Restraining order against UGC, University heads extended

The Island 28/07/2011


By Chitra Weerarathne

The Court of Appeal yesterday extended till August 05, 2011, the restraining order, issued earlier, against the University Grants Commission, the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and the Heads of Departments, of the Ruhuna, Wayamba and Sri Jayewardenepura Universities.

The stay order restrained the UGC the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellors, from accepting the letters of resignation submitted by the Heads of Department. The same stay order restrained the Heads of Departments from submitting letters of resignation and keeping away from official duties.

Groups of students from the three universities had complained to the Court of Appeal that the Heads of Department handed over letters of resignation, and kept away from academic functions and thereby, the academic work of the undergrads had been interrupted. They requested the Court to prohibit the authorities from accepting the letter of resignation.

The Bench comprised Justices Sriskandarajah and Nalin Perera.

Faiz Mustapha, PC and Sanjeewa Jayawardena appeared of the petitioner students.

M. A. Sumanthiran appeared for the Heads of Department.

An Academic Spring in Sri Lanka?

The Island 28/07/2011

By Camena Guneratne and
Harini Amarasuriya
Open University of Sri Lanka

The Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) has called off the trade union action it launched more than two months ago, somewhat unexpectedly. The blogsphere is buzzing with comments, reactions and analyses of the suspension of the trade union action. This reaction itself shows the degree to which FUTA had succeeded in mobilising university teachers. It now appears that the FUTA membership may have been a few steps ahead of the FUTA leadership; thus, the unexpected suspension of the union action, without sufficient consultation with the sister unions has created a storm. The intention of this article is not to analyse FUTA’s decision or the reaction to it, but rather, to offer a perspective on the recent mobilisation of university teachers which evolved during more than two months of university wide trade union action.

Although the FUTA trade union action originated in a demand that the government honour its undertaking to increase salaries, it has metamorphosed amongst the membership into a movement of much greater significance. After decades of invisibility the academic community is now asserting its place in Sri Lankan civil society. Emboldened by the strength and commitment of its membership FUTA’s platform has also broadened from the original demand of a salary package to ‘attract, recruit and retain’ academics within the state university system. Today the academic community is not merely demanding a salary increase and other emoluments but is questioning the fate of higher education in Sri Lanka, university autonomy, academic freedom, student rights and the need to protect democratic spaces. This signals something more than the anger of a disgruntled, under paid and unappreciated professional body, but also an awakening of a sense of social awareness and responsibility. This movement has brought together university academics from different universities, disciplinary backgrounds and political affiliations in ways not seen in recent times. FUTA suspending the trade union action when many of these demands including that of salary have not been satisfactorily addressed, has certainly shocked many university teachers who supported the union action passionately.

This activism and resurgence among the academic community has been compared to the awakening of a sleeping giant, of academics proving that they have vertebrae, of a community emerging from a long, largely self imposed silence. This suggests that prior to the events and activities of the past two months, Sri Lankan academics (by and large) have been not just asleep but somewhat irrelevant for society. University teachers who have spoken out in the recent past have done so based on political party affiliation. We have not been making ourselves heard as independent social commentators and analysts in our own right. But the signs are there that this is now changing. Picking up a newspaper in Sri Lanka during the past few weeks or browsing the web, it was evident that academics had (and will continue to have) plenty to say on a range of issues. Our intention in this article is to consider the role of the country’s academic community in this broader context and to try and understand the recent activism as well as the past silence of Sri Lankan university teachers. The changes that we have observed in our community recently, we hope, signals a reawakening that will lead us towards a critical reflection of our role in society and the establishment of the kind of university culture that would help us fulfil this role.

Role of Higher Education

If we follow the recent ‘official’ discourse on the role of higher education in Sri Lanka, one may be forgiven for believing that the sole purpose of higher education (and therefore of academics) is to solve the unemployment problem in the country. In other words, what we are expected to do is to create ‘employable graduates’. Universities and academics are under enormous pressure to produce ‘marketable’ graduates and programmes. However, this is an extremely narrow and short sighted vision of higher education. According to the Bonn Declaration adopted at the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development 2009, higher education has three core functions:

1. Research,

2. Teaching

3. Service of the community

Service of the community includes generating knowledge and advancing the understanding of issues that challenge the sustainable development of society. Our core function of teaching relates to producing ethical citizens who are committed to the values of peace, human rights and democracy. This clearly is a much broader vision of higher education than that envisaged by successive Higher Education authorities in Sri Lanka recently. The suppression (at times with the complicity of academics) of this broader mission for higher education is what has also kept Sri Lankan academics asleep and in exile during the past few decades.

