The National University of Samoa (N.U.S.) is tightening security and toughening policies as they have identified that four of the eight youths involved in a brawl in the campus foyer last month were not students.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, the N.U.S Vice Chancellor, Tuifuisaa Patila Amosa explained that the questioning resulted in identifying four of the eight involved and that they had trespassed into the campus. She said the number of security officers have been boosted and the university will no longer give access to any student without their student IDs.

"There were eight youths who were involved in the brawl but after investigations, we managed to identify that four of them were not not enrolled and were not in this semester’s roll so we can’t do anything to them," she said.

"Although we have taken disciplinary action against the four students."

Tuifuisaa stressed that the N.US highlighted in its’ student conduct, the policies of the university as well as its’ punishment for misbehaviour and the need for students to be aware of these guidelines.

"This time, we have tightened up the university’s security where we will not allow any more students in without a student ID and we have added more security at the gate to man the entrance and patrol across the whole campus," she added.

"It’s for the safety of the students because the students fighting are not aware that their actions are also threatening the security of other students around them."

Last month, Tuifuisaa in response to questions by this newspaper said eight students have been suspended for their part in a daytime brawl in the main foyer of the tertiary institution. The incident was also captured in a video.

She added that three of them were being investigated by Police.

There was also concern among students that this is not the end of the matter as more fights associated with this one could take place.

The three students being accused of assault were directed to police at the time with the V.C. stressing that the police's investigation is independent and is separate from the university's own disciplinary actions and policies. She said other students will be suspended as well.

Tuifuisa'a explained that the brawl stemmed from a fight that started prior to the brawl at Samoa College.

The suspension of the students according to the V.C. is based on the schedule of penalties stated in the university's Statute on Student Conduct (2014); page 407 of the 2023 calendar.

The Vice Chancellor added that the University has always had a zero-tolerance policy for any form of violence on campus but as a learning institution, they also give young immature students second chances to learn from their mistakes and hopefully make amends amongst each other.

Meanwhile, Tuifuisaa was also queried about the students that were involved in a separate matter regarding a recent beating at Motootua where Police confirmed that one of the students is from the N.U.S.

"The students that were involved in the beating, no I am not aware of it. I heard in the past that there was a beating at Motootua but there has been no official information to the university of any N.U.S students involved in that brawl," she said.

Asked if the university will investigate the matter and how the process is usually carried out for such incidents, she said the university will work according to its policy.

“Usually if the students are involved in a fight, they are reported to the Students Conduct Officer, then they are called for questioning and if anyone has been injured as a result of the fight, they are directed to the police," she said.

“Once you touch a student in a fight, that’s a student code of conduct violation and the consequence of such action is the immediate suspension for two weeks and after the two weeks suspension, they are directed to the student counselling service to have anger management counselling.”