In a tense meeting that lasted almost all day, the Joint Assembly of students and employees of the UvA voted down the Amsterdam Faculty of Science (AFS). What’s next?
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In a rarely seen, tension-filled public meeting of the UvA’s central student council (CSR) and central works council (COR), president of the Board Louise Gunning had to bite deep into the sand in Crea’s Theatre Hall this afternoon: the establishment of the Amsterdam Faculty of Science (AFS) did not receive approval from the co-determinantion bodies of students and staff.
After a large part of the members of the joint assembly (JA) had given an explanation of vote, a written vote was taken among the 27 JA members present. This showed that 13 members were against the AFS and 11 in favour. There were three abstentions. With this, there was no majority in favour of the AFS. When the result of the vote was announced, loud cheers rang out from the hall, where a large number of anti-AFS students were present.
Flemish dean already appointed
This JA, which had been postponed several times, had been long awaited: it was first supposed to take place in early October, was postponed to early December and finally took place today. Each time, the argument for postponement was that the JA had insufficient information to be able to come to a balanced vote on the proposed collaboration between UvA and VU. Last Wednesday, the VU’s participation bodies did feel they had sufficient information and agreed - subject to conditions - to the establishment of the AFS.
In the end, JA chair Sam Quax - also chair of the CSR - decided that the UvA’s participation bodies should also hold a vote on the AFS before the new year, because the new faculty should - at least that is the plan - start on 1 January. On that date, the already hired dean of the AFS - the Flemish administrator and professor Karen Maex, who came over from Leuven - will also start.
Consequently, a JA had been convened today. It took place at Crea, where this morning there was also a meeting - already scheduled - of the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of the UvA. Board members stayed in Crea after that meeting to be present for the vote on the AFS. The JA - which started at 11 o’clock and was supposed to end in a vote on the AFS - was immediately suspended by Quax at the start until noon. The reason for this was a letter that the Board had sent to the JA, containing a number of commitments on issues about which the JA had always had doubts. These commitments included consent rights that the Board wanted on the merging or scrapping of study programmes, the governance model of the new faculty and the (financial) allocation model.
Iris Breetvelt
When the vote was finally due - after a second adjournment - COR member Iris Breetvelt turned out to be without a trace. That is, she had left because she had commitments elsewhere and could not be back in attendance until around three o’clock. Because Quax wanted her to be present for the vote – Breetvelt is known as a highly critical member of the COR and not necessarily a supporter of the AFS – the meeting was postponed until that time. But in the end, around three o’clock, the 27 voting COR members were seated at the meeting table in the Theatre Hall, where Louise Gunning also joined them to answer some additional questions and/or make commitments.
And those promises came: at the request of COR member Jonneke Bekkenkamp, Gunning promised that cooperation will not be compulsory. Gunning: “Nobody has to cooperate if they don’t want to.” COR member Iris Breetveld, who said she feared that the AFS would lead to a substantial increase in workload, also got a commitment from Gunning: an annual measurement of workload within the AFS in which the CSR would be involved in the development of the measurement tool. Gunning also promised that there would be no additional cuts to the AFS. “Unless the central government drastically cuts the state contribution between now and 2017. Then the AFS, like the other faculties, will suffer.” Students also got a pledge from Gunning: she promised that the faculty student council of the FNWI - the science faculty of the UvA - will be given the right of consent in determining the faculty regulations of the AFS.
Empty shell
Finally, at ten past four it was time for (voluntary) explanations of vote. Not everyone made those, so it was not yet immediately clear who would vote for or against. COR chair Radboud Winkels did give an explanation of vote. “The opportunities I see with the AFS are too important. Let’s make sure the plan that is there now becomes even better during the process. I vote in favour.” COR member Jonneke Bekkenkamp said she would also vote in favour. “Because of all the commitments, the AFS plan is now such an empty shell, we can still go either way with it. Then you might as well agree. So I am also voting in favour.” On the other hand, the vast majority of the CSR had already indicated in the explanation of vote that they were going to vote against. And so they did: of the fourteen CSR members, twelve voted against, including CSR chair Quax. He called the AFS “a fighting coalition” which he feared the new dean Maex would not be able to handle in Europe.
A drink first
And with that, the fate of the AFS seems sealed at the moment: the new faculty is not coming, at least not according to the current proposal. A very deeply disappointed Louise Gunning left the Theatre Hall after the meeting. “First a drink, then the Christmas break and in that we will reflect.”
In a press statement, UvA and VU have since announced that there will be a meeting of the joint Executive Board of UvA and VU on 9 January about the situation that has now arisen. Already appointed AFS dean Karen Maex is very disappointed, she announced by phone. “This is not the best strategic decision that could have been taken. We will see in January how we move forward now.”