Seven punished over student fires last year

Seven students were punished by University of Otago vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne for their involvement with fires in the student quarter last year.

The university's 2012 annual discipline reports were released yesterday, and shows 15 students were referred to Prof Hayne last year.

Those disciplinary reports showed ''students who were caught lighting fires and who went through the full disciplinary process, were given a semester off'', she said.

That included a second-year student who piled wooden material in the middle of Leith St north and set it alight, and was suspended for the second semester of 2012.

Three other students were also stood down for a semester for their involvement in lighting fires.

In another incident, a second-year student who attempted to set fire to a duvet draped over himself - and who later provided false details to Campus Watch - was given a penalty of 50 hours' community service.

Prof Hayne said she was disappointed to hear about an incident earlier this month involving two students who jumped off a fire engine.

She endorsed moves by the Fire Service and the police to take a stronger stance.

''Sometimes, students do get themselves in activities that do require the action of the police, and I will strongly support police in their actions.''

The best way for the university to deal with other disciplinary incidents was through its code of conduct, she said.

During 2012, Prof Hayne dealt with 15 cases referred by the provost, who in turn dealt with 25 students referred by the proctor.

Last year, the proctor dealt with 512 students over the same period, a decrease of 21 on the previous year.

Prof Hayne said students understood the dangers of lighting fires and were supportive of measures to prevent future incidents.

''I would really like to go back to being the vice-chancellor rather than the judge, jury and the jailer.''

She stressed that alcohol consumption by University of Otago students was no different from other institutions.

''We know that students all over the country are drinking too much alcohol. It is not an Otago-specific problem.''

''What is an Otago-specific problem is the anti-social behaviour which comes from concentrating a large number of young people in one area.''

Pastoral care initiatives, such as Campus Watch and reminding students about the dangers of alcohol, were provided for students in order to reduce the drinking to ''a dull roar'', she said.

- hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz