Anyone with an interest in university and wānanga governance, please check the website out and give feedback. The changes proposed for universities are briefly as follows: 1. Decrease council size Current system: Not fewer than 12 nor more than 20 members. New system: Not fewer than 8 nor more than 12 members. Basic rationale: ‘Larger governing bodies can experience problems of poor communication and decision-making.’ Or... Decrease the number of potential agitators. 2. Make council membership requirements more flexible Current system: Four members appointed by the Minister responsible for tertiary education; the chief executive/vice-chancellor; one to three members of the academic staff; one to three members of the general staff; one to three students; having regard to the courses provided by the institution, one member representing the central organisation of employers; having regard to the courses provided by the institution, one member representing the central organisation of workers; if appropriate, one member representing professional bodies. New system: Four members appointed by the Minister responsible for tertiary education (no change from status quo); between four and eight members appointed by the council, according to the university’s constitution. Basic rationale: ‘Current governance settings for universities are based on a representative model of governance, which prioritises stakeholder representation over the capability of council members.’ Or... Increase the Minister’s power, and weaken the representative nature of the councils. 3. Require the Minister and councils to appoint council members with the skills to govern universities Current system: The Act directs the Minister as far as practicable to appoint council members with management experience to enable the council to perform its functions. The Act does not direct councils to consider whether council members are capable of governing universities. The Act indicates the desirability that councils reflect the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of the communities served by the institution, and the fact that approximately half the population of New Zealand is male and half the population is female. New system: The Minister and councils would be required to appoint council members who have skills and experience that make them capable of governing universities. These changes could complement existing legislation indicating the desirability that councils reflect the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of the communities served by the institution, and the fact that approximately half the population of New Zealand is male and half the population is female. Basic rationale: ‘Current governance settings for universities are based on a representative model of governance, which prioritises stakeholder representation over the capability of council members. In not prioritising the capability of members, representative councils may not be strong or well-equipped.’ Or... Weaken the emphasis on diversity, while claiming a need for greater emphasis on merit (though it is not clear that there is currently a lack). Note that if you happen to be a fan of meritocracy, it is decidedly not the basis for central government. 4. Clarify the duties and accountabilities of individual council members Current system: Current legislation specifies only the duties of entire councils, not the duties and accountabilities of individual council members. New system: Legislation would outline expectations for council members’ individual duties with regards to acting with honesty and integrity, in good faith, and with reasonable care, diligence, and skill. Legislation would also outline expectations regarding disclosure of information by individual council members. Legislation would outline sanctions for individual council members who do not fulfil their duties, including action brought against the individual by the council and removal from the council. Basic rationale: ‘Accountability mechanisms that hold individual council members responsible for fulfilling their duties are important for taking a comprehensive approach to helping to ensure that councils are highly functioning.’ Or... Limit potential disclosure of information, and tighten sanctions for those who breach the new rules, while claiming a need for more honesty and integrity (though it is not clear that there is currently a lack). In sum, on the face of it, the proposed legislation changes are none of them outrageous. On closer inspection, however, it would appear that the government intends to increase its influence on university and wānanga councils, at the expense of representation and diversity, while claiming, with no proof, that councils are currently inefficient, incompetent, and dishonest. Ironically, the legislation change would almost certainly see an increase in middle-aged white males with business backgrounds. At this point, I ask myself what exactly qualifies Steven Joyce to be Minister for Tertiary Education. According to the National Party website: ‘After completing a zoology degree at Massey University, Steven started his first radio station, Energy FM, in his home town of New Plymouth, at age 21. Along with two business partners, he built up The RadioWorks both organically and by acquisition over 17 years until, as a listed public company, it consisted of 22 local radio stations and four national radio networks with 650 staff in twenty branches around New Zealand. Along the way he launched nationwide music stations The Edge, and Solid Gold FM, and developed The Rock network.’ Draw your own conclusions.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Oct 2013 21:38:24 +0000
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