The History of SOG

The Student Organization Groningen (SOG) is the oldest group looking after the interests of the students of the University of Groningen. In its current form, the SOG was founded in 2000, but its history dates back to the ’70s.

The Student Organization Groningen was founded in 2000. The history though dates back way further. In December 1972, Alexander de Mol van Otterloo, Gerdjan Hoekendijk, and Miente Everts decided to start the Studenten Organisatie Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (SORUG). The SORUG had to be better at representing the interests of students. The SORUG was an association that organized socially relevant activities and had a faction in the University Council.

In 1976, the Groninger Organisatie voor Studenten (GROS) was discontinued. Instead, the Progressieve Studenten Fractie (PSF) came about. The PSF should become a student organization that would look after the interest of students who did not feel at home with the Groninger Studenten Bond (GSB). The PSF did not exist very long and was discontinued in 1982. In the 80s, another party was founded to operate besides the SORUG. This was the Groninger Universitaire Kieslijst (GRUNK), which was meant to counterbalance and give more alternatives besides the SORUG.

In the late ’80s and the beginning of the ’90s, the SORUG had many faction members in the University Council. Many of these members participated in the Council for more than a year. During this time, the SORUG and GRUNK had a faction in the University Council. There was no competition between the parties. They merged under Studenten Fractie Groningen (SFG) in 1994. The SORUG kept existing as a student association, though.

After the SFG was founded, the contact between both organizations remained good. There was, for example, a ‘Commissioner SFG’ at the SORUG who stayed in touch with the faction. In 2000 the SFG as a faction and the SORUG as an association decided to become even closer. This resulted in them joining together as Studenten Organisatie Groningen (SOG). Until now, the SOG exists in the same form, with a board, a faction, and several committees.

The association has known many highs and lows in every form but has stayed relatively stable over the past years. Also, the association knows quite a few big names, like dr. J.P. (Peter) Rehwinkel (former mayor of Groningen), mr. drs. G.A.A. (Bas) Verkerk (mayor of Delft), mr. drs. B.J. (Bruno) Bruins (politician) and mr. F.H.G. (Frank) de Grave (politician).