Student behaviour around the University of Otago campus appears to continue to improve as the university hands out more penalties to those breaking the rules.
Up to July 31 this year, the Fire Service attended 53 nuisance fires in the North Dunedin area, compared with 79 in the corresponding period last year and 116 in 2007.
In the same period, 262 students had been dealt with by the university for breaking its rules, a tally which is on track to exceed last year's total of 336 students dealt with by October 25.
There are 22,000 students enrolled at the university.
While the majority dealt with this year have received warnings, as was the case last year, the percentage of people given a penalty has increased.
So far this year, 47% of those dealt with have been penalised by way of a fine, making a donation, doing community work, paying compensation or being excluded from the university.
Last year it was 39%.
The rest of those caught breaking the rules were given a warning only.
The most common offence so far this year is disorderly behaviour, followed by breaching computer regulations, for which 37 out of 39 people found to have committed an offence received a warning only.
That was followed by the offence of depositing dangerous litter, while a majority of 29 people were given a warning for being unlawfully on a premises.
Last year, two students were excluded (expelled from classes temporarily or permanently) after admitting assault charges brought by the police.
So far this year, four students have been excluded for one term following disorderly behaviour during the toga parade in March.
Dunedin Chief Fire Officer Dave Seque said the number of nuisance fires in North Dunedin was at the lowest level and had been for the previous five years, thanks to the efforts of a North Dunedin Working Party set up to address issues in the suburb and the university's Campus Watch team, which had been operating since 2007.
If it was not for the unofficial Undie 500 last year, the number of nuisance fires would have been almost zero.
University of Otago director of student services David Richardson said there were also dozens of other incidents, mostly alcohol related, which Campus Watch staff dealt with before they escalated into offences.
