The first week of the ragging at the Faculty of Engineering is going to be a sober event this autumn. The rector at the Faculty of Engineering, Anders Axelsson, has in a policy decision banned alcohol completely during the first week of ragging.
This autumn’s ragging of technology students begins with a sober week. In addition the ragging period is shortened to three weeks. Before it has been going on for a month. The rector at the Faculty of Engineering Anders Axelsson has taken a decision about this in “the Policy for reception of entrants at the Faculty of Engineering.” department head Elisabeth Gersbro-Bülow has been involved in preparing the policy.
“The management at the Faculty of Engineering felt it was time for a change. There has been a few incidents during the ragging where alcohol has been involved. We have gotten indications that students have felt offended and there has been an unnecessary ruff dialogue connected to the alcohol consumption. That shouldn’t be the norm. The culture of alcohol shouldn’t be the first thing new students encounter at the Faculty of Engineering, ” says Elisabeth Gersbro-Bülow, head of the department of tudy and career guidance at the Faculty of Engineering, and who has been involved in preparing the policy.
How are you going to make sure nobody drinks?
“As far as I know we are not going to have any specific supervision. We trust phös and the mentors in taking the policy into consideration.”
Why is the ragging period shortened to three weeks?
“The ragging has been going on for up to four weeks into the semester. We want to give all students a reasonable chance to become acquainted with their studies,” says Elisabeth Gersbro-Bülow.
The Union of Technology Students feel completely disregarded in this question. Do you share their perception of the situation?
“The Union of Technology Students want to see another type of policy. They haven’t agreed on this one. But the management at the Faculty of Engineering has discussed it during meetings with students, so, students have been informed about the policy and have had a chance to express their opinion.”
The student union says that there is a risk that they will loose the control since the policy decision hasn’t been well established among the students. Do you agree?
“Of course there is a risk that it won’t be implemented the way it should if people feel disregarded. But I feel that the students have had the chance to express their opinion in this question,” says Elisabeth Gersbro-Bülow.
READ MORE: Teknologkåren: “It feels like a punch in the stomach”
Text: Carl-Johan Kullving
Translation: Mia Söllwander
