Oxford dons rebel at NZ head's reforms

John Hood

Former Auckland University vice-chancellor John Hood has angered Oxford University academics with radical plans to change the way the 800-year-old institution is run.

Dr Hood, who took over as Oxford's vice-chancellor in September, wants to overhaul the university's governance and working conditions. His plans would see Oxford's 39 colleges lose much of their autonomy to a single, 150-strong academic council. He has also proposed creating a board of trustees, 13 outsiders to oversee finances and investments.

The former business leader strengthened Auckland University's financial position during his six years there, but Oxford staff believe his proposals will destroy academic freedom.

They are so concerned that they have referred the issue to the university's 3552-strong governing body, Congregation, to which all academics belong. They have submitted three motions that, if passed, could force Dr Hood to drop key parts of his plan.

The opposition is hugely embarrassing for Dr Hood, the first vice-chancellor from outside the university's academic body.

Gavin Williams, a politics tutor and fellow of St Peter's College, who proposed one of the motions, said: "Line management replaces collegiality and vocation. Performance is measured and costed. Staff find their jobs at risk. These changes undermine academic values and threaten academic freedom."

Gillian Evans, a professor of mediaeval history at Cambridge who opposed similar reforms there, said Dr Hood was mistaken if he thought he could run Oxford like a multinational corporation. "He has failed to understand the culture of direct democracy at Oxford ... He has misunderstood what makes Oxford great."

In a letter to Oxford Magazine, David Palfreyman, bursar of New College, said: "Will we dispose of 800 years of genuine academic self-governance to curry favour with folk ill-informed about just what is a world-class university?"

Dr Hood also plans a new "mandatory system" of performance review of academics by their line managers. This would give managers the power to "rebalance academic duties".

Academics regard this as an unacceptable attack on their freedom.

He also plans a shake-up of the libraries that could see the eight million books of the 400-year-old Bodleian distributed across the city.

Dr Hood, who studied at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, spent 18 years in a senior role with Fletcher Challenge. He was also a director of ASB Bank and Fonterra.

- INDEPENDENT

additional reporting: Herald staff