“Student festive events will be subject to the health pass”, announces Frédérique Vidal


Getting back to campuses and student life, after a year and a half of the coronavirus crisis. A wish unanimously shared by the students this coming back to school. As the integration weekends and the first student evenings approach, the Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal, unveils a preview at 20 minutes the sanitary protocol planned for festive events.

The opportunity to also question him on measures to prevent sexual violence during festive events, after the many testimonies of victims revealed at the beginning of 2021.

Integration weekends and student evenings will start in the coming days. What health rules will they have to obey?

We decided not to ban these events, which could have generated wild parties where no control of sanitary measures is possible. And that’s what sometimes happened last year. We have to find the right balance between the need to get together and everyone’s health security.

All integration evenings and weekends must therefore be declared in advance to the head of the establishment. And the events that will be organized on the campuses must be authorized in advance by the heads of establishments. We have decided that these festive events will be subject to the health pass as well as a strict health protocol. They will therefore be accessible only to vaccinated students or to those who will present a negative PCR or antigen test of less than 72 hours, and to students who will present a certificate of recovery from Covid-19 of at least 11 days and less than 6 months. .

The Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal, September 8, 2021. – Isabelle Harsin / Sipa for 20 minutes

What gauge will they have to respect?

The additional constraint linked to Covid-19 is never to exceed 75% of the reception capacity of the place, so as to maintain a form of distancing. Wearing the mask is recommended during these events, even students can remove it when eating or drinking.

What proportion of students are vaccinated today?

Currently, 85.64% of 18-24 year olds have received a first dose of vaccine, and 77.5% have a complete vaccination schedule. Even if the health pass will not be compulsory at the entrance of universities and schools and the freedom to study is preserved, the students understood that the start of the school year could not be 100% guaranteed in face-to-face and remain in the classroom. time without using the vaccination weapon. To continue on this path, we suggest that students get vaccinated on campus. Each university or high school site will have a vaccination center within or near it, an organization set up in conjunction with the local health authorities. Students from smaller sites will have reserved slots in nearby vaccinodromes. Everyone will benefit from a vaccination solution.

As for foreign students, those who were not vaccinated must register with the Health Insurance Fund before their departure, in order to be vaccinated very quickly when they arrive in France.

  The Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal, September 8, 2021.
The Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal, September 8, 2021. – sabelle Harsin / Sipa for 20 minutes

In July, you received a report from the General Inspectorate concerning gender-based and sexual violence in the IEPs. Sexual assaults often take place at student parties. What steps are you going to take on the subject?

I shared this report with the CPU (Conference of University Presidents) and CGE (Conference of Grandes Ecoles), so that we can work together based on its recommendations. In early October, I will announce a national plan to combat gender-based and sexual violence in higher education institutions. It will include measures to increase the number of reception centers for victims, provide systematic legal and psychological support for each of them, and better train the people responsible for supporting them within the establishments.

This report showed that the use of disciplinary procedures against attackers was limited in the grandes écoles. Do you think this can change?

Very often, sexual assault takes place outside of institutions, in a private context. This makes it more difficult to reveal the facts and the consequences that flow from them. What I advocate is zero tolerance and full support. We must help institutions to build legal cases that may justify the pronouncement of disciplinary measures, even if the assault took place outside the institution during a festive evening, and even when the victim did not filed a complaint. We must also think about more appropriate disciplinary measures. The disciplinary sanction is only effective if it leads to real awareness.

Do all universities and grandes écoles now have units responsible for dealing with gender-based and sexual violence?

In the vast majority of cases, they have referents in charge of these subjects. But it seems to me necessary to multiply the points of contact with the victims, because some will prefer to address themselves to a doctor, others to a teacher, others to an association outside the establishment …

How to better manage alcohol consumption in the evenings?

The 2018 charter, signed by student organizations, already prohibits the sponsorship of student parties by alcohol brands. And we rely on associations to make students responsible for consumption. These are often subsidized by establishments to organize back-to-school events. Hence the possibility for university presidents and school directors to check invoices in order to assess the volumes that are ordered. Having people on site who know how to practice first aid is also essential. And mobilizing health students to make students aware of the fact that you can have fun without drinking until you die of it is just as much.

You envisioned a 100% face-to-face return to universities. Will it be possible everywhere?

It was a wish in June, a reasonable hope in July, and a reality today. Because face-to-face is essential. For sites that have already started, things are going well, even if we are not immune to anything. In case of contamination of a student, he will be subjected to isolation, but will be able to follow his courses remotely. Regarding contact cases, if the student is vaccinated, he can continue to attend the course. But if he is not, he will be subjected to solitary confinement and will therefore have to follow the courses at a distance.



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