Trinity will “prioritise” applications from students outside of Co Dublin when making its first-round accommodation offers, but students who initially lose out may receive an offer in later rounds, a top College official has said.
Yesterday, an email to Trinity’s Scholars said that College has “taken the decision not to allocate rooms to students whose home address is in County Dublin in the first round this year”.
This afternoon, Philip Coleman, Trinity’s registrar of chambers, wrote in an email statement to The University Times that the College has “decided this year to prioritise applications from students outside of County Dublin in the first round of accommodation offers”.
The news means Dublin-based students whose first-round offer is unsuccessful may have to wait until later rounds to hear whether they have accommodation in Trinity.
Coleman wrote: “The allocation of College accommodation for 2020-21 will proceed, as in previous years, through a number of rounds.”
“If a student is not offered accommodation in the first round, they may receive an offer in subsequent rounds.”
He said the decision was taken on the advice of the College Health Service, because of a reduction in the number of rooms available in Trinity’s accommodation.
But he added that Trinity will make a “firm commitment to consider any extenuating circumstances” for students from Dublin.
These applications, he wrote, will be considered on a case-by-base basis.
Yesterday’s email to Scholars – signed by Coleman, as well as Trinity Hall warden Roja Fazaeli and Head of Accommodation Neal Murphy – said the trio “appreciate that some of you may be disappointed to receive this news”, but added that “we hope that you will agree that these are exceptional circumstances and that it is important to create the safest environment possible for everyone who lives and works in College next year”.
“We can assure you, also, that this will not set a precedent for future years, when the COVID-19 situation has passed.”
Scholars are entitled to free accommodation, as well as free fees and dining rights in Commons. Some 57 Scholars were elected this year. Provost Patrick Prendergast announced the newly elected Scholars and Fellows outside the Exam Hall as usual, in a Front Square that was nearly empty as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and closure of the College.
