{"id":116256,"date":"2020-08-19T14:51:57","date_gmt":"2020-08-19T12:51:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=116256"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:01","slug":"student-associations-get-green-light-for-face-to-face-events-after-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/08\/19\/student-associations-get-green-light-for-face-to-face-events-after-all\/","title":{"rendered":"Student associations get green light for face-to-face events after all"},"content":{"rendered":"

Student associations will be allowed to host introduction events for prospective members after all. After some initial hesitation, the Dutch government conceded to pressure from the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n

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The Eurekaweek party at RSC\/RVSV in 2019.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmber Leijen<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

This summer has seen a substantial increase in the number of coronavirus infections among young people in the Netherlands, leading the government to tighten the rules for orientation weeks at colleges and universities.<\/p>\n

Whereas student sport and study associations were still allowed to organise introductory activities under the new rules, student associations would not be granted the same leniency: they would have to move all of their events online this year, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on 6 August.<\/p>\n

The decision was met with raised eyebrows in the House of Representatives. Why should some associations be allowed to host face-to-face meetings while others would have to resort to online activities?<\/p>\n

Recruitment<\/h2>

At the House\u2019s insistence<\/a>, the security regions re-examined the issue on Monday. During this meeting, it was decided that student associations would also be allowed to organise face-to-face events, provided they are academic or athletic in nature, or<\/em> aimed at recruiting and onboarding new members.<\/p>\n

This means there will not be any mixers or initiation events this year, a spokesperson for the Security Consultation Council confirmed, but student associations will be allowed to host a tour of their headquarters, or organise a presentation on the various committees new members can join. They will also have to observe the same strict rules which apply to sports and study associations: all events must finish before 10 p.m., and alcohol is strictly forbidden. In addition, student associations must receive approval from their institution or security region.<\/p>\n

Press conference<\/h2>

The National Federation of Student Associations (LKvV) welcomes the government\u2019s revised decision. \u201cFrom the beginning, we have argued that the nature of the event should determine whether or not it can still go ahead \u2013 not the nature of the association\u201d, says the federation\u2019s president, Yorick van der Heiden. \u201cSo it\u2019s great that we\u2019re being given the opportunity to host introductory events after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Does this last-minute green light mean that the associations are now scrambling to come up with face-to-face activities? Not really, says Van der Heiden. \u201cThe associations have been working together with the universities and security regions to ensure corona-proof programmes since the beginning of July, so they can simply pick up where they left off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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