Several parked cars were damaged in Jericho on Saturday as a
bus driver lost control of his vehicle after making a right turn
into a quiet side street. The driver of the Thames Travel bus
turned into Cranham Street to find a vehicle parked on
double-yellow lines. Attempting to avoid the vehicle, the bus
clipped the wheel of the first in a row of parked cars, before
hitting another and pushing it backwards. The bus eventually careered into a total of seven cars. Liza
Picard, the owner of the first car to be hit, told Cherwell that
two of the cars have been written off. She also expressed
sympathy for the driver saying, “I feel sorry for him, I
don’t know how this could have happened.”ARCHIVE: 1st week TT 2004 

A recent report by Oxford University academics has blamed
environmental charities for ‘sexing up’ the threat of
climate change in an attempt to increase public donations and
political influence. Well-known charities such as WWF-UK and Friends of the Earth
have been accused of exaggerating the link between climate change
and the threat of extinctions. The organisations’ claims
include the projection that one quarter of the world’s
species will be extinct by 2050. Dr Paul Jepson of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute
expressed his opinion that charities have “overstated the
evidence in order to meet fundraising targets.” Dr Richard Ladle, an Oxford University ecologist who also
contributed to the report, has said that most species cited as
being in danger of extinction by 2050 are, in reality, likely to
still be living. WWF-UK have defended themselves by claiming that they need to
simplify issues in order to appeal to the public effectively and
that the comments were “unfair”.ARCHIVE: 1st week TT 2004 

An enterprising Oxford graduate has attempted to sell a
special tour of Oxford online. The person set up an online
listing on eBay, and advertised a “Day in the Life of an
Oxford student”, showing the self-named
“auctionwilliam”, clad in sub-fusc. He promised afternoon tea at the Grand Café, punting and even
access to lectures and “exclusive parts of Colleges”.
He recommended his services as being “ideal for
foreigners”. Nobody hasARCHIVE: 1st week TT 2004 

Father John Hyde of the Open Episcopal Church blessed pledges
of commitment by same sex couples on May Day.ARCHIVE: 1st week TT 2004 

Another Wadstock has eclectically rocked suitably anoraked
Wadhamites and their lucky guests. The College’s annual
music festival took place on the evening of May Day. Spontaneous
crowdsurfing, an accumulating carpet of empty beer bottles, and
(possibly related) raucous dancing were interrupted by unique
diversions such as competitive tequila croquet. Oxford’s resident non-cheese embracing community was
treated to a schizophrenic musical extravaganza. The uniformly
blondtipped, indie blandness of boyband rockers The Trend was
sandwiched between bizarre ambient sounds and exciting laptop
electronica from a lab-coated duo. As darkness and, for many, new levels of drunkenness,
descended, the musical talent emerged. Experimental collective
Confidential filled the dance floor with their funky breakbeats
and the stunning vocals of lead singer Simone. The Shimones kept
the party mood going with their covers of Franz Ferdinand’s
‘Take me out’, and the obscenely popular Busted classic
‘Year 3000’. However, Kilroy’s divaesque singer Autumn and the
band’s diverse fusion of funk, soul, jazz and samba pushed
the upbeat atmosphere up a gear; leaving the audience in
impatient expectation of next year’s offerings.ARCHIVE: 1st week TT 2004 

Oxford University delegates shone in the World Model United
Nations conference, held in Egypt this Easter. The twentyfour-
delegate, intercollegiate team debated with other students from
across the world, many from Ivy League American universities,
coming away with a stunning twelve of the prestigious Delegate
Awards, more than any other university who participated. The chairs of committees give Delegate Awards to individuals
who “propel the spirit of diplomacy”, and demonstrate
an outstanding level of debate. Eight hundred delegates took part
in the event, with Oxford delegates representing the UK, Serbia,
Turkey and Myanma. President Laura Harbidge told Cherwell she was immensely proud
of the delegation’s awards, “it was amazing we were
able to organize ourselves, gain funding, and then do so so
well.” MUN has only became popular in Oxford since 2001. It
provides a refreshing alternative from the traditional
Union-style debates. Some of the American participants were doing
MUN as part of their degree and had been specially trained. Oxford is hosting its second MUN conference in November.ARCHIVE: 1st week TT 2004 

