Education Minister Pushes Appointments to Higher Education Council Ahead of Elections
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Education Minister Yoav Kisch is pushing to appoint three new members to the Council for Higher Education just two weeks before elections, following the resignation of five previous members. The Committee of University Heads has criticized the move as an illegal "hijacking" and vowed to oppose it. Kisch stated the appointments are temporary and necessary for the council's proper functioning.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Education Minister Yoav Kisch is advancing appointments to the Council for Higher Education two weeks before elections.
- Three new professors are proposed for the council, following five resignations in protest of gender segregation legislation.
- The Committee of University Heads called the appointments an illegal "hijacking" and vowed to oppose them.
- Kisch stated the appointments are temporary and needed for the council's continued operation.
- The university heads have appealed to the Attorney General's office for guidance on the matter.
Education Minister Yoav Kisch is advancing the appointment of three new members to the Council for Higher Education (CHE), a body he also chairs. The move comes just two weeks before elections and two months after five CHE members resigned in protest of legislation mandating gender segregation in academia. The resignations left the council with a shortage of active members, hindering its proper functioning.
Kisch is proposing Professors Berta Schwartz, Miri Weiss-Cohen, and Racheli Sharabi for six-month terms. Schwartz, a nutrition sciences professor, was recommended by Peres Academic Center. Weiss-Cohen, an associate professor of software engineering, was recommended by the Committee of Heads of Colleges. Sharabi, a sociology professor, was recommended by Ashkelon Academic College.
In a letter to higher education institutions, Kisch explained that the resignations necessitated seeking new candidates. He stated the three proposed members were chosen based on their academic standing, research, publications, and contributions to higher education. Kisch emphasized that these appointments are temporary, lasting until the end of the current council's term in April 2027, and will not impact the next education minister's decisions on the future council's composition.
The Committee of University Heads strongly condemned the minister's decision, calling the appointments a "hijacking" and illegal given the timing before elections. They stated they have formally appealed to the minister and the Attorney General's office for guidance on making appointments during this sensitive period. The committee expressed regret over Kisch's unilateral actions and vowed to use all available means to oppose them.
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