Five weeks for boycott is maximum

 By JUNIOR UKAHA 
THE University of Technology allowed students a maximum of five weeks to boycott classes, says vice-chancellor Dr Albert Schram.
He told The National yesterday in an email message that five weeks would be enough for their boycott.
“Students have been told from the beginning that five weeks of boycott is the maximum,” Schram said.
“We can accommodate the academic calendar – as we did in the boycotts of 2012, 2013 and 2014 which were about university governance issues,” he said.
“We were always able to finish the academic year successfully.
“Maximum five weeks, and exceptionally six weeks. There are some incremental costs since the mid-semester break in June (4 weeks) was used for the boycott. We will make a calculation and make a budget submission,” Schram said.
Schram said the Student Representative Council and the university council met last Friday where the student council made a commitment to resume classes next Tuesday.
“As a result, the academic board will meet on June 8 to make a final re-arrangement of classes,” Schram said.
“This involves some extra work on part of our faculty. But the National Academic Staff Association has been willing to do this in the interest of successfully completing the academic year.”
Schram said the second semester would start on July 21 and end as scheduled on October 28.
He said the staff association, student council and the university council and management shared the interest in successfully completing the academic year.