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Demistifying the University
28 January 2006
Universities can appear as fairly forbidding places for those
people unfamiliar with them, with all sorts of committees, and
people with titles drawn from other centuries. It has a governance
structure unlike any other public or private organisation, and the
picture can be confusing.
At the start of a new year, as we celebrate our first and next
decade, I thought it might be useful for me to demystify some of
these names and structures. It might help those people who will be
at the University this year, in larger numbers than ever
before.
At present we are awaiting governmental notification of members
of our new governing body, the Council. Six of the new
eighteen-member Council are considered by State Cabinet and
approved by the Governor-in-Council.
The Chancellor, Ian Kennedy, presides at Council meetings, and
there are usually five or six each year. Councillors have to ensure
that the University is accountable, and is compliant with the
Federal Government's national governance protocols. None of these
councillors are paid for their Council work, and even the
Chancellor's position is an honorary one.
The Vice-Chancellor is appointed by, and reports to, the
Council. The Vice-Chancellor is the Chief Executive Officer, or the
President in some universities, and is responsible for the day to
day leadership and management of the University.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Professor Greg Hill) covers absences
of the Vice-Chancellor, and has a heavy leadership role at
University of the Sunshine Coast on academic matters.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Professor Robert Elliot) at USC is
concerned principally with International Developments and the
Quality Audit preparation, due this year.
Teaching and research staff of the University are located in
each one of the three faculties (Business, Arts and Social
Sciences, and Science Health and Education) headed by Deans.
Research staff may also be aligned with Centres or Institutes that
can cross faculties, and where the research foci are in those areas
relevant to the development of the Sunshine Coast.
The administrative arm of the University is divided into a
number of cost centres headed mainly by Directors, responsible for
Information Technology, Library, Foundation, Capital Works,
Finance, Student Administration and Services, Marketing and
Communication, Office of Learning Teaching and Research, and Human
Resources.
The Council has a number of committees that report to it on
specialised areas, like the Academic Board, Planning and Audit and
Risk Management.
There are many more academic committees associated with the
Faculties or projects that report to the Academic Board to ensure
procedures and standards are maintained.
At present the University has one private company with its own
Board, Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast Pty Ltd, which reports on a
quarterly basis to the Council. In the future, we hope to create
other spinout companies that will generate jobs.
Universities, therefore, have to balance some of the collegiate
decision-making structures that are traditional, alongside the
fast-track business decision-making that characterises successful
modern businesses, and be responsive to the emerging marketplace.
It is not always an easy balance to strike, but a balance that
needs to be struck in universities for them to address their
non-profit academic mission on the one hand, and their increasing
privatisation that demands competitiveness on the other.
Hopefully we are striking a reasonable balance.
Professor Paul Thomas is Vice-Chancellor of University of
the Sunshine Coast