Vindicat punishes year clubs after bus party
Dozens of members flout corona rules
Vindicat punishes year clubs after bus party
Door Giulia Fabrizi
By Giulia Fabrizi
Giulia Fabrizi
Van uit de hand gelopen studentenfeestjes tot bezette universiteitsgebouwen en van kamertekorten tot dreigende bezuinigingen: Giulia houdt al het nieuws in de gaten. Ze praat graag met de mensen die het aangaat, schrijft erover en begeleidt freelancers bij het maken van nieuwsartikelen. Eerder werkte ze als stadsredacteur Groningen en gemeenteverslaggever Haren voor Dagblad van het Noorden.Vindicat rector Wessel Giezen announced the news on Thursday afternoon. ‘It’s come to our attention that the bus trip was organised by two year clubs’, he says. Videos of the party were being shared through social media and WhatsApp on Thursday afternoon.
They show dozens of students drinking, dancing, and yelling in the special party bus. None of them are wearing a face masks, and no one is obeying social distancing rules.
After the media became aware of the party, one of the students present realised the potential consequences. In a voice message, she asks her fellow students to delete all photos and videos from their social media.
Privileges
Later that afternoon, Giezen became aware that the party had been organised by two year clubs. ‘Since they are subject to our bylaws, we’ve decided to cancel both clubs’ privileges.’
A year club consists of fifteen to twenty students who all started at the same time. Each year club has its own name, and members can present themselves to the rest of the association via year club activities and the annual Almanac that Vindicat publishes.
Barred from the pub
‘All these privileges are now cancelled, and they’re not allowed to come to our in-house pub as part of their year club’, says Giezen. They’ve made a list with the members’ names and pictures to make it easier to identify any member that attempt to enter the pub anyway. ‘But after today, everyone at Vindicat knows who they are. That will make them think twice.’
Giezen says the punishment is a harsh one. ‘We’re basically telling them their club doesn’t exist anymore. I’ve been a member since 2017, and I’ve never known anyone to be punished like this.’