A thousand people can't be wrong
Air conditioning in central library must be a top priority for the sabbaticals
An expected outbreak of support for Felix’s campaign for air conditioning in the library has seriously raised questions about the role of the union in delivering student demands.
Imperial provides great facilities to study in and world class labs, but falls short in the central library.
From personal experience, I avoid studying at that place at all costs (the horrid smell, serious lack of oxygen, and ridiculous smell of damp).
The campaign, strangely enough, started in the Felix office, where they actually listen to what students have to say. What is even more surprising is the complete silence and astonishment of the “Beit Sabbatical Establishment”.
1050 signatures should at least warrant a response and a promise from the Union president to deliver on a student petition. The 2016 Leadership election saw a very familiar theme with what we’ve seen globally – a discontentment with power – with the underachieving “Beit Quad Cartel” and “CV patching sabbaticals”. Imperial’s sabbaticals are elected in the largest democratic university elections in England, with a clear mandate to raise the issues that we care about as students, but failing to do so is a failure at their jobs.
The environment in which we spend months of summer term trying to untangle our degrees must be a priority. We not only deserve air conditioning, but demand it; our tuition fees justify it. I strongly believe the new union president Nas should make it a priority to negotiate with college to deliver this. Some funds and licenses are already in place. Nothing justifies the ridiculous state of a five floor incinerator with a nauseating smell.
As a member of the union council I can tell you that many things are wrong in this union, like that the council doesn’t meet and sabbaticals are only accountable to themselves.
Did the union deliver significant change to each and every one of us this year besides £2.60 pints, sports nights and a fiasco Summer Ball headliner? The union's role is to “enhance student’s experience at Imperial.” Well the people demand air conditioning and you better deliver, or your office is not only undermined, but void of sense and purpose.
