Staff reps play hard ball

No new prorector while university employees are being fired, insist staff representatives on the University of Copenhagen's General Collaboration Committee. Defying management plans, they refuse to nominate a candidate for the job

by Christoffer Zieler, English version by Luci Ellis

Filling the vacant post of prorector at the University of Copenhagen ought to be a fomality. However, staff representatives on the General Collaboration Committee (HSU) are now refusing to nominate a canditate for the position.

The job of prorector has been vacant since Lykke Friis left her post without warning on 24 November 2009, to become government minister for Climate and Energy.

In a short note to the University Post's Danish sister site, vice chairman of HSU, Poul Erik Krogshave explains why staff representatives will not nominate a replacement for Lykke Friis:

»Following a meeting held today between staff and staff representatives in preparation for the General Collaboration Committee meeting, I can report that it is the opinion of the staff, that the post of prorector should not be advertised while university employees are being fired due to the economic situation. As a result of this, staff representatives have not nominated a candidate to the hiring committee.«

What does a prorector do?

The exact duties of a prorector are not clearly defined. However, the University of Copenhagen management give Lykke Friis credit for having attracted both funding and high profile guests to the university.

She spearheaded the university's efforts to focus on climate research and policy, and was involved in building up the alumni association.

According the the university website, the rector's office decided to post the job vacancy for the prorector post »after Christmas, once the university management has considered the position's content and profile in the future.«

At a meeting 12 February, the Rector and staff representatives on the HSU agreed to discuss the prorector job vacancy at the HSU meeting on 24 February.

uni-avis@adm.ku.dk

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