Interview panel to meet on UG VC candidates

The new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana will be selected after the interview panel which was involved in the process meets and assesses presentations, public lectures and interviews that each of the four candidates have completed.

This is according to UG council member, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, who is also Chairman of the Special Select Committee of Parliament on the appointment of a new council. He yesterday told Stabroek News that the candidates have all completed the requirements and are now awaiting the results.

The four candidates are Guyanese-born Professor Rory Fraser, Dr. Jaipaul Singh and Dr. Muniram Budhu along with Nigerian-born professor Jacob Opadeyi.

Roopnaraine said that each candidate first had to make a presentation before the joint council and the academic board of the Turkeyen Campus before visiting the Berbice Campus and doing the same there. On both occasions, he said, they were questioned. Subsequent to that, he said, they were required to present public lectures on topics of their choice and later submit themselves for two-hour interviews each with a sub-committee of the council. All four candidates have completed these steps, Roopnaraine pointed out.

Now, he stated, it is up to the interview panel that will have to meet and have the assessments put together and come to a conclusion before revealing who will take the office of VC. It is anticipated that the university will be announcing the appointment of its new VC in time for the commencement of the second Semester, which begins on January 28, 2013.

The position formerly held by Professor Lawrence Carrington became vacant on April 1 this year.