September 24, 2003	Wednesday	Rajab 26, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 23: The Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) has submitted para-wise comments to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) seeking major changes to the Model University Ordinance- 2002.

The ordinance was promulgated on November 13, 2002, whereby seven Rawalpindi-Islamabad based universities were declared autonomous — both administratively and financially.

The universities are: the Allama Iqbal Open University, National University of Modern Languages, the QAU, the Bahria University, Air University, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology and the National University of Sciences and Technology.

However, none of these universities have implemented the ordinance as President Musharraf has asked the HEC to review the law in consultation with the institutions.

In this regard, a meeting was organized by HEC Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman between the QAU administration led by Vice- Chancellor U.A.G Ihsani and President Musharraf.

The university rejected the MUO provision whereby any person, other than the president of Pakistan, could be appointed chancellor of the university.

The university was of the view that if a person other than the president was appointed chancellor, there will be political nominations, hence the university will be politicized.

Similarly, the law does not talk about the term or the time limit for the tenure of such a person.

The law underlines that the university may institute self-finance schemes not covering more than 10 per cent of the total number of candidates in any on-campus courses. Whereas, the QAU is of the view that conditions might place unnecessary restrictions on the ability of the university to generate funds.

The university has also rejected the justification of the representation and search committees to recommend members of the senate as well as the vice-chancellor to be appointed by the chancellor.

The university has taken the stand that these committees were established to help the chancellor arrive at a proper decision. However, this does not mean that the initiative of the chancellor should be curbed and he cannot go beyond the recommended list.

The university has said the chancellor should be allowed whenever he was so satisfied or upon the recommendations of the review penal to remove any member from the senate.

Under the MUO, the chancellor can only remove a person from the senate after the review penal has recommended to do so.

The QAU has also rejected the setting up of an emergency committee of the senate as it would create another centre of power within the university structure.

The universities are multi-disciplinary institutions and it will always be necessary to have a minimum of two representatives from two different ministries in the senate.

Whereas the new law says that one member of the government, not below the rank of additional secretary from the ministry of education or any other relevant department, should be in the senate.

The university is also of the view that four persons being men of distinction from society at large to be nominated for the senate should have the approval of the chancellor instead of some other government functionary.

Under the MOU, teaching departments, constituent colleges/ institutes and all other bodies designated as such by the syndicate shall be independent cost centres.

The university in the report submitted to the HEC said the flow of funds to the university, both from the government and its own sources, was not smooth throughout the financial year.

Invariably, the funds from the government are released almost two moths late. Sometimes pay increases and such unforeseen expenses are thrust upon the universities without adequate reimbursement from the government.

Therefore, the university often resorts to unauthorized borrowings either in the shape of overdrawal or other university funds, like pension fund, etc.

The powers to sub-units of the university have to be carefully regulated because they do not have a picture of such release of funds.

The university sources said in this regard the HEC chairman would have a detail meeting with the QAU officials in the next week.