Tallinn Tech still stuck in leadership crisis

Photo: Eero Vabamägi

Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) keeps missing its new rector needed in less than two months. Yesterday, it surfaced that new members are also wanted for its highest management body, the board of governors.

The board of governors was supposed to nominate Jaak Aaviksoo, elected as Rector on May 22nd. They never got to discuss it, yesterday. All the governors did was to try appointing an acting rector. They gave up even that.

Four members of the board of governors appointed by the government (Toomas Luman, Robert Kitt, Sandor Liive, Anneli Heinsoo) submitted applications to resign to minister of education.

By that, the meeting was over and chairman of the board of governors Mr Liive gave no comments.

«I have no idea what will happen next,» said deputy chairman Ardo Kamratov. He said Mr Aaviksoo’s nomination as rector was not discussed as they lacked a common understanding.

«Then they set the agenda to nominate an acting rector, as sooner or later the need will arise when a rector is not confirmed. On September 1st, there needs to be an acting one,» said Mr Kamratov, adding that this item of the agenda flopped also.

Five members replaced

«The process has been an embarrassment since parts of the elections begun to be disclosed. This should not be as the entire procedure prescribes secrecy regarding everyone,» said education minister Jürgen Ligi who decided yesterday to dismiss all five members of board of governors appointed by the government. Thus, the minister intends to also dismiss Heiti Hääl whose name was not on the resignation application.

Even so, Mr Ligi said he is considering a couple of the old members for the new set to be appointed.

Till September, Andres Keevallik serves as Rector. He thinks this to be the best solution since the body of governors turned dysfunctional it would be the best for it to step down.

«So the rest of the members will have to think about it, but on the TUT side we have elected members that are worthy. There are five of them and we have a very strong competition – over ten candidates,» he said.

Into its board of governors, TUT has elected chemistry professors Margus Lopp and Andres Öpik, professor of sociology Rainer Kattel, mechanics professor Renno Veinthal, and former finance director Mr Kamratov.

«I do not see a need for them to step down,» said Mr Keevallik.

One member, molecular biologist Mart Saarma, has been appointed for the board of governors by Estonian Academy of Sciences.

Mr Keevallik thinks that if the government decides to appoint new members, the body of governors will continue where it left off. «Then they will again decode if they will nominate Mr Aaviksoo or appoint an acting rector for up to a year.»

Replacement for year

Mr Keevallik explained that it would only take a simple majority for board of governors to appoint an acting rector. Two thirds majority will no longer be needed.

The replacement will be elected for up to a year and parallel to that a new competition for a rector should be launched – from scratch.

«Well that would not be very good for the university as we will need to be working on pour development plan which ought to be completed by the end of the year,» said Mr Keevallik.

He thinks it inconceivable to keep functioning as the Rector for one more year. «I think fresh blood is needed. Also, these past months have made me feel I’ve had enough.»

At the end of May in a closed vote, the body of governors itself elected Mr  Aaviksoo as Rector from among four candidates. The other ones running were academicians Jakob Kübarsepp and Mart Ustav, and professor Andrus Salupere.

Of the 11 members of the body of governors, eight voted for Mr Aaviksoo whereby he got elected. Namely, the rules prescribe that a minimum of two thirds of the body of governors vote yes.

However, four members of the board of governors – Rainer Kattel, Heiti Hääl, Margus Lopp and Mart Saarma – maintain they voted against Mr Aaviksoo. Electoral committee checked the results once more and found no fraud: three, not four, had voted against.

Also, on June 16th TUT council gave green light to Mr Aaviksoo, opting not to veto the decision by body of governors.

Application by quartet to education minister

As of today, the search for new rector for Tallinn University for Technology has lasted for over five months. As the TUT board of governors first convened on January 22nd and proclaimed the elections pursuant to the new TUT Act, we set it as our aim to have the new Rector elected on May 22nd. Very strictly speaking that is what happened.

At secret additional ballot on May 22nd, the board of governors elected Jaak Aaviksoo as Rector and the next 18 days were spent knowing that as the new academic years starts TUT has a new rector who may begin carrying out his vision for its development.

Even today, there actually are no technical reasons why Jaak Aaviksoo as winner of the competition could not step into the office. The result of the secret ballot of May 22nd are valid, and were not vetoed by TUT Council convening on June 16th.

Regrettably, a travesty was triggered among TUT body of governors on June 3rd leading to a stalemate in management of the university, a solution to which is not regulated by existing rules.

As the highest management body of the university, the board of governors is responsible for the development of the university and needs to ensure its goals are achieved. That requires mutual trust, respect and ability to cooperate within the board of governors and the entire family of the university. In its current membership, the body of governors has acted but half a year and finds itself in a situation where achieving aims set by TUT Act is not possible.

We do not know under which circumstances somebody opted to afterwards publicly conceal his yes-vote for Mr Aaviksoo. We do not know what actually motivated these people to use any means to obstruct management of the university according to current rules. We do not know why they do not hesitate to act in a manner undermining the credibility and reputation of the university while neglecting to use options to restore order at TUT.

We maintain that during this past month the members of board of governors who recognise the legal process of the elections have taken notable efforts to restore order damaged by unfounded suspicions which are yet to be confirmed. Regrettably, this has been to no avail.

The board of governors, as any management body or team, cannot function in a situation where striving towards a common goal is missing and has been replaced by concealing, lying, delaying, and avoidance of obligations voluntarily assumed.

For us, this is no casual decision – but, as based on the above, we are asking to be removed from TUT board of governors and the university thus be granted a new chance to make the needed management changes by the time the new academic year begins.

Toomas Luman, Robert Kitt, Sandor Liive, Anneli Heinsoo