Masarykova univerzita, Fakulta sociálních studií, Akademický senát
Joštova 218/10, 602 00 Brno, Česká republika
E: senat@fss.muni.cz, www.fss.muni.cz
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Academic Senate of the Faculty of Social Studies
Masaryk University
Minutes of the 206th meeting, April 6, 2020
The meeting was held online on the Zoom platform.
Present (in alphabetical order):
● Bc. Barbora Adamková
● Ing. Rudolf Burgr, Ph.D.
● Mgr. Mikuláš Černík
● Sonya Darrow (connected at 4:13pm)
● Mgr. Otto Eibl, Ph.D.
● Mgr. et Mgr. Vratislav Havlík, Ph.D.
● Daniel Jirků
● Katarína Kováčová
● doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Oldřich Krpec, Ph.D.
● doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Peter Spáč, Ph.D.
● doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Jan Šerek, Ph.D.
Guests:
● prof. PhDr. Stanislav Balik, Ph.D.
● doc. Mgr. Bohuslav Binka, Ph.D.
● doc. PhDr. Roman Chytilek, Ph.D.
● Ing. Pavlína Kadlčková, DiS.
● Mgr. et Mgr. Adéla Souralová, Ph.D.
● PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
● doc. PhDr. Martin Vaculík, Ph.D.
Agenda:
1) Amendment to the Budgetary Rules of the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University
for the calendar year 2020
2) The budget of the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University for the calendar year 2020
3) Miscellaneous issues
Agenda approved (10 for, 0 against, 0 abstained from voting).
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1) Amendment to the Budgetary Rules of the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk
University for the calendar year 2020
Dean: He stated that as a consequence of the coronavirus crisis it is not sure that the faculty
budget will be implemented as the Academic Senate (AS) approved at the last meeting. From
precaution reasons and based on experience from past financial crises, we can expect cuts in
public spending
sector. Therefore, the dean made a proposal that the FSS budget for the calendar year 2020
would be established according to the same rules as for the calendar year 2019. This way it
would be possible to avoid a situation in which the departments would have to take personnel
measures. The departments will manage the same resources as the last year. The saved
19,000,000 CZK could stay in the central reserve. The optimistic option is that this resource
would be divided between different workplaces, after consultation with the Dean's Board and
AS. The pessimistic option is that this resource would be transferred to some of the funds for
use in the next year, eventually in this year. Last week, the rector of the MU asked the faculties
to find where is it possible to save money already this year. The rector considers the
problematic of this proposal, when no matter how big the efforts in science or teaching of the
departments were, he holds the opinion that the precaution is desirable.
Resolution:
The Academic Senate of the FSS MU discussed and approved the Budgeting Rules for the
FSS MU for the calendar year 2020. (7 for, 0 against, 4 abstained from voting)
2) The budget of the FSS MU for the calendar year 2020
Dean: He said that the budget for calendar year 2020 copies the budget for last year.
The heads of the departments and other facilities of MU were asked for temperance with all
motivation programs, they should keep reserve money.
Černík: He asked, according to what rules the reserve fund would be used, when it becomes
necessary to use it. He asked for specification of the indicators in the case of the pessimistic
option.
Dean: He replied that when the FSS will get more information from MU and will know what
the real implementation of the budget is, there will be a need for further amendments to the
Budgetary Rules, which will be resubmitted to the AS for approval.
Černík: He specified that his question was whether the finance from the reserve funds will be
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distributed to the workplaces most endangered by the potential cuts or whether it will be rather
taken into account how certain departments contributed.
Dean: He said that last year was great for all the FSS workplaces; now they have it guaranteed
that the funds will be distributed as last year. The funds will be distributed according to the new
model, which was originally approved for this year and which interestingly appreciates the
activity
of the departments and institutes for education and scientific activities. In case of an
unexpected need, the FSS also has a long-term dean reserve.
Resolution:
The Academic Senate of the FSS MU discussed and approved the Draft of the budget of
the FSS MU for the calendar year 2020.
