AStA of the h_da
Is it called "der, die or das AStA"? The abbreviation stands for "der Allgemeine Studierendenausschuss".
General Information
The AStA is the representation of student interests for all students at the university - vis-à-vis the university management and administrative institutions as well as teachers, but also vis-à-vis the Studierendenwerk (student union) and other organizations that deal with student issues in the broadest sense.
The tasks of the AStA as representation of the student body result from the Hessian Higher Education Act (§ 84 HessHG):
Tasks of the student body:
- The student body manages its own affairs. It participates in the self-administration of the university.
- The student body has the following tasks:
- Representation of the entirety of its members within the scope of its legal powers,
- To represent the political interests of its members at the university,
- To look after the economic and social interests of the students, insofar as these are not transferred to the Studentenwerk or other institutions,
- Fostering of supra-regional and international student relations,
- Promoting political education and a sense of civic responsibility among students,
- Support of cultural and musical interests of students,
- Promotion of voluntary student sports, insofar as the university is not responsible for this.
AStA Meetings and Information for Applicants
During lecture hours: The public meetings of the AStA take place weekly on Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m. - however, if a StuPa meeting is scheduled once a month, the AStA meeting is cancelled. When and where exactly the individual dates are can be found in the calendar.
During the semester break the AStA meetings take place irregularly! It is best to inquire briefly beforehand.
Guests are always welcome!
Note for external applicants (i.e. non-AStA): (Financial) applications for an AStA meeting must be sent by e-mail to the AStA office (info@asta.h-da.de) by 12 noon the day before the AStA meeting. In exceptional cases (e.g. due to urgency) an exception to the rule can be decided at the AStA meeting. Applications will only be processed at the meeting if the applicant is present.
Dieburg Campus Department
Head: Abuzar Mir, Rolf Demir
Core Tasks:
- Communication and representation of Dieburg's concerns within the Student Union (AStA), at h_da, and in Dieburg
- Close cooperation with the Dieburg Student Union (AStA) office and café management
- Improving the visibility of social, cultural, and academic events in Dieburg
- Promoting and expanding the Dieburg Culture Ticket
- Contact person with regular consultation hours in Dieburg for h_da students
Contact:
- Please contact by email by appointment
- Email: campus-dieburg@asta.h-da.de
Digital & Data Protection Department
Head: Oliver Tegeler
Core tasks:
- Digital archiving of collected knowledge (e.g., maintaining a wiki)
- Designing new and maintaining existing internal digital infrastructure for the benefit of the student body
- Identifying and, if necessary, implementing software alternatives for committee work
- Providing further training for the student body in independent (open source) and university-internal software
Contact:
- Please contact by email by appointment
- Email: digitales@asta.h-da.de
Representation of the h_da student body on the EUt+ Student Board
Heads: Natalia Dizer, Tilmann Eckert
This committee must consist of at least two members (double representation, ideally gender-balanced), as the EUt+ Student Board's statutes stipulate that there must be at least two student representatives per alliance member.
Core Tasks:
- Mandatory active participation in the EUt+ Student Board (the student body in our alliance)
- Regular reporting and active participation in EUt+-related events
- National and Europe-wide networking on the topic of European University Initiatives/European University Alliances
- Organizing information sessions and events related to EUt+
Contact:
- Please contact us by email by appointment
- Email: eutplus@asta.h-da.de
Department of Student Councils
Head: Gabriel Becker
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide close cooperation with the student councils
- Create a lending catalog for all student councils
- Support the joint Freshmen's Weeks (EWOs) of the student councils and coordinate cross-departmental EWO events
Organize a freshmen's event - Coordinate and promote the institutionalization of the Student Council Conferences (FSK)
Kontakt:
- By appointment via email
- Email: fachschaften@asta.h-da.de
Finance Department
Head: Joschah Fetsch
Core Tasks:
- Development of a budget for the student body at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences
- Transparent presentation of finances to the AStA, StuPa and the student councils
- Close cooperation with other AStA departments, the financial representatives of the student councils and the audit committee
- Support and advice for potential applicants
Contact:
- by appointment by email
- Email: finanzen@asta.h-da.de
Useful links:
Department of University Policy
Head: Rebekka Carlow
Core tasks:
- Representation of interests and external representation
- Representation of interests in h_da's academic committees
- Networking with other interest groups representing pupils, trainees, students, and other educational institutions/organizations
- Close cooperation and coordination with the University Democracy and Student Councils
Contact:
- by appointment by email
- Email: hochschulpolitik@asta.h-da.de
University Democracy Department
Head: N.N.
