The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
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The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
31.10.2018
Especially the arrangements and the programme of the Campus Happening and the City Orienteering received praises in the feedback gathered. However, especially the long queues at the City Orienteering caused irritation on both campuses.
UEF’s and ISYY’s opening event Campus Happening and the related City Orienteering organized by ISYY took place for the seventh time already on both campuses on 6.9.2018.
The joint event for students and academic staff is an important part of the orientation into the university community and studies for the new students. This year the programme of the Campus Happening included a campus battle containing 4 events and a lot of other activities, such as an organization fair, music, a bouncy castle and sumo wrestling equipment. At the City Orienteering, new students (in Joensuu, also continuing students) go around the city searching for different check points and performing tasks handed to them at the checkpoints.
The university and the Student Union gathered feedback of the events from the participants with an electronic questionnaire around September and October. Feedback could be given both in Finnish and in English. The questionnaire could be filled in anonymously, but respondents could leave their contact details if they wished to do so. The questionnaire included sections where the respondents could rate the different activities on a scale from 1 to 5, 1 being very bad, 5 being excellent. Open feedback could also be left if one wished to do so.
The questionnaire closed on 8.10.2018 on both campuses: The questionnaire at the Kuopio campus received over double the amount of answers as the corresponding one in Joensuu. Feedback was given both in Finnish and in English.
The feedback for the events was mainly positive on both campuses. As far as the Campus Happening goes, positive feedback was given especially for the campus battle, music, organization fair and other activities, on both campuses the respondents rated different parts of the Campus Happening with a 3 or higher. On the other hand, it was also noted that the Campus Happenings hadn’t reached all students in a way that we hoped for i.e. the information about the programme or activities at the events hadn’t reached the respondents.
The feedback on the City Orienteering was split; some respondents found the event very successful and good, some saw room for improvement. The arrangements were mostly rated as good (3 or higher) and the event was characterized as a nice, friendly, fun event that helps people bond. Most critique was given about the long queues to the check points and to the after party. In Kuopio, the respondents also wished that the starts to the City Orienteering could be better organized.
Around 18 percent of the respondents gave negative (rate 1 or 2) feedback for the check points in Kuopio. This came up for example as feedback that some check points had tasks to perform that could be considered tacky or uncomfortable. Some respondents also wished that also those students not willing to use alcohol would be better taken into account at the event.
ISYY and UEF wish to thank everyone who answered the questionnaire for their feedback. The received feedback will be taken into account when planning next year’s Campus Happening and the City Orienteering. We will also try to find a solution to the issues regarding the queuing and the starts of the City Orienteering.
ISYY is very sorry that there has been inappropriate behavior at the check points on Kuopio campus and wishes to apologize for any hurt feelings for the event participants caused by this. ISYY events must follow our values and principles of equality. This has been communicated to the people in charge of the actual implementation of the City Orienteering by giving them guidance and information on the appropriate ways to arrange the check point tasks and on good practices. In addition, the check points have been monitored by spot-checking during the event. There are also fake check points at the event that are not an official part of the event and to whose contents we haven’t been able to influence this far.
ISYY and UEF’s Learning Services have arranged a joint meeting regarding the feedback of the Campus Happenings and the City Orienteering in Kuopio. At the meeting, the feedback was gone through with those in charge of the arrangements and changes to practices were planned based on suggestions that came up. In the future the instructions in Kuopio will be more specific and also the collaboration during the event planning process will be even more intense so we will be able to assure the safety of the event. This concerns the fake check points as well. Our goal is to organize a fun event where everyone feels welcome.
In addition, ISYY will appoint equality observes to the Campus Happening and City Orienteering as well as other larger events. The equality observers will go around the check points and can step in if they notice any inappropriate practices.
If you took part in the Campus Happening or the City Orienteering and you would like to give us further feedback, you can contact the Chairperson of the ISYY Executive Board Juuso Sikiö.
Juuso Sikiö, Chairperson of the ISYY Executive Board, tel. 044 576 8427, puheenjohtaja@isyy.fi