Dear Editor,

I have had more than 50 years of association with the University of the South Pacific, and from my contacts at the university, I have been informed that staff morale is at its lowest at this time.

As a former Pro-VC (Academic), and former head of a number of schools who acted briefly as VC, I am saddened by this.

This demoralisation is especially the case with support staff and lower-ranking academic staff. The number of professors and associate professors is also at its lowest with many schools without substantive heads.

Academic leadership is not easily visible, and USP’s profile in Fiji and the region has significantly diminished.

There is an almost complete lack of confidence in the leadership of the current Vice-Chancellor and President of the university and his administration. The staff unions, and staff generally who supported his reinstatement after his deportation by the former FijiFirst government are largely disillusioned.

The USP Council has failed to address as a matter of urgency the numerous issues raised by staff representatives.

Without immediate efforts to resolve these issues, the situation at the regional university is likely to further deteriorate, and require several years to address.

Professor Vijay Naidu