The Staff’s Column
A strong community – an SDU we remain proud of
Unfortunately, the board election at SDU was an uncontested election, but now we want to use our mandate to focus on SDU as a workplace.
The recent board election at the University of Southern Denmark, in which both the academic staff member and technical/administrative staff member were elected in an uncontested election, leaves me with mixed feelings. I regret the lack of electioneering, but at the same time I consider it to be a pat on the back from my colleagues.
Co-determination and involvement
In the last issue of this column, Peter Bækgaard Von Lehnsburg raised concerns about the influence of trade unions on elections. Personally, however, I see the collaboration with trade unions as a strength that broadens my perspectives and includes more voices in the work. Furthermore, in all democratic contexts, elections are decided by those who vote – not by trade unions, NGOs or lobbyists. The close collaboration also helps to focus on important issues, so the quality of the issues we bring to the board rises above mundane topics such as campus car parks. This collaboration has been crucial in promoting key topics such as empowerment and participation. The joint effort together with then-academic staff member of the board Gitte Rasmussen, then-chairman of the University Council Kaare Christensen and, not least, former joint union representative Kurt Bilde on co-determination and involvement, helped to raise an important debate, and we achieved something that I believe both we and SDU’s management are proud of today.
SDU as a workplace
But there’s more work to do. With a solid foundation for co-determination, it’s time to focus on SDU as a workplace. Together with Birgitte Damby Sørensen, who has promised to take over the board seat in two years, we will work to ensure that SDU’s new strong strategy, which puts people at the centre, also enhances the experience of being a proud part of the team. We are committed to rediscovering the ‘glue’ that binds us together as a university. Initiatives such as ‘SDU Moves’, the reintroduction of camps for our children and other social and academic initiatives could be central to this process. Examples of other initiatives could include creating international tracks at local primary schools in our campus cities, which would benefit both the schools’ pupils and our international colleagues. In Odense, a collaboration on a locally located daycare centre at SDU and New OUH could be helpful for our employees with young children. Another important element in ensuring coherence at SDU is the balance between recognising the differences between campuses and faculties, while ensuring a certain uniformity. For example, balance is important when it comes to seniority schemes and skills development, so that colleagues across the organisation don’t feel unfairly treated.
Both Birgitte and I are proud to work at SDU. We have great colleagues, a workplace with a flat structure, and a workplace that believes in and lives by the values of democratic freedom, and that is the workplace we want to help strengthen. In the next few months, the board will focus on all the important topics, with a particular focus on working with management to ensure that SDU continues to be a strong and proud workplace – a beacon in the Region of Southern Denmark.
Mads Lildholdt
Colleague, senior consultant at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, member of the Board of SDU.