Cambridge Dons Voting on Increasing Number of Lay People on University's Governing Body. (March 4, 2008)

On November 29, 2006 by a vote of 730 to 456 Oxford University dons rejected plans that would have brought academic self-rule to an end and handed decision-making at the university to outside business leaders. However the matter was then subjected to a postal ballot of 3,770 members of the university's academic, library and administrative staff. In fact 2,537, i.e. 67.3% of those eligible did cast a vote, and the results, tallied on December 19, 2006, were 1,540 (60.7%) against the plans, 997 (39.3%) for the reorganisation.

Oxford's vice-chancellor, John Hood proposed to replace Oxford's 25-member executive body, four of whom are outsiders, with seven external and seven internal members, plus the chancellor as chairman. Professor Hood has continued as vice-chancellor but only just, and the future form of Oxford's governance remains problematic.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) has put pressure on both universities to have a majority of outsiders on its decision-making bodies.

Stripped of the niceties, the Council is pressuring Oxbridge to become "more businesslike".

Until recently Cambridge University's V-C, Alison Richard, has manoeuvred through the rapids skilfully, but as of last week a vote was called. The Guardian's Jessica Shepherd writes: "The postal ballot of the 3,800 members of Regents House - the 'dons' parliament' of academic staff, heads of colleges and university officers - is the latest in a long-running battle at Oxford and Cambridge between academics who defend self-rule and those who argue for a majority of outsiders to make the universities more accountable for the public funds they receive."

Currently the governing body numbers the vice-chancellor, who has the casting vote; four college heads; four professors and readers; eight other academics; three students; and two outsiders.

According to a number of academics "they elect the professors and readers, and the eight other academics, but the heads of colleges are elected from among themselves -- they never rebel against the vice-chancellor for fear of having their college budgets cut. This, they say, means they [the academics] elect 12 of the 22-member governing body - the majority." But if the vote is passed to increase the outsiders from two to four, they will elect 12 out of 24 members - and will no longer be the majority of the governing body.

The vote is scheduled for March 12.

According to Professor Ross Anderson, a member of the governing body, the change would stop Cambridge being a self-governing community of scholars and added that those in favour of the change argue that Hefce will dock money from Cambridge if it is not passed.

A Hefce spokeswoman told The Guardian: "We are aware that Cambridge is continuing to reflect on its governance arrangements, and we will take stock of these, and other issues, in a routine audit visit later in the year."