Prof. Eli Katunguka – Rwakishaya, the Vice Chancellor has held a mentorship and consultative Session with Senior Lecturers. This is a third similar session he has held after the Graduate Fellows, and Assistant Lecturers. The Vice Chancellor called upon the senior lecturers to mentor young academics, show them how to write, research, how to go to conferences, and generally “help them grow in the areas you’re already in”. He further urged them to work with students to develop long-lasting relationships.
He revealed that there are staff who aren’t working but draw salary every month adding that it’s the responsibility of leaders to ensure that people work and contribute to the vision and mission of the university.
He encouraged them to review programs and ensure teaching and learning takes place. As heads of departments, ensure that people teach, learn to write grants and master that art to support your academic career and generate funds.
As leaders, he said, we need to avoid egocentrism and rudeness when dealing with people, understand them and find ways of managing them. He urged them to focus on excellence and nothing less, to have a plan for their lives, to set goals (short term, long term) with a passion to achieve them, to seek help from experts, to focus on self and avoid negative people, to commit self to expanding their skill sets (soft skills e.g listening, communication, reading, listening to motivational tapes, presentation etc), to take risks where necessary and work towards independence, increasing cash flow streams and creating wealth, to avoid wasting time; to avoid cheating or cutting corners and to maintain a healthy lifestyle by exercising and watching the diet.
He told them that they occupy a privileged position in the university because they provide academic and administrative leadership. He said life is hard and anything can go wrong at any time but how one responds is important. He encouraged them to ensure integrity in teaching, marking etc. Lack of integrity is very damaging especially when you are a leader. Be persistent, know what you want and keep at it, be focused on what you are doing, and have some humility to listen to what other people are saying before you respond. Once you determine to do something, do it.