10.2.2010

University of Oulu has begun co-operation negotiations with the staff and estimated cuts are 180 man-years. Despite the great financial challenges faced and the need for cuts, students’ conditions for studying and their possibilities to progress in their studies must be secured. The Student Union of the University of Oulu (OYY) demands that staff cuts are made in a way that does not hinder the basic tasks of the University of Oulu, teaching and research. Cuts need to be productive and can be received for instance through re-organising support services.

The Student Union of the University of Oulu is especially worried about the Language Centre’s situation. Is the talk of a research university of high international level only rhetorical? Language Centre has been in financial difficulties for sometime already, but it would be very short-sighted to make cuts to language teaching in a situation where more and more of the funding for universities is based on the level of their internationalization. Teaching English does not provide students with varied language skills, but they need to be offered academic teaching of good quality in a wide-ranging set of languages. “Language courses inspire students to go on an exchange and give valuable skills that help students to get employed” reminds Ilari Nisula, the president of the board of the Student Union of the University of Oulu.

The situation with Finnish courses offered to international students is also very worrying. If the University wants to retain its international degree students, they need to be offered a chance to adapt to Finland through learning our language.

Organising language teaching is already under a strain due to previous cuts. Lack or insufficiency of teaching resources can not delay students from graduating or diminish their chances of finding employment that corresponds to their degree.

Student Union of the University of Oulu

Ilari Nisula
President of the Executive Board

Wille Leppämäki
Secretary General (acting)

More information: the President of the Executive Board, Mr. Ilari Nisula  (tel. +358 40 523 1821, email lari.nisula at oyy.fi), Secretary for International Affairs, Ms. Tiina Kotti (tel. +358 40 861 0868, email tiina.kotti at oyy.fi)

The original text in Finnish here.

 

Festive sitsit -party 25.2. at 19.00-23.00 PR104, Linnanmaa

INVITATION TO A FESTIVE SITSIT -PARTY

We have a pleasure to invite you, the member of the Student Union of the University of Oulu, to celebrate with us the 50-year-old history of the Student Union. For this we have in the week of the anniversary week of the Student Union the festive Sitsit -party.

Sitsit in Finnish is a traditional academic student feast, where we eat, sing spaps songs and have fun. For further information see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitsit

Dresscode: Cocktaildress The evening card costs 15 euros. Sign and pay until in 17th February the bank account of OYY, the number is 574136-214131. The signing is on in Wednesday 10.2 in the website www.oyy50.fi/tapahtumat/juhlalliset-sitsit-252. Be fast, there is only hundred place to sign in. Please tell us also, if you have an avec-person with you. The avec must also sign in him-/herself. Tell also, if you have any allergies or special diet.

 

Oulun ylioppilasapu gives scholarships to students studying for Bachelor's or Master's degree in the University of Oulu. Application period for the scholarships in 2010 is 1.2.-5.3.2010.

Altogether 10 scholarships of 500 euros will be given out. The criteria for giving out scholarships are based on the student's success in studies and social factors.

Scholarship application forms are available in the Linnanmaa campus stationery shop, Uniresta student restaurants, Kahvikolo in Kajaani, KYY's office in Kuopio or in the Student Union website.

Grantees will be notified personally by 24.3.2010.

The application form is returned to the Board of the Oulun ylioppilasapu to the address: Mannenkatu 1 A (2nd floor), 90100 Oulu, by Friday 5.3. 2010, 14:00.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM 2010

Oulun ylioppilasapu
Samira Fahim
President of the Board

More information:
Tiina Kotti, tiina.kotti@oyy.fi, 040 861 0868
Samira Fahim, norafahi@paju.oulu.fi

 

Oulun ylioppilasapu ry

The association Oulun ylioppilasapu ry, "Student Help in Oulu" is co-operation between the Student Union of the University of Oulu, the University of Oulu and the City of Oulu.

