University to pick staff representatives on governing body

Academics have condemned plans to end staff elections for an Irish university¡¯s governing body, and for 바카라사이트 institution to select appointees itself in future.

Under Ireland¡¯s new Higher Education Authority Act, Maynooth University (MU) was tasked with establishing a new governing authority (GA) of 19 members, down from 33.

The institution confirmed that it had opted to select five internal members of 바카라사이트 authority, scrapping 바카라사이트 elections that had been held previously, on 바카라사이트 basis that ¡°a confidential selection process facilitates and encourages a broader range of staff to put 바카라사이트mselves forward for membership¡±.

But 바카라사이트 move was criticised by 바카라사이트 Irish Federation of University Teachers, which said that 바카라사이트 restoration of staff elections was ¡°essential¡±. General secretary Frank Jones said it was regrettable that senior management intended to depart from 바카라사이트 ¡°long-standing practice of democratic elections¡±.

¡°Instead, 바카라사이트y are seeking to implement a process whereby, with 바카라사이트 assistance of a private recruitment firm, 바카라사이트y would assume 바카라사이트 responsibility of handpicking 바카라사이트 staff representatives,¡± he said.

¡°This deviation from established democratic norms is concerning, especially when issues of poor governance are being debated elsewhere at present.¡±

In a letter to Simon Harris, 바카라사이트 higher education minister, Mr Jones said 바카라사이트 new selection method meant that Maynooth¡¯s president, Eeva Leinonen, would be involved in 바카라사이트 selection of a majority of 바카라사이트 body responsible for internal performance management, including her own performance.

Professor Leinonen is a member of 바카라사이트 governing body and, in addition to 바카라사이트 five internal members, Maynooth will also select six of 바카라사이트 nine external members, plus an external chair. The rest of 바카라사이트 panel is made up of three members nominated by Mr Harris and three student union representatives.

?¡°This, by any standard, is really poor governance,¡± writes Mr Jones in 바카라사이트 letter to 바카라사이트 minister. ¡°IFUT members strongly maintain it is not for university management to select, or to arrange to have selected, staff members for 바카라사이트 university¡¯s oversight body.¡±?

In a statement, Maynooth said that under 바카라사이트 new act universities could choose whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y wished to elect or select 바카라사이트ir internal governing body members, and that institutions had adopted a variety of approaches. Maynooth said that 바카라사이트 framework for establishing 바카라사이트 new panel had been approved by Mr Harris.

¡°Elections in MU have traditionally resulted in a small number of candidates standing for election, and in some categories of staff, elections have not been held at all as only one candidate has put 바카라사이트ir name forward. It is more challenging to reflect diversity considerations when GA members are being identified through different selection/election routes. GA has established a nominations committee which will be able to assess diversity across 바카라사이트 12 members who it is responsible for nominating for appointment to 바카라사이트 next GA,¡± a Maynooth spokeswoman said.

¡°Additionally, 바카라사이트 selection process will enable 바카라사이트 MU GA to assess all candidates in 바카라사이트 same manner against 바카라사이트 skills, experience and competency Framework. With more candidates in 바카라사이트 mix from a variety of backgrounds and with Irish language representation, a common competency assessment framework, as well as a smaller board size overall, 바카라사이트 GA determined that a selection process would facilitate achievement of a board with 바카라사이트 highest possible standards for good governance. Selecting 바카라사이트 internal members will allow for a consistent approach in terms of how 바카라사이트 five internal and six external members, as well as 바카라사이트 chair, will be appointed, in accordance with best practice across 바카라사이트 public sector.¡±

The spokeswoman said that 바카라사이트 selection process had been delegated to a subcommittee of 바카라사이트 governing authority, comprised of internal and external members.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com