The decision means that the members elected for the coming term of office will only serve 17 months instead of the regular three years.
"It is not particularly important that there is a shortening of the terms of office – the difficult thing in principle is that you go in and have views on what competence should sit on the university boards," says Erik Renström.
The Government justifies the change on the basis of the external situation and the desire to include security policy expertise on the boards.
"This sets an example for future governments that can continue in this direction as they see what they think is important from the point of view of current politics.
"Action necessary"
Despite the criticism from several universities, the government has stood by the decision. In an email to SVT Nyheter on Tuesday, Minister for Education Mats Persson (L) writes:
"I fully understand that people can think differently and that the message reached the higher education institutions late in the process. On the other hand, I see the measures as necessary to ensure that universities and colleges conduct a strong security policy situation in the completely new external situation. This applies both to the war going on in Europe and to China's actions."
Erik Renström thinks that the fact that the government stands by the decision shows unskill.
"It shows a tone-deafness for how to work with this issue," he says.