The faculty board party states that they started the hotline after receiving a number of complaints from students regarding the lacking English proficiency of their instructors and lecturers. Letteren Vooruit thinks that the poor language level is problematic for both Dutch and foreign students alike.
‘The quality of English spoken by the instructor is vitally important for the student. Firstly, language use makes a difference in properly understanding the material, which has a direct effect on the end result. Moreover, the instructor is a role model in class’, group chairperson Rico Tjepkema says. ‘Students need to assume that instructors are experts and are proficient enough in the language to be able to build on it. It is essential for the development of an academic level of intelligence.’
‘No shaming’
The anonymous complaints website is not intended to shame instructors, the party emphasises. Students are not able to state the names of teachers who they feel are not proficient in English on the report form. ‘When filling in the form, we only ask for the study programme, the study year and the course taken.’
Letteren Vooruit previously started a hotline to map out on which days and at which times the former arts faculty library was too full.