St John’s has suspended the next college bop
following several incidents of vandalism to College property. The 8th week bop
will go ahead as long as there is no further damage to college properties.
College authorities have also announced that the entire JCR and MCR will have
to pay for the damages. Faeces and urine were found in St John’s table tennis
room by cleaning staff a fortnight ago, as reported in Cherwell last week. In an email to the
JCR, Senior dean Dr Carolyne Larrington said that a professional cleaning
company was called in to decontaminate the room, at “considerable cost to the
College”. Last Saturday, following a St John’s bop, College
squash courts were vandalised. A third year undergraduate said, “As I
understand it, a fire extinguisher was dropped from the balcony of the squash
court, and exploded on the floor.” In the basement of the Beehive accommodation
block, rubbish was tipped into one of the toilets, leaving it in “an unusable state”.
Walls in the JCR Games Room were also vandalised and a pool cue was pushed
through the felt of the pool table.College authorities are
conducting an investigation into the vandalism. Dr Larrington said that “it
would be in everyone’s best interest if he or she contacts the Senior dean on a
confidential basis.” Several undergraduates
at the College have been summoned by the Senior dean for questioning. Dr
Larrington declined to comment on decanal proceedings. Harry Kretchmer, JCR President, plans
to meet the Senior dean with several JCR members to discuss the recent
vandalism and action proposed by the College authorities to deal with it.
Kretchmer will also raise the issue of vandalism at the next meetings of the
JCR-MCR Joint Council and the decanal Committee.Speculation as to the identity of
the “college poo bandit” is rife around St
John’s. Some JCR members have noted that the faeces
were discovered following a St John’s
and St Anne’s joint rugby team curry night. Last Tuesday a Cherwell reporter received a text message
from a member of the rugby team which said, “If the story sees print, I will hunt
you down and kill you.” At the time of sending, the rugby team was on a crew
date at The Bridge. “Exclusions have been mentioned,”
said Kretchmer, “though they may only be temporary.” In an e-mail to the JCR, Dr
Larrington said, “The damage to the Table Tennis Room last week will be paid
for by a general damages levy across the JCR and MCR. Further levies may be
imposed.”Some members of the JCR feel that
the general damages levy is unfair. A second year at the College said, “I wasn’t
even at the bop, man, and I didn’t even shit in the table tennis room. I don’t
see why I should have to pay for it.” “I’m not planning on paying the levy,”
said Clem Mitchel, a third year, “it’s like they’re trying to hit a nail with a
sledgehammer.” Another finalist added, “It’s ridiculous that the SCR doesn’t
have to pay the levy. Dons are just as likely to poo on the walls as first
years.” Kretchmer said, “While there is a
sense of ambiguity over the identity of the culprit we all have to take responsibility.
Everything rests on whether someone is caught.” He said that investigations
into the vandalism were ongoing and that “the JCR Committee is working closely
with the Senior dean to resolve the issues surrounding these incidents”.He added, “This behaviour is not representative
of St John’s
JCR or MCR, many of whom have written to me expressing their disgust at the incident.”
“Day to day I find the College to be an extremely pleasant friendly community.”ARCHIVE: 3rd week MT 2005
SJC bans bop after spate of vandalism
