St. Stephens College Press Release, 3.3.2017

During a marathon requisitioned Staff Council meeting that lasted almost five hours, teachers expressed their grave concerns about the manner in which the Governing body had taken a decision to move for autonomous status. The following  resolution signed by 31 teachers was handed to the Principal:

“The Staff Council of St. Stephen’s College , in its meeting held on 3.3.2017, expresses its strong opposition to the decision of the governing Body to seek autonomous status for the college. The Staff Council demands that the Governing body rescind the decision that has grave implications for the financial stability, academic viability, fee structure, service conditions of employees and the basic character of the college as a public-funded institution that has provided affordable quality education to diverse sections of society.

The Staff Council expresses its shock and dismay that the Governing Body took a decision of this magnitude in an emergent meeting held on 25th February 2017, in a hurried, secretive and surreptitious manner, without application of mind and without any kind of consultation with the students, teachers and non-teaching staff of the college. This decision of the Governing Body is also against the spirit of the UGC guidelines in this regard.”

At the end of the meeting the Principal gave the following written assurance to the house :

” The Chair decided to carry the concerns of the teachers to the Governing Body and will urge the members to permit the Principal to have the discussion with all stakeholders and then decide whether or not application for autonomy is made to DU/UGC.”

This assurance was welcomed by the teachers.

After the meeting the Principal also addressed the students who had been sitting outside the venue of the Staff Council meeting throughout and read out the assurance.

In the light of the above developments, the Staff Association has decided to hold back the resignations of teachers from voluntary administrative positions until the response of the Governing body to the above assurance is known.

Nandita Narain
(President, Staff Association,
St. Stephen’s College)