LAHORE, June 2: The Government College University has become the only university in the country without dean as the two deans holding the charge of three faculties’ deans have retired.

GCU Faculty of Science and Technology Dean Prof Dr Ikramul Haq had retired on March 4 and Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Dean Prof Dr M. Khalid Pervaiz retired on May 31. Since March 4, Prof Pervaiz was holding the charge of dean of all three faculties -- science and technology; arts and social sciences; and Islamic and Oriental Learning. (The GCU website still shows him as dean of three faculties till the filing of this report late on Saturday).

GCU Registrar Anjum Nisar confirmed that there was no dean in the university at present.

Sources said in the absence of deans, the working of a university was seriously hampered as most cases were routed through the deans to the vice chancellor. “It’s a matter of grave concern that the oldest educational institution of higher education in Pakistan currently has only five regular professors after the retirement of Prof Haq and Prof Pervaiz.”

Two more professors (out of remaining five) – Botany Department chairman Prof Dr Zahiruddin Khan and Sustainable Development Study Centre Director Prof Dr Aminul Haq Khan -- are retiring in a month or so.

The names of the remaining professors – Prof Dr Hasan Amir Shah (physics department head), Prof Dr Islam Ullah Khan (chemistry department head) and Prof Dr Muhammad Aslam (mathematics department head) -- have been sent in a panel for the appointment of a dean of faculty of science and technology.

The university administration is waiting for the approval and notification of the dean with its fingers crossed. The only dean will be given the charge of all three faculties.

It is also a matter of grave concern that there is no full professor in the faculties of arts and social sciences, and Islamic and Oriental Learning, which have 22 departments – 15 and seven departments, respectively.

Interestingly, the GCU website also shows the creation of a new Faculty of Engineering having Electrical Engineering Department that is offering postgraduate and BS (Honours).

The GCU spokesman says Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khaleequr Rahman joined at a time when there were only seven full professors. He said the VC had advertised the posts of professors.

As the VC is expected to head for a three-week foreign tour along with position-holders on June 19, delay in appointment of a dean will lead to a vacant seat.