The authored student body
In June 2012, the parliament of Baden-Württemberg has decided to reintroduce the authored student body (Verfasste Studierendenschaf - VS). The student body means that there is a legally established student representation. In January 2013, the ballot vote took place for the constitution of the authored student body. From 10th till 14th of June the student parliament (StuPa) and the Student Council Executive Board members were elected for the first time in the VS. Since 29.10.2013 the first authored student council is in office.
Committees of the student body
General Student Committee (AStA): The AStA is the executive committee of the constituted student body, i.e. all registered students at KIT. Its work is divided into departments, which the student parliament (StuPa)elects or decides on annually, as well as their work plan. Student Council Conference (FSK): The FSK brings together delegates from all student councils. Here they exchange ideas, plan joint projects and campaigns and coordinate cooperation with the AStA.
Students’ Parliament (StuPa): The StuPa is like the parliament of the KIT student body. Each summer it is elected by all students at KIT. It decides on all important matters that affect you students. It also elects the speakers, decides on the AStA's work program and fills the student positions on KIT-wide committees that are not filled by elections. For example, students are delegated to KIT Senate Commissions, the Council of Elders, the House of Competence (HoC) Advisory Board, the Studierendenwerk Karlsruhe, the Joint Commission for Teacher Training Karlsruhe (KLK) or the Alliance for Democracy & Human Rights.
Council of Elders (ÄR): The Council of Elders is the "court of arbitration" of the constituted student body (VS). Experienced students usually sit on this committee, as the ÄR is consulted on questions of arbitration and interpretation of the statutes and regulations of the VS and reviews changes to the statutes and regulations. For this reason, the members may not be active in any other committee of the VS at KIT.
Student Council (FS): On a de-central level/ at faculty level, we've the student councils. Each degree program at KIT is assigned to one (or in a few special cases several) student council(s). All members of the student council are students themselves and are therefore usually best placed to help directly with problems relating to the degree program. The student council often also organizes parties, the O-Phase for new students and offers protocol collections and learning aids. Many student representatives on the KIT Faculty Council or the commissions are members of the student council and therefore very close to the degree program, but also in close contact with the KIT faculty.
Other groups and committees outside the student body
Work groups
To maintain long-term projects of the student body, the parliament can create work groups. Work groups work independently and are open to everyone without the need for election.
Student groups
Student groups are mostly project-oriented and have to be registered at the student body. They involve a very wide range of topics like sports, tec, culture, sustainability up to our political student groups that form our student parliament.
KIT-committees and StuWe-committees
There are also students involved within the KIT- and Stuwe (Studierendenwerk)-committees fighting for student rights like for better teaching, against discrimination/ for more equity, for integral sustainability etc. They are mostly elected by the student parliament.
More on committee structure of the student body and their interaction with KIT committees here.
