Weekly Newsletter 42/2013

This is AYY’s weekly newsletter 42/2013

AYY’s exchange scholarships for the autumn are open for applications during October. Further information is available at ayy.fi/stipendit.

If you have graduated as a bachelor in the spring, please remember to respond to the Bachelor’s feedback survey you have received to your email. Each response gives more information to the university on how to develop the university. This is the first survey based on which the Ministry of Education and Culture allocates part of the basic funding to universities.

This and next week’s events
Bachelor of the spring of 2013 – please respond to the Bachelor’s feedback survey!
AYY’s Central Office moves to the facilities of Otaniemi Service Point – changes to opening hours and entrances
Apply for the board of the Fund for Promoting Teekkari Activities
Nominate honorary Teekkari H.C. titles and user rights for the teekkari cap
Matlab now available for students’ own computers
FSHS: new websites related to oral health, nutrition and exercise
Study psychologists’ relaxation workshop
Art of Living life skills group
On the Couch goes Degrowth
Otaniemi Chapel Choir 35^th anniversary
Free screenings of Spanish films in Tapiola and Helsinki
Scholarships available for Aalto students and teachers (until 15 Oct 2013)
Respond to surveys and have effect on the future of Otaniemi Campus

1. This and next week’s events

WEEK 42

Tue, 15 Oct – Teekkari spex staging workshop
Tue, 15 Oct – CV clinic (ENG)
Tue, 15 Oct – Café Lingua
Wed, 16 Oct – ADS Weekly Debate
Wed, 16 Oct – Matti Niemelä: Nuori aikuinen, kasvu ja kriisit
Fri, 18 Oct – HIPHOP intensive course at Polijazz
Fri, 18 Oct – MasterChef AEGEE edition
Sat, 19 Oct – Floorball LOB – KGB Agents
Sun, 20 Oct – Otaniemi Chapel Choir 35^th anniversary
Sun, 20 Oct – Teekkari spex arrangement-lyrics-band workshop

WEEK 43

Tue, 22 Oct – CV and application lecture (CHEM, ELEC, ENG, SCI)
Tue, 22 Oct – Teekkari spex fun workshop
Wed, 23 Oct – Advance voting of the Representative Council elections begins
Wed, 23 Oct – Welcome to the life skills course
Wed, 23 Oct – Game night
Thu, 24 Oct – Dominante’s autumn concert
Fri, 25 Oct – Recombination
Fri, 25 Oct – Brothel
Sat, 26 Oct – Gig night
Sat, 26 Oct – Participate in Espoo Mölkky event
Sat, 26 Oct – REGGAETON and DANCEHALL intensive courses at Polijazz
Sun, 27 Oct – KY Economics goes Hong Kong

2. Bachelor of the spring of 2013 – please respond to the Bachelor’s feedback survey!

All Aalto University students who have completed their Bachelor’s degree in the spring of 2013 have received an e-mail request to respond to the feedback survey in the message. AYY and Aalto University wish that everyone who has received the survey will respond to it. If you have graduated as a bachelor last spring, you are included and have time to participate between this Monday, 30 Sept and 18 Oct.

In addition to course feedback, this feedback from Bachelors is a way to tell the University how it has succeeded in its teaching responsibility. The same survey is conducted in all other universities. From the year 2015 onwards, the Ministry of Education and Culture (OKM) will also allocate EUR 50 million for universities from their core funding based on students’ satisfaction. This satisfaction is measured with this survey. One section of the survey also provides counter feedback, when the respondent can directly see how his/her answers are placed in relation to students who have previously responded to the survey. YOPALA project of the Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for the feedback survey, which is implemented by the German CHE Consult GmbH specialising in higher education.

The survey was conducted for the first time in the spring of 2013. Based on the results, Aalto University’s bachelors appreciate exchange studies more than the average student and consider international experience very important in terms of their future career. Students at Aalto University also work more during their studies than the average student and the work is more often related to the student’s own field. In addition, the respondents wished for more feedback from teachers.

