Chennai: Madras University Senate members at a meeting on Saturdy questioned how higher education secretary Apoorva, who was also one of the three conveners of the Senate meeting, signed the fund allocation for building construction while the other two conveners, the director of collegiate education Sekhar and Jothi Sivagnanam did not approve the allocation of funds.
While Apoorva did not attend the meeting, the other two conveners came but left after a few questions were raised. G. Ravindran, head of journalism and communication department, said, “ US consulate has allocated $ 3,000 for Senate House restoration. It is a shame that for the past two years we have ruined it. We gave the contract to L& T, but instead of a new building, the bricks are falling down now,” he said. Further, he said, Rs 40 lakh had been allocated for Tamil excellence project. But it has not been revised yet.
Members also raised the issue of formation of heritage committee to restore the Senate building. Another professor at the meeting pointed out the SC/ST scholarship balance. “If students are not taking the scholarship, then it should be returned to government,” he said. To this chairperson Thangam Menon said students discontinued courses very often.
J. Gandhiraj said, “ To become a guide, new professors who join, have to be on probation for two years. But they already have a guideship from other universities. This two year probationary period is meaningless.”
