The Student Council is delving into the recently announced cutback measures requiring all faculties to reduce their costs by 10%. In a strongly worded response, the student representatives warn that this blanket approach to economising will jeopardise the quality of education.
(Photo: Thijs van Reeuwijk)
‘We want to know the reason for every faculty having to cut back at the same rate’, the Student Council wrote in a response to questions by Delta. The student representatives believe that this requirement, which is imposed across the board, does not take the varying financial positions of faculties into account.
On top of this, the Student Council also does not see a vision for the future in the plans. ‘Are decisions based on core activities? Or are they just being imposed without thinking about the future?’
The quality of education under pressure
The Student Council’s concerns revolve around the impact that this ‘turning things around’ will have on students. As examples, some faculties are thinking about reducing the number of student assistants and hiring fewer new teachers. In other faculties, the electives with few students may disappear. The Student Council warns that ‘There may be major consequences for students’ and it fears overly full lecture halls and little individual coaching.
It believes that this will jeopardise the quality of education. ‘Even if the achievements stay high in the world in the short term, we foresee an increasing reduction in the quality of engineering education at TU Delft.’ On top of this, the Student Council raises the point that there will be a ‘worrying trend’ in which research will be favoured financially above education.
Involve students in the decision-making process
The cutbacks will also affect a range of student facilities. The Student Council is concerned that the number of available study places will drop and that there may be cuts in the financial support for study associations. It stresses that ‘A strong bond with your degree programme is crucial for academic success. It is essential that students continue to grow and develop outside their studies.’
- The Student Council has put the subject of ‘budget cuts’ on the agenda of the monthly consultation meeting with the Executive Board. The meeting took place on Thursday 13 February.
There is also criticism about limited student involvement in the decision-making process. The Council ‘strongly’ calls on deans to involve faculty student councils in the financial planning. They argue for ‘not only having the right to give advice, but also the power of decision making’ in issues that affect education and facilities. If there is not enough consultation with students, the Council does not rule out that it will not agree to the forthcoming budget.
Timing
The faculties are required to submit their cutback plans to the Executive Board before 1 June 2025. In their plans, the faculties have to clearly state which departments can be arranged more flexibly and which educational and research activities can be combined. They also have to assess which sections will be less instrumental in reaching the goals of the faculty in the future. Discussions on the issue will be held in summer, after which the final decisions will be taken in October 2025.
The trade unions are also responding to the planned cutbacks. Their answers to Delta’s questions will follow on Thursday.
News editor
Marjolein van der Veldt
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