The January 1986 issues of Student are now live! Read the first news of 1986, rife with political actions, from professor strikes to Apartheid boycotts. Read more below….

9 January 1986: Professors strike and students boycott

• Lecturers to go on strike as a result of under-funding of research and salaries. Students were urged to boycott classes in support of the strike.
• Edinburgh based publishing company Polygon, set up amongst others by Gordon Brown, continues from strength to strength with the release of its Russian Series.
• The review of ’85 was dramatic as it includes a warning from the Principal about the looming potential of Edinburgh University closing for good.

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16 January 1986: Coca-Cola banned on campus

• Edinburgh students embark on new study looking at ‘broken mouth’ in sheep.
• Poet Norman McCaig, whose 70^th birthday  Student celebrated in a previous issue, was awarded an honorary degree from Dundee University.
• Yet another product to be knocked down from the shelves and bars of the University. Coca-Cola was discovered to have South African connections.
• As short piece on the Freemasons also appears in this week’s issue. It seems that Edinburgh University used to have its own lodge.

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23 January 1986: Edinburgh-born Olympian returns home

• The AUT had its first national strike. The day of action took place across the country with University lectures going on hunger strike and blockading the Royal Albert Hall.
• Postgraduates at Kings Buildings undertake new scientific analysis of Shakespeare’s work.
• Ivy League fashion enterprise continued making a name for itself at Queen’s Hall fashion show. Ivy League specialised in working with budding young designers.
• Edinburgh born Olympic skier Martin Bell was interviewed in Kitzbuehel by Dave Yarrow – Did anyone else know the men’s team was sponsored by Gordon’s Gin?

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30 January 1986: Nelson Mandela nominated for Nobel Peace Prize by Edinburgh academic 

• University of Edinburgh professor, Dr Malcolm Anderson, nominates Nelson Mandela for the Nobel Peace Prize, in coalition with the Edinburgh City Council and Edinburgh Anti-Apartheid movement.
• EUSA decided to host their General Meeting at Pollock Halls in order to boost morale, however less than 200 people showed up.
• Sir Keith Joseph, Principal of the University, drafted a document outlining his issues with the conservative government’s higher education initiatives, or lack thereof.
• Royal Museum of Scotland hosts free film festival, to run through the rest of the winter and spring seasons. Titles include Lawrence of Arabia, Hamlet, and Chariots of Fire.

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