Faculty Council

Back row: Federico Cassani (resigned), Tim Kerkhoff, Jose Manuel Jun Pereira, Daniël Hooimeijer
Front row: Nicole van Os, Marina Terkourafi, Sara Bieshaar, Elizabeth den Boer, Wessel Kornegoor

Not on photo
Students: Jamal Smith, Robin Wacanno, Susan van Grol.
Staff: Jan Sleutels (chair), Jos Schaeken, Adriaan Rademaker, Arnout van Ree.

The Faculty Council

The Faculty Council is the second highest consultation body within the University, after the University Council. The Faculty Council (FC) has the right of consent and the right to prior consultation on various matters relating to the Faculty. The Council thus functions as the representative of students and staff, and as a ‘sounding board’ for the Faculty Board.

Consultation meetings of Faculty Council

The consultation meetings of the Faculty Council are public, and anyone interested is very welcome to attend the meetings (aside from the confidential part).

Consultation meetings

Consultation meetings of the Faculty Council with the Faculty Board in the academic year 2023-2024.
Meetings are always held from 15.15 until 18.00 (at the latest) and are open to anyone via Microsoft Teams.

Wednesday 5 July 2023 in Lipsius 1.48
Wednesday 23 August 2023 in Lipsius 1.48 (reserve)
Wednesday 27 September 2023 in Lipsius 1.48
Wednesday 1 November 2023 in Lipsius 1.48
Wednesday 6 December 2023 in Lipsius 1.48
Wednesday 24 January 2024, 15.00 -17.00 hrs via Teams
Wednesday 14 February 2024 in Lipsius 1.48
Wednesday 10 April 2024 on CDH
Wednesday 15 May 2024 in Lipsius 1.48
Wednesday 3 July 2024 in Lipsius 1.48
Wednesday 21 August in Lipsius 1.48 (reserve)

Preparatory meetings

The preparatory meetings (internal meetings) of the Faculty Council for the year 2023-2024 are held on Wednesday, a week before the consultation meeting. Meeting documents and the agenda are available for inspection through Jan Willem Rozier: j.w.rozier@hum.leidenuniv.nl

Topics

Topics that are discussed in the Faculty Council include, for example, teaching, the bachelor’s-master’s system, HR issues and budget. The topics placed on the agenda are prescribed by the regulations or the law, or are put forward by the Faculty Board or the Faculty Council. Depending on the agenda, standing and special advisory committees give advice to the Faculty Council.

The Faculty Regulations give a precise specification of the tasks and powers of the Faculty Council (Chapter 10, Articles 39 to 53 inclusive). See also the Rules of Procedure of the Faculty Council (Reglement van Orde Faculteitsraad).

Frequently asked questions

Would you like to become a member of the Faculty Council and are you curious about activities involving the Faculty Council? Take a look at the FAQs.

How long does a membership last?
The term of office for a staff member of the Council is two years, starting in September of an odd-numbered year. The term of office for students is one year.

How much time will I need to spend on it every month?
This is difficult to say. You will spend at least 1.5 days per month reading and in meetings. It costs more time to look into topics close to your heart in depth, if you want to consult with the people you represent, or if you want to propose items for the agenda.

How do I stand as a candidate?
You can find more information here.

Can I combine it with my work / make an arrangement with my manager about the working time I will spend on it?
Co-participation bodies promote the wellbeing and interests of the staff and students. Co-participation is therefore important for the University to function correctly. If you choose to actively take part in a co-participation body, your manager must allow you the time to do this. How you fit it in with your normal work responsibilities should therefore be discussed, for example, in your Performance and Development Interview.

To properly do the job, it is reasonable to allocate 0.1 fte for it in your job responsibilities. You should discuss this in good time, however, so that your other work can be planned accordingly.

What are the main activities involved in the work of a Faculty Council member?
Formally, Article 9.37 of the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW) stipulates that the Faculty Council has the same right of consent and right to prior consultation for matters relating to the Faculty as the University Council has for 'central' matters. This is further elaborated in Chapter 10 of the Regulations of the Faculty of Humanities. The topics discussed in the Faculty Council, however, are often different from those discussed in the University Council, because the issues that are important at a Faculty level are different from those at a central level.

The Faculty Council has the right to issue advice to the Faculty Board, on its own initiative, about all Faculty matters for which it considers this desirable; the Faculty Board is obliged to respond to this advice. This is a good way to ensure, for example, that any problems occurring 'in the workplace' or among large groups of students are brought to the attention of the Faculty Board. As a Council member, you naturally decide for yourself whether you want to focus on something specifically or look at something in depth, but your vote obviously counts for all items on the agenda.

Can I choose for myself what my activities will be?
You can choose for yourself whether you want to engage in-depth with a specific dossier, or whether you want to take an all-round approach. You can choose to be guided by the agenda of the consultation meetings, but you can also propose agenda items yourself.

Is it useful to be a member of the Faculty Council?
Of course it is useful! Healthy co-participation is important for a healthy organisation. Share your ideas and put critical questions to the Faculty Board. Carry out your own investigations and introduce new ideas. Detect problems in the organisation and mention them, so that the Faculty Board is aware and can do something about them. Monitor the processes that lead to changes in the range of study programmes offered.

The Faculty Council does more than you think!