Board
Operations of the Board
The Board membership is a one-year position of trust. Key tasks include managing the student union, making decisions on the student union’s public statements, implementing the Representative Council’s decisions, and representing the student union to the university and other stakeholders. Throughout the year, board members engage full-time in addressing common affairs. The Board convenes several times a week to discuss and make decisions on the policies and direction of the student union. The Board's contact information can be found on the Contact information page.
The Board is accountable to the Representative Council for all its actions, and each board member is responsible for one or more sectors.
The 2025 Board:
Sakari Ropponen, ELEC - Chair
Elina Ståhlberg, SCI - Vice Chair, Strategy
Marcell Berta, SCI - Educational Policy
Katariina Kokkonen, ENG - Social Policy
Jenni Toivonen, ELEC - Internationality, Equity & Sustainable Development
Tuomas Nykänen, ENG - Housing, Properties & Communications
Niko Saastamoinen, CHEM - Facilities, Services & Communications
Tuukka Retva, BIZ - Volunteers & Community
Henrik Starck, ELEC - Associations & New Students
Laura Rautiainen, SCI - Business Relations & Finance
The Board’s work mainly consists of meetings and preparatory tasks. The Board typically meets once a week, in addition to joint preparatory discussions, which take approx. 8 hours per week. Members may also hold meetings with their own sector teams, university management, volunteers, and external interest groups. Effective and efficient meetings require thorough preparation, which makes up the majority of the work.
The Board’s year includes monthly Representative Council meetings, where, among other topics, updates from the office and major student union policies are discussed.
Representation and advocacy are major parts of the Board’s work. Presenting, representing, and promoting the interests of the student union at annual celebrations, student advocacy seminars, and meetings of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) are essential responsibilities of the Board.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Board meeting |
Own working hours | Board meeting |
Meeting free Friday: Own working hours |
|
| Board gathering | Work meeting | |||
| Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
Own working hours |
Work meeting |
Board gathering |
Work meeting |
Meeting free Friday: Own working hours |
The board meets during the week for board gatherings, where it updates each other on current issues or discusses joint projects.
The board holds two board meetings per week, where board members' or sector issues are presented and decided upon. The meetings also include preparatory discussions for future decisions.
Work meetings can be internal sector meetings or meetings with other stakeholders.
The duties of a board member may include, for example, working on their own projects and tasks, promoting the action plan, or planning other meetings. These tasks can be performed at any time during the board member's own working hours.
- Meeting fees of approx. €1,250 / month. The compensation allows board members to work full-time on the board.
- A generally accepted reason by the university for extending study time. The purpose is not to study full-time while serving on the Board.
- Right of residence in AYY housing is not reduced during the year on the Board.
- Work experience from management, negotiations and advocacy, for example
- Representative trips to seminars and annual celebrations, for example
Board members are responsible for their own sectors, i.e. ”portfolios". Sector work has two aspects, on one hand, board members represent the Board within their sector teams, and on the other hand, they represent the sector teams on the Board. Portfolios cover different issues annually and are refined according to board members’ interests and plans. Here are some typical examples:
Advocacy and communications
Education policy
Supervises and promotes students’ rights in the academic world. Advocacy work is conducted within the university’s management teams and at the national level.
Social policy
Students’ wellbeing, health, sports and subsistence. Advocacy work and cooperation with Unisport, FSHS and Finnish Student Sports Federation.
Equity
Promotes equality and equity at AYY and Aalto University. Cooperates with Aalto University through monthly meetings and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDI).
International affairs
Promotes international students’ interests and international affairs both within AYY and more broadly within Aalto University.
Sustainable development
Development of ecological sustainability internally and in collaboration with the university.
Communications
Considering communication guidelines for AYY and brainstorming communication ideas. Possible planning and publishing of small-scale communications.
Community and culture
Volunteers
Ensuring the wellbeing of volunteers and providing adequate resources for them to serve in their positions. The link between volunteers and the office.
The volunteer responsible's work will begin immediately after the board election in November with the recruitment of section chairs.
The new volunteer responsible will work with their predecessor to interview section chair applicants between November 29, 2025, and December 3, 2025.
Associations
Responding to association sector emails, working on the association regulation and operating grants, and reviewing applications.
