An overwhelming majority of Oxford students do not want OUSU
to endorse the new “Code of Conduct” restricting
behaviour at post-exam celebrations, a Cherwell opinion poll
today reveals. 87% of students oppose the University’s plans. The poll
of 331 people from eight colleges also showed that a significant
number of students are aware of the feelings of local residents
and consider some restriction necessary, but think that current
suggestions go too far. There was particular disappointment at
the ban on “fluid spraying,” which will mean the end of
foaming bottles of Champagne being sprayed by elated students. An Oxford spokeswoman said, “Students need to realise
that local residents may not enjoy walking down a street smelling
of alcohol for weeks on end.” But Robert Lane, a Geography
student at Jesus who is due to take his first public examinations
this term, said, “I can understand people not liking food
littering the streets, but liquids dry quickly and cause minimal
mess. Champagne is part of the Oxford tradition and has never
caused any problems before.” Few were concerned at the plans to ban pig offal, or even
flour and eggs, from the proceedings. Alex Holbourn, a Brasenose
Law student told Cherwell, “Flour and eggs are a bit
unnecessary but Champagne is par for the course. If that’s
banned, no one will take any notice of the regulations.” The
University was eager to point out that alcohol is banned from
Oxford’s streets. However, the police say that the relevant
bylaw does not extend to Merton Street, where exam celebrations
are traditionally held. They also said that they “would only
become involved [in policing the event] in very extreme
circumstances.” Although they are concerned about “the
views of those living in and around the Merton street area, who
may not appreciate buckets of pig offal on the street”, they
are adamant that “it is all about creating a balance, not
penalizing students who have worked extremely hard and want to
let off some steam in the traditional Oxford fashion.” The University was keen to point out that “the Code of
Conduct does not constitute a change in rules and regulations, it
simply spells out in more detail what is in the University
regulations.” However, the proactive attempt to bring
student inputs to the proposals suggests the University is keen
that it should hold credibility in students’ eyes. Ben Baulf, a first year classics student at Univ, pointed out
that “if Champagne had not been banned, there may have been
a chance of people adhering to these regulations. But as it
stands, few will pay attention to rules they see simply as
designed to spoil their well earned fun.” Breaking the code
could result in a £70 fine from the university proctors. Rosie Buckland, OUSU Welfare Officer, said she would be
encouraging support for the code which she believes is a good
compromise. The code does not ban glitter or confetti. It is to
be put to OUSU Council today at 2.15pm and, if passed, will have
the backing of the student union, which is constitutionally bound
to represent student opinion. If the council votes not to approve the code as it stands, the
student union will attempt to renegotiate the contents with the
University. There is a chance that the University will instead
impose the code anyway, or even introduce a total ban on
celebrations outside the exam schools.ARCHIVE: 0th week TT 2004 

A motion has been tabled for today’s OUSU Council which
would allow the student union to tacitly ignore the result of the
recent higher education referendum and to continue with their
current policy. The referendum was clearly won by the ‘reduce student
numbers’ option, and OUSU President Helena Puig Larrauri and
President-Elect John Blake have both agreed to change OUSU policy
on higher education to reflect this. Yet today’s motion would “permit OUSU officials to
interpret the phrase ‘decrease student numbers’
according to their own understanding of it”. The motion goes
even further by calling for OUSU’s policy to be clarified as
“to campaign for the abolition of tuition fees and the full
restoration of maintenance grants, and for the higher education
sector to be funded out of progressive general taxation”
with no mention of campaigning to reduce the total number of
student numbers. Ed Griffiths and Vladimir Gligorov, who framed the motion,
claim that “our policy to ‘decrease student
numbers’ does not in itself answer all the questions
surrounding higher education funding,” and so they must
“clarify certain details which it leaves ambiguous”. Mr
Griffiths is a self-styled Communist and it is not thought that
he carries the support of the majortiy of OUSU. However, Alexander Clark of the Educational Reform Group (ERG)
told Cherwell that “OUSU are very supportive of the
referendum results and both OUSU and the ERG are working together
to tie down the details of the policy. This motion is not a
serious threat to the integrity of the referendum result and
should be dismissed as such.” Mr Clark dismissed Mr
Griffiths and Mr Gligorov as “extremists and not the sort of
people you want in any organisation let alone a student
union.”ARCHIVE: 0th week TT 2004 

