The HSE management decided not to renew the contract with five teachers. Among them is Novaya journalist Kirill Martynov.

The Higher School of Economics did not renew the contract with five teachers of the School of Philosophy due to the "reorganization" of the university. It is reported by RBC with reference to the press service of the university.

We are talking about Victor Gorbatov, Ilya Guryanov, Dmitry Turko, Tatyana Levina and Kirill Martynov.

“Out of respect for my colleagues who remained working at the School of Philosophy, I will not give an assessment of what is happening. The dismissal was explained by formal reasons, such as the reduction in the number of courses in philosophy at the university. Nobody believes in this version, including those who are now obliged to officially “communicate the leadership’s position to the team,” commented Martynov, head of the political department of Novaya Gazeta. Martynov's contract expired in August. “Formally, HSE just didn’t extend it,” he says.

Tatyana Levina, who supported the convicts in the “Moscow case” and collaborated with the student magazine DOXA, told the publication that she was able to stay at the university only for 0.1 rate in the laboratory until the end of 2020. Ilya Guryanov, deputy chairman of the university cell of the University Solidarity trade union, was told at the university that he “does not pass the assessment of publication activity (PPA) for the first time.” Guryanov notes that his publications have always met the requirements, so he will fight for his labor rights.

Ella Paneyakh, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Sociology at the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg, was fired for a similar reason in early August. “I did not pass on formal grounds. There is an assessment of publication activity. One of my publications was highly rated last year, but this year the evaluation criteria have changed,” she said.

The “reorganization” in question is part of the university development program until 2030, adopted by the Higher School of Economics. In accordance with it, the leadership can carry out "serious changes in the structure of faculties to meet the new tasks of the university," the press service of the Higher School of Economics explains.

At the same time, on July 2, the student magazine DOXA reported on the plans of the university leadership to cut "opposition-minded teachers" under the pretext of uniting the Schools of Philosophy and Cultural Studies. Viktor Gorbatov, lecturer at the School of Philosophy, referring to his colleagues, spoke about the creation of a list of "unreliable" employees who could be laid off.