The Board
The board of the VSPA consists of usually seven psychology students who devote themselves for a whole year to work part time on keeping the VSPA running. At the beginning of their year, they write a policy plan in which they elaborate all their plans to develop the association a step further in the coming year. The board is responsible for the serious side of the association and all of its committees.
The chair coordinates the rest of the board and is the face of the association for all external contacts. The secretary controls the various systems in use by the association and takes minutes during board meetings. The treasurer is responsible for the financial matters of the VSPA. It is required by law for these three functions to exist within the board. Next to these, the VSPA has three officers on their board. One of which coordinates the social committees, another the study-related committees. The third is the officer of sales and acquisition, who is responsible for sales and looks into acquisition possibilities for the VSPA.
Each year around May, a new board is chosen by the members of the VSPA during a General Members Assembly. A board year is a nice asset to your CV and there is a reason for that. Not only is it a lot of fun, you learn a lot during this year. You have a chance to do a lot of meaningful work for your fellow students as well as for the VSPA. Consider joining the board for a year, because you will benefit from this your whole life.
If you’re interested in more information about the board, just ask one of the board members or send an e-mail to info@vspa.nl.
Former Boards of the VSPA
While at this moment the sitting board is working hard for the association, it is important to know the former boards the VSPA has known. After all, the VSPA as we know it today would not exist without all the hard work done by these people.
The members of the former boards as known by the VSPA are shown below in descending order.
Chair
Alexia Tapia
Secretary & Vice-Chair
Ori Goldstein
Treasurer
Suzi Krespin
Officer of Sales and Acquisition
Ula Simonic
Social Committee Affairs Officer
Ella Hajkova
Study Committee Affairs Officer
Mykolas Undzėnas
Head of Promotion
Zosia Sulima-Horbatowska
Chair
Merel Roseboom
Secretary
Jikke de Geus
Treasurer & Vice-Chair
Julia Pijls
Social Committee Affairs Officer
Levi Kosmeijer
Study Committee Affairs Officer
Tim Laboyrie
Officer of Sales & Acquisition
Elin Swaan
Chair
Annemiek Dekker
Secretary
Rick Smit
Treasurer & Vice-Chair
Christian te Riet
Commissioner
Iris Timmerman
Coordinator Book Counter
Saskia Kroonenberg
Lindy Hartman
Chair
Aart Schouten
Secretary
Steven David
Treasurer
Commissioner
Matthijs Baas
Annerieke Ruijter
Book Counter Coordinator
Eva Gorree
General Board Member
Joris Methorst
Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
General Board Member
General Board Member
General Board Member
Basya Berends
Unknown
Unknown
Emily Brugman
Dennis Boutkan
Thijs Visser
Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
A. J. van den Bergh
Unknown
D. W. Keuper
General Board Member
P. J. van der Maat
General Board Member
A. H. Arnoldussen
General Board Member
M. E. Jansen
General Board Member
B. Gomes de Mesquita
Special Members
Honorary members
Honorary members are people that have never been members of the association, but that have been of inestimable value for the VSPA, by putting a lot of effort into the association. Currently, the VSPA has one honorary member: Klaas Visser. Besides him, Cok Koeleman was also an honorary member until his death in 2016.
Honorary members of the VSPA:
Klaas Visser:
Klaas put a lot of effort into this association. He was mentioned explicitly for his “astonishing resilience regarding the stupidities that the VPSA sometimes pulls” by his nominators.
Cok Koeleman († 2016):
Cok was active as an employee of the Educational Institute of Psychology at the UvA in many ways. He, for example, made sure that the VSPA was being represented at various promotion occasions, like information days. He also contributed a lot to the organisational independence of the VSPA.
Members of Merit
When a member of the association has put a certain amount of effort into the association during his or her active period as a VSPA member, this person can be nominated as a Member of Merit, during the GMA. This group consists only of a small group of people that worked hard for the interests of the association. During the nomination it’s necessary a minimum of five members openly support the proposal by signing it before the GMA.
Members of Merit of the VSPA:
Denny Visscher:
Denny has put a lot of effort into the VSPA, in several ways, for ten years. This resulted in nine First Year’s Weekends, many committees, a board year, a big number of administrative bodies, and a lot more initiatives for which he put his mark on the association.
Martin Gevonden:
Martin was active in various committees and administrative bodies from 2001 until his nomination. He was also the treasurer in 2003/2004. He has made many people enthusiastic about the VSPA.
René Vrijens:
Rene started studying full time psychology at the UvA in 2001, when I was 34, and has participated actively in the VSPA from day 1. He did many committees and was a real networker who was able to recruit many new first year members every year with a lot of enthusiasm.
Eva Gorree:
Eva has done a lot for the VSPA during her nine years of studying. Together with Steven David she did a board year in the year 2000/2001. Besides that she was in many committees and has done a lot for psychology students via student politics and initiatives at the Educational Institute.
Niels Bom:
Niels has put a lot of effort into the VSPA during his time studying. Also after his study, when his membership had actually expired, he still did a lot for the VSPA.
Steven Alexander David:
Steven has put a lot of effort into the VSPA during his ten years of studying. Together with Eva Gorree he did a board year in the year 2000/2001. Besides that he was in many committees and has done a lot for psychology students via student politics and initiatives at the Educational Institute.