News in English

Aviisi publishes news in English on the Internet

From this issue on Aviisi will publish its Internet news also in English. This new feature was created to bring student news to the attention of non-Finnish-speaking students. The translations are provided by translation student organization Transla.

The English news can be found at www.aviisi.fi in the contents of the latest issue under the headline News in English.

Temporary accommodation moves to Peltolammi

The temporary accommodation provided by Tamy will move to shared apartments in Peltolammi. The accommodation is moved for reasons of safety. “At Domus people were in big rooms and we did not know who had keys to them," explains Tamy Project Secretary, Kaisa Koskinen. There are two three-room apartments with mattresses for temporary accommodation. Keys are available for a deposit of 40 euros.

“We haven´t had room for all the people asking and we´ve had to give foreign students priority," says Koskinen.

“The university should take responsibility for the increasing number of exchange students and their accommodation," Tamy´s Secretary General, Mikko Aaltonen, says. Temporary accommodation is available until the end of September.

VR gives false information on student cards

At the beginning of term many students have told Tamy that VR is making dubious demands. The Tampere ticket office has been asking for the new combined VR and Matkahuolto student card refusing to accept normal SYL student cards for student discounts.

VR says that this has been a misunderstanding by the ticket office staff. Recently VR launched its own student card with Matkahuolto but the SYL cards are still good for student discounts. If you buy your ticket from a ticket machine, you only need your student card on the train when your tickets are checked.

Heated financial aid discussion still going on

During budget talks, the government has decided that there will be no funds allocated for raising the study grant or the income limits for financial aid.

The National Union of Students in Finland, SYL, now puts its hopes on the Parliament that will finalize next year´s budget in December. An on-line petition demanding a raise in the study grant will be handed to the Parliament on Tuesday 12th September. The petition already carries over 120,000 names.

Tamy gets a new removal van

Tamy has bought a new removal van. The used 2003 Nissan Primastar van cost 23,000 euros. Given in exchange Tamy´s old, gray, and battered Toyota Hiace was worth exactly one thousand euros.

The new van is slightly wider than the old one but shorter and more agile. The old Hiace got dented especially in the Student Union´s narrow backyard.

Tamy rents the removal van to its members for 50 cents per kilometer with a minimum fee of 13 euros. The price includes fuel. You can reserve the van by phoning the Student Union General office at (03) 2230 215.


Plans to move the Hämeenlinna DTE

The Hämeenlinna Department of Teacher Education responsible for training class teachers might be moved to Tampere if a proposal by the department staff passes. The planned move would be done by 2011. “The students of the Hämeenlinna department should be heard but that has not been done," criticizes Pasi Rautanen, Tamy´s Secretary for Academic Affairs.

The proposal would combine the different units responsible for early childhood education, class teacher education, and subject teacher education.

Higher education agrees on cooperation

The rectors of universities and polytechnics in Tampere signed a Unipoli agreement in August. Under the agreement the institutions will cooperate, for example, in teaching and research.

“In the future, it will be easier to take courses from different institutions. The schedule is still unclear," says Tamy´s Secretary of Academic Affairs, Pasi Rautanen.

The cooperation will start in fields that already have experience of cooperation.

“We have earlier cooperation, in the fields of dramatics, biomedicine, and economics, for example."