Thursday 4 July 2013
Peer counselors' launch constitution
Peer counselors launch new constitution
It’s a new dawn for Maseno University Network of Peer
Counselors, MUNPEC after they launched their newly drafted constitution on 1st
July at Trinity Fellowship.
This exercise saw a landmark change as new objectives and
laws will shape how various activities will be carried out in raising change of
behaviors and personal attachment of social mobility to rally improvement of
moral standards.
Speaking after the launch, Director of Students Welfare Services,
SWS, Erick Nyambetha noted the improvement of the network since its formation as
new screened members can now counsel their peers and interact freely to
different levels of training namely silver, bronze and gold.
Through sensitization of sharing ideas ad getting solutions
to issues affecting the society, peer counselors agreed to abide to the new
rules of operatives. They also applauded the management for their continued
support in helping the network achieve its mandate.
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| Dean of students Edward Olela during the launch in Trinity Fellowship |
“Abiding to laid procedures and maintaining a chain of rules
is of great essence in improving ones well-being ”, the director added.
He also said that the network is made for all members of the
university to help in refining skills and mentorship which are a key determinant
of the three levels of training.
According to article
5(a) on membership, one is expected to undergo a screening exercise to be
able to hold a certificate of silver level of training.
On the other hand, active participation and maintenance of a
high level of discipline makes one qualified to engage in the democratic process
of Student Organization Maseno University, SOMU elections.
How to handle a
client
“Romantic relationships are invalid during counseling of
clients and these can automatically lead to loss of membership” said counselor
Rispah Ochola.
She also added that, having shaped how new laws will work, penalties
remained supreme. A committee of experts is mandated with authority to expel members
whose conduct would scratch the dignity expected according to article 5(d).
The office of students’ guidance and counseling is also
expected to serve a watchdog role over gender balance in annual general elections.
The members who should vie are also expected to be active in Networks
activities.
Equator News has
also learnt that quorum of MUNPEC meetings shall not be less than one third of
the registered members and that the agenda will undergo previous communication
through circulars of notice.
By Brian Ochieng
Monday 1 July 2013
Who will be moved to City Campus?
When you can guess who will be moved to City Campus
Plans are underway to move some students to Kisumu City
Campus come September, the Deputy Vice chancellor academic affairs, DVCAA, Prof
Madara Ogot has confirmed.
In an interview in his office, he said that they are working
on various details to determine who will be moved. He also said that the final
decision which will affect only third and fourth years will be reached at before the month of July.
Prof Madara said that the decision to move students is based
on decongesting the main campus as more than 3000 students will be admitted on
September.
Speaking to Maseno
Equator News he said that the departments to be moved will be picked under the
criteria that they are less than 100 and they have no laboratory practicals.
“The lecture halls in Kisumu are small and thus the
departments which will move must have, not more than 100 students”, said Prof
Ogot.
He also added that those to be moved must have no laboratory
practicals as there are no labs in city campus.
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| Prof Madara Ogot, DVCAA, file photo |
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| Kisumu City Campus where students from Main campus will be moved to avoid congestionfile photo |
The academic division is to go through various stages before
arriving at the final decision.
This includes meeting student leaders-SOMU, the
city campus management and landlords in Kisumu to discuss various logistics
which surround this plan before the month ends.
If students’ leaders fail to approve the plan, all students
will remain in main campus but they will be slapped by various consequences.
“If the idea fails, Saturday classes will be introduced and
more temporary lecture halls will be created”, said the DVCAA.
This will otherwise help cater for the many of students who
exceed the number of available lecture halls.
Prof Madara however said that the option of Saturday classes
was not a welcome to the lectures. He also added that it would be tricky as
students who fellowship with SDA, would be disadvantaged.
Upto now, three departments have expressed their wish to be moved but they stand to pass the test. These include the the school of Urban and regional planing, Eco-tourism, school of Business and Economics and Hotel and Institutional Management
In the long run, the school is in the process of renovating
city campus so as to accommodate large number of students.
This will result to
decentralization where various campuses of Maseno university which will handle
specific programs.
Maseno Equatornews
Saturday 29 June 2013
Maseno University hand in mater heart run
Mater hospital held their 8th Mater Heart Run event at
Mumias Sports Complex on Saturday 25th May raising 3.09M in which
Maseno University contributed kshs 45,800.
Maseno University was represented by the school of medicine students,
Public Relations, Maseno University Media Association (MUMA). Other
participants were St. Mary’s Girls Mumias, Booker Academy and Mumias Central
primary school.
The chief guest was Rt.Rev Beniah Salala Anglican bishop ACK
Vihiga County who stood in for the Kakamega county governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
Among those who graced the occasions were the Vihiga county
director medical services Dr.James Onyango, District Officer Paul Langat,
Ruftone among other music artists.
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| Millions flock every year in support of children with heart diseases: File photo |
Rt. Rev Beniah Salala thanked the participants for their
willing support and urged the community to embrace the need to help out heart
patients. The participants were issued with certificates of participation.
“It is my prayer that we will continue with this spirit even
to our neighbors”, he concluded. Six
Maseno university students managed to be among the top tens who finished the
race ahead of others.
Speaking to Maseno fraternity, the gospel artist known by
many as Ruftone appreciated their presence as the only university which took
part in the run. In addition, he promised to undertake his future plans of
studying Business Management in the mention university.