The importance of academic freedom and university autonomy needs to be considered within this broader understanding of the role of higher education. In order to be able to fulfil our core functions with responsibility, universities and university teachers need to be independent and critical. They must develop the kind of culture which encourages debate and discussion, rewards academic rigour and intellectual curiosity and, most importantly, a sense of social responsibility. If we understand the role of higher education and the responsibilities of those involved in higher education in this context, then the role of academics is far removed from the mere pursuit of knowledge. Research cannot be only for the sake of promotions and career development. Teaching cannot be merely about regurgitating notes that have circulated for years among students. Our role calls for an active engagement with society, especially with our students; in fact, it calls for academics to take the lead in speaking out on issues concerning wider society. Academic freedom and university autonomy are rights that the university community enjoys in order to fulfil its social obligations in a responsible manner. We cannot fulfil our core functions if we are restrained and kept under control.

Autonomy & independence

The academic community in Sri Lanka today has recognised the need to fight for its autonomy and independence and its relevance in civil society. However, we will not be successful in our efforts to do so, if we imagine that this fight is only with external forces. This fight has to also take place within our universities. Just as much as we call upon the authorities to refrain from undermining our freedom and autonomy, we need to reflect on university culture in contemporary Sri Lanka and attempt to understand how and why we silenced ourselves and contributed to our irrelevance during the last several years. How did we get into a situation where different political regimes were able to interfere in our institutions with such impunity or politically controlled Vice Chancellors and the University Grants Commission could influence our academic spaces to the extent that they do now?

This is where it is important to consider how we should continue to mobilise and remain active outside of trade union activity. While FUTA gave us a spur, the changes we seek cannot be achieved through it—or certainly not through FUTA in its current shape and form. We need to reform our institutions, including FUTA to be in line with this broader agenda. Firstly, we need to reflect on our past silence and inaction. University culture often reflects broader cultural and political contexts; they present us with a microcosm of life outside the universities. And the politicisation of institutions as well as the growing authoritarian nature of governance systems, which has taken place in other institutions in Sri Lanka, certainly did not spare the university system. However, in this article, we would like to consider another factor which contributed to the erosion of university autonomy and academic freedom.

To be continued tomorrow

If we follow the recent ‘official’ discourse on the role of higher education in Sri Lanka, one may be forgiven for believing that the sole purpose of higher education (and therefore of academics) is to solve the unemployment problem in the country. In other words, what we are expected to do is to create ‘employable graduates’. Universities and academics are under enormous pressure to produce ‘marketable’ graduates and programmes. However, this is an extremely narrow and short sighted vision of higher education. According to the Bonn Declaration adopted at the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development 2009, higher education has three core functions:

Dons await fresh letters of appointment

Dailymirror 28/07/2011

By Lakna Paranamanna

The university academics said yesterday they would not withdraw the resignation letters which they submitted to university authorities and were awaiting the Vice Chancellors to issue fresh letters of appointments for the academics who resigned from their voluntary posts.

Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) President Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri told Daily Mirror that they had been advised by their lawyers to refrain from withdrawing the resignation letters. Contd. from A1

“We have been advised that if we withdraw the resignation letters, it would impact negatively on the trade union action we carried out. The letters were submitted about two and a half months ago and withdrawing them now would certainly weaken the legality of our trade union action,” Dr. Dewasiri said.

He said the FUTA was talking to Vice Chancellors with the intention of resolving this matter and resuming work at the voluntary posts held earlier.

“In spite of suspending our trade union activities, the universities are still unable to resume to academic or administrative activities,” he added.

The university academics resigned from voluntary administrative positions on May 3 as part of a series of trade union action to urge the government to grant them an adequate salary increase. The action brought to a standstill the administrative functions in all the universities. Last Thursday the academics decided to suspend their trade union action after the government agreed to accept their interim proposal.

