Several members of Vindicat who were expelled from a ski resort in France last week are facing a suspension of several months.
‘Our own investigation showed that the destruction of a door and the vandalism of a balcony can be traced back to some of our members’, says Wibe Kaak, the Vindicat rector.
He himself is not authorised to impose a suspension; an independent Vindicat committee is responsible for that. ‘That procedure has now been initiated. From experience, we know that a procedure concerning damaging the reputation of the association often leads to a suspension of a few months. That’s what we expect this time as well.’
Vandalism
On Friday, Vindicat suspended about eighty students for three days because they allegedly misbehaved during a ski trip in Risoul in the French Alps. A hotel room was reportedly vandalised and damaged: people allegedly defecated on the balcony, and slogans were scrawled on the walls and balcony. Additionally, the door of that room was destroyed, urine was found in an elevator, and dish soap had been thrown over computers.
The Vindicat members were travelling through tour operator Sunweb, which had repeatedly warned the group after receiving complaints from both the hotel and a ski rental shop and bar. The group was eventually expelled from the hotel and transported back to Groningen by Sunweb by bus.
Investigation
Vindicat conducted an investigation over the past few days into the circulating reports. ‘We worked closely with parties like Sunweb’, says Kaak. The investigation quickly revealed that a handful of members could be linked to the vandalism and rowdy behaviour.
Although the trip was not officially organised by Vindicat, Kaak still feels responsible for what happened. ‘As soon as the association is harmed, I will take disciplinary action’, he says.
‘I am not their father or mother. And they are all allowed to have a good time. But I do expect them to adhere to the behavioural standards we uphold at Vindicat, even during their free time.’