The Council of Academic and Artistic Staff (PRwiss) at TU Dortmund is elected by employees for a term of four years and currently has 17 members. In accordance with the requirements of the Landespersonalvertretungsgesetz (LPVG NRW), we ensure that existing laws, collective and service agreements etc. are implemented and complied with in the interests of the employees. For example, the PRwiss must give its consent in the case of

• recruitment as well as the extension of contracts, the increase or decrease of working hours and the removal of time limits.
• redeployment within a department for a period longer than three months.
• major changes in employment contracts.
• the termination of contracts and redundancies.

We review and discuss all current personnel matters in our weekly meeting on Friday mornings. We also meet regularly with the head of the personnel department and the President of TU Dortmund to discuss current developments and concerns. In addition, we participate in committees and working groups on topics such as occupational health and safety, occupational health management, and equal opportunities.

The chairperson of the PRwiss is also a non-voting member of the Senate.

We are happy to inform and advise you on questions and problems concerning your working conditions and terms of cemployment including your holiday entitlement and pay group, parental leave and bullying at the workplace. Communication between members of staff and us is confidential, and we will only become active on your behalf if you ask us to do so. We can be reached by telephone and e-mail and will attempt to make an appointment at short notice in order to discuss your questions or concerns.

We represent (English and German terms)

• Scientific and artistic staff / Wissenschaftliche und künstlerische Mitarbeiter*innen (tarifbeschäftigt oder verbeamtet)
• Lecturers for Special Requirements / Lehrkräfte für besondere Aufgaben (LfbA)
• Graduate Assistants with BA degree (WHF) or MA degree (WHK) / Wissenschaftliche Hilfskräfte (WHK und WHF)
• Academic Councillors with fixed-term contracts and Academic Councillors / Akademische Rät*innen auf Zeit und Akademische Rät*innen
• Adjunct Lecturers teaching at least four weekly hours per semester / Lehrbeauftrage mit einer Lehrverpflichtung von mindestens 4 SWS
• Seconded school teachers / Abgeordnete Lehrkräfte

For more information on the work of the PRwiss and its legal context , please see Rechtliche Grundlagen (only in German) or contact us. If would like to have a look at the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act, the legal basis for most employment contracts at German universities, you can find an English translation here.