Former warden rates student care in Otago

THE discovery of a student’s body after eight weeks at a University of Canterbury hall was a situation that would never happen at the University of Otago, the former head of five of the university’s colleges says.

However, Ashley Day, a warden of 24 years, said he found a reduction in the number of residential assistants (RAs) at the university concerning.

The body of the student — named by Stuff as 19yearold Mason Pendrous — was found on Monday night at the University of Canterbury’s Sonoda Christchurch Campus accommodation.

Mr Pendrous was a former pupil of Scots College, in Wellington.

Mr Day he was not surprised by the incident as pastoral care for students at the university was ‘‘bad’’.

While he was confident the same situation would not happen at Otago, he was concerned about ‘‘desperate’’ measures to cut costs.

‘‘[Otago] RA numbers are being decreased and young people with no experience are being put in managerial positions,’’ he said.

He clarified that while Otago provided the best pastoral care he had seen, the number of RAs in halls had been reduced, and a new structure introduced where there were fewer RAs and more ‘‘tutors’’ with increased managerial responsibilities.

In the past 18 months, the Otago University Students’ Association has raised concerns about the rate of pay for RAs and the heavy responsibilities they have, which include dealing with students who have mental health issues.

Mr Day retired in 2016 and was warden of University College, Selwyn College, Te Rangi Hiroa, Aquinas College and Carrington College at various times.

Despite his observations, Mr Day said Otago provided ‘‘outstanding’’ care for its students with RAs on most residential floors. Students were also encouraged to check in with their neighbours.

OUSA president James Heath said what happened in Christchurch was ‘‘deeply upsetting’’.

A University of Otago spokeswoman said Otago colleges each had 25 permanent ‘‘pastoral care and college leadership professionals and their families’’.

RAs’ conditions would change in 2020 with more rostered hours and a change to terms and conditions. The number of RAs would be cut, from 91 to 81.

The head of Campus Living Services, which runs Sonoda complex, said yesterday the company owed answers to the family of the dead student.

John Schroder, group managing director for the multinational company, which also manages the Te Pa TauiraOtago Polytechnic Student Village, said he was haunted by the question: ‘‘How did we miss him?’’

‘‘We owe it to our young student and his family to make sure that we an determine what actually happened and determine where there could have been a failure in process and indeed what we can do about it into the future,’’ he said. — additional reporting The New Zealand Herald