Dean of the Faculty of Humanities steps down

Dutch language and literature specialist Thomas Vaessens was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Humanities in April 2022. He left the position of Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Studies at the Open University to join UU.

In the summer of 2024, Vaessens was faced with a substantial cost-cutting mandate. The faculty’s annual deficits threatened to rise to 13 million euros, prompting the Executive Board to ask him to draw up a plan to restore the faculty to financial health by 2030.

The most striking measure in Vaessens' Transition Plan was scrapping several language programmes. The faculty also had to downsize by more than 80 full-time employees. The faculty community was shocked.

Vaessens was heavily criticised for not consulting the faculty and for failing to provide a sound rationale for the announced measures. However, according to the dean, he had no choice but to act swiftly and decisively, as the alternative would have been a large-scale downsizing.

Under the knife
In recent months, Vaessens and the faculty board have been working on elaborating the plans further. All degree programmes must overhaul their teaching. In Vaessens’ view, greater interdisciplinary collaboration is the only way to save vulnerable, costly small disciplines. However, many students and lecturers fear this will dilute disciplinary knowledge and reduce interest among prospective students.

Vaessens counters that the principles underpinning the Transition Plan are not new. Rather, it is a vision he has advocated from the outset – even in more financially prosperous times – and one that had been in the works for some time.

Fewer tasks
Meanwhile, the faculty is feeling the shocks of the ongoing recruitment freeze: staff complain of a heavy workload. In a recent interview with DUB, Vaessens acknowledged these concerns. However, lecturers should eventually experience a lighter workload as the number of tasks decreases. “None of this will happen overnight. But by the end of the transition period, lecturers must notice an increase in peace of mind and breathing space.”

In the same interview, Vaessens stated that he believed support for the plans was growing within his faculty. At recent faculty council meetings, he told members the faculty has met all financial targets so far, improving prospects for a better future.

Showcase
In a press release announcing his departure on Thursday, Vaessens said: “I hope that the faculty will continue to showcase its essential knowledge and skills with self-assurance and confidence across the wider UU platform. After all, the Humanities are essential to what UU is and aspires to be: a university where we seek effective solutions to major societal challenges together and across disciplinary boundaries.”

University President Hans Brug said in the same press release: “The transition plan is a huge undertaking, and Thomas is leading it in a decisive and empathetic manner. We will miss his vision and forward-thinking approach, and I am sure the staff and students of the faculty, where he is highly regarded, feel the same.”

The Executive Board will look for an interim dean to take on Vaessens' duties until it finds a successor.