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INKYTEXT 317 Part I
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Issue No 317 Monday 1st November 1999
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Editorial correspondence should be sent to InkyText@lancaster.ac.uk
Subscription requests to Inkytext-distribution-request@lists.lancaster.ac.uk
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AGENDA
Minutes, Amendments, Matters arising
1. News: Funeral, Chair, Nurse-led Unit, Safety, Bar Crawls
2. Comment By Stuart Aitken, LUSU general secretary
3. Events: President of EU Budget Commission, Bonfire, Concert
4. Some Readers' Letters
Part II FOLLOWS AND contains
4. Readers' Letters: a rich array
5. Small Ads: Dennis the Menace Bike, Go-kart, Teak suite, Red carpet,
House, DVD player, Rowing machine, Psion whotsit, cars, houses, flats.
MINUTES, AMENDMENTS, MATTERS ARISING
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Predictably, a restricted item turned up in a lurid piece in the
Lancaster Citizen, which confused Graduate College and Graduate Hall
and sought to collocate all manner of unrelated events. It made
allegations which were, curiously, denied by a university spokesperson.
The licence application is to be heard at this week's Transfer
Sessions. There will be no official objection by the SU (a narrow
decision) but it is still rumoured that individuals may object
(probably unsuccessfully).
Detailed planning for the Chemistry transfer (Polymer group) is
proceeding quietly behind the scenes.
1. NEWS
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THE FUNERAL OF JAMES RAW (Lonsdale), the 1st year combined science
student killed in last week's bus accident, took place on Friday in
Otley Parish Church. The university was represented by the Head of
Student Support and Dr Dick Collins amongst others. Police are still
trying to contact all bus passengers and witnesses to the accident.
Many were considerably shocked and counselling was offered last week. A
vigil took place in the Chaplaincy Centre. A Japanese student is still
in hospital but comfortable.
CONGRATULATIONS TO PAUL CARLING (Geography) on his chair at Southampton
University. (This is a piece of poaching that is on the increase and
we are losing out to such moves badly.)
MANY CONGRATULATIONS TO PETER LUND AND JOHN BRADSHAW on their epic coast
to coast walk which raised 4,103 pounds. The money was split between
the Hospice and the Macmillan Unit.
NURSE-LED UNIT OPENING POSTPONED TO 1st APRIL: on Wednesday the
working group set up by Council eventually met. Student members were
mandated by the union council to continue asking for a year's
moratorium. The meeting was ably chaired by lay member Mrs Clare
Hensman and the Director of Resources, who had originally argued at
Council that the matter was operational and should not even be
discussed, proposed a postponement of the opening until 1st April.
(This is in fact only 2 months short of the 12 month moratorium sought
in June and roundly dismissed.) It is understood that staff appointed
to the unit are not yet on our payroll.
A sub-group has been set-up to obtain (at last!) technical answers to
student queries about the powers and functions of the nurses. The group
meets again on 1st December. At Thursday's Union Council the
postponement was welcomed but a reminder was issued that opening is
still contingent on satisfactory answers being received to student
doubts. The concession was seen as a victory for threats of militancy.
UNIAC VALUE FOR MONEY reports continue to prove controversial. They
are repeatedly claimed by those involved to be academically inexact and
to propose unworkable commercial nostrums (usually out-sourcing) that
ignore the university's peculiar habits. Such was the case with their
report on the Safety Office, which was mercilessly savaged at last
week's meeting of the Safety Committee and not defended even by the
Secretary and Pro-VC Whitaker. Rumours that a report on the Public Arts
may receive a similar welcome this week.
NEW HEALTH CENTRE: Lancashire County Council, the Transport Authority,
have expressed concern over access to the proposed site from Green Lane
and had asked that entry to the site should be internal to the
University campus, so that the traffic lights on the A6 would provide a
controlled entry point. The Planning Authority also felt that too many
parking spaces had been allocated on the plan and that some of these
should be taken out and the tree belt left intact. The Committee noted
that the Planning Authority would accept three parking spaces for each
consulting or treatment room in the building which might mean reducing
the number of spaces on the plan from twenty-eight to eighteen. The
Committee noted, however, that the Health Authority had specifically
requested access to the site via a public road.
