NUIG imposes sanctions on students over behaviour in housing estate...about time

_Whimsical_

A positive step taken by the university in relation to anti social behaviour of students in their neighbourhoods. Personally, I'm delighted to see it. Hopefully it'll earn the people living near certain students some peace in the future if this becomes a regular sanction for anti social behaviour.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/25107-rowdy-students-are-punished-university

Krieg

It wont say what the sanctions are.
But Im sure it involved some stern finger pointing or generic letter of disapproval, that'll learn em.

irisheddie85

Surely if you live beside rented accommodation with a problem tenant the first port of call is the tenants followed by the landlord.
Why is it because they are students suddenly you have to go through the college. Call the landlord have them evicted and lose their deposit would have a bigger impact than sanctions from the college

JupiterKid

irisheddie85 wrote: »

Surely if you live beside rented accommodation with a problem tenant the first port of call is the tenants followed by the landlord.
Why is it because they are students suddenly you have to go through the college. Call the landlord have them evicted and lose their deposit would have a bigger impact than sanctions from the college

Agreed. Almost all third level students are adults and going through the college to deal with them is IMO treating them like children. If there is a problem with rowdy students in residential areas it should be up to the landlord to deal with the problem, not the college.

Wompa1

JupiterKid wrote: »

Agreed. Almost all third level students are adults and going through the college to deal with them is IMO treating them like children. If there is a problem with rowdy students in residential areas it should be up to the landlord to deal with the problem, not the college.

I agree. Whenever I had a problem with student neighbours I dealt with it myself. Though it did get really annoying when it kept happening so I kind of wish I'd gone to the council now. Would have had a lot less sleepless nights.

About 2 years ago the issues with students was very wide spread. The GMIT started a type of patrol around the estates by the campus. How is that going I wonder? Also having lived both ends of the city. I wonder why GMIT are the one's doing that. I always had more issues the other end of the city and NUI surely has more resources to deal with the issues.

I like that Conneely the snake says that NUIG deals with complaints effectively. From my experience that is bull****.

The Cool

I wouldn't be too quick to brush off NUIG sanctions - the two girls who organised Donegal Tuesday at the end of February are each facing fines of €4,000!

I totally agree that going through the university was a bit crap - they are adults who just so happen to be in higher education. What if they weren't all in the university? What if one of the tenants was actually working? You don't need to be a student to be a crap neighbour, in my experience!

s_carnage

The Cool wrote: »

I wouldn't be too quick to brush off NUIG sanctions - the two girls who organised Donegal Tuesday at the end of February are each facing fines of €4,000!

I totally agree that going through the university was a bit crap - they are adults who just so happen to be in higher education. What if they weren't all in the university? What if one of the tenants was actually working? You don't need to be a student to be a crap neighbour, in my experience!

That can't be true. What grounds would they have to fine them for??

Zzippy

I live next door to a rented house. Luckily the tenants are fine, no noise. But if there was a problem - I have no idea who the landlord is or how to contact them. The property isn't listed in the PRTB register. If there was a problem and the tenants refused to engage I wouldn't know who else to go to. That could be a very common situation with these student houses too. Just saying...

antoobrien

Zzippy wrote: »

I live next door to a rented house. Luckily the tenants are fine, no noise. But if there was a problem - I have no idea who the landlord is or how to contact them. The property isn't listed in the PRTB register. If there was a problem and the tenants refused to engage I wouldn't know who else to go to. That could be a very common situation with these student houses too. Just saying...

If it's not listed with PTRB, then it's unlikely to be listed with revenue either, so it's worth giving them a shot.

If people get rowdy complain to the Gardaí. Mightn't do anything for once offs, but for repeated issues they'll come out.

_Whimsical_

Too much of student culture has become about having the craic for four years and facing no consequences for your actions.Sadly other people are bearing the consequences for some of those students. These students are getting state funded education and with that privilege should come some sense of social responsibility.Part of education should be to produce good citizens. I think an educational institution should raise the bar,should have expectations in terms of behaviour and should not tolerate loutishness without consequence.It's about time the university stepped up in that regard.I hope reports of bad behaviour will be taken into account in future for references or opportunities within the uni.

