Felix 924
News
Chope Con Junior transport minister Christopher Chope visited I C yesterday at the invitation o f the I C U Conservative Society. H e described the National U n i o n o f Students ( N U S ) as a closed shop which the Conservative party had come close to resolving. H e added that the government had encountered legal problems in their efforts to reform the N U S . M r C h o p e said that membership o f the N U S should be an individual matter and added that students should be able to opt in or out o f their college unions.
college student union, the European court ruled that students' unions formed an integral part o f college life. The minister commented that it was not for the European court to dictate to students' on whether they should be members o f college student unions. A spokesman for the Department of Education and Science told the College News Network ( C N N ) that he could not comment on any of the matters raised by M r . C h o p e . H e pointed out that the B i r m i n g h a m case was not a government matter and that M r . C h o p e was speaking at Imperial College as a C o n s e r v a t i v e , a n d not as a government minister going outside his area o f responsiblility. N U S o f f i c e r s were u n a v a i l a b l e for comment last night. (CNN).
T h e minister's comments appear to be at variance with a recent ruling o f the European court. F o l l o w i n g a dispute in w h i c h t w o students at the B i r m i n g h a m C o l l e g e o f F o o d and T o u r i s m withdrew from the
Plug
Jump
Free Tickets can still be obtained for the Faraday Lectures to be held in the Barbican Centre on 6th F e b r u a r y . T h e tickets c a n be obtained from the press and public relations office in r o o m 553 o f the Sherfield b u i l d i n g .
A n y o n e w h o has not yet handed in their deposits for the M E N C A P Parachute Jump should do so by the end o f today ( F r i d a y ) . T h i s should be done at R a g meeting in the Ents lounge in the U n i o n at lunchtime or after college hours in the Rag Office (two floors above the U n i o n bar).
Security Silent The Rector. S i r E r i c A s h . has rejected the recommendation by Gordon Marshall, Director of Estates, to contract out C o l l e g e security and messenger services to private tender. After a long period o f discussion among senior College management, a letter was released last F r i d a y stating that changes had to be made to the security and messenger s e r v i c e s . T h e letter said that security should remain in-house i f
a series o f new conditions could be met which included p r o v i d i n g 24 hour security cover and a cost saving. T h e C o l l e g e ' s G o v e r n i n g Body has a l l o w e d a period o f two weeks for differences to be worked out. The letter also stated that a 'discipline o f silence' should the continuing surround negotaitions and because o f this no one wished comment about them.
Parents Pay A report in yesterday m o r n i n g ' s Guardian states that the Committee o f V i c e Chancellors and Principals ( C V C P ) have claimed that 'half o f the parents earning over the national average would be prepared to contribute to their children's college tuition fees'. A M O R I o p i n i o n poll for the C V C P found that half o f the parents questioned w h o earned in excess o f £15.500,(figures quoted from the Guardian) w h i c h is just above the national average, w o u l d be prepared to pay towards tuition fees. The average they were w i l l i n g to pay was £ 1 . 0 0 0 a year. M O R I polled 3.985 people. T h e poll also revealed that 60 percent o f a l l the p a r e n t s i n t e r v i e w e d d i d not s u p p o r t contributing to fees, and those that were w i l l i n g to contribute £ 1 . 0 0 0 actually represented less than 10 percent o f the total. The c l a i m has been criticised for its biased presentation of the results. D i a n a Warwick.^general secretary
There is growing evidence o f fascist activity amongst the British student population. The West M i d l a n d s are c l a i m e d to be an area where the National Front continue to operate, and a student from the R o y a l H o l l o w a y and Bedford N e w College (RHBNC) caused controversy last term when he complained o f 'mongrelisation by ethnic minorities' during a U n i o n General M e e t i n g . It is beleived that the British National Party ( B N P ) is t a r g e t t i n g students i n a n e w recruitment campaign. (Warwick Boar. University of Warwick, and South Egham Sun, RHBNC East Student. SE Area NUS).
The result is seen as a victory for the supporters o f the student loan scheme. U n d e r the o l d grants system, 4% o f students in higher education left their courses early. The recent freezing o f grants and
Students at the R o y a l Veterinary C o l l e g e in L o n d o n are to be charged for lecture handouts. T h i s follows a cut in the budget o f one o f the departments leading to the The National U n i o n o f Students decision by the department that they have stated that the system has led cannot afford free photocopies. to an average student debt o f £ 6 0 0 Each hand out w i l l cost £ 2 . 5 0 . and outside L o n d o n and £ 1 , 4 0 0 within. students at the college are reported One institution estimated that 6 0 % to be w o r r i e d about what else w i l l Student. o f it's students were still in debt the be charged for. (London University of London Union). following October. introduction o f various loan and access funds is seen to have motivated students to w o r k harder for courses that they are paying for from their o w n pockets.
o f the Associ at i on o f U n i v e r s i t y Teachers ( A U T ) . is reported as saying that 'the decision to survey the preparedness of the well-heeled middle class to contribute to tuition costs does nothing to encourage w i d e r p a r t i c i p a t i o n in h i g h e r education.' A l s o , the N a t i o n a l U n i o n o f Students, according to the article, pointed out that a third o f parents do not pay full contributions to student's l i v i n g costs. • The C V C P has been criticised for using students as 'pawns' by Justine McGuiness. University of London U n i o n ( U L U ) Vice-President, as an attempt to gain more government funding. The C V C P have said that they w i l l charge students 'top-up' fees i f they do not get the required funding. A Government spokesman told the L o n d o n Student, the U L U newspaper, that 'the government does not accept that universities are underfunded.' (London Student. ULU).
Fascist
Drop in Student Vets A recent survey has found that fewer students are dropping out from higher education courses despite increased financial hardship. T h e study, conducted by higher education chiefs, also implies that self-financing students work harder.
31 January 1992
There w i l l be examination stress workshops in operation at the Health Centre in Princes Gardens from the 12th o f February. T h e workshops have been organised by Claudio C a l v i and w i l l run for three Wednesdays until the 2 6 t h February. Anyone wishing to attend is requested to call Jacqueline F a r i d i a n (Practice Manager) in advance. T h e extension number is 3099.
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Felix is produced lor and on behalf of the Imperial College Union Publications Board and is printed by the Imperial College Union Print Unit. Prince Consort Road. London SW7 2 B B . (Tel: 071-225 8672). Editor: Adam Harrington. Business Manager: Jeremy Burnell. Copyright Felix 1991. ISSN 1040-0711.