Royal College of Science Union
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The Royal College of Science Union (RCSU) is a student sub-union at Imperial College London, which represents over 4,500 students of the Sciences at the university.
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[edit] History
The Union was founded in 1907, following the merger of the Royal College of Science (RCS) with the Royal School of Mines and the City & Guilds Institute of London into the Imperial College. With the disappearance of the RCS as an independent institute, it was felt necessary that all students of the Sciences at the new Imperial College be represented by a union which carried on the name and spirit of the RCS. The first president of the RCSU was H.G. Wells, who was later to become a famous science fiction author, and many distinguished names have held that position since then, with the Union currently being led by Jennifer Morgan. [1]
The RCSU was briefly disbanded for a few years in the early 2000's following the College's decision to split up the Sciences Faculty into separate Faculties of Physical and Life Sciences, with the RCSU at the time deciding to follow suit, splitting into the Physical Sciences Union (PhysSci) and the Life Sciences Union (LifeSci). In 2006 however, following the College's rapid decision to re-merge the faculties[2], it was decided to also re-merge the two student unions, with the new union named the 'Royal College of Science Union', following a popular vote. The first president of the reformed RCSU was Jad Marrouche.
Nowadays, the RCSU is an active union which organises many varied events for science students at Imperial College, such as the Science Challenge - a science-based essay competition with over £3000-worth of prizes, a football league and a number of social events throughout the year, such as the Freshers' Ball, bar nights, club nights and a host of RAG week events such as tours of the Queen's Tower.
[edit] Traditions
The RCSU has many traditions, including the chanting of the kangela at bar nights and other occasions when seen fit and the sport of mascotry, guarding a college mascot called Theta. Theta takes the form of a thermometer, chosen as an instrument used by all scientific disciplines. Theta has had a number of incarnations, with the current mascot, Theta Mk.IV being a seven-foot steel thermometer weighing over 100 pounds (45 kg).
The RCSU also keeps an 'inviolate mascot' (i.e. it cannot be stolen), which is a Dennis N-Type fire engine known as 'Jezebel'. Built in 1916, 'Jez' was donated to the college in 1955 when she finished her working life, and is equipped with 9-litre engine capable of pumping around 400 gallons of water per minute. There is a dedicated RCS Motor Club which maintains and takes care of Jezebel. She is involved with charity work and appears at various motor shows.
[edit] Kangela
The Kangela is reputed to be an ancient Swahili Fertility Chant [Royal College of Science Handbook, 1973] first adopted by the RCSU in the middle 1950s as a War Cry on the occasion of Morphy Day.
The words are as follows:
Kangela Armadola Kangela Armadola Kangela Armadola Teia, Teia, Teia, Pakamisso, Pakamisso, Inkangala, Kubinala, Watsi, R.C.S.
There is no specific tune but anything flat and loud will do.
The first line has been translated (roughly) and interpreted to mean "Knickers to the Government" [Royal College of Science Handbook, 1973]. The word kangela means "to watch" in Zulu [3].
[edit] RCS vs. Keble College, Oxford Annual Rugby Match
2008 heralds the reinstatement of the previously annual rugby fixture between the Royal College of Science and Keble College, Oxford. It is usually held in Oxford and is always an occasion for quality rugby, more commonly known as flair. The match is a friendly and a perfect opportunity for inter-establishment camaraderie presents itself in the Keble bar afterwards.
