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The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University criticizes the Orpo government’s proposal to the Finnish Parliament to change the laws regarding financial aid for students, and general housing allowance.
The proposal includes actions that weaken the students’ economic situation and mental health.
The general housing allowance is one of the biggest sources of income for students. The proposal to move students to a new system, which includes a housing bonus to the study grant, weakens the students’ economy drastically. When a student constantly must worry about the economy, it affects their academic progress directly, whether it’s through more work that needs to be done, or worse motivation to study caused by mental illness. This contradicts the government’s goal for a higher number of students that graduate from higher education institutions. Since it’s been suggested that the housing supplement will be connected to the financial aid for students, this means that a student will not get any sort of housing allowance during the summer months, with the only exception being completing courses during the summer. The rent still needs to be paid during the summer, and it cannot be assumed that every student can support themselves via a job or other support. In this case, students first need to take student loans, then social assistance. A student will be in more debt than ever before.
The housing markets in Åbo and Vasa are difficult. The Student Village foundations TYS and VOAS are both at a maximum usage rate, and the queues are extremely long. The private market is also difficult, since there are few apartments available, and the rent is record high. It is not possible for students to move to cheaper apartments. The number of shared housing apartments is lower than before, and the number of studio apartments has risen.
The government’s proposal would change the current financial aid for students’ system to a more loan-based system. The proposal would also not guarantee that students would survive without any financial aid during the summer months. This leads to an increase in the need for social assistance. Calculations of aid that’s being cut down show that 19 000 students will be forced to apply for social assistance. These calculations do not reflect the reality since it is not possible for every student to move to cheaper apartments. That’s why the number of students that must resort to social assistance will exceed the amount presented in the proposal.
During the fall, ÅAS will offer sexual counseling to all members of the Student Union. You can either come to an appointment (on site at Kåren or remotely) or you can send in a completely anonymous question.
Sexual counseling can, for example, be questions or concerns about sex, relationships, the body, sexual health, questions about identity or something else.
Both big and small questions are welcome.
My name is Nora Möller and I offer sexual health counseling. I have a special interest in norms, religion, culture and LGBTIQA+ issues. Your questions don’t need to be related to these areas.
I have professional confidentiality.
We can meet in person at Kåren or as a distance meeting. We meet about 1-2 times, 45 minutes per meeting and you don’t need to live in Turku. Counseling is free of charge.
You can also submit a completely anonymous question through this link. The link is also found on ÅAS’ Instagram. The answers are usually published every two weeks on Fridays.
If you have a question you would prefer not to be published, you can send it to the email below. Only you will receive a reply, but you will not be anonymous.
If you want to book an appointment or have questions, please use the following e-mail.
E-mail: nora.moller@abo.fi.
Statement
15 May 2024
For immediate release
We at the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University are extremely disappointed with the decisions that were made by the Orpo government. Now that a few weeks have passed since the frame budget talks, the seriousness of the situation has become clear.
Students will lose enormously
The cuts to the general housing allowance are unacceptable. Annually, it will be a cut of at least one thousand euros across the board. This will negatively affect students’ ability to study full time. The cuts will also work against the government’s goals of quicker examination times and the goal of raising the amount of citizens with a higher education degree. Students are, instead of studying, forced to take on jobs or indebt themselves. Is it fair? We don’t think so. But that’s the reality the government is forcing upon students.
The proposal of moving students back to student housing allowance is an terrible idea. Students’ income during the summer months will become a difficult question for students. At the same time the poverty of students is handled as “separate” poverty. Why are students not allowed other forms of welfare, which the rest of the citizens are qualified for?
The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University demands action to be taken quickly to secure students’ income, without them needing to indebt themselves. The study grant and student housing allowance should guarantee a life without loans. Instead, it feels like students are forced into poverty and debt.
For more information
Jonne Kunnas
Chair of the Executive Board, The Student Union of ÅAU
so@studentkaren.fi
The service points in Åbo and Vasa will be closed during the summer.
The service point in Åbo will be closed from 30th April. But don’t worry, on Monday 6th May 2024, from 12:00 to 13:30 p.m., ÅAS will host a pop-up service point in Arken, giving you another chance to collect your student card sticker before the summer. The service point will reopen on 26 August!
The service point in Vasa will be closed on 9th May, but will be open for one last day before the summer on 13th May. The Vasa service point will reopen on 2 September.
For inquiries or other matters regarding the service points, please contact kansli@studentkaren.fi (Åbo) or havtornen@studentkaren.fi (Vasa).
Looking for someone else from the ÅAS staff or board? You can find our contact information here!
Scholarships are offered from the Agneta and Carl-Erik Olin Fund to individuals pursuing a licentiate or doctoral degree at Åbo Akademi University, who have been regular members or senior members of the Student Union of Åbo Akademi Univeristy. Applicants are expected to have held positions within the Student Union and/or its student associations. The fund is owned and maintained by the Åbo Akademi University Foundation.
The scholarship is awarded to one or more individuals for a total period of 44 months, with a monthly stipend of 2400 euros. Scholarship recipients are expected to engage in full-time research and produce a research report.
The application is in free-form, but should include:
- A curriculum vitae/resume detailing the applicant’s activities within the student union and its special associations.
- A research plan prepared by the applicant, outlining the purpose of the research, materials, theoretical framework, working hypotheses, methodological approach, as well as any travel plans or need for laboratory facilities. The research plan should be condensed to one page.
- Information about any other funding applied for or received for the same purpose, as well as the number of scholarship months being sought.
