O-Week in Dunedin: Police and university to monitor ‘feral’ student behaviour

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police and the University of Otago will be monitoring student behaviour, with concerns about another year of out-of-control and dangerous behaviour during Orientation Week (O-Week).

It has prompted the university to start meeting with some of the larger, named flats to discuss expectations for the year and how to party safely.

By Sunday afternoon, Castle Street was quiet, but the signs of Saturday’s pre-O-Week ‘Flo-Week’ blow-out remained with shattered glass, bottles, boxes and rubbish lining the road.

Second year students Charlie, Hunter and Hugo hosted Saturday night’s Castle Street bash, saying hundreds of people attended.

Hunter said there was a bit of pressure to host, so the six flatmates pooled their money and paid a company for the gear and set up.

Charlie said they also had security and wristbands to control who could go inside.

Hugo said out-of-towners could be okay, but not when they got too rowdy.

Someone had smashed a bottle into a window because they thought they could, he said.

Hunter said people did not seem to understand that people lived in these flats.

They acknowledged the street was in a sad state, with Charlie saying the red rubbish bin was full in a day between the six flatmates and the glass bin might only last 30 minutes on a night out.

Charlie said the flat had met with university staff as part of the new initiative.

“It was actually real good, and they kind of just were like ‘we know what you’re here to do’. They’ve got it run pretty well.

“They know it’s not the tidiest place to live. No one’s living in the best conditions but we’re all choosing to be here and they told us they can give us more rubbish bins, talked about obviously getting on roofs with what happened last year, and couch fires and stuff.”

Second years Kyra and Pippi were excited for O-Week.

Police have called some of the behaviour “feral”, which Pippi reckoned was fair.

“I think it’s definitely feral. But I think that’s just how everyone wants it to be. People know that Flo-Week you kind of just like go all out for a couple of weeks. But then tame it out throughout the rest of the year,” Pippi said.

Since September, two young men have been critically injured from falls – including from the roof of a Castle Street flat.

Pippi said people liked the thrill of climbing on roofs.

“It definitely is dangerous and bad… but it is very common. You just see people on roofs at almost every house but I think people get a bit of a shock once they hear the bad stories about it. Like, we heard a pretty tragic story and so it’s honestly scared us all.”

Kyra was glad the university shared information about staying safe.

“It’s also really good that there’s like police around, controlling everyone… when it gets really rowdy and stuff, so it like makes people feel more safe.”

They both had friends down for Flo-Week, and said it was good to have visitors and others to meet as long as they did not trash the flats.

First years Amy and Ruby just moved into a uni hall, saying there has already been meetings about safety.

Amy was glad the university was proactive about it, saying it meant they felt more comfortable asking for help.

“I think it’s real cos they know exactly what we’re doing and I mean they help us do it safely rather than turn their heads the other way and pretend it’s not happening,”

Ruby was not surprised about the state of Castle Street, describing it as disgusting and filthy.

“I guess that’s just what Castle Street’s all about.”

University vice-chancellor Grant Robertson said they proactively told students about safe partying and how they were expected to behave. That included staying off roofs.

“We’re really clear that students need to stay off roofs. The tragic consequences of that are clear for everybody. We make that clear in all of our communications with students.”

He was pleased that flatmates from about 40 of the larger, named flats had met with the proctor as part of the new initiative, which he said made sure they were all on the same page.

The university did not support out-of-towners joining the frivolities as they could be difficult to manage, Robertson said.

“Many times they behave quite differently than students who know that Dunedin is their home.”

Flats were made aware this could be an issue and there was support for them if there were any issues, he said.

“Police have obviously got a role to play there because ultimately what is facilitated and allowed comes down to what the police are prepared to put up with given that these are private residences where these parties are being held.”

A major step forward would be to take out the glass, and the university had submitted to the local Alcohol Plan for that to happen, he said.

More than 4000 first-year students were welcomed over the weekend.

The Otago University Students’ Association is hosting a range of events for O-Week, which kicked off on Monday. Association president Daniel Leamy said they would be safe, inclusive environments for all students.

“Student Support is also always open to assist students as needed, and will have the Are You OK teams on the ground at events,” he said.

“We must also be cognisant of a select few creating a bigger story for the masses. Most students have a great week.”

The association actively encouraged students to choose cans over glass and recycle responsibly, promoted registering parties in advance in partnership with Good One and actively participated in clean-up days as a signatory to the Sophia Charter, he said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand