VISION CAN exclusively reveal the plans for Constantine College nucleus, due to open October 2014 next year.
Constantine College, the third college to join the Heslington East campus development, is set to accommodate 621 students.
Vision has been informed that Constantine College’s JCRC and Second and Third Year Contact (STYC) system will be open to all university members.
Tom Clark, a second year History student, gave his view on the new JCRC system: “It looks like this will not only enable and encourage more students to get involved in JCRCs, but will result in Constantine being run by the best people the University has to offer – hopefully ensuring its first year is a successful one!”
The move to open up the college committee and STYC positions has been received with a mixed reaction from Langwith College Chair, Sam Maguire.
“In many ways, I am excited by Constantine College. It will add a lot to the Heslington East campus in terms of making it even busier and the facilities that are to be built around it.”
“However, the university has to realise that college spirit isn’t an instant thing – it develops over time. I am unsure how good the support will be for new students.”
“STYCs are there to ensure people have a safe freshers week, but also to integrate new students into college life. How can the university expect that to happen in a brand new college?”
On his recommendations to the university, Maguire told Vision, “I hope the university will finally see, when they try to make freshers week work in a brand new college, the value of the service that volunteers in colleges put on with little or no support from the University.”
The University is still undertaking discussions to build shops and a medical centre on the Heslington East campus.
The discussions come following an announcement by Sainsbury’s earlier this month that a new supermarket is set to replace DIY store B&Q on Hull Road.
It will mean that the inhabitants of Langwith and Goodricke who do not currently have access to groceries as easily as their counterparts on Heslington West, will.
Sainsbury’s head of town planning Brian Moore expressed delight at the opportunity of opening a new store when speaking to the York Press.