Mid-Week Mail, week 49

• VORNANEN SELECTED FOR SYL 2010 EXECUTIVE BOARD
• INDEPENDENCE DAY TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION 6 DECEMBER
• TURKU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES ASKELI HAKALA SELECTED FOR OLL EXECUTIVE BOARD
• DEPARTMENT COUNCILS IN SEARCH OF STUDENT MEMBERS 1 JANUARY – 31 MARCH 2010
• TYY CHOIR CHRISTMAS CONCERT ON 12 DECEMBER
• TYY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

VORNANEN SELECTED FOR SYL 2010 EXECUTIVE BOARD

TYY Executive Board Chair Jukka Vornanen has been selected as a member of the Executive Board of the National Union of University Students in Finland for 2010.

Matti Parpala of the Student Union of Helsinki School of Economics (KY) was selected as SYL Executive Board Chair. The other new members are: Ville Impiö (Student Union of the University of Oulu), Hannu Jaakkola (Student Union of the University of Kuopio), Laura Keski-Hakuni (Student Union of the University of Helsinki), Juha Töyrylä (Student Union of the University of Helsinki) and Anni Vesa (Student Union of the University of Lapland).

The SYL annual conference at Korpimäki in Espoo lasted three days this year. The reason it was held for so long, is that the Union approved its new political position. SYL also issued a comment, stating that students of university of applied sciences should be able to enjoy the services and benefits of FSHS.

INDEPENDENCE DAY TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION 6 DECEMBER

Finland celebrates its independence on 6 December. Independence Day, a public holiday, is celebrated in many traditional ways, the most common being candles on windowsills and on the graves of those who were killed in war. In the evening, you can witness the most watched televised event of the year: the Independence Day reception organised by the President of the Republic of Finland.

The student unions in Turku will organise a solemn torchlight procession starting at Student House A to the Unknown Soldier’s grave at Turku Cemetery. At the cemetery, there will be music and speeches.

Participants will meet at 17.40 in front of Student House A and everyone will leave at 18.00. The walk to the cemetery takes about 45 minutes. Procession gear: student caps (for those who have one), sub-organisations’ flags and semi-formal clothing in .

The entire programme can be viewed at http://tyy.fi/tapahtumat/2009/903?lang=en

TURKU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES ASKELI HAKALA SELECTED FOR OLL EXECUTIVE BOARD

Kaisa Myllylä, of the Student Union of the University of Tampere, has been selected as Finnish Student Sports Federation (OLL) Chair of 2010.

The OLL Executive Board members selected for the upcoming new year are: Akseli Hakala of the Student Union of Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUO), Sofi Weckman of the Student Union of Helsinki University of Technology (TKY) and Janne Pakarinen, who was selected as a representative working for higher education sports and fitness, from  the Student Union of the University of Helsinki.

A goal of “nationwide and non-discriminatory for higher education sports and fitness” was made as the political strategy for 2010-2015 at the union conference.

DEPARTMENT COUNCILS IN SEARCH OF STUDENT MEMBERS 1 JANUARY – 31 MARCH 2010

A term has been granted for the current University of Turku faculty councils, Turku School of Economics Board and all of the existing department councils until 31 March 2010. This means that a selection of new, temporary department councils for a term to be transferred to the upcoming new or changing departments. This includes:

- all of the departments of the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Social Sciences
- the Department of Teacher Education of the Faculty of Education
- the Department of Information Technology of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
- the Department of Management and the Department of Economics of Turku School of Economics

Nominees for the department councils can be submitted by filling out a form available at the TYY Service Desk or on the TYY website. Please note: you should have Finnish language skills. Signed applications and appended motivation letters must be submitted to the Student Union by Monday, 7 December 2010, no later than 12.00. Applications can also be sent by post to TYY, Rehtorinpellonkatu 4 A, 20500 TURKU. Envelopes must be marked "Haku väliaikaisiin laitosneuvostoihin".

Candidates will be selected at the Student Union Council meeting held 9 December 2009. If there are more applicants than there are seats on the department councils, a Student Union Council selection committee will submit a proposal for selection. Finally, subject associations (including faculty associations), which represent the students of the faculties or departments in question, will be asked to give a statement on the applicants.

More important information on council seats, how to apply and application forms can be found at http://tyy.fi/ajankohtaista/2009/899 (in Finnish only)

For more information contact TYY Secretary for Academic Affairs Tomi Nyström, (02) 276 9613

TYY CHOIR CHRISTMAS CONCERT ON 12 DECEMBER

TYY Choir (Student Union Choir of the University of Turku) will hold a Christmas concert at the beautiful Mikaelinkirkko church (Puistokatu 16, Turku) on Saturday 12 December 2009 at 18.00. You are warmly welcome to our concert which has an international theme: the songs are in six languages, from composers representing six different nationalities, including Francis Poulenc, Sergei Rachmaninov and Jean Sibelius. Free admission, programme leaflets € 12 (€ 5 for students). For more details, visit www.tyynkuoro.fi

TYY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

TYY Committee on International Affairs, 2 December, 17.00, TYY Sauna
TYY Committee on Environmental Issues, 2 December, 16.00, Kaarinankatu 2 b B 16