Core Tasks:
- Strengthening broad student participation and democratic involvement in the university as a whole
- Developing a position on current university policy processes and events
- Close cooperation and coordination with the Student Councils and University Policy Departments
- Active and accessible promotion of elections
- Organization of the Student General Assembly
- Providing accessible information and events, especially for newcomers to committees
Contact:
- Please contact us by email by appointment
- Email:
Links:
International Students Department
Head: Myungeum Kim, Geordan Tchinda Sahadio
Core Tasks:
- Involvement of international students in university policy
- Involvement of AStA (Student Union) departments in international events to increase the visibility of university policy
- Cooperation and collaboration with the Federal Association of Foreign Students (BAS), the International Office, and the Intercultural Tutoring Team (ITT) on projects and events
- Promotion and implementation of international student events
- Advisory support in problem situations, as well as targeted referral to appropriate counseling centers, relevant authorities, and supporting organizations
Contact:
- Please contact by email by appointment
- Email: interstudis@asta.h-da.de
Culture & Mobility Department
Head: Mariia Danylishyna
Core tasks:
- Expanding cultural offerings for students, both digitally and analogically
- Connecting the Dieburg campus and the Department of Design with the Darmstadt campus, including through cross-curricular events
- Negotiating with public transport companies/associations regarding existing semester ticket conditions and potential expansions
- Expanding the bike-sharing system, particularly at the Department of Design and in Dieburg
- Developing new sustainable mobility options
Contact:
- Please contact us by email by appointment
- Email regarding mobility: mobilitaet@asta.h-da.de
- Email regarding culture: kultur@asta.h-da.de
Department of Sustainability & Campus Development
Head: Baldur Schwarzer
Core Tasks:
- Promote student-friendly campus development (including study, laboratory, relaxation, student union, and work spaces) and participate in new building committees together with student councils (e.g., Campus 2032+).
- Promote the nature-friendly design of outdoor spaces with a more pleasant atmosphere for students at h_da.
- Expansion of the Tambi Project, unisex restrooms, parent-child rooms, and lockers for university groups, among other things.
- Participate in, provide, and publicize spaces for spiritual needs
Contact:
- by appointment by email
- Email: nachhaltigkeit@asta.h-da.de
Social Policy Department
Head: Masalla Oltan, Danilo Schossig Pereira
Core Tasks:
- Contact point, mediation, and support for students in all social matters (including studying with children, financing, and emergencies)
- Active networking and collaboration with social interest groups and socio-political organizations
- Development of ideas to improve studies for disadvantaged students
- Organization and implementation of social and socio-political events
Contact:
- Please contact by email by appointment
- Email: soziales@asta.h-da.de
Diversity & Autonomous Interest Groups Department
Head: Luna Chakrabarty, N.N.
Core Tasks:
- Contact point and support for low-threshold and self-organized university groups in close cooperation with the Social Affairs Department
- Prevention work & awareness-raising regarding discriminatory behavior of any kind
- Contact person for victims of inhumane violence (psychological/physical)
- First point of contact for people experiencing discrimination – for example, based on ethnic origin, as well as LGBTQIA+, FLINTA, and vulnerable individuals – for information and referral to organizations, counseling services, and queer groups
Contact:
- Please contact by email by appointment
- Email: vielfalt@asta.h-da.de
Design Working Group
Head: Mirjam Moser, Nikta Kazemi
Core Tasks:
- Graphic design and support for the AStA and its projects (e.g., banners, posters, flyers, graphics)
- Creation and organization of long-lasting design templates for AStA events and optional support with student council design questions
- Graphic design for the h_da university election campaign (nomination phase & elections)
- Close collaboration with AStA departments and working groups
Contact:
- Please contact by email by appointment
- Email: design@asta.h-da.de
Event Management Working Group
Head: Carolin Gehring
Core Tasks:
- Development of event guidelines for student councils and other departments
- Active support for AStA events and optional support for larger student council events
- Support for student events in glass boxes and for specific periods
- Provision and support of the university's own event technology at events
Contact:
- Please contact by email by appointment
- Email: eventmanagement@asta.h-da.de
Public Relations Working Group
Head: Denise Mistler
Core Tasks:
- Regular, active support and evaluation of AStA communication channels (social media, AStA newsletter, AStA website)
- Publicly inform about university policy and report on current events
- Collaboration/support in the formulation of statements, press releases, and publications
- Coordination of internal and external student inquiries or statements
Contact:
- Please contact us by email by appointment
- Email: oeffentlichkeitsarbeit@asta.h-da.de
Technology & Infrastructure Working Group
Head: Philipp Klemstein, Alexander Klingbeil
Core tasks:
- Support, maintenance, and regular inventories of AStA technology
- Contact person for AStA technology rentals
- Technical support for events in the Glaskasten and during this period
- Coordination of an inventory list and a loan system for loanable technology for the h_da student body
- Implementation of (sustainable) measures for the technical improvement of the AStA
- Contact point for AStA departments and working groups for technical problems and questions
Contact:
- Please contact us by email by appointment
- Email: tech-support@asta.h-da.de
Commercial Units of the AStA
In addition to the voting AStA units and the working groups that support the ASA by providing infrastructure or consulting work, there are three commercial units of the AStA:
- student cafe Glaskasten
- student cafe Zeitraum
- AG Media - media project/ student online newspaper
Structure of the AStA at the h_da
There are different models nationwide of how a student representation can be structured - with or without a board of directors, with or without employed officers, with or without direct election of the student representation.
At the h_da, the AStA is elected by the student parliament and currently consists of equal and voting units as well as non-voting working groups and three commercial units.