Seniorenkonvent Leuven (SK-Leuven)

The Seniorenkonvent Leuven (SK-Leuven) is the federating organisation for Flemish regional boys' student clubs affiliated with the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven). Nowadays, the clubs are also open to college students.

Seniorenkonvent Leuven (SK-Leuven)
Shield SK Leuven
Info:
Name:	Seniorenkonvent Leuven
Abbreviation :	SK Leuven
Foundation:	19 November 1929 1944
Founder(s):	1929: Mon de Goeyse 1944: Daniël Noyez
Dissolution:	1942
Colours:
Black-Yellow-Cyan with Gold percussion
Location:	Leuven, Belgium
Bar:	Ambiorix Oude Markt 3 3000 Leuven
Facebook:	https://www.fb.com/skleuven/
Website:	https://quaevoluptas.wordpress.com/
E-mail:	seniorenkonvent@gmail.com

About

The Seniorenkonvent (SK) was founded on 19 November 1929 by Dr Mon De Goeyse, in the presence of the seniors of the KVHV, the five guilds and the 27 regional clubs then in existence.

The goal of the SK was to create a studentical style and discipline in club life as a reaction against the then highly discredited club life. De Goeyse put it as follows:

The authority of the S.K. extends to the administrative matters regarding club and guild life, namely regarding the unification of the internal and external organisation of it, the setting up of an archive and a museum and the publicising of the Leuven student life... ( press, film, radio, T.V.!)
.

Grown out of the administrative structure of the K.V.H.V., the S.K. recognises the hierarchical leadership of the central board of the Verbond.

— Dr. Mon De Goeyse, Ons Leven

According to the KVHV Codex, the SK has a threefold purpose:

• To promote solidarity and mutual friendship;
• To help the students acquire a spirit of civility appropriate to Dutch culture;
• Cultivating a spirit of self-reliance in addition to obedience to the leadership.

They try to achieve all this by ensuring that the various associations adhere as far as possible to the norms and forms they themselves have adopted, by giving model clubs, holding conventions, etc.

The SK itself puts it as follows:

This body, consisting of the Verbondspraeses, the guild presidents and the club presidents, aimed, under the authority of the board of the Verbond, to strive for a stylish club life and to organise the student element in club life in an orderly, uniform and colourful way. Tradition, style, discipline and lifelong companionship would be the pillars of a renewed club life.

The Decrees of the Seniorenkonvent first appeared in Ons Leven in 1930 and were included as an appendix in the student songbook published by the KVHV-Leuven in 1931. In the same year, these Decrees (the core of the later Clubcodex) were declared applicable by the General Board of the Algemeen Vlaamsch Hoogstudentenverbond (AVHV) for all affiliated branches; besides Leuven also Brussels, Ghent and Cureghem.

The Clubcodex was first published by the KVHV-Leuven in January 1935. In November of the same year, a text adapted for the Seniorenkonvent Ghendt (SK-Ghendt) was published.

The SK is chaired by a Senior Seniorum (SS) and has a daily board, composed of (former) presidents of the various clubs. Legally, the SK, together with the Meisjesseniorenkonvent Leuven (MSK-Leuven), which coordinates the girls' student clubs, forms the studentical pillar of the KVHV-Leuven, of which the Senior Seniorum of the SK is also vice-praeses by right.

History

From 1875 onwards, a large number of clubs emerged in Leuven which identified themselves based on regional origin. Each club had its own traditions and customs, and the attributes also differed greatly. At the end of the 1920s, there was some unease due to a lack of order and discipline. However, the idea that "the clubs were no more than a bunch of disorderly creatures boozing, belching, shouting and ranting" is a strong exaggeration. However, most leaders and even the majority of students agreed that something had to change in the student world.

As an intermediary, Willem Melis and Paul Lebeau, among others, sought inspiration in German student life. They found this on the one hand in the historical example of K.A.V. Lovania, an association that had already existed in Leuven at the turn of the century, and on the other in the Allgemeine Deutsche Bier-Comment, a set of rules concerning order and discipline within the club.

