Issuu

2023

english version

stúdenta pólitíkin 2023

Special thanks to Arent Orri Jónsson Dagur Kárason Daníel Hjörvar Guðmundsson Franklín Ernir Kristjánsson Sigurbjörg Guðmundsdóttir Valdís Mýrdal Gunnarsdóttir Editoral board Dagur Kárason Franklín Ernir Kristjánsson Lilja Ósk Atladóttir Tinna Eyvindardóttir Valgerður Laufey Guðmundsdóttir Design Valdís Mýrdal Gunnarsdóttir Vaka - Félag lýðræðissinnaðra stúdenta @vakafls - vaka.hi.is

Glaðvakandi 2023

06 09 10 12 16 18 20 25

The Editor’s adress Group picture of editoral board The chariman’s address Vaka’s merch Join us in Vaka! Story time of a bike ride to school Get to know our student council representatives Hot and cold

26 28 31 32 36 38 40 42 44 46

The treasurer’s horoscope Propaganda? No, I’m just crazy. The “Big Hjö” orienteering. Which member of Vaka are you? Top 5 buildings of the University of Iceland To eat money Our Agenda(s) Vaka’s school centered policies Our Committees False hopes

The Editor’s adress 6

Dear reader, I never thought it would be difficult to write an editor’s pitch, this is one of the biggest writing blocks I’ve ever experienced. Anyways, I think that most people have rather mixed feelings about university. It is undoubtedly fun. It is good to be in a routine in school and with a good group of friends every day. There are loads of parties, events and all sorts of fun, but then you also get tired of finding all possible ways of reaching the required word count for an essay that‘s due in five minutes along with another hundred assignments. School would not be the same without a good social life, and it just so happens that the University of Iceland has plenty of that. You can participate in student associations, but also immerse yourself in student politics and advocacy, which is (if I do say so myself) a very good kind of social life. I want to encourage students to have opinions and express them and participate in the social life that this wing of the university, student politics, has to offer. Vaka is where student interests, social life and friendship can take space. It has been fun making this fine paper with a fine editorial board and I hope you, dear reader, will enjoy reading it. I would like to thank the committee and all those who contributed in one way or another to the preparation of this magazine for their selflessness, noble and hard work and sacrifice. Anyway, I don’t really care for emotional, sentimental rants so this should do. Enjoy to the fullest, Signý Pála Pálsdóttir, editor

Editoral board of Vaka 2023

The Chariman’s Address

I have never been in the position of having to address a paper (am I addressing the paper or you, dear reader?), but here I am. In recent years, I have gotten to participate in the work of Vaka, or rather the resurrection of this association. My years in Vaka have been characterised by mixed feelings, most of them good, poor time management, parties, work on issues and above all - by friendship. I fully realise that this sounds really cliche, but it’s just the exact situation. After all, Vaka is nothing but a huge family, and it just keeps growing. But okay, I don’t think I can avoid talking about the elephant in the room: what is the first thing you, dear reader, think of when you hear the words “student politics”, “Student Council” and other such things? Isn’t it just like you figure it’s some kind of school related thing but you just don’t care? If not, well done, but don’t panic if that’s the case, because I’m pretty sure most of our fellow students think exactly the same, at least I’m on that bandwagon. But okay, when I say that I don’t care, of course I don’t mean that I don’t care about the interests of students, but only about the politics that always must be intertwined. In fact, I think this is just a very simple problem. We want a better university. We want the facilities to be good, the studies to be good, the people to be good, and basically just that everything related to this school is pretty good. If you ask me, I think this is a very basic and fair request. There are so many things in this school of ours that are just no good at all. Some are ok and some are meh. I’m not going to pretend to be able to fix everything, but most of these are just pretty simple tasks. Is it too complicated for the university to arrange, for example, only slightly better tables and chairs, preferably not from the dump or a kindergarten? And how about outlets that work in classrooms. Is that too complicated? These are the things that matter to us students. Student politics are out of control, and in my opinion, it is imperative that we focus our spears back on the real things that concern the interests of students. Not a fight about ideology or national politics, but about the quality of our studies and the university in general. I don’t know about you, but Vaka will fight for this, and you are, of course, invited. I would like to thank the editorial board of Vaka and the editor Signý Pála for putting up with me and for this beautiful magazine. I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Arent Orri Kristjánsson 11

Come join us in Vaka!

