Fantoft resembles an asylum
The University College of London has ended the Erasmus agreement
with the University of Bergen due to the poor conditions at
the Fantoft student home. The British university has had a
number of complaints from its students. They are fed up by
the lack of improvements. - I was shocked by the poor standards.
The walls were full of holes and black, dirty stains. It was
if as it had not been cleaned. These are the words of a female
London student. Following a break-in the same day, she no
longer wished to reside at Fantoft. - I cannot not live in
a room where I feel unsafe, she says. As the office for foreign
students had no solutions, this student returned to Britian.
A letter sent from the University College says they need guarantees
that students don’t end up at Fantoft, but at a residence
where they feel safe.
- This is regrettable
- This student was here only for a few hours. It seems like
she made up her mind very quickly. And she did not present
the problems to us, says Ivar Henriksen, housing manager of
SiB. He does not agree with the criticism, and says the only
way for an intruder to enter a room is thorough an unlocked
door. Mette Myrmell Torissen, who is the manager of education
at the University of Bergen, does not doubt the complaint.
However, she feels the reaction is excessive. -Are you not
embarrassed by the fact that a foreign university terminates
an exchange program on these grounds? -We have attempted a
dialogue with University College, and apparently we have not
done enough according to their opinion, she says.
A problem not easily solved
- The problem of drug addicts using the university’s premises
is something we have to live with. Despite the introduction
of key cards the student centre will still be open. This issue
is an old one, but I feel it has gotten worse. These are the
words of Gunnar Mikkelsen, who is in charge of several of
the university’s facilities. Perhaps more surveillance will
eliminate some of the problems, Mikkelsen concludes.
Alexander Kemp
16.10.02
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