Wetenschapsfractie | Science Faction
@sciencefaction.nl
Fighting for the academic community in the University Council @rug.nl
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/groups/13149262
Manifesto: wetenschapsfractie.nl
E-mail: wf.ur@rug.nl
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/groups/13149262
Manifesto: wetenschapsfractie.nl
E-mail: wf.ur@rug.nl
In our latest blog post, Marcello Seri pulls back the curtain on what it is like serving on the University Council: the rewarding collaborations, the exhausting debates and the need to reach out to those directly affected by the Council and Board decisions.
www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
The UC experience, four months later
www.rug.nl
December 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
In our latest blog post, Marcello Seri pulls back the curtain on what it is like serving on the University Council: the rewarding collaborations, the exhausting debates and the need to reach out to those directly affected by the Council and Board decisions.
www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
The University Council - including the whole Science Faction - just voted negatively on the budget for next year.
In times of stringent budget cuts, it just wasn't good enough. Not good enough for our students, not good enough for our staff, not good enough for our university.
In times of stringent budget cuts, it just wasn't good enough. Not good enough for our students, not good enough for our staff, not good enough for our university.
December 11, 2025 at 4:55 PM
The University Council - including the whole Science Faction - just voted negatively on the budget for next year.
In times of stringent budget cuts, it just wasn't good enough. Not good enough for our students, not good enough for our staff, not good enough for our university.
In times of stringent budget cuts, it just wasn't good enough. Not good enough for our students, not good enough for our staff, not good enough for our university.
The institutional budget is up for discussion and a vote in the University Council RIGHT NOW.
Get out your popcorn, because this could get interesting.
📺Live at rug.my-meeting.nl
Get out your popcorn, because this could get interesting.
📺Live at rug.my-meeting.nl
a man in a striped sweater is sitting on a couch
ALT: a man in a striped sweater is sitting on a couch
media.tenor.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM
The institutional budget is up for discussion and a vote in the University Council RIGHT NOW.
Get out your popcorn, because this could get interesting.
📺Live at rug.my-meeting.nl
Get out your popcorn, because this could get interesting.
📺Live at rug.my-meeting.nl
The uni board wanted input on the new SSH governance. Our take? Harmonize without mergers & focus on a fair allocation model first.
Read our full letter here: www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
Read our full letter here: www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
The wrong end of the stick
www.rug.nl
November 26, 2025 at 1:30 PM
The uni board wanted input on the new SSH governance. Our take? Harmonize without mergers & focus on a fair allocation model first.
Read our full letter here: www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
Read our full letter here: www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
Our university’s AI governance structure needs an update, that’s clear. But let’s ensure it’s an upgrade, not a downgrade.
Read the speech Marcello Seri gave in the University Council today here: www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
Read the speech Marcello Seri gave in the University Council today here: www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
a robot with a bald head is smiling and saying `` ai be like '' .
ALT: a robot with a bald head is smiling and saying `` ai be like '' .
media.tenor.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Our university’s AI governance structure needs an update, that’s clear. But let’s ensure it’s an upgrade, not a downgrade.
Read the speech Marcello Seri gave in the University Council today here: www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
Read the speech Marcello Seri gave in the University Council today here: www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
Read Marcello Seri's council speech on the Groningen Engineering Centre on our blog! It should not be an institute driven only by the technical faculties, but by a broad range of disciplines te have added value.
www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
Council speech on Groningen Engineering Center 2.0
www.rug.nl
October 31, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Read Marcello Seri's council speech on the Groningen Engineering Centre on our blog! It should not be an institute driven only by the technical faculties, but by a broad range of disciplines te have added value.
www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
www.rug.nl/about-ug/org...
Our @therezalangeler.bsky.social currently speaking in the Uni Council on PhD wellbeing, holding the Board accountable on structural power imbalances between supervisors and PhDs.
Watch live: rug.my-meeting.nl/Vergaderinge...
