Haveri: Karnataka Folklore University at Gotagodi in Shiggaon taluk has been without a vice-chancellor for over a week after vice-chancellor Prof TM Bhaskar completed his four-year tenure on July 18. A combination of statutory hurdles and an internal power struggle has delayed the appointment of an acting vice-chancellor.According to sources, the succession process ran into trouble as no deans were appointed during the outgoing vice-chancellor’s tenure despite the presence of eligible faculty members.The leadership vacuum escalated into an open dispute when registrar (evaluation) K Shivashankar reportedly sought to assume charge as acting vice-chancellor. The move triggered protests by assistant professors and other faculty members, who opposed his appointment and staged demonstrations on the campus.Faculty members argued that assigning a key academic position to an administrative officer violated university norms. Describing the registrar as an outsider to the folklore academic discipline, they urged Raj Bhavan to either appoint the senior-most assistant professor from within the university or select an eligible folklore expert from another institution, as provided under statutory provisions.The governance crisis comes at a turbulent time for the country’s first folklore university. Guest faculty members and outsourced workers have recently been staging round-the-clock protests over 10 months of unpaid salaries.The university’s academic session was scheduled to begin on June 8, but classes are yet to commence. Faculty members said they had written to the registrar, but no action was taken.“We have appealed to the governor’s office not to appoint K Shivashankar as in-charge vice-chancellor. Under Sections 14 and 15 of the Karnataka Folklore University Act, 2011, he is not eligible for the post. If he is appointed, we will challenge the decision legally,” said Prof Venkanagouda, president of the Karnataka Folklore University Faculty Members Association.Shivashankar said he was unaware of the letter. “I came to know about it through the media. I also have no information regarding the appointment of the in-charge vice-chancellor,” he said.