The Director of Resources reported that the University's external
surveyors had assessed the ground rent for the site at approximately
12,000. The local Valuation Office, on behalf of the site developer,
had assessed the rent at 6,000: this was unacceptable to the
University, which was negotiating a revised figure.
CAMPUS BAR CRAWLS are now regular events and usually good-humoured. The
University Dean is however investigating recent complaints about a
group from County who are alleged to have been repeatedly harassing and
intimidating Cartmel bar staff. Drunkenness is of course an aggravating
factor, though those concerned seem to think it mitigates what would
seem unacceptable behaviour.
NO UMAG AGENDAS OR REPORTS have appeared on the Web for the past
month. Not sure why. Discussions have mainly centred on bids for
additional resources and other HEFCE initiatives.
A COMBINED EFFORT FROM ACROSS CAMPUS is working to set up study
support web pages at Lancaster. The aim is to enable staff and students
to have access to some of the learning support material which is
usually only made available to students with study problems, or to
those students attending particular workshops.
Moira Peelo, the Counselling Service's study consultant, and Janet
Clements, co-ordinator of the Colleges' Effective Learning Programme,
have been working with Susan Armitage and Mike Cowie (both from the
newly-established Higher Education Development Centre) to set up the
'Study at Lancaster' site. As well as explaining where students in need
can find help with study on campus, the site is beginning to set up
study advice pages, under the categories: writing, lectures, reading
and examinations. There are also some bibliographies, to help people
find their own way round the maze of study skills advice currently
available.
The site is in its infancy, but the team hopes to add study advice
gathered from across campus. It is hoped that staff and students will
feel able to contribute pages, as well as make use of the existing
ones. At the moment the site can be found at:
http://ktru-main.lancs.ac.uk/pub/studentsupport.nsf/home
Any queries should be addressed to m.peelo@lancaster.ac.uk
2. COMMENT by Stewart Aitken (LUSU General Secretary)
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[The following is an edited version of an item first published in
LOOSETALK an occasional e-mail bulletin published by the Students'
Union. To subscribe to it send an email to Jo Hardman.]
It is becoming increasingly difficult to see any signs from within the
University management that they believe students matter. All that seems
to register is the ch-ching! of pound signs as the focus on monetary
concerns takes precedence over everything else. Students, their needs
and opinions are becoming increasingly marginalised.
There are all too many examples that could be quoted, ranging from the
ill-conceived licensing of an area originally designated for an
alcohol-free social space to a lack of consideration for sports clubs'
competition venues in favour of a little extra revenue. Add to that the
blatant disregard for student opinion over health care provision, and
the suppression of any real debate at the relevant committees.
If cost-cutting is the only clear aim and intention the University
has, we may as well all pack up and go home now. As students become
increasingly consumerist, along with the rest of society, they are
likely to simply walkaway and find an alternative if they are not happy
with a service, their comments are not acted upon, or their needs are
not met.
At the moment, admissions are good but that can all so easily change.
At present the only attitude emanating from University House is that of
cost-cutting, and that just doesn't mesh with any forward looking
initiatives. Our academic standing is all well and good, but students
are increasingly looking at the value added aspects to University life.
If the provision of sporting facilities, health care, social space,
residences and the plethora of other features are not fundamentally
re-examined with a view to actual investment and improvement, the
slippery slope we find ourselves on will become a full-on landslide.And
once the turning point hits, this institution's standing will
fall faster than freshers after a gallon challenge.
