The proposal by St Stephen’s Principal Valson Thampu to amend the 102-year-old constitution of the institution was outrightly rejected on Monday at the meeting of the college’s staff association which said it will appeal to higher authorities to discard the move.
“The proposal was discussed during the specially convened meeting of the staff association and 26 members opposed the move to amend the constitution. We will appeal to the higher authorities including the university and the Church of North India (CNI) to consider the repercussions of the amendments and reject the proposal,” a staff association member said.
Thampu, who also came to the meeting for a few minutes, did not answer any questions raised by the teachers regarding the amendments.
The principal has circulated a draft amendment in which he has proposed that the principal be empowered to take disciplinary action against students or staff irrespective of the Governing Body’s opinion.
He has also called for giving a major say to CNI in the functioning of the college, handing over the faculty appointments and admissions to the Supreme Council and amending the composition of the GB.
The amendment also proposes to replace St Stephen’s College Trust, which currently runs the college, with a proposed St Stephen’s Educational Society, which will have the power to establish Stephen’s-like private institutions across the country.