An old girls group from the Stellenbosch University residence, Serruria Ladies Residence were upset when they recently received an email which informed them that they were not allowed to attend future residence events which did not specifically pertain to the alumni.
While some of the alumni saw this as a ban, the residence’s primaria, Hayley Simons, says that this was a case of simple misunderstanding.
According to Simons, the decision to exclude alumni from events, such as socials and dances, which are specifically intended for current residents of Serruria, was based on a majority vote by the current house committee (HK).
Serruria Ladies Residence in Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Megan Muller
According to the HK there were concerns that alumni would not uphold the values of the residence.
The decision was informed by past incidents involving Serruria alumni where alcohol was allegedly abused at events, said Benita van Zyl, Serruria residence head. Van Zyl said that the decision was not based on the university’s alcohol ban, which came into effect earlier this year.
“Student leaders are accountable for our students when they go to events. When it comes to alumni, it is more difficult to keep them accountable as they no longer adhere to our values [because] they are no longer registered students in Serruria,” said Van Zyl.
In an old girls WhatsApp group formed by the recent 2019 Serruria alumni, it was claimed that only certain alumni received the email, according to Megan Grobbelaar, Serruria alumnus.The group was hurt and no longer felt a sense of belonging that Serruria supposedly stands for, said Grobbelaar.
“I am disappointed in the manner in which the situation was handled. I still love Serruria and I hope this matter will be resolved,” said Grobbelaar.
Hayley Simons, primarius of Serruria residence, said that by placing their values on the stairs, it will always be something that people strive towards. PHOTO: Megan Muller
The HK said it was now also communicating with the alumni regarding the previous email sent.
“We value the relationship we have with our alumni. Therefore, we want to have more purposeful events with our alumni, where we will introduce our first years to our alumni, such as our upcoming high tea and other events that will be catered for all of our alumni,” said Simons.
– Megan Muller