Dear Students,
Dear University members,
Spring Semester has started! Hopefully, the first warm days of the year have given you a chance to recharge for the semester ahead. We believe it’s important that you stay well informed – because university politics doesn’t stop for semester breaks, and there’s a lot to talk about!
We’re looking back on a very turbulent Autumn Semester 2024/25. One of the major issues – and still ongoing – has been the ZHdK’s “Stabilisierungsinitiative” (Stabilization Initiative), which VERSO has been actively engaged with since September 2024. The effects of its measures have become clearly visible and tangible for all students since February. We want to keep you updated on the current situation, our work on this topic, and what we as students can still do.
In our last newsletter from December 2024 (still relevant), we also reported on another major issue: the so-called “Rapport Gaillard” – a federal cost-cutting proposal that includes significant budget cuts in the education sector and could lead to a nationwide doubling of tuition fees. In this newsletter, we’ll also update you on the latest developments in this matter.
But so, this doesn’t turn into an endless stream of bad news: VERSO is also currently working on a feedback format for the Major-Minor system in collaboration with the quality department. And our VERSO departments continue to put great effort into organizing events that are truly worth checking out.
Of course, we want to share that with you too. Let’s get started!
MILLIONS IN THE RED – AND DESIGNER FURNITURE?
The background of the current cost-cutting measures is unclear to most students.
We have repeatedly called on university leadership to communicate more transparently and directly with students – with limited success. That’s why we want to take a moment to walk you through the developments of the past few months step by step. Transparency is and remains essential – especially in uncertain times!
It is no longer a big secret that the ZHdK has a large hole in its finances and needs to make savings. Almost CHF 7 million needs to be made up, which is why the university management launched the so-called stabilisation initiative last semester. Various savings are intended to plug the hole in the financial budget bit by bit. Since this spring semester, the following measures that specifically affect students have been in force:
- Reduction of free psychological counseling sessions from 5 to 3 hours
- Cancellation of the partial tuition fee waiver
- Reduction of opening hours at the Toni Campus, Gessnerallee and the workshops at Toni
A bit of context:
The university leadership officially announced the above measures in December 2024 and January 2025 via the internal ZHdK-News. However, discussions around these savings measures within the Services division had already started in the summer. Here’s what happened in between from VERSO’s perspective:
At the beginning of the semester, as part of the university’s participatory structures, we learned that ZHdK leadership was planning to implement a night-time closure of university facilities starting Spring Semester 2025. VERSO immediately and clearly spoke out against this plan. Our position paper from that time still stands and can be found on our website.
Although we couldn’t stop the night closure, the original proposal was somewhat softened. The university leadership responded and invited VERSO to a confidential meeting, during which other planned savings measures were presented to our board. Already at that point, two measures now in effect were mentioned – the reduction of free psychological counseling hours and the suspension of the tuition fee waiver for students in financial difficulty.
VERSO consistently spoke out against savings measures at the expense of students and called for transparent communication throughout.
In our VERSO newsletter from December 2024, we had already informed students about the planned night closure – only to see it completely omitted in the ZHdK newsletter from December 19. Of all the student-related savings measures, only the reduction in psychological counseling hours was mentioned – and that only vaguely, tucked away as a sub-point in a separate section.
This approach left us extremely frustrated, as measures that had long been internally announced were not shared publicly. In response, we published a statement on ZHdK’s Stabilisation Initiative and clearly criticised the university’s communication strategy.
It wasn’t until January that the university officially confirmed what has been reality since February.
From our perspective, that timeline is far too short for such far-reaching changes – and a clear sign of non-transparent communication towards the student body.
What can we do?
Since February, the above-mentioned cost-cutting measures have become a full reality. Many students are clearly positioning themselves against these measures and feel the need to organise and voice their protest. We understand that feeling – we feel the same – and want to offer a few suggestions on how we can show ZHdK leadership that we students do not agree with the Stabilisation Initiative. Not everything can realistically be reversed immediately. That’s why we want to show you where, from our perspective, targeted protest makes the most sense.
