Vitalii Nikolaichuk: ‘We will fight for the ski resort “Plishka” in the court’

Even a month has not passed since Professor Vitalii Ivanovich Nikolaichuk’s appointment on the post of UzhNU rector interim and the new scandals and political games are associated with the University. All the pro rector’s staff was changed after all, and two of them (Alexandr Slyvka and Igor Studeniak) even appalled to the court. However, the introduction company is coming soon and it is always a lot of work. The university has the urgent problems besides this. Therefore we are talking to the Uzhgorod National University rector interim Vitalii Ivanovich Nikolaichuk about the solutions of these problems, scandals, staff change and the new leadership plans.

– Vitalii Ivanovich, tell us please about the salary payment delay situation to the teachers and UzhNU staff. Why is it happened?

 – Only a part of our employees is held on the means of the special fund that is money earned by the university. The number of department and staff unreasonably increased recently. Revenues were significantly exceeded by the expenditures. Therefore, we are negotiating with banks to get the ‘zero’ loan in order to repay debts. We will pay off everything to banks in the autumn.

– Is the situation the same with scholarships?

– No, the scholarship will be repaid in full, even with the indexation. We have already prepared the relevant documents.

– Have this year’s admission changed?

– The entrants will apply on the last year’s scheme. The only thing was changed is that the profile subjects’ minimum score should not be 124, but 140.

– Will a tuition fee change this year?

 – Yes. It will be reduced in order to completely fill in the license volume.

– If you fill in the license volume the large number of students who need hostels will appear. Are there an adequate living condition? Will the repairs be held in the hostels and where get money for this?

– The ministry promised a part of money and the rest are the sponsors’ money. There are a lot of Transcarpathian businessmen who are working in the capital now. They are ready to help us immediately. The ministry plans to allocate the significant amount of money for the major repairs for the next year. This is a couple of millions. We have already started some works: restored benches near the hostel number 4. Sponsors provided us with gravel, sand and cement, so we are working little by little.

– Vitalii Ivanovich, you are accused of the staff purges. What are the reasons of the staff changes in Uzhgorod National University, since you fired all the pro rectors?

– As for the former pro rectors all the prescribed formalities were respected. All the fired were employed at the university. However, someone wants to be in a managerial position forever. But such does not happen.

– Continuing the theme: why was the deputy head of Zoology Department Fedor Kurtik dismissed?

– There has been rudely violated the elections procedure. We have conducted the official verification, cancelled the illegitimate decision and appointed the interim. The normal competition will be held now. And Fedir Kurtiak will be able to participate in elections again. There are a lot of violations in the university, unfortunately. They must be corrected.

– What about the head of the Legal Department Viktoriia Kliap dismissal?

– She wrote the letter for resignation. Nobody made her to do it. There is the facts speculation. On the other hand, how should we treat the official who sees the procedure violation on the Academic Council and closes her eyes on this and even signs the following documents telling that these instructions gave the leadership?

– Sometimes appears information in the mass media where the new leadership speaks of the old ones defects, accusing the former leaders in the illegal privatization, the election procedures violations, etc. Were really established the illegal activities facts?

– Now we faced with the lawlessness of ‘Plishka’, apartment, which the former rector took. The first thing I did, I wrote an appeal and we will fight for the ski resort ‘Plishka’ in the Lviv court. The public get to know about the other violations after the verification.