Ultra Traiectum

Well, it was a good four centuries or so, but after a good run, one of the older watches on the Rhine is coming to an end.

Word came in mid-June that the Dutch government cuts were going to lead to some "consolidation" in astronomy, and that Utrecht would be cut.
We were asked not to kick up a fuzz about it, for local political reasons, but soon enough the story spread:

One Small Step broke the story,
with the e-Astronomer also chiming in.
Official response of the Astronomical Institute is here.

So, Dutch academia is facing "austerity" - 20% cuts in particular for Utrecht University, and, well, there are five university departments of astronomy...

Amsterdam and Leiden are effectively untouchable, and Groningen has both unique capabilities and regional advantages. So, that leaves Utrecht and Nijmegen.
While there may be no duplication in Dutch astronomy, there are similarities, and Utrecht has history, and SRON, but from what little I know of Dutch regional politics, Nijmegen has the geographical advantage.

So, that is for the Dutch to sort out, and the intent, apparently, is not to cut but consolidate, so presumably equivalent faculty lines and student positions will migrate to the remaining four academic institutions, over the next four years, as Utrecht ramps down. With some Utrecht AI faculty maybe moving, and others maybe staying in physics etc.

But, we can look at output - will there be a net cut of Dutch astronomers, or is this really a consolidation? Time will tell, and of course administrators and politicians can always change their minds.

Have to say though, I'd have figured the Dutch to be the very last people on Earth to cut astronomy.