Acting Mumbai University vice-chancellor hits ‘ethical’ barrier

She had been a contender last time for the post of the vice-chancellor (V-C) of the Mumbai University, and might still be an interested party. So, can acting V-C Chandra Krishnamurthy chair a joint meeting of the university’s academic and management councils which will nominate a person for the new vice-chancellor search committee?

The previous search committee was dissolved by the Maharashtra governor and chancellor of state universities, K Sankaranarayanan, on February 24, after “various issues were raised regarding the validity of its constitution.” It was done after the committee had submitted the final list of five, with Krishnamurthy’s name figuring on it.

The academic and management councils will be meeting on March 23 to jointly nominate a member who will be part of the new search committee. There is no law that prevents Krishnamurthy from presiding over the meeting, but officials feel it would be unethical. So, she should opt out voluntarily. “It will not be a fair practice as she was a contender last time, and might send in her application again. Unless she is certain about not applying for the V-C’s post this time, it will be morally incorrect on her part to preside over the meeting,” a senior faculty member of the varsity said.

“Any person who had applied last time, should not be allowed to take part in the meeting, let alone chair it. For he/she might try to influence the decision,” a member of the university senate said.
Asked if she would preside over the meeting, Krishnamurthy said that she was following orders issued by the governor’s office. “I have been told to call a meeting to nominate a member, and that is what I am doing,” she said.

Does it mean that she will not be applying for the post of V-C again? Krishnamurthy said, “It is too premature to say weather I will apply or not.”

An academic council member said that since no one in the university panels was without a bias, picking a consensus candidate would not be easy.

Senate member Madhu Paranjape said that as the two panels would be jointly nominating the candidate, the acting V-C would have to accept it. “Even if she (Krishnamurthy) presides over the meeting, she is not supposed to suggest the name. The name will come from the house and it has to be unanimous,” Paranjape said.