Management of Sunyani Technical University (STU) and Senior Staff and Senior Members (non-teaching) of the institution have held discussions on recommendations made by the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) on the recent academic audit report it undertook in Technical Universities.
Late last year, the NCTE conducted an academic audit as part of measures to migrate staff of technical universities onto the university salary structure.
The meeting was organized for Senior Staff and Senior Members (teaching and non-teaching) to explain the recommendations made in the academic audit report and also to afford members of staff the opportunity to seek clarifications.
Present at the workshop were the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah; the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dr. Justice Solomon Korantwi-Barimah and Mr. Samuel Ankama Obour, the Registrar.
They took turns to explain the various aspects of the report which are relevant to the participants.
Clarifying rumors going round that some staff, especially Heads of Department (HODs), would lose their positions as a result of the audit, Mr. Obour stated that no staff will suffer such fate, stressing that staff who do not have the requisite academic and professional qualifications have a grace period of about three years to upgrade themselves.
He said the university has put in place a committee to supervise the successful implementation of the academic audit report and also make recommendations for consideration for those who might still not be able to meet the eligibility criteria after the three-year grace period.
Besides, he said, the NCTE has also put in place a Monitoring Committee to see to the effective implementation of the academic audit report in each of the technical universities.
The Registrar also advised staff to be punctual to work and make judicious use of facilities put at their disposal to enhance their competence.
Dr. Korantwi-Barimah, the Pro-VC explained that the decision to retain HODs until their term of office end was to maintain the harmony and unity that exist in the departments but was quick to add that management was unlikely to extend their appointment.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adinkrah-Appiah, for his part described the effort by management to deepen staff understanding of the academic audit report as “a good thing” and asked staff to embrace it.
He encouraged any staff who has any issues about the report to feel free to contact management for explanation.
“If you have challenges, let’s discuss them…we have your welfare at heart. My office is opened to everyone, so feel free to call on me to discuss your concerns”, the Vice-Chancellor said.
When the floor was opened for questions, staff present seized the opportunity to seek explanations to some aspects of the academic audit report which required further clarification.
Later in a separate meeting with the Teaching staff, the Vice-Chancellor assured them of management’s resolve to support lecturers who do not hold PhDs to upgrade themselves to enhance their competences to enable them effectively discharge their duties.
He said for the university to become a center of excellence and compete with other universities there is the need for lecturers to upgrade themselves to the terminal degree.