ISLAMABAD: Finally the administration of the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) has woken up and filled the slot of Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences, which was lying vacant since June 9. According to available notification, Professor Dr.Amin Badshah has been notified as acting Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences with effect from July 12 of the current year. The letter states that the position has been filled till the reception of the orders for a permanent Dean from President Mamnoon Hussain who is the Chancellor of the QAU. Vice Chancellor Javed Ashraf, had earlier told Daily Times that the proposal draft for the selection of a permanent dean, was submitted to the president for his approval. The available information suggests that Dr. Afzal Bhatti was serving on the post of Natural Sciences Dean and retired from his job on June 9 this year. After Bhatti’s retirement, VC intentionally held the position as an additional charge, an official added. The Quaid-e-Azam University Act 1973 states that a professor would be inducted on the post. No compulsion was imposed in the act as either he/she professor should be a part of on the Tenure Track System (TTS) faculty, or on the non-TTS faculty. According to informed sources, except Ashraf’s tenure, the seniormost professor had been appointed as a faculty dean. The list of seniormost professors in the Natural Sciences department includes the top names of Dr. Azhar Abbas Rizvi, Dr. Amin Badshah and Dr. Muhammad Ayub. The QAU authorities ignored the staff’s seniority as the appointed dean was on the second number in terms of seniority in the Natural Sciences Department. The officials added that the VC had sent the list of his goodwill nominees to the presidency but the chancellor declined to sign on the proposed names as they were not fulfilling the seniority criteria. “The VC in reaction, while using tactics, has put in place Badshah as the acting dean”, claimed a senior official of the varsity. According to prescribed rules the appointment of the dean was strictly a prerogative of the Chancellor (President). The VC has no authority to decide the fate of any faculty dean. Officials said that this did not happen in Ashraf’s tenure. Previously he also had made such malafide decisions. The time when the then Natural Sciences Dean Dr. Zakaullah retired, the VC, instead of appointing the senior professor as per rules, had himself assumed the additional charge of that faculty dean, but after strong condemnation by the academics he finally surrendered and willy-nilly proposed the name of Dr. Zaka for the dean’s slot even though he retired in November 2015. An official said that following this appointment the slot of the Member Syndicate which was functioning without any dean, would also be filled automotically, adding that Ashraf was not happy and satisfied to see the seniormost professor neither as a Dean and not as a Member Syndicate. The varsity Syndicate, according to sources, was functioning without a dean since the retirement of Dr. Zaka who was a Member Syndicate. As per rules it was mandatory to include the name of any of the faculty’s dean in the syndicate team — the apex policy making body of the varsity. When Daily Times contacted VC Ashraf for his official stance over the matter, he, instead of commenting started criticising this newspaper. When asked about his authority on appointing the dean, he hung up the phone call.