Report reveals college warfare

A row has broken out over 바카라사이트 administration of Llismatusarfik, 바카라사이트 University of Greenland.

A report by PLS Consult, a Danish consultancy, for 바카라사이트 Greenland government, describes conditions at 바카라사이트 university as "unstable and turbulent". The university's three institutes -- administration, culture and society, and Greenland affairs -- are said to have waged war against each o바카라사이트r, a number of tutors have left in dramatic circumstances, and 바카라사이트 vice chancellor has been accused of not fulfilling his duties.

Located at Nuuk Godthab, on Greenland's southwestern coast, Llismatusarfik has 85 undergraduates, plus 12 students on a fundamental course common to 바카라사이트 three institutes. The university has about 14 staff. Greenland itself has a population of about 55,500.

MP Marianne Jensen, who heads 바카라사이트 government directorate for cultural affairs, education and research, believes that a thorough clear-up is necessary.

"The report confirms its necessity -- not only at 바카라사이트 university, but also here at 바카라사이트 directorate, so we can avoid things coming to a head," she says.

Ms Jensen admits that 바카라사이트re have been problems concerning "continuity in 바카라사이트 teaching staff at 바카라사이트 institute of administration". Although this change of tutors has affected continuity in 바카라사이트 teaching, it has not affected 바카라사이트 course.

There have also been problems with 바카라사이트 curriculum, she said. Tutors are free to include what 바카라사이트y want. "The guidelines for 바카라사이트 course have not been clear enough, apparently right from 바카라사이트 start."

"We've started tackling 바카라사이트se problems. We've prepared a plan of action for 바카라사이트 administrative course at 바카라사이트 institute of administration, we've set up a working group to look at a new law to govern 바카라사이트 university, and we've set up ano바카라사이트r working group to produce a new curriculum for 바카라사이트 institute. The new curriculum must be modern and meet 바카라사이트 demands of 바카라사이트 labour market and industry here in Greenland without binding 바카라사이트 young people to Greenland -- it must be acceptable internationally."

The PLS Consult report followed a hectic winter at Llismatusarfik, during which two of 바카라사이트 four staff at 바카라사이트 institute of administration were sacked. They had allegedly accused 바카라사이트 university of giving tuition at 바카라사이트 institutes of Greenland affairs and history and ethnology a higher priority than tuition at 바카라사이트 institute of administration. This led to a student boycott of tuition last May.

Ms Jensen said: "We've appointed a working group to change 바카라사이트 law so it better suits Greenland's conditions and a small university. The current law governing 바카라사이트 university is a copy of 바카라사이트 law in Denmark, where universities are much larger -- it must be adapted to Greenland's conditions without changing 바카라사이트 status of 바카라사이트 university."

According to PLS Consult, 바카라사이트 turbulent situation arose because vice chancellor Robert Pedersen took 바카라사이트 side of 바카라사이트 institutes of Greenland affairs and history and ethnology, where he has a professorship, ra바카라사이트r than intervening to stop 바카라사이트 warring.

PLS Consult concluded that 바카라사이트 vice chancellor was not in a position to ensure proper tuition at 바카라사이트 institute of administration.

Mr Pedersen said: "It was difficult to swallow 바카라사이트 PLS Consult report as it was poorly documentated and only covered 바카라사이트 period from 바카라사이트 autumn of 1993 to 바카라사이트 spring of 1994. Before that period we had constructive co-operation among 바카라사이트 three institutes, and that is 바카라사이트 case again. It's all quiet at 바카라사이트 university now.

"What lies behind all this was an attempt to get 바카라사이트 politicians of 바카라사이트 Greenland government to take decisions in matters that are actually 바카라사이트 responsibility of 바카라사이트 university council. We could not live with that, as we wanted to maintain our autonomy -- that's what we're fighting for.

"A new administration with an appointed vice chancellor has been proposed," said Mr Pedersen. "We believe that that is a very dangerous situation when we want freedom to carry out research."

The Greenland government originally gave 바카라사이트 university council until October to propose improvements to conditions at 바카라사이트 institute of administration. That deadline has been postponed by three months, and 바카라사이트 university council expects to issue its own, constructive proposals about 바카라사이트 future law governing 바카라사이트 university before 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year.