UvA Kieswijzer

The University must prioritise active diversity policies, including decolonization, as mentioned in the 2016 Diversity Report

De Vrije Student

Disagree

DVS wants to promote more diversity and inclusivity within the UVA. However, we disagree with some of the solutions suggested in the 2016 diversity report. One of the solutions mentioned in the diversity report is diversity quotas. Selecting candidates based on their background or identity is inherently discriminatory. It shifts the focus from what a person has to offer based on their personal achievements, qualifications, and experiences to only characteristics such as color and origin. Better solutions could focus on substantive factors that aim to remove barriers and provide equal opportunities for everyone. Substantive factors that play a role include social-economic circumstances and potential need for support in language and integration. This way, as a university, we can contribute to diversity and inclusivity without polarizing. We share the same opinion regarding the decolonization of the curriculum. The emphasis should be on academic quality. This is more important than adjusting the curriculum to meet the social and political goals of a particular group. The university is a pluralistic environment where different perspectives and ideas are discussed and debated, without excluding or favoring certain opinions or facts. We support the most complete and inclusive educational offer, as long as we do not lose sight of our primary goal: quality of education.

INTER

Fully agree

INTER considers that it is one of the main responsibilities of the UvA to acknowledge their colonial history and make an active effort to do better. Given our existing focus on international students, we highly support the initiatives for a more diverse student and staff composition.

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Neutral

First of all, we want to state that HUMANS. is committed to diversity and that inclusion is one of its core values. At the same time we see certain flaws in the proposed motion. While the intentions behind the 'decolonization' of universities may be noble and aim to address historical injustices and promote inclusivity, there are several concerns that suggest it might not be the best approach. It is important to consider these concerns in order to ensure that universities continue to serve as places of learning and knowledge-sharing for all. Loss of academic rigour: One of the main concerns is that 'decolonization' efforts may inadvertently lead to the loss of academic rigour, as they prioritize certain perspectives and texts based on their cultural, racial or political background rather than their intellectual merit. This can undermine the primary goal of universities, which is to advance knowledge through critical inquiry and evidence-based reasoning. Reinforcing stereotypes: 'Decolonization' efforts may inadvertently reinforce stereotypes and cultural essentialism by associating specific knowledge or ideas with particular groups. This can perpetuate the idea that some cultures are inherently more capable or suited to certain types of knowledge, which goes against the universalist ideals of academic inquiry. So while it is important to recognise and address historical injustices and promote inclusivity in higher education, the potential drawbacks of 'decolonization' need to be carefully considered. Alternative approaches, such as promoting intercultural dialogue and critical examination of existing knowledge based on merit, may be more effective in achieving these goals without the risks associated with 'decolonization'.

Partij MFAS Bachelor

No opinion

Sefa Student Party

Agree

Sefa Student Party has diversity as one of the most important aspects of its program. We want the University to recognize the harmful effects of its colonial past and work towards actively decolonizing the curriculum. As part of our efforts to promote diversity, we also want to revisit and improve the 2016 Diversity report. The SSP cares deeply about creating a more inclusive and welcoming community on campus for everyone.

STEM

Agree

UvASociaal

Fully agree

Diversity has been one of the core pillars of UvAsociaal since 2005, and the first section of our party program is dedicated to this issue. The UvA should definitely prioritise policies such as decolonisation in order to help students develop a wider worldview while also allowing those from different backgrounds feel comfortable at the university. Furthermore, we believe that every person at the UvA should feel included in the policies that are put in place and we will be able to achieve this as we have a large number of Dutch, European and International students running for both CSR and FSR this year.

020

Fully agree

020 strives towards more inclusion. Decolonising the course content is an important part of improving education at the University, as it will help remove some of the long-standing biases that exist in many courses. Furthermore, it will encourage students to question their own views, and consider those that they perhaps have not yet been exposed to.

EnCore

Agree

Diversity is one of UvA’s greatest strengths, so the UvA should continue to take necessary actions to improve diversity and inclusivity on and around campus.

