The veterinarians respond
The veterinarians respond
Submitted by Tord Skrudland Kjeldsen on behalf of students and representatives the NMBU Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Illustrator: Signe Aanes
After Tuntreet’s article about students at the Veterinary School and St. Blasihus, we feel the need to clarify. The article may give an impression that some think that VET and animal nursing students stay away from the rest of the student body mass and student life here in Ås, and we feel that this is completely wrong. We feel that we are welcome here and think that other students, AU and student organizations have been very open.
The studies at the Veterinary School are made up in a way that limits the possibility to participate in all the fun activities in Ås; classes have a lot of compulsory attendance and teaching at the clinic, with shifts during the day, evening and nights. We have exams at totally different times from other studies, and we always have a January and June block. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t want to be a part of the student environment. On the contrary.
After UMB and NVH merged to become NMBU, we have become a natural part of the social life here in Ås. Our two VET choirs have luckily remained and contribute to Christmas concerts and choir weekends. You can find us in almost all of the associations, behind the beer tap at Samfunnet, we contributed backstage and onstage in the UKE revy, we are in NMBUI, we run 3000m beer, promosjonen’s shield is hung in the Bodega and we invite representatives from all unions to Fjøsfesten that we arrange each fall. We live in the Ås bubble just like most other students out here. We are here!
The reason why we still want to keep some of our almost 90-year-old traditions and want our own hangout spot is mainly to create and maintain the social environment within the Veterinary School, which is also important for life in demanding work after graduation. These are important measures to prevent dropout and mental illnesses that veterinarians unfortunately score the highest on in some statistics.
The new St. Blasihus is not an alternative to Samfunnet, but is a social and academic meeting point for students of veterinary and animal nursing who study here, abroad and graduated veterinarians. The house is rented and made available by our trade union, DNV. We don’t have to be part of any associations to access the house, and it isn’t closed for other students. There has to be room to host parties at other places than Samfunnet without it being seen as a threat.
Finally: to think that we are completely integrated only if we do things exactly like they were done before the move is not very inclusive. To create good experiences across study programs and new traditions is something we think should be embraced. The same goes for NMBU as it prepares to welcome hundreds of new students to start at all faculties. We will let them participate in the culture out here and let them shape it themselves and leave their own mark on the student life. If the community in Ås can’t be changed and life in the Ås bubble will forever stay the same, well then, it's THAT elephant in the room that should be written about.
Students and representatives at the NMBU Faculty of Veterinary Medicine:
Tord Skrudland Kjeldsen, Tonje Sunde (Promosjonskollegiet), Nick Harries (Veterinærmedisinsk Studentforening), Thea Øvregaard (Student Council VET), Jasmin Søderlund (Board of the House), Aksel Njaa, Erik Krokan Thomassen (Dyrepleiernes Studentforening) and Sara Nesse