But if student views are pushed to one side, or consultation not even
given, then how can we expect to see any real, meaningful improvements
made for them? That was the fatal error when on-campus health care
provision was re-examined, and the waste of space that is the NLU was
dreamed up. If LUSU had been consulted, we could have helped come up
with a solution that would actually have improved health care provision
for students. But I guess then it wouldn't have been such a huge money
saving venture.
Since LUSU found out about the plans, concerns have been continually
raised, yet our request for a 12 month moratorium has been all but
completely ignored. Throughout the debate, LUSU officers have gone
through all the proper channels and been prepared to work within
University procedures, and yet we have been steam-rolled at every turn.
University Council was a turning point, as we felt that not only was
the moral high ground with us, but so would Council have been, had they
been allowed a full debate, and perhaps (shock! horror!) a vote on the
issue.
Over recent years, LUSU and University officials have both worked very
hard to improve relations, and reach a stage where they can meet and
discuss things round the table, and not across the table. We feel
that we arein a position where that can happen, with a genuine sense of
mutual respect(for the most part) on both sides. However, this
viewpoint has taken a severe bashing after recent events, and this has
lead us to question whether we do all really want what is best for
students.
I find it hard to imagine that anyone working here would not, but until
there is student representation involved in all issues, the
communication problems are likely to persist. To that end, it has been
suggested that it would be of use to have the Union President sitting on
UMAG. Not only would this reassure us that our opinion actually counted
for something, but it would send perhaps the loudest message to the rest
of the University that we should be consulted on any decisions.
If not, the future's bleak. The future's UCLAN.
3. EVENTS
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MONDAY 1st NOVEMBER
2.00 p.m.
CAVENDISH COLLOQUIUM ROOM
Terry Wynn
Chair of the EU Budgetary Commission
"The EU Budget"
----------------
The Department of History and The Centre for Social History
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY SEMINAR SERIES 1999/2000
Michaelmas, Tuesdays 4.15-6pm
2nd November John Todd (Lancaster)
Fu SCR 'The Mind of the Doodler: Questions from the Drawings in the
Lanercost Cartulary'
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BONFIRE: The University Bonfire will be held on County College Field
on Friday 5th November. The Bonfire will be lit at 6pm on 5th November
and the fireworks will be set off at some point between 7 and 7.30pm.
As usual there will be fireworks, funfair rides, hot food, a tombola,
and much much more. Staff, Students, and graduates are all welcome. The
event is sponsored and organised by the Lancaster University Alumni
Association.
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BOOK READING AND SIGNING WATERSTONE'S CAMPUS SHOP
The author Simon Singh is coming up to talk to us about his new book
"the Code Book"on 3rd December and the reading will take place at the
Cavendish lecture theatre.
Event organised in conjunction with the Maths dept.
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Thursday 4th November 7.30pm
THE LINDSAYS
Beethoven Quartet in B flat Op 18 No 6
Beethoven Quartet in C Op 59 No 3
Beethoven Quartet in C sharp minor Op 131
Tickets #10.00, #7.50 (#9.50, #7.00 conc) Students #5.00
Box Office Extension 93729
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4. READERS' LETTERS
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When the bumps were first built on Dallas Rd, I wrote to Alf Wrigley,
he council's chief engineer to ask if anyone had investigated increased
pollution levels. Not surprisingly, I never got a reply.
Steve Elliott
--------------------------------
Has any one else noticed that the University sign on the A6 at the
south end of the campus boundary has partly fallen down ? Is it
symboloic in anyway that the red paint/ink is running down ? Is it
meant to imply that the University is bleeding to death ?
Brian Tabner
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Although I am not only 'not at Lancaster anymore' but also a member of
University Court, and therefore must take the attitude of the
proverbial primate trinity, I would like to offer a small suggestion to
those currently grappling with the... short-sighted behaviour of the
Pro-Chancellor. It is simply stated (though perhaps not so simply
executed): change the standing orders.