Storytime of a bike ride to school Thursday, August 31 was probably quite normal for most of those who decided to attend the University of Iceland, but not all of them... Dagur Kárason and Tinna Eyvindar wanted to make a change! The evening before was eventful when Dagur and Tinna had a couple of ice cold beers in the Student Cellar as they discussed how they could offset their filthy ways, like driving to school all the way from Grafarvogur. Then the brilliant idea came, wouldn’t it be best to just ride a bike?! Both Tinna and Dagur thought it was an excellent idea and felt that it should not wait at all. It would ideally have to happen the next morning. Dagur and Tinna woke up excited at 07:00 and got ready for battle. Tinna and Dagur were ready at 07:50 and started their cycling trip from Staðahverfi, Grafarvogur, or the neighborhood closest to Mosfellsbær. Tinna and Dagyr started their journey and the first few kilometers were quite scenic. Bike paths were unmarked or simply non-existent, there was no way to know where cyclists belonged but one thing was clear, it was one hell of an uphill battle. It wasn’t long before Dagur fell off his bike and Tinna had to give him a ride. Not their proudest moment. The first water break was taken by Olís, Gullinbrú where Dagur and Tinna quenched their thirst after having cycled for a decent amount of time up to that point. They also received free coffee out of sheer kindness from the staff. But riding with a cup of coffee is not suitable as there are no cup 18

holders on normal bicycles. However, the stop was short because Tinna and Dagur had to keep going, they could not lose precious time! When they got to the Sæbraut, they were shocked by the traffic, which they no longer had to worry about, because they were cycling. When Tinna and Dagur rode Sæbraut, there was a very silent half hour as they were very tired and exhausted, but they continued their journey anyway. Finally they arrived in the centre of Reykjavík, sweaty, cold and full of regret after last night’s decision-making, but the suffering was not over as one challenge still stood between Dagur and Tinna and the University of Iceland. Judgmental highschoolers from MR and Kvennó. Nothing could prevent Tinna and Dagur from reaching the end of the road and the only thing left to do was sharpen up, cry a little and cycle through the group of teenage goons. They arrived at Háskóltorg at about 10:00 a.m., where they enjoyed some very expensive high-quality food from HÁMA. Since Dagur and Tinna both missed the first class, they decided to go to Vesturbærlaug and take a few laps. What Tinna and Dagur had to say about the bike ride: Dagur: “I wouldn’t have wanted to do this with anyone else, but it was still terrible.” Tinna: “This is the most boring thing I have ever done in my life.”

Cycling

Driving

Environmentally friendly

Yes

Comfortable

Yes

Year-round travel

Yes

Takes long

Yes

Accessibility

Yes

Safety

Yes

Marked lanes

Yes

Cup holder

Yes

Boring

Yes

Suburb-friendly

Yes

Cargo

Yes

Lowkey ick

Yes

Get to know our student council representatives

QUESTIONS

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 20

What is your priority issue in the University? What is your go-to in Háma? What do you put in your bragðarefur? Who is your celebrity crush and do you mind justifying the answer? What is your favourite food? Your role model and why?

Júlíana Dögg

1. Accessibility for all in HÍ. 2. Nothing, ever. 3. Raspberries, pepper-filled licorice and daim. 4. Kehlani because she’s just so naturally beautiful and I love her personality. 5. Minced meat and spaghetti and deep fried fish. 6. My grandfather because he is always there for his people and is the most selfless person I know. 21

Elísabet Sara

1. Parking issues 2. The pink collab 3. Hockey powder, strawberry and shredded coconut 4. Sofia Vergara, needs no justification. 5. Cannelloni 6. I have many role models, but in general I look to people who set goals and achieve them.

Júlíus Viggó 1. Even though this issue will not get any progress in the Student Council under the majority of Röskva, I think it is very important that the students here are not charged for parking at the school. 2. 90% of trips to Háma are coffee runs. 3. Great question, I’ve been waiting to share my genius with the world: Peanut butter, oreo and hot caramel sauce. Try it. 4. Lily Collins, I don’t really know what it is. Dark haired and elegant - maybe the eyebrows play into the equation. 5. Had a pecan pie at Hressingarskálinn the other day which was quite good. 6. LBJ. He took meetings in the toilet. 22

Eiður Snær

Daníel Hjörvar

Eiður Snær: 1. I would say keeping an eye on the students’ education fund and all the questions that arise with the institution. 2. Chocolate milk and a tea cake 3. Usually gummy, salmiak licorice flakes and a luxury dip. 4. Harry Styles, do I need to? 5. Homemade vegan tacos. 6. My mom and dad take turns being my role models, I think they are both incredibly strong, funny and driven characters.

