Students hope for political support after losing N=N court case

Politicians need to quash universities’ unreasonably strict requirements for a positive binding study advice, says legal support centre LSR after losing a test case against Erasmus University Rotterdam.

EUR’s policy is to send down students who fail to make the full quota of 60 credits in their first year. While this is a strict measure, it doesn’t conflict with the law, according to the education judge in three separate rulings last week. Two were made in appeals against Erasmus University, and one in a case against Hogeschool Rotterdam. There is no possibility of appeal against these rulings.

‘Institutions can do whatever they like’

Landelijk Studenten Rechtsbureau (LSR), which had initiated these cases, regrets the court’s ruling, says LSR president and EUR student Lars Klappe. “Right now, the law offers so much leeway that in effect, institutions can do whatever they like.”

According to Klappe, there has been political discussion for some time now about whether the strict requirements don’t overshoot the mark. And the time has come to take action, he says. Klappe proposes setting a legal limit for the minimum number of credits. “Most institutions require their students to earn 45 out of 60 credits. I believe 45 to 50 credits would be reasonable.”

Rhea van der Dong, Chair of the national student organisation Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg (ISO), agrees with Klappe. “It’s now up to our political representatives to set boundaries and give students some room to breathe again.”

Chosen path

Erasmus University announced that it is pleased with the court’s ruling. “The judge has explicitly confirmed our policy, meaning that we are free to continue on our chosen path,” says an EUR spokesperson.