[INDOLOGY] Protest against cutback plans at the University of Halle

[Walter Slaje]

> disciples
sorry for the hilarious typo, read: disciplines

WS

Am Di., 1. Juni 2021 um 13:52 Uhr schrieb Walter Slaje <
walter.slaje at gmail.com>:

> Dear Lyne,
>
>  thank you for your support and of course also all the others who have
> signed the petition so far!
>
> > I would suggest to speak of « rare subjects » rather than « small
> subjects »
>
> Your suggestion is of course very welcome. Hardly anyone in their right
> mind who knows our disciples from the inside would ever think of calling
> them "small". Unfortunately, we have no choice, because this is a
> designation that has been quasi-officially introduced and has been formally
> in use in Germany since then. This can be looked up on the portal of the
> "Arbeitsstelle Kleine Fächer":
>
> "A quantitative criterion is used to distinguish small subjects from large
> and medium-sized subjects, which refers to the number of professorships per
> location."
>
> It is also correctly explained there that "the distinction between small
> and large subjects - and thus the emergence of the term "small subject"  as
> such - [...] goes back to the development of the "mass university" in the
> 1960s in the FRG."
>
> (https://www.kleinefaecher.de/kartierung/was-ist-ein-kleines-fach.html)
>
> More need not be said, except that a deliberate misunderstanding of
> "small" as "insignificant" has been approved here.
>
>
>
> We shall collect all Indology related comments made by the petitioners in
> order to present the complete package to the persons in charge.
>
>
>
> Thanking you,
>
> and with my very best wishes,
>
>
>
> Walter
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Am Di., 1. Juni 2021 um 11:28 Uhr schrieb Lyne Bansat-Boudon <
> Lyne.Bansat-Boudon at ephe.psl.eu>:
>
>> Dear Walter, dear colleagues,
>>
>> I have also signed and I allow me to encourage others to do the same.
>> Besides, I would suggest to speak of « rare subjects » rather than « small
>> subjects », which will do justice to the real impact of our domains.
>>
>> In case it could be of some use, I have developed my motives and
>> arguments for supporting the petition on the online document.
>>
>> With warmest wishes,
>>
>> Lyne
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Le 31 mai 2021 à 16:58, Walter Slaje via INDOLOGY <
>> indology at list.indology.info> a écrit :
>>
>> Dear Luther,
>>
>> thank you!
>> This first campaign of the petition only serves to make clear to the
>> Senate meeting on Wednesday the resistance that the university and the
>> state government would have to reckon with if the rectorate's decision were
>> to be implemented. Perhaps the plan for this sacrilege in the humanities
>> will fail already at this early stage. That would settle the matter. Only
>> if it does not, other measures would have to be taken and the Ministry of
>> Culture would have to be approached directly. In this case, I will gladly
>> turn to the list for appropriate support.
>>
>> Warm wishes,
>> Walter
>>
>>
>>
>> Am Mo., 31. Mai 2021 um 15:57 Uhr schrieb luther obrock <
>> luther.obrock at gmail.com>:
>>
>>> Dear Walter,
>>>
>>> Thank you for sending this on. I have signed and I encourage others to
>>> do the same. The link you provided in the second message,
>>> https://www.openpetition.de/petition/online/kahlschlag-an-der-mlu-verhindern-fakultaeten-retten
>>>  worked for me. Please do let us all know if there is any other ways to
>>> support the study of South Asian languages and cultures at the University
>>> of Halle,
>>>
>>> Best,
>>>
>>> Luther
>>>
>>> On Mon, May 31, 2021 at 9:45 AM Antonia Ruppel via INDOLOGY <
>>> indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>>>
>>>> While I am aware that many on this list read German fluently, I also
>>>> know that many don't. In that spirit, I respectfully offer the translation
>>>> given below.
