LCWU notice to stop staff from correspondence causes unrest

LAHORE:A notice by Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) administration to its employees directing them ‘not to correspond or send reply to any individual or organisation outside the university’ has caused quite a stir among the employees who have termed it violation of basic human right.

The notice issued by LCWU registrar Uzma Batool, a copy available with The News, warns that in case of violation employees can face ‘strict disciplinary action’ as per provision of, what it noted, “Official Secrets Act” and the university’s rules.

“As per direction of the Competent Authority, all teaching and non-teaching staff is hereby directed not to correspond or send reply to any individual or organisation outside the university without prior approval of the Vice Chancellor. Otherwise strict disciplinary action will be taken as per provision of Official Secrets Act and University Conduct Rules,” reads the notice.

A number of LCWU employees, seeking anonymity, said they failed to comprehend as to how the university administration could restrict their correspondence with individuals and organisations outside the university.

“We have to remain in contact with foreign and local universities and faculty for academic purposes,” said one of the employees questioning as to how it was possible for teachers to seek approval for any such correspondence from the VC all the time. “Does the VC get approval for her correspondence with individuals and organisations outside the university from the HED Punjab or PHEC,” questioned the teacher.

Another faculty member said as per the notice no faculty member could even correspond with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) or any other government department for academic purposes and the same was violation of basic human right. The faculty member said she was corresponding with a foreign organisation for publication of a research article and had not sought any approval from the VC. “How come this could be a violation of the university rules,” she questioned.

Sources in the university said some serious internal politics was at play at the LCWU which prompted the administration to issue this particular notice. They further said construction of a bank branch on the university premises in alleged violation of LDA rules was also one of the issues the LCWU administration was worried about and did not want the employees to take up the same with government organisations including the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

They sources also said that locks of the Vice Chancellor office were recently replaced with new ones after the administration noted that some important documents including agenda of the recent Syndicate meeting were leaked.

It is pertinent to mention here that LDA has stopped the construction of the bank branch on the LCWU premises and the same was also one of the agenda items in the recent Syndicate meeting.

When contacted Dr Bushra Mirza, Vice Chancellor LCWU, said the notice was not meant to restrict academic correspondence of the university employees and the same would be rectified. She said, however, for administrative correspondence with any individual or organisation outside the university the teaching and non-teaching staff was supposed to get approval from the university.

To a question Dr Bushra Mirza said in the recent Syndicate meeting one of the members, an MPA, had assured the university that she would play her role to get LDA approval for the construction of bank branch at the university. She, however, denied development vis-à-vis replacement of locks of her office.