Lijst Calimero and Student Organization Groningen (SOG) have each won a seat in the RUG University Council Elections, going from 4 to 5 seats in the council. SOG represents the interests of international students.
The University Council meets with the Executive Board of the University of Groningen on all kinds of matters. It usually has an advisory role, but it does have a right of consent which enables it to put a stop to board plans. This happened last year for example, when the board withdrew their plans to open a campus in China.
Lijst Camilero and SOG now hold 10 of the 12 seats that are reserved for student representatives. The other two go to DAG (Democratische Academie Groningen/Democratic Academy Groningen) and new party De Vrije Student (The Free Student). SOG represents that interests of international students, among other things, and believes they should be offered more guidance in matters such as housing.
The University Council consists of 24 seats in total: half are for student body representatives and half are for RUG employees. Students can vote every year for their representatives and employees can vote every two years.