One era reached its end, when the delegation of the Turku Student Village Foundation, in its autumn meeting on 17th November 2020, approved an amendment to the rules that ends its operations. The delegation held more than 100 meetings during TYS’s over 50-year history, and more than 800 representatives were part of the delegation over the years.
Ending this delegation was part of the amendment process of rules initiated by the Foundations’ Board. TYS rules have last been changed in connection to the amendments to Foundations Act in 2016, when the delegation’s duties were significantly cut down due to the legal changes. After the rules were amended, it was observed that the delegation’s changed role was no longer purposeful, and the Foundation’s rules needed to be renewed.
Chairman of the delegation Niko Aaltonen states that the delegation was an important organ in bringing together the various interest groups of the foundation. Dissolving the delegation feels somewhat sad, but it is the right decision.
”It is always sad to dissolve an organ you were involved in, but I’m proud to have been part of the foundation’s operation on different levels. The foundation is a fine organisation, providing important housing services for students. It also has a terrific, professional staff and board. I want to thank these parties for their excellent cooperation over the years. The delegation’s significance as a decision maker was already reduced due to rule revisions even before this ended term, but its important role as a wide community of interest groups has remained”, says Aaltonen
The purpose of this change is to simplify the foundation’s administrative structure so that the delegation, as determined in the rules, will be terminated. Next, this amendment will be registered to Finnish Patent and Registration Office’s foundation registry, and the current delegation will continue its operations as the Foundation’s stakeholder forum until the end of its term at the end of 2021.
Aaltonen says establishing the interest group forum was a great idea. The vision is to create a coalition of interest groups, that enforces and adds value to the foundation’s operation.
”I think transforming the delegation into an interest group forum streamlines the foundation’s administration and offers diverse expertise and contacts to aid in the development of student housing in Turku. The interest group forum is more flexible and easier to update to meet various needs. At its best it is a sparring network that can assist the foundation’s management and board. I’m looking forward to an active role and interesting challenges!”, Aaltonen sums up.
The foundation’s chairman of the board Pasi Ahola also sees the interest group forum can strengthen cooperation with interest groups.
“I want to thank all the current and former presidents and members of the TYS delegation for their contributions to developing student housing and TYS. The parties you represent will remain as the Foundation’s important stakeholders even after the rule amendment, and we plan to deepen our cooperation even further,” says Ahola.
