Relationship between Council Members and Stakeholders and

Stakeholder-Interests

Ministerial Council Appointees Workshop – 26 March 214

DEFINITION OF STAKEHOLDERSThe following are recurring questions in the Higher Education Sector:•Who are ‘our’ stakeholders? (universities)•Who are ‘our communities? (Community Engagement Practitioners);•Which constituencies should be ‘represented’? (often on Institutional/University Forum)

EDUCATION WHITE PAPER 3 ; 1997“Good governance must be based on a recognition of the existence of such different interests and the inevitability of contestation among them, and must therefore create structures and encourage processes which enable differences to be negotiated in participative and transparent ways. Successful negotiation and co-operative practice depend on the parties reaching agreement about the mission of the institution and their joint responsibilities toward it” [Paragraph 3.3]

EDUCATION WHITE PAPER 3 ; 1997“The transformation of councils through a participative democratic process involving all relevant and recognised stakeholders is a critical first step in creating strategies for the transformation of institutions. Transformed councils that enjoy the support and respect of all stakeholders will then be able to play an effective role in establishing the necessary policies and structures for the transformation of institutions” [Paragraph 3.35]

COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL• FACT: All South African universities endeavour to have

their ‘stakeholders’ represented or reflected on the University Council.

• Once upon a time, ‘we’ did not know how ‘our’ Councils were constituted.

• ‘We’ = undergraduate and postgraduate students; junior academics; Support/administrative staff; Professors; Head of Departments/Schools; Deans; Members of Senate; Senate representative on University Council.

• Could this still be the case?

STANDARD HIGHER EDUCATION STATUTEGovernment Gazette #86 – 25/01/2002. Higher Education Act, 1997.The challenge of reducing the size of the University of the Witwatesrand Council from 44 to at most 30. Which ‘stakeholders’ to be represented and which ‘stakeholders’ would have no representatives in the new Council?

INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS ON COUNCIL, GOVERNMENT GAZETTE 86• The principal;• Not more than 2 vice-principals;• 2 members of Senate elected by Senate; • 2 academic employees of the institution

elected by the academic employees;• 2 students, elected by the SRC;• 2 non-academic employees elected by the

non-academic employees;

EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS ON COUNCIL, GOVERNMENT GAZETTE 86• 5 persons appointed by the Minister;• 3 members of the Convocation elected by the

Convocation;• 10 members with a broad spectrum of

competencies in the fields of education, business, finance, law, marketing, information technology and human resource management.

• Such members as co-opted by the Council.

REPRESENTATIVES ON SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY COUNCILSThe annual reports submitted by universities can be a source of information about the ‘stakeholders’ represented on Council. These include•Organised Labour;•Donors/Board of Governors/University Foundation.•Community Designates;

CONTINUED• Municipality;• Provincial Government;• Premier;• BUSA;• Science Councils;• Local Traditional Authority;• Local Business Community;• Civic Society;• Parent representative (only 1 institution);• NEDLAC

CONVENTIONAL STAKEHOLDERS• University Executive;• Senate;• Academic staff;• Non-academic staff;• Students/SRC;• Convocation;• Minister of Higher Education and Training;• Alumni/Convocation.

CONTINUED• Donors;• Organised Labour;• Organised (local?) business;• Municipality/ Local Government;• Province;• Government Departments (DST; DTI; DoH; etc)• Professional Associations;• Sciences Councils;• Parents.

One of the universities has categorised stakeholders into four groups•Influencers;•Investors;•Beneficiaries;•Partners.

INTERESTS AND ISSUESSENATE“The senate is accountable to the council for the academic and research functions of a public education institution and must perform such functions as may be delegated to it by the council” [Higher Education Act, Section 28(1) to (4).]•Vice-Chancellor as Chairperson of Senate and also being accountable to Council for the management and administration of a public higher education institution – this sometimes creates ambiguities.•Human resources and academic appointments;•Finance and academic priorities

STUDENTSCouncil sometimes is expected to ‘mediate’ disputes or tensions between students and management/leadership of the institution around•Tuition fees;•Financial Aid;•Academic exclusions;The irony could be that Management is accountable to Council for the financial sustainability of the institution, and could be implementing Council decisions on these matters.

