1. Who are you and why do you want to become president of the student union?
My name is Irina and I am studying in the Major in Law at HSG. The University of St.Gallen is characterized by its student community and the unique student engagement. I love to interact with students from different backgrounds, programs, and with different interests.
Personally, it is very important to me that the student’s interests are considered in the decisions and actions of the university on all levels. For this reason, I have been involved in various positions at HSG. My previous student engagement has enabled me to gain a deep insight into the issues and the decision-making of our university. Thanks to my current position as Vice-President, I have gained a profound understanding of the interconnectivity of the processes within HSG. I am convinced that, with this experience and understanding, I will be able to contribute optimally as President and thus continue representing the interests of students.
2. Why should students vote at all, do we even need a student union?
Student participation has always been crucial for the culture of the University of St.Gallen. In all of Switzerland, SHSG marks the only Student Union which has always been an official part of the University since the SHSG has been founded in 1921. This tradition enables us to have institutionalized seats in all the important decision-making organs of the university. And as SHSG represents all students, we encourage you to make your voice count.
3. What will you have achieved in your first 100 days in office?
Knowing the pitfalls first-hand, we will have hit the floor running. 100 days into taking office will be Friday before StartWeek. As most of us can remember, it is of utmost importance to have a successful StartWeek. The integration of new students is essential for the culture of HSG. Therefore, we need to have a similar approach with Master and PhD students.
Furthermore, together with our team, we will have implemented our election goals into a strategy and will be ready for the start of the semester.
4. How do you rate the relationship between the city and the university and do you see the potential for future ideas and projects?
The university has a long tradition of public lectures, which are very well visited. This connects HSG to the city. With SQUARE being a place for exchange, not just between students but also between people from the surrounding areas, it is important to keep integrating the public into the community of our university.
As the construction of the campus at Platztor is being prepared, this tight bond is essential.
5. What was the most shaping experience for you?
It was my year as Vice-President of the SHSG. I had the pleasure of meeting many people from various backgrounds, programs, and with different interests. I had the opportunity to represent the students, present our opinion to a range of stakeholders, and to build an important network. Here, I also want to mention HSG Alumni, who are always supportive and have been an essential part of the realization of SQUARE.
6. In your election program, you are criticizing communication in many areas. However, you are currently vice-president of the student union and Dominic is editor-in-chief of prisma, the student newspaper. Can it not be said that you are rather part of the problem and not the solution?
We all know that e.g. StudentWeb can be confusing. As SHSG, we must ask ourselves where we can offer the best support for the future. With the SHSG Campus App, we can provide an easy communication channel. We already have enabled the university to directly communicate via the app.
We continuously work with HSG to make the communication as effective as possible. Those processes take time. Hence, we need to keep pushing to have a long-lasting impact.
7. You want a so-called “Flying Office” in the SQUARE. Could you elaborate on that idea?
We need proactive voices and inputs in ongoing projects. SQUARE gives us an optimal opportunity for this. By having a permanent place there (as a residency grid), we can foster the continuous dialogue between the board and students. The goal is that we, as SHSG, will be presenting our ongoing projects and giving students an opportunity to give inputs in a very informal manner.
This space should also be at the disposal of clubs for them to present their projects and interact with the community at SQUARE.
8. In your election program, you talk about promoting environmental sustainability. Is this just a buzzword or do you have concrete ideas in regards to the university?
Environmental sustainability is a topic where everyone needs to act. No decision should be taken without considering the environmental consequences. The university already has a sustainability strategy. The main question is, how we as students can have an impact on and off campus and reduce our carbon footprint.
Therefore, SHSG will have a board member responsible for sustainability next year. We already started this year by giving clubs, which are important collaboration partners in those topics, a platform to work together with us on sustainability issues. These range from holding sustainable events to where to purchase club merchandise.
9. Your opponent calls the SHSG a puppet. What do you think about it and where do you see the SHSG in terms of political participation?
For the SHSG, it is essential to have a good relationship with the university to bring forward critical topics. My experience last year has shown me that the university really appreciates our feedback and input. We were able to achieve many things only because the SHSG has built up a very good standing with the university for the last 100 years. This gives us the legitimization to bring our interests forward in a constructive way. But keeping up the pressure is essential. Therefore, we need to keep working on our current projects. In one year, it is not possible to push long-term goals enough, which is why we need continuous knowledge. But, as the SHSG is representing all students at the university, I would refrain from ever calling it a puppet.
10. Is there anything else you would like to mention?
We are all part of the Student Union. We all want the best for our university and our studies. Together, from Assessment to PhD, from Business Administration to the Joint Medical Master, we will have an impact.
IT’S TIME. Let’s shape the future of HSG together.