Tartu College’s 2020 recap at the Annual Meeting of Members

VINCENT TEETSOV

On the evening of Thursday May 13th, Tartu College held its Annual Meeting of Members (AMM) on Zoom. The 24 members present, who represent each korporatsioon and selts (Estonian academic fraternities, sororities, and societies) looked in retrospect on 2020, a year that was extremely challenging.

The financial impact of COVID-19 has been major. The impact was lessened by the fact that Tartu College was full until April 2020, after which occupancy rates decreased with university students mostly attending online classes. According to Linda Karuks, Tartu College’s General Manager, 45% of the student residence was occupied last September and during the summer. Accordingly, TC’s total occupancy income at the end of 2020 was $3.1 million. This was a decrease of $1.5 million from 2019.

As shown in the presentation of the 2020 financial statements by Peeter Einola, Chair of TC’s Finance Committee, reduced occupancy income was the primary reason for TC’s recorded loss of $64 thousand for 2020.

Due to the continued uncertainties brought about by the pandemic, TC suspended its suite renovation program, but used the lower occupancy situation to undertake significant cosmetic upgrading and maintenance of existing suites and the building, including the new, accessible washroom on the G floor.

TC continued to support the Estonian Studies Centre and the Chair of Estonian Studies Foundation with reduced funding. In 2020, this was in excess of $260 thousand, contrasting with 2019, when it was around $430 thousand.

TC was able to offset some of the loss in occupancy income through the government’s pandemic emergency support programs, which amounted to $636 thousand.

Eesti Elu is in the process of redesigning its website, so that it may better serve Estonians in Canada as a central hub of news, information, culture, and educational resources. To this end, the newspaper was able to tap into government support of $50 thousand for local news publications, and if pandemic wage support were to also be considered, the newspaper essentially broke even in 2020.

Significantly, as explained by Linda Karuks at the AMM, Tartu College is in an ongoing legal dispute regarding the property assessment classification of its building. TC is trying to get more favourable treatment from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). The outcome of this dispute will substantially affect the amount of realty taxes paid by Tartu College.

However, despite the challenges of operating through the pandemic, the basis for TC’s continued operations remains strong. Tõnu Tõsine, who is Chair of the Audit Committee, reported that in the audit of TC’s financial statements by MNP LLP, Tartu College essentially had a clean audit, that no instances of short-comings with Tartu’s overall financial manage ment nor conduct were found. MNP LLP has conducted TC’s financial statement audits since 2015, and the AMM voted to continue with the firm for 2021.

As Tartu College is looking forward to more normal operating conditions, it expects that by September 2021, its student occupancy levels will increase to at least 65% as COVID-19 vaccination rates continue to rise and universities welcome students back for in-class learning. That percentage may increase, of course, if students register at the same rate as before pandemic times.

Linda Karuks pointed out how it’s been a challenge to manage the student residence in the last 14 months. However, there has been only one known case of COVID-19 at TC since the pandemic started, among student residents and employees, which is significant as residents are allowed to self-isolate at TC as required by Government regulations. That single case was immediately contained by staff, who proactively follow health guidelines and clean and maintain the building.

As students return in greater numbers, Karuks has voiced a desire to reflect TC’s educational purpose more actively. By adding an Educational Program section to the website, TC can promote VEMU’s wide range of programs and activities that are in English to the students and broader public, increasing awareness of VEMU in the community. TC plans to also promote and partner with the other educational programs that take place on the G-floor, including the Academy for Lifelong Learning, who have generously donated $5,000 as a bursary for our TC student residents. Karuks and staff will work with the Student Residence Council to establish criteria for the bursary funds.

Infrastructural improvements are ongoing. Jaan Meri, President of Tartu College, says, “we’re constantly investing in our infrastructure because it’s a 50 year old building.” Given the extra demands observed during the pandemic, TC is making improvements to things like internet connectivity. By switching its internet service provider to Beanfield Metroconnect, TC will be increasing internet speed from the current 1 Gbps to 5 Gbps, which will also benefit the G-floor. Reet Oolup of the Executive Committee expressed that this upgrade will also save money in the long term.

The meestetuba that is used by Korp! Fraternitas Estica, Korp! Sakala, Korp! Ugala, and Korp! Vironia is in the process of being renovated, with completion projected for the fall semester. This is hand-in-hand with the eventual relaxation of COVID protocols and the hope of resuming activities on the G floor of TC.

While Tartu Management and staff looks after the day to day operations and development of TC, the Board of Directors of Tartu College provides oversight, approvals, and guidance. During the AMM, it was announced that Souit Olvet will be retiring from his position on the Board. Tartu College is grateful to Olvet for his longstanding work and help on the Board, as a representative of ÜS Raimla, within Akadeemiline Kodu, and for his work with the Bibliograafia Klubi.

With this in mind, TC is looking for the next generation of individuals who will start to govern in these positions in the coming years. These new candidates must be a member of a korporatsioon or selts, and possess a certain skill set to oversee the student residence and take on “oversight responsibility of everything that goes on at Tartu College at a higher level,” as Jaan Meri explains. For instance, when Meri joined the Board, he had professional experience in building and facility management.

In these roles, the Board of Directors, now and those to come, give back massively to the Estonian community. Linda Karuks says that working together with the Executive Committee has “kept us on a strong path that makes us successful and helps us make balanced decisions.” It hasn’t been easy work, but the effort of the staff and Board has kept TC’s activities, finances and building in good shape.

At the heart of what ultimately converted the challenges of 2020 into positive changes is the belief in the concept of TC: a home for fraternities, sororities, societies, and the Estonian Studies Centre; and overall, a powerful asset to the community.

Photo: ajapaik.ee