Warwick Accommodation reverts decision after finalist uproar

**UPDATE: Warwick Students’ Union released an update on Tuesday 18 November suggesting that there are still plans to remove group applications for finalists living on campus for the 2016-17 academic year. 

They stated: “While there are still plans to implement the proposed changes for the 2016-17 academic year, Warwick Accommodation has acknowledged that the timescales were too short for the change to take effect next year, and has recognised that there were several areas of miscommunication on this issue.”

Warwick Accommodation has reverted their decision and will be allowing group applications for finalists living on campus for the present time.

The change of decision came on Wednesday 12 November, about a week after the opening of applications and informing finalists that they were no longer able to live in groups on campus.

A petition asking for the return of group applications was started in response to the decision. It gained approximately 300 signatures before Warwick Accommodation reverted their application terms.

The Boar asked the University what had prompted Warwick Accommodation’s change of decision and what the University was intending to do about the unpopular gap rooms for first-year students.

Peter Dunn, spokesperson for the University, responded:

My understanding is that Warwick Accommodation have taken on board the feedback that this change could have been communicated in a more timely fashion.

They have therefore agreed to return to the previous arrangements that allows group bookings for this year, while considering carefully what would be a sustainable system in future years.

Fiona Kinloch, a third-year French Studies student, commented: “I am extremely pleased that the University has now decided to revoke this for the next academic year upon realising the impractical errors, namely that of the untimely manner of communication, on the part of Warwick Accommodation

However, she responded to the possibility that the decision may still be implemented for future years: “I share the same opinion as the majority of other students when I say that I completely disagree with the proposition of individual applications instead of group ones. I am of the firm belief that were this to be proposed again next year, it would generate an equal reaction.

Rosie Leverton, a third-year French and English student, was similarly pleased by the reversion of on-campus accommodation terms: “I feel Warwick Accommodation really took the only acceptable action they could, considering the insensitive and ill-considered (to say the least) timing, for which there was no excuse.”

“Although I can understand their reasoning in possibly making the same decision next year, in terms of making room for more freshers, I still don’t agree with it.

“It essentially says to existing students that their needs are worth less than those of new students, when arguably they are in need of greater support, at least administratively, being in the final and most important year of their degree.

“Final year students already typically reduce their social life in order to study, and Warwick refusing to let them to apply in groups further decimates this by removing the everyday social support living with your friends provides in stressful periods.