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Bullying against the Vice-Chancellor of International Relations, Outreach, Lifelong Learning and Student Welfare AUTHprofessor Iakovou Michaelidis, by a group of students, with the support of faculty members, the Rectorate of the university reported. The incident occurred at noon on Thursday, April 30, inside the Administration building. According to what the rector’s authorities reported, Mr. Michaelidis felt unwell from the tension and aggression, interrupted a planned meeting with an international delegation from the University of Hong Kong and was transferred to the AHEPA hospital. His health condition is good.
“Such phenomena have no place in a public university. They express a small minority that tries to impose its will by means of intimidation, insulting human dignity, endangering human life and undermining academic freedom and institutional functioning”, the announcement of the Rector’s Office of AUTH states. “Tolerance for such behavior is zero. Aristotle University owes and will remain a place of knowledge, security and respect for institutions. Not a field of violence and arbitrary imposition”.
According to the rector’s authorities, the pro-girling was aimed at canceling the collective unanimous decision of the Senate regarding the regulation of the student residences. The new internal regulations were approved at the end of March. Each beneficiary must sign a private agreement stating, among other things, that he will use the room for his own residence and study. It is not allowed to grant the room, accommodation and overnight stay to relatives or other persons, other than the beneficiaries. Even visits by third parties to the student residences of Thessaloniki to meet tenants or communication between tenants can take place in the common area of the ground floor. Pets are also prohibited.
The terms of the regulation also state that the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the public areas, as well as smoking and vaping, is prohibited. It is provided that the beneficiaries are required to pay the total cost of repairing damages caused to their rooms as well as to common areas. Furthermore, the occupants of the rooms with more than one bed are jointly responsible for the cost of repairing the damage to the room, unless one of the beneficiaries assumes responsibility in a written statement.
In order to check in the future any damage during the delivery of the room to the beneficiaries, the area will be videotaped. Before the departure of each boarder from the home and upon handing over the room key, a check will be made by the administrative staff and any damages that do not fall under normal use will be recorded. Any violation of the terms of the agreement may lead to the expulsion of the beneficiary from the use of the granted apartment.
In recent weeks, the new internal regulations of the student residences had caused reactions in a part of the university community. Student associations spoke of “eviction ultimatums” from the rector’s authorities and of an “absurd and authoritarian new agreement that aims to fully discipline and control the boarders”.
In their statement about Thursday’s events, the rector’s authorities of AUTH note that the decisions of the Senate “are the result of legal collective and transparent procedures and are not subject to blackmail or pressure”.
