They sent a letter to the Executive Board
Student boards angry about move to HU building
The Pnyx building, where the student organisations are housed now. Photo: DUB
Student associations will soon have to move to another temporary location. In January 2025, they will move to Bolognalaan 101, a building used by the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (HU) for educational purposes. However, that “does not guarantee a structural solution for our housing,” writes student association Vidus in a letter to the Executive Board.
The letter was co-signed by 23 student organisations currently housed in the Pnyx building. Histos, TC de Uithof, Spin, UMTC and the Stukafest Foundation are among the signatories.
The associations complain about not being involved in the decision to move to another temporary building. They do not like the new building, which is in “a remote corner of the Science Park”, making the association “even less accessible” to students than they are now. The Pnyx building is located at Princeton Square.
Relocation from beloved city centre headquarters
This is the second time the associations must move in five years. They were originally housed in the city centre, but they had to leave the building they used to occupy for safety reasons. After great reluctance – some even refused to leave the building – they moved to Pnyx in 2020. Formerly used as a laboratory, Pnyx consists of a series of containers.
“At the time, the university said we would move to a better building that would provide us with healthier and more spacious office spaces, which would compensate for the loss of a central location,” writes Vidius. “However, the reality turned out to be different. While inspecting the building, the associations discovered visible gas pipes, unusable spaces, wafer-thin walls and dark rooms.”
Unclear
After four years, the associations still have no prospect of a good room of their own. The university does not know where they could be permanently housed after their stay in the HU building is over. In addition, according to the student organisations, a lot is still up in the air about their temporary accommodations in the Bolognalaan building. They may be forced to share offices or struggle with limited storage space.
The student organisations consider the situation unacceptable. “Every association has the right to an office space that can be locked up, where they can store confidential information safely. These spaces must be easily accessible and have sufficient storage space and basic facilities such as a microwave, coffee and tea facilities.”