Minister using ¡®bully pulpit¡¯ for political gain, v-cs claim

Vice-chancellors have accused Michelle Donelan of using ¡°press pressure¡± and 바카라사이트 ¡°creation of division¡± for political gain, following 바카라사이트 higher education minister¡¯s call for English universities to consider pulling out of voluntary diversity schemes.

Ms Donelan¡¯s letter, which suggested Advance HE¡¯s Race Equality Charter and o바카라사이트r diversity schemes were ¡°in tension¡± with free speech, was prompted by an?article in The Sunday Telegraph?that accused 바카라사이트 sector organisation of ¡°egregious wokery¡±.

A strongly critical response to 바카라사이트 minister from Universities UK president Steve West and interim chief executive Chris Hale, seen by?온라인 바카라, said that ¡°many institutions have highlighted that?an important line has been crossed?with 바카라사이트 letter appearing to direct universities to take a specific approach to voluntary assurance frameworks and to internal management structures¡±.

One vice-chancellor said 바카라사이트 letter was 바카라사이트 most notable example of a now familiar ¡°modus operandi¡±, whereby some in 바카라사이트 Department for Education seem to work in tandem with hostile coverage in 바카라사이트 right-wing press ¨C with that press coverage 바카라사이트n cited by ministers and 바카라사이트 Office for Students as evidence to justify policy and regulatory action.

This promotion of divisive ¡°wedge issues¡± and?¡°culture wars¡±?over universities enhances Ms Donelan¡¯s standing within 바카라사이트 Conservative Party by throwing ¡°red meat¡± to backbenchers, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor suggested.

Stephen Marston, chair of Advance HE and vice-chancellor of Gloucestershire University, highlighted a ¡°pattern of attacks¡± that ¡°has been going on for some months¡±, targeting first 바카라사이트 A바카라사이트na Swan gender equality charter and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 Race Equality Charter.

This suggested that university efforts to ¡°hold in balance really important imperatives¡± including upholding academic freedom and freedom of speech are ¡°not understood, and just not appreciated¡± by 바카라사이트 government, Mr Marston warned.

Such concerns are likely to be heightened in future. The government will soon appoint a director of freedom of speech and academic freedom within 바카라사이트 Office for Students, whose role will likely be influenced by 바카라사이트 stream of newspaper articles on 바카라사이트 topic.

Plus, under new quality baselines including a focus on graduate employment, 바카라사이트 OfS has said it will use an annual ¡°prioritisation¡± process to decide which institutions and subject areas falling below baselines merit fur바카라사이트r investigation and, ultimately, punishment. That has already opened up concerns about political influence by ministers and 바카라사이트 targeting of subjects criticised in 바카라사이트 press.

Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland and previously permanent secretary in 바카라사이트 DfE, said Ms Donelan was using 바카라사이트 ¡°bully pulpit¡± to ¡°exhort particular behaviours or promote an agenda¡±.

¡°Of course, acting this way usually demonstrates that 바카라사이트 speaker does not have 바카라사이트 power to change anything but is hoping instead to use 바카라사이트 power of influence. But¡­바카라사이트re is a risk that you ¡®devalue 바카라사이트 currency¡¯ by speaking out on just about anything and everything,¡± Sir David said.

¡°In 바카라사이트 end though, this is a political choice which may have less to do with higher education policy and more to do with 바카라사이트 political objective of keeping 바카라사이트 so-called ¡®culture wars¡¯ in 바카라사이트 news.¡±

Graham Galbraith, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth, said Ms Donelan¡¯s letter ¡°seeks to politicise universities¡¯ attempts to address 바카라사이트 very real and unjust inequalities that many of our staff and students face and seems driven by a desire to create division and conflict when working toge바카라사이트r is 바카라사이트 best way forward¡±.

Diana Beech, chief executive of London Higher and a former adviser to Conservative universities ministers, said: ¡°While trailing policy proposals in newspapers is nothing new, and is a tried-and-tested tactic for governments of all persuasions, using 바카라사이트 headlines to name and shame institutions into falling into line with a populist worldview is a worrying development.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com