In our article “Power to the Students” you could read about how the CSR works. But how are decisions made, and what specific topics are discussed during their plenary meeting? We went to one of their meetings for you and got the answers!
Tuesday morning at 8:45, I was ready to go into the indicated room published on the CSR website. However, I learned that the location has changed to the Maagdenhuis campus in Kamer 16. Brushing that off, the meeting went on in a hybrid form, meaning I could join over Zoom. With me, a few CSR members have joined online, while others sat in a bright room at tables that created a U-shape facing each other and the screen. Meanwhile I was sitting in the UvA building with a really bad internet connection (maybe this should be taken up as an issue as well). I was welcomed and received access to the council’s document.
The meeting began, and an extensive number of topics were addressed that took longer than expected. For instance, digitalisation was discussed in more depth and will be reviewed further in working groups. However, it was emphasised that the current Covid-19 pandemic is not considered because digitalisation is “about the future of education.” With the Covid-19 cases increasing again and virologists anticipating that corona will never disappear from our lives, it made me wonder whether there is a (close) future without Covid-19? Especially now, when the possibility of moving lectures and tutorials online again, improvements of digitalisation should develop at this moment to enhance online learning for students and the staff.
Other interesting subjects concerned free menstrual hygiene products and a vote on attending the ASVA’s protest on housing, which was agreed upon. Discussions came up regarding topics of housing and sustainability, as well as student jobs. No decision was reached during the meeting regarding the former. The latter concerned jobs for students within the university along with helping students to find a job or internship which UvA seems to lack. Disagreement arose whether this topic should be CSR’s priority, but no decision was reached. Sometimes I was put into a breakout room of Zoom, as a few issues were deliberated in confidentiality, like an event budget.
In the end, each member reflected on today’s meeting and brought up criticism that I––as an outsider––noticed as well. For instance, there were multiple interruptions while someone was talking creating some tension in the room. Additionally, I saw that not everyone got a chance to speak while others spoke most of the time. Furthermore, the meeting sometimes lost its structure and became slightly chaotic since people got distracted or other members had to leave during the assembly. While the topics on the agenda are relevant to talk about, the time management forbid to do so.
In all, there were not many decisions or votes, except if they were confidential topics, I wouldn’t know. Moreover, important subject matters were discussed but, in my opinion, not with the right focus, for example in the case of digitalisation. The members themselves reported that it was not one of their best meetings and the self-reflection is quite remarkable. However, the CSR meeting was a rather exciting experience, and I encourage more students to join in and follow their valuable work.