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BLASTED DIRECTOR Katherine Everett
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Kalashnikov’s Remorse
SAUCYGATE IN QUOTES
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Beaver
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Tuesday January 21 2014 | www.thebeaveronline.com | No. 803
Newspaper of the LSE Students’ Union
Photos by Ryo Helmenkalastaja for LSESU
#SAUCYGATE @LSESU ښLaunch of new student night marred by delays over safety concerns. ښSU to launch investigation into all issues. ښCompensation to EH R HUHG VSH FLૹ FV WR EH FRQ ૹ UPHG ښProblems not associated with external events company.
Dennis Mooney, Executive Editor
‘LONDON’S NEWEST SUPERCLUB’ got off to a rough start on Friday night after fire safety issues led to significant delays. Many ticket-holders, as well as those who had turned up hoping to get tickets on the night, were left queuing outside the Saw Swee Hock centre until close to midnight due to a fire alarm inside the building. LSESU General Secretary Jay Stoll was clear that it was concern for the health and safety of the attendees that was the cause of the delay. ‘Our priority throughout the entirety of proceedings was the safety of our members and other guests’, he told The Beaver. It has also been confirmed that the eventual decision to allow entry had to
be taken by the School rather than the Union. Stoll confirmed that the SU would be launching a full investigation into the events of Friday, and will respond ‘at an appropriate time’. Whilst the concerns over The Venue and the fire alarm systems were the most significant setback, there were teething problems with the cloakroom system, stairs and lighting. The area proved easily capable of dealing with the crowds, but headline act Zane Lowe requested that the lighting systems be turned off midway through his set. One guest described them as resembling ‘a Year 8 disco’. The Union have also been at pains to reassure members that the problems were in no way connected to the use of an external events company
6RFLDO 0RELOLW\ 2ૻ FHU 0RWLRQ ,QTXRUDWH Gareth Rosser
THE FIRST UGM OF THE LENT TERM ensured student politics picked up from where it left off in 2013, as students arrived to debate one proposed motion and ask questions of Professor Paul Kelly, Pro-Director for Teaching and Learning. The motion, ‘LSESU needs a Social Mobility Officer’ was proposed by Dan Martin and seconded by Nona BuckleyIrvine, and was met with general approval by the student body present. Dan Martin argued succinctly that LSE was
failing to fully meet the needs of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and argued that the creation of a Social Mobility Officer was required to ensure “Fairness stays on the agenda”. Nona Buckley-Irvine then elaborated on why it was important that there be a member of the student union executive to focus specifically on the problem of social mobility, arguing that it “facilitates a leader” to focus on the problem of social mobility. There was little disagreement in the UGM regarding
the ideals behind the motion, but Environment and Ethics Officer Gabriel Everington did question the removal of a ‘self-identification’ clause in the motion. The amendment to this motion to removal the requirement of self-identification was done, he argued, for political reasons by the proposers.
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to put on Saucy. This was backed up by organiser Tee Re, who tweeted that Stoll’s actions ‘saved my reputation’ and without him the event ‘would’ve been cancelled’. Lowe and Ms. Dynamite apparently remained in good spirits throughout the evening despite delays, and it was clear from the responses of guests that once underway, the event was a success. It was described on Twitter as ‘mint’ by Mark Malik, 2nd year Government and Economics student, and Geography with Economics student Harry Maxwell, who had earlier been critical, said he was ‘loving Saucy and v [sic] surprised by how much money the drinks prices have left me’. Selina Parmar, 3rd year Economics student, reported there was ‘a great atmosphere… the place was
packed’. That will be encouraging for organisers of next week’s RAG Saucy/Battle of the Halls Rematch event. Work is currently taking place to ensure no more problems affect the Saw Swee Hock centre’s fire safety systems and, whilst launch night did not proceed as smoothly as had initially been hoped, it should mean that the issues raised are addressed immediately. Chief Financial Officer Andrew Farrell told The Beaver that the LSE is already working with the SU ‘to make future events even better and solve [the] causes of the glitches’. Farrell also apologised to guests of the event and extended his thanks to Jay, the SU staff and LSE security ‘for making it a Dynamite night’.
No Falcon Around!
THE LSE has long had issues with pigeons, and it seems the issue has reached breaking point. (Shouldn’t that be ‘beaking point’? Remember I love puns - Ed.) The Beaver has learned that discussions over pigeon excrement damaging the facade of the Saw Swee Hock centre culminated in a serious discussion as to the viability of XVLQJ D IDOFRQ WR GHWHU WKH \ ing rats. It appears cleaning more often would be at least as expensive, and not nearly as cool.
ARTIST’S IMPRESSION