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7 MKU Syndicate members to quit from committees

Seven Syndicate members of Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) here on Sunday decided to resign from various sub-committees formed by Vice-Chancellor Kalyani Mathivanan. They will hand over their resignations in the VC office on Monday.

Their decision comes in the wake of the Vice-Chancellor on Saturday removing Syndicate member M. Rajarajan from all sub-committees as he openly questioned certain incidents on the varsity campus.

The tussle between the Vice-Chancellor and the Syndicate members now looks to become a full-fledged battle.

There has been uneasy calm on the university campus ever since the Madras High Court Bench had set aside the Vice-Chancellor’s appointment on June 26 which was subsequently stayed by the Supreme Court for a period of six weeks.

“We have prepared our resignation letters to step down from the sub-committees. The next course of action will be decided in a couple of days,” Dr. Rajarajan told The Hindu on Sunday after a meeting with his Syndicate colleagues.

The university has several sub-committees comprising Syndicate members to deal with issues relating to appointments, establishment, research, hostels, finance and disciplinary action among other things.

Dr. Rajarajan said he received a registered post and an e-mail from the Vice-Chancellor informing him that he was relieved of the responsibilities as member of sub-committees.

“The happenings in the university in the past two weeks are causing a lot of concern. I was removed form the committees as I aired by opinion publicly and differed with the Vice-Chancellor,” he added.

Syndicate members who are stepping down from the university committees are Dr. Rajarajan, R. Kannan, V. Venkataraman, K. Selvakumar, Murali Pakshirajan, K. Pitchumani and P. Periakaruppan.

“In the last one week, there was no communication between us and the Vice-Chancellor. We are hoping that the Governor will intervene. It is sad that Dr. Kalyani Mathivanan is being ill-advised by the coterie around her,” two senior Syndicate members lamented.

They also regretted that unilateral decisions were taken in the absence of Syndicate members.

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Complaint to NHRC about Kalyani Mathivanan’s “victory rally”

A complaint has been made to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) about the Madurai Kamaraj University for making school children wait in scorching heat to shower flower petals on Vice-Chancellor Kalyani Mathivanan, when she arrived on the campus on July 7 after obtaining an interim stay in Supreme Court of the order quashing her appointment as Vice-Chancellor.

Changeindia, an organisation working for equity and rule of law, has urged the NHRC to enquire into this “brazen incident” which put tender children to torture by forcing them to participate in the celebration which resembled an election victory rally.

“The administration of MKU and her supporters organised a reception on July 7 from Madurai airport to the university when the Vice-Chancellor returned after obtaining an interim stay in Supreme Court. A large number of young children of MKU Nursery and Primary School were brought and made to wait on both sides of the road inside the varsity campus under scorching sun to shower flower petals on her. This is nothing but gross cruelty,” A. Narayanan, Director, Changeindia, Chennai, said in his complaint.

He observed that the school management was also guilty of allowing children to be taken away during school hours on Monday to an unrelated event and that too without the permission of parents. The complaint appealed to the NHRC to take up the matter with the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary, School Education, to ensure prompt action on those who violated child rights. Mr. Narayanan had enclosed the video of “victory celebration” and newspaper clippings citing them as prima facie evidence.

Seven Syndicate members of MKU appeal to Governor

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“Ensure Kalyani Mathivanan does not take policy decisions”

SHASTRY V MALLADY

Seven Syndicate members of MKU appeal to Governor

Seven Syndicate members of Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) here have urged Governor K. Rosaiah to ensure that Vice-Chancellor Kalyani Mathivanan does not take policy decisions till the Supreme Court disposes of her appeal against the Madras High Court order which set aside her appointment.

In a joint letter to the Governor-Chancellor, they said that the VC should be made to look after only day-to-day administration and not take long-term decisions such as appointments or nominations.

“She should not be allowed to convene the Syndicate meeting also. The situation in MKU needs the intervention of the Governor to prevent further complications in the university,” they pleaded.

