The decision not to allow a live audience to be present is not an easy one, says head of SG Lucas Asselbergs. “We were very happy that we were allowed back in the hall with fifty people as of September. We decided not to invite live visitors anymore, at the request of the Executive Board. This way, we prevent any unnecessary movements. Apart from the audience, the speakers also don’t have to come to the campus anymore.” This decision applies, at the latest, until November. People who made a reservation for a lecture in the Blauwe Zaal will receive a personal message.

The starting point for all adjustments is clear: “We absolutely have to continue to offer culture.” In whatever form, as far as Asselbergs is concerned. “We can collaborate with the Parktheater, livestream singer-songwriters, we have more than enough ideas. It would be a great pity if we focused exclusively on lectures. Continuing to pay attention to culture is more important now than ever.”

A welcome exception to the rule announced on Thursday is the theatre performance Vantablack, during which 27 people will be allowed to be present in the Corona Room, Asselbergs says. “I see it as a nice opportunity to do one more thing at TU/e.”

Movie

SG will continue with movie screenings, until further notice. However, the Zwarte Doos must close at ten o’clock in the evening, that’s why the long movie “House of Hummingbird” starts a half hour earlier. “When it becomes very critical for the Zwarte Doos to remain open, we will look for other solutions. We could make an online movie program in collaboration with Picl or CineMember, for example. The advantage would be that we could start each showing with a short introduction.” Other ideas include offering movies to students in Natlab, or start screening movies in the Zwarte Doos as early as four in the afternoon. “For next quartile, we need to have workable agreements for all parties involved.”

Ever since corona started dictating our lives, SG has had to anticipate many times. “These adjustments aren’t that bad really. We can livestream Peter Baltus, who will hold a lecture about smart marbles in the runup to the Dutch Design week, which we are currently also making corona-proof.” Asselbergs’ experience is that the online lectures are very successful as far as attendance figures is concerned. “Some lectures are attended by four or five hundred people.”

USE credits

Bachelor’s students who were planning to graduate in September were exempted from their SG&USE obligations during the intelligent lockdown last spring, when all SG programs could be followed online only. Starting this academic year, students could gain USE credits again via a registration system. Asselbergs says that he will take another critical look, in close coordination with SG’s board committee and the Bachelor Dean, about allocating the credits in this new phase.