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PhD students want to participate with their own list in UvA works council elections
PhD students are underrepresented in the UvA’s faculty works councils. This has to change, according to the Central PhD Council, an advisory body of the UvA Board. So PhD students will now participate with their own PhD list in the elections in the third week of April.
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Of the 9,000 UvA employees, 3,000 are engaged in doctoral research. Yet these doctoral students are seldom part of the UvA's seven faculty works councils and the Central Works Council (COR). This must change, according to Wenwen Guan, chair of the Central PhD Council (CPC), and Njal van Woerden, board member of the COR.
Van Woerden says: “If this large group were better represented in the works councils, it would work both ways. Both directors and deans would know better what is going on among PhD students, and PhD students could ‘adjust’ UvA policy and contribute their views. A list of only PhD students would make it easier than if they were included in a general electoral list of UvA employees who are, for example, members of the FNV trade union, is the idea.
Hands full
Being a member of one of UvA’s works councils is often a time-consuming job, which is why PhD students often don’t have time for it, as they often have their hands full with research and teaching, especially in the first year. PhD supervisors and promoters are also not always keen for PhD students to join a works council, as it can be at the expense of time for research.
In addition, works council members are elected for three years, and since the doctoral program generally lasts four years and a doctoral student often does not join the works council until later in that process, there is often little chance that a doctoral student can complete a full three-year term.
From April 8th to 12th, 2024, the triennial works council elections will take place. All eligible UvA employees can then vote for their own faculty’s works council. The seven faculty councils and the central units (GOR) each send two delegates to the Central Works Council (COR).
PhD voter list
Guan and Van Woerden want to get around this last objection by creating their own election list for doctoral students. If a doctoral student on the works council cannot finish the three-year term because their contract expires early, another doctoral student on the list can take over that spot and address those same issues. “That will hopefully also make it a lot more attractive for PhD students to run for one of the works councils,” says PhD student Pim van Leeuwen, who has already signed up for the Beta Faculty (FNWI)’s PhD election list.
An electoral list for PhD students should also ensure greater awareness of the works council among PhD students. Van Leeuwen remarks: “An electoral list for PhD students would familiarize them with the works council at the beginning of their PhD trajectory. It should also become more widely known that you receive compensation for participating in the employee participation council and that it does not work to the detriment of your PhD, but can lead to further personal development.”
Financial compensation
The Central PhD Council has been working for some time to make participation in co-determination more feasible for PhD students. The UvA board also supports this. The board already let it be known in a letter to the deans last January that it would like PhD students to participate in works councils and that supervisors and promoters “should not block” the possible desire of PhD students to participate in co-determination.
The CvB also emphasizes in the letter that the financial compensation that applies to UvA employees in the employee participation council also applies to doctoral students. A doctoral student can use that compensation to hire a research assistant for teaching duties or research assistance, such as writing transcripts. Also—if the contract allows—the doctoral student’s contract can be extended by the days they spend on the council.
Campaign
To raise awareness of the electoral lists, PhD students are currently conducting a small campaign in newsletters, visiting faculty PhD councils, and giving talks at departmental (working) meetings. By March 18th, the PhD electoral lists should be ready with as many candidates as possible. Van Leeuwen says: “Ideally, every faculty should have a list with at least five candidates. We’ll see whether that works out. Our hope is that the FNWI’s PhD electoral list can serve as a springboard for other faculties.”
