Student life is reinvented at UM
On November 18, the University of Montpellier's board of directors voted on the new student life master plan. Gautier Jaunin, student vice president, led the Student Life Office in consultations on key areas: sports, culture, campus life, health, social issues, and student engagement. (last updated on December 8, 2021).
This was one of the requests made by the High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (read: Hcéres report: "an undeniable success"): to establish a master plan for student life at the University of Montpellier. This has been in place since November 18, 2021. " What we call student life," says Gautier Jaunin, student vice president, "is everything that is done around education for the well-being and fulfillment of students: events, associations, health services, sports facilities, etc. The master plan is there to give direction to this student life on campus and to set our goals for the next five years."
"Recognizing students who get involved"
Key areas have been identified to develop this master plan for student life. In addition to essential areas such as sports and culture, the Student Life Office (BVE) wanted to strengthen the areas of health/prevention and social issues. " The COVID crisis has highlighted the extent of student precariousness more than ever before. Psychological support for students is also a major issue," emphasizes the vice president, a fifth-year medical student. Campus life is on the agenda, as is the issue of student engagement, which Gautier Jaunin considers a priority in its own right: " We want to recognize students who are involved in their campus, whether in associations or as elected representatives."
Four cross-cutting themes have also been identified and are receiving particular attention regardless of the areas addressed. These include the inclusion of people with disabilities, sustainable development policy, harmonization of student life across all campuses, particularly at remote sites, and a sense of belonging to UM. " It is essential to remember that our geographical scope of action is the entire University, and this scope is vast. Every student enrolled at UM, wherever they are, must feel like a student of UM."
"Don't break everything"
While the student vice president is the political champion of this plan and the campus life department (DVC) is the administrative champion, its implementation requires the cooperation of a wide range of stakeholders, such as the university physical education and sports department (SUAPS), the joint preventive medicine and health promotion department (SCMPPS), the university health center, the international relations department, student associations, and, of course, the Crous.
In order to develop the best possible master plan, the BVE launched a major consultation process that took place throughout July. The aim was to assess the current state of student life at UM. " The goal was not to tear everything down and rebuild it from scratch, " emphasizes Gautier Jaunin. We need to look at what works well and keep it, and also look at what doesn't work so well and improve it. UFRs, schools, institutes, associations, student representatives, management, and services all participated in this assessment to help us develop a comprehensive vision of student life at UM and set our plan on the right course."
"Stay the course"
At the end of this consultation phase, the BVE will have a few more weeks to finalize its plan and complete the drafting process before the university reopens at the end of August. It will then have to be voted on by the board of directors " at the end of October or early November at the latest" for implementation in early 2022. Why this date? "Because January 2022 will mark the launch of the experimental institution. There is a certain logic to all this."
From there, the work is only just beginning for the BVE, which, before the master plan's deadline in 2027, is already planning a new consultation in two and a half years' time. " Five years is a long time. For certain medium-term objectives, we believe it is necessary to conduct a new mid-term review. This will enable us to make any necessary adjustments and stay on course."