Posted by FUTA, Sri Lanka at 5:51 AM

Doctorate for former Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara

Daily News 28/07/2011

A Doctorate in Agriculture was awarded to former Agriculture Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara by the University of Peradeniya on Monday. The ex Minister is currently an adviser to the President.

The Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture (PGIA), Peradeniya University has awarded the Doctorate, for the research done by him on adopting Organic agriculture for sustainable development of agriculture in Sri Lanka.

A council of eminent persons including Prof H P M Gunasekera and Dr Saliya Silva under the Supervision of Prof Sarath Bandara led the research team. Hemakumara Nanayakkara is the first and only Sri Lankan to be awarded with a Post Graduate Degree in Organic Agriculture.

Solar Asia Research Confab at IFS, Kandy

The Island 28/07/2011


The Solar Asia 2011 International Conference on Solar Energy Materials, Solar Cells and Solar Energy Applications will be held at the Institute of Fundamental Studies in Kandy from today (28) to July 30 2011.

Solar energy is expected to be a major supplementary power source in the very near future especially in tropical countries, like Sri Lanka. Research on solar energy materials and solar cells is a fast growing interdisciplinary branch of science and technology today. During the past many years, physicists, chemists, material scientists, engineers and industry personnel have focused their attention to develop novel materials for ‘highly efficient and low cost solar cells and photovoltaic devices.

Scientists and technologists in Asian countries continue to make notable contributions to these developments. In fact, Sri Lanka ranks among the top 10 nations with regard to research publications on dye sensitized solar cells.

The Solar-Asia 2011 conference will provide a forum for researchers from Asia and other countries to present their research, to, find out latest developments in specific areas and to network with experts in the field.

There will be about 100 research scientists and technologists from 14 countries making their deliberations at the three day conference, which will be inaugurated by Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Technology and Research on Thursday, July 28th Many senior and young researchers and academics from Sri Lanka will be making invited and contributed presentations at this conference.

The conference has been co-organized by the Institute of Fundamental Studies and the National Science Foundation.

Cartoon 2011.07.27

Dailymirror 27/07/2011

If you serve Sri Lankans, be ready to be blamed. 

They never appreciate what you have done, but blame you for what you couldn’t do! 
ANAGARIKA DHARMAPALA

Tug o’ war on technicalities delay Unis returning to normal

The Island 27/06/2011

By Dasun Edirisinghe

Academic activities in universities, which had been put on hold due to the trade union action by the teachers, will not commence soon despite the dons suspending their protest, university sources said yesterday.

The impasse had been caused by a decision taken by the vice chancellors of the universities not to issue fresh letters reappointing university lecturers to the voluntary posts from which they had resigned as part of their trade union action, sources said.

The university teachers who had resigned from the posts of heads of departments in the campuses demand that they be given new letters of appointment. The Vice chancellors have rejected this demand and have suggested that the teachers must withdraw their letters of resignation instead.

President of the Federation of University Teachers Associations, Dr Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri told The Island that their members would not withdraw the letters of resignation.

During the most recent discussion between the FUTA and the Secretary to the Ministry of Higher Education Dr Sunil Jayantha Navaratne where the university teachers had agreed to suspend their union action, it was also agreed that the ministry would take action to get VCs to offer new letters of appointment.

However, the VCs who met in a separate meeting have decided not to issue letters re-appointing former heads of departments but to entertain the academics to withdraw their letters of resignation, Dr Devasiri said.

Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission had revoked Circular No 956 it had issued earlier as demanded by the FUTA.

A hastily summoned meeting was held between FUTA members and the Treasury Secretary Dr P. B. Jayasundera yesterday morning.

At this meeting the Treasury Secretary had agreed to provide the Rs 600 cost of living allowance, paid to the public servants, to university teachers too. One of the demands of the FUTA was to pay this allowance separately without adding it to the basic salary of the teachers, Finance Ministry sources said.

The FUTA has also demanded, at that meeting, that the salaries of all probationary lecturers be increased by ten percent, FUTA sources said adding that the Treasury Secretary’s approval was pending.