Watch live: rug.my-meeting.nl/Vergaderinge...
October 30, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Our @therezalangeler.bsky.social currently speaking in the Uni Council on PhD wellbeing, holding the Board accountable on structural power imbalances between supervisors and PhDs.
Watch live: rug.my-meeting.nl/Vergaderinge...
Watch live: rug.my-meeting.nl/Vergaderinge...
This week’s faction meeting: budget cuts, SSH governance, and PhD wellbeing. Because nothing says ‘fun’ like deciding who gets the short end of the stick!
October 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
This week’s faction meeting: budget cuts, SSH governance, and PhD wellbeing. Because nothing says ‘fun’ like deciding who gets the short end of the stick!
Marcello Seri's first month in the University Council flew by; read about his experiences on our blog!
Or, you know, his blog. We ain't jealous about page views.
Or, you know, his blog. We ain't jealous about page views.
October 8, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Marcello Seri's first month in the University Council flew by; read about his experiences on our blog!
Or, you know, his blog. We ain't jealous about page views.
Or, you know, his blog. We ain't jealous about page views.
The uni cuts top-ups and demands refunds from PhDs after their CSC scholarships were raised; yet some contracts don’t even tie top-ups to CSC amounts. Our @therezalangeler.bsky.social raised this with the board in committee yesterday; to be continued in plenary!
September 26, 2025 at 12:21 PM
The uni cuts top-ups and demands refunds from PhDs after their CSC scholarships were raised; yet some contracts don’t even tie top-ups to CSC amounts. Our @therezalangeler.bsky.social raised this with the board in committee yesterday; to be continued in plenary!
The board just dropped in the finance committee: 30 million in cuts still needed, equivalent to 300 FTE. Is this just more budgetary belt-tightening, or are these the first whispers of layoffs?
September 25, 2025 at 8:51 AM
The board just dropped in the finance committee: 30 million in cuts still needed, equivalent to 300 FTE. Is this just more budgetary belt-tightening, or are these the first whispers of layoffs?
Our statement on the Board's deafening silence on the Gaza genocide sparked a fierce debate in the Council. Jouke de Vries' response was as weak as it was predictable.
To be continued very soon.
To be continued very soon.
August 27, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Our statement on the Board's deafening silence on the Gaza genocide sparked a fierce debate in the Council. Jouke de Vries' response was as weak as it was predictable.
To be continued very soon.
To be continued very soon.
Science Faction already gearing up for the next academic year!
Had our first meeting with the team for the coming two years: Marcello Seri @mseri.me, Thereza Langeler @therezalangeler.bsky.social, Gerard Ritsema van Eck @gerardrve.com, and Guido Visman @guidovisman.bsky.social
Enjoy the summer 🌞
Had our first meeting with the team for the coming two years: Marcello Seri @mseri.me, Thereza Langeler @therezalangeler.bsky.social, Gerard Ritsema van Eck @gerardrve.com, and Guido Visman @guidovisman.bsky.social
Enjoy the summer 🌞
July 24, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Science Faction already gearing up for the next academic year!
Had our first meeting with the team for the coming two years: Marcello Seri @mseri.me, Thereza Langeler @therezalangeler.bsky.social, Gerard Ritsema van Eck @gerardrve.com, and Guido Visman @guidovisman.bsky.social
Enjoy the summer 🌞
Had our first meeting with the team for the coming two years: Marcello Seri @mseri.me, Thereza Langeler @therezalangeler.bsky.social, Gerard Ritsema van Eck @gerardrve.com, and Guido Visman @guidovisman.bsky.social
Enjoy the summer 🌞
Great strides last week at the Digital Sovereignty workshop. Support and scientific staff mapping out a 5-year roadmap together to get rid of big tech.
Science Faction was happy to be there, let's keep pushing for a tech-savvy and autonomous uni!
(And yes this is an extremely boring photo)
Science Faction was happy to be there, let's keep pushing for a tech-savvy and autonomous uni!
