Ban-ter
As the motions passed over from the flop of a Welcome General Meeting hit the council table, UCL Union joined a slew of universities in mandating the Union bars to not play Robin Thicke’s gyrating party banger ‘Blurred Lines. The song, which has been widely criticised for being objectifying and misogynistic, briefly became a political battleground for small time hacks. It seems the instructions did not filter down too far: one weak-beer-loving fresher reported that the video appeared on television screens at The Huntley - albeit on mute.
Copping Off!
It was not only Robin Thicke who was prohibited from campus: the police re- ceived the same treatment as a motion was passed which resolved to “refrain from inviting the police onto campus unless ab- solutely necessary to counter a specific and material threat to, or attack on, the safety of people on campus.” It requested that UCL management does not invite or allow the police onto campus unless there was a ma- terial threat to people on it. Given recent events (see page 3) it does not seem that other campus managements have taken in- spiration from UCLU’s instructions.
Attendance Dives; Sabbs Skive
In a move to prevent spending his eve- nings in an empty theatre, treading the boards like a Phantom of Democracy, DCO Dan Warham cancelled Union General Assemblies until the Company General Meeting in February. The General Assemblies were meant to compliment and replace Union Council, by allowing more people to make decisions. Warham can- celled them after consulting staff and Un- ion Chair Sahal Quazi.
However, the writers of this particular legislation forgot that, unless it’s no-confi- dencing a man with a nice moustache or sticking up for Palestine, most students are somewhat apathetic about the democratic process. Between the news of cancellation and the time of writing, a second General Assembly had been due to take place, and was missed by literally ones of people.
All the Presidents Gone?
In his own styling of the Autumn of the Patriarch, Better Economics Society ‘s Tom Youngman tabled a motion to abolish the presidential role in societies. Presidents will now be optional and a secretary can take the bureaucratic duties. This new spate of dull grey blurs will be assisted in learning non-hierarchical - organisation methods. We eagerly await the horizontal organisa- tion of pint-downing competitions — al- though they're pretty horizontal by the end of a Wednesday anyway.
Meanwhile, Over the Road...
London Student editor Oscar Webb is finding himself on the wrong side of the law this month. Europe’s largest student newspaper can't escape the legacy of ex- editor Jen Izaakson. The paper faces legal action over an article titled ‘Racist and Sex- ist Tories Caught Out’
Written by Katie Lathan, Izaakson’s preferred candidate for editorship last year it accuses former ULU Trustee and Con- servative Future member Daniel Valentine of making racist comments aka UCL Con- servative Society social.
The alleged comments were made dur- ing a private conversation, and are denied by Valentine, who wants a full apology and compensation. He is beginning legal pro- ceedings. The Cheese Grater asked M. Val- entine for comment, but has received no response. This is a situation not unfamiliar to The Cheese Grater, and we would suggest Mr Webb consult CG 25 as an instructive guide to dealing with pesky lawsuit threats.
Scabby Sabbs
On December 3 the spirit of Billy Elliott took over Bloomsbury again as four Higher Education unions went on strike. UCL Un-ion Council had passed a motion in support of the strike, urging its officers not to cross the picket lincs. How odd, then, that Ethics, Envi- ronment and Operations Officer Zayyan Butt and Activities and Events Officer Doris Chen were reportedly at work on strike day. It seems that there is little unity in or adherance to the Union’s politics this year.