The TYY Executive Board is elected annually through a process that includes applications, panel discussions, negotiations, and finally a decision made by the Student Union Council.
Anyone who has celebrated May Day in Turku has likely heard the TYY Board Chair’s May Day speech on Taidemuseonmäki. During their studies, every student at the University of Turku will encounter TYY in several ways – by paying the Student Union membership fee, taking part in the TYY office tour during Fresher Week, or, for instance, in tutor training organized by TYY. The Student Union’s activities extend into the everyday lives of students at the University of Turku in countless ways, and a large part of the daily work is carried out by the TYY Executive Board (informally also called the TYY board) together with the TYY’s staff members.
But how is the TYY Board actually elected? Below you can find more information about the TYY Board selection process.
What is the TYY Executive Board and what does it do?
The TYY Board is the students’ voice within the university community. Serving on the Board is a full-time position of trust, which is also remunerated. In addition to the Chair, the Board usually consists of six members, each responsible for one or more sectors. These sectors may include educational policy, social policy, international affairs, organizational affairs, student culture, sports, corporate cooperation and environment. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged, and typically the TYY Board has included representation from a wide range of study fields.
The Board exercises the Student Union’s administrative and executive power, handling its day-to-day affairs and ensuring the implementation of the action plan. It represents the Student Union externally, supervises its administration, and exercises general executive authority within the limits set by the Student Union rules and the decisions of the Student Union Council. For all its actions, the Board is accountable to the Council, which is elected by the students.
The application process has three stages
The Board’s term of office lasts one calendar year, and the application process is therefore held every autumn. The process traditionally has three stages:
1. Applications
Applicants submit a written application to the Student Union Chair within the deadline specified in the call for applications. In their applications, candidates describe themselves and their motivation. All applications are published on TYY’s website so that both members and the Council can get to know the candidates.
2. Individual interviews
Applicants are invited to an individual interview, where they respond to questions prepared by TYY’s Selection Committee. The interviews are recorded, and the recordings are made available for the Council to view.
3. Panel discussion
Finally, a panel is organized for the candidates. The purpose of the panel is to give a deeper impression of the applicants and their views. Anyone may attend the panel as a viewer. This year the panel will be held on Tuesday, 11 November, from 18:15 to 19:45 in auditorium CAL2 at Calonia.
Behind-the-scenes negotiations
Once the application process is completed, negotiations to form the new Board begin. These take place before the first meeting of the newly elected Council for 2026–2027. Representatives of the electoral alliances, as well as independent candidates elected to the Council, take part in the negotiations.
The purpose of the negotiations is to draw up a proposal for the composition of the Board. The negotiations are chaired by the so-called “elder of the negotiations,” a person chosen from among the negotiators. Usually this is someone whose own electoral alliance has not put forward a candidate for the Board. Negotiations may last for hours, as the goal is to reach a balanced and functional Board. The provisions of the Equality Act on equal gender representation are also taken into account during the talks.
The aim is that the negotiations produce a joint proposal from the Council groups, signed by all, which is then brought to the Council meeting for approval. At a minimum, a majority of the Council must approve the proposal.
If no agreement is reached
Sometimes the negotiations do not lead to a joint proposal. In that case, the matter is resolved through a Council vote. The vote is held between lists: each list contains a proposed set of Board members.
- If one list receives more than half of the votes cast, its candidates are elected to the Board.
- If there are more than two lists and none achieves a majority, a second round is held between the two lists with the most votes.
- The list with the most votes in the second round wins.
- If the result is a tie, the decision is made by drawing lots.
Conclusion
The TYY Board application process includes official applications, a live-streamed and public Board panel, individual interviews, as well as closed-door negotiations. The final decision always lies with the Student Union Council: the representative body elected by and for all members of the Student Union.
Elisa Hyvärinen
The Chair of the Student Union Council