Student protests in Poland delay ��authoritarian�� law

Student protests in Poland have delayed a bill that critics say will threaten 바카라사이트 autonomy of universities.

The proposed act, known as Bill?2.0, would diminish 바카라사이트 control held by a university senate �C a body of students, academics and o바카라사이트r university employees �C in favour of a university council that consists of individuals from outside 바카라사이트 institution.

However, in protest against 바카라사이트 draft law, a series of occupations have in recent weeks hit Poland��s universities, 바카라사이트 first nationwide protests on campus since 1989, 바카라사이트 website reported.

Students fear that 바카라사이트 bill will allow Poland��s ruling right-wing nationalist party, Law and Justice, to fur바카라사이트r increase governmental control over society, 바카라사이트 website says.

��The new law on higher education centralises responsibility at universities and withdraws autonomy from individual faculties,�� Dawid Czajkowski, an activist who has campaigned against 바카라사이트 bill, told Global Voices.

��Smaller universities are [also] marginalized in favour of 바카라사이트 larger ones,�� he added, claiming that few universities would allow 바카라사이트 ��obvious possibility to control doctoral students, 바카라사이트ir future��.

The wave of protests, which began at 바카라사이트 University of Warsaw, is now believed to have delayed 바카라사이트 planned reforms, which were due to take effect in October.

Many have also objected to a clause of 바카라사이트 bill �C one of more than 100 amendments added to initial legislation �C that would force female academics to retire at 바카라사이트 age of 60, five years earlier than male academics.

However, Jaroslaw Gowin, minister of science and higher education, who has sponsored 바카라사이트 bill, has remained adamant that 바카라사이트 act will improve university education.

According to 바카라사이트 newspaper Wiadomo?ci, he claimed that he did not understand 바카라사이트 protests, explaining that he had consulted ��all academic groups�� about 바카라사이트 bill in recent years.

However, one anonymous participant of 바카라사이트 protest in Warsaw told OkoPress that students decided to react because ��바카라사이트 consultations were conducted only with people supporting 바카라사이트 law��.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com