culture of care
KASK & Conservatorium wants to create a caring learning and working environment for students and staff. Safety and mutual respect are basic conditions in an environment where students are challenged to develop their artistic vision and personality.
Many crucial elements of art education – intensive collaborations, individual guidance, vulnerable making processes, thorough feedback, constructive (self) criticism, physical interactions, personal expression, constructive friction, experimentation – are only possible if there is a general culture of care. All students and staff contribute to this culture of care at the school.
In case things do occur in the school context that don’t feel right, we list below for which topics you can turn to whom.
KASK & Conservatorium aims to be a safe haven. Therefore, transgressive behaviour cannot be tolerated. By transgressive behaviour we mean, among other things, bullying, unwanted sexual behaviour, violence, sexism, validism, racism, abuse of power, stalking and all other forms of discrimination.
We want to encourage anyone who experiences, sees or thinks they have crossed a boundary themselves to talk about it. If it feels safe to do so, this can be a dialogue with the other party or with a staff member or fellow student you trust. A conversation about the experience can be gratifying. We recommend that you also make the story known to the relevant authorities.
What is transgressive behaviour
Behaviour is called transgressive when someone crosses a personal boundary and violates your personal integrity. This behaviour cannot always be determined objectively. Only the person experiencing transgressive behaviour can judge for themselves whether certain behaviour is undesirable or transgressive. For instance, behaviour that is acceptable to one person may not be acceptable to others. Also, behaviour may feel okay in one context but not in another.
framework
This text is regularly re-evaluated. If you want to share feedback, you can always e-mail the confidential advisers or the workgroup on transgressive behaviour. This text is regularly re-evaluated. If you want to share feedback, you can always e-mail the confidential advisers or the workgroup on transgressive behaviour.
How to report at HOGENT
As a student, how do you report transgressive behaviour by another student, or staff member? What if you observe transgressive behaviour? Or feel you have crossed someone’s boundaries yourself?
student confidants
Bert Lesaffer
bert.lesaffer@hogent.beMAIL
0473 97 79 39
Véronique Govaert
veronique.govaert@hogent.beMAIL
0474 66 35 01
Within KASK & Conservatorium you can contact the student confidants.
Every Wednesday there are ‘open office hours’, where you can pop in without an appointment. Between 11:00 and 13:00, Bert and/or Véronique are in the ombudsperson’s office, to be found on Campus Bijloke in building Pauli (first floor, side corridor of researchers, above the student restaurant). At other times you can make an appointment via mail or phone.
The ombuds' office is in building Pauli at the Bijloke site (at Jozef Kluyskensstraat 2). When you enter the main entrance, immediately turn left until you encounter the large staircase on your right (right opposite the student resto). Then go up the stairs and at the top you will immediately see a side corridor (the researchers' corridor). In that corridor, you will find the ombudsman's office on your left.
student confidants HOGENT
Stephanie Vandersyppe
stephanie@hogent.be MAIL
0475 70 11 83
Michael Ringoir
michael.ringoir@hogent.be MAIL
0475 70 11 82
Students of all HOGENT departments can contact the HOGENT student confidants.
a conversation with care for the reporter
A student confidant listens without judging and investigates next steps with the reporter. Every situation is different and requires a custom approach. The student confidant only takes further steps with the consent of the reporter.
If you turn to the student confidential advisor for a talk, then:
- the student confidential counsellor has professional secrecy
- you may, if you wish, bring someone along (e.g. a fellow student, a witness or a colleague)
- the student confidant is a neutral and independent party
confidential advisor for staff members
Mirjam Vermeulen
mirjam.vermeulen@hogent.be MAIL
0474 46 09 40
If, as a staff member, you experience transgressive behaviour by a student or another staff member, you can contact HOGENT’s confidential advisor.
How to report outside of HOGENT
The organisations below can be contacted if you want to report transgressive behaviour outside school or if you want to have an (anonymous) conversation about it.
Zorgcentrum na Seksueel Geweld
uzgent.be WWW
zsg@uzgent.be MAIL
09 332 80 80
Victims of sexual violence, such as rape or sexual assault, can visit the Care Centre after Sexual Violence (ZSG) of Ghent University Hospital day and night. You can come here for medical and psychological care, an initial trace investigation and, for those who want it, help with the police report.
Unia
unia.be WWW
0800 12 800 (free)
Anyone who feels discriminated against within Belgium or witnesses discrimination can turn to Unia. Unia will inform you of your rights and help you find a solution.
