Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors University governors

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Chancellors and Vice-ChancellorsUniversity
governors perceptions of relationships,
leadership and cultural influence
EAIR Forum, Copenhagen. August 26, 2008
Cathy Rytmeister Learning and Teaching
Centre Macquarie University Australia
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Outline

• Background
• Member perceptions
• Governing body culture
• Chancellor influence
• Vice-Chancellor (VC) influence
• Chancellor-VC relationship
• Consensus and diversity illustrative examples
• Maintaining an enabling governing body culture

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Unique Australians
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University governance in Australia

• Overall governing bodies (Councils) established
  by University enabling Acts
• Up to 22 members
• ex officio Vice-Chancellor (CEO), Chancellor
  (Chair) and usually Chair of Academic (Faculty)
  Board/Senate
• appointed by Education Minister, other official
  on governing body recommendation, or the
  governing body itself
• elected by staff (academic and general), and
  students (undergraduate and postgraduate)

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Governance and management
Adoption of commercial corporate governance and
management principles and practices ? emergence
of VC as Chief Executive Officer ? separation of
governance and management action systems ?
increased emphasis on the governance- management
boundary (although there remain many grey
areas) ? University Councils taking ownership
of the governance role
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The study

• Project Interpretive study of Council members
  construction of role adaptive theory-building
  informed by cultural and social cognition
  approaches
• Data Semi-structured interviews (36 initial and
  23 follow-up) with Council members from all
  categories (ex officio, elected and appointed)
  observations of Council meetings examination of
  selected Council documents
• Institutions Seven universities in four
  jurisdictions types include sandstone,
  regional, dual sector (VET and Higher Education)
  and new universities (amalgamations of former
  institutes of technology and colleges of advanced
  education)

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An interpretive-symbolic perspective
cultural artefacts (behavioural, physical,
verbal) shared meaning(s)
Symbols
values and norms
assumptions and beliefs
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Diversity in Council social groups
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Findings summary

• A high level of consensus amongst Council members
  that certain cultural features are necessary (but
  not necessarily sufficient) conditions for
  effective governance
• Three important influences on Council culture
• Chancellor behaviour
• Vice-Chancellor behaviour
• Chancellor-VC relationship
• Areas of consensus and diversity in member
  interpretations of these influences
• Desirable capabilities and practices for
  maintaining an enabling Council culture

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Positive (enabling) cultural features

• Inclusiveness, respect, trust, openness,
  integrity, cohesiveness, common purpose,
  commitment
• Confidence in leadership and management
  (Chancellor and VC)
• Members expertise, experience, knowledge and
  commitment valued and leveraged
• Opportunity to express diverse views
• Professional standards of behaviour
• Consensus orientation
• Questions welcomed and encouraged

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Chancellor influence

• Setting the tone
• Key mechanisms
• Chairing Council meetings
• Managing Council machinery
• Fostering relationships and cooperation
• Establishment and maintenance of the
  governance-management boundary
• Relationship with the Vice-Chancellor

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Vice-Chancellor influence

• Inspiring confidence and defining roles
• Behaviours that
• define and build the Vice-Chancellors
  relationship with Council
• Demonstrate the Vice-Chancellors competence,
  capability and integrity
• Establish and maintain the governance-management
  boundary
• Demonstrate a constructive relationship with the
  Chancellor

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Chancellor-VC relationship

• The Council fulcrum
• Of central importance to the effective
  functioning of Council
• Symbolises and personifies the governance-manageme
  nt boundary
• Dynamic dependent on
• personalities
• stage of VCs life cycle
• Chancellors familiarity with institution

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Consensus on positive culture
key artefacts Chancellor, VC behaviours and
relationship rituals of practice (meetings,
retreats) information (reports etc)
Shared Interpret-ations
Symbols
values and norms respect, openness,
inclusiveness, trust, service, commitment
Chancellor and VC behaviours that align with
shared values are viewed as positive. These
behavioural artefacts symbolise the leaders
commitment to the shared values.
assumptions/beliefs best practice is achieved
through cooperation, partnership between Council
and Executive, harnessing of diverse perspectives
in university interest
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Diverse interpretations of Chancellor and VC
behaviour

• Variation is most evident in relation to
• the nature of the governance-management boundary
  and
• the balance of power between Vice-Chancellor and
  Council.
• Different interpretations of behaviours largely
  corresponds to social identities defined by
• relationship to University (internal/external)
• closeness to VC and/or Chancellor
• governance and management expertise and related
  experience in large organisations.

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Diversity in Council social groups
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Examples

• Provision of information
• Definition and defence of governance-management
  boundary
• Valuing member expertise

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Examples

• Provision of information
• Definition and defence of governance-management
  boundary
• Valuing member expertise

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Examples

• Provision of information
• Definition and defence of governance-management
  boundary
• Valuing member expertise

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Tipping points

• Combinations or accumulations of negative
  perceptions and circumstances may constitute a
  tipping point.
• Circumstances under which tensions may escalate
  include
• concerns over University performance
• imbalance in the Chancellor-VC relationship
• loss of confidence in the VC
• loss of trust
• loss of confidence in the quality and
  completeness of information provided to Council
• internal disputes
• changing external environment

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Maintenance of positive, enabling Council culture

• A shared responsibility of Council members, but
  Chancellor
• and Vice-Chancellor have key roles and
  responsibilities
• Awareness of diverse interpretations of
  behaviours and relationship, and the impact of
  these interpretations
• Acknowledging, valuing and leveraging diversity
  WHILE building cooperation and common purpose
• Aligning behaviours and relationship with shared
  values and norms of a governance-enabling culture
  
• Rather than defending or avoiding the
  governance-management boundary, using discussion
  of issues at the boundary to make meaning and
  increase understanding

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Questions and discussion
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