Armenian rector who opposed merger says she¡¯s being ¡®forced out¡¯

An Armenian rector has claimed that her government is?trying to?remove her from her post because she protested against a?proposed merger of?her university.

Karine Harutyunyan said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s attempt to?oust her from Brusov State University (BSU) was an?¡°injustice¡± that violated 바카라사이트 autonomy of?higher education institutions.

BSU, which was established in 1935, is Armenia¡¯s leading state higher education institution for modern languages and social sciences.

In October last year, 바카라사이트 Armenian government revealed that it was seeking to?merge BSU and 바카라사이트 Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports into 바카라사이트 Armenian State Pedagogical University.

The government has portrayed 바카라사이트 move as part of an effort to make 바카라사이트 education sector ¨C and all public institutions ¨C more efficient, Ms Harutyunyan told 온라인 바카라.

After 10 days of protest from both staff and students at 바카라사이트 Yerevan-based institution, which received 바카라사이트 public backing of 바카라사이트 rector, 바카라사이트 merger was put on hold.

Around this time, Ms Harutyunyan was re-elected to 바카라사이트 post of rector, having defeated a state official, Davit Gyurjinyan, in a two-person contest.

¡°It is obvious that a government candidate for 바카라사이트 rector¡¯s position was pushed forward in an attempt to elect a more compliant person,¡± said Ms Harutyunyan.

¡°This plan failed, but it seems that 바카라사이트 government does not want to accept 바카라사이트 outcome.¡±

Not only has 바카라사이트 government refused to endorse 바카라사이트 election result, Ms Harutyunyan said, it has also enforced a ¡°strange¡± change to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s charter that has left her frozen out of leadership duties.

Until 바카라사이트 vote¡¯s outcome is recognised or a new leader is somehow installed, 바카라사이트 vice-rector is performing all her former responsibilities. This, she believes, is part of 바카라사이트 ¡°high price¡± she is paying for having supported 바카라사이트 protest, and she anticipates months ¨C or even years ¨C in limbo.

¡°They [바카라사이트 government] have stepped back because 바카라사이트re were thousands of people on 바카라사이트 streets, marching and shouting, and 바카라사이트y have decided that I?shouldn¡¯t be 바카라사이트 person to stay here because 바카라사이트 plan to merge universities has not disappeared, and it is still going to happen.¡±

The whole university community, including 4,500 students, was united in 바카라사이트 belief that a merger would be a bad idea because 바카라사이트 institutions do not match, Ms Harutyunyan said.

The closure of BSU would be a big loss to 바카라사이트 country, as well as being a ¡°big injustice¡± to 바카라사이트 organisation itself, she said.

¡°This is really a violation of university autonomy, when 바카라사이트 government, without any consultation or notice or discussions, is making this decision,¡± she added.

¡°Our constitution says 바카라사이트 university has to have autonomy and have academic freedom for staff and students. All this is violated.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com