LAHORE, Aug 1: The Punjab University senate approved on Monday budgets for 2001-05 and budget estimates for 2005-06. In its 349th meeting presided over by Governor Khalid Maqbool, who is also chancellor of the university, approved four new faculties and as many constituent colleges.

The new faculties are the faculty of behavioural and social science, faculty of economics and management, faculty of Islamic studies and faculty of life sciences. The colleges are the college of engineering & emerging technology, the college of pharmacy, the college of fine arts & design and the college of environmental & earth sciences.

Some members expressed their dissent over the decision of bifurcating the faculties and establishing new constituent colleges. They objected that proceedings of the academic council meeting should have been circulated and time given for objections. The proceedings should also have been routed through the syndicate, they observed.

They pointed out that the vice-chancellor had taken a number of decisions through the anticipatory orders. Besides, the university had failed to focus on research. The sound system of the hall was not functioning well and some members made irrelevant speeches as the elections of two syndicates and a finance committee members were to be held after approval of the meeting’s agenda.

The meeting also approved service structure for the staff of departments of sports sciences, physical education and Urdu encyclopaedia of Islam. Registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan conducted the proceedings as secretary of the senate. He briefed the house regarding actions taken on the decision of the senate 2001 meeting.

Governor Khalid Maqbool said two top position holders of the CSS examination were from the PU. He appreciated the ongoing developments and future programmes of the university. Provincial Education Minister Mian Imran Masood announced Rs30 million for the construction of houses at the residential colony for the PU faculty members.

Earlier, Vice-Chancellor Arshad Mahmmod presented a progress report of 2000-2005. He said the government took keen interest in the education sector and allocated Rs11.7 billion for higher education.

He said the Punjab University had established six constituent colleges, 16 departments, started 25 degree programmes at post-graduation level and 15 at bachelors level during the last five years.

MMA MPA Ehsanullah Waqas said the seats on self finance should be increased to facilitate more students by reducing its fee.

ELECTED: The PU faculty members elected Dr Mumtaz Ahmed Salik of Islamic studies and Prof Dr Muhammad Jamshed of the pharmacy department as members of syndicate and Dr Shahid Kamal as member of finance and planning committee of the senate.