Inadmissible amendments, stop to the double mandate of rectors

After not even 48 hours, the dream of Italian rectors to be able to run again for the leadership of a state university and remain in office for a total of10 years has waned. In the Budget Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, two identical amendments to the Pnrr decree tabled on Tuesday 10 March by the League and Forza Italia were declared inadmissible. As we reported in Il Sole 24 Ore on Wednesday 11, they aimed to make their office re-eligible for a single term.

The Lega and Forza Italia's amendments aimed to change the term in office of state university rectors, which, based on Law 240/2010, is currently a single term lasting 6 years and "non-renewable". In particular, the regulatory proposals aimed to reduce the term of office of chancellors to 5 years, while introducing the "renewability" of the mandate for a total duration, even if not continuous, of no more than 10 years. Provided there was a 'new election by the academic electorate'.

The first chancellors potentially affected by the change would be the nine expiring in 2026: Giorgio Calcagnini (Urbino), Federico Delfino (Genoa), Tiziana Lippiello (Venice Ca' Foscari), Matteo Lorito (Naples Federico II), Ignazio Marcello Mancini (Basilicata), Gavino Mariotti (Sassari), Giovanni Francesco Nicoletti (Campania-Vanvitelli), Antonella Polimeni (Rome Sapienza) and Roberto Tottoli (Naples L'Orientale). A transitional regime was also envisaged for them, reducing the duration of their second term of office from five to four years if they were still in office when the law converting Decree-Law Pnrr came into force.

Barring any twists and turns that would lead to the amendment proposals deemed inadmissible being resurrected, the situation remains as it is today. With the rectors of public universities in the saddle for one time and for six years. At least until a new blitz attempt is made by politics.