Monday, March 10, 2008

Latest news & events

The EUSP's official web site says that refurbishments undertaken to meet the fire safety code requirements will be finished by March 21.

March 6: Having signed a new temporary lease, the EUSP showed this to the relevant municipal authorities, taking them up on their promise to grant the university a temporary license quickly once such a lease had been obtained. Artemy Magun, a faculty member, openly acknowledged the political background to the shutdown. But he also said that the unspecified political issues had now been resolved, and thus there is hope that the EUSP will be able to resume its activities soon.
If all this sounds cryptic (including the fact that nobody seems to have mentioned which institution has offered to host the EUSP), it is probably because, understandably, the rector and faculty do not want to disclose any information that may endanger the university even further.

March 7: A vaudeville play about the shutdown was staged at a playground in St Petersburg despite icy temperatures. Watch it on video here and here.

March 9: Students and faculty organized an open-air seminar on student protest movements.

Other public manifestations had to be CANCELLED for safety reasons: The city authorities prohibited one meeting and called the play "inexpedient," although there is nothing in Russian legislation that would allow them to say anything of the sort. In addition, the students learned that there may be a threat of violence or agents provocateurs at scheduled events, and have decided to put safety first.

March 16: Various Jewish Studies centers are organizing a conference in SPb entitled "Fire safety practices and conspiracies in the Slavic and Jewish cultural traditions."

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