>>>>
>>>> –
>>>>
>>>> We call on the rectorate of the Martin Luther University
>>>> Halle-Wittenberg to stop the massive cutback plans and not to cut 10
>>>> chairs/institutes as planned. We call on the state government and the
>>>> democratic parliamentary groups in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt to
>>>> finally ensure stable and task-oriented basic funding for the universities
>>>> of the state. We appeal to the senators of the Martin Luther University to
>>>> clearly stand up for the unity of research and teaching, the preservation
>>>> of "small subjects" and for the diversity of our university.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Reason
>>>>
>>>> Several faculties will be closed, institutes will be cut, courses of
>>>> study will be cancelled: this is the proposal for the future of the MLU,
>>>> which will be decided on in the senate on Wednesday (June 2). While we are
>>>> already suffering from massive cuts, the future is to become even bleaker.
>>>> Without any scientific or professional justification, the courses of study
>>>> in Greek Studies, Latin Studies, Indology, Japanese Studies, Language and
>>>> Culture of South Asia, Middle and Neo-Latin Philology, Near Eastern
>>>> Archaeology, Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, and Regional
>>>> Cultures and Cultural Techniques, as well as the Institute of Ancient
>>>> Studies and the Institute of Sports Science are to be closed forever. This
>>>> is obviously not a matter of setting priorities in terms of content, but
>>>> rather a barrage of cuts that will hit those areas where professors will be
>>>> retiring in the near future. And it often hits the "small subjects", which
>>>> are so valuable precisely because they are only taught at a few
>>>> universities. But it is not only the students enrolled there who will be
>>>> affected: we will all feel a significant deterioration in quality of
>>>> learning, because according to the plans of the rectorate, 100 full-time
>>>> positions will be eliminated, examination offices will be merged and
>>>> faculties will be united: for example, Phil. Fak 1 will be dissolved and
>>>> what remains of it will be assigned to the new faculties from Phil. Fak. 2
>>>> & 3 and in Political Science the chairs for Political Theory and Government
>>>> are to be merged. (Philologische Fakultaeten: about the same as schools
>>>> (UK)/colleges (US) of a university)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Fewer researchers and fewer administrative staff, that is how the new
>>>> concept can be summarized. And it will not stop there: subjects such as
>>>> computer science are already named in the concept as needing reform, i.e.
>>>> cuts, and the three natural science faculties are to be reduced to two
>>>> anyway. Participation of the employees and students is apparently not
>>>> desired, because the draft is to be decided without further discussion on
>>>> Wednesday. The implementation is to begin in August and be completed by
>>>> October 2022.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> We will not participate in this! It is clear to us that the financial
>>>> situation of the MLU is bad. We know that the state government is failing
>>>> to fund universities, and we demand that theMLU's base funding finally be
>>>> stabilized and expanded. But we see above all that nothing justifies these
>>>> massive cuts and the death of entire faculties.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> We appeal to the senators not to agree to this concept. We demand from
>>>> the rectorate to immediately withdraw this concept and to seek a real
>>>> dialogue with the faculties. We demand that the state government and the
>>>> democratic parliamentary groups face up to this problem for the entire
>>>> educational landscape in Saxony-Anhalt and fund the MLU. The loss for our
>>>> higher education landscape will be much greater than the 15 million euros
>>>> that will thus be taken out of the budget.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, 31 May 2021 at 15:27, Walter Slaje via INDOLOGY <
>>>> indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Dear Jonathan,
>>>>>
>>>>> thank you for your willingness to help!
>>>>>
>>>>> This is the German text of the actual petition:
>>>>>
>>>>> Wir fordern das Rektorat der Martin-Luther-Universität
>>>>> Halle-Wittenberg dazu auf, die massiven Kürzungspläne einzustellen und
>>>>> nicht wie geplant, 10 Professuren zu schließen. Wir fordern die
>>>>> Landesregierung und die demokratischen Fraktionen im Landtag von
>>>>> Sachsen-Anhalt dazu auf, endlich eine stabile und aufgabengerechte
>>>>> Grundfinanzierung für die Hochschulen des Landes sicherzustellen. Wir
>>>>> appellieren an die Senator*innen der Martin-Luther-Universität sich klar
>>>>> für die Einheit von Forschung und Lehre, den Erhalt „kleiner Fächer“ und
>>>>> für die Vielfalt unserer Universität einzusetzen.
