Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Students thrown off course for throwing a party.

563 replies

Cotbedy · 07/03/2021 11:37

Basically, a load of students held a party of around 16/17 people. They got reported, they all got a £400 fine, apart from the host who got a £10,000 fine.

Then their Uni kicked them all off their courses for bringing the Uni into disrepute.

I think this is probably a fair and reasonable punishment, but DP thinks the Uni have gone too far and they're being unfair.

I'm curious to hear others' thoughts on the matter! Fair or unreasonable?

OP posts:
sunflowersandbuttercups · 07/03/2021 13:29

@SoupDragon

So they've been punished twice?
No. There are just multiple consequences for what they did.

It's similar to what happens when someone who drives for a living gets caught speeding. The first consequence is a fine and points on their license. The second consequence is them losing their job as they're required to have a clean license in order to work for the company.

PearlclutchersInc · 07/03/2021 13:29

Fair, they knew perfectly well that there were penalties. And guess what, they got caught.

GreenlandTheMovie · 07/03/2021 13:29

@Theythinkitsalloveritisnow

People who break the rules aren't losing their jobs as well as being fined. Young people have made huge sacrifices for something that is unlikely to affect them seriously, and now they're being kicked out of uni for making an admittedly stupid mistake. Is the Scottish politician Covid Margaret still hanging on on full pay?
And even if you get fired from a job, at least you have a half decent chance of getting another one. Getting thrown out of uni at age 18 or 19 or 20 or whatever literally changes your whole future. Given that many will struggle to fund a second degree course.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Higher education
Toilenstripes · 07/03/2021 13:30

Oxford has had it’s students sign an honour document that they will obey the rules and consider the wider community.

Lookatthemshine · 07/03/2021 13:30

Ridiculous and over the top. People have openly said on here that they’re breaking the rules, or family members are yet if they got fined and then lost their jobs you’d cry that was unfair. Young people have had a rough run and they made a mistake - why should this affect the rest of their lives? Shame on you holier than thou bunch baying for blood. And no, I haven’t broken any Covid rules so this is not about me.

LalalalalalaLand123 · 07/03/2021 13:31

Totally fair.

Florelei · 07/03/2021 13:32

I’m really torn on this. On the one hand I think it’s only something like this happening which will stop others from doing the same but it does seem REALLY harsh to throw them out of university.

They are only young and who hasn’t done something daft when they were young?

Catra · 07/03/2021 13:32

Was this Nottingham University?

CovidCrow · 07/03/2021 13:33

Is this even true?
Do you have a source OP? (Sorry I hate it when mners say that)
What uni is it?
Why namechange? 🧐

Sparklingbrook · 07/03/2021 13:34

I have been Googling but can't find anything recent about unis and lockdown rule flouting.

wizzywig · 07/03/2021 13:35

For those who have said its nothing, and like having a traffic offence, believe me, a traffic offence can be life changing/ ending if you're on the receiving end. I'm sure those who have suffered bereavements or illness due to covid won't think this a big deal

Sparklingbrook · 07/03/2021 13:35

Did the party take place on Uni property? ie halls?

SpilltheTea · 07/03/2021 13:36

They should have thought about the consequences before being so stupid.

KaptainKaveman · 07/03/2021 13:36

The OP won't provide any proof. Is it even true?

sunflowersandbuttercups · 07/03/2021 13:36

@Toilenstripes

Oxford has had it’s students sign an honour document that they will obey the rules and consider the wider community.
Lots of universities have this in their student terms and conditions and have done for a long time.

When I was at university around 2010 it was in the handbook that bringing the university into disrepute and/or breaking the law in a way that endangered others would get you kicked out. It's not new.

BirthChoice · 07/03/2021 13:37

Universities are little more than modern middle class finishing schools (I say this as someone who has both been a university student and worked at a university).
They have a code of conduct and, unlike state primary and secondary schools, are under no obligation to provide an education to anyone. They choose whether they want to educate you and can, essentially, withdraw the offer as they see fit.
No comment from me whether that is morally / ethically right or wrong.
There were definitely times at uni when we would think, in the words of Hermione Granger, ‘we don’t want to get killed, or worse, expelled’.

Mrgrinch · 07/03/2021 13:37

I think it was perfectly reasonable. The same as an adult will lose their job if they bring their company into disrepute.

To those saying that they shouldn't lose their future career prospects because of one party- they made that choice. They put that party ahead of their course and their career.

Cam77 · 07/03/2021 13:39

Its a tough one. people breaking rules (en mass) has far greater consequences than a 400 quid slap on the reflects.
I think they should have been given a choice of A) say 100 hours unpaid voluntary work for the community. B) leaving the course.
Basically a stricter punishment, but not messing up their future.

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 07/03/2021 13:39

I would also say there's a massive difference between straying into a bus lane by mistake and attending a party during lockdown when you are knowingly the rules.

I would also bet your bottom dollar that they'd already transgressed in other ways and they were kicked off their courses for the party 'final straw' offence.

Cam77 · 07/03/2021 13:39

As well as the fine, obviously.

CeibaTree · 07/03/2021 13:39

I don't think that's fair. They were fined in accordance with the law - I doubt anyone will be blacklisting the university over some students throwing a party, but it might put people off going there in the future seeing how draconian they were regarding throwing the students out.

thevassal · 07/03/2021 13:39

Way too harsh. Those working aren't going to get dismissed if they get fined for breaching covid regs so why should students?

Also love the way the university doesn't want to be associated with a small party, but most unis are happy to wipe their hands of, and wouldn't think of getting involved with noise complaints, vandalism, drunkenness, rape accusations, drug taking/dealing, or any other issues that come up between police and students in non-covid times.

Either the university is acting in a pseudo-parental role or it isn't. It can't pick and choose when it gets involved in its students lives.

Feel quite sorry for students tbh. 18 year olds are least at risk for getting ill or dying from covid, yet they've had their exams cancelled, all last year at school ruined, stress from unclear a-level results, haven't been able to go on holiday/see their friends, then they are enticed to uni under false pretences of normal-ish hall life and face to face lectures only to find they will be spending 95% of their time in a grotty tiny room staring at a computer miles away from their friends and family and paying £15grand a year for the privilege. Oh and then they when they do graduate, if they are lucky enough to find a job, they will probably be paying for covid bailouts for the rest of their working lives. And they're as far down the vaccination queue as it's possible to be.

Meanwhile over 70s have their income triple locked and are booking cruises for the summer, living life as normal. Can't blame them for being pissed off, tbh, just surprised they're "only" having small parties rather than protesting.

CeibaTree · 07/03/2021 13:40

PS Is this even true - where did you hear about this OP?

ssd · 07/03/2021 13:40

Far too harsh.
All I read on here are posters demented that their 60 and 70 yr old parents are constantly breaking the rules. And we dont hear of any punishments there.

Bluntness100 · 07/03/2021 13:40

To those saying that they shouldn't lose their future career prospects because of one party- they made that choice. They put that party ahead of their course and their career

But they are likely teenagers or young adults. And we all made stupid mistakes at this age. And it was a stupid mistake which shouldn’t cost them their futures.