Maha panel calls for revisiting role of University Senate

Updated on: Tuesday, December 13, 2011

A committee set up to suggest formation of a new legal structure for governance of public universities in Maharashtra has called for revisiting role of the Senate.

The Senate of a university provides a platform for establishing a bridge between the various stakeholders and the varsity authorities. It should play the role of a conscience keeper and give suggestions to the university authorities on how to bring about improvement in the working of the three major functions of a university - academics, research & development, and administration, said the committee, headed by Arun Nigavekar, an educationist and former Vice-Chancellor of Pune University.

The committee has recommended that the Senate be titled as "Society Partnership Council (SOUL)". SOUL should be a forum for the employers, industry, agriculture and agro-products businesses, research and development agencies, social reform groups, organisations linked with literature, culture and performing arts, health and women's organisations, agencies involved in tasks related to the environment and preservation of the nature, bodies involved in communications and the media, the panel said.

Organisations involved in finances and investments tasks, legal reforms and judiciary, academicians who are not directly connected with the Universities, the senior citizens groups, societies and trusts that are involved with primary, secondary, professional and general education should also be part of SOUL, it said.

Graduates of the University, through the process of elections, should also be given an opportunity to be a part of SOUL, the committee has said. The Chancellor (Governor) would be the head of SOUL and the entire membership of SOUL representing these stakeholders would be nominated by the Chancellor from amongst the names suggested by the Vice-Chancellor. The SOUL should meet once in a year in the month of April. If the Chancellor desires he/she may convene one additional meeting on any other date in the year, the panel has suggested.

Maha panel calls for revisiting role of University Senate

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