They are the Delftsch Studenten Corps (DSC) and Virgiel, university magazine Delta reports. According to the board of TU Delft, last year new members of the DSC had candlewax poured over them, and someone’s hair caught fire. At Virgiel someone was assaulted.
'Culture of social insecurity'
The punishment for the DSC is somewhat stricter. The board of TU Delft considers that, following disciplinary action in 2018, the association has done too little to change the ‘culture of social insecurity’. Consequently, the DSC is not welcome at the official opening of the academic year and the university’s Dies Natalis (Foundation Day).
The complaint about the DSC was anonymous and the association says it does not know where the complaint came from. In addition, the association says that it has taken a variety of steps to ensure that the orientation period runs more smoothly.
Stripped of clothing
Virgiel weet wel wat er is gebeurd. In een volle sociëteit is bij een student alle kleding van het lijf gescheurd. Door een duw viel hij met zijn hoofd tegen een muur en belandde hij in glasscherven die op de vloer lagen. Niemand greep in. De vereniging snapt de sanctie wel en het bestuur belooft beterschap. “Grensoverschrijdend gedrag is niet onze cultuur.”
Beide verenigingen krijgen van de universiteit een proeftijd van drie jaar. In die periode kan de TU bij nieuwe incidenten haar erkenning van de verenigingen intrekken en bestuursbeurzen stopzetten.
Update 24 August: In a reaction, the Senate of the Delftsch Studenten Corps says it has conducted ‘a thorough fact-finding investigation’ into the incidents and the anonymous complaint about the candle wax. According to the Senate, the accusation of ‘pouring over’ students with candle wax is ‘pertinently false’, but candle wax sometimes dripped on freshmen while walking with burning candles. Also, no hair would have caught fire in the process. Because TU Delft bases itself on an anonymous complaint, it cannot be traced back to one of the members of the association, the Senate explains.
