from the press

THE semester began with the merging of day and evening programmes in many departments at the Faculty of Arts. Students in the day programmes will study with their colleagues in the evening class in some select course units.
Dr George W. Lugalambi, head of Mass Communication department told third year students the adjustments have been made necessary due to changes in the staffing policy, which has to do with shortage of instructors and insufficient funding.
In an earlier communication to the Mass Communication staff and students, Dr Lugalambi noted, "This decision has been forced on us by the staffing gaps that the department is experiencing. But, we believe it is better to find a way to continue running these classes under schedules that some may find inconveniencing than to cancel them altogether."
Such changes are proving to be a challenge to some students who have decided to study such course units that have been merged and run late into the night. Others feel uncomfortable adjusting to the improvised schedules.
Diana Nabiruma, who freelances with The Weekly Observer, finds it hard to come from work to attend lectures, unlike in the previous occasion where she could first attend her day lectures and go to work.
But Justus Lyatuu is comfortable with the changes and says he wouldn't mind if some lectures ended at midnight. "The changes don't interfere with my programme. I think it is blessing to me."
Dr. Hanington Sengendo, Dean of the Faculty of Arts attributes the merging of some lectures at the faculty to a shortfall of instructors. He cited some members are on study leave. This has affected the departments like Mass Communication, Geography, Tourism and Urban Planning, which don't have established teaching structures. This exposes a visible need for more lectures, though, as he says, "It depends on how the university is facilitated."
Joshua Masinde