{"id":81114,"date":"2017-10-18T12:52:34","date_gmt":"2017-10-18T10:52:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=81114"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:52","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:52","slug":"jovd-dont-push-diversity-eur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2017\/10\/18\/jovd-dont-push-diversity-eur\/","title":{"rendered":"JOVD: \u2018Don’t push (Divers)it(y) @ EUR\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Head of JOVD Rijnmond with Puck van Putte as second on the left<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJOVD Rijnmond<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Puck van Putte does not support the diversity policy advocated in the call for diversity issued on 11 October. \u201cIntroducing quota for women is a worthless idea. Women don\u2019t want to be hired for being women, but for their individual qualities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Against imposed quota for women<\/h3>

In the open letter<\/a>, nearly 300 EUR staff members argue for increased action in the area of diversity and inclusiveness at Erasmus University. \u201cWe agree with the authors\u2019 call to formulate a clearer definition of research quality, and to increase transparency in the University\u2019s recruitment policy,\u201d says Van Putte. \u201cBut we don\u2019t subscribe to the introduction of a quota for women. We believe that lecturers should be hired because they are suited for the job \u2013 not because of their sex.\u201d<\/p>\n

Van Putte doesn\u2019t think that the 11 percent share of full-time female professors at EUR can be attributed to a male culture in the appointment procedures. \u201cIf we were actually dealing with a male culture, this female contingent of 11 percent wouldn\u2019t have been appointed either. There\u2019s no need to push through demographic change with affirmative action via a quota for women: the percentage is already increasing, and will continue to rise of its own accord.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clear statement<\/h3>

The first people to sign the petition were all female members of JOVD Rijnmond. They took this step to make a clear statement: \u201cWe want to show that you can also find women who don\u2019t subscribe to the contents of the \u2018diversity letter\u2019,\u201d says Van Putte. If her petition <\/a>manages to gain sufficient signatures from other supporters, Van Putte intends to enter into dialogue with EUR about its diversity policy.<\/p>\n

Read more about the diversity discussion<\/h2>