governing teacher education colleges in south africa

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a large institution such as a college becomes a matter of getting appropriate representation
through a regularly established council, senate, forum or committee. The habit of going
outside or bypassing these regular governance structures and setting up ad hoc structures
very often results in weakening the voice of the faculty. To operate effectively, the faculty
requires the necessary academic freedom in curriculum, methods of instruction and
research, assessment, and quality control. However, joint efforts between administration
and faculty are encouraged to guarantee "checks and balances" and change the ethos
regulating the practices of both the faculty and the administration. The study revealed
important insights about faculty participation in college governance:
While there is considerable desire to involve college faculty in all levels of decisionmaking,
and faculty representation in staff and professional associations, policy-making
bodies, the degree of participation in this process is bound up with issues of capacity,
experience, commitment and dedication. Issues such as lack of capacity and the need
for capacity building dominated the interviews, focus groups and the workshops held
with stakeholders. Pleas were made for government to address this issue in systematic
manner.
There is a widespread opinion that faculty members on the divisional or departmental
levels should have major control over selection of the head. Suggestions pointed to the
system of rotating division heads of department: “. I think what you could do is … what
universities have moved towards, to have for example two year HOD's, Heads of
department elected for only two years who will then step down, while somebody else
moves to that position.”
8.6. Students and governance
Students are the most important clients that colleges have and a crucial part of the
academic community. They must feel that they own the college. They form an important
part of the governance process of the college. College leaders must overcome their natural
adult prejudices and fears and learn to respect the special strengths and abilities of youth.
Pullas and Wilbur put it beautifully: “In achieving this respect one must avoid two extremes:
the old view that basically youth is inevitably irresponsible and bent upon no good; the
equally foolish notion that youth is the repository of a pristine, unspoiled wisdom not to be
thwarted.” The truth, they argue, lies somewhere between these two extremes; its use
depends much upon mutual respect. 63 In South Africa, the role played by youth in the
struggle against apartheid has established a privileged status to students in governance
structures. It has become almost a cliché to hear people say that students must be
involved in the decision making processes.
65 Pullas and Wilbur, p.30.
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