Universities may well mandate attention to social safety at student associations. Photo Shutterstock. The time to study social safety in higher education has passed, Minister Dijkgraaf told the House of Representatives. He responded to PvdA representative Habtamu de Hoop’s plea to conduct an investigation among students similar to the study on social safety among university employees conducted by the KNAW.
The Minister denied there is a need for such an investigation. ‘As far as I am concerned, the investigating stage has passed. I believe the time to address the issue has come’, he said. Let’s Talk About Yes Wageningen (LTAY) agrees, says Eveline Nales. ‘Conducting another investigation first is not useful. Amnesty already conducted a study among students in 2021’, says Nales.
Determining how to approach this issue in a sensitive and effective manner is quite a job
She believes professional support for student associations is more beneficial. ‘We frequently receive indications that association boards struggle to approach the issue and don’t know what steps they may take to make the association safer’, she states. ‘I believe that associations could really benefit from professional support offered by the university. Determining how to approach this issue in a sensitive and effective manner is quite a job for students who are not specialised in this domain.’
Universities’ responsibility
Representative Van der Laan also considers this a job for universities and colleges, it transpired during the ministerial debate. ‘I feel that clear agreements must be made between universities and associations. They should support student organisations and perhaps even train them to deal with these issues.’ Dijkgraaf understood this comment. Associations are primarily responsible for their own social safety, but universities are also involved. ‘There is often a financial link because universities subsidise the associations through grants etc.’ Therefore, the universities can also oblige the associations to focus on social safety.
Ill-prepared
Recent analyses conducted by the news programme Pointer showed that many student associations are ill-prepared to address sexual misconduct. Resource described the approach followed by Wageningen’s student associations in this article. The cabinet has announced that a comprehensive plan for social safety at education institutes will be launched this spring. The Minister also intends to discuss the matter with student associations.
Text: Hoger Onderwijs persbureau, Marieke Enter
