What do you do as a student confidential counsellor?
‘At VU, we strive for a pleasant and safe study and work environment, and unwanted behavior has no place in it, such as (sexual) harassment, discrimination, bullying, threats, aggression, violence, or stalking. Unfortunately, these things can still occur. If possible, it is, of course, good to address this behavior directly, or talk about it with a lecturer or study advisor. However, sometimes that is not feasible or possible. In those cases, students can always turn to me or my colleagues.
When students reach out to us, we schedule a meeting. In these confidential conversations, we primarily offer a listening ear. They can share their story about what is happening. After that, we explore together with the student the options for potential follow-up actions. The student always remains in control of the process. We never take that control away from them, but we do remain by their side.’
Can you tell us something about the reports you receive?
‘The common thread between the reports is unwanted behavior, but the severity varies. Some of the inappropriate behavior involves fellow students, but it can also concern interactions with lecturers or other staff members.
I don’t believe the reports we receive are the result of people becoming more sensitive. It’s more likely because there is now more media attention on inappropriate behavior. I believe people are now more willing and able to speak up and can find us more easily. This is also because we are making serious efforts within VU to promote desired behaviour, and we are informing students and staff where they can turn to for support.
Of course, we aim to find a good solution together with the student. However, we don’t always know if that is successfully achieved. Because sometimes, we are only one step in the student's journey. We are involved for a while, and then the student continues. Not all students provide feedback on how things eventually turned out. But some do come back to thank us and, for example, share that they had a good conversation with a lecturer or fellow student.’
What can you do to prevent unwanted behavior?
‘When it comes to the prevention of unwanted behavior, the VU Code of Conduct is very important. It’s very clear, and we expect everyone who studies or works here to be aware of it and adhere to it. For example, during orientation days, my colleagues and I regularly join to let students know who we are, what we can do for them, and also what we expect from them. What are the codes of conduct and (social) rules we want to follow together?’
How would you assess the social safety of students at VU?
"The tricky part with unwanted behavior is that no one intends for it to happen in the first place. I don’t think many people come to VU with the intention of saying, ‘I’m going to do things that are unacceptable.’ But still, it happens sometimes. It’s difficult for me to determine the overall social safety of students at VU. However, I think and hope that we have a safe campus. We certainly do a lot to create a good safety net for students when their (social) safety is at risk. What I really appreciate about my role is that I can truly be there for students when they need it the most.’