Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, has proposed a name change of Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) to address the challenge of recognition.
In her response as the Chairperson for Association’s 3-day national congress, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said the Ghana Association of University Professionals and Administrators (GAUPA) would best fit as it indicates the role of professionalism by the Association.
This comes after government’s posture toward non-teaching senior members was raised as a concern by the outgoing GAUA president, Dr. Mrs. Beth Offei-Awuku.
Dr. Mrs. Beth Offei-Awuku explained that there is a significant challenge in the government’s understanding of the unique needs of university administrators and professionals.
She attributed this to the poor representation of administrative and professional senior members at the governance level within the tertiary education landscape.
“The leadership of the government agencies are all drawn from the university teaching arm and have skewed commitments to them. We need representation in the corridors of power for the non-teaching senior members to be heard adequately,” she noted.
The outgoing president also noted that the diversity of professionals in the association has yet to be fully harnessed, as there still exists significant apathy, which adversely affects group thinking and solidarity within GAUA.
Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo called for unity among members of GAUA. She explained that a break away will not allow GAUA to achieve its aim for a better condition of service. She advised the mother association to be more inclusive.
Members of the Ghana Association of Univeristy Administrators (GAUA) on Friday, August 30, conveyed at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana, Legon, as part of the Association’s 3-day national congress to review its conditions of service and adoption, as well as swear-in incoming executives.
The theme for this year’s congress is “Balancing Growth and Sustainability in Expanding Public Universities – The Role of GAUA.”
The congress saw hundreds in attendance as sister associations including the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Teachers’ and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU), Federation of University Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSAG) graced the event.