempt to trivialise a serious issue".
He stressed that "the strike not only fails to address the real issue of student hardship but remains counter-productive in that any money the University loses out of as a result, will need to be recouped by future rents." He reiterated that "the rise in rent is to cover current maintenance needs and not to contribute to Phase Two of the new residences, a fact most students realise." This, he claims, is "proved by
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Disabled access for sports centre challenged by Gill Fenwick Tiffi SPORTS Centre has no access for the disabled to its upper floor. The booking office, pigeonholes, notice board, common room and viewing positions for the sports hall are all situated on the first floor. It is only accessible by the outer concrete stairs or the inner spiral staircase. Keith Nicolls, Director of Physical Recreation noticed the deficiency first when he arrived at UEA two years ago. However, it has recently been brought to the attention ofColin Browning, Union Welfare Officer and Keith Nicolls by two disabled first year students and their friends.
Shaun Gull, a disabled first year is very mobile in his electronic wheelchair, however the Sports Centre is inaccessible. Although some may argue that sports are off-limits for the disabled, Shaunexplained "although I'm disabled, I like participating in sports as much as I can, table tennis and things like that. It' s not just for me, its for prospective disabled students as well. They're entitled to have access to all facilities". Colin Browning is supportive of the student's views and he put forward the motion for some sort of access to the upper level ofthe Sports Centre to the Tuesday Club on October 20th. The motion was put to Keith Nicolls, who explained that he had applied for a minor works grant for the same thing last year
Shaun Gull and the University had turned it down. However, Mr Nicolls was quick to assert that "it was one of a number that I put forward which
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"Enough is Enough" : I
Societies Officer Resigns I
By Nigel Harding
I
THE UNION ofUEA Students is currently reeling after the second resignation from the Executive in three weeks. Paul Harrison, Societies Officer, resigned last Friday and his action again calls into question the unity of the Executive. The Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Rights Officer, Lucy Broadhurst, resigned earlier this month after disagreements with the Executive. In a heated debate at last week's Student Forum, a split in the Executive was clearly apparent. Paul brought a motion condemning the Executive's decision to censor a Survival Guide issued by the Horsham Halls Committee warning of "sharks" at Fifers Lane. The motion called for the Forum to forbid the Executive from " taking action against any union-affiliated organisation without specific approval in advance from Students ' Forum or UGM" Paul also wanted the Executive to apologise to the
Union Executive - minus 4 officers
I-ll-1C chair. He was supported by Lucy Broadhurst and the Union' s Sabbatical officers, Richard Hewison (Communications) and Nicola Sainsbury (Academic), and vehemently opposed by the other two Sabbaticals, Colin Browning (Welfare) and Chris Hollingworth (Finance). In the subsequent vote the Forum was also split down the middle, 10-10. The chair of the debate then cast the deciding vote in favour of the motion. Despite his victory, Paul felt that the Executive was still so "divided and unable to work as a team" that he could no longer be a part of it. "Basically, I've felt undermined by various acts made by the Executive as a whole
and by individuals, it got to the point where I felt I could not do the job anymore". He believes that his resignation will be lessening his own personal contribution to these divisions and will hopefully persuade the Executive to review the way they work together. Community Liason Officer, Lizzi W atson, expressed her disagreement with Paul's implications, " Undouted.ly there was a split over the I-ll-IC leaflets, but the great thing about the executive is that we can disagree on one issue and then agree on other issues. There is always room for discussion". Richard Hewison again expressed regret at losing another member of the Executive and wishes Paul well in his future plans.