UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI No.15

1st'{)chb~ l'CDV ARSITY FOCUSA General Information Sheet from the Vice-Chancellor

CON TEN T S

1. STAFF MATTERS............................. 1

2. SEMINAR/WORKSHOP FOR SECRETARIES.......... 3

3. U.N. ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA -STAFF DEVELOPMENT/TRAINING OFFICERSWORKSHOP. • . • • • . . . • • . . • • • . . . • ....• . • . . • • • . • . • • 4

4. DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES. ........ •... ...... 5

1. STAFF MATTERS1.1 New Appointments

Name

Mr. G. KariukiProf. O. OgunfoworaMr. O. Ooko-OmbakaMiss Z. DevjiMr. M.M. WanyoikeMr. F.M. KiruhiProf. P. LenzMr. S.K. Arap KoskeMr. N.G. KaheruProf. J.F. BoneProf. P. Alper

1.2 Re-Appointments

Dr. A. WilliamsDr. W~ Kofi-TsekpoDr. S. TalalajDr. S.W. AcudaDr. J. DarDr. J.M. MolepoMr. S. RajanMr. F.W. Aduol

1.3 Promotions

Dr. T.S. RanganDr. J.B. OyiekeDr. W. WiddowsonDr. A.O. ObelMr. O.N. Gakuru

1.4 Resignations

Mr. J.N. NamasakeDr. P.H. NafstadMr. D. DevarisMiss M.L. AmothMr. M. MuturiMr. B.K. KapoorMr. M. Karanja

..,

Designation

Res. FellowVisiting Prof.LecturerJunior Res.FellowLecturerLecturer (Radio)ProfessorLecturerGradu~te Res.Asst.Visiting Prof.Visiting Prof.

LecturerSenior LecturerVisiting Prof.Senior LecturerSenior LecturerLecturerLecturerTutorial Fellow

Senior LecturerLecturerSenior LecturerSenior LecturerTutorial Fellow

LecturerAssociate Prof.Senior LecturerTutorial FellowLecturerSenior LecturerTutorial Fellow

Department

H.R.D.U.Agric. EconomicsPublic LawH.R.D.U.Animal ProductionInst. of Adult St.Dental SurgeryChemistry1. C. S.Vet. AnatomyManagement Science

Food Sc. & Tech.PharmacyPharmacyPsychiatrySurgeryChemistryMechanical Eng.Surveying &PhcT"grammetry

BotanyObstetrics & Gynae.BotanyMedicineSociology

Commercial LawVet. AnatomyArchitectureFood Sc. & Tech.EconomicsArchitectureArchitecture

1.5 Expiry of Contracts

Dr. J.K. PatnaikDr. J.F. CalderMr. A.A. StrainDr. W.P. PereiraMr. J.M. KinyuaProf. C.M. Eastman

LecturerSenior LecturerAssociate Prof.LecturerTutorial FellowAssociate Prof.

Dr. J.D. NewtonDr. M. Malone

Associate Prof.Senior Lecturer

MeteorologyDiagnostic RadiologyBusiness Admin.ChemistryEconomicsLinguistics &African Langs.AccountingCommunity Health.

1.6.1 Dr. Mary .Kag~a ( New Appointment)

Dr. Mary Kagwa has been appointed as a lecturer in theDepartment of Dental Surgery. Born in Uganda, Dr. Kagwaobtained a BSc. degree from Howard University in 1956,and DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) in 1960 from thesame University .. From 1960-62, she joined Guy'sHospital College of Dentistry in London and receivedL.D.S., and R.C.S. She later worked as a GovernmentDental Surgeon at Mulago Hospital before going intoprivate practice from 1970-1976. Dr. Kagwa laterwas appointed as lecturer in the Department ofDental Surgery for ~~ years before resigning inSeptember 1977 to join the University of Wales DentalSchool. Last year, she graduated and obtained anM.Sc.D. degree in Periodontology. Her major lines ofinterest are in Pediatic Dentistry. Periodontologyand research programmes. She is a member of severaldental associations.

