UCC issues 1,500 booklets to promote good relations between students and local residents
As ‘Freshers’ Week’ gets underway at University College Cork (UCC), new information booklets encouraging students to respect their neighbours have been distributed to the surrounding areas of the university.
Ahead of first-year orientation this year, 1,500 information booklets promoting good relations between students and local residents have been distributed throughout the surrounding areas of the university on College Road.
In a bid to reduce antisocial behaviour, each booklet also focuses on student welfare and contains contact numbers for use in an emergency, as well as the penalties for any antisocial behaviour.
UCC Campus Watch was introduced two years ago. Gary Mulcahy of UCC Campus Watch said: “We wanted to create the booklets to highlight to students that they must be respectful, while also highlighting to residents that, by and large, our students want to contribute to their community."
“We also wanted to let local residents know that they can make a complaint directly to UCC Campus Watch, to show them they have options if there are issues.”
Mr Mulcahy added. "It's important to keep the lines of communication open between the university and local residents. Campus Watch has been very successful so far, residents have said that the last RAG week and Fresher's Week were the quietest."
Produced in conjunction with local residents, the distributed booklets mark a huge step forward, according to Catherine Clancy of the Magazine Road Residents’ Association.
UCC students are doing something very nice for the neighbourhood https://t.co/6Ew8SEsYKk pic.twitter.com/Pwh5oQiLQh
— Yay Cork (@yaycork) September 9, 2019
Ms Clancy said: "This is the first time such a booklet has been produced and it shows a lot of respect for the relationship between the students and the community here.”
Local gardaí have also advised they will have a presence throughout the week and they will be adopting a zero-tolerance approach to any drunkenness or anti-social behaviour, added Ms Clancy.
UCC will also be operating a number of student patrols throughout Freshers' Week from 8pm to 4am every night.
