Legal and Organisational Information about the Senate

As stated in section 36 (1) of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG) (in the version of 26 February 2007, Law and Ordinance Gazette p. 69, last altered by article 1 of the act of 15 December 2015 – Law and Ordinance Gazette p. 384), the Senate is the university’s core decision-making body. In its role as a body of colleagues, the Senate is currently made up of individuals from the various member groups (section 41 (4) NHG) as follows:

• Seven members from the group of university instructors 
• Two members from the group of students
• Two members from the group of (academic) employees 
• Two members from the group of technical and administrative staff

A total of 13 members with voting rights belong to the Senate. They are elected directly based on the groups. The proposals for elections to these bodies are intended to reflect the interests within the respective member groups.

The members of the Presidential Board, the deans, and the directors of the bodies equivalent to the faculties, a representative of the central organisations, the central equal opportunities officer and a member of the staff council belong to the Senate in an advisory capacity. A member of the PhD students’ representation group usually attends the meetings in an advisory capacity.

The president or or one of the vice presidents serves as the chairperson of the Senate.

The Senate is responsible for the following (section 41 NHG):

• It decides on the university’s rules, unless the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG) or the statutes give this responsibility to the faculty or another organ.
• It can adopt examination regulations for cross-faculty degree programmes.
• It can adopt the statutes and amendments to them with a two-thirds majority of its members.
• It decides on the university’s regulations, development planning pursuant to clause 1 (3) sentence 2, and the equal opportunities plan in consultation with the Presidential Board.
• It comments on all fundamental governance issues, in particular the establishment, modification, and dissolution of faculties, as well as the initiation, significant amendment and discontinuation of degree programmes.

The Presidential Board is accountable to the Senate on all issues relating to governance. The Senate has a comprehensive right to information from the Presidential Board. It must have the chance to comment in good time before a decision is taken on the business plan and a target agreement is concluded.

The Senate convenes at least once a month during the lecture period.