Given that such a measure requires a qualified majority of two-thirds
(if memory serves), I would suggest that anyone inclined to put such a
motion assemble an alliance of like-minded people. Simply putting the
motion without forward planning will result in it either being kicked
out or (possibly worse) dumped into the limbo of a 'working' party.
If the dissatisfaction with the current chair's procedural techniques
is as high as reported then such measures as:
'The Chair shall not speak to a motion until the last ordinary member
of Council wishing to speak to it has so spoken.' ...and...
'The Chair shall call members of Council in strict order of their
indicating a desire to speak.' ...and...
'The Chair shall not vote unless Council is deadlocked and shall then
vote for the status quo.'
...should not be too difficult to enact.
I'm sure others can think of similar measures and make the effort. All
that is required is the will.
Nick Bardsley
Ex-'rogue officer'
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Yes, I agree that the decision to open yet another fully licensed
outlet looks bizarre - especially given the competition that now exists
in Lancaster.
It would, perhaps, have been much more sensible to open a US-style
coffee house with good cakes, pleasant surroundings and (even)
newspapers to read. There would be no need to charge bargain basement
prices if the coffee, tea, cakes and ambience were right. Such a
venture could even make money and would be a 'good thing to do' if we
are serious about discouraging over-consumption of booze.
However... another opportunity lost.
Mike Pidd
---------------------------------
Yet more licensed premises? The campus is becoming a mirror image of
Lancaster Town Centre. Surely what is needed - and this goes back to
the recommendations of a working group of the Colleges and Residence
Committee over three years ago - is an attractive, alcohol free cafe
where staff, students, parents, visitors and conferees can have a good
cup of coffee or tea in civilised surroundings at civilised times of
the day or evening.
As short a time ago as November 1998 the report of the Strategy
Conference Working Group on 'The University as a Community' also
recommended vis a vis Catering that 'There should be enhanced and
varied provision including an attractive non-alcoholic coffee bar, open
until late and at week-ends. '
What happened to the concept of the health promoting university? or to
the University's drugs and alcohol policy? not to mention large numbers
of students, both UK and overseas, and staff who wish to have a quiet
coffee in an alcohol free environment?
Janet Clements
------------------------
Thank you for your report on the proposed Venue operation on Campus.
May I take this opportunity to expand on a few points you made in your
report.
The Venue will not be permitted to make 'off-sales' of alcohol on a
retail basis. All toilet facilities, including disabled facilities and
staff cloakroom are outlined on the plans for licensing purposes.
You are correct in stating the facilities are not adaptable for the
delivery of draught ales and there is little room for a beer cellar.
The alcohol service from the bar will be restricted to bottled beer and
wines only. The 'table-license' can be accommodated within the full
license without the requirement of our customers to consume a full
meal.
Lunch-time consumption of alcohol is on the decrease, but we have the
option to offer other beverages such as mineral waters, quality teas
and coffees etc. Also our customers, students, staff, visitors and
conference delegates may require a glass of wine or beer in the evening
after a busy day.
Our aim is to make The Venue the much sought after civilised central
premises and, yes, with real crockery and cutlery and even teapots! The
full on-license is the usual license applied for when planning an
operation of this style. A restaurant license lays down the requirement
to provide "substantial refreshment" with alcohol as an ancillary to
the meal. The Venue will be offering quality light snacks, quality
sandwiches on continental breads & pastries, due to the restrictions on
space for full production kitchen facilities.
I hope I have clarified the situation and shown our true intentions
for The Venue. I look forward to buying you an espresso when we open.
David Peek
[NOTE: Thank you. I'll take you up on that. (Ed.)]
---------------------------
I understand that Personnel offices of companies in Australia are
finding that if people are able to make light physical contact in
normal office-working relationships it makes for a healthier and more
productive environment. Some of us have known this for years, long
before the ‘politically-correct' harASSment (i.e. HARassment) brigade
tried to make the mere act of touching another human-being a sin and a
crime.
Rosemary Anderson
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PART II FOLLOWS LATER