Cost incurred by study associations for study travels, such as a flight and overnight stays, or expenses made by several sports associations from organizing major sporting events at the end of the academic year. Will those associations receive compensation for costs already made, now that events are being cancelled one by one due to the corona crisis? That question was posed to the Executive Board on Monday afternoon, because the University Council fears that several associations will face major problems without compensation.

Vice president Nicole Ummelen said she was aware of the problem, but she immediately added that she can’t make any definitive statement about it at this point. “It’s impossible for us now to get a clear overview already of how this will affect the associations,” Ummelen said, “which is why we can’t make any promises right now. That’s why we ask the associations what they think will be the impact of cancelling travels or events. We will draw up a complete inventory first, on the basis of which we will then start to determine what kind of compensation we can offer the associations. That inventory round will take place in the coming months.”

Ummelen also couldn’t say at this moment whether it would be wise for associations to refund money to students who already paid for a travel or an event. “I can only recommend that they seek good advice first. I can imagine that it’s difficult for associations to start with that already. They should take into account the sums involved when assessing their situation.”

Student Financial Support fund

Another question raised during the University Council meeting was whether students will be eligible for financial support from TU/e’s Student Financial Support fund. This fund was set up to financially support students who have fallen behind in their studies through no fault of their own. For instance in the event of illness, exceptional family circumstances, or practicing sport at the highest level.

According to Rody Mens of student faction Groep-één|ESR, students should also be eligible in case of educational force majeure, described on the TU/e site as ‘circumstances where the program has been organized in such a way that the student cannot reasonably be expected to pass the final examination within the nominal duration of the study program.’ Because of the corona crisis, this might be the case, Mens believes.

Individual cases

Patrick Groothuis, director of Education & Student Affairs (ESA), answered this question on behalf of the Executive Board. He said that in individual cases students might be eligible, for instance when that person became ill from the virus. Groothuis: “We will look at that on a case-by-case basis. But it can’t be so that entire groups of students will be entitled to this in the future. The Student Financial Support fund isn’t intended to deal with a situation with such a wide-ranging impact like the one we find ourselves in now.”

Rector Frank Baaijens supported Groothuis in his explanation and said that umbrella organization VSNU and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science are currently also discussing the issue of whether students are entitled to compensation (see the panel below to learn more about how political parties view this issue).

Disappointed

Naomi Amsing of Groep-één|ESR asked the TU/e board whether it has already considered a compensation arrangement for students who are disappointed in their program at this point. Executive Board president Robert-Jan Smits asked Amsing to define disappointment more precisely. “We might not offer students exactly what they expected, but the quality of our education remains high,” Smiths said. He also said that TU/e can’t make a decision about this on its own. “If TU/e offered a compensation arrangement, it would have an immediate impact on other institutions at a national level. But you can count on it that we will not stand by and watch what happens. We discuss it and as soon as we know more, the University Council will be informed immediately.”

Political pressure mounts

Coalition parties D66 and CDA and the opposition parties advocate a national arrangement for students who have fallen behind in their studies due to the corona crisis - for instance because internships and practical classes have been cancelled. Perhaps the institutions should also be allocated more financial recourses to help affected students. However, Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven refuses to give way and only offers students the possibility of an additional loan from DUO when they get into financial difficulties.

But political pressure is mounting. Harry van der Molen, parliamentarian for Christian Democratic party CDA, says that in times of corona, it would be wiser to make unambiguous agreements about the Student Financial Support fund. “You need to be clear to all students with regard to the conditions of eligibility.”

Parliamentarian Jan Patternotte of liberal-democratic party D66 believes that students who have fallen behind in their studies “clearly through no fault of their own” should not be left out in the cold. Paternotte: “It’s logical that an increased number of students apply for financial support in these times. And it’s also logical to see whether applied sciences and research universities shouldn’t be allocated a one-off extra sum of money for the Student Financial Support fund.”

Frank Futselaar of socialist Party SP thinks it’s unfair to leave this up to the institutions, “both to the institutions and the students.” Futselaar is thinking of lowering tuition costs or another form of compensation. “Dealing with the problem simply by saying ‘they can borrow more money’ is far too limited.”