Profielen previously wrote that Commercial Economics (CE) and Small Business and Retail Management will get communities, students will be provided with more intensive guidance, and they will have to obtain 60 units of credit in their first year (currently, the required minimum is 48). In an as yet unpublished follow-up interview with Profielen, director Fred Feuerstake said that COM freshmen students are allowed to offset unsatisfactory grades in the next academic year.

“Deeply disappointed”
Upon inquiry with the representative advisory board (RAB), it appeared that the board did not yet know of the plans made by CE and Small Business. “It was a big surprise for us that we are now informed about afterwards,” said Esmée Paling at the RAB meeting with the Board of Governors this afternoon. Fellow board member Selcuk Durak added to this: “I am really deeply disappointed. The binding study advice and the taking of re-examinations for unsatisfactory grades are subjects that we, as an RAB, should have been informed about.”

Anneke Kistemaker, RAB member on behalf of the employees, spoke of an inequality of justice in case one needs to obtain 60 units in one study program and 48 units in the other to be able to proceed. Kistemaker: “That should have been discussed with the board first!”

Educational interventions
Executive board chairman Ron Bormans, who was annoyed with the tone at which Kistemaker made her point, said that he was under the impression that the board was informed about the changes. “But it’s about more than just offsetting and re-examinations,” said Bormans with regard to the concept that additionally works with communities and better guidance. “It’s much broader than simply adjusting the standards; first and foremost, it’s accompanied by educational interventions.”

These are changes that – according to Bormans – deserve a chance, as they are essential due to the high number of CE students who drop out. “It’s a serious and legitimate attempt to deal with this, and I get the distinct impression that it’s done in proper consultation with the institutional representative advisory board.”

“Student is in the right”
RAB chairman Fons van Maldeghem warned that if different rules on the binding study advice and re-examinations are brought into force, they will have to tally with the EER (Education and Examination regulation). “If a student gets a binding study advice and is able to show that the 60 units are not indicated in the EER, the student is in the right.”

Bormans also stated that the EER is the legal reality. “If, in such a case, a student lodges an appeal and wins, then that’s how it should be. Therefore, I will need to verify that the EERs are adapted.”

Jos van Nierop

This article was originally published in Dutch on April 13, 2015.