Former BSUEP rector Mikhail Vinokurov published an open letter to the education minister, sharply criticizing his successor Alexander Sukhodolov. He accuses the administration of liquidating university property, mass layoffs, cutting social guarantees, and risking the universitys future accreditation. In the letter Vinokurov also admits his mistake in choosing the rector and describes how he believes university life is changing.

Former rector of Baikal State University of Economics and Law Mikhail Vinokurov circulated an open letter in June 2015 addressed to Russia’s Minister of Education and Science Dmitry Livanov, in which he accused his successor Alexander Sukhodolov of liquidating university property and carrying out mass layoffs of employees.
According to Mikhail Vinokurov, the rector’s actions are harming the university and could lead in the future to irreversible losses, in particular, failure to pass accreditation.
Also? the former rector apologized to the university staff for nominating this man for the rector’s post and calling on everyone to vote for him. Today I admit that I was mistaken…»
In the open letter, the former rector quotes his speech delivered at the Academic Council on May 29. Its main points are as follows. BSUEL stopped preparing for the construction of two apartment buildings with 40 units on Partizanskaya Street in Irkutsk, although the project had already passed environmental review. The city granted permission for construction, and then revoked it because the rector’s office refused to fulfill its obligations to build a playground and parking lot, M. Vinokurov writes. The former rector then reports a number of violations in academic and teaching-methodological work, the elimination of the position of distinguished and leading professor, and the forced transfer of employees to one-year contracts. He also blames the current rector for the liquidation of four facilities (the Oktyabrsky sports complex, the health resort, the College of Business and Law, and the training hotel in the 130th quarter).
In almost half a year, Alexander Sukhodolov has already dismissed about 100 employees, and the liquidation of social services for students and staff guaranteed by the university administration in the collective bargaining agreement is underway, he says.
As the letter says: “After all, we are the most successful university in Eastern Siberia in terms of generating funds”
Mikhail Vinokurov also accuses Alexander Sukhodolov of showing intolerance toward employees, intimidating them, and spreading threats of dismissal. Mikhail Vinokurov says that he received notices canceling the accrual and payment of the incentive bonus for the honorary title of “Leading Professor” and of dismissal due to the elimination of the position of scientific supervisor of BSUEL.
“I believe this is simply a reprisal. He did the same to other people who tried in some way to object,” Mikhail Vinokurov writes.
“Regarding my salary, I would like to explain: by decision of the university staff conference, I retained the rector’s salary, and in addition I receive 0.5 of a Leading Professor’s rate,” the former rector says. “Yes, I receive a good salary. I earned it over 27 years of leading the university. During that time, the university grew tenfold, and staff salaries were always twice as high as in other universities in Irkutsk. I would like to note that the current management immediately received high salaries, having done nothing good for the university except cuts and increasing work intensity. I earned money, and the whole staff earned money too, but now only the management receives high salaries. I have no other sources of income and no businesses. I devoted my whole life to the development of the university (about 30 buildings were constructed). I planned to continue working for the benefit of the university, helping the new rector, solving financing problems and issues, increasing budget-funded places, and building residential houses for employees… I believe that a leader must know how to earn funds for the university, know how to work with the Ministry of Education and Science to secure increased budget funding, and defend the university’s interests in the region. That is qualified leadership. And to complain that the university has no money, while cutting and firing people, is the last resort!”