The Syndicate of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad formally approved setting up two research & development cells in the varsity one in department of entomology to conduct R&D on locust and another in department of agronomy on organic agriculture.
In the backdrop of COVID-19, the 320th meeting of the UAF syndicate was first of its kind that went online with Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashraf (SI) in the chair. The meeting was attended by Mr. Justice Ali Baqir Najfi of LHC, Prof. Dr. Nasir Amin (HEC Nominee), Chaudhry Muhammad Ashfaq, Prof. Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Chatha, Prof. Dr. Mahmood Ahmad Randhawa, Prof. Dr. Farzana Rizvi, Dr. Abdul Nasir Awan, Mr. Ahsan Raza Sattar, Dr. Misbah Ijaz, Dr. Atiya Awan, Divisional Director Local Fund Audit Mr. Abdul Rauf, Additional Secretary Agriculture Mr. Ubaid Ullah, and Dr. Shahid Iqbal from Livestock & Dairy Development Department Government of Punjab. The Syndicate endorsed the Budget proposals of 10 billion rupees for the financial year 2020-21 recommended by the Finance & Planning Committee that would be presented before the University Senate for getting final approval. The house also gave approval of the proceedings of the Academic Council that would enable the varsity to open new degree programs at under and postgraduate levels in main as well as sub-campuses. The syndicate after threadbare discussion also approved the appointments of various chairpersons of teaching departments. Addressing the participants, UAF Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashraf (SI) underscored to recruit faculty members in Math & Stat as well as in Physics having expertise in applied mathematics and theoretical physics thereby to publish more research papers and review articles that would, he hoped, help the varsity raises its citations and ranking as well. He told the house that amid the Covid-19 pandemic and shrinking financial health, various universities of the country were on the verge of bankruptcy but owing to best financial discipline and management today the pension endowment fund of the varsity is in good health enabling it to pay present and future pensioners. He informed the house that out of 30,000 students, nearly 7000 were getting financial assistance provided by various national and international donner agencies. He feared that due to COVID-19 pandemic, more students from a poor financial background, may not be able to continue their studies without financial help from the University, that, he vowed to ask the Directorate of Financial Assistance and University Advancement (DFAUA) to expand its assistance for such needy students. Registrar Umar Saeed Qadri conducted the meeting and put forth the agenda items for deliberation.
