Abbreviation UCMSA Universalis Membership 600-700 | Legal status Study Association | |
 | ||
Full name University College Maastricht Study Association Formation December 3, 2002; 14 years ago (2002-12-03) Location Maastricht, The Netherlands | ||
UCMSA Universalis is a multicultural and multidisciplinary student society directly affiliated with the University College Maastricht. It is run by UCM students for UCM students and contributes to both academic and social life at UCM. The association is involved in the organisation of debates, poetry readings, parties, charity fundraisers, student representation, and other events. Following a structure typical of Maastricht University study associations, it is led by an executive board of seven. Next to the executive board, an academic board has responsibilities in the areas of event organisation, student/staff coordination and student representation. Active members are organised as committees which provide services for all students at the college. All new students automatically become a member upon enrolment at the college.
Contents
Organisation structure
There are seven members on the UCMSA Universalis Executive Board: President, Treasurer, Secretary, PR Officer and three Executives. Currently only the President is elected, the rest of the Board are selected by the previous Board. Board members serve for one or two semesters after which they can re-apply. Executive Board meetings are held once a week, currently on a Friday. Universalis's committees and societies operate underneath the Executive Board, who seek to financially and logistically facilitate all committee activities.
The Academic Council works in parallel with the Study Association Board, with five members: Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and two other members. The Council consists of the student members of University College Maastricht's Board of Studies, who are responsible for evaluating academic courses and affairs.
Current Committees and Societies
Arts & Photo Committee
Charity Committee
Culture Committee
Chess Society
Dance Society
Excursion Committee
Feminism Society
Film Society
Harry Potter Society
Mediation Society
Music Committee
Newsroom Committee
Party Committee
Politics Society
Sport Committee
Sustainability Committee
Theatrical Society
History
At the beginning of September 2002 UCM's first students gathered in the back yard of the newly founded college. Several students formed an informal founding committee to get a student society started. Because the diversity of UCM's students and its curriculum, they decided that Da Vinci's Homo Universalis was a suitable symbol for the student society's identity. It represents the juxtaposition of different interests in its members and of the diverse UCM student body. The founding committee decided to call the association Universalis and Brian Pagán designed the logo, a stylised version of the Vitruvian Man. The first unofficial Universalis general meeting was held on 19 September 2002. The organisation's structure was drawn up by the founding committee and the first board was elected. The organisation was registered with the Maastricht Chamber of Commerce and certified by a notary on 3 December 2002, marking the official establishment of UCM Study Association Universalis.