Due to slippery roads and large-scale problems on the railways, many colleges and universities are switching to online education. However, some institutions, including Delft University of Technology, are continuing with classes and exams as normal. Student organisations ISO, LSVb and the Delft student council party ORAS are concerned.
(Photo: Marjolein van der Veldt)
Chair Sarah Evink of the Dutch National Student Association (ISO) fears accidents if students are still required to come to campus despite the winter weather. “I am hearing from many students today that, despite the weather and the advice from Rijkswaterstaat to work from home, they are still expected to attend classes or come to their exams.”
The National Student Union (LSVb) is also receiving similar reports. “A number of institutions say they will only cancel exams if there is a code red,” says chair Maaike Krom. According to the KNMI, a code orange is currently in effect due to ‘a high probability of dangerous weather, with a significant impact and possible damage, injury or disruption’.
Public transport is largely at a standstill
Not only the weather itself, but especially its consequences make it difficult to get to campus. Train traffic is, as in recent days, almost completely at a standstill. Many regional transport operators are also having difficulty running buses and trams, according to travel planner 9292.
‘How are you supposed to get to the exam location with all these train cancellations?’
Krom: “How are you supposed to get to the exam location with all these train cancellations? Many students live far away. When they see the message that their exam is still going ahead, they don’t know what to do.”
A survey of institutions shows that several universities of applied sciences only cancel exams in the event of a code red. TU Delft and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam also informed their students on Wednesday that classes and exams will go ahead as planned.
Right to an extra resit
The student council party ORAS criticised this approach in a press release. The party argues that the disruption to public transport makes it difficult for many students to get to campus. ‘This applies not only to students who live far away, but also to students who live in Delft itself.’
Several examinations are scheduled for these days, according to student council chair Guuske Kouwenhoven. For example, first-year Master’s students in Clinical Technology are expected to attend an examination on campus at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday evening.
Because not all students will be able to attend on these days, the party wants these students to be entitled to an extra resit and for the TU to be proactive in its communication. ‘We want every student who had an exam scheduled this week to receive an email from the TU explaining how to request an extra resit from the examination board. Without this communication, students do not know what they can do and the threshold for approaching an examination board remains too high.’
The party is in talks with the executive board about this, according to Kouwenhoven.
‘Arrange your own transport’
This morning, Radboud University asked students to come up with their own solutions. ‘If you live further away from Nijmegen and have a lecture, a test or an appointment on campus, we advise you to arrange alternative transport.’
‘We must stand up for the safety of students and staff’
Radboud University also states that an ‘appropriate solution’ will be sought for students who are unable to attend, ‘in line with the education and examination regulations’. But as a student, you still don’t know anything, says Evink. “Will you or will you not get an extra chance to take the exam? That is still unclear. Perhaps students will decide to take the exam anyway, despite the uncertainty, in order to avoid falling behind in their studies. With all the risks that entails.”
Goodwill
The LSVb has also noticed that some programmes are calling on students who are unable to attend to report to their examination board for an extra opportunity to take the exam. “I just hope that examination boards will be lenient,’ says chair Maaike Krom. ‘We must stand up for the safety of students and staff.”
It is this call in particular that the ISO finds objectionable, says chair Sarah Evink. “Bizarre. How many students have a car available? This rubs me the wrong way.”
HOP, Olmo Linthorst / Delta, Marjolein van der Veldt
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