Defining the Warden's role

The recent University of London consultation on removing all Wardens and Vice-Wardens from the intercollegiate halls of residence (see this thread of posts about the consultation and what happened) prompted me to review the way we describe the Warden's role at Connaught Hall.

It is important that residents understand precisely what the Warden and Senior Members are for and what they do. Correspondence from the Warden's team will now make clear that the Warden's role lies in -

enhancing opportunities for personal, social, academic and cultural development through: welfare and pastoral care; discipline and conflict resolution; community and social life; Residents’ Club and Hall bar; out-of-hours emergencies; and re-admissions.

I would value your feedback on this description: is it too long? does it make sense? does it help clarify the Warden's role? Feel free to comment directly on this blog post or email me.

The Warden's Team: supporting you all the way.

Connaught Hall welcome letter

The welcome letter for residents coming to Connaught Hall in September/October 2011 has now been published online: welcome.connaught-hall.org.uk.

Themed receptions

I am excited about a new idea for helping residents meet one another at Connaught Hall this year.

Throughout the year, I will organise a number of themed receptions for residents with particular interests. The invitation to each reception will be open to all residents; the receptions will not be exclusive in any way: any resident will be welcome to attend, but the intention is that residents interested in the theme of the reception will come and meet other like-minded residents with similar interests.

For example, there might be receptions for residents interested in sport, charitable work, acting, political activities, LGBT, photography, medical students, national or cultural groups, etc... Where possible, I should like to be able to invite relevant external guests.

I am open to suggestions for themes. Please get in touch if you would like to see a themed reception for a particular interest, activity, or group.

Two quick questions

In 2007, I developed the annual residents' survey at Connaught Hall and it was rolled out for use across all eight intercollegiate halls in 2009.

This year, I want to start a new programme for obtaining residents' feedback not just in February each year but right through their time in Hall. But filling in questionnaires can be time-consuming and response rates are often low when there is no direct reward offered for completion of the survey.

So to make it easier for residents to tell us what they think, I am going to introduce the "two quick questions" programme. All residents will be invited to respond to a simple two-question survey every month or so: one question asking for a numerical agree/disagree rating, and the second question inviting the resident to explain why they gave that particular rating.

Look out for the first "two quick questions" survey in October 2011!

Results of the Consultation on Pastoral Support in the Halls of Residence

The University has recently completed a consultation exercise on proposals to create more than 50 new student bedrooms by changing the arrangements for pastoral support in the Halls.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Group has now considered the results of the consultation and we are grateful to those people who took the time to submit their views. The consultation has shown the range of groups interested in the outcome of this decision. The VCEG wishes to examine fully the range of options available and the implications of any changes and has therefore decided:

1. To suspend the consultation and implementation process immediately and confirm the status quo for the coming year 2011/12;

2. To review and re-examine the range of options available to ensure the availability of appropriate pastoral support for students and to increase the availability of student rooms in the intercollegiate halls, taking in to account the suggestions that emerged during the consultation;

3. To receive by the end of December 2011 proposals on the case for restructuring and the range of options, along with a full consultation and communications plan; this will take account of our legal obligations to Wardens and to students, and the UK Code of Practice for University-Managed Student Accommodation.

Wardens in Higher Education Residences

In response to the University of London's proposed cuts in student support in the intercollegiate halls of residence, I have founded Wardens in Higher Education Residences (WHER).

WHER is a new charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated and registered at Companies House on 16 June 2011. As an incorporated legal entity, WHER has power to own property, manage its own finances, engage in public campaigning and political lobbying, and pursue legal action.

WHER's values may be stated as follows:

We believe in promoting ethical standards of conduct and compliance with the law by providers of student accommodation.

We believe student accommodation must provide robust systems for pastoral support, discipline, and community building.

We believe that university accommodation should provide opportunities for the academic, social, recreational, and cultural development of students.

We believe that student accommodation providers must put in place clear and effective structures to deal with noise, nuisance, vandalism, bullying, and racial, homophobic, and other kinds of abuse.

Please join us and support this important cause today!

Download an application form: http://www.hallwardens.org/WHER-application.pdf

Get in touch at info@hallwardens.org, "like" our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter @HigherEdWardens.

As well as recruiting a membership base, WHER is currently looking to appoint two new Directors to manage the charity. I'd be happy to discuss this with anyone who might be interested.

