Self-Governance Elections in TSU Underway amid Student Protest
TBILISI - Tbilisi State University (TSU) is holding its self-government elections today against a background of protest by a group of students, calling themselves Auditorium 115, who demand the elections be cancellation and reforms be implemented throughout the university.
The TSU self-government of students (Tvitmmartveloba in Georgian) is made up of 140 students with a President as the highest decision-maker within.
The mission of the TSU student self-government is to represent and serve the needs of TSU students in their pursuit of educational, political, ideological, activist and humanitarian needs.
The students of the self-government, which was founded in 2006, say it is dedicated to the principles of unity and that the student’s needs are best defined and communicated by the students themselves.
174 candidates are running in the Tvitmmartveloba elections. 20 delegates will be chosen for each faculty.
Members of Auditorium 115 broke into the 6th building of TSU and occupied it today. They are also holding a protest rally at the main building of the university and have published a list of demands. They claim the TSU self-government is politicized and call on parliament and the government to abolish the existing system and reorganize it.
“A rule of direct election of students for the councils of faculties should be implemented, a lower limit for the funding of education and science should be defined in the Constitution and funds should be allocated for the rehabilitation of students’ hostel,” the statement of Auditorium 115 reads.
Moreover, the group of students are calling on Rector Giorgi Sharvashidze to keep his promise and introduce an external referral mechanism.
“We call on the students and lecturers to join our protest. We are not going to stop until all our demands are met!” Auditorium 115 stated today.
Self-government acting President Bakhva Kvirikashvili says the Auditorium 115 protests are destructive and provocative and has called on the students not to support them.
“Auditorium 115 hinders the normal functioning of the university and, unfortunately, this is not their first act of vandalism. I expect they will also try to occupy the main building and preventive measures should be carried out quicky,” he said.
The first protest of TSU students took place in early March when then-Rector Vladimer Papava confirmed the existence of so-called ODRs ("agents") affiliated with the Ministry of Internal Affairs at TSU. The students demanded an immediate investigation, claiming it to threaten the autonomy of the University and indicates interference from the government. They also asked for a reorganization of the students’ self-government, accusing them of misspending the university budget .
Some members of Tvitmmartveloba formed a group opposing Auditorium 115 and asked for the resignation of the University Rector, Vladimer Papava.
The existence of two opposing groups hightened the situation in TSU in March and Rector Vladimer Papava did resign. The active involvement of the Ministry of Education also helped to defuse the unrest and studies were resumed.
Yet in April the students came out again claiming their demands had not been fully met.
Protest rallies and general unrest continued at TSU in September when Gia Sharvashidze, former Deputy Education Minister, was elected as the new rector of the University.
The Rector offered to start a dialogue with the students and agreed to fulfill their main demands: High quality and affordable education, university autonomy, implementation of external reforms, reforming of the student self-government, allocating funds for the students’ hostel and allowing registration to students who cannot reach the registration base due to unpaid fees.
However, the students claim their negotiations with the rector and the government officials have so far been unsuccessful.
Georgia’s Acting Education Minister, Alexander Jejelava, said of the recent developments at the TSU: “Student engagement and participation in self-government elections at the State University is very high. However, there will always be dissatisfied people and these elections are no exception,” said Jejelava expressing hope that the process would be resumed peacefully.
The TSU Rector says he agrees with some of the demands of Auditorium 115 but says their form of protest is unacceptable for him as it hinders studies at the university.
“The elections will be held in a normal manner and students will be able to vote. The changes should be made to the student self-government but within the frames of the law. As for the protest of Auditorium 115, we will act in accordance with law,” said Sharvashidze.
By Thea Morrison
Photos: Members of Auditorium 115. Source: ipress.ge