Central Student Council

Rights

1. Right to consent
   1. The decision cannot be made without consent (veto)
   2. Consent cannot be withdrawn without reason
   3. The Board of Directors / Dean must initiate a dispute
      1. Requirements:
      2. Consent must have a significant impact on decision-making
      3. “Yes, unless” or “No, except if”
   4. Powers:
      1. Main budget (GV)
      2. Strategic plan (GV)
      3. Administrative regulations (GV)
      4. Mergers
      5. Quality assurance system
      6. University part of student regulations
      7. Personnel policy (for staff representatives)
      8. Guidelines ex art 9.5 (model OER)
      9. Rules on safety, health, and well-being related to students
      10. Financial support for students (profiling fund)
      11. OER, excluding substantive parts (program committee and binding study advice)
      12. Faculty rules (specific approval rights for your own FSR can be found here)
      13. If applicable, the regulation for the student council
2. Right to advice
   1. Advice must have a significant impact on decision-making
   2. The decision will proceed after negative advice
   3. Right to consultation before and after advice
   4. The board is not obligated to follow the advice
      1. But not following the advice requires a written substantive justification from the board
      2. Council has 4 weeks to initiate a dispute
      3. Dispute based on content or procedure
   5. Regarding:
      1. Budget
      2. Continuation and proper functioning of the institution
      3. Profiles and appointment/dismissal of members of the Board of Directors
      4. Policy on tuition fees, numerus fixus, selection criteria (students)
      5. All rights that are also centrally applicable and on which the faculty council can make decisions
      6. Proper functioning of the faculty
      7. Faculty financial annual report
      8. Faculty budget
      9. Board covenant
      10. OER (where there is no approval right)
      11. Implementation of the OER
      12. When requested
      13. Note: the program committee must send advice to the faculty council
   6. Deadlines: (www art 9.34.3.g)
      1. “The deadlines within which consent or abstention from consent must be decided and the deadlines within which advice must be given.”
      2. These Uni 30 working days = 6 weeks
3. Right to information (www art. 9.32.6)
   1. The board must provide the Council with:
      1. “…unsolicited, timely information that may reasonably be necessary for the exercise of its tasks and, upon request, timely information that it deems necessary and appropriate for the exercise of its tasks.”
4. Right to hearing (WHW art. 9.3. / 9.13):
   1. For example: appointment and dismissal of the dean.
   2. In the appointment of a director of a college or university, the dean confidentially consults with the student council.
5. The right to put subjects on the agenda (WHW 9.32).
   1. The participation council can discuss any subject it wishes, even if the management believes the subject does not belong on the agenda.
   2. For this purpose, the council can invite the board twice a year to a meeting based on an agenda prepared by the council.
6. Right of initiative (WHW 9.32.2).
   1. The council is authorized to make proposals and present views to the board of directors on all matters concerning the university. A written response must be provided within three months.
7. The right to consult with the board (WHW art. 9.33).
   1. The participation council has the right to speak with the authorized executive (the ultimate responsible person).
      1. At least twice a year
      2. On every advice and consent request
      3. After each initiative.
8. The right to take legal action (WHW 9.46).
   1. The participation council has the right to take legal action to enforce compliance with the WHW, and the university must bear the costs.
9. The right to initiate a dispute resolution procedure (WHW art. 9.40).
   1. Dispute over approval authority
      1. Could the board reasonably make the proposed decision?
      2. Could the council reasonably withhold approval?
   2. Dispute over advisory authority
      1. Was the action of the council in accordance with the regulations?
      2. Was the action of the council negligent?
      3. Could the council reasonably take the action?
   3. Dispute over interpretation.
10. The right to facilities and training.
    1. Participation councils receive a budget for administrative, financial, and legal support.
    2. They are entitled to compensation in money or substitute hours for their efforts.
    3. They have the right to a training budget (training takes place during working hours for staff members and with salary retention).