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

The Founding Students

Neutral

We are not pro or against diversity

LIEF

Agree

LIEF does see diversity as an important point

Kies ACTA

No opinion

Activistenpartij UvA

STEM

Agree

Kies ACTA

No opinion

The Founding Students

Agree

It is not a musst, but we are not against it, mental health is important and if free menstrual products can help improving this we're okay with it

The UvA should invest in more accessibility for students with functional limitations as well as sensitivity towards these students

Kies ACTA

No opinion

De Vrije Student

Sefa Student Party

Fully agree

Accessibility is one of the most important issues in our program. We firmly believe that all students, regardless of their limitations, deserve equal access to education. Sefa Student Party has actively been working towards a more inclusive UvA over the past year. We believe that the current infrastructure concerning accessibility at UvA is sub-par and should be improved.

No opinion

All lectures should be available online, independently of COVID-19 cases or quarantine regulations

UvASociaal

Fully agree

Lectures should be available online as well as be conducted in person for accessibility and higher quality of education. This is not to be limited to COVID-19 cases, as all students may need to access recordings for other circumstances and they should have the possibility to do so. Furthermore, this does not mean that lectures will not take place on campus, but that students should have the option of accessing course materials for their benefit.

No opinion

The Founding Students

Disagree

Activistenpartij UvA

Fully agree

Motivation is more important than grades. We believe that grades are snapshots, which means that they're not an accurate indicator of a student's ability. An honours programme already has some admission requirements, regardless of a student's grades, so it is not the case that everyone suddenly starts taking honours courses: this is still only reserved for those who are motivated and want to get more out of their studies.

STEM

Fully agree

EnCore

Disagree

EnCorre supports a solution in which both grades and a motivation letter would be considered, as they complement each other and give a more holistic image of each honors applicant. However, Encore does not support a solution in which grades are not considered. The admission into the honors course is already partially based on motivation, as motivation is tangibly reflected in student grades. As there are currently limited spots available for honors courses, it is not reasonable to accept students solely based on their motivation and potentially exclude students who worked hard for a spot in the honors course. Additionally, the solution of admitting students based on a motivation letter is not realistic, as the contents of motivation letters can be quite arbitrary and hard to validate, as well as because it would be difficult to set a fair standard for evaluating motivation letters.

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

Sefa Student Party

Disagree

Kies ACTA

No opinion

EnCore

EnCore

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Fully disagree

HUMANS. believes that requiring Dutch language courses could create unnecessary barriers for international students and discourage diversity on campus. Moreover, this requirement may not be relevant or necessary for every study program, especially those that are internationally focused. Instead, efforts should be directed towards improving the quality of education and managing growth by addressing issues such as student-teacher ratios, infrastructure, and housing, rather than adding a potentially unrelated course requirement.

Partij MFAS Bachelor

No opinion

INTER

Disagree

INTER agrees with more accessible and free Dutch courses. However, we strongly disagree with making them mandatory. We also take issue with the way this statement is formulated, and believe that the responsibility for curbing university growth should be placed on the institution itself and the Dutch government, rather than serve as a burden for students.

De Vrije Student

Disagree

The quality of education is our top priority. English when necessary, Dutch when possible. Such measures should not be used solely for the purpose of slowing down the growth of the university.

Kies ACTA

No opinion

Fully disagree

While we agree that mental health support should be on the government’s agenda, it absolutely does not absolve the university of responsibility for their students and their well-being. Students spend the majority of their time at the university or with university-connected activities, many live here purely for their studies. The university should not only care for their students well-being, but is in our eyes directly responsible for providing support to any student who needs it and should therefore allocate resources to providing students in need with mental health support.

De Vrije Student

Disagree

Although the government is primarily responsible for the mental health of students, the university can contribute to promoting student well-being by creating a safe environment in which students can openly discuss their mental health. Additionally, the university has the responsibility to refer students to the appropriate mental health services.

Activistenpartij UvA

Disagree

These are two different questions, namely: (1) should the government invest in mental health support for students, and (2) should the university invest in mental health support for students? Our answer to both of these questions is a resounding 'yes'. Mental health is crucial and it is up to the university to offer support to students as long as the government doesn't have its affairs in order.

