The Secretary General

My name is Veera, and I work as the Secretary General of the Student Union of ÅAU (ÅAS). The Secretary General’s tasks include leading the Student Union’s Advocacy Sector. I work closely with the staff and the Board (especially the Chair of the Board), but also with the Presidium of the Representative Council (that is, the Chair and two Vice Chairs), the Executive Director of ÅAS, and external partners such as the Secretary Generals of other student unions. 
Depending on who I’m working with, my role can look a little different – sometimes it’s about developing our activities, and sometimes it’s about putting decisions into action. 

Together with the Board and the Council 

As the title suggests, I act as secretary in many of the Student Union’s bodies, for example during Board and Representative Council meetings. The Council meets around eight times a year and decides on the major matters of the organisation, such as the budget and action plan, and appoints student representatives to various bodies within Åbo Akademi University. 
The Board meets every other week (except during the summer and Christmas holidays) and makes more day-to-day decisions – for example, choosing the Fastlaskiainen coordinator, organising events, or deciding who represents ÅAS at different occasions. 
Together with the Chair of the Council and the Chair of the Board, I make sure that decisions are carried out. 

 Budgets, Grants, and Balance 

In addition to administrative tasks, I’m also responsible for financial follow-up. I handle grant applications, support the Board with corporate partnerships, and make sure each month that we stay within the budget set by the Council. 
I also help the Board with financial matters, such as event budgeting or planning new purchases. 

 Strategy Work and Development 

In 2025, one of the Secretary General’s key tasks has been to update ÅAS’s strategy. In this process, my role has been to gather input, listen to different opinions, and weave them together into a shared vision..The strategy is one of our most important documents – it guides nearly everything we do in our everyday work through our values and long-term goals. 

Excel, History, and a Love for Numbers 

Besides all that, I really enjoy working with Excel and data! Over my years at ÅAS, I’ve worked a lot on collecting and analysing data to understand how our organisation has developed – for instance, when it comes to scholarships: how has their size changed over the past 20 years? 
I also love digging into old minutes and annual reports to see what ÅAS used to be like and how we’ve evolved over time. 

You can contact me about almost anything! And if I don’t know the answer, I’ll help you find the right person who does.