Kunle Adelabu
Academic and non – academic staff of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), formerly known as Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), have elected members of the institution’s Council and Academic Representatives in the Senate.
They were elected during the 10th Congregation of the institution since inception and first as a University held at the 500 – Seater Auditorium at the LASUSTECH main campus in Ikorodu, on Friday, May 19, 2022.
The Congregation was constituted and declared opened by Mr Jimoh IsholaTaylor, Chairman, Congregation Planning Committee.
A former Deputy Rector, LASPOTECH, Barr. Longe Olayinka Olasunkanmi, who contested as the Academic Staff Representatives in the Governing Council, garnered 410 votes to emerged winner, while Mrs Olufunmilayo Tifase Abosede with 202 votes defeated other three staff to emerge as the Representative Non – Teaching Staff in the Governing Council of the institution.
Among the fifteen Academic Staff that contested for membership of the LASUSTECH Senate, the former Rector of the institution while still a Polytechnic, Dr Lawal Abioye AbdulAzeez (370 votes), Dr Benson Funsho Gabriel (220), Folashade Segun Ayinde (216), Dekolo O. Samuel (214 votes), Hammed Adeleke Ojodu (208 votes) and Olalere Rafiu Kayode (188 votes) emerged as the elected members of the Senate.
The six will be joining other automatic members of the institution to constitute the first LASUSTECH Senate.
The acting Vice Chancellor, Dr Dr Oluremi Nurudeen Olaleye, charged both academic and non – academic staff to participate fully in the elections and deliberations at the first Congregation of LASUSTECH.
He said that the institution has fully embraced technology in conducting its affairs.
“This is the first Congregation since we transmuted into a University and I want you all to participate very well so that at the end of the day, we will reach substantial resolutions that will benefits the future of the new University”, the acting VC said.
“This Congregation is a complete deviation from the norm and it is because things are moving and changing every day and we need to adapt ourselves to change.
“There is a change because we have to address the press in the morning and it is very necessary to do that.
“We have also gone past the era where we will be putting boxes on the table and we will be looking for aspirants up and down and their supporters to witness the voting exercise which usually make the process rowdy.
“Technology has made things so easy now, so, we decided it is better that we move with time. Though, it’s not the first time we are using it (technology to cast our votes), that was what we used last year for the Congregation too.
“We have gone far in this regard, that the students’ elections are also been conducted via electronic means. We are talking about 6000 students that voted and they appreciated it to such an extent that after their election, they came to me and gave me an award for the introduction of the electronic voting”, he said.
Speaking on the achievements of his administration in the last 18 months that he has emerged, first, as the Rector of LASPOTECH and, now, as the acting VC, after the Polytechnic was transmuted into LASUSTECH, Dr Olaleye said that there has been improvement in the academic standard of the institution, welfare of staff and students, infrastructural development and other aspects of the institution which he promised.
“We thank Almighty God so far, that in 18 months, we have been able to deliver, to some extent, some of the things that we promised at the beginning of the administration”, Dr Olaleye said.
“We promised a 9 – point agenda which I am sure that I discussed in this hall then.
“We promised a 9 – point agenda which was tagged ‘SSIIIIDAR’, with the ‘SS’, we promised to address Students’ academics and welfare. We also promised to address Staff’s welfare.
“We promised to make the Lagos State Polytechnic (then), an ICT driven Polytechnic.
“We promised that we would increase the IGR of the institution.
“We promised we would work on Infrastructural development and also bring on board Innovative programmes and courses.
“We promised to work with Development partners across the world and makes Agriculture a special interest as well as improve on our research and development.
“Today, I want to use this opportunity to tell us how far, so far, that we have gone”, the acting VC said.
After highlighting his administration’s impacts on all the promises and pledges, staff of the institution that attentively followed the acting VC’s speech, during the interactive session, commended him for his achievements within 18 months, stating that he has really done well.
They also give the administration more time to consolidate and deliver on other areas, stating that they understand the state of the institution’s financial status with the transmutation of the institution and the scrapping of most Part – Time programmes.
They called for more financial interventions from the government, to support and further enhance smooth running of the institution.
