Jönköping students should have a good Kick Off
We in the management of Jönköping University (JU) take the issue of our students’ safety very seriously. The Kick Off is one of the first impressions students get of their place of study and therefore it is important for us that our students feel safe and welcome from the very first day on campus. We support the Student Union in the decision to reorganize the Kick Off. We want the students at JU to continue to have an active student life in a safe environment.
We know that there is a wish for greater clarity in communication about what has led to this decision. We understand that some students are frustrated, but there are aspects of privacy and security that we must consider. Students have contacted us to tell us what they have been through. Out of respect for them and to ensure their anonymity, we cannot disclose further details of what has happened. We have a duty to protect those who have dared to speak out.
What we can say is that, for some time, there has been inappropriate behaviour by a number of students in the sexmästerier, and there have been incidents that are serious and that we cannot accept. One of our most important tasks is to ensure the students’ work environment and that no student is harmed during their time at JU. This means that we sometimes have to balance transparency with the need to protect individuals’ integrity and safety.
After the events came to the attention of JU’s management and the Student Union, already before the summer, a number of measures were initiated immediately and continuously during the autumn (see fact box below). Despite this, several negative incidents occurred during the autumn. Therefore, the Student Union, with the support of JU’s management, is now trying to control and bring about a change in negative behaviour. The Student Union will form a completely new project group that will be tasked with organizing the Kick Off.
This means that it is primarily about changing the organization around the Kick Off, not that the Kick Off itself disappears. We hope that the students who have been involved in the past can see that we are doing this so that all students can feel safe and have a fun Kick Off, and that they will be able to continue to get involved in the Kick Off even under a new organization.
It is important to understand that the Kick Off will remain but that we and the Student Union want to conduct it with zero tolerance for discrimination. Together we can work to continue to ensure that the University is a place where everyone feels welcome and respected and has a good student life.
Måns Svensson, President of Jönköping University
Eva Gipperth, University Director, Jönköping University
Actions taken so far (from summer 2024)
June 2024 - The Dean of each school met with their student associations and raised the seriousness of what had been brought to their attention.
June 2024 - The Vice President for Education and the operational managers of the schools formed a group to lead the work forward.
June 2024 – The Chief Communications Officer and the Vice President for Education met with all sexmästerier to discuss and clarify expectations on behaviour and conduct.
August 2024 - The President participated in fadder training and clarified JU's values and Code of Conduct to all fadders.
August/September 2024 - extra resources were deployed during the Kick Off with extra staffing at the Student Health Care, extra opening hours at the Service Center, and extra security measures in Hälsoparken. An alternative Kick Off was also organized in the library by the Student Health Care.
September 2024 - The Student Union had one-on-one meetings with all the sexmästerier.
September 2024 - The University Director had a meeting with the Student Union on the structure, governance system and delegation scheme within the Student Union to clarify the Student Union's responsibilities regarding, among other things, values, organization and alcohol issues.
October 2024 – The University Director, Vice President for Education and those responsible for the Kick Off discussed how the Kick Off had proceeded in order to identify any problems.
October 2024 - The Vice President for Education, security officer and some of the Deans of the schools met with the Students' Union and sexmästerierna to establish a common understanding on how to organize the Kick Off.
October 2024 - The Head of the Student Support Unit was given responsibility for managing behavioural issues together with the Student Union.
December 2024 - Parts of JU's management met with the police to inform about recent events that have come to the management's attention.
December 2024 - At the JU Governing Foundation Board meeting, the Student Union presented a number of measures to address the problem.
January 2025 - A workshop was held with the sexmästerister, the Student Union and representation from JU where the Code of Conduct and desirable behaviour was discussed.
January 2025 - The President, the Deans and the Student Union invited the sexmästerister to a meeting where they were informed about a change in the organization of the Kick Off and given the opportunity to ask questions.
January 2025 - The management of the schools had a meeting with the sexmästerister to discuss the change in the Kick Off organization.
Questions & Answers regarding the JU Kick Off
Has the Kick Off been cancelled?
No, the Kick Off will remain with various activities that you can choose to participate in. The difference is that it takes place in a new organization where a new committee under the Student Union conducts the Kick Off. JU will continue to be involved and finance parts of the Kick Off.
Why can't the sexmästerier continue to be responsible for the Kick Off?
Unfortunately, there is a small group of students within the sexmästerier who, despite a number of discussions and workshops, continue to subject incoming members and others to offensive behaviour. JU has a zero-tolerance approach to harassment in accordance with our Code of Conduct
Why does JU interfere in how the students organize the Kick Off?
JU is responsible for the students' entire study environment, including the social environment. We are also responsible for the Kick Off that we share with the Student Union and we finance parts of the events.
Why don't you go public with the extent of these offences?
The testimonies received from both students and parents are of such a nature that individuals can be identified. None of these want or dare to go public with their story. Therefore, we have chosen to accommodate these requests not to share more information, although other students would gain a greater understanding of why JU and the Student Union are forced to take these measures.
Have you been subject to discrimination?
On this page you can read more about what you can do if you have been subject to discrimination
