Tuesday, October 16, 2012

SL Federation of University Women: Correction

, The Island


The Press and Publicity Officer of the Sri Lanka Federation of University Women, Dr Selvie Perera, has sent us the following note and requested urgent publicity for it:"The notice announcing the AGM of the SLFUW on Saturday October 20th 2012 at the SLFUW Training Centre, Colombo 8, was issued to the Press by me.

"I deeply regret having inadvertently referred to our Guest of Honour as Deshamanya Emeritus Professor Swarna Jayaweera.

"The honour bestowed on Professor Swarna Jayaweera is Deshabandu, and the notice referring to the Guest of Honour at the AGM should have read as "Deshabandu Emeritus Professor Dr. Swarna Jayaweera".

My sincere apologies to Dr. Jayaweera for any embarrassment caused to her by this inadvertent error on my part.

Eastern University opens tomorrow

, The Island


By Franklin R. Satyapalan

The Eastern University had requested students of all faculties to attend classes tomorrow morning (17), Vice Chancellor Dr. K. Kobindarajah said.

He told The Island that following the conclusion of its special Senate committee meeting last afternoon it had been decided that accommodation would be provided to only the first and final year students.

The VC said that the possibility of providing accommodation to other batches would be considered depending on the availability of facilities.

He said that the construction of a library, faculties of arts and culture and commerce and management had been completed at a cost of Rs. 200 million provided by the government at the request of Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayaka.

Jaffna Uni. re-opens after three months




By Franklin R. Satyapalan, The Island

 The Jaffna University has requested its Agriculture and Management Faculty students to report for lectures from tomorrow (17) morning, Vice Chancellor Prof. Vasanthi Arasaratnam said.

Meanwhile, students of the Arts Faculty reported for classes when the Campus reopened yesterday morning, following the closure of the university for a period of three months.

A special meeting of the Jaffna Campus Senate has been summoned for today, at 2.00 p.m. to take a decision on the dates for opening some of the other Faculties, sources said.

Chief Registrar of the Jaffna University. V. Kandeepan. was not available for comment as he had been summoned to Colombo for a meeting of the University Grants Commission, scheduled for last morning, sources said.

They said that the University authorities had requested the students of the Science Faculty to report for classes next Monday (22).

UGC not honouring promises – FUTA

, The Island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

 The university authorities had still to withdraw some of the circulars, issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), as promised by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) charged yesterday.

FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri told The Island that they had suspended the strike last Thursday on the basis of such promises.

"One of the major promises was that the circulars issued by the UGC, preventing university teachers from attending to some work, would be withdrawn," he said, adding that those circulars were an impediment to the freedom of university teachers.

Although the secretary to the higher education ministry had sent a letter asking the UGC to cancel those circulars, the UGC had still not done it, Dr. Dewasiri said.

The senior academic said that the higher education ministry had also sent a separate letter to the UGC asking it to pay the salaries of the dons for the past three months.

"But, our salaries, too, are yet to be paid," he said adding that some universities had paid only a salary advance.

FUTA decided to suspend its strike on the assurance of Minister Rajapaksa, but the promises must be honoured as soon as possible, Dr. Dewasiri said.

He said that last year, too, the FUTA suspended its strike following a government’ assurance only to be disappointed.

"This time around we will not get trapped in the same way," Dr. Dewasiri said, adding the FUTA could resume trade union action anytime.