Each year, the Crous of Toulouse-Occitanie carries out various actions and finances projects aimed at improving the daily lives of students. Baskets & Chill, Projet Mars, Student Participatory Budget... So many initiatives made possible thanks to the CVEC.
The CVEC, a contribution by and for students
In 2018, the CVEC (Student and Campus Life Contribution) was created by law. This contribution is requested from students when they register in a higher education institution; scholarship students are exempt. Each year it allows an envelope to be collected dedicated to improving student and campus life, as well as to finance projects.
"The CVEC envelope allows us to do more to welcome students. We thus finance projects and actions in the fields of culture, sport, health, to create social ties" - Thomas Hulaud, head of the activities and campus life department
During the 2022/2023 academic year, the Crous of Toulouse-Occitanie, to which the law entrusts the responsibility of collecting CVEC from students, collected nearly 8 million euros. An amount that is then redistributed among the beneficiary higher education establishments, present in the 11 cities and university territories of the Toulouse Academy.
"Historically, the Crous is a student association created for students. The desire to support them is in our DNA" – Thomas Hulaud
For those who wish to actively participate in this transformation, the Crous of Toulouse-Occitanie offers the possibility of submitting new projects via its CVEC call for projects.
A participatory budget for student projects
The CVEC envelope also makes it possible to finance and carry out various initiatives selected during different calls for projects. The Crous call for projects and the Student and Campus Life in Balanced University Cities and Territories (VTUE) call for projects allow higher education establishments that do not benefit from the CVEC to also organize activities for their students.
Since this year, the Budget Participatif Étudiant (BPE) brings to life the best ideas of Crous resident students. The Crous of Toulouse-Occitanie has allocated 40,000 euros to a participatory budget, inviting Toulouse students to propose projects to improve life in their university residences. "We are committed to involving students as much as possible in the management of this envelope. They feed it, we want them to tell us how they want us to use it", explains Thomas Hulaud.
Of the 63 projects submitted last year, 10 were selected following a vote by residents and will be carried out during the year: artistic and sports practice rooms, loan of cleaning equipment, development of spaces to host concerts, shows, film screenings, etc.
Zoom sur some flagship projects led or supported by the Crous
Thanks to the envelope from the CVEC, the Crous is setting up initiativesdedicated to students. The actionBaskets & Chill was tested last year: given its success, it is being repeated for the summer of 2024.
"30% of residents stay in Crous apartments during the summer, it is often a difficult period. To promote social ties, we set up free activities from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., every evening of the week" explains Thomas Hulaud. From July 8 to August 24, chill, cultural and sports activities are taking place at the foot of the residences: football, touch rugby, volleyball and beach volleyball, beach tennis, mölkky, pétanque… In a musical and relaxed atmosphere.
New this year: the Crous is meeting at Toulouse Plages, every Thursday evening from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The animators will notably offer water activities, in partnership with Toulouse Métropole.
At the same time, there are outings and activities to discover the regions: "We organize hikes, treetop adventure sessions... The goal is to show students that they don't have to go far to enjoy their summer, and to help them discover the magnificent region where they study".
"Last year, we counted nearly 2,000 participants. All students, whether or not they are scholarship holders, whether or not they are residents of the Crous, can join the Baskets & Chill activities" adds Thomas Hulaud
Among the projects supported by the CVEC, the "Mars Project" stands out for its originality and ambition. Initiated by a student association of ISAE-SUPAERO as part of the Crous call for projects, it is a simulation mission on Mars in the Utah desert. For four weeks, seven students reproduce the living conditions on the red planet, equipped with suits and conducting various scientific experiments under the supervision of French researchers.
The goal is to conduct scientific experiments, and to popularize science with the general public by sharing their logbook via the media and social networks.
If your project was the next one?
Communities, student associations or not, higher education establishment: the Crous is open to any structure wishing to contribute with it to improve student life.
The funded projects are varied and cover several areas. In Albi, for example, the Crous supported the "Berges sonores", while at the INSA and the INP, it financed sports tournaments between schools. Health prevention actions and fight against sexual and gender-based violence (VSS) are also carried out. The Crous can support associations in their efforts to maximize the impact of their initiatives.
Each project is meticulously studied by the CVEC committee, bringing together student life stakeholders, including 7 student representatives, members of the Crous board of directors.
"We organize 7 committees per year. The pace is sustained in order to be responsive and provide answers within deadlines compatible with the projects" -Thomas Hulaud
Project leaders can ask for advice when they prepare their file: the Crous helps them to put all the chances on their side, so that their project best corresponds to the needs of the students and the rules of the CVEC!