Students at St Catherine’s were issued a warning last week after excessive drinking led to multiple emergency taxis being called and one hosptalisation.
A number of Catz students were transported back to the College via taxi during Freshers’ Week last week, after becoming too inebriated. One fresher was hospitalised on Thursday night and had to be accompanied by a JCR committee member.
Following these events, the Dean of St Catherine’s, Dr Richard Bailey, sent an email to the JCR on Friday afternoon, in which he informed the students that if this “excessive drunken behaviour” were to continue, ‘Entzs’ (the St Catherine’s word for ‘bop’) could be cancelled indefinitely. Bailey said in his email, “I am writing to you following an unusually disappointing beginning to the term. There has been a worrying amount of excessive drunken behaviour, particularly amongst the 1st yrs, and several disruptive staircase parties. I will be following up personally with a number of you.”
“As you know, there is an Entz this weekend. The Junior Deans will be present, as at all such events, and will be reporting back to me.
“Having Entz in College is contingent on good behaviour so be in no doubt that subsequent Entzs will be cancelled if this poor behaviour continues.”
Meanwhile, there was confusion as to the lack of presence of a Catz Junior Dean to accompany the hospitalised individual. Cherwell understands that this responsibility would not usually fall to a committee member, and instead that the first aid-trained Junior Deans are expected to look after excessively drunk undergraduates. The College declined to comment on the presence of Junior Deans.
One third-year Catz historian told Cherwell, “To an extent I think the freshers have just got a bit carried away and that the excitement of the week got to a few of them. It’s not exactly unusual to have some people who drink too much. What is unusual is the Dean’s reaction. Catz is a very chilled place and it takes a lot to provoke a reaction like this.
“If they did cancel Entz, the freshers definitely wouldn’t be doing themselves any favours with ingratiating themselves with the older years.”
Dr Richard Bailey declined to address the specific issues but stated, “As ever, we’re keen to maintain a safe, enjoyable and stimulating environment in College.” St Catherine’s JCR President, Sarah White, also declined to comment.
The week’s events follow a decision at Lincoln College to ban spirits from all Entz-run freshers’ events, which could be extended to encompass the rest of the academic year.
