J’pura Vice Chancellor’s wings clipped

The Secretary of the Higher Education Ministry Dr Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne had instructed the Vice Chancellor of the Jayawardenepura University to obtain as from now on the direction of the recently constituted Consultative Committee when arriving at decisions involving the affairs of the University.

The secretary of the Higher education ministry had issued these instructions at an urgent meeting called in the aftermath of the students engaged in the protest dispersed on a court order on 09 January.

A special consultative committee had been appointed to diffuse the tension that had been created at the University recently. This consultative committee is headed by Prof Mohan De Silva Dean of the Medical Faculty of Sri Jayawardenepura University. It consists of Deans from five faculties and five representatives from the University Lecturers Trade Union. Prof Sunil Ariyaratne, a member of this committee affirmed that it is obligatory for this committee to establish a conciliatory status quo in order to reopen the university without any delay, and the committee would meet to discuss the strategies to be adopted in re opening the university. He was hopeful that the university could re open the three faculties that remain closed by 23 January. Meanwhile the Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake is scheduled to meet the students’ representatives on 14 January at 10.00 a.m to discuss about the student’s demand for the removal of the Vice Chancellor of J’pura University. Several University lecturers are also expected to participate in this discussion.