University of Goroka students to return to classes tomorrow

Classes at the University of Goroka are expected to resume tomorrow after eight weeks of standoff between students and administration.

The University of Goroka’s newly-elected Chancellor Benais Sabumei (MBE) yesterday announced to UOG staff and students the resolutions reached by the new full council regarding the student boycott of classes.

He said in an open letter to all staff and students of UOG that Student Representative Council members Benjamin Michael and Genevieve Mungkaje, present at the council meeting held last Friday, informed council that classes for all programs would commence tomorrow. 

Mr Sabumei stressed the importance of classes commencing tomorrow as “any further delay would grossly affect the academic calendar and more drastically every student’s future academic progress at the University of Goroka”.

He said in the letter that council was pleased with the decision and commended the SRC members for their undertaking.

Mr Sabumei also announced that registered students would be given the opportunity to express their individual democratic right to return to classes via a referendum which is to be conducted at UOG tomorrow afternoon.

Other resolutions reached at the council meeting last Friday, with the participation of the SRC members, included:

·       Compilation of the terms of reference (TOR) for the investigation committee;
·       Composition of an investigation into the student boycott;
·       Approval of the TORs, the approval of the TORs, the approval of an investigation committee, the elections of representatives to the final four vacant seats of the University Council namely: chancellor, pro v ice chancellor, graduate representative and a representative of one of the vice chancellors from another university; and 

·       Approval of the revised 2010 academic calendar.

Mr Sabumei said agreed members of the investigating committee were former Attorney General Michael Gene, prominent academic Prof Allan Easton and accountant George Kuno.

 The duration of the investigation will be four weeks commencing on March 29 and will examine several issues from the TOR concerning governance, processes and procedures, administration matters, academic matters, student welfare, staff welfare and financial matters.

Mr Sabumei said in his letter that the university now had almost a full complement of a council as required by the UOG Act.

Only a Minister’s nominee and one academic board representative, on an acting basis, will need to be elected.

Mr Sabumei said he looked forward to working and cooperating with all the members of the Council.