Office of the Registrar Holds Administrative Meeting and Training Session
The Office of the Registrar, under the leadership of Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah, recently hosted a day-long meeting attended by Administrative Directors, Deputy Directors, and Heads of Administrative Units in the University.
The primary agenda for this gathering was to review action plans and achievements across various administrative units and directorates.
As part of the proceedings, Administrative Directors, Deputy Directors, and Heads of Units presented their action plans for the year, alongside outlining key accomplishments, while shedding light on existing challenges. This collaborative dialogue served as an opportunity to evaluate the performance, measure success, and propose strategies for future improvement for each unit and directorate.
The Registrar, Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah, who opened the session, urged the participants to engage in comprehensive discussions concerning unit reports, year-long plans and challenges faced. She underscored the inability to hold such extensive meetings due to the demanding schedules of administrators.
Furthermore, the Registrar acknowledged the significance of continuous professional development coupled with the need for reflective examination of action plans and expressed gratitude to the Heads for their work over the period under review.
The interactive session included an open discussion in which the participants shared suggestions and recommendations aimed at enhancing the efficiency of administrators’ duties and the overall performance of their respective units.
The meeting was climaxed with a training session facilitated by Prof. Justice Bawole, Dean of the University of Ghana Business School and Mrs. Lawrencia B. T. Ghansah, a Legal Officer at the Office of the Legal Counsel.
Prof. Justice Bawole, in his presentation themed “The Leader and the Work Environment,” laid emphasis on the pivotal role leaders play in creating a conducive and productive work environment.
He encouraged administrative heads to use innovative and cost-effective ways to motivate their staff to put optimum effort into executing their tasks and duties effectively for the achievement of departmental goals.
While advocating for the implementation of reward systems, Prof. Bawole challenged the participants to be deliberate and consistent in acknowledging their staff for worthwhile initiatives and outputs and critique mistakes when necessary.
Prof. Bawole said, “the importance of cultivating a habit of listening by leaders is a skill that is very necessary for Leaders to create a healthy bond with their followers, which contributes to a productive working environment.”
He remarked that the success of an entire group depends on the sub-groups and all units, hence enlightened and supportive climates must be developed and sustained in all units for growth and productivity to be achieved.
Amidst concerns regarding work-related stress, Prof. Bawole took the opportunity to encourage Directors and Heads to acquire psychological training in order to be in the right frame of mind to smoothly fulfill their mandate.
Mrs. Lawrencia B. T. Ghansah delved into the legal aspects governing administrators' work. She touched on the significance of administrators understanding and proactively applying relevant laws in their various units and directorates.
Mrs. Ghansah stressed the need to involve the Office of the Legal Counsel in both internal and external issues, saying, “it is important for the directors and administrators to know the law themselves and be proactive in involving the Office of the Legal Counsel to prevent the escalation of issues into potential court cases.”
Mrs. Ghansah reiterated the role of administrators in representing the interest of the University during negotiations and stakeholder engagements. She, however, called on the administrators to involve the Office of the Legal Counsel in the signing of agreements and memoranda of understanding and seek their assistance in making legal decisions.
Present at the meeting were College Secretaries and some Deputy Registrars.