Our Policy

Creating accessibility
1. Ensuring that each student has and knows of all the current and future resources to aid in mental health issues
2. Streamlining communication information between the resources and students
3. Providing two different services, specialising between moderate to severe mental health issues
Providing availability
1. Increasing the maximum number of individual psychologist sessions per student
2. Increasing the number of psychologists available to help students at the UvA
Making use of technology
1. Passive tech-enhanced solutions for the long-term
  1. Implementation of a digital/app based therapy (ex. Partnership with “Bloom”.)
2. AI chat system available for anyone as a first point of contact for mental health issues

Lecture recording for all courses
Providing fairer grading methods
1. Removing guessing correction from MCQ exams
2. Peer-reviewed exams by fellow lecturers and TAs
Exchange
1. Allowing students who got accepted for exchange for Semester 1 2021-2022, and whose exchange was cancelled, to defer their exchange and use their application in the following semester, if they want to
Removing potential academic obstacles
1. Removing paid material to obtain bonus points
2. Extending the available time slot to take an exam to accommodate for time differences (with regards to online exams during corona)
3. Uploading work instead of typing work for open question exams
4. Breaks during long exams
5. Utilizing one platform of test taking
Increasing academic opportunities
1. Improving communication of honors and electives program opportunities
2. Increase the maximum limit of 42 ECTs per semester
3. Standardising Canvas pages

Free Summer Basic Dutch language course for first year students (2-4 weeks)
More FREE language courses during the year (take as electives)
1. Spanish, Dutch, French, German, Japan, Russian….
Video guide of ‘How to use Canvas’
Canvas module – ‘Welcome to the Netherlands’ (introductory course)
1. Housing, administrative matters (taxes, insurance, registration, student finance), transport, work & contact list
Extend Social Mentor responsibilities to facilitate administrative & study related guidance

Increase the amount of available study spaces
Order & pay food from the canteen via app/website (reduce queues)
Free travel or travel allowance for all students in collaboration with the Central Student Council
More sport opportunities within the USC, and the introduction of tournaments within and between faculties
Business competitions sponsored by leading firms, both on national and international level
Joint inter-faculty workshops and social activities
Free extra curricular courses based on student preferences

Increasing transparency
1. Creation of an environmental roadmap on the UvA website
  1. User friendly and minimalistic designs
  2. Detailed but simply worded explanations on Policy changes
2. Ensure the implementation of the UvA’s “White Paper On Sustainability”
Creating Initiative
1. Push for a reduction in wasteful electricity usage
  1. Implement an emission offsetting plan (ex. Planting trees)
2. Cross faculty green competition
3. Simple easy to follow guides such as turning lights off after working hours and taking the stairs instead of lifts
  1. Posting signs all over campus as a reminder
Reducing the impact of supply chain activities causing greenhouse gas emissions
1. Push for more locally-sourced food at faculty cafeteria
2. Using Electric/Hybrid transportation methods for delivery
Maintaining a plastic-free environment
1. Limit the amount of bottled water sold at the cafeteria
2. Use reusable containers for take-outs and leftovers
3. Add more bins across campus