The department council is part of the formal university management structure.
Legal basis
The head of department set up a department council for the department. The department council helps to ensure that academic staff, technical and administrative staff, and students have influence on academic and discipline-specific issues. The task of the department council is to discuss and advise the department management on issues related to the department’s research, education, knowledge dissemination and possibly public sector services.
The department council advises the head of department on issues presented by the head; furthermore, the council may comment on issues of significance to department activities, which the council considers to be relevant.
The responsibilities of the department council include:
- to advise the head of department on strategic issues related to the department
- to advise the head of department on department budget
The number of members of a department council is determined by the head of department but must not exceed 13 members. The head of department is an ex-officio member of the council and is also the chairperson. All other members must be elected by and among the academic staff, including employed PhD fellows, by and among the technical and administrative staff and by and among the students in the ratio 2:1:1. The representatives of the academic and the technical and administrative staff are elected for four-year terms, whereas representatives for the students are elected for one-year terms.
Tasks and procedures
The council adheres to rector’s standard rules of procedure. Meetings are held four times per year typically in February, May, September and November.
The fixed agenda items are listed below. Additional items relevant to the council are added accordingly:
- February: Economy (annual accounts), strategy plan, buildings, hirings
- May: Economy (status), buildings, hirings
- September: Economy (status), buildings, hirings, study environment
- November: Economy (coming budget), buildings, hirings
