1 UNIVERSITY OF KERALA (Re-accredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade) Preliminary Minutes of the 5th Meeting of the Syndicate held on 28.09.2018 Place of Meeting : University Buildings Thiruvananthapuram Time : 10.00 AM Members present: 1. Prof.(Dr.) Gopinath Ravindran (In the Chair) Vice–Chancellor 2. Dr.S.Nazeeb 3. Dr.P.Rajesh Kumar 4. Dr.Shaji.K 5. Sri.B.Unnikrishnan Nair 6. Dr.K.B.Manoj 7. Adv.G.Sugunan 8. Adv.K.H.Babujan 9. Sr.Shijukhan J.S 10. Sri.M.Lenin Lal 11. Sri.M.Harikrishnan 12. Dr.Latha Devi.R 13. Dr.K.R.Kavitha 14. Sri.M.Sreekumar Item No.05.01 Confirmation of the Preliminary Minutes of the 4 th Meeting of the Syndicate held on 31.08.2018 – reg. (Ac.A.I) The Syndicate considered and approved the Preliminary Minutes of the 4th Meeting of the Syndicate held on 31.08.2018 with the following modification: Item No.04.11 The Resolution be modified as “ RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Combined Meeting of the Standing Committees of the Syndicate on Students Services and Finance held on 23.07.2018, be approved. (Ad.D1) Item No.04.12 The Resolution be modified as “ RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Sub-Committee to verify in detail about MAIPS held on 26.07.2018, be approved . (Ad.D1) Item No.4.66 1 – (iii)-1 Per Semester’ be added at the end of the Sentence. (Ad.Misc) Item No.4.68 - 1 the word ‘negotiation’ be replaced with ‘discussions’. (Pl.G) ======================================================================= Item No.05.02 Appointments/Career Advancement Promotion, if any - reg . (Ad.H/Ad.D.II Section ) 2 Resolution of the Syndicate 1. The Syndicate considered the recommendations of the Selection Committee for considering the promotion of Dr.R.Vasanthagopal from Assistant Professor of Commerce to Associate Professor in the School of Distance Education, University of Kerala, Palayam under Career Advancement Scheme held on 19.09.2018. RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Meeting of the Selection Committee for considering the promotion of Dr.R.Vasanthagopal from Assistant Professor of Commerce to Associate Professor in the School of Distance Education, University of Kerala, Palayam under Career Advancement Scheme held on 19.09.2018, be approved. 2. The Syndicate considered the recommendations of the Selection Committee for considering the promotion of Dr.K.S.Suresh Kumar from Assistant Professor of Commerce to Associate Professor in the School of Distance Education, University of Kerala, Palayam under Career Advancement Scheme held on 19.09.2018. RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Meeting of the Selection Committee for considering the promotion of Dr.K.S.Suresh Kumar from Assistant Professor of Commerce to Associate Professor in the School of Distance Education, University of Kerala, Palayam under Career Advancement Scheme held on 19.09.2018, be approved. ======================================================================= Item No.05.03 Setting up of creche at the Palayam Campus- Consideration of- reg. (Ad.BII) Sri. S. Anilkumar, Senate Member, raised the demand of setting up a creche at the Palayam Campus at the meeting of the Senate on 21.06.2017. As per the orders of the Hon'ble Vice- Chancellor, the matter was placed before the Syndicate on 06.02.2018 and it was resolved to constitute a Sub-Committee of the Syndicate, consisting of the Convener, Standing Committee on Planning & Development, Convener, Standing Committee on Staff, Equipment & Building and Convener, Standing Committee on Academics & Research, to study the feasibility of setting up of Creche at Palayam Campus including the fixation of the site, agency to be entrusted with, number of children expected to be admitted, etc. The Sub Committee was constituted vide U.O. No. AdBII/10564/03/2018 dated 23.03.2018. But the tenure of the Syndicate got expired. As per the orders of the Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor, the Sub-Committee was reconstituted vide U.O. No. AdBII/10650/08/2018 dated 02.08.2018. The Estate Officer has informed that a meeting on the setting up of creche in Govt offices/institution premises was convened by Sri. Biju Prabhakar, IAS, Special Secretary to Govt., Social Justice. The following decisions were also made in the meeting: • If the University is willing to provide sufficient space with two attached bathrooms, the Govt. will take immediate steps to start up the creche in the University premises • The Special Secretary also informed that sufficient staff will be provided by Govt and Rs.25/- will also be allotted to each child per day. Therefore, Assistant Engineer (HQ Unit) was requested to suggest a suitable space for starting a creche at the S.H. Campus and Assistant Engineer has proposed the three vacant rooms in the first floor of the University Health Centre with toilet facilities for starting the creche. The matter was considered in the meeting of Sub-Committee of the Syndicate to study the feasibility of setting up of Creche