Utrecht University welcomes new student assessor Executive Board
Chiara Stam will be the new student assessor in the Executive Board as of 1 September. She takes up the baton from Anneloes Krul and will become the third student assessor in the history of the Executive Board.
Stam is a Media and Culture student at the Faculty of Humanities. She has gained administrative experience as chair of her study association and as assessor at the Faculty of Humanities, among other things. Furthermore she was a member of both the employee and student representation council of the Faculty of Humanities and of the university council. “I am extremely happy and grateful that I can take on this new role, so I’m very much looking forward to the coming academic year,” says the new assessor.
Valuable addition
The members of the Executive Board are also very pleased to be able to welcome Stam. Chiara impresses with her knowledge of UU and with her understanding of the forces surrounding the role of student assessor. She brings a lot of experience and enthusiasm. I therefore have every confidence that she will prove to be a valuable addition to the Executive Board and will, among other things, help us keep the student perspective firmly in sight at all times, says rector magnificus Henk Kummeling.
In her role as student assessor, Stam will be participating in various meetings relevant to UU-wide policy development, such as the weekly meetings of the Executive Board, bilateral consultations with faculty boards and meetings between Executive Board and deans.
The assessor’s focus will be on education- and student-related issues. To stay well informed and connected, she will therefore maintain close contact with students, including student assessors in faculties, students in the University Council and those in student organisations.
Concrete actions
Stam: There are so many things that are close to my heart, but in any case I want to commit myself to strengthening the connection students feel with the university. I really think that in a stronger community, students are able to develop themselves better, not only as academics, but also as human beings. Furthermore, I would like to make an effort for (more clarity around) social safety. Students have more and more counters and offices to go, but sometimes they can’t see the wood for the trees in all the options provided.
In any case, in my new role I hope to be able to take a critical and honest look at what is going on at Utrecht University. Fortunately, in previous positions I have learned to convert students’ opinions and wishes into concrete actions.
Appointment advisory committee
Chiara Stam was appointed on the recommendation of a nomination advisory committee consisting of the current student assessor of the Executive Board, a representative of the student section of the University Council, a board member of student advocacy group VIDIUS, two staff members of the Student & Academic Affairs Office, the administrative secretary of the Executive Board/Supervisory Board and the rector magnificus.