Students to get an 'ambassador'

Student ambassador. This is the new job title chosen at the Board meeting 13 March. Alternatives such as consul, defender of students, doge for student protection, mother of all students or student mogul were not up for consideration.

Initially, the idea was for the students to have an ‘ombudsman’. An ombudsman was to be ‘an official appointed to investigate individuals’ complaints against maladministration, esp. that of public authorities,’ as in the dictionary definition. That is also pretty much the job description for the student ambassador.

According to the Danish government, the title ombudsman is reserved for the two government bodies that survey whether or not a) public officials treat citizens correctly, and b) that business owners don’t mistreat consumers, respectively. So the University of Copenhagen had to think of a different word that meant the same. But they couldn’t. So they settled for ambassador.

Ambassadors need embassies

Mattias Friis Jørgensen, a student-elected board member, described the choice of the title ambassador as »the least awful alternative« at the board meeting.

The board also agreed that the name should be changed to ‘Student Ombudsman’, should the government change its mind and allow it.

Earlier this year, the board decided, controversially, that the student ambassador should cost around DKK 2 million per annum. With a title like that they will need to find an embassy too. Maybe DKK 2 million kroner is cheap.

universitypost@adm.ku.dk

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