3. AYY’s Central Office moves to the facilities of Otaniemi Service Point – changes to opening hours and entrances

The Student Union’s Central Office will move from Lämpömiehenkuja to Otakaari to the facilities of AYY’s Otaniemi Service Point. The renovation, which began already in the summer, will change the location of housing and member services. The member services currently operate on the ground floor of the building. The entrance to member services is located on the Alvari Square side. Opening hours are as usual. The entrance to the housing office and cashier upstairs will temporarily change when the lobby is under renovation. During the renovation, you can enter the housing office through the white door right next to the regular entrance. After the renovation, the entrance is through the glass doors as usual. The opening hours of cashier services will change during the renovation of Otakaari Service Point. In the future, AYY’s Otaniemi Service Point cashier services will be available on weekdays between 12noon-4pm. Opening hours will be similar to the opening hours of the housing office. Permanent removal from Lämpömiehenkuja to Otakaari will take place by mid-November.

4. Apply for the board of the Fund for Promoting Teekkari Activities

The Fund for Promoting Teekkari Activities (TTE-Fund) operates within Aalto University Student Union. The purpose of the fund is to grant scholarships in order to promote the aspirations of AYY and its members and associations, awake and maintain interest in technical, scientific, economic and social issues, as well as cultural activities.

The board of the fund consists of four members appointed by AYY and three members appointed by the Guild of the Round Tower. The board members are elected for two years at a time and the chair is elected from among the persons appointed to the board by AYY. The board is appointed by the Representative Council of the Student Union. The board is responsible for the granting of scholarships based on applications, while managing the fund’s assets is the duty of AYY Board. The board offers its members a unique vantage point to student activities, as the fund’s opportunity to allocate grants is very significant on AYY’s scale.

Based on the resignation section, two positions in the board of the fund will become vacant at the end of the year, and we are looking for smart and versatile persons to fill these positions. Please fill out the application form by 4pm on 30 Oct 2013 and tell us why you should be appointed to the board. The secretary general confirms the reception of the applications after verifying that the attachments are readable. Applications should include a curriculum vitae and a personal view (the maximum of one page) on how the fund could best implement its duty. If you believe that you are suitable for the chairperson’s position, please mention this in your application. The board members are elected directly on the basis of applications.

5. Nominate honorary Teekkari H.C. titles and user permissions for the teekkari cap

In connection with Teekkarius 141 celebration on 8 Nov, you have the opportunity to nominate honorary Teekkari H.C. titles and user permissions for the teekkari cap. Both are traditions from TKY’s era and today they are acknowledgments arranged by Guild of the Round Tower (PTK) and Teekkari Section. Teekkari h.c. titles and user permissions for the teekkari cap have been granted to persons who have worked long-term and successfully in favour of students. More detailed descriptions on the acknowledgments and the recipients are available at http://ptk.ayy.fi/ .

The deadline for nominations is Sun, 20 Oct 2013 at 11.59pm and nominations are submitted electronically to PTK’s recorder to the address ptk-kirjuri@list.ayy.fi. You can also get answers to your questions at the same address.

Nominations (max. one A4) should include at least the following:

Who?
User permission for the teekkari cap or Teekkari h.c.?
In which position the nominee acts /has acted?
Grounds?

6. Matlab is now available for students’ own computers

Aalto University is the first university in Finland to offer Matlab’s software package for students’ home use. Students can download the installation media and installation instructions through download.aalto.fi service by logging in with Aalto username. Home use of Matlab licence requires that you create Mathworks account.

TAH licence used by the staff will remain unchanged.

Further information from Into and at the address servicedesk(at)aalto.fi

7. FSHS: New websites related to oral health, nutrition and exercise

The site “Keys to good oral health” provides information on matters such as tooth attrition, how the use of intoxicants affects the mouth, and on student health care services. The site also describes the key factors behind good oral health. The site “Healthy teeth throughout life” provides information on matters that influence dental health during your life.

FSHS has compiled information on healthy eating and exercise habits for students on a new website dealing with nutrition and exercise. The website also offers help with managing habits.

Visit FSHS’s new Nutrition and exercise website http://www.yths.fi/en/nutritionandexercise

Many students want help or support with weight control, nutrition and exercise. In total, 41% of the male and 23% of the female students who answered the University Students’ Health Survey 2012 were overweight. One out of five university students and one out of four students of universities of applied sciences say that they only exercise a little.

8. Study psychologists’ relaxation workshop

Always in a hurry? Worries on your mind? Feeling stressed out?

