These events are not a fiction or a fairy tale from the distant past. These events occur now and they have started only three months ago - in spring, 2004. In the town Sumy (Ukraine), there were three heterogeneous universities: the classical Sumy State University (http://www.sumdu.edu.ua) - SumSU, Sumy National Agricultural University (http://sau.sumy.ua) - SNAU, and Sumy State Pedagogical University - SSPU.

And suddenly, in spring of this year, as from nowhere an idea has emerged, to join up these three universities into the united Sumy National University (SNU(u)). From the first glance, the idea seemed to be quite good, it conforms with the program of the president of Ukraine concerning reorganization of the system of higher education and contributes to successful integration of Ukraine to the European educational process. Additionally, it allows for complex solution of problems caused by the demographic crisis, as the number of university entrants during the next years will substantially decrease. Besides, the name "National University" itself is quite prestigious for a regional town. As any other idea, which comes unexpectedly from the authorities, it was accompanied by promises of fantastic benefits for teachers, in particular, substantial increase of salaries. The assumed temptation for students was obtaining of diploma of the "National University".

The teachers and students, under pressure of administration, thought over the idea of University combination, not knowing its principles and, moreover, not imagining, how it is possible to create the united university from the universities of completely different nature. Meanwhile, like a bolt from the blue, at the end of April, the decree of the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, concerning creation of the united Sumy National University (SNU) was edited. And it was clarified, that the authorities have decided to join up three Sumy universities without any projects, not taking into account neither opinions of teachers, nor opinions of students and other citizens. The students, their parents and public organizations have started to write open letters to the President, Prime Minister, to the Ministry of Education and Science (one of these letters was signed by 1473 students) and to organize protest actions. And then the events developed like in a sharp detective story occurring in a banana republic or two centuries ago, but by no means in a modern democratic state. The chronicle of the subsequent events is as follows.

June 21, the first day Alexander Tsarenko was appointed to become the rector of the united university. Tsarenko is simultaneously the deputy of the Verhovnaya Rada (the Parliament of Ukraine) from the (united) Social-Democratic Party of Ukraine (though, according to Ukrainian laws, a deputy of Verhovnaya Rada can not simultaneously occupy another position). The previous years, Alexander Tsarenko was the rector of Sumy National Agricultural University (SNAU). This university is known with extremely low level of education, corruption and total bribery. After the graduation of this university, it is difficult to find a job, because the employers, familiar with the qualification of its graduates, write in the job announcements "Except the graduates of SNAU". Besides, the students of the university are obliged to tide up compulsory the university territory, often instead of lectures. The SNAU, headed by Tsarenko, soon encountered strong lack of entrants even without the demographic crisis, as for almost all students the study in this university, in contrast to other universities, is chargeable (at least, in fact). Tsarenko is also known with envolvment in anti-popular political activity and extremely anti-democratic style of management. The level of illegality with respect to the students and teachers of this university shocked the whole society of Sumy.

Taking into account the debts of the Agricultural University (according to different sources, about 20 millions hrivnas ($ 4 millions), the situation becomes more clear. On the sly, concealing by the joining, it is very convenient to hide financial and other violations. Who can believe in the "concern" for students and their level of knowledge? According to the opinion of Sumy citizens, the reason of joining of the universities (or, in other words, "copulation"), is the total moral and financial collapse of the Agricultural University. Another reason is the possibility to influence on more than 40000 students and 4000 teachers of the newly created university in the process of election of the President of Ukraine which will occur in autumn, 2004. (In the Agricultural University, all the students and teachers was obliged to become the members of the Social-Democratic Party of Ukraine, the regional branch of which is headed by the same Tsarenko, under pain of losing their jobs.)

The most suffered in this situation is Sumy State University - SSU, which belongs to the 5 best classical universities of Ukraine and is still unfamiliar with such draconian living. As is become evident, the Sumy State University can only lose as a result of such joining that occurs under leadership of such a "rector-reformer".

June 22, the second day
The authorities of three universities condemned to "copulation" - rectors, vice-rectors, deans and heads of departments - were gathered in the building of regional administration, where the regional authorities together with Tsarenko have forced them to vote for the Statute of the united university.

In spite of the fact that nobody have seen the Statute which is not disclosed due to its "confidentiality". For those who have refused to vote for this profanation, Tsarenko have said "When these people will not vote for the document, we will bring other people, who will vote". It was the same Tsarenko, who a minute earlier promised "honesty, openness and clarity of the joining". Now each Sumy citizen quotes that phrase.

June 24, the fourth day
The financial accounts of Sumy State University are locked, part of the documents is confiscated and delivered to SNAU. The rector Kovalyov, who occupied this position for more than 30 years and, in fact, has created this university, was fired (without even a word of gratitude from the new authorities!). The new chief accountant was appointed.

June 25, the fifth day
Soon after midday, at the square before the classical Sumy State University, a car equipped with a hoisting crane has appeared. The workers have started to dismount the signboard "SUMY STATE UNIVERSITY", the Emblem of SSU, the Emblem of Sumy town, and the Emblem of Ukraine. This process was proceeded in an emphatic manner, before the eyes of dozens of pained people that passed by or crowded at the square. One of students remarked that it would be enough to replace the word "STATE" with the word "NATIONAL". The senior worker, after 10-15 seconds of hesitation, has replied "A moment I'll call to my chief". The eyes of some people were full of tears. Many students could not restrain from desperation and cried indignantly addressing to vandals! The nameplates from all the buildings and many offices were also ripped off. As a result, the people that came to the university were forced to walk around and ask everybody where to find that or another office.

