University heads to cancel semester if strike not over in 20 days
Council of University Presidents announces first academic semester will be called off if senior faculty's strike is not over by January 13
The first academic semester would be cancelled if the senior faculty's strike is not over by January 13, the Council of University Presidents decided Sunday in an urgent meeting to discuss the crisis.
"This is the latest date that would still enable us to properly complete the academic year," the council said in a statement.
If studies are indeed resumed by the agreed-upon date, the academic year would last till the end of July and exams would be held in August.
The university heads have also agreed to take every available measure to stop the strike, including petitioning the National Labor Court for injunctions against the striking lecturers.
Furthermore, the council's chairman, Prof. Moshe Kaveh, invited Prof. Zvi Hacohen, representing the senior faculty, for an urgent meeting with the university presidents Monday in a bid to again try and find a solution for the ongoing dispute.
The lecturers' strike began on October 21, following long deliberations with representatives of the Finance and Education Ministries that yielded no results.
