When will the election results be uploaded? Unfortunately, they weren't uploaded last semester. As a voter, I think it's only fair to find out how the election turned out.

Hello, Democratic Biology Student,
– we’re naturally delighted that you’re interested in the outcome of our student council elections.

We’re just a bit surprised by your impatience ;) We know we’re not always the quickest, but an enquiry less than 24 hours after the election?

But don’t worry, we’ll satisfy your curiosity. As I write these lines, another student is currently drafting the first circular email containing all the important details about the student council elections.

I’d like to correct you on the point that the results of last semester’s election weren’t published. The exact voting results were available to view as poll results over an extended period during the summer semester, before the poll was deactivated. After that, as happens every term, a circular email containing a list of the elected members was sent out via the Bio mailing list.

This semester, however, the FSR, in consultation with the election committee, has decided no longer to share the exact voting results via the event, but instead to publish only the circular email containing the list of elected members as the official announcement of the results.

To give you a sneak preview of the circular, I can already report here that we were delighted to see one of the highest turnouts in recent years. The new Faculty Student Council, comprising 14 Schnäbler students of all ages, will once again be working throughout the winter semester to improve the study experience for us all and to organise the odd event or two related to student life.

However, what we also observed in this election to an extent not seen before were votes against candidates across the board. This applies both to some of our older Schnäbler members, who have been campaigning for a better biology degree programme for several semesters now, and to our young Schnäbler ‘chicks’, who are only just getting started in student union work with great enthusiasm. In previous election periods, we attributed dissenting votes to personal animosity; now, however, we are seeing a general aversion amongst some voters towards a broad front of candidates, as well as dissenting votes against all candidates on some ballot papers. The latter, in particular, is something we find difficult to understand. Over the course of the semester, we have received no critical feedback on our work and cannot explain what might be causing such voting behaviour.

We therefore ask… – indeed, we encourage and urge you all to actively share your views with us. If you have any issues with how we run the student body, please let us know. Only then can we reflect on our work, better address your concerns, or perhaps clear up any misunderstandings. Feel free to use this feedback box, or simply come along to one of our meetings! Even if you have a problem with us and just want to have a moan, you’re still very welcome – and we won’t bite, even then.

Hello,
I think it's okay that the library opens later during the holidays, but what I do NOT think is okay is that there is no alternative to a quiet place to study. The StudiLounge also opens at 9:00 a.m. (which I generally don't understand, it can always be open (or at least when the information desk is occupied).
You have to sit down at the chairs in the cafeteria, where people are constantly chatting and you can't concentrate at all.
In my opinion, this defeats the purpose of a university, which is a place to study.
Perhaps this can be changed....

Thank you very much!

Library hours are a mystery in themselves, but the restrictions - especially during the lecture-free period - are at least understandable given the current understaffing of the library.

The StudyLounge, on the other hand, formally belongs to the administrative area of the canteen, i.e. to the Studierendenwerk. We have passed on the complaint/lack of understanding about the late opening hours to the student representatives on the SWO Administrative Board.

Kind regards
Piet and crew