Dr. Zafar Mueen Nasar (VC PU), Dr. Rukhsana Kausar (VC LCWU), Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed (VC UoS) and Dr. Muhammad Zubair (VC UET) facing resistance on issues including acceptability, student politics, teachers politics, besides the real issues of quality education, faculty and research development

By Ali Arshad

LAHORE: Newly appointed four vice chancellors of public sector universities of Punjab face multiple challenges being new to the teachers, employees, environment and issues of these varsities. Most of them are facing resistance on issues including acceptability, student politics, teachers politics, besides the real issues of quality education, faculty and research development, sources told The Educationist.
It is worthy to mention here that Lahore High Court Double Bench headed by Mr. Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, through a court notification on Dec 19, 2016, appointed Dr. Zafar Mueen Nasar (as VC PU), Dr. Rukhsana Kausar (VC LCWU), Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed (VC UoS) and Dr. Muhammad Zubair (VC MNS-UET).

Punjab University: Vice Chancellor Dr. Zafar Mueen is facing the social pressure regarding his policy shift to deal with student organisation Islami Jammiat Tulaba (IJT), while teachers politics, quality education and quality research are some other challenges for him.
Changing the 9-year-old policy of Dr. Mujahid Kamran regarding dealing with student union, Dr. Mueen has recently announced amnesty for IJT activists against whom FIR was registered in Muslim Town Police Station. Young faculty members while talking to this scribe said, they didn’t like this policy U-turn. Hence, balancing the equation is a big challenge.

Lahore College for Women University: Vice Chancellor Dr. Rukhsana Kausar faces the challenges of faculty development, quality education and quality research. Dr. Rukhsana said she wanted to provide international exposure to the faculty to broaden their vision and experience. Research with impact factor is another challenge.

University of Sargodha: Vice chancellor Dr. Istiaq Ahmed faces the challenges of shortage of PhD faculty because many teachers left after retirement of Dr. Muhammad Akram Chaudhry. Practical education and labs is another issue, while lack of hostel accommodation for students, especially female students is a serious challenge. The university ranking also dropped in recent past year, sources told The Educationist.
In his message on the university website Dr. Istiaq has said, “University of Sargodha is one of the best institutions in Pakistan.” In fact university ranking dropped during recent years, Now making UoS one of the best pakistani university is a challenge for the new vice chancellor.

MNS-UET Multan: Newly appointed Vice Chancellor Dr. Muhammad Zubair,

face the serious challenges of financial resources, hiring of faculty and other staff as well as construction of quality engineering labs with modern equipment.

The newly established university and new vice chancellor face multiple challenges, a senior faculty member said.

PU: Recently, contrasting statements were issues by Academic Staff Association and VC’s spokesperson on a university ranking related statement. In the press statement, the ASA executive council said that the VC’s remarks about university ranking had caused anger among faculty members because PU teachers had worked day and night to improve university ranking. They said that in the latest ranking released by HEC, PU was at No 2 in the country while Dr Zafar Mueen’s favorite university Lahore University of Management Sciences was far below in the list.

Recently, VC has also de-centralized the power by empowering Dean and HoDs which is a good thing in developed countries. However, Deans and HoDs’ bias attitude with faculty would increase and it would be another challenge for the administration.

Spokesman: PU spokesman Khurram Shahzad said that Academic Staff Association was misquoting PU Vice Chancellor and was presenting his statement in a wrong way. He said the vice chancellor had presented a comprehensive strategy to uplift research standard of the university and he would ensure quality education and research on campus. Regarding IJT amnesty, he said, the administration was utilising all energy to uplift teaching and research standards. “Opening old issues will create law and order situation on campus and will detract administration’s attention. The administration does not want to create an environment of confrontation and wants to keep the atmosphere peaceful,” he added.