GL tells Kiriella, university councils do not elect VCs

By Saman Indrajith

The government was accused yesterday of misleading Parliament on a recently introduced method of selecting Vice Chancellors of universities.

Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the government had done away with an age old practice of selecting three candidates through a vote by the university councils for the post of vice chancellors from applicants. There after those three names were forwarded for the Senate approval and sent to the President to select one of them. “That was how the VCs for the universities were appointed. Now this government has introduced a new method of giving marks through interviews. This does not ensure independence of universities.”

Education Minister Prof GL Peiris:

I answered this question last week too. No such thing has happened.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella:

Do you still have votes in the university councils?

Minister Prof Peiris:

That would be different from university to university.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella:

I am asking you whether you still have the votes in university councils to select VCs.

Minister Prof Peiris:

The university councils do not elect the VCs by vote.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella:

You are misleading the House. I too have the experience as a higher education minister. Selecting three names from the university councils from vote to be nominated for the post of VC was the tradition. That was the system since the times of the JR Jayewardene government to the yahapalana government. You are an Oxford scholar. You were a VC once. How were you selected then? Why do you not see the injustice being done in the universities? Do you not agree that the university system is being politicized?

Minister Prof Peiris:

I was selected out of three names sent to the President by the Senate. There was no vote in the council to select those names.

The issue of appointing VCs came up after Ratnapura District SJB MP Hesha Withanage demanded to know as to why the government was delaying appointing a VC to the Sabaragmuwa University. Prof Sunil Santha was the VC and his first term was over many months back. He has been selected to the post again, but his appointment is not given. He played a pioneer role in getting a medical faculty to that university. Instead of giving him the appointment, an acting VC has been appointed. Is there a political hand blocking his appointment for the second term?

Minister Prof Peiris: We do not make appointments of VCs on the basis of political reasons.