Hello dear colleagues,
If you have clicked on this link, it means you are somehow interested on what I have to say. Still I want to assure you that I will be very short and precise about some topics that I believe a candidate should address, which I will also touch during the presentations on Monday.
First of all, I think that making campaigns for food or anything else right now is redundant, while it is best when the student representatives are elected ( regardless whom ), and THEN we can have a meeting, put down all the topics we want to address, how we will address them and the solutions we will come up with it.
So first of all, the focus should be on ‘ we ‘, not me, you or she.
The main issues that I want to point out are amongst:
- Food: Clearly there is a dissatisfaction about the food in the canteen, sometimes fair sometimes not. Some people want more salads, some want better meat. Even though it is impossible to make everyone happy, it is possible to come together and bring up the best solution, and present it to the College in a feasible manner.
- Library: Even though I believe the hours are quite ok, I know that during the exam period, we may need more hours. One suggestion to this can be that ( like in last years ) the students can volunteer being responsible in the libraries, instead of the staff ( this has worked before ).
- Balance: A student representative shouldnt be a messenger nor only for professors, or for students. In all cases both sides have correct and wrong arguments, and it is the students representatives job to find a balance between those arguments, and to present the best suggestion possible as a solution.
- Communication: I believe we are communicating quite good, mostly thanks to facebook and our mailing list. Yet it is possible to organize monthly meetings, having an agenda with all the complaints beforehand, with all the students welcome to give opinions and solutions. After coming to certain conclusions, we can speak with one voice, instead of small groups, which will definitely raise awareness and impact.
- Professors: There has been a case where one professor recently threw a pen to a student, even though not intending to hurt her, the pen bounced off the table and almost poked her eye, if not she wore glasses. This and cases like this require strict ( but professional ) reaction and consequences. This is another important task of a student representative.
- Socializing: We already have many people and many committees ( bar, sauna, dancing, football ) to organize all these things. It is important to delegate as much as possible to people, and with my colleagues who will be in the boards of those committees, I do not think we will have any problems with that. Also these social gatherings can be used as a good way to socialize and communicate with the professors, assistants etc…
- Students affairs office: I see the wonderful ladies in the students affairs office as the backbones of this university, thus cooperation, communication with them is really important, while they have easier access to CoE professors and staff, can give expert advice on issues, and can help with their years of experience.
If you still did not fall asleep, a bit about me 
I am actively working for my NGO called AEGEE ( European Students Forum ) for 6 years, both in local and European level. I have worked in the executive board of AEGEE in Brussels for 1 year between 2008-09, as the projects director, representing AEGEE in the Parliament and Commission hearings and EPC briefings, as well as towards other NGO’s. AEGEE has over 10.000 members all over Europe in 47 countries, from Portugal to Azerbaijan, from Malta to Finland.
I have also founded and managed a project called ‘ Where Does Europe End?’ that aims to investigate the physical and mental borders of Europe, which I will give a workshop about on 18th October in the CoE. We have organized 7 events in 7 different countries, with 40 participants in each event, also hosting some MEP’s, presidents of NGO’s and cabinet members, where I had chaired the round table discussions.
Lastly, I am working as the Chairman of AEGEE, chairing our statutory meetings, where 1000 people attend, twice per year. Even though I am going to finish my mandate at the end of this month, I consider this experience as very valuable in terms of representation and mediation.
I will stop giving you a headache now, hoping that you will find me as a suitable candidate to be your representative.
Even though I can work with anyone, from our department, the person that I see our ideas and motivation most fitting is Ilaria Volpe, thus makes her my optimal co-candidate.
Enjoy the weekend
Percin Imrek
