Lund’s nation has spent tens of thousands on a song book containing drinking-songs. It was bought with money earmarked by the University for non-alcohol related activities.
In an agreement between Lund University and its nations from December 2013, Lund University agreed to provide some financial support for the nations.
The yearly financial support grants each nation 25 SEK for each whole-year student registered at the University. The total sum is distributed among the nations, proportionally to the size of the nation.
To be granted money, nations ensure to earmark them for use concerning non-alcoholic activities only. The agreement clearly states that, “The activities supported shall be undertaken outside pub and festival activities arranged by the nation, to enforce any study-social activity that has no link with consumption of alcohol.”
Spent money on song-book
In the statement of accounts detailing what the supporting funds have been spent on, which Lund’s nation has sent to Student Affairs, it is clear that the nation has spent this money on activities that have obvious links to alcohol consumption.
The nation has spent almost 35,000 SEK of the amount granted by the University on printing a song book, which consists primarily of drinking-songs. Up until June of 2015, the nation spent 69,427 SEK on PR-work and sports activities. But about half the sum, 34,386 SEK, was spent on the song book.
Several refer to partying
The first couple of headings are “One for snaps,” “One for beer,” and “One for Swedish punch”. Several other headings also refer to partying, and many separate songs concern drinking alcohol. In the beginning of the book, there is also an index over different names of snapses.
Put together, more than half of the 111 songs in the book relate to getting drunk as well as to alcohol in different ways. Hence, the connection to alcohol is strong.
As stated, the agreement with the University states that the activities paid for with the granted money “shall be outside the pub and festival activities arranged by the nation.”
One example to the contrary is when Lund’s nation had an “insjungning” of the book (stretching the book) in October 2015. The ticket price included a three-course supper as well as access to the nation’s night club, Penthouse, and in the Facebook event for that evening, participants were encouraged on taking part in a “tremendous party”.
Not only for drinking-songs
Lund’s nation had an outdated song book and wanted to pass on traditional student songs. That is the reason for the new song book being made, according to Sara Svenningsson, the qurator of Lund’s nation. But she does not agree that the book encourages alcohol consumption.
“The book is not only for drinking-songs, it is also part of Lund’s nation. Although there are a lot of drinking-songs in it, it also contains other songs.”
Sara Svenningsson thinks Lund’s nation has upheld their part in the agreement with the University and hopes that the song book will not affect any future support from the University.
“I certainly hope not. This was a one-time thing, spending money on this. Last autumn, we spent the support money on developing our sports activities section,” Sara Svenningsson says.
Not quite right
Tim Ekberg is head of Planning at the University, and he is responsible for fund distribution, from which the money for the nations comes from. To him, it does not sound quite right spending more than thirty thousand SEK on a song book of this kind.
Is this what this money should be spent on?
“Off the cuff, no. Without knowing the material that well, it does not sound quite right. But I cannot say anything too precise without proper background information,” Tim Ekberg says.
The ticket price for the insjungning of the book included access to Lund nation’s night club, Penthouse. And students were welcomed to a “tremendous party”. Your thoughts?
“We will have to look at this. I will speak to the person compiling the material in question [the statement of accounts from the nations – Ed.] and then we will analyse this further. The management has stated clearly that the money should be used for activities that have no link to those involving alcohol.”
If Lund’s nation has not upheld their end of the agreement, will it affect future grants?
“Yes, of course it will. Otherwise, it is not much of an agreement. We are going to check up on this, and if we reach the conclusion that individual nations do not honour the agreement, there is every reason to ask the management to re-evaluate whether money should be granted or not in the future,” Tim Ekberg says.
About the agreement
- Supporting grants for all nations in Lund to be used for activities having no link to alcohol provides the nations with 25 SEK per whole-year student registered at Lund University, each year.
- The condition for receiving the grant is that the money should be spent on activities that are not linked to pub and festival activities arranged by the nation in question, “to enforce any study-social activity that has no link with consumption of alcohol.”
- Following the agreement, the sum granted is calculated from “the number of nation members registered as students at Lund University in the time period in question. When calculating, the average number from the two preceding semesters of students registered via terminsräkningsföreningen’s list of members is used.”
- The granted sum is paid to Kuratorskollegiet (KK) and from there, money is distributed proportionally to each nation’s size.
Translation: Richard Helander
