Disciplinary action on Visual Arts students who retorted asking whether hostel was built from Vice Chancellor's birthright
Celebrations on the opening of the hostel established at Dehiwala for the University of Visual and Performing Arts took place recently with the incumbent Vice Chancellor Professor Ariyasena Kaluaarachchi attending the event.
Student associations of Visual Arts however were not in favour of him participating there and had pinned a large poster on the wall when he was
visiting the location for him to take note of it, with the words: "Is the money spent for the opening spent on the Vice Chancellor's birthright?" On arrival, the Vice Chancellor having seen the poster had inquired about it from the students and they in response complained that this type of ceremonies are a wastage and an attempt is being taken to obtain credit by constructing buildings from monies allocated by the government. Further, they had got involved in an argument with the Vice Chancellor without any respect saying that they do not need permission of anybody to display a protest as such. On this occasion the situation led to a somewhat confused atmosphere.
Under these circumstances this behaviour of a group of representatives including the president of the Association of the Faculty for Music of the students comporting themselves in a manner which brought contempt on the teachers and for bringing upon disrespect to the university at an official occasion and for the unruly behaviour of the students were looked down upon by the staff of lecturers and other officers of the staff and had even launched a token strike refraining from all activities yesterday (11).
They had pointed out that though the students had the freedom to complain about some matter or to protest; this ugly incident of obstructing proceedings of administrators of the university at a state festival is not something that should have been done. The administrative board has already decided to take action against students who thus brought disrepute to the university. The video where it was questioned whether the hostel was built with Vice Chancellor's birthright, from below