UCD AND ITS students are to sit down and negotiate reasonable accommodation rules this summer, hoping to resolve a number of issues that were raised during a campaign last year.
According to the UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU), senior staff at the college have agreed to renegotiate the License to Reside before the start of the next academic year.
“This willingness to negotiate on UCD’s behalf is an encouraging sign that they want students input on how UCD moves forward,” UCDSU said in a statement this evening.
The group had launched a campaign last year to outline allegations that students’ rights were being infringed on campus.
Live-in students must sign the Licence to Reside agreement before moving into Belfield. The situation has been exacerbated by a shortage of suitable student accommodation in Dublin city.
The SU claim that those who live on campus are not treated with the same respect as they would be entitled to if they were living in private residences.
They complained about the fines that are handed out to students for various misdemeanours, explaining that they are “much higher than any other university in Ireland”.
According to the students, the charges are “extortionately high” and UCD Residence retained €105,000 during the 2011-2012 academic year.
They also had problems with the appeals process as it is carried out by the same people who first administer penalties.
The use of cameras within the buildings was another issue raised, with students claiming it violated their privacy.
Speaking tonight, president Feargal Hynes said he is looking forward to “getting down to business with UCD authorities and making sure that students who do live on campus get the respect they deserve”.
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