FAQ

What furniture will there be in the PhD/postdoc offices?

Every PhD/postdoc office will be equipped with new office chairs and white desks (160*80cm) that are electronically adjustable in height to a sitting or standing position. There will also be a whiteboard and a cabinet with sliding doors that can be used to store personal belongings.

What furniture will there be in the Master’s offices?

The Master’s offices will look like this. The desktops from the current master’s offices will be brought over to the new building, and every desk will have a monitor.

Is there a thermostat in the new offices?

The new building has a climate control system. Every office has a thermostat on which the temperature can be set 2 degrees higher or lower than the general temperature in the building.

Can the office windows be shielded against the sun?

Yes, on the inside of the glass there are roller blinds.

Will the ‘phone booths’ be moved to the new building?

No, unfortunately we are not allowed to bring the phone booths. The new building does have more smaller meeting rooms (4 per floor) that can be used for meetings as well as videocalls.

When will the main entrance and bicycle shed be available?

The main entrance will be available from April 2nd, so the day we move in. From September 2024, you will be able to park your bicycle in the new bicycle parking. Until then, the temporary bicycle parking facility at the Einsteinweg will be expanded. You can also park your bicycle in the closed bicycle parkings under/near the Huygens.

Will we get new coffee machines?

No, most likely our current machines will be moved to the new building.

Will there be a canteen in the new building?

Yes, there will be a ‘bistro’ at the ground floor, similar to the one in the existing part of the new Gorleaus building. In the old Gorleaus building (the round dish) there will be a much larger canteen. All of these will be run by the UFB, the same catering bureau that runs the canteen in the Huygens building and all other buildings of the University.

Do I need a LU-card to enter the building?

The building itself will be freely accessible, but the corridors to the different departments will be closed off by a door for which a LU-card is needed. All Observatory employees and all students will have access to the corridors. The doors to the offices can also be locked and opened with a LU-card.

Will there be a Kaiser Lounge in the new building?

Yes, there will be a Kaiser Lounge that is larger than our current one. We will get new furniture for this room.

Where will the IT group, Secretariat and Education office be located?

These will all be close to the new Kaiser Lounge, see this floorplan.

I am a guest who visits on a weekly/monthly basis. Can I have a desk?

There are desks for guests. When you know when you will be visiting, please email Nancy ([email protected]). She will allocate you a desk. The days when you are not at the institute, the desk might be given to others.

My prospective PhD/Postdoc will start in June/July/September, can I reserve a desk now?

Please contact Nancy ([email protected]), who will take care of the desk allocations after the move.

I have a (reoccurring) meeting booked after March, what will happen to my reservation?

All booked meetings from April until the end of this academic year (August) will be transferred to the new building. Nancy is contacting the organizer of each group for the update. You can also check the current Room Reservation Overview, in which Nancy has updated the new room number of each meeting.

I am organising a meeting in April. Can I already book a room in the new building?

Yes this is possible, please contact the secretariat ([email protected]).

Will it be possible to hang pictures on the wall?

The office walls are made of metal. Magnets will be provided to hang up posters etc. The faculty will also provide stronger magnets with a hook, that can be used to hang up paintings.

What will the address of the new building be?

Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden. Everyone's contact information on the University website will be updated centrally. Remember to change your email signature and inform any contacts that might send you anything by post.

What do I do if my LU-card does not work?

Please go down to the (new) reception and update your card at the card reader. If it still does not work after that, there will be someone from the Servicedesk present in the first days after the move to fix the issue.

What do I do if my items are missing after the move, or if I have another urgent issue?

Please inform Robin or Erik as soon as possible. If you send an email about it to them, please include ‘urgent’ in the subject line.

What do I do if I have a minor or non-urgent issue?

Please send an email to [email protected]. Bear in mind that the first days after the move will be very busy, so it might take a little bit longer than usual before you get a response.

Question not answered?

If you cannot find the answer to your question here, please do not hesitate to contact Robin Hölscher ([email protected]) or Erik Deul ([email protected]). They are also present at the institute coffee every Wednesday morning to answer questions about the move.

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