The Delft-based student union VSSD is calling it quits for good after 63 years. The current board is abandoning its fruitless search for new board members. Former and current board members fear this bodes ill for other student organisations.
The former VSSD shop. (Photo: Rob van der Wal)
Ever since last academic year, the board of the Delft Student Union has been searching hard for successors. Without success.
“Every now and then, someone who might be interested would come onto the radar,” explains board member Eise de Boer over the phone. “But it never got to anything concrete.” This left the remaining board members with no choice but to abandon the search, they concluded during their very last meeting on 3 March.
This brings to an end decades of advocacy for Delft students. It all began back in 1887 with the establishment of a DSC committee campaigning against ‘sour’ lecturers. This was a precursor to the eventual VSSD (Association for Study and Student Interests in Delft), which was founded in 1963. Its core task: to identify and raise issues affecting students at TU Delft, The Hague University of Applied Sciences and InHolland University of Applied Sciences at an early stage.
Previous relaunch
The VSSD had previously seemed on the verge of collapse due to financial difficulties during the coronavirus crisis. Until then, the union had largely relied on the sale of textbooks, explains De Boer. “But because all lectures were moved online and almost nobody needed books anymore, we had to close the bookshop.”
‘Unfortunately, the relaunch proved unsustainable’
A few years later, however, the organisation made a fresh start, with book sales giving way to traditional advocacy work. An interim board established a new organisational structure and recruited five new board members who breathed new life into VSSD in 2024.
Successfully, says De Boer. Protests, for example against the education cuts by the Schoof government, received a lot of support. “Or our ‘screwing’ campaign, in which we awarded a prize to the person who had screwed Delft students over the most.” The lucky winner: the dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, for closing the faculty bar ‘t Lagerhuysch.
Lack of enthusiasm
“But unfortunately, the revival proved short-lived,” notes Sam de Jong, VSSD secretary during the brief resurgence and now a board member of the Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg. He does have a theory as to why: “There is simply less enthusiasm among students to take on board or committee work at all. The financial compensation isn’t enough to put your studies on hold for a year. Especially now that the cost of living has become so high.”
‘Regrettable’
This is a problem faced by more student organisations, as student council chair (and former VSSD board member) Guuske Kouwenhoven also observes. “As well as financial pressure, the housing shortage and the lack of recognition and appreciation from the TU probably play a role too.” This is regrettable, because during committee or board work “you learn skills you don’t learn in the lecture halls.”
According to Kouwenhoven, the VSSD represents the loss of a valuable institution. The student council is not quick to resort to playful protests, such as putting TU Delft up for sale. “We are more in favour of constructive dialogue, but there must also be room for activism.”
The plug is therefore not being pulled completely on the union. De Boer: “We still have a budget of €60,000. We’re setting aside €10,000 for a possible future relaunch. The remaining €50,000 must go into a fund that Delft students can claim to carry out campaigns.” Exactly how that will work out is not yet known.
He also cannot resist making a final appeal to the reader: “If you are still interested in becoming a VSSD board member next year, please do get in touch with me.”
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