MESSAGE FROM ALUMNI REPRESENTATIVE ON IBA BOG

Dear Alumni,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the first-ever online election to the Alumni Representative to the Board of Governors (BoG). My heartiest felicitations to IBA Team for developing the first-of-its-kind Online Election system in Pakistan.

The preparation for this online election was begun about three years ago when I started the switch to an electronic database of all the Alumni.

You may remember the days when we had to submit written applications in triplicate, attach photos, and then wait for months to be registered; and, if ever a change was required (such as a change of address or e-mail), one could write-off the change ! Apart from allowing the alumnus / alumna to make the changes on his/her own volition, it was decided to automatically register all outgoing graduating students, thus ensuring that the database of electors had the widest base. From a list of about a few hundred, we now have nearly 10,000 graduates on the list.

The IBA team of the Alumni Department led by Mr. Haris Siddiqui and the IT Services Department led by Mr. Imran Batada, and I spent many, many hours identifying, developing, discussing an electoral database – its format, its presentation, its secrecy were debated over many meetings, before a viable structure emerged. I would not have been able to complete this Herculean task without their active help and participation. The alumni owe them a major thank you.

In addition to the development of this online electoral system, there are many other areas where I have ably represented the alumni of the BoG. Most of you may be familiar with my work as a Member of the BoG, but a brief repetition is necessary.

• One of my major contributions to the IBA, of which I am very proud, was to lead the campaign, starting from the time of the then Governor, Mr. Ashraf Tabani and culminating in the approval by Air Marshal Daudpota, in delinking IBA teacher salaries from Sindh Government scales.
• This allowed us to pay market-related salaries to our teachers, thus laying the seeds of the revival and renaissance of the IBA !
  This was not an easy task – opposed by the bureaucracy, not permitted by a chain of Governors.
• I was singularly responsible for the initiation, the discussion, and the approval in the BoG and implementation of the change of IBA salaries from BPS (Government scales) to market-based salaries.
• Around 2007, I was the person who first identified Dr. Ishrat Husain for the position of the Director of the IBA, and then requested the then President to appoint him.
• In 1999, on my request, the BoG ordered a forensic audit of the IBA, when Ferguson declined to audit the IBA accounts.
• In 1999, on my insistence, persuaded the BoG to shift from cash payment of fees to a bank collection method. From an accumulated reserve of approximately Rs. 200 million (in 43 years), the reserves increased to approx. Rs. 1,200 million in about 8 years. This clearly reflects better financial management and plugging of financial leakages.
• For the first time, in 1999, I convinced the BoG to appoint an external auditor for the IBA. This optional audit, in addition to the AGPR (Government) audit, has provided the BoG genuine financial results.
• I was instrumental in 2005, in initiating the expansion of the physical facilities and technological infrastructure of the IBA during Mr. Danishmand’s term via a Rs. 600 million grant by the then President, and then taken to new heights by Dr. Ishrat Husain.
• Spearheaded the huge expansion of scholarships to those students who are financially challenged. On my urging, since 2000, the IBA has a need-blind admission policy, and nearly 30% of all IBA students receive some form of assistance from the IBA.
• Discontinued the policy of the commercialisation of IBA services (e.g. admission testing) since we were facing legal cases in various courts, getting a bad reputation in the press
• Withdrew the affiliation of other business schools with the IBA, since they could not maintain the standards of the IBA, and thus were misusing our name.
• Interacted with the Chief Executives of employers of IBA graduates, both in the financial sector and the manufacturing / services sector, in order to get better jobs / salaries
• Arranged donations to the IBA - e.g. Sapphire Textile that donated about Rs 100 million for the new Library Building at the Main Campus to be inaugurated in a few days from today.
• Built international linkages with some of the world’s best universities. Visited, at my own expense, Amman, Jordan, to organise the meeting with the then PM of Pakistan and Yale University.
• Promoted interaction amongst alumni,
  o Via multiple visits to the IBA – in 2012, arranged the first 300-member alumni gathering at the IBA, so that the alumni could be a part of the IBA’s development and growth.
  o Via stage shows
  o Via musical events
  o Via film shows for the alumni and their families.
• Gave an enormous amount of time and attention to the IBA by being a very active Member of the BoG; the Chairman (now Member) of the Audit & Finance Committee that meets frequently for lengthy meetings, spanning many hours; and a member of the IBA Selection Board that is responsible to hire new faculty.
• Was closely associated with the formation of the Alumni association. My office was extensively used for this purpose. Hosted a dinner at my residence with Dr. Ishrat Husain with nearly 75 alumni, in order to restart the Alumni Association.
• Since I am in the BoG, I have abstained to directly involve myself in the present fractious dispute between the alumni.

It is therefore important that the IBA be guided by an Alumni Representative who understands the educational, social, financial, and administrative issues facing higher education and, in particular, the IBA, who acts as a voice for the Alumni in taking the IBA closer to its vision, and importantly, who is willing to work hard and devote time to address these issues.

The IBA requires your attention, your interest and your vote. Please give careful consideration to this information and help your alma mater elect a suitable candidate.

Sincerely yours,

SHAHID SHAFIQ
Alumni Representative of the Board of Governors