Elizabeth Reade Fong & the University of the South Pacific
Ni sa bula vinaka Elizabeth and thank you for talking with Library Life.
I’m going to jump straight in here! You were one of two University of the South Pacific (USP) staff that were questioned, some would say intimidated, by police over the solidarity rallies for the vice-chancellor last month at the Laucala Campus in Suva. The Asia Pacific Report wrote that you were supporting the now suspended vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia, a whistleblower over the regional universities finances. Can you describe for our readers the background of the events leading up to the rallies?
I’m going to jump straight in here! You were one of two University of the South Pacific (USP) staff that were questioned, some would say intimidated, by police over the solidarity rallies for the vice-chancellor last month at the Laucala Campus in Suva. The Asia Pacific Report wrote that you were supporting the now suspended vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia, a whistleblower over the regional universities finances. Can you describe for our readers the background of the events leading up to the rallies?
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia took up office on January 1, 2019. He replaced Professor Rajesh Chandra, an alumni and former staff member who had held the position since 2009. In the first three months of his tenure, Professor Pal found what he identified to be instances of questionable governance practices by the former leader which he documented and submitted to the University’s governing body, the USP Council for its May 2019 meeting. The leakage of eleven pages of this document to Islands Business magazine by, as yet, unnamed sources, informed the student body, staff, alumni and the regional university community of VC Pal’s concerns. Prior to VC Pal’s submission, many of the concerns were the subject of discussions amongst staff and students but without written evidence and the former VC in place, action was not possible. The leakage provided the evidence and impetus for students and staff to express their outrage at the governance concerns. Thus in May 2019, the first public `talanoa’ session or rally was held on the library `rara’ (open ground) across from the Administration Building. |
The decision of the USP May 2019 council meeting resulted in a report by the Northland New Zealand arm of the accounting firm BDO of the issues raised by VC Pal. The content of the report that was made public through its release on social media confirmed our worst fears but whilst this was a contributing factor to the rallies, it was the actions of the Pro-Chancellor, Winston Thompson and the Executive Committee of the Council that compiled a list of allegations against VC Pal that led to his orchestrated suspension that was the last straw. Moving the focus to VC Pal from the findings of the BDO Report on what many saw as an abuse of authority, was viewed as a calculated political move by a certain member country to protect the former VC and certain members of his management team. This went against all the principles of good governance and brought disrepute to the University which students, staff and alumni found abhorrent.
The rallies at Laucala and across the region witnessed a level of unity amongst students, staff, alumni and the Pacific community not witnessed during the University’s 50th-anniversary celebrations when this should have been. Justice and the need for good governance and protection of the University for the future of our people was cause to rally. Following the initial rally in 2019 and concern with the way the USP Council was handling the matter, a group of us decided that there was a need to communicate directly with Heads of Governments to raise our concerns with their representatives to the USP Council, to which they responded positively and issues have progressed. The Student’s Association stood strong in its support for VC Pal and to see our future leaders taking this stand confirmed that our institution remains strong despite its challenges.
How did this affect your library?
Eighty-eight percent of the library staff are regionals, with approximately 70% of those regionals having acquired library, and other qualifications, from the USP. Therefore, we all felt very strongly about what was happening to the University.
The library has been and continues to be a key player and contributor to university learning, teaching and research standards and many regard the USP library as an exemplar library for tertiary institutions in the region. That this should be happening to our institution elicited feelings of anger, sadness, shame, disgust, disdain, surprise and shock for some who were unaware. |
The reason being that despite justified requests against a background of increasing student numbers and programmes, the library had not received resource budget increases for over seven years. When staff read about what it considered to be an abuse of authority and financial mismanagement, comments such as `whilst we cannot subscribe to more databases or employ more professionals and paraprofessionals, or visit regional campus libraries due to financial constraints, the same does not apply to rewards for senior management who are already well paid.’
This situation has strengthened the Library’s resolve to uphold freedom of information, good governance and transparency.
This situation has strengthened the Library’s resolve to uphold freedom of information, good governance and transparency.
Do you see your actions as connected to the vital role librarians play in ensuring freedom of information?
Most certainly and especially in this COVID-19 environment in which the pandemic appears to be a tool used by governments throughout the world to be `selective’ about the type and range of information shared with their people.
As a result of their belief in freedom of information, Library colleagues participated in calls and actions to make the findings of the BDO Report available to the University community for action. They gathered, whilst maintaining physical distancing, to express their feelings about the decision to not share the findings of the report and to declare it a `fait accompli’ because certain members of the USP Council had bull-dozed the decision under what many saw as political pressure. Librarians have been part of the success of getting the USP Council to release the document to members and we await its transmission to the taxpaying regional owning public and those of donor countries |
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An unforeseen concern for me was a reaction from a senior manager named in the BDO report to whom I report. In communication with him as a result of the library staff decision to `down tools’ (Library open but no services) on June 11, 2020, in solidarity with all other staff I was, in effect, told that in my senior position I should not be taking part in such activities and that since I was not an academic, I was in no position to speak about `academic freedom’. I regarded this as undermining my profession and my managerial ability to make a decision on such a grave issue and I conveyed this to him in an internal memorandum.
What are your concerns about the future of the university?
For the long term, I am convinced that the canoe driving the university will continue to sail in the right direction once it overcomes its current challenges. I say this based on the evidence of the current council leadership; the decisions of its two most recent council meetings and the advice, support and direction it is receiving from students, staff and alumni from all over the world. In the shorter term, the challenge will be to embrace and fully implement the recommendations of the commission that was established to review governance policies that will require the strong political will of the USP Council to make the hard calls and decisions that are needed. If these are achieved I believe the future of the university is in-tact and it will continue to grow and to respond to the educational needs of the Region as it was destined to do. |
How have events progressed over the last few weeks?
Slowly but surely. The USP Council is working to ensure compliance with council governance procedures and the next meeting of the USP Council ( August 12) will inform members as to whether there was any justification for VC Pal’s suspension based on the 33 allegations and if there were or not, what the next course of action is.
It is also hoped that the council will consider and determine the future of the incumbent Pro-Chancellor given his open hostility to the Vice-Chancellor and President that many see as an untenable relationship for moving the institution forward.
Vinaka vaka levu Elizabeth, we wish you all the best with this going forward.
Slowly but surely. The USP Council is working to ensure compliance with council governance procedures and the next meeting of the USP Council ( August 12) will inform members as to whether there was any justification for VC Pal’s suspension based on the 33 allegations and if there were or not, what the next course of action is.
It is also hoped that the council will consider and determine the future of the incumbent Pro-Chancellor given his open hostility to the Vice-Chancellor and President that many see as an untenable relationship for moving the institution forward.
Vinaka vaka levu Elizabeth, we wish you all the best with this going forward.
Elizabeth Reade Fong is the University Librarian of the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.