Wardens' formal consultation response

The response of the ten University of London wardens and vice-wardens to a proposal to cut student support in the halls of residence has been published online: http://www.hallwardens.org/wardens-response.pdf

Letter to Editor of London Student

Sir

I read with interest your interview with Martin Burchett about the University of London’s proposal to remove wardens and vice-wardens from the intercollegiate halls of residence.

Wardens are life-in staff who work part-time in the halls, being also employed as academic or senior academically-related staff elsewhere within the University. We help to provide students, especially first year undergraduates, with a safe, friendly and supportive home-from-home in halls by maintaining discipline, resolving conflicts, supporting students with difficulties, and organising community and social events.

The University of London Strategic Plan for 2009-14 states that “the University has a proud tradition of providing services to Colleges which add to their students’ experience of University life, both educationally and socially.” Wardens are one of the main ways in which the University maintains this tradition.

Students in halls are often living away from home for the first time. In my experience, they can encounter problems with loneliness, social isolation, bullying, conflicts related to religion or sexuality, depression, eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, as well as antisocial behaviour, noisy neighbours, theft, and damage to property. Wardens have a wealth of experience in offering front-line advice and support for students wrestling with these problems.
The University’s stated reason for cutting wardens and vice-wardens is to create up to 52 extra student rooms from the conversion of wardens’ flats. The University asserts that the cuts will not cause a reduction in the level of pastoral support or community building because the wardens’ functions will be taken on by volunteer senior students and the halls’ administration staff. They further argue that private halls of residence and some other universities’ halls do not have wardens.

We certainly recognise the need for more student accommodation in London, but degrading the quality of existing accommodation is not the way to do it. The University’s plan is akin to making more seats on an aeroplane by taking out the pilot: it won’t get off the ground. We can identify numerous means by which more accommodation can be created in the halls, without shedding staff or cutting services.

Of course removing all of the currently employed, dedicated, and experienced welfare and community-building staff out of the halls will lead to a reduction in the level of support and social events. There is nothing in the cuts proposal to guarantee otherwise.

It is true that private halls of residence often do not have wardens. But we are, after all, a University: surely it is our responsibility to provide academic and pastoral support for students? Students who are more independent or who require less of a social scene in their residence may well choose to live in private halls; but the University should make provision for those who wish or need to choose a more supported or more social living environment.

It is also true that some other universities do not have wardens in their halls. But if you look at the top ten UK universities, nine of them have wardenial systems similar to ours; and nearly all of the elite Russell Group universities have wardens. These are the institutions that the University of London is competing with. Moreover, residents in the intercollegiate halls can be relatively disadvantaged by the geographical and organisational remoteness of their college welfare services, unions, and health centres – especially those from smaller colleges or colleges outside of central London. I believe a robust pastoral and social support system within the halls, led by wardens, compensates for this.

We have been greatly encouraged by support from doctors, counsellors, chaplains, and other bodies involved in student support, as well as many students, hall residents, neighbourhood groups, and local councillors. Almost 1,000 people have signed an online petition (petition.hallwardens.org) supporting the wardens, and many students and their parents have written to the University (mail@hallwardens.org) to express their opposition to the cuts. A Facebook group (group.hallwardens.org) and Twitter profile (@SaveTheWardens) have been set up by hall residents.

The University’s consultation on this proposal ends on Friday 17 June and the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Group will make a decision on 29 June. I hope your readers will agree with me that they should reject the proposed cuts and look instead for positive ways of creating more student accommodation in London.

Yours faithfully

Adrian Clark
Warden, Connaught Hall

END OF YEAR FAREWELL MESSSAGE

Most residents will be moving out of Connaught Hall for the end of the academic year over the next two weeks; some (mostly from King’s) have already gone.

Wherever and whenever you are travelling, I wish you a safe journey. I hope you have the chance to enjoy a well-deserved, relaxing break from your work or studies this summer, and that your accommodation plans for summer and next year are starting to come together.

It genuinely has been a pleasure to have you at Connaught Hall this year. I hope you have enjoyed your time here as much as I have, and that we have succeeded in our wish to be your home-from-home in London. Thank you all for making it such a pleasant year in Hall!

I especially want to thank this year’s Residents’ Club Committee for all their hard work in organising a social programme for the Hall and keeping our bar running as a valuable focus for Hall social life. Thank you also to everyone who made a voluntary contribution to the bar restocking fund to help the bar recover from events at Easter; I was personally very impressed by the mature, responsible reaction of the Hall community to that particular challenge.

