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PRESIDENT’S SPEECH

SALUTATION

Mr. Chairman

Invited Guests

Ladies & Gentlemen

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

On behalf of the Management and staff of Christian Service University College (CSUC),

I welcome you all to the 36th Graduation Ceremony.

It is with a sense of joy and a grateful heart that I join our wonderful graduands,

resplendently dressed here today, to give thanks to God almighty for bringing us all thus

far. Our celebrating graduands have successfully fulfilled all requirements for the award

of various degrees and diplomas on this auspicious occasion.

A total of Five Hundred and Twenty (520) students have completed their programmes in

Theology, Business Administration, Computer Science, and Communication Studies,

thus fulfilling all prerequisites for the award of degrees and diplomas. The breakdown is

as follows:

GENDER

TOTAL MALE FEMALE

FIRST CLASS HONOURS 92 56 36

SECOND CLASS UPPER

DIVISION

174 112 62

SECOND CLASS LOWER

DIVISION

218 145 73

THIRD CLASS 35 21 14

PASS 1 1 0

TOTAL 520 335 185

Please join me in congratulating the Christian Service University College (CSUC) class

of 2012 for their outstanding achievement.

Mr. Chairman, there is not a shadow of doubt that these jubilant graduands couldn’t

have made it without the diligent teaching, coaching, and mentoring from our

hardworking faculty. Please let us give our teaching faculty a deserving round of

applause.

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Mr. Chairman, this congregation enjoins us also to take stock of our activities and

progress, over the last one year, the details of which are documented in the CSUC 2012

Annual Report.

Driven by the vision of our University College which states that CSUC seeks “TO BE A

FIRST CLASS EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY THAT PROMOTES

KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CHRIST THROUGH THE TRAINING OF MEN AND WOMEN

WITH MORAL UPRIGHTNESS, ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND PASSION TO

SERVE AND TRANSFORM SOCIETY”, CSUC continues to train and equip graduates

not only with the requisite academic and professional knowledge to succeed, but also

integrates faith with rigorous learning so our graduates will develop deep faith in God

and a strong moral compass as future leaders.

The University College has diligently pursued this vision over the years by continuously

improving teaching and learning, upgrading infrastructure as well as strengthening the

caliber of staff.

Mr. Chairman, permit me therefore, to mention some of the activities and progress we

have made over the last one year.

ACCREDITATION & INSTITUTIONAL STANDARDS

The University College fulfilled the requirements by the National Accreditation Board

(NAB) for Institutional Re-accreditation for the period 1st September 2011 to 31st August

2016. The re-accreditation of the BSc Computer Science programme was also granted

by the NAB for the period of 1st September, 2010 to 31st August 2015. I am also happy

to announce that CSUC will begin its first post graduate programme – Master of Arts in

Christian Ministry (with Management) – in January 2013. Approval for this programme

has been granted by the NAB.

We have also submitted, and are waiting for accreditation for the following programmes

hopefully before the year ends:

• Bachelor of Business Administration (Purchasing and Supply Chain

Management)

• Bachelor of Science in Information Technology

• Bachelor of Arts in Community Development

The affiliation for the BA Community Development programme has been granted by the

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology.

Mr. Chairman, the CSUC Strategic Plan Review Committee, under the Chairmanship of

the Vice President, and with professional input from the Quality Assurance Unit, has

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completed work on the CSUC Strategic Plan, dubbed the “Charter Plan” for the period

2012-2022. This plan has been approved by the University College Council.

One of our core values as a University College is to pursue excellence and maintain

high standards in line with our vision to become a world-class University. A Quality

Assurance Unit, headed by an officer with professorial rank was established and is fully

functioning. The unit is mandated to check, enforce, and maintain the highest quality

standards in research, teaching and learning, and service delivery.

STAFF AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT

Mr. Chairman, our University College continues to attract and recruit high caliber of

academic and non- academic staff with the requisite professional qualifications and

experience. As an institution that strives for academic and moral excellence, faith

commitment and a solid church background are key pre-requisites for joining our team,

and in mentoring our students. In view of this, I am happy to mention that we have

engaged the services of a number of full-time staff including the Dean of the School of

Business Studies, Rev. Prof. Samuel Boapeah.

