After publishing a list of 17 female students, the director of a university residency in Algeria was dismissed

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A university residence director in the state of Oran, western Algeria, sparked a widespread wave of controversy after publishing a list containing the names of 17 female students who were accused of repeatedly being late in returning to their rooms at night, before the administration intervened and decided to relieve her of her duties within hours.

The Belkaid 06 University Residence Department published a statement announcing the referral of a number of female students to the disciplinary council on October 24, due to their repeated delays in entering the residence at night.

The post did not limit itself to pointing out the violation, but included the full names of the female students concerned and their room numbers, which sparked widespread dissatisfaction within university residence halls and on social media platforms.

Critics of the decision considered that publishing this personal data violates the privacy of female students, especially in light of the social sensitivity associated with female students being late outside university housing at night, and the resulting societal interpretations or judgments against them.

Observers also believed that the statement might expose the students to unjustified social and family repercussions, especially since it implied that cases of tardiness were frequent.

Following the escalation of the controversy, the Directorate of University Services in Belqaid in Oran intervened and announced the removal of the director of residency from her position, in a move that came a few hours after the statement was published and its content was widely circulated.

Commenting on the case, the representative of the Algerian student organization, Lahcen Boussabi, said that managing university residencies is one of the most complex tasks due to the privacy that characterizes the university environment, and the social and pedagogical needs of students, especially since many of them live far from their families.

Bousabi also confirmed to Al-Arabiya.net/Al-Hadath.net that imposing discipline and respecting the laws within the residence is necessary. However, he stressed the need to preserve the privacy of students, especially female students, warning that publishing their names in such cases could lead to dangerous social interpretations or cause problems for them within their families.

He also added that the student organization was in constant communication with officials, and that the dismissed director was known for her competence and seriousness in performing her duties, stressing that her goal was to impose discipline within the residence.

However, it was considered that what happened was not in the interest of the university institution or the female students concerned, and resulted in negative results for everyone.