- Old Ravians Union asks Punjab chief minister to appoint GCU’s VC to ensure transparency, disposal of important tasks
The Old Ravians Union (ORU) executive committee has raised serious concerns over the unnecessary delay in appointment of the Government College University (GCU) vice chancellor (VC), and made an appeal to Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, an Old Ravian himself, to immediately appoint head of their alma mater keeping in view that the admissions process has begun in the university and presence of a vice chancellor is highly crucial for ensuring transparency, merit and above all financial assistance to the deserving students.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, ORU President Kamran Lashari said that GCU’s alumni are concerned that their alma mater has been working without a head for the last three weeks, which is certainly hampering the routine administrative and academic work besides hurting the repute and prestige of the university.
He said that the future of many high achievers of the country was at stake as sanction by the VC was mandatory, under the university’s act, for various administrative and financial measures which were needed to be taken at the current stage.
ORU Honorary Secretary Dr Khalid Manzoor Butt said the chief minister’s love for his alma mater, GCU, was undoubted.
Just three years back, Shehbaz, on the request of the Old Ravians Union, ordered changing of Metro’s route just to avoid demolition of the historical GCU Logia Garden.
“Now, once again, former Ravians expect same kind of attention from the chief minister for his alma mater,” Dr Butt said.
He also submitted that the GCU Endowment Fund Trust, which funds the fee of hundreds of students, from donations of GCU’s alumni was also being depleted, as they were unable to make several donations due to the absence of the VC.
The Old Ravians Union executive committee members requested the the chief minister for his personal attention to expedite the appointment of the head of GCU.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Dr Hamid Mukhtar, General Secretary of GCU Academic Staff Association, said that a number of important tasks were pending as they require approval from the VC.
In another related development, a meeting of the search committee, which was constituted to nominate three suitable candidates against each vacancy in ten universities of the province, was held.
The meeting was attended by Punjab Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Nizaamud Deen, LUMS VC Sohail Naqvi and newly appointed Secretary Higher Education Department Irfan Elahi. According to sources, the participants discussed in length the issue of appointments of VCs. No one among participants of meeting was available to comment or share the details of the meeting.
