Gyas rowers win gold

Gyas rowers Just van der Endt, studying marine biology, and Vincent de Vegt, studying social geography and urban planning, won the Hollandia rowing competition on Saturday. They will compete for qualification in the world championship for athletes younger than 23 next week.

Gyas member Rogier Blink also won in his category in a combined boat with Mitchel Steenman of Skadi. Gyas rowers won in ‘first years eight with coxswain’, and a combined Gyas-Nereus boat came second for ‘women’s seniors A two without coxswain’. Four Groningen rowers from Aegis won the ‘light women’s first years double four with coxswain’ category.

RUG student Dutch checkers champion

Physics student Roel Boomstra became the Dutch checkers champion on Saturday in Emmeloord. He was already the European champion, but the Dutch title was not a sure thing. Alexander Baliakin, last year’s champion, was his opponent.

But Boomstra won in the end. ‘Baliakin played good defense. But when we were in a draw, he made one mistake and I saw it’, Boomstra says. The biggest challenge still lies ahead for Boomstra: the world championship will be held in Emmen in November. He came in third place in 2013, but he hopes to finally win this year.

Albertus donates to women’s shelter

Last week, STAR, a charity within the fraternity Albertus, donated 10,000 euros to Het Kopland, a local women’s shelter. The donation will be used for building a new home for Het Kopland. A study in the building will be named after the fraternity.

On behalf of Het Kopland, Jacqueline Hoge says the group is ‘awfully happy’ to receive the donation. Albertus vice president Diana den Heijer says most of the money came from members of STAR donating 90 cents – the cost of a beer – each month. Construction will begin in late 2016.

UvA board chairperson resigns

Louise Gunning resigned as chairperson of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) board on Saturday after multiple co-determination groups withdrew their support. The New University Groningen spokesperson Floor Mertens says the resignation is progress, but still questions whether or not co-determination will improve at UvA.

Spokesperson Gernant Deekens says the RUG undersigns the statement by the Dutch Union of Universities (VSNU) about the resignation. However, the statement does not address the protests that preceded Gunning’s departure. UvA rector Dymph van den Boom is now acting chairperson, and UvA will consult the co-determination groups and deans to appoint a successor.