• The University , Student

‘All-male’ MomenTUm banner daubed: ‘No women?’

The Federation of Study Associations Eindhoven (FSE) does not know who has gone to work with a pink-red spray can on its MomenTUm-banner on the corner of the KOE field. ‘No women?’ has been sprayed on the notice, above a photograph showing only men - with the exception of the TU/e beadle - all of them representatives of the federation.

by
photo Monique van de Ven

“Really no idea at all,” says FSE president Tom van Teeffelen, when asked who might be behind this anonymous note of criticism. But he does know that the text has certainly been there for a couple of days already and that it is, as far he can see, the only ‘altered’ MomenTUm publicity material on the campus. “We've received no other emails or Facebook messages on the topic.”

He points out that the FSE working group shown in the photo, involved in organizing the annual academic celebration MomenTUm on September 21, had no intention at all of excluding women. On other visual materials for the event, moreover, he claims, women are indeed well represented. This photo is the exception.

“We will be walking at the head of the procession, which is why we have included this photo in our communications - and, simply due to the composition of the working group, there are indeed no women in the photo. There is absolutely no other intention behind it. This event is for everyone; it is not about us at all; in fact it is emphatically not about us.”

Excluded

Nonetheless Van Teeffelen says it is “regrettable” if people feel wronged or excluded by the photo. “If anyone wants to make their opinion known or thinks they maybe have something to contribute, I hope they will get in touch with us; we are keen to a good job for the whole of TU/e and would be happy to discuss the matter.”

He emphasizes that, contrary to the impression given, very many women students play an active role in the life of Eindhoven's study associations, “their representation there is proportionally speaking stronger than it is in the TU/e population as a whole. At present, Thor has no less than three women on its board.”

For Van Teeffelen, with another eight days to go, the daubed banner seems to make little or no dent on the festive spirit under preparation. MomenTUm is being well organized, he says, “although it took a while to work out how exactly we would arrange and design various aspects; it's all new territory, of course. I'm intrigued to know how it will go down with TU/e, but personally I think we can look forward to a really great day.”

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