By Caitriona Murphy
Reports of damage to property and destructive behavior following the DU Snow Sports Club trip are to be investigated by the Junior Dean. The trip took place in the week before classes recommenced.
The group, which consisted of 350 students, travelled to the Wasteland Ski resort in Les Deux Alpes, a popular resort in France. Students stayed at the resort for a week, until their trip was cut short due to defacements to the property. Other Trinity and UCD students seperate from the trip were also staying at the resort.
Sources speaking to Trinity News said that the walls of the property were written on and swastika symbols, which are illegal in France, were drawn by students, some of whom were not part of the DUSSC group. Fire hoses were also sprayed at groups of students. One source said the destruction was carried out by a small number of people and compared their behavior to “bullying”.
Following the damage, the group were asked to leave several hours early, resulting in the loss of one day of skiing. Pictures uploaded to the internet showed rooms in disarray and names written on the walls, including the name of the TCDSU President, Nikolai Trigoub-Rotnem, who was also on the trip, but who says he did not write the name himself.
Students were handed a “first warning” letter from the Wasteland Ski resort, stating that the group as a whole was “too noisy” and that “there is significant damage to and rubbish scattered in the hallways”. The letter went on to state that the gendarmarie had been notified and would be keeping an eye on the area. Students were warned that further misbehavior would result in their ejection from the resort and penalities being imposed.
Wasteland Ski confirmed to Trinity News that there had been damage to the property, but that a full report would not be compiled until next week. There were hopes from students that a refund might be made available as a result of their missed day of skiing.
Trinity News also learned of a “spendathon” that took place between some Trinity and UCD students. Students competed to see who could spend or waste the most money, and carried out stunts such as smoking and eating money, buying rounds for everyone at the bar, and paying a barman to tie shoelaces. In a Youtube video, one inebriated student, thought to be from UCD, spoke about throwing his iPod off the side of the mountain.
The DUSSC refused to comment on the trip, except to state that a formal report had been submitted to the College from which reporters could draw information. However, the Communications Office stated that they did not have any report to give to the press.
The College did comment that “Trinity College takes matters of student conduct very seriously. The Junior Dean is currently investigating a series of alleged incidents which took place at Les Deux Alpes resort in which members of the Dublin University Snow Sports Club were staying, as well as other Trinity students, independent of the DUSSC trip, and other Irish students.” It went on to say that “In the event that Trinity students perpetrated certain alleged acts, they will be duly disciplined, and sanctions will be imposed.”
Two Trinity students were also injured on the trip but are believed to be recovering in hospital.
