Weekly Newsletter 34/2012

This is AYY’s weekly newsletter 34/2012

Be sure to register for the attendance and pay the Student Union’s membership fee by 13 Sept. Detailed instructions can be found here. New academic year calendar will arrive this week. Get your own from the service point!

Sunny end of August to all!

This week’s events
Opening of the Academic Year 2012-2013 at Aalto University and Aalto Party
Student financial aid was reformed – did you notice?
Registration for examinations obligatory at all Aalto schools
AYY to help homeless students
Find a flat, Mate!
Nominate Aalto Athlete of the year 2012
The FSHS appointment fees will change as of 1 September 2012
Problems in FSHS invoicing system
Thrill of speed and crafting together
Aalto Beer Pong: Ladyboy tournament on Saturday, 1 Sept

1. This week’s events

Mon, 20 Aug onwards: Polijazz’s CARIBBEAN STREET and LYRICAL HIPHOP!

2. Opening of the Academic Year 2012-2013 at Aalto University and Aalto Party

Otaniemi Campus, Espoo, on Tuesday, 4 September 2012

Programme

13:00-14:30 The opening ceremony (Otakaari 1, Espoo)
15:00-16:00 The blooming campus: planting flower bulbs (Aino’s Square, Otaniementie 11, Espoo)
16:00-21:00 Aalto Party: afterparty (Aino’s Square, Otaniementie 11, Espoo)

The opening ceremony

The students and staff of Aalto University are all invited to celebrate the opening of the academic year on Tuesday 4 September 2012, at 1 pm. The festivities will take place on the Otaniemi Campus this year. The opening ceremony will start with the traditional procession of professors and will continue until approximately 2:30 pm.

Due to the limited number of seats in the opening ceremony, the ceremony can be followed as a webcast at Design Factory.

The blooming campus

After the official opening ceremony the festivities will move on to Ainon Aukio (”Aino’s Square”) to plant hundreds of flower bulbs to decorate the campus for the joy of the Aalto people. Concurrently with the planting ritual the Aalto Garden Otaniemi agricultural society will be established. The planting layout is organised by the Landscape Architecture Student Club Vista.

Aalto Party

Aalto Party is the official but more relaxed continuation of the opening festivities. This party will bring together students and staff to enjoy various activities.

Aalto Party will kick off with the traditional challenge in which the board of AYY (the Student Union of Aalto University) and the management of the university will wrestle. During the afternoon you can participate in human bingo game, watch movies, have a sauna bath, meet and make acquaintances with people, build your dream sandcastle campus and much, much more.

Additional information concerning the Aalto Party programme is on Facebook and at http://avajaiset.ayy.fi/english/

The party will take place on the lawn and parking area between Otaniementie 11 and Konemiehentie 2.

There will be free bus transportation from the Töölö and Arabia campuses to the official Aalto Party.

The departure timetable of the buses:

BIZ (School of Economics): 2:45, 3:15 and 3:30 pm
ARTS: 2:45 and 3:15

Registration

Come out and ring in the campus together!

3. Student financial aid was reformed – did you notice?

Aalto’s student financial aid services organise in cooperation with AYY’s social policy sector the financial aid info on Monday, 27 Aug, 3pm-5pm at Design Factory Studio (address Betonimiehenkuja 5, Otaniemi).

The event focuses on the effects of the two-cycle student financial aid as well as restrictions and reforms to the monitoring of progress. The event is introduced by Financial Aid Chief Anna Pernu.

The event is primarily aimed at students who participate in the reception of new students, but all students who are concerned by financial aid issues are welcome.

Further information on student financial aid reforms:

Welcome!

4. Registration for examinations obligatory at all Aalto schools

Registration for examinations (examinations, interim examinations and interim tests) announced in WebOodi will become obligatory at all Aalto University schools. Registration shall be done no later than one week before the examination via WebOodi.

Students who wish to have their examination questions in another language than the language of instruction of the course shall request them from the teacher-in-charge of the course two weeks before the examination. Please note! At Aalto ECON, the examination questions are available only in the language of instruction of the course.

The list of students registered for the examination is checked before the start of the examination, and only the registered students are let in the examination hall. In large examinations, everyone may be let in the examination hall and the registration checked after the examination; in such cases the examination papers of those not registered for the examination will not be corrected. Students cannot negotiate other examination practices with teachers.

This practice will enter into force at the start of the first evaluation period of the academic year 2012–2013 (from 27 August 2012 to 8 September 2012).

5. AYY to help homeless students

Emergency Housing Coordinator Vera Moshina will operate in AYY until 31 Oct. Ms. Moshina helps all those AYY members who have problems in finding accommodation for the autumn of 2012. The emergency housing coordinator gives advice on how to find housing, organises temporary accommodation and helps with other matters related to housing.

