From now on, it will be easier to hold and stand for election at Health. The faculty is simplifying the process and extending the election period, meaning elections will no longer be held every second year. The changes come into force already for this spring's elections.

2018.01.25 | Sabina Bjerre Hansen

In future, it will be easier to hold elections to the departmental forums at Health. Photo: Colourbox.

The faculty's election committee headed by vice-deans Lise Wogensen Bach and Ole Steen Nielsen has worked with the secretariat managers for Health's five departments to draw-up a proposal for simplifying the elections to the department forums. The faculty management team has now adopted the proposal and the new framework can be seen in Health's election circular of 21 December 2017 (in Danish only). 

The decision leads to the following changes:

• The election period for members of academic staff and for technical/administrative staff is altered to four years (without ongoing replacement).
• The election period for PhD students and students is altered from one year to two years.
• The option of entering into list pacts and electoral pacts is annulled.
• Nominated candidates who are not elected will be chosen as alternates.
• If a member resigns from a department forum without any alternate having been chosen, the department head may appoint a member for the remaining election period.

"I am very pleased that we have found a simpler and more flexible model for holding elections to the department forums at Health. The changes will hopefully lead to an increased focus on the elections, while at the same time saving on both the faculty’s and departments' use of administrative resources. I also hope that the new framework will lead to an increased interest in standing for election to the departmental forums," says Vice-dean for Research Ole Steen Nielsen.

Elections to the departmental forums in the spring of 2018 will be held on 16-17 May 2018 and take place simultaneously at all five departments at Health.  Information about the elections will be published on the departmental websites during February. 

Contact

Adviser, Special Consultant Lene Bøgh Sørensen
Aarhus University, HE Administrative Centre – Faculty Secretariat
Email: lbs@au.dk

What is a department forum?

The most important task of a department forum is to create idea generation, quality, transparency and legitimacy in all decisions on academic issues. A department forum must also safeguard the department's academic and social identity and coherence.

Through continuous and timely involvement, the department head should ensure co-determination in respect of academic issues. He or she must therefore discuss important issues within research, talent development, knowledge exchange and education with his or her department forum.

Additional facts

• A department forum must have no more than 25 members.
• The department head is chair.
• The forum must comprise representatives from among the academic staff, including PhD students and pre-graduate students, together with members of the technical and administrative staff.
• Members of academic staff and technical and administrative staff members are elected for a three-year period, while PhD students and pre-graduate students are elected for one year at a time.