Balqa university expels seven students over brawl

AMMAN — Balqa Applied University on Monday decided to expel seven of its students who were involved in a brawl that took place last November in Salt, where the university’s main campus is located.

In a statement sent to The Jordan Times, the university’s administration said the decision to expel the students was taken following investigations that proved their involvement in the brawl.

A fight between students from two different tribes erupted near the university’s western gate last November, leading the administration to suspend classes for several days. 

Four students and one university employee were injured in the incident, during which gunshots were fired.

Fifteen men, including students who allegedly took part in the brawl, have been charged by the State Security Court with carrying out “terrorist acts” and face life imprisonment if convicted.

The decision by the court to detain those involved in the brawl, led to chaos in Salt, which has a population of around 150,000 and lies some 35km northwest of Amman, with relatives of the detainees calling on the government to intervene and release them.

According to study published recently by the Jordanian Political Science Association, on campus fights registered from 2010 to 2013 involved 3,999 students.

Most of the students involved in the fights (89 per cent) were enrolled in faculties of humanities, noted the study, which was conducted by researcher Mahmoud Jundi.

Figures he presented indicated that only 1 per cent of those involved in the fights in the period in question, were female students.

Campus violence over the past four years resulted in 31 severe, 57 moderate and 155 slight injuries, in addition to property damage, according to the study.