Some of these rules were already applied more or less in the same way in different clubs. However, the general spread only came after Mon De Goeyse put his shoulder to the creation and spread of an own Flemish Beer Comment. He bundled the various proposals and ideas together and used Ons Leven to spread them within the Leuven student world so that they did not remain dry theory but gained a wider support. As founder of Bezem Lovania Brussel, he also took the opportunity to check the practical feasibility in a club that was not (yet) plagued by rigid habits and traditions.

The new model club was a success and on Tuesday 19 November 1929, the praesides of the colour-wearing associations (the KVHV-Leuven, the five guild presidents and the presidents of the 27 then existing regional clubs) met above the student café Chicago to found the Seniorenkonvent. The Seniorenkonvent became the stimulator of student style and established the club traditions in standing rules.

A first problem was the bands and the colours worn by the clubs. Several clubs shared the same colours, so some minor adjustments were made by mutual agreement so that at least all clubs within the same guild had different colours. The wearing of the bands was also regulated. The commilitones would wear a narrow band over the right shoulder and the novices would wear the same band over the left shoulder. The senior would wear a wide band with the colours of the club or guild and the club crest on it.

It was also decided to introduce the wearing of beer caps for all clubs. Those beer caps are worn on the crown of the head, the edge consists of the three colour stripes of the club and on a base in the main colour the Zirkel is embroidered in gold or silver. KVHC Lovania and KVHC Sinjoria are said to have been the first clubs to introduce the beer caps. The student jargon was thoroughly renewed in that period. Where people used to speak of presidents, head men or deans, they now spoke of a senior or Praeses. The members of the club were no longer called mates or comrades but rather commitatores and from 1935 this was slightly deformed into the commilitones that are still common today. The use of a Zirkel was generalised and still consists of the initial letters of the words Vivat Crescat Floreat and the name of the club.

The Decrees of the Seniorenkonvent first appeared in Ons Leven in 1930, after which, a year later, they were included as an appendix in the student songbook of the KVHV-Leuven. Later, all the rules were summarised in a Club Codex, which first appeared in 1935 and from 1956 was included as green and later blue pages in the Student Codex of the KVHV Leuven.

After the Second World War new regional clubs were admitted to the Seniorenkonvent. In the 1960s, Reuzegom and Semini were also accepted as new members, although they were not originally regional clubs, but clubs of people who had attended the same college. At the beginning of the sixties, however, the democratisation of education brought about major changes in student life: the larger numbers of students led to a shortage of rooms, and the new student mass also brought about a new mentality where individualism and opportunism reigned supreme. There was also the growing influence of the faculty circles, plus a bad reputation of the "traditionalists" with their caps and bands and cantuses. As a result, the clubs also no longer represented a substantial part of student life. Whereas previously a large proportion of students were members of their regional club, their provincial guild and the Verbond, this number quickly dropped below 10% of the total student body in Leuven. In addition, more and more women joined and about a dozen SK clubs were mixed during the 1960s and 1970s. The diminished attraction caused almost a third of the clubs to disband during this period. The SK intervened in politics once: it participated in the demonstrations in the 1960s against the French-speaking presence in Leuven and in October 1967, under the leadership of Jozef Dauwe and with the support of the board of the KVHV, the SK deposed the progressive Verbondspraes Paul Goossens.

Many clubs were re-established in the 1980s, when traditional student life experienced a revival. Around 1990 some 1000 students were members of regional clubs in Leuven. Since 1993 the Leuvense Studentenfanfare, which until then was a separate part of the KVHV-Leuven, has been a part of the SK.

From the beginning of the 20th century until the 1960s, students went to Vlierbeek Abbey in Kessel-Lo for summer festivals just before exams. Between 1951 and 1986 the Seniorenkonvent also organised an annual carnival procession. The summer festivals were replaced in the 1980s by student festivities in the town centre. Since 1975, the KVHV-Leuven organised, in cooperation with the Seniorenkonvent, a student song festival in the main auditorium of Maria Theresa College. This tradition continued until the year 2000. Occasionally special activities were organised, such as trips to the air force base in Bevekom, an aeroplane cantus, etc.