Partij MFAS Master

There should be no mandatory attendance for seminars/ tutorials

EnCore

Fully agree

It is not the UvA’s job to dictate to students how they should learn the course content. Instead, UvA should strive to have as many options as possible available to students, but should ultimately allow students to choose their own learning process and manage their own time. In addition, we recognize that students may have sleeping disorders, student jobs, or other personal circumstances that may make it difficult to attend lectures at certain times (9 AM classes). These students should not be punished based on these circumstances, especially because they are unrelated to learning outcomes.

LIEF

Agree

Lief believes students should have the academic freedom to decide for themselves whether or not to go to work/laptop lectures, in the first year there can be mandatory lectures to improve bonding.

De Vrije Student

Agree

We are against mandatory attendance at lectures and tutorials. This aligns with our idea of flexible studying. We understand that students have other commitments outside of their studies. Most students have a job or want to gain practical experience through an internship alongside their studies. Additionally, we see that mandatory attendance does not necessarily mean that students actively participate or that their presence improves the quality of the tutorial.

INTER

Disagree

We do think it is important for students to attend tutorials and engage in discussions with each other about the subjects they are studying. However, similarly as with the BSA, current exemption regulations for the attendance are too inflexible and inconsiderate of students’ physical and mental health, as well as their financial means as many need to work or travel far. We advocate for a more flexible, student-focused attendance policy that is adapted to students’ needs and allows more exemptions.

Activistenpartij UvA

Disagree

The Activist Party is in favor of a decentralized system, in which program committees can decide for themselves whether it is to their advantage to use mandatory attendance, based on the interests of students and teachers. We are therefore not against compulsory attendance in principle, as this can benefit the educational quality and (social) development of students. However, the obligation to attend can also be annoying for lecturers, who - with insecure and 0,7ft contracts - often find little time to go through a bureaucratic and administrative hassle. Furthermore, we believe that the current attendance obligation should be handled more flexibly. For example, students who have to work to make ends meet should be able to join other work groups with greater ease if necessary.

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Fully agree

HUMANS. argues that abolishing mandatory attendance for tutorials takes into account the personal circumstances of students and promotes personal responsibility. By introducing a compensable participation grade, students are encouraged to actively participate without being penalized for absence due to illness, family obligations, or work responsibilities. This provides students with greater flexibility in their study planning, promotes a sense of ownership over their learning process, and helps lower stress levels for a healthier learning environment.

Partij MFAS Bachelor

Agree

The Faculty of Medicine does not apply an attendance requirement for seminars. Because of this, the responsibility for their own learning process lies with the students themselves. Party MFAS appreciates this value, but also sees the practical problems concerning seminars to which no students show up. That is why Party MFAS would not advocate an attendance requirement, but does want to devie solutions for the daily practice.

Sefa Student Party

Fully agree

UvASociaal

Fully agree

We believe that students should be able to make their own decisions regarding their education as this would be in line with accessibility and quality of education. Nothing should be mandatory for students and they should have autonomy over their work.

Kies ACTA

No opinion

The Founding Students

Agree

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

STEM

Neutral

020

Agree

While it is important for our students to attend as many seminars and tutorials as possible for them to keep up with the course material and the important topics discussed in class, making it mandatory takes away the possibility of our students to reallocate their study time according to their needs. Furthermore, the current lack of flexibility in regard to absences puts the students' education at risk of delay, under circumstances that are out of their control such as illness or disability.

The number of international students in a council should be representative of the number of international students within a faculty, or the University (same for Dutch students).

The Founding Students

Disagree

Qualty > quantity, no quotum

UvASociaal

Neutral

Due to the low voter turnout as well as the lack of student engagement in student politics at the UvA, this policy would likely not be very realistic nor democratic.

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

EnCore

Fully disagree

The number of different types of students in the council should be based on a democratic vote by the student body, and should not be decided upon by the student council itself.

Kies ACTA

No opinion

Sefa Student Party

Fully disagree

STEM

Neutral

De Vrije Student

Disagree

The main goal of the student council is to represent the interests of all students at the faculty, regardless of their background. An international student can just as well represent the interests of Dutch students and vice versa.

Academic freedom is as equally important as social safety.

