North's Students Warned Over Paddy's Day

Students in the North are very much in the news today as they are being warned to behave on St Patrick's Day.

The Stormont Minister for Employment and Learning is also launching two consultation papers on university issues - academic news that comes on the same day as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ulster and the President of the University of Ulster Students' Union have urged students to enjoy St Patrick's Day responsibly.

In a joint letter to all University of Ulster students on all the university's four campuses at Belfast, Jordanstown, Coleraine and Magee Professor Richard Barnett and Adrian Kelly told students: "You should be aware that you are a representative of the University both on and off campus and carry with you the good name and reputation of the University."

Referring to near full-scale rioting in Belfast's 'Holylands' they said: "In the past, anti-social behaviour by some students has tarnished the good name of the University and its student body, and resulted in criminal convictions for some students as well as disciplinary penalties for others."

And they warned that the University was determined to invoke its disciplinary procedures where necessary to protect its good name.

"Be assured that the University will act swiftly against any of our students identified as bringing the University into disrepute through their behaviour on St Patrick's Day.

"Accordingly, we ask that you be respectful and considerate of local residents and the communities that you live in, in order to protect the reputation of your University and to foster good community relations."

After previous St Patrick's Day celebrations - which descended into a near riot in the Holyland area of south Belfast in 2009 - a CCTV pilot scheme has since been installed into the south Belfast area, where many students live.

But, while much of the focus on St Patrick's Day will inevitably be on Belfast, Professor Barnett and Mr Kelly stressed the wider context for the University of Ulster: "We also trust our students at Magee and Coleraine will enjoy St Patrick's Day in ways that bring credit to themselves and their university."

On other student issues in focus today, the Ulster Unionist Minister, Danny Kennedy, has been making it clear that he will "make no decision" on the future of university tuition fees in the lifetime of this Assembly - although that is only a life of mere weeks.

Minister Kennedy's consultation paper sets out five different options - from scrapping the fees to imposing the £9,000 a year charge agreed in England.

But as Sinn Fein has already said it would block any increase in fees over the current £3,000 a year, there may be problems in store at Stormont - given the need for cross-community support for legislation.

A second consultation paper will be revealed on the proposed merger of Stranmillis College and Queen's University Belfast.

Queen's has said it has set aside £5m to refurbish the buildings and it intends to move its own teacher training courses to the site.

However, opponents are concerned about the loss of the particular ethos of Stranmillis and the possibility of the grounds being used for housing development.

See: Holyland Gets CCTV For St Pat's Day

(BMcC/KMcA)