Nine-hour long PU Senate meet discusses 57 issues — only one relates to students

The nine-hour-long Senate meeting of the Panjab University (PU) witnessed only one students-centric issue and that too was incomplete. The issue was to enhance the amount of cash prize to be given to the outstanding sportspersons of the varsity.

Surprisingly, nowhere had the old prize money and enhanced amount been mentioned in the agenda of the Senate meeting.

Though the second part of the meeting is scheduled for January 20, the first part of the meeting held on December 22 was started at 9.30 am and ended at 7.30 pm.

Heated discussion over 57 issues, related to appointments, promotions and extension of teaching terms, became a part of the meeting.

The issues as mentioned in the agenda related to the enhancement of cash prize read, "The amount of cash prize to be given to outstanding sportspersons of the Panjab University, who brought laurels to the University by their performances at the international level competitions, be enhanced with effect of the session 2011-2012."

No sooner did PU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Arun Kumar Grover, read the issue for the consideration of the senators, a few of them raised their voices saying that nowhere had amount been mentioned.

In a reply, the V-C said that he would get it corrected, but that they should pass the issue.

However, one of the senators,

S S Sangha put forth that a regular sports director should be appointed and he also raised the point that the varsity should declare the dates of the semester exams after taking care of the dates of annual athletic meets, but unlike other issues, this issue barely saw ten minutes of deliberations.

Talking to Chandigarh Newsline, legal adviser Students Organization of India (SOI), Parmbir Singh said, "Before the Senate meeting we had submitted a memorandum with the V-C requesting him to allow the student leader to participate in the proceedings of the senate. It was requested so that at least the student leader can speak on the behalf of students and express related issues in front of the senators."

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