TATTE has been involved in the preparation of a position paper and has taken a stand with five other local staff associations and the Student Union of Tampere University on the development of the university regulations (see the unofficial translation of the position paper below, or toggle over to the Finnish to read the original). The position paper is related to a proposal by the Academic Board (consistory) to the University Board to amend the university regulations (10 December 2024). The Academic Board proposed that the Board Appointment Committee should be enlarged by one staff member and that the Committee should enjoy the confidence of the Academic Board. At its meeting on 6 February 2025, the University Board did not decide on the Academic Board’s proposal, but instead broadened the discussion to a larger number of options defined by the Chair of the University Board and requested statements on the options from the founders and the Academic Board (see https://intra.tuni.fi/content/news/62802).
The position papers recalls the work done in the past by the university community to strengthen self-governance and develop the governance system. It encourages the University Board to take these views, which are still largely shared by the university community, into account in its future decision-making.
TATTE’s unofficial English translation of the position paper:
Board of Tampere University
Statement on the development of the university regulations
Dear Board of Tampere University,
As the Board considers the Academic Board’s (consistory’s) proposal on the composition of the Board Appointment Committee and the amendment of the university regulations, we, the undersigned staff associations and the Student Union of Tampere University, would like to recall the work that has been done in the past to develop the university regulations. A working group led by Thomas Wilhemsson, former Chancellor and Professor Emeritus of the University of Helsinki, worked on the development of the Tampere University’s governance system and regulations in autumn 2020. The members of the working group were drawn from the seven different faculties of the university, using the representative tripartite principle, and were supplemented by two additional staff members to strengthen representativeness.
The working group’s report identified 18 points to improve the governance system in order to strengthen the autonomy and good governance of the university community. With regard to the appointment of the University Board and the Board Appointment Committee, the working group unanimously recommended the following:
“Since the members of the Board of the Tampere University Foundation are appointed by the joint multi-member administrative body of the university after consultation with the founders of the Tampere University Foundation, its decision-making power should not be bound by the proposal of the Board Appointment Committee within the meaning of Article 11 of the university regulations. The working group therefore proposes:
(1) The Academic Board should be free to select the members of the University Board without any restrictions other than those imposed by law. Three of the members of the University Board are to be elected from at least six candidates nominated by the founders, with the other restrictions being mainly that no member of the operational management can be elected to the University Board. Article 11(5) of the university’s regulations should be reviewed in this light.” (s. 10)
“(2) The Academic Board should determine the procedure for determining that the composition of the University Board is prepared in accordance with the University Act and the regulations of the Foundation. The composition of the Board Appointment Committee is determined by the Academic Board and the representatives of the university community are selected by the Academic Board.” (s. 10)
The working group of the Ministry of Education and Culture that examined the state of autonomy of universities also concluded in its report on university autonomy (Hallberg et al. 2021) that universities should develop internal democracy on their own initiative, for example by reforming their governing regulations.
We, the undersigned staff associations and the Student Union of Tampere University, ask the Board to take into account the work done and the position taken by the university community in the past in its future decisions.
Professoriliiton Tampereen yliopiston osasto
Tampereen korkeakoulujen henkilöstö JHL 660 ry
Tampereen tekniikan tieteentekijät 3T
Tampereen yliopiston henkilökuntayhdistys TaYHY
Tampereen yliopiston opetusalan paikallisyhdistys TaYLL
Tampereen yliopiston tieteentekijät TATTE
Tampereen ylioppilaskunta TREY