But there is no harm in reporting on objective criteria such as the number of days closed and VC at the helm during each closure and letting the facts speak for themselves.

It would really helpful if students can email to coord@educationforum.lk any information that they can give about the universities that they are familiar with. We will compile the data and publish or even write to each vice chancellor asking, as tax payers, why he/she is not doing his/her job.
The information we need is as follows. will have:
1. Academic Year
2. Closure # (Give a number for each closure you document; we will give our own ID)
3. Name of University
4. Number of days closed
5. Official reason for closure
6. Name of Vice Chancellor at the time of the closure

Let me tell you of a story from a Several years ago…in a University not too far away.

The VC at the time had this notion that “I am not going to be the VC of a Closed University” …sounds good enough…and what happens ?,
The Majority Student Group (I guess you all know who they are aligned to..?) go on bashing the others at will…(And the VC gives a blind eye – bcos the media do not report it prominently as there are no mass Sathyagrahas or Pelapaliyas) and even Academics were at the receiving end, even physically harmed at 1-2 occasions, threatened etc.

One academic who who was at the receiving end – complained to the VC and identified the students who confronted him. And what does this VC do ? Pardon them (or probably warned them) since they cried during the inquiry. The UTA (or whatever of the faculty) didn’t care bcos the academic concerned had not obtained their membership. The poor Senior Lecturer – couldn’t face the students after this..he was shocked, and disappointed!. (At the time He had recently returned to the country, after completing his Higher Studies) resigned and joined another academic institution.

So I agree we need VCs who can lead the Universities and keep them open – but not at all costs – like the One I referred earlier : sweeping the student problems under the carpet. The “results” of these actions came one or two years later. I’ll leave that for the readers to figure out.

If you are Smart, you could probably figure out who this was/which University as well, but my interest is not to name people/locations, just to highlight the point that while keeping the Universities open, we need Strong VCs, who are not afraid of the “Students”.

Let me tell you of a story from a Several years ago…in a University not too far away.

The VC at the time had this notion that “I am not going to be the VC of a Closed University” …sounds good enough…and what happens ?,
The Majority Student Group (I guess you all know who they are aligned to..?) go on bashing the others at will…(And the VC gives a blind eye – bcos the media do not report it prominently as there are no mass Sathyagrahas or Pelapaliyas) and even Academics were at the receiving end, even physically harmed at 1-2 occasions, threatened etc.

One academic who who was at the receiving end – complained to the VC and identified the students who confronted him. And what does this VC do ? Pardon them (or probably warned them) since they cried during the inquiry. The UTA (or whatever of the faculty) didn’t care bcos the academic concerned had not obtained their membership. The poor Senior Lecturer – couldn’t face the students after this..he was shocked, and disappointed!. (At the time He had recently returned to the country, after completing his Higher Studies) resigned and joined another academic institution.

So I agree we need VCs who can lead the Universities and keep them open – but not at all costs – like the One I referred earlier : sweeping the student problems under the carpet. The “results” of these actions came one or two years later. I’ll leave that for the readers to figure out.

If you are Smart, you could probably figure out who this was, but my interest is not to name people, just to highlight the point that while keeping the Universities open, we need Strong VCs, who are not afraid of the “Students”.

Let me tell you of a story from a Several years ago…in a University not too far away.

The VC at the time had this notion that “I am not going to be a VC of a Closed University” …sounds good enough…and what happens ?,
The Majority Student Group (I guess you all know who they are aligned to..?) go on bashing the others at will…(And the VC gives a blind eye – bcos the media do not report it prominently as there are no mass Sathyagrahas or Pelapaliyas) and even Academics were at the receiving end, although not physically harmed, threatened.

One academic who who was at the receiving end – complained to the VC and identified the students who confronted him. And what does this VC do ? Pardon them (or probably warned them) since they cried during the inquiry. The UTA (or whatever of the faculty) didn’t care bcos the academic concerned had not obtained their membership. The poor Senior Lecturer – couldnt face the students after this..he was shocked, and disappointed!. (At the time He had recently returned to the country, after completing his Higher Studies) resigned and joined another academic institution.

So I agree we need VCs who can lead the Universities and keep them open – but not at all costs – like the One I referred earlier : sweeping the student problems under the carpet. The “results” of these actions came one or two years later. I’ll leave that for the reader to figure out.