Why should I vote in the University Council elections?
The University Council is the most important representative body at the university. The Council monitors the Executive Board and can put all sorts of large and small issues at the university on the agenda. And this is precisely what it did last year: for example, it pushed for discussions on grants for board members, the sustainability of the campus and the distribution of money between the faculties. If, as a student, you want to ensure that the university does what is best for you, vote for a student who will defend your interests in the Council. And if more students vote, those Council members will have a bigger mandate, which means the Executive Board will really have to listen to the Council.
I haven’t heard about these elections, how is that possible?
At this university – in contrast to all other universities in the Netherlands – University Council elections are held per faculty rather than based on a party system. This means that we don’t really see big campaigns. All faculties are entitled to one or more seats on the Council, depending on their size. Some faculties have the same number of candidates as seats, which means they don’t need to hold elections. Only the Erasmus School of Law (ESL), Economics (ESE), Health Policy & Management (ESHPM) and Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB) have more candidates than seats, which means that students at those faculties get to vote. There was one candidate at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC), but this person has since has withdrawn their candidacy.
Who can I vote for?
Information about the candidates leaves a lot to be desired. The university does not provide any information until the elections get underway on 18 April. Candidates from your faculty have received a small budget (around € 120 per candidate) which they can use to fund a campaign. So pay close attention to posters, Facebook ads or chats during breaks between lectures – candidates will be trying to reach you! And to compensate for the lack of information from the university, EM has posted a list of candidates and their motivations online.
Okay, you’ve convinced me. How can I vote?
Voting opens on 18 April. All you need to do is go to verkiezingen.eur.nl and select your faculty. Most candidates should have submitted a photo and an explanation as to why they are standing for election. Based on that, you can make your choice. You can also pop into Theil Hall on 18 or 25 April. Representatives from the University Council will be on hand to help you decide who to vote for. You have until 25 April to cast your vote.
