A damning new report has exposed dysfunction, secrecy, and intimidation within university governing bodies, adding to growing pressure on the federal government to reform how public universities are run.
"This report confirms what staff have been saying for years – university governance is completely broken," said NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes.
"Decisions are being made behind closed doors by people with no connection to the daily realities of staff or students."
The report, based on a survey of staff representatives serving on university senates and councils, found:
59% described the culture as very negative, with some describing it as toxic and reporting bullying, intimidation and exclusion
71% were not permitted to report back to staff, despite being elected to represent them.
90% said agendas and minutes were not publicly available.
Only 19% were confident in their board's ability to address governance issues.
57% did not believe their contributions had a genuine impact on decisions reached by their governing bodies, with the majority feeling decisions were pre-determined
Several said union membership led to discrimination or exclusion within their boards.
Of the 81 publicly listed staff representatives on university governing bodies, more than a quarter participated (26%) in the survey.
Dr Barnes said the failures in the report reflect a broken system that has enabled insecure work, wage theft and executive excess to flourish while ignoring the voices of staff and students.
"For too long, universities have acted like corporations – chasing rankings and surplus targets – while governance boards rubber-stamp decisions that have harmed the people who make education and research possible," she said.
"We've seen vice chancellors paid millions while casual staff have their wages stolen. That doesn't happen in a system that's transparent, accountable and governed in the public interest."
The NTEU report recommends urgent reform including:
University councils and senates to be made up of at least 50% elected members, and
The majority of appointed members have experience in the public sector, not the private boardroom.
The report also revealed major gaps in training and induction for new board members, a lack of transparency around how committees are formed, and repeated attempts to exclude elected staff members from discussions of industrial matters.
Dr Barnes said the findings highlight the need for a complete overhaul of how universities are governed.
"Governance reform isn't optional. It's essential to allow our public universities to pursue their core teaching and research functions and ensure they act as a public good."
"Governments, regulators and university leaders must act now to restore transparency, accountability, and trust in our higher education system."