Remember you can obtain copies of this year’s residents’ photo at photos.connaught-hall.org.uk (downloads) and prints.connaught-hall.org.uk (prints from Photobox). Keep in touch with us @connaughthall on Twitter and on Facebook; and, of course, at www.connaught-hall.org.uk.

If you haven't already done so, please remember to sign the petition against cuts in student support in the intercollegiate halls (petition.hallwardens.org). Join the campaign on Facebook (group.hallwardens.org), and write directly to the University expressing your opposition to the cuts at mail@hallwardens.org. You can follow the campaign on Twitter @SaveTheWardens.

If you are returning to the Hall next year, all the staff and Senior Members look forward to welcoming you back. Wherever you will be living, I wish you success in your work or studies and every happiness for the future.

The future of student support in halls of residence

On 9 May 2011, the University of London informed Wardens that it intends to make significant cuts to the student support service in the halls of residence: it proposes to make all Wardens and Vice-Wardens redundant, and for the management of Senior Members to be transferred to the residences administration staff, who have no background, experience, or interest in dealing with social, welfare, community, or disciplinary matters.

I believe the University's proposal is wrong and dangerous. I think it threatens the very healthy and enjoyable community and social life from which intercollegiate halls residents currently benefit, and may be harmful to the welfare of more vulnerable students.

This is at a time when Hall fees are set to rise by well above inflation next year, and English students will soon start paying up to £9,000 for their tuition. If next year's residents can expect not to be supported by a Warden, and not have a thriving Residents' Club and vibrant Hall community, why should they pay even more than they pay this year? And why should next year's freshers not be given the opportunity to apply for a Hall like Connaught Hall - different in so many ways from the accommodation provided by UCL, Kings, LSE, etc.?

Students should expect more choice, more support, and better value for money. Removing the Wardens diminishes all three.

For the sake of future generations of students, I believe we must fight against the University's proposals.

At www.connaught-hall.org.uk/support.pdf you can find a full-colour booklet explaining the University’s proposals and exactly what it will mean for future residents of Connaught Hall.

If you agree with me that Wardens add something distinctive, useful, and desirable to the student experience in the intercollegiate halls, please act now: send an email expressing your support to mail@hallwardens.org. Also, please sign the online petition at http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gopetition.com%2Fpetitions%2Fpetition-to-oppose-the-re-structuring-of-the-pastoral-s.html&h=d6700.

Parents - especially those of international students - often are relieved to find there is someone in Hall to look after their sons & daughters as they leave home for the first time, so please ask your parents to write in, and to sign the petition, too.

There isn't much time: the University proposes to wipe away formal student support in the halls of residence by the end of this academic year, and the final decision will be made before the end of May. Please help us to persuade them that they are wrong.

I will continue to fight tirelessly for what I believe is the right level of student support in the halls of residence. I will be very grateful if I can count on your support.

Remember to visit www.connaught-hall.org.uk/support.pdf for more detail and a guide to how you can help. Also review my letter to Dame Jenny Abramsky, the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of London, at www.connaught-hall.org.uk/abramsky-letter.pdf.

Bar thefts 26/03 to 03/04 - update

I have made some progress in identifying who was involved in taking around £600 worth of drink from the bar two weeks ago. However, there are still many residents who have been named as being involved but who have not yet approached me. I think part of the reason for this may be that they do not realise that the drink they took were effectively stolen. Those who have approached me so far have explained that most people who took drinks may not have known exactly what was going on, and that there was certainly no malice in their actions. For this reason I will delay making a decision on the police and disciplinary proceedings until Tuesday 19 April, allowing you time to read this and think whether you were perhaps unwittingly involved. If you were given, sold, or took any drink at all from the bar in the week between Saturday 26 March and Sunday 3 April, please contact me urgently and tell me what you had and who gave it to you (or how you got it). The bar was not officially open during that week at all, so anyone who was “working” behind the bar should not have been there and any “free drinks” they gave away were stolen from the bar. Sometimes, bottles of spirits were brought out from behind the bar so again, you may not have realised that you were receiving something that had been stolen. Please, please come forward and tell me about what happened. I do need to recover the cost of the drink that was stolen and it will be fairest to everyone if that cost is shared between everyone who took a drink. If absolutely everyone owns up, the cost could be as little as £12 each. The number of people who have come forward so far cannot repay the entire cost with the repayments capped at a maximum £30 each (as per my letter at http://notice.connaught-hall.org.uk/); and if we cannot recover this money, the bar and the Residents’ Club itself will really struggle to stay in business this year.