Sefa Student Party

Neutral

Kies ACTA

No opinion

LIEF

Disagree

Everyone should be able to study in a way in which they feel safe. This does not mean that no discussion should take place, but directly offensive statements and discrimination have no place at the university.

INTER

Neutral

This is a very vague statement, implying that values can be ranked based on a singular unit along a hierarchical scale. We think Academic Freedom is an important value to pursue at university and we also strongly advocate for a safe learning environment. Ranking these two against each other is very case-dependent and seeing as the above statement lacks definitions, we position ourselves as “neutral”.

UvASociaal

Fully agree

Students at university should have the ability to make their own educational choices as well as feel comfortable in their surroundings. Both of these concepts are equally important to preserve accessibility and quality of education, and in line with this classes should not be mandatory and staff members should be given social safety training.

The Founding Students

Neutral

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

De Vrije Student

Disagree

Academic freedom is the foundation for the development and progress of science and knowledge. It allows scientists, researchers, and teachers to think critically and explore ideas without restrictions or limitations. However, we do acknowledge that social safety and academic freedom are closely interconnected. Only in a safe environment students can be critical and express their opinions. Finding a balance between academic freedom and social safety is of great importance for a healthy and productive academic community.

The university should stop the prioritisation of students from outside the EU in regard to university provided student housing.

STEM

Neutral

Sefa Student Party

Agree

The Founding Students

Agree

Activistenpartij UvA

Agree

Not the nationality, but the student's wealth should be decisive in whether or not the university offers student housing. Students with a lower socio-economic status should be prioritized. The university currently applies a policy of divide and conquer between students of different backgrounds. Instead, the university should discuss with the municipality to see how more student housing can be realized. The Activist Party also believes that there should be a (inter)national battle to get universities to take more responsibility for student housing.

UvASociaal

Neutral

We believe in sustainable internationalisation and how the university has been growing now has not been beneficial to students regardless of where they are from. However, we recognise that international students have a harder time doing viewings from their home country and they are at a disadvantage when it comes to private housing.

INTER

Fully disagree

While we understand why such prioritization may feel discriminatory to Dutch and EU students, we cannot ignore the fact that the university admits students who then travel around the world for UvA education while the housing market in Amsterdam is even more difficult for them to access, with a housing shortage combined with the fact that many landlords demand in-person meetings and Dutch or at least EU passports. We support the UvA in informing international students more about these issues to prevent them from facing housing problems after their student housing ends. Additionally, the UvA should analyze its role in combating the housing shortage for all students and actively contribute to this effort.

020

Disagree

With efforts to diversify the student body, the University should not stop prioritising non-EU students in regards to housing. In the current housing crisis, the international students have even more barriers to finding accommodation, which leaves them with less options and more risks, as there is more uncertainty around them being able to remain in the Netherlands and they require a residency permit.

De Vrije Student

Fully agree

Both non-EU international students and EU international students face difficulties in finding housing. Everyone should have access to university-provided housing, regardless of their origin. It is important for the university to have an inclusive and equitable policy when it comes to allocating housing.

Kies ACTA

No opinion

LIEF

Disagree

When students come to the Netherlands to study it is necessary for them to get housing here, the trade-off is in how many students are attracted by the university to study here.

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Neutral

Regarding the motion that the university should stop prioritizing students from outside the EU for university-provided student housing, HUMANS. holds a neutral stance. While addressing the fairness of housing allocation is a valid concern, the core issue lies in the broader housing shortage in Amsterdam. The scarcity of affordable and accessible accommodation affects both international and local students. Instead of focusing on prioritizing specific student groups, efforts should be directed towards collaborating with local authorities and private organizations to expand and improve the availability of housing options for all students. This approach would not only contribute to a more equitable distribution of housing but also alleviate the pressure on the university's limited resources and foster a more inclusive environment.

Partij MFAS Bachelor

No opinion

EnCore

Disagree

Students outside the EU lose their visas if they do not have housing for extended periods of time, so they should be given priority by a university that actively advertises to them but does not have sufficient student housing for the students it grants admission to. Although all students should have access to housing, the repercussions of EU students without housing are way less severe than those of international students, so the prioritization of international students is justified.

