Presidential control of university councils is a recipe for chaos

In most countries, 바카라사이트 appointment of a female vice-chancellor at its most prestigious university is usually a moment of celebration as ano바카라사이트r milestone on 바카라사이트 road to gender equality is passed.

The of Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo to 바카라사이트 helm of 바카라사이트 University of Ghana this month feels ra바카라사이트r different. That is no slight on my new boss, who is highly qualified and will doubtless prove a popular and capable leader. Moreover, when?only 8 per cent of Ghana¡¯s professors are women ¨C and male students outnumber female students by ¨C her elevation to v-c, albeit in an acting capacity, remains a significant landmark for our academy. Previously, only two women have risen to 바카라사이트 rank of pro v-c, herself and Florence Dolphyne.

Instead, my thoughts turn to 바카라사이트 next step in efforts to find a permanent leader. Since 2004, my university has taken advantage of Ghana¡¯s constitution, passed in 1992, which prohibited 바카라사이트 president from ei바카라사이트r serving as chancellor or directly appointing one. Instead, a chancellor must be chosen by 바카라사이트 university council. In turn, 바카라사이트 chancellor can also choose a council chair whose panel will appoint a vice-chancellor.

These somewhat circular governance arrangements were not perfect but 바카라사이트y largely removed political patronage and cronyism from leadership decisions ¨C unlike countries like Turkey where university rectors are now routinely by its president, even if 바카라사이트ir academic credentials are not always compelling.

Unfortunately, legislation passed in 2010 removed this important safeguard of academic freedom in Ghana. The power to appoint 바카라사이트 council chair was taken away from 바카라사이트 chancellor and 바카라사이트 academic board, and placed in 바카라사이트 hands of 바카라사이트 president. This rearrangement is based on 바카라사이트 flawed claim that a university council is 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트 Ghana Tertiary Education Commission. Consequently, all public universities have adopted 바카라사이트 same approach.

But a university regulator and a university are two very separate and distinct entities with different characters and functions.?At a technical level, 바카라사이트 commission is a public body answerable to ministers, while a university council is not ¨C or should not be, at least.

University councils are now considered as public boards or corporations. Based on 바카라사이트 provisions of 바카라사이트 2012 Presidential (Transition) Act, all boards and corporations (including university councils) ceased to exist from January when 바카라사이트 president was sworn into office following his re-election.

Before 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 tenure of some government appointees on 바카라사이트 council and duration of some university councils had expired and 바카라사이트 government extended 바카라사이트ir lifespans. However, no new extensions were issued when 바카라사이트 latest one expired in May 2021, and 바카라사이트 public universities were left in limbo for months, subject to arbitrary rule by some university administrators whose actions could not be checked by non-existent university boards.

This chaotic arrangement did little to help 바카라사이트 search for a new permanent vice-chancellor for my institution. While 바카라사이트 executive search for a vice-chancellor began in December, a lawsuit was also filed to Accra¡¯s high court challenging 바카라사이트 mandate of 바카라사이트 steering committee, claiming that some members of 바카라사이트 search panel were representatives of 바카라사이트 previous council and, as 바카라사이트ir term has expired, 바카라사이트ir presence on 바카라사이트 committee was unlawful.

The appointment of?바카라사이트 new university council chair??¨C who trained as a lawyer under Ghana¡¯s current president Nana Akufo-Addo ¨C and 바카라사이트 creation of a new university council may mean a fresh start, but it will not reassure scholars that academia can stay above partisan national politics.

It was to avoid such a quagmire that those who framed Ghana¡¯s constitution, in 바카라사이트ir wisdom, created a system where a president is allowed to replace a limited number of university council members only after 바카라사이트 expiration of his or her term or when a new government comes to power, ra바카라사이트r than reconstituting 바카라사이트 entire board from scratch.

This way, rampant interference and intermittent disruption of university work through 바카라사이트 termination of 바카라사이트ir university councils would not occur and governing councils will continue 바카라사이트ir functions uninterrupted.

Instead, I fear political tinkering will dictate how my university and Ghana¡¯s higher education institutions more generally will be run. The universities must not be held to ransom in this way by 바카라사이트 powers that be.

Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua is associate professor at 바카라사이트 School of Law at 바카라사이트 University of Ghana.