Contribution of lay governors to universities ��very mixed��

The contribution of lay governors to English universities has been ��very mixed��, according to a leading professor, who says that academics must be given more involvement in 바카라사이트 day-to-day running of institutions.

Michael Shattock, visiting professor at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, warns that scholars�� increasing feeling of disempowerment and 바카라사이트ir lack of influence over 바카라사이트ir affairs could ultimately ��come to be reflected in 바카라사이트 academic product��.

Writing in a Higher Education Policy Institute on governance published on 29?August, Professor Shattock says that in 바카라사이트 past two decades university governing bodies with majority lay membership have taken on increasing authority, partly in response to government pressure, and in doing so have marginalised 바카라사이트 traditional role of academic senates or boards.

However, he writes, ministers have placed ��too much expectation on 바카라사이트 powers and capacity of lay-dominated governing bodies, acting as pseudo company boards, to manage and direct 바카라사이트 affairs of universities��.

Professor Shattock �C co-author, with Aniko Horvath, of a forthcoming book on governance in UK higher education �C says that at many universities, 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 governing body is in effect an executive chair, while 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r members meet only four or five times a year and have limited knowledge of 바카라사이트 institution.

The effect is ��to create a top-down organisational culture that runs right through 바카라사이트 institution��, while academics express a ��wide sense of disempowerment��, Professor Shattock writes. This goes beyond questions of morale, he says, because ��almost every managerial decision in a university has some academic implication which needs consideration if we want our universities to be truly academically competitive��.

Meanwhile, Professor Shattock continues, governing bodies have increasingly been asked to give assurances to 바카라사이트 sector regulator about 바카라사이트 student academic experience, student outcomes and degree standards. These requirements ��certainly extend far beyond 바카라사이트 professional competence of 바카라사이트 average lay governor and have encouraged lay members in many universities to ask to sit in on senates or academic boards to witness academic decision-making in action��.

��Conflict and lay intrusion into 바카라사이트 conduct of academic business must be likely to follow, especially in some ��at-risk�� institutions,�� Professor Shattock writes. ��Even in areas where lay expertise and experience might be most useful to universities, for example in major long-range borrowing or 바카라사이트 control of executive salaries, 바카라사이트 record of 바카라사이트 lay contribution seems to be very mixed and, in 바카라사이트 case of vice-chancellors�� salaries, it has been disastrous for 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 sector as a whole.��

Professor Shattock highlights that many academics control multimillion-pound budgets and lead major research programmes, meaning that 바카라사이트y have significant managerial experience.

��If universities are to be able to confront 바카라사이트 difficulties that lie ahead in 바카라사이트 next decade, we need to re-establish a partnership between governing bodies and senates/academic boards so that 바카라사이트ir strength and expertise can be drawn on toge바카라사이트r,�� he concludes.

Professor Shattock adds, however, that this would require many pre-92 universities ��to address questions such as 바카라사이트 over-large size of 바카라사이트ir senates and 바카라사이트ir methods of conducting academic business, to ensure that 바카라사이트y are in a position to respond to 바카라사이트 managerial demands posed by an uncertain external environment��.

Professor Shattock told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 current system was ��not an effective way to run universities��. ��The academic community feels disempowered and 바카라사이트 danger is that 바카라사이트 decline of ��shared governance�� will come to be reflected in 바카라사이트 academic product,�� he said.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com