It’s off to a new round!
The O-weeks are just around the corner and maybe many of you have some question marks floating around in your head and still feel a little helpless. But no need to worry! We all felt the same way at first.
Questions arose like: Where can I actually print all the scripts if my antique printer from the 90s breaks down? Where can I get a block or colorful postal service in a hurry? How the hell do I fill out the cursed BAföG application and who do I tell if something stinks at the university and I want to change it?
With many of your questions, we, the “University Friends”, come into play. We are students who get involved in various committees and projects and can help you with all kinds of questions and problems related to your studies.
So that you know exactly which team takes care of what, we briefly introduce you to the committees here 🙂
The AStA is the
General Students’ Committee
at the university. We stand up for the interests of the students, organize events and university elections, sell learning utensils in the campus shops and are always there if you have any difficulties. We can be found in the student AE building directly opposite the Mensa am Westerberg. In Haste you will find us in the HF building and the people of Lingen simply drop by in the KH building.
We will advise you at any time on questions about BAföG, scholarships, equal opportunities or your semester ticket. You can also register with us for car sharing or rent the StudiBulli for your next move. In our office we also offer a printing service where you can print, bind and laminate. If you need an international student ID, you can also apply for one from us or pick up your lost house key at the lost property office;)
In the campus shops you can buy everything you need to study for little money: pens, pads or calculators, we have everything ready! You can find the opening hours for the shops at each location
here
!
Of course, we always provide a bit of leisure fun at the university. To ensure that you have enough to keep busy in addition to the lectures, we organize the night watchman and freshman pub crawls, the university carnival or one or the other soccer/table football tournament.
The StuPa is the
student parliament
and, strictly speaking, the highest elected student body at the university. This is where really important decisions are made that can affect any student.
The StuPa elects your direct representatives – the AStA officers – and keeps an eye on what is happening in the AStA. In addition, the StuPa decides, for example, on the composition of the semester ticket, or controls the budget. Other financial decisions, such as the funding of projects, are also made by the StuPa.
The student councils are generally considered the party crews at the university. But they can do much more than just party! Each faculty has its own student council that takes care of the students. There are the student councils Wiso, IuI, AuL, IfM and MKT.
As the “mouthpiece” of the students, the student councils always have an open ear for complaints, suggestions and ideas on your part. So if you have any questions about studying, rooms at the university, living in Osnabrück or Lingen, our professors, the cafeteria or you just feel like a chat and coffee, the student councils are there for you!
But now we come to the exciting part of working as a student councillor: the events! 😉 Of course, this includes the many legendary student parties, skiing and surfing camps, mulled wine and barbecue evenings, the university cinema, first-semester weekends and, of course, the program in the freshers’ weeks.
There are also many students who are involved in university projects . This also includes Campus without Borders, an exchange project between students and refugees that takes place in the lecture hall, on campus and in leisure time. The aim is to support refugees in their integration. This works best through exchange, friendship and participation. In addition, students organize exchange evenings, language meetings or simply a colorful party!
In addition to purely student committees, there are also university committees, in which we students are also allowed to open our mouths!
Each of our four has a
faculty council
, the Institute of Music has an institute council. The main focus is on structural and development plans, the modification or formation of faculty facilities, as well as study and examination regulations. We students are represented with two votes each and are allowed to have a say.
There are a lot
of commissions
at the university. You can think of them as small working groups that take care of different areas. The goal is always to improve your studies for you. The study commission deals with the topics of teaching, studies or examinations. The Commission for Study Quality Funds deals with funding from the state that is available to the university to ensure and improve the quality of teaching and study conditions. The appointment committee decides which professors are allowed to teach at the university. There are other commissions that you are welcome to find out about on our site!
Last but not least, there is the
Senate
. It is the highest body of the university and deals with the university-wide topics of research, teaching, studies and continuing education and with the degree programmes, commissions and examination regulations as well as with the appointments of new professors. So quite a lot of serious, substantive material! Two students are here at the start and join the discussion! The chairman is our president Prof. Dr. Andreas Bertram.
Phew, quite a lot at once, isn’t it?
Since almost everything revolves around politics at the moment anyway, we are also swinging the university politics club here! But let me tell you, even the “small” politics at our university are quite significant and can have a strong impact on your student life.
So make sure that you have a say in the decision! To do this, you can get involved yourself and take on an office. And for the record: THIS IS REALLY FUN! You wouldn’t believe what a crazy, good-humoured bunch is behind the committees 😉 In addition to a lot of knowledge about the university, you also get to know many new friends here!
Because of course not everyone can stir in the soup, it is all the more important to choose your representatives conscientiously. That’s why choosing a university is an absolute must for you in the winter semester! 🙂