Achieved in 2019-2020

[Click hier voor de Nederlandse versie]

AKKUraatd presents a new elections program (EP) every year, which we try to accomplish as well as possible. The EP is our list of goals which we want to achieve in ánd outside of the University Student Council. We’ve been working hard this year to achieve our goals, both within the University Student Council (USC), as outside the USC. Are you interested to see what we’ve accomplished until now? Then check out our site bellow!

What have we achieved?

Good education

• Fair BSA during Corona

  The Radboud University currently has the strictest BSA regulation of all universities in the Netherlands during the coronavirus pandemic! This means that current first-year students could be forced to stop with their bachelor’s after two years of study just because they didn’t pass one course. The past couple of weeks, AKKUraatd has worked hard to make this regulation more flexible. We have arranged that students who miss only a few study credits for their BSA are treated with leniency.

• More study work spaces: Chameleon rooms

  Nowadays, ‘Chameleon rooms’, as we would like to call them, are being used more and more. This way, classrooms, group workplaces and study workplaces are being deployed flexibly. During exam periods, classrooms can be transformed into study workplaces, for instance. This ensures that the existing capacity is optimally exploited in places where it is most needed. This system can even be found in the university’s future plans for our campus.

• Insight into the availability of study workspaces

  Next year, the university will start a pilot to make the capacity of all study workplaces surveyable online.

• An accessible Radboud Honours Academy

  The Radboud Honours Academy has become more accessible due to the availability of short honours labs, which all students can participate in.

• Online exam perusals

  The past year, AKKUraatd has worked hard to realise online exam perusals of both digital as well as physical exams. This is currently the standard for digital exams, which is certainly a necessity in these times of digital education. We are currently discussing the possibility of also realising online perusals of large-scale physical exams so that students in large programmes can also receive feedback on their exams

• De-harmonisation of the academic schedule to increase the amount of study work spaces and physical exams

  This year, AKKUraatd has realised an evaluation of the harmonisation of the academic schedule for five faculties. This evaluation revealed some of the issues that this harmonisation causes: the availability of study workplaces and the scheduling of exams. The executive board is currently examining whether exams will be spread across multiple weeks again, which ensures that more physical exams can continue next year. This way, the aforementioned issues are being resolved at the same time.

Studentlife for everyone

• Suitable compensation for active students

  Thanks to AKKUraatd, the financial aid for both student board members as well as caregivers have been re-examined. These grants can be divided more fairly because they are no longer determined on the basis of a maximum.

• A new multifunctional Radboudapp

  The university is currently working on putting a new Radboud App into operation. AKKUraatd has ensured that it is being considered where the existing apps can potentially be merged together. Next to that, it is being considered whether certain features can be added, such as filling out course evaluations of contacting your programme committee.

• A faculty bar, run for and by students

  Thanks to AKKUraatd, it is being investigated whether a student bar can be incorporated in the renovation plans of the Erasmus Building.

• Improved social security on campus

  AKKUraatd has argued in favour of improving the social security of both students and employees together, given that these are inextricably bound together. This has given rise to a concrete plan to make everyone feel safe and at home at our campus. In this plan, confidential advisors are appointed and the conversation about supporting confidential advisors in associations is brought up as well.

• Accesible adapted studying

  Students who take up multiple bachelor’s or master’s programmes are now also entitled to adapted studying. We are also discussing how to improve of adapted studying, because this has not yet been properly arranged for each course. We are in an advanced stage of combining judicial rights to the fact that students are allowed to study flexibly.

Sustainability

• Digital study materials

  We have actively been discussing this matter. Currently, we are in discussion with the university about the amount of readers and study books that can be limited. Next to that, it is also being determined whether a second-hand book market can be initiated so that students can easily reuse other students’ books.

• Air travel policy for employees

  From the upcoming academic year onward, employees need to adhere to a new flying policy. This policy states that employees are not allowed to fly to destinations which can be reached within seven hours via more sustainable alternatives. This contributes to pushing back greenhouse gas emissions within business travels.

• Sustainability in our policy

  Next year, the university will investigate the possibilities of transfering to a more sustainable bank account.
     
  Next to that, the university will evaluate the possibilities of recording the climate effects of Radboud University’s investments in the university’s annual reports.

• Sustainability in our education

  From the upcoming academic year onwards, a pilot will be initiated to ensure that students can apply for a sustainability certificate should they have invested an academic effort into sustainability within their own discipline. 
     
  Secondly, an extra course has been developed which focuses on the United Nations’ sustainability goals.
     
  Next to this, a concrete plan has been established to integrate sustainability within education before the start of the summer. This way, sustainability receives a natural place in the students’ compulsory curriculum.

• Improved waste sorting

  The university is currently investigating whether the communications concerning the separation of waste can be improved. From the upcoming academic year onwards, it will be made more obvious which type of waste belongs in which trash can, for instance. This way, we can ensure that the recycling actually produces the desired result. Due to AKKUraatd’s efforts, among others, there are currently also more paper recycling bins available on campus.