Bar thefts 26/03 to 03/04

In the period between Saturday 26 March and Sunday 3 April, around £600 worth of spirits, wine, beer, and soft drinks were taken from the bar without being paid for. I understand that a large number of people (perhaps 30 or more) were involved.

The bottom line is that this matter has been reported to the police but I have asked them not to pursue a full investigation until I have had an opportunity to resolve the issue internally; if we can satisfactorily deal with this within the Hall, I will ask the police to drop it completely.

So I am writing to you with an amnesty of sorts, and a proposal that I hope will resolve this matter simply and fairly.

My concerns and expectations are:

1. The bar and Residents’ Club already have a very difficult financial position this year and absolutely cannot afford to shoulder the cost of the missing stock. We must recover these costs in order for the bar to remain financially viable, to continue paying for daily newspaper deliveries, to complete the library refurbishment, and to allow some social activities to be organised in term 3.

2. This incident highlights the potential problems of leaving the bar area open 24 hours for access to the sofas, pool table, and table football; I need to be reassured that I can continue allowing the bar area to be left open when the bar itself is not staffed.

3. I cannot understand what has happened to make so many people think it was okay to effectively break into the bar and take drinks without paying for them, and I am concerned about what this means for the community dynamic in Hall.

4. I need to know this is not going to happen again, and that those involved are prepared to own up to it and take some responsibility for their potentially very damaging actions. I have a good deal of respect for people who can admit to a mistake; but I take a dim view of those who try to cover up or lie about things.

5. If at all possible, I should prefer to avoid any formal disciplinary action and/or criminal proceedings.

If you were involved in any way in the theft of drinks from the bar last week, come forward and tell me about it before 17.00 on Tuesday 19 April.

Send me an email: tell me (a) what happened, (b) when, (c) who was there, (d) what – if anything – made you think this was okay to do, and (e) what we can do to prevent it from happening again. I will arrange a time to meet with you.

If you come forward voluntarily before 19 April, I will give you these guarantees:

1. Your financial liability to the Club will be capped to a maximum of £30. The more people that come forward to share the cost, the less your liability will be, so please also encourage others who were involved to approach me.

2. If disciplinary action is necessary, the maximum penalty I will apply is a written warning (apart from charging for the missing stock as per point 1).

3. If you hold an offer of accommodation at Connaught Hall next year, I will not withdraw your offer on the basis of this incident alone.

On 15 April, I will make a decision about what to tell the police about continuing their investigation, and whether to commence disciplinary proceedings against those I know were involved but have not come forward voluntarily.

A letter similar to this was distributed, by friends of those who were involved, directly to the suspects last week – I had hoped to avoid sending such a negative letter to the whole Hall – but that was met with a very disappointing response. I hope that is because the letter did not reach all the suspects, and that by sending it to everyone, we will see a better response.

If too few people come forward, I will regrettably have to pursue the criminal and/or disciplinary routes to resolve this situation. I will seek to apply the most severe penalties available to me for anyone who was involved but fails to tell me about it before 19 April.

I must also make a decision about the future of the bar in Hall, re-opening the bar area for pool and table football, and any future social events. I hope you can reassure me that the Connaught Hall community can learn from what happened between 26 March and 3 April, and ensure a positive future for our bar.

Pantry fridges

I am disappointed to report that I have received several complaints recently about food being stolen from the pantry refrigerators.

There is of course no realistic chance of us finding out who takes others’ belongings from the fridges as they are unsupervised and accessible to anyone 24 hours a day. So this cannot, in practice, be a disciplinary issue.

But the complaints I receive about this relate so much frustration, disappointment, and distress from those who have had their things stolen that I want to make a plea, on behalf of everyone who uses those refrigerators, that you should:

a) label anything you put in the fridge, so you know which items are yours and there are no accidental mix-ups; and
b) only remove things from the fridge that belong to you.

Sometimes, your fellow residents keep food in the fridge because they are unwell and can only muster an appetite for certain foods, or because they have special dietary requirements. They might have to go hungry if someone else takes their food and they cannot get out to replace it straight away. And whatever the reason for having food in the refrigerators, it is really upsetting to find it taken by someone else.

