The Ukrainian Weekly 2010, No.50
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Ukrainian Catholic University, Fordham OK academic exchange – page 8. • Is there a future for the Ukrainian press in North America? – page 9. • Photo follow-up: Holodomor commemorations in Kyiv – page 15. THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVIII No. 50 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2010 $1/$2 in Ukraine At UNA General Assembly meeting, Kyiv Mohyla Academy reports executives report another good year new government restrictions by Zenon Zawada Kyiv Press Bureau KYIV – Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science, led by the controversial Dmytro Tabachnyk, has begun a campaign to restrict the autonomy of the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy and halt its progressive reforms in higher educa- tion, the university’s president, Serhiy Kvit, said at a December 9 press conference. The ministry wants to eliminate the uni- versity’s English language requirement, its pioneering Ph.D. programs, and unique admission standards for its master’s degree programs, which require passing five exams, he said. Minister Tabachnyk even seeks to forbid students from freely attend- Roma Hadzewycz ing lectures. “The minister wants to cancel in our stat- UNA General Assembly members during the opening ceremonies of their meeting. utes and rights precisely that which in by Roma Hadzewycz the UNA’s full-time executive officers that Western Europe is the foundation of the Zenon Zawada the UNA’s financial condition continues to Bologna Process and the European Higher KERHONKSON, N.Y. – Members of Education Area (EHEA),” Dr. Kvit stated. National University of Kyiv Mohyla improve. Academy President Serhiy Kvit. the Ukrainian National Association’s They also participated in planning ses- Kyiv Mohyla Academy has been at the General Assembly gathered at their special sions related to the UNA’s core business, forefront of reforming Ukraine’s anachro- meeting here over the weekend of nistic system of higher education, which sciences degree would automatically qualify December 4-5 heard the good news from (Continued on page 4) doesn’t conform to the standards of the for a Ph.D., according to the legislation, Western world and is replete with corrup- without creating any structured doctoral tion, which has reportedly been re-invigorat- programs. This is when no system of pre- ed by Mr. Tabachnyk. paring candidate of science scholars exists A letter from the UNA’s president It’s precisely these reasons – the universi- either. Nobody needs such Ph.D.s, he said. ty’s spirit of independence and its fight “As typical in the former Soviet Union, Dear Members: $110 million milestone achieved as of against corruption – that Kyiv Mohyla this law changes something formally with- December 31, 2009, by $35 million. Academy is being targeted by the ministry, out changing its essence,” Dr. Kvit said. “If On behalf of the Ukrainian National Asset growth has been spurred on by a said Dr. Kvit, whose statements were a reac- we change education in its essence, then we Association’s Executive Committee, I strong performance in sales. Premium tion to the ministry’s recent legislative pro- have to take responsibility upon ourselves.” had the honor and the privilege of wel- income surged to $40.531 million for posals and its reassessment of the universi- Universities need autonomy in order to coming the newly elected and return- the nine months ending September 30, ty’s charter. be competitive on an international level, Dr. ing board members of the UNA, on the outperforming the impressive premium “The goal of the reconfirmation of our Kvit said, yet the legislation further restricts occasion of our first post-convention income level achieved for the year end- charter is to take away everything that gave General Assembly meeting, which was ing December 31, 2009, which reached NUKMA’s autonomy, a process that began us the possibility during the last 20 years to held at Soyuzivka on December 4-5. $35.917 million. in 2008 under the prior education minister, achieve those successes that we currently My colleagues on the Executive Despite lower yields, investment Ivan Vakarchuk. have,” he said. Committee and I are so pleased with income continues to exhibit a solid The next year, he forced NUKMA to The National University of Kyiv Mohyla the spirit of cooperation and teamwork performance, as net investment income abandon its sole reliance on its unique Academy (NUKMA) is considered among that were exhibited by this new reached $4.823 million for the nine entrance exam in favor of standardized Ukraine’s top universities, offering six Ph.D. General Assembly. The sessions were months ended September 30, in com- admissions testing that was implemented programs, the only such school in Ukraine. productive and fruitful, and we look parison with the $4.924 million report- nationally. The NUKMA tests became part It has been at the forefront of educational forward to working together with each ed for the year ended December 31, of several