News in English

Few students interested in Student Union
According to a poll directed to Student Union members of the University of Tampere at the end of last year, Tamy is seen as distant as an organisation as in the previous years.

"The majority of the members do not participate in student activities in any way. On the other hand, students do not realise that they belong to Tamy, and neither do they know how much they could actually benefit from the membership fee", says the organisation secretary Janne Santala.

However, Tamy is considered important. Only five percent of the respondents would resign from Tamy, if it were possible. Around 80 percent of the respondents find the membership fee of 77 euros either advantageous or reasonable.

"People find it important that someone runs studentsÂ’ matters, even though they do not take part in it themselves", Santala says.

The majority of the respondents were 1st to 3rd year students. Respondents wish more culture and sport events and also alcohol-free and family-friendly events. Tamy will indeed organise two sports days this year.

"We endeavour to fulfil the wishes, but we need to know more exactly, what kind of activity students with families desire", explains the chairman of the Tamy Executive Board, Simo Autio.

The respondents were not fully aware of what Tamy does. Only a few knew for sure which role, for example, the Tamy sections play. The majority are not interested in the Tamy activity.

"70 percent, for example, were not interested or particularly interested in the functioning of the Council of Representatives. It regulates, however, the amount of the membership fee, for instance", Autio points out.

The respondents hope that Tamy would inform its members better. The most popular Tamy medium is still Aviisi.


Kati Rajala elected as new secretary general
Tamy Council of Representatives has elected Kati Rajala, 28, as the new secretary general of the Student Union. The competition against last yearÂ’s chairman, Aksu Piippo, was settled in RajalaÂ’s favour 32-3.

Tamy Executive Board, too, put her forward for the position. RajalaÂ’s two-year term starts in the beginning of May.

Rajala has graduated as a Master of Social Sciences in Political Science from the University of Tampere. Her short-term goal is another MasterÂ’s degree in Public Law.

During her own student years, Rajala found Tamy too remote. She admits that there has been development in several areas after the end of the 90Â’s, but she finds that it still is up to the Student Union to approach other students, and not vice versa.

Rajala is the fourth female secretary general in the Tamy history. Before her, Tamy has had female secretaries general in the 70Â’s, 80Â’s and 90Â’s.


Academic Unit of Employment Office closes down at University
The Academic Unit of the Tampere Employment Office, which works within the UTA Career Services, will be closed down starting from September.

"The productivity program of the state results to relocation of services. In principle, it has already been decided that the service will be transferred to Hämeenkatu", explains Markku Kaunisto, themanager of the labour department of the Pirkanmaa Employment and Economic Development Centre.

According to the productivity program, over ten - or perhaps several dozen - out of 130 positions are planned to be discontinued in the Tampere Employment Office by 2014.

Several employees of different Employment Office units are against the transfer. The Academic Unit employee resources have been cut from three employees to two. As a result of the reduction, appointments are only available for customers who have booked them in advance.

The Academic Unit was founded in 1995. The customer number has been increasing recently. So far customers have been able to consult familiar employees.

"The continuity of the customer service will not necessary be accomplished in Hämeenkatu", states the vocational psychologist of the Academic Unit, Liisa Päivärinta.


Study grant and income limits will rise
The study grant of students at all educational levels will be raised by 15 percent and their income limits by 30 percent. Higher education (universities and polytechnics) studentsÂ’ study grant will thus rise to 275 euros per month.

Prime Minister Matti VanhanenÂ’s blue-green government has written the raises into its programme, to which is normally strictly adhered. Student organisations have demanded the raises to come into effect in the very beginning of next year, but the new government has not yet commented on the matter.

The government also intends to ensure the equal availability of school and student health care services. Particularly, the availability of mental health services is being emphasised.

Anna-Mari Huhtinen chosen as chair for Council of Representatives
Anna-Mari Huhtinen from the Puhuvat humanistit group of representatives has been chosen as the chairperson for the UTA Council of representatives.

Huhtinen is a third-year Scandinavian Languages student and originally from Kuopio. She has acted, among other things, as the Tamy representative of Social affairs and Sports in 2006.

Huhtinen was chosen as the chairperson once Kaisa Koskinen from Syvänsiniset handed in her resignation. Koskinen acted as the chair since last November.


YTHS fees to rise in 2009
University studentsÂ’ health care fees will rise in autumn 2009. The final decision on the matter will be made next year, but SYL has already suggested the YTHS (the Finnish Student Health Service) annual fee to be raised by 3 euros and the appointment fee by 50 cents.

At the moment, a basic degree studentÂ’s YTHS fee is 35 euros in all Finnish student unions. The sum is included in student unionsÂ’ membership fees, which differ in amount.

One reason for the rise is the growth of expenses. Another reason is the agreement that students are supposed to participate in the YTHS financing by a share of 18-20 percent, and this goal has not been reached in the recent years.