The Academic Senate is the highest policy-making body consisting of faculty members drawn from the University, its affiliated institutions, Principals of the University and affiliated colleges, nominees of the Government, legislators, and professionals. The Vice-Chancellor presides over the Academic Senate. It formulates the academic policies and provides leadership for maintaining standard and quality of education and research in the University. It advises the Boards of Studies in academic matters and it is responsible for the constitution or reconstitution of Faculties and teaching departments. It makes regulations relating to administration and evaluation of students. The annual report and the budget of the University have to be approved by the Senate before implementation.
The Executive Council is the most important body in the University administration and enjoys the real powers of decision-making. It consists of elected, nominated and ex-officio members. The elected members represents both the University and affiliated colleges and also the Academic Senate. Nominated members are drawn from industry, commerce, as well as legal, engineering and medical profession. The ex-officio members are officials of the Government. The Vice-Chancellor and the Rector are its ex-officio members and the former presides over the meetings of the Executive Council.
It wields authority over the University's property and funds. All administrative matters are decided by the Executive Council. Appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff, disciplinary control over them, matters relating to examination and conferrment of degrees, inspection of colleges and departments of the University, conferrment of honorary degrees, conferrment of autonomy on the colleges and departments, recognition and affiliation of colleges and other institutions are some of its important functions. The Executive Council is responsible for formulating the regulations, statutes and ordinances of the University which form the basis for its day-to-day working. It can delegate any of its powers to the Vice-Chancellor or to a committee or to any individual in the University.
The Planning and Monitoring Board, under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor, periodically reviews the developmental programmes, teaching and research arrangements in different departments and Faculties and prepares respective plans. It comprises of Principals, Deans and educationists nominated by the Government and the University Grants Commission.
The finance Committee is a sub-committee of the Executive Council presided over by the Vice-Chancellor. Three members of the Executive Council (one of whom should represent the accounting sector) are nominated by the Executive Council to be members on this Committee. The Finance Officer of the University is its Secretary. The Committee examines and reviews the financial position, the annual accounts and Budget of the University. It advises the Executive Council on all financial matters including the Budget.
The Academic Senate meets only twice a year. Matters requiring its approval are many and varied. As such to deal with the day-to-day academic matters on its behalf, a Standing Committee is constituted. It consists of the Deans of all the Faculties and the elected members of the Academic Senate. All matters, requiring approval of the Senate, are referred to the Standing Committee for decision. Later, all such decisions are placed before the senate for ratification. Because of the expansion of the University, both in terms of number of colleges and the courses offered, matters requiring the approval of the Senate has increased substantially. The Standing Committee, therefore, meets very frequently.
The University Act provides for the constitution of Faculties for a group of related disciplines. At present there are twelve Faculties, viz., Social Sciences, Arts, Science, Engineering, Technology, Law, Education, Commerce, Business Management, Informatics, Oriental Languages and Pharmacy. Faculties assist the Academic Senate in all matters falling in their jurisdiction. Each Faculty is headed by a dean and comprises representatives from departments constituting the Faculty. Dean provides the required academic leadership to the Faculty in all academic matters.
A board of Studies is constituted in each department, for Post-Graduate and Under-Graduate courses. It consists of a Chairman nominated by the Executive Council, teachers from the concerned Department and experts from outside the University. Each Board of Studies makes recommendations through its Faculties to the Academic Council in regard to courses of study, syllabi and scheme of examinations. It also recommends, to the Executive Council, panels of persons for appointment as examiners.
Each Department has a Departmental Committee consisting of the Chairperson and teachers of the department nominated by the University. All administrative matters and oragnisation of various academic programmes are dealt by the Departmental Committee. It assists the Department Head in implementing departmental policies and programmes.
Osmania University is an affiliating University. A large number of colleges, offering both Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate programmes, are affiliated to it. To discuss common academic and administrative matters, each Department convenes a Conference of all the faculty members working in the University and its constituent and affiliated colleges, once or twice a year. The Conference discusses the course curricula, academic schedules, various aspects of teaching and research, evaluation etc., concerning the discipline. The Conference provides a feedback to the Department on all academic matters especially teaching and research.
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