From 19 to 22 May, students and staff will have the opportunity to vote for representatives on the faculty councils and the University Council. It’s only at the Faculty of Law and the School of Business and Economics (SBE) that academic staff won’t need to vote for the faculty councils, as the number of candidates either matches the number of seats (five at Law) or even falls short: at SBE, there are only three candidates for four seats.
Vote
Two years ago, when both students and staff last voted (students are elected for one year, staff members for two), the situation was quite different: academic staff elections were held only for the University Council and two of the six faculties.
In 2023, administrative and support staff didn’t need to vote for the faculty councils, as there were fewer candidates than seats. They did vote for the University Council. This year, things have much improved: no support staff seats will remain unfilled, although not all faculties will hold elections. At the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences (FASOS), Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), Psychology and SBE, the number of candidates matches the number of seats.
Toilet visits
What about the students? Student parties Dope, KAN, NovUM and Lex-Motus are once again standing for various councils. However, three new parties have emerged, each with a single candidate: voxis – your voice, our responsibility (University Council and SBE Faculty Council), Reason and Transparency (Law Faculty Council) and Lijst voor Nederland (Law Faculty Council and University Council). Lijst voor Nederland prioritises Dutch interests, as stated in its manifesto: “The university must prioritise the future of the Netherlands, not its own economic gain. It’s time to put the interests of the Netherlands at the heart of every policy decision.” But also, “The ban on eating and restrictions on toilet visits during exams must be lifted immediately. Students should be able to concentrate without having to worry about their health.”
On Wednesday 7 May, student parties will meet for a live debate at the Minderbroedersberg Auditorium, starting at 7.00 pm. There will be no debate among staff member candidates due to a lack of interest, according to the Central Elections Office.