The signatories were R. Kannan, M. Rajarajan, V. Venkataraman, K. Selvakumar, Murali Pakshirajan, K. Pitchumani and P. Periakaruppan.

“The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on June 26 passed orders on a writ of quo warranto against the appointment of Dr. Kalyani Mathivanan as MKU Vice-Chancellor. Her appointment was set aside since she had falsely projected herself as professor and head when she was actually only an associate professor and head. Later, she went on appeal to the Supreme Court and obtained interim stay,” the Syndicate members said.

They brought to the notice of the Governor that Dr. Kalyani Mathivanan, after getting an interim stay from the Supreme Court, reoccupied the office of Vice-Chancellor on July 7 with much fanfare and negative publicity, which was unbecoming of an academic head.

“In the event of the stay being vacated, then de jure the appointment would not be valid from June 26. To avoid legal complications, she should not be allowed to convene the Syndicate meeting or take policy decisions till the Civil Appeal (CA No.5496, 5497 of 2014) she has preferred is finally disposed of by the Supreme Court,” they said in the letter dated July 9.

Dr. Rajarajan told The Hindu on Saturday that all the seven members were united in their stand to save the university and firm that the VC should not bypass the Syndicate and take decisions, especially on matters of appointment. He objected to the VC’s decision to nominate two persons of her choice as Syndicate members and also issue appointment letters to associate professors and assistant professors.

The Madurai Kamaraj University Faculty Association (MUFA) too shot off a letter to the Governor on Friday requesting him to set aside the nomination made by the VC during the six-week interim stay period.

HOW ON EARTH .............!

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D.SAMUEL LAWRENCE



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How on earth can a Vice-chancellor, who is supposed to be a role-model for the academic community of a university, who is expected to preserve and protect its noble traditions and take it on to greater heights of glory, could descend to such despicable levels of depravity as witnessed in the self-made 'rousing reception' to her on her triumphant re-entry into the campus on getting an interim stay in the case related to her eligibility for the post of Vice-chancellor. She has proved to be a politician par excellence in her vulgar display of power and position, what with a convoy of vehicles following her, innocent and helpless school girls made to stand in the scorching sun for a long time, that too during the class hours, just to shower petals on her and some priests dutifully welcoming with temple honours and to top it all, the ruling AIADMK functionaries and supporters shouting slogans and she gladly obliging them cutting a cake with an emblem of the ruling party.

Alas, the statue of Kamaraj,on the hallowed campus, had to stand as a mute witness to this shameless vulgar exhibition of sycophancy of the worst order.He would have definitely turned in his grave at the atrocities done in the name of the University bearing his name.

It is an open secret that nowadays, the appointment of vice-chancellors is done purely on the basis of political considerations coupled with the candidate/s' ability to pay the money demanded. No wonder, almost all the universities in Tamilnadu have become centres of corruption and maladministration with no importance given to the educational standards.

Gone are the days when the vice-chancellors were men/women of scholarship, vision and integrity. But, today, the Government doesn't want such people because they will not dance to their tune. Otherwise, how would we explain the total indifferent silence on the part of the authorities concerned like, the Governor-Chancellor, the Chief-Minister, Education Minister, Education Secretary to the atrocious behaviour of the MKU V.C. who has thrown all norms of an educationist by openly identifying herself with members of the ruling party and reduced the university to a laughing stock

A vice-chancellor boldly proclaiming her political identity and revelling in rousing receptions like this, organised by her sycophants would do well to politely withdraw from the scene and become a full time politician.





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Syndicate members revolt

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http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/syndicate-members-revolt-against-kalyani-mathivanan/article6195369.ece

Syndicate members revolt against Kalyani Mathivanan

SHASTRY V.MALLADY

Plan to meet Governor, Higher Education Minister, Secretary

Within 48 hours of Kalyani Mathivanan returning to the Vice-Chancellor’s chamber after obtaining an interim stay of the Madras High Court order removing her from office in Supreme Court, seven senior Syndicate members of Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) have declared revolt against her “to protect the institution.”

