This year, the introduction activities for the bachelor and master were combined into one big Intro, by way of a pilot. “So we don’t have to work on a second week, but because of this, the single Intro week was extra demanding on us,” says Rebecca Pelsser of intro committee CIC. Due to the many concurrent program activities.”

Fortunately, she was able to find time to enjoy herself too: “Like Thursday night at Stratumseind during Eindhoven by Night. There was a great vibe.” And during the closing party on Friday afternoon, everybody got to let loose: “The Vengaboys performed. We were really looking forward to that: such a big name, and we had already booked them six months in advance.”

Not okay

From an organizational perspective, Pelsser is very pleased with this year’s Intro, but unfortunately, the CIC is left with a bitter aftertaste. “At some point during the Intro week, we were warned that participants were committing fraud.”

Intro attendees got their hands on the tablets used as cash registers at the bar. Without even handing in one festival cup, they wrongly had tens of euros of deposit credited to the chip of their Intro wristband. 

Pelsser is appalled. “This is fraud, theft. It’s not okay. We used the same system for last year’s Intro, but this didn’t happen then.” When the organizers took a closer look at the figures, they found that thousands of euros had been defrauded.

The advantage of the personalized wristbands system is that suspicious transactions can be linked to individuals. “We’re going to invite these people and have a talk with them. We’ve already started doing that. At the same time, we’re consulting internally, with higher-ups, about how to handle the situation.”

Red-handed

The deposit matter dwarfs the usual minor incidents, such as seventeen-year-olds caught red-handed with an alcoholic beer. “That hasn’t happened more often this Intro than in other years. In such cases, we cut the attendee’s wristband so they can no longer participate in the program for the rest of the day.”

“The next day, that person can come in for a good talk and a new wristband. If it happens a second time, the wristband is permanently confiscated. But that hasn’t been necessary as of yet.”

Pelsser is pleased with the emphasis on social safety during this Intro edition. For example, CCPs (confidential contact persons, Ed.) were present at Atlas every day for accessible contact. “The students and mentors knew how to find them - also for practical matters, like the showers at the campsite.” And the more relaxed alternatives to the party nights were also very successful. “Through phone calls from Intro parents we learned that many Intro groups were interested.” So all in all, there were plenty of good things to compensate for the mental hangover.