New signs installed to remind visitors that they need to show ID

The university has recently installed signs near all entrances to the campus that tell visitors that the campus is a private property and that those entering the campus must be able to show ID. EUR spokeswoman Sandra van Beek told EM that this does not mean that the university’s rules have changed.

The ‘Private road’ signs have been around for a while, but due to several renovations they had disappeared from some places. It is important that there be such signs, because according to the law of the Netherlands, publicly accessible land or roads become public property after thirty years unless the owner of the land installs clearly visible signs reading ‘Private road’ or ‘Private property’. If the land were to be public property, traffic rules would apply, and the municipal authorities could introduce paid parking on campus – something the university would rather avoid.

So why has the university now added the words ‘ID required’? Just to make it clear that the legal requirement also applies on the EUR campus, Van Beek explained. If a person refuses to show his or her ID, they may be denied access to the campus. “We are only allowed to ask people to show their ID if we have a good reason to do so – for instance, if students are being rowdy, causing inconvenience or misusing study spaces. This has always been the case, but it is now explicitly indicated, which didn’t use to be the case.”

Experiment involving study spaces

By ‘misusing study spaces’, Van Beek is referring to the experiment starting on 11 June, whereby study spaces can only be used by EUR students during periods when study spaces are in high demand. “For instance, if someone is unable to present student ID, guards may ask them to show their ID.”