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

The Numerus Fixus (a limitation in the number of students admitted) should be used to stop the growth of the university

Sefa Student Party

Agree

Activistenpartij UvA

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Agree

HUMANS. supports the motion that the Numerus Fixus should be used to stop the growth of the university. We believe that the current growth rate is damaging the quality of education provided by the university. As the number of students continues to increase, there is added pressure on the university's resources, faculty, and infrastructure. Implementing the Numerus Fixus would allow the university to cap the number of admitted students, ensuring a more manageable student-to-teacher ratio and preventing overburdened facilities. This approach would contribute to maintaining a high standard of education, enabling more focused attention from instructors, and promoting an optimal learning environment for students. In conclusion, utilizing the Numerus Fixus would help preserve the university's educational quality while preventing excessive growth that may ultimately be detrimental.

EnCore

Agree

Numerus Fixus is currently necessary given the growth of the university. While UvA adjusts to student growth and develops an optimal solution, Numerous Fixus can alleviate the operation burden on the university while continuing to provide study opportunities for the most qualified candidates. However, UvA should still have programs aimed at admitting underprivileged students regardless of their major

LIEF

Neutral

In programmes where growth is a problem this is a good idea, in small programmes such as chemistry and mathematics this is not necessary, and not a good idea because it deters potential students.

Kies ACTA

No opinion

De Vrije Student

Disagree

A Numerus Fixus is suitable when there are insufficient resources to provide all students with adequate educational quality, for example, when there are not enough teachers. By limiting the number of students, the university can better guarantee the quality of education and improve the study experience of students. Therefore, a Numerus Fixus should only be applied with a focus on the functionality of education and not with the aim of curbing the growth of universities.

Programs should have the sole responsibility in deciding whether they teach in Dutch or in English

The Founding Students

Agree

STEM

Agree

UvASociaal

Neutral

Decisions should be made in a decentralised manner and such decisions should be made in a way which is beneficial for students in that course.

EnCore

Disagree

While EnCore recognizes that there are certain programs that are more suitable to be taught in Dutch, there should also be accountability to those programs so that the decision can be appealed and reversed in cases where programs decide to be taught in Dutch (despite being suitable to be taught in English) in order to curb the growth of international students. Since UvA might misuse this power to its advantage, there should be an appeal board consisting of UvA employees and students that can overturn unfair decisions.

Kies ACTA

No opinion

Sefa Student Party

Neutral

LIEF

Disagree

This should be in line with the policy at the university, bachelor programmes at the FNWI at the moment are Dutch-speaking, if this is to be changed it should be discussed with all the parties involved.

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

INTER

Disagree

The decision should be made in a democratic manner, with all relevant stakeholders involved. The interests of Dutch and international students alike should be taken into consideration.

Partij MFAS Bachelor

Fully agree

Party MFAS thinks that faculties should have the possibility to embrace international students if they want to. Giving courses in English could be a way to achieve this. On the other side, faculties should have the posibility to focus themselves on educating students for the Dutch practice. Teaching courses exclusively in Dutch alligns with this goals. Depending on the type of faculty, Party MFAS feels that this freedom of choice should be left open.

020

Neutral

We think that limiting any program to students who can only follow it in Dutch harms the accessibility to, and inclusivity of, the University. It would benefit all students if the program had both a Dutch and English track but, due to practical reasons, we understand why courses themselves have to have a say in this.

De Vrije Student

Neutral

Our approach is: "English where necessary, Dutch where possible". There must be a balance between the benefits of offering education in English, such as better preparation for the international job market, and the drawbacks, such as a potential decrease in the quality of education. The programs themselves are best suited to make this decision, while the university and student representation should monitor the quality of education.

Activistenpartij UvA

Fully agree

The Activist Party is in favor of decentralisation, whereby study programs are allowed to decide for themselves on the language of instruction. In this way we leave the choice to students and lecturers, not to the profit-hungry bureaucratic upper class who would prefer to anglicise everything in order to earn money on the backs of international students.