In 1997 the SK got a female counterpart in the Meisjesseniorenkonvent, which coordinates the girls' student clubs in Leuven. At the turn of the millennium, it appeared that interest in club life was seriously waning. A substantial number of clubs disappeared in the first years of the new century; the Limburgse Gilde, for example, was decimated to one club. The number of SK students dropped below 200. Nevertheless, from 2003 onwards, the SK returned to Vlierbeek to organise the summer festivals again. From 2004 until the end of 2007, the SK and MSK also had an electronic newspaper: Ons Leuven @ den Toog. In November 2006, a lustrum book was published on the history of Leuven's student life and the Seniorenkonvent. Gradually, student life began to revive and a number of regional clubs were re-established.

Affiliated clubs

Antwerpse Gilde

The Antwerpse Gilde was founded in March 1885 by Adolf Pauwels, Emile Schiltz and Raphaël Verhulst and coordinates the Antwerp clubs of the SK Leuven. In the 60s and 70s they also accepted female students as members.

Name	Foundation	Colours	Shield	Zirkel	Members	Remarks
Arendoncksche Club	1907				Men	Disbanded in 1914.
Moeder Dolfijnen	1910	Red-White-Red (Gold)			Men	Also known as Lyrana and Pallieter.
Geelse Club	1900	Red-Yellow-Red (Gold)			Men	Disbanded in 2016.
Heidebloem	<1884				Men	Disbanded in 1886
Moeder Hewes	October 1988	Brown-Green-Orange			Men	Acknowledged by the Seniorenkonvent in 1993. Disbanded in 2005.
Hoogstraetsche Club	Early 20th Century				Men	Disbanded in 1914.
Koninklijke Antwerpse Studentenkring (KASK)	1900	Red-White			Men	Left the Antwerpse Gilde in 1919. Moved to Antwerp in the early 21st century. Disbanded in 2007, but re-established in 2019.
Lange Wapper	1974	Red-White-Red (Silver)			Men
Mannen van de Polders	December 1926				Men	† 1928 (?)
Mastentop	1887	White-Purple-Green (Gold)			Men	Also known as Kempische Gilde or Kempische Club.
Mechlinia-Reynaert	1919	Red-Yellow-Green			Men	† 2009, member of Brabantse Gilde (Leuven) 1979 - 2007.
Omnia	24 November 1975	Red-Blue-Red			Men	† 1984; Re-established as a girls' club on 2 November 1999.
Potclub	1891				Men	† 1907.
Reuzegom	21 February 1946	Green-White-Green			Men	† 2018, acknowledged in 1964, acknowledgement withdrawn in 2018 and dissolved after the death of a member during baptism.
Rupelgalm	1889	Cyan-White-Cyan			Men	† 1978
Semini	1958 (officially 17 December 1959)	Red-White-Green			Men	acknowledged in 1967
KVHC Moeder Sinjoria	1919	Red-Double White-Red			Men
Moeder Swaene	1979	Blue-White-Blue			Men	† 1983
Turnhoutse Club	December 1926				Men	† 1983† 1949

Brabantse Gilde

The Brabantse Gilde was founded in February 1885 by Jean-François Heymans, Joseph De Lantsheere, Armand De Coster, Alfons Pilgrims, J. De Mesmaeker and J. Wynants and coordinates the Brabant SK-Clubs.

• Aarschotse Club (° 1931 - † 1959, annexed by Ons Hageland)
• Katholiek Studentencorps te Brussel (KSC Brussel) (° 1925, Also known as Bezem Lovania Brussel, Bessemclub or Bruegelconvent)
• Diestersche Club (° 1931 - † 1950's (?), annexed by Ons Hageland)
• NBHC Endivia (° 11 Okctober 1999 - † 2003)
• Jong-Brabant (° < 1910 - † 1911)
• KVHC Moeder Lovania (° August 1922; Also known as Ik Dien or Leuvensche Club)
• Mechlinia-Reynaert (° 1919 - † 2009, member of Antwerpse Gilde (Leuven) 1919 - 1978)
• KVHC Noord-Brabant (° 1920 - † March 2003)
• KVHC Ons Hageland-Bessemclub (° 1875)
• Oud-Noord-Brabant (° 2000 - † (?))
• Moeder Payottenland (° 29 November 1911)
• Witloofconvent (° 11 October 1999 - † 7 March 2013)

Limburgse Gilde

The Limburgse Gilde was founded on 10 December 1885 by Lodewijk Plessers, Mathieu Liessens and Arnold Hendrix. It unites the Limburg student clubs within the SK.