That day, in Sumy State University the session of entrance exams occurred. The desperate parents outside of the building waited for their children. As a result of the promised "parity joining", all the key positions in the board of the new university were already occupied by the people from SNAU. The staff of Sumy State University has received the notifications that the university is liquidated. Everybody can still work during two months, than everybody will be fired, and if anybody will not get the job in the new university, he will should to register at the labor registry office. Thus, at the 1 of September, instead of the traditional Day of Knowledge, thousands of people may appear at that labor registry bureau. Now the staff of Sumy State University is lead to the condition when the menace to lose the job does not frighten the people. And it is not surprising, taking into account the words of Beskorovayev, vice-rector SNAU, who has said at the 4-hours meeting before the whole assembly hall of witnesses "We will get what we want, even by your insults, infarcts and your blood".

June 26, the sixth day
The foreign students studied in SSU expressed their anxiety by the fact of possible liquidation of SSU, which diploma since the year 1995 is recognized in many other countries. The newly formed SNU does not belong to the list of recognized universities, and its diploma in these countries will not be valid. "The foreign students consider to be expedient to refuse to study in SNU and proceed their study in the universities of other towns. The authority and prestige of the universally known educational institution - Sumy State University - is in danger. Together with it, the Ukrainian science and education in general is also under the menace" - the citation from the appeal to the President of Ukraine, composed by the students.

June 27, the seventh day
The publicity was given to the facts of threatening to the parents of students who opposed actively to joining of the university. As the parents of Irina Merkun, the student rector of SSU, informed, two unknown young guys of athletic appearance visited their house. The guys have declared that if I. Merkun together with students will take part in the meeting planned for the next day, than her house will be burnt, and the parents will be killed.

The information concerning this fact was transmitted to the policemen.

June 28, the eighth day
The student action of protest at the central square of Sumy was was prohibited according to the decision of the Court. That's why, the students have organized the meting at the Shevchenko Square. The total number of people near the monument of Shevchenko has reached about 2000 people. They kept in their hands the posters "Students are not sheep! Tsarenko is not a rector! SNU is not the educational institution!" Teachers have supported the student meeting. Leonid Melnik, professor of SSU in the field of nature management known worldwide, who worked at the university almost from its foundation, has declared, that the collective of the university supports the requirements of students and announces about the strike till all the requirements will be fulfilled.

Just after the meeting, the students have put up the tent camp, where they will live till all their requirements will be satisfied. A provocation has occurred. An unknown guy has damaged one of the tents during its installation.

The main requirements of students are as follows. Dismissing Tsarenko from the position of the rector of SNU, as well as from the position of the rector of SNAU, which he illegally occupied 2 last years, combining it with the position of the deputy of the Ukrainian Parliament. Free election of the rector. Abolition of the illegal decree of the President of Ukraine concerning creation of SNU. (According to the Ukrainian laws, creation of universities does not belong to competence of the President.)

The same day, later: a message from the tent camp "At 23.00, the situation in our tent camp is normal. Now, in spite of bad weather, more than 200 students are present there. The spirits of everybody is high. No threats influence on them. On the contrary, taking into account the laws of mechanics, the stronger is action, the stronger is counteraction. A lot of thank to all our young people who, instead of sleeping, spend the night in the tents, in spite of dispersal of our camp by authorities that can start at any minute: Thank you, everybody, who is simply not indifferent. May us keep together till our victory".

The representatives of the university address to the society and mass media with the appeal to stop the "bespredel" (may be translated as "boundless illegality") in Sumy and save their university. How is it possible to mention the Bologna Process, the demographic crisis, the aspiration for the Europe? Nowadays, a band of swindlers and dabblers destroy and break down the valuables that were created during dozens of years - the actual Classical Sumy State University, with the sole purpose to conceal the incompetence of the rector and deputy Tsarenko, financial and moral collapse of SNAU.

Students don't wish to keep silence, when just the next day after his appointment, Tsarenko, the acting rector of SNU, forces the students to work every day in two shifts at the territory of the university. (Deliberately unnecessary and humiliating compulsory labor, like scavenging, under threats of dismissal, free of charge - with flagrant violence of labour legislation!) Students don't wish to keep silence, when their Alma Mater is converted into a sort of concentration camp. (The student identification cards are to be taken away in the morning and returned back only in the evening, after finish of labor.) In several days the values gained during decades of years are destroyed. It is hardly worth saying that as a result of these events the school-leavers that was going to enter Sumy universities this year are deeply shocked. After these events, a lot of them, most probably, will not enter the universities in Sumy, and instead, will go to other towns of Ukraine.

The reports about events occurring in Sumy now resemble rather military chronicles than peaceful life. From one side, looking at all of this, one can be overfilled with proud for Ukrainian students struggling for their rights. From the other side, it is sad, that such things occur in a jural state, may even not in the completely jural one. What will occur further? We will follow attentively further events. Read the latest news concerning events in Sumy at the site www.sumy-bespredel.narod.ru.

According to the information of mass media and the site
www.sumy-bespredel.narod.ru
Alexander Romanko

Translated in English by Kochevsky Alexey