1. I want to fight for the strengthening of student associations so that all students at the university can participate in a strong social life. 2. The roast beef sandwich and hot dogs during exams. 3. I don’t eat ice cream. 4. I became conscious about my sexuality when I saw Natalie Portman in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. The same can be said with Keira Knightley in Pirates of the Caribbean. Nowadays it’s probably Phoebe Bridgers or Tinna Eyvindar. 5. Shit these are cringe questions. I’m an adult, I don’t have one favourite food. Just sushi or something. 6. Trajan, when he ruled as emperor of the Roman Empire from 98 to 117, the empire reached its geographical peak. We can all see why being a dictator over Europe is a lot of fun. Answer to deputy Júlíus Viggó. 23

hot and cold 24

hot The tunnel to and from Veröld Vaka parties Vaka merch Student loans in line with the subsistence of students Price of beer in the student cellar (for now) School (often hot at school) Taking part in the “Big Hjö“ treasure hunt

cold High prices in Háma State of public transportation Working with your studies Waiting lists for student housing Microsoft Authenticator When your Collab erupts in class Gummy pearls in your bragðarefur (adults should not eat gummy candy) 25

The treasurer’s horoscope

Dear reader, this school year started early and will soon come to an end. I have checked the financial records and balanced a few accounts. The stars have spoken and our fates appear here below. It is crucial to comprehend this horoscope correctly. Franklín,treasurer

Capricorn

Keep doing whatever you are doing (except for drugs, get some help). You are the goat and you are allowed to behave like one. Be determined and strong because you know best what you want. Keep away from Oddi, the tables there are either way disgusting.

Pisces

Do not let the stream win, you are getting through this. Remember to take a deep breath because Lögberg is ahead and the air there is stuffy.This is the year of learning but do not let everything in because it is important to prioritise and spend time with friends and loved ones. 26

Aquarius

Wake up and face this year, you’re making it through. The summer is over and now is the time to finish the school year with style! Do not röshkva, because when we rush the mess happens. Take a deep breath but for god’s sake do not eat a tuna sandwich and Opal on the side.

Aries

in this school year you will experience a lot of new things, you will make new friends, get new opportunities and try new things under the sheets as well as standing. Don’t hesitate jumping on to the band wagon and let the fire inside you burn. Watch yourself in the final exams, because this school year is full of change and that has to do with grades as well.

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

This school year will pass by quickly and things will feel like you are at home. It is important that you let yourself enjoy feeling secure because in January you will get big news that will change everything and rip you from your roots. Don’t despair, because at the end of the journey you will find your place again and walk happily into the summer months.

the school year will pass by quickly and you will pass through an emotional rollercoaster during it, which will let you get to know different sides of yourself. After this journey you will be thankful and you will miss it. Go for what you want and do not hold back, because this is the year of change and you can lead them.

Virgo

This will be a challenging year. The teachers will make you face diverse and difficult assignments and they will test your mental strength. Do not fear this reality, face your inner devils and beat them. It could also be time to buy a lottery ticket even though the odds of winning are slim.

This school year will be dual, black and white, good and bad. You will feel inner turmoil and speculations and now is the right time to pick up the phone and talk to an old friend. It is important to never lose touch with yourself in moments like these and let the heart lead your way.

Meeeeeoowww, this school year will be AMAZING! You will get to know different sides of yourself that you didn’t know existed. The year is 1960 and it is time to stop being a prude and let the beast that lives inside you lead the way, because the prey is good. Run down to Háma and get a roast not beef sandwich right neauw.

