It was with a vast majority that the members of the Academic Senate (AS) voted for an unscheduled meeting to take place. The next regular meeting of the university parliament was planned for April 21. “That is too late,” lamented the university lecturers Professor Rita Groß-Hardt and Professor Matthis Kepser and suggested to the AS members that a special virtual meeting be held. “It is important that we, as representatives of the university members, position ourselves. The situation is serious,” according to Rita Groß-Hardt. “We cannot wait until April,” adds Matthis Kepser. “Now is the time that we need to stand for the realization of the Science Plan 2025!”

The President, Professor Bernd Scholz-Reiter, who is the Academic Senate Chairman, finds it fitting and sensible that the Academic Senate is involved in the current debate. “The diverse involvement at the University of Bremen, which stems from the current discussions surrounding the budget plan, shows how very dependent the development of the university is on the scientific budget,” explains the President.

Scholz-Reiter and the Chairman of the Staff Council, Holger Ruge, already wrote a joint open letter to the Senate President, Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte. In the letter, they outlined the effects that non-compliance with the Science Plan 2025 based on the planned benchmark would have on Bremen and the university and they also demanded the implementation of said plan.

Just over a week ago, it was made known that the state government does not intend to realize the Science Plan 2025. Subsequently, the University Executive Board and Staff Council wrote the open letter, university teaching staff collected over 8000 signatures against the cuts, and students, teaching staff, the University Executive Board, and unions demonstrated together against the senate’s plans.