MIPT professor's contract was not renewed after commenting to Radio Liberty about the conflict at the university

The Academic Council of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) voted against extending the contract with Mikhail Balashov, professor of the Department of Higher Mathematics and member of the University Solidarity trade union, who told Radio Liberty about student protests over the reorganization of the university. about this decision . The teacher told the same publication

“39% voted for me, 51% against. The argument is this: I am hindering the development of MIPT with my trade union activities. They said that Radio Liberty is a terrible radio station. "Do you even know where you're doing interviews?" You interfere, you are unethical. [Head of the Department of Higher Mathematics] Grigory Ivanov read his letter to the academic council,” Balashov said.

As the newspaper notes, teachers of the department once every five years hold a competition at which the academic council decides whether to continue cooperation with the teacher. None of the members of the department, according to Balashov, opposed the continuation of his work, but the academic council of the university decided otherwise.

Shortly before the competition for vacancies, Balashov told Radio Liberty and the Pravda newspaper about the conflict at the university, as well as violations of labor laws.

After that, about a hundred MIPT employees received a letter signed by the head of the department of higher mathematics Grigory Ivanov, in which it is noted that Balashov's comments caused "unconditional harm" to the reputation of the university.