(11 for, 0 against, 0 abstained from voting)
3) Miscellaneous issues
a. Monitoring the state of teaching at the FSS
Dean: He asked the AS Student Chamber to cooperate in monitoring the state of teaching at the
FSS, in order to let the heads of the faculty know about possible problems. A feedback from
students could help the faculty and the MU to make their measurements be not only plain
words, but something which could be guaranteed.
Jirků: In response, he said that the members of the AS Student Chamber agreed on taking some
steps in this matter. Based on inspiration from the Faculty of Law, a questionnaire system
should be created, through which it would be possible to draw data from the students of the
FSS and improve the situation. According to available information, in some courses and
sections of the FSS it works well, but on the other hand, it does not work so well in some
others.
Dean: He said that he personally does not know what is good and what is not. He does not
want to create an atmosphere that all teachers of the faculty have to do online lessons or
provide an audio version of their presentations. He rather advocates for quality feedback on
papers and seminar essays. The contact teaching should be replaced by new type of contact.
The faculty should retain its great advantage of being relatively decentralized. Each study
programme decides autonomously on these matters as well as individual teachers. It is mainly
about finding out if the teachers and students communicate, if there is not a problem of not
receiving any feedback.
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Jirků: He asked whether setting up certain rules would not help to continue keeping the current
quality of teaching. From his personal point of view, he perceives that the quality of teaching is
decreasing with the absence of a personal approach and the students are much less satisfied
with what they gain in their courses.
Dean: He expressed understanding, nevertheless he pointed out that the range of subjects is so
variable that he cannot imagine setting up general rules.
Adamková: She added that the questionnaire could be used for getting a feedback on how the
students feel in the new system of online education, not only for the bachelor and master
students but also for the doctoral students. They would like to create the questionnaire in the
IS, which requires an approval of the faculty management.
Dean: He expressed his consent and asked the AS Student Chamber to communicate about the
technical matters with the vice-dean for study-related issues.
b. Student representatives on program boards
Vice-dean Souralová: As in the autumn semester, she asked again the AS Student Chamber
for cooperation in the nomination of student representatives to program boards within
thirty days. She thanked for the efforts made in this regard by the AS Student Chamber in
November.
c. Tuition fees for the students studying in a foreign language during the coronavirus
crisis
Darrow: She asked if there is some new information for the foreign students, who currently
face financial difficulties, since they have received an e-mail about the possibility of spreading
the tuition fees in three installments.
Vice-dean Suchý: He ensured that it is being worked on. To all the students who have asked for
that it was confirmed, that they will have more options to face these challenges. The FSS has
been addressing this issue in the past, so it is not a new issue related only to the coronavirus
crisis.
d. Amendments to the Electoral Regulations of the Academic Senate of the FSS MU
Eibl: He reported that the created document, on which all AS members could have commented,
will be referred to the dean for his approval, after resolving technical details.
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e. Minutes of Academic Senate of the FSS meetings in English
Eibl: He asked whether the AS Student Chamber took any steps in the issue of the translation
of the minutes.
Kováčová: She said that she would again ask the translator who had interpreted the previous
AS meetings and has already agreed to translate the minutes and will come up to some
agreement.
Eibl: He thanked to all for attending and said that the date of the next meeting of the AS FSS is
currently not fixed, nevertheless according to the original schedule it was planned for Monday,
April 27, 2020.
Resolutions adopted:
2020-4-6 / 1
The Academic Senate of the FSS MU discussed and approved the Budgeting Rules for the
FSS MU for the calendar year 2020. (7 in, 0 against, 4 abstained from voting)
2020-4-6 / 2
The Academic Senate of the FSS MU discussed and approved the Draft of the budget of
the FSS MU for the calendar year 2020.
(11 in favor, 0 against, 0 abstained from voting)
Mgr. Otto Eibl, Ph.D.
President of the Senate
doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Jan Šerek, Ph.D.
Vice-president of the Senate
Daniel Jirků
Vice-president of the Senate
These minutes were taken by Kristýna Blahová, translated by Veronika Dombrovská