SSU Board of Trustees met on June 18. Board members, University administration and journalist gathered at Bldg. XI. Among the trustees are representatives of executive power, heads of large companies and partner organizations. Many of them are SSU graduates. Issues concerning University development, new projects and current tasks were on the agenda. At the beginning of the meeting, the members chose a new Chair of the Board of Trustees.
SSU Rector A.N. Chumachenko welcomed his colleagues, thanked everyone for their work on developing the University, promoting its image, providing students and graduates with work places. He said the Ministry for Education and science approved a new University Charter which necessitated election of a new board of trustees. A.N. Chumachenko introduced every member of the Board which includes 27 people. M.V. Aleshina, Chief Federal Inspector in Saratov Region, who used to be the Chair, suggested O.Yu Batalina, Head of State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veteran Issues, as a new Chair. The voting was unanimously in favor.
O.Yu Batalina thanked everyone for their trust and then addressed the agenda. She encouraged the members to be more active and come up with suggestions. She also announced two big projects to be carried out by the University together with the “United Russia” party: a swimming pool and a school inside the University – preuniversitarium.
A.N. Chumachenko talked in detail about University achievements and SSU life today. He specifically focused on National Research University Development Program presenting the results of its work and outlining the main tasks that University faces today. One of them is the reconstruction of its buildings. In particular, works will start soon on the Regional Scientific Library named after V.A. Artisevich.
Additionally, the Rector shared the University’s success at QS World University Ranking focusing on the increase in publications in journals and magazines that are indexed by Web of Science and Scopus. A.N. Chumachenko talked about two units of SSU infrastructure: two dormitories, one of which is designed as a block of bachelorettes for young scientists, and swimming pool “Universitetsky” in Balashov. These projects were carried out with the support of V.V. Volodin, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration. The University gets lots of help from N.V. Pankov, Head State Duma Committee on Agriculture. In his report, A.N. Chumachenko focused on organization of educational process, SSU students’ involvement in different spheres: from science to volunteering. “I believe our joint work will help us solve lots of problems and give an impulse or further development of Saratov University”, said the Rector.
S.G. Semenov, Vice-rector for сampus development and maintenance, reported on SSU swimming pool. He showed the Board of Trustees the construction plan: there will be eight swimming lanes and 100 seats for the audience.
E.G. Elina, Vice-rector for educational work, reported about preuniversitarium. “It was a dream of many generations of professors”, she said. She outlined the future areas of work. The school will teach students of 8-11 grades. It will specialize in Physics and Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Humanities. University professors and school teachers will work at the school. Additionally, school students will be able to use all University resources. As a result of rich experience in working closely with Saratov schools and lyceums, work of SSU corporate departments in schools, preuniversitarium will work most effectively with its students who will later enroll in the university.
At the end of the meeting, the trustees discussed some current issues and agreed on future work areas of the Board which is a driving force for the University prosperity.
