Abstract
This study was designed to examine the activities of Governing Councils in the management of Universities in the North-central States, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 1827, made up of 163 governing council members, 1292 senate members, 98 ASUU executive members, 90 SSANU executive members, 83 NASU executive members and 101 SUG executive members, from the 11 public funded Universities of federal and states in the north-central states, Nigeria. The sample of the study was 374 consisting of 33 governing Council members, 271 Senate members, 53 Staff union executive members and 17 SUG executive members representing 20.5% of the population, drawn using proportionate stratified random sampling technique from 6 public funded Universities of Federal and States in the North-Central States, Nigeria. The instruments for data collection were a 30 item structured questionnaire titled: Governing Councils’ Activities and University Management Questionnaire (GCAUMQ), Interview Schedule and FGD Guide. The response options for the questionnaire items in clusters A-F were; Very High Extent (VHE), High Extent (HE), Low Extent (LE), and Very Low Extent (VLE) with numerical values of 4,3,2 and 1 points respectively. The instruments were face validated by three experts. Cronbach Alpha method was used to determine the internal consistency of the questionnaire items. The reliability indices of the clusters were 0.79, 0.86, 0.89, 0.85, 0.79 and 0.83 for clusters A-F respectively. The overall reliability coefficient was 0.84. The researcher with the help of 5 research assistants administered the questionnaire and also conducted interview and FGD. Data collected were presented using descriptive statistics while t-test was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The data from interviews and FGD were qualitatively analyzed. The major findings were; There was significant difference in the mean ratings of Council and Senate members on the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor at (3.68,2.65). There was significant difference in the mean ratings of council and Senate members on the senate responsibilities at (3.69,2.90). There was also a significant difference in the mean ratings of Councils and Union Executive members on University Union Activities at (3.62,2.70). There was no significant difference in the mean opinions of Senate and Staff Union Executives on Staff Personnel Administration at (3.05,2.91). There was a significant difference in the mean ratings of Council and Senate members on Students Personnel Administration at (3.61,2.77). There was a significant difference in the mean opinions of Senate members and Student Union Executives on management of University funds at (2.78,2.97). The following major conclusions were Stated – Governing Councils in both Federal and State Universities to a high extent are involved in the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor; Governing Councils of Federal and State universities differed on Student personnel administration; Governing Councils of Federal and state Universities to a high extent do not support the University Staff Union activities. It was recommended among others that, University Governing Councils at Federal and State should apply the law establishing the Councils strictly in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors, Senate responsibilities should not be interfered with; Union activities should be through democratic process, recruitment and promotion should be based on qualification and merit, fiscal responsibilities of the University should be transparently done through due process.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Universities are unarguably the highest institutions of learning the world over, and therefore, most countries consider these institutions as critical to their overall national development. According to Asimiran and Sufean (2009), “University is a fascinating institution with many faces: academic, scientific, social, cultural, economic, political, religious and commercial. Whatever it is, the noble vision and mission of the University is to generate, expand, and disseminate knowledge in all disciplines for the advancement of human civilization”.
Developed countries have made giant scientific, technological, economic and of course, political gains because of the quality of manpower derived from their universities. It is important to note that less developed countries that are interested in fast-tracking their development, place adequate attention and emphasis on the quality of manpower that is turned out of their educational institutions, especially universities (Ukase, 2011).
Mgbekem (2004) holds that University education prepares people through teaching and learning for acquisition of knowledge and skills for job performance in the civil service, business organization, private enterprises and corporations as well as individual enterprises, as a means of producing high level manpower for the country’s economy. In the same vein, Onokerhoraye and Nwoyen (1995), posited that universities are major vehicles for economic and social development in different parts of the world. The authors maintain that, Universities have the responsibility for equipping individuals with the advanced knowledge and skills required for positions of responsibility in Government and the private sector. Despite the immense benefits of University education in nation building, the potentials of higher education and indeed the University system in developing countries to fulfill its responsibilities is frequently thwarted by long standing problems. A number of these problems have inhibited goal attainment and are raising questions, doubts and fears.