Oulun ylioppilasapu ry was founded in 1962. From the start the aim of the association was to support students studying in the University of Oulu.
The association began to provide student priced meals in 1964. Later on this student restaurant activity has grown to take the center of the association's work.  The student restaurant company is nowadays known as Uniresta. The dividend yielded from Uniresta forms the main source of funding for the activities of Oulun ylioppilasapu. Oulun ylioppilasapu ry possesses 83 % of Uniresta's shares.

At present Oulun ylioppilasapu has three members: Student Union of the University of Oulu, Oulu University Scholarship Foundation and City of Oulu. The main objective of Oulun ylioppilasapu is still to support students by scholarships. The application period for the scholarships is in the beginning of each year and will be publicized on the Student Union website yearly.

Student traditions at their best: funny, daring or just weird sing-along songs!

Finnish students have a tradition of making their own versions of traditional or popular songs and sing them in parties, dinners and even in sauna. It is an essential part of student life to know these songs.

In the Song Night the Student Union OYY celebrates its 50^th Anniversary Year and gives out a diploma to the best group of singers. Come and see what it’s all about in the restaurant Caio, Sammonkatu 10 (Kaijonharju), 20.1. from 20:00 onwards.

Student Union’s 50th Anniversary celebrations for the Autumn term culminate in Afternoon Coffee in memory of a so-called “Elf professor” in a cupboard at the Department of Physics, TE305 on Dec 12^th, 12 o’clock. All students and staff are welcome to attend.

The “Elf professor”, Aapo Heikkilä (born April 12th 1931 in Haapavesi – died April 22. 1993) entered the University of Oulu very early on after the university was started. He took part particularly in the lectures of physics, chemistry and mathematics, and started to develop his own field of science, ortotopology. He became a popular shadow lecturer who was also approved of by the official university staff. His lectures, which he held a few times a year, always filled even the largest lecture halls. Like private lecturers before him he, too, collected money from his audience to cover the expenses. The Afternoon Coffee will take place in a cupboard which was given to him for office space as he started to give lectures in the field of ortotopology, a pseudoscience he invented.

Heikkilä’s fame as a lecturer of ortotopology spread around and he would travel at least to Helsinki, Kemi, Mikkeli and Tampere to lecture. Also the ortotopology exercise classes he organized, the coffee party on the day of Aapo in December and his birthday party in April were popular events. The active participation of students guaranteed that the unconventional Aapo Heikkilä was chosen the Oulu Citizen of the Year in 1987.

Welcome to celebrate the memory of the “Elf professor” with the Student Union!

More information: Secretary for Organisational Affairs Niina Koponen, jarjestosihteeri@oyy.fi, 0400 381 321

The chairperson of the Student Union of the University of Oulu for the year 2010 is Jaakko Laitakari (from the group Teta – ”students of technology and economics”) and the vice chairperson is Matti A. Kemi (group Huka – “students of humanities and education”). Laitakari will chair the meetings of the Council of Representatives and represent the Student Union.

The chairperson of the executive board for 2010 is Ilari Nisula (group Kokoomusopiskelijat – ”Coalition party”). Members of the board are Iikka Meriläinen (Teta), Outi Kukkonen (Teta), Tarja Longi (Huka), Sarianna Kivimäki (Huka), Pauli Kangas (group Tieteelliset – ”students of science”), Veera Juntunen (Tieteelliset) and Tapani Lintula (group Keskustaopiskelijat – ”Centre Party”). The board and chairpersons were selected by the Council of Representatives in their meeting on Dec 1^st.

Future chairperson Ilari Nisula thanks the Council for the post and states that the theme of 2010 for the OYY is communality: students as members of the University community and as residents of the city of Oulu.

The annual general meeting of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) was held on 20.-21.11. For the first time in 5 years Oulu has its representative in the board, Ville Impiö, who is currently the president of the board in the Student Union of the University of Oulu. 25-year-old Impiö studies Finnish and Scandinavian history and has previously been active in his student guild and politics.

The general meeting of the National Union of University Students makes decisions on the future policies of the Union and its action plan and selects its board. There were 145 representatives attending the meeting from 21 student unions.