The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka branch, has rejected the “clock-in and clock-out” policy recently introduced for academic staff by the institution’s management.

The union stated its position in a letter dated Aug. 10 sent to the state’s Commissioner for Higher Education signed by the branch chairman and secretary, Prof. Abel Diakparomre, and Dr Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri.

ASUU said the policy was unacademic, unprecedented and a deviation from best-practices in the global academic community.

It explained that the letter emanated from its congress held on Aug. 6 following announcement of the policy by the university’s Deputy Registrar (Establishment), Mr Emmanuel Egheneji, through a memo dated July 31.

“The said memo stated that with effect from Aug. 1, 2018, academic staff are to “clock-in and clock-out each time they resume and close from duties.

“After an extensive deliberation, Congress resolved that the University is a creation of law, which has self-regulating provisions and that academic of the University would continue to be guided by those provisions.

"The policy of clocking-in and clocking-out is not academic, it is unprecedented, and deviates from best-practices of the global academic community”, the union said.

It noted that that university lecturers are involved in teaching, research, and community development, hence members of ASUU – DELSU would continue to discharge their responsibilities with regards to these obligations.

The union said the policy was a threat to the globally cherished non-negotiable autonomy of the university, which the union would continue to defend.

It advised the state Governor and visitor to the university to see those behind the policy as saboteurs who did not wish him well.

“We reject in its entirety the ‘clock-in and cock-out’ policy for academic staff in Delta State University.

“ASUU-DELSU requests the Visitor to the University to use his good offices to direct those behind this application of the “clock-in clock-out policy to academic staff to refrain from.

“This is because there is no university in the country (and possibly the world) where academics clock-in and clock-out.

“This policy will only make a mockery of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, and the entire state, before the national and global university community,” they said.

The letter was copied to the state Head of Civil Service, Chairman of DELSU Governing Council and the Vice-Chancellor of the institution. (NAN)

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