ASA IIUI: A Failed Experiment????

Academic Staff Association (ASA) at IIUI is a recent phenomenon and so far, not to mince any words, this experience has been a total failure at IIUI. The hopes and expectations that were instrumental in the formation of ASA have all gone to drain over the last two years. Things have worsened for the faculty since the time ASA came into existence or the new administration at IIUI took charge as both events happened at the same time. This might have been just a coincidence but one must praise the new administration which accepted the formation of ASA with an open heart, administered oath to ASA office bearers and let them work in a free manner, though they (the administration) did not give much weight to the demands of ASA.

Why do the high ups at IIUI take ASA lightly? It is time for the faculty as well as ASA leadership to mull over the reasons of their little value. Is it the IIUI administration that is mistreating them or do they deserve this? Is ASA leadership to be blamed for the whole mess and reign of terror and for not communicating their constituency’s views to the administration? Can the academic community at IIUI be rated as mediocre who could not choose a good leadership for them? Or is it that the faculty members are not and have never been interested in ASA and need to be awakened from khawab-e-taghaful. If the above questions are discussed and some possible answers are suggested, it is hoped that people will find out why IIUI administration takes them lightly.

ASA needs to reset its agenda and should try to achieve its goals. They need to have variety of plans to meet the targets. They should try to convey the higher authorities that policies cannot be implemented unless those who have to implement those fully agree with those policies. The hiring and firing of the faculty need to be regulated. The teaching load of the faculty needs to be realistic. Faculty development programme in the form of scholarships needs to be merit-based and transparent. The agenda to forge a new identity for IIUI also needs to be discussed by the faculty. The foreign faculty should not be appointed as administrative heads in the departments.
If ASA thinks that the university administration is not ready to resolve their issues, they should clearly tell them that they would not hesitate to approach the relevant authorities like HEC, IIUI BoG and even the members of the Board of Trustees in order to get relief.

If ASA devises some tangible goals in its view and succeeds in achieving some of those, the confidence of the faculty is not very difficult to restore in its usefulness and potential.