The reparatory process may have been somewhat protracted, but it seems that a positive outcome has finally been secured for students of Pendle College who were severely inconvenienced by a breakdown in standard-accommodation heating during the 2011 Michaelmas Term.
Demonstrating that tenacity and perseverance do pay off, student and Pendle denizen Chris Bowman fought the cause on behalf of his fellow residents, having publicised his indignation over the issue via a poster-campaign around standard accommodation blocks and social media websites throughout the unfolding of the process last year. Bowman felt very strongly that such sub-standard service – especially given the growing culture of business discourse that now pervades many institutions – warranted an explanation and some form of compensation to be given to students, who were left without heating during the coldest period of the year.
Bowman discovered that those in charge of the campus accommodation had known that, having been unable to get remedial works done on the heating facilities over the preceding summer of 2011, the heating in the standard blocks remained at risk of breaking down whilst students were in residence. The basis upon which the Pendle student fought for recompense was that University personnel “knowingly installed [students] into accommodation with defective heating with no intention of compensating or rectifying the situation.”
The campaign reached its peak by means of a meeting between Bowman and University administrators on the 29th of August this year. Although the University did not grant individual students with any refund of rent for the inconvenience, an agreement was reached by which a sum of money would be pledged to the College as a whole, to be spent according to a collective need or wish.
Laurence Pullan, President of Pendle College, revealed that the final stages of negotiation had taken place between himself, Vice President (Academic Affairs) Richard Clark, College Administrator Jill Harpley, and Pendle College Principle Roger Gould, following contact with the Deputy Director of Facilities, Mike Sheppard, over the past few weeks. Pullan explained that, having “thrash[ed] out a few ideas” collectively, the group agreed that a barbeque for use by the College would be a suitable way to benefit the whole body of Pendle students.
Pullan said, “We eventually came up with asking for a BBQ so we can hope that come spring we will have a fully operational outdoor BBQ for Pendle to enjoy. [We] thought it best to try to create something that benefits as many students as possible.”
All that Pendle College needs now is a good spell of hot, dry summer weather…