1.6.2 Mr. S.M. Mutuli (Promotion)

Mr. S.M. Mutuli has been promoted to lecturer in theDepartment of Mechanical Engineering. He studiedfor his BSc. in Mechanical Engineering and MSc. atthe University of Nairobi. His ~Sc. thesis isentitled "The Properties of Sisal Fibres and SisalFibre Reinforces Composite Materials". He has beena tutorial fellDw in the Department and one of hispapers entitled "The Potential of Sisal as areinforcing fibre in cement base materials" hasbeen publishe~ in the journal of EngineeringEducation and Research in Tropical Africa, (CEEMA).

1.6.3 Dr. R.S. Rangan (Promotion)

Dr. R.S. Rangan has been promoted to Senior lecturerin the Department of Botany. He attended theUniversity of Mysore, Bangalore, India, where heobtained a B.Sc. d~gree in 1960, and an MSc. degreein 1961 and later attended University of Delhiwhere he obtained his PhD in 1966. Prior to joiningthe University of Nairobi in 1977, Dr. Rangan hadworked for two years as a Research Plant Physiologistin the University of California, one year as VisitingResearch Scientist, Twyford Laboratories in London,

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seven years as a Senior Scientific Officer andGroup Leader at the Bio-Organic Division, BhabhaAtomic Research Centre in India. His main areasof specialisation are in Experimental PlantMorphology and Embryology, plant morphogenesis,isolation and culture of plant protoplasts, bio-synthetic potentials of plant tissue cultures,and clonal propagation of economically importantplants. He has 27 research publications to hiscredit.

2. SEMINAR/WORKSHOP FOR SECRETARIESThe Institute of Adult Studies recentlyorganised a 3-day workshop for 30 secretariesfrom 24th-26th July, 1980 at the Institute forDevelopment Studies at the Main Campus. Theworkshop was aimed at improving secretarialservices at the University. It was conductedby five members of staff from the Institute ofAdult Studies. Although similar workshopshave been organised before, the secretarieswho attended this particular workshop had nothad the opportunity to participate. It hasbeen reported by both participants andorganisers to have been an unforgetableexperience.The workshop focused on the following broadissues: the structure and operations of theUniversity, the personal and public image ofthe secretary, creating a greater awarenessof the s~cretary's powers and responsibilities.It offered an opportunity for the pqrticipantsto share experiences and~feelings at their'places of work which included administrative andacademic sections of the University. TheRegistrar, in introducing the workshop, stressedthe importance of training and the significanceof workshops of this kind.The participants in sharing their experiencesobserved a common concern of frustration andboredom. Among the reasons given were lack ofappreciation of their work on the part of theofficers to whom they were attached; lack ofopportunity to use their shorthand skillswhich the University insists on when they arerecruited or promoted. A major source offrustration· comes from the fact that officersdo not inform secretaries of their whereaboutsduring office hours making it difficult,therefore, for them to offer the services theyare expected to offer. Some secretaries from

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academic departments wondered whether a system ofsharing work with their colleagues when they maynot be having so much work, could be worked out.On a more positive note, the participants under-lined their role in contributing to the successof the University. They were satisfied thatimprovement on their part in the following areaswill create better working relationships andincrease not only the efficiency but also theeffectiveness of the institution. It isimportant to cultivate·a sense of urgency todecide on priorities when there is more thanone thing to be done, to be punctual and avoidabsenting oneself from the place of work.In the words of the participants themselvesthey saw themselves as the "ambassadors" ofthe University - the public relations officerswho'are the main contact point with both theinternal and the external public. They~resolved,therefore, that they should acquaint themselveswith the operations of the whole Universityso as to be able to refer those seekinginformation to the right places.

UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA -STAFF DEVELOPMENT/TRAINING OFFICERS WORKSHOPThe Institute of Adult Studies hosted a one monthstaff development and training officers seminarrunning from 13 July to 8 August, 1980. This was thethird United Nations Economic Commission forAfrica Workshop to be held at the Institute ofAdult Studies at the Institute's Kikuyu Campus.The Institute supplied the resource persons whowere assisted by two lecturers from the Facultyof Commerce. Other visiting personnel includedthe Deputy Chief Economist, Ministry of EconomicPlanning and Development, an officer from UNEP andthe Chief Manpower Development Section UN/ECA.The workshop was closed by the Vice-ChancellorThe participants in the workshop were drawn from12~African countries which included Nigeria,Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mozambique,Lesotho, Botswana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania,Zambia and Kenya. There were 27 participantsin all, some of whom were senior manpower,training and administrative officers, personnelmanagers and analysts, senior assessors,Controller of Sustoms from Government departmentsand parastatal organisations.