Cambridge is set to meet a growing demand for places by
opening three new colleges. The plans, if approved of by the
local council, will expand its student numbers by over 4,000 to a
total of 20,000 students by 2025. The expansion plans came about after Cambridge received over
15,000 applications for their 3,000 places this year, up from
13,700 the year before. Over 5,000 of the rejected applicants
scored at least three A grades. Oxford received just under 12,000
applications over a similar period. The extra places created will be split evenly between
undergraduates and the more lucrative graduate and overseas
student market. The new colleges will be the first additions to
the University since Robinson College was endowed in 1979. The development is earmarked for greenbelt land in West
Cambridge and looks set to swallow up 57 hectares of university
owned farmland. Strong opposition is expected from local
environmentalists. Part of the development will involve building new low cost
housing for academic staff. This stems from fears that the high
cost of housing in the area is harming the University’s
ability to attractARCHIVE: 1st week TT 2004 

Oxford University dismissed talk of an influx of foreign
students this week, following Saturday’s admission of ten
new states to the European Union. The number of students wishing to study in the UK from one of
those states, Cyprus, doubled in 2004 to 1,458. As EU students,
they will not be eligible for maintenance grants or loans. A
spokesperson for the University, told Cherwell that, “Oxford
is not expecting a massive influx,” and praised the
diversity and tolerance of the student body. There are currently
4,600 non-UK students at Oxford, but only 106 are from the new EU
states. Foreign students are estimated to pay £31.5 billion a year in
fees, and contribute £33 billion to the economy. Although
students from the EU pay lower fees than those from elsewhere,
they are expected to cover their own living costs. As a result,
Ana Perez de Ayala, a Spanish second year Physics student,
believes “the main difficulties for foreign students are
financial ones.” The University, which claims to have “rigorous methods of
distinguishing between very able candidates”, also quashed
suggestions that they would introduce a lottery system for
oversubscribed courses. Both Leeds Metropolitan and Huddersfield
University operate the scheme for physiology, which receives
twenty applications for every place.ARCHIVE: 1st week TT 2004 

Harry’s the business Said Business
School hired a man from East London to pose as Harry Potter for
the day, brightening up luncheon at Christ Church. Tourists also
claimed to have greatly enjoyed the spectacle. Patten for President Chris Patten, the
current Chancellor of Oxford University may become the British
candidate for the presidency of the European Commission. Mr
Patten, alumnus of Balliol College, has given assurances that he
intends to continue serving in his post at the university even if
his presidential ambitions are fulfilled. By Debbie Moss. Showercam scam Following a report by
Cherwell, St John’s College has informed Police of a webcam
found in a shower in graduate accommodation. The culprit has
still not been identified, but the police enquiry is ongoing. Greenfield out Oxford Professor, Baroness
Susan Greenfield, has not been shortlisted for Fellowship of the
highly prestigious Royal Society. Her omission rekindles the
debate that she is being discriminated against because of her
comments on sexism within the scientific field, and her celebrity
status. By Harriet Mancey-Barratt. Motion squashed The controversial motion
tabled at last Friday’s OUSU Council meeting to ignore the
result of the recent referendum on higher education funding has
been withdrawn. OUSU President Helena Puig Larrauri said she was
“pleased that the council rejected the motion and remained
committed to campaigning according to the wishes of Oxford
Students.” By Alasdair Henderson. Internet Professor The University has named
Helen Margetts as its first Professor of Society and the
Internet. Margetts will begin work at the Oxford Internet
Institute and take up her Fellowship at Mansfield College in
October. By Mark Hobel Queuing for cash Wealthy businessmen seeking
flats in highly sought-after new developments across the UK are
paying students hundreds of pounds to queue for them. By Alasdair
Henderson. Lastminute accident Martha Lane Fox, Oxford
graduate and co-founder of lastminute.com, has been involved in a
serious car accident on holiday in Morocco. Her father is a
professor at New College. By Sonalini Gunasekera. Student sleeps in An impoverished American
student at New York University spent seven months living in the
library because he could not afford to pay rent. His university
has now offered him free accommodation for the remainder of the
year. By Rachel Von Simson. Odds on poetry Ladbrokes are offering odds of
5/1 on postgraduate Marcus Walker being made Oxford’s
Professor of Poetry. There are only five candidates in the
election. Walker told Cherwell he was “surprised and
flattered” but wasn’t going to be put any money on
himself. By Thomas Pursey.ARCHIVE: 1st week TT 2004