"As a delegate, knowing where you can go if you ever need anything, is important."

10/07/2018

Núria Domènech began studying biology at the Faculty of Biosciences at the UAB three years ago, while the Ares Higuera has just finished her first year of speech therapy at the Faculty of Psychology. At the beginning of the course, both were chosen by their classmates as delegates from their respective academic groups.

As delegates, both Núria and Ares are registered in elCens, a register that contains, grouped by faculties, the names of all the delegates of the academic group currently in the UAB. In this interview, through their experience as delegates, Núria and Ares define the figure of the delegate in the university, they tell us about the tasks they perform, the difficulties they have encountered and about the delegates' formations, a space for information and debate for the delegates of the UAB.

1) Why did you decide to be delegates of your group?

Ares: The truth is that I did not choose it. I did not stand for it. This year, when the course began, there was a lot of movement in the university because of the referendum. A teacher entered into the class and asked us to vote to know if we did class or not. The minutes went by and nobody got up, so in the end I did it. I counted the votes and when the professor came in I told him the results, and the day they came to ask who would be the delegate, I did not say anything, but the people pointed to me; and look, here I am.

Núria: It's funny because my case was quite similar. From first year I'm a delegate. They re-elect you because you have already done it and it seems good. But the first time, our tutor asked us who wanted to be a delegate. I raised my hand in case nobody wanted to be, and in fact, I was chosen. The other delegate the same. In fact the other raised his hand to ask what was a delegate and ended up being the delegate. In general, few people want to be a delegate.

2) You are delegated to the institute. What is the difference between being a delegate in the university and in the institute?

N: It is completely different.

A: It has nothing to do with it. You were there, you were  the representative of your class and you had a few functions. Instead, they look like unions here. You have to negotiate everything.

N: You are in the middle. You are the bridge, and everyone stretches to their sides.

A: It looks more like politics than anything else. If you want to be a delegate you must be a very diplomatic person, not very passionate, you have to be very moderate because you are the representative of many people who may not think the same as you.

N: Sometimes, too, when you're dealing with teachers it's zero emotion, a lot of objectivity. If you want to show that there really has been a problem, it's not worth explaining it over.

3) How would you define the figure of the delegate? Must be a diplomatic, impartial person...

A: Diplomatic, empathic... and not only with the students, which costs less, but also with the teaching staff. Sometimes you do not agree with how the faculty has acted and you have to empathize with them to understand why they have done things the way they did.

N: You must also know how to separate who the delegate is and who you are. There are times that you are in the middle of the class and they are attacking you, but they are really attacking your figure. You have to learn to dissociate.

4) How was the first day as delegates? In what situations during this course has the figure of delegate been needed?

A: Horrible, I have a very bad memories. This course has been very stressful. When you're a delegate and you do not even know how the university works because it’s your first week, you're investigating what a study path is like, and suddenly... You have to decide if your classmates will go to class or not.

N: This year has been very tense to be delegated. In first year I was also a delegate, and I did not do anything. And more compared to what I have come to do this year. Because of the political situation this year, there has been a lot of pressure. I am also in the Council of students of the faculty, in the UAB Student Council and in the Faculty Board. You start first year being a delegate, and then they explain to you what else there is and that no one stands for, and you end up going there. You are just oversaturated. And as for the situations where the delegate has been needed: the snowfall. The case of my class was very extravagant. I had to get up at seven in the morning to see what happened.

A: I remember the case of some students who created a new organization in speech therapy. And they invited Nina, the former director of Operación Triunfo, and they did not manage it well. We did not know if we had to go to class or not, if we could attend this seminar that interested us a lot because she is a speech therapist and sutudied here. There was chaos.

N: In my case I'm in third year and we have had problems with some teachers, we had to talk even with deanery for disqualifications to the students. As a delegate you have to always be there. It does not matter if you agree or not, but you have to be there. But it is strange that there are problems, usually these are badly corrected exams. I have noticed that the more the degree progresses, the more dissatisfied the people are. This type of problems with the teaching staff are the most common. It is also true that people complain a lot, until they approve all... and then nothing. In the end you learn to ask that the students let pass a few days after the exam before complaining. Sometimes they reproach you and say you are not doing anything when you are really waiting to see if they have made a complaint when they were angry or if it is serious. And this year there has been a case that had to get ahead. And it has cost a lot. It helps to have the class behind in these fights.

5) How is the relationship with the students in the class? Is it difficult?

A: I'm fine at the moment. At no time have I felt attacked. I had to put up with some unpleasant remarks in whatsapp about what delegates should do. On a personal level I have not had any conflict, but you do have to swallow comments that made me angry, because you are sweating sending emails and on top of that they send you that.

N: You end up accepting it. Sometimes you have to give bad news, like that you will not change an exam or that you have been ignored. The coordinators hide and you are the one who has to face the class. I have found a case in which they have insulted me and everything. This course they told us that we were not good delegates. And we had to explain that he was a delegate and everything we were doing. They did not know we were doing all that. Everyone complains a lot but then nobody wants to be a delegate. But then you see that the class is there, especially if there are problems.

6) And with the other delegates?

A: I have not had any problems. I have not known them either. I have gone to the formations. You participated with others and you knew them, but you do not give your phone.

N: It's funny. I did not have much contact, either. A second we begin the Council of students of the faculty, which is where all the delegates are, and the truth is that the relationship is perfect. We help each other and we pass on information. It is a help. They run into the same situations, maybe they have problems with the class, and you can ask them how they deal with the problems.

7) He has talked about the delegate trainings. You have attended all of them. Have they served you?

A: Yes, they have gone very well for me. At first year you still do not know anything about the university or how it works. Each training focused on one aspect. They told us about elCens, the organizations that exist... It helped me a lot as a delegate, but also as a student, the fact of knowing all the resources that there were. As a delegate, knowing where you can go if you ever need anything is important.

N: I have also done well. This year I have gone to all of them and they are enriching. Some are perhaps unnecessary, but there are very interesting ones that can help you with some problems. Above all you learn where to go. For example, the opinion service. Flies over there and nobody knows what it is. We have used it this year and it has served us.

8) Finally, what would you say to the students who are thinking of presenting themselves as delegates?

A: I would say that it enriches a lot, it is positive to participate in the university and to know it more deeply. It is a privilege to be able to speak in person with some teachers. This double position also enriches you, which makes you empathize both with the students and with the teaching staff. You also learn that sometimes you defend a position that seems to have absolute truth, and voices that are from the other point of view have also an absolute truth. In the end there is no truth. It is a very enriching experience but you need patience. And above all, they must do it with enthusiasm. It should not be done for the credits that can be recognized but for the experience.

N: I would simply say: if you do not feel like doing it, do not do it. It contributes a lot and it is very useful if you take it seriously. You know a lot more people and receive a different treatment if you are delegated by the professors. There are many people who aim to be delegated and then do nothing. And they are harmed as people and also their academic group. If that group does not have a representative, there is much work not done needed by the person who takes over from the following year. Nor are you alone against the world. There are many delegates and many other resources that can help you do your job better. You do not have to be fatalistic. It's worth being delegated, there are people who want to be it and it's essential to have one.