S S Murthy on Monday took over as the new vice chancellor of the Central University of Karnataka (CUK), Gulbarga.
He took over from pro vice chancellor S Chandrashekhar who had been holding the charge of vice chancellor since the retirement of A M Pathan on June 28, 2012.
The 65-year-old Shikaripur Sreenivasa Murthy has been appointed vice chancellor by the President, Visitor of the University, for the residual period of the first vice chancellor Pathan’s term.
Murthy will hold office till February 28, 2014. Murthy, who hails from Shikaripur in Shimoga district, is an electrical engineer and was working with Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, as faculty since 1970.
Speaking to mediapersons after taking charge, Murthy said his main objective would to be make the CUK a “Centre of Excellence of international standards” and to make it a ‘learning centre’ rather than a ‘teaching centre.’
“Persons long associatedwith IITs normally abhor taking up university administration. But, I have accepted the new assignment with a desire to make some contributions towards the growth of my home state,’’ he said.
The CUK plans to move to its new campus under construction near Kadaganchi village, about 20 km from here, in July this year. The campus will be made an absolute “green campus,” he said.
The immediate plans before him, Murthy said, were to start new courses in physical sciences, School of Education and Community College.