UG Registrar plugs student-friendly registry, open-door policy
UG Registrar Dr Nigel Gravesande
UG Registrar Dr Nigel Gravesande

THE University of Guyana (UG) is promoting a greater involvement of productiveness in curriculum development and a student-friendly environment in order to prepare students for the world of work.UG Registrar Dr Nigel Gravesande was speaking at the time in reference to UG students who recently vented their frustrations, according to a report on Monday in this newspaper under the caption: “UG students decry slothful registration process, hike in tuition fees.”

Among the aggrieved students according to the report were Stephan Sookram, Rosheni Takechandra, Rhinold Cameron and Alva Solomon.

Pointing out that he had initiated the conversation with this publication, the registrar noted that appointments have been made with all the affected students who had highlighted their opinions in the Guyana Chronicle.

“None of them have graced my office, I am at my desk at 7AM every morning and since I assumed responsibilities 391 students, both at Turkeyen and Berbice have visited my office.”

Dr Gravesande who has nearly three decades of experience at executive and senior levels in tertiary education, the public and private sectors and diplomacy was appointed last August as the new Registrar at UG, replacing Vincent Alexander.

Highlighting in chronological order the issue of two of the aggrieved cases, the UG Registrar said that Rosheni Takechandra is a student enrolled in the field of communications at the diploma level. Her grade was received by the Office of the Registrar on the 29th September, 2015 in respect of exams she had done in the last academic year.
“That’s an issue for the faculty; we can only update student’s profiles when we get the grades from the lecturers. On 2nd October the Director of Communications recommended her admission to the Bachelor’s Degree programme. This was approved on 4th October, 2015 and Ms Takechandra formally conveyed her acceptance on the 6th October. She attempted to register for the first time on the 23rd October at 11:49AM.”
He said that he then tried contacting Ms Takechandra yesterday to make an analysis of her complaints. Dr. Gravesande said he left a voicemail on her cell phone and later called a home number through which he reached her mother who stated that the young lady was on an overseas trip for two weeks.

Meanwhile, he said Stephen Sookram is another student in the communications programme. He applied to do the Bachelor’s Degree on the 3rd August, 2015 which was prior to his appointment at the institution.
Sookram was recommended as a suitable candidate and was endorsed on the 19th August, 2015, Dr Gravesande said, but there were some outstanding grade issues that were received only at the end of August. An e-mail was dispatched to Sookram on 9th September, 2015 and he accepted the offer. He was duly registered on 21st September, 2015 and this was subsequently approved the following day. However, this was not completed since a loan agency outside the remit of the university did not complete payments.
The registrar said since his appointment he had indicated to staff that he plans to transform the registry into a student-friendly environment.

OPEN-DOOR POLICY
Emphasising that all students have access to his office, Dr Gravesande said “no student needs an appointment to see this registrar; in fact, I have been seeing students every day. I am available to see students from the time I arrive, my staff can independently validate this and I am prepared to provide 391 students who had engaged me… so on the basis of three complaints the registry cannot be captured as inefficient.”

Emphasising that UG’s faculty and staff have a fundamental responsibility to deliver students’ grades on time, Dr Gravesande said the students also have a corresponding responsibility and through his intervention many grades that were outstanding since 2010 were received.

“I will not rest on my laurels until the registry is transformed into a student-focused and student-friendly environment. Our students are our most important constituency and I believe we must serve them. My office would be one of service,” the UG Registrar declared.

The Registrar said further that he would help to forge strategic linkages with regional and international tertiary institutions to benefit from a diversified and wider human resource base and one that can facilitate technical and other assistance to the university.

As part of Dr Gravesande’s plan to make UG the premier tertiary institution in the Caribbean, he plans to attract students from Community Colleges and Sixth Forms across the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM, deliver student services efficiently and effectively and develop a structured programme of community service for all UG students.

During his tenure, he also plans to contribute to expanding UG’s resource base through strategic arrangements with industry and organisations locally, regionally and internationally.

By Rabindra Rooplall

 

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