Academic Senate to have Student Members

Chennai: The State Government has decided to include student members in the Academic Senate and a clause for this has been included in the Common University Draft Bill, said K.Ponmudi, Minister for Higher Education.

This is one of the steps the government has planned to facilitate the participation of the students, in policy discussions to incorporate their views and suggestions of higher education, Ponmudy said while participating in the valedictory function of a national convention on ‘Contemporary Issues in Higher Education’ organized by the Ethiraj College for Women, here on Friday, Deliberating further on the plans of the government had also decided to provide a two-month orientation course for teachers and train them in modern teaching methods.

The Minister said his government was committed to ensuring quality in higher education and providing it to poor students. “Quality, of course, is important. But we cannot compromise on quality for the sake of quantity,” he said. He cited the instance of mushrooming private engineering colleges seats being created every academic year. “It is our duty to ensure quality education in all these institutes,” the Minister said the added that a stumbling block for the State Government in the course of implementing quality regulation, was its defaulting colleges.

Ponmudy congratulated students of Ethiraj College for adopting a resolution in favour of reservation in higher education. He also presented merit certificates and a cash award of Rs.1, 000 each to students who had emerged victorious in competitions held as part of the convention. Justice S Jagadeesan, Chairman, board or trustees, Ethiraj College for Women, also participated in the valedictory.

Academic Senate to have Student Members