“The University of Burgundy pioneers student solidarity with its commission and center for students in distress”

The first university to have created a solidarity commission

“We are the first university to have created a student solidarity commission (CSE) and to have opened a solidarity center for students in precariousness”, explains Cyril Gomet, chief of staff to the president of the University of Burgundy, stressing that he It is indeed a service of the university, and not an association, with the mission of reaching out to students in distress. And to explain: “When President Vincent Thomas was elected in 2020, he decided to set up a solidarity commission, because the university represents 3,000 staff and 35,000 students whose social origins are very different. It is a city within the city. »

After its start of activity in May 2020, this commission was officially created in January 2021. The Covid crisis accelerated its establishment in the Student House on campus. “It operates today with a team of fourteen volunteers (staff from the University of Burgundy and CNRS), a manager on a half-time fixed-term contract and a social support worker on a full-time fixed-term contract recently recruited”, specifies the microbiologist of the Vanessa Vaizant, head of the commission, alongside Nora Zrida, professor at the university sports department, who is also very committed.

“In two years, we have taken 50 students off the streets”

If the 2021-2022 report showed 110 students monitored by the CSE, the report for the start of the 2022 academic year (since 1^is September) lists 246 students followed, with 40 in great financial difficulty, 75 accommodation aid, 66 individual support in the search for student jobs, 80 aid for the renewal of residence permits and 500 students frequenting solidarity grocery stores. The aid also concerns the constitution of health aid files, or even the loan of computers. “In two years, we have taken 50 students off the streets. We work in partnership with the Crous”, explain the members of the commission. Who also raise it: “Strasbourg is in the process of taking up the model. »

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