Members of the elective bodies and university organs
Members of the elective Bodies as of 01.04.2024
Table of contents
Student Councils
The faculty student councils (FSRs) are elected by all students of a faculty student body. The elected members of the FSRs then delegate up to 3 people to the Student Council (StuRa). The term of office is 1 year. StuRa and FSRs basically have the same tasks, but at different levels. The StuRa is responsible for the entire university, the FSR for its respective faculty. Meetings are usually held weekly and are open to the public.
Which tasks?
Representation of interests: We try to influence university matters in the interests of the students. This concerns, for example, improving study conditions or increasing the quality of teaching or student co-determination.
Support and advice on studying: The FSRs have old module documents, for example, and can provide valuable tips on how to organize your studies and on individual modules. We can also help you with questions about administrative matters, examinations or other things.
Conflict resolution: As a student, you are dependent on your lecturers in many respects, especially in Freiberg where you know each other personally. In the event of a conflict, we are therefore happy to act as mediators for you.
Cultural and further education programs: We organize events and parties, as well as workshops and lectures. We also supervise the student working groups (AGs).
Faculty Student Council (FSR)
The Faculty Student Council is the first point of contact for students at the faculty and is an important point of contact for professors and staff. It consists of up to 9 elected members and is supplemented by freelancers. Various module documents can be obtained from the FSR on request.
Student Council (StuRa)
The Student Council represents student interests for the entire university. There are also freelancers who support the StuRa. There are several departments within the StuRa that cover the respective areas of responsibility. These include Public Relations (ÖA), Studies and Education (StuBi), University Politics (HoPo), International and Social Affairs (InSo), Equipment, Culture and Sports (KuSpo) and the Executive Board, which consists of the treasurers, the spokesperson and the president.
Council of the doctoral candidates (ProRat)
The council of the doctoral candidates is also a representation of the interest of the student body. It represents the doctoral candidates of a university and works as a supplement to the student body council and the staff council.
Bodies of the university
In Germany, universities are self-governed. This means that the state provides the universities with general tasks and regulations on university administration. However, the universities themselves regulate how they fulfil their tasks and how they organize themselves in detail. This self-government takes place within the framework of the various university bodies and institutions, which you will get to know below.
The student members of the Senate and Extended Senate are elected by all students at our university. In contrast, the student representatives on the Faculty Council are elected by all students in the respective faculty. Finally, the student council is responsible for proposing students for appointment to study commissions and audit committees. The delegation itself is carried out by the Faculty Council.
Rectorate
The Rectorate manages the university and is responsible for all matters that are not assigned to any other body. It is responsible for day-to-day operations and for implementing the resolutions of the other bodies. The Rectorate prepares draft decisions for the Senate and the University Council and is responsible for the legal supervision of the university. In the event of problems or conflicts, it is the highest-ranking point of contact within the university. Only the State Ministry of Science and the Arts (SMWK) is above it. Rectorate meetings are not open to the public.
The Rectorate currently consists of the Rector Prof. Barbknecht as the head of the Rectorate/University. Furthermore, the chancellor Mr. Then as head of administration and additionally the prorectors for certain areas of responsibility. These are Prof. Bernstein for Education, Prof. Fieback for Research, International Affairs and Transfer and Prof. Horsch for Sustainability and Communication. The Rector is elected by the Extended Senate and the Prorectors by the Senate. The Chancellor is appointed by the Ministry.
The Rectorate can appoint Rectorate Commissions to deal with specific topics and prepare the decisions of the Rectorate. In Freiberg, these are the Rectorate Commissions for Research, Education, Diversity Equality and Inclusion, Graduate Funding, Budget, Internationalization and Consilium Decanale (exchange with the deans of the faculties). The composition of the Rectorate Commissions varies, but in general there is always a larger group of people from the various member groups of the university who are involved in the topic. There are also student representatives on many Rectorate Commissions, who are delegated by the StuRa or the FSRs.
Senate
The Senate is the highest body that is directly elected by the members of the university. It is the university’s parliament, so to speak, and advises on current developments and decides on fundamental matters that affect the entire university. For example, on the university’s regulations. For decisions concerning the organization of studies, there must either be a 2/3 majority of all members or a majority of the student representatives entitled to vote. In matters that are not decided in the Senate, it is nevertheless usually consulted and can take a position, for example on the business plan or new degree programs. Senate meetings are open to the public and take place once a month.
The Senate consists of 17 directly elected members with voting rights: 9 professors, 3 academic staff, 3 students and 2 technical or administrative staff. The Senate also includes advisory members without voting rights. These are all members of the Rectorate, whereby the Rector prepares and chairs the Senate meetings but has no voting rights. The deans of the faculties are also members of the Senate in an advisory capacity.
Students in the Senate
As a student in the Senate, it is important to prepare the Senate meetings well. This includes critically reviewing the meeting documents: Are there any conflicts of interest with the student body? Have the interests of the students been sufficiently taken into account? In order to carry out a critical examination and to be able to argue well at the meeting, you need a relatively broad knowledge base on legal principles, procedures at the university, regulations for degree programs, developments at other universities and in Germany in general, etc… Almost anything can be discussed in the Senate. If you do not have the necessary knowledge, background information must be obtained. In addition, you should consult with the other student senators in advance of the meeting and, if necessary, consult with the StuRa. You can also prepare and submit written statements or initiative motions.
In addition to broad knowledge, a great deal of initiative is also required and a good network of contacts at the university is advantageous. A candidacy for the Senate is therefore recommended for students who have already gained experience in university politics in other committees, know the structures of the university well and can draw on their own network.
