KOCHI: The Syndicate meeting of Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) held on Saturday witnessed a boycott by over half a dozen Syndicate members over what they alleged, among other things, the autocratic style of functioning of the Vice-Chancellor Dr J. Letha. However, Dr J. Letha was quick to rebut this and told DC that the Syndicate members boycotted the meeting over an issue of granting benefits to 23 teachers in the university circumventing UGC rules.
The Vice-Chancellor said that the a section of the Syndicate insisted that the 23 teachers including Syndicate member Dr Chandramohanakumar should be given the higher benefits linked to ‘rigorous promotion norms’ of the UGC rather than lesser benefits in ‘norms promotion’. The VC said that if the Government secretary in the Syndicate agreed to giving it she will okay it otherwise will wait for the consent of the Government in this regard. The Government secretary said he cannot take a decision while the VC said that the Syndicate can’t take a decision on it and she will refer it to the government. She said following this they boycotted the meet.
However, one of the members who boycotted the meet said that three reasons led to the boycott. “Of course the promotion of the teachers was discussed but that did not lead to our walkout. We pointed out to her that only five percent of the last year’s varsity budget proposals have so far been implemented when the next budget is so near, for which she and registrar are responsible. We also objected to alterations in the Syndicate minutes after several decisions were taken, which is a very serious offence. However, she did not accept all these and said that she functions like this and we have to accept it. Following this, we decided to boycott the meeting,” the Syndicate member said.
Those who boycotted the meet were Dr R. Sasidharan, Dr Poornima Narayanan, Dr M.K. Jayaraj, Alexander Samuel, Dr A. Sabu, Dr Chandramohanakumar and Dr Joshy N.V. A total of 15 out of 19 members of the Syndicate members, excluding the VC and PVC, were present at the meet. Syndicate members and MLAs M. Swaraj and Eldho Abraham did not attend Saturday’s meet. The VC later conducted the meeting with the remaining members present.