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Agree

HUMANS. agrees with the motion that programs should have the sole responsibility of deciding whether they teach in Dutch or in English. Forcing globalization on the current generation of lecturers could greatly diminish the quality of education for both Dutch and international students, which is a concerning prospect. Allowing courses the freedom to choose their language of instruction enables course directors to better prepare their courses for a smoother (potential) transition. Furthermore, this approach respects the expertise of the teaching staff, acknowledges the unique characteristics of each course, and ultimately promotes a more tailored and effective educational experience for all students.

The UvA should address problems such as systemic overwork and bad working conditions among its teachers by giving out more permanent contracts.

INTER

EnCore

Agree

While research on more permanent contracts for teachers is mixed, it increasingly suggests that teachers’ job security and career development opportunities have a positive impact on student learning outcomes. Since this policy is likely to improve the quality of education for all students and reduce stress and other unnecessary burdens from teachers, EnCore supports this policy.

The Founding Students

Agree

LIEF

Agree

Hoewel het niet aan de studentenraad is om hierover te beslissen, zijn wij het ermee eens dat deze problemen moeten worden aangepakt.

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

De Vrije Student

Agree

The well-being of teachers is also important for DVS. Offering more permanent contracts can be a step in improving the working conditions of teachers and reducing systematic overloading. Permanent contracts provide more security and less work pressure. However, offering more permanent contracts is not the only solution to these problems and it can also come with higher costs for the university. Other possible solutions include improving support and facilities for teachers and involving them in the decision-making process. The UvA should also consider these types of solutions to address these problems and ensure better working conditions for its teachers.

Sefa Student Party

Fully agree

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

De Vrije Student

Fully agree

The CSR and FSR are involved in making these kinds of plans, and DVS fully agrees with that.

Kies ACTA

No opinion

STEM

Fully agree

LIEF

Agree

It would be good if the student councils were involved.

EnCore

Fully agree

Study spaces, classrooms, and other facilities are predominantly for student use, and should thus consider student preferences in their long-term planning. While student growth may create certain difficulties including limited availability of facilities, EnCore believes that as long as students are part of the decision-making body concerning these issues, the resulting decisions will be optimal for the overall convenience of students.

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

Kies ACTA

No opinion

020

Fully agree

Especially as UvA’s own researchers study the horrible effects of fossil fuels, it remains extremely hypocritical to continue working with companies like Shell. Possible and implementable alternatives are available, especially to an institution of UvA’s size.

Partij MFAS Bachelor

No opinion

EnCore

Neutral

EnCore is a student party and not a political party, and therefore does not take stances on purely political issues with little tangible impact on students as well as issues in which there is large disagreement in the student body.

Sefa Student Party

Neutral

Activistenpartij UvA

Fully agree

The Activist Party believes that a company that profits from the destruction of our planet and flouts human rights has no business at our university, not even to 'greenwash' for PR purposes. The Activist Party is therefore working with other organizations in the AAC (Amsterdam Autonomous Coalition) to break the UvA's ties with Shell and other companies in the fossil fuel industry. This fruitful collaboration has led, among other things, to the occupation of the Amsterdamse Academische Club in January 2023. If it is up to the Activist Party, we will extend this line to all large companies that are out for profit. Academic knowledge is not a commodity, but must serve our society.

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Neutral

We argue against the motion that the UvA should cut ties with fossil fuel companies like Shell. While it is crucial to transition towards more sustainable energy sources, severing connections with such companies could have unintended consequences. Firstly, it could limit funding opportunities for research and development in the field of sustainability and renewable energy, as these companies often contribute to such initiatives. Secondly, engagement and collaboration with fossil fuel companies can be more effective in promoting change from within, as universities can encourage these companies to adopt greener practices and invest in more sustainable technologies. Additionally, cutting ties could reduce the influence of the academic community on the energy sector, which is vital for informing policy and driving innovation in the transition towards cleaner energy.

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

INTER

Agree

UvA should strive to be as environmentally friendly as possible, which essentially includes cutting ties with fossil fuel companies.

