Editing University College London (section)

==Student life==
===Students' union===
[[File:University College London Union.jpg|upright|thumb|Students' union building on Gordon Street]]
{{main|Students' Union UCL}}
Founded in 1893, Students' Union UCL, formerly the UCL Union, is one of the oldest students' unions in England, although postdating the [[Liverpool Guild of Students]] which formed a student representative council in 1892.<ref name="autogenerated1" /><ref name="LGoS">{{cite web |title=History of the Guild |publisher=Liverpool Guild of Students |url=http://www.lgos.org/main-menu/guild-life/history-of-the-guild |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621211819/http://www.lgos.org/main-menu/guild-life/history-of-the-guild |archive-date=21 June 2014 }}</ref> Students' Union UCL operates both as the representative voice for UCL students, and as a provider of a wide range of services. It is democratically controlled through General Meetings and referendums, and is run by elected student officers. The union also supports a range of services, including numerous clubs and societies, sports facilities, an advice service, and a number of bars, cafes and shops.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uclunion.org/index.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040427165044/http://www.uclunion.org/index.php |archive-date=27 April 2004 |title=UCL Union |publisher=University College London Union |date=13 April 2010 |access-date=26 April 2010}}</ref>

{{as of| 2021|post=,}} there are over 250 clubs and societies under the umbrella of the UCL Union.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/why-choose-ucl/vibrant-social-life |title=A vibrant social life |work=Undergraduate Prospectus 2022 |date=17 February 2021 |publisher=UCL |at=Get involved with Students' Union UCL |access-date=14 September 2021}}</ref> These include: UCL Snowsports (one of the largest sports society at UCL, responsible for organising the annual UCL ski trip),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://studentsunionucl.org/clubs-societies/snowsports-club |title=UCL Snowsports Club |publisher=UCL Union |access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref> [[UCL Pi Media|Pi Media]] (responsible for ''Pi Magazine'' and ''Pi Newspaper'', UCL's official student publications),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pimedia.org.uk |title=University College London student publications – Home |publisher=Pi Media |access-date=14 December 2010}}</ref> the Debating Society (established 1829),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archives.ucl.ac.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=MS+ADD+51&pos=1|title=University College, London: Guild of Graduates Minute Book |work=UCL Archives |publisher=UCL Library Services |access-date=7 February 2023}}</ref> and the UCL Union Film Society, with past members including [[Christopher Nolan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=UCL Film and TV Society |date=12 September 2017 |title=Christopher Nolan Returns To UCL To Receive Honorary Degree And Visit The Film & TV Society – UCL Film & TV Society |url=https://www.uclfilmsociety.co.uk/blog/christopher-nolan-returns-ucl-receive-honorary-degree-visit-film-tv-society/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913094115/https://www.uclfilmsociety.co.uk/blog/christopher-nolan-returns-ucl-receive-honorary-degree-visit-film-tv-society/ |archive-date=13 September 2019 |access-date=18 June 2020 |website=UCL Film and TV Society |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Faith===
From its foundation the college has been deliberately secular; the initial justification for this was that it would enable students of different Christian traditions (specifically [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]], [[Anglicanism|Anglicans]] and [[Nonconformist (Protestantism)|Nonconformists]]) to study alongside each other without conflict.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7cZLAAAAcAAJ&pg=PR3 |pages=iii–v |title=London University Calendar |date=1832 |publisher=UCL}}</ref> In order to cater to people of all faiths, UCL opened a prayer room (with attached ablution facilities) and a silent meditation room in the student centre in February 2019, and there is a quiet contemplation room behind 16–26 Gordon Square. There is also a Christian chaplain (who also serves as interfaith advisor) and there are student societies for most major religions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/support-and-wellbeing/resources-and-information/information-and-support-specific-student-groups-3 |title=Religion and faith|date=6 July 2017 |publisher=UCL |access-date=3 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.london.anglican.org/articles/university-college-london-welcomes-new-chaplain-and-inter-faith-adviser/ |title=University College London welcomes new chaplain and Inter Faith Adviser |date=8 November 2013 |publisher=[[Diocese of London]] |access-date=29 December 2018}}</ref>

