Kategoriat
The Student Union Council Election Committee has today, 2 October 2023, confirmed the list of candidates for the election, and raffled the candidate numbers.
The list of candidates can be found below.
The list of candidates
Gemensamma Vasa
2. Emma Soini
3. Noomi Talvio
4. André Martinez
5. Cecilia Stenius
6. Emma Svenlin
7. Lina Sjöberg
8. Christa Borgman
9. Herman Björk
10. Veera Moilanen
11. Oscar Ryynänen
12. Axel Pakarinen
13. Vanessa Björklund
14. André Kjellman
15. Aurora Peurala
16. Angelica Loo
17. Emma Johansson
18. Nea Olli
19. Emma Hagberg
20. Adam Lahtinen
21. Ellinor Calrén
22. Julia Michelsson
De Rättvisa (DRV)
23. Ines Latvala
24. Matilda Nygård
25. Rickard Lindholm
26. Amanda Byskata
27. Nicolina Nordman
28. Carl Englund
Rödgröna Listan
29. Niklas Vaulanen
30. Kajsa Viitamäki
31. Matti Oskari Saarinen
32. Jonatan Wikström
33. Kasper Björkqvist
34. Naava Lahtonen
35. Emma Andersson
36. Marius Baumann
37. Lotta Keskinen
38. Niko Sandberg
MK-listan (MKL)
39. Marcus Kopra
40. Elli Männikkö
41. Teddy Backman
42. Carolina Ahlbom
43. Martina Aspelin
44. Ida Granholm
45. Alexandra Joukanen
46. Sofie Hasselblatt
47. Thomas Sjöberg
48. Albert Kivikangas
49. Viktoria Björn
50. Kasper Karhela
51. Valentin Vainio
52. Emilia Nordenswan
53. Markus Huurinainen
54. Erik Airola
55. Greta Mäkelä
FNT-listan
56. Mattias Eriksson
57. Kristoffer Lindholm
58. Ilkka Saari
59. Kevin Hede
60. Viggo Henelius
61. Casimir Ruohomaa
62. Jens Sabel
63. William Törnqvist
64. Jenny Ek
65. Matias Oksa
66. Erik Malmström
67. Sini Toivola
The Student Union has been publishing the Valpurgis magazine Errores every year since 1933. For 90 years the magazine has been sold, or handed out, almost every 30 April. The archive of magazines at Kåren is large, but mainly analogue.
Thanks to financing from the alumni association the Student Union is able to have someone work with the digitalization of the magazine during the summer. The hopes are not only that the archive will be safer with digitalization, but that the previous editions might be able to be published on the web for everyone to read and enjoy.
Please note that all Errores editions are only available in Swedish.
The Student Union’s membership survey is back!
It is time for all members to give their opinions on our advocacy work, events, and communication. The information the survey will be formatted into a report that will be used to develop and improve the organisation. We will raffle 20 gift cards to Wolt, worth 15 €, amongst those who leave their email address at the end of the survey. Filling in the survey is completely anonymous, even if you participate in the raffle. Here is the link to the survey, the deadline to fill it in is on Monday 23 October.
If you have a good comprehension of Swedish and want to be a part of the Student Union Council for the next two years. Here is the information of how you can run in the upcoming Council elections.
All candidates have to run on an election association’s list. The list of associations in this year’s election and their contact information can be found here. The required forms should be filled in and delivered to the ÅAS service point, either in Åbo or Vasa, before the deadline on Friday 29 October at 3 p.m. The forms (in Swedish) can be found here.
Please note: The work of the Student Union Council is done in Swedish, it is therefore important to have a good comprehension of the language to run in the election.
Statement 22 September 2023
Students have since 20 September occupied Aurum building in Åbo in protest against the Finnish government’s cuts. The Student Union of ÅAU (ÅAS) supports the demonstration and shares the concern with the demonstrators.
The budget negotiations and the planned cuts are causing concern among students. The demonstrations in the campus buildings in Åbo and other cities in Finland are clear examples of that. Cuts in housing allowance and the index freeze of study grants have major consequences for students’ finances, well-being and pace of study. The government’s plans affect both domestic and international students. ÅAS shares the concern with the demonstrators about the current development in society and supports the demonstration. ÅAS and the rest of the student movement have lobbied for the same issues and continues to do it.
The Student Union appreciates the support shown by the principals Mikael Lindfelt (ÅAU) and Jukka Kola (UTU) to the demonstration and the issue as a whole.
Nicolina Nordman
Chair of the Board
The Equality Committee of ÅAU consists of members of the staff and students at the University. There are two student representatives who both have substitutes in case they cannot attend meetings. We are now opening the call for two new substitutes.
Description of the committee’s work
The committee discusses and takes initiatives regarding all aspects of Equality, Equal treatment and accessibility. The committee is involved in the writing of the Equality Plan and Equal Treatment Plan for ÅAU, as well as the follow up on how the plans are implemented.
The committee works in English and Swedish. All materials are translated and the discussions at the meetings are interpreted.
