On the eve of the Tatyanino Day, HSE softened amendments to restrict political activity at the university

On January 24, a scientific council was held at the Higher School of Economics, at which new internal regulations were approved. Despite the fact that in the latest version the amendments are much softer than the original version, students were still forbidden to engage in politics, indicating their status at the university, student media did not return financing, and the question of the existence of human rights projects at the university remained open. Trying to stop the adoption of amendments or make adjustments to them, the students held many hours of meetings of student councils, came from other cities and collected more than five thousand signatures.

Changes are possible

At two in the afternoon in the atrium of the building of the Higher School of Economics on Pokrovsky Boulevard about thirty people are waiting for the beginning of the academic council. Among those who came, there are participants in the initiative group #Vesh -Retrivsuras, editors of student media and other caring. One of the girls comes to a meeting with a suitcase. This is Arina Istomin, the editor of DOXA magazine and the delegate of the initiative group from the tower campus in St. Petersburg. The girl arrived in Moscow to attend a scientific council, but she was not allowed to be allowed to be allowed.

- For four days we collected signatures in different tower buildings in St. Petersburg, the guys wrote the text so that I could convey their position. Today I learned that at the meeting there would be delegates from the student council, although they recently said that they had not yet formulated their position. We do not know what to expect from them, ”says Arina.

It was assumed that ten students would go to the scientific council. Five people from the Great Student Council and five from campus, the press secretary of the student council Christopher Cosmidis explains the situation. According to him, the initiative group had no connection with the regional Studs councils, in addition, none of them stated that he would go to a meeting in Moscow.

- As a result, students from other cities came mixed up: both the participants in the initiative group, who collected signatures and student councils. The meetings came to the meeting, which the campus administration approved, - adds Cosmidis.

Next to him is a girl with a large pile of documents in her hands. Among them are signature sheets with 4800 signatures against the adoption of amendments that activists began to collect at the university a week ago.

400 more signatures of the Perm campus did not reach Moscow - students recalled them after the pressure of the university administration (as a result, no one arrived in Moscow from the Perm tower).

The girl takes the cosmidis from the girl. After they attach a letter with the signatures of students of foreign universities to them, the young man leaves for the meeting room.

The remaining students go to the cultural center, where they organized a live broadcast for them. About a hundred people come to follow the meetings. According to the Higher School graduate, Roman Kiselev, the first version of the amendments has already been changed, and the changes are far from always cosmetic.

In a new draft amendments, it is declared that the university should ensure "independence of student organizations in making internal decisions." In addition, the rules introduced an addition that the criticism of the university and its administration cannot be an action aimed at causing damage to the reputation of the university.

From the project, it was not possible to remove the ban on affiliation with the university in the conduct of political activities, as well as the activities “causing significant disagreements in society ...” ( subsequently the formulation was removed from the final document - D.K. ). Besides,

Political activity in the latest edition is prohibited not only on the territory of the university and in its electronic networks, but also on "territories where events organized by the University are held."

The administration also refused to include student media among the Studorganizations, but allowed them to work as student initiatives.

- This should give student media to use the premises of the university, its information resources, etc. The difference lies in the lack of financing with student initiatives, ”Kiselev said.

Endless meeting

Despite the queue of those who are waiting for a decision on the rules, the development of the development program until 2030 is being discussed at the Council of Council.

When one of the council members says that “the tower is more and more positioning itself as a socially responsible university”, laughter is heard in the broadcasting hall.

The sound quality is bad, the picture often disappears. The scientific council lasts more than four hours, but a third of students remains to wait for a solution. When a slide of the presentation “The program of digital development of the Higher School” appears on the screen for the fourth time in the hall, the applause of those who were already desperate to hear something in essence are heard in the hall. Some spectators begin to collect things.

- We have already sat for four hours, what is the point of leaving? - notes the student and politician Yegor Zhukov, who also came to the meeting.

Nevertheless, the hall is slowly empty. When five and a half hours after the start of the Scientific Council, they begin to discuss amendments to the Rules of the Labor Regulation, about 30 people remain. Students are reviving. Despite the fact that a document for teachers, it may also include an amendment prohibiting affiliation with the university in the conduct of political activities or activities that cause "significant disagreements in society."

The innovation, however, is unlikely, because a significant part of the academic council is opposed to him. And if “political activity” causes disputes, then regarding “questions that cause significant disagreements in society,” the rector of HSE Yaroslav Kuzminov immediately expresses. “The wording will lead us to a dead end,” the rector concludes. The professor of law Mikhail Krasnov was in solidarity with him. After Krasnov, literary critic Alexander Arkhangelsky acts. The teacher notes the scale of work aimed at adjusting the rules, and also indicates the importance of discussion. At the same time, Arkhangelsk also has questions for the requirements for affiliation. According to the professor, this edition needs a glossary, because the terms are very wide: "I do not know what I have to observe if I have not been given a definition of political activity."

- The wording of “activities that cause disagreement in society” should not be, because anything can be subjected to it. The activities of any publicist are always actively invading public life and "causes significant disagreements." On topics from the exam to constitutional reform. From constitutional reform to what we are now discussing. I would suggest changing the wording to obvious and verified things, ”the Arkhangelsk summarizes.

