Obiter does not hold the views of any of its anonymous authors. In the future, Obiter intends to use pieces like this as a conversation-starter, and plans on engaging administration in a relevant way to help solve the problems that articles like this identify.
The first and most fundamental responsibility owed to Osgoode students by both Osgoode Hall Law School, and York University itself, is a safe campus environment. This includes both in the classroom, and in the on-campus residences provided to many students. I can say conclusively that the school has failed miserably in this regard, in terms of the “Osgoode Chambers” residences at Passy Crescent building 16 – directly across from the law school. For the better part of the school year, the main access door to Osgoode Chambers has had its card-reader lock-system out-of-order, and as such, the main access door has been completely useless. Worse yet, shortly after being taken out of operation in the fall (with little-to-no explanation from York Apartments as to when and how it will be fixed) residents (presumably) began to prop or jam the door open, as to allow access into the building without the need for the card-reader. This, of course, has left the entire building vulnerable, as basically anyone can simply walk-in, as there is no functioning lock, and the door is being left open.
Even more troubling is the fact that the door can remain unsafely propped open for days at a time, calling into question the competence of maintenance staff at York apartments, who are almost certainly using the door while its been improperly jammed open, and not fixing it (either the lock system itself, or the improper jamming of the door). Many students have posted on the closed “Osgoode Chambers” Facebook group, noting that they’ve contacted York apartments to notify them of the issue, and absolutely nothing has been done. While I write this piece anonymously, I too can assure the reader that I have also personally filed a number of complaints with York apartments, to no avail. Bizarrely, they don’t seem to think the security of Osgoode Chambers is a priority, as evidenced by their complete lack of action on this issue.
Well, as a law student, I have a message for the administrative staff at York apartments. If me, or any of my classmates, are harmed due to the unsafe living environment you are currently overseeing at Osgoode Chambers, you are most certainly going to be liable, given the gross negligence (criminal if it ever comes to that) you have displayed on this issue. I do not say this lightly, and I would not deliver this warning without being absolutely sure that the administrative staff at York apartments have had ample time and resources to fix this issue. After numerous resident complaints, and months upon months of a broken door, the time for excuses and dithering has long passed.
I am not exactly sure what the solution is. The staff at York apartments have explained to many whom have complained about this issue that the problem is more widespread in scope than a simple card-reader on one door, and due to the way the lock-system at Passy Crescent was installed, it is likely they will have to replace the entire security system in order to fix the issue with the main access door at Osgoode Chambers. I understand this could be a timely, and expensive, endeavour – however, what needs to be done needs to be done. An obvious solution in the near-term would be to simply install a manual key-lock system and provide the residents of Osgoode Chambers physical keys for our main access door. How has no one at York apartments thought of this, and acted on it?
Incompetence is bad enough, but incompetence that leads to an unsafe and dangerous living environment for many young students is completely and totally unacceptable. York apartments has dropped the ball completely on this issue, and there should be consequences. Staff should not be allowed to bury their own malfeasance in the administrative bureaucracy here at York University. Someone is ultimately responsible for this, and that someone ought to be held to account. This should never happen to students at this law school again.