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DieMATIE SEWE-EN-SEWENTIGSTE JAARGANG | NO 10
Ticket giveaway for ‘Breaking the Borders’
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WOENSDAG 5 SEPTEMBER 2018 | GR ATIS
Drama-Diva by Aardklop
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Soepel seisoen vir Maties Gimanastiek
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Co-ed Libertas on the cards after cock-up HELÉNE LEONARD & LIAN VAN WYK
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he Libertas Private Student Organisation (PSO) will become a co-ed PSO as of 2019. The decision was made final by the Stellenbosch University (SU) Centre for Student Communities (CSC), in partnership with the Libertas House Committee, who thought it the best way to remedy the issue of the drinking culture at the PSO. The all-men’s PSO saw its current state of affairs questioned when photos surfaced in July showing an old boy behaving in a manner that was deemed inappropriate. The photos were anonymously revealed. It is alleged that members of the PSO discharged their loft’s fire extinguisher on the surface of the loft, after which images of male genitals were drawn in the powder. Alistair Seymour, newly elected vice-prim of Libertas, as well as Marcelino Vieira, another member of Libertas, were able to confirm this information. Adriaan de Jong, a first year Libertas member, commented on the changes the PSO will have to undergo. “It is sad and the men are upset, but after numerous meetings we have all decided that this decision is contributing to the University’s future,” stated De Jong. According to Martin Viljoen, SU’s spokesperson, the University received no notice of the fire extinguisher incident, or any of the photos related to the incident. “In fact, it was a decision by the student leaders of the student communities in which the CSC played a collaborative role,” said Viljoen. “The matter of Libertas becoming
a co-ed PSO was not discussed by the SU executive management. To my knowledge the planning is done by the Libertas student leadership themselves,” explained Prof Arnold Schoonwinkel, Vice-Rector of Learning and Training. Seymour emphasised the fact that Libertas is slowly embracing the new change. “The next step that seems to be in the right direction is to become a co-ed PSO. We surely are one of the top men’s PSOs, so it is tough, but change is clearly needed within the PSO,” said Seymour. The new House Committee for 2018/2019 consists out of a total of 12 members – seven men and five women who were chosen and elected by Libertas’s previous House Committee. Together they will become a completely new PSO. Anke Eksteen, newly elected vice prim alongside Seymour, said that the new team are already putting heads together. “A big advantage of us now being a mixed PSO is the introduction of new perspectives, enabling us to think, communicate and plan differently. “We really would like to make all the new members feel welcome next year.” Eksteen said that obstacles will arise naturally during the year to come, but added that the five women on the new House Committee would never have applied if they were not ready for the challenges. “The whole HK group supports each other, and together we can overcome any obstacle.” Although a placeholder name, Jonkershoek PSO has temporarily been put in place. The newly formed co-ed PSO will decide on a name
Foto’s: ARMIN PRINSLOO & VERSKAF
TOTSIENS, THOM Die H.B. Thom-teater, wat die drama-departement huisves, word binnekort na die wyle digter en dramaturg Adam Small vernoem. Die universiteit het in 2015 aan Small ’n eredoktorsgraad toegeken. that is dear to them after consulting a branding company. Seymour further explained that the members of Libertas are extremely saddened by the sudden change, but are standing in agreement with the CSC’s decision. He also explained that Libertas wants to stay on top of things, and for that to happen, change needs to happen. Libertas’s name and honour will, however, not completely fall away, as a separate association will be formed, namely Libertas Alumni
Association. To report back to the new PSO’s House Committee team, this association will consist of old members, current members as well as a House Committee representative. According Eduart Durr, previous Prim of Libertas, alumni reunions will still take place and none of the old traditions will fall away. “The culture and history of Libertas will be taken into consideration at all times. The alumni will certainly not be forgotten,” explained Durr. Durr further mentioned that
this is to ensure that the 45 years of Libertas history and heritage is not lost or forgotten. The formation of the new PSO will amount to a big task, seeing that 600 new first years will be introduced to the new system in 2019, half of them men and the other half women. “Libertas is one of the most influential PSOs in Stellenbosch,” Seymour stated when saying that although they “started out as a brotherhood” they are now growing into a family.
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