TU/e has four representative bodies in which students can participate: the University Council (UR), a Faculty Council (FR) for each faculty, a Program Committee (PC) for each program, and the Joint Program Committee (JPC).

According to Gabriël Nusselder, University Council member representing student faction Groep-één, the increase was introduced for two main reasons. “On the one hand, we saw across the Netherlands that the compensation we received didn’t reflect the value of our work for the university,” he explains. “And on the other hand, we wanted to motivate more students to get involved in participation. Every year it becomes harder to find enough students for these roles.”

For student members of the UR and FR, the decision has now been finalized: their compensation is going up. UR student members previously received 362.53 euros per month, which now rises to 750 euros. FR student members received 146.69 euros, and will now get 250 euros per month.

Framework for fair compensation

These new amounts are based on the Framework for Fair Compensation of Student Representatives (Kader Goede Vergoedingen Medezeggenschappers). This financial guideline was established in June 2024 by Universities of the Netherlands (UNL), Verenigde Hogescholen (VH), the National Student Union (LSVb), and the Dutch National Students’ Association (ISO).

The framework states that students in central participation bodies (like the UR) should receive between 500 and 1,200 euros per month, and those in decentralized bodies (like the FR) between 250 and 525 euros. Based on that range, each institution could decide what fits best within their own organization. “At other universities, such as Delft, UR members work full time,” Nusselder notes. “Here in Eindhoven, we work part time.”

The new TU/e amounts are based on an estimated time investment of twelve hours per week for the UR and four hours for the FR. In practice, members often exceed those hours, but extra time will not be compensated. “The fixed amount applies regardless of overtime. It works the same way as in municipal councils,” explains TU/e spokesperson Ivo Jongsma.

But, the compensations will be indexed annually, and both the estimated time commitment and related amount may be reviewed every three years.

A year of negotiation

Discussions on the new compensations took place between student representatives and Eric van der Geer-Rutten-Rijswijk, secretary of the Executive Board. The process took about a year. “Processes involving participation can take time — for good reason,” says Jongsma. “A lot of care goes into making sure everything is properly coordinated and agreed upon in detail.”

The new compensation amounts have not yet been officially implemented. Once they are, students who served on the UR or an FR between September 1, 2024, and now will receive the difference retroactively.

Compensation for PCs and JPC remains unchanged

Unlike the UR and FR, Program Committees (PCs) and the Joint Program Committee (JPC) will not see an increase. “For PCs, the time commitment and resulting compensation fall below the legal minimum. That’s why the amounts remain the same,” explains Jongsma.

Student members of the JPC have a different arrangement — instead of a monthly payment, they receive a fixed fee for attending five meetings per year, which will also remain unchanged.

More interest expected

Nusselder hopes the higher compensation will spark greater interest among students to take up participation roles. He has long been active within TU/e himself, first as a board member of Thor, the study association of Electrical Engineering (EE). “During my board year, I also joined the faculty council of EE, and later the University Council.”

Normally, students serve one year on the UR, but due to a shortage of new members, Nusselder decided to stay longer. “Of course, I really enjoy the work, but if we hadn’t been short on members, I would’ve left after one year too. I really stayed to help out.” According to him, this shortage is not limited to participation roles. “It’s the same issue with study and student association boards,” he notes.

Nusselder hopes the increased compensations will help relieve some of that pressure. “Previously, some students might’ve wanted to join, but couldn’t because of financial pressure — having to work a side job on top of their studies left no time for participation,” he says. “With the new compensation, some students might no longer need that side job, making it suddenly possible to get involved.”

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.