Approved by the Council of Representatives on 19 March 2019.
CHAPTER 1
General provisions
Section 1 – Scope of application
This standing order is in force alongside with the Universities Act (558/2009), University of Jyväskylä rules of procedure and the Student Union’s regulations.
This regulation shall apply when selecting student representatives to the following bodies: Board of Executives, University Collegium, Faculty Councils, Independent Institutes, Appeal Committee, JYY’s Board of Business, and to other possible permanent multi-member bodies of the faculties. These provisions shall apply, mutatis mutandis, when selecting student representatives to various other bodies, committees or working groups to which the University or any other body requests the Student Union to select student representatives or to make a proposal of student representatives. The provisions may also be followed in the selection of members or representatives to the internal bodies of the Student Union.
The selection of student members to institutions common to several universities shall be agreed between student unions.
Section 2 – Time of election
Student representatives must be elected to the bodies whose term of office begins at the beginning of the academic year by the end of May. Student representatives must be elected to the bodies whose term of office begins at the beginning of the calendar year by the end of November. Student representatives of other bodies, committees or working groups shall be elected without delay.
The length of the term of office of the student representatives in administration is determined in the rules of procedure of the University.
CHAPTER 2
Eligibility
Section 3 – Eligibility
Under this regulation, eligible for the position of a student member shall be a person who has the right to complete a lower university degree, higher university degree, licentiate degree or a doctorate. In addition, exchange students who have paid the JYY’s membership fee are eligible for the position.
Eligibility shall require that a student has registered for attendance at the University of Jyväskylä prior to the beginning of the application period. The Student Union’s employees, even if they are not members of the Student Union, shall also be eligible for the position, unless the position in question is for a faculty or department, as described in Section 4.
Not eligible for the position shall be persons who, on the basis of the electoral rules of procedure, are eligible to vote and eligible in elections as part of the University staff.
Section 4 – Faculties and departments
Persons who fulfil the qualification requirements for Faculty Council member shall be only those who have the right to complete a degree in the faculty in question.
When selecting student representatives for the permanent multi-member bodies that may be established in faculties, persons who have the right to complete a degree in the faculty in question shall be the only ones eligible for the position.
Section 5 – Disqualification during the term of office
A person shall lose one’s eligibility for the position of a student representative during one’s term if one registers as absent, is no longer registered for attendance at the University or no longer have the right to complete a degree in the faculty or department of which one is a member. In addition, disqualified shall be persons who, on the basis of the electoral rules of procedure, become eligible in elections as part of the University staff. A person who has lost one’s eligibility during the term of office shall be deemed to have resigned from the position. The person shall notify the Student Union of the loss one’s eligibility.
CHAPTER 3
Applying for the position of a student representative in administration
Section 6 – Preparing the application and selection process
A Student Union employee assigned for the job shall be responsible for preparing the application and selection process.
Section 7 – Call for applications and supplementary application round for the University Board, University Collegium, Faculty Councils and the Boards of Independent Institutes, Appeal Committee and JYY’s Board of Business, Delegation of KOAS and Kampus Kustannus Editorial Council
A vacant student representative position shall be publicly declared open. The Student Union employee assigned for the job shall be responsible for the call for applications.
A student member’s position of trust shall be declared open with the call for applications on the Student Union’s official notice board at least fourteen (14) days before the application period ends and before the term of office changes. If a student member’s position of trust is declared open mid-term, the call for applications shall be published on the Student Union’s official notice board at least seven (7) days before the application period ends. The person responsible for the call for applications shall decide on the other ways of informing. The Board may appoint a person to an organ without declaring the position open, as provided in Section 16 of these regulations.
Section 8 – Other organs, working groups and boards
Positions of trust shall be publicly declared open if possible. The call for applications shall be published on the Student Union’s official notice board at least seven (7) days before the application period ends. The person responsible for the call for applications shall decide on the other ways of informing.
The Board may appoint a person to an organ without declaring the position open, as provided in Section 16 of these regulations.
Section 9 – Re-opening and extending the call for applications
A position of trust may be declared re-opened or the application period may be extended if the Board or a selection committee, established in accordance with Sections 13 or 14 of these regulations, considers that the Student Union’s interests so require or if there are not enough applicants.
