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The University of Oslo on Friday announced that it has admitted Anders Behring Breivik, who in 2011 killed 77 people in a rampage inspired by his extreme-right political views. Breivik was rejected from the university two years ago when he didn't meet admissions requirements, but work he completed while in prison made him eligible for admission. He will not be able to leave his prison cell, though, and so will not be able to complete all requirements for the political science degree he seeks.
Rector Ole Petter Ottersen explained the decision in a blog post. "By sticking to our rules and not clamoring for new ones, we send a clear message to those whose misguided mission it is to undermine and change our democratic system. It is part of the universities’ mission to uphold democratic values, ideals and practices, also when these are challenged by heinous acts. We are on a slippery slope should we change the rules and adjust them to crimes committed," Ottersen wrote. He went on to note that "we have students who were at the scene where he committed his brutal murders. We have students who lost friends and family on July 22. We do acknowledge that there are moral dilemmas in this case, but the last thing we need is a 'lex Breivik.' We keep to our rules for our own sake, not for his."
A full account, in Norwegian only, is available in Aftenposten.