Other professors agree with his position, and subsequently refuse the wording.

The discussion provides a requirement not to disseminate the information defaming the university.

“The reputation is discredited by actions, and not the dissemination of information about these actions,” says Vladimir Porus, doctor of philosophical sciences.

- [In Western institutions] several pages on which ethical principles are painted, which harms or that does not harm the reputation of the university. If we continue this discussion, this will lead to more stringent consequences. And it will definitely harm, ”objects economist Leonid Gokhberg about the practice of Yle and Berkeley.

After two hours, amendments to the labor regulations are accepted by a majority. 12 people refrain from voting. The new rules regulate the ban on conducting political activities at the university (allowed behind its walls), in addition, employees are recommended to avoid affiliation with the university if they are engaged in politics. The rule does not apply to performances in the framework of an expert-analytical position.

Seven and a half hours after the start of the meeting, the scientific council proceeds to discuss the rules of the internal schedule of students. Disagreement in the amendments arose on the same issue as the teachers: participation in political activity.

- We believe that there are [in amendments] there are many norms that are outside the exact formulations and require comments. In this form, there are too many opportunities for abuse. We believe that it must be excluded from this paragraph, ”says a representative of the Studs councils.

- Indeed, we must remove it. Or maybe replace something? - Kuzminov, who just said that the university has no future has no future. - We perfectly understand that politics can be engaged in completely different forms. Young members of the LDPR, for example, [also politicians].

“The university due to these situations is of great risk. For example, Pussy Riot 2 will appear, but this is not a policy. It is necessary to designate such a phenomenon. "

The girl protests. The Studs council at the moment did not find a single normative act with a similar wording. Students' support is not as strong as the teachers, and the discussion continues. “In the case of the Russy Riot 2, to make all attempts to exclude affiliation,” someone is joking on the council. As a result, the norm is nevertheless removed as a duplicate at the suggestion of Alexander Arkhangelsky.

“The Cosmidis raises his hand, and I think that we should go to vote,” notes Valery Kasamar vice-rector before the spokesman of the Moscow Studs council, who talks about the collected signatures left by people with the requirements of the student council. Nevertheless, they are still invalid: according to Kasamara, their “anonymously” was collected by the “anonymous” initiative group #in the Chextivacus, which is a “direct example of damage to the reputation of the university”.

- Unknown people carry out collective actions outside the university’s information space. It is very strange to expect that it will be normally reacted. This is a shameful behavior that undermines the trust between people at the university, ”Kuzminov supports her.

At half past five in the evening, the rules of the internal routine are accepted in the editorial office (taking into account the amendments of the Studio Council). Only one person votes against: Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics Vladlen Timorin.

The initiative group exists

After the adoption of the internal regulations of the Higher School of Sciences, members of the Scientific Council suddenly recall that on the agenda there is another document on the support of Studorganizations, according to which the HSE will no longer support student media. VASHE Valery Casamara vice -rector begins to tell why in the status of student initiatives (and not organizations) the media will only be better.

After half an hour, the audience remaining in the broadcast hall cannot withstand. The voting result is already clear, but the signed students can still prove that their signatures are valid if they return to the atrium and meet the members of the scientific council after the meeting. The problem is that the university is officially closed. They may simply not put into the building of students.

When a group of children goes to another corps, the guards really do not let them further than the corridor before leaving the meetings.

In order to somehow attract attention, activists make posters: “We exist”, “We are”, “The initiative group is us.”

At the end of the Academic Council, students are noticed by Valery Kasamar and the acting head of the HSE information policy Oleg Solodukhin.

“Valeria Aleksandrovna, you wanted an initiative group, so here it is,” says the vice -rector Egor Zhukov

“You did not contact me either by phone or corporate mail.” The student council sent a document that he agreed with the edits of Roman Kiselev from the initiative group. You have remained anonymous for me. If we talk about signatures, then everything that you did was incorrect. You collected signatures under a document that was finally edited tonight. In addition, you have disseminated negative information about the Higher School of Economics, which did not contribute to a constructive dialogue.

- Signatures were collected against an open letter with clear requirements. We opposed the ban on political activity, but he remained, as well as against the ban on collective letters, but he also remained. Student Council is a separate body, it may have its own position. We collected 5200 signatures. For the student council, fewer people voted in total.

“I do not believe that in a week you could collect five thousand signatures,” Kasamara argues.

“But we had 30 collectors,” the students answer.

- For me there are students of the Higher School of Economics and the legitimate body elected by students. Learn not only to play politics, but also to convey your opinion in all possible legal ways.

“We wanted to agree, but they refused us,” Zhukov continues.

- And a week earlier could you come? - Oleg Solodukhin is indignant nearby.

“There was nothing before a week before,” the students answer.

At the end of the meeting, the DOXA editor Armen Araman asks to comment on all the violations that were recorded by the initiative group during the collection of signatures: pressure on students, shooting collectors of signatures by guards, checking documents. The vice -rector promises that all messages will be checked. When students leave the university building, almost midnight on the clock. Tatyanina begins day.