Letschert became rector magnificus of Maastricht University in 2016 and, in 2021, became the first person to move up to the position of chair of the Executive Board and therefore president of Maastricht University. As a result, this reappointment marks her second term as president, but her third term on the Executive Board.
Although board members typically step down after two terms, there is no legal limit on the number of terms they may serve. At UM, both Karl Dittrich and Martin Paul were appointed for three terms as university president, although Paul left before completing his third term to become rector of Ruhr University Bochum in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Not set in stone
Whether Letschert will serve the full term remains to be seen. The length of a term is not fixed by law. Most people serve four years, but the university spokesperson notes that this is “not set in stone. In the current circumstances, the Supervisory Board deliberately wants to maintain some flexibility regarding that four-year maximum.” This is due to the proposed “administrative integration” between UM and the Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+). The hope is this won’t take years to resolve.
Politics
There is also the possibility that Letschert, a member of political party D66, might go into national politics following the House of Representatives election in October. She previously told De Limburger that she would give a ministerial post serious consideration. “If everyone shies away from the difficult jobs, we won’t get anywhere.” But, she added, “I’ll need to talk it through at home and at work. A lot will depend on other factors too – which parties make up the coalition government, what the situation is here at the university, what portfolio is on offer. All the pieces of the puzzle will have to fit together properly.”