Meeting with VC to find solution for  lecturer shortage ends inconclusively

Decision put to University Council

May 29, 2014, 10:29 pm , The Island

By Dasun Edirisinghe

A discussion between the Colombo University Vice Chancellor and Arts faculty officials over a lecturer shortage ended without a solution on Wednesday evening.

Initially, the discussion was scheduled for the morning, but it was postponed to the evening as the Vice Chancellor had to attend a meeting with Dr. P. B. Jayasundera, the Secretary of the Finance Ministry.

Dean and all department heads of the Colombo Arts Faculty including History Department Head Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, who staged a sit-in last week near the office of the Vice Chancellor in protest against the shortage of lecturers in his department, also attended the meeting.

Earlier Dr. Dewasiri had threatened a hunger strike against a delay on the part of the VC to recruit two temporary lecturers to the History Department, but changed his mind as the Arts Faculty Dean Prof. Athula Ranasinghe promised a collective action.

Dr. Dewasiri, contacted for comment, said that he had sought permission to recruit two as temporary lecturers, but in vain.

He said that the VC had forwarded his request to the University Council, claiming that there was a problem with one person.

When contacted for comment, Vice Chancellor Dr. Wijaya Kumara Hirimburegama said that he could not solve the problem on his own without consulting the University Council and the Senate.

"We will find a solution to the lecturer shortage at the history department through the Council shortly," Dr. Hirimburegama said.