{"id":173704,"date":"2024-11-22T12:10:22","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T11:10:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=173704"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:36","slug":"students-on-upcoming-budget-cuts-student-life-is-under-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2024\/11\/22\/students-on-upcoming-budget-cuts-student-life-is-under-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"Students on upcoming budget cuts: \u2018Student life is under pressure\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Various student representatives expect that the announced budget cuts to higher education will hinder students\u2019 personal development and threaten the survival of student organisations. Jasper Schut, chair of the Rotterdam student union STUUR, views protesting as the only solution.<\/p>\n

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About three thousand students and university staff gathered in Utrecht on November 14 to protest.<\/span><\/p>

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Other EUR students share this concern. Timo Zandvliet, a university council member of OUR Erasmus, fears that the cuts could lead to a reduction in the number of lecturers and staff, which would affect the quality of education. Programs may be discontinued, as has already been announced at some universities.<\/p>\n

Associations affected<\/h2>
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Timo Zandvliet<\/span><\/p>

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In addition, Zandvliet believes the long-term tuition penalty will have consequences for associations. He fears that students, facing the threat of this penalty, will be less inclined to take a board year at an association. This will make it much harder for associations to form a well-functioning board. \u201cThis threatens the survival of study associations\u201d, says Zandvliet. He already noticed during his board year at the study association STAR last year that students were less willing to pause their studies for a board year. He thinks this will only get worse.<\/p>\n

Olivier Roos shares his concerns. As chairman of the career committee of the Legal Faculty Association Rotterdam (JFR), he has seen in practice how difficult it is to run an association with fewer people. \u201cThe long-term tuition penalty could be the tipping point for students to decide not to do a full-time board year.\u201d About three years ago, JFR had no secretary, forcing the other six board members to take on the board tasks. \u201cIf you lose even more board members, the board will have less contact with members, the faculty, and sponsors.\u201d Ultimately, says Roos, board members will have less time to organise activities, leading to a less active student life.<\/p>\n\n\t

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