Libra

this will be a fantastic school year, full of romance and good friends. Enjoy while it lasts, because life is like a road and there is traffic ahead in Vatsmýrin. Stop overthinking and buy the yellow shirt, because that is the colour of the year and you’ve got this

Sagittarius Scorpio

Trust your gut and stop helping the cute guy in the group assignment. He is just using you for notes. But do not give up on love because it is right around the corner. Be awake because it could be closer than you might think

it is normal to feel bored but do not give up, this is just about to come to an end. Take a chance because it will pay off and do not let others control you. Find a target and release the arrow because you can do this! This is in your nature! 27

Propaganda? No, I’m just crazy. Propaganda? No, I’m just crazy. Propaganda? No, I’m just crazy. Propaganda? No, I’m just crazy. 28

Dagur Kárason

There is nothing better than achieving something, putting in the effort and reaping what you sow! Whether it’s winning a sports match and/or competition, getting a good grade on a test, or just cleaning your room, there’s probably no better feeling. You feel like Superman, ready to walk out the door and save the world with gratitude, honesty and humility at the forefront of your mind. But what about those who have no interest in achieving their goals and accomplishing anything? Or are simply not able to? Those who want to experience this victory without doing anything? Shouldn’t they also get a participation medal, take a picture of themselves with it and proudly put it on the (insta)gram? Yes of course! It doesn’t matter what effect it has on others who fought for their victory, whether it was big or small. It doesn’t matter, blood, sweat and tears are in constant production in the human body so just go ahead. Then of course there are those who don’t even participate and therefore don’t get a medal, of course they have to be rewarded as well, or rather they should be able to reward themselves... Luckily I have the solution! Just claim

other people’s achievements, wear them with pride and mention them everywhere you go! Take all the work and sleepless nights that have gone into a particular project and steal it from those who completed it. It’s very easy, like taking candy from a baby (which is also okay). Of course, this also applies to the struggle for students’ rights, where no real progress needs to take place when it is possible to cruise on the initiatives of others many years back. Work smart not hard as the wise man said at the time, I don’t know who exactly it was, so from now on this phrase shall be mine. Fortunately, consequences are not as real just like student rights, so you can do something, or just sit back, the result is the same. Don’t hate the player, and don’t hate the game. Just take credit.

The Big The Big The Big Hjö orienteering.

Good day dear reader and welcome to the first annual “Big Hjö” orienteering. I want to thank you for this opportunity because as most people know, this ordeal is the only reason why I ran for Student Council. There is a great prize that shall not stay in there for long... after all, it is pretty amazing... I have placed clues all over the school and they will lead you to the treasure. The first clue is the following: The clue is related to a person. This person used to hold an influential position in the interest of the nation. Because of the importance of the work that person performed, she has been fortunate enough to have a building here on the university campus named after her. The clue can be found in the reading room on the 2nd floor of the building. Good luck. Daníel Hjörvar Guðmundsson

Which member of Vaka are you? How mean are you on a scale of 1-10? A. 12 B. 9 C. -4 D. 2 If you were a bar/club downtown, which one would you be? A. Everything except Auto B. Prikið C. Spánski D. Lemmys How long do you usually sleep at night? A. I take a 15 min nap B. 4 hours C. 8 hours D. Not enough What do you get in your bragðarefur? A. I am lactose intolerant :( B. Strawberries, cookie dough, coconut muffin and some luxury dip C. Go to is strawberries, hockey powder and snickers bits D. I don‘t eat that shit 32

What media do you turn to when you’re bored in class? A. Chess.com B. Tetris.com C. Fasteignir.is D. Sudoku What do you do if you crash your car on the way to school? A. Take out my lawyer card and file the case myself B. Just cry tbh C. Let close friends know on Instagram and then call dad D. My car is already smashed so I don’t care Hver er celebrity crushið þitt? A. Dua Lipa B. Jason Bateman (with buzz cut) C. Austin Butler D. Natailie Portman Go-to drink at parties? A. Godfather B. Stella C. Helga no. 69 D. Concrete shot 33

Most A = you are Arent. You are… wait have I turned in the assignment yet?? Yes, you tend to be out of your depth and can be difficult to reach. You are good at everything you do and a natural leader. You need to make sure you know your limits because you tend to take on too many tasks. Maybe it’s in your best interest because you’re persistent, hard-working and always ready to fight. Stay away from the ice though because everyone can smell it.

Most B =you are Tinna. Some people call you Wednesday, but that doesn’t always have to be negative. You don‘t remember names or faces, very determined and often stuck in your ways. Sometimes you also seem to have a connection to some higher power. But when people get into your inner frame, night turns into day and you embrace the world and the people. You are like a shilling with two decisive sides that few people get to see.. 34

Most C = you are Vallý

You are friends with everyone who crosses your path and know everything about everyone. But when you haven’t had your eight hours of sleep, it’s best to steer clear of you, let alone when you haven’t eaten anything. You are talkative and always have something funny to say. You rarely show up to a party because you are the party and that’s your role in the friend group.

