FAISALABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has directed the vice chancellors and rectors of all public universities to get back salaries from dozens of Tenure Track System (TTS) teachers who have been serving on administrative posts since June 2014.

No action has been recommended against the heads of the universities who appointed such teachers for administrative duties.

Through a letter sent to the rectors and VCs of the public universities, the HEC said as per TTS rules, only a tenured faculty member can assume responsibility in an administrative capacity of a vice chancellor. Besides, after June 30, 2014, only a tenured faculty member can take administrative appointments such as Director Research, Dean of a Faculty and Head of department only.

“It has been, however, noted that some faculty members on tenure-track, without completing their probation period, start working on such positions. Moreover, some faculty members on tenure-track or tenured assume the administrative posts such as Registrar, Director HR, Treasurer, Controller of Examination etc., openly or under the cover of ‘acting’, ‘look-after’ or ‘additional charge’,” the letter mentioned.

The heads of the universities have been informed, “If a faculty member assumes an administrative post in the university, such as Registrar, Director HR or Treasurer etc, then the period for which he/she remains on that post shall not be counted toward his/her TTS service on tenure or tenure-track and during that period he/she will not be eligible to draw TTS salary.

“After June 30, 2014, if a faculty member on tenure track assumed responsibility of academic administrative position of Director Research, Dean of a faculty or Head of a Department, the period of holding such an appointment shall not be counted toward his/her TTS probation period on tenure track and he/she will not be eligible to draw TTS salary.”

Similarly, a faculty member on tenure-track/tenured is not allowed to take position (appointment, deputation etc.) in a university/organization, within/outside country, paid/unpaid, other than specified in the Tenure Track Statutes.

The HEC said the government was giving a huge amount of incentives to engage faculty members in research in their respective fields and if they involve themselves in other activities, the same purpose will be lost. The universities, therefore, need to strictly follow the instructions in letter and spirit, the letter added.

Reacting to the HEC direction, some faculty members said it was unjust to deduct salaries of the TTS teachers who served on administrative slots on the direction of the vice chancellors. They said VCs and rectors were empowered to do so and no one could resist their orders.

They said instead of penalising the teachers by screwing them up, the HEC must take action against the universities’ heads who violated the rules.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2016