An interview with Rémy Haddad, student vice-president of the Academic Senate
Rémy Haddad, a student in Master's Year 1 , is also the student vice-president of the PSL Academic Senate. As events are resuming on PSL campus and students get prepared for a new academic year, Rémy Haddad recounts his missions and his future projects.
PSL: You were elected on January 27, 2021, during the pandemic; what do you think of your first months in office?
Rémy Haddad: The Academic Senate is a new body within PSL University. These first few months have been devoted to setting it up, and to creating the three working committees (core education - research - student life) provided for in PSL's bylaws, and to creating two complementary taskforces on priority issues: international affairs and environmental responsibility.
The impact of the pandemic, especially on campus life, was also an important part of our mission during the first months of our mandate. In particular, the pandemic has encouraged us to think outside the box about student services. I participated in the discussions on the development of new services provided to the communities, such as the partnership between the student health service and the Qare teleconsultation website.
I engaged in many meetings and discussions with the different communities included in the Senate and the interactions enabled me to see, once again, the diverse and outstanding profiles who make our university.
PSL: What is your roadmap and what are your main projects for the coming year?
Rémy Haddad: Within the Student Life and Alumni Commission, which I chair, we want to improve the sense of community among PSL students. To do this, I am convinced that we must increase the opportunities of cross-disciplinary events within the campus by supporting, thanks to professors, the projects to create cross-institutional weeks with classes (PSL week), led by the PSL Vice President for Education, and by working with student organizations to create opportunities for meetings. The Union PSL, the university's student life organization, plays a critical part in such projects. Throughout the year, the Union PSL organizes festive and cultural events in which students from different institutions can meet.
Finally, although the health situation improved, we should keep supporting the student community. This support is shown through the different PSL services, funding for students in need and support for professional integration.
PSL: How do you work with student representatives and associations to support PSL projects?
Rémy Haddad: The resumption of campus life is a priority for this new academic year, which includes the expected return of in-peron activities. Students are very involved in their different institutions and they want to carry out projects for the whole PSL community. It is my mission to help them and to put the associations in contact with one another.
Last year, for instance, I worked with students from several institutions to create a new student support organization: . Its project is to answer to the financial needs and mee the challenges that affect students at the university; the Epicoop PSL creates a grocery store for students on a tight budget. The grocery store's purpose is to become a meeting place that would offer financial support, but also develop food distribution projects and the student initiatives based on providing food. Until the store is in operation, the association organizes food distributions and has already given nearly 500 baskets last year. This distribution will occur again this year.
PSL: What is your message to the incoming students?
Rémy Haddad: Welcome to this unique university. We are fortunate because we can tae part in its history through our careers, our commitments, and our successes and because our education at PSL will also bring a wealth of experiences, meetings and debates.
I wish newcomers a great year in the PSL student community and I'm looking forward to meeting you.