Going through the university as a first port of call with a complaint would be ridiculous yes.Sadly though not all landlords in this climate are happy to get rid of tenants on the basis of complaints from neighbours in case they can't find new tenants. Anyone who's lived near these situations knows well that landlords are often impossible to contact or else utterly heedless. The guards don't provide much of a deterrent here. There should be something to lose for these students. Even in terms of reputation. There should be someplace where they aren't just anonymous except for the label "student".We have people in free education,bankrolled by parents and getting grants who can afford nights on the town once a week that people working could never afford to fund.Those are privileges afforded you by your society,not human rights. Respect the people paying for it or expect consequences.

ciano1

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Too much of student culture has become about having the craic for four years and facing no consequences for your actions.Sadly other people are bearing the consequences for some of those students. These students are getting state funded education and with that privilege should come some sense of social responsibility.Part of education should be to produce good citizens. I think an educational institution should raise the bar,should have expectations in terms of behaviour and should not tolerate loutishness without consequence.It's about time the university stepped up in that regard.I hope reports of bad behaviour will be taken into account in future for references or opportunities within the uni.

Going through the university as a first port of call with a complaint would be ridiculous yes.Sadly though not all landlords in this climate are happy to get rid of tenants on the basis of complaints from neighbours in case they can't find new tenants. Anyone who's lived near these situations knows well that landlords are often impossible to contact or else utterly heedless. The guards don't provide much of a deterrent here. There should be something to lose for these students. Even in terms of reputation. There should be someplace where they aren't just anonymous except for the label "student".We have people in free education,bankrolled by parents and getting grants who can afford nights on the town once a week that people working could never afford to fund.Those are privileges afforded you by your society,not human rights. Respect the people paying for it or expect consequences.

Few naggins, be grand....

KittyeeTrix

The Cool wrote: »

I wouldn't be too quick to brush off NUIG sanctions - the two girls who organised Donegal Tuesday at the end of February are each facing fines of €4,000!

Just wondering where you got this information from???

The Cool

I know one of them personally.

Predalien

The NUIG code of conduct does seem to allow for fines, but €4000 is ridiculous.

joeKel73

I don't like this idea of NUIG imposing sanctions on students for what they do outside of college. If they were acting the maggot on campus or when representing NUIG at an event then fair enough, throw the rule book at them.

If my neighbour was having a gathering and it was getting a bit loud and late... I wouldn't be going to their employer to complain!!

Complaints of anti-social behaviour should be going to the Gardai imo.

Doc Ruby

JupiterKid wrote: »

If there is a problem with rowdy students in residential areas it should be up to the landlord to deal with the problem, not the college.

Its basically impossible to find out who the landlord is in many cases, as property ownership is treated like a state secret in this country. So if you go to the tenants and they tell you to take a walk, can't find the landlord and the police say they can't help, what can you do? Unfortunately while it should technically be the landlords problem, the way things are arranged the college itself has to step in. And they do in fact have codes of conduct.

KittyeeTrix

The Cool wrote: »

I know one of them personally.

Thanks for your answer. That does seem a bit harsh on them:eek:

Mrs OBumble

KittyeeTrix wrote: »

The Cool wrote: »

I know one of them personally.

Thanks for your answer. That does seem a bit harsh on them:eek:

Why? They did serious damage to NUIG's reputation.

The Cool

Well after the fiasco that was Eyre Square and Supermacs on the Wednesday night of Rag week in particular, I think the university decided to come down really hard on anybody known to be organising such events. Both girls were called in to meetings in the uni, threatened to be expelled at stamped with those fines.
Anyways, not saying how ridiculous that is or not, but my point is, university sanctions are clearly not to be sniffed at

charlie_says

The Cool wrote: »

Well after the fiasco that was Eyre Square and Supermacs on the Wednesday night of Rag week in particular, I think the university decided to come down really hard on anybody known to be organising such events. Both girls were called in to meetings in the uni, threatened to be expelled at stamped with those fines.
Anyways, not saying how ridiculous that is or not, but my point is, university sanctions are clearly not to be sniffed at

Civil authorities, the cops and the courts. Works for everyone else, why and how are nuig allowed to fine students for conduct outside of their property? Stupid stopgap Irish solution if you ask me.

kabakuyu

charlie_says wrote: »

Civil authorities, the cops and the courts. Works for everyone else, why and how are nuig allowed to fine students for conduct outside of their property? Stupid stopgap Irish solution if you ask me.

