Lincoln College may seek student flats

Press, 25 July 1984, Page 2

Lincoln College may seek student flats

The Lincoln College Council should investigate the possibility of providing accommodation for students, other than those in the halls of residence, the council was told yesterday. The Lincoln Halls and Union management committee yesterday recommended that the council should continue to recognise the seriousness and extent of the housing problem facing the college’s students. The committee had considered a research report from the Lincoln College Students’ Association, outlining the accommodation problems. The college should employ a staff member to run an accommodation service for flatting students, the committee recommended. The committee’s chairman, Mr G. B. Robertson, told the meeting that an accommodation officer could take over the leases of flats round Lincoln, then sub-let them to students, carrying the responsibility for tenants. This was similar to how the accommodation officer functioned at the University of Canterbury.

Mr Robertson said there were a number of students at the beginning of the year

who wanted to stay in the halls of residence but were unable to. Many lived for the first part of the year in unsuitable accommodation, such as sleeping on the floor in friends’ fiats. There were many students who did not like living on the campus, but who wanted to live relatively close to the college, he said. The committee recommended that the council establish an interim target of housing 100 students in 25 four bedroom flats within the next five years. The president of the Students’ Association, Mi* F. H. Elworthy, said that the college catered adequately for first-year students, who were placed in the halls of residence, but not for second-year and third-year students who were not in the halls. The committee’s report was referred to the executive committee which would report back to the next meeting of the council. L.C.S.A. role Mr Elworthy asked the council to clarify the relationship between the college and the Students’ Association. It was the role of the association to run functions

by itself, he said. “We should , be able to have some autonomy in running our own affairs.” Mr Elworthy emphasised, however, that the principal, Professor R. H. M. Langer, was consulted on most of the activities organised by the association.' Recently, the association, had wanted to advertise tickets for a dinner with the outgoing Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon. Professor Langer had said that the advertisements, to be broadcast by radio, should be cancelled. The association had complied with Professor Langer’s wishes, but did want to know where it stood and how much authority it had. Professor Langer said that considerable discussion bad been held with the association over that subject this year. He recommended that the Students’ Association be free to advertise at its own discretion, but after consultation with the principal. He said it was a legal matter and should be drawn to the registrar’s attention. The meeting decided to hold the matter over until the next meeting, pending the registrar’s reply.