At 28, Hanna Plaumann is already an FH veteran. She completed her training at the university and was a member of the Youth Trainee Representative Council. She has been working at the Faculty of Business Studies for several years and is currently in her first term of office on the Staff Council for employees in Technology and Administration. "I want to help shape things," she says.
She has not yet revealed whether she will be on the ballot again on June 6, 2024, when the staff councils for technical and administrative employees (TuV) and academic and artistic employees (WissPR) are elected, and whether she will run for another term of office. She has until May 16, 2024 to think about it. That is the deadline to stand for election.
But she is encouraging all employees to run. "Because everyone can make a difference here," says Hanna Plaumann. The Staff Council is involved in all important decisions - whether it's specifically about work or the future of the UAS in general. "Of course, it sometimes takes a while and changes don't happen as quickly as we would sometimes like. But as things stand today, I can say that staff council work at Fachhochschule Dortmund works!"
Training courses prepare new staff council members
Employees are released from their normal duties to participate in the Staff Council - for example for the Staff Council meetings, which take place every two weeks and in which the committee makes joint decisions. But also to be present at job interviews or when planning IT projects. "We divide up the work," she emphasizes.
Nevertheless, it can seem overwhelming at first. "It's the same for everyone," says the 28-year-old. Processes, rules, paragraphs. It's a lot. "But there's training for that. After that, the basic knowledge sinks in." There is also a great staff council team at Fachhochschule Dortmund and a good exchange of ideas. "We don't make decisions alone. Everything comes to the committee and is discussed there. That also creates security."
Brief information: Dates and locations
- May 16, 2024: Deadline for submitting election proposals
(for employees in technology and administration) - June 6, 2024: Election date
- Polling stations
- for employees in technology and administration from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Sonnenstraße foyer (House A) and in the Josef-von-Fraunhofer-Straße foyer
- for scientific and artistic employees
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in room F212 on Sonnenstraße (House F)
Conflict situations are also inevitable
So it's all easy as a staff councillor? Hanna Plaumann thinks for a moment. "Conflict situations are inevitable," she says in the end. The staff council represents the interests of the employees and makes sure that things are fair. Fair for everyone. For example, in job interviews where all applicants are asked the same questions so that they have the same opportunity to present themselves. Or when it comes to the big issues of data protection and accessibility. "That's where different views sometimes clash." But so far, even after tough discussions, everyone has been able to look each other in the eye afterwards. "Our colleagues can distinguish between us as individuals and us as members of the Staff Council. It's important that this works," she emphasizes.
After all, the Staff Council always acts in the interests of the university for everyone. "We don't want to prevent things, we want to find solutions," says Hanna Plaumann. The aim is to acknowledge the legitimate interests of everyone and also to examine the impact that projects and innovations may have on other faculties, departments or divisions.
Hanna Plaumann would therefore also like to see a broad-based Staff Council in the coming term of office: "Everyone has a different background and therefore a very specific perspective. That is incredibly helpful." And the 28-year-old has one more wish: go and vote on June 6! Because a strong Staff Council is a prerequisite for a strong university.