UvASociaal

Universities should function as democratic institutions. An open election would increase transparency and accountability while ensuring that the university community has a direct voice in its leadership. At the same time, we recognize that certain responsibilities, such as financial management and legal obligations, require expertise and continuity. Therefore, while democratic participation should play a central role, the Executive Board must also retain the ability to effectively manage these complex institutional responsibilities.

UvASociaal agrees with this statement, as junior lecturers are often disproportionately affected by unstable working conditions and precarious contracts. While senior lecturers also deserve fair salaries, they generally already have greater financial stability and institutional security, which many junior lecturers lack. Therefore, improving employment security and working conditions for junior lecturers should be prioritized over increasing salaries for those in more secure positions.

UvASociaal believes language policy should depend on the needs of each individual programme rather than strict quotas for Dutch or international students. Some programmes naturally attract more Dutch students, while others are more internationally oriented, and additional restrictions can harm accessibility and educational quality. We believe universities should remain accessible to both Dutch and international students. Where appropriate, programmes can be offered in both Dutch and English, but not every programme needs to be taught in English. For example, medical programmes are primarily aimed at training doctors who will work in the Netherlands, making Dutch-language education practical and necessary. A balanced, programme-specific approach is therefore the best way to maintain both accessibility and quality.

Given existing financial pressures and funding constraints, support for student wellbeing should not come at the expense of education itself. At the same time, the growing pressure on student wellbeing clearly shows that this is an area that requires continued investment and attention. While significantly expanding support services may not always be financially feasible, the university should develop additional, accessible forms of support through community-building and other initiatives that help students feel connected and supported. Student well-being should remain a clear priority and must not be overlooked.

Prioritizing career preparation at the expense of academic content risks undermining critical thinking and broader academic development. While UvASociaal believes it is important to include practical components that help students apply theoretical knowledge, this should not come at the expense of education itself. Universities are not only meant to prepare students for specific jobs, but also to foster critical thinking and intellectual growth.

Some campuses already have accessible gender-neutral bathrooms, but accessibility and visibility still vary significantly across the university. In some cases, these facilities exist but are tucked away and not easily accessible, while other locations offer better, more inclusive access for everyone. Although progress has been made, there is still clear room for improvement across the university.

Contemplation rooms should be properly available and accessible for all students, regardless of the campus they study at. Both contemplation spaces and other student support facilities serve different but equally important needs, and the university should not prioritize one at the expense of the other, as they address separate issues within student wellbeing and inclusion.

UvASociaal agrees, as students and staff are the people most directly affected by university policies. Decisions regarding education, mental health, accessibility, diversity, and sustainability shape students’ daily lives, which is why we believe students must have a meaningful voice in shaping these policies. While we recognize the important role of student councils, some decisions also involve legal responsibility and long-term institutional planning that student councils may not always be equipped to fully oversee. We believe that student & workers councils should have significant influence where necessary, but not absolute authority over every aspect of university policy.

Protests are a legitimate and important form of democratic expression. Actions such as walkouts and occupations are valid forms of student protest, and disruption can mean many different things without posing a genuine safety threat. In the past, including during the 2024 Palestine solidarity protests, the university responded disproportionately by involving the police, escalating the situation and making many students feel unsafe, with several reports of police violence. We believe that police intervention should only be used as a last resort in cases of genuine and immediate safety risks, with a focus on de-escalation and student wellbeing rather than suppressing protest.

UvASociaal does not believe this is something that should be further expanded, as the UvA already engages in such collaborations. Instead, these partnerships should be strictly and structurally regulated to ensure the university is not simply helping large corporations grow more powerful, but is instead contributing meaningful knowledge and insights that genuinely benefit society and can be implemented through broader public or social initiatives.

UvASociaal believes that students should be given the opportunity to follow honours programmes not only based on academic performance, but also on motivation, as this is a strong indicator of curiosity and future academic growth. Grades alone do not fully represent a student’s abilities or potential, and relying solely on them can overlook capable and motivated students.

UvASociaal supports prioritizing diversity targets to ensure better representation, while also recognizing that merit remains important in selection processes. However, selection should not be based on a “purely merit-based” system, as such processes are often shaped by existing social and institutional biases. Promoting diversity helps create a more inclusive and representative university community while addressing structural inequalities within education.

UvASociaal is in favour of lowering the BSA and eventually abolishing it altogether. The BSA negatively affects student mental health by creating unnecessary pressure and stress due to the serious consequences attached to it. Instead of relying on punitive policies, universities should focus on providing support and trusting students to take responsibility for their own studies.

UvASociaal initiated the Anti-Kantine campaign, advocating for lower food prices and more vegan options on campus, which contributed to the development of De Nieuwe Mensa. We believe food options on campus should at least be plant-based by default, as this is a practical and impactful way for the university to reduce its environmental footprint while still preserving freedom of choice.

UvASociaal is critical of security and resilience funding, as it is often closely connected to military or surveillance interests. While universities should contribute to society, there must be clear ethical limits to how research and education are used. We believe collaborations in these areas should only be allowed under strict regulations and a transparent ethical framework, ensuring that research outcomes are not used to support harmful or oppressive practices.

UvASociaal completely agrees with the statement, as the party itself emerged from the Maagdenhuis occupation, which had a profound impact on the university and student politics. To this day, UvASociaal remains committed to building an open university that functions not only in theory but also in practice as a democratic and inclusive community.

UvASociaal strongly supports this, as selection procedures often favor students from more privileged backgrounds who have greater access to resources and opportunities. A lottery-based system is a fairer alternative because it reduces bias and does not give disproportionate advantages to specific groups. University admissions should be as unbiased and accessible as possible, ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to enter higher education.

Over the past 15 years, the UvA and other universities have actively recruited large numbers of international students without adequately preparing for the resulting influx, which has put pressure on housing, accessibility, and the quality of education. If national-level measures are introduced to better manage this growth and improve educational quality, UvASociaal does not believe these should be strongly opposed. This is not because international students are unwelcome, but because universities invested heavily in international marketing without ensuring they had the resources and long-term planning needed to properly support and accommodate students. As a result, both Dutch and international students have experienced worsening housing conditions and increasing pressure on education quality.

While ensuring openness in academia is important, auditing programmes for diversity of ideological perspectives risks undermining academic freedom. If it's about ensuring that we don't become dogmatic about academic perspectives it could be a positive, but it should come from regulations and oversights from the course coordinators. That is not to say that we shouldn't be open to diverse perspectives within academia, as it is always developing.