In a letter to our Danish sister paper, Universitetsavisen, Rector Ralf Hemmingsen criticises an anonymous poster campaign against the rehiring of the University of Copenhagen\u2019s 8 deans. Posters have been seen at the Faculties of Humanities and Science. <\/p>\n
Most recently, students and staff at the Faculty of Science have been met with posters with the question why?<\/em> next to pictures of each of the deans, as well as a torrent of accusations against the Dean of Science, Nils O. Andersen. Among other things, citing his handling of the recent cutbacks at the faculty as a reason not to rehire him.<\/p>\n \u00bbAbove all else, I find it totally unacceptable to put up anonymous posters that actually take a stab at the people in question. It is bullying, and is dismissed unanimously between the administration and the staff at the university,\u00ab writes Ralf Hemmingsen.<\/p>\n Rector also emphasises that the rehiring of deans is in accordance with the rules of contract extension, and that the decision is his to make. <\/p>\n Ralf Hemmingsen is not alone in expressing a dislike for the posters. The staff representatives believe it is the wrong way to go about criticising the administration of the university. <\/p>\n \u00bbThe B-side (the staff, ed.) agree that it\u2019s bad form to criticise anonymously,\u00ab says lecturer Henrik Prebensen, staff representative at the Faculty of Humanities, following a meeting where the campaign was discussed.<\/p>\n Henrik Prebensen believes it is rectors job to hire deans. \u00bbThere isn\u2019t really much to discuss,\u00ab he says. \u00bbThe dean\u2019s have a five-year contract, with an option to extend for up to three years without notice. When the 5 years are up, it\u2019s up to the rector and the dean to decide whether or not their contract is terminated.\u00ab <\/p>\n Poul Erik Krogshave, Vice Deputy of the University of Copenhagen academic council and union, HSU, doesn’t see the extensions as a problem:<\/p>\n \u00bbNo colleagues have contacted me so far, regarding the extension of the deans\u2019 contracts. Maybe because it is an extension that the administration have the right to make, and not a brand new hiring, so it doesn\u2019t really warrant academic council,\u00ab he says, and adds:<\/p>\n \u00bbI assume rector will inform HSU of the extended employment, and I can\u2019t imagine that any of the staff will take part in the anonymity.\u00ab<\/p>\n Head of the student union Studenterr\u00e5det, Anne Bie Hansen believes that it is the lack of involving students in the decision to rehire that is at the root of the anti-dean campaign.<\/p>\n \u00bbIt\u2019s not a constructive addition to a debate about the administration of the university, but rather an expression of frustration at not being listened to.\u00ab she says. <\/p>\n In Studenterr\u00e5det, people are confused that the rehiring is taking place without any prior discussion. Anne Bie Hansen points out that she and Studenterrr\u00e5det have attempted to start a debate about what a good dean should be like, but the discussion has been cut short by rector\u2019s decision to rehire across the board.<\/p>\n \u00bbWe know that the rector, under the current university law, technically has the power to make all the decisions, but it\u2019s not always practical that he does\u00ab says Anne Bie Hansen.<\/p>\n chz@adm.ku.dk<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Anonymous poster campaign against the rehiring of deans is a symptom of frustration at the lack of student involvement in the administration of the university, says Student Union<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":22761,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","expression-news_article"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nStaff reps: wrong way to go about it<\/h2>\n
Staff will not take part in campaign<\/h2>\n
Frustrated students<\/h2>\n