at Palayam Campus, held on 14.08.2018. Sri.Shijukhan J.S., Member Syndicate pointed out that the three rooms suggested by the AE are doctors' rooms and it will be safe if creche is at the ground floor. It will be even better if an independent building be considered for setting up of creche. The Sub-Committee also visited a few sites directly inorder to assess the feasibility for starting creche including the waiting room of the Women's Club, old canteen building and Centre for Gandhian Studies. Accordingly, the Sub-Committee made the following recommendations: 3 1. Detailed discussion is to be conducted soon with the Special Secretary to Government, Social Justice regarding all aspects of starting the creche in the University Palayam Campus with the help of State Govt. 2. It is feasible to admit about 30 children in the creche. 3. Locations proposed by the Committee are either Centre for Gandhian Studies or Old Canteen Building. The Committee considered the independent location and child-friendly atmosphere of the building of Centre for Gandhian Studies while the Old Canteen Building is spacious & safe enough to accommodate children. But, both the buildings & its exterior needs to be remodelled and renovated so as to enable to function as creche with adequate play facilities, attached toilet facilities, etc. 4. To place the recommendations before the Syndicate inorder to finalize the site for setting up of creche. Under the circumstances, the Hon'ble Vice Chancellor has ordered to place the recommendations of the Sub-Committee of the Syndicate to study the feasibility of setting up of Creche at Palayam Campus, before the Syndicate. Hence the matter is placed before the Syndicate for consideration. Resolution of the Syndicate RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Sub-Committee be approved. FURTHER RESOLVED that old Canteen Building be allocated for the Creche after shifting of the Canteen to the new Building. ======================================================================== Item No.05.04 Purchase of Books -Compliance of terms & conditions stipulated in the University order- Consideration of –reg. (Ad.AV) As per U .O.No.Ad.A.V.01/6706/18 dtd 25.05.2018 the Deputy Librarians and HOD's are permitted to purchase books from the vendors listed in the order who are willing to admit the rate of discount fixed by the University. This office has received representation from General Secretary KUTO, Dr B Hariharan HOD i/c, Dept of Music, Dr.Sony George HOD Dept of Chemistry, Books Sellers association forwarded by University Librarian i/c, and complaint from Sri S Harikumar Assistant Librarian Gr I forwarded by HOD Dept of Malayalam in respect of the above said University order. The General Secretary, KUTO has stated that by specifying the name of Book Vendors, the University is limiting the choice of Department Heads to purchase books from various National and International Book publishers and this is an undesirable move and infringement of academic autonomy of Departments. Selecting or buying books looking at the publishers or the discount rates that they provide would definitely compromise the quality of books to be purchased and hence requested that the University Order on the same may be reviewed. The HOD i/c Department of Music has requested permission to purchase Books from “New Bharatiya Book Corporation” New Delhi and to include this vendor in the list provided by the University. This vendor has supplied books related to the discipline in the past at the rates prescribed by the University. Hence he has requested to issue orders to buy books from such vendors who are not in the vendors list. The HOD, Department of Chemistry has reported that the Departmental council meeting held on 11/06/2018 had selected Books and resolved to purchase books through inviting tendors by publishing in the University website in accordance with the above said U.O directing to follow existing guidelines as per store purchase manual. He has stated that realizing the financial benefits to the University and ultimately to the students by purchasing more books at discount rates (>30%) from wide range of publishers, Department of Chemistry had invited quotations for purchase of books on 18/06/2018 by publishing in the University website. The University Librarian in charge has forwarded the letter received from the books sellers and publishers association and stated that since there exist a selected list of 18 vendors as per U.O from whom all the Librarians including Dept. Librarians are to purchase books, the Dept. of Chemistry is not supposed to invite quotations separately. The Book sellers & publisher association have requested to direct the Departments to purchase the books from the vendors approved by the University only. In the complaint of Sri S.Harikumar, Assistant Librarian Gr I forwarded by HOD 4 Malayalam it is stated that excluding 4 & 5 Book sellers, all the Book Sellers included in the Vendors list are distributors of books in English Language.