(And yes this is an extremely boring photo)
June 23, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Great strides last week at the Digital Sovereignty workshop. Support and scientific staff mapping out a 5-year roadmap together to get rid of big tech.
Science Faction was happy to be there, let's keep pushing for a tech-savvy and autonomous uni!
(And yes this is an extremely boring photo)
Science Faction was happy to be there, let's keep pushing for a tech-savvy and autonomous uni!
(And yes this is an extremely boring photo)
Finance Commission update: Our chair Guido Visman confronted the Board for trying to claw back millions in student volume funds from faculties - money meant to reduce unacceptable academic work pressure. We won't let central admin raid faculty budgets while staff burn out!
June 12, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Finance Commission update: Our chair Guido Visman confronted the Board for trying to claw back millions in student volume funds from faculties - money meant to reduce unacceptable academic work pressure. We won't let central admin raid faculty budgets while staff burn out!
🎉 The government that despised higher education more than any in history has finally fallen!
Here's hoping this means those devastating budget cuts get postponed first, then completely reversed into the vital science investments we desperately need.
Here's hoping this means those devastating budget cuts get postponed first, then completely reversed into the vital science investments we desperately need.
June 3, 2025 at 8:04 AM
🎉 The government that despised higher education more than any in history has finally fallen!
Here's hoping this means those devastating budget cuts get postponed first, then completely reversed into the vital science investments we desperately need.
Here's hoping this means those devastating budget cuts get postponed first, then completely reversed into the vital science investments we desperately need.
Good to see the Board this time pro-actively supporting the strikes on the 10th of June! 🟥
Read the whole thing (employees only, login required): myuniversity.rug.nl/infonet/mede...
Read the whole thing (employees only, login required): myuniversity.rug.nl/infonet/mede...
May 30, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Good to see the Board this time pro-actively supporting the strikes on the 10th of June! 🟥
Read the whole thing (employees only, login required): myuniversity.rug.nl/infonet/mede...
Read the whole thing (employees only, login required): myuniversity.rug.nl/infonet/mede...
As @gerardrve.com notes in the article, The Science Faction exclusively uses Signal for communication.
However, we have concerns about the Board deleting Signal groups used for crisis communications. Are these messages being archived elsewhere? Legal requirements mandate they should be preserved!
However, we have concerns about the Board deleting Signal groups used for crisis communications. Are these messages being archived elsewhere? Legal requirements mandate they should be preserved!
Steeds meer RUG-medewerkers verruilen WhatsApp voor Signa; de universiteits- en faculteitsbesturen gebruiken het al een tijdje. Maar helemaal overstappen valt nog niet mee. ukrant.nl/met-de-hele-...
Met de hele universiteit overstappen op Signal is nog niet zo makkelijk
Steeds meer RUG-medewerkers verruilen WhatsApp voor Signal – de universiteits- en faculteitsbesturen gebruiken het al een tijdje. Maar helemaal overstappen valt nog niet mee.
ukrant.nl
May 27, 2025 at 8:10 AM
As @gerardrve.com notes in the article, The Science Faction exclusively uses Signal for communication.
However, we have concerns about the Board deleting Signal groups used for crisis communications. Are these messages being archived elsewhere? Legal requirements mandate they should be preserved!
However, we have concerns about the Board deleting Signal groups used for crisis communications. Are these messages being archived elsewhere? Legal requirements mandate they should be preserved!
Although we're always busy in tiny incremental ways behind the scenes to make @rug.nl better, we decided to make one very visible change — our shiny new handle @sciencefaction.nl!
*takes a bow*
Science never sleeps, so it's back to the bureaucracy we go!
*takes a bow*
Science never sleeps, so it's back to the bureaucracy we go!
May 26, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Although we're always busy in tiny incremental ways behind the scenes to make @rug.nl better, we decided to make one very visible change — our shiny new handle @sciencefaction.nl!
