Departmental Forum

1. The Departmental Forum consists of 14 members:

• 3 PhD students from different research fields
• 3 Students (1 Oecon or Soc, 1 HA, 1 Merc)
• 2 TAP
• 6 VIP – two for each of the three sections at the Department. Each VIP represents the members of the corresponding section and should not be part of the management team. The three job categories: professors, associate professors, and assistant professors must be represented in the forum. If not, the Departmental Forum may ask for one or more additional elections to be held to elect the lacking job categories.

2. Members are elected for two years.
The elections normally take place in November/December and are held in even years for the Econometrics and Business Analytics section and the Economics section, and in odd years for the Accounting and Finance section and TAP. Students and PhD students are elected as needed. Members in each category/section must be elected based on an open and transparent process within each category/section.

3. When a member is absent for a longer period of time or a job appointment finishes within the period of election, a substitute may be called in.
If no substitute has been elected, an election may be held in accordance with the same rules as those applying for the ordinary election.

4. The Departmental Forum constitutes itself after each election.
The head of department informs about the Departmental Forum’s work.

1. To discuss, advise and support the head of department on academic and strategic matters in order to ensure idea development, transparency and legitimacy of all decisions on workplace and academic matters.
2. To ensure cohesion and the academic and social identity of the department.
3. The Head of Department must ensure co-determination on academic matters in a broad sense through regular and timely involvement. The Head of Department must therefore discuss major issues within research, talent development, knowledge exchange and education with the Departmental Forum.
4. The Departmental Forum may comment on all academic matters of considerable importance to the department’s activities and is required to discuss academic matters which the Dean or the Head of Department submits.
5. The Departmental Forum has the right to address the Dean directly.

1. The Head of Department is the chairman of the Departmental Forum. A Deputy Chairman is elected by the members from among the representatives of the academic staff at the annual constitutional meeting. The Head serves as chairperson and is responsible for convening meetings and setting the agenda in collaboration with the deputy chairman.
2. The Head of Department and the Deputy Chairman are responsible for developing an annual cycle of work and a plan for regular meetings to ensure that all relevant issues are discussed in a planned and timely manner. The annual cycle should include the department’s strategy, discussions on questions of principle, budget, recruitment and recruitment policy, professor policy, the department’s physical and social environment, participation and development of management structures and forms as well as the study environment and student satisfaction.
3. The Departmental Forum holds 3 regular meetings during the Spring semester and Fall semester, respectively. Within 4 working days before each regular meeting, the chairman must send an agenda for the meeting or a cancellation to the members. Additions to the agenda can be forwarded to members no later than 2 days before the meeting. If a member at least one week prior to a meeting makes a written request to add an agenda item to the meeting, the chairman is obliged to meet the request. Extraordinary meetings are held when the Head of Department or Dean deems it necessary.
4. The meetings of the Departmental Forum are public. However, the Departmental Forum may decide to process a case at a closed-door session if the nature of the case or other circumstance deems it necessary. The doors must be closed during processing of cases in which it is necessary to withhold secret information to safeguard public or private interests.
5. The Departmental Forum may allow observers to attend the closed door sessions. Members and observers have a duty of confidentiality at the closed door sessions.

1. The Departmental Forum is an advisory body and can be heard when at least half the required number of members is present. The meetings are chaired by a moderator, who is elected at the start of the meeting. If present, the Deputy Chairman is the moderator.
2. Decisions in cases which have not been added as individual items to the agenda announced before the ordinary meeting may be adopted only if none of the members present object.
3. Decisions in cases which have not been added as individual items to the agenda announced before the extraordinary meeting may be adopted only if all members of the Departmental Forum are present and none of the members object.
4. The decisions of the Departmental Forum are taken by simple majority vote.
5. The department secretariat provides secretarial support to the Departmental Forum. Minutes of each meeting are published on the Department’s homepage. The minutes must be approved by the following meeting.

Approved at the Departmental Forum’s meeting 19/5/2016.