Apply to HYY’s Board for 2022!

Interested in serving on HYY’s Board? If so, here’s an info package on the subject made just for you! You can also approach us members of the Board directly, especially if you have more detailed questions related to work on different sectors.

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 2 December 2021.

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, members of the Board divide their working hours between the two fairly evenly, although the Board’s collective work occasionally takes up a larger share of the week.

The Board’s main duties include managing the Student Union, executing the Representative Council’s decisions, representing the Student Union towards the University and other interest groups, and deciding on the Student Union’s statements. 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 is answerable 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 26 October at HYY’s Central Office at 5PM. In 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 appoints the Board on 2 December, orientation for the new Board begins. 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 will be able to attend all orientation sessions. The Board’s operations officially begin with the Board’s traditional trip to a cottage organised in January 2022.

Q&A 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 for 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 on 1–2 days 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, though, 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 the 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 around 30–40 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 as well as spring and autumn vacations.

Is it possible to go on exchange during the year on the Board? What if I graduate during the year?

In practice, going on exchange is not possible. Members of the Board must also be students 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.

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.