Dossiers:

•  Kwaliteitsafspraken
  • In het coalitieakkoord werd aangegeven dat de middelen vrijgemaakt door de studievoorschotten worden gekoppeld aan ‘kwaliteitsafspraken op instellingsniveau’. Bij de UvA zijn de plannen met betrekking tot de kwaliteitsafspraken ontwikkeld in brede consultatie met de universitaire gemeenschap, en met name met de Centrale Studentenraad en de ondernemingsraad. De UvA heeft besloten zich te richten op de volgende thema’s: intensiever en kleinschaliger onderwijs, professionalisering van docenten, passende en goede onderwijsfaciliteiten. Op centraal niveau zijn twee thema’s uitgewerkt: professionalisering van docenten en onderwijsfaciliteiten. Het is de verantwoordelijkheid van de CSR om toe te zien op en advies te geven over de toewijzing van de financiering.
• Profileringfonds
• GALOP
• Campusontwikkeling
• Selectieprocedure decaan
• Duurzaamheid
  • Duurzaam bankieren: Op basis van het werk van onze voorgangers hebben we de criteria ontwikkeld waaraan we willen dat de UvA zich houdt bij het kiezen van haar nieuwe bank. Door een duidelijke en beknopte basis te hebben voor wat we duurzaam beschouwen in de context van een financiële instelling, hopen we de White Paper-initiatief van de UvA buiten haar eigen campusmuren te brengen en ervoor te zorgen dat onze partners dezelfde milieu- en ethische code hanteren.

• Catering
  • Dit jaar is er een groeiend momentum rondom catering, duurzaamheid en betaalbaarheid. Na ons advies heeft het CvB besloten om een subsidie ​​voor een veganistische/vegetarische warme maaltijd pilot te starten op de UvA, vergelijkbaar met die op de HvA. De CSR heeft deelgenomen aan deze inspanningen door studentenprotesten zoals AntiKantine te ondersteunen en een voedingsfocusgroep in samenwerking te organiseren. De volgende stappen zullen zijn om te pleiten voor een andere structuur met betrekking tot catering op de UvA, in lijn met de discussie uit deze focusgroep. Het werken aan dit dossier houdt in dat er contact wordt gelegd met studenten, EnjoyToday, Green Office, Facility Services en het bestuur van de UvA. We hebben maandelijkse vergaderingen met Facility Services en regelmatig contact met EnjoyToday.

• Sociale veiligheid
  • De extra financiering van 150.000 euro die is verworven voor het sociale veiligheidsbeleid van de UvA is een belangrijke prestatie die de toewijding van de commissie en de universiteit weerspiegelt om ervoor te zorgen dat alle personen zich veilig en gesteund voelen op de campus. De toewijzing van dit geld aan verschillende bewustmakingsactiviteiten en communicatie-upgrades, zoals Gelijkspel-cursussen en de oprichting van een e-learning module, zou zeker ten goede komen aan de UvA-gemeenschap. Deze prestaties markeren een kritieke stap voorwaarts in de voortdurende inspanningen om een veiliger en meer inclusieve campusomgeving voor allen te creëren. Onze samenwerking met de GV, CDO, Ombuds Office en Confidential Advisors biedt hoop op verbetering van de sociale veiligheid op de universiteit.

• Menstruatieproducten
  • De prestaties op het gebied van menstruatie zijn opmerkelijk en duiden op een toewijding om de problemen aan te pakken waarmee menstrueerders te maken hebben. Naast de door CSR gefinancierde menstruatiepilot in samenwerking met studentenverenigingen en faculteitsraden, neemt de commissie concrete stappen om menstruatieproducten betaalbaarder en toegankelijker te maken. Een andere belangrijke prestatie die de ervaring van menstrueerders op de campus zal verbeteren, is de installatie van de eerste dispenser in de CREA-toiletten voor gratis toegang tot menstruatieproducten. Deze prestaties vertegenwoordigen een positieve verschuiving naar meer inclusiviteit en toegankelijkheid voor alle leden van de UvA-gemeenschap.

