The official e-mail address for contacting the student representatives of the Department of Biology is: studentski.predstavnici@biol.pmf.hr
What is The Department Council?
Department council consists of full and associate professors, representatives of department employees and student representatives. Almost all important decisions are made on Council sittings: election of lecturers for a subject, election of new employees, students participation expenses, election of award winners etc.
Student representatives partake in the Council sittings by representing student populations' opinions in discussions and by placing their votes in elections. The statute of the Faculty of Science states that the student representatives make 15 % of the Department Council members.
The Faculty of Science is unique for having multiple departments, seven of them to be exact. Those departments often act independently from one another which is why they have their own councils. But The Faculty also has its Faculty Council which decides on issues important for all its departments.
Who are The Student Representatives?
Student representatives are undergraduate or graduate students who partake in monthly Department Council sittings. They are informed about happenings and passed decrees on the Faculty and their department. In case of an issue or an idea for improvement of subjects, they communicate it with the student population, other representatives, heads of courses and others. For example:
- A group of students have a problem with a subject and they want to make a complaint. Student representatives are here to present the case to an appropriate person on behalf of the students. They may talk to a head of the course, teaching deputy, the professor, head of department or someone else.
- A student has a great idea and a proposal to change and improve a subject. Student representatives will have a role of a mediator as they understand the way this idea needs to be presented. It may require an e-mail to a professor, a conversation with the head of the course, a proposal at a council sitting or other.
- A decree important for the students will be passed on the next Council sitting. Student representatives can get informed on students' stand on the issue and represent their point of view in the Council discussion.
Student representatives are also strongly associated with the Student Council of the Faculty and when the need arises, they can communicate with student representatives of other departments and students’ ombudsman, or direct students themselves to reach out to one of them.
A list of current student representatives can be seen here and members of the Student Council here.