The Acting Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Professor Rosemund Green-Osahogulu says the criteria for teaching staff appointment of the University was based strictly on academic merit, age, indicated departmental need for specialists as  well as local government area representation.

Professor Rosemund who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt said it became necessary as there were speculations that the selection of academic staff recently carried out was doctored, adding that no one candidate was appointed under political sponsorship.

According to her the university council also played its active part by constituting its own subcommittee of highly seasoned, respected, God-fearing and experienced members, drawn from the public and private sectors to study the specialist interview panels’ submissions and make recommendation to the full council.

She pointed out that her stand for hardwork, integrity, moral courage, passion for excellence, truthfulness and prudent management of fund has attracted commendation for the university, just within her two years in office as Acting Vice Chancellor.

The university don noted that a prestigious national award for excellence in effective prevention of financial fraud was given the institution while 42 land- mark achievements ranging from the successful resolution of the celebrated crisis of massive senior staff employment without due process and the pursuit of the elevation from College of Education to University  of Education were recorded.

She contended that every candidate originally found appointable on personal merit by the interview panel was retained throughout the post-interview phases of the employment process under review and stressed that the effective criteria used were purely on academic merit, age of candidate, host community entitlement, departmental need, equity and local government area representation spread.