• Samenwerking met derde partijen
• Stille/contemplatieruimtes
  • Bij recente renovatiewerkzaamheden aan het JK-gebouw zal de enige stille ruimte op Roeters worden gesloten. Ondertussen is de kamer lawaaierig, leeg en niet geschikt voor studenten die deze willen gebruiken. Dit probleem treft vooral moslimstudenten omdat zij vijf keer per dag religieuze verplichtingen hebben om te bidden. Vanwege het strenge “seculiere” beleid van de universiteit mogen studenten geen gebedsmatten of bedekkingen in de ruimte houden. We werken samen met de Muslim Association in Amsterdam (MUSA) om het beleid rondom de contemplatieruimtes te veranderen om de UvA-studenten beter te accommoderen. Wat we tot nu toe hebben bereikt, is dat de CSR, FSR en MUSA betrokken zullen zijn bij de nieuwe renovatie- en ontwerpplannen voor de contemplatieruimte in het JK-gebouw!

• Kadernota
  • De kadernota vormt het begin van een nieuwe planning- en controlecyclus. In deze brief geven alle organisatorische eenheden van de UvA aan wat ze in het komende jaar willen bereiken, hoe ze dit gaan doen en hoeveel geld hiervoor nodig is. Het beschrijft vervolgens verwachte externe ontwikkelingen en financiële beperkingen. Met andere woorden, de eenheden kunnen de Framework brief als startpunt en basis gebruiken om hun begroting op te stellen. Het is een eerste stap naar het realiseren van een gebalanceerde begroting. De CSR heeft instemmingsrecht voor de Framework brief en is daarom betrokken bij het vormingsproces van de brief en geeft advies.

• Begroting
  • De begroting laat zien hoe de plannen en ambities van de UvA passen in de financiële kaders zoals beschreven in de Raamwerkbrief. De CSR vormt samen met de ondernemingsraad de ‘Gezamenlijke Vergadering’. De begroting moet worden goedgekeurd door de Gezamenlijke Vergadering en is daarom een krachtig instrument om initiatieven te stimuleren die de studentenwelzijn verbeteren.

• Elections
  • The elections are the largest dossier within PR. The goal of the dossier is to organize smooth and engaging elections. An annual objective is to increase voter turnout, which has consistently decreased in recent years.
• Social Media
  • The social media dossier involves creating and posting content on the CSR’s social media page. This includes updates on CSR progress, any petitions, or information about CSR responsibilities.
• Coffee with the CSR and Discussion Moment
  • The idea of Coffee with the CSR is to stand next to the coffee machines at one of the UvA locations, wear CSR merchandise, and offer students our ‘free’ coffee in exchange for a chat.
• Merchandise
  • Merchandise is used for events and to raise awareness for the CSR. Examples of merchandise include posters, bulletin boards, stickers, and sweaters.
• CoBo
  • Every major student organization at UvA organizes the Constitution Borrel every year to celebrate the new board and the beginning of the new year. It is often held between September and December.
• Newsletter UvA
  • The newsletter is sent every two weeks to all registered student and staff emails. We can send our text (400 characters) to the Communication Office. The text can include updates, requests for input, job vacancies, elections, etc.
• Website
  • The CSR website needs to be changed. The previous CSR was already in contact with Saturno Web Developers but did not follow up. The website could use some updates on: availability of English and Dutch pages, standardization across faculty pages, contact form, etc. To maintain the website, we are in contact with the Faculty of Science.
• Mental Health Campaign
  • The O&O committee, in collaboration with the O&M committee, has been planning to highlight the various mental health services available at UvA. We have noticed that the information available is not accessible to students, and most have no idea how to seek help. Therefore, we decided to use our social media and the UvA’s social media to promote such an important topic.
• Toilet Paper
  • The Toilet Paper is regularly published (approximately every month) by the CSR and can be found in the bathrooms of CREA and the Singel Library. The publication is designed by a CSR member and can be printed for free with your printing budget.
• Teacher of the Year
  • CSR and ASVA typically collaborate on the Teacher of the Year project. From the university side, we work with the Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) and the Communication Office (BC). TLC handles a significant portion of the organizational work.

