St Andrew’s College students suspended after ANU scavenger hunt stunt
Students from one of Sydney’s most prestigious university colleges have been suspended after an “unauthorised” scavenger hunt at another campus.
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Students from one of Sydney’s most prestigious university colleges have been suspended following allegations of an unauthorised scavenger hunt in which they burst into another uni’s accommodation wearing ski masks.
The University of Sydney’s St Andrew’s College took disciplinary action against a number of students this week, after a group travelled to an Australian National University campus last Saturday and gained access to a student accommodation residence.
The trip was part of an annual sanctioned St Andrew’s activity called “Campus to Country”, where students travel to meet with their regionally based peers.
However, one group instead made their way to ANU, where they took part in an unauthorised “scavenger hunt”.
It’s understood that some of these students disguised their faces with black ski masks and allegedly gained access to a student residence.
A spokesman for ANU confirmed they caught the students, kicked them off campus and referred the matter to ACT Police.
St Andrew’s also confirmed it was aware of the incident and that students had been suspended on their return to the college.
“The alleged actions of certain students at the ANU campus were completely unauthorised and contravened the strict code of conduct that was expected of students during this activity,” a spokesman said.
The college also banned any further iterations of the Campus to Country event.
“St Andrew’s College has gone to great lengths to build a respectful, mature and thoughtful community of emerging adults,” the spokesman said.
“It is disappointing when students defy the values and standards of the college, letting down their peers in the process.”
Campus to Country replaced a “Walkabout” event that used to be held until it was banned.
A source told the Sunday Telegraph that, during Walkabout, students were dropped off on the side of the road in regional NSW at night – and forced to make their way back to St Andrew’s without any money.
The source said they had heard of students walking for hours before catching buses or trains back to Sydney.
St Andrew’s is one of Sydney’s most expensive colleges, with accommodation prices reaching more than $32,000 for the year.
It said it was still investigating the incident and that students could face expulsion.
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