Leidse Academische Gemeenschap
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What do we want?
Our main goal is simple: a healthy academic community at Leiden University, one in which its members –students and staff members from every segment of the university alike – feel at home and where their voices are heard and listened to.
Our goals
To help establish and sustain such a community, we will work to realise the following goals:
- A healthy workload.
- Independence. Both the university (a Praesidium Libertatis for all) and its staff must be able to perform the tasks of research, education and outreach without outside interference or influence. Similarly, students must be able to study and develop as independent and critical individuals. Everyone should be able to express themselves as befits staff and students of Leiden University.
- Strong co-participation.
- Adequate financing (an issue for which we will have to engage with the powers that be in the Hague).
- A (much) flatter and (significantly) less hierarchical organisation.
- A university which practices what it preaches.
- A fair acknowledgement of and compensation for work.
- An end to the temporary contracts and exploitation of colleagues with temporary appointments. Structural work requires permanent contracts.
- Synergy of responsibility and authority: you should have the authority to determine the manner in which you complete the work you are held responsible for.
- A community that is committed to a sustainable future by acting responsibly today. Sustainability in teaching, research, and outreach is a top priority.
- An academic community which keeps up with the times (e.g. digitisation and sustainability), one which adjusts traditions when necessary but doesn’t abandon them.
- A university which is accessible and welcoming to all. Once you work or study at Leiden University you are a member of the Leiden academic community and that is all that matters. Background, appearance, sexual orientation, identity, gender, conviction, or creed, etc. do not stand in the way of anyone’s equal membership of this community. Though we are aware that this is unfortunately not yet the reality we live in, we will continue to strive to make it so.
We are aware that:
- Leiden is a diverse university. Policies and practices which may benefit one faculty might not benefit another. This should always be taken into consideration in decision making processes.
- Debates and diverse academic opinions are the lifeblood of a healthy and thriving academic community. However, it is also our responsibility to be a community where students and staff feel safe to take part in such debates.
- We are a large and diverse community which consists of students, academic staff and staff who facilitate the university’s core responsibilities of research, education, and outreach. We will always strive to represent the interests of the whole community.
Contact
We are eager to hear from you and to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact Mark Dechesne or Timothy de Zeeuw.