Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., January 13, 2008 Shvat 6, 5768 | | Israel Time: 21:01 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Students in front of the National Labor Court in Jerusalem calling for an end to the university strike. (Tomer Neuberg / Jini) Last update - 20:54 13/01/2008 University presidents' chairman warns academic year may be canceled By Tamara Traubmann and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents Tags: universities, Israel  The Council of University Presidents' chairman said Sunday he would announce the cancellation of the academic year, should the National Labor Court not issue back-to-work orders for striking senior university faculty. Prof. Moshe Kaveh said if the Jerusalem court did not issue the injunctions, "we will declare the cancellation of the academic year, and in a matter of days." The university presidents later Sunday met with Cabinet Secretary Oved Yehezkel and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's economic advisor, Professor Manuel Trachtenberg, over finding a solution to the senior lecturers' strike. Advertisement Earlier in the day, the National Labor Court ended its hearing on a request submitted by the university presidents to issue the back-to-work orders, stating it would soon come to a decision. Earlier Sunday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert addressed a government meeting with striking lecturers, telling them not to waste opportunities to reach a compromise that will allow for university studies to resume. Olmert told the lecturers assembled that "we have experience with work stoppages that have lasted far too long. The finance and education ministers have presented far-reaching offers to the faculty, and you must take steps so that you are not forced back to work by court orders." "Go back to school and back to work now," Olmert added. Representatives of the striking lecturers and the presidents of the country's universities failed to make any progress in a last-ditch effort Saturday night to salvage the fall semester and avoid the potential issuing of injunctions to force the teachers to return to work. "We're at the 11th hour before the cancellation of the academic year, which would be a national disaster for the universities and the economy as a whole," said Prof. Kaveh, who is also the president of Bar-Ilan University, on Saturday night before the meeting which was held at the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "We both want to prevent that," Kaveh said, referring to the teachers and the universities. The immediate goal of the meeting was to reach an understanding between the university heads and the lecturers, Kaveh said "an outline that would lead to the withdrawal of the request for injunctions, and both of us together will make every possible effort to persuade the cabinet to accept it." A source in the Council of University Presidents said that if such a framework agreement is reached, the presidents would withdraw their requests to the court even if the treasury officials rejected it, and the university presidents would put pressure on the Prime Minister's Office to intervene to force the treasury to accept the compromise. However, a representative for the lecturers that took part in the meeting, Professor Asher Cohen, said that the presidents' offer on Saturday was 12 percent lower than the offer they themselves put forth on Friday. The presidents' offer, he said, did not ensure that salaries would not erode in the future. In any case, the universities withdrew Friday's offer, saying the Treasury would not agree to it. That deal would have offered a 16-percent wage hike in compensation for the erosion of their wages from 1997 to 2006, as opposed to 35 percent, which the professors say represents the real ersion of their salaries during that time. In addition to the 16 percent, the university presidents offered to add an additional 5 percent if the teachers agreed to the Shochat Commission recommendations on faculty wages. The lecturers were willing to accept the compromise and to reduce their demand for a wage increase from 35 percent to 21 percent. The university heads said they will cancel the fall semester if no resolution is reached by Sunday. The lecturers countered that a semester's worth of studies can still be salvaged even if the labor stoppage is not settled by today. Both sides have a window of up to two weeks to come to an agreement enabling studies to resume without the academic year interfering with next year's calendar. "January 13 is not some holy date," said Dr. Lev Grinberg, the head of Bar-Ilan's Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Related articles: Lecturers, university heads meet in last-ditch effort to save semester Striking professors slam university heads for going to court Bookmark to del.icio.us   Back on the horse N.Y. Times reports Syria is rebuilding the alleged nuclear site bombed by the IAF. 'Stunt gone awry' German Jews are enraged as a group likens a smoking ban to Nazi rule.   1.   Too late to save the semester 09:46  |  annoyed student 13/01/08   2.   Not yet too late to save Academy 11:10  |  TEA 13/01/08   3.   Spelling at universities is eroded 11:52  |  Shlomo 13/01/08   4.   Brain Drain is a real problem 12:06  |  annoyed student 13/01/08   5.   Class Action Suit 13:01  |  Iam Angry 13/01/08   6.   #2 - research for the sake of research 14:35  |  Michael 13/01/08   7.   To #5: i would join your cause! 14:49  |  Yet Another Student 13/01/08   8.   To #6 I agree with you completely 18:38  |  TEA 13/01/08   9.   Message #4 about Brain Drain 20:58  |  Oleh Hadash 13/01/08

Today Online Palestinians sue for NIS 40 million for land taken by settlers Responses: 106 Yossi Sarid: Nice things in U.S., which would do Israel well Responses: 83 Gideon Levy: Time for PM to oust refusers of peace in government Responses: 66 Haaretz.com TV: Gaza parents can't join their sick children in Israel Responses: 111 Israeli pianist Daniel Barenboim takes Palestinian citizenship Responses: 114 Rosner's Domain Iranian boats threaten, so the candidates up the rhetoric The way to war with Iran (WTR) From 'The year of change' to 'The year of the comeback'? Rosner's Guest: The Jews are best prepared for a "flat world" Poll: Who is the candidate that will have better policies for Israel? More Headlines 20:20 Israel, PA to begin talks on core issues Monday 17:43 Diamond industry officials identify Israelis killed in Namibia crash 20:28 Web sites could face penalties for withholding talkbackers' identities 17:26 Israeli pianist Daniel Barenboim takes Palestinian citizenship 16:11 Iranian boats threaten, so the candidates step up rhetoric 20:54 University presidents' chairman warns academic year may be canceled 19:46 AJC blasts mag for rejecting ad on Israeli women in power 18:43 Eight mortar shells hit western Negev, causing damage but no injuries 19:38 Quest for perfect tomato stretches from New Jersey to Israel 18:20 Bush warns that world must rally to confront danger of Iran Previous Editions Select Day 11 jan 10 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 04 jan 03 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec

Special Offers Advertisement Teach & Study Program make a difference in Israel FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer Inbal Jerusalem Hotel Unbeatable rates at the Finest hotel in Jerusalem Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations AMERICANS CHOOSE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE U.S. citizen in Israel vote in Democrats-Abroad official global primary.

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved