“Clearly left-wing” and assertive: this is what the new CSR chair wants
The new Central Student Council (CSR) begins its new council year this week with a notably left-wing profile – even by UvA standards. The radical-left Activistenpartij holds half of the seats, and lead candidate Carlos Fitton Gómez has been elected chair. What can we expect to see from the new council?
The UvA’s new Central Student Council (CSR) begins its term this week. Following the elections in May, half of the seats are held by members of the radical-left Activistenpartij, which has also been the largest faction in recent years. Lead candidate Carlos Fitton Gómez has since been elected chair of the CSR. The political science student will be the face of the representative body for the coming year. Folia asked him five questions about his expectations and plans for the new council year.
Age: 21
From: Madrid, Spain
Studies: Political Science
Campaigned for: Accessible quiet spaces, binding advice and student participation in ethics committees, and abolishing the BSA
What do you want to achieve as a CSR in the coming academic year?
“We have jointly identified several priorities that are important to us as a council for the coming year. One important priority is students’ social lives and their sense of community. This is mainly about student life and how we as the CSR can support students by helping student and study associations and events, thereby creating a more vibrant university culture. We also want to focus on accessibility for students, sustainability and ethical responsibility within the university, and innovation, for example in the areas of AI and digitalisation.”
It sounds like you also want to put a clear emphasis on student life and mental health.
“Absolutely. I think we are very aware that students face all kinds of problems: financial difficulties, high rents, or a lack of access to mental health support. That is something the CSR wants to improve within the university.”
Your party, the Activistenpartij, holds 7 of the 14 seats on the council this year. Will we notice that?
“That will certainly be something to take into account. It will probably mean that positions and policies will clearly lean to the left. But it is also important to recognise that people from other parties are also more left-wing this year and actually agree with the Activistenpartij on quite a few points. I therefore think there is also a lot of room to work together with these parties to develop policies that will be different from those of recent years.”
The other members of the CSR board for the coming year are also now known. Audrey Fabbri (Activistenpartij) will become vice-chair of the student body.
The committees will be chaired by Activistenpartij members Kacper Farbisz (Outreach and Inclusion) and Roy Houtman (Organisation and Finance), and by UvASociaal member Sára Bystrovova (Education and Policy).
Turnout in the student council elections was again disappointing this year. What can you as a CSR do to get students more involved in university democracy?
“I think it is important for all student councils to be more visible throughout the year. That could mean organising more events, working together with students and study associations, and hopefully also using the UvA’s official channels to communicate more about the work the CSR is doing.”
What kind of CSR do you want to be?
“I hope this CSR will be assertive, and I think we have the capacity to take that approach. By that I mean that, of course, we want to work with the Executive Board and policymakers. We are happy to cooperate and will try to find solutions together. But at the same time, when there are disagreements, we need to make sure that we represent the students and put their views and convictions forward firmly. We will have to find a balance between the two.”
