David Pollick: I was invited to EHU for resolving its financial problems

ehu.lt

Newly appointed EHU head told about elections, budget deficiency, frozen tranche of $2 million, and work at the submarine.

On Thursday, April 16, an online press conference with participation of a new EHU head, American professor David Pollick and EHU President Anatoly Mihailau took place. EHU leaders answered the questions sent by the journalists.

According to Pr. Pollick, EHU curriculum will be considerably changed – a number of old programs will be closed and new ones will be opened – “the mission of the university will be specified”. The leaders of the university will consider EHU’s administrative structure and take course on enhancing the efficiency of management.

It turned out that students’ education brings only 40% of all budget, whereas its deficiency is counted at 1 million euro. It were financial problems that served as a reason for inviting an American to the work to EHU.

Besides, there is no consensus between the trust fund and the Governing Board. Tranche of $2 million allocated by the Council of Ministers of the Nordic states is frozen, and to use it EHU should fulfill the terms of decreasing budgetary expenses by 20-25%.

The election process was complicated and not very pleasant for a new head because of information background, but David Pollick didn’t “take it to heart”. He refused to answer the question about the salary.

EuroBelarus: - Mr. David, are speculations about your refusal from occupying the position of a university’s head because of financial terms justified?

David Pollick: - no, I wasn’t rejecting the position. It is very hard to find out the sources of information here, but I wouldn’t like to rely on speculations. The information about me refusing to take this position because of the suggested salary seems absurd to me.

When I was offered a position of a university’s consultant a question about the salary was raised. I agreed to the sum that I was offered; but we all have to understand that situation with salaries is different in different parts of the world…

EuroBelarus: - Is it true that after a year of your management EHU got budget deficiency of 1 million euro? Comment upon this information, as well as why this circumstance didn’t prevent you from becoming a rector.

D.P.: - No, it isn’t true. 1 million euro deficiency existed before my appointment, and was, in fact, the reason why I was invited to EHU as a consultant.

But indeed, it is very important to note that this deficiency still exists. First of all, due to huge difficulties related to university’s moving to Lithuania in 2004, after EHU was closed in Belarus.

Nevertheless, it is important to say that Lithuania made it possible for the university to revive. And, of course, we are very grateful for it. However, we should understand that being in Lithuania, university has to observe the legislation existing in this country, including that in terms of labor relations.

In 2012 in Stockholm EHU Governing Board made a decision about university’s changing to the form of employment required by the Lithuanian legislation.

The representatives of the university’s trust fund that unites all the donors also attended this meeting. They reached consensus re changing to a new form of labor relations. However, at the moment they decided to do so, immediately – in 2013 – the recalled budget deficiency of 1 million euro appeared. And I came to EHU in 2014.

When I came the university was busy with additional processes that caused extra expenses such as commission for employing teaching staff. I was the head of this commission, and everyone who took part in its work could confirm that its work was exclusively effective.

As to your question of why the Search Committee disregarded financial situation when my candidacy was appointed, it is quite vice versa. The process of searching for the university’s head was international, as the key term was to find candidates that have experience of university management so that the candidate has the required competence for resolving financial difficulties university found itself in.

Strategic plan for resolving the issue of budget deficiency would be launched before summer. It couldn’t have been launched earlier because the elections were clearly aggressive. Now the resources of the EHU trust fund are frozen and the current situation requires univocal and sometimes very dramatic decisions.

A two-million euro tranche allocated by the Council of Ministers of the Nordic states is frozen, and to unfreeze it EHU has to fulfill the obligation of decreasing budgetary expenses by 20-25%. It should be done for the donor’s assembly that is scheduled for June.

EuroBelarus: - One of the websites has information about an interesting detail in your biography – it says you were in Vietnam. If it is so, when was it and do you have injuries and decorations?

D.P.: - Yes, I used to be a military man, but now I am a civilian. I was serving in the navy until 1971 and actively participated in hostilities from 1966 to 1968. I was serving in the 1^st flotilla of submarines, and my duties included work with nuclear weapon placed at the submarines.

EuroBelarus: - A question to Anatoly Mihailau. Do you think that the mechanism of EHU head elections is quite transparent?

Anatoly Mihailau: - There is a document that specifies the process of elections. It is written in accordance with the international standards adopted everywhere in the world. Maybe, for Belarus this document seems not very usual and natural. It contains very detailed description of all the stages of election process and is available for everyone.

So when I hear that the elections have to be reorganized, since they were nontransparent, the question appears: what lies in such kind of opinion? And the other question: what are the grounds for our doubts in competence and authority of those who form the search committee?

This committee is headed by famous specialists with experience in education management in many countries of the world. So does Belarus need this international experience or we will still be doing everything on our own and ignore the different experience?

Such approach has already infringed much harm to Belarus, as our positive thoughts about our abilities to conduct reforms haven’t proved themselves in practice.

I believe that we need this experience; otherwise the situation we have now in Belarus will be going on for a long time.

Elections through the eyes of Dan E. Davidson

On the threshold of the press conference the Rectors’ Search Committee Chair, doctor Dan E. Davidson also answered the questions of “EuroBelarus”.

- D. Pollick was elected as the Rector of the University on April 3 at General Assembly of Part-owners meeting. Why did the official announcement appear only a week later, on April 10?

- This is the international procedure after each General Assembly of Part Founders (GAPO) meeting which always takes longer time to make an official announcement. Also, April 3 – 6 were Easter holidays in many western countries and many, including dr. Pollick, were traveling at that time.  That delayed communication and action on the GAPO decisions a few days, nothing more.  

 - What were the reasons why Sshytsova Tatiana and Aliakandr Milinkevich didn't pass the competition for the Rector's position?  BOTH ARE VERY STRONG CANDIDATES AND FINALISTS.  

- The final decision by the Governing Board was based on a careful analysis of the "fit" between each candidate's qualifications and experience and the specific requirements for the new leader of EHU.     

 - Do you think that the mechanism of EHU Rector selection was transparent enough?  

- The mechanism itself was transparent, but the search committee should have devoted more time and resources early on to explaining the process to the EHU community. The board was familiar with the process, but the community was not. For example, many understood the process as a kind of public  'election', rather than as an international search, which is what the governing board mandated.   

- What would you answer the candidates who distrust the Selection Committee (because of excessive secrecy)?    

- If a high level search cannot protect the privacy of the candidates who apply for the position and the confidentiality of the review processes, then highly qualified candidates will simply not apply for the position.  Those directly involved in the search, including observers, board members, and GAPO had full access to all search records and documents.   

- According to the former head of the Senate Pavel Tserashkovich, EHU has received a budget deficit of $ 1 million under D. Pollick's management in the last year.   

- The current budget deficit is connected with EHU’s major restructuring by the Governing Board of the university staffing plan in order to bring it into full compliance with Lithuanian labor law, decisions taken by the Governing Board with the full knowledge of the trust fund many months before D. Pollick assumed the role of interim rector on October 1, 2014.   

- Journalists would be well advised to address questions about the EHU senate to the actual chairman of the senate, professor Miniankov, rather than to the former head, who has no formal connection with EHU. 

- How would you comment on the information about financial crisis? And why this fact had no influence the results of the selection process and D. Pollick was appointed a Rector?

- The financial crisis had a definite influence on the board's decision to appoint dr. Pollick, who is highly experienced in successfully managing institutional transitions, strategic planning and successful accreditation for institutions similar to EHU.