So please – and I know this request only need apply to a tiny minority, as most of you respect each other and each other’s property – be considerate of your fellow residents and do not take anything from the pantry fridges if it doesn’t belong to you. For however you might try to justify it to yourself, this is theft and cannot in good conscience be called anything else.

Senior Members - residents' survey 2011

Most people who responded to the survey knew what the Senior Members and I do, who we are, and thought we are approachable and polite.

See a summary of the results and a selection of comments here: survey.connaught-hall.org.uk.

Two people, however, commented that the Senior Members often sit in an isolated part of the dining hall and this can make students feel less able to approach them.

First, let me assure you that the Senior Members and I are all happy to be approached by residents about anything at all, any time when we are in public areas of the Hall (and we are contactable from reception at other times).

But I can see that the team sitting in a huddle in one corner of the dining hall might be seen as intimidating, so with immediate effect, the Senior Members and I will sit in a more central part of the dining hall.

Please feel free to join us at our table either to talk to us in our capacity as staff or just for a chat. We will always be glad of the company. Except in the first few weeks of term, when most residents have not formed their own friendship groups in Hall, I don't expect the Senior Members to mingle around the dining hall at meal times - I am always conscious that residents might not want us sitting with them if they are dining with their friends. But I stress again that we are always happy for anyone to join us for a meal any time.

Noise rules - residents' survey 2011

In the survey, a few residents complained that noise rules are inconsistently applied: “we’ve been reprimanded for minor noise at 11pm, whereas more serious noise at 2am has gone without any complaint”.

Senior Members can obviously only deal with noise either if they hear it for themselves or if the noise is reported to them by another resident. The rules are consistent; but enforcement
depends on the noise being reported, which may be much less consistent.

The Duty Senior Member makes a tour of the building between 11pm and midnight, so this might be why noise is noticed and dealt with more often at this time.

There is some heterogeneity of opinion on the noise rules and how well they are applied.

We asked you to say how much you agree with two statements:

"Most of the time, I can study and sleep without being disturbed"
Stongly disagree - 0.9%
Disagree - 13.8%
Neither agree nor disagree - 14.7%
Agree - 44.0%
Strongly agree- 26.6%

And

"Rules about noise, smoking, harassment, etc. are adequately enforced"
Strongly disagree - 1.8%
Disagree - 11.9%
Neither agree nor disagree - 11.0%
Agree - 45.9%
Strongly agree - 29.4%

Here is a selection of comments:

It is too easy for people to get away with consistent noise violations. Punishments are maybe too light.

As our warden has noticed, noise is a problem I find disturbing. I used to go to bed before 11, however I often wake up twice or more during sleep because of the noise, whether its from student gathering at the front door or at the corridor.

At times it is difficult to study due to a few running up and down corridors, and congregating outside rooms. I feel that this would be greatly reduced if, as said before, the common room facilities are improved upon. As it is, it feels as though people should socialise in smaller groups in their rooms, and this brings noise.

People are very loud in the halls after eleven--often as late as three. It happens when drunk people return home. Asking them to be quiet has no effect. Outside is worse. One technically can't tell them to be quiet.

We have very thin walls, but after the Warden's e-mail about noise complaints I think things will get better.

Sometimes I find that my neighbours don't get the fact that after a certain time they should be quiet when they are sitting out in the corridoor. I haven't made any noise complaints because I do get on with them, and it would make it extremely awkward if I did so because they would know it was me. They are always sitting in the corridoor until way past midnight, and are so loud; talking and laughing and banging doors.

A recurrent issue is the noise complaints, but I think everything could be clearer with regard to the handbook. You see, the handbook states that ''You are expected to make no noise audible from outside your room between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am''. But what about the rest of the day? The only thing mentioned is that ''Excessively loud music and other noise are not allowed at any time of day''. But then again how excessive is 'excessive' and what exactly 'other' refer to? Not that I have spent much time thinking about how this could be best verbalised, but I feel that it would be better if it said something like ''You are expected to make no noise audible from outside your room between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am, and during the other times of the day you can make audible from outside your room only the noises that you can't avoid such as the noise from the hairdryer or the electric shaver''.

