Three weeks ago, after a leak of the minutes of a faculty board meeting, it become known that the faculty of behavioral and social sciences (FMG) of the University of Amsterdam / Universiteit van Amsterdam will soon face extensive budget cuts. As often, it is students that have to pick up the proverbial bill. Measures such as fewer teachers, less supervision and other harmful changes will be the consequences.
Students of the faculty, having organized the resistance under the name of New University – NU, have called for weekly assemblies to fight the issue. On Thursday, the dean will visit their meeting for a discussion. More active resistance will follow.
All students in the Netherlands are in the same boat. Our universities are run like businesses where efficiency weighs more heavily than quality, where commercial interests often prevail over social ones. This makes it necessary for students to support each other all over the country. DAG will try its best to help the students in Amsterdam and elsewhere.
We wish NU! good luck with their resistance.