26 September 2024

Dear colleagues,

After a flying start on 3 September, the first month of the faculty’s 2024-2025 academic year is almost behind us. On 3 and 4 October, the university will be closed for Leidens Ontzet (Relief of Leiden) celebrations. This year marks exactly 450 years since Leiden was liberated from the Spanish. William of Orange subsequently founded the university to reward the citizens of Leiden for their resistance to the occupiers. This forms a prelude to the 450th anniversary of both Leiden University and our Leiden Law School in 2025.

Challenges
Preparations to mark this anniversary are now in full swing. However, besides the celebrations we are also facing serious challenges as a faculty. As we explained in a previous announcement, we are experiencing significant financial problems due to students' lagging academic results in recent years. Over the past few weeks, much hard work has been spent on preparing the faculty’s 2025-2028 multi-year budget. The draft budget for 2025 is now more or less finalised, but unfortunately that is not all. The cuts that were recently announced as part of the Schoof cabinet’s programme give rise to fresh uncertainties that will require our faculty to exercise additional caution when it comes to making future financial commitments.

Agreements
As a result of the above developments, agreements have been reached between the Faculty Board and Academic Directors on how decisions on staffing are made at the faculty. These agreements were sent to all managers last week. The guiding principle remains that where possible, we will absorb the cuts in resources through natural turnover and by reallocating tasks. It remains important for the Faculty Board and Academic Directors to ensure a staffing level that is sufficient for teaching, research and operations, in both the short term and longer term.

Open conversations
We do realise that coping with these challenges will not be an easy task and we advise you to speak openly about the situation with each other or your manager. To learn more about how to have a good conversation or to improve your skills, you could take a course offered under the GROW programme. These courses are open to both managers and employees. And, of course, if you have any questions or need support or advice, you can contact the HR department or the Faculty Board.

Current internal vacancies
We are currently talking to potential candidates to fill the internal vacancies of Programme Director for the bachelor’s programme in Law and Faculty Coordinator(s) for Diversity & Inclusion and Student Well-being. Please refer to our announcement of 29 August 2024.

If you have any questions relating to the above or you would like more information, please contact the Faculty Board by sending an email to bestuurssecretaris@law.leidenuniv.nl

On 12 November from 11.00 to 12.00, there will be a walk-in session in the Global Lounge (KOG Building). During this session, the Faculty Board will be available to speak to you and answer any questions you may have.

Kind regards,

On behalf of the Faculty Board,

Suzan Stoter, Dean
Jan Crijns, Vice Dean
Gertjan Boshuizen, Director of Operational Management
Roel Kwast, Assessor