Mylou Miché (ISO) and Abdelkader Karbache (LSVb). Photo HOP Abdelkader Karbache and Mylou Miché had only just been installed as the chairs of respectively the LSVb and ISO when the four coalition parties formed a government. They called for a slow student fine and stringent austerity measures for education and research. Bizarre plans, the two say.
The coalition agreement severely impacted their year on the board. ‘We saw it coming’, Karcache says. ‘I wanted to join the LSVb board because I was seriously worried about education, but I must admit that things were much worse than I had expected.’The ISO must adjust its course, as the organisation is firmly rooted in the codetermination councils and prefers to conduct negotiations, but now, students must take to the streets. Miché: ‘ISO does not normally protest, but we were left with no choice.’
Karbache reviews everything that is under threat at the moment: ‘The right to protest, education, people’s livelihood… I am happy we can organise demonstrations in which thousands participate and that our petitions are signed by hundreds of thousands. There is so much support among students and teaching staff. And that is what I want young people to see: that you can stand up and fight against injustice. Our goal was to organise a demonstration with more than 20 thousand people, the previous record, and we did.’
At the table
However, notwithstanding the demonstrations, they discuss issues with the minister. ‘Fortunately, we are being invited’, Miché says. Karbache: ‘We are not to be ignored. If he doesn’t talk with us, he will hear about it in the media.’ Is it not strange to be addressing a crowd at a demonstration against budget cuts on the Malieveld one time and discussing with the minister the next? Miché: ‘The budget cuts were a major topic in the last six months. However, there are also still other issues that are ongoing, and where we represent the students’ interests. Keeping the conversation going is also important.’
Compensation for internships is an example. ‘ISO and the minister may disagree, but this is a topic that merits discussion. And the minister agrees. Or, for example, the issues students experience in applying for a supplementary grant when they no longer have contact with their parents. We have the opportunity to discuss such issues with the minister, and that is a chance we must seize.’
Condolences
Kabache: ‘The talks with the minister often revolve around issues such as student wellbeing and safety. These are topics that still require a lot of work. Sometimes we get calls from students who are no longer able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have had to send out condolences to associations of which a member committed suicide. These issues are so crucial that we continue to talk with the minister despite our fundamental differences. You could choose to take the stance of refusing to speak with this cabinet, but we feel morally obliged to do so. (Please note: should you have suicidal thoughts? Seek help or call 0800-0113.)
Looking for a new board
Now, both organisations seek a new board to take over, and they recommend it to anyone. New board members receive extensive training and onboarding before they start their duties, which is very educational in many ways. You can achieve things, but you are also suddenly supervising a group of staff members with whom you must conduct assessment interviews. Miché: ‘That is something I had not realised ahead of time. Karbache: ‘And still, my staff cares for me as I do for them. They have become treasured friends; they are also students. They often feel less like staff members and more like an extension of the board.’ The same is true for ISO, Miché says: ‘We call it the ISO-family.’
Their greatest achievement may well be the fact that the slow student fine is off the table. Still, Karbache prefers to give credit where it is due: ‘Students, faculty and staff have spent months signing petitions, attending protests and talking to politicians. We have mostly functioned as a medium for their efforts.’
New goals
What is the next dragon to be slain? Significant budget cuts are still on the table, and ISO and LSVb will continue to oppose them. Miché’s main focus is on the internship payments, which she argues should be mandatory. The LSVb still hopes to put a stop to the austerity measures, which must still be brought before the Senate.
Additionally, he aims to improve students’ financial position, which, he argues, is consistently declining. The promised compensation for the unlucky generation of students is nowhere near decent or sufficient, he says. ‘The basic grant should be enough for all students to cover their costs. But we also want a rent allowance for rooms with shared facilities. Housing is a serious issue for students.’
Should the cabinet fall and new elections be held, they must remain alert to ensure education is a key topic in the election campaigns, Karbache says. Miché: ‘We always endeavour to impress the students’ interests upon politicians, whether there are upcoming elections or not.’
Apply
And, when Karbache and Miché step down, it is up to their successors. Applications for a position with the LSVB are closed, but the applications for ISO can be submitted till 31 January.
HOP, Bas Belleman