Informal short report from the 170. StuRa session

Composed student body, General university policy, News

» Elected were:

Jan Neumann to the Office for Ecology and SustainabilityJakob Moser to the IT and Infrastructure office and Bela Batereau and Carolin Roder to the newly established Office for interior matters.

» We’re looking for:

People interested in various offices. If you would like to strengthen the VS, please contact the office and team for the offices and committees – and since this meeting also the office for interior matters, which will show you how you can get involved in the VS – even without an office.

If you are looking for an office either way: you can find out about vacant offices in the calls for candidates and in the office overview you can see what the personnel situation is at the moment.

Also important:

“Reports: you can read them as always, and as always we highly recommend it and promise you interesting insights into the work of the offices and working groups.

“Dates: You may remember that this year the StuRa created an extra budget item for projects of the Fachschaften. Not all of the funds have been spent yet. In order to make this easier, the StuRa has decided on further special dates for financial applications from student councils, namely 24.10., 07.11., 21.11, 28.11. and on 12.12.2023. Fachschaften that are interested can seek advice at the financial office hours.

“Despite being voted out by the StuRa in the last meeting, Leon Köpfle got himself elected to the StuWe Board of Directors (Verwaltungsrat). The Refkonf had dealt with this in more detail and contacted the ministry. The StuRa notes that it expressly does not consider Leon Köpfle to be a representative of the student body of Heidelberg University on the Verwaltungsrat. With his candidacy and acceptance of election, he has acted against the declared and repeatedly formulated will of the StuRa.

” Several political motions, many of which have been postponed several times, were still being considered in this last session of the Legislature. The StuRa found a motion about research cooperation with China not quite ripe for passing – the StuRa therefore did not pass it, but has not said goodbye to the topic, and wants to deal with it again in the next semester, better prepared. The StuRa suggests that in History and American Studies, faculty should work toward a sensitive approach to sources that contain discriminatory language. The StuRa also criticizes the relocation of the juridical state examination to Hockenheim, because students have to pay the travel costs themselves and risk to be late if the train is delayed.

In the last semester, the question of neutrality and cooperation between the Constituted Student Body and electoral lists was raised several times. The controversy here is not so much that lists approach offices and ask for support; rather, it would be seen as more problematic if an office contacted specific lists rather than all of them. However, since the agenda item had been postponed so many times, the cause for the discourse had evaporated in the meantime and a real discussion no longer arose. There was a much more heated discussion about no longer allowing “Fachschaftslisten” to run in the StuRa elections. This topic was already heavily discussed at the panel discussion for the StuRa election and also in the StuRa it became heated at this point, but in view of the advanced hour, the discussion was not very specific. The question of whether lists close to the student council can run in the StuRa elections will probably be a matter for the StuRa next term.

“The StuRa gave a mandate for the next fzs General Assembly The office for external matters will represent the VS of Heidelberg University at this meeting of the nationwide umbrella organization. Akshar Leitner, one of the four officers for external matters, also seeks to run for the office of international solidarity of the fzs – the StuRa supports this candidacy. The BAS (Federal Committee of Foreign Students) will meet in Heidelberg in September – the StuRa decided to organize and finance this event. Some events during the conference are open to the public, interested parties may want to check the homepage for the relevant announcements and take the opportunity to get involved in the nationwide representation of interests of foreign students.

“Security is a topic that the university finally wants to address over a year after a shooting in Neuenheimer Feld. At least, long unanswered inquiries on the topic are now being processed internally after all. The newly constituted AK Sicherheit of the StuRa is looking forward to the discussion and calls on all interested parties to participate in the AK.

” The StuRa decided to finance

” for the Critical Medical Students an awareness kit as well as a movie night about Quiet Heroes, for the Critical Law Students the magazine Jura[sic!] – however, some criticism was made about the last issue. The “Nightline” has requested a small change to a funding decision from December – and can now purchase four headsets for their work instead of two.

” The FS Biology’s vivid presentation of why it needs a new handcart and refrigerator provided temporary amusement. The StuRa decided dispensed with further details and accepted the financial application. Also approved was the Medical Student’s Fachschaft request to purchase sports equipment that can be borrowed and used by students during study breaks. The StuRa also approved the request to print the semester planner for the winter semester 23/24 after a short discussion – a majority was in favor of printing 5000 copies again. Those who still like to have it printed can pick it up at the known locations starting August 1.

” The application period for the 9-euro ticket repayment has been extended. This is now possible until 30.06.24. The fact that the repayment has still not started is unfortunately due, among other things, to the fact that data from the university administration is still missing…

“Statutes and regulations

The rules of procedure of the StuRa have been slightly changed, obviously illegal applications are now to be rejected by the speakers. In the next legislature, a major change in the organizational statutes is pending, which the StuRa was informed about and briefly discussed. The suggestions that were raised can now be worked out during the summer break.

” Off to the 11th Legislative Term!

With slight melancholy, the speakers dismissed the StuRa and the StuRa dismissed the speakers at 23:58 into the well-deserved summer break. The term of office of the speakers and a majority of the StuRa members ends during the summer on September 30.

A brief review: the sessions of this legislature had a total length of 4335 minutes, people were elected to offices 93 times and 47 financial motions were passed. In addition, 20 amendments to the statutes and regulations as well as quite a few political positions were adopted – you can find all resolutions here.

  • The next meeting of the StuRa will take place on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 from 7 pm. Before that, there will be a small end-of-semester party on July 25 at 19:00 in the StuRa office with barbecue and drinks.
  • The meeting documents and minutes of the StuRa from this legislature period can be found here, from the XI legislative period then here.
  • You can find the informal short report from the last StuRa meeting here.

…and if you have to clarify something directly with the speakers: Unfortunately, you will have to wait until September. In August there will be a summer break, but in September Lino, Helen, Thomas and Theo will be at the StuRa office again at the usual time (Tuesdays 11:30 to 12:45).