Gijs Spiele, campus manager Safety & Security at TU/e, says that the university’s security office and the Federation of Study Associations Eindhoven (FSE) were contacted by BOAs in the evening of Thursday the 27th of May because they believed that outdoor drinks aren’t in accordance with TU/e’s catering permit. FSE president Mayke Scheffer says that the university uses a clear protocol for this, which clearly outlines the requirements for outdoor drinks. Scheffer: “We presented that protocol to the BOAs, but apparently that wasn’t satisfactory.”

Spiele: “The decision was made to suspend those drinks effective immediately and to put drinks that had already been planned on hold temporarily. Because we first want to obtain clarity, together with the municipality and the FSE, about how associations can organize outdoor drinks on the campus.”

Relaxations

Those meetings are currently taking place, Spiele says, “and the aim is to provide the FSE and the associations with more clarity after the weekend. We will also take into account the relaxations of the corona measures that the cabinet plans to introduce on June 5.”

The corona update issued by the Executive Board this afternoon states that the bars of the study and student associations will be permitted to reopen as of next Saturday, with a maximum of fifty visitors per space. Guests are still required to maintain a 1.5-meter distance, and a maximum of four persons will be assigned fixed seats at a table. Registration and health checks are compulsory. The update also says that alcoholic drinks may be served outside between 16:00 and 22:00 hrs., and that the rules for outdoor drinks at the picknick tables have been determined with the municipality.

FSE president Scheffer says that the initiative now lies with the university and the municipality, but that her federation is glad to share some ideas or input concerning the matter. Drinks scheduled for next week will be cancelled, she says, or moved to a later date. “The Plugged Festival organized by Cheops is scheduled to take place on Thursday 3 June, but it will be held fully online, and Simon Stevin’s Deutsche Borrel will move to the Stratumseind next Friday,” Scheffer says. She also says that the temporary suspension of the drinks is a major disappointment, just when the weather is starting to improve, “but we are hopeful that we will know more after the weekend.”