Violent initiation ceremony
When first year students at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science had a revue last week, they were greeted with horse manure and beer cans. Now the Association of Veterinary Students wants an end to this tradition.
For years, first year students, also called «caterpillars», at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (NVH) have had to go through a hazing ritual during their annual revue, in which they are subject to second year students throwing missiles onstage. Horse manure and beer cans were thrown onto the stage when the show kicked off last week.
David Persson, leader of the Association of Veterinary Students (VSF), thinks that things went too far during this year’s revue.
– What happened was clearly not good. This year was worse than previous years, and this is why we are reacting now, he says.
Throwing of objects to be stopped
In the wake of the revue, Persson sent an email to all students at NVH, in which he encouraged everyone to make the caterpillar revue a positive experience, without what he calls embarrassing behavior.
– Why is this tradition so popular that students continue to do this year after year?
– I do not know why it is so popular. Personally, I am against this ritual. It can seem idiotic to outsiders. You have to study at NVH to understand the tradition, Persson says.
– Will you allow the hazing ritual to continue as a tradition at NVH?
– The revue should continue as an annual tradition, but we want to work towards stopping the throwing of objects onstage for good. The only thing we can do is make it clear that we want this to stop. It may be tough stopping individuals, and stopping this altogether, but we hope that most students will understand, Persson states.
Were prepared
Head of the revue, Bente Wabakken Hognestad, says that the caterpillars were prepared for what happened.
– Even though we don’t really like this tradition of throwing things, they could not ruin our experience of the caterpillar revue, she says.
Yet she does not think that her own class will follow up on the throwing of objects onstage.
– Our class will probably not do the same thing at the revue next year, but that is our choice, Hognestad says.
Universitas did not succeed in getting any further comments from first year students at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, as the whole class had made a pact not to make any statements about the incident at the revue, in fear of creating conflict with older classes at the school.
Breaks with basic values
Lars Moe, rector at NVH, also believes that the initiation ritual went too far during this year’s caterpillar revue.
– I have been told that excrement was thrown onstage. This is unacceptable, and does not comply with our guidelines. At the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science we are meant to have respect for both animals and fellow human beings. The behavior at this year’s revue breaks with our basic values, he states.
Moe trusts that the Association of Veterinary Students will resolve the situation.
– We have a good dialogue with VSF, and trust that they will handle this situation in a decent way. This is a matter of attitude, and we share their point of view on this, he says.
David Persson asserts that the Caterpillar will be a calmer affair from now on.
– We will definitely have some sort of initiation ritual in the future, but we will make sure that there will be no attacks or horse dung thrown onstage.
