FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 18, 2013 UTech Lecturers Vote No Confidence in the Management of the University Academic

staff at the University of Technology, Jamaica this afternoon called for the immediate resignation of the Universitys Council. The academic staff also registered a vote of no confidence in the executive management of the university. The vote came at an emergency meeting of members of the University of Technology Academic Staff Union, UTASU. The union is concerned that the councils failure to effectively regulate the universitys management has led to the inadequately planned expansion of the institution, which continues to threaten the universitys financial wellbeing and viability. UTASU notes with alarm the undue influence that the universitys executive management has over the composition and structure of many of the councils sub-committees. This influence results in the councils failure to demand due diligence on contracts entered into by the university and the lack of transparency of projects and project expenditure. The union is also troubled by the repeated failure of the council to demand that the universitys executive management comply with established procedures for hiring, appointment, and promotion of senior managers, as well as with audit recommendations. Of particular concern to the union is the lack of due diligence in the appointment of several key executive positions, the latest of which have been those of Acting Deputy President and ProChancellor. In addition, the positions of Principal and Deputy Principal of the Western Campus have recently been established outside the legal governance structures of the university. UTASU believes that the council must be held accountable for the depletion of the universitys reserves to fund operating expenses that support a top-heavy and bloated administrative structure. UTASU has written to the Minister of Education to communicate the vote of its membership.