The rules on my floor seem inconsistent. I have personally been asked to keep the noise down at 11pm when I was laughing with friends in my room (which I responded to) but times when people run up and down the hallway at 2am do not seem to be contacted.

It's be great if people were actually quiet after 11.

I think what the Warden team said in the recent letter about noise is the right thing.

In my halls, the Warden send a very adequate e-mail about the noise complaints, which I think will have a good effect on the residents.

The administration of discipline in the Hall is exactly summed up in the phrase 'adequate, fair, proportionate and reasonable'. The Warden shows a refreshing brilliance with regards to such matters.

I think the administration of discipline is adequate and fair. The recent rules about noise are necessary, and I am satisfied with how discipline is dealt with in Connaught.

Yes, fair, proportionate + reasonable.

Although I understand that noise complaints are serious, I think that the current system is too harsh, particularly as the walls and ceilings are thin and some people get noise complaints just from walking around their rooms. This needs to be taken into consideration.

Noise complaint procedures are quite long winded and excessive, though this has probably cut down the amount of complaints received, which is good.

Catering - residents' survey 2011

In the residents' survey 2001, there was more disatisfaction with catering than with any other service or facility in Hall.

The University of London has now commissioned an external consultant to research residents' views about our catering and look at ways of increasing satisfaction with this service. Any major changes are likely to be implemented in the 2012-13 academic year, since they may require changes to the fees structure and catering contracts.

In the shorter term, we will be looking at specific areas where dissatisfaction was highest, and at your individual suggestions on catering, to make small improvements where we can. The Facilities Committee will have an opportunity to discuss this in detail at its next meeting so talk to a member of the committee if there are any particular changes you would like to see implemented.

Further posts on catering will be published here as and when changes are agreed with the catering company.

See a summary of the survey results and a selection of the comments made at survey.connaught-hall.org.uk.

Library - residents' survey 2011

Early responses to the residents' survey showed a great deal of dissatisfaction with the library. In response, we were able to have decorators in to plaster the walls and repair the damaged windows, and re-paint the library.

Over the next few weeks (so in good time for the summer term, when the library tends to be most used), I want to have some shelves and books put into the library, hang some pictures on the walls, and place some bright uplighters to make it a nicer working environment.

See a summary of the survey results and a selection of the comments made at survey.connaught-hall.org.uk.

Residents' Survey results 2011

The results of the residents’ survey are now available to download at survey.connaught-hall.org.uk, including:

• A colour-coded report on the agree/disagree parts of the survey
• A selection of the free-text comments made
• A comparison of the responses for Connaught Hall vs all eight intercollegiate halls

There is also a link to a filtered version of my blog, where I will be publishing details of the action we are taking based on the survey responses.

Results of all Hall surveys from the last four years are also available from the same page, so you can compare with previous years’ results.

Valentine's party

Last night was a great party. I think everyone enjoyed themselves and quite a few got into the spirit of the Rubik's cube theme - well done Zac for the idea!

The next late party at Connaught Hall is on Saturday 12 March and will be a talent show organised by the Residents' Club Committee. Get practising for your act now....

Connaught Hall on Twitter

tweets.connaught-hall.org.uk

Follow us on Twitter for updates on what's going on in Hall!

We've been on Twitter for well over a year but it's been under-utilised until now. I have revived our account and hope it will become a useful way for us all to communicate.

Revised Residents' Handbook

The Connaught Hall Residents' Handbook has been fully revised for 2011.

At page 51 of the pdf is a "top ten tips" page. Many of these are a bit dull at the moment, so I am looking for suggestions - what little gems of information do you wish you had when you moved in? Pass on your experience to next year's new residents by contributing a "top ten tip"! Either email me or comment on this blog post with your ideas.

Other new content:

• a fully revised and expanded section on noise;
• maintenance response times;
• what to do if the washing machine breaks down;
• snow & ice policy;
• personal emergency evacuation plans for residents who may need special assistance in an evacuation;
• heating times;
• local transport links;
• gambling;
• alcohol;
• extensively revised sections on catering, re-admissions, the Facilities Committee, Residents' Club Committee, bar & common rooms, Bursar's Office, InHAB, and the Warden's team.

Library

Good news! After feedback from residents about the library, we have been able to secure funding for a refurbishment. Your library should be a much nicer environment to work in by the end of the week.

Residents' Survey 2011

survey.connaught-hall.org.uk

Feedback from residents is the best driver for us to improve the service we provide to you. Your opinion is important to us.

