When external circumstances change it is essential to work within the obligations of those changes to achieve the best outcomes. In November last year, the Victorian parliament passed new legislation that altered the composition of the Councils of all Victorian universities. By far the most significant change for universities was that elected positions for staff and students were discontinued, effective 1 January 2013.
A side effect of this change in Monash University’s case was that our Council size was legislatively reduced from 14 to 11 members at the start of this year.
In anticipation of these changes to Council’s size and composition, last year Council asked a small working group of Council members, headed by one of our Deputy Chancellors, to consult with staff, students and fellow Council members. Informed by the report from this working group, at its first meeting this year Council decided three major responses to the new legislation.
First, we agreed that we would increase our size from 11 to 15, to ensure that we have sufficient members to bring a broad-based skill set and a diverse set of views to Council deliberations.
Second, we resolved to appoint a student and a staff member to Council. These new members will be selected for their skills, experience and ability to bring insight to Council that will help Council to deliberate and govern for the benefit of the whole university. In deciding the selection criteria for appointing student and staff members we will be cognisant of what is happening at other universities but we will do what we believe is proper under the legislation and particularly what is best for Monash University.
Third, to strengthen the voice of students on Council, we agreed that we will develop a consultative process to further understand the issues of concern to the student body. Through this process I look forward to Council hearing from time to time from presidents of student associations and other student leaders.
The process for appointing a student and a staff member to Council will be consistent with the legislation, and developed in the first instance by our Membership Committee then decided by Council in one of its upcoming meetings.
Our student and staff members will participate in all deliberations and will have full voting rights on all Council matters.
As a result of these anticipated appointments, Council meetings will have the benefit of student and staff input at all of its future meetings.
Some members of the University community argue that the elimination of elected student and staff representatives on Council will undermine democracy at Victorian universities. This is not so. Universities are managed by the Vice-Chancellor and his or her executive staff. The role of Council is to review and approve the strategy and budget proposed by management. Further, we ensure that the core roles of the university to educate, conduct research and contribute to our community are an essential part of the strategy and properly provided for in the budget. We monitor progress throughout the year and we challenge management to meet and exceed its goals.
Good governance requires that there be a broad skill set and knowledge base among the members of Council, and we believe that this skill set should include an intimate understanding of education, research, community needs, operations, finance, commerce and strategy. All members of Council should bring their unique skill set to the table for the purpose of maximising outcomes for the whole of the university. Our approach to dealing with the recently legislated changes will achieve this intention.
Our overriding goal in our response to the new legislation is to constructively determine the best way forward for Monash University, operating in a financially difficult environment, but always with the intention of providing the best educational and research opportunities for students and staff.
Alan Finkel- Chancellor
Monash University
I like it how he states that some have argued that it will undermine democracy and then goes on to effectively say that democracy doesn’t exist at the university – meaning there is no student voice – because universities are managed by the Chancellors and board. Huh? So it’s not true that is has undermined democracy because there never was a democracy? Then he precedes to list a bunch of bureaucratic motherhood statements straight out of the corporate handbook. How about addressing the issue at hand – about student oversight of university management. If you’re so intent on business governance, you should understand that good public institutions have prominent roles for consumer representatives in their management ala hospitals, schools, galleries etc. Or you could go back to a traditionally more cooperative approach and put the student board places back. Where was the problem before? You didn’t explain the need for a change, you just lobbied an anti-student state government and rammed it down our throats, thinking we wouldn’t notice.
“Some members of the University community argue that the elimination of elected student and staff representatives on Council will undermine democracy at Victorian universities. This is not so. Universities are managed by the Vice-Chancellor and his or her executive staff.”