News in Brief
SEVERAL COLLEGES HAVE taken pre-emptive action following last week's Oxstu revelations of aggressive rent rises at St. Hugh's and Wadham. Christ Church have passed a JCR motion to reject any proposed rent rises in excess of the Van Noorden Index rate of 4.1%.
At Lincoln, the JCR has also reacted with concern to suggestion that differentiated room rates might begin to be applied. JCR President Pranay Sanklecha said that many students saw this as "divisive".
Since last week, Wadham's Domestic Bursar has reversed the decision to hike rents by 5%, but St. Hugh's students remain in negotiation with College authorities.
UNION PRESIDENT KAREN Price has confessed to being "not very happy" with the draft rule changes produced by former President Peter Jay. She admitted that there were "a lot of loopholes" and that they gave "too much power to the President".
It has now been accepted that the rule changes will not be ready for a Chamber debate in 6th week, although they may be amended to provide stronger fiscal controls over Standing Committee.
TWO UNNAMED WOMEN were hit by a tree in a mini-tornado in Oxfordshire last Friday. One was reported seriously injured and rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital immediately.
The women were trapped under the horse chestnut tree until passers-by rescued them. A firefighter jogging in the grounds was first on the scene, and gave basic First Aid until ambulances arrived.
The tornado hit Blenhiem Palace in Woodstock, where winds of up to 90mph also brought a tree down over the A40, causing a car to crash. Nobody was seriously injured.
Met Office experts had been expecting high winds which swept east across the country. Palace Estates Manager, Charles Barker, said: "The weather had been somewhat inclement."
9th May 2002