Proposal to the University College Student Representatives the Netherlands
for Tessa van Hoorn to become Honorary Member
February 2016
In its statutes, the UCSRN allows for the association to have Honorary Members. When realizing what
Tessa van Hoorn did for the UCSRN, it is clear that she is the prime example of who such an Honorary
Member should be.
Tessa is a University College Roosevelt (UCR) alumna. She graduated in January 2016, with an
honours degree in political science and international relations, and a minor in religious studies.
During the academic year 2014-2015, she was secretary of the Roosevelt’s All Student Association
(RASA), the student association of UCR. In that same year, she also fulfilled the function of UCR’s
‘social’ representative to the UCSRN, first as the Secretary, later as Chair of the Executive board. She
is the Founding Chair of the official University College Student Representative of the Netherlands.
Why does Tessa deserve to be Honorary Member?
Tessa formalised the UCSRN. After years of talks, meetings and informal agreements, she was the
person who took it upon herself to legitimise the UCSRN and make it an official association.
To formalise an organisation, you require some paperwork, to put it lightly. You need statutes that
form the foundation of the whole association. It forms the framework - the constitution - on which
everything else is built.
Tessa played a crucial role in writing these statutes. She stepped up as Chair, and almost singlehandedly took the responsibility for these statutes by having countless meetings; not only with the
different UC boards and representatives, but also with lawyers and notaries. Checking all the
different possibilities, weighing all options and, on top of that, completely and accurately translating
them into English.
The different University Colleges and their student bodies all needed to agree on the contents
afterwards: a tough diplomatic challenge, requiring a healthy dose of perseverance and resolve to
make this happen. Facing different opinions and the critical students of all University Colleges, she
managed to find a suitable compromise to all and sign the official, formal UCSRN into existence last
June.
Tessa focussed on the legitimatisation of the UCSRN. Legitimisation not only through formalisation,
but also by sticking to the promise of representing the interests of University College students in
every possible way. She reached out to representative bodies such as ISO and LSVB. She was the
driving force behind establishing connections with other student organisations and tightening bonds
with current UCs, as well as creating new relationships. She stood strongly for the new structure of
the UCSRN and guided to GA to make some very important institutional decisions, such as the
admission of EUC as a member.
Tessa has been more dedicated to the cause than anyone could deem possible. Countless sleepless
nights were spent editing statutes, organising conferences calls at (as another board member put it)
the weirdest time slots, and chairing summits and GA’s to turn the UCSRN into reality.
Ivar Troost, former chair of RASA, the student association of UCR, said that “at times she became
more part of the (previously almost non-existent) UCSRN board than the RASA board – that’s how
involved she was.” An admirable, incredible achievement, and according to Ivar, at the peak of
writing the statutes, her RASA board colleagues would always find her in their office, absorbed in
working for the UCSRN cause, tirelessly and until late at night.
Tessa’s accomplishments as UCSRN Founding Chair, her dedication to making UCSRN a formal, legal
body, solving the tough diplomatic challenge and expanding its capabilities and possibilities make her
the ideal person to become an Honorary Member. It is without a doubt that she deserves to be
honoured for her achievements. Making her the first Honorary Member of the UCSRN, would be an
appropriate step in doing so.