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ACADEMIC DISPUTE: MINISTER DISMISSES RECTOR; RECTOR REFUSES TO BE DISMISSED
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
Education | 18.04.12 | 13:42
Armen Ashotyan (left), Suren Zolyan
The news that Armenia's Education and Science Minister signed a decree
on Tuesday to dismiss Valery Brusov Yerevan State Linguistic University
(YSLU) rector Suren Zolyan, attracted public attention distracting
it momentarily from the full-swing election campaign.
The indirect dispute between minister Armen Ashotyan and Zolyan
started early this month, when Zolyan received a strict reprimand and
was subjected to disciplinary penalty for not fulfilling his duties
properly, namely for being absent from Armenia on March 19-23 without
informing the minister. According to the minister, Zolyan has violated
the demand of Armenia's Law 'On State Non-commercial Organizations',
namely assigning the implementation of his duties to another person
without a decision of an authorized state body. Zolyan received a
warning from Ashotyan, followed by checking held at the university,
during which some violations were registered.
However, Zolyan, who has been rector of Brusov University since 1997,
has released a statement in which he advises Ashotyan "to follow the
law on Legal Acts, according to which the rector of YSLU is elected
by the council of YSLU and the decision is confirmed by the Government
of Armenia."
Media speculate a political coloring to the controversy, as the rector
is supported by Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), and when a few months
ago PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan financed and gave scholarships to
some students and professors of the university, Zolyan was believed
to have become a PAP member, too.
A PAP press officer told ArmeniaNow that Zolyan has not become a
PAP member.
Ashotyan, in his turn, has posted on his Facebook page that this
issue does not have a political context.
Activist students of YSLU, who have decided to fight for their
dismissed rector's return, on Wednesday morning, were planning to
gather in front of Armenia's Ministry of Education and Science and
express their protest against the minister's decision. However, they
were not allowed to miss their lessons, and as YSLU representatives
inform, the education process is not interrupted and the lessons at
the university are not suspended on Wednesday.
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
Education | 18.04.12 | 13:42
Armen Ashotyan (left), Suren Zolyan
The news that Armenia's Education and Science Minister signed a decree
on Tuesday to dismiss Valery Brusov Yerevan State Linguistic University
(YSLU) rector Suren Zolyan, attracted public attention distracting
it momentarily from the full-swing election campaign.
The indirect dispute between minister Armen Ashotyan and Zolyan
started early this month, when Zolyan received a strict reprimand and
was subjected to disciplinary penalty for not fulfilling his duties
properly, namely for being absent from Armenia on March 19-23 without
informing the minister. According to the minister, Zolyan has violated
the demand of Armenia's Law 'On State Non-commercial Organizations',
namely assigning the implementation of his duties to another person
without a decision of an authorized state body. Zolyan received a
warning from Ashotyan, followed by checking held at the university,
during which some violations were registered.
However, Zolyan, who has been rector of Brusov University since 1997,
has released a statement in which he advises Ashotyan "to follow the
law on Legal Acts, according to which the rector of YSLU is elected
by the council of YSLU and the decision is confirmed by the Government
of Armenia."
Media speculate a political coloring to the controversy, as the rector
is supported by Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), and when a few months
ago PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan financed and gave scholarships to
some students and professors of the university, Zolyan was believed
to have become a PAP member, too.
A PAP press officer told ArmeniaNow that Zolyan has not become a
PAP member.
Ashotyan, in his turn, has posted on his Facebook page that this
issue does not have a political context.
Activist students of YSLU, who have decided to fight for their
dismissed rector's return, on Wednesday morning, were planning to
gather in front of Armenia's Ministry of Education and Science and
express their protest against the minister's decision. However, they
were not allowed to miss their lessons, and as YSLU representatives
inform, the education process is not interrupted and the lessons at
the university are not suspended on Wednesday.