Students, lecturers to get more influence on university policy

Students, lecturers and parents are getting more influence on their own school or university in Education Minister Jet Bussemaker's new law that is being handled in the Tweede Kamer, lower house of parliament, on Thursday, the Volkskrant reports. The power shift to students is to ensure that focus stays on education and the school or university, instead of real estate management, building prestige and administrators' fancy cars, according to the newspaper. The occupation of the Maagdenhuis at the University of Amsterdam last year put even more attention on more democracy in education. So Bussemaker came up with the law "strengthening administrative power". A public profile will be created for new directors, and students and teachers will have the power to advise on their appointment. The law also gives the Minister the power to dismiss failing directors. Part of the Kamer, especially the PvdA and D66, feel that the law is not going far enough. They want at least half of the selection committee for new directors to consist of teachers and students. They also want students and lecturers to have an input before a course is cancelled, be able to give consent on housing plans, be kept in the loop on institutional tuition fees, and a student on each Executive board.