Advice Please,(non boaty)

[gonfishing]

Hi
My daughter has been in Halls of Residence at University for the past term, despite repeated letters and emails from Parents of the Students, there has been no hot water available for showering or bathing until mid day, and which only lasts for about half an hour before it runs cold again, this is affecting about 60 students.
So can anyone please advise on the best course of action to take? and what the Universities duties are, or should I just make it all clear to the local Enviromental Health Authority and Local Press ?

Oh and sod the punctuation my temper is rising!!!

Thanks

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[hlb]

Cover all students in farm yard manure. Send same to The gov's ? Headmasters/ Pricipals (Tick Box) office. Then parade them through university lecture rooms, staff rooms and any where else that seems fitting. Making sure that there is plenty of muck spread on the way!!

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[whisper]

Some options according to my recently ex-student son.
1) Get all students affected by the problem to send a letter to the appropriate authority (College or Uni. Accom. Office) stating that if the problem is not cured within 48 hrs they will deduct a sum from next terms fees - say £10 per day per each days inconvenience suffered.
2) His college declared that the accomodation they provided included hot and cold water etc. Should be either in their prospectus or else the Universitys one. There also might be some reference to their duties in the accomodation agreement that the student signs at the begining of the year. If so then threaten to sue for breach of contract.
3) Get the Students Union on the case.
4) Go to the local press.
5) Barricade the entrance to the Hall or the Uni. accom. office and have a sit in.

Oh and ignore hlbs advice as no one will notice the difference /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by whisper on 02/12/2003 22:06 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[BrendanS]

What's the underlying reason for the problem - is it a problem with the system, or is a timer set wrong, or the residence cutting costs?

<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate

 

[gonfishing]

Stage three and all preceeding stages met,so I guess it's now time for the EHO'S and local press.
Thanks all

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[bountyboat]

If they had this hot/cold water would they play 'boats' in it ? Thus making their problem suitable for Motor Boat Chat Forum

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[BrendanS]

see my response to your other post on the matter.

<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate

 

[gonfishing]

Hi Brendan
I recall that you have had some experience with this type of problem,in the past.??It is not a situation that dissimilar to what can happen in any Marina so advice on the best method of resolution would be appreciated, other than resorting to the authorities, which does no one any good in the end.
regards
julian

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[BrendanS]

I used to be a Warden in a large (850+ students, which at 1am of a Saturday morning can get quite interesting when the coaches start arriving back from the Student Union, but that's another story) Uni halls of residence when I was a postgrad student.

You have to understand how uni administrations work, and going to the top directly doesn't always work particularly well, as they'll just have a PA hand the message onto some admin drone to pass the message back to whoever runs the halls of residence. The most bureaucratic organisations on earth!

Is your daughter confrontational, yet well spoken and diplomatic? If not, have her find a student who is to represent the whole halls (get a halls meeting together), and ask to meet president of the student union, and the student union newspaper. Tell them the problem, and ask student union to set up a meeting with facilities manager and chancellor. They should have direct access. Don't take no for an answer. Some student union types are idiots, some are just dying to take on a cause and are quite good at it, so get daughter to ask people who know student union officers who is good.

Is there a warden type person in the halls of residence, and does he/she live in or just visit a few times a week? These people can be very influential, particularly if they don't have hot water either.

If all else fails, a sit in is a good idea. Students are very good at these, and love to organise them. Don't organise a sit in at halls of residence though, do it properly, and take over senior bureaucrats offices - causes much more mayhem and gets far more attention. Try the first option first though.

Local press will have no effect for this sort of thing - until sit in happens. Press like these too!

If option one fails, let me know reasons why and will advise further

The nice thing about these forums is that there is a great deal of non boaty experience to be drawn on in times of need

<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate

 

[gonfishing]

Thanks Brendon

I have sent your reply to my daughter should be interesting to see how things develope,

cheers
Julian

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[BrendanS]

One thing I can tell you from having been inside the system, parents letters complaints etc have little effect. They expect students to solve things themselves. Parental intervention can actually be negative. You have to use the system to good effect.Your daughter will get this resolved faster and with more effect if you coach her rather than writing letters.


<hr width=100% size=1> I asked an economist for her phone number....and she gave me an estimate