[visiongallery set=72157631882903312]
First year students at the University of York have voiced their complaints regarding the on-campus accommodation conditions. Vision can reveal that the University has received warnings about the quality of accommodation blocks in the annual campus condition survey earlier this year.
Many students still feel their accommodation is not up to standard however.
The survey, conducted by respected chartered surveyors Drake & Kannemeyer, sent out warnings regarding the poor kitchen provisions and inadequate shower facilities amongst a myriad of other problems with some of the less desirable blocks on campus.
The condition survey described how in the old Langwith E Block, there was an “overall major redecoration and upgrade required imminently”, whilst multiple blocks in James College were judged to have their communal facilities “not acceptable to current standards.” Issues with heating regulation systems were also noted in a number of blocks, although little appears to have been done to correct this.
Not acceptable
Fairfax House, the off-campus accommodation which was passed over to York St John earlier this summer was said to have “Inadequate provision of kitchens, bathroom/toilet facilities, all not to current standard. All requires significant upgrade finishes etc.”
One first year James resident, who asked not to be named, told Vision: “I was told the accommodation allocation system was being sorted out this year but I still had a ton of problems. The toilets and showers are grim, and during peak times there just isn’t enough room for everyone to use the kitchens. Our STYCs told us it wasn’t great but I didn’t expect this!”
The survey also detailed a number of problems with heating regulation systems and problems with fire regulations in accommodation blocks. The survey on postgraduate accommodation block Constantine House described how there was “new carpets being fitted at time of survey, other works should have been prioritised,” whilst facilities across campus were described as being in “poor condition”.
“Requires significant upgrades”
In her annual executive report presented to University Council in July, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Jane Grenville admitted that some of the on campus accommodation offered to students was “less appealing” and that residents in these blocks suffered an “apparent adversity” although students commented that this “ensured a closer community.”
One second year Langwith student reacted to the report saying: “Whilst living together in ‘apparent adversity’ last year was fun, it doesn’t excuse how bad it really was – our bathrooms were almost unusable.”
Grenville also reported that “catered accommodation continues to be popular,” despite YUSU’s issues with the system that were voiced by President Kallum Taylor in blog posts during the summer period. The YUSU survey on the subject is yet to be published.
Inadequate provision
The University of York responded with a statement: “‘It is not true that the University has ignored the results of the condition survey. We have already begun our programme of refurbishment of student accommodation on Heslington West in addition to building new accommodation on Heslington East. A large proportion of rooms in our older buildings are catered and, therefore, kitchens are only used for meals at lunchtimes and at weekends.
“We shall continue to give the upgrading of student accommodation on Heslington West a high priority. However, this has to be done over a number of years as removing accommodation from use all at once would lead to a temporary shortage of rooms.”
The University accommodation, particularly Halifax College and Langwith have been atrocious for at least 7 years. There is no benefit to living in ‘apparent adversity’ except arguments between housemates (including bullying) and disruption to academic studies as a result of the poor accommodation.
The University as usual goes into denial mode in reponse to every complaint made! Why does senior management have an inability to accept that there is a problem with accommodation? Why do senior management continue to trivialise and minimize the problems of poor accommodation? The University environment is *EVERYTHING*.
If I can’t have a shower because the facilities are so poor that pubic hair clogs the plug hole and causes the water to rise, I am likely to dread having a shower. As a result I will turn up to class smelly having decided to rationalise my showers to twice a week as this is all I am able to endure. I may even decide to go home for half of the week where I can meet my basic hygiene requirements, thus missing half a weeks lecturers every week!
If I cannot use the kitchen because there are 16 people using the kitchen facilities, I am likely to a. not eat, b. eat junk food every night c. overspend on ‘food to go’ i.e. sandwiches and things that I can eat without cooking.
The accommodation is dire, it is horrid. I cannot overstate how important it is to me as a student to have satisfactory accommodation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(!)
I simply cannot express how poor the accommodation office staff are in dealing with complaints about the poor accommodation. I am abolutely livid and will likely transfer to another University where the living conditions are better.
I feel so undignified living in such poor accommodation. It actually ruins my spirit and my soul is stirred.
I hope the new Brian Cantor knows what he is getting himself into. He can be our very own Barack Obama – fixing problems that he did not create.
Oh shut up and stop whining.. Please do transfer! I’ll pay you to.
Thanks Vision. This just confirms what we all already knew – that the accommodation on campus is quite bad. I remember moving on campus on my first day (nobody forgets their first day at uni!) and being disgusted by the accommodation. I spent the next 5 month asking to move accommodation only to be dealt with by the rude male receptionist and accommodation managers in Market Square.
Also – LOL @ the annual ‘executive’ report written by the Deputy Vice Chancellor and all other annual reports written by members of the senior management.
If the deputy executive of KFC wrote an annual report do you think it would talk about how unhealthy the food was?
If the deputy executive of the JobCenter wrote an annual report, do you think it would talk about how crap the advertised jobs and how incompetent the staff were in dealing with jobseekers?
Senior management are out of their depth on this one I’m afraid, as they have been out of their depth in dealing with a number of complaints raised in the previous year. The accommodation is SHIT! It is truly horrid. Prisoners in Broadmoor have better accommodation that students at the University of York.
Senior management are skilled in lies and incompetence. I am sick of them to be honest.
@Zaz
The problem is that students don’t ‘whine’ (as you put it) enough. As a result of the low complaints of students mediocrity such as poor accommodation continues.
Let’s be clear on one thing. Accommodation is a serious issue, and the student accommodation on campus needs to be improved.
Do you think that the accommodation is there just for fun and the students are some kind of afterthought that should fit around the accommodation?
Or is the accommodation built for the use and consumption of the student?
Similarly, is the senior management there at the unviersity for fun? Without students it seems that the senior management would still have a job. Brian Cantor and his ‘yes’ men and women would still be churning out reports and policies in the absence of students paying for their education on campus. This is what they do.
How dare you post an article criticizing the poor accommodation at York! Vision is supposed to be for GOOD news ONLY. If you dare say anything negative about the University you will be dealt with.
Don’t you know that sweeping things under the carpet is the York University way???
@Zac
I will accept payment to transfer – namely a refund of my first and second year tuition fees, living costs and all other costs incurred over the year. If I am forced to leave the University due to the poor living conditions then I want to be refunded adequately.
Who do I contact regarding the refund?
Along with Brian Cantor, the senior management should be replaced. I doubt one man is responsible for so much incompetence – it has to be a joint effort.
Not only is much of the accommodation awful, it’s hideously expensive – if I wanted to rent my old room in Le Page again (I really don’t) it’d cost me £96/wk.
If you were to spend that, or even somewhat less, off campus you could find a very nice place with bills either inclusive or easily covered by the surplus.
But first years typically want to live on campus, for perfectly understandable reasons. So I’ve taken to telling people not to bother with UoY unless they can afford to live in one of the newer accommodation blocks (though Hes East is still woefully lacking in amenities).