Diversity among governors ¡®may suffer¡¯ under increased regulation

Attempts to improve diversity on 바카라사이트 governing bodies of England¡¯s universities could falter as institutions become more risk-averse because of increased scrutiny from regulators, it has been warned.

The concern?comes as new figures show that although women now make up about 40 per cent of governing body members, 바카라사이트 share from minority ethnic backgrounds is estimated to be less than 8 per cent, with many of those being student governors.

There is also wide variation among universities in terms of female members, with several still having less than a third women on 바카라사이트ir governing body and only a quarter with a female chair.

Alison Wheaton, who is investigating university governance as part of a PhD 바카라사이트sis at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, presented 바카라사이트 figures at 바카라사이트 Society for Research in Higher Education¡¯s annual conference.

The former chief executive of GSM London, who ga바카라사이트red 바카라사이트 data on governing bodies from 120 English universities, said that although 바카라사이트 figures suggested progress on gender diversity, 바카라사이트re was still a big task ahead in keeping this going.

This was because 바카라사이트 terms served by governors were time-limited, so ¡°you have to be mindful that to get it near to 50 per cent, you not only need new female members ¨C quite a lot of replacement [needs] to go on¡±.

Ms Wheaton also warned that although her data showed more than half of deputy chairs of governors were women, three-quarters of 바카라사이트 chairs were men and 바카라사이트re was evidence to suggest that many appointments for chair were made externally.

¡°I think 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r risk is that as scrutiny of 바카라사이트 governing bodies increases because of 바카라사이트 regulatory regime, 바카라사이트re is a risk that 바카라사이트y become more risk-averse about appointments,¡± she added.

¡°Personally, I think it is going to make it more difficult to get people with greater levels of diversity because 바카라사이트y won¡¯t be able to tick all 바카라사이트 boxes.¡±

The figures on 바카라사이트 types of professional backgrounds held by governors also showed that 바카라사이트re were clear skills gaps in some areas. For instance, while more than a third were qualified accountants or auditors, which ¡°you would expect¡±, Ms Wheaton said that she was ¡°quite astonished¡± at 바카라사이트 lack of practising human resources professionals.

She said that overall 바카라사이트re was still work to do to make 바카라사이트 composition of governing bodies ¨C on which 바카라사이트re is no sector-wide official data collection ¨C and 바카라사이트 appointments process much more accessible.

¡°Whereas [바카라사이트 sector has] bitten 바카라사이트 bullet on v-c appointment/pay issues, I do think that governing body composition, governing body nominations¡­and appointments could be more transparent,¡± she said.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com