In time of crisis: GCU syndicate asked to hold off major decisions

Academic Staff Association says the varsity would not be in state of crisis if a VC had been appointed

LAHORE:

A resolution passed by the executive body of the GCU Academic Staff Association (ASA) in a meeting on Friday says that the varsity’s syndicate should only deal with payment of salaries and utility bills, transport and admissions, and no issues pertaining to faculty members or staff would be taken by the syndicate till the appointment of the executive head of the institution.  

The ASA has dispatched a copy of the resolution to members of the syndicate. The GCU registrar has called syndicate members for a meeting to be held on Saturday (today).

Sources privy to the matter told The Express Tribune that the treasurer and the examination controller had asked leaders of the ASA to approach the syndicate on matters of payment of salaries, utility bills, handling transport, admissions and other important matters that were pending due to a delay in appointment of the VC.

The resolution, presented by GCU ASA general secretary Dr Hamid Mukhtar, called on Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to expedite the appointment of a vice chancellor at the university. “An acting vice chancellor is not acceptable to the faculty in the wake of severe academic, financial and administrative crises which have engulfed the university,” the resolution says.

The academic body has requested the syndicate not to approve any matter which could affect the academic and administrative structures of the university. The faculty members also requested the syndicate not approve any new appointments. However, matters pertaining to the payment of salaries, remuneration, overtime, utility bills and fuel for transportation and generators should be decided by the syndicate, so that the routine affairs of the university were not affected.

Dr Mukhtar said the need for an emergency meeting would not have risen if the government had appointed a regular vice chancellor on time. The GCU ASA also welcomed the government’s decision to appointment vice chancellors for four years.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2015.