Former V-C welcomes tenure extension

P.K. Ponnuswamy, who had served as vice-chancellor in the University of Madras and Madurai Kamaraj University, has welcomed the recent tenure extension to vice-chancellors of Bharathidasan and Periyar Universities.

In a letter to the Governor, he said, “This is the best way of allowing the administration of a university to go uninterrupted.” He disapproved appointing the Higher Education Secretary as convener of the committee overseeing universities’ functioning in the absence of vice-chancellors.

Earlier the conveners appointed Registrars to universities. “In my opinion this procedure is just an insult to senior academicians in the universities,” he said.

The Governor had “now initiated an honourable procedure in the case of the two universities.” The procedure not only permitted smooth, uninterrupted administration but also is “in tune with the laws,” he felt.