Other useful information

Sustainable development is one of our most important strategic topics. The university's structure and development plan lines out our commitment to sustainable action at all levels. Researchers and teaching staff address the topic across disciplines, contributing to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and we all strive to further increase our institutional sustainability.

Since April 2021, sustainable development has been embedded at the management level of the University of Konstanz in the role of a Vice Rector for Sustainability, Information and Communication Technology (CIO). The Senate has convened a Sustainable Development Working Group, whose members come from all groups at the university.

Contact and information:
Dr Hilmar Hofmann
Director of the Staff Unit Sustainability
+49 7531 88-4918
hilmar.hofmann@uni-konstanz.de

The ideas and feedback portal is a great opportunity to submit your ideas, positive as well as negative feedback and suggestions.

Staff of the state of Baden-Württemberg can take advantage of a ticket for public transport "JobTicket BW", which is subsidized by the LBV with €25 each month.

The JobTicket BW is not transferable. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, JobTicket holders can take one additional adult as well as up to four children up to and including the age of 14 and one dog along free of charge. You can find more information on the ticket and the application process on the website of the Human Resources Division.

Bike paths lead onto the campus from all directions, which makes the university very easy to reach by bike. There are numerous bike racks on the premises where you can lock up your bike.

Please note: Taking bikes into the university buildings is not permitted. They may not be parked in hallways or offices, as they can obstruct escape routes, increase the risk of accidents or injury or hinder the work of technical staff. They also lead to increased cleaning efforts and costs.

For a fee, you can park your car in one of the University of Konstanz car parks (P-Nord, P-Ost, P-Süd and P-Sport in Egg). The company Parkraumgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg mbH (PBW) is responsible for managing the car parks.

You can find all information about the car parks and the short-term and long-term parking options on our Travel and campus map website.

The Communication, Information, Media Centre (KIM) provides all staff members with comprehensive IT services:

• Email and internet (e.g. passwords, accounts, WLAN/Wi-Fi, IT security, VPN)
• Lecture recording and media production
• Data servers and cloud computing
• Collaboration

The heart of the university is the "Bib" – the Library with around two million books and a wide range of other media. The Library services include, for example

• Borrowing media
• Document delivery
• Reference management
• Setting up (semester) reserve shelves Literature research

To receive the transponder/key for their assigned office room including equipment from Key Management, staff have to provide the authorization slip or confirmation from their department or division and sign the corresponding form. Access keys to specific university buildings are only granted if the department/division issues a confirmation stating the reasons. You have to make a deposit for the key.

You have to return all transponders and keys to Key Management when your employment with the university ends. You must not pass your keys/transponder on to your successor! Lost keys and transponders must be replaced (you may want to consider taking out liability insurance to cover instances such as these). Please note that mailbox keys should not be taken home.

Contact:
Key Management
Room B 610
+49 7531 88-2515

a) Data logging of telephone calls
For the billing of telephone calls, the data of official and personal telephone calls made via the university’s central phone system are automatically stored and printed out as follows:

• Number of the in-house extension
• Name of the user of the extension
• Unit, cost centre
• Name of town or city dialled
• Area code and telephone number dialled (for private calls, the last three digits are replaced by asterisks)
• Date and time of the call

b) Personal calls
Personal calls should only be made from university telephone lines in urgent cases. They must not interfere with your work responsibilities. The use of special services (e.g. programme or time announcements) is not permitted.

You can make urgent private calls by dialling 6 first. Please note that your phone has to be authorized for external calls and you have to pay back the fee for your private call. The amount is determined and charged automatically (see paragraph a).

c) Interfering with the university's communication network
Work on the communication network and its end devices may only be carried out by the team "Netz- und Sprachdienste" (Internet and voice services) in the unit "Research, Teaching, Infrastructure" of KIM. As telephones, fax machines and the like have repeatedly been unplugged or plugged in without authorization, the telecommunications system has often malfunctioned. Such unauthorized interference and the resulting disruptions can impact the entire system and significantly impair the telecommunications service.

Please do not make any unauthorized changes such as changing, dismantling or installing phones! In the event of non-compliance and the resulting disruptions, the system can only be reconnected after the source of the disruption has been localized and inspected.

Please use the forms on the Telephone and communication services website to register new devices, relocations, changes and cancellations of communication devices. In the event of a disruption, you can also contact the support team directly:

Contact:
support@uni-konstanz.de
+49 7531 88-4488

a) Sending
Official mail items must always be labelled with a return address in the top left-hand corner of the envelope. When sending internal mail in yellow circulation folders, please also provide the internal mailbox number (not the room number) or the organizational unit in addition to the name. For mail to persons in the departments, please also indicate the professorship/research team if possible. Staff members can send mail to the Landesamt für Besoldung und Versorgung (LBV) postage-free with the university's official mail.

