Committees

The board is the most important body at the institute. It consists of the group of all professors, two members each from the WiMi’s and Technology/Administration and two students. As a rule, these are the chairperson and the spokesperson of the student body, the deputy chairperson and the deputy spokesperson of the student body are the representatives. The two student members are fully entitled to vote. The committee votes on all important matters of the institute and determines the joint procedures. Among other things, the Institute’s budget is decided upon and all other important matters at the Institute are reported on. The executive committee is chaired by the managing director*in (GD), this is a member from the group of professors. The composition of the GD changes every 2 years.

Frequency: 3 to 4 times during the lecture period of a semester

representatives: Marie-Theres Reiter & Carla Bube

Substitutes: Fridtjof Schultze-Florey & Lena König

The Study Commission consists of the representatives of the examination boards for the Bachelor, the Master and the Joint Master.
The examination board is composed of professors, research assistants and students of a university. It decides on the admission to the intermediate and final exams, as well as on the recognition of credits, which are laid down in the examination regulations of the degree programmes. Furthermore, it often has extensive powers in the interpretation, application and further development of study and examination regulations. The Audit Committee also acts as a court of law and auditing body in the event of disputes regarding the procedure and assessment of examination performance.

Frequency: 3 to 4 times during the lecture period of a semester

Representatives* of the Bachelor examination board: Michelle Janzen & Carla Bube

Deputy* of the Bachelor examination board: Marie-Theres Reiter & Carla Bube

Representative*on the Master Examination Board: Constantin Uhlig

Substitute* on the Master Examination Board: Merle Dickhoff

Representative* to the UNU Master Examination Board: Angela Marie Bungert

Deputy* to the UNU Master Examination Board: Magdalena Mirwald

The QV-Commission discusses the provision of additional (financial) means to replace tuition fees. QV stands for quality improvement funds for teaching, i.e. specifically for students. The committee is the only one in which we as student representatives have the majority (5 students vs. 4 professors). The committee decides on approximately 180,000 € (depending on the allocation) per semester. This is spent e.g. for WiMi’s, for tutorials and/or for equipment improvements. All members of the institute (e.g. students, WiMis, professors) can submit applications for the allocation of funds by a certain deadline. Decisions on applications are made within the committee. Currently, the basis of all negotiations is a kind of memorandum in which the rough allocation of funds is laid down. However, this is not binding and also depends on the funds allocated to the institute.

Frequency: 1 time towards the end of the lecture period of a semester + 2 to 3 preparatory meetings

representatives: Michelle Janzen, Timo Matheis, Saskia Melchiors, Lorenz Dobkowitz & Lena König

Substitutes: Kathrin Müller, Nele Schröder & Barbara Wagner

The Evaluationskommission evaluates the results of the evaluation of the courses. This also includes a critical examination of the evaluation forms with regard to their significance and the meaningfulness of the questions. It is the task of the student representatives to initiate discussions with the respective lecturers in the event of negative results or comments. The aim is to improve teaching in the interest of the students in cooperation with the lecturers.

Frequency: 2 times during the lecture period of a semester

representatives: Kathrin Müller & Merlin Hebecker

Substitutes: Fiona Oberem& Barbara Wagner

EDV stands for (electronic) data processing and is headed by Norbert Grötsch. Here, all matters concerning the technical infrastructure (network, beamer, cooperation with the HRZ and auditorium technology) are discussed. The meetings take place irregularly and the main communication is via email.

Frequency: Only when needed, usually every two semesters

representatives: Merlin Hebecker

Substitutes: Constantin Uhlig

The library commission meets once a semester and discusses matters concerning the institute library. For example, it discusses the acquisition of literature, the design of the library and access to data or the archive. The head is Mr. Nutz.

Frequency: 1 time during the lecture period of a semester

representatives: Constantin Uhlig

Substitutes: Marie-Theres Reiter

The Labor- und Gerätekommission discusses all matters concerning the laboratories and their equipment as well as the collection of equipment of the institute. This committee meets irregularly and is convened when necessary.

Frequency: Only when necessary, usually 1 time during the lecture period of a semester

representatives: Constantin Uhlig

Substitutes: Lorenz Dobkowitz

In this commission all topics concerning the international orientation of the Institute of Geography are discussed. This includes Erasmus partnerships and the supervision of international students. In addition, networking with other research institutions outside of Germany is also on the agenda.