• Boves Luci (Leuven) (°1976 - † 1999)
• Carpe Diem (Leuven) (° 1982, acknowledged in 2010)
• Cicindria (° 1898 - † 1914)
• Moeder Hasseleta (° 1939, acknowledged in 1952)
• Moeder Heidebloem (° 1898)
• Hesbania (° December 1899)
• Klamme Hand (° 1978, acknowledged in 1993)
• Moeder Maaslandia (° October 1942)
• Moeder Mijnlamp (° 1948, acknowledged in 1955)
• Zand en Leem (° < 1884 - † 1890’s)

Oostvlaamse Gilde

The Oostvlaamse Gilde (Leuven) was founded in November 1884 by Leon de Béthune, Alfons Verwilghen and Hector Lebon. It unites the East Flemish clubs of the SK.

• Domper Lovaniensis (° 1892 - † 1997)
• Koekoek (° & † ~1900)
• KVHC Moeder Meetjesland (Leuven) (° 1901)
• Moeder Oilsjterse (Leuven) (° 1993, acknowledgedin 1997)
• Oudenaardse Club (Leuven) (° 1900 - † 1969)
• Ros Beyaert (° 1895 - † 2003)
• Waasse Club (° 6 February 1898)
• Moeder Zuid-Oost-Vlaamse Club (° 1978)

Westvlaamse Gilde

The Westvlaamse Gilde was founded in 1882 by Juliaan Delbeke, Dr. Aloïs Bruwier, Alfons Depla and Emiel Lauwers. It coordinates the West Flemish clubs within the SK.

• Moeder Brugse (° 1886)
• Moeder Izegemse (° 1941)
• Moeder Kortrijkse (° 1884)
• Mandel Club (° 1922 - † 1999)
• Moeder Meense (° 1902)
• Moeder Oostendse (° 1912)
• Roeselaarse Club (° October 1876 - † 1927, Also known as Sint-Tillogilde)
• Tieltse Club (° 1902 - † 2001)
• Veurnsche Club (° 1903 - † 1940)
• Moeder Waregemse (° 1947)
• Moeder Westland (° 1890 - † 2003)

Other

• KSV Hollandia Lovaniensis (° 24 March 1886, acknowledged in 1983)
• Fanfare der Vlaamse Studenten te Leuven (° 4 February 1911)

Colours

The colours of the SK are Black-Gold-Blue (Sable-Gold-Azure) with gold percussion.

The coat of arms of the SK consists of a heartshield slanted threefold from top right to bottom left in Black-Gold-Blue (Sable-gold-azure) with the letters SK on it in silver; surrounded by the coats of arms of the five guilds.

Couleur

The Senior Seniorum wears a Praeses sash in the colours Black-Yellow-Blue with the shield of the SK embroidered on it.

Pro-Seniores Seniorum wear a copy of the Praeses sash, but above the shield are embroidered the years of their seniorship.

