ÅAS elected the Board for 2024 – Jonne Kunnas is the new Chair of the Board

Press release 
5 December 2023 
For immediate release 

The newly elected Student Union Council has today elected the Board and the Presidium for the year 2024. In the coming year, the Student Union’s activities will be led by a Chair of the Board who wants to work for students’ finances and well-being, and a Chair of the Student Union Council who will put focus on careful and respectful decision-making.

At its inaugural meeting on Tuesday 5 December 2023, the Student Union Council elected the Board and Council Presidium for the year 2024. The new Board consists of the Chair and seven Board members, of which the Chair and four Board members will work in Åbo, and three Board members will be in Vasa. In addition, a Vice Chair, a member, and two expert members for the ÅAS’ Financial Board were also elected.

Jonne Kunnas, who was elected as Chair of the Board for the coming year, is a pharmacist student at Åbo Akademi University. Kunnas has previously been a member of the Student Union Council, has been active in associations, and influenced in a trade union’s student association. Kunnas has a clear picture of what he wants to work for as the Chair of the Board of ÅAS.

– In my opinion, the Student Union should strive hard for a more stable financial situation for students, sufficient mental health care, and do long-term work for wellbeing and the quality of education. Within the Student Union, we should continue the work to ensure equal and appropriate operations in Vasa and Åbo. The Student Union’s members should get the best possible services for their membership fee, Kunnas says.

Amanda Byskata was elected as Vice Chair of the board. Niko Sandberg, Oscar Björkell, Emilia Melén, Jan Welroos, Julia Michelsson and Sini Eriksson were elected as Board members. Welroos, Michelsson and Eriksson will work in the ÅAS’ student union building Havtornen in Vasa, while Byskata, Sandberg, Björkell and Melén will work in the student union building Kåren in Åbo.

The new Chair of the Student Union Council emphasises the importance of careful and respectful decision-making

Kajsa Viitamäki (Rödgröna listan) was elected as the Chair of the Student Union Council. Viitamäki has been Vice Chair and responsible for social policy in the ÅAS’ Board in 2023, and will now continue her work within the Student Union as Chair of the highest decision-making body of ÅAS.

– I want to lead an active and committed Council where decision-making is done with care and respect for different perspectives, Viitamäki states.

The rest of the Presidium consists of First Vice President Jens Sabel (FNT-listan) and Second Vice President Angelica Loo (Gemensamma Vasa).

Max Lydman was elected as Vice Chair of the ÅAS’ Financial Board and Felix Nygård as a student member. Jarkko Kaplin and Riina Forsman will continue as Expert members. The Financial Board manages the Student Union’s properties and investments.

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For more information
Veera Gustafsson
Secretary General
tfn. 02 215 4652
gs@studentkaren.fi