or Professor Les Eastcott gave them notices that they were not to register. "The Law School Board approved their application but then the VC gave the students notices that they were not to register. The students never appealed to the VC, they appealed to the Law School Board," Mr Kaule said. He said academic issues relating to students were not matters that the VC could make decide on alone and for students to be excluded had to be a decision made by the University Senate. "The issue here is that the Vice Chancellor doesn't have the power. The power to exclude students from studies is with the Senate and the VC is just part of the Senate," Mr Kaule said. Students have decided to take the matter to court hoping that they will not have to reapply to study again next year repeating courses that should be done this year. Court proceedings instituted by Kaule Lawyers on behalf of the 28 excluded law students at the Waigani National Court on March 21 2002 sought for a declaration that their xclusion or termination from studies at the University made by the Vice Chancellor and the university is contrary to the University of Papua New Guinea Act, chapter 169 and the By-laws and regulations of the university and the principals of Natural justice and is therefore null and void, allowing the concerned students to continue with their studies at UPNG this year. National Court Justice Ambeng Kandakasi made orders that pending a proper hearing and determination of these proceedings, the university: * Lift or cancel the exclusion of the 28 law students; * Arrange for and allow the concerned students to be registered for this academic year; and * Allow the students to attend classes and use the facilities of the university. The National Court also ordered that the university must not take steps to enforce the exclusion of the concerned students. However the university failed to abide by the court order and on March 28 Kaule Lawyers filed contempt proc...
