Statutes and legal matters

But exactly the opposite is the case!

Statutes and legal systems affect us as students every day more than any other topic at our university. In the course of our studies, each of us has to deal with numerous statutes. Before we even come to TUM, we have to go through the selection procedure, which is defined in the aptitude statutes of our future study course. The enrollment is regulated by the enrollment statute. Our studies are organized according to the Allgemeinen Prüfungs- und Studienordnung für Bachelor und Masterstudiengänge/General Academic and Examination Regulations (APSO) and the Fachprüfungs- und Studienordnung/Departmental Study and Examination Regulations (FPSO). If we want to do a doctorate at some point, it is regulated in the doctoral regulations how this works.

Most relevant for us are the APSO and FPSO, which every student should have read at least once.

The APSO contains general regulations concerning our studies. These are, for example, modularization, standard period of study, study progress control, examination forms and procedures or also regulations on module grades, examination repetitions, regulations in the case of deception etc..

Our FPSOs contain all special regulations for our studies. These are, in particular, regulations on qualification requirements, modularization and language as well as basic examinations, examination registration and repetitions, final theses as well as, if applicable, grade improvement regulations. In addition, we can find in the FPSO all modules with examination details that we have to take as a compulsory or elective course in the course of our studies. The qualifying statute is also part of the FPSO.

The best thing to do is to take a look at the APSO and your FPSO by yourself.
You can find the APSO here at the myTUM portal.
You can usually find your FPSO on the homepage of your department.

Why are we now dealing with statutes?

Due to the complex regulations in the statutes, it happens again and again that they have to be changed. This can be even a small change of the semester hours, a compulsory module or a change in the curriculum. It often happens that the Ministry or the Courts establish new legal frameworks that make it necessary to adapt study regulations, for example, in the case of multiple choice examinations. However, it is not uncommon for a department to notice that a statute does not work optimally in practice and therefore wants to adapt it.

The TUM Senate decides if a statute is to be changed. We are represented there by two students.
However, before a statute is voted on in the Senate, we as Student Representation give our opinion on the statute. This is always done in close consultation with the respective student body, as they know best which are the challenges of the respective study course. This statement is primarily ensuring that the amended statutes do not contain any regulations that would disadvantage students or restrict their freedom of choice. Furthermore, we check whether the student body was fully involved in the process of statutes drafting at an early stage.

Since the beginning of 2013, we have also been involved in the preliminary discussion of the statutes for the Senate with the Vice President for Study and Teaching and the Legal Department. This has turned out to be a very good and effective solution, as many uncertainties could be clarified in advance in this meeting and we thus get an optimum of say.

As you can see, the topic of statutes and legal systems is an extremely exciting activity field and not just of interest to lawyers.