Extended Senate
The Extended Senate has two tasks. It elects the Rector and it adopts the university’s basic regulations or amendments to them. The extended Senate is also able to vote the Rector out of office should this appear necessary. The meetings are open to the public and take place as required. The Extended Senate may not meet at all during a student legislature. The Extended Senate consists of the members of the Senate and an additional 42 university lecturers, 14 academic staff, 14 technical or administrative staff and 14 students.
University Council
The University Council is responsible for providing strategic advice to the university. It thus determines the direction in which the university will move in the long term, taking into account the state’s development planning. Its approval is required for the university’s internal development planning and economic planning. These are decisions of fundamental importance. It also appoints the selection committee, which manages the application process for the election of the Rector and ultimately submits the election proposals to the Extended Senate. It must also give its consent to the appointment of the Chancellor. It therefore has a decisive influence on the appointment of the university management. The meetings are not open to the public.
The members of the University Council must be deserving members of society and the majority must not be members of the university. In Freiberg, the University Council has 11 members, including representatives of the Sparkasse, the Oberbergamt, the Helmholtz Institute and the Fraunhofer Institute. It is not directly elected. Instead, 5 members are appointed by the Senate and the other 6 members by the Ministry.
Faculty, Deanery and Faculty Council
The faculty is independent in its own matters. This means that the university-wide bodies can also be found in a similar form at faculty level. Their area of responsibility is limited to the faculty.
The Dean heads the faculty and is responsible for all faculty matters, unless otherwise regulated. He executes the resolutions of the Faculty Council. He is also responsible for ensuring that all teaching staff in his faculty fulfill their teaching duties. The Dean is elected by the Faculty Council on the recommendation of the Rector. A Vice Dean is also elected by the Faculty Council as a deputy and supporter of the Dean on the Dean’s recommendation. The Dean and Vice-Dean form the Deanery.
The Faculty Council is directly elected by the members of the respective faculty and consists of 11 or 16 voting members, depending on the faculty, of which 2 or 3 are students. It decides on all matters of fundamental importance to the faculty. Its responsibilities include the introduction or modification of degree programs, doctoral and habilitation matters, the regular evaluation of research and teaching as well as appointment procedures. Resolutions concerning the organization of studies require either a 2/3 majority of all members or a majority of the student representatives entitled to vote. Meetings are held monthly and are open to the faculty.
Students in the Faculty Council
As in the Senate, the meetings must be well prepared. So: check meeting documents, obtain information, consult with the FSR and other students on the Faculty Council. The topics in the Faculty Council are much more manageable than in the Senate, which means that a less broad knowledge base is sufficient. It is mostly about study matters and doctoral, habilitation and appointment procedures. You should be familiar with these areas. There are also other faculty matters, which are a little different at every faculty.
Dean of Studies and Study commission
The Dean of Studies is the main professor responsible for the relevant degree program and the contact person for problems or questions. He is elected by the Faculty Council.
The Study Commission (StuKo) is the body responsible for the degree program. It is chaired by the Dean of Studies. The StuKo advises on the organization of the course, regularly evaluates the degree program, its modules and courses and is the main body in which the study and examination regulations of the program are drawn up, developed or amended. Recommendations of the Study Commission are binding unless a 2/3 majority of the Faculty Council votes against the recommendation of the Commission. Meetings are held as required and are not open to the public. Unlike the other committees, the seats on the StuKo are divided equally between professors and students. The StuKo is therefore crucial for the study conditions, while at the same time the students have a lot of co-determination rights. The members of the Study Commission are appointed by the Faculty Council in consultation with the Student Faculty Council. As a rule, the FSR proposes students to the Faculty Council for appointment to the study commissions.
Audit committee
The Audit Committee decides on all examination matters of a degree program with the assistance of the Student Office. It acts as the executive branch of the examination regulations and decides, among other things, on admission to examinations, the recognition of study and examination achievements, the consequences of violations of the examination regulations, compensation for disadvantages, extensions of deadlines, etc. The committee is appointed by the Faculty Council and consists of three university lecturers, one research assistant and one student representative and meets as required. You can find more information about your audit committee and its powers in your examination regulations.
Other Bodies
Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst (state ministry of science and arts)
The state ministry develops the statewide university planning in Saxony and Saxon Higher Education Act (Sächsisches Hochschulgesetz). It is also responsible for the conclusion of the agreement of objectives with the universities.
Administrative council of the Studentenwerk Freiberg
The administrative council is the highest committee of the Studentenwerk. It consists of eight members entitled to vote and five consultant members. Students are represented on equal terms. All members work honorary in the council.
The administrative council decides about the strategy of the Studentenwerk and is inter alia responsible for the following tasks:
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Resolutions upon the constitution of Studentenwerk
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Decree of the regulations about the utilisation of the facilities of the Studentenwerk
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Assessment and change of the economic plan
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Investments
Your Department University Politics
Current staffing
| Committees | student members |
|---|---|
| Senate |
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| Consultative member of the student council in the Senate |
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| Rectorate commission for research |
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| Electoral committee of the university |
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| Advisory board of the International Centre |
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| Rectorate commission for diversity, equality and inclusion |
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| Advisory board computer science |
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| Committee “Deutschlandstipendium” | (only necessary if a student member of the senate applied) |
| Administrative council of the Studentenwerk Freiberg |
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| LandessprecherInnenrat der Konferenz Sächsischer Studierendenschaften (Student Council of Saxony) |
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| Sports consultant |
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| Association “Freunde und Förderer der TU Bergakademie Freiberg” |
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| Rectorate commission education |
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| Advisory board environmental management |
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| European University EURECA-PRO |
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| Rectorate commission internationalization |
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