Every day, the editorial staff at the UK wonders: What are we writing about, why are we writing about it, and how are we writing about it? A weekly look behind the scenes.
‘Any announcements from the Executive Board?’ Every time the chairperson of the monthly University Council meeting asks that question, the room falls silent. What will they say this time? Anything unusual?
Usually, RUG president Sibrand Poppema has a ‘joyous announcement’ about some ranking. However, last Thursday, he was being somewhat mysterious: ‘After the meeting, the rector will have a confidential announcement.’
This is special. Rector magnificus Elmer Sterken usually does not say much during the University Council meetings, let alone make a separate statement. A statement that is made behind closed doors.
Is Sterken resigning?
These are the times that make a journalist really feel alive. What is going on? He is making the statement by himself without the other two RUG directors. It must be something personal; at least, that is what springs to mind. Is he quitting?
Rumours about Sterken wanting to go back to his faculty to bury his nose in the economics books have been circulating for months. Is this the time? How do we find out? Should we make preparations? Do we need to write profiles of the RUG directors, just in case one of the three suddenly decides to quit or has an accident?
In short, it was a stressful day.
Phone calls with the students and staff of the University Council who already heard the confidential announcement yielded very little. ‘No comment. Sterken will make a public announcement on Monday,’ was the prepared answer.
In the end, sources close to the University Council told us that it concerned student hazing and Vindicat. Time to shelve that profile idea for the time being. However, we did not get much further than this.
Manhunt
These are the times that make a journalist really feel alive. What is going on? He is making the statement by himself without the other two RUG directors. It must be something personal; at least, that is what springs to mind. Is he quitting?
Rumours about Sterken wanting to go back to his faculty to bury his nose in the economics books have been circulating for months. Is this the time? How do we find out? Should we make preparations? Do we need to write profiles of the RUG directors, just in case one of the three suddenly decides to quit or has an accident?
In short, it was a stressful day.
Phone calls with the students and staff of the University Council who already heard the confidential announcement yielded very little. ‘No comment. Sterken will make a public announcement on Monday,’ was the prepared answer.
In the end, sources close to the University Council told us that it concerned student hazing and Vindicat. Time to shelve that profile idea for the time being. However, we did not get much further than this.
Peter Keizer, news editor