Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research Professor Derrick Armstrong is now the University of the South Pacific’s acting Vice Chancellor. [File Photo]

Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research Professor Derrick Armstrong is now the University of the South Pacific’s acting Vice Chancellor.

This comes as USP’s Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia was being told to step down to allow for an independent investigation relating to allegations of misconduct and breaches of USP policies and procedures.

FBC News has independently verified that the USP Executive Committee which met yesterday has decided that the allegations against Professor Ahluwalia need to be looked into.

This arises from a report compiled by the Chair of the Risk and Audit Committee Mahmood Khan, listing numerous incidents of alleged breaches by the USP Vice Chancellor.

This is the report that has caused ripples across the university, alleging that Professor Ahluwalia has at least on 33 occasions breached USP good governance policies and procedures.

The report was compiled by Khan who also sits on the USP Council.

However, while addressing supporters at a protest at the University’s Laucala Campus yesterday, Professor Ahluwalia says he has not received any communication with regards to stepping down.

FBC News has also received information that Professor Ahluwalia has been allegedly cut off from his emails.

It’s understood USP’s staff union and student association have planned to gather this afternoon near the VC’s office as some are claiming there has been no formal notification of the change to the Vice Chancellor post.