The Founding Students

Neutral

UvASociaal

Fully agree

Sustainability is one of the core values of UvAsociaal and we believe that this can simply not be achieved at the University if there are partnerships with prominently damaging fossil fuel companies. We support the protests that are in favour of cutting ties with Shell.

LIEF

Neutral

This is too complex a question to answer in this way, but in the long run, Lief believes that large companies are necessary to achieve a good transition, provided that care is taken to ensure that these collaborations are not out to make profits for the fossil industry, but really go for fossil-free. That is why it is good to look again at the agreements that are made on this subject, and how collaborations come about.

The executive board of the university should be elected through an open election by the students and worker’s body

LIEF

Disagree

This is a matter better taken care of by a student council than by the general student population, they are less informed. That is exactly why a student council exists.

EnCore

Agree

EnCore believes in listening to the voice of students, and giving students the ability to vote for the executive board allows them to have tangible impacts on UvA on issues where the large majority of students agree. Additionally, this policy would democratize the whole university and provide much-needed transparency.

UvASociaal

INTER

Fully agree

Electing the executive board would increase transparency and promote democratic practices at the university. It would also provide us, students, with the opportunity to choose the people who make important decisions which affect our academic careers as well as make changes to the university we study at.

STEM

Agree

De Vrije Student

Activistenpartij UvA

Fully agree

The Activist Party prides itself on its place in the history of social movements that are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and fight for their ideals. In the student councils, the Activist Party is the voice for occupations of universities, in which students and teachers take their university back from the clutches of the profit-hungry bureaucratic management. It is unacceptable that the latter knowingly unleashes police brutality on students. Class struggle, also at our university!

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

STEM

Disagree

020

Disagree

The student council should take an objective approach towards occupation and protests at the university, by assessing the motivation behind the occupation as well as its nature, before revealing a stance on any student protest.

De Vrije Student

Fully disagree

Students have the right to protest, but occupying buildings and spaces often involves vandalism and disruption of education and research. Moreover, occupations pose risks to the safety of students and university staff. There are other legitimate ways to protest, such as organizing demonstrations, writing petitions, engaging in conversations with the university, and participating in representative bodies.

The Founding Students

Disagree

INTER

Neutral

Student councils should have the option to support it, but it should be up to their discretion. It is not for the student councils to encourage such activities, as the main goal of the representatives of the student body is to engage in dialogue with the university to achieve their goals and protect their interests.

Sefa Student Party

Neutral

As the Student Councils are a direct result of the 1969 Maagdenhuis Occupation and the follow-up Dutch Higher Education Act in 1970. We do acknowledge the fact that occupations are sometimes necessary. Sefa Student Party stresses that occupations can disturb the normal flow of university life. The Councils should have the option to support some occupations if they deem them necessary on a democratic vote inside the Council following extensive dialogue.

Kies ACTA

No opinion

Admission to programs with a limited student capacity should be based on merit rather than random selection through a lottery system

Activistenpartij UvA

Fully disagree

A lottery system is preferred. Students who have not performed well or have not been able to perform well in high school, often at the height of puberty, should not be held accountable. Grades from that period are only snapshots that have little to do with students' motivations and skills at university.

EnCore

Agree

Merit-based admission is preferable to random admission, as merit-based admission ensures that the most qualified candidates will be admitted into the UvA. While it may be argued that merit-based admission is unfair because different countries have different grading standards, the UvA already accounts for this by providing different admission standards for students of each country which have been adjusted for the relative difficulty of the education system in that country. Additionally, with random admission, the quality of education would suffer, as it would be impossible for the UvA to standardize the pre-existing knowledge of the students that are admitted. The result of this is that courses would have to be broad enough to teach the students who do not have pre-existing knowledge, meaning that the courses would lose effectiveness for students who are qualified for university. Because the impact of this policy would negatively impact the student body, it is not desirable.

The Founding Students

Agree

De Vrije Student

Fully agree

Partij MFAS Bachelor

Neutral

Party MFAS does not thiink that selection procedures purely based on merit are capable of selecting the most motivated or suited students. However, a draw in itself does not seem sufficient to us as well, since selection procedures based on merit do in fact hold a predictive value. Therefore, Party MFAS would like to advocate for a weighed draw, in which both a selection procedure based on merit and a draw play a role.

