Over the past weeks, our student community faced a critical dilemma. Due to Code Orange/Yellow weather conditions and a collapse of national public transport, many students were forced to choose between their physical safety and their academic progress.
While the University noted that exam turnout was “higher than average,” Student Party SAM formally signaled the Executive Board that this metric is misleading. High attendance during an infrastructure failure is not evidence of safety; it is evidence of the immense pressure students feel to avoid study delay.
Our Formal Signal
In our letter to the Executive Board, we highlighted three critical issues:
- The Inequality: Commuting students stranded by cancelled trains risk a full year of study delay (missing a resit), while those living in close proximity to the university do not.
- The Safety Risk: Students should never feel coerced to drive or bike on icy roads to preserve their exam attempt.
- The Inconsistency: While peer institutions (Avans, WUR, UT, Utrecht University, etc…) cancelled educational activities or moved them online, Tilburg University exams proceeded.
The Executive Board’s Response
Following our urgent signal, we have entered into a constructive dialogue with the Executive Board. We can confirm the following developments:
- Evaluation Initiated: The Executive Board has acknowledged the signal and an official evaluation of the crisis response is now underway with high priority.
- Call for Leniency: The Board has requested the Examination Boards to exercise leniency regarding students affected by the situation.
- The Danger of “Survivorship Bias” While we welcome these steps, we remain vigilant. An evaluation based solely on “turnout numbers” suffers from survivorship bias. It counts the students who risked their safety to arrive, but it ignores the students who were stranded, or those who arrived under extreme duress.
To ensure the Examination Boards understand the real impact, we need data that goes beyond attendance sheets.
Next Steps: Student Impact Survey
We are launching a brief Impact Survey to map the experiences of students, both those who traveled against safety advice and those who were unable to make it. This data will be presented to the Boards to advocate for all affected students.
We thank the Executive Board for their swift engagement and will continue to champion a protocol where safety and education go hand in hand.
Student Party SAM, We Get It Done.
