Stricter Personnel Management

The Student Parliament plans to work for stricter policies in relation to University staff. Ingrid Stranger-Thorsen, leader of the Student Parliament, notes that once employed, staff are in practice secured positions for life. The management is failing to enforce requirements concerning teaching qualifications.

Many Questions

The many queries in connection with the impending reforms in higher education have led to delays at the student information centres. Manager of the Faculty of Social Sciences Information Centre, Tron Trondal, says that students have had to wait up to a month for guidance. Enquiries via e-mail and telephone as well as over the counter have almost trebled at the faculties of the Social Sciences and of Historical and Philosophical studies. Trondal is considering introducing group guidance sessions in order to deal with the demand for information.

Co-operating with Arms Producers

The Institute for Computing is co-operating with one of the European major companies producing technology for the military market, Thales. – It is impossible to be absolutely certain that the result of research is not used for military purposes, says Institute Manager Oddvar Søråsen. He adds that ethical considerations concerning the co-operation venture are left to individual researchers. Stian Christensen of peace research forum PROION is concerned and shocked that the Institute\'s management has not considered the ethical dimension of such co-operation.