Student Council of the Faculty of Physics
Who are we?
What most students understand by the departmental student representative committee is a group of active students who are involved in the Faculty of Physics in various ways. The last version of this page still said "the small active group", but with currently 15 to 20 active student representatives, we already make up 5 to 7.5 per cent of the entire physics student body, so we are no longer quite so small.
Nevertheless, everyone is of course welcome to join us. If you have good ideas about what could be improved or constructive criticism, you're in the right place. Anyone who is simply interested in what happens "behind the scenes" at a university should also come and join us. And anyone who wants to see for themselves that, contrary to widespread rumours, departmental student representative committees are not a bunch of resigned long-term students is also invited.
On a purely legal note, there are no student council regulations at Bielefeld University and therefore no student council elections (except in the Faculty of Law). From a legal point of view, every student enrolled in physics is automatically a full member of the physics departmental student representative committee. Elections are also not necessary, as we are involved in university politics but, unlike StuPa and AStA [Student Union], we do not pursue a "political direction".
Anyone who wants to help is welcome to join us.
However, a bit of bureaucracy is also necessary for us:
Our student council meeting takes place regularly, once a week during the semester, where all important matters are discussed and voted on. The departmental student representative committee also provides many representatives for "official" committees such as the Faculty Conference and the Teaching Committee; these representatives are officially elected by the entire physics student body.
If you are now interested in joining us, just drop by
What do we do?
The members of the departmental student representative committee are involved in various areas of the universities and Faculty according to their interests. Here is a short list of what is involved:
- Involvement in faculty politicsMembers of
the departmental student representative committee stand for election annually for the positions of student representatives in the faculty conference (FaKo for short). This body makes most of the important decisions that affect the Faculty. Student representatives from the departmental student representative committee also sit on the Dean's office, the Teaching Commission (LeKo for short) and other committees with student participation, such as the Research Commission.
- Participation in university
politicsLike most other departmental student representative committees at Bielefeld University,
thephysics departmental student council takes part in the meeting of all departmental student representative committees (TaF for short), where cross-faculty topics and problems are discussed. This committee - like the departmental student representative committee - is also in contact with the General Students' Committee (AStA [Student Union]) and the Student Parliament (StuPa).
- Participation in the Quality Improvement Commission (QVK
)Since the winter semester 2011, students have no longer paid tuition fees. As the state partially replaces these lost funds, there are quality improvement commissions. These commissions are made up of teaching staff, instructors, lecturers and students. Together, they develop a concept for the use of the available funds and submit it to the Dean's office. The QVK only has an advisory function. The final decision on the budget lies with the Dean's office.
- Student counselling serviceThe
student counselling service is provided by the departmental student representative committee. Here you have the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about studying physics.
- First semester supportThe
departmental student representative committee organises many first semester support offers, e.g. the first semester breakfast, the annual first semester trip, first semester study advice and timetable help, as well as first semester pub crawls and the like. We also write the first semester info, which you can find on the download page.
- Protocol collectionThe
departmental student representative committee offers a collection of examination protocols for oral examinations, various "old examinations" and internship protocols for all basic and some additional experiments of the beginners' and basic internship.
- Rooms: Break and work roomsThe
departmental student representative committee takes care of our lounge/coffee/study room, the "Oase" (D3-141 / D-π) and the neighbouring departmental student representative committee office (D3-139). Student council work is carried out there and the student counselling service uses this room for its student consulting hours. The computer pool there is open to all active student representatives. Everyone is welcome in the Oasis for coffee, tea or chilled soda and it is therefore often used as a break room - even by non-scientists -
in addition to the rooms on D3, there are also discussion rooms on D01. There you will not only learn the basics of physics experimentation, you will also find seating with tables and blackboards in the corridors (hence discussion corridor(s)) where you can learn, exchange ideas with others or simply get to know other students. We particularly recommend rooms D01-285 and D01-287, which not only have chairs and tables, but also a computer for self-research. For the nostalgic, there is also a collection of textbooks. In contrast to the other corridors, there are no blackboards here, but dust-free whiteboards. Another special feature of the rooms are the corridortutors, who are happy to help with any questions.
- Information servicesThe
departmental student representative committee maintains three notice boards (in the university hall, directly in front of our offices and in the discussion corridors on D01) and also this website. We also take part in events such as the Open Day and the Pea*nuts project.
If you are interested in supporting us with these or other tasks, just drop by for a coffee/tea in between or at a student council meeting. We would be delighted.