Dr. Dewasiri walks out of senate meeting after  argument with VC

by Dasun Edirisinghe-August 28, 2014

An argument between the Colombo University History Department Head Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri and Vice Chancellor Dr. Kumara Hirimburegama on Wednesday resulted in the former walking out from a Senate meeting.

The meeting was held at the University on Wednesday evening.

Dr. Dewasiri inquired about a request he had made six months back for two lecturers to teach history but there was no positive response from the Vice Chancellor.

Dr. Dewasiri staged a day-long sit-in opposite the office of Vice Chancellor in protest against a shortage of lecturers in his department a few weeks ago.

He even threatened a hunger strike, but subsequently he agreed to suspend his  protest following an assurance given by the Arts Faculty Dean and other department heads to intervene solve the problem.

According to the Dr. Dewasiri his department had only five permanent lecturers and two of them were on leave at present. There was a pressing need to recruit two temporary lecturers as a stopgap measure, but the university administration has ignored his request.

Finally, VC Dr. Hirimburegama promised to refer Dr. Dewasiri’s request to the University Senate and find a solution.