PUTA all set for changes in its constitution

A 16-point questionnaire was today circulated among all the faculty members pertaining to issues ranging from representation of departments to a code of conduct for candidates contesting the Panjab University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) elections.

Asking for their response and suggestions on the questionnaire,the Panjab University Teachers’ Association president Prof Akshaya Kumar had raised the concern over the age old constitution that requires amendments keeping a pace with the developments at the University.

The reason cited for the changes include among others — with the opening of many new departments,self-financing courses,setting up of government funded constituent colleges and growth of regional centres at Hoshiarpur,Ludhiana and Muktsar and diversification of courses on the University Campus,the induction of large-scale guest and contract faculty and the presence of re-employed teachers calls for a serious debate as what shape should the Panjab University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) constitution take to meet the new challenges.

The proposed changes

* Should there be a code of conduct for the candidates contesting the elections?

* Can tenure of PUTA executive be enhanced to two years?

* Can we set a limit on maximum number of terms ( not more than two/ three) for the office of president and secretary?

* Can we change the timing of elections? Can we take it to November/December? Pertinent because of semester system.

* Should president of the outgoing PUTA be made ex officio member of the next PUTA executive?

* Is there a need to re-group the depts. If yes,what should be the new basis and how many groups should be created.

* Should the departments with more than 50 faculty members be given separate representation on the pattern of Department of Evening Studies or University School of Open Learning (USOL)?

* Should the regional centres and constituent colleges be given representation in the central PUTA executive?

* If these units have to be given representation,what should be the criterion?

* Should the contractual teachers be made PUTA members and their representation be ensured in the Executive or not?

* How can the re-employed teachers be given representation in the PUTA Executive?

* Can we streamline electioneering?

* Should co-option of the members of the Senate in the PUTA be done away with? Or should the two senior most professors of the University (after DUI) be co-opted instead?