- The University , Student
- 22/02/2018
E.S.C rapped over the knuckles
The committee officer grants paid to the Eindhoven Student Corps will be reduced by one-quarter in 2018, and for the rest of the calendar year the E.S.C will not be permitted to attend any academic ceremonies at TU/e. These disciplinary actions are being taken by the Executive Board for the affaire concerning the Aleph society, which came up a theme for its carnival party that was hostile to women.
The Executive Board is critical of the inappropriate invitation issued by Aleph, and of E.S.C's initial slowness to take action against Aleph, but says it approves of the actions taken subsequently by the association. The meticulousness and rigor of its internal ‘justice system’, the initiatives taken to bring the theme out into the open, and its acceptance of the consequence are all valued by the Executive Board.
In time, the association distanced itself quite clearly from the Aleph society, its members and their party theme, and banned all the society's members from all association activities for four months. For the remainder of the academic year they are also denied access to the society's premises. In addition, the E.S.C. is initiating a broader discussion in Eindhoven's student community about inappropriate behavior within associations, with particular emphasis on inclusivity.
In an online statement, the Senate of the E.S.C said it finds the sanction understandable and respects the measures taken by the Executive Board. The E.S.C is already in discussion with Professor Eva Demerouti, since September 2017 the Chief Diversity Officer at TU/e. “We want to bring the subject of sexual intimidation and assault out into the open within our community, so it is discussed openly. The Senate also wants to take concrete measures. The first step is to appoint a university ombudsperson for E.S.C. members, giving them a contact person for issues and problems related to this theme and somewhere to report matters to,” explains E.S.C President Jaap Peterse.
At the E.S.C two committee members receive a committee officer grant of 289 euros per month. The total amount of these allowances will now be reduced by 25 percent over the full academic year.
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