Ros Dampier, who was due to take over as OUSU’s VP
(Women) at the end of this term, has resigned due to ill health.
A by-election will be held shortly to find a replacement. Dampier was due to begin work as a Sabbatical Officer in Ninth
Week of this term. Catherine Wallis, the present VP said that
they were “all very upset that Ros can’t take up her
position as she would have done a fantastic job and we hope she
returns to good health quickly.” Nominations for Dampier’s replacement have opened and can
be submitted until next Thursday, 6 May. Hustings will take place
on 10 May and the election itself will be held three days later.
OUSU’s Returning Officer Dan Paskins told Cherwell that
“anyone who wants to can stand.” Paskins acknowledged
that Trinity term was a difficult time to be holding this
election and said that OUSU were hoping to make it as stress-free
as possible for those taking Finals. Any female student can stand
in this election and the vote is open to all women students. The OUSU VP for Graduates election was held on Thursday.
Voters could choose Roland Enmarch of Univ or re-open
nominations. Results will be posted today on the OUSU website.
Voters could also complete a survey on their attitudes and
impressions of OUSU.ARCHIVE: 0th week TT 2004 

Oriel postgraduate student Marcus Walker has been nominated
for the Professorship of Poetry of Oxford, an honoured post
established in 1708 and previously held by Matthew Arnold, WH
Auden and Seamus Heaney. Walker, a figure with a notable love of notoriety amongst the
student body, hopes to restore rhyme, rhythm and meter to poetic
style – “much unlike the current Poetry Professor Paul
Muldoon” whose five year stint as Professor ends in
Michaelmas. However, he will face virtually unbeatable competition from
fellow nominees Christopher Ricks, Anne Carson, and Peter Neville
Frederick Porter. A former President of both OUCA and the Union,
Walker is well known for his loonish antics and archaic sense of
dress. Although he can recite from heart Tennyson’s Charge
of the Light Brigade and Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky, it is
thought that he has not written any poetry since his school days. Accompanied by the Editor of Cherwell, Mr Walker handed his
signatures to the University Registrar only hours before the
close of nominations. Asked whether he would be willing to give
our readership a flavour of his poetic style Mr Walker said that
“none of it is clean enough to print”. At the time of
going to press, the acceptance of Mr. Walker’s nomination by
the university was pending. The duties of the Professor include giving termly public
lectures, and an oration at honorary degree ceremonies, as well
as the ability to judge and award a number of poetry prizes to
the value of many thousands of pounds. In return they will
receive an annual stipend of £5,427. Elections for the
Professorship will take place at the Divinity Schools on Saturday
15 May, and polls will be open for four hours. Members of
Convocation – the graduate body which elected Chancellor
Chris Patten last year – will be able to exercise their
right to vote in person. At the previous contested election, in
1994, only 451 members of Convocation turned out to vote.ARCHIVE: 0th week TT 2004 

