He has come here with a mission to help the students, spruce up research activities, and to tone up the administration which was in shambles. This is Professor S K Saidapur, who completed one year in office on October 25, as the vice-chancellor of the Karnatak University.

In an informal chat with Anand V Yamnur of Deccan Herald, Prof Saidapur reminisced his one year in the office.

Prof Saidapur, what has been your priority in the last one year, and have you been able to accomplish it?
My priority had been the toning up of the university administration which had been in the shambles,
especially the examination section.The main stress has been given to the delegation of powers to various officers of the university. This has helped in the smooth running of the university.

Towards bringing in communal amity among the different sections of people in the university, for the first time, the birth anniversaries of Basava, Dr B R Ambedkar, and Jagjeevan Ram were celebrated in the campus. Also, a long pending demand for the installation of a bust of Sir Siddappa Kambli, the man responsible for the setting up of Karnatak College in Dharwad (KCD), has been fulfilled.

Prof Saidapur, what about the academic side?
We have been able to introduce some new courses. While a five-year integrated course on Master of Tourism Administration (MTA) has been introduced at the Karnatak Arts College, MA in Social Work has been introduced at the PG Centre at Bijapur, and a MEd course in the PG Centre at Belgaum.

New study centers on many great thinkers like Basavanna, Kanaka, Sahasrarjuna, and Vivekananda have been set up. Also, three memorandum of understandings (MoUs) have been signed with the private sector to help the university academically.

A beginning has been made in Academic & Administrative Audit (AAA), student evaluation of teachers, and internal quality assurance exercise. Also, a NAAC/IQA Cell has been established towards getting re-accreditation for the university.

What are your future plans?
The major problem the university is facing is that nearly 50 per cent of the teaching and non-teaching posts are laying vacant. Measures would be taken to fill up all the vacant posts.

The university is receiving meagre funds, both from the University Grants Commission (UGC), as well as from the State Government. So more funds would be sought from them.

Measures are being taken to introduce the Choice-Based Credit System in most subjects in the university.