Passions heat up in French University
The management of the French University in Armenia (UFAR) has fired 29 professors and lecturers since the beginning of July for reasons that are still unknown.
The fired personnel say written notifications received by them contain no reasons for their dismissal.
Rector Joelle Le Morzellec says the dismissal was a must. The contracts with the dismissed professors were suspended on August 2. Further, she added that they did their best to meet the RA legislation.
Fourteen of the fired staff have asked a Yerevan court to overturn their dismissal from the University which they consider unfair and illegal.
The rector connects the layoffs with the reduction of certain subjects in the curriculum and expiry of the term of work contracts. Human rights ombudsman Armen Harutiunian who teaches law in the university will continue working.
Joelle Le Morzellec complained of the attitude of dismissed professors saying it was one of the reasons for layoffs.
"Sometimes professors behave like students. They are late for lessons. Besides, they do not present their working plans in time. I would not like to give the names of these professors not to limit their chances to be employed by other universities."
Gayane Hakobian, who taught English at the university, said she was shocked by her dismissal. She found the rector's accusations ridiculous and absurd.
Anush Mkhitaryan, lecturer of French, assured us that the contract carried no date of expiration. I never missed a lesson. In May I was sent to Bulgaria for training and I returned with excellent results," she said.
"Four lecturers were dismissed from our chair. It hurts so much to see years of work come to an abrupt end. They can't treat us like secondhand shoes or clothes and throw us to the street. I have never had any problems with or my superiors," said her colleague Naira Kokhtieva.