===Sport===
The union runs over 70 sports clubs,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/news/2020/jun/sports-all-whatever-your-ability |title=Sports for all, whatever your ability |access-date=26 June 2020 |publisher=UCL |date=22 June 2020}}</ref> including the UCL Cricket Club (Men's and Women's), [[University College London Boat Club|UCL Boat Club]] (Men's and Women's clubs), UCL Running, Athletics and Cross Country Club, and UCL Rugby Club (Men's and Women's), as well as [[UCL Medical School#Student societies|RUMS sports clubs]] for medical students (from Royal Free, University College and Middlesex, the three medical schools that merged into UCL).<ref name="sports clubs"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://studentsunionucl.org/clubs-societies/rugby-club-rums-mens|title=Rugby Club (RUMS Men's)|website=Students'Union UCL|access-date=4 April 2023}}</ref>

UCL clubs compete in inter-university fixtures in the [[British Universities and Colleges Sport]] (BUCS) competition in a range of sports, including athletics, basketball, cricket, fencing, football, hockey, netball, rugby union and tennis. In the 2021/22 season, UCL finished in 16th position in the final BUCS rankings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bucs.org.uk/bucs-points/overall.html |title=BUCS Points |access-date=20 August 2022 |publisher=British Universities and Colleges Sport}}</ref>

UCL sports facilities include a fitness centre at the main UCL campus in Bloomsbury and a {{convert|90|acre|ha|adj=on}} athletics ground in [[Shenley]], Hertfordshire,<ref>{{cite book |title=Student Book 2007 |first1=Klaus |last1=Boehm |first2=Jenny |last2=Lees-Spalding |publisher=Crimson Publishing |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-84455-073-9 |page=711 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ygBJv9ks7Q0C}}</ref> part of which is used as the [[Watford Football Club Training Ground]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://weuro-teamcatalogue.uefa.com/training_ground/watford-fc-training-ground/|title=Watford FC Training Ground|website=UEFA|access-date=8 February 2023}}</ref> It also exercises effective control over [[Somers Town, London|Somers Town]] Community Sports Centre, with the power to appoint five of the nine trustees.<ref name=finstat/> The sports centre includes a six-court sports hall,<ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/sports_halls_report_2017.pdf|title=Strategic Assessment of Need: Sports Halls Provision in London 2017 – 2041|author=Sport England|date=September 2017}}</ref> as well as an activity/dance studio and an all-weather outdoor multi-use games area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://schoolhire.co.uk/london-camden/somers-town-community-sports-centre|title=Somers Town Community Sports Centre, London – Camden|website=SchoolHire|access-date=8 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://schoolhire.co.uk/london-camden/somers-town-community-sports-centre/multi-use-games-area/18596|title=Outdoor MUGA Pitches|website=SchoolHire|access-date=8 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://schoolhire.co.uk/london-camden/somers-town-community-sports-centre/dance-studio/18597|title=Activity/Dance Studio|website=SchoolHire|access-date=8 February 2023}}</ref>

===Mascot===
[[File:Pencil etching of Phineas Maclino.jpg|thumb|Pencil signed etching of Phineas Maclino|50px]]
The UCL mascot was Phineas MacLino, or Phineas, a wooden tobacconist's sign of a kilted Jacobite Highlander stolen from outside a shop in [[Tottenham Court Road]] during the celebrations of the [[relief of Ladysmith]], part of the [[Second Boer War]], in March 1900.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kingscollections.org/exhibitions/archives/mayhem/origins/mascots |title=King's Collections : Online Exhibitions: The College mascots: Phineas and Reggie |website=www.kingscollections.org}}</ref> In 1922, Phineas was stolen by students from King's, marking the start of 'mascotry', leading to an hour-long battle and the eventual return of Phineas.<ref name="Mascotry is born">{{cite web|url=https://www.kcl.ac.uk/mascotry-is-born-reggie-the-lion|title=Mascotry is Born: Reggie the Lion|date=18 October 2019|access-date=17 October 2022|publisher=King's College London}}</ref> In 1993, the students' union's centenary year, Phineas was placed in the third floor bar of 25 Gordon Street and the bar named after him.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uclu.org/about-uclu/who-is-phineas-0 |title=Who is Phineas? – UCLU |website=UCLU |access-date=30 July 2016 |archive-date=20 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820084901/https://uclu.org/about-uclu/who-is-phineas-0 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2019, the students' union voted to remove the mascot from the bar due to its links to imperialism and British colonialism.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thetab.com/uk/london/2019/12/13/ucl-officially-removes-statue-of-phineas-due-to-links-to-racially-prejudiced-colonial-policies-35660|title= UCL officially removes statue of Phineas due to links to 'racially prejudiced' colonial policies|date=13 December 2019|author=Olivia Rose|work=The Tab}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/university-discharges-imperialist-soldier-mascot-phineas-maclino-kkdp529b2|work=[[The Times]]|date=13 December 2019|title=University College London discharges 'imperialist' soldier mascot Phineas Maclino|author=Charlie Parker}}</ref>

