The board and the staff are happy to tell you more about the Student Union and how to participate!
Representative council
Representative Council (RepCo)
The highest decision-making body of the Student Union of the University of Vaasa is a 30-member council, whose members are elected for a two year term. All VYY members have the right to vote in Representative Council elections, that is, all the university basic degree students as well as those exchange and post-graduate students who are registered as attending and have paid the Student Union fee.
The Representative Council determines the Student Union’s strategy as well as, among other things, the amount of the membership fee and the action plan. The Representative Council also appoints the Executive Board and chooses the Secretary General.
Meetings of the Representative Council are open to all VYY members and the Representative Council meets about once a month throughout the academic year.
The chairperson of the representative council has the highest position of trust in the Student Union. Their duty is to lead the representative council meetings. In case you have questions about the council, please contact the Chairman of the Representative Council or the Secretary General.
Representative council groups and contact information
The chair of the representative council 2025: Jonni Kuortti (Warranttilaiset). Their email is epj@vyy.fi.
The Representative Council groups’ numbers of seats and their chairpersons’ names for the term 2024-2025
- Warranttilaiset, 12 seats, group leader Lauri Hasa
- Unioni, 3 seats, group leader Lauri Suojanen
- Tuttilaiset, 6 seats, group leader Henrik Seppä-Lassila
- Kampusporvarit, 6 seats, group leader Nuutti Metsämäki
- Punavihreä Allianssi, 3 seats, group leader Veeti Katainen
Representative Council FAQ
What is the Representative Council?
The Representative Council (also known as edustajisto or edari) is a group of ordinary university students who decides on the most important matters that concern the Student Union and all its members. The VYY Representative Council has 30 members. The council is elected once every two years in an election where any VYY member may enter as a candidate and vote. All members also have the right to come and observe the council’s meetings, which are held about once a month from September to May.
What is a council group?
The Representative Council has 30 members. A majority of the members belong in a council group. Groups are usually formed by people with a common cause, such as a field of study or a political stance.
What do students do in RepCo?
RepCo meets about once a month. There are usually no meetings during the summer. At the meetings, topics listed in the following paragraph are discussed and decided on. An evening school is arranged before some meetings to discuss the topics of next meeting in more detail. Some backgroud information and documents might also be discussed to ensure time for questions and comments. Voluntary social ctivities can be also organised from time to time for members of the RepCo.
What difference can I make in the Representative Council?
The Representative Council decides on a variety of things, ranging from the membership fee amount, Student Union rules, action plan and budget to the election of the Board and choosing a Secretary General. The annual action plan directs the activities of the Board and staff, determining what the Student Union will use their resources on.
Who can enter the election as a candidate?
All VYY members who have registered as attending at the University of Vaasa and paid the Student Union membership fee! You can either start your own electoral coalition, join an existing electoral coalition or run as a non-partisan candidate. The choice is yours.
Who can vote in the RepCo elections?
All members of the Student Union who have registered to the University by the date stated in the election notice may vote in the elections.
How do I enter the election as a candidate?
RepCo elections are held every two years. The next elections will be in autumn 2025. The nomination process will open at the beginning of the autumn semester and will be announced on the elections website and on VYY's social media channels. To enter the election as a candidate you must fill out the Declaration of Candidacy form. All election documents are available at the Student Union service office. If you have any questions concerning how to fill out the Declaration of Candidacy or any other documents, do not hesitate to contact the proxy of your electoral coalition or the Student Union staff. In fact, if you have any questions at all concerning the election in general, you can come visit the Student Union service office or send email to the staff.