GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT:
The role of the University Registrar as benevolent
bureaucrat: Facilitator, innovator, enforcer
11 JULY 2012
INDEX
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Contexts
A few anecdotal references
Status, authority and credibility
Responsibilities and roles interpreted
Governance role
Leadership expectations
Management responsibilities
Governance, leadership and management:
Towards KPI’s
9. Benevolent bureaucracy
10. Summary
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1. CONTEXTS
1.1.
1.2.
1.3.
1.4.
1.5.
1.6.
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Global
Continental
National
Regional
Institutional
Economical/Political/Social/Educational/
Technological
2. A FEW ANECDOTAL REFERENCES
2.1.Registrar 1:
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The Registrar knows everything
The Registrar is capable of everything
The Registrar will always oblige
The Registrar and “an old civil service mentality”
2.2 Registrar 2:
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”I make it a habit to ensure that at the start of each year that I have at my
desk an up-to-date copy of the HE Act and of the Institutional Statute AND
TO SPEND TIME at the start of each year re-reading both. I have a checklist
of compliance issues for the HE Act and work through these each year.”
“Systematic review of legislative compliance is very useful”
“As Registrar one is the institutional custodian of good governance. ViceChancellors want to get things done, and Registrars need to ensure that they
follow good governance practice and do not take unwise short cuts..”
2. A FEW ANECDOTAL REFERENCES (cont.)
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2.3 Registrar 3:
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Delegation of authority
Conflicts of interest : “Ensure that conflicts of interest are managed.”
Confirm detailed schedule of delegated authority annually.”
“My most important responsibility is to Council and Senate and related
activities.”
“The correct application of the Act and Statute, e.g. concerning elections, is
crucial.”
“Administering the student’s academic life is central to responsibilities.”
3. STATUS, AUTHORITY AND CREDIBILITY
• Job designation (Registrar/Registrar and Secretary/Academic
Registrar/Registrar Finance)
• Appointments process (Recruitment/Senate route/Non-academic
route)
• Experience (Academic/Career administrator)
• Terms and conditions (Permanent/Fixed term)
• Post level (2/3: Member of Executive Team/Co-opted Member of
ET/Secretary/Glorified assistant/Confidante of VC)
• Reporting line (Vice-Chancellor/DVC) [“No vices…!”]
• Composition of portfolio (HR/Sport/Student Discipline/Other)
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3. STATUS, AUTHORITY AND CREDIBILITY (cont.)
• The Registrar is ….:
• “An officer who in a college or university
keeps the records of enrollment and
academic standing.”
• “There shall be a registrar of the
university who shall be the chief officer
of its academic administration.”
• “The management of the university shall
consist of the Vice-Chancellor and the
Deputy Vice-Chancellors.”
• [Information empowers, lack of
information disempowers!”]
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4. RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLES INTERPRETED
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Fixed/predictable responsibilities (Act and Statute)
Incidental responsibilities (Vice-Chancellor)
Preferred responsibilities (Strengths/Interests)
Generic features and customisation (Institutional vision/Strategic
objectives/Changing contexts)
Recognition of post level
Reporting lines
An example of a job description
Institutional expectations reflected by KPI’s
South African universities
Other SADC universities
5. GOVERNANCE ROLE
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Definition of “governance” in general
Governance in higher education
Significance of King III
Consultation and decision-making
Policies, procedures, structures, systems
5. GOVERNANCE ROLE (cont.)
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“Governance in higher education refers to the means by which higher
education institutions are formally organized and managed , though
there is a distinction between management and governance.”
“Simply, university governance is the way in which universities are
operated.”
“Governance structures are highly
differentiated across the world.”
5. GOVERNANCE ROLE (cont.)
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•
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King III and good governance :
From “comply or explain” to “apply and explain” approach
Triple bottom-line: Financial, environmental social sustainability
Emphasises: Stakeholder inclusion/risk management/sustainability
Emerging governance trends: alternative dispute resolution/
risk-based internal audit/
evaluation of performance
• King philosophy : leadership/
sustainability/good corporate
citizenship
• “King views good governance
essentially being effective,
ethical leadership.”
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5. GOVERNANCE ROLE(cont.)
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Facilitation, innovation, enforcement :
What
Why
When
How
With which resources
6. LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS
• “Leadership is the action of leading a group of people or
organisation.”
•
“… the organisation defines and delimits the scope of the
leadership …”
•
“(Leadership include)
… the development of
hospitable spaces for
work life, services to
both the organisation
and the communit, and
the personal development of individuals in the
organisation.”