If a position is re-opened or the application period is extended, the previous candidates shall be considered without a new application.
If a position is declared re-opened, the application period referred to in Sections 7 and 8 of these regulations may be changed.
Section 10 – Applications
A person shall submit the application to the Student Union, as provided in the call for applications.
Applications shall be treated confidentially by the Student Union’s employee and, in accordance with these regulations, by a general or special selection committee.
Section 11 – Selection proposal
Mainly persons who have submitted their applications within the application period and are eligible for the position of trust in accordance with Section 3 of these regulations or a consenting Student Union employee may be appointed to a student representative position. The Student Union employee responsible for preparing the selection process shall verify that the applicants are qualified for the position in accordance with Chapter 2 of these regulations. If the position has not been publicly declared open, or if there are not enough applicants, a person who has given one’s consent may be appointed for the position.
No person may be elected or appointed as a student representative against their will. Applicants may be asked to supplement the application and interviewed if necessary.
In order to assist with the preparation of the selection proposal process, written statements may be requested from the student associations operating in JYY’s domain on the applicants. A written statement may also be requested on the distribution of student representative seats in the bodies of faculties or departments.
Section 12 – Selection
The selection of the student representatives shall always be made by the general selection committee, except when the student board members of the University Board and the student members of the Board of Business are selected, in which case the special selection committee shall make the selection. In addition, the Council of Representatives may make such other proposals as it deems necessary for the preparation of the special selection committee. The proposal shall be made in accordance with the rules of the Student Union to the relevant decision-making body: the Council of Representatives or the Board of Executives.
The student representative’s selection proposal shall take into account the applications, and possible interviews and statements by the student associations. The proposal must state the reasons on which the choice is based. The proposal shall also take into account the eligibility criteria stated in Chapter 2 of these regulations.
If the number of applicants for the position or positions of a student representative is equal to the number of positions to be filled, the general selection committee shall not meet unless the chairperson convenes the meeting for special reasons.
Section 13 – Selection committee
The Council shall establish a general selection committee at its first meeting. Each Council group may nominate one (1) member and one (1) deputy member to the selection committee. The term of office of the general selection committee shall be one year. Changes in the composition of the general selection committee shall be approved by the Student Union Board.
The duties of the general selection committee shall be:
- to process the applications for the position of student representative in administration;
- to declare a position of student representative in administration re-opened or extend the application period, if necessary;
- to interview as many applicants as deemed necessary, and
- to make a proposal for the selection of a student representative in administration to the Council.
The general selection committee shall be chaired by the Chair of the Board of Executives, in the Chair’s absence by the Vice Chair of the Board of Executives or by another person appointed by the Student Union Council. The secretary of the general selection committee shall be the employee of the Student Union who is responsible for preparing the selection of the student representative in administration. In addition, the general selection committee shall consist of at least three (3) Council members or deputy Council members.
Section 14 – Special selection committees
The Student Union Board shall establish special selection committees to make proposals for the selection of a student member of the University Board, student members of the Student Union Board of Business, and such other bodies as the Council may deem necessary. There may be more than one special selection committee at a time. When a special selection committee is established, the Board must determine what selection it will prepare. The members of the special selection committees shall be selected by the Student Union Board as proposed by the Council groups.
The duties of the special selection committees shall be:
- to process the applications for the position of student representative in administration;
- to declare a position of student representative in administration re-opened or extend the application period, if necessary;
- to interview as many applicants as deemed necessary, and
- to make a proposal for the selection of a student representative in administration to the Council.
The Council shall appoint the chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the special selection committees. The special selection committees shall be chaired by the Chair of the Board of Executives, in the Chair’s absence by the Vice Chair of the Board of Executives or by another person appointed by the Student Union Council. If, however, the appointed chairperson and vice chairperson are prevented from performing their duties, the Student Union Board shall have the right to appoint another person as chairperson of the selection committee. The secretary of the special selection committee shall be the employee of the Student Union who is responsible for preparing the selection of the student representative in administration. The special selection committee shall consist of 5 Council members or deputy Council members. Each Council group that is not part of the special selection committee shall have the right to nominate one representative who has the right to attend and hear the discussions of the special selection committee and to hear the reasons for their selections after the interviews.