Most D = you are Dagur

You are a philosopher and a beer lover. Life is a school, and you’re definitely ready to learn, since you peaked socially in high school you should probably try sitting down and opening a book. You don’t wish harm on anyone, you are a kind soul and an even better friend. If something goes wrong, you dust off your glasses and continue undeterred with humour as your weapon. 35

Top 5 buildings of the University of Iceland

The bike shed outside VR-II A suitable building for an inconvenient, inaccessible and time-consuming mode of transport. Wheels can be locked. There is also a shelter.

The University of Iceland’s gymnasium In the university gymnasium, there is a hall full of exercise equipment the size of which, well, you can count the amount of treadmills on the fingers of one hand. There, the annual fee is only 12,000kr. 36

Oddi Oddi, where you can study in peace and privacy without the noise of scrubbers, vacuum cleaners and drills. Uneven, dirty tables and uncomfortable chairs that do not fit under the tables to go with it. Ventilation: sometimes.

Árnagarður Árnagarður, a tale as old as time. When you walk through the doors of Árnagarður, you feel like you’re walking through a cloud but don’t worry because it’s just air (probably). Is it a table? Is it a chair? No one knows but it will limit your movement. The computer equipment ages like an open beer. Furniture and overall furnishings are not very new, just like the documents that were previously stored in the basement.

The stairs in Háskólatorg The stairs in Háskólatorg, where each step is about two and a half steps or one and a half, depending on the length of your legs. You look very stupid walking down the stairs, but don’t panic, everyone else does so as well. 37

To eat money

Júlíus Viggó Ólafsson

Háma is way too expensive. Every student who has a) shopped in Háma, and b) shopped in other stores in Iceland knows that. During the election campaign this spring, Vaku made a price comparison between Háma and Bakkinn, the convenience store in Eyrarbakki. Bakkinn runs on the business of people who come to pump themselves delicious ÓB petrol and pop in to buy maybe one sugar-free orange soda and a chocolate bar. In comparison, Háma has guaranteed business with thousands of students every day, as most are not run for profit and are exempt from income tax and local taxes. That’s why we were really surprised that it is considerably more expensive to shop in Háma than in the shop in Eyrarbakki. For comparison, Nocco cost 370 ISK in Eyrarbakki but 415 ISK in Háma, Hleðsla 315 ISK in Eyrarbakki but 435 ISK in Háma and skyrdolla 290 ISK in Eyrarbakki but 375 ISK in Háma. You might be wondering: How could this be? Háma is run by the Student Association (FS), which all students of the University of Iceland are members of, by law. FS describes itself primarily as a service company for students at the University of Iceland and claims their main goal is to offer students good service with good terms and to increase the quality of life for students. The values of FS are: Good service - Active cooperation 38

Positive experience - Targeted results. We at Vaka wanted to find out why on earth the non-profit-driven Háma was so expensive, so we asked to get FS’s annual accounts in our hands to examine the numbers. Then it became clear that FS does not separate its operations in its annual accounts. FS is involved in a huge variety of operations, but the organization runs Stúdentagarði, Háma, the Bookstore (and the coffee shop there, the Student Cellar, two kindergartens and more. In FS’s annual financial report, all these different operating units are combined into one. That means that the income and expenses of all the different business units of FS are mixed into one mush so there is no way to tell apart what is doing well and what is not. There could just as well be a money-grubber tucked away in a corner of the FS’s office, ripping off 20% of all agency revenue, and we’d never be able to find out. Because of this, Vaka submitted a proposal at the student council meeting on October 19 that would push for FS to publish its annual accounts on their website and for them to be broken down by each business unit. Our opinion is that since students are members of FS, they have the right to receive basic information about how their money is spent within the institution. However, our friends in Röskva did not agree with us. They did not consider such transparency necessary and did not want all students to have access to this information. But that‘s fine, Vaka worked on a practical compromise during the meeting. Vaka got ensured that SHÍ will indeed push for the summarized annual accounts to be published on FS’s website, but that the detailed annual accounts will be made available to student council members at the SHÍ office in paper form. This means that you as a general student will not have access to this information as Vaka wanted, but student council members can still access it. Of course, this is not quite the transparency that Vaka was asking for, but a milestone victory nonetheless. Vaka’s representatives will follow up on this agreement and make sure that these detailed annual accounts are returned to SHÍ’s office. And when the detailed annual accounts have arrived at SHÍ’s office, Vaka’s representatives will go over them in order to find out where the problems in FS’s operation may lie and continue to work towards improved terms and services for students. We don’t know exactly what’s wrong, but we know something definitely is. The operation of FS needs to be reviewed, and since FS is a non-profit-driven organization, streamlining its operations should result directly in better conditions for students, whether it is in the form of lower rent in Stúdentagarðar, lower prices in Háma, better services or lower prices elsewhere in FS’s service. 39