To enhance quality teaching and learning, an offline Broadcast laboratory, equipped

with the state of the art equipment was established at the Department of

Communication Studies. It is hoped that this would be developed into an FM Station

soon to provide hands on training experience for our students in broadcasting and

journalism.

Touching on infrastructural development, the University College has completed the

construction of a six-storey students’ hostel facility. Funded entirely from internally

generated funds, the 250-capacity hostel opened its doors to students in September

2012. The construction of an ultra-modern Library and ICT complex is currently in

progress.

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH

In our quest for staff and structural changes, we did not neglect our Spiritual obligations.

We continued with zeal and dedication our Devotions/Worship, Staff Fellowships,

Revivals, Missions and other activities to enhance the Spiritual growth and development

of the staff and students of the University College.

PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & FUND-RAISING

Mr. Chairman, Universities throughout the world are fostering global linkages to

enhance collaborative research and academic partnerships. A delegation comprising

the President, the Partnership Development Officer, and the Accountant, visited a

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number of Universities and institutions of higher learning in South Africa and Kenya, in

November 2011. The purpose of the trip was to learn and to initiate relationships with

leading Christian universities within the African context. The visit also enabled the

delegation to explore avenues for faculty development. The team discovered

opportunities for institutional partnership, staff development, and exchange of staff and

students.

CSUC’s partnership with Eastern University in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. is evolving. Apart

from the exchange of faculty and staff, we explored opportunities for faculty training at

the PhD level and collaborations for our nursing programme. We are also broadening

our horizon to include other renowned Universities such as Spring Arbor University,

Michigan, and Malone University in Ohio, U.S.A.

Mr. Chairman, CSUC launched its major fundraising campaign in August 2012, to raise

three million dollars over a five-year period. The campaign dubbed The CSUC

Challenge: Three-in-Five Project seeks to raise funds from within – with the help of

our alumni, friends and partners – and outside Ghana, to support CSUC’s infrastructural

development projects, particularly the construction of the library and ICT complex, the

building of a clinical laboratory for the Nursing School, as well as to assist needy but

brilliant students to secure higher education. To this end, we are implementing various

strategies to raise Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000.00) within the first year of

the launch.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

As part of our corporate responsibility, and in line with our core value of mutual support

and care, three needy but brilliant students were awarded scholarships covering full

tuition fees for the full four years of their programmes. Efforts are being made to

expand the provision of such awards through our fundraising initiative.

ADMONITION TO GRADUANDS

Let me now turn my attention to the CSUC 2012 graduating class. Many are the

stakeholders who have contributed their quota to providing you with the physical,

academic, moral, and spiritual resources to make you who and what you are today.

Remember that you owe all of these people and humanity as a whole a great debt of

responsibility. Therefore, discharge all your duties with a great sense of humility. In all

circumstances remember that you are “TO KNOW CHRIST BETTER AND TO MAKE

HIM BETTER KNOWN”.

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Let me leave you with a quotation from the word of God:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen

you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”.

(Isaiah 41:10; New International Version)

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, permit me Mr. Chairman, invited guests, ladies and gentlemen, to

express my personal thanks and appreciation to the Board of Trustees, Council

Members, and Management for their guidance and support during my five-year tenure

as the first President of the University College. I also owe the entire staff and students,

a debt of gratitude for their devotion to work and unflinching support during my duty tour

as an Ambassador for Christ. With your support, we have diligently pursued the vision

and mission bestowed to us by the founding fathers; with your support, we sought to

continuously improve teaching and learning, upgrading infrastructure as well as

strengthening the caliber of staff. We have also laid a firm foundation for global

partnership engagements.

I will cherish the fond memories of our work together to move CSUC forward. We

couldn’t have accomplished all that we did without your sacrifices and hard work, and I

will forever remain grateful to you all. We have come thus far on this challenging but

rewarding road by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Keep the vision alive and never, let it

die.

Thank you and God richly bless you all.

Prof. Emmanuel Frempong

President