List of Seniores

Year	Senior Seniorum
1929 - 1930	Mon De Goeyse v/o Germanicus (Katholiek Studentencorps te Brussel (KSC Brussel))
1930 - 1931	Mon De Goeyse v/o Germanicus (Katholiek Studentencorps te Brussel (KSC Brussel))
1931 - 1932	Karel De Vaster (KVHC Moeder Lovania)
1932 - 1933	Karel De Vaster (KVHC Moeder Lovania)
1933 - 1934	Germain Mulliez (Moeder Kortrijkse)
1934 - 1935	Marcel Vandeburie (Moeder Kortrijkse) Michiel Verkinderen (Moeder Meense)
1935 - 1936	Jozef Vande Wiele v/o Jef (Kempische Club; The senior position was mostly exercised by Vice-Praeses Roger Van Keymeulen v. Aailen (Moeder Payottenland).
1936 - 1937	Antoon Staes (Mandel Club)
1937 - 1938	Wim Aelvoet (KVHC Noord-Brabant)
1938 - 1939	Urbain Reynaert (Moeder Westland)
1939 - 1940	Jules Lemmerling (KVHC Moeder Lovania)
1940 - 1941	Constant Stijnen v/o Stan (KVHC Moeder Sinjoria)
1941 - 1942	Constant Stijnen v/o Stan (KVHC Moeder Sinjoria)
1942 - 1943	No operation due to German occupation
1943 - 1944	No operation due to German occupation
1944 - 1945	Daniel Noye (Moeder Izegemse)
1945 - 1946	Paul Herbosch v/o Mandus (Moeder Payottenland)
1946 - 1947	Edmond De Voecht (Rupelgalm)
1947 - 1948	Jan Gruyters (Moeder Hasseleta)
1948 - 1949	Frans Moelants (Moeder Kortrijkse)
1949 - 1950	Mark Santens (Oudenaardse Club)
1950 - 1951	Charles Annicq (Oudenaardse Club)
1951 - 1952	Jacques Gruwez (Moeder Westland)
1952 - 1953	Maurits Oversteyns (Moeder Heidebloem)
1953 - 1954	Louis Verhaert (Waasse Club)
1954 - 1955	Louis Verhaert (Waasse Club; Stepped down after the first semester) Hugo Van Bockstal (Hoden) (Moeder Westland)
1955 - 1956	Jos Mees (Rupelgalm)
1956 - 1957	Jos Mees (Rupelgalm)
1957 - 1958	Louis Verhaert (Waasse Club)
1958 - 1959	Mark Blancquaert (Ros Beyaert)
1959 - 1960	Yvan Warson (Moeder Maaslandia)
1960 - 1961	André Van Dessel v/o Jesgat (KVHC Noord-Brabant)
1961 - 1962	Hans Van Biesen (Domper Lovaniensis)
1962 - 1963	Mark Dessein v/o Slyps (Moeder Meense); Resigned at the beginning of the academic year) Luk de Schrijver (Waasse Club)
1963 - 1964	Hugo Geeraerts v/o Vijftienhonderd (KVHC Moeder Lovania)
1964 - 1965	Leo Weytjens v/o Zon (Moeder Hasseleta)
1965 - 1966	Eddy Druyts v/o Moesj (Mastentop)
1966 - 1967	Valère Vautmans (Hesbania)
1967 - 1968	Jozef Dauwe v/o Snelpoeper (Ros Beyaert; In October 1967, in his capacity as vice-praeses of the KVHV and senior seniorum, he succeeded the resigned praeses of the Verbond Paul Goossens. He himself was replaced by the vice-senior seniorum.) Paul Degraeve (Moeder Mijnlamp)
1968 - 1969	Arie Abbeloos v/o Aruba (Ros Beyaert)
1969 - 1970	Arie Abbeloos v/o Aruba (Ros Beyaert)
1970 - 1971	Luk Gheysen (Moeder Meense)
1971 - 1972	Willy De Ceulaer v/o Dikke Willy (Geelse Club)
1972 - 1973	NN v/o Hemmekes (Reuzegom) Xavier Vanwynsberghe v/o Xavier Xaviorum (Moeder Kortrijkse)
1973 - 1974	Frank De Ketelaere v/o Klietoor (Moeder Westland)
1974 - 1975	Rik De Doncker v/o Tsjip-tsjip (Moeder Payottenland)
1975 - 1976	Xavier Vanwynsberghe v/o Xavier Xaviorum (Moeder Kortrijkse)
1976 - 1977	Marc Vanrompaey v/o Sjampetter (Lange Wapper)
1977 - 1978	NN v/o Kaketoe (Reuzegom)
