Controversy over Academic council meet?

BANGALORE: Even before the Bangalore University’s Academic Council meets on Wednesday, a fresh controversy seems to be brewing.  The Bangalore University College Teachers’ Association (BUCTA) has alleged that  persons who are not the members of the Academic Council have been invited to the meeting while ignoring actual members, thereby flouting the rules laid down by Karnataka State Universities (KSU) Act, 2000. Prof K M Nagaraj, president of the Bangalore University College Teachers’ Association  and a member of the Academic Council has raised objections against Vice-Chancellor Dr N Prabhu Dev for inviting such persons as special invitees to the meeting. “I have no objection with others being invited to the meeting. But how can actual members of the Academic Council not be invited?” he questioned. Speaking to The New Indian Express, he further questioned on what grounds the vice-chancellor has decided to invite them. “This is the first time that an elected representative has not been invited to the meeting,” he said. “We even referred to BU statutes chapter IV that deals with meetings, powers and committee of the council. Even this states that there is no provision to invite a non-member of the council to the meeting,” said Nagaraj. “Non-members can be invited upon the consent of the council members. But not inviting actual members is a serious matter of concern,” said a senior academician.  When The New Indian Express contacted Vice-Chancellor N Prabhu Dev, he said: “We haven’t invited any person who is not a member of the Academic Council to the council meeting,” he said refuting the allegations.  “Invitations and notices to Council members have to be delivered 21 days before   a meeting. If the vice-chancellor has not invitedanyone yet, it is anotherserious issue,” said a senior academician.