Student Body
Actually, the term means the entirety of the students of a university, but it has become synonymous with the TU’s constituted student body. The student body can manage its own affairs to a certain extent. For this purpose, representatives are elected to the committees and bodies of the student body during the annual university elections. With each semester fee you also transfer a contribution to the financing of the student body (currently 12.15 €).
Student Parliament
The Studierendenparlament is the highest decision-making body of the student body. It has 31 members, who are elected every summer semester. For this election (as in the Bundestag election) different lists compete, which usually advertise their goals through flyers and posters before the election. The tasks of the student parliament include the election of the General Student Committee (AStA), the amount and use of semester fees and external cooperations (e.g. with the State Theater and the RMV).
What is the AStA?
The AStA (Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss) is the executive body of student self-administration and represents the interests of all students at university level. The AStA is divided into departments for the individual sub-tasks such as university policy, student bodies or university groups, which are elected once a year by the StuPa (student parliament). Furthermore, the AStA is supported by hired advisors.
What does the AStA do?
In order to represent your interests, the AStA actively participates in university-wide decisions. As far as the interests of students are concerned, the AStA also speaks out on issues outside the university. A current problem area, for example, is the lack of affordable housing in Darmstadt. Here, the AStA is campaigning for the former barracks in Darmstadt to be converted into affordable student housing. There have already been initial successes here. The Lincoln-Siedlung was redeveloped and offers 216 student rooms in 3-person, 4-person and 5-person shared flats.
The fight against tuition fees, in which the protest coordination of the Hessian student councils played a decisive role in making Hesse the first state in Germany to abolish paid tuition, goes back some time.
Weitere Angebote des AStA
Das größte Angebot des AStAs ist das RMV-Semesterticket, welches durch Verhandlungen zwischen RMV und AStA entsteht.
Ein weiteres Projekt ist die Kooperation mit dem Staatstheater, welche allen Studierenden kostenlosen Eintritt zu Vorstellungen des Staatstheaters ermöglicht. Weitere Infos findet ihr hier.
Zusätzlich zum RMV-Ticket werdet ihr auch durch das Call-a-Bike-Angebot mobil. Dadurch könnt ihr jeweils eine Stunde kostenlos die Leihfahrräder benutzen. Weitere Infos gibt es hier.
Ein weiteres wichtiges Angebot des AStA ist die kostenlose Erstrechtsberatung, die alle Studierenden - z. B. bei Problemen mit der Vermietung - in Anspruch nehmen können. Außerdem gibt es noch spezielle Beratungen zum BAFöG, eine Sozialberatung und eine Beratung für internationale Studierende. Auch der internationale Studienausweis (ISIC) ist im AStA erhältlich. Weitere Informationen und das gesamte Beratungsangebot findet ihr hier.
Wenn ihr mehr über den AStA erfahren wollt, schaut einfach unter https://www.asta.tu-darmstadt.de oder kommt im Büro des AStA (S1|03 Raum 62) vorbei.
