Staff working for Martin Boers, director of Internal Affairs, heard about the plans this week. They are upset and disappointed. “We heard there's a strong possibility that the Student Shop will close,” says Marjan van Til. “I have not heard that a solution has been proposed. We feel like we are being dumped; I am now speaking on behalf of my colleagues. We have sent an email to the nine student assistants asking whether they could discuss the matter with their supporters. We have to keep a service point for students open, don't we? And for me personally, I don't know what this means for my job.” She does not know when she will hear anything definite. “It is giving me sleepless nights.”

The lack of clarity is causing great disturbance. Bertie Fijneman, who as the Facility Services coordinator is responsible for the Student Shop, works with three employees, one of whom will be leaving this summer under the early retirement scheme. The vacancy notice that had been posted has now been withdrawn. With nine student assistants, in the calendar year 2016 they helped nearly 67,000 students acquire readers, office items and promotional gifts. Fijneman says that on a single day as many as 25 students may pop in to buy an emergency replacement calculator for their exams, having forgotten to bring their own.

Fijneman has previously submitted a proposal offering space to the ICT Services helpdesk. “We could share our space with the Notebook Service Center. Their work peaks is September, but for the rest of the year it wouldn't be a problem. We would also be happy to have premises in Luna, because it is very important that we stay near the students. But both ideas were rejected.”

Monique Kuyck, head of Operational Services at Internal Affairs: “We don't fully understand the situation. MetaForum was originally conceived and furnished as the place where students can find all the provisions they need to make their student life easier: the central study provisions. Thus including the STU desk, the library, the Notebook Service Center, a copy shop and the Student Shop. Now swapping the Student Shop for an employee helpdesk violates this vision of the MetaForum as the beating heart of education at TU/e.”

The Executive Board was not yet in a position to give its reaction.