At least one University of Otago student has said he fears he
will be suspended from university for up to six months for
his part in last month's melee in Castle St.
However, the university has not confirmed what penalties it
is considering.
• OUSA conflict cited for appeals
Twenty-six University of Otago students faced charges after
the disorder, in which drunken mobs threw bottles at police
and lit fires over two nights after the arrival of the Undie
500 rally from Christchurch.
Police have opposed diversions.
The university has promised those convicted in court are
likely to face a second penalty in the form of sanctions from
the university.
As one 18-year-old student pleaded guilty in the Dunedin
District Court last Friday to a charge of behaving in a
disorderly manner likely to cause violence, his counsel asked
the judge to take into consideration his client faced a
possible six months' expulsion from the university because of
his actions.
A suspension that long would jeopardise his client's studies,
the lawyer said.
But the judge convicted and fined the teen, and told him it
was not enough to be remorseful after the event.
Yesterday, a university spokesman said the university did not
discuss details of individual students involved in
disciplinary proceedings.
It was inappropriate to say anything anyway, because
disciplinary processes relating to the "Undie 500 culprits"
were still under way, the spokesman said.
Earlier this year, the university, using its disciplinary
powers under the code of conduct, suspended three students
for a semester after they were seen in footage behaving in a
disorderly manner during the toga parade in Dunedin's George
St.
None of the students was charged with any crime. One of them
is now involved in a judicial review of the university's
ability to suspend people for their actions off campus.
After the Castle St disorder, vice-chancellor Prof Sir David
Skegg said the university would come down hard on students
whose "loutish behaviour" threatened the university's
reputation.
The university also planned to scrutinise footage from the
two nights, with the aim of identifying other students
involved in the disorder.
- debbie.porteous@odt.co.nz
A new course perhaps?
Consequences 101.
Boo hoo. I'll try and shed a
Boo hoo. I'll try and shed a tear.