‘I am planning for a comeback to school for a degree in
business management and I know Maseno will be best for me’ he added.
The main sponsors for the event were Capital FM, Safaricom, National Security Social Fund (NSSF) and The Standard.
Mater heart run is an organized annual race for the solid purpose of raising funds
to support the surgery of heart patients mostly the children with the motto ‘I
touched a child’s heart ’.
By Ruth Nderitu
Pregnancy crisis in campus
Pregnancy in campus
Relationships in campus are most often a state of bliss until
something unexpected happens, a case in point being, when a lady becomes pregnant.
It’s no lady’s wish to get pregnant before she’s done with her studies unless
she is ready for it.
However, as recently witnessed, many ladies are falling
victims of this. What follows are the numerous challenges that one encounters
while juggling between being a mother and a student.
In an interview with students’ counselor, Rispa Ochola, she
revealed the pain and anguish a girl goes through on becoming expectant.
However, she insisted that men should also take responsibility.
“Men who plant “seeds” should take care of them.” she added.
Equator Weekly managed to speak with students who are
mothers.
Speaking to Jane* name changed, she revealed her pain during
her time of pregnancy and even after giving birth. She said that at first the
boyfriend denied the pregnancy and called her names.
“He called me unfaithful and I can remember how much I cried
for all my love was his”.
Moreover, the man was not supportive in terms of the company I
needed during the trying times and also during delivery.
“This is the time when I needed someone closer than ever and
he wasn’t even concerned”.
The lady recalls that till today, she is bitter with the man
when she remembers the time they spent together. Jane however regrets the day
she said ‘yes’ to the boyfriend and added that for now she does not have the
heart to trust another man anytime soon.
In another scenario, a lady who sought anonymity said that
she was dumped the minute the man realized she was pregnant. She bitterly
remembered of how the man started cutting ties and reducing the time they used
to spend together.
The same happened to Patience* name changed, whose friends
started drawing away from her as soon as they realized she was expectant. The
painful part was when she lost her male friends as many of them feared to be mistaken
to have sired the child.
Attendance of lessons is also a major challenge and they
sometimes end up getting low grades as they can’t concentrate on their studies.
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| Pregnant lady: Many university ladies face a headache after a pregnancy crisis. |
A lady is also not entitled to get a hostel upon getting
pregnant, these among other social challenges of walking to lecture halls when
the morning sickness is prevailing, are quite a challenge
The school is also partially supportive and only gives pre-natal medication and checkup. However upon arrival of the newborn, the support from
the university diminishes.
According to statistics gathered from the health clinic, 10%
of the students are married and hence pregnancy is expected, 60% is out of
ignorance and the rest is accidental.
In an interview with Rispa the Counselling department is
looking at ways in which they can help student-mothers. This is by registering
them in a support group which will be a platform for sharing their challenges,
a plan which is underway this semester.
Moreover, she labeled them ‘star-students’ as they take on
double responsibilities.
The first ever class representatives workshop
The first ever class representatives workshop
Maseno university class representatives had an opportunity
to lick knowledge in a workshop organized by the Counseling department in
conjunction with the office of the Students welfare services, SWS.
The event which was held in Trinity Fellowship on 20th
June was graced by the university counselors, the director of SWS with his
personal assistance and the university legal officer.
Speaking to the over 60 student leaders, Rispah Ochola, one
of the university counselors, said this was the first ever event for the class
representatives and was focused on polishing leadership skills.
“This is an event organized to help open a platform to grow
leadership in students”, said Rispah.
The student leaders took solomonic tips home in various
topics ranging from law and class leadership, university structure and leaders,
time management, exam and academics and conflict management.
The topics were merged to cultivate team spirit, enhance
leadership capabilities and implore skills relevant to achieving efficiency in
class leadership.
On time management,
counselor Lucy Ngutiku advised the student leaders using a 10 commandment rule
where she gave the mistakes people make when managing their time.
Some of the mistakes outlined were failure to keep a-to-do list,
not setting personal goals, procrastination, failure to prioritize and management
of distractions among others.
“It is interesting that some students use the shtuka method and do not plan”, said
counselor Lucy a word that cracked the ribs of many.
Elizabeth Ayoo the university legal officer tackled a topic
on law and leadership revealing the upcoming Congress in the student leadership
system which will act as a Student organization Maseno University, SOMU watchdog.
Ms. Ayoo said that the Congress will be composed of a
representative from SDA, CU, YCA and any other religious group, two representatives
from each faculty and residential halls representative.
The Legal officer also stressed that the government had
adopted a policy where university admission will not be pegged to the number
halls of residence. This was in response to why the university was admitting a
high number of first years on September.
“The university is expected by the government to have a
population of 17,000 students in 2017”, said Erick Nyambetha the director SWS during
his speech. He also added that the population had doubled within the two years
he had been serving in the office.
Counselor Rispah covered a topic on Conflict management and advised students against locking hatred in
their hearts but instead find a solution in a peaceful way. She also
appreciated that conflicts are natural as they occur due to the diversity and
different tastes people have in life.
By Benson Gitau
bensongitau9@gmail.com
bensongitau9@gmail.com
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| Benson Gitau, Equator News reporter |
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