I agree, Nuig authorities should have nothing do do with it, but when the alleged miscreants are before the court we should demand that there is no leniency just beacuse the offender is a student,and lets have less of the usual rubbish that a conviction or sentence will be detrimental to their future employment prospects and/or their exams.If you misbehave,you pay the price no matter who you are.

djfitzerjnr

In some cases like ours, a problematic neighbour can cause you an awful lot of distress.

We had 1 or 2 parties earlier in the year at weekends and during grad week, now I myself wasen't there either time, but as we are all 4th year/post grad/ H Dip students, you can imagine we are not the type to be out partying to all hours of the night every night of every week. Basically we had typical once off celebration parties.

This 1 neighbour 2 doors down asked us to quieten down both times and we moved into town to go out (they were pre parties). This is a pretty loud estate too mixed of students and yong professionals.

Then during the hot weather, the 4 of us lads were in the kitchen chatting away, with 4 girls who are our neighbours called over. We were just chatting away with our balcony door open and a laptop playing with music. Next thing we know the guards are calling to issue us with a warning for an ASBO because we got a complaint from that same neighbour. Weren't loud at all, and for some reason, our neighbours either side of us and below us don't complain, yet this one guy does, but doesnt even tell us we are too loud, even if we are?

Our landlord and this guy dont like each other and havnt hidden this fact either. Apparently he is banned from comlaingin certain places and from the estate committee. Now this guy is at risk of us loosing our degrees a few weeks before finsihing them.

Mrs OBumble

charlie_says wrote: »

Civil authorities, the cops and the courts. Works for everyone else, why and how are nuig allowed to fine students for conduct outside of their property? Stupid stopgap Irish solution if you ask me.

Not an Irish solution at all.

'Tis quite common for institiutions to impose conditions on the behaviour of students, and employers on their staff, as part of enrolment conditions or job contracts.

If I bring my employer into disrepute, then I can get fired. If a student brings NUIG into disrepute, then the student needs to face consequences from NUIG.

There was nothing illegal about organising Donegal Day. (The illegal actions of certain pubs in serving intoxicated people are a totally different question).

But it was against the internal disciplinary rules set down by NUIG.

So NUIG is well within its rights to take action.

czx

The Cool wrote: »

I know one of them personally.

sexy enough

antoobrien

JustMary wrote: »

If a student brings NUIG into disrepute, then the student needs to face consequences from NUIG.

There was nothing illegal about organising Donegal Day. (The illegal actions of certain pubs in serving intoxicated people are a totally different question).

But it was against the internal disciplinary rules set down by NUIG.

So NUIG is well within its rights to take action.

I'd love to know how it was against the NUIG rules though. It was organized during the traditional rag week yes but what other link was there to NUIG?

ben.schlomo

antoobrien wrote: »

I'd love to know how it was against the NUIG rules though. It was organized during the traditional rag week yes but what other link was there to NUIG?

I also still have no idea how they legally could fine students 4grand, sounds like complete BS to me.

maz3

Nuig should have nothing to do with it.its between the landlord and the tennants, i know of friends 3 of whom got fined for so called anti social behaviour the landlord was reluctant to kick them out for whatever reasons so they left 2 months early to prevent any more trouble being caused they lived with 2 non students who got away scott free with no repercussions.Thats not fair whatsoever. They should have just been evicted obv forfitting there deposit ?

