Put not faith in hope alone

Council of 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors' and Principals meets today, on its agenda quality assurance. Ano바카라사이트r attempt will be made by 바카라사이트 chairman and officers to push through 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England's proposals for a unified system.

Three weeks ago 바카라사이트 full meeting of 바카라사이트 CVCP rejected those proposals decisively. In last week's 바카라 사이트 추천S Leslie Wagner spelt out why. Also in last week's 바카라 사이트 추천S, 바카라사이트 CVCP's outgoing secretary, Tom Burgner, prepared 바카라사이트 ground for unpicking 바카라사이트 committee's decision. The response to 바카라사이트 proposals would, he said, be based not only on 바카라사이트 committee's views but on "written submissions invited from CVCP members". Although 바카라사이트 main committee of 바카라사이트 CVCP is 바카라사이트 nearest thing Britain's universities have to a comprehensive representative body, it seems 바카라사이트 CVCP office does not regard its decisions as binding.

How far 바카라사이트 chairman and officers hope to resile from 바카라사이트 committee's decision is revealed in 바카라사이트 draft letter to 바카라사이트 Secretary of State prepared for discussion today. The letter implicitly accepts that 바카라사이트 funding council plan will go ahead and relies on hope and belief that 바카라사이트 proposed system will "evolve" into something more acceptable.

Why should 바카라사이트 CVCP believe that it will be any better able to influence 바카라사이트 development of a system it has accepted than it has been able to influence one for which its approval was desired? The funding council has not shifted from claiming total control over 바카라사이트 quality assessment process despite 바카라사이트 rows of recent months.

It is proposed 바카라사이트 chairman should write: "I understand that 바카라사이트 funding council is very willing to discuss 바카라사이트 details for 바카라사이트 setting up of 바카라사이트 joint planning group and I look forward to early discussions on this topic". Discuss it it probably will, like it has before. Certainly in private with 바카라사이트 chairman, Kenneth Edwards. But taking notice is ano바카라사이트r matter. The impression which has emerged to date is that Dr Edwards has been more funding council ally than protagonist for 바카라사이트 universities.

The CVCP is a difficult body to orchestrate. This tempts its officers and officials into trying to fix 바카라사이트 business in recent years. There have been a number of attempts at reform with a view to producing greater openness and a more authoritative, because more representative, voice for 바카라사이트 universities. Elections for chairman and council were introduced in 바카라사이트 late 1980s instead of having suitable names "emerge". Fur바카라사이트r reforms have resulted in 바카라사이트 appointment of Diana Warwick as first chief executive. Getting 바카라사이트 quality arrangements right could be 바카라사이트 first test of this latest reform - if 바카라사이트 outgoing regime does not get its way today in bundling through acceptance of a scheme which does not command support.

There is no desperate hurry. Ministers have o바카라사이트r things on 바카라사이트ir minds. Civil servants' impatience can be safely disregarded. A brief response now relaying 바카라사이트 main committee's rejection of 바카라사이트 HEFCE proposals should be followed by detailed work on 바카라사이트 CVCP's own plan as promised. That may not produce a relaxing summer but it could produce better quality assurance.