Neuvosto
Chairing the collective committee of subject association chairs, meeting with the university provost with the committee, activities with the Tampere Syndikaatti.
Alumni
Addressing the Alumni Committee affairs with the Board. The link between the Board and Alumni Committee.
Corporate relations
Development and maintenance of the student union’s corporate relations in collaboration with the corporate relations coordinator. Communicating with partners and responding to cooperation requests.
New students
Organises, plans, and develops the orientation for new students and tutor training. Works closely with and chairs the committee responsible for new students.
Real estate and finances
Facilities / services
Development and administration of AYY’s rental facilities. Part of the service team, cooperates with community and real estate teams.
Campus / Student centre
The person responsible for campus affairs acts as a liaison and advocate towards Aalto University Campus & Real Estate ACRE.
Finances
Works with the CFO. Opportunity to participate in stakeholder meetings regarding student union finances and property. Part of the office’s internal real estate management team (usually as the chair).
Housing
Housing advocacy, HOAS cooperation, strategies for housing development
Rules of Procedure of the Board document states the following about the Board's duties:
The Board is responsible for exercising decision-making, administrative and executive powers in the student union in all matters which are not stipulated in the Student Union Constitution or other decrees to be addressed by the Representative Council and, in particular, the Board is responsible for:
- directing the Student Union’s operations;
- overseeing the administration and finances of the Student Union;
- overseeing that the currently standing decrees, rules and other regulations are complied with
- deciding upon matters regarding the finances or asset management of the student union;
- preparing a proposal to the Representative Council on the membership fee of the student union;
- preparing a proposal together with the Finance Board on the Student Union's budget to the Representative Council;
- providing the annual report to the Representative Council for information;
- signing the financial statement of the Student Union in accordance with the Accounting Act and presenting it to the Representative Council;
- preparing the appointments of the Financial Director and the members of the Finance Board for the Representative Council;
- preparing within its authority the matters emerging in Representative Council meetings;
- implementing for its part the decisions of the Representative Council;
- acting as the manager of the Executive Director;
- deciding upon statements presented in the name of the Student Union;
-
representing the Student Union
Application for the Board
Application for the Board takes place once a year in October-November. All AYY members are eligible to apply. Board duties are generally suited for students in their third year or higher. While a lengthy “Otaniemi CV” is not expected, it is beneficial if the applicant has been active in AYY’s association activities and AYY’s operations (as a volunteer or RepCo member, for example).
AYY has a process for selecting the Board, where the Representative Council elects the Former of the Board, who then conducts interviews and forms a proposal for the Board’s composition. The Representative Council decides on the approval or rejection of the proposal. The Former of the Board serves as the Chair of the new Board.
To apply for the Board, you must:
- Write an application and CV. Submit your application with attachments to rekrytointi(at)ayy.fi and edustajisto@list.ayy.fi.
- Participate in the selection process phases designed by the Former of the Board (typically including a board applicant panel, a group task, and a personal interview).
Applications are public and will be published here.
Application instructions
- We recommend that you submit your application in multiple languages. The student union's official languages are Finnish and Swedish, but English is also an established and accessible language for communication within AYY.
- The application should be 1-2 pages long.
- You can attach a picture or pictures to your application.
- Include in your application: motivation, relevant experience, personal strengths and working methods, interests.
- As part of the CV, we recommend that you also include "Otaniemi CV", i.e. your experiences from the Aalto community and AYY's association field.
- Get prepared and think of the interview as a regular job interview.
- However, the focus of the interview is on what kind of personality you are by yourself and in a group and how you act in different situations, rather than what your CV contains. In terms of the Board's work, it is essential to have members from diverse backgrounds.
- Discuss with the current or former board members about their experiences. https://www.ayy.fi/fi/yhteystiedot
- You can find the former board members at: https://www.ayy.fi/fi/historia/ayyn-menneiden-vuosien-toimijat
- Familiarise yourself with the Student Union’s strategy, policy paper and regulations. https://www.ayy.fi/fi/hallinnolliset-asiakirjat/strategia-ja-linjapaperit
- Review the Rules of Procedure of the Aalto University Student Union Board
- Review the next year’s action plan once it has been approved by the Representative Council.