"The University Senate is a good way to take students’ opinions to a higher level"

This interview with Alexandrina Rusu, a UAB Students candidate, is the first of a series of weekly features in which undergraduate and graduate students from every centre that stood for the past University Senate elections will tell us about their experience. The vote will be on 3 and 4 November.

13/10/2016

How would you define the University Senate?

I would define the University Senate as a sort of parliament, formed by representatives from the entire university community. The Senate aims to foster the regulatory activity of the UAB and to debate problems related to UAB policy.

Why did you stand as a candidate for the University Senate? (For ideological reasons, recommendation of a classmate, etc.)

I stood as a candidate for the University Senate because I thought it was a good way to take the students’ opinions to a higher level. I was in the second year of my degree, I didn’t have much knowledge about how this university body worked but I was looking forward to doing things that made our community better.

Why did you stand as a candidate for the University Senate as part of a group?

Because I think we need to work side by side to achieve greater things and also because it can be a bit lonely to attend the Senate meetings on your own. Though it is not always easy to find a candidature you can identify yourself with. In that case, it is a good option to run with an independent candidature.

Can you tell us about any proposals or actions carried out by your group?

I am not very proud of the path we have gone down as a group, but we have learned very much from the experience. Team work is always challenging, especially when there is a lack of motivation caused by the functioning of the Senate itself. Does it have strong political connotations? Yes, it does, but I think there should be more sessions and a greater monitoring capability regarding the governing body. Also we could make a better use of the Senate’s potential given the democratic legitimacy of this institution.

However, one of the things I do as a member of the group is to support the BDS's proposal to the University Senate from the start (though eventually it was presented by another group): a proposal for the university community to urge the UAB’s government team to declare the university an Apartheid-free Space until Israel “respects human rights and complies with international law”. It was an act of solidarity which made me feel proud of my university.

What would you say to encourage those who are thinking about joining the University Senate?

We must harness any means that help to make our voices heard and influence the government’s decisions. The University Senate is the most influential body in the university. Students are the UAB’s biggest community and our presence is key in both the University Senate and the governing bodies of the faculties. We all like to whine, but why not begin to change things for ourselves?