Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Demand for Resignation from the Position of Vice-Chancellor

(Lanka-e-News- 01.Feb.2015, 11.55PM)

22nd January, 2015

Dr. W.K. Hirimuburegama

Vice Chancellor

University of Colombo

Colombo 3.

Dear Dr. Hirimburegama

Demand for Resignation from the Position of Vice-Chancellor

It is now over 20 months since you were appointed as the Vice Chancellor of University of Colombo in May 2013. We, the members of the Colombo University Federation of Teachers' Associations (CUFTA), having carefully reviewed the status of governance at our university, wish to draw your attention to the following actions and omissions on your part, which seriously call into question your qualifications and your ability to continue in this post any longer.

Appointment of Acting Deans in the Faculties of Science, Management, Medicine, and Arts, in violation of the Universities Act.
Manipulation of the elections for the positions of Deans in the Faculties of Science, Medicine, and Management, in violation of your obligation to be neutral.
Failure to appoint Directors to nearly all the institutes and centres, instead making only acting appointments, thereby undermining the proper functioning of these bodies.
Appointment of persons of questionable suitability for certain key positions, including Heads of Departments, in an arbitrary manner, often disregarding the recommendations made by the Deans, and without following proper procedure, in violation of established practices of governance.
Victimisation of members of the academic staff who have actively taken part in union activities; delays in granting promotions and confirmations of probationary lecturers, for reasons other than academic ones.
Wilful violation of proper procedure in making a promotion to the post of Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine.
Numerous other instances of poor governance, including lengthy closures of faculties, failure to deal with student hostel issues, inability to deal with routine administrative matters in a timely manner, and showing disrespect to senior academics.

The above actions and/or omissions on your part highlight your inability to provide the University of Colombo with good academic leadership and fair and effective management. We need hardly point out that, at the time of your appointment, you appeared to be the least qualified candidate for the position, and failed to garner a plurality of votes in the Council. Since your appointment, you have had ample opportunity to demonstrate, that despite the doubts about your qualifications, you might have become a competent and worthy leader of the academic community. However, you have in fact abysmally failed to do so. Therefore, in the interests of the institution, its students, and the nation, which the university serves, we the members of CUFTA, hereby strongly call upon you to resign with immediate effect, from the position of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Colombo.

Prof. Devaka K. Weerakoon

President/ CUFTA

Dr. Prabath Jayasinghe

Vice President/CUFTA

On behalf of the following members of the Colombo University Federation of Teachers' Associations

Arts Faculty Teachers’ Association (AFTA)

Faculty of Education Teachers’ Association (FETA)

Faculty of Management and Finance Trade Union (FMFTU)

Faculty of Medicine Teachers’ Association (FMTA)

Sri Palee Campus Teachers’ Association (SPCTA)

Teachers’ Association of the Institute of Indigenous Medicine (TAIIM)

University of Colombo Computing Teachers’ Association (UCCTA)