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Jaargang 44, 13 december 2001 English page

University Council says no to budget The University Council has gone on the record with a 'negative recommendation' on TU/e's budget for 2002. This despite an urgent plea from Executive Board chairman dr.ir. Henk de Wilt, who asked the Council for their confidence. The Supervisory Board has therefore not yet given its verdict. The university will make do with a provisional budget during the first months of 2002. "Confidence alone is not basis enough for such an important decision," said University Council spokesman dr. Jimme Keizer. "In terms of co-management and employee participation, we feel it is important that the departmental councils give their opinion of the budget." Department deans have agreed to a budget which specifies financial goals for their departments, but not all departmental councils have been able to express their opinions. The University Council also found it difficult to recommend a budget with financial goals of which the consequences are as yet unclear. "The Masterplan, a crucial part of the budget, has only been partially explained. It is also unclear whether the budget is feasible," said the spokesman. "We think the University Council's contribution is important and we want to take the time to take a good look at their recommendations. And only when the Executive Board has a definite proposal will we decide on the budget," said dr.ir. Piet Ros, member of the Supervisory Board. The definite budget for 2002 is expected in February 2002 at the earliest. Ball The ball is now in the University Council's court. A meeting is planned for next Monday. "We're thinking about which road to take; the formal one or the informal one. The formal one is the arbitration board in Woerden, the informal one is to take care of business together with the Executive Board and repeat the whole budget process," says Jelle de Jong (PF)./.

"TU/e is not an exchange office" Sometimes bank balances can be shocking. During the past few weeks some of us thought our capital more than halved, others found their debts miraculously diminished. But that couldn't last long. If you kept staring at your bank statement, the euro sign eventually jumped out at you. As you probably know by now, all European Union countries except England, Sweden and Danmark are changing over to a joint currency as of January 1 2002. TU/e's Financial Services department has been working hard to make the change to the euro as smooth as possible at the university. It has been possible to make payments in euros by bank for a year now, but the actual introduction of the coins and banknotes will take place in just over two weeks. Each country will have the same coins and bank notes, however one side of each coin or note will show in which country the currency was produced. The euro will be valid currency in twelve EU countries. The guilder will be accepted in Dutch shops until January 28, including those at TU/e. If you pay in guilders, you will receive change in euros. Guilders will be changed by banks until March 31 free of charge. After that banks will charge a fee for exchange until December 31 2002. Guilder coins may then be changed at De Nederlandse Bank (Dutch national bank) until January 1 2007. And for those who find treasure sewn into an old matrass: guilder banknotes may be exchanged at De Nederlandse Bank until January 1 2032. Lunchrooms, shops, vending machines and other places where money changes hands at TU/e will keep pace with the euro introduction schedule outside the university. "But I would like to point out that TU/e is not an exchange office," says TU/e's euro co-ordinator Ton de Haas. "Please do not pay small amounts with large bank-notes at TU/e. Try to pay for your lunch with euro coins to avoid long lines at the lunchroom cash registers." Ton de Haas says that, as usual, he is prepared to help any foreign students or staff who are having problems with forms or other official matters. Lunch Everyone with an official address in the Netherlands will receive a 'Eurokit' containing euro vouchers for 32 euro coins worth about eight guilders in the post around December 14. Banks are selling euro coin packages for 25 guilders. TU/e's euro co-ordinator advises all students and staff to purchase a few of these packages to make sure they don't go hungry at lunch time. Of course payments may also be made with cash cards (pinpas) at various points at TU/e where this is now also possible. TU/e students and staff who need their travel expenses paid should make sure they save all receipts, as is now also the case. A new travel expense form in euros is currently being designed and should be available some time in the first quarter of next year. Many forms at TU/e have no currency specification. Further information about the euro is available in English from www.euro.nl. TU/e has a euro information site in Dutch: www.euro.tue.nl. Dutch banks have information available on the euro available in a number of languages, including English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Turkish etc./.

Vestide demands extra month rent Foreign students renting from Vestide through the university will be obliged to pay a surity to the tune of one month's rent for their appartments. Housing corporation Vestide is taking this measure in consultion with BIA (Bureau for International Activities) because of increased damage to appartments and furniture recently. The measure will take effect on January 1 2002 for all units. Guests will pay one month rent and one month surity on receipt of their appartment key. When a contract ends, Vestide will organise a preliminary inspection of the unit and inform the tenant about what needs to be done if he or she wants the surity returned. On the day of departure a second and final inspection will take place. Any damage will be paid from the surity, the difference will be returned. "The advantage of this procedure is that shortcomings can be immediately remedied by Vestide and units will be in good condition for incoming guests. It is not at all unusual to ask for a surity in temporary housing," says Hennie Keuker of BIA. According to Mrs Keuker, there are complaints from guests who say the units are not clean enough when they move in. Vestide sometimes finds strange things have gone on in the appartments, one kitchen in a recently vacated flat had writing from floor to ceiling on the tiling in indelible ink. Sometimes people leave without paying the rent they owe./. Satisfaction Poll 2001 All university staff are invited to attend the presentation of the results of the Satisfaction Poll 2001 on Monday December 17 at 12.30 p.m. in room 4, Auditorium. 'The meeting marks the starting point for the dissemination of and reflection on results. Improvements will be made in TU/e's organisation, procedures and/or labour conditions where indicated by the poll results. Staff input in the process of reflection is needed to realise improvements that are widely supported,' writes the Executive Board in their invitation to the presentation. Election results The results of the TU/e elections being held today for members of the University Council and department councils will be made known on Monday December 17 at noon in room 4 of the Auditorium. Piano contest Studium Generale is looking for students who are talented piano players for the Eindhovens Studenten Pianoconcours. The prize will be a masterclass by pianist Ton Hartsuiker. The contest is open only to full-time students in Eindhoven. The event is organised by Studium Generale and student music association Quadrivium. Participants play a set piece and one of their own choice. A jury led by Ton Hartsuiker will judge the contest. Other jury members will be two teachers from the Brabants Conservatorium and pianist Morena Varga, a student at TU/e. The preliminaries will be held on February 26 and 27. The finals are planned for April 10. To enter the competition or receive more information: David Ernst of Studium Generale (d.a.c.ernst@tue.nl) or Quadrivium (pianoconcours@quadrivium. stack.nl) Last Cursor The last Cursor of the year (no. 15) will be published next week. Copy should be submitted to the editorial staff by Friday December 14. The next issue will appear in 2002, on Thursday January 17.   The English Page is written by Paula van de Riet. She can be reached at engcur@stud.tue.nl.