OXFORD came one stop closer to handing control of it executive to outsiders yesterday, after it emerged that the university was under serious government pressure to reform.
In the first time that England's universities could lose control over their independent decision making, dons disclosed that the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) had strongly urged them to change the way Oxford is run. In a letter to Alan Ryan, the warden of New College, Oxford, the council said that it was an "important principle" that the governing body of any pre-1992 university had a majority of external or independent members on its board.
David Eastwood, the chief executive of HEFCE, said that the body appreciated the "unique aspects" of the 900-year-old university, but that it felt strongly there should be external representation on the executive governing body. The dramatic intervention in the debate on modernising the oldest university in the English-speaking world, came during a rancorous debate at the university's Congregation, or parliament of dons, in the 17th century Sheldonian theatre.
After two hours, academics voted by 652 to 507 in favour of amending the proposals of John Hood, the Vice-Chancellor and in effect allowing the possibility of them reasserting control over Oxford's executive five years after the reforms were introduced. Dr Hood had recommended creating a board of directors with a majority of externally appointed members, to approve the budget and oversee the running of the university.