Tasks of the Student Council

The Student Council is the student representation at GIUB. According to our statutes, all students at the GIUB automatically belong to the Student Council, but normally the term “Student Council” refers to the active students who are committed to student affairs. Once a year, 15 students are elected to the so-called “Fachschaftsvertretung” (Student Council Representatives). This means that these people want to be particularly involved in the Student Council. The “Fachschaftsvertretung” in turn elects the chairpersons, spokespersons, financial officers and secretaries from among its members.

The Student Council meets every Tuesday at 8pm in the Roter Saal during the lecture period. The meetings are public and open to all students. You are always welcome to join our meetings! You can also meet us in the Student Council room from Monday to Thursday between 12-1pm during the lecture period.

The core task of the Student Council is to represent students in university committees and in the department. But of course we are also responsible for supporting first semester students, organizing events and helping with questions about studying! For example, we organize the GIUB summer party, plan the Freshers’ Week every year and take first-year Bachelor’s and Master’s students on a Freshers’ and Master’s trip. We also organize Geo-Parties and mulled wine evenings in winter.

Our organization chart provides a comprehensive overview of all positions, committees and responsibilities of the Student Council:

If the Miro board is not displayed correctly, you can view a PDF version of the organization chart.

Positions & responsibilities of the Student Council

Chairpersons

The two chairpersons are responsible for preparing and conducting the Student Council meetings: This includes, for example, writing and sending out (via e-mail via the internal distribution list) the provisional agenda (TO). The Chairs must attend the Department’s Executive Board meetings.

In addition, it is a central task of the chairpersons to be present and approachable for all members of the Student Council. They must be well informed about the ongoing business of the Student Council! Other tasks performed by the chairpersons include coordinating the timing of events and appointing student representatives to the committees.

Time required: approx. 5 hours per week

Financial officers

The two financial officers are jointly responsible for all financial matters and bookkeeping for the Student Council. Their activities include, for example, bank transfers, managing finances or helping with the financial management of events such as the first semester program, geo-parties or trips. The exact distribution of tasks is carried out by the finance officers themselves.

Time required: approx. 5 hours per week

Spokespersons

The two spokespersons are the link between the students, professors and staff of the GIUB and the Student Council. Their tasks include representing the Student Council as well as communication and correspondence with the department and students. They organize the fireside chats (informal meetings of students, staff and professors), maintain contact with the liaison lecturers and are deputy student members of the department’s Executive Board.

Time commitment: approx. 3 hours per week

Secretaries

The two secretaries are responsible for internal and external e-mail correspondence. This includes reading, answering and managing incoming e-mails (if necessary, after consultation at a Student Council meeting) and forwarding e-mails as well as adding and removing people to/from the newsletters. In addition, the secretaries manage the applications for conference funding and upload the minutes of the student council meetings to Sciebo on a weekly basis.

Time required: approx. 3-5 hours per week

Public Relations officer

This person is responsible for disseminating information on the internet and in social media (e.g. via Instagram and the WhatsApp groups). They are also in close correspondence with the secretaries and the person responsible for the Student Council cell phone.

Commissions

Executive Board of the Department

The Executive Board is the most important body in the department. It is made up of all professors, one member each from the scientific and technical staff and two students. These are usually the chairpersons or, as deputies, the spokespersons. The two student members have full voting rights. The committee votes on all important matters relating to the department and determines joint procedures. Among other things, it decides on the department’s budget and reports on all other important matters at the department. The Board is chaired by the Managing Director (GD), who is a member of the group of professors. The composition of the GD changes every 2 years.

Frequency: 3-4 times per semester
Members: 2 chairpersons (deputies: 2 spokespersons)

Study Commission: Bachelor’s Examination Board / Master’s Examination Board / Joint Master’s Examination Board

The Study Commission consists of the representatives of the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Joint Master’s Examination Boards.

The examination board is made up of professors, academic staff and students of a university. It decides on admission to intermediate and final examinations, as well as on the recognition of credits, which are defined in the examination regulations of the degree programs. Furthermore, it often has extensive powers in the interpretation, application and further development of study and examination regulations. The examination board also acts as an appeal and review body in the event of disputes regarding the procedure and assessment of examinations.
The student members must be studying in the respective degree program (e.g. the representatives on the Bachelor’s Examination Board must be Bachelor’s students).

Frequency: 3-4 times per semester
Members: Bachelor’s & Master’s Examination Board: 2 representatives and 2 deputies each, Joint Master’s Examination Board: 1 representative & 1 deputy

QV Commission

The QV Commission discusses the provision of additional (financial) resources to replace tuition fees. QV stands for quality improvement (German: “Qualitätsverbesserung”) 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 around €180,000 (depending on the allocation) per semester. This is spent, for example, on the salaries of WiMis, tutorials and/or equipment improvements. All members of the department (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, all negotiations are based on a kind of memorandum in which the rough distribution of funds is defined. However, this is not binding and is also dependent on the funds allocated to the department.
Decisions on the allocation of funds are made by consensus, even though the Student Council has the majority of votes. Fighting votes are to be avoided as much as possible for the good of the working climate in the department.

