information avout the composition of the new semester fee for re-registration for the winter semester 2023/2024

The information about the payment has already been sent to your euv address by the university on 26.06.2023, (“Call for re-registration for the winter semester 2023/24”).

 

The contribution of 364,50€ for the winter semester 2023/2024 is composed of the following contributions:

 

AStA	13,50 €
Studentenwerk	100,00 €
Semesterticket	200,00 €
Einschreib- und Rückmeldegebühr	51,00 €

Compared to the summer semester 2023, we all now pay 35€ more for the re-registration, which is due to the increased contributions to the Studierendenschaft / AStA (5€) and the Studentenwerk Frankfurt (Oder).

 

We are aware that the additional cost of 35€ is a massive additional load for many students. Therefore, it is important to us to create transparency about the reasons for the increases.

 

1. contribution item “AStA” (13,50€)

 

With your contribution to the student body you finance, among other things:

 

• the work of the student bodies (student parliament, general student committee, student councils of law, kuwi and wiwi)
• the support of various student initiatives (this year ELSA, VCG, fforst, Stuck and Kunstgriff)
• the support of numerous projects and project trips (last year, among others, the Frankfurt-Slubice Pride, a lecture series by the Critical Lawyers, Art at the Border, the Hearing Festival, raised beds on campus, concerts by the Viaphoniker, Tanz in den Mai, memorial trip to Auschwitz, and many more)
• subsidies for students with low incomes, e.g. for learning materials or the semester ticket
• the preservation and expansion of university sports at the Viadrina (USC)

 

All items can be found in the current budget, which will come into effect on 01.08.

 

The fee has increased from 8,50€ to 13,50€ this semester, because especially the reserves from funds not used during the Corona pandemic have been used up in the meantime. Until the winter semester 2021/2022, the student body still collected a contribution of €17.00. We were able to avoid an increase to this level, in the next two semesters the contribution will be 13,50€.

 

2. contribution item “Studentenwerk” (100,00€)

 

The substantially larger price increase (+30,00€) takes place with the contribution for the student union Frankfurt (Oder) and was already decided on 22.11.2022 in the administrative council there.

 

The increase of the contribution has become necessary, since due to the inflation and the strongly risen energy prices in the past winter in the enterprise of the refectory substantial additional costs resulted with the Studentenwerk. By increasing the contribution, a drastic increase in meal prices could be averted, and the canteen prices are now not to be increased for the next two years.

 

As AStA, we had no say in this decision of the administrative board and nevertheless, together with the student members in the administrative board, we started a petition to the responsible ministry, which received over 1000 signatures. Ultimately, the state of Brandenburg made a conscious decision not to cushion the additional costs incurred by the Studentenwerk due to the lack of aid in the Brandenburg package.

 

The increase in contributions was therefore in our eyes the best means to continue to make it possible for as many students as possible to eat in the Mensa and to maintain the Mensa as a central place of campus life. The fact that there are few inexpensive alternatives around campus also shows that the Mensa plays a central role in providing for students on campus.

 

The Studentenwerk contribution is used by the Studentenwerk to finance its statutory tasks, such as economic support for students (hardship loans), grants for students who are in need through no fault of their own, contributions to associations and to the students’ recreational accident insurance, social and health care, the establishment of childcare facilities, the construction and operation of student dormitories, the operation of catering facilities, and the provision of cultural and social facilities for students at state universities.

 

3. contribution item “Semesterticket” (200€)

 

The semester ticket has not become more expensive and will still allow you to use public transport in Berlin and Brandenburg in the winter semester 2023/2024. For all students who would like to use the 49€ ticket, we have implemented an option with the upgrade option since 01.06.2023 to use the semester ticket for 15,67€ nationwide.

 

All information about this can be found in our newsletter from 31.05.2023 or on our homepage.

 

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

Peer, Sophie, Julian, Antoni, Hannah, Mo, Gabi, Lidia, Arina and Sven

Your General Student Committee (AStA) of the 32nd Legislature

Dear fellow students,

I hereby convene the 1st General Assembly of the 32nd Legislature in accordance with Art. 6, S.1 of the Statutes of the Student Body (Satzung der Studierendenschaft). The complete invitation can be found HERE.

 

The General Assembly will take place on Thursday, July 27, 2023, 6:30 p.m. s.t. in the Audimax of the European University Viadrina, Logenstraße 4, 15230 Frankfurt (Oder).

 

We would like to inform you about the committee work of the student body in the past year and discuss with you current topics such as the fee increase, the semester ticket and other developments.

 

ATTENTION: You must bring your student ID or your current certificate of enrollment including an official photo ID so that we can ensure that only members of the student body take part in the voting.

 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am looking forward to a lively and great General Assembly with you!

 

Best regards,

Peer Schwiders (he/him)

Chairperson of the General Student Affairs Committee