Last spring, Maastricht University tightened the reins on Tragos after incidents during the 2022 hazing that resulted in the discontinuation of subsidies and, consequently, board grants (administrative months). The Executive Board is convinced that the association has since met the necessary conditions and shown how to do better. And so Tragos's senate, like other student associations, organisations and sports clubs, may make a bid for board grants. These are paid out as financial compensation for study delays. One month equals 345.50 euros.
Social safety
Just before the summer, the topic was on the University Council's agenda. The Executive Board presented the members with a proposal on how to distribute the money – an initial impetus is given every year by a seven-member advisory committee of students and the director of the Student Service Centre. Usually, the Executive Board has no other opinion, but now it does: Tragos is entitled to the full 84 administrative months, it thinks. The advisory committee wants to give them only half. Some committee members label the association's “reintegration” as “premature”, the documents state. They worry about “social safety” at Tragos. But according to rector Pamela Habibović, it is not the role of the advisory committee to give an opinion on culture change within Tragos.
Privileges
Five student members (all from NovUM) voted against it at the last plenary U-Council meeting of the academic year, on Wednesday 26 June. In doing so, one of them, Amien Abid, also wondered why the Executive Board was accommodating Tragos but not other student organisations that had also wanted more money? He spoke of “privileges”. Although DOPE supported the Executive Board with four students, the sole KAN representative abstained. This meant NovUM got its way: the Executive Board had to come up with a new proposal by the end of August (if necessary). This did not happen. The rector insists on 84 administrative months.
Mediate
And now? According to U-Council president Teun Dekker, a decision on “how to proceed” will only follow in the next plenary meeting, on 25 September. Does the U-Council accept that the Executive Board stands firm? Or is there officially a conflict and will the Supervisory Board have to mediate? What complicates matters in this regard is the new composition of the U-Council. It includes new students: four DOPE, four NovUM, one KAN, one LEX-Motus.
Dekker: “We think it is fairer to raise it with the new representatives. After all, they are the ones who will soon – should it come to that – have a conflict and thus have to ‘mediate’ with the Supervisory Board.”
Uncertainty
For the rector, it is important to “decide one way or another”, spokesperson Koen Augustijn says. She wants therefore enter into discussions with students from the U-Council and the advisory committee in the coming period to once again put her point of view across. In the meantime, all board members of associations and organisations, not just Tragos, will have to wait. This is because the distribution of the money is being treated as a “package”. “The longer it takes, the more uncertainty for everyone,” Augustijn said. “We want to solve this without it becoming a conflict,” is the Executive Board's starting point.