No. 7, 17 February

Conflict over renting venue from Student House Foundation

A number of researchers at Aarhus University have criticised the fact that Michael Cremo – the American creationist and author – held meetings during the winter holiday in rooms rented from the Student House at Aarhus University. Some of the researchers have also directly addressed the rectorate. They point out that by providing Cremo with a venue for his meetings, Aarhus University helps sanction his movement and pseudoscience.

The rooms were rented from the Student House Foundation ( Studenterhusfonden ), which administers the buildings on behalf of Aarhus University. It should also be mentioned that Michael Cremo did not personally rent the venue, but that the rooms were let to a private individual – in the same way that hundreds of other private individuals rent rooms every year from the Student House Foundation.

Aarhus University must uphold freedom of speech and the free debate, and – as far as we know – Michael Cremo and his organisation are perfectly legitimate and serve a lawful purpose. Having said that, we must emphasise that Aarhus University must show discretion when letting rooms, and ensure that our good name and reputation are not used to sanction proclamations we are unable to vouch for. Aarhus University – and thereby also the Student House Foundation – can therefore rightfully refuse groups and organisations wishing to make use of our premises. Following a Scientology ad supplement in one of the university’s newspapers several years ago, Aarhus University thus decided not to publish ads from this or other religious movements.

The debate surrounding this latest event has prompted the rectorate to take advantage of the opportunity to revise our procedures, code of practice and policy regarding the letting of rooms to outside individuals and organisations. If this shows a need to tighten up, we will naturally take the necessary steps and inform the Student House Foundation, which – in this case – acted in good faith.

Three new basic research centres at Aarhus University

The Board of the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF) has assigned grants amounting to DKK 400 million (approximately EUR 54 million) to nine new basic research centres, three of which are to be set up at Aarhus University. Researchers from three different AU departments have had their applications for basic research funds approved.

• At the Department of Psychology, Professor Dorthe Berntsen will be Director of the Centre on Autobiographical Memory Research.
  
• At the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Professor Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen will be Director of the Centre for Quantum Geometry of Moduli Spaces.
  
• At the Department of Chemistry, Professor Bo Brummerstedt Iversen will be Director of the Centre for Materials Crystallography.
  
  

“It’s positive that we can strengthen important basic research in Denmark in this way, and I’m convinced that the three new centres at Aarhus University will give Danish research an enormous boost in the right direction,” says Rector Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen. He is pleased that one of the new basic research centres will be set up at the Department of Psychology.The remaining eight basic research centres in Denmark are all connected with science.

Read more about the three basic research centres at Aarhus University in the media release.

Free places to Beyond Kyoto 5–7 March 2009

The Climate Secretariat is still receiving numerous applications to attend the conference, including applications from students at the university. Those students who have applied for free places will be informed as soon as possible by e-mail. Replies will be sent to everyone by 1 March.

There are just over two weeks to Aarhus University’s international Beyond Kyoto climate conference, attended by personalities including Gro Harlem Brundtland, the UN Special Envoy on Climate Change since 2007, and Steven Chu, the US Secretary of Energy.

The Climate Secretariat has just published a newsletter for the media – you can see it (in Danish only) here.

Kind regards
The Rectorate
17 February 2009

The rectorate publishes Rectorate News every Tuesday – apart from holidays and public holidays. This newsletter includes a brief description of current activities and discussions. You can sign up for the Danish version of the newsletter at http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve, after which you will receive an e-mail whenever the newsletter is issued.

If you would like to subscribe to the English version of Rectorate News, please go to http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve/index.asp?sprog=en. The English version of Rectorate News is published every Wednesday and is available at http://www.au.dk/en/uni/rectorate/newsletter.

You can read previous editions of Rectorate News at http://www.au.dk/en/uni/rectorate/newsletter/2008.