Engagement
Engagement is an artistic movement that aims to tackle sexually transgressive behaviour, as well as sexism and abuse of power in the Belgian artistic field. Engagement provides peer-to-peer support by organising open meetings and offering conversations with freelance confidants working in the art field.
1712
1712.be WWW
1712
Mail, chat or call. At this number you can talk or report violence and abuse anonymously.
TEJO.be
tejo.be WWW
TEJO offers low-threshold, therapeutic counselling in Flanders to young people aged between 10 and 20 (but you are also welcome after 20); short-term, immediate, anonymous, and free. Services are provided by professional therapists on a voluntary basis.
Vlaams Meldpunt Grensoverschrijdend Gedrag
vlaanderen.be WWW
0800 13184 TEL
Have you experienced transgressive behaviour in a sports club, university, theatre company, production house, socio-cultural association or in another Flemish sector or organisation? Or do you know someone who has experienced this? Are you looking for advice or guidance on steps you can take? Report to the Flemish Reporting Centre for Transgressive Behaviour and their staff will see how they can help you.
Bert Lesaffer
bert.lesaffer@hogent.be MAIL
0473 97 79 39
As Bert Lesaffer teaches in the film and animation film programmes, these students are referred to the other ombudsperson.
Véronique Govaert
veronique.govaert@hogent.be MAIL
0474 66 35 01
As Véronique Govaert teaches in the photography programme, these students are referred to the other ombudsperson.
Disputes may arise relating to the application of the education and examination regulations, the student’s legal status regulations, as well as unfairly perceived actions and assessments. Here, the ombudsperson can act as a mediator between student and staff member of HOGENT.
The ombudsperson is bound to discretion in handling the complaint.
Every Wednesday there are also open office hours, where you can pop in without an appointment. Between 11:00 and 13:00, Bert and/or Véronique are in the ombudsperson’s office, found on Campus Bijloke in building Pauli (first floor, side corridor of researchers, above the student resto).
STUVO
42, Overwale
9000 Ghent
09 243 37 38
hogent.be/stuvoWWW
zorg@hogent.beMAIL
STUVO, HOGENT’s student services department, is available for a no-obligation confidential conversation for students. They help to find a tailor-made solution. If necessary, they refer students to a psychologist for a therapeutic path at a student-friendly rate. STUVO staff members have professional secrecy.
KASK & Conservatorium endorses HOGENT’s inclusion policy.
Diversity within diversity is a given. Our society consists of (more and more) people who differ from each other in many ways, visible and invisible. The school sees these (in)visible differences as an enrichment and a challenge to deal with them inclusively both for the school and for society. The diversity we find in our society we also want to see at the school. It is the school’s mission to remove as many barriers as possible because every individual is equal and so that everyone gets equal opportunities.
The school wants to be an inclusive college where everyone feels at home. This means that everyone can be themselves, feel involved (or can be involved) and have a voice that counts in the dialogue. The school is a place where every student and staff member feels safe, respected and represented.
ambitions
This policy aspires to:
- Diversity and inclusion is a mission for all of us.
- The school is a place of (free) courage.
- Everyone has the right to equal opportunities to realise his/her/its qualities and potential.
- The school aims to be a catalyst for change.
- As a social actor, the school is an ambassador for promoting an inclusive society through its teaching, research, service and practice of the arts.
KASK & Conservatorium wants everyone to feel at home at school. Because gender is a spectrum and addressing someone is not always obvious.
pronouns
You may be wondering why some people include pronouns in email signatures? By including pronouns in a signature, we clearly indicate how we wish to be addressed in digital communications and subsequent encounters.
Why we do this can have several reasons. Pronouns create clarity about our gender identity, but we can also use them to raise awareness around gender identity. By making them explicit, we normalise this usage. There are also other reasons to do this, for instance in case we have a gender-neutral name and want to avoid misunderstandings.
Which pronouns are most commonly used?
- she/her/hers – for persons who identify themselves as female
- he/him/his – for persons the identify as male (he/him/his)
- they/them/their – for persons who do not use male or female pronouns
If a person indicates two different pronouns, you may choose what you address the person with or you may use them interchangeably.
changing your personal details
Nickname and e-mail
If you wish to change your nickname and/or e-mail address after you have registered, please contact the study and learning track counsellor of your programme. The latter will ensure that the change is made everywhere.
Indicating pronouns
Because we want everyone to feel at home at school, as a student you can indicate your pronouns on the forms of the admission test or the registration form. If you wish to change these afterwards, you can change them yourself via ibamaflex.hogent.be.