17/08/2024
Rebuttal to the Request by Some Faculty Members to hold 45th meeting of the Syndicate, University of Swabi
A Letter has been written by the prospective beneficiaries of the 10th-15th selection boards to the chairperson syndicate for holding the 45th meeting of syndicate to approve the proceedings of the aforementioned selection boards. This statement refutes the contents of the letter point by point on factual grounds to set the record straight.
1. The applicants of the letter state “the aforementioned selection boards have been postponed multiple times since 2022”. They conveniently forgot the fact that an entire advertisement was permanently cancelled by the incumbent Vice-Chancellor to pave the way for the current advertisement and the consequent selection boards to reward his favourites.
2. The applicants of the letter show concern over the shortage of faculty and state “08 departments lack even a single regular faculty member”. They seem to ignore the fact that the student-teacher ratio was significantly higher and the university had qualified teachers, most of them PhD degree holders working in the university on contract basis. Instead of regularizing their services through a fair chance in the recruitment process which was their right as per the regulations of the Higher Education Commission, the Vice-Chancellor unilaterally terminated their services without any evaluation. He Further blocked their way in the recruitment process by applying the age-bar or by a straight “no” in the aforementioned selection boards.
3. The applicants of the letter seek to downplay the proceedings of the syndicate meeting held on Saturday, August 03,2024 by stating that the meeting was adjourned “due to the sorrowful demise of the uncle of the worthy Vice-Chancellor”. The meeting was adjourned due to the majority opinion in favour of postponing the consideration of approval of the selection boards on budgetary grounds and not because of the demise of the uncle of the Vice-Chancellor. When the majority opinion expressly rejects a proposal, there is no point in reconsidering it. Furthermore, the syndicate rules prevent the reconsideration of an agenda item for six months once it has been deliberated and decided upon.
4. The applicants of the letter further note “The budget 2024-2025 has already been considered and approved by the senate in its meeting held on July 05,2024”. It seems the applicant know budgetary details better than secretary HED and Secretary Finance, both of whom favoured postponement of the consideration of selection boards until signed minutes of the senate meeting on budget is received and considered. It is suggested that the applicants sit with the Secretary HED and Secretary Finance and make them understand the details of financial matters of the university.
5. Lastly, the applicants of the letter state that “a need assessment for the said positions had already been carried out, considering all relevant aspects”. The need assessment in itself was a farce similar to the current selection boards. The departments had mostly demanded lecturers for lessening work burden as a lecturer can teach 12 credit hours. However, the Vice-Chancellor in total disregard of the need assessment advertised the positions of Assistant professors in the departments he was interested in, to reward/promote his favourites and no position of lecturer was advertised.
In the light of the above observations on factual grounds it is suggested that the way of nepotism and favouritism be blocked in the university by cancelling the advertisement and the consequent selection boards. A new advertisement should be made in the tenure of the coming VC. All should be given a level playing field and the advertised positions should be filled on merit. This is the only way to pull the university out of the current crises. Any other way will lead to further chaos as institutions cannot be built on the graveyards of the employees.
