Moldova’s Communist Youth stands against rectorial dictatorship

The Union of Communist Youth of Moldova (UCYM) calls on the entire nation and especially on the youth and students to defend university democracy and the rights of Moldova’s student community. UCYM said in a statement cited by Info-Prim Neo that the students should have a 25 percent share in the collective bodies of universities, like senates and councils, and a say in the appointment of rectors. UCYM also says rectors should stand for elections once in four years and no more than twice, according to the principles laid down in the Bologna Magna Charta Universitatum. The Communist Youth is against the dictatorial regime instituted by some university rectors and considers that only by appointing them by secret voting, with students having a strong say, will a genuine university democracy be achievable. That is why UCYM salutes the passage of a bill in Parliament that envisages introducing the mentioned amendments. At the same time, UCYM wants to call attention of the society to the way in which the parliamentary opposition obstructs the development of the university democracy and tries to protect the interests of the rectors that abuse their positions. UCYM is confident that this reform will help to improve decision-making in universities and to defend the rights of the students. For this purpose, we initiated a signature collection campaign among Moldova’s student community, the Union of Communist Youth of Moldova said.