Notice of the Nextbike ballot vote 2023

Update: As of May 29th, the questions have been updated to inlude more background details. The new questions are as follows:

Ballot vote context

The cooperation with the bicycle rental system Nextbike has existed with the student body of the University of Potsdam for more than 10 years and has been constantly expanded over the years. With this cooperation, the student body can make a contribution to sustainability and offer incentives for a healthy lifestyle. This cooperation is paid for by the student body fees. Each student pays 0.50 € each semester. Every student at the University of Potsdam has the opportunity (after a one-time registration with the university email) to rent a bike at a station at any time of day and use it for up to 180 free minutes in Potsdam. This time can either be used in one go or split up. In Berlin, up to 30 free minutes can be used at a time free of charge. These 30 minutes per loan can be repeated as often as you like during the day. In order to avoid any costs for the individual student, you only have to end the loan after 30 minutes and start a new loan.

Nextbike would like to adjust our contract conditions due to "economic constraints" (inflation, rising material prices, wage costs). Up to now, we have had the privilege of having comparatively favourable conditions compared to other student cooperations in Germany, due to our loyalty to the contract. The new offer from Nextbike now proposes a price of 1.30 € per student per semester (plus VAT). This offer was made for a contract period of 2 years and will be put to the vote below. If a majority decides against the offer, there will no longer be any cooperation with Nextbike and students would have to pay the normal rate for a bicycle loan, which is 1 €/15 min and a maximum of 15 €/24 h per loan (as of May 2023).

Conditions of the newly presented offer

CAMPUSbike Potsdam from winter semester 2023/2024 to winter semester 2025/2026:

Price = 1.30 € net per semester per student (unchanged for 4 semesters) [NEW]
Duration = 2 years/4 semesters from winter semester 2023/2024 onwards
Discounts for one bike
- Potsdam = 180 free minutes per day, thereafter 1 € per h, daily rate = 8 €
- Berlin = 30 free minutes per ride, thereafter 1 €/15min, daily rate = 15 € [NEW]

Rent 4 bikes at the same time (discounts only for 1 bike)

Question 1
Should the student body accept the offer of 1,30€ plus VAT per semester per student for the next 2 years from winter semester 2023/24?
(Yes/No)

Question 2
Should there continue to be cooperation with Nextbike, but not under these conditions?
(Yes/No)

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On behalf of the general student committee (AStA), a ballot vote will be held among all students at the University of Potsdam regarding the cooperation with Nextbike.

With this vote, all students decide whether the cooperation with the bike rental system Nextbike will be continued in the event of a price increase and financed with semester money.

Information on the contents of the vote can be found under II. Voting Details. Prior to the vote, a plenary assembly will be held to discuss the vote. The ballot vote will be conducted by the Student Election Committee (StWA). Unless otherwise stated, the StWA can only be reached via email at stwaulists.astauppde from an email address at the University of Potsdam. Up-to-date information is available on the StWA website.

I. Central Deadlines

Changes to the voting text: until 29th May 2023 (note II. Voting Details)
Invitation to the Plenary Assembly follows.
Voting period: 13th to 15th June 2023, each from 9 AM to 4 PM
Participation by postal vote: Application via online form by 8th June 2023 is necessary. See section VI. Postal Vote.

II. Voting Details
The University of Potsdam has a cooperation with the rental bike provider Nextbike, financed by semester fees, through which all students can borrow these bikes for three hours a day free of charge. The cooperation partner Nextbike announced a price increase, a concrete offer from the provider is not yet available. With the vote, the students of the University of Potsdam decide whether this cooperation with the bike rental system Nextbike should continue to be financed with semester fees in the event of a price increase.

The voting questions and background information is as follows (Translation):

Ballot vote context

CAMPUSbike Potsdam from winter semester 2023/2024 to winter semester 2025/2026:

Price = 1.30 € net per semester per student (unchanged for 4 semesters) [NEW]
Duration = 2 years/4 semesters from winter semester 2023/2024 onwards
Discounts for one bike
- Potsdam = 180 free minutes per day, thereafter 1 € per h, daily rate = 8 €
- Berlin = 30 free minutes per ride, thereafter 1 €/15min, daily rate = 15 € [NEW]

The ballot will be held at the request of Sven Götzmann (sgoetzmannuastauppde) and was adopted by the AStA 16th May 2023.
Proposals for amendments can be submitted to the Student Election Committee until 29th May 2023, in accordance with § 25 (4) of the Student Union Statutes (SdS).

III. Polling Places & Voting Eligibility
Those eligible to vote may do so at the following polling stations:

Faculty of Law, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Digital Engineering Faculty: Campus Griebnitzsee, House 6, Foyer
Faculty of Human Sciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences: Campus Golm, House 18 (IKMZ)
Faculty of Philosophy, central postal voting office: Campus Am Neuen Palais, House 8, Foyer beneath Auditorium Maximum

In addition, according to § 18 of the Election Regulations Framework of the Student Body (RWO), there is the possibility to vote by letter. Further information can be found in section V. Postal Ballot Voting.

All enrolled students at the University of Potsdam are entitled to vote according to § 24 (1) SdS. Those entitled to vote may only vote if they are listed in the ballot vote register. According to § 13 (1) of the RWO, the register of enrolment of the University is considered to be the ballot vote register.
One's own entry in the ballot vote register can be requested by e-mail to the StWA until 29th May 2023 (follow the instructions on the StWA website). Objections to the ballot vote register can be submitted informally to the StWA until 29th May 2023. The assignment of students to a faculty is based on their first field of study. Students who are members of more than one faculty may informally declare to the StWA by 29th May 2023 in which faculty they wish to exercise their voting rights. In the absence of such a declaration, the determination in the register of eligible voters shall apply.

IV. Postal Ballot Voting
All persons entitled to vote may submit applications for postal ballot voting. In accordance with § 18 (1) RWO, this application can be submitted until 8th June 2023 exclusively via the online form provided by the election office. The online form is used to submit postal voting applications for the Nextbike ballot vote, for the elections to the Student Parliament and for the elections to the other committees, at the same time. Please note that, for all elections, the application must be submitted only once in total. For the online form and more information about the postal voting procedure, please see https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/stwa/postal-voting. After 8th June 2023, the application and handover are only possible on site at the polling station.
The envelope with the completed voting documents must be either handed in at one of the polling stations or received by the election office (chancellor’s office). The envelope may also be received by the Student Election Committee (Campus "Griebnitzsee", House 1, StWA PO Box). Envelopes must be received by the end of the election period and therefore no later than 15th June 2023, 4 PM. Letters received late will not be considered.

V. Voting Results
The result of the voting and the voting report will be announced promptly after the counting of the votes via the student-list and on the website of the StWA. Pursuant to § 21 (1) of the RWO, objections may be lodged with the StWA until the seventh day at 15:00 after the announcement of the voting result.

VI. Legal Basis
The ballot takes place in accordance with the statutes of the student body of the University of Potsdam dated 13th July 2005 as amended on 7th November 2017 (AmBek UP No. 12/2018) and the framework election regulations of the student body of the University of Potsdam dated 6th December 2005 as amended on 6th February 2018 (AmBek UP No. 01/2019).

Potsdam, 22nd May 2023
The Student Election Committe