Wants to remove compulsory attendance
The left-wing group Venstrealliansen would like to see a more united Student Parliament. In order to achieve this, they are willing to go easy on their demands.
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– We are the only fraction who take an active part in international student politics, claims Venstrealliansen’s spokesperson, Sigrid Hvidsten.
Venstrealliansen (VA) may be called «the reddest» fraction at the University of Oslo (UiO) and some of their top priorities are international solidarity work and the internationalisation of UiO. Together with Rød Front, the socialist student organisation at the University of Oslo, and Fredskorpset (the Peace Corps), VA were the ones who started the ongoing Colombia campaign.
The fraction has been represented in the Student Parliament for two periods, and according to Hvidsten they are more goal-oriented today than were in 2005.
She would like for the student politicians to be as influential as possible.
– How do you plan to make that happen?
– In order to become influential we need to support each other within the Student Parliament and focus on co-operation. In some cases the fractions will have make concessions for this to happen, but we need to think about the big picture rather than the isolated cases.
A more united parliament
Like last year, VA wants to see UiO as a more accessible university.
– We want the university to be as accommodating as possible when it comes to the actual interests of the students. It is also important that the students are aware of what is going on in the student democracy.
Hvidsten points to the fact that the Student Parliament is influential on several levels, from the Foundation for Student Life in Oslo (SiO) to active lobbyism in relation to both the government and the Storting (the Norwegian Parliament).
– If the Student Parliament can appear as one unit rather than several fractions, I’m sure that we will have more say at the national level.
Against compulsory attendance
One of VA’s top priorities, is to remove all forms for compulsory teaching.
– The students must be responsible for their own lives, says VA’s Marie Frøyland. By demanding compulsory attendance on various seminars and activities in order to pass the exams is quite simply unreasonable.
Frøyland emphasises that a lot of students have work and family obligations to deal with, and that it should be up to each and everyone to decide how to organise their everyday lives.
– Do you think that this can be accomplished?
– Absolutely. In addition to lobbying, student politicians are able to influence the organisation of UiO.
– Why should the students vote for Venstrealliansen?
– They should vote for us if thy want a more accessible university, less compulsory teaching, and better financing of higher education.