Residents from all the intercollegiate halls of residence will be invited to complete our online survey next week, but I can send Connaught Hall residents the link early (so if you complete this survey now, you can ignore the email you will get from info.halls next week). I can see your responses as soon as you send them, so the sooner you respond, the sooner I can start acting on your feedback!

Please use the free text sections to explain to us what you do and do not like about anything and everything in Hall. The more specific you can be, the better. And it is important that you tell us what is good as well as what is bad – to make sure we keep doing the things you already like, and reward the staff who are doing a good job.

It’s completely anonymous so you can say exactly what you really think.

I can see your responses in real time. Then, after the closing date, the results for all eight halls are sent to all the senior staff in all the halls as well as the Head of Residences & Facilities, the regional catering manager, the Facilities Contracts Manager, and the Director of Estates & Facilities – all senior University staff based at Senate House. So your opinions will be heard at a very high level.

Fill out the survey now – go to survey.connaught-hall.org.uk.

It’s the same survey as the one info.halls will contact you about next week – but the earlier you respond, the sooner I can get things done.

Getting on with your neighbours

Getting on with your neighbours

Last term went really well: the Senior Members and I received maybe four or five noise complaints in the whole three months of the term.

This term, in the first four weeks, we have received 14 noise complaints. I cannot understand why there has been such an increase in dissatisfaction with noise levels but the present situation is clearly unacceptable for many of you – and therefore for me – and things must change.


First, some advice:

Respect others’ needs for quiet time: they may want to sleep or study at different times from you.

Think about a time when you really wanted to sleep or had a coursework deadline and needed to study but you were prevented from doing so. It makes you annoyed, upset and stressed, and can seriously impact on your quality of life. You are all pleasant, normal people and I am certain that none of you want to inflict those feelings on your neighbours. So don’t!

Agree on quiet times with your neighbours: you might decide between yourselves that a bit of loud-ish music is ok at certain times at the weekend, for example, but at other times you should both try to be really quiet.

Noise travels further than you think, so talk quietly in corridors; and don’t run or shout in hallways or stairwells.

Remember the walls between rooms are thin; and the floors and ceilings transmit sound very easily (most noise complaints are about the room above or below). Most of us underestimate how much noise is generated just by having a few people in a room even without music, so please make a conscious effort to think about your neighbours if you have visitors in your room at night.

Our doors are heavy and have closer mechanisms to comply with fire safety regulations; so they make a bang when they close. Please try to pull your door closed quietly and pull the handle down so the lock doesn’t click, especially at night so you don’t wake up your neighbours.

In the garden keep noise down at all times: loud conversations in the garden can be heard in rear-facing rooms on the fourth floor! The garden is closed between 11.00 pm and 8.00 am – no one should be in the garden between these times at all.

Be polite and try to help if your neighbour knocks on your door and asks you to quieten down; next time it might be you asking for quiet!

You must be quiet 23.00 to 07.00: no noise at all should be audible from outside your room between these times. But just because it’s 8.00 pm doesn’t mean it’s ok to
make as much noise as you like. People need to study in the evenings and there isn’t room in the library for everybody.

Second, a warning:

Starting today, until the end of this term:

Anyone who is the subject of a single noise complaint will be required to attend a formal disciplinary interview and will not be offered another year in Hall next year, regardless of any other factors such as committee membership or medical problems.

A second complaint, if verified by a member of staff hearing the noise, will trigger another interview and an automatic fine of £40.

After a third complaint I will consider a higher level fine and/or expulsion from the Hall.

If you are being disturbed by noise:

Between 11.00 pm and 8.00 am: phone reception to report the problem. Reception will usually call the room making noise and ask them to be quiet. If it’s still noisy 10 minutes after your initial complaint, phone reception again and ask them to contact the Duty Senior Member.

Please don’t suffer in silence and wait until the next day to send an email about the noise: it is difficult for me to take disciplinary action unless a member of staff has verified how loud the noise was and confirmed which room it was coming from, so if you never report the noise while you can actually hear it, my ability to help you is very greatly reduced.

Afterwards, jot a quick email to noise@connaught-hall.org.uk to make sure your complaint is logged – sometimes if the receptionist deals with a noise complaint successfully, they don’t report the complaint to me, so I will only reliably hear about the problem if you also send an email.

