Colombo campus to get VC by New year

The appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo will be made before April 12, authoritative sources disclosed to The Nation. University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairperson, Professor Kshanika Hirimburegama told The Nation that a special admission process was adopted in the appointment of the Vice Chancellor.

The appointment was delayed mainly due to the controversy surrounding the applicants and nominees. Accordingly, three members of the University Council, Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake, Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa and Dr Kumara Hirimburegama applied for the post. All three names were forwarded to the President by the UGC.  Questions of conflict-of-interest have been raised since one of the applicants, Dr. Kumara Kirimburegama is the spouse of the current Chairperson of the UGC, Prof. Kshanika Hirmburegama.

According to Section 34 (1) of the Universities Act states, “the Vice-Chancellor of a University shall, subject to the provisions of paragraph (b), be appointed … by the President, upon the recommendation of the Commission, from a panel of three names recommended by the Council of that University.”
The UGC recommends one of the three names nominated by the Council. However, the controversy arose when the UGC recommended all three names to the President. “The UGC has assumed the role of a peon,” Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, President of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) said, adding that Commission has failed to perform the duties vested in them by the Act.

Dr. Dewasiri added that those with minimal qualifications are being recommended and considered due to their political ties, irrespective of their qualifications. Regarding the delay in the appointment of the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Dewasiri commented that the FUTA wrote to the president on March 28. The letter urged the president Chancellor to appoint the most qualified applicant for the post of Vice Chancellor. He also added that unions concerned by the appointment of the VC have decided to take strict action unless the most qualified is appointed.

Category: Local