UM VC Appointment Ding Dongs

Hmm... impressive. Our local English dailies trying to outdo each other in their reports on the to-be-vacant position at Universiti Malaya (UM). Two days ago, the Star first reported a shortlist of 6-8 candidates - trumping the New Straits Times (NST) who are usually on top in news on the higher education in the country. Then the NST came up with an alleged announcement that Dr Sharifah Hapsah has been appointed the first woman vice-chancellor of UM and the country. But that's not the end of it. Today, as rightly pointed out by a reader earlier, the Star published that whatever NST reported the day before was absolute rubbish!

What drama! I really wonder what NST will rebut tomorrow. Hmmm...

Anyway, the Star reported that:

Universiti Malaya deputy vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Razali Agus has been appointed acting vice-chancellor following the departure of Prof Datuk Dr Hashim Yaacob, whose tenure, has ended... The ministry said it was currently looking for a suitable candidate to head the university and an announcement would be made in a month.

That's possibly a good piece of news for it appears that there is some indication that the Ministry of Higher Education is putting a little more effort to select the right candidate to replace the soon-to-be former vice-chancellor of UM.

Just possibly, Dr Terence Gomez's little wish that a proper search committee is set up (or some way towards a "proper" one) might come true. Dr Gomez, currently on unpaid leave from UM, working at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development in Geneva, supported the call by the secretary of the Universiti Malaya Academic Staff Association, Rosli Omar's for the institutionalisation of an independent search and evaluation committee for vice-chancellors.

Rosli's public appeal for the creation of an independent committee to review the performance of vice-chancellors and to appoint competent and respected academics to this important post is courageous and timely.

I expect that the current impasse over the appointment of the new vice-chancellor as well as the surprising news "deviation" between the two of the country's mainstream English newspapers to indicate that there is a tussle on-going behind the scenes. More interestingly, if we were to read between the lines, the out-going vice-chancellor did indicate in an earlier report, that the Prime Minister was responsible for the non-renewal of his contract.

"I'm sure the decision made by the Prime Minister is for the best," he said.

Maybe I'm just reading a little too much into this, but could it possibly be the Prime Minister nudging the Ministry of Higher Education to conduct a independent and thorough search for the best man (or woman) for the task at Universiti Malaya? After all, this search and evaluation committee will surely meet with less resistance and political implications than the other hotly debated and controversial committee?

Here's hoping just a little.