===Rivalry with King's College London===
[[File:UCL-KCL Varsity Rugby 2014.jpg|thumb|A UCL player attacks in his team's 2014 Varsity victory. UCL's traditional rivalry with King's College is nowadays most noticeable at the annual [[The London Varsity|varsity rugby game]].]]
{{main|King's College London–UCL rivalry}}

UCL has a long-running, mostly friendly rivalry with [[King's College London]], but there were frequent clashes in the interwar period which have historically been known as "rags".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/iss/archives/rag/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040810173356/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/iss/archives/rag/ |archive-date=10 August 2004 |title=Mayhem in the Metropolis: King's College versus University College in Student Rags |publisher=King's College London |access-date=26 April 2010}}</ref> UCL students have been referred to by students from King's as the "Godless Scum of Gower Street", in reference to a comment made at the founding of King's, which was based on Christian principles. UCL students in turn referred to King's as "Strand Polytechnic".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thetab.com/uk/london/2013/10/30/ucl-vs-kcl-10900|title=UCL Vs KCL|author=Freddie McNicholas|date=30 October 2013|work=[[The Tab]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thetab.com/uk/london/2020/03/04/ucls-better-than-strand-poly-and-heres-why-36301|title=All the reasons UCL's better than Strand Poly|author=Sophie Parker|date=4 March 2020|work=[[The Tab]]}}</ref>

In 1922 Phineas, the UCL mascot was kidnapped by King's students, leading to a pitched battle in the King's College quad as UCL students recovered their mascot.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-standard-ucl-mascot-phineas-reco/122800057/|title=London students' battle|work=Evening Standard|via=Newspapers.com|date=4 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040814040018/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/iss/archives/rag/rag09.htm|title=The great rag of 1922|archive-date=14 August 2004|work=Mayhem in the Metropolis|publisher=King's College London Archives|url=http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/iss/archives/rag/rag09.htm}}</ref> Shortly after this, King's adopted their own mascot – initially a large papier-mâché beer bottle, soon replaced by [[King's College London Students' Union#Mascot|Reggie the Lion]].<ref name="Mascotry is born"/> During the 1927 rag, Reggie was captured by UCL students and his body filled with rotten apples. During the same year, an attempt by King's students to capture Phineas led to the "Battle of Gower Street", caught on camera by [[Pathé News|British Pathé]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cdui03tP18 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/3Cdui03tP18 |archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live |title=Battle Of Gower Street (1927) |date=13 April 2014 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On another occasion, Reggie was castrated by UCL students.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/iss/archives/rag/rag05.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040814040509/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/iss/archives/rag/rag05.htm |archive-date=14 August 2004 |title=Mayhem in the Metropolis: King's College versus University College in Student Rags |publisher=King's College London |access-date=26 April 2010}}</ref>

King's students stole the embalmed head of [[Jeremy Bentham]] in October 1975, only returning it after UCL paid a ransom to charity. The head is now kept in the UCL vaults.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bentham-project/about-jeremy-bentham/auto-icon |title=Auto-Icon |date=17 May 2018 |publisher=University College London |access-date=18 October 2022}}</ref>

===Student campaigns===
In 1956, UCL students organised a silent march progressing against the Soviet oppression of the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956]]. Around 1,300 students from across institutions in London matches from the Royal Albert Hall to the Soviet Embassy. There were active [[Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament]] and [[Anti-Apartheid Movement|anti-apartheid]] students groups at UCL in the 1960s and a pioneering GaySoc group that helped drive the [[National Union of Students (United Kingdom)|National Union of Students]] gay rights campaign in the 1970s. 1977 saw a student occupation of administrative offices and the Slade School in protest against government cuts to higher education.<ref name=Campaigns/>