FUTA to resume TU action unless ... - Dr. Devasiri

The Island 26/07/2011

by Dasun Edirisinghe

University teachers who suspended their trade union action last Thursday warned the government yesterday that unless their demands were granted as promised, they would be compelled to resume their protest.

President of the Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, addressing a press conference in Colombo yesterday, said that they were well aware of the government’s way of handling trade union issues. "We are not ready to let them take us for a ride this time," he said.

Dr. Devasiri claimed that the government had a history of reneging on promises it made to university teachers since 2008. But, this time around, it would not be able to take them for a ride, he said.

According to FUTA, the government has agreed to appoint a committee to evolve lasting solutions to the university teachers’ salary issues and cancel a circular issued by the University Grants Commission preventing university dons from resigning from the posts held by them voluntarily, without giving three-months notice.

The government had also agreed to discuss the issues such as university teachers’ Research and Development Allowance and FUTA had therefore decided to suspend its trade union action, Dr. Devasiri said. FUTA wants that allowance made part of the teachers’ salaries.

He said FUTA agreed to the government’s proposal to increase the salary of a senior professor to Rs. 115,000, but it would be only Rs. 101,000 without that allowance.

Dr. Devasiri said there were only 38 senior professors in the country.

FUTA asked for a ten per cent salary increment for probationary lecturers, but the government had granted a pay hike of only 6.25 per cent. There had been no pay hikes for demonstrators, FUTA chief said.

University teachers resorted to trade union action to pressure the government to rectify their salary anomalies, with a token strike on March 15, 2011. They resigned from university administrative posts on May 09.

Posted by FUTA, Sri Lanka at 5:34 AM

FUTA tells Govt. to keep its promises

Dailymirror 26/07/2011

By Sandun A. Jayasekera

The Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) yesterday asked the government to fulfil without delay the promises made in response to its demands and warned that the university lecturers were not ready to waste any more time waiting for the government to deliver.

FUTA media spokesman Mahim Mendis told a news conference the Association members strongly believed that these demands were vital to a lasting solution to the problems faced by the lecturers and the quality of higher education in the country.

“The FUTA has decided that its membership will accept the voluntary positions relinquished due to ongoing protest on the understanding reached in good faith that the committee appointed by the government will take steps to resolve all their demands within the stipulated timeframe. The FUTA warns it will resume its suspended trade union action if matters are not resolved as promised,” Dr. Mendis stressed.

“After the FUTA met President Mahinda Rajapaksa on July 13, it met Treasury Secretary P. B. Jayasundara on July 18 to discuss, the salary structure in keeping with the President’s proposals and the implementation of the other demands of the FUTA.

At this meeting we were informed that the salary cap of Rs.115,000 for the senior most Professor included a 25 per cent conditional Research and Development allowance,” he said.

Dr. Mendis said FUTA had been firm from the beginning, that to resolve the principal demand for an increase in salaries all allowances should be paid without any conditions attached and in such a scenario FUTA is not in a position to consider this 25 per cent R and D allowance as part of a salary package which in effect caps the salary for a senior most professor at Rs.101,000 and not Rs.115,000 as promised by the President and falls far short of the original FUTA interim demand of Rs.126,000.

“Of a total of about 5,000 academics, there are only less than 50 Senior Professors in the entire University system, just one per cent of all the academics. Having a salary cap of Rs.101,000 for a Senior Professor translates proportionately to only a meager Rs.68,000 for a senior lecturer and Rs.44,000 for a Probationary Lecturer at recruitment. FUTA feels strongly that this is grossly inadequate to effectively address the issues of recruitment and retention of quality academics in the University system,” he said.

Dr. Mendis said of the seven demands put forward in the interim proposal submitted by the FUTA, only three demands have been partially met but these key demands had received no consideration by the government during its negotiations with the FUTA -- Recognizing University Academics as a special category of professionals; signing of an agreement delineating the implementation of the full proposal that includes the demand to increase spending on education at least up to 6 per cent of the GDP, that all allowances be paid without any conditions being attached to them; removal of UGC circular 955 that took away from the academics a privilege that they already enjoyed; FUTA representation be mandatory at all education and higher education related reform processes.