You may not use the university’s post service to send private mail. Anyone who has their personal mail stamped as official mail is in breach of their duty and may be prosecuted.

b) Delivery
The delivery of personal mail to the university’s official address is not permitted, as this would hinder the distribution of official mail and additionally tie up the university’s limited human resources. Any recourse claims due to incorrect delivery are excluded.

University-owned equipment and other items may not be removed from the workplace or loaned to third parties. The Division of Finance and Controlling may authorize the use of equipment outside the university for official purposes upon request. Authorization can be revoked at any time.

You can only claim damages from the university in case of loss or damage to personal items if the items are directly used for work purposes and the university is at fault for the loss or damage (e.g. textbooks). If you want to bring valuable equipment (e.g. PC, laptop) to the workplace, you have to obtain the written consent of the university administration. The university does not accept any further liability and does not reimburse subsequent costs.

Please lock up all rooms you are responsible for in order to prevent theft. Always make sure you close the windows at the end of your working day to prevent break-ins as well as weather-related damage, and save heating costs.

Please report any loss, theft or damage to property immediately to Facility Management.

Contact:
Philipp Gehrmann
Director of Building Services
+49 7531 88-4252

Hans Kurschat
Head of House Maintenance Services
+49 7531 88-5252

If something has been stolen from you, please do not touch or change anything at the scene of the crime so that potential evidence may be secured.

The Division of Finance and Controlling/Central Purchasing provides information on requests for equipment, materials and services. All requests/orders (including internet and international orders) must be addressed to Finance and Controlling/Central Purchasing. Any additional costs due to unauthorized orders/contracts entered into without authorization cannot be reimbursed. In addition, the person placing the order must bear all further obligations and risks arising from the contractual relationship. Any defects and damage to equipment and materials must be reported immediately to Finance and Controlling/Central Purchasing.

Contact and information:
Alexander Sauter
Director of Central Purchasing
+49 7531 88-4895
alexander.sauter@uni-konstanz.de

Roof areas that are gravelled and not laid out as a terrace may not be walked on. Anyone in violation of this is liable for damages.

Dogs and other pets are not permitted in the buildings and rooms of the university for health- and hygiene-related reasons.

The University of Konstanz was declared a smoke-free university on 31 May 2007 (World No Tobacco Day). In accordance with § 5 of the "Landesnichtraucherschutzgesetz LNRSG" (state non-smoking protection act), this means that smoking is not permitted on the terraces (with the exception of K 7) and on the slabbed areas of the inner courtyard (level A5/B5) in the entire university building complex – not even during events. Out of mutual respect for one another, a clear distance from the building must also be maintained around the exits, which are popular smoking areas. We regularly receive complaints from affected staff whose offices are in the immediate vicinity of the exits. Please take this into account when smoking.

Under the applicable budget and cash regulations, official payments (cash or non-cash) may only be accepted or made by the Universitätskasse (university cashier’s office). The Division of Finance and Controlling decides on exceptions to this rule (e.g. setting up cash collection points, petty cash).

Contact and opening hours:
Room V 703
+49 7531 88-2485
Monday-Friday: 9:00-11:00

The university is committed to the established process of waste separation (like in the municipal and regional districts). Waste is separated into the following categories: residual waste, organic waste, recyclables ("gelber Sack"=yellow bin bag), paper and glass.

Only the residual waste from the offices and laboratories is disposed of by the cleaning company as part of the cleaning service. You can dispose of organic waste, reusable materials and paper yourself using the bins at the waste collection points in the corridors. Please take glass and larger cardboard packaging to the central waste collection point ("Auspackraum") M 541.

You can drop off electronic devices and scientific equipment that are no longer functional at the "Altgeräteannahmestelle" (electrical and electronic equipment waste collection point) in M 541d on Thursdays from 10:00-11:00, or make an appointment via phone +49 7531 88-4799 or email altgeraete@uni-konstanz.de.

Forms for disposing of end-of-life devices are available at the M 541d collection point, +49 7531 88-4799, and at the lost property office, M 534, +49 7531 88-2512. To return scientific equipment, please make an appointment with the collection point in advance.

Hazardous waste can only be brought to the "Sonderabfallsammelstelle" (hazardous waste collection point), -4292 or -2829. Please make an appointment in advance.

The University Archives document and preserve the history of our university. The archives also are like a "memory of the administration". The archive's task is to permanently preserve relevant documents of the administration as well as of all university institutions and departments.

The University Archives currently hold around 1,800 meters of archived material. The oldest documents date from the 1920s, the most recent from 2020.

The archives are a public institution and operate based on the law "Landesarchivgesetz Baden-Württemberg" as well as the regulations "Verwaltungs-und Benutzungsordnung für das Universitätsarchiv" (1993). Data protection regulations also apply to the permanent archiving of documents.

Contact and information:
Dr Daniel Wilhelm
University Archives
Building B, Room 907
+49 7531 88-3150
uniarchiv@uni-konstanz.de