Innovations in the VMU Student Parliament and a newly elected parliament speaker

The Student Parliament of Vytautas the Great University (VDU) gathered for the first session of its term. It was presented how the new parliament will work and what innovations await, and a new speaker of the parliament was elected.

November 16 the first meeting of the VDU parliament in this term took place. During the session, the election of the new speaker of the parliament took place. 3 candidates sought to occupy this position: Gabija Paškevičiūtė (received 11 votes for), Auksė Zykutė (received 4 votes for), Viktorija Čiapaitė (received 8 votes for).

Gabija Paškevičiūtė, a 4th-year student of the Faculty of Political Sciences and Diplomacy, will chair the VMU Student Parliament this term.

This year is a transitional year for the parliament, the principle of the parliament's operation is fundamentally changing. During the summer period, the VMU Student Representative (SA) Board initiated a study of the activities of the Student Parliament, which sought to investigate the current operational situation and assess support for changes, should they be initiated. "We are glad that the survey was successful and we managed to reach the total number of respondents - 52.1 percent. The analysis of the research results showed us that the activity of this highest governing body of the VMU SA is rated average, that it is not as active as it could be, and the Parliament's internal communication is not efficient and adequate. Also, the results showed that this management body does not fully utilize its potential and available opportunities. Therefore, having initiated the reorganization of the Student Parliament together with our colleagues from the VDU SA Board, we hope that it will allow the formation of a coherent system that will help to implement the main mission of the initiated changes - to promote wider and better debates in the Parliament, on issues important to students, and the members of Parliament will be given even greater opportunities to become more actively involved to the activities, for example by participating in the activities of the relevant committee and in general to strive for the most efficient functioning and visibility of this governing body among students", comments Lukas Gedvila, a member of the VDU SA Board, about the need for parliamentary changes.

From now on, the activities of the parliament will be carried out in two committees: the management committee and the social and academic affairs committee. "The committees will take part in decision-making, examine important documents, represent the students of their faculties and contribute to the resolution of priority issues", comments G. Paškevičiūtė, chairwoman of the VMU Student Parliament, about the activities of the committees.

"Academic and Social Affairs Committee - according to its competence, examines and makes proposals regarding documents, projects and various proposals submitted to the Student Parliament related to the quality and environment of University studies. In the meantime, the management committee is responsible for the legal regulation and quality control of the management of the Parliament, the President of the Student Representation, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Board, and the revision elections, according to its competence", L. Gedvila.

In December, elections were held for chairpersons and secretaries of parliamentary committees. 

Solvita Ausiukytė was elected as the secretary of the Social and Academic Affairs Committee with 12 votes in favor and 1 vote against. Evelina Laurinaitytė became the secretary of the Social and Academic Affairs Committee after collecting 11 votes for, 1 against and 1 abstention.

Viktorija Čiapaitė was elected as the chairman of the management committee after collecting 10 votes. Remaining candidates: Auksė Zykutė collected 6 votes, Domas Gudas collected 1 vote. Kevin Bartushas was elected secretary of the management committee with 13 votes in favor and 4 abstentions.