Student accommodation in Dublin City University (DCU) could be used by the HSE for emergency cases, the College View is reporting.
Residents of the college’s accommodation received an email tonight that told them some accommodation blocks could be made available to the HSE at short notice.
Students living across DCU’s three campuses were asked to fill out a Google form by 6pm tomorrow evening telling the college whether they plan to stay in their residence.
“Failure to do so puts everyone at risk and may lead to access to your room being blocked if it is allocated for emergency use”, the email said.
DCU’s Campus Residences told students living on the college’s Glasnevin, St Pat’s and All Hallows campuses that the university’s accommodation remains “fully open and operational as normal”.
The email does not clarify when or which blocks may be used by the HSE and whether or not students must remove their belongings from campus.
In Trinity, students were last night instructed to vacate the College’s accommodation by this week, sparking controversy among residents.
The University Times reported that international students – who were given less than 48 hours to clear out of their accommodation – were suffering “stress and anxiety” as a result of the move, with several hitting out at the lack of notice provided by the College.
Today, Trinity rowed back on some of the instructions from last night, with students living in Binary Hub and Kavanagh Court no longer required to vacate.
An update on the coronavirus section of Trinity’s website says that “in respect of students resident in Kavanagh Court and Binary Hub, we recognise that these properties are not owned or managed by Trinity College but by private providers”.
“Therefore we are not in a position to manage the situation for students residing in Binary Hub or in Kavanagh Court and our email of yesterday should be read as strong advice to return home if that option is available to them rather than a requirement that they do so.”
The College has also expanded the criteria under which students are allowed to remain in Trinity accommodation, with international students who face “real barriers to travel” now exempt from the clearout.
An email sent to residents this afternoon – from Provost Patrick Prendergast, Head of Accommodation Neal Murphy, Registrar of Chambers Philip Coleman and Roja Fazaeli, the warden of Trinity Hall – says keycards will no longer be deactivated “for the moment to facilitate students to the maximum extent possible”.
