Apply to HYY’s Board for 2023
NEWS
HYY’s Board is in charge of managing the Student Union during its term. The Board’s term is one year, and it is soon time to once again appoint a new Board for the Student Union. HYY’s Representative Council appoints the former of the Board (practically the chair of the Board) as well as other members of the Board in its meeting on 1 December 2022.
Serving on HYY’s Board is a full-time position of trust, with members of the Board receiving monthly remuneration and a half-day lunch benefit. The duties of members of the Board consist of the Board’s collective duties and duties on each member’s own sector, conducted in cooperation with the Student Union’s personnel. In practice, a bit over half of the working hours is spent on collective duties and a little under half on work on the members’ own sectors according to their areas of responsibility.
The Board’s main duties include managing the Student Union, executing the Representative Council’s decisions and representing the Student Union towards the University and other interest groups. The Board also decides on the Student Union’s recruitments and appoints student representatives in university administration. HYY’s Board also acts as the general meeting of Ylva, the company managing the Student Union’s business operations.
The Board meets several times a week to discuss and decide on the policies and direction of the Student Union. The Board’s contact details are available on the ‘Contact details’ page.
The Board is liable to the Representative Council for all its actions. Members of the Board each have one or several sectors that they are in charge of on the Board.
We are organising an info session for everyone interested in applying to the Board on 11 October at HYY’s Central Office. During the event, which is open to everyone interested in becoming a member of the Board, we will provide more information on acting on the Board. After the Representative Council has appointed the Board on 1 December, the new Board will begin its orientation. The orientation takes up around one week in December. Being able to attend all orientation sessions is not a requirement for serving on the Board, but we hope that as many members as possible would be able to attend all orientation sessions. The Board’s work officially begins with the Board’s traditional trip to a cottage organised in January 2023.
Key dates
11 October 2022: Info session for everyone interested in becoming a member of the Board at 6–8 pm
End of November: Board negotiations
1 December 2022: Representative Council meeting and appointment of the Board
7 December 2022: Orientation for the new Board begins at 10 am–4 pm
8 December 2022: Orientation for the new Board
9 December 2022: Orientation at 1–3 pm
14 December 2022: SYL’s glogg party in the evening
15 December 2022: Orientation at 1–3 pm
9 January 2023: HYY’s Board’s year begins with the Board’s traditional trip to a cottage.
FAQ on HYY’s Board
Is it possible to progress in studies during the year on the Board?
It is possible to progress in your studies to some extent while working on the Board or during the summer, for instance. When planning your studies, you should account for the work on the Board taking up as much time as a full-time job. The Board also has some fixed weekly meetings, such as a weekly morning session every Wednesday and weekly meetings with each member’s own specialist partner, that you cannot miss. However, it is possible to arrange some routines for the working week at the beginning of the year, which means that it may be possible to participate in a lecture course from a scheduling perspective. When making plans for the year, however, you should always remember to take your own coping into account, as well.
Is it possible to have other work during the year on the Board?
You should approach the year on the Board as full-time work. The Board also has a fair amount of various additional engagements where participation is either necessary or at least highly desirable. However, it is possible to have, for instance, a summer job during the year on the Board, should you wish to. Remember, though, that HYY’s Board is paid remuneration for the entire year, including the duration of the summer vacation. When considering potential other work, you should also take your own coping into account.
Is it a problem if I am not an expert in any field to begin with?
Members of HYY’s Board are students and as such have expertise on being a student, which is the most important thing. You will learn a great deal about the substance matters of your own sector as well as the affairs of other sectors during your year on the Board. Keep in mind that HYY’s field of operations is vast, and no-one can fully master it. The expertise of members of the Board will increase rapidly during the course of the year, and skills acquired during the year on the Board will be valuable after the year, too.
What kind of skills does serving on the Board require?
Experience of processing large quantities of information is useful on the Board, as the Board can process numerous different matters related to the Student Union’s operations during a single week. Due to the wide-ranging duties of the members of the Board, being able to prioritise tasks and manage your own work are also important skills. However, you will also improve in these matters while acting on the Board! Requirements for working on the Board are teamwork skills, respect for others and a willingness to cooperate. The Board consists of members from different groups and backgrounds, and you must be able to cooperate and make compromises in order to reach decisions.
How much work is there per week?
Depending on the week, there is usually an average of 37.5 hours of work per week. Some weeks may be significantly longer and others much lighter. HYY’s Board works from Monday to Friday. The occasionally long weeks of the Board are partly compensated by a long summer vacation.
Is it possible to go on exchange during the year on the Board? What if I graduate during the year?
No, going on exchange is not possible. Members of the Board must also be registered for attendance at the University of Helsinki, which means that graduating during the year on the Board automatically leads to a resignation from the Board. It is also worth remembering, that serving on the Board is a full-time position and requires the members to live in the Capital Region.
Is it a problem if I am not much of an extrovert or a natural mingler?
No. The Board’s work entails some representation, but you will receive training and support for that, too. The Board represents HYY at some formal events collectively, while depending on their sector, individual members of the Board also have their own events and occasions they need to attend in an official capacity. We recommend discussing your hopes and fears with the chair of the Board right at the beginning of the year so that they are aware of the kinds of things you are interested in.
Närmare information
Mikko Kymäläinen
mikko.kymalainen@hyy.fi
