Rules of procedure for the University Board
Membership, constitution of the board etc.
§ 1. The board has a total of eleven members, cf. Article 14(1) of the by-laws.
Subsection 2. The board elects a deputy chair from among the external members. In the event of the chair’s absence, the deputy chair takes over the functions assigned to the chair, cf. the rules of procedure.
Subsection 3. The rector, pro-rector(s) and the university director participate in the board’s meetings without voting rights.
Subsection 4. The board may allow non-members to participate in board meetings to an extent to be more precisely specified.
§ 2. The deputy chair is normally elected for a four-year term.
Subsection 2. If the deputy chair steps down from the board, an election will be held to select a new deputy chair.
Ordinary and unscheduled meetings, documentation in writing
§ 3. The board perform its activities at meetings, see, however, Article 5. Prior to the start of each semester, the board decides on a meeting schedule. The schedule is to be published on the university website or in another suitable manner.
Subsection 2. The chairman arranges meetings in cooperation with the rector. The chairman distributes an agenda or a notice cancelling the meeting to the members, as far as possible ten working days prior to each ordinary meeting. At the same time, the agenda or the cancellation is to be published on the university’s website or in another suitable manner.
Subsection 3. If, no later than one week prior to an ordinary meeting, a member requests that a case be considered, the chairman shall include the case as an item on the agenda for the meeting in question.
Subsection 4. The chairman shall ensure that the information required to assess cases is presented to the members.
§ 4. Unscheduled meetings are to be held when deemed necessary by the chairman. Unscheduled meetings shall furthermore be held if so requested by one-third of the members of the board of studies.
Subsection 2. Unscheduled meetings shall be convened subject to a notice of no less than twenty-four hours. The notice shall specify the items on the agenda and shall contain the information required to assess the cases.
§ 5. If all members agree thereon, routine cases may be decided without holding a meeting through written consideration. A proposal for a decision along with the information required to assess the case shall be distributed and shall form the basis for the consideration. The members shall indicate whether they can accept the procedure for the consideration and, in the affirmative, whether they can approve the decision proposed for the case.
Public access to meetings
§ 6. The board’s meetings are open to the public, cf. Article 19(1) of the by-laws. However, cases can be processed behind closed doors if the nature of the case concerned or the circumstances in general render this necessary. All personnel cases, cases including information about contract negotiations with private individuals or similar negotiations with public sector partners, and cases covered by legal provisions concerning confidentiality in public administration, must be processed behind closed doors.
Subsection 2. The material distributed to the Board for each meeting, including agendas and minutes, must be made publicly available – subject to applicable legal provisions.
Subsection 3. Cases covered by legal provisions pertaining to confidentiality in public administration must not be made public. A document or information relating to a confidential case must, however, be made publicly available in accordance with subsection (1) provided the document and information are not confidential in their own right.
Subsection 4. Personnel cases and cases including information about contract negotiations with private individuals or similar negotiations with public sector partners may be exempt from the requirement that documents relating to Board meetings must be made publicly available if the nature of the case concerned or the circumstances in general render this necessary. A document or information relating to a case that is subject to the first sentence, however, be made publicly available in accordance with Article 1, unless publication will be in strict conflict with the intentions behind the confidentiality outlined in the first sentence, cf. Article 19(4) of the by-laws.
Subsection 5. Cases, including documents and information relating to these cases,which are considered behind closed doors, cf. Subarticle (1) second sentence, may be exempt from the requirement that Board meeting material must be made public if the nature of the case concerned or the circumstances in general render this absolutely necessary.
Subsection 6. By arrangement with the chairman of the board, the rector makes information concerning the work and decisions of the board publicly available.
Subsection 7. Meeting participants and observers have a duty of non-disclosure regarding confidential matters pursuant to the Danish Public Administration Act (Forvaltningsloven).
Quorum, the chair and consideration of cases
§ 7. A quorum exists when at least half of the board’s members are present.
Subsection 2. The board’s meetings are chaired by the chair.
Subsection 3. Cases are considered at meetings in the same order as they are listed on the agenda. The board may decide to include new items on the agenda, and it may decide to deviate from the original order set out in the agenda and consider cases in another order.
§ 8. The board’s decisions are carried by a simple majority of votes. In the event of parity of votes, the chair’s vote is decisive.
Compulsory attendance, competence to act and calling in substitutes
§ 9. The members have an obligation to attend the board’s meetings.
Subsection 2. Members who are unable to attend a meeting shall notify the chairman thereof before the meeting.
§ 10. A member shall notify the chairman if there are circumstances in which there are doubts about the member’s competence to act. Such notification shall as far as possible be given before the meeting.
Subsection 2. The board decided whether the member may participate in the consideration of the case in question. Where the member cannot participate in the consideration of the case and a substitute has been elected for the member, the chairman calls in the substitute to participate in the consideration of the case.
Record of decisions and execution of the boards’ decisions
§ 11. The board’s decisions are recorded in a record of decisions which is submitted for approval at the next meeting. Any member who disagrees with a decision may demand that a brief summary of his or her opinion be entered in the minutes.
Subsection 2. The rector executes the board’s decisions.
Subsection 3. Approved minutes from meetings of the board of studies are published on the university’s website to the extent that such decisions are not subject to confidentiality, cf. Article 6(2).
Questions regarding the interpretation of these rules of procedure
§ 12. Any questions concerning the interpretation of the rules of procedure are to be settled by the board of studies.
Amendments to the rules of procedure
§ 13. These rules of procedure enter into force when approved by the board. Any decisions to amend the rules of procedure can be carried by a simple majority of votes by the board, where such proposed amendment has been submitted no later than fourteen days prior to the meeting at which it is to be considered.
