“Those prices have to go down. Students can’t afford to eat at the canteens,” he states. Geschwindt points out that living expenses have increased overall: “The cost of living has skyrocketed recently. Inflation is hitting hard, especially for students.” At Atlas and Metaforum, they do usually offer a 'basic sandwich' with cheese or cream cheese, for example, for 1.60 euros. However, these are not always available everywhere.

The student hopes the petition will serve as a wake-up call for the university. “It is crucial that TU/e takes responsibility, talks to the caterer and offers both students and employees affordable food in the canteen.” But Spar also needs to adjust its prices, according to the student. “The prices there are also much higher than at supermarkets outside the campus.

Back to the dining hall

When asked what would be an acceptable price for a lunch meal, he replies: “We - I wrote this petition with several student friends - reached a consensus that five euros would be a fair price.” Geschwindt also sent Cursor the weekly menu at Freie Universität Berlin as an example. “I understand that the cost of living in the Netherlands is a bit higher, but at TU/e the idea of a student-friendly canteen is still missing, and I think it’s feasible. We need to go back to a simple dining hall, as used to be quite common at universities.”

Geschwindt has previously studied abroad. “I started my studies in South Africa. There, it was the norm for students to be able to buy an affordable healthy lunch in the canteen every day. The canteens there were non-profit, unlike at TU/e where the canteens are managed by caterers through tenders. The friends with whom I drafted the petition come from many different countries (France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Finland and Bulgaria) and have all had similar experiences as I have: affordable healthy lunches are available everywhere. We want to see the same thing here and we hope many more students will sign our petition in order to make this happen.”

Pictured in the main photo: salmon salad and chicken curry sandwiches at Vertigo. The selection of sandwiches varies per canteen and so do the prices, but they are usually around four euros or slightly higher. 

Editorial note

The amount of journalistic freedom at Cursor is very unclear at the moment. In collaboration with the unions, the editorial staff has submitted a proposal letter with suggestions regarding press freedom to the Executive Board, and a first discussion has taken place. This article was published in anticipation of the outcome of the negotiation process.