Dear Benoemingsadviescommissie, Faculty of Science, AUC, dear UvA board,

As we are on the cusp of the start of the selection of the new Dean for the Faculty of Science and AUC we, students, staff, teachers and scientists stand up against this undemocratic proces. With years of protests at our campus, students and staff have repeatedly been calling the attention of those with power in our university to step up and do what is right against genocide, a climate crisis and to manifest democracy in our university. Yet, you have repeatedly not listened to our calls, called police on us, intimidated us and ignored our call for a meaningful conversation. You have created student councils as performative tools to lie about how democratic you are, while in fact they have no power in our university. Hiding in the ivory towers, you are detached from anything that goes on at our institutions, and only worried with a sacrecy of an university that does not exist. Now you have created a secret benoemingsadviescommissie (BAC), filled with people who never step a foot in Science park or AUC, people no student knows, to decide on 2 new deans and the the future direction of Science Park. This is fundementally undemocratic, unjust, and unfair to any student, staff and scientist at these places, who face daily consequences of the actions of the Dean. Decisions about research ties, about policy, about what is and what isn't priority. Our voice is not taken seriously, is not listened to, as if we are not what makes the UvA a university.

These are our faculties! And we want a Dean who represents us! That is why we demand the following,

• A democratically elected dean by the students and scientists from science park through;
• a commission who is made of, by proportion, of students and staff who represent science park and who;
• solemny hold the right to assign a new dean
• An open hearing of the potential new Dean's of science park and AUC, in the main hall at SP904, whereby they are able to be questioned by students and staff
• Strengthening the power of the Faculty student council (FSR) at science park, by granting them rights to deny budgets, appointments within the faculty and block new research ties, among other things

We want a radical dean who:

• Has a clear vision about the climate crisis and the atrocities done by israel
• prioritizes well-being of students over corporate or political interest
• Will protect their students from police harm and won't let the CvB call the cops on students protesting
• Will understand the politics in the natural sciences and encourages critical thinking within the institutes and degrees

We want a Dean by the people of science park, for the people of science park. Our voice must to be heard, and clearly, by how the BAC is currently set up (the CvB in the end being able to force any candidate), it is not. This procedure is now undemocratic at its core. When the tools of powers are hidden and not transparant, these systems will continue to serve the interest of those in power. We asked you 10 years ago to democratize our university, and you failed your students then. Do not make the same mistake you made last time.

Signed,

SRUvA, ORCA, Activisten Partij