Frequency: 1x per semester & preparatory meeting
Members: 5 representatives & 3 deputies

Evaluation committee

The evaluation committee assesses the results of the course evaluation. This also includes a critical examination of the evaluation forms with regard to their informative value and the meaningfulness of the questions. The task of the student representatives is to enter into discussions with the respective lecturers in the event of negative results or comments. The aim is to improve teaching in the interests of the students in cooperation with the lecturers.

Frequency: 2x per semester
Members: 2 representatives & 2 deputies

Earth Sciences Group (Fachgruppe)

The Earth Sciences group (German: Fachgruppe) is one of the seven groups of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The subject groups form organizational units (and thus the “links”) between the individual departments and the faculty. A department in turn consists of several departments that deal with similar research content or can be assigned to similar thematic issues. For example, the Department of Meteorology, the Steinmann Institute and the Department of Geography are united in the Earth Sciences group.

Each department sends representatives from different areas to the specialist group. These are made up of professors and research assistants, representatives from the central area (i.e. the central business area and central services such as the library, collections, etc.) and technology as well as student representatives. There is one student for every eight professors. We currently have four representatives from the Geography Student Council. At the meetings, the Student Councils can raise their own issues, submit proposals and have full voting rights for most discussion points and votes.

In terms of content, the subject group deals with both institute-relevant and cross-institute topics, such as (re)appointments, habilitation procedures, examination regulations and other current issues. For example, both the space problem and the (financial and personnel) savings at the departments are discussed. Other topics include transparency in the allocation of funds at faculty level and the Geoverbund ABC/J. The topics discussed in the specialist group are therefore also of direct interest to students.

Frequency: 3-4 times per semester
Members of the Geography Student Council: 4 representatives & 3 deputies

Library Commission

The library committee meets once a semester and discusses matters relating to the department library. For example, it discusses the acquisition of literature, the design of the library and access to data and the archive. The meetings are chaired by the head of the library.

Frequency: 1x per semester
Members: 1 representative & 1 deputy

Laboratory and equipment committee

The Laboratory and Equipment Committee discusses all matters concerning the department’s laboratories and equipment as well as the equipment collection. This committee meets irregularly and is convened when necessary.

Frequency: As required, normally once per semester
Members: 1 representative & 1 deputy

International Affairs Working Group

This committee discusses all topics relating to the international orientation of the Department of Geography. These include Erasmus partnerships and the supervision of international students. It also deals with networking with other research institutions outside Germany.

Frequency: 1-2 times per semester
Members: 1 representative and 1 deputy

EDP Commission

EDP stands for electronic data processing. All matters relating to the technical infrastructure (network, projector, cooperation with the HRZ and lecture hall technology) are discussed here. The meetings are chaired by the department’s network administrator and take place irregularly. The main communication takes place by email.

Frequency: As required, usually every two semesters
Members: 1 representative & 1 deputy (elected as required)

Academic Advisory Board

The Academic Advisory Board advises the Faculty Council and the Dean’s Office on all matters relating to teaching, studies and examinations for which they are responsible. It comments on drafts of study and examination regulations, makes suggestions for their improvement and can submit proposals. There are 8 professors, 1 academic staff member and 9 students on this committee. This equal distribution makes it possible for students on this committee to block examination regulations, for example.

Frequency: 3-4x per semester & possible meetings with the representatives of the other departments
Members of the Geography Student Council: 1 representative & 1 deputy representative

Student Council Conference (FK)

The Student Council Conference (German: “Fachschaftenkonferenz”) acts as a networking body for all Student Councils at the university. During the semester, the meeting takes place weekly on Mondays. Within this body, the representatives discuss current university events and any problems. The individual Student Councils should benefit from the exchange with each other. Furthermore, this committee decides on funding (upon application) for Student Councils.

There are also irregular additional meetings in which only representatives of the Student Councils of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (to which the Geography Student Council also belongs) take part. These meetings are attended by the same representatives as the “normal” FK.

Frequency: Every Monday during the lecture period, irregularly during the semester break
Members: 4 representatives, only one of whom has to be present (a different person attends every week, so you only have to go to a meeting once a month)

Internal Student Council positions

Awareness team

The Awareness Team deals with awareness issues within the Student Council and works closely with various working groups (e.g. protection against violence). The number of members is not limited.

Beverage representative

These people are responsible for buying drinks for the Student Council room and for taking away the deposit. They should always keep an eye on the fill level of the Student Council fridge and take any drink requests into account when making their next purchase.

Website team

The website team is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the Student Council’s website and the technical administration of the Student Council’s website, domains and email addresses. The number of members is not limited.

Student Council cell phone

This person has the Student Council cell phone, keeps it up to date and responds to messages from students. They also manage the WhatsApp community and groups (e.g. adding/removing people, creating groups) and send messages to the announcement channel.

Key representative

This person manages the Student Council’s transponder (key) list. Transponders are the electronic keys used by the University of Bonn. This person submits applications for transponders for members of the department and works closely with Birgit Grötsch, the department’s key officer.

Printer representative

This person is responsible for the care and maintenance of the Student Council printer. They are also responsible for procuring new printer ink and printer paper.