Resolution of the commission regarding to examination of the situation around foundation of the Sumy National University.

According to resolution of the Committee of the parliament of Ukraine for science and education of June 30, 2004, minutes N80, a working group consisting of the national deputy of Ukraine, professor Rodionov M.K., assistant of the Minister of science and education of Ukraine Stepko M.F., the chief consultant of the secretariate of the committee of Verhovna Rada of Ukraine for science and education Baran L.M., checked on July 2nd 2004 the facts, which were stated in the appeal of the strike committee of the Sumy State University to the head of Verhovna Rada of Ukraine V. Litvin and to the head of the committee of the Verhovna Rada of Ukraine for science and education S. Nikolayenko.

The working group studied the documents pertaining to the foundation of the Sumy National University, talked with the direction of the Sumy State University, with teachers and co-workers, on their request the working group met with the representatives of student self-governance organs and trade-unions, attended the student tent city, where it interviewed the students and answered their questions.

Meetings with the head of the local state administration V.P. Shcherban, his assistant M.O. Sokolov and the temporary rector of the Sumy National University, professor, national deputy of Ukraine O.M. Tzarenko took place.

In consequence of the work done the vast majority of the stated facts was confirmed. The grounds for emergence of a conflict situation are following:

The edict of the President of Ukraine in which he commissions the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to found the Sumy National University is of imperative nature. This does not meet the requirements of the article 106 of the Constitution of Ukraine , as well as those of the article 27 of the law of Ukraine "On higher education" in the matter of foundation, reorganisation and liquidation of a higher educational institution of the 3rd or 4th level of accreditation of the state property. These actions should be carried out by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine has done no preliminary preparation work regarding to foundation of the Sumy National University. No prognosis concerning possible economic and social consequences of amalgamation of the Universities has been made. Qualitative indexes of training of specialists in the mentioned higher educational establishments have not been analysed. The decision about foundation of the Sumy National University was made without taking into consideration the opinion of the academic staff and general public.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine did not work out any preliminary concept of foundation of the University and determine its structure. No corresponding analytical and organisational work was done. The moment for realisation of the edict of the President of Ukraine about foundation of the Sumy National University was chosen inappropriately: it coincided with beginning of term and entrance examinations and campaign of president elections in Ukraine. The roughest variant was chosen, namely liquidation of all existing higher educational institutions. It obliges the co-workers to resign and register themselves in the job centre. This caused social tension and assisted emerging of strike situation.

Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine did not foresee possible negative economic and social consequences of loss of legitimate successors after liquidation of the educational institutions. Liquidation of the educational institutions caused concern among international students who study at the moment at the Sumy State University. Appointment of the national deputy of Ukraine Tzarenko O.M. to the post of a temporal rector of the Sumy National University contradicts the Article 78 of the Constitution of Ukraine. This may question legality of documents signed by him.

The state administration of the Sumy region moved away from participating in the process of foundation of the Sumy National University and solving problems connected with it.

The temporary rector Tzarenko O.M. and his assistants have violated numerous moral-ethic norms of a higher school, namely: the process of foundation of the Sumy National University began with taking down the National Symbol of Ukraine from the front of the Sumy State University, removalof the monument to A.S. Makarenko from the Sumy State Pedagogical University, taking down signboards of the existing educational establishments in the time when they still were separate juridical persons. The attempt to accelerate foundation of the Sumy National Universities by means of involving administrative pressure caused increasing social and psychological tension.

Having analysed the situation around foundation of the Sumy National University we find it appropriate:

1.Taking into consideration the overly tensed psychological and social atmosphere around foundation of the Sumy National University, the priority of general human values and health of our people, to ask the President of Ukraine to cancel or temporarily cancel the edict N453 of April 20, 2004, "About foundation of the Sumy National University" and with it connected order of the Prime-Minister of Ukraine N402 of 17.06.04 "About foundation of the Sumy National University" and order of the Minister of Science and Education of Ukraine N563-k of 01.07.04

2.To offer the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to

3.Work out the concept and normative documents of foundation of the Sumy National University that would foresee the higher educational institutions' being part of the Sumy National University on the rights of juridical persons , with garanteed right on legal succession. To provide participation of teachers, students and general public on working out these documents.

4.To carry out financial audit of all higher educational institution that will become a base for the Sumy National University.

5.To assemble a working analytical group which should improve the process of foundation of similar higer educational institution.