Makerere VC search committee complete

Makerere University Senate, the chief academic organ on Wednesday selected three of its representatives to form the institution's Vice Chancellor (VC) Search Committee.

The representatives according to Ritah Namisango, the University spokesperson include Dr. Betty Ezati, Dr. Frank Mwine and Prof. Joseph Y.T. Mugisha.

Ezati is the Dean School of Education and External Studies, Mwine  from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio Security and Mugisha a Professor of Biomathematics.

The trio now joins two council members who were selected two weeks ago to be part of the committee. They are Irene Ovonji-Odida who is the current deputy council chairperson and Bruce Balaba Kabasa who heads the MAK appointments board as the search committee members. Ovonji is set to head the Search Committee.
 
According to the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act (UOTIA) 2001, there shall be a search committee comprising five members, two of who are members of Council and three from the University Senate.

During yesterday's meeting, Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang the acting VC who also doubles as the deputy VC (Academic Affairs) appealed to the members of senate to continue supporting the newly elected members in their new role.

"I congratulate everyone who has participated in this exercise. This is for the good for the University," Okello said.

During this year's 67th graduation ceremony at MAK, Prof. Ddumba Ssentamu, the institution's current VC announced that his term as VC ends in August this year, having been appointed in the same month in 2012.

The UOTIA states that a VC shall be appointed on terms and conditions determined by the University for five years and shall be eligible for re-appointment for one more term.

The law also provides that the senate sends three names to the Council, the University's governing body, which then chooses two names to forward to the chancellor, who then names the VC.

Though eligible to run for a second term, when asked whether he will be seeking re-appointment, Ddumba was none committal.