CAMPUS JOTTINGS
Wait continues
The Executive Council of Andhra University during its meeting here last week discussed the issue of reinstatement of three teachers and two trade union leaders who have been dismissed in the past, but the discussions were inconclusive. It is learnt that the administration is willing to take back the teachers, S. Surappadu, K. John and Vasudev, the trade union leaders A. Appa Rao and P. Appa Rao but the Govenrment representatives on the EC sought more information and further clarifications regarding the sacked persons. Cases pending against some of them might have prompted the Government representatives to examine the issue in a thorough manner before taking a decision. Earlier the Andhra University Teachers Association and the employees requested the administration to take back the five. A final decision is likely to emerge during the next meeting of the EC.
Important conferences
The campus hosted a couple of major conferences which also discussed interesting subjects. One is a National workshop on Girijans health and the health care delivery with an emphasis on Eastern Ghats. Incidentally the Visakha agency area with a large Girijan population witnesses outbreaks of diseases frequently and this is on the agenda of the workshop.
Another conference is the 14th National Space Science Symposium which was attended by the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Space, U.R. Rao.
There was a talk in some circles that the President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam would also attend the conference as he was in the city for the President's Fleet Review but the university never came out officially that he would visit the campus.
Training prog. on Gondwana systems
The Delta Studies Institute of AU is conducting a six-day training programme on "Gondwana systems with special reference to India", which is sponsored by ONGC.
Gondwana basins, found in peninsular and extra-peninsular regions of the country are considered as potential source resources of coal beds for generation of methane and petroleum hydrocarbons. India is having some of the largest coal resources in the world and ranks fourth in terms of proven resources. Nearly 99 per cent of these resources (205 billion tonnes), lying within the depth range of 10 to 1,200 meters are in the Gondwana basins. Raniganj, Jharia, East Bokaro and other coal fields are the major regions.
ONGC initiated measures to search for unconventional energy resources as coal-bed methane, particularly from the unexplored Gondwana basins to bridge the gap between demand and supply of natural gas.
The training programme now on at AU is one such step. Representatives of ONGC and the university are participating in the programme.
Training for Teaching Associates
Vice-Chancellor L. Venugopal Reddy urged the newly appointed Teaching Associates to work with dedication and sincerity. He inaugurated a teaching skills training programme for the Teaching Associates. Coordinator of the programme M.V. Ramaraju said that along with teaching skills, the Teaching Associates are also being taught the communication skills, personality development and other issues. This is the fifth training programme for the Teaching Associates the administration is organising with a view to provide good teaching to the students.
Foundation laid
The building of Department of Architecture is unique. One gets an idea of what architecture is by looking at the building. It is not a conventional building with rows of rooms but looks like the building of a present day high-tech office. It is now adding an additional floor to it at a cost of Rs. 5 lakhs and Prof. Venugopal Reddy laid foundation last week..
Soft skills programme
AU's Departments of Human Resource Management and Commerce and Business Management organised a soft skill programme. A. Subhaskar Reddy and Felton Lean of the corporate university--International Resource Development Centre (Bangalore) conducted the programme. Public speaking, project presentation, group discussion skills, problem solving, facing an interview are among the aspects the programme has dealt with.
Disha 2006
The Magnus School of Business conducted a two-day Disha 2006 in which 800 students from 90 colleges have participated. It was full of fun, learning and entertainment coupled with a good exposure to the professionalism to the students.
College anniversary
Raghu Engineering College celebrated its annual day. An educationist and professor of an American university, A. Subba Rao was the chief guest of the function. Secretary of the Gayatri Vidya Parishad, P. Somaraju, was felicitated by the college management for his contribution to education.
Programme on power
G.V.P. College of Engineering conducted a three-day programme on "recent advances in power systems". Former Executive Director of NTPC, M. Raghunadha Rao, inaugurated the programme. He discussed in detail the power scenario and the future needs. Mr. Raghunadha Rao strongly recommended the extensive use of alternative power resources like solar and wind power. A good number of teachers from engineering colleges, including those from other districts, and engineers from NTPC, NSTL and power distribution companies attended the programme.
Decennial anniversary
Chaitanya Degree and PG College for Women celebrated its 10th anniversary last week. Chairman of the AP State Warehousing Corporation, Satti Ramakrishna Reddy, was chief guest of the function.
G. NARASIMHA RAO
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Education Plus
Karnataka
Chennai
Coimbatore
Hyderabad
Madurai
Tiruchirapalli
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
