{"id":110243,"date":"2020-03-04T10:08:58","date_gmt":"2020-03-04T09:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=110243"},"modified":"2026-02-10T16:46:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T15:46:40","slug":"president-of-the-executive-board-clamps-down-on-racism-and-metoo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/03\/04\/president-of-the-executive-board-clamps-down-on-racism-and-metoo\/","title":{"rendered":"President of the Executive Board clamps down on racism and #MeToo"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cIt\u2019s just dreadful\u201d, says interim President of the Executive Board Hans Smits, talking about recent incidents relating to social safety at Erasmus University. He wants to give a clear signal: \u201cThat such things are not done<\/em>\u00a0and that we as a university will respond.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAysha Gasanova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

In a short space of time, the university has been rocked by several incidents relating to social safety on campus. Two weeks ago, it was reported that dozens of racist, antisemitic and sexist images<\/a>\u00a0had been shared by students from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and Erasmus University on an app group of third-year Erasmus University College students. On Monday afternoon,\u00a0Erasmus Magazine revealed<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>that vice-dean Hans Severens had resigned<\/a>\u00a0after complaints against him to the Committee of Sexual Harassment, Aggression and Violence.<\/p>\n

Two weeks ago, a panel discussion on social safety was held in the Erasmus Pavilion. During that session, it was revealed that a third of the audience had either had a personal experience or knew someone who had a #MeToo experience<\/a>. What\u2019s going on at the university and what role does EUR\u2019s Executive Board play in this? \u201cWe hope that we can be an open university where people feel able to step forward if they have complaints, because that takes a lot of courage,\u201d says interim president of the Executive Board at Erasmus University, Hans Smits (69), in his office.<\/p>\n

Do these issues affect you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just dreadful. It\u2019s awful that such things are happening at the university. You\u2019d expect us all to be reasonably educated people here: the students in question have had a good education; there\u2019s a reason why they\u2019re here.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the same time, you must remember that when everyone is on campus, there are over 40,000 people here. That\u2019s a huge community involving many work relationships, hierarchical relationships and study relationships. In such an environment, things can happen, just like they do in a small town or a large village.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the latest concerning the racist and antisemitic memes?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI invited the students involved to my office and talked to them individually. We basically confronted them, and you can guess my message. We also contacted Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, and they did the same thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe then wrote letters to the three students in which we summarised what we\u2019d discussed and told them that we were going to press charges. That case is now being prepared. Later, their dean will talk to them to show them that what they did was unacceptable, but also to provide aftercare. Because students may be here to be educated, but also for upbringing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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