Hi! My name is Karoline, and I wish to be your student representative on the University Board! I have just completed a bachelor’s degree in comparative politics and alongside my studies, I am now vice-president of the UN Students Bergen, where we work to promote the Sustainable Development Goals and other relevant issues for students. I have no prior experience in student politics, but I consider this an advantage as it allows me to approach this role with a fresh and critical eye.
Lately, I’ve become more aware of all the different decisions that are constantly being made and how they affect my, and your, study life. The University Board makes decisions concerning the financial allocation between faculties, which themes should be prioritized, and what values the university should represent. On this occasion, I am running as a representative on the University Board, wishing to give all students a clear and strong voice.
Core Issue 1: “A University for Everyone – Better Adaptation on Campus”
My first core issue is a university for everyone – better accommodation on campus because I believe the university can do more to include all students. We students come in all shapes, and everyone carries a unique set of needs. Some students are parents, some have part-time or full-time jobs, and some live with varying degrees of functional variation. Due to this, it is a necessity for the university to prioritize 24-hour study facilities throughout the semester since several students also have varying exam periods. Many of the university premises also need to comply with requirements for universal design so that all students have an equal opportunity for education.
Core Issue 2: “More Women on Syllabi”
My second core issue is more women on syllabi. A lack of female representation is a challenge across several dimensions and affects various aspects of student life, whether it concerns a minority of female lecturers or a low percentage of female authors on syllabi.
This is a challenge I believe can be tackled with increased awareness of unconscious biases in the selection of syllabi so that the invisible mechanisms that create inequality in the academic sphere can be slowed. Representation in academia is incredibly important, and the experience of “seeing oneself” in the curriculum can play a crucial role in students’ motivation and well-being in their field of study.
As students, we have more to say than we often think, and that is why it is important to choose good representatives who will lift all students across departments and fields of study. I hope you will place your trust in me, and I can promise that I will give all I have to create a good and more inclusive university.
Happy voting!
Karoline