No merger UiS / HSH

As detailed in a news story posted yesterday (in Norwegian), the board of University of Stavanger (UiS) decided yesterday that it will not merge with Stord/Haugesund University College (HSH). The board´s decision was unanimous.

See also previous posts (including UiS university director proposes not to merge with HSH).

UiS university director proposes not to merge with HSH

Here is the presentation of issues (saksfremlegg - in Norwegian), prepared by the University of Stavanger (UiS) university director John Møst, ahead of this Sunday´s board meeting, which will decide whether or not UiS will merge with Stord/Haugesund University College (HSH). The university director proposes not to merge with HSH - I couldn´t agree more.

UiS: Intense debate on merger with HSH; UiS should disclose all relevant documents

The rector of University of Stavanger and others, including two heads of department, have written opinion pieces on the ongoing merger negotiations on the debate pages of University of Stavanger. An extraordinary board meeting will be held this Sunday, to decide whether or not UiS will merge with Stord/Haugesund University College.

As mentioned earlier in this blog, I oppose this merger. What is more, I think the merger process should have been much more transparent. Board meetings have been closed to the general public, and documents have not been publicly disclosed. That is not a good way of leading an important process for the whole institution. I recommend that the university director releases all relevant documents ahead of the board meeting on June 21st. As a 2nd deputy member of the UiS board, I only got relevant documents from the last meeting today after asking the permanent member representing temporarily employed staff.

Report from UiS open meeting og merger negotiations with Stord/Haugesund UC

Here´s a report from the "allmøte" (open meeting) last Friday at University of Stavanger on the ongoing merger negotiations with Stord/Haugesund University College. As described in the UiS report, there is now considerable resistance against the merger among employees.

UiS board votes to continue merger negotiations - I disagree

The board of University of Stavanger today, after a 6-5 vote, decided to continue negotiations with Stord/Haugesund University College, aiming for a merging of the two institutions. See news stories (in Norwegian) from Stord/Haugesund University College and University of Stavanger respectively.

All the employees´ representatives voted against continuing the negotiations. I am the 2nd deputy representative of temporarily employed education and research staff - and did not attend the board meeting. But let it be clear: I am opposed to this merger. Little would be gained by it, apparently, and the chances of achieving the current ambitions of the University of Stavanger would be weakened. I favour autonomous institutions in higher education, but do not see the point in establishing ever-larger institutions, spread over different campuses etc., as the Ministry of Education has set out to do.

Term of office for UiS board extended to end of year

The term of office for the board of University of Stavanger has been extended from the end of July to the end of December 2015 (the current term started autumn 2011). This is because the university is in a process of merging with the Stord/Haugesund University College (HSH). The two institutions will likely merge with effect from January 1st 2016.

I am currently 2nd deputy representative for temporarily employed education and research staff.