UTAFlTI NOTES VOL. III No.1 Among the most popular organizations at the hill was the DUSO govern- ment, a body which united the students of the three Campuses at various functions. The organization included a central government which was centred at the Hill (Main Campus) and two other sister governments, one in Morogoro Campus and another in Muhimbili. The 1976/77 DUSO government had started its functions in September th 14 1976. Since the government's term of office lasts for one year, the th next elections were supposed to be held on the 14 September 1977 and hence the old government was to surrender its power at midnight of the same date 14/9/77. However, things took a different course at the hill. While the two sister campuses went to the polls and chose a new government, the situation was different at the Main Campus. The struggle against elections started th on the 11 September the day when the Presidential candidates were sup- posed to campaign for elections. The students who had assembled in the respective place where campaign was supposed to take place decided to postpone the campaign and elections until another issue which they thought was more immediate, was solved. The issue concerned the expulsion of two students, and a year's suspension of two other students. The news had appeared in the government papers the day before. The C.C.M. branch took up the matter and an appeal was arranged. The students however decided to bring the DUSO government to an end on the ground that it was not cooperating in solving the issue. Hence in the evening of 14/9/77 the DUSO President and Vice President were ordered to return the official DUSO keys to the Chief Returning Officer that evening. This was done immediately and the DUSO government died. Hence the First Mature DUSO Government at the Hill ended unusually on the 14/9/77. To replace it a Committee of six people was elected to act as a DUSO Caretaker Committee. While the caretaker committee was still aCJing in the place of DUSO a decision was made in parliament to increase the renumerations and fringe benefits of the members of parliament and ministers. In expressing disagreement with this decision the students th organized a demonstration on the 5 of March 1978. By demonstrating, the students had broken the law and on this ground 367 students were ex- 277 pelled from the university. In this instance DUSO was also banned by the government and the CCM youth took its place. Immediately after the event, the heads of departments in the faculty of arts and social science met and noted the following issues: (a) lack of adequate communication between the university authorities and the students leading to a deadlock. (b) strained relations on the campus leading to non-existence of a DUSO government. (c) lack of adequate information system leading to inaccurate reports and rumours. The breakdown in communication kept the majority of students uninformed of major developments e.g. the Chancellor's willingness to meet them and discuss with them, the refusal by the police to issue a permit to demonstrate on public roads and streets. (d) lack of adequate use of other forums on campus to resolve problems and issues. (e) unconfirmed rumours about staff involvement and impending action against them leading to apprehensions and anxiety among staff. Later the government decided to reinstate 327 out of 367 students leading to normalization of the situation on the campus, although there has been no public explanation on why each of the remaining 4-0 students were not reinstated. The university community is in the process of discussing the whole issue in view of drawing lessons from the episode and throwing light on the whole structure at the university. At faculty level there were discussions about identifying research priorities. The following general premises have been taken as basis for identifying research priorities in the faculty of arts and social science: (a) Research in the faculty should be an integral part of the country's research programmes in different fields. (b) Research should be problem-oriented and development-oriented. In fact the third five year development plan was a basic reference point in identifying research priorities. (c) In the process of research, theoretical and methodological tools of analysis relevant to third world countries should be developed and improved upon. 278 Specific research priorities have been identified in the fields of economic development, social development, cultural development, and educational development. As much as possible these will be interdepart- mental undertakings. The research priorities are to be reviewed after every three years to reflect changes in national priorities, availability of resources and research staff. For the first time in the history of the university, the faculty has embarked on a fourth term practical training programme involving non- education students. The duration of the programme is six weeks and it has the following objectives: (a) to enable students to apply or learn the practical applications of the theory they have leal:ned in solving practical problems in society i. e. to merge theory with practice. (b) to give students ample chance to acquire work experience so that they can be able to serve the society better. (c) to establish and maintain a close relationship and contact between the faculty (as a producer of manpower) and the employers (as users of manpower). It is hoped that in the light of this first experience with the fourth term programme it will be appropriate to review and improve the programme. Besides various seminars and the usual lectures that went on in Kiswahili Department, special mention should be given concerning the launching of a more detailed and more socialist-oriented SW. 100 course st for 1 year students. The overall aim of the course is to acquaint the students with socialist aesthetic theory which will enable them to deal with vital aesthetic issues in Swahili literature. The department of Sociology processed the formalization of links with the departments of Sociology at the universities of Hull and Cambridge (Churchill College). These will essentially entail staff training programmes and exchange of teaching/research staff between the department of Sociology at the University of Dar es Salaam and the two sociology depart- ments at Hull and Cambridge universities. 279 As the time of census was approaching the preparations for the .census were in full swing. The department of Geography and BRALUP were effectively involved in the preparation and planning of the population censuS. BRALUP completed the drawing up of a report on Rural Integrated Development Plan for Rukwa region and continued to participate in other national proj ects. The department of art, -- music and theatre -- produced a number of plays and papers. Miss Amandina Lihamba prepared the production of "Mashetani" which was staged at the University main campus, Morogoro and at the Kivukoni Party Ideological College. The production inspired considerable discussions where it was staged. It received a good review in the Daily News and Dr. Ohly of the Institute of Kiswahili Research wrote a controversial critique. The discussion still continues. 280