Corps bans new members for dispute Thalia after serious misconduct
Following an incident of “serious misconduct,” the A.S.C./A.V.S.V. has decided that the dispute Thalia will not be allowed to admit any new members this academic year. The corps board says it is concerned about the safety of (new) members.
In a letter to all members, the A.S.C./A.V.S.V. states that dispute Thalia will have “no new intake” this academic year due to “misconduct.” This behavior was directed at each other, other members, the surroundings, and at the A.S.C./A.V.S.V. itself. It was not aimed at new members, the Senate of the corps emphasizes in the letter.
In and around the dispute house, there was reportedly even “serious misconduct.” According to the letter, dispute Thalia has a long history of wrongdoing. Through discussions, agreements, and sanctions, the corps board has tried to enforce a cultural change—without success. The Senate says it is “deeply concerned” about “Thalia’s ability to fully cooperate with the cultural change.”
“Since we cannot currently guarantee safety and have strong indications that there is no clear prospect of quick and structural improvement, we believe it is our responsibility to draw the line here and not allow the misconduct to escalate further,” the Senate states in the letter.
The Senate outlines which steps the dispute must take in order to be allowed to welcome new members again next year—but only after there is “complete improvement” on “all points.”
In recent years, the Amsterdam corps has frequently been in the news for negative reasons. In 2019, two members suffered hypothermia during an initiation at a dispute. In 2021, an initiation was even halted after several violent incidents. Since then, the corps has been trying to bring about a cultural change.
For the fourth year in a row, the A.S.C./A.V.S.V. is missing out on funding from educational institutions. This concerns board grants worth a total of €15,000. Only when trust is restored will the corps receive the money again.
