Oulu police conclude investigation into university board meeting minutes dispute

In a dispute concerning the meeting minutes of the University of Oulu’s board, no criminal wrongdoing is suspected against anyone involved. This information comes from a decision made by the Oulu police, which was obtained by the newspaper Kaleva through a records request.

The investigation request was submitted by Professor Heikki Salo of the University of Oulu, who pointed out that there was an erroneous entry in the board meeting minutes that had not been corrected despite several requests. The police initiated a preliminary investigation that lasted for one and a half years. In February, the police concluded that the matter has been resolved on their end.

Professor Heikki Salo, who filed the investigation request, explained in August 2022 to Yle that it pertained to a proposal made by a former board member, Professor Petri Lehenkari, during a board meeting on November 24, 2021. Lehenkari aimed to initiate discussions between the board and the collegium regarding the university’s administrative regulations. The collegium represents the university’s staff and students.

According to Kaleva, the police chief who handled the case determined that the situation was a matter of disagreement among the parties rather than a criminal issue, and therefore, there were no grounds to suspect anyone of a crime.