Economy

Union proposes 3-year term for varsity chancellors, VCs

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Uasu secretary general Constantine Wasonga. FILE PHOTO | NMG

University chancellors and their deputies will serve for a maximum of six years if MPs adopt proposals by the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) that seek to amend the Universities’ Act 2012.

Uasu secretary general Constantine Wasonga told MPs that vice-chancellors should serve a three-year term that is renewable once and not the current five-year term that is renewable once.

“This type of tenure of service was previously used at Moi University. The renewal of term, however, should be through a competitive process, with the same process for initial appointment,” he told the Education committee.

The committee received submissions from the public on the proposed amendments to sections 35, 39 and the Second Schedule of the Universities’ Act 2012 as contained in the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2018.

Dr Wasonga said deputy vice-chancellors, principals and deputy principals of constituent colleges should be appointed in a process similar to the appointment of vice-chancellors.

He said most vice-chancellors in the UK and US serve one term of seven years.

“Currently in Kenya, the vice-chancellors serve a five-year term renewable once with a majority serving for a cumulative period of 10 years,” he said.

On the hiring of the VCs, the union pushed for a system where a university council forms a search committee composed of distinguished academicians, representatives of the university senate, Uasu, alumni association and representatives of the Public Service Commission to conduct a recruitment.