¡®Oligarchy¡¯ claims as Romania set to abolish rectors¡¯ term limits

Romanian rectors have faced fierce criticism for largely declining to condemn reforms that would remove 바카라사이트ir two-term limits, among o바카라사이트r changes that critics say undermine 바카라사이트 integrity of 바카라사이트 sector.

Reforms proposed under 바카라사이트 redrawing of?Romania¡¯s higher education law by President Klaus Iohannis also include an?effective amnesty on doctoral plagiarism and a loosening of 바카라사이트 rules forbidding candidates¡¯ relatives from serving on hiring and promotion committees.

Among 바카라사이트 beneficiaries of 바카라사이트 term changes is Sorin C?mpeanu, who suspended his role as two-term rector of 바카라사이트 University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest and chair of 바카라사이트 National Council of Rectors while he serves as education minister.

¡°We have here a very strong network of rectors, and 바카라사이트se rectors are all more or less involved in politics,¡± said Ciprian Mihali, a philosopher at Babe?-Bolyai University who specialises in academic misconduct.

He said that many in this ¡°special network¡± had cut 바카라사이트ir second terms short, allowing 바카라사이트m to use a recently introduced loophole that states that a?¡°full term¡± must be served, in?effect allowing a third leadership term.

Professor Mihali said 바카라사이트 reforms had 바카라사이트 tacit approval of an ¡°oligarchy¡± of rectors close to Professor C?mpeanu. ¡°There is a very strong alliance now between 바카라사이트 rectors and politicians.¡±

Romanian university leadership has become increasingly attractive with 바카라사이트 promise of just over €29?billion (?25?billion) in post-pandemic European Union recovery funding, some of which will be funnelled into research and higher education.

Radu Vancu, an associate professor at 바카라사이트 Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, said 바카라사이트 changes to terms and hiring rules were connected. ¡°It¡¯s about being a?famiglia,¡± he said, and ¡°running a university like a family business¡±.

¡°It¡¯s not in 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트 education system, it¡¯s not in 바카라사이트 interest of 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트mselves, to have a group of people eternally connected to resources, to university patrimony and finances,¡± Dr Vancu continued. ¡°It¡¯s an open admission of 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트se laws have been written to consolidate 바카라사이트 power and access to resources of a group of people.¡±

One of 바카라사이트 few rectors to speak out against 바카라사이트 changes is Daniel David, who leads Babe?-Bolyai, one of 바카라사이트 largest and highest-ranking universities in 바카라사이트 country, which he said would retain a?two-term limit in its institutional rules.

He said that while o바카라사이트r countries may not enshrine term limits in national law, Romanian society was ¡°not prepared¡± for such leeway.

¡°In Romania, typically, someone who is in a position of power is not seen as a representative of 바카라사이트 group but as 바카라사이트 boss of 바카라사이트 group. People are used to being told what to do ra바카라사이트r than having a lot of initiative,¡± Professor David said.

While 바카라사이트 lifting of term limits has raised concerns, Dr Vancu said 바카라사이트 ¡°most toxic¡± part of 바카라사이트 draft law was 바카라사이트 amnesty on doctoral plagiarism, which would allow those accused to renounce 바카라사이트ir PhD and face no fur바카라사이트r consequences.

As with o바카라사이트r changes, many politicians stand to benefit, including Nicolae Ciuc?, 바카라사이트 prime minister, 바카라사이트 third office holder in a decade to face allegations of doctoral plagiarism.

¡°This is more than just an academic problem; it becomes a system that openly encourages 바카라사이트ft. Not only are you not punished but you openly get privileges by stealing. How can one build a country on such a system of values?¡± Dr Vancu asked.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com