Between 6.00 pm and 11.00 pm, Mon-Fri, and all day at weekends: knock on the person’s door and ask them to be quieter. Everyone has been asked in this email to respond politely to such requests. If they are rude or threatening in any way (it is very, very rare for this to happen), I will take that extremely seriously and they may be asked to leave the Hall. If they are still noisy 10 minutes later, phone reception and ask them to contact the Duty Senior Member.

Afterwards, jot a quick email to noise@connaught-hall.org.uk to make sure your complaint is logged – I will only reliably hear about the problem if you send an email.

Between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm, Mon- Fri: knock on the person’s door and ask them to be quieter. If they are still noisy 10 minutes later, phone reception and ask them to contact the Bursar’s Office.

Afterwards, jot a quick email to noise@connaught-hall.org.uk to make sure your complaint is logged – I will only reliably hear about the problem if you send an email.

If you are being persistently disturbed by the same person, go to the online form at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=S7agi_2brPvpgZTFq9_2bsvTmg_3d_3d and submit a noise complaint, giving as much detail as you possibly can. Depending on the times and level of noise, I may decide that disciplinary action is the only approach, or I may suggest that we convene a mediation-arbitration meeting to help you agree on quiet times and acceptable noise levels with your neighbour. See attachment for information about mediation-arbitration meetings.


Finally, a reminder of the rules about noise: (you have all signed to say you agree to abide by these rules by accepting your Licence Agreement)

The Intercollegiate Halls of Residence Licence Agreement says:

9.3 You must behave in a responsible and proper manner at all times with consideration for all other students, staff, local residents, and members of the public generally. Behaving in an aggressive, violent, abusive, insulting or threatening manner towards anyone in the Hall is not acceptable and is a disciplinary offence, which may lead to expulsion. It is expected that every student should be able to study or rest without disturbance from others at any time, and particularly from 11.00 pm. to 7.00 am.

The Connaught Hall Supplementary Regulations state:

7. You must make no noise audible outside your room between 11 pm and 7 am. Excessive noise is not allowed at any time. You can report noise problems to noise@connaught-hall.org.uk or use the online form at warden.connaught-hall.org.uk.

The Connaught Hall Residents’ Handbook says:

Noise disturbance generally creates the most dissatisfaction with Hall life, but every student should be able to study or rest without unreasonable disturbance from others at any time. Remember that other students may want to study or sleep at different times than you, and try to respect their needs for quiet time.

You are expected to make no noise audible from outside your room between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am. This rule is not negotiable. Excessively loud music and other noise are not allowed at any time of day. Residents — or their guests — who are unable to adhere to these guidelines will face disciplinary action and possible removal from the Hall.

If your neighbour(s) are making too much noise, please try to talk to them yourself
first. If this is ineffective, call reception and ask for the on-call Duty Officer (a member of the Warden’s team). We can help you a lot more if we actually hear the noise for ourselves and speak directly to the person responsible at the time. It is much more difficult if you wait until the next day to tell us about it!

The Warden’s team is responsible for dealing with noise complaints. If you find your neighbour(s) to be persistently noisy, talk to the Warden or a Senior Member, email noise@connaught-hall.org.uk, or use the form at warden.connaught-hall.org.uk.

It is regrettable that I have had to write to everyone about this. I really hope that having been reminded of the need to be considerate of your neighbours, everyone will get on a little better with one another and I shall not have to proceed to formal disciplinary action.

Apple cores in children’s nursery behind Connaught Hall

Apple cores in children’s nursery behind Connaught Hall

Those of you who live on the back of the Hall, facing the courtyard garden, are probably aware that there is a children’s nursery in the buildings on the other side of the courtyard, with a small garden fenced off from ours.

The staff at the nursery have been finding apple cores in their garden most mornings for the last few weeks and they have complained to us that they think these apple cores are being thrown out of windows at Connaught Hall.

I have no way of proving or disproving their suspicion but this week their staff rescued a child just in time from choking on an apple core he had picked up in the garden. It was very a serious “near-miss”. So please, please let’s make sure nothing of ours ends up in the garden of the nursery. Throwing things out of the window is a breach of paragraph 8.2 of the Connaught Hall Supplementary Regulations – and can lead to expulsion – but that is of no significance whatever if a child chokes to death on something that one of us threw out of the window as rubbish.

The apple cores may never have come from Connaught Hall – but please let us all have an absolutely clear conscience on this.