Gloucestershire University to stop using the word 'freshers' due to negative connotations

The University of Gloucestershire is to stop using the word "freshers" as it says some find it to have "negative connotations".

The week which sees new students moving into the university will now be called "Welcome 2020", and incoming first years will be offered online events so they can meet new people while "keeping one-another safe" to help stop any potential spread of coronavirus.

However, outdoor events such as cinema and comedy nights and the welcome fayre will still go ahead.

The president of the university's students' union, Luc Brown, said the move was for health and safety reasons.

He added: “We know that for some people the term “freshers” has particular, negative connotations."

He continued: "We wanted to move away from that and towards what the first few weeks of the year should be about – welcoming our new students to the University and to Gloucestershire, so that’s why we’ve gone for ‘Welcome 2020’.

“The safety, health and wellbeing of our students and the wider community is, of course, the most important thing to us when we’re thinking about events for the start of next year.

"We think our outdoor cinema, comedy night and Welcome Fayre along with a host of online events will give new students the opportunity to meet new friends for life whilst keeping one-another safe.

"We're also working with our societies to be able to host some of the physical events online too, to give our students an option when it comes to Welcome."