Petition

The petition has closed! We want to thank everyone for their support.


For your reference the petition text can be found below.

I want to sign!

That's great! Find the full petition here, as well as the instructions for logging in.

Do you encounter the error message "you need permission" (see screenshot on the left)? You are probably already logged into a Google-account.

You can prevent this by following these steps.

  1. Open a private browsing window (incognito window in Chrome) or use a browser that is not your default.

  2. Copy and paste the following link into the address bar (search/URL bar) ; https://forms.gle/GvAmGjpH7sKqc4yf7

  3. Login with your VUnet account.

  4. Still not working? Email us at vu.phd.ceremony@gmail.com

By ensuring only VUnet accounts can sign the petition, we wish to prevent abuse and ensure the validity of the petition.

We request the Staff Council (Ondernemingsraad) to survey the VU community on their support of the current rites and rituals, including the votum and doxology, during the Ph.D. thesis defense ceremony. We want to offer this survey to the College of Deans for further evaluation.

The Vrije University Amsterdam (VU) has as three core values: responsible, open and personally engaged [1]. With these core values the VU pledges to respect and give due recognition to every member of its community and strives to offer a place of work and study that is accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs and philosophies [1].

We are proud to be part of this welcoming and accepting VU community. However, the rites and rituals of the Ph.D. defense ceremony has led to debate in 2016 [2,3]. The substitute of the dean (rector magnificus) must recite, irrespective of their own beliefs, philosophies or cultural background [4]:

Votum (start)

“Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 124:8)

Doxology (end)

“Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 113:2)

Additionally, the Ph.D. defense committee has to recite part of the bible before their deliberation. Not everyone supports reciting these obligatory texts [2]. The Ph.D. defense ceremony content is decided by the College of Deans. However, to date, they have not investigated the opinions of the VU community on these issues.

We seek support of the Staff Council and Ph.D. council to explore how we can extend our core VU values and mission to every part of the academic life. Do we wish to preserve the rites and rituals of the Ph.D. ceremony, including the votum and doxology, or replace them with something new? Can we provide secular or religious alternatives that capture the responsibility, openness, and personal engagement to which we all aspire?

The Ph.D. thesis defense ceremony is one of the most important events in a person’s academic life and career. It represents not only the success of one person, but also the success of the entire VU community. Such a momentous occasion deserves a fitting ceremony. We see the current rites and rituals as a missed opportunity. A missed opportunity to unite us. A missed opportunity to inspire the VU community and convey its core values and mission. With the help of the Staff Council and Ph.D. council, we hope that this opportunity will not be missed any longer.


Initiative takers:

Ruben Bakker, Ruud Rijkers, Andrew Cronin and Judith Smit

(Ph.D. candidates at the VU)

Background

1. https://vu.nl/en/about-vu/more-about/mission-and-core-values

2. https://www.advalvas.vu.nl/blog/schaf-de-verplichte-bijbeltekst-af

3. https://www.advalvas.vu.nl/blog/vo-voor-het-vu-votum

4. https://www.geheugenvandevu.nl/blog/academische-rituelen-togas-votum-en-lofverheffing-aan-de-vu