criteria. reform in Ukraine, launching the first bach- and every member of the board. Each 2009. The UNA’s investment portfolio This time around, the university’s 12 to elor’s and master’s degree programs when member’s knowledge, expertise and remains solid and the credit quality 15 interdisciplinary programs would be many other universities were laughing off vision will be an invaluable contribu- excellent. Surplus continues to main- eliminated by the legislation, which denies such attempts. tion in helping us define our organiza- tain its stability and stands at $4.881 students any freedom in deciding their The Education Ministry has submitted tion and achieve success. million. course curriculum – another holdover from legislation for review by the Verkhovna I was equally pleased to report to the We are very pleased with these the Soviet era. Rada that claims to introduce reforms in General Assembly on the financial per- accomplishments. Much progress has NUKMA students currently have the lux- higher education. However, Dr. Kvit alleged formance of the Ukrainian National been made, and with this new General ury of pursuing a double major and a minor these changes are largely formal so that the Association for the nine months ending Assembly we will continue to serve in undergraduate studies, another option not government can claim it’s taking steps to September 30, 2010. I would like to our members and work toward devel- offered by most universities in Ukraine. integrate with European standards. take this opportunity to share these oping and growing our fraternal orga- Students can also pursue a master’s degree For example, Ukrainian universities highlights with you, our loyal members, nization. in a field different than their bachelor’s stud- would begin adapting to the three levels of via the pages of our UNA publications. Thank you for placing your trust in us. ies. higher education – bachelor’s, master’s and Despite the languishing economy, Sincerely, The legislation also seeks to eliminate the 2010 is proving to be a banner year. doctoral degrees. Yet they would still main- university’s English language requirement Growth continues as net admitted Stefan Kaczaraj tain the outdated Soviet degrees of specialist for admissions, citing discrimination. Dr. assets as of September 30 reached President (five years), candidate of sciences (three Kvit said that requirement is legal and con- $144 million and have surpassed the Ukrainian National Association years) and doctor of sciences. Those students earning a candidate of (Continued on page 20) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2010 No. 50 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Ukraine achieves limited progress Ukraine to miss Nobel ceremony “What happened during the night [the dismantling of the tent city of protesters KYIV – Ukraine’s Ambassador to on Independence Square early on in European Union integration Norway Oleksander Tsvetkov will not December 3] was a ticket to a war. We’ve by Pavel Korduban attitude to democratic values but for the attend the Nobel Prize award ceremony accepted this invitation, and we Eurasia Daily Monitor partnership relations established between for China’s jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo, announced a ‘general mobilization’ for the PRU and the Socialists in the European as Mr. Tsvetkov will be in Kyiv on Monday,” he said at a briefing in Kyiv on In November the European Union Parliament. The Socialists blocked an earli- December 10 at a meeting of ambassa- December 3. He also noted that business- offered Kyiv a plan for visa-free travel and er, tougher version of the resolution which dors. Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry men were “standing on the maidan the European Parliament recognized that was backed by the right-of-center People’s does not see any political implications [Independence Square] for the sake of Ukraine has a right to apply for EU mem- Party (Kommersant-Ukraine, November here, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman democracy in our country, rather than for bership. Previous Ukrainian governments, 26). Oleh Voloshyn told Ukrayinska Pravda the sake of selfish interests.” (Interfax- perceived in Europe as more pro-European On the positive side, the European on December 7. The official website of Ukraine) than the current one, could not boast of such Parliament welcomed the visa liberalization the Nobel Prize notes that Ukraine is achievements. plan offered by the EU and urged its mem- among 19 states (China, Russia, Tax protesters face charges At the same time, it was made clear to bers to abolish visa fees for Ukrainians, as Kazakhstan, Colombia, Tunisia, Saudi KYIV – Police in Kyiv have launched Kyiv that if the situation with democracy well as declared that Ukraine has the right to Arabia, Pakistan, Serbia, Iraq, Iran, an investigation into the alleged destruc- continued to deteriorate, Brussels might apply for EU membership (Kommersant- Vietnam, Afghanistan, Venezuela, tion of city property by protesters, RFE/ change its stance.