Our Agenda(s) 40

Student association! (FS)

The daily operations of the Student Association needs to be reviewed, and since FS is a non-profit organization, streamlining its operation should result directly in better conditions for students, whether it is in the form of lower rent in student housing, lower prices in Háma, better service or lower prices elsewhere in FS services.

Tengslatorg!

„Tengslatorg” is a virtual platform where companies and institutions can advertise vacancies and other employment-related projects for university students. Tengslatorg needs to be expanded, the number of options there needs to be increased, and the platform needs to be better known to students as well as the business world. It is also necessary to look at a more detailed description of how students’ cooperation with the working world will be assessed.

The smaller things that really affect students!

Are we not losing sight of what really concerns the student? Our goal is to improve student well-being and students should feel good at school. For example, there is a need for better tables and chairs in many buildings and electronic sockets in all classrooms, bicycle shelters in other parts of the university campus and lower product prices in Háma. Don’t forget these “small” issues that greatly improve the student’s daily life.

Vaka has a great agenda to offer and actively fights for issues in all areas! Our priorities include:

International affairs Business matters Doctoral studies Students’ Association Finances of the University of Iceland Family matters LGBTQIA+ affairs Housing and accessibility Equal rights affairs Tuition affairs Education fund issues Environmental issues and public transportation

If you want to read more and get to know our priorities better, scan this QR code! 41

Vaka’s school centered policies

School of Engineering and Natural Sciences

- New furniture and improved facilities in VR-II - Lower weight of final exams, with assignments also considered for grading - Increased connections with the business sector

School of Social Sciences

- Improved teaching facilities - Recording and making lectures accessible on Canvas - Maximum weight placed on final exams and more diverse assessment

School of Education

- Ensure that the transfer to Hotel Saga goes as smoothly as possible - Recording and making lectures accessible on Canvas - Updated teaching priorities in line with real-world needs

School of Health Sciences

- Improved learning facilities - Recognition of professional training - Coordination of class schedules - Recording and making lectures accessible on Canvas - Makeup exams for the psychology department

Faculty of Humanities

- Better learning support, especially access to such services after closing hours - New and improved furniture, chairs, and tables in poor condition in Árnagarður and the Main Building - Enhanced introduction of course instructors, implementation of courses - Increased transparency, consistency, and organization in the assessment of education

Entertainment Committee

Marketing Committee

Vaka’s marketing committee has tackled fun, challenging, varied and new projects over the past school year. The committee handles all marketing matters within Vaka. The aim of the committee is to make Vaka visible on all major platforms social media and the school society have to offer. In addition, the committee is in charge of decorating venues for Vaka’s events and designing merchandise. The committee’s biggest project of the school year so far was to advertise the after-party of Vaka after Októberfest. Other than that, we’ve mainly been making sure that Vaka is visible on Instagram and taking pictures of our beautiful merchandise. If you are interested in joining Vaka’s marketing committee, please send us a message on our Instagram page @vaka.fls.

If you are interested in participating in a committee run by Vaka, but don’t want to go all in on the most serious stuff, then the entertainment committee is definitely something for you! We in the entertainment committee, as the name suggests, take care of all the fun things organised by Vaka. We organise events and general entertainment, such as parties, science trips and other things related to having fun. There are exciting times ahead, both in Vaka and the entertainment committee in general, and we always need people to join us in entertaining ourselves and others. If that applies to you, we really want you to apply and join us in making the next few months as fun and memorable as possible for the people at the school.

Editorial Board

Vaka’s editorial board publishes two papers during the school year. This fine autumn paper, Glaðvakandi, and our election paper, where Vaka’s candidates and policies are presented and revealed for the coming student council elections. The election bulletin will be published in the spring. The editorial board is a great forum for people who are interested in writing and creating content, but is also ideal for students who want to participate in a social life of some kind. The editorial board encourages all those who want to give it a try to get in touch and join the board, pick up the pen and start writing with us!

