Press release: Senate confirms its original decision to vote President Professor Metin Tolan out of office

No. 179 - 20.11.2024

Joint meeting of the Senate and the University Foundation Committee ends without agreement

The Senate's proposal to vote out the President of the University of Göttingen on 21 October 2024 had been very clearly rejected by the University’s highest supervisory body, the University Foundation Committee, due to incomprehensible reasoning. The ensuing joint meeting of the two bodies took place on 20 November 2024, as it is anchored in the University's constitution. At the end of the joint meeting, no agreement could be reached between the committees. As a result, the Senate confirmed its decision to vote Professor Metin Tolan out of office in a session held immediately afterwards.

The Chairman of the University Foundation Committee, Professor Peter Strohschneider: "Today's final decision by the Senate of the University of Göttingen to vote Professor Metin Tolan out of office is the last step for the time being in a conflict that has been going on for over two years. The previous joint meeting of the Senate and the University Foundation Committee made it clear that this step is not sufficiently justified by objective reasons. I therefore consider it irresponsible. It causes considerable and unnecessary damage to the University of Göttingen, both internally and externally, and distracts from the urgent need to address important issues relating to the University's structural development. It is also associated with forms of personal attacks on Metin Tolan, including in public, which are unacceptable."

Tolan added: "It is a shame that senators have made such a far-reaching decision based on rumours and false facts without concrete factual reasons. The Senate is neither the supervisory body of the University nor the supervisory body of the Presidential Board, but adopts regulations and has an advisory function in which it issues statements on developments within the University. I hope that in the upcoming elections the University will elect academically recognised people to the Senate who will perform their duties on this body more responsibly in the interests of the Georgia Augusta than the majority of the current senators have done."

Tolan will remain in office until he receives his letter of dismissal.