'Does the Executive Board understand what an NS strike means for students?'

The unions representing railway workers will have a meeting with NS again today. If those talks do not move forward, the strikes may resume tomorrow in parts of the country, which could have unpleasant consequences for students who must travel long distances to take exams.

The University Council expressed concerns about the university administration's strict stance during the two days the railway workers went on strike earlier this month. The Executive Board stated that students unable to attend their exams due to the train strike would not be entitled to a resit opportunity. Normally, UU students are given one chance to retake an exam they have failed.

The Executive Board reacted by agreeing to convey the message more kindly in the future and better inform students about their options if they wish to complain about the situation.

The UU students and staff in our DUB panel were asked to react to the following question:

'Public transport strikes are no excuse to miss an exam. Students must find a way to come to Utrecht anyway.

Philosophy student Nina Keijzer:
'I completely disagree. The board's position suggests that the university administration has no clue what the situation is like for us students. Being unable to travel due to strikes should be considered a force majeure. Students depend on public transport. Some of them must travel up to two hours to get here.

I don't understand why the strikes are not deemed a valid reason for not attending an exam. I've seen students come to campus to take exams even when they're ill because they would rather not have to resit the exam. This shows it is unusual for students to just drop out.  

Remarkably, students are expected to jump through hoops to get to campus when they are prevented from doing so by something beyond their control. Maybe during the next strike, I won't be able to find anyone to take me to UU. That thought stresses me out, and that stress could easily be avoided.'

Educational scientist Kirsten Buist:
“I understand the board's point of view, but I also know that it is sometimes practically impossible for students (and lecturers) to come to Utrecht on such a day.

This is a real problem, especially for students who live with their parents and can't arrange alternative transport. If you live close to Utrecht, you can still travel by bus in many cases, but that's not an option if you live far away.

In my experience, study programmes are often lenient, but it depends a bit on what is going on. When NS has reparation or maintenance works planned, students can often find a solution because NS usually arranges an alternative form of transport. But that is not the case when strikes or technical problems happen.

Study programmes will always encourage students to attend exams and classes, but they are reasonable when that's not possible, in which case they will seek a solution.'

Mathematics student Maarten van Dijk:
‘I disagree with the board's position. There is currently a severe shortage of student accommodation, so a substantial proportion of students are dependent on public transport. You can't expect all students to have parents who are willing to drive them to campus, have a car, or be able to crash on someone's couch. 

There should be a little more leniency, especially in the event of a national strike. Students who are unable to attend should be given an extra resit opportunity if necessary.

The master's programme I'm following is a national programme, which means I sometimes have to take exams in other cities. There's really no other option for me than to travel by public transport. The programme announced in an email that there would probably be a third attempt, according to the Education and Examination Regulations.'

Psychology student Levi Bierhuizen:
'That's a tough one. I think that some events, such as a national strike, are beyond students' control. Students from all over the country travel to Utrecht. You can't expect all of them to have a car or be able to rely on their parents or partners. However, I also understand that it's a lot of work for the university to reschedule exams or assess students individually.

Although I'm not familiar with the rules of the exam committee at the faculty where I study, Social Sciences, it seems to me that you can claim an extra resit opportunity in the case of force majeure. As a university, you can try to enforce all kinds of rules, but if the reality is different, you must adapt to it.'

Education scientist Casper Hulshof:
'My answer is simple: I don't understand why exams are compulsory during a strike. It's a form of force majeure. I would advise students to call in sick for the exam, as this is usually a valid reason for cancelling.'

Laura Hompus, Course coordinator at the IT Academy:
‘It is understandable that exams have different rules from lectures. As a university, you want to be fair to the people taking the exam and prevent them from abusing the situation. The organisational consequences of giving an additional opportunity to take an exam are also greater than those of waiving the attendance requirement for lectures.

You could also argue that the strikes are announced well in advance, which allows students to easily arrange an alternative, such as staying with a fellow student in Utrecht or leaving home earlier. It's not ideal, but everyone must improvise when a national strike happens.

That said, should the university apply this policy rigorously to everyone and everything? How many students are affected per exam? Please, let's be kind to each other and give ourselves room to do what is fair for everyone, including the one student with genuine circumstances beyond their control who may fall behind in their studies. Isn't that the human touch behind the rules?'