The emergency housing coordinator is available at AYY’s Housing Office in Otaniemi at the following times:

7 Aug – 29 Aug, 12noon-2pm
30 Aug – 15 Sept, 12noon-4pm
16 Sept – 1 Oct klo 12noon-2pm

At other times by appointment.

Vera can be reached by phone at 050 520 9413 and by email at emergencyhousing(at)ayy.fi

Aalto University Student Union also organises temporary accommodation on its premises during September. If you think you need short-term emergency housing, please contact the emergency housing coordinator. The coordinator receives requests for emergency housing and gives advice on practical arrangements. Emergency housing does not generally take reservations in advance and therefore temporary housing is available for those who have an acute need for it.

The emergency housing coordinator will also continuously update AYY’s own database for housing search in the metropolitan area. The database can be found here.

The coordinator has been hired in cooperation with Aalto University. For further information, please contact the emergency housing coordinator or Housing Specialist Jaakko Koivula (050 520 9444, firstname.lastname@ayy.fi).

6. Find a flat, Mate!

Find a flat, Mate!™ is an event for international students looking for an apartment and for landlords looking for a reliable tenant for a longer or shorter period of time. This event is targeted to the international students who have faced difficulties in finding a place to stay in Finland and also for people who are looking for a new tenant, subtenant, flat mate or simply want to offer a place to stay overnight.

The goal is to share information about how to find a flat in Finland and to find solutions for acute housing problems. Lyyra, HOAS, Forenom, and Ne-Rå Councelling centre, are also present to share first hand tips about housing in Finland.

Location: Think Corner, Aleksanterinkatu 7, Helsinki
Date: 30 August 2012, 4.00-7.00PM
More info

7. Nominate Aalto Athlete for the year 2012

Aalto University Student Union and Aalto University Sports Club (AaltoUS) reward Aalto Athlete each year. Aalto Athlete is selected from the proposals received by members and awarded with a trophy in connection with Aaltokymppi race. The search for Aalto Athlete 2012 has begun.

You can nominate any athlete who studies at Aalto and meets the following conditions:

successful in one’s own sport on a national or international level OR this year in particular successful in one’s sport in SELL 2012 Games
successful study progress
fair and honest member of the community

Please submit an informal nomination and grounds for the proposal by Monday, 3 Sept by email to liikunta@ayy.fi. Further information is available from the same address.

8. The FSHS appointment fees will change as of 1 September 2012

As of the beginning of September, all appointments at the FSHS general health and mental health services, including appointments with specialists, physiotherapists and groups, will be free of charge for students. The services of oral hygienists will also be free of charge.

Clients will be required to pay the appointment fees for dentists’ appointments only, and even for dentists’ appointments, the first check-up will remain free of charge for students.

See the new dentists’ appointment fees

The fees for chargeable certificates (such as medical certificates for driver’s licences) and statements remain unchanged. NOTE! In accordance with the current practice, the penalty fee of €25 for an uncancelled, unused appointment will apply also if the appointment would have been free of charge.

9. Problems in FSHS invoicing system

Over the past year, there have been problems in the FSHS invoicing system that the system provider has not been able to fix despite its efforts.

Therefore invoicing to our customers had to be discontinued for the duration of our summer break and some of the invoices for appointments that took place in May and June have still not been sent out.

The system provider has been requested to address the situation so that we can continue our invoicing. Urgent efforts are being made to eliminate the problem.

We have been looking for a better invoicing system since the spring, and our aim is to switch to a new system as soon as possible.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the invoicing system problems and appreciate your patience while the problems are being solved. If you have comments or questions about an invoice or a reminder, please contact us online at yths.fi/en/fee_feedback.

For more information, please contact: Financial Director Olli-Pekka Luukko, olli-pekka.luukko(at)yths.fi

10. Thrill of speed and crafting together

Otatarha Race will be organised on Lakinlaskijaiset Day on 1 Oct, from 2pm onwards – this year the race is greater than ever!

This is the opening shot for building your vehicle!

Design, create, build, challenge yourself and others, get excited.. Any vehicle moving with human power is accepted, the appearance and performance are judged, in addition to team spirit. Gather your team together and sign up for the race!

Further information on Facebook.

11. Aalto Beer Pong: Ladyboy tournament on Saturday, 1 Sept

Aalto Beer Pong will organise a beer pong tournament in Otaniemi, at “Peli- ja sitsitila” (Jämeräntaival 3A). This time, each team should have one boy and one girl player.

The registration is binding!

Participation fee per team is 10 euro (15 euro for long drink/cider), which includes at least two games and drinks for those games (4 beers per game). There are two players in a team (boy and girl). If you can’t find a girl pair, the other player can be dressed as a girl (ladyboy). Below are the rules of the game.

Event on Facebook