Roles the Vice Chancellor's Office

The key purpose of this office is to provide academic and administrative leadership to the University for the effective management and efficient use of human and fiscal resources in compliance with the law, University Regulations and Strategic Plan.

 The Vice Chancellor is the Chief Executive Officer of the University. Section 31 of the University and Other Tertiary Institutions Act of 2001 as amended provides that the Vice Chancellor is responsible for the academic, administrative and financial affairs of the University and in the absence of a Chancellor presides at ceremonial assemblies of the University and confers degrees and other academic titles and distinctions of the University.

The Vice Chancellor is directly responsible to the University Council, through its Chairperson. As a leader of the Management Team of the University, the Vice Chancellor is directly responsible for the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), University Secretary, Academic Registrar, University Librarian, Dean of Students, and Director - Internal Audit. Indirectly, the Vice Chancellor is responsible for the University Bursar, Principals of Colleges and Directors of Institutes and other academic bodies.

 Duties & Responsibilities of the Vice Chancellor’s Office

 1.       Policy and Planning Formulation

Spearheads and co-ordinates the development and review of policies, strategic plans and other interventions designed to achieve growth, academic and professional excellence in University programs

2.      Management and Fiscal Control

• As the Chief Executive of the University is responsible for maintaining efficiency, effectiveness and good governance of the University.
• Provides efficient leadership to the University through coordinating the effective implementation of strategic management plans and Council decisions.
• Directs and supervises the Senior Management Team responsible for the academic, financial and administrative functions of the University and monitors their performance in line with the prescribed performance
• Mobilizes both internal and external resources necessary for the implementation of the University policies, plans and programs.
• Oversees the acquisition and fair allocation of resource to various University academic bodies and administrative

 3.      Responsibility to Council

• Is a Member of the University Council and presents the University’s position and recommendations on various issues and challenges requiring Council intervention as prescribed by law.
• Prepares periodic reports to Council.
• Responsible to the Council for the general conduct and discipline of University staff and students.

4.      Membership to Internal Committees

 The Vice Chancellor is Chairperson, Member or Ex-Officio of various University Committees as shown below:

5.      Membership to External Committees/ Bodies

6.      External Liaison 

• Represents the University externally in order to promote awareness and understanding of the University mission, objectives, policies and programs.
• Face of Makerere/ Chief publicist of the University on all matters. 

7.      General Administration and Personnel evaluation

• General Administration: preparation of reports, correspondence, etc.; coordination of academic and academically related programs with administrative affairs, and university relations; attendance at meetings.
•  Evaluate administrators reporting to this position; review and recommend action on applications for faculty and staff promotion and tenure; review and recommend merit, market and equity salary adjustments for academic administrators, faculty and staff.

8.      Conduct of Research

• Provides direction, resources, and oversight to establish and maintain a culture of compliance and to help ensure that research is conducted in accordance with the Laws of Uganda, local regulations, university and sponsoring agency policies and procedures. 

9.      Conflict of Interest

• Takes appropriate steps to avoid conflicts of interest, or the appearance of conflicts of interest between financial or other personal interests and the goals and policies of the university.
• Provides direction, resources, and oversight to establish and maintain a culture of compliance and to help ensure adherence to all Laws/ regulations, policies and procedures related to conflicts of interest.
• Ensures compliance with university and sponsoring agency policies regarding conflicts of interest.
• Receives financial conflict of interest disclosures from the academic and institutional officers of the university.
• Resolve conflicts of interest of the academic and institutional officers of the university with the advice of the Directorate of Legal Affairs, and reports such resolutions periodically to the University Council.

10.   Works with Students to;

• Establish and maintain a regular and consultative relationship with students and their elected representatives on matters of academic programmes, students’ welfare, infrastructure and governance.

11.  Works with Government to ensure moral and financial support for the University

 12.  Special tasks

1. Appointment of Visiting Professors and Lecturers are made by the Vice Chancellor on the recommendations of the Heads of Units submitted through the responsible Dean of School and the Director Human Resources.
2. All acting appointments except for the Vice‐Chancellor are authorized in writing by the Vice Chancellor or a delegate for formal appointment by the Director, Human Resources. The Director Human Resources must report such appointments to the Appointments Board for noting.
3. The authority to make a special duty appointment is vested in the Vice‐Chancellor.
4. Recommendations for appointment are submitted to the Vice Chancellor if the appointment is for one or less than one academic year and to the Appointments Board if the appointment is for a period longer than two academic years.
5. Part‐time staff who serve for up to six (6) months are appointed by Vice‐Chancellor on recommendation of the Principal/ Dean/Director of a particular College/ School/Institute.
6. Official representation of the University is vested in the Chancellor, Chairperson of Council and the Vice‐Chancellor.
7. The power to suspend services of an employee is vested in the Vice Chancellor or the appointing authority.
8. Special Leave is granted to an employee only by the Vice‐Chancellor to carry out special duties beneficial to the University for a specified period
9. The University receives or gives staff secondment by authority of the Vice‐Chancellor under the applicable terms and conditions:
10. An employee may when circumstances so demand, be internally seconded to another Unit within the University by authority of the Vice‐Chancellor for a specified period of time, following necessary consultations.
11. The duties, terms of service and any change in the remuneration shall be specified in the letter of secondment issued by the Vice Chancellor.
12. An employee who intends to register for any type of training programme on full time basis shall apply for permission for study or study leave from the Vice‐Chancellor, through the Head of Department, and Director, Human Resources, irrespective of the source of funding. Academic staff registered for Makerere study programmes shall be required to undertake some teaching workload in their respective departments as shall be reasonably determined by the head of department.
13. An employee applying for sabbatical leave shall submit his/her application to the Director, Human Resources, through one’s Department and Faculty, for the approval of the Vice‐ Chancellor, a comprehensive and acceptable research programme or academic activity which shall be undertaken during that period.
14. The Vice Chancellor shall authorise official and specific travel of the DVCs, Principals/Deans/ Directors and members of Management.
15. An employee shall be dismissed by the appointing authority on account of a grave offence or gross neglect of duty or for other causes as stipulated in Section 5. Removal for good cause shall follow the following procedure:

In the opinion of the Vice Chancellor there being good cause as defined above, the Vice Chancellor shall have power to suspend the appointment of an employee, provided that he or she shall forthwith report to the Chairperson of the appointing authority the fact of such suspension, together with the grounds for the action and any other statements on the case deemed necessary.