The Senate

The Senate

The Senate is the ultimate authority for decision-taking on all academic matters, normally acting on advice from the School Boards and its other Committees. Hence, the academic policy and procedures of the University are determined by a complex structure in which many members of the Academic Staff participate.

The Senate is responsible for all the academic affairs of the University, including the provision of courses and the approval of their syllabuses, the admission and progress of students through examinations and otherwise, the award of degrees and such other qualifications as may be prescribed, the making of recommendations to the Council in respect of candidates for the award of honorary degrees, the establishment, organization and control of halls of residence in the University, and the granting of fellowships, scholarships, prizes and similar awards that are within the control of the University provided that funds are available.

The Senate shall consist of the following members:

• The Vice-Chancellor -Chairman
• Deputy Vice-Chancellor
• All Professors in the University;
• The Librarian of the University
• The Deans of Colleges including the Postgraduate School
• Dean of Student Affairs
• Directors of Academic Institutes/Centres
• All Heads of Academic Departments,
• Two elected Academic Staff from each College/School,
• The Registrar – Secretary.
• Bursar – In attendance

Essentially, the functions of the Senate are:

1. The establishment, organization and control of Campuses, Colleges, Institutes, Schools, Departments, other teaching units and research units of the University, and the allocation of responsibility for different branches of learning;
2. The organization and control of courses of study at the University and of the examinations held in conjunction with those courses, including the appointment of examiners, both internal and external;
3. The award of degrees and such other qualifications as may be prescribed, in connection with examinations held as aforesaid;
4. The making of recommendations to the Council with respect to the award to any person of honorary fellowship or honorary degree or the title of Professor Emeritus;
5. The selection of persons for admission as students of the University;
6. The establishment, organization and control of halls of residence and similar institutions at the University;
7. The supervision of the welfare of students at the University and the regulation of their conduct including mode of dressing;
8. The granting of Fellowships, Scholarships, Prizes and similar awards, in so far as the awards are within the control of the University, and
9. Determining what description of dress shall be academic dress for the purposes of the University, and regulating the use of academic dress

In carrying out these functions, the Senate requires the concurrence of Council to provide the necessary financial and other resources

Committees of Senate

Senate delegates much of its work to a series of sub-committees chaired by the senior academic officers and to College Boards chaired by the College Deans

The following are the list of Committees of Senate with composition of membership of the various Committees as extracted from the University Law 2019 (as amended)

• Central Admissions Committee

    Committee shall consist of:  

1. One nominees of the Vice-Chancellor as Chairman;
2. One representative of each College;
3. Two other representatives of Senate at large
4. Two other staff members
5. Representative of the Registrar;

• Curriculum Committee

 The Curriculum Committee shall consist of:

(a)    The Vice-Chancellor who shall be the Chairman;

(b) One representatives of each College;

(c) One representative of academic Institute;

(d) One representative of Postgraduate School;

 (e) One representative of Librarian;

(f) One representative of Bursar;

(g) One representative of Director of Works, and

Quorum: 5% of the Deans of Colleges (rounded up to the next higher whole number).

• Business Committee

Business Committee shall consist of:

(a)      One nominees of the Vice-Chancellor;

 (b)      One representative of each College;

(c)      Two other representative of Senate at large

(d)      Dean of Postgraduate School; and

(e)      Representative of the Registrar

• Ceremonies and Honours Committee

Ceremonies and Honours Committee shall consist of:  

(i)   One representative of the Vice-Chancellor who shall be the Chairman;

(ii)   One representative of each College;

(iii)   One representative of each of the University’s Registrar, Librarian, Bursar and Director of Works;

(iv)   One representative of Protocol

• Examinations Committee

 The Examinations Committee shall consist of

(i)   Deputy Vice-Chancellor as Chairman

(ii)   All the Deans of Colleges/School

(iii)   Sub Deans of Colleges/School

(iv)   Nominee of Registrar as Secretary

• Library and Publications Committee

The Library and Publications Committee shall consist of:

(a)   University Librarian a Chairman;

(b)   One representative from each College

(c)   Nominee of Registrar shall be the Secretary

• Research Grants Committee

 The Committee shall consist of:

(i)   Vice-Chancellor as Chairman

(ii)   Director/Head of Research Institute

(iii)   One representative of each College/School

(iv)   A representative of Registrar as secretary

• Sports Committee

The membership shall consist of:

(i)   Nominee of the Vice-Chancellor who shall be the Chairman

(ii)   One representative of each College.

(iii)   Director/Head of Sports Unit.

(iv)   Four representatives of Students two of which shall be female.

(v)   A nominee of Registrar as secretary

• Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Committee

The ICT Committee shall consist of:   

(i)   University Librarian as Chairman;

(ii)   One representative from each College

(iii)   Nominee of Registrar shall be the Secretary.

• Student Disciplinary Committee

The Student Disciplinary Committee shall consist of:

(i)   Nomineeof the Vice-Chancellor who shall be the Chairman

(ii)   One representative ofeach College

(iii)   Head ofDepartment of the Subject under consideration;

(iv)   Registrar as a full member;

(v)   One representative of Postgraduate School; and

(vi)   Two representatives of the students

• StudentWelfareBoard

The Student Welfare Board shall consist of:

(a)    Dean of Student Affairs who shall be the Chairman;

(b)    One representation of each college;

(c)    One student representation;

(d)   Nominee of Registrar shall be the Secretary.