GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT:

The role of the University Registrar as benevolent

bureaucrat: Facilitator, innovator, enforcer

11 JULY 2012

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INDEX

1. Contexts

2. A few anecdotal references

3. Status, authority and credibility

4. Responsibilities and roles interpreted

5. Governance role

6. Leadership expectations

7. Management responsibilities

8. Governance, leadership and management:

Towards KPI’s

9. Benevolent bureaucracy

10.Summary

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1. CONTEXTS

1.1. Global

1.2. Continental

1.3. National

1.4. Regional

1.5. Institutional

1.6. Economical/Political/Social/Educational/

Technological

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2.1.Registrar 1:• 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:• ”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. Vice-

Chancellors 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

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• Delegation of authority• Conflicts of interest : “Ensure that conflicts of interest are managed.”• Confirm detailed schedule of delegated authority annually.”

• 2.3 Registrar 3:• “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.”

2. A FEW ANECDOTAL REFERENCES (cont.)

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• 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)

3. STATUS, AUTHORITY AND CREDIBILITY

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•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!”]

3. STATUS, AUTHORITY AND CREDIBILITY (cont.)

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4. RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLES INTERPRETED

• 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

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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

• Definition of “governance” in general• Governance in higher education • Significance of King III • Consultation and decision-making • Policies, procedures, structures, systems

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5. GOVERNANCE ROLE (cont.)

• “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.”

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5. GOVERNANCE ROLE (cont.)

• 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.)

• Facilitation, innovation, enforcement : • What • Why • When • How• With which resources

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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 develop-

ment of individuals in the

organisation.”

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6. LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS (cont.)

• 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!

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6. LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS (cont.)

• 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

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6. LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS (cont.)

• Facilitation, innovation, enforcement:

• What

• Why

• When

• How

• With which resources

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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.)

• 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.)

• Facilitation, innovation, enforcement: • What • Why• When• How • With which resources

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8. GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT: TOWARDS KPI’S

• Priorities

• Weightings

• Critical incidents

• Selfevaluation

• 360 degree evaluation

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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 role-

players?

• Value-addition? [Meetings]

• HR Management?

• Financial Management?

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9. BENEVOLENT BUREAUCRACY

• 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.

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10. SUMMARY

• Super Secretary/Glorified Secretary?

• Organiser/Systematiser/Charmer/Confidante?

• 21st century Executive?

• Balanced Scorecard?

• Dashboard?

• Change Manager/Transformation Manager/Diversity Manager/Strategic Manager/Performance Manager?

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10. SUMMARY (cont.)

• Facilitator [Creates optimal conditions for successful academic enterprise]

• Innovator [2 bright ideas per 5 year term!]

• Enforcer [Uncompromising]

• Benevolent bureaucrat [Judicious flexibility]

• “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 !”

Julian Smith

VICE-RECTOR (CI & PERSONNEL)

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THANK YOU