Increase in altercations between students living in dormitories, says UWI registrar
The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Registrar, Dr Donovan Stanberry is reporting that there has been an increase in altercations between students living in the dormitories.
Stanberry, who made the comment on Friday during the university’s Annual Campus Council Meeting, was speaking in reference to the student accused of torturing his ex-girlfriend with a clothing iron in his dorm room.
READ: UWI student accused of torturing ex-girlfriend remanded, slapped with more charges
“We have in fact seen an optic of reported incidents of altercations between students on [the] hall (dormitory). That is an exact replica of what is happening in our society. In fact high schools and other educational institutions have reported these incidences, particularly since [the] return from COVID and full face-to-face engagement across the educational space,” Stanberry said.
He added that the university has policies and regulations in place to deal with these kinds of incidents, which includes the campus police.
“In the case of the alleged torture of the student, it is well known that the accused person is in custody, so that is proceeding on that legal track. We have invoked our disciplinary proceedings. I know that emotions run high in these cases, but we are constrained to follow procedure and processes and ensure that due process ensures to be fair to all involved,” he said.
Stanberry further stated that the university remains “quite alert” and they are working with our students through the office of student services and development to re-orientate them.
“I mean we have lost so much during COVID, now that they are back with us, we try to work with them. Our entire counselling service is behind our students to support them and to help with conflict resolution, to help students in terms of how they conduct themselves, to advise them to work in groups [and] to look out for each other,” Stanberry explained.
“We do have robust sexual harassment policies, not only here at Mona campus, but across the entire university. Those are well publicised and our students know if they are involved in any way as a victim etcetera, they can in fact have access to our disciplinary procedures and get the kind of support and protection that they deserve,” he continued.
Meanwhile, UWI, Mona Council Chairman, Dr Earl Jarrett said the university is “completely shocked and surprised at this allegation.”
“We reject any such behaviour on the campus,” he said.
Chiming in, Vice Chancellor Hilary Beckles sought to remind the public that for decades the dormitories have long been a place of development, identity building and regional consciousness.
“We’ve heard so many prime ministers speak about their dormitory days, and most of the leaders of our region speak about how they became the kinds of persons that they have become because they were living in these dormitories,” Beckles said.
At the same time, he commended the registrar for his leadership in handling the alleged torture incident.
“I listened to how this matter was being handled at Mona, and I think the registrar has done an excellent job in speaking frankly and fairly to the families involved, to the media, to the country and to give sureties that we have policies, we have protocols, we have counselling service. All of these things are built into our dormitory world and we will use them to ensure that this matter is dealt with and this kind of thing does not occur again in the future,” Beckles stated.