The Authorities Will Ultimately Seize Yerevan State University: Everything Has Already Been Decided According to 'Hayrapet' Newspaper

The newspaper 'Hayrapet' reports: 'On Saturday, November 6, the inaugural session of the newly formed Board of Trustees of Yerevan State University (YSU) will take place. The agenda includes five items: the election of the board chair and secretary, amendments to the board's regulations, cancellation of the previously unheld rector's competition, and announcement of a new competition for the rector’s position.

However, everything has already been decided before the session, which will serve to rubber-stamp the decisions made by the authorities. It has already been determined that the deputy prime minister and chairman of the ruling Republican Party's board, Suren Papikyan, will be elected as the chair of the Board of Trustees. This is despite the ruling team’s longstanding discourse on the need to depoliticize universities and the inadmissibility of involving political leaders in the management boards of universities.

Concerns are also raised by the silent consent of YSU’s student council on these matters, as the student councils had continuously voiced their opposition to the involvement of political functionaries in university governance. Rumors are circulating within the university that the wing dealing with YSU's student community, which has close ties to the Republican Party, has reached an agreement with the faction aligned with the ruling party. It is expected that the elections for the board chair on Saturday will proceed smoothly, without surprises. In return, the authorities may offer the position of board secretary to the wing dealing with YSU's student community, if a more suitable candidate cannot be found.

Reports indicate that they also intend to amend the board’s regulations, particularly shortening the deadlines for the rector’s competition, so that by the new year, Hovhannes Hovhannisyan can become the rector of YSU. It is worth noting that Hovhannisyan had denied for two years the likelihood of becoming YSU's rector. Moreover, one proposed change is to remove the requirement for candidates to hold a professor title, as Hovhannes Hovhannisyan does not have such a title. Another peculiar detail: this is the first time that the Board of Trustees’ meeting at YSU is scheduled on a Saturday.