New intakes warned against drugs and alcohol

THE University of Papua New Guinea will continue to impose the zero tolerance policy on alcohol and drug abuse on campus.
This was strongly emphasised yesterday by the vice-chancellor, Prof Ross Hynes, at the opening of the 2010 orientation week for new students to the university.
Prof Hynes said UPNG was undergoing a rigorous strengthening of penalties for students breaking existing regulations associated with alcohol and illicit drug use.
“More than 90% of breaches in student regulations are alcohol related and such breaches usually lead to exclusion,” Professor Hynes warned the new intake students yesterday.
He added that students and staff needed to be partners in finding solutions and have ownership of agreed actions that could lead to positive outcomes.
Prof Hynes said these would be some of the issues to be examined together with new students in the next few days of the orientation and in ongoing processes
He added that gender rights and proper respect for others must be exercised and students causing alcohol related problems which included mistreatment of fellow students by intimidation and violence, and or rape are bound to face the consequences of immediate penalties such as eviction from halls of residence.
“I emphasise that such actions are most invariably classified as criminal acts and it is not just exclusion from the university but commonly internment in jail as a result,” he said.