Anxiety, hurry and stress can waste your resources. In the relaxation workshop, you can offer yourself the opportunity to learn ways to relax your mind and body along with your studies. In the workshop, you get current information on the stress reaction and stress management, and practise various ways to stop stress with the help of breathing exercises. The aim of breathing exercises is to learn how to better recognise how your body and mind react to stress and find ways to unwind. Workshop themes:

what is stress, how the body and mind react to stress
processing stressful thoughts with the help of cognitive methods
time management and mindfulness
encountering and utilisating stress-related emotions

Every time, we also practise bodily methods related to breathing in stress management.

Time: Mondays, 12noon-2pm, 28 Oct, 4 Nov, 18 Nov and 25 Nov
Location: Otakaari 1, Classroom M140 (Majakka)

Registrations and further information: opintopsykologi(at)aalto.fi. Please sign up no later than 21 Oct. Four workshop sessions form an entity and you get the most out of the workshop if you participate each time.

9. Art of Living life skills group

Art of Living life skills group will convene on Thursdays, 31 Oct-5 Dec, 4pm-6pm at Otaniemi Design Factory (Betonimiehenkuja 5 c). In a pleasant atmosphere, we immerse in various sections of life through functional means. Topics include time management, self-esteem, relationships and spiritual issues. 12 participants may participate in the group. Further information and registrations to Aalto Chaplains minna.tuominen@evl.fi (050 5965417) and jenny.vainio@evl.fi (050 3652256)

10. On the Couch goes Degrowth

What would be better than spending your Friday night with pizza, beer and Degrowth? On The Couch, organized by Sustainable Business Club (SBC), is an event where opinion leaders and students get together to discuss and debate about critically acclaimed issues. Instead of lecturing, the event is informal and challenges all kinds of opinions and students from different fields of expertise. To give everyone the change to participate in the discussion, the number of participants is limited to 15 – first come first serve.

The first On The Couch invites Timo Järvensivu, a degrowth activist and researcher at Aalto University, to join the Couch to discuss and answer your critical question around “Growth vs. Degrowth”? What? Why? How? For who? The event takes place on Friday, 1 Nov at 7pm in a central location in Helsinki.

There are only 15 seats so be fast and sign up by 23 Oct 2013 by sending an email to aaltosbc@gmail.com with the headline “On the couch”. Tell who you are and what do you study. Pre-material about the topic and more information will be provided later to the first 15 who signed up. SBC gladly answers further questions.

11. Otaniemi Chapel Choir 35^th anniversary

Welcome to the Sunday service in Otaniemi Chapel on 20th of Oct at 11am, Jämeräntaival 8. Coffee and cake after service! You are warmly welcome!

12. Free screenings of Spanish films in Tapiola and Helsinki

Free screenings of Spanish films in Tapiola on 21 Oct 2013 and in Helsinki on 22-23 Oct 2013

The Finnish-Spanish Society in cooperation with the Embassy of Spain organises the week of Spanish cinema on 21-23 Oct 2013. Free admission to screenings (within the age limits). The language of the films is Spanish, subtitles in English (with the excepion of La Vaquilla, which is screened without subtitles)

Further information and the detailed schedule is available on the website of the Finnish-Spanish Society.

13. Scholarships available for Aalto’s students and teachers (DL 15 Oct 2013)

Scholarships allocated from the profit of the funds of the School of Electrical Engineering are available for application.

Scholarships from the student fund and Julius Tallberg’s fund are allocated to Aalto’s engineering students, scholarships from Ernst Wirtzen’s fund, Kansallis-Osake-Pankki fund and Strömberg Ltd’s fund are allocated to Aalto’s teachers.

14. Respond to surveys and have effect on the future of Otaniemi Campus

How, why and when do you move around the campus? Where do we need more bins or bike racks? Aalto University Properties Ltd invites you to respond to a survey that maps out ways to move around Otaniemi Campus and opinions on outdoor areas on the campus. You can respond to the survey at ayk.asiatkartalle.fi. The survey is open until 25 Oct.

There are plans to set up new premises for retail stores in connection with the future Otaniemi metro station. To ensure that the services will address the needs of the consumers in the campus area as well as possible, Aalto University Properties Ltd would like to know the types of services you would like to see in the area. Please respond by 15 Oct at Into.