1. Reduction of free psychological counselling sessions
Finding a therapy spot as a student is anything but easy. High health insurance deductibles and long waiting lists make it incredibly difficult – both financially and logistically – to access psychological support. This makes the university’s offer of free and low threshold counselling all the more important to bridge those gaps. The reduction from 5 to 3 free psychological counselling sessions is therefore highly regrettable.
Since the offer still exists (albeit in reduced form) and comparable services at other universities are either unavailable or similarly limited, there is little room for effective protest in this area. That’s why we want to shift our focus more strongly to the other two measures – we believe there is more potential for change there.
2. Cancellation of the partial tuition fee waiver
This situation is not quite as bleak: ZHdK is currently exploring ways to compensate or mitigate the loss of this financial support. VERSO has also already looked into the matter and discussed different options in the Semester Council. More on that further down in the newsletter under "INSIDE VERSO." Realistically, however, we don’t expect concrete news on this before the end of the year. We remain proactive on the issue and will keep you updated.
3. Reduction of opening hours
Many students are particularly concerned about the reduced opening hours of the Toni-Areal, the Gessnerallee and the workshops. Unrestricted access to university spaces is essential for many students – especially for those who have to balance their studies with paid work or caregiving responsibilities.
The night-time closure is currently in a test phase (until June), and the university leadership has explicitly asked for feedback to be sent to Marc Berthoud, Head of Physical Security. Based on this feedback, an evaluation will be conducted to determine whether the closure should be extended. VERSO will also be involved in this process – which is why it’s important for us to back up our position with as many concrete responses and data points as possible.
Here’s how you can participate:
- Send feedback by email to Marc Berthoud – Let him know why having 24/7 access to studios, halls, and ZHdK rooms matters to you personally.
- The more feedback received, the more representative the evaluation will be: marc.berthoud@zhdk.ch
- verso.info@zhdk.ch in CC, please!
- Apply for exceptions – You can still request permission for night-time access to university spaces. So ask your lecturers to request special access to the rooms for you.
One of the main arguments for the night-time closure was that supposedly only a few students are present at Toni that late. However, we are of the opinion that this was a non-representative data collection.
Help us prove it!
IMPORTANT:
As announced in the ZHdK newsletter of 5 March 2025, access to university spaces will again be available 24/7 for all students between 1 April and 5 June 2025 due to the diploma exhibitions. The workshops will also have extended hours during this time. This means the reduced opening hours will, unexpectedly, have less impact on this semester than initially thought. However, let’s not forget: if this measure is extended into the Autumn Semester 2025, there will be no diploma exhibitions. So, there’s no reason not to give feedback now – we already have six weeks of experience to draw from, and the semester doesn’t end on 5 June.
What does this have to do with designer furniture?
If you’ve been in Leihs recently, you might have wondered what delivery ZHdK just received. The boxes said «Vitra» – a Swiss company known for designer furniture that doesn’t come cheap. It feels strange to see money being spent here while cuts are being made elsewhere.
At a university, the priority should be the best possible education for students – not the most stylish interior design, right? Check out our Instagram post about it.
DOUBLE TUITION FEES? ARE YOU KIDDING?!
Anyone who recently waited for the No. 4 tram has probably seen the posters hanging from the bridge pillar between the tracks: “Double tuition fees? No thanks!” reads the sign, next to a QR code linking to a petition. These posters are part of a campaign by the Swiss Student Union (VSS), the national umbrella organisation that advocates for students' interests in Swiss politics. VERSO is a member of the VSS.
The VSS is protesting against the so-called “Rapport Gaillard,” a report by an expert group that outlines possible savings for the Swiss federal government in the coming years. One part of the plan includes cutting federal funding to the cantons that currently help finance the public education and university system. This could lead to a doubling of tuition fees – for both Swiss and international students.
At ETH Zurich, which is federally run (not cantonal), a similar change has already taken place: tuition fees for international students were tripled.
