26 | THE CAT | JUNE 2022

Joël Gül

Anouk Holtkamp

Claudia Hovius

Stijn Jonker

Bram Meester

Julia Peper

Peter Postema the spirit of the executive board (EB). Sure, we might be doing fine in terms of research but what have you seen in terms of sustainability development on campus, other than waterless urinals? For instance, the construction of solar panels on campus building roofs - except for the Oosthorst and the Technohal all roofs remain empty[1]. Furthermore, in the GreenMetric world ranking of the 1000 most sustainable universities, where Wageningen is ranked first, Groningen third and Leiden seventh, Twente is completely absent[2], which is at least a bit embarrassing for a university from the world’s fourth richest country[3]. Even though technical universities are getting more government money at the expense of classical universities[4], and the large profits the university makes with doing research for companies[5], the Utwente is yet to see any progression.

Thomas Remmerts

Arthur van der Sar

Famke Sprakel

Sybe Tabak

Frank Vermeeren

Romy Walgemoet

Sjoerd van der Werf mention sustainability as the last point on their agenda, and do recognize the absence of a central sustainability policy and advocate for more sustainable campus housings, but beyond that do not promote any plan other than to ‘increase awareness among students and staff’, what they conveniently shove to associations to arrange for. UReka has one paragraph in their policy plan of in total 83 words where they declare sustainability to be of paramount importance and believe it should be encouraged in every way possible, without providing any kind of own initiative. rudimentary view on the ‘Stad van Nu’, but surely the students try to improve the situation, right? When looking at the policy plans of the Student Union (SU) and the largest two student parties in the URaad (DAS and UReka), it does not get much better. The word sustainability (and anything related) is completely missing from the strategic plan of the SU for the years 20202023, but is mentioned in the annual report for 2022. Here, they state ‘Sustainability remains so important that we have decided to include it again in the 2022 annual plan’, and list some goals to ‘provide information and solutions to live more sustainably’, but are furthermore devoid of any concrete ideas. Reading on progression made in the past two years is also not possible, as the annual reports of 2020 and 2021 are still missing. De Ambitieuze Student (DAS)

Luckily, there is also some hope. In late November 2021, Scientists4Future-Twente sent an open letter on climate action, with over 600 signatories, to the executive board of the UT. Led by a large number of researchers, the letter advocates for the radical reduction of CO2 emissions by the university. Of course, the executive board reacted excitedly, made a big show out of the acceptance of the letter, and the societal involvement of its scientific staff. Unsurprisingly, no further updates about implementation of any of the proposed plans was given at a later stage.

To conclude, the designation Enschede, Stad van Nu, is laughably ridiculous, considering both the city and the university mentality. However, the rudimentary view of some dignitaries is challenged by a number of ambitious scientists, who just might achieve something.

References:

[1] https://www.utwente.nl/en/sustainability/sustainability-oncampus/themes/energy/#energy-generation-on-campus.

[2] https://greenmetric.ui.ac.id/rankings/overall-rankings-2021

[3] https://nos.nl/artikel/2401433-nederlanders-wereldwijd-op-4deplek-rijkste-burgers

[4] https://decorrespondent.nl/10324/meer-geld-voor-detechnische-universiteiten-betekent-minder-geld-voor-de-rest-endie-komt-in-actie/5335001188264-e4b00921

[5] Jaarverslag Universiteit Twente 2020.

General information

If you move or want to change your data, you can (and should) let us know by sending an email to the secretary of Alembic (secretary@alembic. utwente.nl).

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Regular Drinks & VriMiBo

Every Friday from 16:00 untill 19:00, there is a Friday afternoon drink in the TAP or nowhere due to corona. The bartenders rotate between the three A-associations. What is a better way to end your week filled with lectures, practicals and other ‘thinking‘ activities. Next to this a drink every week switching on Tuesday and Thursday will be held only for Alembic members.

Eyeing the Storm

I was so nervous for my oral exam that I forgot to take my jacket off even though I put on my best clothes. I stood waiting outside: running all the facts and figures in my head, trying to recall all the information, deciding I had helped in the report enough to wing it, remembering that it was a group report so there was no way I could wing it, and simply reducing into a bundle of nerves again.

I entered the exam room. “What’s your last name?” the teacher asked.

“Taboada.”

“Are you Filipino?”

I wondered why my teacher would ask about my nationality, though I kept quiet and simply said yes. After a moment, he said, “Wow, I mentored a Filipino student before in Delft with the same last name.”

“Was his first name Jerome?” I knew the answer before I even asked the question.

23 Editor in Chief

Casper van Dongen

Charlotte van Reijen

Esli Diepenbroek

Writers

Casper van Dongen

Charlotte van Reijen

Esli Diepenbroek

Jane Glenza

Maarten Jager

Luuk Okkerman

Chakshu Turki

Wietse Uittenbogaard

Guest writers

Sissi de Beer

Joep Elfrink

Maarten de Groot

Tijke van der Lee

Detonator Marge

Friso Nieuwenhuijse

Jochem Schuerman

Venise Alexandria Taboada

Sam Wolbers

Activiteiten

Printer Gildeprint www.alembic.utwente.nl

Suddenly, the exam took quite an interesting turn. I had come to study in the Netherlands partly because I knew my parents obtained their PhD at TU Delft, and they were all the better for it. In hindsight, I should have known I would run into someone they knew sooner rather than later. But honestly, I thought it was not the best way to have met my father’s mentor. I was already nervous coming in; now, I felt like I was melting. I gripped my jacket tightly like I hoped it would keep me together.

They asked me various questions. Sometimes, the answer was ready on my tongue. Other times, it was stuck in my throat. In the worst of times, I had no answer at all. As the exam continued, however, I became more aware of myself. I stopped looking at my teacher’s faces, trying to guess their expressions, and simply began to look inward.

What do I know? In what areas am I still lacking? My own questions began to take form, and at the end of the exam, I took the opportunity to ask them and began finding answers for myself.

Entering the oral exam felt like stepping into a storm. When I was standing in the midst of it, I realised the importance of self-assessment. Because no one can control the weather, but one can always ask, “Do I have a coat or umbrella? How do I act so I avoid the worst of it?”

So, maybe I was more nervous than I should have been. Maybe it was a bad week or a bad time. Maybe all the elements were not in my favour. But I could have always looked up to the sky and basked in the rain.

I could have taken off my jacket.