MINUTE NO.465 – ANY OTHER BUSINESS 
(a) The Chairman congratulated, on behalf of the Council, Professor S.R.A. Dodu on his appointment as the Dean of the Medical School and Professor A. A. Boahen on his promotion as full Professor in the Department of History. 

(b) The Chairman wished to place on record the valuable contributions which Professor C.0. Easmon had made during the early years of the Medical School under very difficult conditions. The University was fortunate to have had a man of his calibre and stature during those years. The Council agreed that the Vice- Chancellor should write to Professor Easmon to express its appreciation for his work which would stand the test of time. 

(c) The Chairman announced the proposal from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom, to confer the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters on the Vice-Chancellor in June this year. The Council congratulated him warmly on this distinctive honour. 

(a) Reports of the Visit of the Vice-Chancellor The Vice-Chancellor gave a brief outline of his recent visit to France and Britain. The full report is attached to these minutes. 

(e) Student Demands 

The Vice-Chancellor apologised for the uncustomary welcome to the Council Members by the student demonstration which greeted members of the Council when they arrived for the meeting. He informed the Council that he had had full discussions with the Students’ Representative Council in his office just before the meeting. The main grievance was on the charge of NC1.25 per student per day for vacation residence; a concession which was given by Dr. C. C. O’Brien in 1963 in view of the difficulties which final year students had to cope with during the Easter Vacation. Last year, as a result of negotiations between student leaders and the Hall Authorities, it was agreed that vacation residence should with effect from this year be raised from 85NP to NC1.25 in view of rising costs. The University was also not in a position to subsidise vacation residence. However, in view of the concern that had been expressed to him at the meeting with the students he had asked the Hall Authorities to suspend the charge of N¢1.25 until he had had time to discuss the matter with them. The Council received this report with much concern and after some discussion, it agreed that in view of the fact that students at both Kumasi and Cape Coast are paying NC1.0 for vacation residence, the students of this University should also pay N21.00 per person per day for vacation residence and that the University should subsidise their stay by 25NP per person per day. The Vice-Chancellor should consult the Hall Authorities on this matter and reach agreement with them on it. The Council would find additional funds to make up for this reduction. 

(ii) The Vice-Chancellor indicated that the other matter of concern to the students was Examination Fees. But the students had not pressed the matter at the meeting. 

(f) Congregation The Vice-Chancellor reminded members that the Congregation of the University would take place on 13th March, 1971 at 4.15 p.m. and he hoped that all members of the Council pre- sent would take part in the proceedings. 

(g) Y.W.C.A. World Conference Mrs. Justice Annie Jiagge informed the Council that for the first time, the Y.W.C.A. had agreed to hold a world-wide conference in Africa. Ghana contested other countries and had the honour of playing host to the conference which would take place some time in August. Last year, both the President and the Secretary of the Y.W.C.A. visited Ghana to survey facilities and they agreed that Volta Hall would be ideal as the Conference Centre. In all, about 500 delegates were expected. The Local Arrangements Committee of the Y.W.C.A. has held a series of discussions with the Volta Hall Authorities and in spite of all the undertaking to provide extra sheets and attendants from the Secondary Schools, Volta Hall was not prepared to take more than 80 persons. The main objection of the Hall was that the installation of a hot water system in their Annex would increase its recurrent costs. But she felt that the provision of hot water in the Hall would be a good amenity for the ladies of the Hall. The Vice-Chancellor also complained that he had had the same difficulty.

MINUTES OF THE 38TH MEETING OF THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, LEGON HILL, ON THURSDAY, 1ST APRIL, 1971 AT 5.30 P.M. 

Present: Hon. Mr. Victor Owusu, M.P. – Chairman 
Dr. A.A. Kwapong Vice-Chancellor 
Professor S. La-Anyane – Pro-Vice-Chancellor 
Mrs. Justice Annie Jiagge – Member 
Mr. K. Twum-Barima Member 
Mr. David Andoh Member 
Mr. G.T. Oddoye Member 
Professor Silas R.A. Dodu 
Member Dr. E.N.W. Oppong Member 
Dr. J.M. Assimeng Member 
Mr. E.A.K. Edzii Secretary 
Absent: Professor A.A. Boahen–apology for absence received; Mr. T. A. Osae apology for absence received. 

[The meeting was considered as a continuation of the Emergency Meeting of the Council held on 15th March, 1971]. 

MINUTE NO.469–STUDENT UNREST AT LEGON 

The notes of the meeting of some members of the University Council and the Students’ Representative Council held on 17th March, 1971 to discuss student grievances had been circulated to members of the Council. The Chairman informed the Council that he had not yet received an apology from the student leaders for the misconduct of some of the students at the last Congregation Ceremony. 

