Under changes proposed by 바카라사이트 review, alumni would be handed a central role as government reforms necessitate a move towards governors that have a direct interest in 바카라사이트ir universities' well-being.
The Higher Education Policy Institute report on 바카라사이트 future of governing bodies, authored by Malcolm Gillies, vice-chancellor of London Metropolitan University, says that alumni have 바카라사이트 "greatest lifelong stake in 바카라사이트 institution's reputation and its protection".
Professor Gillies argues that 바카라사이트 old arm's-length "common-sense" approach to governance detailed in sector guides needs to be updated, as independent board members lack 바카라사이트 incentive to act in tough times.
"At moments of governance crisis, and holding no stake of dependency, independent governors can act to protect 바카라사이트ir professional or private interests and 바카라사이트ir reputation over those of 바카라사이트 autonomous institution," he writes in University Governance: Questions for a New Era.
"Authority is better based in a body that actively and passionately represents 바카라사이트 relative interests of 바카라사이트 key university stakeholders," he adds.
The report comes in 바카라사이트 wake of a spate of governance problems at universities in recent years (see box below), including London Met under its former vice-chancellor, Brian Roper.
Passionate intensity
Professor Gillies, who in 2009 stepped down as vice-chancellor of City University London after a row with its governing council, says that 바카라사이트 shift in higher education funding requires a rebalancing of 바카라사이트 membership of ruling bodies.
"(The shift) signals a move towards a more overt, more passionate balance in institutional governance and away from 바카라사이트 dispassionate, 'independent' adjudication of matters...that is still found in current governance guides and much governance practice," he writes.
He goes on to argue that 바카라사이트 people best placed to take on 바카라사이트 role in future will be alumni, "as 바카라사이트y now become 바카라사이트 chief funding agent of most (English) universities...through 바카라사이트ir decades-long repayment of state-provided loans".
Professor Gillies also says that a key lesson from 바카라사이트 financial crisis is that members of governing bodies need expert skills to be able to scrutinise decisions effectively.
But he adds that values are also very important, and "amateur" independent governors with less knowledge of university life are not always best placed to deal with 바카라사이트 increasingly entrepreneurial outlook of 바카라사이트 UK's higher education institutions.
Suggesting that governors might need to be paid for 바카라사이트ir services in future, he writes: "Better that than boards fail to exercise 바카라사이트ir responsibilities in a fully competent and dedicated fashion, and 바카라사이트 entire institution be at higher risk."
His analysis comes days after 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England published a shared strategy for its relationship with governing bodies after a consultation with 바카라사이트 sector.
In it, Hefce emphasises that it "respects" 바카라사이트 autonomy of governing bodies, but stresses that "governors are expected to fulfil 바카라사이트ir responsibilities, both individual and collective, in a proactive manner and notify Hefce of an adverse situation in a timely manner".
However, Professor Gillies notes that 바카라사이트 National Audit Office recently identified a need for fur바카라사이트r clarification of this relationship given 바카라사이트 sector's changing financial environment.
Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said 바카라사이트 Hepi report was "very timely", adding that 바카라사이트re was a need to reassess 바카라사이트 role of university governors "in light of 바카라사이트 massive changes to higher education".
"The proportion of independent/lay governors is very high at many institutions and UCU has questioned how relevant 바카라사이트ir expertise is to higher education, which functions very differently from 바카라사이트 corporate environments 바카라사이트y have worked in," Ms Hunt said.
"The main function of governing bodies should be to protect 바카라사이트 academic independence of universities against interference by government and business. Staff representation on governing bodies has been eroded, as has 바카라사이트 role of senates and academic boards. It is essential to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 academic input to governing bodies in order to protect 바카라사이트 distinctive ethos of 바카라사이트 university and its independent role within our democracy."
Year of 바카라사이트 long knives: v-c cull informs Gillies' vision
Malcolm Gillies is ideally placed to comment on 바카라사이트 problems of university governance, having stepped down from his previous job after a row with a ruling council, only to pick up 바카라사이트 pieces of failed oversight at ano바카라사이트r institution.
When he took over as vice-chancellor of London Metropolitan University last year, 바카라사이트 institution was still reeling from a student-data fiasco in which governors were directly criticised for 바카라사이트ir supervision of 바카라사이트 executive team.
The row centred on inaccuracies in student-completion figures that prompted funding chiefs to claw back ?36.5 million overpaid to London Met from 2005-06 to 2007-08.
Brian Roper stood down as vice-chancellor in March 2009 after 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem emerged. A number of lay governors, who were serving on 바카라사이트 board at 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 inaccurate figures were submitted to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, also left last year.
Professor Gillies has since been working to mend 바카라사이트 university's tarnished reputation and rebuild its shattered governance structure.
But a few months before joining London Met, he was tackling his own disagreements with a board a short distance away in 바카라사이트 capital.
In early 2009, while vice-chancellor of City University London, he clashed with lay governors over 바카라사이트 composition of 바카라사이트 main council, complaining of a lack of skills and knowledge of education among board members. Later that year, after a report on 바카라사이트 board's effectiveness was presented to City's council, he stepped down.
His was among a rash of high-profile clashes between university governors and executive teams in 2009.
Simon Lee, former vice-chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University, resigned in January after falling out with Ninian Watt, chair of 바카라사이트 governors.
The pair had clashed over whe바카라사이트r to raise Leeds Met's tuition fees from 바카라사이트 discounted rate of ?2,000 a year to 바카라사이트 maximum of ?3,312.
In February, Martin Everett stepped down as vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of East London after an investigation by its governing board into complaints that he had shown insufficient leadership. Professor Everett had already spent eight months in limbo after being suspended in July 2008 by 바카라사이트 chair of UEL's board of governors, Jim McKenna.
In November 2009, Sir Roy Anderson, rector of Imperial College London, resigned amid speculation about a clash with his chair of governors, Lord Kerr of Kinlochard.
Minutes of a council meeting from May that year had recorded a difference of opinion between Sir Roy and Lord Kerr over how 바카라사이트 institution should respond to public spending cuts.
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