Government College University: 2011 convocation in February

Spokesperson says repairs causing delay.

LAHORE:

Government College University (GCU) did not hold a convocation in 2011. The administration says the convocation was postponed till February because of repair works going on around the university.

Some faculty members, however, said it was because the university could not find a politician who could promise a financial grant.

The annual convocation was scheduled to be held in the last week of December. Nobody agreed to chair the convocation, said a faculty member who did not want to be named. In his opinion the university should have gone ahead with the convocation like the Punjab University. “The chair for its 120th convocation was not someone in the government,” he said.

“The GCU has a long history of discipline and upholding traditions. Not holding the convocation violates both,” Mustafa, a masters student, said .

When contacted GCU spokesperson Musadiq Sultan said the convocation had been “delayed” as a result of some repairs underway at the university.

“A delay in the convocation is not a constitutional violation. It was to be organised in December but now we plan to have it in February “. The 2012 convocation, he said, will be organised in December this year.

He said that the GCU did not need a government functionary as chief guest to get grants.

“The GCU has a long list of high-profile alumni who are always willing to support their alma mater,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2012.