29 Groningen students unwell in hidden hazing incident

Four aspiring members of the Groningen student association Albertus Magnus passed out and 25 others became unwell during a hazing ritual at the end of August. Contrary to agreements, the association did not report this incident to the University of Groningen, the Volkskrant reported.

Albertus Magnus initially denied the incident, saying that the aspiring members fell ill due to a combination of "heat and many people in an old club building, comparable to a concert or festival", according to the newspaper. But in reality, the students were made to sit hunch over for 20 minutes. Four fainted when they got up. 

"We went to the medical team with them for a check-up. The four people recovered after a night's sleep and continued to participate in the program," the vice-chairman of the student association said to the Volkskrant. The association will evaluate the incident, he said. "But in anticipation of this evaluation, we already decided to no longer do this activity in this way anymore. And not to have people bend over for so long."

Incidents during initiation must be reported to the Advisory Committee on Initiation Times (ACI) - a body set up by the University of Groningen and the Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen. The University of Groningen told the Volkskrant that it is pleased that this incident was now reported, even if only after prompting. The university is not yet looking at sanctions against the student association. "That's a bit ahead of things," a spokesperson said.

Earlier this month, Amsterdam student association A.S.C./A.V.S.V.  suspended various members for assaulting and humiliating aspiring members during hazing.