The controversy over amendments to the 102-year-old constitution of St Stephen's college has escalated further with Delhi University teachers seeking intervention of the Vice Chancellor, alleging the institution is making a "mockery" of DU statutes and demanding that the varsity take action.
Members of the Executive Council (EC), the university's decision making body, have written to acting Vice Chancellor Sudhish Pachauri, saying if the university does not object to the move by St Stephen's, other colleges will also follow in the footsteps.
"As per DU statutes, a constituent college has to follow the rules and regulations of the university which may be managed by a trust and, in case of of a major deviation, a suitable action can be initiated against the college.
"If today this college is allowed to effect such changes, tomorrow other constituent colleges of the university maintained by different trusts may follow the same, making a mockery of the DU system which should not be allowed," the letter said.
Seeking a stay on the decision, the teachers further said, "We expect a timely intervention in this regard by the university asking the college to stay the passing of proposed changes unless DU examines the proposal and satisfies itself that proposed changes are not against the varsity calendar."
St Stephen's had approved certain amendments in the college's constitution at a meeting of the Governing Body (GB) last week despite eight out of eighteen members abstaining.
University authorities, however, maintained that though the step can lead to Stephen's derecognition by DU and subsequent withdrawal of funding by the University Grants Commission (UGC), they will take note of the issue only after a communication has been received from the college about what the amendments are.
"The college can lose its affiliation from DU and hence
the funding from UGC if the amendments are not in accordance with DU rules. However, we need to know first what the amendments are," the officials said.
The approved draft of the amendments will be taken up for consideration at another GB meeting scheduled three months later before being notified as the amended constitution.
College Principal Valson Thampu as well as the GB members are tight-lipped about whether the draft amendment was passed in toto or with certain changes.
Thampu, who is retiring in February next year, had come up with a draft amendment in which he had proposed that the principal be empowered to take disciplinary action against students or staff irrespective of the GB's opinion.
He also called for giving a major say to the Church of North India (CNI) in the functioning of the college, handing over the powers to appoint faculty and admissions to its Supreme Council (SC) and recasting the GB.
The amendment also proposed to replace St Stephen's College Trust, which currently runs the college, with a St Stephen's Educational Society that will have the power to establish Stephen's-like private institutions across the country.
While St Stephen's faculty as well as the staff association have rejected outright rejected the proposed amendments and urged the GB to delay the process till the time Thampu has retired, the members of CNI have come out in support, contending the amendments will benefit students and the institution.
The move to amend the constitution has also attracted the ire of the college alumni who have termed it as an attempt to make St Stephen's a "Christian ghetto". Thampu has been maintaining that it is the Supreme Council's decision to make the amendments and there has been no violation of procedures or law.
