News in Brief

A man wanted by the police was apprehended in the Biochemistry Building on Monday evening. He was found in possession of several stolen items and went to court last Tuesday charged with a variety of crimes.

Security were alerted by a woman in the Biochemistry Dept who rang them after recognising a man whom she had disturbed rifling through her handbag a week previously. After a brief chase, Security caught and detained the man, managing to hold him until the police arrived. On their arrival the police informed Security that the man was wanted for burglary and theft by both the Metropolitan and the City of London police forces.

A disconsolate Ken Weir, Head of sucurity, expressed his dismay over the level of knowledge displayed by the thief "He seemed to know his way around the building quite well, he was going into offices with open doors and taking wallets and purses." This incident again calls into question the effectiveness of College’s security and raises the possibility of a full surveillance system being installed.

UNION SHOPS AROUND FOR NEW BUSINESS

The Union Bookstore closes for business on Friday 21st March, and will remain closed for a month while refurbishment takes place. When the Bookstore re-opens on the 21st April, it will bear the new and imaginative title, ‘The Union Shop’.

The new shop will sell the same product range as before but without the books, the contract to supply books on campus having been taken over by Waterstones. The ‘Shop’ will essentially sell stationery, but should include a few new product lines. The newsagent on the opposite side of the Walkway will remain unaffected by the changes, and the 20% sale on all books remains in place until the close of business on Friday. Waterstone’s expects to begin trading on the first day of next term, the same day as the new Union Shop.

ELECTION RULES CHANGE

Several changes to the rules governing ICU’s sabbatical elections have been proposed, following the controversy generated by this year’s campaigns.

At a meeting of ICU Council last Tuesday night, Eric Allsop, ICU President, commented that there were "holes in the election rules", but that the opportunity exists to rectify this. The most significant changes are likely to surround the ‘New Election’ campaign, with the possibility of a body being set up to regulate its actions.

This would attempt to avoid a repeat of events this year, when Felix was heavily criticised for its pessimistic reporting of the hustings, and was accused of inciting students to vote against the candidates. Some supporters of defeated candidates have claimed that Felix deliberately attempted to influence student opinion, openly supporting the alternative candidates should ‘New Election’ be returned for the post of ICU president.

Also under consideration is a proposal to place a copy of each candidate’s manifesto along side each ballot box, to allow students to read them before voting. The Elections Committee will decide when they meet next week exactly what changes are to be made.

The nomination papers for the new ICU Presidential elections are to be put up opposite the Union office on the first Monday of next term. Speculation over exactly who will put themselves forward for the post is still rife.

SILVER LINING FOR CLAUDS?

‘Mr T’s’, the snack shop on the third floor of the RSM building closed down for good on the 3rd of February. In its place has opened ‘Clauds’, a very similar venture operated by Everdina Clarke.

The decision to close T’s came well before last christmas, with Ms Clarke, placing her tender for the shop soon afterwards. The College spent roughly Ł2000 cleaning and sanitising the premises before its new proprietors took over. Ms Clarke then bought new equipment and display cabinets for sandwiches and drinks. The College placed conditions on the operations of the shop, including a ban on frying as "it made the place smell" and also to try and keep prices low. According to Ms Clarke, the few months it has been open were being used as a trial period. In October, she plans to add more types of food to the menu including baked potatoes and intends to change the tables and chairs in the eating area at some point, describing the present furniture as ‘grotty’. The primary concern, however, would be the food