*USP is refusing to disclose if her appointment as Director, Centre For Flexible Learning, has been renewed. The appointment was for three years, from 2021-23.
*At last dollar count, she was on a salary of $130,000 annually.
*The move from $103,000 (see below) to $130,000, she was either given inducement or moved to the next salary grade.
   |   |
Dr. Rajni Kaushal Chand is the new Director for CFL for the next 3 years
(2021 – 2023).
SALARY: From 2021-23, Rajni Chand has been on $130,000 annual salary
Source: Fijivillage News, Thursday 19/08/2021
From Fiji Sun Archive, 20 February 2021
About 10 recent high-level appointments at the University of the South Pacific (USP) under Professor Pal Ahluwalia’s leadership allegedly did not follow USP processes.
And, the minimum qualification requirement in a number of appointments, appeared written so as to exclude other meritorious candidates.
All these allegations have been gathered from numerous well placed USP sources. They come amidst continuing controversy following the deportation of Professor Ahluwalia.
The USP communications team was made aware of each of the allegations, but have not responded.
Allegations: 1. Appointment of Rajni Chand as Director of the Centre for Flexible Learning (CFL)
From 2016 the Centre for Flexible Learning was led by a Pro Vice Chancellor (Professor Som Naidu) who has received international recognitions and awards for his work in Online and Distance Learning and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
At the end of Professor Naidu’s contract in December 2020, this leadership role was downgraded to a Senior Lecturer.
This was not mentioned in the restructure approved by the University Council even though the advertisement for the position claimed: “As a result of the reorganisation of the USP that was approved by Council at its 90th meeting held on November 18 and 19, 2020, we now seek to fill the role of Director Center for Flexible Learning”.
A three year contract was awarded to Rajni Chand, but her position was only advertised internally despite Professor Ahluwalia and his human resources team insisting in other cases that all appointments for more than one year must be advertised externally.
There were three other applicants who applied for the position which was ultimately given to Ms Chand. Of the three other applicants who applied:
One was an Associate Professor with substantial research and publications in the field of technology enabled learning,
A second was a Senior Lecturer who had previously held the position of Faculty Associate Dean Learning and Teaching and had extensive experience of Faculty and University level management in this field,
The third was a senior female member of staff within the Centre for Flexible Unit who has a doctorate and significant research and publication outcomes in Online and Distance Learning as well as being a long-standing departmental manager within the CFL unit.
Ms Chand was selected above all of these candidates.
We asked Ms Chand and the USP whether: Ms Chand has experience of University management.
She has expertise in the field of Online and Distance Education, or in Education more broadly, outside of her specialist area of Linguistics. Apart from the experience all USP academics have of teaching their own courses through the University’s Learning Management System (Moodle).
We further asked Ms Chand and the USP whether her only experience in this field was her participation in a Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Women and Leadership in Online Distance Learning training programme.
The Appointments Committee was chaired by Professor Ahluwalia and other members of the committee included Professor Jito Vanualailai (acting DVC Education) and Akanisi Kedrayate (former Dean of the Faculty of Arts Law and Education).
None of these panel members have any expertise, qualifications, or published research in Online and Distance Learning.
And, the minimum qualification requirement in a number of appointments, appeared written so as to exclude other meritorious candidates.
All these allegations have been gathered from numerous well placed USP sources. They come amidst continuing controversy following the deportation of Professor Ahluwalia.
The USP communications team was made aware of each of the allegations, but have not responded.
Allegations: 1. Appointment of Rajni Chand as Director of the Centre for Flexible Learning (CFL)
From 2016 the Centre for Flexible Learning was led by a Pro Vice Chancellor (Professor Som Naidu) who has received international recognitions and awards for his work in Online and Distance Learning and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
At the end of Professor Naidu’s contract in December 2020, this leadership role was downgraded to a Senior Lecturer.
This was not mentioned in the restructure approved by the University Council even though the advertisement for the position claimed: “As a result of the reorganisation of the USP that was approved by Council at its 90th meeting held on November 18 and 19, 2020, we now seek to fill the role of Director Center for Flexible Learning”.
A three year contract was awarded to Rajni Chand, but her position was only advertised internally despite Professor Ahluwalia and his human resources team insisting in other cases that all appointments for more than one year must be advertised externally.
There were three other applicants who applied for the position which was ultimately given to Ms Chand. Of the three other applicants who applied:
One was an Associate Professor with substantial research and publications in the field of technology enabled learning,
A second was a Senior Lecturer who had previously held the position of Faculty Associate Dean Learning and Teaching and had extensive experience of Faculty and University level management in this field,
The third was a senior female member of staff within the Centre for Flexible Unit who has a doctorate and significant research and publication outcomes in Online and Distance Learning as well as being a long-standing departmental manager within the CFL unit.
Ms Chand was selected above all of these candidates.
We asked Ms Chand and the USP whether: Ms Chand has experience of University management.
She has expertise in the field of Online and Distance Education, or in Education more broadly, outside of her specialist area of Linguistics. Apart from the experience all USP academics have of teaching their own courses through the University’s Learning Management System (Moodle).
We further asked Ms Chand and the USP whether her only experience in this field was her participation in a Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Women and Leadership in Online Distance Learning training programme.
The Appointments Committee was chaired by Professor Ahluwalia and other members of the committee included Professor Jito Vanualailai (acting DVC Education) and Akanisi Kedrayate (former Dean of the Faculty of Arts Law and Education).
None of these panel members have any expertise, qualifications, or published research in Online and Distance Learning.
From Fijileaks Archives, 17 February 2021
By Victor Lal
