[geometry-ml:01257] アムステルダム自由大学

[Yasuyuki Kawahigashi]

皆様，
東大数理の河東です．アムステルダム自由大学で数学科幾何セクションの廃
止の提案が進行していて，それに反対する署名を集めているとのことなので
転送いたします．
河東泰之

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-pure-mathematics-at-the-vu-university-amsterdam.html

> 
> 
> As with most universities in the Netherlands, the VU University 
Amsterdam
> suffers from financial underfunding. All faculties and all departments 
at
> the VU are asked to take measures to deal with this problem. For the
> Department of Mathematics a committee of applied mathematicians has 
put
> forward a proposal to close the Geometry Section, which consists of 
six
> tenured positions and focuses on algebraic K-theory, algebraic 
topology,
> and general/geometric topology. At the same time, some of the funds 
freed
> up by the abolition of the Geometry Section are to be used for the
> creation of two additional positions in the Analysis Section. This
> proposal has received the endorsement of the Dean of the Faculty of
> Sciences and of the Executive Board of the university. Two members of 
the
> Geometry Section will retire in the next two years and closure of the
> section will allow for termination of the other four tenured positions.
> Thus, the proposal's drastic measures will merely cut the total number 
of
> positions by two.
> 
> 
> Of the four positions slated for termination, one is in general/
geometric
> topology and has been held since 2001 by Jan Dijkstra. The other three
> people were appointed less than four years ago: Dietrich Notbohm, Rob 
de
> Jeu, and Tilman Bauer. This introduced algebraic K-theory and 
algebraic
> topology as new research subjects at the VU. In 2010, a research
> evaluation of all Dutch mathematics departments by an international
> committee took place. The committee welcomed these changes very much,
> stating that strong young people provided new impetus to the group in
> mainstream mathematics and offered promise for the future.
> 
> 
> What are the consequences of the closure of the Geometry Section for 
the
> university? Algebra, algebraic topology, and general/geometric 
topology
> will vanish. Algebraic K-theory and general/geometric topology will 
cease
> to exist in the Netherlands, and only Utrecht will be left with 
research
> in algebraic topology. No pure mathematicians will be on the staff
> anymore. The university will give up central areas of mathematics and
> adopt a narrow research profile. The education of students offered at 
the
> VU will also become much narrower, which may lead to a drop in the 
yearly
> intake of students, and will certainly compromise the academic chances 
for
> VU graduates.
> 
> 
> This petition asks for a reconsideration of this plan. By signing it 
you
> will help to save the Geometry Section at the Department of 
Mathematics at
> the VU!
> 
> 
> Petition:
> 
> I appeal to the Department of Mathematics, the Faculty of Sciences, 
and
> the Executive Board of the VU University Amsterdam to repeal the plan 
to
> close the Geometry Section. Proceeding with the proposal as it stands
> would severely damage the quality of research and teaching in 
mathematics
> at the VU. Laying off capable tenured faculty and hiring new faculty 
at
> the same time is intolerable.
> 
>