INTRODUCTION
The Western Campus of the University of Colombo was established by a notification of the Sri Lanka government Gazette (Extraordinary ) No 928/1 dated 20th June 1996. Its name was subsequently amended as Sri Palee Campus of the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka with effect from 11.09.1998 by an order made by the Hon. Minister of Education and Higher Education under 27(1) of the Universities Act No-16 of 1978.
It is located in the Kalutara district at Wewala, Horana on the lands and buildings donated to the University of Sri Lanka in 1976 by the board of the Sri Palee Trust set up by the late Mr. Wilmot A. Perera, a veteran politician and well-known philanthropist.
It has 2 Faculties i.e the Faculty of Performing Arts and the Faculty of Mass Media. Under the Faculty of Performing Arts there is only one department of study which is the department of Performing Arts in which Music, Dancing, Drama and Theatre, Screen Studies and Art and Design are taught as main subjects. Under the faculty of Mass Media three departments were originally gazetted i.e. the Department of Mass Media, the Department of Languages and the Department of Information Technology. However at present only the department of Mass Media is fully functional and the other two are functioning as the Language Unit and Information Technology Unit.
The students of Sri Palee Campus are admitted by the UGC based on the marks obtained by students at the aptitude test conducted by the campus and their z-score obtained at the Advanced Level examination. Nearly 35 students for each faculty have been admitted each year from 1998 when the campus started its academic programmes.
The Campus Board of Sri Palee Campus is responsible for- The internal administration of the Campus
- Making arrangements for the general well-being of, and the provision of amenities for persons attached to the Campus
- The performance of any other duties as may be prescribed by Statute.
The Campus Board can, with the approval of the Council of University of Colombo, make rules in respect of all matters relating or incidental to or connected with the internal administration of the Campus.
As stipulated in the Campus Board Ordinance No. 03 of 1995, the Campus Board comprise the Rector, two Members elected by the Senate of the University of Colombo two members appointed by the Council of the University of Colombo and the Heads of the two Departments of study and is vested with statutory responsibilities on the management of the Sri Palee Campus. The Campus Board meets once a month.
The Campus Board of Sri Palee Campus
- The Rector of the Campus
- Dr. L. Tudor Weerasinghe(Chairperson)
- The Head of the Mass Media
- Dr. R. C. K. Hettiarachchi
- Head of the Performing Arts
- Mrs. U. J. Gangodawila.
- Two (2) Members nominated by University council
- Mr. Janadasa Peiris
- Mr. Rohana Weerasinghe.
- Two (2) Members nominated by University senate
- Prof. Marie Perera
- Prof. Ananda Tissa Kumara
The Sri Palee campus was officially inaugurated on the 12th of July 1999 by the then Minister of Education and Higher Education. The first batch of students admitted to the campus amounted to 150 in both Departments of Study.At present the Campus has a student population of 322 in all four years of which 165 are provided with hostel facilities. Every year a special admission test is held to recruit new students to the campus. The annual in take of student s in both faculties is around 100.INAUGURATION OF THE CAMPUS
Sri Palee campus has completed developing its syllabi and curriculum during the academic year 2000-2001. This was carried out with the help of a well qualified panel of academics, professionals and practitioners in the fields of Mass Media and performing Arts Sri Palee Campus for the first time in the history of university training programs broke away from the traditional line of thinking and introduced a substantial proportion of practical training to its curriculum Thus not only the students in the fields of Dancing Music or Drama, but those who are in Mass Media will receive practical training in print media, broadcasting, television and electronic news gathering.
Already the campus has secured a few electronic equipment capable of news gathering / preparing documentary bulletin etc. Its is hoped that very soon a small laboratory capable of developing films for TV and a Radio Station for local broadcasting will be developed to give practical training to the students. Therefore the end product of the Sri Palee campus, the graduates, will not only have received a theoretical training in their respective fields of study, but also be ready to take up challenging jobs in their own specialized areas of study with their practical training.
Already the campus has secured a few electronic equipment capable of news gathering / preparing documentary bulletin etc. Its is hoped that very soon a small laboratory capable of developing films for TV and a Radio Station for local broadcasting will be developed to give practical training to the students. Therefore the end product of the Sri Palee campus, the graduates, will not only have received a theoretical training in their respective fields of study, but also be ready to take up challenging jobs in their own specialized areas of study with their practical training.
The Sri Palee Campus library initiated its library and information services in July 1999 and currently has a collection of approximately 16, 000 books mainly concentrated on subjects pertaining to Performing Arts and Mass Media. The library is open on all weekdays except on public holidays from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm and when the exams are held, from 9.00 am to 8.00 pm.
Though the Computer Studies Unit was opened for the students in 1999, it was able to provide computer facilities, Internet Facilities, Printer Facilities Scanning Facilities. The Computer Studies Unit is kept open from 8.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. for the benefit of the students.
Sri Palee Campus is provided with a Medical Center which is being supported by the D.M.O. of Horana and a few support staff appointed by the Campus.
Sri Palee Campus provides hostel facilities for the first year and final year students of both sexes.
- 33Acres of land and possibility to further expansion.
- 17 Small buildings allocated to the departments, lecture halls and other branches.
- Internal Turred road connecting all the buildings of the Campus.
- Comparatively well-equipped Computer Center and Audio Visual unit.
- Campus library having a collection of around 13000 books in the field of Mass media, Performing Arts languages and computer science.
- Wilmot A Perera hall with historical value.
- 2 small wells in addition to the supply of the water from the Water Board.
- Health Center for the staff and students visited a Medical officer.
- Cultural Center equipped with considerable number of musical instruments and costumes.
- Two hostels to accommodate a maximum of 120 female students.
- Guest house for visitors to the campus.
- Canteen facilities for the students and staff.
- Campus security service functioning all 24 hours.
- 2 coin operated telephones for the students.
- Transport facilities for Academic and Administrator activities.
- Bulk electricity supply.
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