By Angela Lovely
Pressure is building against University of London’s plans to remove intercollegiate hall wardens and vice-wardens and replace them with volunteers and admin staff.
Nearly a thousand people have put their name to a petition calling for the keeping of wardens at University of London’s eight central London halls of residence.
While students will see increased fees they will also have to pay more to live in intercollegiate halls. Now the University of London want to free up the space taken by hall wardens and pack more students in to the buildings.
Students argue that the wardens provide vital support for the students at halls. Wardens work part-time and provide a number of different services for students and live on site among them.
The warden at Connaught Hall in Bloomsbury has spoken out against the University’s plans. He wrote on his blog:
I believe the University’s proposal is wrong and dangerous. I think it threatens the very healthy and enjoyable community and social life from which intercollegiate halls residents currently benefit, and may be harmful to the welfare of more vulnerable students.
UoL managers will make a decision at the end of June whether to go ahead with the plans to get rid of hall wardens.
Students have created a video, a Facebook group setting out their concerns and inviting people to sign their petition.