Professor Suvad Lelo from the Faculty of Science in Sarajevo Seeks Annulment of Grades for Several Students

Professor from the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science in Sarajevo, Suvad Lelo, has requested the Cantonal Inspectorate to verify the legal validity of recorded grades for several students of this faculty, who took exams before a Commission formed by the Faculty Administration at the end of last month, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

Professor Lelo accuses that the Commission, composed of several professors, his colleagues from the Faculty of Science, examined several students, some of whom were even given grades in their index, while during that time he, as the instructor for those subjects, was denied access to his office and the exam, which, the professor assesses, is illegal!

- I will seek the annulment of grades, and even diplomas for students who have those disputed grades in their index – Lelo told the Patria agency.

Professor Lelo: The Faculty Administration violated the law 

In the complaint he submitted to the Cantonal Education Inspector for Higher Education, the professor requests verification of the legal validity of the Commission exam held for the subjects Fundamentals of Organic Evolution and General and Molecular Evolution on September 30 this year, at the Department of Biology, as well as the subsequent finalization of the exam by the same Commission two days later.

- I returned from sick leave and requested from the Head of the Department of Biology to take over the administration of the exam in the second term of the September session for the courses I am responsible for and for which I was elected. They allowed me to hold the exam for the subject Systematics of Chordates, while the students for the subjects Fundamentals of Organic Evolution and General and Molecular Evolution were examined by the Commission instead of me, without my presence – said Lelo, assessing that the Commission was not competent and that everything was done contrary to the law, for which he will also seek justice in court.

The Dean of the Faculty of Science, Professor Rifat Škrijelj, confirmed to Patria the existence of the Commission that examined the students without Professor Lelo's presence, as well as that some of the students received passing grades before that Commission, but the Dean denies that the law was violated in any part.

Dean Škrijelj: Our goal was to make it easier for students

Škrijelj says it concerns a group of students who have been unable to obtain a passing grade from Professor Lelo for some time. After their complaints, he claims, he formed a Commission that examined the students, and for everything he had the approval of the Faculty Council, which has about 70 members.

Dean Škrijelj claims that the Faculty Administration is doing everything to make it easier for students who need one exam to move to the next year, or for those who have one exam left to clear the year or one exam until graduation. He accused Professor Lelo of sometimes lacking understanding for such students, writes Patria.