UGent rector ‘pressured’ not to run for re-election

De Paepe announced last month that she would not be a candidate in the new elections for rector, which take place next week. She said that she did not feel up to being re-elected while she was dealing with the recent death of her husband.

A group of prominent academics and policymakers, all members of the city’s chapter of the Freemasons and supporters of the candidacy of Rik Van de Walle, reportedly told De Paepe not to seek re-election. She made the decision not to run in an “atmosphere of intimidation”, according to De Morgen.

A number of academics and politicians told the paper that De Paepe was pressured to take the decision and that UGent management figures such as deans of departments, are involved. All of them are thought to be members of the Freemasons local Masonic lodge, including Van de Walle, the dean of the engineering and architecture faculty. Van de Walle himself intimidated De Paepe, according to sources.

De Paepe confirmed that she was pressured to not stand for election and to announce this decision quickly, “while I needed time to mourn,” she told the paper. De Paepe refused to go into any details because she said that she didn’t want to “polarise” the university or effect the institution’s 200th anniversary celebrations.

In a statement on Facebook, Van de Walle denied that he had anything to do with De Paepe’s decision and was the victim of a smear campaign. He demanded an end to the controversy so that the elections could go forward uninterrupted.

Photo: Anne De Paepe (pictured right) during a 2013 debate between the candidates for rector
© Hilde Christiaens