A SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE VICE CHANCELLOR OF TANSIAN UNIVERSITY, UMUNYA, ANAMBRA STATE, PROFESSOR EUGENE OKOYE NWADIALOR, BEING TEXTS OF A PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE UNIVERSITY’s MANAGEMENT HELD WITH MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, NUJ, ANAMBRA STATE COUNCIL AT THE UNIVERSITY’s PODIUM, UMUNYA , ANAMBRA STATE ON TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2024 ON “THE JOURNEY SO FAR” AHEAD OF TANSIAN UNIVERSITY’s SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2024, UNIVERSITY’s T7TH-12TH COMBINED CONVOCATION CEREMONY.
Protocols
Gentlemen of The Press
It is gratifying indeed and as a matter of deep satisfaction for me to welcome the gentlemen of the press, the fourth estate of the realm to TANSIAN UNIVERSITY, UMUNYA, ANAMBRA STATE.
The University is faith-based and founded by Late Very Rev. Msgr. Prof John Bosco Akam. It was licenced to function as a University in 2007 by National Universities Commission (NUC). The license is to operate as a private University in pursuit of Academic Excellence, Research & Teaching.
The University has two campuses at Oba & Umunya. In Oba Campus, we have Faculty of Health Sciences; Department of Nursing Sciences, Medical Laboratory and Public Health. In Umunya Campus domiciled Faculties of Management & Social Sciences, Natural & Applied Sciences, Education & Law.
In our Seventeen (17) years of our existence, the University had sustained the vision/mission of the founding father (Msgr. Akam) as clearly stated in the motto: “Scientia Potestas et Virtus”.
Since coming on board as the Vice Chancellor in 2019, we have had challenges getting the necessary resources to run the Institution in ( Men, Money and Material). I thank the Management team, the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, Senate, Teaching & Non-Teaching Staff as well as the students of the University, for their wonderful support.
The 7th & 12th Convocation, gentlemen of the press, is a significant milestone in the history of the University. In this Convocation ceremony, we have two thousand four hundred and twenty five (2,425) students will be awarded degrees in different fields of studies, having met the requirements in both character and learning. Our of this number, 27 are in first class honors, 944 are in second class upper division.
These graduates are well equipped in quality education received morals and patriotism needed to serve the nation in different areas of social, economic and cultural development of Nigerians and humanity at large.
PARENTS/SCHOOL MANAGEMENT FORUM:
In Tansian University, we take our students as children, whose welfare/nurturing is continued from their various homes and families. The Parents forum allows for cross-fertilization of ideas on how best to cater for the needs and interests of the students. As the saying goes, no one has a monopoly of ideas/ knowledge. We thank and appreciate our parents/management forum.
SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES (SPGS)
As part of sustainability and in advancing the frontier of knowledge through teaching and research, Tansian University now runs post-graduate courses, which are duly approved in the Faculties of Management & Social Sciences as well as Natural &: Applied Sciences. For instance, courses in Accounting Management are now studied up to doctorate degrees.
ACCREDITATION OF COURSES:
All the programmes/Courses offered by the University enjoy full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC). We are currently awaiting the result from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, who came recently to assess our teaching and facilities in our school of nursing. Judging from the reports of the visiting panel, we are optimistic that the result will be positive.
We are leaving no stone unturned in our preparation and readiness to welcome the team from the Council on Legal Education, for a final assessment of our law faculty. However, our first set of law students will soon be proceeding to the law school.
EXEAT PERMIT:
We have a comprehensive telephone numbers of the parents/guardians and the benefactors of our students. These telephones assist in no small way to know the movement and whereabouts of our students whenever they are allowed to travel out of school premises by the Director of Students’ Affairs.
DRESS CODE:
These obtain in all faculties and departments. Students are easily identified by their faculty/departmental dresses. With an immaculate white, you would immediately know a student in the school of nursing. Same goes for white shirt upon black skirt/trousers for law female and make students respectively.
STAFF STUDENTS RETREAT: This is an annual event usually held at the first semester of the academic year. The purpose us to renew the vision and mission of the university and to remind all the stakeholders-staff and students of the need to always give their best in various work environment in the Institution.
ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CULTISM:
In Tansian University, there is zero tolerance for cultism and belonging to any such nefarious group. Once it is discovered that a student harbours and belongs to such group, that would amount to instant expulsion from school.
EXAMINATION FRAUD/75% LECTURE ATTENDANCE:
Our University made it mandatory for students to attain seventy five (75%) in their lectures as a necessary condition to be allowed to sit for examinations. This is in compliance with the NUC directives. There is also a stringent penalty for any student who cheats in an examination. The University has a Standing Disciplinary Panel for students caught cheating in an examination.
CHALLENGES/CONCLUSION:
There are many challenges confronting Tansian University as a private Tertiary Institution. Funding is foremost as there is no Government subvention to Private Universities as beneficiaries to TET Fund as seen in both Federal and State Universities in the country. We solicit the help of the gentlemen of the press to assist in reaching out to good spirited and wealthy Nigerians to assist us.
Also there is the issue of vehicles to transport our students to and from Umunya and vise versa.
BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY:
There are a lot of treasures stacked in any book you open to read. We also ask for help in this regard for our libraries in Oba and Umunya. We use this forum to express our gratitude to Sir Emeka Ofor Foundation for donating 27 Volumes of books to Tansian University.
Dr. Mrs Esther -Nkeke Iwotor (Iyom Mmadichie), Mrs Esther Ada di Ugwu Nkeke residing in United States of America, also donated about (one thousand) 1000 textbooks for our Nursing Department.
FACILITIES:
We appreciate the efforts of High Chief Emmanuel Bishop Okonkwo (Okpuluisizuluoraonu of Ichi) who built World Health Organization (WHO) standard borehole and overhead tank for the University. The capacity of the tank is One Hundred Thousand (100,000) gallons.
National Communication Commission (NCC) donated One Hundred and Twenty pieces of Ipads to the University.
We are grateful to them.
We solicit for the assistance of the philanthropic Nigerians to help in erecting standard male and female hostels in Tansian University.
Gentlemen of the Press, thank you for honouring our invitation.
Please remember that the week-long event continues till Saturday, 18th May, 2024. Among the upcoming events are (i) The Installation of the Chancellor, Senator Victor Umeh (Ohamadike), and (ii) the award of degrees.
God bless you.