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

Disagree

For a number of reasons, merit-based university admissions are unfair compared to random admissions. It can be challenging to compare kids' academic results from various regions of the world since grading practices might vary greatly between nations. Students who attend schools in nations with stricter grading systems may be unfairly penalized as a result, while students who attend schools in nations with more liberal grading policies may be unfairly favored. Last but not least, admissions based on merit may also be unjust on a social level since different persons may have experienced various difficulties that may have had an impact on their academic achievement.

STEM

Neutral

All food options (including meat) should be available at the university cafeteria

EnCore

Fully agree

Students should be able to choose what they eat, so all food options should be available in the cafeteria (with the exception of low-quality meat).

Activistenpartij UvA

Disagree

The Activist Party is for an accessible, affordable, sustainable and inclusive food supply for everyone. We wholeheartedly support the initiative of the 'Antikantine' and are fighting in the student councils for the democratization of the canteen: get rid of the privatization of the catering, put the canteens back in the hands of the university. No profit on our food! We endorse the ideal of a vegan canteen, but we want to ensure that the canteen remains accesible to those with specific dietary restrictions, like halal and kosher.

STEM

Neutral

Sefa Student Party

Agree

LIEF

Neutral

It is good to look at ways to make the cafeteria more environmentally friendly, but it is still your own choice if students prefer to eat meat; if fewer people choose this, the meat will disappear by itself. It is good, however, to offer vegetarian and vegan alternatives.

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Agree

HUMANS. are perfectly capable of deciding what they eat for themselves

Partij MFAS Bachelor

No opinion

INTER

Agree

Eating meat puts a heavy burden on the planet, and is more polluting than vegetarian food options. However, students with soy allergies or vegetable allergies must be acknowledged, and they would be very disadvantaged with a fully vegan or vegetarian canteen, therefore some meat options should remain available in the cafeteria. The animal products offered should be ethically sourced and there should be halal and kosher options.

The Founding Students

Agree

Students are free to choose what they wanna do with their money, they should choose wisely, it is not the job of the university to choose for them

020

Agree

Although we encourage sustainable options, meaning more vegan/vegetarian food in general, the food options should still be diverse and available to cater most dietary needs and restrictions. In addition to this, we encourage the idea to make vegetarian and vegan food options more affordable through extending the vegan food subsidy.

UvASociaal

Disagree

UvAsociaal believes that the cafeteria should only have vegan or mostly vegan food as this is what is most sustainable for our planet and is the most accessible to all students. Those who consume meat can eat vegan food, but this does not hold for those who are vegan. We support the Anti-Kantine initiative fully, which has been championed by our candidate Titus Van der Valk.

Kies ACTA

No opinion

De Vrije Student

Agree

Students have the freedom to make their own choices about their dietary patterns, without certain options being excluded based on ideological or ethical considerations. Additionally, offering all types of food in the cafeteria contributes to greater choice and a more varied food selection.

Motions

De Vrije Student

Disagree

INTER

Fully agree

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Neutral

Partij MFAS Bachelor

No opinion

Sefa Student Party

Agree

STEM

Agree

UvASociaal

Fully agree

020

Fully agree

EnCore

Agree

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

The Founding Students

Neutral

LIEF

Agree

Kies ACTA

No opinion

Activistenpartij UvA

Fully agree

Sefa Student Party

Fully agree

Partij MFAS Master

No opinion

De Vrije Student

Agree

Activistenpartij UvA

Fully agree

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Fully agree

EnCore

Fully agree

LIEF

Fully agree

UvASociaal

Fully agree

020

Fully agree

INTER

Fully agree

Partij MFAS Bachelor

No opinion

STEM

Agree

Kies ACTA

No opinion

The Founding Students

Agree

Kies ACTA

No opinion

De Vrije Student

Fully agree

020

Fully agree

Partij MFAS Bachelor

No opinion

INTER

Fully agree

STEM

Fully agree

UvASociaal

Fully agree

Sefa Student Party

Fully agree

The Founding Students

Neutral

HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Fully agree

EnCore

Fully agree

Activistenpartij UvA