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In organising the workshop, the objectives wereto make the participants become aware of the needfor planned, regular, systematic personneltraining in their organisations and to acquireskills and knowledge needed by manpower exe-cutives. Among them were training strategies,selection and appraisal of trainees, careerplanning, organisational analysis, manpowerplanning, leadership styles and communication.At the end of the workshop, each of the partici-pants developed and wrote a training policy forhis organisation. The participants' evaluationofthe workshop indicated that they had acquiredthe knowledge and drive essential to personneltraining executives.At the same time, the participants found theinteraction between them and the resourcepersonnel providing a rich learning experience.In his closing address, the Vice-Chancellorappealed to the participants not to depend tooheavily on planning models from industrialisednations but rather to work out means ofeducating the large numbers of young men andwomen who drop out of the formal educationsystem as a way of developing the humanresources of this continent. The participants,having reflected on their own jobs were in abetter position to go back to their desks withan overall view of a continuous planning processand utilization o£ human resources, he added.He hoped, that they will turn their attention tothe urgent needs of their countries' manpowerrequirements as seen by themselves.

DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES4.1 Institute of Computer ScienceProf. R.J.P. Scott, the Director of the Instituteof Computer Science, recently participated in aone-day seminar on the University AdministrativeSystems. He gave a lecture-on the computerisa-tion of the University's administrative systems.The participants were presented with a copy ofa paper entitled "The role of computer in aUniversity in'a developing country" writtenby Prof. Scott for the ODA Publication OverseasUniversities in March 1979.

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In his lecture Prof. Scott recalled that in May 1979,the University was presented with a new computerinstallation. The computer, an tCL 2950 comprisesthe main frame computer and terminals. The main-frame is installed at the Institute of ComputerScience building at Chiromo. It is running all tbeprogrammes previously run on the old computer, buthas more power and storage capacity. The terminalsare installed in the Institute and in Room 101 inthe former Education building on the main Campus.The terminals are visual display screens with keyboards and remote printers. Data is beingentered directly thFough the terminal keyboardsand on "floppy" discs. The use of punched cardsis expected to be phased out eventually.At the moment, the Institute of Computer Scienceprovides the University administration with dataprocessing systems for Admissions, Nominal Roll,Postgraduate Nominal Roll, Examinations Registra-tion, Transcripts and Payroll. Different versionsof these administrative systems are also run forKenyatta University College. Work on the imple-mentation of a financial system is underway andthe first aspects should be ready by now.

With the availability of visual display terminalsthat can be remotely linked to the new Universitycomputer, these systems can be revised to providemore useful output and linkage to each other. Inorder to initiate constructive discussion on theserevisions, a short overview of each system is beingprepared by the Institute of Computer Science, fordistribution to all University staff involved withprocessing of records.

In the development plan for the Institute ofComputer Science for the period 1979/83, it isenvisaged that the following administrative systemswill be implemented - financial control, estatemanagement (housing and administration), regis-tration (personnel records), books hop (stockcontrol), the Library (union list, book locationinformation system and periodical control system),Vice-Chancellor's office (skills bank), manpowerand training p~ojection, student service scheme,external degree programme and KJSE correspondenceprogramme.

Despite the installation of an up to date andmore powerful computer with terminal facilities,there are some problems that the Institute faces.The first problem is due to the delay by Kenya

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Posts and Telecommunications Corporation to acquiremodems for telephone subscribers. To be able touse a terminal connected to a computer using atelephone line, a pair of modems (modulatordemodulator) are required and the exclusive supplierin Kenya is Kenya Posts and Telecommunications.Until modems are available, the remote terminalat the Faculty of Engineering, Institute forDevelopment Studies, Finance Office, Registrar'sOffice, Kabete Campus, Kenyatta Hospital _Campusand Kenyatta University College cannot beconnected. In addition, the latter three remotesites require direct telephone lines availablefor exclusive use of the computer link.

The other major problem preventing rapid develop-ment of new administrative data processing systemsfor the University is the recruitment and retentionof suitably qualified and experienced personnel.Kenyans trained through the Institute's stafftraining programme often find more lucrative jobs

,in the private sector. The Institute has nowtaken a different strategy to offset this problem.The problems of staff recruitment and retentionhave been dealt with in the long term developmentplan.

