Headlines

Physical violence is to be outlawed during co-edfraternity/sorority Veritas' introduction, says a report from acommittee of alumni on the excesses of the September 2000introduction. Veritas hit the national media then after a campleader stubbed out a cigarette on the arm of a freshman candidatemember, called a "foet", who he thought wanted to go home toearly.

The committee set up to investigate the incident made a numberof recommendations this week pertaining to the future form ofinitiation week. These forbid any form of physical contact betweenfreshmen and members and say freshman should get their name ontheir initiation shirt rather than a number. In a bid to dissipateunpleasant associations, the committee also recommends ceasing theuse of the term "foet", derived from the Latin fetus.

Junior doctor hours

Medical students serving internships as junior doctors can nolonger be asked to work shifts exceeding 24 hours. After a 14-hourshift they have the right to day of down time and cannot be askedto work a second long shift within a week. The council of medicalfaculties issued these rulings last month. The interns had a freehand until the decision but will now in principle be treated thesame as fully-qualified doctors. Interns will not be permitted towork an average of any more than 46 hours a week, except in thenewly specified cases. And they also do not have to work non-stopon the long shifts, which include their presence being requiredduring breaks and sleeping periods, when they remain on-call.

Elite Master's

Parliament does not want universities charging exorbitant feesfor elite Master's degrees. Education minister Loek Hermans' planto grant universities total freedom in setting entrancerequirements and academic fees is backed only by his own party, theVVD. The Dutch Labor Party, Christian Democrats, Democrats 66,Green Left, the Christian Union and the SGP are all uncomfortablewith relinquishing control of fee levels. They do not wish to seestudents' options limited by their financial means. A CDA motion tothat effect has all the parties' support.