(ii) The Vice-Chancellor reported to the Council that on 22nd March, 1971 an emergency joint meeting of the Executive Committee, Heads of Halls and Senior Tutors was called to review developments in the University since 11th March, 1971 when the recent student unrest started. The meeting had been given a detailed account of events which took place between 11th March and 15th March and received a full explanation on all the points which the students had listed as grievances. He also informed the meeting of the concessions which the Chairman of the Council had given on behalf of the University to the student leaders at their meeting held on 17th March, 1971. These were as follows: 

(a) students should be represented on the Estate Management Committee where matters affecting the efficiency of the management of Services are discussed; 

(b) students should be represented on Hall Councils; the governing bodies of Halls of Residence; 

(c) students should be represented on proposed Departmental Advisory Councils where student participation on the development of academic programmes would be effective; 

(d) The University would assist students on a limi- ted scale with transportation to and from Accra on Saturdays on the payment of a charge. 

(iii) The joint meeting of the Executive Committee of the Academic Board and the Hall Authorities also considered at length the problem of communication within the University in general and in particular communication with individual students when decisions affecting their interests had been discussed and reached with student leaders. It was agreed that extracts of such decisions should be posted on Notice Boards in the Halls including the Junior Common Rooms. As an improvement upon the present machinery of dealing with student grievances outside the Halls, a suggestion for the appointment of a Dean of Students who would be responsible for student welfare and discipline and would also play the role of an ombudsman was discussed. A Committee was appointed to examine in detail the various proposals that had emerged during discussions at the meeting and to make recommendations on them to the Executive Committee of the Academic Board. 

(iv) The meeting of the Executive Committee and the Hall Authorities also unanimously reaffirmed the confidence of the University in the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor. 

MINUTE NO.470–DRAFT PUBLIC STATEMENT ON STUDENT UNREST AT LEGON BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL. 
The Council discussed the draft of a public state- ment to be issued by the Chairman of the University Council on the recent student grievances and unrest at Legon at considerable length. The draft was circulated at the meeting. It was agreed that to issue a public statement at this late stage when public attention had been turned on other major issues would serve very little purpose. It was however unanimously agreed after weighing carefully the issues involved that it was important not to weaken the authority of the institution in any respect. In this regard, the Council decided that the four student leaders who had 

(a) given the Vice-Chancellor the assurance on 13th March, 1971, that there was no cause for any concern that there would be student demonstration at the last Congregation at a time when they were fully aware that preparations for the demonstrations had reached an advanced stage; 

(b) on 15th March, 1971 assured the Chairman of the University Council in the presence of two other members of the Council that they would render an unqualified apology to the University Council for the misconduct and discourtesy which students had shown; 

(c) on 17th March, 1971 asked for time to consult the student body on the need and propriety for the apology after the Chairman of the University Council had urged them to do so in their own interest; should be asked to explain their conduct. This decision was based on the fact that the four student leaders concerned had not been candid and had acted in bad faith in their relations with both the Vice-Chancellor and the Chairman of the University Council in this matter. The Council thought that it was a matter of further discourtesy that from the 17th of March 1971 to the time of the meeting, the four student leaders had not deemed it necessary even to explain the reasons for the delay in render- ing the apology. It therefore agreed that the conduct of the four student leaders in regard to the apology should. be brought to their attention with a request that they should let the Council know what they proposed to do in the matter by 8th April, 1971. Copies of this correspondence should also be brought to the attention of the parents/guardians of the students concerned. If nothing was heard from them by that date, disciplinary proceedings might be initiated against them.

(ii) The Council considered it important that in view of the circumstances of the student unrest, it would be necessary for the University to issue a brief statement on the facts of the matter and the concessions that had been agreed upon to each student at the beginning of the next Term. Each individual student would thus have the opportunity of knowing the actual issues involved before the student leaders could interpret the facts to the student body. The state- ment should also appeal to all students to conduct them- selves on their return to residence in an orderly manner and in accordance with the regulations of the University. The Council further understood that only a few students formed the hard core throughout the demonstrations and protestations and fomented troubles during the period of the student unrest. The great majority of the student body was however not fully aware of all the factors involved in the crisis. A brief statement from the University on the whole issue would there- fore go a long way to promote understanding among the student body and restore a peaceful atmosphere at the beginning of the next term. 

(iii) Throughout the discussions on the student unrest, the Council was very much conscious of the need to continue to exercise patience, tolerance and tact in resolving the issues with the student leaders so as to be able to carry with it public sympathy and understanding when the time came to make any public statement on the stand of the University. 

[The meeting ended with grace said by Professor Silas R.A. Dodu].