The budget cuts in higher education are affecting us all. We experience this daily in our work. Whether it's the uncertainty about our own roles due to the announced €20 million university-wide cut in operational costs, the upcoming relocation, or the increased workload caused by not replacing colleagues who have left our faculty.
By also not refilling positions within the Faculty Office when colleagues leave, we are no longer able to respond to all organisational queries immediately. In this way, the Faculty Office is contributing to the savings, which means a smaller portion of the cuts will fall on the degree programmes and research institutes. At the same time, this also means that choices must be made, priorities set, and some questions may take longer to be addressed. Something that affects us all.
Saying no and making choices can feel uncomfortable and sometimes difficult, for both Faculty Office staff and for students and staff who come to us with questions. Our staff are committed to supporting education and research. Admitting that this is not always possible is hard and takes courage. At the same time, it is necessary to keep the work manageable and clear, and to continue delivering the added value required to support education and research. We are currently in a transitional phase, where the work is being done by fewer people, but the framework is not yet fully defined.
With this message, we ask for your understanding. If you have a question for someone in the Faculty Office, please try to ask it in time. If a colleague indicates that a request cannot be handled at the moment, please don’t take it personally or push back. Try to see things from their perspective and recognise that it takes courage to say no in an organisation where everyone wants to contribute. If something truly needs to be prioritised sooner, or if you have ideas for improving how we work, please contact the relevant department head within the Faculty Office. This way, we can support each other in doing our jobs well and adjust priorities together when needed. You’ll find the department heads listed in the contact block below. Let’s continue working towards a future-proof faculty together.