Röskva (University of Iceland)
| Röskva | |
|---|---|
| Student organization | |
 | |
| Founded: 1988 | |
| Chairman: Sigurður Vopni Vatnsdal | |
| Vice Chairman: Isabel Alejandra Díaz | |
| Leader in the Council: Jóna Þórey Pétursdóttir | |
Röskva is a student body organization at the University of Iceland that has had a list to the Student Council of the UI since 1988. The tag line of the organization is Organization of socially minded students at the University of Iceland. Röskva is currently in majority of the Student Council.
Röskva nominates to the paid positions at the Student Council's Office. For the school year 2018-2019, Elísabet Brynjarsdóttir is the President of the Student Council of the University of Iceland on Röskva’s behalf. Sonja Sigríður Jónsdóttir is the Vice President. Elísa Björg Grímsdóttir is the Students’ Loan Representative. Pétur Geir Steinsson is the Students' Representative Council. The Editor and Managing Director are professionally appointed, they are Ragnhildur Þrastardóttir Editor and Jónas Már Torfason Managing Director. The current Chairman of Röskva in the Student Council is Jóna Þórey Pétursdóttir.
History
Röskva was founded in February the year 1988 when two movements merged, The organization of left people and Reformists decided that combined they would be a bigger force to compete against Vaka, the organization of democratic students. The first chair of the organization was Þórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir the former Environment minister in the government of Geir Haarde. Röskva first was in the majority in 1992 and kept it until 2002, when Vaka regained its majority. Röskva got the majority again in the spring of 2007 and kept it until the spring of 2009. In 2017, Röskva won the election to the Student Council after eight years in minority, and received 18 of the 27 student councils members, which was the biggest victory in Röskva's history. In 2018, the organization won again and held the majority with 18 members.
Issues
Röskva is the organisation of socially minded students and is against any form of school admission fees and limiting access to university education. Its vision is equal access to education. It is Röskva's opinion that the Student Council should not only exert itself within the University of Iceland. Röskva believes that the Student Council should raise its voice about all matters that affect students, and raise awareness about them. Röskva thinks that the Student Council should be political and try to work with politicians and other organisations to fight for the interests of students. The most important policy in Röskva's work is the concept of equal treatment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, religion, origin, residence, social status or situation in other aspects.
In recent years, Röskva has put the focus on environmental issues, wanting the University of Iceland to be at the forefront of all areas of those. In addition, the movement has drawn attention to the shortage of student apartments at the University’s campus. Röskva has also been actively involved in the #MeToo movement by creating and setting up procedures on the response to sexual and gender-based harassment and violence. After Röskva’s biggest victory in the Student Council, annual reports and financial statements of the Student Council from 2013 have been completed and published. The information is now accessible to students.
Organization
Röskva currently has 18 representatives at the Student Council of UI, where one of them has a seat in the University Council which is the highest decision-making authority in the University. Röskva also has 5 representatives in the University Congress, which is the regular venue where the future is discussed. The board members of Röskva are 11 in total. For the school year of 2018-2019 they are Sigurður Vopni Vatnsdal president, Isabel Alejandra Diaz vice-chairman, Fjölnir Brynjarsson treasurer, Hallgerður Kolbrún E. Jónsdóttir recording secretary, Áslaug Ýr Hjartardóttir editor, Kristrún Helga Valþórsdóttir activities director, Þórhildur Hlín Oddgeirsdóttir communications director, Júlía Sif Liljudóttir marketing director, Eyrún Baldursdóttir elections director and Ester Rún Antonsdóttir and Sædís Harpa Stefánsdóttir board members. In addition, Jóna Þórey Pétursdóttir is the chairman and Sigurbjörg Ásta Ólafsdóttir along with Þórður Jónsson are the organization’s confidants.
Chair of the Student Council for Röskva
- 1991 til 1992 – Steinunn Valdís Óskarsdóttir (Röskva had the chair in spite of having the same amount of representatives as Vaka)
- 1992 til 1993 – Pétur Þ. Óskarsson
- 1993 til 1994 – Páll Magnússon
- 1994 til 1995 – Dagur B. Eggertsson
- 1995 til 1996 – Guðmundur Steingrímsson
- 1996 til 1997 – Vilhjálmur H. Vilhjálmsson
- 1997 til 1998 – Haraldur Guðni Eiðsson
- 1998 til 1999 – Ásdís Magnúsdóttir
- 1999 til 2000 – Finnur Beck
- 2000 til 2001 – Eiríkur Jónsson
- 2001 til 2002 – Þorvarður Tjörvi Ólafsson
- 2007 til 2008 – Dagný Ósk Aradóttir
- 2008 til 2009 – Björg Magnúsdóttir
- 2017 til 2018 – Ragna Sigurðardóttir