Raging_Ninja

maz3 wrote: »

Nuig should have nothing to do with it.its between the landlord and the tennants, i know of friends 3 of whom got fined for so called anti social behaviour the landlord was reluctant to kick them out for whatever reasons so they left 2 months early to prevent any more trouble being caused they lived with 2 non students who got away scott free with no repercussions.Thats not fair whatsoever. They should have just been evicted obv forfitting there deposit ?

whether you like it or not, the actions of members of an organization have an effect on the reputation of that organisation. employers can fire employees for acting in ways that reflect badly on the company, and this can happen to students.

landlord mightn't have wanted to lose the income provided by the tenants, not to mention the possible difficulty of getting new tenants in. its not often that any party in an eviction, landlord or tenant, comes away happy.

The Cool

antoobrien wrote: »

I'd love to know how it was against the NUIG rules though. It was organized during the traditional rag week yes but what other link was there to NUIG?

I'm not sure if it was when the university washed their hands of Rag week last year or when the SU did so this year, but anyway at some point the university made it part of the rules that any student affiliated with NUIG caught organising any events affiliated with Rag week would be penalised. And quite heavily, as those two girls have learned the hard way!

Sponge Bob

Did them women charge into this 'Donegal' event' ?

If they made no money out of it the fines seem a bit anal to me.

Mrs OBumble

ben.schlomo wrote: »

I also still have no idea how they legally could fine students 4grand, sounds like complete BS to me.

If you join a golf club, there will be club rules, for example:
- no swearing in the clubhouse
- no breaking up the fairway with your clubs
- don't bring the club into disrepute.

There will also be a disciplinary process, and penalties if you break the rules. Maybe a é5 donation per swear-word, you pay for the greenkeeper hours in fixing the damage you did, expulsion if you make the club look bad. Or whatever.

A university is just the same: you ask about enrolling, they sell you the benefits and tell you the rules. If you choose to enrol, and break the rules, there will be consequences.

ben.schlomo

JustMary wrote: »

If you join a golf club, there will be club rules, for example:
- no swearing in the clubhouse
- no breaking up the fairway with your clubs
- don't bring the club into disrepute.

There will also be a disciplinary process, and penalties if you break the rules. Maybe a é5 donation per swear-word, you pay for the greenkeeper hours in fixing the damage you did, expulsion if you make the club look bad. Or whatever.

A university is just the same: you ask about enrolling, they sell you the benefits and tell you the rules. If you choose to enrol, and break the rules, there will be consequences.

Never noticed, better check the rules im governed by so.;)

fergpie

Who would have thought it...an NUIG code of conduct exists! If you enrol in the University you tacitly agree to abide by the code and consequently its sanctions.

"The maintenance of the good name of the University is in the interests of all of the University community and, as the standing of the University depends largely on those who represent it, it is the duty of its students at all times to behave, both inside and outside of the University, in a way which does not bring discredit to the University".

http://www.nuigalway.ie/codeofconduct/#section6

39steps

The Code of Conduct should be posted in hard copy format to each student at their home address.
Ticking a box on some random web page means nothing, everyone just ticks the box saying they've read it, but it's just like the RyanAir terms and conditions, no-one ever has actually read them.
Good to hear new VP is coming down hard on Rag Week offenders. It's long past time, NUI Galway was a national laughing stock over some student antics.

Caliden

39steps wrote: »

The Code of Conduct should be posted in hard copy format to each student at their home address.
Ticking a box on some random web page means nothing, everyone just ticks the box saying they've read it, but it's just like the RyanAir terms and conditions, no-one ever has actually read them.
Good to hear new VP is coming down hard on Rag Week offenders. It's long past time, NUI Galway was a national laughing stock over some student antics.

Huge cost to do the hard copy, a copy online is enough.
Give them the option to request a hard copy if they want, at a price of course.

I really hope the €4,000 fines are true - it's the best deterrent. It doesn't seem like possible expulsion from college would do much, but slapping massive fines on people would definitely put a stop to anti-social behaviour.

civis_liberalis

I live on an estate with a lot of students. The people who have been causing problems... i.e. excessive noise, letting household rubbish pile up outside their houses, even violence, have not been students. Busybody residents' associations have tried to pin it on them though. Easier to whip up a frenzy about it if you can pin it to a certain group who are easy targets. I am nto a student either before anyone asks.