In Nigeria however, each University has been established by a law whether by Federal or State Government, (Korgba, 2011). Since the attainment of Independence by Nigeria in 1960, there are currently 36 Federal Universities across the six geo-political zones of the country. Apart from the federal universities, there are 37 state owned universities and 50 privately owned universities. That means, Nigeria presently has a total of 123 universities. (National University Commission (NUC), 2012).
In order to achieve the aims and objectives for which these Universities are set-up, each of the Universities has a Governing Council. These Councils are the highest policy making bodies of the universities. The Governing Council is the University’s governing body and has the responsibility for both the general direction and superintendence of its University, (Oshio, 2004). The governing councils also respond to the challenges involved in the governance process by making the decisions for sustainable, ethical, and effective management of public University education, (Korgba, 2011).
The composition of the councils is supposed to reflect the Federal Character, gender representation and locational interest and is never through election by the University communities concerned, (Ekong, 2001). Established by the University (Miscellaneous Provisions Amendment) Act (2003), the powers, functions and general mandate of the Governing Councils run inter-alia: Section 2AA of the Act states that; “The powers of the Council shall be exercised, as in the law and statute of each university and to this extent establishment circulars that are inconsistent with the Laws and statute of the university shall not apply to the university”.
Section2AAA(1) provides that, the governing council of a university shall be free in the discharge of its functions and exercise of its responsibilities for good management, growth and development of the university. Section2AAA(2) provides that the council of a university in the discharge of its functions shall ensure that disbursement of funds of the university complies with the approved budgetary ratio for (a) personnel cost; (b) overhead cost; (c) research and development (d) library developments and (e) the balance in expenditure between academic visa viz non academic activities. Other statutory functions, powers and the mandate of governing councils as provided in the establishing Act, include; responsibility for decisions that have financial implications; general management of the affairs of the university; controlling the property and the expenditure of the university; superintending policy formulation; and performing any activity which in its opinion is calculated to facilitate the carrying on of the activities of university, including the regulations of the constitution and conduct of the university; responsibility for recruitment, promotion and discipline of staff; all contracts and appointments at the university are made in the name of council and can only be terminated by council or in the name of council; appointments and removal of Vice- chancellor from office after due process on grounds of gross misconduct or inability to discharge the functions of the office as a result of infirmity of body or mind.
The purpose of these provisions is to liberate the Universities from the bureaucracy of the civil service and to enable the Council exercise its powers and performs its functions without undue external influence, (Oshio, 2004). In the discharge of councils’ mandate however, it appears that, most University Governing Council activities come into conflict with other organized bodies within the Universities over the implementation of such policies. As a result, the relevant stakeholders of University system particularly Academic, Non Academic staff and students, have expressed serious concerns about the activities of Governing Councils in the management of Universities in the North Central States. The researcher’s experience indicated that there are doubts as whether the Governing Councils are really playing the game according to rules.
Dominant among these concerns are; appointment of the Vice Chancellors, interference in the affairs of the Senate; Staff personnel administration especially in the areas of recruitment, appointment and promotion; interference with University Staff Unions, like Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), Students Union Government (SUG); Staff and Students Personnel Administration and management of University funds.
Councils are said to have set up several ad-hoc committees such as accreditation; academic programs, staff and students welfare, staff audit and funding, whose assignments touch on some of the day-to-day activities of the University management and or Senate, (Ekundayo and Adedokun, 2009). The consequence of the above, is lack of motivation and rancor among staff, loss of confidence and interest in the University governance. There are also cases of recruitments, appointments and promotions of staff which have been done that fell short of expected norms of the university (Visitation Panel Report (VPR) Benue State University (BSU), 2008). This has the consequences of some staff being discriminated against on the basis of their ethnic, Local Government Area and even gender considerations.
Cases of students’ misconduct, examination malpractices and preferential admissions are said not to have been investigated by the councils on the recommendation of the senate. Aggrieved by the above situation, Alabi, (2002) observed that this sometimes leads to destruction of properties, payment of restitution fees and destruction of academic activities.
