Only 990 PhD candidates out of 1900 received their voting papers to elect the first PhD representatives in the WUR Council. Former Chair of the Wageningen PhD Council Jeroen Cadel says this was not according to the agreements made when the pilot for the election was set up. After his statement the electoral commission started an investigation to find out if this is true.
After looking at the election protocols the electoral commission acknowledged today that more PhD candidates should have been invited to vote. This is however no cause to set up new elections because there were no appeals made against the election. They also state that the feedback received from all parties will be used in the organisation of future elections. This was the first time elections were held for the representation of PhD candidates in the participation council of the university.
The WUR Council is happy to see that the election was a talking point amongst PhD candidates. Linda Veldhuizen, member of the electoral commission and PhD Animal Breeding and Genetics: ‘The investigation sparked a debate in Wageningen amongst PhDs on their position. The new PhD members of the WUR Council and the Wageningen PhD Council will likely be addressing this in the coming year.’
Possible oversights in PhD elections
PhD students in WUR-council elected for the first time
Organisation – 24 May 2016-For the first time Wageningen PhD students may choose their own…