Deputy Director of AU Finance and Planning resigns
Deputy Director Søren Trangbæk has resigned, but says this has nothing to do with the current financial situation at Aarhus University.
“I’ve decided to seek pastures new, and I’m going to be the Financial Director of the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization as of 1 January.”
Søren Trangbæk says that the decision has nothing to do with the current financial situation at AU.
“I sincerely hope that people don’t start connecting the two events, because it’s my own personal ambitions that have led me to take this step,” he says.
Trangbæk also explains that he has been negotiating for the newly created position for some time – he is going to be in charge of financial management for his new employer.
“I can only say that I’m going to miss working with the highly professional and unbelievably enthusiastic staff at AU Finance and Planning,” he says.
Who’s going to fight for us?
Gitte Bak Ditlefsen, who is the deputy chair of the local liaison committee at AU Finance, explains that the staff are sorry that Søren Trangbæk has decided to leave.
“We feel that he’s one of the people who’ve been on our side. He’s listened to what we had to say and taken action accordingly.”
His resignation leaves the staff in something of a vacuum at a difficult time with major cuts in the pipeline, explains Ditlefsen.
“We can easily make loads of suggestions for cuts, but who will present them for us? And who’s going to fight for us now?”
A firm hand on the financial tiller
University Director Jørgen Jørgensen regrets Søren Trangbæk’s decision.
“He’s really good at his job, and I’m sorry to be losing him. He’s been a good colleague.”
Jørgensen explains that AU will be appointing a temporary deputy director for AU Finance and Planning from 1 January until a new deputy director can be appointed. Nobody knows who this will be yet.
AU is currently experiencing a period of turbulence involving major cuts, and AU Finance and Planning is a key figure with regard to getting the university’s financial situation back on track.
“Søren has been a firm hand on our financial tiller, but there are plenty of highly qualified staff members at AU Finance and Planning who know all about how things work on an everyday basis,” concludes Jørgensen.
Translated by Nicholas Wrigley