Newsgroups: bit.listserv.mideur-l
Date:         Wed, 11 Nov 1992 14:45:33 MDT
From:         Vaclav Trojan <TROJAN@CSEARN.BITNET>
Subject:      Trnava university - Student's declaration

 DECLARATION OF THE STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TRNAVA


    We, the students of the University  of Trnava residing in Trnava, do
resent  more  and  more  sharpening  dispute  between  the  Ministry  of
Education and Science  of the Slovak Republic and  the management of the
University of Trnava. What we perceive is that under the veil of various
invectives  there  is  a  political  combat  taking  place, which is not
admissible on the academic ground  according to the law. The development
of  recent events  heads even  towards abolishment  of the University of
Trnava. Under these  circumstances we cannot stay silent  any longer and
thus we appeal to public with this declaration:

    The University of  Trnava was established by an  Act of the National
Council of the  Slovak Republic number 191/92 on March  25, 1992. At the
same time  the National Council of  the Slovak Republic with  its decree
nb. 278 established a commission for creating a Preparatory Committee as
a guarantee  of the  quality of  the  new  university. On  May 15,  1992
President of  Czechoslovakia Vaclav Havel appointed,  in response to the
commission of teh  National Council of the Slovak  Republic, RNDr. Anton
Hajduk, DrSc. a rector of the University of Trnava. In the first half of
September  admission process  started at  the university.  As soon as at
this time started to gain its sad popularity due to an argument over the
personality  of the  rector and   thus over  the whole  University. This
crisis peaked at the matriculation to the university.
     We don't  want to deal  with individual aspects  of the whole  case
since we  are here to prepare  for our future professions  in a peaceful
and calm atmosphere. On this occasion, we  would like to thank to all of
the professional staff of the University of Trnava (UT) for their hither
to work, without any financial  compensation. But the blocked account
of the university does not guarantee us a required quality of education.
Why do  we, as regular students,  (within the assignment _  18 paragraph
4,  act number  172/1992 on  universities) have  to be  involved in  the
action of the Ministry of Education? What are we to blame for?
    In connection with the case of UT representatives of the Ministry of
Education start talking  about the groundlessness of a  "country" UT. We
would like to remind that almost no university in the Central Europe has
such  history  as   UT.  It  was  her  who   educated  many  signifigant
personalities of not only of the  Slovak nation. The signifigance of the
university  was fully  appreciated after  its moving  to Budin, in 1777.
Then it was already late.
     After 215 years,  our university proudly clams to  be a sucessor to
this  school and  it has  a full  historical right  to do  so. The  then
students allowed their  school to be taken from them,  we will not allow
it  anymore. If  we want  to re-enter  the mature  democratic Europe, we
can't  do so  without educated  people. And  we want  to rank among them
after completing our studies at UT. Woe  is a nation which does not look
ahead.
     We  apppreciated the  attitude of  the city  of Trnava  which tries
within the  framework of its  possiblities to create  conditions for the
activity of UT.  We also like to thank the  union of university students
of Slovakia for  its solidarity. These approaches encourage  us and give
us hope that in our fight for the preservation of UT, we are not alone.
     We demand the  management of UT to present  even further a maximum
effort to  preserve UT. We request  the Ministry of Education  to uplift
over  some  reservations  against  UT  and  to  contribute  to  a fluent
educational process.
     We  are convinced  that it  is in  the interest  of the  democratic
Slovakia to  settle this absurd  situation in a  peaceful way as  soon as
possible. We appeal  to the Minstry to make a  positive step which means
unblocking the bank  account of UT in VUB Trnava.  This will be a signal
for us that  the whole case of UT  will be solved in the  benefit of us,
the students of UT.
     The estate of Alma Mater in Trnava is sacred for us and we will not
disgrace it. We  will not leave UT. We, the  students of UT, residing in
Trnava, do not want to be ashamed before history.
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