Meanwhile, the Institute of Computer Science hasoffered to mount in-service computer and cataprocessing appreciation courses for the Universityadministrative staff.

4.2 Department of Agricultural Economics-

Miss S. Minae from the Department of AgriculturalEconomics in the Faculty 9f Agriculture recentlyattended a symposium in Egypt organised by theUniversity of Alexandria and the Association ofFaculties of Agriculture in Africa (AFAA) Thesymposium was financed by AFAA and FAa and itstheme was "The Role of Faculties of Agriculturein Extension and Rural Development".

The major task of the workshop was to establishwhat role the faculties of Agriculture play inextension services, and to come up with recmmendations on how best the faculties couldenhance provision of extension services.

The symposium was attended by representativesfrom several- African countries. Amongst themajor topics discussed in the symposium werethe present situation as regards to training,research and extension services in faculties

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of Agriculture. Secondly, discussions on thepresent situation in Ministries of Agriculturewere held in addition to examining the presentresearch situation in the various researchinstitutions and their relationship with theMinistries and Faculties of Agriculture.

_The general consensus amongst the participantswas that the major role of the Faculties ofAgriculture is the training of extension agents ona mass scale. The meeting also underlined theneed for improved linkages between the variousinstitutions involved in agricultural extensionwork and the need for greater coordination oftheir training programmes and research. It alsounderscored the need for the faculties ofAgriculture to playa more dynamic role inextension services.

Miss Minae presented a paper entitled "Bureau-cracy Structure and Organisation of ExtensionSystems - A case study of Kenya AgriculturalExtension System". In this paper, Miss Minaeargues amongst other things, that "the presentagricultural extension system in Kenya is basedon the British C~lonial model which Kenyainherited from the British after independence".Apart from pointing out the positive changes thathave been made in the post-independence era.she also indicates Shortcomings and makesseveral recommendations to improve the system.

Amonos t her main recommendations are:

- a reorgan~sation of the present structureso that more trained staff can teach theproducers.

- decentralisation to allow greater participationof extension staff and local people in planning,in addition to reducing the present red tapewhere one has to go through the wholebureaucratic links before any new program canbe implemented.

- A change of the unilateral approach andhaphazard system of priority setting byimplementing programs which are congruentto local needs and national goals.

- Introduction of integrated rural projects,increasing coordination in the field andemphasizing u~e of local resources.

4.3 Department of Diagnostic RadiologyDr. N. Tole of the Department of DiagnosticRadiology recently attended an internationaltraining course on Nuclear Materials Account-ability and control for Safeguards purposes inSanta Fe, New Mexico,USA. The course wasorganised by the International Atomic Energy (IAEA)in conjunction with the United States Departmentof Energy and coordinated by the Los AlamosScientific Laboratory of the University ofCalifornia. The course aimed at providing practicaltraining in the design, implementation and operationof national systems of nuclear materialsaccountability and control that satisfy bothnational and international safeguards objectives.The Faculty of Engineering has already started aprogramme related to the use of nuclear materialsFurther collaboration between various departmentsengaged in research in this can be undertakenin an interdisciplinary forum to include, interalia, tho~e that are competent in internationalnuclear legislation.4.4 Department of Architecture

- Enkarau Village Project: Housing Developmentfor a Maasai Community of the Kajiado District.

Following an invitation by the Council for HumanEcology - Kenya (CHEK), the Department ofArchitecture looked into the possibility ofdeveloping the present housing conditions ofMaasai Community, which is in the process ofsettling down on a more permanent basis.A competition, open to all architectural andplanning students, had been organised in May 1979.However, due to the high pressure at the end of theacademic year, only three students of the then 2ndyear in Architecture took part, to be later joinedby the only Maasai student of the school.The basic idea of the Department's involvement isto identify the actual requirements of the Community,to find a potential solution to the needs of thepeople, to train members of the group in basicbuilding technologies - to be undertaken by theVillage Tec~nology Unit at Karen, and finally toerect one or two prototype structures, for whichfunds have still to be made available. However,the main initiative has to come from the Communityitself, as well as the funding for the finallyapproved individual structures.To obtain the necessary background information,several Maasai settlements have been visited,the cost of which has been mainly met out of the