Putting up a united front, the Syndicate members decided to boycott Dr. Kalyani Mathivanan and her meetings till the Governor’s office and State government intervened “to save the university’s image, academic ambience and reputation.”

The university has been in a state of uncertainty ever since the Madras High Court set aside her appointment on June 26.

Dr. Mathivanan later approached the SC and obtained an interim stay. She returned to the campus on Monday to a rousing reception with her supporters bursting crackers and putting up ‘amma’ hoardings and posters.

The Syndicate members who have raised a banner of protest are M. Rajarajan, R. Kannan, K. Pitchumani, V. Venkataraman, K. Selvakumar, P. Periyakaruppan and Murali Pakshirajan.

Speaking to The Hindu on behalf of his colleagues on Wednesday, Mr. Rajarajan, Principal, Cardamom Planters’ Association College, Bodinayakanur, said that they were against the working style, policies, vindictiveness and high-handedness of Dr. Kalyani Mathivanan.

“We boycotted her arrival on July 7. What happened on that day was too much and we must remember that MKU is an educational institution. We are united in our resolve to save the university and restore academic ambience,” Dr. Rajarajan said. They will shortly meet the Governor, Higher Education Minister and Secretary to register their protest.

“As a first step, we are ready to resign from all Syndicate sub-committees. Unless she adheres to the advice of the Syndicate, there is no point in continuing,” he said.

Dr. Rajarajan accused her of being vindictive, especially against senior faculty member S. Krishnaswamy.

“Actually, I was a member of the committee formed by her to enquire into alleged misappropriation of funds. Being a science professor myself, I know how research projects work in the university. Last month, when I was in the US, she removed me from the committee to get a report against Dr. S. Krishnaswamy,” he alleged.

The syndicate members, he said, were also against the recent appointments and they demanded a CB-CID enquiry into the allegations of corruption.

“Our fight is not against an individual but to stop vindictive attitude. The vindictive transfers and departmental action should stop. Since we have no other go, the hope is only on the Governor and State Government,” he also said.

Repeated attempts to contact Dr. Kalyani Mathivanan, the Registrar and Public Relations Officer for their reaction did not elicit any response.

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ENJOY THE 'HISTORICAL' EVENT OF MKU

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SEE THIS VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAMsA-PKvoM




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THE  TALL STATUE OF THIRU KAMARAJ WAS SILENTLY WATCHING THE WHOLE SCENE.

SUCH THINGS DO HAPPEN. ......... GOOD !

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MKU counsel 

withdraws himself 

from representing it in court

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

“I would be offending my conscience if I still continue as counsel”

President of Madurai Bench of Madras High Court Bar Association (MMBA) Isaac Mohanlal on Tuesday withdrew himself from representing Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) in court cases as a mark of protest against the reception accorded to Kalyani Mathivanan when she returned to the Vice-Chancellor’s office on Monday.

In a letter addressed to her, he said: “I was rather upset to see the morning newspapers carrying disgusting scenes on the university campus yesterday at the event of the so-called re-entry of the Vice-Chancellor.

“The University with Potential for Excellence has been deplorably reduced into a political podium where the Vice-Chancellor entered with a convoy of cars following her from the airport to see the hoards of hoardings erected on either side and posters pasted all over the walls and deafening crackers breaking the silence and serenity of the campus, and agonisingly, a band of school children arrayed along the road under the scorching sun, during their class hours, with their tender hands showering flower petals knowing not what they were doing. “Amidst this show, it is reported, the Vice-Chancellor walked her way up to the office, after cutting the coloured cake, of course, armed with the interim order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court staying for a limited period the order of the Hon’ble High Court removing her from office.

“At this juncture, I am afraid that I would be offending my conscience if I still continue as the counsel for the university. You would pardon me for I wish to withdraw myself from all cases on the side of the university. I request you to make alternative arrangements at the earliest.”