Three board members resign from University of Oulu amidst concerns of distrust

The resignation of three members from the Board of the University of Oulu is viewed as a potential protest or sign of distrust, according to Jussi Kivistö, a professor of Administrative Science at the University of Tampere. The board members submitted their resignations shortly after the announcement of Arto Maaninen as the new rector. Kivistö finds it peculiar that the resigning members have not publicly disclosed their reasons, suggesting that transparency could aid in clarifying their intentions.

The resignations came from Professor Johanna Uusimaa, University Lecturer Kimmo Kontio, and Professor Tiina Kinnunen. When approached for comment by Yle, Kontio and Kinnunen declined to discuss their reasons, while Uusimaa indicated her resignation was due to personal reasons she chose not to elaborate on.

Kivistö described the situation as unusual, stating that there have been no similar events during the current university law regime, which has been in place for 14 years. He noted that the board consists of 11 members—six representing the university community and five external members. The resigning members are all from the university community, raising questions about the board’s dynamics as new members will need to fill those vacancies.

Ongoing issues regarding the atmosphere at the University of Oulu have gained media attention over the past year. Former rector Lauri Lajunen expressed concerns about the board frequently voting on matters rather than reaching consensus, which Kivistö argues is essential in university decision-making. The new rector, Maaninen, does not view the resignations as indicative of distrust, stating there may be underlying issues unrelated to his appointment and emphasizing that he is still learning the dynamics of the board.