In 1998, the Academic Senate of Masaryk University was in its second year of existence. The constitution of the Academic Senate experienced some changes: the number of its members was increased by a representative of the School of Social Studies, and reached 56. In the middle of the academic year, the Senate’s deputy chair of the employees’ chamber. Assoc. Prof. Luděk Matyska, left the Senate because he was elected Dean of the MU Faculty of Informatics, and to his position was elected Dr. Jana Musilová of the Faculty of Science. At the end of the calendar year 1998, some of the MU faculties delegated new representatives as replacements for those members of the economic staff who are no longer members of the academic community under Law no. 111/98.
In the course of 1998, the Senate met at six sittings. The first meeting discussed preparations for the election of the MU Rector, the status of individual faculties (Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Education), new study disciplines and partial modifications to rules of study. To the MU statutes, an article on the status of Professor Emeritus was added. The March session also approved a new proposal on the allocation of financial means in 1998. At the third (ceremonial and public) sitting of the Senate held on April 20th, 1998, the new MU Rector, Prof. Dr. Jiří Zlatuška was elected.
In May 1998 the Senate approved individual vice–rectors for the coming period and resumed discussions on issues connected to modifications to the status of individual faculties (Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Informatics and School of Social Studies) for new study disciplines and the introduction of the credit study system. The Academic Senate proposed divesting an MU employee of the title of Associate Professor.
In October 1998, the ceremonial inauguration of the Rector was held, the only academic ceremony chaired by the Chair of the Academic Senate. At its October sitting, the Senate dealt with the issue of the creating of the Department of Strategic Studies and discussed modifications to the status of its faculties (Faculty of Law, Faculty of Medicine, School of Social Studies). The Senate also accepted a proposal for the new Academic Council of Masaryk University (which consists of 31 regular and four external members). The last meeting of the Senate was held in December 1998, where the Senate discussed and approved internal wage regulations, rules of MU management, and competition proceedings. In this way, the Academic Senate brought another part of MU regulations into line with the new Act on Higher Education.
The rules of MU management were – as every year – discussed beforehand at a day-long meeting of the extended Rector’s Advisory Board in Šlapanice near Brno. At the sitting, members of the economic committee of the Academic Senate were present, and they commented on the individual variants of the new economic rules.
Given all the modifications to university regulations, the Senate’s legislative committee was very active. Its work was as ever supported by JUDr. Marta Stárková, Head of the MU Legal Department.
Generally, we may say that co–operation between the Senate and the university management was highly satisfactory. All meetings of the Academic Senate were attended by academic officials, and representatives of the Senate were regular guests at weekly meetings of the MU management and the Rector’s Advisory Board.