Gay partnerships received the backing of the Union’s
governing body this week, as members voted to recognise the
Government’s Civil Partnership Bill by 13 votes to 3. Ex-Treasurer, Laura Poots, proposed an amendment to allow same
sex ‘spouses’ of Union members to qualify for
membership, a privilege until now enjoyed only by those in
heterosexual relationships. The Union “ought to be
proactive”, Poots told the meeting. The Civil Partnership Bill, which seeks to give legal status
and financial security to long term same sex couples, is
currently in the committee stage of the House of Lords and is
expected to become law early next year. Seconding the motion, Chris Farmer felt that the Union’s
move would not only help overturn its image as old-fashioned and
out of touch, but could also add pressure to ensure the bill
achieved royal assent. However, prominent Catholics and
Evangelicals amongst the Union’s Standing Committee felt
that such an amendment before the passage of the Civil
Partnership Bill into law would, in the words of Returning
Officer, Alex Young, make it appear that the Society had simply
“jumped on the bandwagon”. Timothy Ayles asserted that the proposed partnership “was
an entirely different kettle of fish to marriage”, and
expressed fears that it might allow any “Tom, Dick, or
Harry” to join the Union. Yet despite the controversy
regarding the Union’s stance, the result of the secret
ballot (to ensure ‘personal and moral commitments’ were
upheld) ensured the motion will have Standing Committee backing
as it is debated by members in third week. governing body this week, as members voted to recognise the
Government’s Civil Partnership Bill by 13 votes to 3. Ex-Treasurer, Laura Poots, proposed an amendment to allow same
sex ‘spouses’ of Union members to qualify for
membership, a privilege until now enjoyed only by those in
heterosexual relationships. The Union “ought to be
proactive”, Poots told the meeting. The Civil Partnership Bill, which seeks to give legal status
and financial security to long term same sex couples, is
currently in the committee stage of the House of Lords and is
expected to become law early next year. Seconding the motion, Chris Farmer felt that the Union’s
move would not only help overturn its image as old-fashioned and
out of touch, but could also add pressure to ensure the bill
achieved royal assent. However, prominent Catholics and
Evangelicals amongst the Union’s Standing Committee felt
that such an amendment before the passage of the Civil
Partnership Bill into law would, in the words of Returning
Officer, Alex Young, make it appear that the Society had simply
“jumped on the bandwagon”. Timothy Ayles asserted that the proposed partnership “was
an entirely different kettle of fish to marriage”, and
expressed fears that it might allow any “Tom, Dick, or
Harry” to join the Union. Yet despite the controversy
regarding the Union’s stance, the result of the secret
ballot (to ensure ‘personal and moral commitments’ were
upheld) ensured the motion will have Standing Committee backing
as it is debatedARCHIVE: 0th week TT 2004 

Gay couples will be offered the chance to celebrate their
relationships in commitment ceremonies at Oxford’s second
annual Pride festival this Saturday. Same-sex couples may also have their relationships blessed in
a special ritual performed by Father John Hyde of the Open
Episcopal Church. Christians remain divided over the issue of homosexuality. The
Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, supports moves to grant gay
couples the same legal rights as married heterosexuals. His
appointment of a celibate homosexual, Jeffrey John, as Bishop of
Reading in 2003 provoked a backlash from evangelical Christians.
The President of Oxford’s Christian Union, John Aldis,
refused to comment directly on the blessing ceremonies, but
declared that evangelicals opposed sex outside “monogamous,
opposite sex, marriage relationships.” The May Day event, which will include live music and
entertainment, runs at Oxpens Park from noon until 7pm. The
festival chairman, Karl Andrews, told Cherwell that he hoped the
occasion would not only be fun, but also “bring
Oxford’s communities together.” Organisers are hoping
to repeat the success of last year’s event, which was
attended by two thousand people. Oxford Pride is the first of the ‘Fun in the Parks’
events run by Oxford City Council, which is flying the rainbow
Gay Pride flag over the Town Hall all week as part of the
celebrations.ARCHIVE: 0th week TT 2004 

