Committee to protect American College constitution

STAFF REPORTER, THE HINDU, MADURAI dated: March 22, 2011

Freewheeling individuals consisting of teaching faculty, non-teaching staff, retired faculty and alumni of American College have formed a committee called Action Committee for Protecting American College Constitution (ACPAC) here on Monday.

Addressing the media, a section of striking faculty members said that ACPAC was open to have respectful members of the civil society. Citizens who were committed to the educational cause would be nominated to its executive body. However, its membership was restricted to current batch of students.

The American College, founded in 1881, is a Christian higher educational institute which was instrumental in taking higher education to many people in Madurai and neighbouring districts. The college is known for its educational service which is inclusive and transcended caste, creed and gender.

Members of ACPAC alleged that the college, even though a Christian institute, had an independent constitutional standing as a registered society. Despite this, there had been many attempts by the Bishop of Madurai-Ramnad Diocese “to usurp this institution.” ACPAC also claimed that the strike and subsequent hunger strike by the staff had nothing to do with any individual and there was not an iota of chance for prioritising ego clashes when the academic life of so many people was at stake.

The objectives of ACPAC include:

• To commit to the core values of the constitution of the American College enacted in 1934 and the missionary thereof; to defend legally every precept of the constitution of the college;

• to take every lawful step to fight commercialisation of the college and

• to take measures to uphold the liberal Christian values and inclusiveness and fight all tendencies of communalisation and promotion of violence on campus.