Dear students, dear university members
Hardly has the semester started, and it’s already coming to an end. The autumn blues are being chased away by mulled wine and fairy lights, and once again, it’s time to say: Christmas is coming!
So it’s about time to fill you in on the past few eventful – and at times even turbulent – months. With a few new faces, we started off motivated and were immediately confronted with major topics like the budget cuts at ZHdK and on a federal level, which have kept us on our toes since the beginning of the semester. Some of this may have already reached you – rest assured, we are actively working on the issue and expect the university to communicate transparently soon. We also want to keep you informed about all the latest updates with this newsletter. So, let’s get started!
UPDATES
Just like within ZHdK itself, some information at VERSO occasionally gets lost along the way – no surprise given the five departments and considerable size of the institution. To address this, we’ve created a new position within the student council (currently held by Kilian Brandscherdt (DMU)) dedicated primarily to preparing and communicating university-related political topics to you. We hope this will help us improve the flow of information and provide more transparent updates about decisions and developments.
Our presidency and secretariat are currently in discussions with ZHdK to clarify the compensation options for students from non-EU/EEA countries. This concerns small jobs and tasks for which students are paid by the university. The previous approach taken by ZHdK was not legally compliant, leading to a situation where, since spring, a significant portion of students can no longer be compensated by the university. We responded promptly and have been advocating for a solution. ZHdK is actively supporting our efforts, and we are optimistic about finding a way to ensure that students from non-EU/EEA countries can be compensated within the framework of applicable laws.
Even with a new team in place, we continue to advocate for an old but no less important issue: the “Room of Silence.” The idea of creating a space for rest, relaxation, and escape from the hustle and bustle of the Toni-Areal remains close to our hearts. Last semester, we submitted a proposal to the university management for the establishment of such a room, but it was unfortunately declined. However, we are not giving up and are now exploring alternative ways to create moments of tranquility within the Toni-Areal.
STABILIZATION INITIATIVE OF ZHDK
As you may already know, financial constraints in ZHdK’s budget have brought about some changes. The so-called “Stabilization Initiative” aims, as the name suggests, to restore financial stability. The proposed savings measures also affect us students – some more than others. For this reason, we have formed a working group to develop additional strategies to best advocate for student interests in this situation.
At the end of September, we were already confronted with the first proposals: a nighttime closure of ZHdK facilities to save on electricity and personnel costs. In a position paper sent to university management, we explicitly argued against such a nighttime closure. You can find the document on our website. Leider wird es trotzdem eine nächtliche Schliessung des Toni-Areals geben, wenn auch in abgeschwächter Form. Durch das Intervenieren der Mitwirkung, konnten wir Aufmerksamkeit in der Hochschulleitung erzeugen und der Antrag wurde entschärft.
We are in talks with university management regarding various measures and hope that our viewpoints will be considered in future decisions. Because we believe that the failure of financial policies at the leadership level should not come at the expense of students and their education! Savings measures must be proportional to student realities and communicated openly and transparently. It is unacceptable for students already in precarious situations to be further disadvantaged.
We encourage you to get involved outside of VERSO, stand up for your interests, talk to each other, organize, and raise awareness about student concerns regarding stabilization efforts.
AGAINST THE NATIONAL INCREASE IN TUITION FEES!
VERSO is part of the Swiss Student Union (VSS), the umbrella organization for Swiss students advocating for their interests in national politics. Our representatives, Laura Gubler and Lisa Bach, participated in the VSS retreat in Nyon in October, and Laura Gubler, along with Jonas Bernetta, attended the delegates’ meeting in Lucerne this November. During an intense debate, we supported the inclusion of the Albanian Student Association as an associate member. Unfortunately, this was narrowly rejected by the delegates, which was not in our interest. However, we will continue to advocate for inclusion and diversity at the national level and hope to convince students at the next meeting.
The central issue within VSS is the so-called “Gaillard Report” – a document by an expert group advising the Swiss Federal Council on potential financial savings across various sectors in the coming years. One part of the plan involves cutting federal funds allocated to the cantons for financing the school and university system. This could lead to a significant increase in tuition fees – both for Swiss and international students. Similar changes have already occurred at ETH, where fees for international students tripled.
This is just the beginning of a long process of budget cuts, and several steps remain before such changes directly affect ZHdK. The Swiss Parliament is expected to vote on the matter in June 2025, and a referendum from our side may become a possibility. As a result, VSS is engaging in intense discussions on how we – together with all student organizations – can tackle this issue. From these deliberations, the VSS Taskforce was created, aiming to shed light on the developments surrounding these budget cuts. We are also planning actions at universities in Zurich for the coming spring to draw attention to these critical issues. Stay tuned for further updates!
Stay informed about the developments and our planned activities at https://bezahlbar-studieren.ch, where you can also sign an online petition. Share this information with your peers and spread the word! If you want to actively join us in opposing the tuition fee increase, feel free to contact us at verso.info@zhdk.ch. We are also planning how ZHdK students can contribute to these efforts.
MAJOR-MINOR
Since this semester, many students have been studying under the new Major-Minor system. As is often the case with new systems, not everything works smoothly from the start, and many students have reported a bumpy rollout. We have taken note of your concerns and discussed them with the responsible parties. We are planning a large exchange meeting where you can raise and discuss your difficulties. This is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, January 22, 2025, in the afternoon. The official invitation will follow.
If you are unable to find solutions for specific problems, the “ZHdK Advisory Network” team is available to assist you with advice and support for Major-Minor issues. You can find them in the Cascading Hall on the 3rd floor or online at ZHdK Advisory's site. If you’re unsure where to turn, VERSO departments are also here to help:
EVENTS
To continue providing great events for you, the event planners from our five departments are now connected, fostering collaboration. Last semester, DMU and DFA kicked things off with an amazing Mario Kart tournament featuring live music, and we’re excited to see what’s coming next.
At the end of October, our general assembly took place, open to all students. We successfully approved the budget for this fiscal year and our annual report . In it, you can read about what we’ve worked on over the past year.
Two semester council meetings have already taken place this semester. In our largest body, 30 representatives from all departments exchange ideas. The first meeting focused on interdisciplinary collaboration and challenges with Major-Minor. In the December meeting, the council dealt with applications for the VERSO project fund, approving CHF 6,410 to support six great student projects that promote community, diversity, and networking at ZHdK.
FAREWELLS AND NEW BEGINNINGS
Over the summer and the start of the fall semester, there have been some changes in the student council. We’re excited to welcome Vera Steinmann (DFA), Esther Gaspart (DDK), Lea Grünbichler (DDK), Kirill Kohl (DDE), and Corentin Bezençon (DMU) as new members, replacing Maja Altermann (DFA), Timo Andenmaten (DDK), Louise Mayer-Jacquelin (DDK), Catalina Paredes (DMU), and Lisa Bach (DDE).
At the end of the semester, our current co-president, Jonas Bernetta (DKV), will also complete his studies and thus his work at VERSO. Lea Grünbichler (DDK) will step in as a motivated successor, continuing the work with Laura Gubler (DKV).
We sincerely thank our outgoing council members for their work and dedication and wish them all the best!
We hope this newsletter has given you insight into our current work, and we look forward to a wonderful rest of the semester with you at ZHdK.
Happy Holidays and warm regards 🎄
VERSO
