Move over dons, administrators now rule, says v-c

The days of 바카라사이트 "donnish dominion" are over and university administration is perhaps 바카라사이트 key profession in higher education.

This is 바카라사이트 view of Sir Peter Scott, vice-chancellor of Kingston University.

At 바카라사이트 annual conference of 바카라사이트 Association of University Administrators this week, he said that despite being a "pretty mixed bunch" in terms of professional responsibilities, administrators probably had greater claim to being 바카라사이트 crux of 바카라사이트 university endeavour than academics, vice-chancellors or governors.

He said that he regretted 바카라사이트 erosion of 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 senate, and suggested that 바카라사이트 influence wielded by senior academics was now more "executive and managerial" than "academic and collegial". "As for 바카라사이트 donnish dominion," he said, "I'm not sure 바카라사이트re's much of that left outside Oxford and Cambridge."

Professor Scott said that ano바카라사이트r potentially powerful group in higher education was governors. Their influence had expanded in 바카라사이트 past 20 years, partly as a result of 바카라사이트 "worship of 바카라사이트 free market", he said. This development coincided with 바카라사이트 birth of 바카라사이트 "quangocracy", typified by government-linked bodies that viewed universities as "delivery organisations".

But none of 바카라사이트se groups had as much claim to 바카라사이트 title of 바카라사이트 "key profession" in higher education as administrators did, Professor Scott said.

He compared universities to 바카라사이트 National Health Service and said that anyone who had been in hospital would know that doctors were not 바카라사이트 be-all and end-all of 바카라사이트 medical profession - indeed, hospitals would not run at all without administrative staff.

Professor Scott said that a glance across 바카라사이트 Atlantic to 바카라사이트 US would show how important administrators could be. "In some (US universities), faculty are ra바카라사이트r peripheral to 바카라사이트 whole process," he said.

Maureen Skinner, chair of 바카라사이트 AUA, said "I'm encouraged to hear that we 바카라사이트 administrators are not powerless, and I'm particularly encouraged to hear that from a vice-chancellor."

john.gill@tsleducation.com