Participants: Thomas G. Jensen; Thomas Juhl Corydon; Ina Maria Schiessl; Sâmia Joca; Jani Kær; Gitte Fynbo Biller; Bettina Winther Grumsen; Agnete Larsen; Rikke Nielsen; Esben Thorup Boel; Anne Flensborg.
Cancellations from partipants: Morten Schallburg Nielsen; Bertha P. Beck Mortensen; Erling Melchior Dammand; Daniel Benjamin Fyenbo;Guest: Kenneth Brodersen Kronow.
Minute taker: HR Partner, Pia Lind Lunau Kristensen
- Godkendelse af dagsorden/Approval of agenda - by Head of Department
Dagsorden godkendt/Agenda approved.
It was mentioned that there is still a wish for the Minutes in Danish.
Head of Department and the management group will reconsider the decision. - Godkendelse af referat af møde 14. juni 2022/Approval of minutes from the meeting 14th June 2022 - by Head of Department
Referatet godkendt/Minutes approved. - Orientering om økonomien – herunder kvalificeret ansættelsesstop/Financial statement – incl. Hiring freeze - by Head of Department
Head of Department informed that since last meeting in the Local Liaison Committee (LSU) there has been a development at AU in the financial situation 1) due to energy prices 2) less income from the students. Many medical students do not go to their exams, which means a decreased income for students.
The financial situation has required the senior management team (Universitetsledelsen) to decide a hiring freeze. It is a responsible action to take before it’s too late. In the Faculty management it has been discussed how the Departments (institutterne) execute the hiring freeze.
Head of Department informed that hirings 100% external funded (delregnskab 4) in general can continue. But the Department are aware that all hirings at external funding also entails cost at the Department budget (delregnskab 1). Hiring at “delregnskab 1” are carefully evaluated – some will be postponed, others not filled. The broad advertisement for professors, associate professors and assistant professors will be postponed.
The economy can be divided into two points: 1 at the moment/short term and 2) the long run.
At the moment the Department looks into more expenses due to energy prices and less income for the students. A deficit due to energy on approx. 4,5 mio., and another 4 mio. less for the students in this year. It means that the Department will probably have a deficit by end of 2022. The deficit will be transferred to budget for 2023.
Head of Department can’t say that much today about the economy at the longer run. It is expected to be challenging – also in regards to increased rent when Bartholin is ready for use. No one knows if the energy prices will continue to rise. In addition to that the Department do not know if the students return.
The committee discussed
- that the first year dropout rate for students right now is about 10% - normally it’s about 5% - the Department try to investigate why – is it related to Covid-19 or other topics
- that STÅ (the money the Department earns by each fulltime student (60 ECTS)) is paid out after each semester if the student goes to the exam. One STÅ is about DKK 70-100.000,-
- that the Department right now focus on how to save electricity/energy incl. benefit of buying new freezers instead of using old
- if the other Universities in DK have the same challenges
- what will happen if AU loose power. Head of Department informed that there is an alarm for that, AU ought to be able to handle such a situation for several hours.
- if there is a saving due to hiring freeze and whether positions are threatened. Can we save anything on administration.
Head of Department stated that there are almost no savings in 2022 due to hiring freeze and because hirings at external funding also draw on the department budget and the administration. The administration has been saving 2% since 2014 and will not be able to offer more savings as the departments in the same period have grown. For now no positions are threatened, but Head of Department can’t give any guarantee on the longer run. On the short run everybody can contribute to save energy – more information will follow in the next newsletter. Also the Christmas party is discussed by the management team.
The Committee encouraged to prioritize the Christmas party – maybe it can be another form and other prices and employees can pay more themselves – it is so important that employees are able to meet at those occasions - MUS-proces/SDD process - by Head of Department
HR informed that Head of Department send out a reminder of this years SDD (MUS) before the summer holiday: “The SDDs must be held before the end of the year. Meaningful SDDs are important in relation to both the well-being and professional development. To make sure everyone has an SDD in 2022, please contact Jeannette Madsen (jepe@biomed.au.dk) no later than 30. November 2022 if your SDD 2022 has not been scheduled by that date.” - Arbejdspladsvurdering (APV), fysisk og psykisk – status/Workplace Assessment
(WPA), Physical and psychological - status By Head of Department
Local occupational health and safety committee (LAMU) looks at the results from this years APV/WPA. There has been a dialogue meeting at the Department to follow up on the results from the survey and to identity the needed actions to improve the work environment. It is compulsory for the Department to fill an action plan – for both the physical and psychological work environment.
At the Faculty level there are three headlines for the action plan: 1) more community across units 2) worklife balance and 3) offensive behaviour – there will be activities within all three areas.
The Committee discussed
- the physical work environment in the animal facilities, more employees in the work facilities suffer from allergies and different possible solutions
- an occupational therapist/ergoterapeut are invited and will visit the Department twice a year – first time in December 2022. The purpose is to get good advice on exercises etc.
- problems with tables in laboratories – it is too expensive to have the tables changed and the change is too small for it to make sense to invest in the change of the tables.
- if offensive behaviour at the Department includes both written/spoken as well as sexual harassment. Head of Department confirmed that both occur.
- if the Department has one culture or many
The Committee had many good suggestions within the individual items. Head of Department thanked for the suggestions. - Highlights fra LAMU, FAMU samt FSU og HSU / Highlights from LAMU, FAMU and FSU og HSU
The LSU members are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the minutes of the meetings.
Material from meetings can be found:
ocal occupational health and safety committee (LAMU) can be found here.
Faculty occupational health and safety committee (FAMU) can be found here.
Main occupational health and safety committee (HAMU) can be found here.
Faculty Liaison Committee (FSU) can be found here.
Main Liaison Committee (HSU) can be found here. - Eventuelt/AOB