BUK Holds 45th Congregation Meeting

 

Bayero University on Wednesday 13th June, 2012 held its 45th Congregation meeting at the Musa Abdullahi Auditorium.Senior staff members of the University spent several hours deliberating on issues that affected the development of the University. Chairman of the Congregation and the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, mni, said it was almost two years when the Congregation gathered and shared the vision of Bayero University which led to his emergence as the 9th Vice Chancellor. Professor Rasheed remarked that many promises were made and “today in spite of the numerous challenges facing our University and our nation, we have significantly fulfilled most of the promises and pledges.”

The Vice Chancellor asserted that the University emerged as one of the few A-rated Universities in Nigeria in the First NUC Institutional Accreditation Exercise conducted in November last year, and strived hard to promote the culture of interactions, discussions and dialogues with critical stakeholders, while tolerating criticism and dissent, in line with well-established procedures by reactivating or inaugurating key University committees. The Chairman of the Congregation maintained that “we have strengthened the ties between the management and the University based unions to create a more conducive atmosphere for the progress and development of our University. We have forged partnerships, linkages and collaborations with national and international centres of learning and have, in the process, attracted goodwill and some resources to our University.” Professor Rasheed emphasized that the University has sponsored scores of staff for PhD training in the United Kingdom, Malaysia, South Africa, etc. and sponsored hundreds to attend academic and processional conferences at home and abroad in virtually every continent of the world.

The Vice Chancellor told the Congregation that the University has embarked on massive transformation and a total of 56 projects were ongoing to include an ultra-modern Senate Building, the Central Bank of Nigeria Centre of Excellence and the proposed Faculties of Dentistry, Allied Health Clinical Science, Basic Clinical Sciences, and the Basic Medical Sciences. “New structures are also being constructed for the Faculty of Education, as well as the expansions in the Faculties of Agriculture, Social and Management Sciences, Science, Law, and Arts and Islamic studies,” he added. Professor Rasheed further expressed appreciation to the members of the community for their commendable display and unalloyed gesture shown to the victims of the ill-fated 29th April, 2012 attack irrespective of religious affiliation, creed, tribe and language by taking a united stand, during and after the unfortunate incident. He said the spirit of comradeship and unity within the community after the attack has been overwhelming and unprecedented as all members of the community felt affected by it. “Distinguished members of the Congregation, it is unfortunate that my address is dominated by sad memories of the unfortunate event in the life of this University, but I am confident that we shall overcome the tragedy and emerge from it, a much stronger community.” The Congregation elected representatives of the Senate from all the Faculties and other members into various committees. At the end, the members of the Resolutions Committee led by Malam Musa Auyo read the resolutions. The resolutions are:

  1. Congregation noted with satisfaction, the modest achievements in academic, physical and infrastructural terms recorded by the present University administration within its period of existence.
  2. Congregation noted with appreciation, the commitments and sacrifices of members of the University Development Board in fulfilling the mandates of the Board.
  3. Congregation expressed deep sorrow over the recent happenings on the University premises that led to the loss of lives. Accordingly, Congregation condoled the bereaved families and other associates of the deceased and prayed to God Almighty to prevent the reoccurrence of the incidence.
  4. Having noted the spate of accidents caused by reckless driving on the University premises, the Congregation suggested to the University authority to construct suitable speed breakers on the road networks in order to check the menace. Congregation in the same vein called on all drivers of vehicles on the University premises to be more disciplined while driving, and on the University authority to enforce reprimand on erring drivers.
  5. Considering the constraints associated with the current University Housing Loan Scheme, Congregation resolved to set aside its earlier resolution regarding the scheme to enable members benefit from the Federal Mortgage Scheme.
  6. Congregation resolved to establish a University Housing Association (UHA) as a pre-condition for accessing the Federal Mortgage Loan Scheme.
  7. Accordingly, Congregation resolved that every occupant of University Housing Unit be made a member of the UHA to be established.
  8. Congregation noted and endorsed the formation and execution of electric power load-shedding policy by the University management as a strategy for ensuring fair distribution of electricity to the University Community.
  9. Congregation conducted elections of its representatives into the Senate and various Committees of the University for a term of 2 years each.
  10. Congregation noted the election of Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge of the Department of Physics as the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Congregation proudly observed his election as a historic mark for the University as the only institution in Nigeria to produce 2 national presidents of the Union. Congregation therefore wished him success in the discharge of his responsibilities.