the prolonged closure at the University of Strasbourg is validated

The Board of Directors of the University of Strasbourg validated a new calendar on Tuesday 8 November. Most of its 600,000 square meters of buildings have been closed for two additional weeks this winter to cope with soaring energy prices.

“It is a measure that must be tested”, welcomed Michel Deneken, the president of the University. He had expressed his desire to students, teachers and staff in mid-September by means of a video broadcast on Youtube, recalling that “each day of heating costs 120,000 euros” at the “UniStra”. Concretely, the return from the Christmas holidays will take place on Monday January 9, 2023 instead of Tuesday January 3, with a delay or an adjustment of the exams accordingly. The week of February 13 to 20 will also be the subject of an “educational break” for lessons.

On these additional closing weeks, staff members are encouraged to telecommute as much as possible. Three of the twenty libraries at the University’s eight sites will remain open, as will some state-of-the-art research buildings.

At the end of October, the Minister of Higher Education Sylvie Retailleau announced the release of an envelope of 275 million euros to help research organizations, colleges and universities to cope with the additional costs linked to soaring prices. Energy. “It will only represent a few million for Strasbourg”estimated the president while the energy bill of the university is on the way to triple to 36 million euros for 2023, against 10 in 2021. This decision to close the university was however not unanimously welcomed.

“There was no reason to maintain these closures after the Minister’s announcements.”

Pascal Maillard, the academic secretary of the national higher education union (Snesup-FSU)

at AFP

Three advisory committees had successively come out against the energy sobriety plan, the timetable for which was finally approved by the board of directors by 21 votes for, 13 against and 2 abstentions.