By the book: Registrar appointed in violation of HEC rules

Rules don’t allow TTS faculty members to hold admin offices

LAHORE: A faculty member, drawing salary under the Tenure Track System (TTS), has been appointed the Government College University (GCU) registrar in violation of Higher Education Commission (HEC) rules.

In a letter written on April 12, the HEC had asked vice chancellors across the country to not appoint a faculty member, hired on the TTS basis, to an administrative post in line with the TTS Statues Clause 2.3.

The HEC says TTS faculty members are paid better salaries so that they should lead research in their fields. That is why they are barred from holding administrative offices. Muhammad Akhyar Farrukh, a faculty member hired on the TTS basis, was appointed GCU registrar on November 13, 2013.

In the letter, the HEC has asked vice chancellors to halt payments of TTS faculty members holding administrative posts.

The letter said, “If a faculty member assumes an administrative post in the university, such as registrar, HR director or treasurer etc… the period for which he/she remains on that post shall not be counted towards his/her TTS service. During the period he/she will not be eligible to draw a TTS salary.”

A spokesperson for the GCU refused comment on the matter on Thursday. The university would give a statement after seeking a report on the matter from the administration, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2016.