1978 - 1979	Georges Lenssen (Moeder Maaslandia)
1979 - 1980	Axel Willems v/o Toc-Toc (Moeder Oostendse)
1980 - 1981	Yves Van Caille v/o Monster (Moeder Brugse; Resigned at the beginning of the academic year) Valère Oversteyns v/o Klink (KVHC Moeder Lovania)
1981 - 1982	Wim Truyens v/o Kla Berreke (Lange Wapper)
1982 - 1983	Christophe de Landtsheer v/o Prins (Moeder Zuid-Oost-Vlaamse)
1983 - 1984	Jos Goubert v/o Legum (Katholiek Studentencorps te Brussel (KSC Brussel))
1984 - 1985	Johan Goemaere v/o De Noeden Belg (Moeder Westland)
1985 - 1986	Johan Van Bragt v/o Drapeau (Semini)
1986 - 1987	Kurt Moons (Ros Beyaert)
1987 - 1988	Jo De Meester v/o Peli (Lange Wapper)
1988 - 1989	Jan Van den Heyning v/o Paal (Moeder Mijnlamp)
1989 - 1990	Bart De Prest v/o Prestje (Moeder Brugse; Resigned at the beginning of the academic year) Jan Bode v/o Fakteur (Moeder Meense)
1990 - 1991	Guy Geens v/o Streaker (Mastentop)
1991 - 1992	Jo Daris v/o Kapot (Moeder Payottenland)
1992 - 1993	Franky Baert v/o Franky (Moeder Brugse)
1993 - 1994	Bruno Van Caelenbergh v/o Animal (Domper Lovaniensis)
1994 - 1995	Johan Grutman v/o Jozzy Wozzy (Moeder Heidebloem)
1995 - 1996	Steven Bols v/o Koekie (Hesbania)
1996 - 1997	Koen Keirse v/o Fles (Moeder Heidebloem; Resigned at the beginning of the academic year) Jürgen Vandervelden v/o Stille (Mastentop)
1997 - 1998	NN v/o Intro (Reuzegom; Resigned after the first semester) Hans Beerlandt v/o Berre (Moeder Westland)
1998 - 1999	Alexander Olivier v/o Ice (Moeder Westland)
1999 - 2000	Benjamin Verpoort V/o Benji (Moeder Meense)
2000 - 2001	Laurens Dumont v/o Pinky (KVHC Moeder Lovania)
2001 - 2002	Laurens Dumont v/o Pinky (KVHC Moeder Lovania)
2002 - 2003	Josip Viskovic (Leuvense Studentenfanfare)
2003 - 2004	Stefan Van de Weyer v/o Fanta (Katholiek Studentencorps te Brussel (KSC Brussel) / KVHC Noord-Brabant)
2004 - 2005	Jan Van den Brande v/o Bruce (KVHC Moeder Sinjoria)
2005 - 2006	Jelle Stassijns v/o Koeper (Moeder Oilsjterse)
2006 - 2007	Robrecht Coppens v/o Brestig (Moeder Oilsjterse)
2007 - 2008	Anthony Dochy v/o Sméagol (Moeder Kortrijkse)
2008 - 2009	Floris Van Den Broeck v/o Biejst (Moeder Oilsjterse)
2009 - 2010	Wouter De Stoop v/o Dief (Moeder Waregemse)
2010 - 2011	Maarten Vander Stichele v/o Dasn (Moeder Izegemse)
2011 - 2012	Eric Peeters v/o Brommer (Lange Wapper)
2012 - 2013	Lars Hansen v/o Larserik (Lange Wapper)
2013 - 2014	Michiel Vandewalle v/o Tootsie (Moeder Waregemse; Resigned after the first semester.) Pieter-Jan Franssen v/o Poedel (Hesbania)
2014 - 2015	Georges De Sutter v/o Mowgli (KVHC Moeder Meetjesland)
2015 - 2016	Laurent Walthoff v/o John (Semini)
2016 - 2017	Matthias Mehuys v/o Danny DJ (Moeder Dolfijnen)
2017 - 2018	Jan-Baptist Polfliet v/o Ovam (Moeder Oostendse)
2018 - 2019	NN v/o Elio (Reuzegom; Resigned three days after his election.) Dennis Laveaux v/o Doge (Moeder Maaslandia)
2019 - 2020	Constantijn De Crem v/o Gazet (Moeder Zuid-Oost-Vlaamse)
2020 - 2021	Tim van der Sluis v/o Laweit (Semini)
2021 - 2022	Joren Hansen v/o Al Dente (Hesbania)
2022 - 2023	Roeland Lipperts v/o Wappie (Moeder Waregemse)

Sources

• KVHV Leuven, Studentencodex, Belgium, Leuven, 1959.