Government scraps governing board proposal for University of Malta
The government has scrapped a proposal to introduce a governing board at the University of Malta, which would have final say on critical decisions such as the institution’s annual budget.
Government has been working on a dedicated law for the national university, called the University of Malta act. It had proposed a governing body made up of three to five members directly appointed by the Prime Minister. Academics, students and members of civil society were vehemently opposed to it citing concerns of institutional autonomy.
Following a consultation period of the government’s initial proposals, a new set of proposals have been drawn up with the governing body completely scrapped.
Instead, the University’s Council, the highest body within the institution, will have members directly appointed by the Prime Minister cut in half, to seven members. In addition, a strategic and financial committee would be set up to help reduce the council’s workload.
This latest draft bill will now be subject to feedback by key stakeholders and following this, will be subject to the parliamentary process.
The Council
Changes within the university council are as follows:
Academic staff, administrative and technical staff and student representation will increase from three members each to four members each. One member will be appointed from MCAST, while those appointed directly by the Prime Minister will be slashed to seven members.
In total, the council will be made up of: four academic staff members, four administrative and technical staff members, four student representatives, one representative from MCAST, seven members appointed by the Prime Minister, the chairperson (also appointed by the Prime Minister), four representatives from the university’s senate, one member from the faculty of theology, the University rector and a member from the National Skills Council.
This leaves 28 members in total.
The rector and a newly formed electoral college
The rector will no longer be voted in by the University Council. Instead, the bill proposes that an electoral college is formed to choose a new rector.
Voting members of the electoral college are as follows:
10 academic staff members - four of which will be Council members while the remaining six will be chosen among the academic staff themselves, 10 administrative and technical staff members – four of which will be Council members while the remaining six will be chosen among the admin and technical staff themselves, 10 students representatives – four of which will be from Council, the seven Council members appointed by the Prime Minister and the member appointed from the National Skills Council.
Financial and Strategic Committee
A strategic and financial committee is being proposed, where its main functions would be to draw up a strategic and institutional plan for the university every three years while also drawing up a business plan, a budget and an academic plan on an annual basis. This would lighten the workload of the Council while retaining its power of having a final say. Should the Council disagree with any of the plans, it must state its reason why and the committee must then amend.
This committee will be made up of the rector, two representatives each from the Council and the University Senate a well as representatives from the Education Ministry, the Finance Ministry, the National Skills Council and the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.
In addition, an executive committee will also be formed to take day-to-day administrative decisions which have so far been left in the hands of the Council, which only meets once a month. In this way, a committee which meets more frequently would be able to take decisions in a timelier manner.
Faculty Deans
The way in which Deans are elected would also be subject to change under the proposed bill. The process has been widened to include administrative staff and students together with the academic faculty.
Votes would be weighted differently, with academic staff accounting for 70 per cent of the final result, admin and technical staff votes amount to 20 per cent of the final vote, while student votes amount to 10 per cent.
Term limits have also been removed under this Bill.
Appeals Board
Lastly, a proposal has been made to launch an appeals system for prospective students, current students, prospective staff and current staff. If a student feels they were unfairly disqualified for a programme, or a staff member feels they were unfairly passed on for a promotion, a system would be set up providing a formal structure with the right to appeal that decision.
The right to take University to a court of law has also been retained.