Declared “persona non grata”: – Puberty

It was during Thursday night’s student parliament meeting that Research and Higher Education Minister Ola Borten Moe was declared persona non grata by students at the University of Oslo.

The decision applies to both the university area and the Blindern student house in Oslo, although the wording is a bit weaker when it comes to the university area (see the decision in the fact box).

The UiO’s Student Democracy then stated that they did not want to see the student toilet scam.

– Ola Borten Moe is not the minister for students or the university and university sector. He has great potential for improvement in working to ensure that those under his jurisdiction are better off, student parliament leader Oline Sæther (27) told a University who first mentioned the matter.

Responding to pubertal vocabulary

Ola Borten Moe himself tells Dagbladet that “nothing is resolved unless we talk together”.

– What to react with Not talking to each other – canceling – is a pubertal reaction, says Borten Moe.

– In Norway, we have a long tradition of doing the opposite. We meet, we talk and exchange views that move the world forward. Of course I’m interested, continues the minister.

If the goal was to create a dialogue with students, it may seem that Borten Moe’s choice of the word “pubertal” has already thrown a knot in the thread.

– We react strongly to the wording with which Borten Moe replies. The use of the word “pubertal” is condescending and describes the background of the criticism. It undermines the plight students are in, student leader Oline Sæther tells Dagbladet.

Ola Borten Moe tells Dagbladet that she is fully aware that high prices hit students and other low-income groups hardest. The increase in prices hits those who have less hardest, underlines the minister.

– I recognize this and am well aware of the challenges. We are trying to adapt this situation, among other things, by adjusting grants and loans at the end of the year in order to capture the price increase, says Borten Moe.

Let Sæther answer:

– It’s good that he also recognizes that the situation is difficult. But we don’t just expect understanding, but also to meet the desire for dialogue and that dialogue is built on mutual respect. When he responds with words like puberty, it’s something we perceive as disrespectful. We expect you to take criticism seriously and see it as clear feedback, says Oline Sæther.

It is invited

Ola Borten Moe now wants to meet the students. But how that will be possible when he is persona non grata for university reasons, according to the students, he is currently unknown.

– For me it is important to have a good dialogue with the students, also at the UiO, and on the occasion of the matter I am thinking of inviting myself to the next meeting of the student parliament. So they can handle it however they want, Borten Moe tells Dagbladet.

Students will now go through a tour of what they think about accepting persona non grata.

– We think it’s nice that you want to visit us. I will ask parliament what they think of a visit and give feedback to the minister well in advance of the next parliamentary meeting, says Sæther.