The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities (COPSUN) has called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to strengthen its regulatory oversight of Nigeria’s university system and address what it described as increasing interference by professional regulatory bodies in university administration.
COPSUN also urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to comply with the existing law governing Osun State University (UNIOSUN) amid reports that the institution’s Vice-Chancellor had been granted a two-year extension beyond the statutory five-year tenure.
The committee made its position known in a communique issued at the end of its 73rd quarterly meeting in Ibadan and signed by its Chairman, Professor Ayodeji Omole.
COPSUN called on the NUC to retain overall control of accreditation exercises while allowing relevant professional bodies to participate as members of accreditation teams.
The committee said the NUC, as the statutory regulator of the university system, should be legally strengthened to exercise overriding authority over university administration, with professional bodies participating in accreditation exercises under the commission’s leadership.
According to COPSUN, reports from member universities indicated that professional regulatory bodies were increasingly involved in activities such as resource verification, accreditation, indexing, induction and licensing.
It said the overlapping responsibilities had placed additional pressure on universities and contributed to what it termed “accreditation fatigue” within the system.
UNIOSUN VC tenure
On UNIOSUN, COPSUN said it received a report that the Vice-Chancellor’s tenure had been extended by two years beyond the statutory five-year period through an executive pronouncement by the university’s Visitor.
The committee said it was also informed of a proposal to amend the university’s law to provide a legal basis for the extension.
COPSUN described the reported development as inconsistent with the existing legal framework and resolved to formally communicate its position to Governor Adeleke, who is the Visitor to the university.
The committee urged the governor to adhere to the existing law governing UNIOSUN and comply with the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2012, as amended.
It also called on the university’s Pro-Chancellor, who is a member of COPSUN, to ensure that due process and applicable laws are followed in matters relating to the institution’s governance.
COPSUN said adherence to the legal framework was necessary to protect the integrity of university administration and promote stability within the university system.
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