{"id":220039,"date":"2021-06-15T23:39:14","date_gmt":"2021-06-15T18:09:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=220039"},"modified":"2021-06-16T05:20:50","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T23:50:50","slug":"futa-slams-gota-for-arbitrarily-rejecting-nominations-for-open-university-vc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/futa-slams-gota-for-arbitrarily-rejecting-nominations-for-open-university-vc\/","title":{"rendered":"FUTA Slams Gota For Arbitrarily Rejecting Nominations For Open University VC"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA<\/a><\/span>) has slammed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa<\/a><\/span> for his arbitrary decision to reject nominations for the post of Vice Chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL).<\/p>\n

In a letter to President Rajapaksa dated June 14, FUTA said the University Grants Commission had arbitrarily rejected the names of candidates recommended by the Open University of Sri Lanka for the VC post, which falls vacant on June 23, 2021.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Rajapaksa<\/p><\/div>\n

FUTA said the President’s action sends the message that he will reject nominations for the post of VC until such time that a name acceptable to him is forwarded. “It will lead to the direct politicization of the VC selection process. Such an impression within the academic community will discourage many highly qualified and independent academics from applying for the top position in the university, leaving the door open for mediocre and politically partisan individuals to become the VC,” FUTA warned.<\/p>\n

FUTA told President Rajapaksa that the selection of the candidates had taken place according to the procedure introduced by the current Government through a UGC circular in May 2020.<\/p>\n

“Under this system, five candidates are selected at first by a five-member committee comprising two academics from within the university and three members nominated by the UGC. The circular requires this committee to allocate marks to the applicants according to a predefined set of criteria as specified in the aforementioned circular. Then within the same day, the council of the university re-allocates marks for the five candidates based on their qualifications, experience and a presentation they may make before the council, and select three names which are ranked according to the marks they receive,” the letter explained.<\/p>\n

FUTA said that this list is then forwarded to the UGC which must forward the list to the President with its recommendation. As mentioned in clause no.34 (1) (a) of the Universities Act of 1978 it is the President\u2019s duty to then appoint a suitable candidate from the three names thus sent considering the UGC\u2019s recommendation,” FUTA told the President.<\/p>\n

FUTA said the President had arbitrarily rejected the shortlist with no apparent reason, following this selection procedure which took six months. “As FUTA we believe such an arbitrary action creates an extremely negative precedent for the entire university system. This arbitrary rejection implies that you have no faith either in the VC selection system introduced by your own government or in the council of the university, which is the supreme governance body of the institution,” the letter to the President added.<\/p>\n

See full letter from FUTA to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

14th<\/sup>\u00a0June 2021<\/p>\n

His Excellency Gotabaya Rajapaksa<\/p>\n

President<\/p>\n

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka<\/p>\n

Presidential Secretariat<\/p>\n

Colombo 1<\/p>\n

Your Excellency,<\/p>\n

As the Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA), the body that represents all academic staff of the entire state university system in the country we write to express our extreme displeasure and strong opposition regarding the arbitrary rejection of the names of candidates recommended by the council of the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL), for the post of Vice Chancellor (VC) of that University, which falls vacant on 23\/06\/2021.<\/p>\n

We would like to bring to your attention that these candidates have been selected following a procedure introduced by your government through the University Grants Commission (UGC) Circular No 02\/2020 of 4th May 2020. Under this system, five candidates are selected at first by a five-member committee comprising two academics from within the university and three members nominated by the UGC. The circular requires this committee to allocate marks to the applicants according to a predefined set of criteria as specified in the aforementioned circular. Then within the same day, the council of the university re-allocates marks for the five candidates based on their qualifications, experience and a presentation they may make before the council, and select three names which are ranked according to the marks they receive. This list is then forwarded to the UGC and the UGC is expected to forward this list to your excellency with its recommendation. As mentioned in clause no.34 (1) (a) of the Universities Act of 1978 it is the President\u2019s duty to then appoint a suitable candidate from the three names thus sent considering the UGC\u2019s recommendation.<\/p>\n

We observe that this entire procedure, which took up to 06 months, was carried out properly in this instance, but your office has arbitrarily rejected the shortlist with no apparent reason. As FUTA we believe such an arbitrary action creates an extremely negative precedent for the entire university system. This arbitrary rejection implies that you have no faith either in the VC selection system introduced by your own government or in the council of the university, which is the supreme governance body of the institution. This message sent out by this action is that the President will reject nominations for the post of VC until such time that a name acceptable to him is forwarded and it will lead to the direct politicization of the VC selection process. Such an impression within the academic community will discourage many highly qualified and independent academics from applying for the top position in the university, leaving the door open for mediocre and politically partisan individuals to become the VC.<\/p>\n

In the current period of crisis where the Coronavirus pandemic has caused multiple negative impacts on Sri Lanka\u2019s economy and society, we need independent and qualified academics to lead our university system. Upending an established procedure and creating confusion within the academic community is not the kind of action that we as FUTA expect from an enlightened political leadership. We also believe that the arbitrary rejection of the nominations undermines the core principles of autonomy and democratic governance enshrined within the Universities Act of 1978 and creates an impression of highly politicized executive overreach in university governance. Given the above context, FUTA demands that the re-advertisement process for the post of VC of the OUSL be immediately halted and that a suitable candidate from the already recommended list be appointed as soon as possible. Your excellency\u2019s failure to act responsibly and transparently at this juncture can lead to the destabilization of the entire university system of the country.<\/p>\n

Rohan Laksiri<\/p>\n

General Secretary – Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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