• Accessibility
  • The university currently provides certain accommodations for students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses based on a case-by-case format. While some students are satisfied with the accommodations they have received, many struggle to get what they need to experience equal opportunities in higher education. Our progress includes:
    • Commitment from the UvA board to create new policy rules to improve accessibility.
    • Formation of a new working group with specific goals to evaluate the current process, explore ideas such as an expertise center, and propose monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of the policy.
    • The CSR has a seat in the advisory board assisting this working group.
    • Close collaboration with students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses from various faculties through the FSRs.
    • For the rest of the year, we hope to see real policy rules with concrete implementation prospects from the working group, as well as more short-term solutions for some of the more urgent issues.
• Binding Study Advice (BSA)
  • CSR advocates for abolishing the BSA and suggests a few alternatives. The current form of BSA can no longer achieve its original purpose. Studies show that the BSA is a significant stress factor for students, and it does not necessarily help students in ‘wrong’ study programs find more suitable studies. We see the BSA as a tool to produce more diplomas rather than promoting quality education and support for students. We believe more should be done in terms of alternatives to the BSA, such as proactive study assistance, advisory study advice (non-binding), or even trying orientation years.
• General Institutional Ethics Committee (AIEC)
  • The AIEC is one of the 6 official advisory bodies of the UvA. The CSR has the right to appoint 2 student members for a term of 2 years to the AIEC and works within the committee to develop broad ethical guidelines regarding internal policies. This means that the CSR is directly involved in ensuring the ethics of the policies formed by the UvA, and these evaluations are sent directly to the executive board.
• Decentralized Selection
  • There will be a legal amendment allowing programs to use the lottery system in their decentralized selection. The CSR wants to change the selection process to improve equality. We are looking at the implementation of this in the strategic plan and working with the FSRs to help them persuade their deans to change their system.
• Digitalization
  • With the development of new AI technologies like Chat GPT, discussions are ongoing at the university about how to proceed and what adjustments will be made to education. We have been monitoring and discussing this topic internally. Soon, we will join a working group on this matter. Similarly, we have investigated and monitored developments in Proctoring. For example, Proctoring has been implemented in certain program selection processes that are inaccessible to students with certain disabilities. This is discussed in our accessibility dossier.
• Internationalization
  • The university’s growth has led to various issues for international and Dutch students. Pending ministry guidelines, we have researched and negotiated at our level for actions that can be taken in the short and long term, from better accommodation of international classrooms to limiting growth through certain selection procedures. We have advocated with policy makers and the Executive Board for the policy measures we find suitable and will engage in the discussion on the implementation of ministry regulatory instruments once they are published.
• Language Policy
  • In a bilingual university, it is not only important to have clear guidelines for language but also to support staff and students in their efforts to speak two languages. Therefore, we are conducting research and advocating for various language courses for international students to improve their Dutch and for Dutch students to improve their English if necessary. This is necessary to enable successful integration of international students into Dutch society and the job market, as well as to create a better sense of community between Dutch and international students.
• Student Wellbeing
  • We work closely with the Student Wellbeing Network, our O&M committee, and the FSRs to improve the communication of mental health resources at the UvA. This includes exploring options to add information to course manuals or Canvas and improving the mental health pages on the university website so that students can find the resources they need. We also address this issue on a more structural level through our efforts to abolish the BSA and create alternatives.
• Current Relevant Topics
  • Many of the current dossiers address topics relevant in this academic year. Nevertheless, we are open to discussing, researching, and advocating for other topics such as decolonization or improving course evaluations. The reason these topics do not have priority is not due to our values but simply a lack of manpower to address everything. Additionally, we must work on the topics presented to us, such as new programs or annual reports. Finally, we are also active in groups like EPICUR, a European university alliance to promote more collaboration in higher education in Europe.
• University Education Committee (UCO)
  • The University Education Committee is an advisory body of the university board. This committee consists of representatives from the staff of various faculties, including the CSR. The UCO advises on major changes and proposals from the university.
• Institutional Quality Assurance Team (ITK)
  • The ITK is a working group within the university consisting of representatives from the staff and one student. This group monitors progress towards the new NATO accreditation of the UvA to ensure that the university can withstand the accreditation process.