- A statement from the supervisor, which should be sent directly to the General Secretary of the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University, Sandra Österlund (gs@studentkaren.fi).
Applications should be submitted to the Senior Council of the Student Union of Åbo Akademi no later than May 22, 2024, at 3:00 PM. Applications are to be submitted via electronic form, which can be found here (application form in Swedish). The supervisor’s statement should be sent directly to the General Secretary of the Student Union via email.
Decisions regarding scholarship distribution will be communicated in May or early June. Scholarship recipients are required to report on the use of the scholarship to the Senior Council no later than two months after the end of the scholarship period.
During the autumn enrollment ceremony, two deserving teachers at Åbo Akademi Universty are awarded the titles of Teacher of the Year or Educational Visionary of the Year.
Do you have a teacher who excels in teaching, is inspiring, pedagogical, present, and knowledgeable? If so, suggest them for Teacher of the Year!
Have you collaborated with staff or had a teacher who inspires, encourages innovation, is student-centered, and innovative? Nominate that person for Educational Visionary of the Year!
Submit a well-motivated nomination here by June 4 at 12 p.m.
The Student Union of ÅAU (ÅAS) traditionally hands out diplomas and roses to those in the staff of ÅAU that the students want to thank for their input, educational skills and for meeting the students with empathy and as individuals.
The students of ÅAU got to nominate staff and attach a short descriptive motivation of why they think the person deserves a rose. The Student Union Board has taken the motivations into consideration while deciding the recipients of a rose.
Empathetic and encouraging guidance and feedback had an important role in the nominations. Taking the mental well-being of students in consideration and the positive effects of the possibility to flexible studies, were some of the reasons why students decided to nominate lecturers. Even educational skills of the staff, and the ability to create a good learning environment, were especially appreciated according to the nominations.
The Student Union Board has decided to hand out 15 roses as well as one bonus rose. This is the 29th year in a row that ÅAS observes ÅAU’s staff by handing out diplomas and roses for good work.
Ilia Gugenishvili, Emilia Melén and Jonne Kunnas
This year the following people were awarded roses
Ann-Sofie Smeds Nylund
Camilla Svens-Liavåg
Klas Backholm
Maria Björkmark
Bodil Haagensen
Roland Nylund
Anki Stenkull-Aura
Anna Schmidt
Ann-Catrin Östman
Mikael von Numers
Eva Henriksson
Jan-Erik Lönnqvist
Nanuli Silagadze
Jaana Aaltonen
Ilia Gugenishvili
This year the Executive Board elected to award an extra bonus rose to a person from outside the Åbo Akademi University staff, that students wished to thank.
Leif Jahn
Employed by Kårkaféerna
Questions can be directed to
Jonne Kunnas
Chair of the Executive Board
The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University
+358 50 401 3524
so@studentkaren.fi
Julia Michelsson, Sini Eriksson, Camilla Svens-Liavåg and Jan Welroos
During the last weeks’ frame negotiations, the government decided to make cuts to students’ income. The largest cut directly affecting students is the shift from general housing allowance to a form of housing supplement.
- From general housing allowance to housing supplement
To save money, students are being moved from the general housing allowance to a form of housing supplement. This means that when the change takes effect, you as a student will no longer receive the general housing allowance. The new housing supplement will likely be linked to the student allowance. The size of the new housing supplement is still being looked into, but it will likely decrease from the current level. Details are still unclear. The matter is further discussed in the working group for the total reform of student allowance at the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Student Union will inform as soon as more details become available. The change will take effect on August 1st 2025. - Tax increases – Value Added Tax (VAT)
The Orpo government has also chosen to increase certain taxes. The increase that affects students the most is an increase in the VAT. Goods and services with a 24% VAT will be raised to 25.5%. This means that most everyday services will become slightly more expensive, such as barber visits and fuel. The VAT on medicines and groceries will not be increased for now. The change is planned to take effect no later than September 1st 2024. - Increases in healthcare fees
Some fees within public healthcare will be increased. This applies to the healthcare services of wellbeing services counties. If you have prescription medication, the deductible for medications will be increased from €50 to €70 per year. At the same time, fees for doctor visits will also be raised. The extent of the increased fees is still unclear. The fees will be raised during the autumn of 2024.
The government’s decisions will hit students hard. The Student Union will keep you updated on the decisions being made. The Student Union is also working together with other student unions and the National Union of University Students in Finland to try to prevent the total dismantling of students’ basic security.
The Student Union of ÅAU (ÅAS) is looking for a new Member of the Board for August–December 2024.
Please note that in order to apply for the ÅAS’ Board, you need to be proficient in Swedish as it is the Student Union’s official operative language.
You can find more information about applying for the position in the Swedish version of this news article.
The Student Union of ÅAU continues to work for the climate as the backyard of the Kåren building will be transformed into a root vegetable garden in collaboration with Kårkaféerna.
As a part of the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University’s (ÅAS) environmental plan to combat climate change, both the Student Union and Kårkaféerna have made significant efforts to promote locally produced food. To continue working for the environment, the backyard of the Kåren building will be transformed into a garden where root vegetables will be cultivated. Based on the results of Kårkaféerna’s customer questionnaire, the focus will primarily be on locally produced beetroots.
The Student Union is committed to environmental efforts in both campuses, therefore the terrace of the Havtornen building in Vasa will be converted into a fishing pier. Rumor has it that fish fingers are very popular at Academill, and ÅAS aims to compete in the local fish finger market and secure its share of the profit.
In the near future, ÅAS will recruit both gardeners and fishermen. Both the Student Union and Kårkaféerna hope that as many as possible will apply for these sought-after positions.