CONVOCATION AND ALUMNI“The convocation consists of the principal, vice-principal, the registrars, academic employees (on the permanent staff of the institution, professors emeriti and other retired employees) and all persons who are or become graduates or diplomates of the institution and such persons as the council may determine”[Standard Institutional Statute].

CONVOCATION: continuedSection 44 of the Standard Institutional Statute does not provide any guidelines on the “Functions of the Convocation”. Some active and external members of Convocation sometimes occupy ‘influential’ positions in society or are influential by virtue of their achievements. They may ‘open doors’ for the benefit of the institution. There are few instances where they would seek to ‘influence’ the direction of the institution! There have been debates as to whether the Convocation is autonomous or accountable to the Council of an institution?

DONORSAll institutions are investing in efforts to grow 3rd stream income. One well-known source for this is donations. Development and Fundraising has become more and more professional and strategic and often requires the ‘cultivation’ of prospective donors. External Council members have a crucial role to play in assisting University Management in this endeavour. Issues to consider include:

DONORS (continued)• Alignment of fundraising with institutional

priorities;• Potential conflict of interest;• Demands and expectations that might be at

variance with institutional values and mission;• Stewardship: donors need to be looked after: -

don’t bank the the cheque and disappear!

UNIVERSITY STAFF: ACADEMIC AND SUPPORT• Conditions of employment;• Strategy and priorities of the institution;• Financial sustainability;• Mediation of disputes and conflicts between

Senior Management and university staff.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONSProfessional Associations often play an important role in the accreditation of ‘professional’ degrees. Their primary concern is about the quality of the graduates. They may inadvertently exert pressure on an institution around resource allocation, linking recognition and/or accreditation to certain levels of investment in the departments/schools/faculties offering the degrees. Conditional or withdrawal of recognition can be a public relations disaster for an institution. Members of Council with expertise highlighted from Standard Institutional Statute may play a pivotal role in helping manage the situation.

ORGANISED LABOUR

•EMPLOYEE RELATIONS;•DURING TIMES OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION.

THIS NEEDS POLITICAL SAVVINESS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND PLAYING A BROKERAGE ROLE.

ORGANISED (LOCAL?) BUSINESS• In small towns and rural areas, universities are

often one of the major employers. In general the economic value or impact of universities to local communities needs better understanding.

• Demand for student and staff accommodation – few if any universities can afford to provide accommodation to 100% of their students.

• Fundraising initiatives.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT• Services: water, electricity, rates, etc.• Transport;• Accommodation;• Safety and Security.

PROVINCEAlthough all 23 South African universities are ‘national’ universities, the majority (if not all) have a ‘regional’ bias. Disproportionately a large number of students enrolled are drawn from the same province. Two key areas are both provincial and national ‘competencies’: Health and Education. In most cases, universities are consciously devoting resources to and investing time in building strategic partnerships with The Province.

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT• Relationships with the Department of Higher

Education and Training as the line department – an important role can be played by Council members in strengthening these and help allay fears and lessen unhealthy mistrust.

• Other Government Departments in the “Economic Cluster” fund a number of activities within universities and this is often overlooked.

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT (cont.)• Department of Science and Technology:

research;• Department of Trade and Industry: job

creation; entrepreneurship; THRIP;• Department of Health – through the Medical

Research Council, health-related research;• Science Councils.

PARENTSThis appears to be a ‘neglected’ constituency or stakeholder amongst most universities. Only one institution mentioned ‘parents representative’ as a member of the University Council. Parents seem only to be invited to Welcome Day and Graduation Day and completely forgotten in between. This is an issue that warrants further debate within our institutions.

Thank you