The rules regarding drinking alcohol during orientation week have been tightened this year. Beer is forbidden before 3.30 p.m., both on campus and in the city centre. In practice, however, not everyone seems to be complying with the new rules.

No beer before 3.30 p.m. This has been the rule on Radboud University grounds for several years now. The taps of the various campus pubs do not open earlier, and agreements about alcohol consumption have also been made with various associations.

Since this year, that rule has been extended to the entire orientation week: activities involving alcohol are no longer allowed before 3.30 p.m. Neither on campus nor in the city centre. In order to take part in orientation week, participants and mentors had to sign a document that includes this agreement.

Fewer unpleasant situations

The new rule is intended to reduce the number of incidents in the evening hours, explains orientation coordinator Elke Moser Melis. ‘Both we as organisers, as well as the municipality and police, find that if alcohol is not served until later, there are fewer unpleasant situations later in the evening. Hence, this year, we are extending this rule to activities in the city.’

In practice, however, the rule is often disregarded by students taking part in orientation week, as Vox was able to observe. A number of fraternities, which have a separate programme from the University, also fail to adhere to it.

‘Orientation week is not just about boozing, but we will not stand in the way of anyone who wants to have a beer’

On Sunday, just after noon, the first 500 ml cans of private label beer can already be found in the dustbins on the campus grounds. There are also several groups strolling around the grounds with trays of beer hidden in their bags or under a vest.

‘It’s just patronising, isn’t it?’ one orientation committee member wonders aloud. He is sitting with his board members and the orientation committee of his study programme next to the RSC sports fields having a beer – even though it is not yet 3.30 p.m. They are willing to express their views on the situation on condition that they can remain anonymous.* ‘Surely the University is under no illusion that students will drink less beer now? It’s also kind of part of orientation week,’ the committee member says.

Good intentions

‘We are well aware of the impression we make,’ a board member says to add nuance. ‘There are activities where we don’t want any alcohol, for example when lecturers come to give a lecture.’

‘The University’s intentions are good,’ adds a second board member. ‘But if you don’t want alcohol, you can drink soda. Orientation week is not just about boozing, but we will not stand in the way of anyone who wants to have a beer.’

‘We haven’t had to send anyone away’

While alcohol may officially not be drunk on the campus grounds, it is flowing profusely about 10 metres away. Members of the Priapus fraternity have set up a table with beer right next to the exit – on the public road. Impossible to miss for thirsty first-year students.

At the orientation market a day later, the same thing happens. Once again, several participants secretively walk around with cans of beer in their hands. The market has barely officially opened, but already the fraternities present are promising curious first-year students drinking games and free shots. And that despite the fact that the internal regulations clearly state that this is not allowed.

Students called to account

‘Students who were walking around with cans of beer during registration were told that they were not allowed to drink beer,’ says coordinator Moser Melis. ‘We did not see any open cans. As long as the cans are closed, we’re not going to confiscate them.’

‘If we see orientation participants drinking beer before the agreed time, we will confiscate the drinks and speak to them about it,’ she continues. ‘We will let them off with a warning the first time, because we want to keep the atmosphere convivial, of course. Should it happen more than once with the same people, there will be consequences.’

‘We talked to the fraternity at the gate on Sunday, and told them they were not allowed to serve alcohol to orientation participants. To which they replied that the beer was only for their own use. They did drink alcohol before 3.30 p.m., while we had asked them to only consume it after 3.30 p.m., as outlined in the guidelines.’

The organisation also intervened at the market. ‘We informed the fraternities handing out shots that this was not permitted before 3.30 p.m. After that, we did not see them breaking the rules. We didn’t have to send anyone away.’

*The names of the committee and board members are known to the editor.