Finance Committee One of the biggest aspects of sustaining the work of a strong interest group is ensuring that sufficient funds are available. Without it, it would not be possible to hold a party, wage a powerful struggle, and the speech would have to be called out into the cosmos that few would hear. Because of this, Vaka’s board has placed special emphasis on strengthening the finance committee. The main task of the committee is to raise funds through diverse methods. The committee’s agenda includes exciting and interesting projects that will hopefully generate increased income in the short and long term. We at the Finance Committee will continue to find ways to contribute to the good fight, so we can ensure that no one has to endure tiny venues, empty kegs and fake musicians at parties. If you are interested in joining this great committee, we are always looking for new, fun and alert people to strengthen our committee..

If you are interested in participating, please contact us Instagram: Vaka.fls Email: vakafls@gmail.com. 45

False Hopes

Arent Orri Jónsson

When I began my studies at the University of Iceland, the community and education were marked by the virus era. A few months later, the school’s buildings were flooded, and the little education that was offered there was disrupted. Last year, it became clear that the university was lacking funds, and in the past few weeks, a decision by the appeals committee in student complaints has been made, where the committee found that a calculation of a third of the school’s registration fee was not based on sufficient calculations. How can it be that students’ university experience today is characterized by various hindrances one after the other, reminiscent of the plagues that Moses is said to have called upon Egypt? In fact, I believe I would have preferred the hailstorm and three days of darkness like the one in Egyptian history, rather than these “plagues” that apparently refer to winter in Iceland. But what does this situation that has now arisen mean? In other words, what does this decision of the committee signify? Just over a decade ago, Vaka began the fight when Sigurður Helgi, a board member of Vaka in 2013-2014, started

to battle the registration fee. Vaka took a strong stance on this matter but decided to temporarily put down their spears when an agreement was reached with the university not to increase the fee. In 2021, a student sued the school and requested a refund of the registration fee. The University Council, the highest decision-making body of the university, denied the request. This decision was appealed to the appeals committee, and its conclusion was that the university should not base the fee on the assumptions of previous years but should rely on assumptions and calculations for the current year. Naturally. The University Council then took the matter back, called in the Department of Mathematics, and calculated the cost associated with the university’s services, which do not include teaching or research. The Council used these calculations as the basis for a new decision in which the University Council once again rejected the student’s request for a refund of the registration fee, who then appealed the decision to the committee. This is where the new decision of the appeals committee in student complaints comes into play. The committee’s decision pertains to the later decision. The committee’s assessment is that it is not sufficient to base the calculation of the registration fee on specific proportions of the actual cost unless there is an analysis of what those proportions are based on. In other words, about a third of the fee is not considered sufficiently justified. To be fair, the university is obliged to refund this third if it turns out that the cost underlying the fee is less than the fee for that third. On the other hand, unfortunately, there is no indication that the university would have to refund the other part, as the committee did not consider anything objectionable about that part. According to the committee’s opinion, there is a clear basis for the fee in the law, but how the university stands to it is, unfortunately, not sufficiently clear. The statements made by the president of the

Student Council that the registration fee is illegal are not only false but also unclear. The committee’s opinion, as previously mentioned, is that the calculations underlying a part of the registration fee are not sufficiently justified. In no way does the committee say that the fee is completely illegal or that there is no legal basis for it. Don’t get me wrong, I would very much like to have 275,000 ISK deposited in my bank account, who wouldn’t? But the situation is just not that simple. Vaka’s representatives met with the rector yesterday, and our position was clear - that the part of the fee considered unjustified should be refunded, and the rector responded well to those demands, stating that they were reasonable and fair. However, it raises many questions that the president of the Student Council did not mention a word about the aforementioned decision and her planned statements when she signed the agreement with the rector last Tuesday regarding the university’s financial contributions to the Student Council. Contributions that come from the registration fee. The president of the Student Council did not even mention the decision to the Student Council until almost three weeks after she received it, but that is another discussion. In summary, my opinion, and that of Vaka, is that the discussion that the majority of the Student Council and its office have engaged in is very misleading. It creates false and exaggerated hopes for students, promising them a refund of tuition fees all the way back to 2014 but based on very little. A foolish man built his house on sand, but an insane person builds it on a refund of the entire registration fee since 2014.