>>>>> Begründung
>>>>>
>>>>> *Mehrere Fakultäten werden geschlossen, Institute werden weggekürzt,
>>>>> Studiengänge werden gestrichen*: So sieht die Vorlage zur Zukunft der
>>>>> MLU aus, die am Mittwoch (2.6.) im Senat beschlossen werden soll. Während
>>>>> wir jetzt schon unter massiven Einschnitten leiden, soll die Zukunft noch
>>>>> düsterer werden. Ohne jede wissenschaftliche oder fachliche Begründung
>>>>> sollen die Studiengänge Gräzistik, Latinistik, Indologie, Japanologie,
>>>>> Sprache und Kultur Südasiens, Mittel- und Neulateinische Philologie,
>>>>> Archäologie des Vorderorients, Land- und Umwelttechnik und Landeskulturen
>>>>> und Kulturtechniken sowie das Institut für Altertumswissenschaft und das
>>>>> für Sportwissenschaft für immer geschlossen werden. Dabei geht es
>>>>> offensichtlich nicht um eine inhaltliche Schwerpunktsetzung, sondern um
>>>>> einen Kürzungshammer, der dort einschlägt, wo Lehrstuhlinhaber*innen in der
>>>>> nächsten Zeit in Rente gehen. Und es trifft vielfach die “kleinen Fächer”,
>>>>> die gerade deshalb so wertvoll sind, weil sie nur an wenigen Universitäten
>>>>> überhaupt gelehrt werden. Aber nicht nur die dort eingeschriebenen
>>>>> Studierenden sind betroffen: * Wir alle werden eine deutliche
>>>>> Verschlechterung der Studierbarkeit spüren*, denn nach den Plänen des
>>>>> Rektorates fallen 100 Vollzeitstellen weg, Prüfungsämter werden fusioniert
>>>>> und Fakultäten vereinigt: so sollen beispielsweise die Phil. Fak 1
>>>>> aufgelöst und was von ihr übrig bleibt den neuen Fakultäten aus der Phil.
>>>>> Fak. 2 & 3 zugeschlagen werden und in der Politikwissenschaft die
>>>>> Lehrstühle für Politische Theorie und Regierungslehre zusammengelegt werden.
>>>>>
>>>>> *Weniger Forscher:innen und weniger Verwaltungsangestellte, so lässt
>>>>> sich das neue Konzept zusammenfassen.* Und dabei wird es nicht
>>>>> bleiben: Fächer wie die Informatik sind im Konzept schon als
>>>>> reformbedürftig, d.h. praktisch zu kürzen, benannt und die drei
>>>>> naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultäten sollen ohnehin auf zwei reduziert
>>>>> werden. Eine Beteiligung der Beschäftigten und Studierenden ist scheinbar
>>>>> nicht erwünscht, denn der Entwurf soll ohne weitere Diskussion am *Mittwoch
>>>>> beschlossen werden. Die Umsetzung soll im August beginnen und bis WS 2022
>>>>> abgeschlossen sein.*
>>>>>
>>>>> Wir werden dabei nicht mitmachen! Uns ist klar, dass die Finanzlage
>>>>> der MLU schlecht ist. Wir wissen, dass die Landesregierung bei der
>>>>> Finanzierung der Hochschulen versagt und wir fordern, dass die
>>>>> Grundfinanzierung der MLU endlich stabilisiert und ausgebaut wird. Aber wir
>>>>> sehen vor allem, dass nichts diese massiven Einschnitte und das Absterben
>>>>> ganzer Fakultäten rechtfertigt.
