WINDHOEK – Four academics at the University of Namibia (Unam) are slugging it out for the position of registrar, which has been vacant for nearly a decade.
Unam intends to fill the vacancy and therefore deal with perceived poor academic administration at the institution, which for years has haunted the university management.
The registrar’s position has been vacant for nearly 10 years after Zacheus Kazapua’s term came to an end during the tenure of Unam’s first Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Katjavivi.
The registrar assists the vice-chancellor in the academic administration of the university and serves as the secretary to both the Unam Council and, furthermore, administers examinations, graduations, exemption, admission and promotional grades, among others.
The contenders are acting pro-vice-chancellor for administration and finance, Alois Fledersbacher, acting registrar Annelie Don, assistant registrar for examination John Ockhuizen and Dr Sifiso Nyathi, the director of Center for Quality Assurance and Management at the university.
According to inside sources, three of the shortlisted candidates – Fledersbacher, Don and Ockhuizen – have been staff of the registrar’s office for years.
The new registrar will be expected to address the issue of clumsy registration processes at the university, as a matter of priority.
According to the university’s regulations, the four contenders are required to give a public lecture to detail what they intend to achieve if appointed as registrar. The lecture is scheduled for today at 14h00 at Unam.