Organisation
Have a say on the faculty? Candidate for Faculty Council! (26 and 27 March)
Would you like to have a say in the direction of the Faculty of Humanities? Then put yourself forward as a candidate for the Faculty Council on 26 and 27 March. The elections are in April, simultaneously with the elections for the Faculty Council’s student section and the University Council elections.
We’re looking for two staff members for the staff delegation who want to have a say in important topics, such as the education and examination regulations (OER), the retaking of satisfactory marks, diversity, workload and the organisation of institutes and programmes.
Candidacy
Staff members of the Faculty of Humanities (both Leiden and The Hague), can submit their candidacy on 26 and 27 March 2024. To do so, fill in the form Candidate Personnel System. Make sure that at least five colleagues sign your nomination and send it to stembureau@hum.leidenuniv.nl. You can also print and fill in the form. Then you can hand it in to Marjon Smeets, chair of the election committee.
About the faculty council
The Faculty Council’s the second highest participation body within the university. As such, the council acts as the representative of students and staff, and as a sounding board for the Faculty Board. More information on what the Faculty Council does and answers to frequently asked questions can be found here. Employees who sit on the staff council are exempted from their council duties for 0.1fte.
How long does a membership last?
The term of office for a staff member of the Council is two years, starting in September of an odd-numbered year. The term of office for students is one year.
NB: the current elections are to fill two vacant seats. The term for elected staff members will be one year.
How much time will I need to spend on it every month?
This is difficult to say. You will spend at least 1.5 days per month reading and in meetings. It costs more time to look into topics close to your heart in depth, if you want to consult with the people you represent, or if you want to propose items for the agenda.
Can I combine it with my work / make an arrangement with my manager about the working time I will spend on it?
Co-participation bodies promote the wellbeing and interests of the staff and students. Co-participation is therefore important for the University to function correctly. If you choose to actively take part in a co-participation body, your manager must allow you the time to do this. How you fit it in with your normal work responsibilities should therefore be discussed, for example, in your Performance and Development Interview.
To properly do the job, it is reasonable to allocate 0.1 fte for it in your job responsibilities. You should discuss this in good time, however, so that your other work can be planned accordingly.
What are the main activities involved in the work of a Faculty Council member?
Formally, Article 9.37 of the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW) stipulates that the Faculty Council has the same right of consent and right to prior consultation for matters relating to the Faculty as the University Council has for 'central' matters. This is further elaborated in Chapter 10 of the Regulations of the Faculty of Humanities. The topics discussed in the Faculty Council, however, are often different from those discussed in the University Council, because the issues that are important at a Faculty level are different from those at a central level.
The Faculty Council has the right to issue advice to the Faculty Board, on its own initiative, about all Faculty matters for which it considers this desirable; the Faculty Board is obliged to respond to this advice. This is a good way to ensure, for example, that any problems occurring 'in the workplace' or among large groups of students are brought to the attention of the Faculty Board. As a Council member, you naturally decide for yourself whether you want to focus on something specifically or look at something in depth, but your vote obviously counts for all items on the agenda.
Can I choose for myself what my activities will be?
You can choose for yourself whether you want to engage in-depth with a specific dossier, or whether you want to take an all-round approach. You can choose to be guided by the agenda of the consultation meetings, but you can also propose agenda items yourself.
Is it useful to be a member of the Faculty Council?
Of course it is useful! Healthy co-participation is important for a healthy organisation. Share your ideas and put critical questions to the Faculty Board. Carry out your own investigations and introduce new ideas. Detect problems in the organisation and mention them, so that the Faculty Board is aware and can do something about them. Monitor the processes that lead to changes in the range of study programmes offered.