It’s not widely known, but, when the UK's Vice Chancellors last marched on Whitehall, they did it to this chant:
What do we want?
More leadership development materials ...
When do we want it?
At the end of the next semester.
Oddly, this didn't make the press (I think Katie Price, Boris Johnson and Phillip Green were talking about a new NHS). However, those who did hear about it must have included those organizations which, rumour has it, are now planning to put the squeeze on Hefce for additional tax-payer rhino to be tipped into the ESD / Quality subsidy trough for more materials which universities don't realise they need. Hefce, having already spend $zillions on all this, and caught in a web of its own weaving, will surely find it hard to say 'No'.
So they will be stung for yet more cash they cannot spare, and the end product will likely just be more jargon-ridden, self-serving nonsense. Much better were the Funding Council to buy a job lot of Bob Lutz's Icons and Idiots: Straight Talk on Leadership, which is both witty and wise, and give one to every VC in the country.
Better still, give one to every Deputy VC and PVC who then might be in a position to fight back. It's available from all good Amazons everywhere ... .
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