A copy of an email sent to the staff members of the university on May 7, 2024, which was obtained by SaharaReporters, the management threatened to sanction any staff member who complain about any issue to members of the Governing Council/Board of Trustees without first seeking a written permission from university president (vice-chancellor).”
The American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola, owned by former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has reinstated a policy to gag staff members from speaking out about any perceived irregularities in the university, SaharaReporters has gathered.
A copy of an email sent to the staff members of the university on May 7, 2024, which was obtained by SaharaReporters, the management threatened to sanction any staff member who complain about any issue to members of the Governing Council/Board of Trustees without first seeking a written permission from university president (vice-chancellor).”
A source from the university community told SaharaReporters that what brought about the reinstatement of the policy by the university’s management was a public demonstration held by the students in April and the recent reduction of the staff’s salaries.
The source said: “The AUN has been in the news following a students’ protest over the university’s inability to provide students with electricity and water in their hostels. Students had earlier reported the poor living conditions to the President/Vice-Chancellor and other members of the university management, following their lack of response, the students reported the state of affairs to Members of the Governing Council/Board of Trustees after which they embarked on a peaceful protest on 24th April, 2024.”
He continued: “Academic staff at the university believe that the policy was introduced to gag them from complaining about salary cuts proposed by the university. On February 15, 2024, the university held an event where the Interim Provost of the university, Dr. James Adewale read out proposed salary cuts and demotions that will apply to academic staff.
“The Provost claimed that the proposed salary cuts and demotions of academic staff were authorized by the university’s Governing Council; however, he strangely began threatening academic staff who approached the Governing Council for explanation on the issue. He threatened that any academic staff who approached the Governing Council over the issue was engaging in an act of insubordination and sabotage which would not be tolerated.
“The policy in effect prevents and gags members of the university community from making complaints to the Governing Council/Board of Trustees of the university where the President/Vice-Chancellor is unable to resolve their complaints.
“This clearly does not promote transparency in university administration and neither does it encourage necessary checks in an academic environment that claims to model the American system of education.”
The source also argued that the policy contradicted the constitutional provision in Nigeria, particularly section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN), 1999 as amended.
For instance, a memo from Adewale James, Interim Vice President, Academic Affairs/Provost on March 26, 2024, reads, “I would like to reiterate to all faculty members that circumventing management staff particularly the president, and directly approaching members of the governing council regarding internal issues is viewed as insubordination and sabotage, and will not be tolerated.
“Every faculty member has the opportunity to communicate with the president either in person or via email to address their concerns in a justifiable manner.”
Also, a memo from the management to the AUN community on May 7, 2024, reads, “No member of the AUN community is permitted to reach out to members of the Governing Council/Board of Trustees either by phone or email without obtaining written permission from the University President.”
When contacted on the phone for comments and reaction, Mr Dan Okereke, the university’s registrar claimed the policy was not newly introduced.
He said all staff members were informed about the policy from the moment they were employed by the university.
According to him, it doesn’t affect the students of the school.
He said, “The policy has nothing to do with students. It only concerned staff and it is not a new one. It is already given to all of them. It is contained inside the manual of employment.”
All efforts to reach Dr. DeWayne P. Frazier, President/Vice-Chancellor of the university, for his comments were not successful.
He did not answer repeated calls and did not reply to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.