The senate of Chittagong University (CU) is being run by the registered graduate representatives elected 25 years ago and the teachers' representatives elected 10 years ago.
Members of senate, the highest policy-making body, urged the authorities at its 23rd session on June 29 to hold elections in two categories (registered graduate and teachers' representatives) to accommodate freshers. Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Anwarul Azim Arif presided over the session.
Election for the registered graduate category was held in November 2 in 1986 that expired in 1989 and teachers' categories on February 10 in 2001, said Prof Hasanuzzaman Chowdhury, a senate member.
In these two categories, there are now around 30 to 35 representatives only, out of 58 posts, he said, adding that election in these two categories should be held immediately and regularly to give place for the new ones.
He said CU Central Students Union (CUCSU) election should also be held to ensure student representatives in senate for their interest as well as the university's.
Prof Dr Imran Hossain, also a senate member, said election in the two categories is not being held for long due to lack of sincerity of the university authority. He emphasised on holding elections as most of the existing members in the two categories are irregular in holding meetings. Of the teachers' representatives, many of them are now on deputation, few have gone on education leave and few have retired.
Student's representatives never got place in the senate although there is a provision for five student representatives, he said.
University sources said there are 86 members in seven categories and in four categories --20 members are selected directly. Of the four categories, government nominates five officials, speaker five parliament members, chancellor five noted educationists and university syndicate nominates five members from various research institutions for the senate. In theses categories, new members are being nominated on a regular basis.
In the rest three categories, there are 25 elected registered graduate representatives, 33 elected teachers' representatives and five students nominated by CUCSU. But in theses categories, elections are not being held for long.
Moreover, VC, Pro-VC and chairman of Secondary and Higher-secondary Education Board, Comilla, are ex-officio members.
The CUCSU election is not being held for more than 20 years and there are no student representatives in senate too since then.
Mir Kamrul Hasan Tutul, a student of communication and journalism department, said their actual problems are being overlooked as there is no student representatives in senate. To put up their demands to the university authorities, student representatives should be in the senate, Tutul added.
Prof Dr Md Sekander Chowdhury, general secretary of Chittagong University Teachers' Association (Cuta), said elections in the two categories as well as CUCSU should be held immediately.
Prof Azim said initiatives to hold election to teachers and registered graduate representatives of senate will be taken as soon as possible in the light of the University Act-1973. He said they have also plan to hold CUCSU election and cooperation of different student organisations on the campus is needed in this regard.