>>>>>
>>>>> Wir appellieren an die Senator*innen, diesem Konzept nicht
>>>>> zuzustimmen. *Wir fordern vom Rektorat, dieses Kahlschlagskonzept
>>>>> sofort zurückzuziehen und einen echten Dialog mit den Fakultäten zu suchen.*
>>>>> Wir fordern von der Landesregierung und den demokratischen Fraktionen, sich
>>>>> diesem Problem für die gesamte Bildungslandschaft in Sachsen-Anhalt zu
>>>>> stellen und die MLU auszufinanzieren. Der Verlust für unsere
>>>>> Hochschullandschaft wird viel größer sein als die 15 Millionen Euro, die
>>>>> dem Etat damit entzogen werden sollen.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> https://www.openpetition.de/petition/online/kahlschlag-an-der-mlu-verhindern-fakultaeten-retten
>>>>>
>>>>> Hope it works!
>>>>>
>>>>> Warm wishes,
>>>>>
>>>>> Walter
>>>>>
>>>>> Am Mo., 31. Mai 2021 um 15:00 Uhr schrieb Jonathan Silk <
>>>>> kauzeya at gmail.com>:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Dear Walter
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Probably I am just missing it, but before signing I wanted to read
>>>>>> the actual petition, but following the link while I found a page to sign, I
>>>>>> could not find the actual petition --what am i missing? every button I push
>>>>>> gets me back to the same page, with the signature submission but no
>>>>>> petition (that I can see anyway)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I send this to the list since it is possible that I am not the only
>>>>>> one with this experience.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>> Jonathan
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, May 31, 2021 at 11:06 AM Walter Slaje via INDOLOGY <
>>>>>> indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Dear Colleagues,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I would like to bring the following news to the attention of those
>>>>>>> of you, who have a stake in the continued existence of Indian Studies in
>>>>>>> Germany:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A few days ago, the rectorate of the University of Halle adopted -
>>>>>>> completely unexpectedly - a cutback plan to eliminate a whole number of
>>>>>>> departments. Among them is the study of India in both its historical and
>>>>>>> contemporary aspects.  Two professorships for these areas had already been
>>>>>>> released for re-filling. The announcement for the two positions was
>>>>>>> expected this summer semester.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> There is a massive protest inside and outside the university against
>>>>>>> the planned permanent closure of, among others, the programs in Greek,
>>>>>>> Latin, Indology, Japanese Studies, South Asian Languages and Cultures, Near
>>>>>>> Eastern Archaeology, Political Sciences as well as the Department of
>>>>>>> Classics and the Department of Sports Science.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> If you would like to join the protest and support the process of
>>>>>>> filling the vacancies, please sign the petition below of the Student
>>>>>>> Council of the Faculty of Humanities. Already on Wednesday this week the
>>>>>>> Academic Senate will discuss this decision of the Rectorate. There is
>>>>>>> therefore a certain urgency in this matter.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Yours sincerely,
>>>>>>> Walter Slaje
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> https://hallespektrum.de/nachrichten/bildung/protest-gegen-kuerzungsplaene-an-der-uni-halle-fachschaft-ruft-zu-demo-auf-und-startet-petition/399781/
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> INDOLOGY mailing list
>>>>>>> INDOLOGY at list.indology.info
>>>>>>> https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> J. Silk
>>>>>> Leiden University
>>>>>> Leiden University Institute for Area Studies, LIAS
>>>>>> Matthias de Vrieshof 3, Room 0.05b
>>>>>> 2311 BZ Leiden
>>>>>> The Netherlands
>>>>>>
>>>>>> website: www.OpenPhilology.eu <http://www.openphilology.eu/>
>>>>>> copies of my publications may be found at
>>>>>> https://leidenuniv.academia.edu/JASilk
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> INDOLOGY mailing list
>>>>> INDOLOGY at list.indology.info
>>>>> https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology
>>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
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>>
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