Changes to halls support system ruled out for next year
The College has ruled out enacting proposed changes to the Student Hall Wardens system before the 2027-28 academic year.
Further to its 2024-25 Residential Review, Imperial decided that the current support system for students living in halls – where live-in staff members and doctoral students provide pastoral care for residents – was “no longer fit for purpose.” Plans to remove Wardens or reduce their numbers in favour of a centralised team of professionals were floated, with suggestions that implementation should come as early as September 2026.
In an email from late March addressed to senior stakeholders, Director of Student Support Nicola Morgan recognised that the timeframe for the reforms was too short and wrote that “implementing big changes in a way that is safe, robust and sustainable will require additional time.”
Some student representatives, Hall Seniors, and Wardens spoke out against the proposed changes, but Imperial does not seem to be abandoning them, with work ongoing to consider feedback and develop plans for the new system. “It is important to emphasise that this [delay] does not necessarily change the overall direction of travel,” Morgan wrote in her email.
One of ICU’s Liberation & Community Officers told Felix she welcomed the decision to postpone the changes, but remain committed to opposing the removal of Wardens.
