YOUNG LEADERSHIP FOR STUDENTS: THEY COULDN’T DREAM OF MORE

Lragir.am
11 Sept 06

The new or comparatively new rector of Yerevan State University Aram
Simonyan met news reporters September 11 and gave his first press
conference. Aram Simonyan gave the press conference after 100 days of
office, even more. And it is not accidental that he chose September 11
for the 100 days news conference. 9/11 is considered as a beginning
of a new situation in the world, a new epoch, new relations. And the
interview of the new rector was about this, not in global terms, of
course, but in terms of the university. Despite huge difference in
space, over the past 3 or 4 months Aram Simonyan managed to change
so many things that Bush did not manage over the past 5 years.

Simonyan’s changes are connected with the structure and staff.

Aram Simonyan dismissed ones and appointed others, closed down some
departments and opened others. The new rector appointed vice rectors,
heads of departments. He says what he did is not an end in itself
but a necessity that occurred long ago.

"When a new leadership comes, they must select people from their
so-called team he can work with and trust. Therefore, considering
the fact that the leadership of the university are elderly people,
and almost half are aged 70 and more, it was therefore necessary to
renew the leadership of the university," says the rector of Yerevan
State University Aram Simonyan. He denies the news that by the new
appointment he rewarded people who elected him rector and Serge
Sargsyan head of the Managing Board of YSU.

Aram Simonyan says the appointments were not made at random. He named
people who have corresponding work experience, knowledge and have
worked in the administration of the university for many years. Simply
they were occupying lower positions, they were promoted, but it does
not mean that Simonyan had to. "There was no pressure on me," the
rector says. Nevertheless, people who participated in the election
of rector and voted for Aram Simonyan profited from most of his
appointments. For instance, the department of public relations he
set up is led by students who are members of the board and voted in
the election, not hiding that they preferred Aram Simonyan. However,
this and the other staff changes do not mean that we deal with rewards
by the rector and the chair of the board of the university.

This is God’s will rather than a black arrangement.

Aram Simonyan also decentralized the financial levers. He
divided planning and finance from accountancy and set up a separate
department. Besides, the new rector established a department of reforms
in the university, a center of culture, a psychological center, a
career center, and several other centers. Meanwhile, the personnel
of service was laid off, and the university thus economized for new
jobs. Eventually, a renewed and young university appeared, and in order
to see it there will be very many people who would even gladly pay,
if not for themselves, they will surely pay for their children. For
the changes are for nobody else but the children.