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6. LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS (cont.)
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Top 9 leadership qualities:
Integrity/Dedication/Magnanimity/Humility/Openness/Creativity/
Fairness/Assertiveness/Sense of humour
Top 5 leadership qualities:
Integrity/Inspiring and optimist/Enthusiastic and
courageous/Leading by example/Charisma
Tom Peters (The Red Bull of management thinkers!) has received
287 definitions of leaders [“Leaders need to be the Rock of Gibraltar
on Rollerblades!”]
Warren Buffett: Delegate and empower!
Nelson Mandela’s 8 lessons of leadership: Courage/Leading from
the front/Leading from the back/Knowing your enemy/Keep your
friends close/Appearances matter (and to smile)/Nothing is black or
white/Quitting is leading too!
6. LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS (cont.)
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Leadership in higher education: One type proposed is
“Transformational Leadership”:
Individual consideration
Inspirational motivation
Intellectual stimulation
Appropriate role-modelling
High performance expectations
Self-belief & sense of humour
Contingent reward
6. LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS (cont.)
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Facilitation, innovation, enforcement:
What
Why
When
How
With which resources
7. MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
• “Management is the process
of dealing with or controlling
things or people.”
• “Management is the act of
getting people together to
• Accomplish desired goals
and objectives using
available resources
efficiently and effectively.”
• “Management is human
action, including design, to
facilitate the production of
useful outcomes from a
system.”
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7. MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES (cont.)
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•
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Management in higher education:
Student expectations
Staff expectations
Alumni expectations
Expectations of national
department of
education [Administrators and
Independent Assessors]
• Expectations of other
role-players and
stakeholders
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7. MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES (cont.)
• 25 qualities and
characteristics of a good
manager
• 6 ways to be a good manager
• 10 characteristics of a great
manager
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7. MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES (cont.)
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Facilitation, innovation, enforcement:
What
Why
When
How
With which resources
8. GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT:
TOWARDS KPI’S
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•
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Priorities
Weightings
Critical incidents
Selfevaluation
360 degree evaluation
8. GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT:
TOWARDS KPI’S (cont.)
• Example 1:
• Advertisement of vacancy: “The candidate must be a team player
with good leadership qualities to inspire and motivate a crop of
administrative officers. He/she must command respect, be ready to
instill confidence and relate with subordinates. The candidate must
have high integrity, innovativeness
and moral standard in tandem
with the vision and mission of the
university and must be ICT
compliant.”
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8. GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT:
TOWARDS KPI’S (cont.)
• Example 2: Job description of
Registrar:
• Academic Administration
• Secretarial function
• Ad hoc functions
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8. GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT:
TOWARDS KPI’S (cont.)
• Fair expectations:
• Contribution to pursuance of institutional vision and mission?
• Efficacy of systems, structures, policies, procedures and
communication?
• Responsiveness to changing needs of students, staff and
other stakeholders and roleplayers?
• Value-addition? [Meetings]
• HR Management?
• Financial Management?
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9. BENEVOLENT BUREAUCRACY
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Appropriately positioned w.r.t. the academic
core activities [Who walks in front of
academic procession?]
Plays facilitating role
Creates optimal conditions
Solution oriented
Adds value
Flexible
Acts with due integrity
Accountable
Pursues good practice
Assures quality
Surveys “clients”
Consults role-players and stakeholders
Ensures compliance
Cutting edge technology
Updated policies; Etc.
10. SUMMARY
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Super Secretary/Glorified Secretary?
Organiser/Systematiser/Charmer/Confidante?
21st century Executive?
Balanced Scorecard?
Dashboard?
Change Manager/Transformation Manager/Diversity
Manager/Strategic Manager/Performance Manager?
10. SUMMARY (cont.)
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Facilitator [Creates optimal conditions for successful academic
enterprise]
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Innovator [2 bright ideas per 5 year term!]
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Enforcer [Uncompromising]
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Benevolent bureaucrat [Judicious flexibility]
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“The Registrar finds herself/himself at a pivotal point in a complex,
though resilient, institution and must facilitate, innovate and enforce
with a view to advance the organization in general, and the core
academic activities in particular.” [JFS]
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10. SUMMARY (cont.)
•
Must lead through expertise/ability/experience/sound
judgement/consistency; Etc.
•
”Love, Laugh, Smile and (Benevolently) express your passion for
what you do !”
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THANK YOU
Julian Smith
VICE-RECTOR (CI & PERSONNEL)
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