Municipality: “Should student associations organize events in public spaces?”

The City Council is wondering if student associations should organize events in public spaces.

This emerges from a letter from the council that Mayor Koen Schuiling sent to city council on Tuesday.
In the letter from the board, Schuiling cites events outside the association building. “Is it desirable that student associations organize events in the public space, if this is only accessible to students of the association”, writes the mayor. “Associations have society at their disposal. Often, however, events have a different setting during an event and other associations or entities within the company are allowed to do so as well. We reflect on the timeliness of the events and also look at the additional terms that should apply during the events. “

Organizer of professional events
Schuiling writes that he wishes to discuss with the boards of directors of student associations the mandatory involvement of a professional event organizer for semi-large events. Or to impose additional obligations in the field of mobility and transport. “We see that events within student associations are often organized within an activity committee that includes students who have a certain affinity with the organization, but not with the organization of events with several thousand people.

“Students also do a lot of beautiful things”
In the letter, the mayor underlines that the students of the municipality of Groningen also do a lot of beautiful things, and that the vast majority are of good will. Nonetheless, Schuiling believes it is important not to overlook the missteps that unfortunately also take place. “This also includes appointment, addressing and sanctioning if necessary. “