Palatinate Officially the UK’s Best Student Publication, 2018
Wednesday 2nd October 2019 | No. 819
Features reflects on personal jounrneys during first year
www.palatinate.org.uk | FREE
Profile speak to Tim Luckhurst about the ethical duties of reporting
Library collects £150,000 in fines from forgetful students Jack Taylor Editor-in-Chief
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▲ John Snow’s JCR welcome incoming first years on Freshers’ Sunday. See page 3 for more photos. (Jack Judge)
Trevelyan: 108 freshers without their college room on arrival
• Students’ Union President: “The University has failed these students at one of the most crucial stages” • Holdups to refurbishments mean Collingwood and Teikyo host 30 students • Water certification delay sends 78 first years temporarily to Stephenson College Naomi Clarke & Jack Taylor Delayed building works and water certification led to 108 Trevelyan College freshers being housed in adjacent accommodation as they arrived in Durham on Sunday. According to the College, delayed restoration work originally meant that 54 rooms would be unavailable until this number was reduced to 36. Professor Martyn Evans, Principle of Trevelyan College, stated that the College
were “working hard to complete the refurbishments of student bedrooms as soon as possible.” An email was sent to affected students a week prior to move-in day, in which Trevelyan College stated that “about 30 rooms” would be affected, and that the work would “overrun into the first two weeks of term.” A further 78 first year students were also temporarily housed in Stephenson College on arrival, due to a delay in receiving water certification for parts of Trevelyan College accommodation.
These students were only written to the day before moving in. Originally displaced students have been housed together as groups in adjacent college accommodation. Professor Evans told Palatinate that “as of Monday 30th September, 12 students are being accommodated at Collingwood College and 18 at Teikyo University of Japan in Durham.” This brings the total number of affected students to 108. Kate McIntosh, Students’ Union President commented on the news: “The University has failed these
students at one of the most crucial stages of their academic lives. “Despite being assured that the University has been taking Trevelyan College’s delayed building work seriously, it’s clear that the disruption is more serious than originally thought. Over one hundred students are unable to stay in their college during their first days in Durham, and this represents a substantial, sustained failure to factor students into the strategic decisions that greatly impact students’ lives. Continued to page 3
The University has collected over £150,000 in library fines over the past two academic years from forgetful studnets. £78,979 and £72,351 was paid in fines by students in 2017/18 and 2018/19 respectively. Professor Janet Stewart, Executive Dean (Arts & Humanities), expects these numbers to decrease in the future: “The total amount collected in library fines has been decreasing year on year, from £107,000 in 2015/16 to approximately £72,300 in 2018/19, a trend which we expect will continue in the future as overall print loans reduce in number.” These figures account for only an average total fine for each student of £4.38 and £3.87. However, students have told Palatinate a different story. One third year student admitted to paying a £73 library fine for late fees on nine books during Easter Term and another had to pay for a book they had lost. The fines paid by students are invested into library operations to “enhance the educational experience” of students and other library users. Professor Steward commented: “the use of funds include the purchase of information resources and the upgrading of audio equipment in group study rooms.” Fines range from £1 per hour late on 3-hour loan book to 20p per day for a standard loan. Multiple students have told Palatinate of fines ranging from £2 to £3 due to this standard loan charge, mainly as a result of forgetting to return books or renew them over the holidays.