Even as a newly formed welfare association, in favour of the management, organised a press meet to condemn the protests of the faculty and students, the protesting faculty and students of Avinashilingam University under the aegis of the Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff Welfare Association, organised another press meet to demand that the university give them a written assurance that the university would remain a public-funded one, here on Thursday.

A joint council of the Teaching and Non Teaching Staff Welfare Association of the university told reporters that the UGC would stop funding the institute if it goes private, as per a letter sent to the management by Nikhil Kumar, the Education Officer of UGC.

In the letter dated August 22, 2015, UGC has stated that “if the University prefers to be a private sponsored institution (sponsoring society would be the Trust), after 31.03.2017, the UGC development and maintenance grants will be discontinued with effect from April 2017”.

B. Nalini, Secretary of the Association, stated that since the management had denied that there was no mention in the MoA that the Avinashilingam Education Trust would continue as the sponsoring society, the management should give a written statement that the MHRD would continue to fund the University.

“Life Time Trustee K. Kulandaivel in an interview to a newspaper had stated that the Trust would continue as the sponsoring society. Then how can we believe what the management is saying. We need a written statement,” she added.

The members also condemned Malarvizhi, the Chairperson and Managing Trustee of Sri Krishna Group of Institutions, for allegedly abusing students during her visit in the midst of the protests.

They further denied allegations that they were spreading rumours that the certificate provided by the university would become invalid and the salary of the staff would be stopped.

“These are rumours that have been created by other members. We just want the university to remain as a public funded one and we want a written statement that it would remain so,” the Secretary added.