Send your application before 2 October
The Student Union seeks persons with an interest in matters regarding equality and accessibility. The representative will be elected by the Student Union Board on Wednesday 4.10.2023. Send your application via abo.fi e-mail to kansli@studentkaren.fi before Monday 2.10.2023 at 23.59. You can include some text about who you are, what you study and why you want to represent the students in the committee!
Contact regarding the assignment and the election of the representative: Students’ Rights Expert Petra Lindblad, petra@studentkaren.fi
Freshers’ Fair is an event where both new and older students are welcome to participate. This is a yearly event every fall when students have returned to campus after summer break. At the fair you can get to know student associations, but also other organizations and companies. Here you can find a little bit of everything, such as overall patches, membership to associations and attend small competitions. Come and check out what they have to offer!
This year the fair will take place on Tuesday 19 September in both Åbo and Vasa. You can visit the fair in Vasa between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the lobby of Academill (Strandgatan 2). In Åbo you can visit the fair at Kåren (Tavastgatan 22) between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. It is free of charge to visit the fair but some of the overall patches and memberships cost.
Associations, organizations and companies can sign up for the fair through the following links:
To the fair in Åbo:
https://www.lyyti.in/Freshers_Fair_in_Abo_2023_9962/se
To the fair in Vasa:
https://www.lyyti.in/Freshers_Fair_in_Abo_2023_8224
Signing up is free of charge for associations under ÅAS.
Please contact evenemang-abo@studentkaren.fi if you have any questions regarding the event in Åbo and evenemang-vasa@studentkaren.fi about questions for the fair in Vasa.
The electoral register becomes valid on 18 September, but before that you have a chance to check that your name is on the electoral register, and you can vote in the Student Union Council Elections! You can find more information about the Elections on ÅAS site.
How do I know if I can vote or run as candidate?
If you are a member of ÅAS, you have the right to both vote and run as candidate.
If you are unsure whether you have the right to vote, you can check that your name is on the electoral register. You can do that in Åbo Akademi University’s service (open 13–18 September 2023)! When you click the link, a blank page opens asking for login information. You log in to the service by entering your short abo-username and password. Press ”sign in” (or ”logga in”). After a successful login, there will be a text on the top of the web page stating if you are on the electoral register.
The electoral register can also be checked at the Student Union service points, Kåren in Åbo and Havtornen in Vasa (check the opening hours on our website).
If you believe that there is such error in the electoral register that affects your right to vote or eligibility to run as candidate, you can ask the ÅAS’ Election Committee to correct the error. In that case, send an email to karval@studentkaren.fi during the time the electoral register is open for review.
The electoral register is based on data in Åbo Akademi University’s student register before 13 September 2023.
Come and get your free example of the calendar for the academic year (Kårkalender)! You can now find them at our service points Kåren and Havtornen, and at the student service desk in Gripen.
The Student Union of ÅAU (ÅAS) orders calendars for it’s members every year. You will find useful information, room for your own notes, flag days, and both ÅAS’ and the sub-associations’ important event dates in the calendar. Most of the costs of the calendars are funded by ads, and therefore the calendar is free of charge for all members of The Student Union.
Check ÅAS’ service points’ opening hours on our contact page or in the upper part of the webpage. Welcome!
Student unions AYY, HYY, ISYY, JYY, SHS, TYY, TREY, VYY, ÅAS, OYY, LTKY and ArtSU are dismayed at the state of the ongoing racism debate in society and demand concrete measures to eradicate racism. Racist statements made by people in high places have shown what is wrong with racism debate: people targeted by racism are not listened to, racist comments are diminished or taken as a joke, and the debate gets sidetracked. We need anti-racist actions, understanding and solidarity.
We agree with the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) that Finland should be a safe place to live and study. Finland is one of the most racist countries in Europe and has taken a step backwards in eradicating racism. Racist atmosphere and the immigration policy of the government programme undermine the unequal status and difficult situation of many students.
Racism normalises society that lives off hate, fear and discrimination. The power elite’s statements belittling racism and the lack of genuine anti-racist measures further increase conversational inequality in society. Raising awareness of the thoughts and experiences of people facing racism is of paramount importance in actively eradicating racism. The responsibility for tackling racism must be shared.
Institutions have the power and opportunity to influence the direction of racism debate and act in an anti-racist way but have failed to do so. Many have been silent. The silence around the issue and the lack of concrete measures show how complex and challenging the topic is. In the debate on racism, silence is not about avoiding conflict but about accepting racism. It is a privilege not to talk about or address racism.
We no longer want to hear empty talk; we demand anti-racist action from decision-makers.
Aalto University Student Union (AYY)
Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY)
The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY)
The Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä (JYY)
The Student Union of Hanken School of Economics (SHS)
The Student Union of the University of Turku (TYY)
Student Union of Tampere University (TREY)
The Student Union of the University of Vaasa (VYY)
The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University (ÅAS)
Student Union of University of Oulu (OYY)
The Student Union of LUT University (LTKY)
University of the Arts Student Union (ArtSU)