INTERVIEW | Discover the profile of Paul-Arthur VALET, Student Vice Dean 2022-23!

Every five years, a new dean's team, composed of vice deans and project managers, is appointed by the Dean to represent him or her in specific tasks. Each year, a student Vice Dean is appointed by their peers elected to the Management Council to represent them on the Dean's team. Following Florian Mary and Théo Lacoste, Paul-Arthur Valet is now taking on the role of Student Vice Dean and President of Ademmoos.  Read his interview here to find out more about his background and the projects he hopes to implement as part of his role!

Hello Paul-Arthur, for those who don't know you, could you introduce yourself?

Hello, my name is Paul-Arthur VALET, I am 21 years old and I am in my fourth year of medical school in Nîmes. This is the first time that the vice-dean has come from the Nîmes campus. I am also an elected student representative on the management board and president of ADEMMOOS (the association of elected student representatives from all disciplines). Although my future specialty is changing from internship to internship, I have my heart set on becoming a surgeon.

 

You were chosen from among ADEMMOOS members to be Vice-Dean of Students, succeeding Théo Lacoste. How did this transition go?

The handover went well, but the start of the term was a little unusual, particularly given the national situation. We had to organize a mobilization, in consultation with the SILR, ACM, and CCC, whom I would like to thank for their help. The mobilization brought together 400 students, which is historic for Montpellier-Nîmes. This was followed by the release of our VSS and student mental health surveys, which is the starting point for a paradigm shift that we are beginning to see.

 

 What made you want to take on this role?

Since my second year, I have been a member of ADEMMOOS, first as VP Communications, then as treasurer, and finally as president/VDE. I have always had a strong interest in representation, being in direct contact with students, and being able to help them. In addition, working with the dean's team is very rewarding, especially within a caring and attentive team.

How will you balance your duties as vice dean with your obligations as a student?

It is, let's say, relatively complex, but I knew that when I accepted these responsibilities. It requires a high level of organization, but these positions (president and VDE
) are incredibly rewarding. To successfully balance everything, it is essential to delegate, and I would like to thank the association's board, particularly the vice president, Soukaina Mouh Mouh, who was elected to the educational council and does such important work behind the scenes.

 

What are your goals and priorities for this term? Do you want to continue the student "Well-Being" project initiated by your predecessor?

Regarding the "Well-Being" project, we have two vice-presidents in the office, Emma PETON & Florent BENOIST, whom I have every confidence in to fulfill the mission entrusted to them
. They have already organized stands for No Smoking Month and Solidarity Christmas, which aims to bring together students from the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine who wish to get together for a Christmas meal.
I also strongly believe in inter-association work. Student associations bring life to our campus and play a structural role on both of our faculty's sites. On a personal level, my priority is to combat sexual violence and allow victims to speak out.

 

What actions would you like to implement for students?

In addition to continuing existing projects such as publishing back-to-school guides and the Internal Future Forum, I would like to relaunch certain projects that had to be put on hold due to COVID-
, such as the cafés reprez’, which were opportunities to talk with ANEMF administrators and your local representatives. Overall, I believe that national representation is just as important as local representation, which is why we have two members dedicated to this task: Zoé DOLADILLE (ADEMMOOS) and Rémi BOUCHARD (ADEMMOOS) for Montpellier. Overall, I believe that national representation is just as fundamental as local representation, which is why we have two members assigned to this task: Zoé DOLADILLE (ADEMMOOS) and Rémi BOURGAUX (ACM) for Montpellier, and Manon VALETTE (ADEMMOOS) and Elise DE LOTH (CCC) for Nîmes.

 

Any final thoughts?

The issue that is particularly close to my heart is gender-based and sexual violence (GSV). What I want is for people to speak freely, in order to break the code of silence that
prevents victims from speaking out.
Thanks to our investigations and the responses from faculty members, people are starting to speak out. It is up to us not to betray the courage that victims have shown in speaking out.

“The shame must shift to the other side.”