ASA CUI demands permanent rector

Islamabad: Academic Staff Association (ASA) of COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) has expressed grave concern over the prolonged administrative vacuum at the university and called upon the Chancellor, the President of Pakistan, to appoint a permanent Rector amongst the list of three names forwarded by the Senate of CUI at the earliest in order to restore stability and good governance at CUI.

The office of Rector was lying vacant since July 2023 forcing the university to function through acting arrangements that deeply undermined efficiency, transparency and institutional morale. The 8th (Special) Senate meeting of CUI was convened on Aug 20 by Federal Minister for Science and Technology. During this meeting, and in accordance with the CUI Act 2018, the candidates were shortlisted in order of priority and forwarded to the Chancellor’s office through the Ministry of Science and Technology for final approval.

At this crucial stage, however, said an ASA statement, “certain elements are attempting to derail the process for their vested interests, a move strongly condemned by the faculty as an attack on institutional stability and merit.”

The faculty firmly observed that there was “no justification for further interim or stopgap appointments” which already caused irreparable harm to the university’s governance. Instead, ASA CUI, Islamabad Campus strongly demanded that the Chancellor make a permanent appointment strictly on merit from the list ensuring that the institution is led with vision, accountability and stability.

Incidentally, all statutory positions except Deans are currently being held by individuals on acting charge and their replacement with permanent appointments depend on the appointment of a permanent Rector. The CUI faculty hoped that the Chancellor will bring an end to the administrative chaos by a “timely merit-based appointment” of the permanent Rector, it concluded.