FUUAST governance crisis deepens as senate and syndicate remain incomplete

The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training has expressed serious concern over governance

Islamabad:  The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training has expressed serious concern over governance problems at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, saying incomplete Senate and Syndicate bodies are affecting the university’s operations and financial decisions.

The issue came under discussion during the committee meeting after members questioned the university’s decision to hold a Syndicate meeting despite earlier directions from the committee. The committee had previously visited Karachi and directed the university to address the incomplete Senate and Syndicate and had also planned to form a subcommittee to help resolve the matter.

During the meeting, a committee member said the university administration had earlier admitted that its Senate and Syndicate were not complete. The member also referred to a statement by independent member Wajid Jawad, who had claimed that meeting minutes were being changed. These were comments made during the proceedings and were not established as a finding by the committee in the material provided.

The committee also questioned why the university called another Syndicate meeting before waiting for the committee’s planned discussion. The chairperson asked the Vice Chancellor whether the committee’s earlier direction had been unclear.

The Vice Chancellor defended the university’s position, stating the Senate and Syndicate were two different bodies. He said the Senate was the university’s top body and that the university had regular officials serving as registrar, controller and treasurer. He also said there had been a gap in communication and that detailed information had now been provided to the committee.

The Vice Chancellor further said the Senate had approved certain matters and that decisions related to university statutes become part of the statutes after approval. He also explained that the Syndicate had to deal with routine university matters, including finance, salaries and pensions, because the Senate meeting was not taking place at that time.
He said new names for the Senate were expected to be sent to the Ministry and that a new Senate could soon be announced. According to his explanation, some matters had to be handled by the Syndicate during the year and later sent to the Senate where required.

The committee chairperson, however, objected that the university should have formally informed the committee about its actions. She said the committee had travelled to Karachi to provide a fair hearing and expected the university to write back and explain its position before taking further steps.

The Vice Chancellor apologised for the impression caused by the lack of communication. He said instructions had been passed on but may not have been properly communicated by officials working between him and the committee.

The chairperson then asked Senator Masroor Ahsan to move the matter forward through the committee’s subcommittee. The senator suggested that the issue be taken up on priority through the subcommittee, while the chairperson called for the matter to be addressed by the following week.

The meeting had originally included a briefing on pension payments to FUUAST pensioners, but the discussion also focused heavily on the university’s governance structure and the working of its Senate and Syndicate.

The committee has now moved the matter to its subcommittee for further review, with the university administration expected to provide explanations and relevant records regarding the disputed decisions.