{"id":114044,"date":"2020-05-28T13:08:04","date_gmt":"2020-05-28T11:08:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=114044"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:24:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:24:57","slug":"university-council-looks-set-to-become-a-male-bastion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/05\/28\/university-council-looks-set-to-become-a-male-bastion\/","title":{"rendered":"University Council looks set to become a ‘male bastion’"},"content":{"rendered":"

No fewer than ten of the twelve seats on the University Council designated for student representatives will be held by men in the upcoming period. Only two female students were elected to the council in the elections held last week, down from five on the current council. EUC student Bram Heesen was the most successful candidate, having received a whopping 361 votes.<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tErasmus Magazine<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><\/div>

This meant that Heesen and No. 2 Younes Assou were far ahead of the competition. The third most successful candidate, Jasper Klasen, received nearly 150 votes less.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to use my own network at Erasmus University College and Laurentius,\u201d said Heesen, trying to explain why his was such a successful campaign. \u201cI do think EUC students are more likely to vote than other students. But I also think my campaign simply appealed to a lot of people.\u201d<\/p>\n

To the winner of the elections, the main item to be put on the Council\u2019s agenda is how the university will deal with the consequences of the coronavirus crisis after the summer. \u201cNot everyone is affected equally by the virus. If you live in a luxury villa, your life will be easier than if you live alone in a small apartment. The university should keep an eye on that.\u201d Heesen does not know why so many more men than women were elected to the council. \u201cBut obviously, women being underrepresented is not a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Second term<\/h2>
\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><\/div>

Afrodita Dobreva is one of two women who were elected to the council. She finished 6th<\/sup>, having received 185 votes. The RSM student, who hails from Bulgaria, mainly wishes to focus on improving students\u2019 practical skills. She, too, is surprised by the small number of female councillors, although she did point out that there were fewer female candidates, as well. \u201cAnd this year we had to engage in aggressive campaigns to stand out, to truly present ourselves. Maybe men are simply better at that,\u201d Afrodita suggests.<\/p>\n

Several students will serve a second term on the council: Younes Assou (RSM), Jasper Klasen (i.a. Erasmus MC) and Olaf Hornes (ESHCC). A fourth current councillor, Ellora Sen, finished just outside the top 12.<\/p>\n

Thirty-six candidates stood for the council. More than four thousand students cast votes. The University Council has 24 members: twelve students and twelve members of staff. The next elections for the council\u2019s staff representatives will be held next year.<\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t