EMBLEM

EMBLEM

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

AUTHORITY & ACCOUNTABILITY



Posted by Prof. RAJENDRA PANDIAN,
Former Faculty Representative of Governing Council


 *
Concerns over the state of affairs of the college as articulated by Prof.VS a while ago have met with a deafening silence. It even seems like some of our friends have distanced themselves from the blog, if not abandoned it. It’s hard to contest Prof.VS’ remark: In the present conflict it is very difficult to say who the sinner is and who is not”. The whistle blows as the assertion continues: “The present Principal was handpicked by the Bishop and [in turn] the Bursar [read ‘the Bishop’s son in law’] was appointed with the due recommendation of the Principal”. ‘Quid pro quo’! Indeed it’s not amusing to harp on that but the fact remains, haunts, and disturbs as the root cause of the trouble unresolved. The trouble that consumed so much time and resource; retarded the growth of the college; and made the organization managerially complex was absolutely self-wrought, and avoidable. As the Bishop is to be fought over this, the Principal is to be held accountable, as helping out the administration is one and holding it accountable is another—you may agree.

However, there is one more character—latent and elusive—but no less liable: The Governing Council of the American College! We can’t help but include them as a party to this, since they—as the Management of the college—let go an evil they could have contained. They were the ones who legitimized this ‘Faustian deal’ with due approval. Even the lone voice of protest against appointing someone with dubious credentials as Bursar had no takers. Given that the Principal, as an individual, was prone to some myopic miscalculations, how could the apex body—endowed with an added advantage of collective wisdom and the ultimate authority—fail to see the unfairness of the move, foresee its possible consequences, and discourage it?  Don’t we think a more objective and more conscientious role on the part of the council–-especially at such crucial times—might have saved the college this trouble? Do any of the aforesaid parties lose anything after all? No, but the institution! It was not only the Principal who made the regrettable choice to a key position in the hierarchy but also the Governing Council that ratified it with partying ease “effectively compromised” the welfare of this college. 







*



2 comments:

தருமி said...

Prof. V. SRINIVASAN writes ..

Dear Rajendra Pandian:

In Physics and in real life too every problem has a solution. The final solution may not be what the person who had posed the question (created the problem) wants. In the present context there will be a solution soon we must wait if we believe in the supreme power that had played a role in the founding of this geat institution and in the running for nearly two centuries.

In Physics there is an equation PV=RT connecting the pressure, volume and temperature of a perfect gas. As per this equation as T, the temperature, decreases at a constavt pressure P the volume V of a perfect gas becomes zero. Like wise as T decreases at constant volume P becomes zero. Can one think of zero volume or zero pressure. We don't have to face it because long before the tempeture getting to zero the gas ceases to be gas and gets converted into a liquid and the equation is not valid for a liquid. The problem is solved. Let us wait.

With kind regads, VS

தருமி said...

Prof.RAJENDRA PANDIAN writes ..

Dear Sir:

Thanks for your wise counsel which exudes a Hegelian conviction that human history is guided by Providence. I fully agree. Your way of reconciling physics and metaphysics in handling the realities before us is fascinating and challenging.

Regards,

Rajendra Pandian