Dear Editor,
I noted a letter in Stabroek News of November 25, 2014 in which Mr Leon Suseran questioned the validity of UG’s 2014 Convocation (‘Were the proceedings at the last two UG Convocations valid in the absence of a Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor?’).
He posed the question thus: “Is it correct that the university’s Act and Statutes state that it is only the Chancellor or Pro-Chancellor’s duty to confer on the graduands at a convocation ceremony their respective diplomas, certificates, associate degrees and degrees?” [Sic]
I am not sure that the Editor of a newspaper or the public at large is the authority to whom such a question should be posed.
Mr Suseran could have avoided giving me the task of writing this letter; the public the doubt about the university’s action; and the graduates any uncertainty about their status, had he in fact read the Act and Statutes of the University or simply called the university to acquaint himself with the facts.
The facts are:
(1) “Subject to these Statutes, the Academic Board shall have the following powers:- … (c) to award Degrees (other than Honorary Degrees) Diplomas, Certificates and other distinctions:” (Statute 15(2) (c) University of Guyana Act and Statutes)
(2) “(i) The Principal and Vice-Chancellor shall be the academic and executive head of the University… in the absence of the Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor, he shall perform the functions of Chancellor.” (Section 7, University of Guyana (Amendment) Act 1977).
All for Mr Suseran’s edification and the public’s confidence in the university’s conduct of its business.
Editor, courtesies of the university, you are relieved of the task of researching and answering the question.
Yours faithfully,
Vincent Alexander
Registrar
University of Guyana
