UCC dismisses 61 students

Cape Coast, Oct. 30, GNA - Sixty-one students whose academic performance fell below average during the 2003/2004 academic year at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) were dismissed.

They are made up of 45 first year students and 16 second year students, and an additional 33 third-year students were also repeated.

The Vice-Chancellor, Reverend Professor Emmanuel Adow Obeng announced this at a matriculation ceremony to admit 4,653 fresh students into the University on Saturday.

He warned the fresh students that the UCC would not compromise on its rules on academic progression and that any student who fails in three or more courses would be dismissed outright. Rev Prof Obeng said: "I, therefore, urge you to make good use of your time here and always remember that your first duty here on campus is to study".

He told them that their training at the University was essential to enable them to acquire knowledge and skills for their development.

Rev Prof Obeng said more than 15,381 qualified candidates applied for admissions into the UCC, for the 2004/2005 and that out of those admitted 1,339 were females representing a 2:1 Male/Female ratio. He said it was the policy of the University to achieve a 50/50 Male/Female ratio admission.

Rev Prof Obeng expressed concern about the proliferation of "ethnically based associations on the campus" which kept increasing. He noted that even though it was the intention of such groups to undertake development project, it had now taken a different dimension. Rev Prof Obeng said the University had observed in recent times that some of the associations "whip up unhealthy ethnic sentiments especially on the political front".

He said the UCC accepted in principle the formation of associations, but it frowned on rivalry that might have ethic or political undertones with destructive consequences.

Rev Prof Obeng advised students to be disciplined because they would be liable to their actions or inactions individually. He said: "Let the training you receive here develop you holistically to be critical, independent thinkers, confident, trustworthy, morally upright and effective leaders".