Canberra Universities dangerous... who's surprised?

eq2 said :

Given this argument, what should the students do to address this problem?

It’s hard to answer that given the broad range of issues and differences across campuses.
In the context of the ANU, a culture shift is required at a basic level.

It’s all about culture. The culture needs to shift in terms of what students want and what they consider acceptable amongst themselves. Universities can’t and shouldn’t have to hold students hands all the time, particularly outside of educational contexts. Obviously the assaults and so on are criminal matters and should be dealt with by police. But students are reluctant to do that.
So in the end, it is up to students to create a better culture for themselves and as community leaders, student associations like ANUSA should be on the front foot…. they’re not.

In terms of specifics, the focus of O-Week at ANU for example is all wrong. Uni of Sydney has a short O-Week and the focus is on entertainment, bands, comedians, art shows. Similar things at Uni of Melbourne. Grog wasn’t a focus in their marketing. Sure, people got drunk and did stupid things, that’s society, but at least the student body wasn’t promoting it or making drinking central to socialising.

ANUSA is drinks focused. You can see from the program above and on their website that the program has very little draw cards other than cheap grog and plenty of people in a confined space.

Here’s some quotes from the ANUSA program:

“Every Thursday uniVibes unites the uni with cheap beer and a diverse array of student musicians.”

“Get your groove on and step back in time to 1960, when the ANU first opened its doors to undergraduate students! Those with SASS Membership cards can present them to the bar for discounted drinks and, if you’ve picked up a voucher on Market Day, your first drink is free!”

“Why bother spending the day with the *one* you love when you could spend it dating EVERYONE? Come have a drink in the Beer Garden “

“Come join the Sexuality Department for a Champagne Breakfast! All LGBTIQ students and supportive friends are welcome for pancakes and a glass of bubbly.”

Notice how every event that can have drinking, that is the selling point. Cheap beer, free beer… more beer!

Make the events more entertainment focused with alcohol as a subtle side attraction. Promote a culture among students that can police itself and be more responsible. Have ANUSA set up mechanisms and resources to promote these things and support those unlucky enough to be victims of something.

Personally I’d take NUS surveys with a grain of salt, they’re kinda notorious for leading questions and the like.

The other thing is that the ‘unsafe at night’ aspect has been somewhat disingenuously linked to drinking in this article – There have been multiple muggings and assaults on students at night at ANU over the years, often on students returning to colleges from the city. These aren’t necessarily perpetrated by students at all. It’s my understanding that muggings and the like have been a problem at UC for a while as well.
The finding that “Three-quarters of respondents said they sometimes or always feel unsafe on campus at night.”, even taking it at face value, isn’t just or even necessarily primarily to do with the student drinking culture.

creative_canberran said :

eq2 said :

Of course there’s going to be drinking. No one is saying there shouldn’t be. My point is drinking, whether in moderation or in excess is a personal choice. It is a choice of students and therefore the problems that result are those of the students. Why should the Universities have to do more than they already do?
And best for ANUA not to speak of policies. Those who care already know what they say, those who don’t will be too drunk to remember them when it counts.

Given this argument, what should the students do to address this problem?

So what? Do all the students who don’t particularly like hanging out in scungy nightclubs and get maggoted get the arse during o week? Doesn’t seem terribly inclusive to me….

eq2 said :

Heavy drinking at social events is not isolated to the ANU O-week schedule or events run by student clubs and associations. Heavy drinking occurs at opportunities such as house parties, work functions and in college dorm rooms. At all these events there is a risk that someone could be taken away to do something they would not consent to. At universities everywhere there is demand for drinking events regardless of who runs the events.

The events organised by student associations and clubs can often be safer drinking experiences as they have security, food, no pass outs, restricted attendance etc. If these events were not organised the students demand for opportunities to party would be satisfied by met by unofficial parties that would be less safe as they would be organised by people who are less scrutinised and accountable than the student associations or clubs.

Given that excessive drinking is going to occur regardless of the existence of formal events the two main issues are safety at the event and safety after the event. There may be opportunity to put more policies in place to ensure that all parties operated by student organisations are safer. Preventing incidences occurring after events is more difficult.

Information on event safety at ANU provided by the student association:
http://sa.anu.edu.au/events/event-safety

That is very disingenuous. The page you link to about the provision of security lists the security services provided by the University already via Unisafe. It says nothing about ANUSA providing security. In fact, all it says from the ANUSA perspective is “shag safely” and if you feel dizzy from drugs, call an ambulance… the police won’t have to know.

So ANUSA starting O-Week and the first week of Uni for first years with a bender to 4 different establishments is what… encouraging safer drinking? And from all accounts, O-Week was particularly bad this year, official parties inclusive.

The fundamental point though is the ANU (like others) offers UniSafe; guards, a shuttle bus and escorts for students returning to their resi, at no charge to students. Yet students in the story call on Unis to do more… what more should they do?

Of course there’s going to be drinking. No one is saying there shouldn’t be. My point is drinking, whether in moderation or in excess is a personal choice. It is a choice of students and therefore the problems that result are those of the students. Why should the Universities have to do more than they already do?
And best for ANUA not to speak of policies. Those who care already know what they say, those who don’t will be too drunk to remember them when it counts.

Heavy drinking at social events is not isolated to the ANU O-week schedule or events run by student clubs and associations. Heavy drinking occurs at opportunities such as house parties, work functions and in college dorm rooms. At all these events there is a risk that someone could be taken away to do something they would not consent to. At universities everywhere there is demand for drinking events regardless of who runs the events.

The events organised by student associations and clubs can often be safer drinking experiences as they have security, food, no pass outs, restricted attendance etc. If these events were not organised the students demand for opportunities to party would be satisfied by met by unofficial parties that would be less safe as they would be organised by people who are less scrutinised and accountable than the student associations or clubs.

Given that excessive drinking is going to occur regardless of the existence of formal events the two main issues are safety at the event and safety after the event. There may be opportunity to put more policies in place to ensure that all parties operated by student organisations are safer. Preventing incidences occurring after events is more difficult.

Information on event safety at ANU provided by the student association:
http://sa.anu.edu.au/events/event-safety

Was it ever otherwise?