Student Issues

Replies to the recent survey conducted in Springboard confirmed that local residents are still regularly disturbed by students. The Residents' Association therefore invited Kingston University to attend a joint meeting with the Mill Street Residents' Association to update us on what steps are being taken to curb such behaviour, and to advise on what residents should do if they are troubled by students.

Three people attended - a representative from the Student Life Office of Kingston University, (who are responsible for issues of student discipline), and the president and vice-president of the students union. The General Manager and Senior Licensee of the students union also submitted a written report which can be read in full if you click here.

Key points made at the meeting were:

• The university has a code of student behaviour: which students are expected to uphold. The need for good behaviour and community awareness is highlighted at the induction meeting for new students and in the Halls of Residence handbook. It is made clear that the university is committed to taking whatever action is necessary to curb disruptive behaviour.



• A number of steps are being taken to try to prevent problems in advance: including stricter procedures for the dispersal of students from the university's bars, the withdrawal of 'happy hours' and midweek live music at bars with residents nearby, positioning staff at bar exits and on the Blue Bridge to reduce litter and noise, the introduction of a complaints book so that complaints registered with the bars can be followed up and the introduction of a "playmates" scheme whereby one member of a group remains sober and takes responsibility for the behaviour of the others.



• If students breach this code there is a graduated system of penalties: including community service, the withdrawal of benefits and privileges, formal warnings (which will stay on student records throughout their university career and impact on their ability to apply for housing, halls of residence etc.), financial penalties and notices to quit (for halls of residences or headed tenancy properties which are administered by the university).



• The university has extensive CCTV coverage: of its main sites and halls of residence and if the Student Life Office is made aware of the time of a disturbance it will ask the Halls Management to view the CCTV footage at around the time of the incident to help identify the students involved.



• The university also liases with the police and Environmental Health Services: to work jointly to reduce problems - and they plan to investigate further the best way to reduce .

If residents continue to be troubled the university recommends taking some or all of the following steps:

1	Ring the police	8541-1212
2	Ring the Environmental Health Office who may come and measure the noise	8547-5536
3	Ring the Student Life Office	8547-8211
4	Ring one of the student bars who will pursue issues which directly result from the own trading.
	Knights Park Bar	020-8255-0063 (10am -11pm)
	Bar Zen,Penrhyn Rd	8547-8406 (10am - 11pm)
	Students Union Manager Mark Horne	8547-8027 (8.30am - 6pm/24 hour answerphone)

For a full set of contact numbers click here