The University Executive Officers’ Association has put forward a string of demands to the University Grants Commission (UGC) and called for an early resolution of the issues. Among the key demands are that the Government should take steps to protect State universities/university community. They have also called to resolve 107% salary anomaly by increasing the salary of university staff in 2023, a system of proper categorisation, resolving permit issue of executive officers, and reinstating air fare benefits of executive officers.
The association has also called to agree with common demands of other unions of the university system. The association in a letter to the Chairman of the UGC Prof Sampath Amaratunga also communicated their plans to hold a protest outside universities on Thursday. They pointed out that “recent government actions and policies have cast a dark shadow over the functioning and well-being of these esteemed institutions.
One of the key concerns that state university unions have raised is the consistent underfunding of our universities by the government. “This chronic lack of financial support severely impedes our universities’ ability to offer quality education, conduct research, and provide adequate resources and facilities to the students and staff. Furthermore, the lack of a fair and transparent funding system creates an environment of uncertainty and hampers long-term planning, resulting in compromised educational standards.”