The occupation will take place during the Career Expo on March 5 and 6. At least, if the TU/e Executive Board does not declare that it will completely cut ties with the fossil industry by the end of the month, University Rebellion announces in a press release. Upon request the board did not respond to the action group's demands.  

University Rebellion announced the action last Friday in the main hall of Atlas. The demands were made known to the TU/e community and the board through a megaphone.  

The action group is upset that the fossil industry is still welcome at the Career Expo, the career orientation event of the Recruitment Days. The Career Expo will include oil company Shell, according to an Instagram post by the organizer.  

Sustainability 

According to University Rebellion, this is inconsistent with the "full commitment to sustainability" that the board "prides itself on". The board announced in a statement on December 8, 2022, that it would only collaborate with fossil companies when it comes to sustainable projects.  

"The TU/e does have a sustainability plan, but it does not exclude cooperation with the fossil industry," the spokesperson said. "We wonder if you should go into partnership with these companies at all. After all, they hardly want to change and continue to invest in fossil fuels. Therefore, we do not think a collaboration is the best way to invest in a sustainable future either." 

Cursor  

For the demands regarding Cursor, the group refers to the demands made by the Cursor editorial staff after editor-in-chief Han Konings was removed from his position in October 2023. These demands are: a new and independent editorial board, editorial staff involvement in the appointment of a new editor-in-chief, and a revision of the editorial statute to ensure Cursor's independence.  

Both the collaboration with the fossil fuel industry and the lack of press freedom, according to University Rebellion, stand in the way of achieving a sustainable and socially just world and are therefore unacceptable for a university. 

Third occupation

This would be the third occupation of University Rebellion at the TU/e campus: in December 2022 they occupied the executive board's meeting room in Atlas for 5 days, and in May 2023 they occupied the same room for one day during the inauguration of rector magnificus Silvia Lenaerts.