Preparations for the AID are in full swing The introduction days for new students will go ahead largely as planned.
This is what AID committee chair Jessie Beinaert’s expects. ‘We are talking to everyone, including the municipality and the safety region. There is going to be an emergency ordinance in response to the measures announced by the cabinet yesterday evening. We hope to get a clearer picture today. The introduction days start on Thursday, so it’s short notice.’
Roller-coaster
The past few days have been a bit of a roller-coaster for the organizers of the introduction days. First there was disbelief when reports got out that the introduction days couldn’t go ahead. ‘They can’t do this! How then, and why,’ Beinaert remembers thinking. Then the wait. And then the good news yesterday evening.
We are very happy that we don’t have to bin all our plans
Jessie Beinaert, AID committee chair
‘It was very tense. We were all glued to the telly,’ she says. ‘And then the relief! We are very happy that we don’t have to bin all the plans.’ But in no time, they were asking themselves: what does this mean now? The answer to that has not been decided yet. Many elements of the programme already comply with the rules or are happening online.
Clubhouses
The activities planned to take place at the student society clubhouses are an issue, says Beinaert. ‘The question is whether they can still be run on the premises. We are discussing that with the municipality and the safety region.’ Apart from that, Beinaert doesn’t foresee many restrictions. The evening programme is largely online and is not affected by the imposed closing time (22.00).
‘We shall still make a nice week of it for everyone who comes,’ says Beinaert. ‘We understand the cabinet’s concern and the restrictions. We will adapt.’ And that is something that, thanks to coronavirus, the committee is quite good at by now.’
