Senate

 

The Senate is one of the primary academic governing bodies of the University. Its tasks are outlined in Higher Education Act Paragraph 22 and Paragraph 16 in the University Charter and Bylaws. The Senate’s main responsibilities are:

• Creating and amending of the University’s Bylaws, framework regulations, and statutes
• Participation in the election and dismissal of members of the Rector's Office through its members in the University Election Assembly; approval of the list of members of the Board of Governors
• Approval of planning policies according to paragraph 16 section 1a sentence 1 University Act
• Statement on the annual report presented by the Rector's Office
• Decisions on the awarding of honors
• Decisions on the list of prospective members of the Strategy Board
• Establishment of Senate committees and commissions according to the RWTH Aachen Bylaws
• Announcement and forwarding of the proposals of the University groups concerning the Rector's Office Commissions
• Election of the members of the Center Council of the Teacher Education Center (Lehrerbildungszentrum)

The Senate additionally gives recommendations and statements on

• the draft of the University Development Plan
• the draft of the Agreement on Objectives
• the evaluation reports
• the budget plan
• the distribution of financial and personnel resources among faculties, central academic institutions, central service units, and the medical institutions
• matters of research, art, and teaching and learning which are relevant to the University in general or are of general significance

The Senate is made up of 26 voting members. Non-voting members include the Rectorate, the deans, an equal opportunites officer, representation of the staff council, representative for severely disabled individuals and the chair of the AStA Student Union.

The Council of Elders aids in the senate in preparation for Senate sessions.