Animal rights activists have intensified their campaign
against University plans to build a new research centre in South
Parks Road. OUSU is, meanwhile, debating whether it should offer
support to University members or staff who are intimidated or
threatened by campaigners. The new centre will offer “a higher quality of
accommodation for animals” says the University. Animal
rights group SPEAK is angry about the plans, but spokesman Mel
Broughton told Cherwell that the group is organising “legal,
lawful campaigning” against Oxford’s intentions. The
aggressive tone of SPEAK’s website and the group’s
reputation, however, is causing concern among University staff
who fear the campaigning will escalate into more threatening
forms. One ‘Action Report’ on their website comments on
a recent demonstration, “Receiving a visit was ******* a
head of department at Oxford Uni, again no reply but there was a
very noisy calling card left. Rest assured all those living
around ******* Road, Oxford now know exactly who you are and the
fact they have collaborators in animal torture in their
midst.” These threats have forced OUSU to discuss the issue in its
Council meeting. A motion, seconded by President Helena Puig
Larrauri and due to be debated today noted, “Council
believes that whatever members of OUSU believe about the
necessity, acceptability and desirability of experimentation on
animals, in a democratic state it is wholly unacceptable and
morally abhorrent to use terror, violence and intimidation of
innocent people as a means of effecting political change.”
Association of Medical Research’s Dr Simon Festing said
SPEAK’s “claims that they’re legitimate are
ridiculous, there is always an escalation to threatening letters
and threatening phone calls.” The University reasserted that
while “we respect people’s rights to protests lawfully,
we will not accept unlawful harassment. The building will go ahead."ARCHIVE: 0th week TT 2004 

Is man’s best friend also the most intelligent of the
animals? Do goldfish really have a three second memory? Following
a similar idea to Test the Nation, the BBC’s new series Test
Your Pet (airing 1 May) will pit domestic animals against a
series of interactive challenges to test memory, perception and
initiative. The programme is the brainchild of Dr Tim Guilford, Oxford
University’s leading animal behaviourist, who was recently
cleared of failing to acknowledge other scientists’ research
in his investigation of how pigeons use the road network to
navigate. Speaking to Cherwell, Dr Guilford said the aim of the
experiments was to “get people to think differently about
how their pets view the world around them,” and that the
study will provide “a huge amount of interesting information
that may well be of use to scientists of various sorts.”
Pets whose owners have Digital TV will be able to watch Pet TV,
looped images designed to examine animals’ response to
stimulus. The study has the potential to be one of the largest
performed, as an estimated 7.5m cats and 6m dogs are kept as pets
in the UK. With the majority of research focussing on wild
animals, it is hoped the study will be entertaining, as well as
providing an interesting insight into a neglected field of animal
behaviour.ARCHIVE: 0th week TT 2004 

Magdalen has seen slightly too much of certain people
recently, after two separate incidents of indecent exposure were
reported this week. Police are still appealing for information from a young woman,
in her early twenties, who witnessed one of the incidents on the
perimeter of the College grounds. A man indecently exposed
himself to her last Friday morning in a field alongside Marston
Road and St Clements. She reported the incident to a porter at
Magdalen, but left without giving her details. A man arrested in
connection with the incident was on Tuesday released on bail
pending further enquiries. A police spokeswoman said to Cherwell
that, “officers are desperate to speak to the woman.”
She added that further action would be difficult without an
official complaint as officers only have second-hand evidence to
rely on. It is unclear whether the woman was an Oxford student. In a separate incident, Magdalen College students witnessed a
woman “flashing” opposite the College on Friday
evening. Magdalen Bridge and the fields surrounding Magdalen have
been a constant source of worry for students wishing to walk
through the area. A spate of attacks has taken place during the
year, but the exposures are an entirely new source of peril.
Magdalen JCR President, Christopher Guelff, stated that students
were given free rape alarms and encouraged to walk back to the
college in small groups. The College is continuing to work with
the council on the implementation of CCTV cameras covering the
bridge.ARCHIVE: 0th week TT 2004 

Watching TV can enhance your intelligence. Professor Kevin
Warwick has found that watching half-an-hour of Richard and Judy
temporarily raised the IQ of a sample of 200 students by an
average of 5 points. His research showed that the relaxing effects of having time
set aside for light entertainment had positive benefits for the
participating students’ intelligences. Television was found to be better than listening to classical
music or doing a crossword, while reading a book significantly
lowered IQ. Girls benefitted most from watching an episode of
Friends, boys from a documentary about robots. The research,
which was presented to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and
Development, has important implications for the student community
in Oxford. In the ‘work hard, play hard’ atmosphere of the
university, students watch very little television. Anthony Myers,
a first year linguist, told Cherwell, “I like watching TV,
but if you really want to watch it, you have to be clever with
your time.”ARCHIVE: 0th week TT 2004