Dear Comrade,
In this newsletter you find some January and February updates from the movement! Moreover, on the right-hand side column, you find a summary of all events that are on our agenda in the near future. If you are interested to read articles, opinion pieces or updates from the Working Groups and the Factions, go check out the DAG website! On the website you can also sign up to become part of a Working Group!
Quote of the month:
A study, published in the ‘Educational Review‘, has found that English and Welsh teachers are suffering from the consequences of increased managerialism: “The teachers cited constant, complex change in educational policies, target-led performance, lack of managerial support and heavy workload as causes of increased stress and anxiety. They spoke of disillusionment, loss of self-esteem and feelings of failure, leading some to take early retirement or, in one case, attempt suicide due to pressure of work.”
DAG Arts
Are you the brave revolutionary who is not afraid of defending the study of Arts in the conflict of interest against the Central University Board and the Ministry? Then please apply to become the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and we will support you in your endeavour!
Except that we cannot. A decision has been made by the Board of FoA that student members are not allowed to participate in a committee choosing the successor of Gerry Wakker (the current Dean). Even after numerous appeals made by the Faculty Council, and despite the fact that DAG removed doubts that there would be an omission of legal grounds for including a student, the exclusion decision was reached following a habitual custom. Once again we have found a reason to endorse the election of a democratically mandated Dean who would carry a sense of accountability to their faculty community.
University Council
Since the latest newsletter, there has been two new UC session: one in December and one in January. The December’s meeting was all about the budget: we succeeded in stopping new funds flowing to project teams working on Yantai! Additionally, we reduced a budget cut enforced on the University Paper. In January, there was discussion on several educational topics and a possible reorganisation. Do you want to read more? Check out our website!
Working Group: Education&Research
After a break of a few months, the E&R working group has finally been revived! The group is now meeting bi-weekly: on Tuesday from 17:00-19:00 (with the optional dinner in the Academy building canteen!). The main theme we will look into in the coming period is “excellence education” – as embodied by the Honours College and the University College at the UG. Do you feel like discussing this or other education/research related topic with us? In case, don’t hesitate to contact Bram Omvlee (0621430215)!
DAG Drinks
The first DAG Drinks of 2019 are taking place next Thursday, the 21st of February at the Brouwerij Martinus 20:00 onwards. Join us there to scheme what the next phase in the revolution will look like! Here a link to the Facebook Event.
Amsterdam Climate March
On the 10th of March, the largest climate strike ever organised in the Netherlands takes place in Amsterdam. DAG will join the march to demand that public institutions will start to take some serious climate action. For instance, it is highly questionable, that the UG has very close ties with companies such as Shell and Gasterra: Our University should be part of the solution, not part of the problem!
Nationwide Action Week for Education; Strike; And Manifestation in the Hague
The resistance against education-threatening government policies continues! This time around all different educational sectors will join forces to protest. From the 11th to the 15th of March, a nationwide action week takes place, which culminates on Friday the 15th into a nationwide strike and manifestation in the Hague, where the Dutch Ministry of Education is located.
If you are looking for ways to contribute, you can do so by signing this petition ! Moreover, if you want to help DAG out in organising stunts related to the action week, sign up via this google form. Finally, you are very welcome to join our group and travel to the Hague for the manifestation. Keep an eye on our Facebook-page for updates on the travel schedule!
Call-Out: Staff Members for an Interfacultary Meeting
DAG is increasingly concerned about the high-pressure working conditions in the UG. For this reason, we are currently looking into organising an interfacultary meeting where staff members could come together and share personal experiences of the structural problems in their respective departments. If you are/know of a staff member who would be interested in participating in this event, do let us know! You can contact us via e-mail or on Facebook, for instance.