Election debate Student Council: catering, accessibility, and well-being
The student elections for the student representatives of the Faculty Council will take place from 22 to 25 April. Prominent members of four student parties engaged in a debate last Thursday on topics close to students’ hearts.
The Faculty Council serves as the faculty’s representative body. Nine staff members and nine students participate, exercising their right to consent and provide advice. Each spring, a new student representation is elected.
The debate began with a brief introduction from each party, followed by discussions based on questions from the audience. Various topics were covered, ranging from catering to hybrid teaching and the challenges of limited bicycle parking for students. There was broad consensus on improving the cafeteria. However, there were different opinions about the specifics of this quality improvement. Longer opening hours, improved food quality, reduced costs, and access to microwaves were all discussed.
Actively involved
Towards the end of the debate, participants explored ways to actively involve students in university politics. Despite there seeming to be little enthusiasm for this, the candidates agreed that a debate is a good first step. But that isn’t the end of the matter. Not only is more campaigning needed for future debates, the candidates also believe that catering should be provided. Besides student well-being, this is something the candidates are also strongly committed to.