The Civil Service Commission for Higher Education Institutes (CSCHEI) has instructed the Council of Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University to review the appointments of more than 40 academics following allegations of document falsification and the forgery of signatures.
Minister of the Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESRI) Anek Laothamatas said that the CSCHEI met on Thursday to look into findings concerning the appointments of 43 people at the university. Of them, 14 were appointed as associate professors and the rest were made assistant professors.
The findings were submitted by a fact-finding panel set up by the CSCHEI.
The CSCHEI agreed that the appointments did not follow proper procedures, and it was found that documents related to the appointment of a committee of experts were falsified and the signatures of the appointed experts were forged, Mr Anek said.
The CSCHEI instructed the university's council to take action and fix the problem and report the outcome to the commission within 45 days, he said.
If the council fails to act in a timely manner, the CSCHEI will ask the office of the permanent secretary for the MHESRI to seek recommendations from the Office of the Higher Education Commission, Mr Anek said.
Mr Anek said he will then exercise his authority under the Higher Education Act to deal with the case.
"The CSCHEI has asked the permanent secretary's office to file legal complaints over the falsification of documents requesting academic positions based on the evidence gathered by the fact-finding panel," Mr Anek said.
He also said the CSCHEI told the university's council to find out whether other university executives and personnel breached the university's disciplinary code of conduct.
If found guilty, they must face disciplinary action and the council must also report this to the CSCHEI in 45 days, Mr Anek said.
The CSCHEI also told the university's council to improve its hiring procedure to adhere to the law governing civil servants in higher education institutes, Mr Anek said.
Mr Anek said that a similar case also occurred at Phitsanulok University and the Higher Education Commission ordered the university's council to revoke the titles of 50 academic appointees.
Of them, 42 were assistant professors and eight associate professors, Mr Anek said, adding that he instructed all private and state universities to take action to prevent fraud associated with seeking academic positions which will tarnish the education system and the reputation of universities.