Studying could become significantly more difficult – or even impossible – for many people. That would be a devastating blow to equal opportunities, the fight against the skilled labour shortage, and to innovation in Switzerland’s education system. Education is our most valuable resource – short-term cuts lead to long-term damage!
Together with the VSS, we’re standing up against any tuition fee increases. The “Rapport Gaillard” has not yet been approved – so there’s still hope! According to the current schedule, all stakeholders (including VSS) can submit their positions until early May. Parliament is expected to vote on the proposal at the end of 2025, and a possible referendum could be held in mid-2026.
The VSS has formed a dedicated taskforce, which is regularly posting updates on Instagram and is planning various actions in cooperation with local student organizations over the coming months.
Unter https://bezahlbar-studieren.ch.Please share this information and help spread the word!
If you’d like to actively get involved in the fight against tuition fee hikes, feel free to contact us! We’re supporting the VSS with the poster campaign and are planning more protests and events at Toni and in Zurich together with other student associations from the canton.
MAJOR_MINOR FEEDBACK FORMAT
Crazy – we finally have Major_Minor, and already two Minor Weeks have flown by!
Since there are still some bumps in the system, we’re working with the ZHdK Quality Office (who developed the LEval teaching evaluation tool) to create a feedback format that gives students a space and platform to share their experiences.
Present will be members of the Major_Minor planning team and the Quality Commission. The session will be moderated by our Co-President Lea Grünbichler (DDK).
We are inviting selected students who are taking transversal minors, as well as VERSO representatives from all departments involved in the Major-Minor system. The goal is to provide project and quality leads with insights into student perspectives and identify further weak points in the system.
The meeting will take place on 9 April 2025, and the invited students will receive an official invitation.
We’re looking forward to a constructive exchange!
In general, the “ZHdK Advisory Network” team is available to support you with any questions around Major-Minor. You can find them in the Kaskadenhalle on the 3rd floor or online at zhdk.ch/studium/beratung. And if you’re not sure who to turn to, your VERSO department teams are always happy to help:
INSIDE VERSO
At the beginning of March, we held our first Semester Council meeting of the term. This is our largest internal body, where 30 student representatives from all departments meet and exchange ideas. The main topic was the cancellation of the partial tuition fee waiver from Spring Semester 2025 as part of the Stabilisation Initiative. This waiver had provided relief for students in financially challenging situations.
Our Co-President Laura Gubler (DKV) gave a presentation with a short overview of the financial support systems at other Zurich universities. This was followed by group discussions on how student financial aid could be structured at ZHdK in the future and what position VERSO should take. The Student Council is now continuing to work with the results of those discussions. ZHdK is already in the process of developing a new support system – and we are actively contributing, staying in contact with those responsible, and standing up for the interests of students.
By now, it’s almost a tradition: VERSO DDE recently hosted its second highly successful Mario Kart tournament in Lecture Hall 1. Stay tuned for more events from your departments!
FAREWELLS AND NEW BEGINNINGS
As previously announced, Jonas Bernetta (DKV) stepped down as Co-President at the end of last semester. With our new Co-President Lea Grünbichler (DDK), we’ve had a smooth transition and are already diving back into current topics.
We also had to say goodbye to Vera Steinemann (DFA), Marcel Gamma (DDE), and Esther Gaspart (DDK) from the Student Council. Although some positions are still open, we’ve already welcomed Lucia Albanese (DKV) to the team. Sita Peiler (DFA) is also back in full swing after her exchange semester in London.
We want to warmly thank all former members for their work with VERSO and wish them all the best for the rest of their studies or upcoming professional paths. Merci!
Am Ende angekommen und wir konnten hoffentlich etwas Klarheit, aber auch Perspektiven in die Wirren der Hochschulpolitik bringen! Zwischen politischen Debatten und grossen Sparhämmern – VERSO ist weiterhin für eure Anliegen, Erfahrungen und Bedürfnisse da, meldet euch bei uns!
Challenging times or not – we’re excited for a bright and hopeful Spring Semester with all of you!
Over and out,
VERSO
