Medics secure independence
Medical students at St Mary’s Hospital Medical School were celebrating this week after securing the future students’ union’s financial independence. During a question and answer session for medical students last Monday, Professor Alan Swanson, Deputy Rector of Imperial College, said that he saw no reason why the Student Union of the future Imperial College School of Medicine would not be funded separately from the main Union after the merger. Further backing came from their Dean Professor John Caldwell, who has written to Professor Swanson to urge him to have his promise officially noted.
Whilst at present the student unions of RSM, RCS and C&G are funded by Imperial College Union, that of St Mary’s receives its subvention directly from the College. There has been fear that this practice may be abandoned after 1998, when the pre-clinical undergraduates will be taught in South Kensington. Such a move would have presented a severe financial blow to the future ICSM SU, who might receive only Ł15,000 from ICU. Currently, the combined subvention of the two medics’ unions, St Mary’s and CXWMS’s, stands at Ł80,000.
At the meeting, Professor Swanson also stated that the College would not object to the medics entering their own teams in future BUSA competitions, and this would be a matter for the students concerned to sort out. The question as to whether the College would continue to fund the teams elicited the reply that no changes to the present system of funding would be introduced. It was pointed out, however, that when making decisions on such matters one should consider how to get the best level of competition.
Questions concerning the shape to be taken by the crest of the future medical school, which will appear on the jersey of the various sport teams, were also posed. Again, it was promised by Professor Swanson that the College would back whatever the medics from the four constituent medical schools agree on.
After the merger, first year medics will be housed in halls of residence over at South Kensington. This has led to fears that Wilson House, which has always been a hall for medical students, will be opened up to students from other disciplines, and result in final year clinical students loosing their priority when applying for rooms there. Professor Swanson assured the medics that all clinical finalists will still be given priority at Wilson House.
When asked to clarify the recent suggestions that residents of Wilson House may have their parking rights outside the house removed, Professor Swanson said that he was not aware of any such plan. He agreed that it would be unreasonable to remove the parking rights of clinical students, who have to undertake their training in many different locations around and outside London throughout the duration of their course. Professor Swanson also said that he saw no reason why residents of Wilson House should not be allowed to keep their belongings in their rooms for a nominal fee during the Easter vocation, when rooms there are not going to be rent out.
The issue of top-up fees was also brought up. Professor Swanson assured all those present that the College has no plan to introduce such charges in the near future. He warned, however, there is the possibility that all institutions may be instructed to do so by the government. The earliest this can happen will be in 1998, after the new intakes have been informed of this in the new prospectus. However, no present students of the College will be affected. The suggestion that the College might start bringing in top-up fees just to keep itself on par with the rest of the so called "Ivy League" universities such as UCL, and LSE was strongly refuted by Professor Swanson, who said that they would only be forced to do so under financial pressure.
The medics’ concern about their future was reflected by their high attendance at the session, which was generally felt to be productive. They were pleased to learn that the subvention of their future student union has been secured and the independence of their clubs and societies guaranteed.
Both aspects are seen as crucial in maintaining the sense of identity among the medics after the merger. The willingness of Professor Swanson to discuss matters further was welcome by all those who were present.