Special selection committees must be established when a student representative is elected to the University Board for a new term and when student members are elected to the JYY Board of Business for a new term. In addition, special selection committees must be established without delay whenever a student board member of the University Board or a student member of the JYY Board of Business resigns, is dismissed or loses one’s eligibility during the term of office.
Persons appointed to the general selection committee may also be selected for the special selection committees. A person may be a member of several special selection committees at the same time.
The special selection committees may invite one (1) expert member with the right to attend and speak.
Section 15 – Selection committee meetings
The selection committee convenes at the invitation of the chairperson or, in the chairperson’s absence, at the invitation of the committee’s secretary.
For each position of student representative to be filled, the selection committee shall determine whether a member of the selection committee is disqualified from submitting a proposal for selection in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. The disqualified person shall not participate in the consideration of the matter.
Minutes shall be taken of the meeting of the selection committee.
The general selection committee has a quorum when the chairperson or the vice chairperson and four members are present.
Special selection committees are quorate when the chairperson and four members are present.
The chairperson and secretary of the selection committees shall have no voting rights. In case of dispute, the voting procedure specified in the rules of procedure of the Board shall apply. Each member of the selection committee shall have one vote.
If there are not enough applicants, the selection committee may decide to extend the application period in accordance with Section 9 of these regulations.
Section 16 – Election
In accordance with the rules of the Student Union, the Council shall elect the student representatives to the University’s Board, University’s Collegium, Faculty Councils and Boards’ of Independent Institutes. In accordance with the rules of the Student Union, the Council shall appoint the Student Union’s Board of Business. The Board of Executives shall elect student representatives to organs which have not been reserved to the Council to decide on. In addition, the Council shall, in accordance with the rules of the Student Union, to decide on other matters which the Council has reserved the right to decide in individual cases or which the Board considers necessary to be resolved by the Council.
At least one student representative from each faculty must be elected to the University Collegium. This must also be taken into account when a student representative resigns, is dismissed or loses one’s eligibility during the term of office.
In special circumstances, the Board may appoint a Board member, Student Union employee or other consenting and qualified person to an organ without declaring the position open when it considers that the students’ interests so require.
CHAPTER 4
Resignation and dismissal of a student representative
Section 17 – Resignation
The resignation of a member of the University Board shall be governed by the Universities Act.
The Student Union Council may, with good reason, dismiss a member or deputy member of the University Collegium, Faculty Council or an Independent Institute, or a member or deputy member of another institution to which the Council has elected a representative. The Student Union Board may, for good reason, dismiss a member or deputy member of an institution to which the Board has elected a representative.
The Council and Board may, for good reason, refuse to dismiss a student representative applying for resignation. This may be the case, for example, if the institutions cannot be supplemented in accordance with Section 19 of these regulations.
Section 18 – Dismissal
A student representative may be dismissed if one has become incapable of discharging one’s duties, has repeatedly failed to fulfil one’s duties, or if there is otherwise a particularly compelling reason for doing so. Before the dismissal, the person in question shall be given an opportunity to provide an adequate explanation of the situation within 30 days of being informed about the dismissal. The decision to dismiss the student representative shall be made by the institution of the Student Union responsible for the election, provided that, after the allotted time, compelling reasons can be given for the dismissal and the student representative is no longer suitable for the position.
Section 19 – Supplementary application
If the current student representative of a body resigns, is dismissed or loses one’s eligibility for the position, the consenting deputy representative shall attend to the student representative’s duties. If the deputy representative becomes an actual representative, a new student representative shall be elected in the supplementary application round, as provided in Chapter 3 of these regulations.
If a deputy representative or an actual representative with no deputy representative resigns, is dismissed or loses one’s eligibility for the position, a new student representative for the position shall be elected in the supplementary application round in accordance with Chapter 3 of these regulations.
A previous unsuccessful applicant for the position may be considered without a new application, provided that the applicant has given one’s consent.
CHAPTER 5
Appeals
Section 20
The decisions of the Student Union may be appealed as provided by the rules of the Student Union.
Section 21
The decisions of the Student Union Council and Board may be appealed as provided by the Universities Act, the Administrative Procedure Act and rules of the Student Union.
CHAPTER 6
Entry into force
Section 22 – Entry into force
This regulation has entered into force on 19 March 2019.