Rules of procedure

Section 1. The department council at the Department of Economics, SDU, has been established with the aim of involving employees and students in significant decisions at department level.

Section 2. The department council is responsible for discussing and advising the management of the department on matters of relevance to the development of the department, its organisation and finances.

Section 3. The department council consists of 12 members. The head of department is an ex officio member.
(2) Five members are elected by and from the department’s academic staff. At least three of the members must be recognised researchers at associate professor level as a minimum. The head of department is chairperson of the department council. A deputy chairperson is elected from the committee’s associate professors and professors. 
(3) The chairperson and deputy chairperson form a chairpersonship, which is responsible for the agenda, minutes and follow-up.
(4) Three members are elected from the department’s technical/administrative staff.
(5) The students can elect three students as members.
(6) Employees serve on the council for four years and the students for two years. Members can be re-elected.
(7) The head of department makes administrative assistance available to the department council, which draws up the rules of procedure to be approved by the rector within the framework of the standard rules of procedure.

Section 4. After ordinary elections to the department council, a deputy chairperson is elected at the first meeting. The deputy chairperson is elected from the members of the academic staff and must be an associate professor or professor. If the deputy chairperson resigns during his or her term of office, a new election will be held for the rest of the period. 
(2) The deputy chairperson is the substitute of the chairperson with the rights and obligations mentioned in the rules of procedure. 
(3) If only one candidate has been nominated for the election of deputy chairperson, he or she is considered elected without a vote. If more than one candidate has been nominated, the candidate who has obtained more than half of the valid votes cast (including blank votes) is elected. If no candidate has achieved this, a re-election will be held between the two candidates with the highest number of votes. If more than two candidates have obtained the highest number of votes, they will participate in the re-election. If one candidate has obtained the highest and several candidates the second highest number of votes, they will all participate in the re-election. In the re-election, the candidate who has obtained the highest number of votes is elected. If more than one candidate has obtained the highest number of votes in the re-election for the office of deputy chairperson, lots will be drawn between them.

Section 5. The department council carries out its activities at meetings. However, questions and topics of a routine nature may be submitted for a written consultation if all members of the council so agree. 
(2) The meetings of the department council are public, but questions and topics can be addressed behind closed doors if, due to their nature or the circumstances of the case, it is considered necessary or desirable. 
(3) Questions and topics that contain information about personal matters must be addressed behind closed doors. 
(4) Questions and topics addressed behind closed doors should preferably be addressed at the end. 
(5) Anyone has the right to take part in the council’s public case handling in an orderly manner. If a listener interrupts the discussions, the chairperson may exclude him or her or, if necessary, all listeners from the meeting.

Section 6. The department council must hold meetings at least twice during the semester. 
(2) At the first meeting of the calendar year, the plan for the ordinary meetings of the council is determined/sent out, stating the time and place. 
(3) In addition to the ordinary meetings, the chairperson may convene extraordinary meetings. 
(4) The chairperson must convene the council when ¼ of the members submit a written request and provide the agenda. In that case, the meeting must be held within 14 days after the secretary/chairperson has received the request. 

Section 7. If a member is prevented from attending a council meeting, the chairperson must be notified before the meeting is held. The minutes of each meeting must state which members have been absent. 

Section 8. A meeting notice with an agenda will be issued by the chairperson at least five days before the meeting is held. If required by special circumstances, the meeting may be convened at a shorter notice. The agenda must state which cases will be discussed at the meeting. 
(2) The agenda is sent to each member of the council, and it is published together with the department’s internal newsletter.
(3) The individual members of the council may propose items for inclusion on the agenda. Agenda items and material for the ordinary meetings must be received by the secretary/chairperson at least eight days before the meeting is held. 
(4) The chairperson will send out the relevant material to the members together with the agenda for advance notification. 
(5) The chairperson will ensure that questions and topics as well as information provided for their consideration are presented to the members of the council for review no later than three days before the meeting is held.

Section 9. The chairperson, and in his or her absence the deputy chairperson, will chair the council meetings. The chairperson decides on all matters concerning the conduct of the discussions and the maintenance of order during the meeting. 
(2) Members of the council who wish to speak shall address the chairperson, who will give the floor to the individual in the order in which it is requested. If several people request the floor at the same time, the chairperson will decide the order. 

Section 10. The cases are considered in the order decided by the chairperson, and consequently the chairperson may deviate from the order of the agenda. However, when at least three members request a vote on this, the council will decide the order in which the cases are considered. 
(2) At the beginning of a meeting, any member of the council may request the floor regarding the agenda, including ask questions about transferring cases from closed-door consideration to public consideration and vice versa.

Section 11. Routine cases that may be discussed in writing according to section 5 will be sent by the chairperson to each of the members stating the deadline for their reply. In their reply, any member may request that the case be considered at a meeting. In that case, the chairperson will arrange for it to be included on the agenda at the next ordinary meeting. 

Section 12. At the beginning of each meeting, the chairperson will state whether the council has been convened in due time. 
(2) The department council is quorate when at least half of the elected members are present. 
(3) If important for the consideration of a case, the chairperson may invite third parties to join the meetings and make statements or participate in the discussions without the right to vote.

Section 13. The department council may appoint committees with the aim of addressing selected questions and topics. 
(2) Prior to the appointment of committees, the department council will by majority vote decide on the committee’s terms of reference and size as well as on the convening of the constituent meeting. 
(3) The committee shall – unless otherwise decided by the council – elect its own chairperson and submit a written report. 
(4) Committees are considered disbanded when the terms of reference are met.

Section 14. Members of the council are obliged to attend the council meetings.
(2) If a member of the council loses his or her eligibility, resigns during the term of office or is declared disqualified, cf. the general disqualification rules, or if a member for at least two months is unable to attend the meetings due to illness, a study trip or the like, a substitute will be summoned. The council alone will decide whether the conditions for the appointment of a substitute are met.

Section 15. A member of the council is excluded from participating in discussions and voting on matters in which the person in question has a private interest, cf. the general disqualification rules.
(2) The member must inform the council of circumstances that cause or may give rise to a presumption of disqualification. If at all possible, notification of this must be given to the chairperson before the meeting. The council will then decide whether the member in question must step aside, see s 14(2). A member is not precluded from voting on his or her competence to act.

Section 16. The decisions of the department council are recorded in the minutes. The minutes are approved by the chairperson and submitted for a written consultation and formal approval at the next council meeting. 
(2) Any of the members as well as any third parties summoned in accordance with s 12(3) may demand views that deviate from the discussions included in the minutes.
(3) The minutes must also contain information about which members were present at the beginning of the meeting and the consideration of the individual items, as well as about the discussions under the individual agenda items and the result of any vote stating the individual members’ voting. 

Section 17. Execution of the cases considered by the council shall be the responsibility of the chairperson. All inquiries to authorities outside the institution are forwarded by the chairperson. 

Section 18. Any member is obliged to comply with the chairperson’s decision regarding the understanding of the provisions of the rules of procedure. If requested by three members, the chairperson’s decision shall be put to the vote. 

Section 19. Where not otherwise specified in these rules, the University of Southern Denmark’s standard rules of procedure will apply.