Like most academics, I?have never wanted to?take on?senior leadership roles, let alone rise to?be a?vice-chancellor. But I?do want those jobs to be?done by?people who think like I?do about university values, mission, community and stakeholders.
Over recent years, v-cs have increasingly been cast as?universities’ CEOs – tough, competitive, decisive and all that. Perhaps as a?result, the people attracted to?these roles have tended to?have big egos and, sometimes, a?level of?narcissistic self-belief and ambition that can be experienced by?others as?bullying and harassment.
There have been several scandals in which v-cs have spectacularly crashed and burned. But, perhaps more importantly, some v-cs’ messianic behaviours and grandiose thinking have adversely affected their institutions’ cultures, performance, finances and long-term futures.
I?am?not at all falsely nostalgic for some imagined past when academics were allowed to do whatever they liked, nothing ever changed and the v-c was a?kindly old gentleman who seemed to pop up only at graduation ceremonies. But I?do think some v-cs have lost sight of their real job – which, I?believe, is to be the custodian of their university’s heritage, guiding it wisely and thoughtfully in the present and safeguarding its future.
So as my own university, Manchester, prepares to welcome a new vice-chancellor later this year, I?had a?go at writing the letter I?would like the appointee to send out to all staff on their first day in the job. And the reaction when I?tweeted an earlier version of it a few weeks ago seemed to suggest that many academics would agree.
Dear colleagues,
As I take up my new job as vice-chancellor, I?want to start as I?mean to go on – by writing to all staff to set out, plainly and honestly, how I?plan to lead this university.
I want to start with some practicalities. I?took this job on three conditions. First, I?wanted at least a day a week reserved for continuing to teach and research. The appointments panel asked me how I?could possibly do such a demanding job part time, and I?responded that I?could?not see how I?could possibly do it well without continuing to be an academic. This isn’t some sort of gesture – I?love teaching and research and may well want to return to them after my time as a?v-c. But, also, I?think continuing to teach and research will keep me grounded in the realities of what this institution exists to?do. I?will encourage all my senior colleagues to similarly stay involved – teaching and research are not just what we do, they are central to who we are.
Second, I?wanted to stay on the normal professorial salary scale. The salary on offer was more than three times the average professorial salary, and I?did?not think?I (or?anyone else for that matter) deserved to be paid that much. I?am pretty well rewarded as a senior professor already.
Third, I?have agreed to serve a single five-year term and have made it clear that I?will continue beyond that point only if I?am sure I?have the support and confidence not just of the board of governors but also of the great majority of staff. Again, this is not an empty gesture – I?don’t think you can lead a university like this unless most staff are with you; and even though sometimes very difficult and painful decisions have to be taken, I?believe in doing so in ways that retain and sustain staff engagement and support.
I am sure that over the next five years we will face some pretty difficult times – the future for British universities has never been more uncertain than it is today. But I?think we have an incredibly talented, creative and able workforce – both academics and professional support staff. My job, as I?see it, is to find ways to liberate, support, promote, encourage, celebrate and reward those staff and their achievements, while keeping the organisation heading in the right general direction. I?cannot do that without your support.
This is a big university, and I?am acutely conscious of the risk that I?and my senior colleagues become remote from the front line of academic life and work, or seem more concerned with numbers, strategies, spreadsheets and reports than with our people – staff and students. This university needs to be managed and led – but that is a means to an end, not an end in itself. We exist to research and teach; to generate and spread knowledge; to promote and defend freedom of thought and speech; and to make our world a better place. Our core values should be our humanity, compassion, decency and respect for others.
I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible over the next few months, and I?will write again to all staff every so often to update you on progress. But, more importantly, I?encourage you to write to me about how the university is doing and how I?am doing, and sharing your ideas for improvements in the future.
Yours,
The vice-chancellor
Kieran Walshe is professor of health policy and management at the University of Manchester.
