Student elections

The distribution of seats in the student parliament for the legislative period 24/25. Dark: seats achieved; light: percentage achieved. The count was carried out using the Hare/Niemeyer method.

Voter turnout was 15.67%, slightly higher than in the previous year.

1 The Student Parliament (StuPA) represents the entire student body, appoints the General Students' Committee (AStA), monitors its work and sets guidelines. The AStA in turn manages the student body's funds and conducts its business.

2. the student councils (FSR) represent the students of a department, organize events for their students, provide support in the event of difficulties and campaign for better conditions in their department.

3. the faculty councils (FBR) are made up of teaching staff, employees and students and organize the faculties. Among other things, they elect the Dean's Office and develop examination regulations.

4. the Senate is the highest decision-making body of the university and decides on the development and structure of the university. It also elects the Presidential Board.

The election takes place as a list election. Lists are similar to parties and bring together a number of people under one name and one political stance. According to their election results, the lists receive seats in the committees, which are then filled according to the order specified in the list.

- The Stupa has 25 seats,
- The Senate has 3 seats for students
- The student councils have between 12 and 20 seats (depending on the size of the faculty)

If there is only one list for a committee, there is an election of persons, whereby the seats to be filled are filled according to the order of the votes received.

If a person receives a seat on a committee based on the position on the list and the election result of the list, but is unable to take up this seat (e.g. because AStA staff cannot hold a seat on the Stupa at the same time), the next place on the list moves up.

No new staff can be added to the lists during a current legislature, i.e. seats may remain vacant during the course of a legislature if an elected list has no staff who can move up.

As part of a democratic society, universities are also democratically organized. Virtually no one in a decision-making position has not been elected to it.

Whether it's professors you like (or not), exam regulations that stress you out (or not), the design of the campus you like (or not) - it's all because people who were elected made decisions. And most of these people were either directly elected in an election like the upcoming one, or indirectly by those who were elected in it.

You could list countless things that affect you in your daily studies and whose future is also decided by the current election. Whether it's the campus garden or the dye shop, the semester ticket or the semester contribution or one of the numerous committees that regulate the many circumstances of studying - all of this can change, for better or for worse.

That's why we need your informed voice and your participation to put capable people in positions where they can vigorously represent your interests.

In many places, you can also get involved in political processes beyond the election itself.

A good first port of call are the student councils, where you can volunteer your time to improve studying in your department. The student councils always need new staff, support and input from the student body.

If you have a more far-reaching concept for the university or the AStA, you can run for the student parliament with a list or see if you can join an existing one. After a successful election, you can position the student body politically there and steer the work of the AStA.

You can also take part in the AStA itself. Either through an elected office (department) in which you can lead an area and pursue your own projects or in one of the many administrative or temporary positions. For the former, it is advantageous to be involved in a list or an FSR. For the latter, you can follow the AStA's active job advertisements.

You can also stand for the Senate in order to participate at the highest level of the university, although the actual scope for action there is rather limited.

Apart from the elections, you can always join one of the many student initiatives that realize their own projects with the support of the AStA.

• Martin Steinbach (Chair)
• Winnie Rottenbacher
• Adem Kisacik
• Erik Stanke

For general questions about the election:

• student councils[at]asta.uni-kassel[dot]de

For specific questions or complaints about the implementation:

• studentischer.wahlausschuss[at]uni-kassel[dot]de

Further information:

• Electoral Office of the University
• Statutes and regulations