Executive Board and OccupyEUR willing to engage in conversation

The activists occupying the Sanders building and the Executive Board are willing to engage in talks. The Erasmus building is closed to visitors today.

The Executive Board wants to enter into dialogue with the activists in the Sanders building, the university administration announced on Monday morning. OccupyEUR, the group of students and staff who occupied the building, is willing to do so and has proposed a meeting. What time that conversation will take place is not clear yet. It looks like the conversation will be between 6pm and 6.30pm, protesters tell EM. But the university wouldn’t confirm that yet, despite multiple requests.

Meanwhile, about seventy people are present at the protest in the Sanders building, most of them are studying at Erasmus University. The activists are organising lectures and workshops. Earlier today, Willem Schinkel, professor of Social Theory, addressed the group. He encouraged them to be critical of the university. There is also a teach-in by scholars Zouhair Hammana and Irene van Oorschot, on racism and climate.

Erasmus building not accessible

The Erasmus building, which houses the Executive Board, was closed earlier today. No one was allowed into the building around one o’clock this afternoon. Why isn’t entirely clear. “This is the most convenient way given the current situation”, a university spokesperson informed EM about the closure. Staff members are still working in the building. At the moment, employees can re-enter the building by showing their pass.

Around 2.45pm, a group of RSM students were standing in vain at the door of the Erasmus building on . It turned out their Financial modelling lecture wouldn’t take place in the Aula. They were told that this was due to the protest at the Sanders building. They had to follow the lecture online instead.

Last week, there were already extra security measures in the Erasmus building. Since Thursday, security guards were checking student cards and staff passes.