Is the term 'frosh' offensive?

Is the word 'frosh' offensive? There's a conversation happening at Western University about whether or not the term 'frosh' is offensive.

As orientation week continues at Western University, there’s a conversation happening about the term used to describe first year students and whether or not it's offensive.

Freshman have long been referred to at universities across Canada as 'frosh, ' but an online report suggests officials at Western are trying to discourage the use of the word for what officials describe as a derogatory term when translated to Italian.

CTV News spoke with some first year students about the controversy.

“I personally don't think so. Because we have the same thing in high school like when you call like, I don't know, this is something we did in my school boy used to call the grade nines, Niners but it wasn't like it was derogatory or mean or anything like that,” said first year student Areba Islam.

According to student Shiara Williams, “It's like going through life. You always end up at the bottom and go up how life goes.”

“I wouldn't know much about that because in the context I've been exposed to it. It's only like the soph [sophomore] that call us the frosh. And like, it's always been respectful,” said another first year student, Kashish Dajnoa.