In 2010, protests by students and staff led UCL to promise to pay a [[living wage]] to all UCL staff.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/education-11427323|date= 28 September 2010|title=UCL agrees to pay 'living wage'|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> As part of the [[2010 UK student protests|protests against the UK government's plans to increase student fees]], around 200 students occupied the Jeremy Bentham Room and part of the [[Slade School of Fine Art]] for over two weeks during November and December 2010.<ref name="students stage day of protests">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11829102 |title=Students stage day of protests over tuition fee rises |publisher=BBC News |date=24 November 2010 |access-date=13 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="uclprotest">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11954418 |title=University College London granted eviction order |publisher=BBC News |date=8 December 2010 |access-date=13 December 2010}}</ref> The university successfully obtained a court order to evict the students but stated that it did not intend to enforce the order if possible.<ref name="uclprotest" />

The late 2010s saw student campaigns around the cost of university-run accommodation. In 2016, over 1000 students took part in a [[rent strike]] in protest against high rents and poor conditions. Organisers said they had won over £1 million in rent cuts, freezes and grants from UCL in the settlement that ended the strike.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/oct/19/why-i-refuse-to-pay-my-university-rent |title=Why I refuse to pay my university rent |author=Anonymous blogger |work=The Guardian |date=19 October 2016}}</ref> Another rent strike in 2017 lead to UCL pledging around £1.4 million in bursaries and rent freezes, mostly in the form of accommodation bursaries for less well-off students totalling £600,000 per year for the 2017/18 and 2018/19 academic years.<ref name=Strike2017>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/jul/06/students-win-15m-pledge-from-ucl-after-five-month-rent-strike |title=Students win £1.5m pledge from UCL after five-month rent strike |author=Alfie Packham |date=6 July 2017 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> Another rent strike was held at two halls of residence in the third term of the 2017/18 academic year due to complaints over conditions at those halls.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://leftfootforward.org/2018/05/students-strike-on-rent-pay-after-mice-and-flooding-complaints/ |title=Students strike on rent pay after mice and flooding complaints |author=Joana Ramiro |date=8 May 2018 |work=[[Left Foot Forward]]}}</ref>

In 2018, [[Aliza Ayaz]], then a first year student founded the university’s first environment student campaign by setting up the Climate Action Society.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2021/feb/ucl-masters-student-appointed-un-youth-ambassador | title=UCL master's student appointed as UN Youth Ambassador | date=5 February 2021 }}</ref> The student society led pressure on the university to divest from fossil fuels and make the announcement publicly.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://arynews.tv/pakistani-student-aliza-ayaz-ucl/amp/ | title=Pakistani student Aliza Ayaz leads student engagement at UCL | date=19 October 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2019/oct/ucl-divests-fossil-fuels-it-launches-bold-new-sustainability-strategy | title=UCL divests from fossil fuels as it launches bold new sustainability strategy | date=16 October 2019 }}</ref>

In 2024, students protesting against the [[Gaza war]] set up an [[Occupation (protest)|encampment]] in the campus, emulating the [[2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses|2024 pro-Palestinian protests]] that took place across universities in the United States. The UCL encampment followed similar movements by students in other UK universities, such as the [[University of Leeds]] and the [[University of Bristol]].<ref>{{cite web |title=UCL students attempt to replicate US protest encampments against Gaza war |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uk-ucl-students-launch-encampment-demand-university-divest-israel |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Middle East Eye}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Somerville |first1=Ewan |last2=Swerling |first2=Gabriella |last3=Mendick |first3=Robert |last4=Barton |first4=Alex |date=2024-05-03 |title=Pro-Palestinian protests spread across British universities |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/03/university-college-london-pro-palestine-tent-camp/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> On 15 November 2024, students protested the visit of Czech Foreign Minister [[Jan Lipavský]], criticising the Czech government's support for Israel.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pro-Palestine protesters bring Czech foreign minister's UCL speech to abrupt end |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/16/palestine-protest-czech-foreign-minister-ucl-jan-lipavsky/ |work=The Telegraph |date=16 November 2024}}</ref>