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Campus Jottings

New students arrive tomorrow

Tuesday is going to be an exciting day for the freshers as they begin their post-graduate studies in Andhra University. It will be a different experience for them as the methods of teaching, ambience and atmosphere of the university campus is completely different from the colleges where they have studied their degree courses.

One week ago the senior students, who have completed their first year in April, have come back to the campus and now the first year students will join them and the campus is expected to be teeming with students.

AU administration has made efforts to spruce up the hostels, which accommodate nearly two thirds of the students. It has to be seen how best the conditions in the hostels are when they are totally occupied.

Meanwhile AU administration has put in place arrangements to prevent ragging. AU campus is not notorious for ragging and only few cases are reported every year though there is an allegation that girls are subjected to more ragging in the ladies hostel. It is also alleged that ragging is more in the engineering college, for which admissions will be made later.

AU administration is not taking chances and Vice-Chancellor B. Satyanarayana held meetings with faculty and officials to discuss the recommendations made by the R.K. Raghavan Committee for the UGC, and their implementation. AU will also provide a toll free number so that a fresher can lodge a complaint if he or she is subjected to ragging. This is in addition to the telephone numbers of the police officers concerned and the university officials which are displayed in the campus.

Prof. Satyanarayana said every new student will be entrusted to one of the teachers as a mentor to care of the student and this step will create a lot of confidence in student’s parents. The mentor teacher will talk to the HoD, Principal and Registrar if the situation warranted. Prof. Satyanarayana wanted the HoDs to act as honorary wardens of the hostels where their students are staying and support the Chief Warden. Surprise visits to the hostels by the AU officials, conducting meetings, etc. are some other steps to be taken. Prof. Satyanarayana will also address Principals and management representatives of all affiliated colleges on the measures to be taken to control ragging.

The students, teachers and employees will be given new ID cards and the process should start as the new academic year commenced.

University Grants Commission has appointed a retired professor of cooperation and applied physics V. Pothana as professor emeritus, for a period of two years. Prof. Pothana, an expert in urban economics and held important posts like Honorary Librarian, Director of Centre for SAARC Studies and Director of BC Study Circle, would conduct independent research in AU School of Economics as professor emeritus.

Andhra University Teachers Association is continuing its efforts to get the UGC pay-scales implemented in the State’s universities. It meets every important person that visits the city and with the local MP, D. Purandeswari once again becoming Union Minister of State for HRD, AUTA is asking her to pursue the matter when ever she visits the city.

The teachers received an assurance from the Chief Minister that the pay-scales might be implemented and what is required now is that the UGC has to send its guidelines on implementation of the pay-scales. AUTA requested Ms. Purandeswari again, when she attended a national seminar held in the campus, to ensure that UGC sent the guidelines to the AP Government. She gave an assurance to that effect.

It is now the turn of NSS unit-I of Pendurthi Government Junior College to participate in the special camp being held in the AU campus and spruce up the campus. The camps was inaugurated by HoD of Social Work R.D. Sampath Kumar. AU NSS Coordinator P. Ramachandra Rao, Director of Physical Education of AU M. Syam Babu, college NSS Programme Officer L. Satya Prasad and others participated.

Sayam V. Sunaina Devi of Pydah College stood second in the B.Com. (vocational) course of Andhra University. She secured 83 per cent. President of Pydah educational institutions Pydah Krishna Prasad and others congratulated Ms. Sunaina Devi.

The Aditya Literary Club for English of the Aditya Degree College conducted a seminar on role of non-verbal communication. Director of Career Launcher Ram Shashank, HoD of English and secretary of the club Kocherlakota Venkayya, Principal T. Theophilus, HoD of mathematics and convenor of the club B.L. Ganesh, spoke.

Earlier the college’s Biotechnology Department organised Bio Arena 2009, which was inaugurated by HoD of Biotechnology of AU T. Ramana HoD of Biotechnology of Dr. V.S. Krishna Govt. College Hara Sreemulu, HoD of Biotechnology of the host college N. Ramya, and others attended.

Cygmax Institute of Management Studies organised valedictory function for the MBA students who have completed their summer internship programme. Principal P. Rama Rao presided. Executives of private and public sector industries shared their views along with some students. Academic coordinator V. Somasekharam and others spoke.

Vizianagaram Lok Sabha Member Botcha Jhansi Lakshmi has completed her Ph.D. in philosophy. She worked on the thesis ‘women empowerment with special reference to M.K. Gandhi: a philosophical study”. Prof. K.R. Rajani was her research guide. Ph.D. came to Dr. Jhansi soon after she was re-elected to Lok Sabha.

D. Ramasekhara Reddy was awarded Ph.D. in organic chemistry for his thesis on “transformation of naturally occurring lignans: synthesis of beta-hydroxy lactol and lactones, 10-acetamido-dibenzocyclooctadiene, 4-amino podophyllotoxin analogue and tetrahydrodiphyllin”.

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