Makerere Must Streamline The Financial Management
Apr 13, 2004
Mr Ras’ funny depiction of an annual strike roster by lecturers, students and support staff at Makerere University (New Vision April 7, 2004,) was so hilarious, but I think it points to an underlying management problem at the 82-year old institution.
Mr Ras’ funny depiction of an annual strike roster by lecturers, students and support staff at Makerere University (New Vision April 7, 2004,) was so hilarious, but I think it points to an underlying management problem at the 82-year old institution.
The current strike by Makerere dons and the previous ones by the support staff and students, all raise several nagging questions: Why is the administration managing university affairs by crisis?
Does the university really keep channels of communication open with its staff and students? Both the University Secretary and the Academic Registrar expressed shock when the dons laid down their tools (The New Vision April 6, 2004).
In short, did they learn about what was happening on campus from the press? Then we are told the Vice Chancellor and his deputy were both out of the country when a crisis was brewing at home!
One question the University Council and Government need to address is: why does the administration always wait for a crisis to errupt before they address a problem? When students went on strike last year demanding payment of their allowances, the university was thrown into chaos, only for the students to be paid their monies the following day!
Here is what I suggest should be done to address Makerere’s perenial crises once and for all:
lThe University Council should not abdicate its responsibility. It should probe those allegations of financial mismanagement. All the money Makerere earns is the property of Council. Let them streamline the financial management system, so that there is seen to be a trickle down effect to all staff.
Justice must not only be done but it must be seen to be done. I agree with Kimuli Mutebi (Sunday Vision April 11, 2004) that there is no way a university that has grown to a population of 30,000 and is making lots of money can run without a well-motivated staff. From what I gather in the press, the problem seems to be that some people feel others are “eating†on their behalf.
lInstitute a human resources department (I doubt if one exists already) that will periodically monitor and evaluate staff welfare problems in line with the prevailing economic realities and market forces. For instance, I understand a lecturer at Makerere is paid only sh120,000 for housing. A decent house goes for about sh300,000 in Kampala. It is not good for the university’s image. Makerere needs to have a “human face†in its planning and should learn to be sensitive to its staff welfare needs.
lThe University Council should decentralise some of its functions. If some percentage of internally generated revenue stays at the facutlies, then why not give them the requisite powers to manage their budgets? I am sure part of the problem is that the university administrators are overstretched by the increasing workload. The Bursar still has to sign every little cheque. Yet, if the faculties are to attract good part-time lecturers to the evening programmes, then they have to be able to pay them well and promptly.
Otherwise, the same programmes that have been generating income to the university are going to suffer or collapse in the end. There is no way the university — which has tremendously grown by leaps and bounds — can continue running in the same old bureacratic way it was managed 60 years ago when it had 500 students.
lMakerere generally has a poor record regarding public relations and information flow. This was true even when we were students in the 1990s. Sadly, most strikes have occurred simply because of lack of or inadequate information.
Once information gaps are encouraged to occur in the communication process, then people resort to other means, including violence, in order to be heard and for their needs to be addressed. Makerere is now a semi-private institution; parents and students are paying their money. The clients will want to see value for their money.
Hence, the university will have to be more proactive in running its functions more efficiently and more transparently.
Unfortunately, many top administrators in the Ivory Tower are not helping the situation much, by not encouraging an open-door policy.
The public relations office is not on top of things, either nor is it periodically briefed — if at all. Otherwise, why not have a regular press briefing? I gather that the dons have been trying since November last year to get Council to listen to their grievances, but the latter kept procrastinating over the matter. Now everything has ground to a halt and the university will lose time and revenue as a result of the strike.
I believe that some of these crises at this prestigious university are unwarranted and can be avoided if Makerere seriously builds for the future.
Professor Arooni R. Mushengyezi
Connnecticut, USA
The current strike by Makerere dons and the previous ones by the support staff and students, all raise several nagging questions: Why is the administration managing university affairs by crisis?
Does the university really keep channels of communication open with its staff and students? Both the University Secretary and the Academic Registrar expressed shock when the dons laid down their tools (The New Vision April 6, 2004).
In short, did they learn about what was happening on campus from the press? Then we are told the Vice Chancellor and his deputy were both out of the country when a crisis was brewing at home!
One question the University Council and Government need to address is: why does the administration always wait for a crisis to errupt before they address a problem? When students went on strike last year demanding payment of their allowances, the university was thrown into chaos, only for the students to be paid their monies the following day!
Here is what I suggest should be done to address Makerere’s perenial crises once and for all:
lThe University Council should not abdicate its responsibility. It should probe those allegations of financial mismanagement. All the money Makerere earns is the property of Council. Let them streamline the financial management system, so that there is seen to be a trickle down effect to all staff.
Justice must not only be done but it must be seen to be done. I agree with Kimuli Mutebi (Sunday Vision April 11, 2004) that there is no way a university that has grown to a population of 30,000 and is making lots of money can run without a well-motivated staff. From what I gather in the press, the problem seems to be that some people feel others are “eating†on their behalf.
lInstitute a human resources department (I doubt if one exists already) that will periodically monitor and evaluate staff welfare problems in line with the prevailing economic realities and market forces. For instance, I understand a lecturer at Makerere is paid only sh120,000 for housing. A decent house goes for about sh300,000 in Kampala. It is not good for the university’s image. Makerere needs to have a “human face†in its planning and should learn to be sensitive to its staff welfare needs.
lThe University Council should decentralise some of its functions. If some percentage of internally generated revenue stays at the facutlies, then why not give them the requisite powers to manage their budgets? I am sure part of the problem is that the university administrators are overstretched by the increasing workload. The Bursar still has to sign every little cheque. Yet, if the faculties are to attract good part-time lecturers to the evening programmes, then they have to be able to pay them well and promptly.
Otherwise, the same programmes that have been generating income to the university are going to suffer or collapse in the end. There is no way the university — which has tremendously grown by leaps and bounds — can continue running in the same old bureacratic way it was managed 60 years ago when it had 500 students.
lMakerere generally has a poor record regarding public relations and information flow. This was true even when we were students in the 1990s. Sadly, most strikes have occurred simply because of lack of or inadequate information.
Once information gaps are encouraged to occur in the communication process, then people resort to other means, including violence, in order to be heard and for their needs to be addressed. Makerere is now a semi-private institution; parents and students are paying their money. The clients will want to see value for their money.
Hence, the university will have to be more proactive in running its functions more efficiently and more transparently.
Unfortunately, many top administrators in the Ivory Tower are not helping the situation much, by not encouraging an open-door policy.
The public relations office is not on top of things, either nor is it periodically briefed — if at all. Otherwise, why not have a regular press briefing? I gather that the dons have been trying since November last year to get Council to listen to their grievances, but the latter kept procrastinating over the matter. Now everything has ground to a halt and the university will lose time and revenue as a result of the strike.
I believe that some of these crises at this prestigious university are unwarranted and can be avoided if Makerere seriously builds for the future.
Professor Arooni R. Mushengyezi
Connnecticut, USA