Lahore College for Women University's theses controversy
LCWU students, parents protest against VC
Lahore, June 24, 2008: A controversy has erupted over theses of final semester students of the Lahore College for Women University's Design and Visual Arts Department as students have been told by the vice chancellor to prepare their theses for display once again.
The students, however, are reluctant to repeat the exercise on the plea it would put extra financial burden on their parents and a waste of time and hard work, already put in this connection.
In this regard, the students of Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) who are studying Graphic Designing as major and their parents also met with the LCWU VC Prof Dr Bushra Mateen on Monday. It is learnt that the VC did not change her decision and asked students to prepare their theses once again.
The aggrieved students including Fatima Qayyum, Quratulain, Alvina Malik, Namra Kaleem, Farwa Batool, Sanya Safdar, Fiza Jabeen, Atiya Khadim, Zahra Rasool, Anush Ali, Sumbel Rauf and Abira Shafiq told reporters that their theses work was displayed at Al Hamra Art Gallery recently. They added that this fact was not being recognised by the VC owing to which they had been asked to repeat.
They said their external examiners had also awarded them marks after examining their theses display at the exhibition. However, the same was not being recognized either, they added.
They said they had worked hard and spent a lot of money in order to prepare their theses for display. To repeat the same would be quite difficult for them, they added. They said it could also affect positions of the students. They said it was strange that the theses display, which was organised by their department at Al Hamra Art Gallery, was not being recognised by the VC.
They said that even LCWU Registrar Shaista Wyne was present at the time of inauguration of the display. When contacted in this regard, LCWU VC Dr Bushra Mateen refused to comment while department's head was not available for comments.
