Makerere DVC wants students represented on College Academic Boards

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Makerere University, Professor Umar Kakumba, has directed all College Principals and School Deans to include student representatives on the academic and administrative boards.

The directive follows complaints from students who say that they have been excluded from the decision made by the boards yet they affect their well-being.

In a letter dated February 7, 2023, Kakumba referred to the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act (as amended) which provides for each faculty, institute, college, or other academic body to have a Board consisting of, among others, students’ representatives, and therefore ordered college principal to respect the provision.

“The Makerere University constituent colleges statute in sections 39 (e) and 42 (d) provides for the composition of the college Academic Board with two (2) students representatives at the college level, and such number of students as the university senate may prescribe at school/Departmental level. Section 42 (g) provides for students’ representatives on the college administrative board,” reads part of the letter.

“This is therefore to remind you of the above statutory provisions and request you to ensure that there is adequate student representation on all school and college Academic and Administrative boards,” reads another part of the letter.

Kelvin Luyombya, the Academic Guild Minister says that several decisions such as the start, and end of the semesters, and approval of graduation lists have been made by the administration boards without the contribution of the student representatives.

Luyombya says that all college Chairpersons should be involved on both their respective colleges’ academic and administrative boards just like it is done at the University council where students are represented by the Guild President and the Vice Guild President.

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