Invitation to the symposium on the University Corporation Law

September 27, 10 a.m.--5:30 p.m.
Tokyo

Despite our campaign and all the efforts of the concerned people, the Diet passed the bill last July. However, the discussion at the Diet went to the heart of matters. Though no ammendment was made, it was said that the Law was born with "many injuries all around its body".

We are now to confront the enforcement of the Law next month. At this conjecture, we, the coalition of 4 groups listed at the bottom, planned to have a sumposium on this issue, entitled "For the true reform of the Japanese universities", on 27 September in Tokyo.

The symposium begins at 10 a.m. on September 27 and ends around 5:30 p.m. Meeting place is somewhere in Tokyo, and will soon be fixed.

Your participation is greatly appreciated. If you cannot attend the meeting , submission of papers or comments to the symposium is very welcome.

We will disscuss on the following points at the meeting:

1) Review of the campaign against the University Corporation Bill.

2) On relevancy of ideas of "academic freeedom" and "autonomy of university", and significance of Article 23 of the Constitution* or Article 10 of the Fundamental Law of Education**. What is lacking in Japanese universities?

3) On public evaluation of performances of universities.

4) Mass media and universities.

5) How we should confront ourselves with the enforcement of the Law.
Legal measures against the violation of the Constitution concurrent with the application of the Law.
What should be put in the labor agreement.

6) What's going on at public universities?

7) Solidarity with the campaign against the move for amendment of the Fundamental Law of Education.

8) International colaboration.

We have got appointments of presentations by Dr. Hiromitsu Tanaka (former president of Kagoshima University), Prof. Takashi Narushima (Niigata University, education law), representative of ARESER Japan*** and Co-Chairperson of the Korean Professors Union. We are also trying to invite MPs, professors at public and private universities.

People's Network Against the Plan to Destroy Japan's National Universities ("Zenkoku Netto"), Executive Secretary: Kouichi TOYOSHIMA , Prof. of Physics, Univ. of Saga.

Metropolitan Network Against Making National Universities into Independent Administrative Corporations("Shin Shutoken Netto"), Secretary General: Hiroaki Ozawa, Associate Professor, Faculty of Letters, Chiba University

The Association of Academics and Artists Appealing Against the Current University and Education Policy, Representative: Ryo IKEUCHI, Professor of Astronomy, Nagoya University

The Association of Professors Posting Countrywide Protest Advertisements Against the NUC Law, Representative: Takashi NOMURA, Professor of Japanese Language, Tokyo University