*takes a bow*
Science never sleeps, so it's back to the bureaucracy we go!
*takes a bow*
Science never sleeps, so it's back to the bureaucracy we go!
Our chair @guidovisman.bsky.social now speaking in the University Council on the new Camera Surveillance policy and the Data Protection Impact Assessment report on camera surveillance.
Boring bureaucratic topics perhaps, but privacy is crucial for academic freedom!
Boring bureaucratic topics perhaps, but privacy is crucial for academic freedom!
May 22, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Our chair @guidovisman.bsky.social now speaking in the University Council on the new Camera Surveillance policy and the Data Protection Impact Assessment report on camera surveillance.
Boring bureaucratic topics perhaps, but privacy is crucial for academic freedom!
Boring bureaucratic topics perhaps, but privacy is crucial for academic freedom!
Monday the election results, and now back in benches of the uni council!
May 22, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Monday the election results, and now back in benches of the uni council!
The votes are in...
Congratulations to @mseri.me Marcello Seri, @guidovisman.bsky.social Guido Visman, and @therezalangeler.bsky.social Thereza Langeler on winning a seat in the Uni Council! 🎉
Thanks to your votes, they can continue to fight for academics at the @rug.nl
Congratulations to @mseri.me Marcello Seri, @guidovisman.bsky.social Guido Visman, and @therezalangeler.bsky.social Thereza Langeler on winning a seat in the Uni Council! 🎉
Thanks to your votes, they can continue to fight for academics at the @rug.nl
May 19, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The votes are in...
Congratulations to @mseri.me Marcello Seri, @guidovisman.bsky.social Guido Visman, and @therezalangeler.bsky.social Thereza Langeler on winning a seat in the Uni Council! 🎉
Thanks to your votes, they can continue to fight for academics at the @rug.nl
Congratulations to @mseri.me Marcello Seri, @guidovisman.bsky.social Guido Visman, and @therezalangeler.bsky.social Thereza Langeler on winning a seat in the Uni Council! 🎉
Thanks to your votes, they can continue to fight for academics at the @rug.nl
Last day to vote! Introducing our top 3, kicking of with Gerard Ritsema van Eck @gerardrve.bsky.social, an assistant prof in technology law at the Law Faculty @rechten050.bsky.social
His motto is simple: For Science!
Read his full profile and go vote, while you still can ➡️ rug.nl/vote ⬅️
His motto is simple: For Science!
Read his full profile and go vote, while you still can ➡️ rug.nl/vote ⬅️
May 16, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Last day to vote! Introducing our top 3, kicking of with Gerard Ritsema van Eck @gerardrve.bsky.social, an assistant prof in technology law at the Law Faculty @rechten050.bsky.social
His motto is simple: For Science!
Read his full profile and go vote, while you still can ➡️ rug.nl/vote ⬅️
His motto is simple: For Science!
Read his full profile and go vote, while you still can ➡️ rug.nl/vote ⬅️
Meet our candidates!
Francesco Maresca is Associate Prof Engineering Mechanics and Materials Science at FSE, and he's running for re-election!
His motto: Serving our community by focusing on what matters: research and education!
Go vote now, only two days left ➡️ rug.nl/vote ⬅️
Francesco Maresca is Associate Prof Engineering Mechanics and Materials Science at FSE, and he's running for re-election!
His motto: Serving our community by focusing on what matters: research and education!
Go vote now, only two days left ➡️ rug.nl/vote ⬅️
May 15, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Meet our candidates!
Francesco Maresca is Associate Prof Engineering Mechanics and Materials Science at FSE, and he's running for re-election!
His motto: Serving our community by focusing on what matters: research and education!
Go vote now, only two days left ➡️ rug.nl/vote ⬅️
Francesco Maresca is Associate Prof Engineering Mechanics and Materials Science at FSE, and he's running for re-election!
His motto: Serving our community by focusing on what matters: research and education!
Go vote now, only two days left ➡️ rug.nl/vote ⬅️