The Student Union of the University of Turku has actively followed the progress of the Facility Programme process of the University of Turku. The Student Union understands the need for savings but emphasises the importance of genuine participation of the student community.
The Financial Balancing Programme completed in spring 2023 at the University of Turku also includes a facility saving programme. According to the original plan, the savings target was 10% of the facilities by the end of 2027, which corresponds to approximately four million euros. The University Board raised this target to 15% in its meeting on the 26th of January 2024. This is equivalent to an area of approximately 30,000 m2 and aims at saving five million euros.
The Student Union understands that even difficult decisions will become inevitable. However, TYY emphasises that out of unfavourable options one should always select the best possible one and the interest of students needs to be at the core of decision-making. When possibilities brought by the change arise, the university should utilise them and involve students in the development work and ideation. The concerns, views and wishes of the student community need to be actively consulted. The Student Union is pleased with the development where the university aims at involving the university community better than before, involving people in the early phase of decision-making. Since we are in the beginning of the decision-making process, many questions are still unanswered. Hence, the university is responsible for ensuring that communication on the progress of the decision-making process is clear and understandable.
Reducing the number of facilities should not become an intrinsic value, but savings need to be made in accordance with the savings targets planned in the Financial Balancing Programme. The facility savings target of 30,000 m2 determined by the University Board does not correspond to the targeted five million euros pursued, in accordance with the current calculations. The discussions easily get stuck on the percentage of 15 and square meters, even though they are only a tool to achieve the savings target of five million euros. The Student Union emphasises that all reduced facilities should be accompanied with precise and clear calculations on real savings, including rental costs, maintenance costs and possible savings in renovation costs.
Even after possible changes, spaces for student organisations need to be available to the organisations that currently use them. Student organisations are an irreplaceable part of students’ everyday lives. Organisational activities increase communality and enable learning new things. Student organisations should not be transferred to any random room or space. The facilities in use need to be suitable for organisational activities. Organisations need to be actively consulted at an as early stage as possible in facility changes concerning them.
The Student Union shares the students’ concern over the sufficiency of CampusSport facilities. It is vital that students continue to be able to exercise on campus. Already now half of the university students exercise too little compared to health exercise recommendations (KOTT study 2021). Sports facilities and the available time of use of them should be decreased as little as possible. Additionally, the facilities should continue to be suitable for different forms of sports.
The Student Union of the University of Turku wishes that students’ voice is genuinely heard during the Facility Programme process. The student community must continue to be a party in decision-making, not a group of people following the process from the outside.