Frequency: 1 to 2 times during the lecture period of a semester

representatives: Merlin Hebecker

Substitutes: Marie-Theres Reiter

The Study Advisory Board advises the Faculty Council and the Dean’s Office in all matters of teaching, studies and examinations which are within their responsibility. It comments on the drafts of study and examination regulations, makes suggestions for their improvement and can submit applications. This committee consists of 8 professors, 1 research assistant and 9 students. Due to this equal distribution, it is possible for the students on this committee to block e.g. examination regulations.

Frequency: 3 to 4 times during the lecture period of a semester

representatives: Ulf Schäfer

Substitutes: Carla Bube

The Faculty Council is the decisive body in all faculties. Among others 3 student members are entitled to vote in the faculty council. They are elected annually by all students of the faculty. The Faculty Council is the lowest authority that is politically and party-oriented. In order to take into account the interests of all students and the student councils, the student councils form a faculty-wide student council list. Since the GIUB is one of the largest institutes, the chance of a geographer joining the faculty council is relatively high. The faculty council meets 3 times per semester. The organization of the elections is done by the Mathematical-Natural Science Student Council, in short Math Nat. FK.

Frequency: 3 to 4 times during the lecture period of a semester

representatives: Vincent Glasow

Substitutes: Marie-Theres Reiter & Michelle Janzen

The Department of Earth Sciences is one of the seven departments of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The subject groups form organisational units (and thus the “links”) between the individual institutes and the faculty. A department consists of several institutes, each of which deals with similar research topics or can be assigned to similar thematic questions. Thus, the Department of Earth Sciences includes the Meteorological Institute, the Steinmann Institute and the Institute of Geography.
Each institute sends representatives* from different fields to the division. These are made up of professors* and research assistants*, representatives* of the Central Department (i.e. the central division and the central services such as library, collections etc.) and of technology as well as student representatives*. There is one student for every eight professors. At present we have four representatives from the Geography Student Council. In the meetings we can discuss our own topics, make proposals and have full voting rights on most of the discussion points and votes.
In terms of content, the departmental group deals with issues relevant to the institutes as well as issues that affect all institutes, such as (new) appointments, habilitation procedures, examination regulations and other current issues. For example, both the problem of space and the (financial and personnel) savings at the institutes are discussed. Other topics include transparency in the allocation of funds at faculty level and the Geoverbund ABC/J. Thus, the topics discussed in the departmental group are also of direct interest to students.

Frequency: 3 to 4 times during the lecture period of a semester

representatives: Michelle Janzen, Marie-Theres Reiter, Constantin Uhlig & Julian Schöne

Substitutes: Vincent Glasow, Merle Dickhoff & Lorenz Dobkowitz

Same as QV-Commission, but on faculty level.

Frequency: not known

representatives: Max Butting

Substitutes: vacancy

The Structural Commission is appointed by the Faculty Council. It advises on structural questions of the faculty and makes proposals for decisions to the Dean’s Office and the Faculty Council. It always meets 2 days before the Faculty Council.

Frequency: 3 to 4 times during the lecture period of a semester

representatives: Lorenz Dobkowitz

Substitutes: Studi from physics

The Fachschaftenkonferenz acts as a networking body for all the university’s student bodies. During the semester, the meeting takes place weekly on Mondays in Nassestraße. Within this body, the representatives* exchange information about current university events and possible problems. The individual student councils should benefit from the exchange among themselves. Furthermore, this committee decides on subsidies (upon application) for student council trips and similar activities.

Frequency: once a week during the lecture period. During semester breaks irregularly

representatives: Lena König, Lorenz Dobkowitz, Marie-Theres Reiter, Fridtjof Schultze-Florey & Julian Schöne

Substitutes: vacancy

The Math-Nat. FK functions as a student union conference at the faculty level. In this conference, the student councils of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences exchange information on a smaller scale. (See student council conference)

Frequency: Irregularly during the lecture period and on demand

representatives: Lena König, Lorenz Dobkowitz, Marie-Theres Reiter, Fridtjof Schultze-Florey & Julian Schöne

Substitutes: vacancy