Catholic University Vice Chancellor Outlines Mission

Space FM, Sunyani - The Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University College of Ghana, Professor James Hawkins Ephraim, has outlined his mission for the university at his induction ceremony in Sunyani.

The four key areas assigned the Vice Chancellor of the university are, providing Strategic Direction, Growth and Development of the university, Raising Funds, Maintaining Good Order and Security for the university as a place of higher learning and Maintaining Overal Authority over the Academic, Financial, Administrative and other Staff of the university.

Professor Ephraim, 57, said under his tenure as the VC, "the Catholic university will experience significant growth in terms of infrastructure, such as classrooms, hostels, administration blocks, staff bungalows and improvement in human capital".

"We shall endeavour to attract the best brains both within the country and from international circles to be engaged as lecturers", he said.

The VC pointed out that lecturers would be motivated to further their studies. "At the same time, the staff who only have their masters, shall be encouraged to upgrade themselves".

Professor Ephraim gave the assurance that soon the university would introduce Agriculture and Environmental Science, Actuarial Science (financial mathematics), Nursing and Alternate Dispute Resolution as undergraduate courses. The VC said his office would re-energise the staff to undertake serious fundraising programmes."My office shall re-organise the Public Relations and Development Office in Accra in order to energise the staff to embark on aggressive fund-raising activities.This shall be done in consultation with the board of Trustees", he said.

He explained that the fund-raising activities shall be multifaceted. "Proposals shall be written targeting the solution of indentified problems and submitted to known friends of the university.Campaigns shall be made at various Doiceses for assistance".

Professor Ephraim said his adminstration shall put in place measures to ensure good environmental sanitation. "Both students and staff shall be encouraged to practice simple sanitation guidelines that will be made known to them through interaction in classrooms and on notice boards", he said.

As the VC of the young university, Professor Ephraim said it will be his resolve to get all workers to give their best by instituting acceptable motivational measures and appropriate preventive measures.

He pointed out that he shall encourage members of staff to acquire their own houses through a mortgage which the university can act as surety or guarantor as well as utilize the provident fund of staff members into building of hostels primarily as an investment which can yield rewarding dividends to be given to staff upon their retirement.

The VC shall also encourage all lecturers to use Power Point in their teaching while the university shall assist staff to develop their lecture preparations into manuscripts and eventually may be published as books.

Professor Ephraim said he abhors and is allergic to mediocrity, he therefore charged the students to excel in al that they do. "You are to do anything as if it is the last thing you will do", he said. He told the students to cultivate hearts of excellence and develop the habits of critical thinking while using their time wisely. Professor Ephraim, a devout catholic, assumed office at the university on July 2, 2007. Before then, he was the Dean of Graduate Studies of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST) in Kumasi.

He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the State University of New York, Buffalo as well as two first degress from the University of Cape Coast - (Bachelor of Science degree in Education and Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry). He was promoted full Professor of Chemistry at the KNUST in 2003 and has rich experience in teaching and research.